{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_46202/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_46202","id":"gutenberg_46202","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46202","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Latter Day Saint churches","Latter Day Saints"],"text":"A NEW WITNESS FOR GOD.\n\n* * * *\n\nBY\n\nELDER B. H. ROBERTS\n\nAUTHOR OF\n\n\"THE GOSPEL,\" \"THE LIFE OF JOHN TAYLOR,\" \"OUTLINES OF ECCLESIASTICAL\nHISTORY,\" \"SUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH,\" ETC., ETC.\n\n* * * *\n\n\"Some millions must be wrong, that's pretty clear. * * * * 'Tis time\nthat some new prophet should appear.\"\n\n* * * *\n\nPUBLISHED BY GEORGE Q. CANNON & SONS COMPANY, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.\n1895.\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\nThree quarters of a century have passed away since Joseph Smith\nfirst declared that he had received a revelation from God. From that\nrevelation and others that followed there has sprung into existence\nwhat men call a new religion--\"Mormonism;\" and a new church, the\ninstitution commonly known as the \"Mormon Church,\" the proper name of\nwhich, however, is THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.\n\nThough it may seem a small matter, the reader should know that\n\"Mormonism\" is not a new religion. Those who accept it do not so regard\nit; it makes no such pretentions. The institution commonly called the\n\"Mormon Church,\" is not a new church; it makes no such pretensions, as\nwill be seen by its very name--the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day\nSaints. This of itself discloses what \"The Mormon Church\" claims to\nbe--the Church of Jesus Christ; and to distinguish it from the Church\nof Jesus Christ that existed in former days, the phrase \"of Latter-day\nSaints\" is added. \"Mormonism,\" I repeat, is not a new religion; it is\nthe Old Religion, the Everlasting Gospel, restored again to the earth\nthrough the revelations received by Joseph Smith.\n\nAt a glance the reader will observe that these claims in behalf of\n\"Mormonism\" pre-suppose the destruction of the primitive Christian\nChurch, a complete apostasy from the Christian religion; and hence,\nfrom the standpoint of a believer, \"Mormonism\" is the Gospel of Jesus\nChrist restored; and the institution which grows out of it--the\nchurch--is the Church of Jesus Christ re-established among men.\n\nDuring the three quarters of a century that have elapsed since the\nfirst revelation was announced by Joseph Smith, the world has been\nflooded with all manner of rumors concerning the origin of \"Mormonism,\"\nits doctrines, its organization, its purposes, its history. Books\nenough to make a respectable library, as to size, have been written on\nthese subjects, but the books, in the main, are the works of avowed\nenemies, or of sensational writers who chose \"Mormonism\" for a subject\nbecause in it they supposed they had a theme that would be agreeable to\ntheir own vicious tastes and perverted talents, and give satisfactory\nreturns in money for their labor. This latter class of writers have\nnot only written without regard to truth, but without shame. They are\nghouls who have preyed upon the misfortunes of an unpopular people\nsolely for the money or notoriety they could make out of the enterprise.\n\nThat I may not be thought to overstate the unreliability of anti-Mormon\nliterature, I make an excerpt from a book written by Mr. Phil\nRobinson, called _Sinners and Saints_. [1] Mr. Robinson came to Utah\nin 1882 as a special correspondent of _The New York World,_ and stayed\nin Utah some five or six months, making \"Mormonism\" and the Latter-day\nSaints a special study. On the untrustworthiness of the literature in\nquestion, he says:\n\n\"Whence have the public derived their opinions about Mormonism? From\nanti-Mormons only. I have ransacked the literature of the subject,\nand yet I really could not tell anyone where to go for an impartial\nbook about Mormonism later in date than Burton's 'City of the Saints,'\npublished in 1862. * * * But put Burton on one side, and I think I\ncan defy any one to name another book about the Mormons worthy of\nhonest respect. From that truly _awful_ book, 'The History of the\nSaints,' published by one Bennett (even an anti-Mormon has styled him\n'the greatest rascal that ever came to the West,') in 1842, down to\nStenhouse's in 1873, there is not to my knowledge a single Gentile work\nbefore the public that is not utterly unreliable from its distortion of\nfacts. Yet it is from these books--for there are no others--that the\nAmerican public has acquired nearly all its ideas about the people of\nUtah.\"\n\nIt may be asked why have not the Saints themselves written books\nrefuting the misrepresentations of their detractors, and giving correct\ninformation about themselves and their religion. To that inquiry there\nare several answers. One is that they _have_ made the attempt. Perhaps\nnot on a sufficiently extensive scale. They may not have appreciated\nfully the importance of doing so; but chiefly the reason they have\nnot published more books in their own defense, and have not been more\nsolicitous about refuting slanders published against them, is because\nof the utter impossibility of getting a hearing. The people to whom\nthey appealed were hopelessly prejudiced against them. Their case was\nprejudged and they themselves condemned before a hearing could be had.\nThese were the disadvantages under which they labored; and how serious\nsuch disadvantages are, only those know who have felt the cruel tyranny\nof prejudice.\n\nNow, however, there seems to be a change in the tide of their\naffairs. Prejudice has somewhat subsided. There is in various\nquarters indications of a willingness to hear what accredited\nrepresentatives of the \"Mormon\" faith may have to say in its behalf.\nIt is this circumstance that has induced the author to present for the\nconsideration of his fellow-men this work, which is written, however,\nnot with a view of defending the character of the Latter-day Saints,\nbut to set forth the message that \"Mormonism\" has to proclaim to the\nworld, and point out the evidences of divine inspiration in him through\nwhom that message was delivered.\n\nThe author has chosen for his work the title, \"A NEW WITNESS FOR GOD,\"\nbecause that is the relation Joseph Smith, the great modern prophet,\nsustains to this generation; and it is the author's purpose to prove,\nfirst, that the world stands in need of such a witness; and, second,\nthat Joseph Smith is that witness.\n\nThe subject is treated under four THESES.\n\nI.\n\n_The world needs a New Witness for God._\n\nII.\n\n_The Church of Christ was destroyed; there has been an apostasy from\nthe Christian religion so complete and universal as to make necessary a\nNew Dispensation of the Gospel;_\n\nIII.\n\n_The Scriptures declare that the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the last\ndays--in the hour of God's judgment--will be restored to the earth by a\nre-opening of the heavens, and giving a New Dispensation thereof to the\nchildren of men._\n\nIV.\n\n_Joseph Smith is the New Witness for God; a prophet divinely authorized\nto preach the Gospel and re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ on\nearth._\n\nHow well the writer has succeeded in sustaining these propositions, the\nreader will judge for himself; he only asks that his treatment of the\nsubjects be considered with candor.\n\nTo guard against error or inaccuracy in doctrine the writer applied to\nthe First Presidency of the Church for a committee of brethren well\nknown for their soundness in the faith, and broad knowledge of the\ndoctrines of the Church, to hear read the manuscript of this book.\nWhereupon Elder Franklin D. Richards, one of the Twelve Apostles of the\nNew Dispensation, and Church Historian; Elder George Reynolds, one of\nthe author's fellow-Presidents in the First Council of the Seventies;\nand Elder John Jaques, Assistant Church Historian, were appointed as\nsuch committee; and to these brethren, for their patient labor in\nreading the manuscript, and for their suggestions and corrections, the\nwriter is under lasting obligations.\n\nTHE AUTHOR.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. p. 245.\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n* * * *\n\nTHESIS I.\n\nTHE WORLD NEEDS A NEW WITNESS FOR GOD.\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\nThe Necessity of a New Witness\n\n* * * *\n\nTHESIS II.\n\nTHE CHURCH OF CHRIST WAS DESTROYED; THERE HAS BEEN AN APOSTASY FROM THE\nCHRISTIAN RELIGION, SO COMPLETE AND UNIVERSAL AS TO MAKE NECESSARY A\nNEW DISPENSATION OF THE GOSPEL.\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\nThe Effect of Pagan Persecution on the Christian Church\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\nThe Effect of Peace, Wealth and Luxury on Christianity\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\nChanges in the Form and Spirit of Church Government--Corruption of the\nPopes\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\nChange in Public Worship--In the Ordinances of the Gospel\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\nThe Testimony of Prophecy to the Apostasy\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\nCatholic Arguments--Protestant Admissions\n\n* * * *\n\nTHESIS III.\n\nTHE SCRIPTURES DECLARE THAT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE LAST\nDAYS--IN THE HOUR OF GOD'S JUDGMENT--WILL BE RESTORED TO THE EARTH BY A\nRE-OPENING OF THE HEAVENS, AND GIVING A NEW DISPENSATION THEREOF TO THE\nCHILDREN OF MEN.\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\nThe Necessity of a New Revelation--The Arguments of Modern Christians\nAgainst it Considered\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\nProphetic History of the Church--The Restoration of the Gospel by an\nAngel\n\n* * * *\n\nTHESIS IV.\n\nJOSEPH SMITH IS THE NEW WITNESS FOR GOD; A PROPHET DIVINELY AUTHORIZED\nTO TEACH THE GOSPEL, AND RE-ESTABLISH THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST ON\nEARTH.\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\nThe New Witness Introduced\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\nA New Dispensation of the Gospel\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\nObjections to the New Witness Considered\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\nThe Character of the New Witness\n\nCHAPTER XIV.\n\nFitness in the Development of the New Dispensation\n\nCHAPTER XV.\n\nThe Evidence of Scriptural and Perfect Doctrine\n\nCHAPTER XVI.\n\nManner of the Prophet's Teaching\n\nCHAPTER XVII.\n\nThe testimony of Toil and Suffering--Exertion and Danger--A Christian\nArgument Applied\n\nCHAPTER XVIII.\n\nThe Testimony of Miracles--The Evidence of Fulfilled Promises\n\n[By an error Chapter XIX. was numbered XX., hence the apparent\nomission.]\n\nCHAPTER XX.\n\nThe Evidence of Prophecy\n\nCHAPTER XXI.\n\nThe Evidence of Prophecy--Continued\n\nCHAPTER XXII.\n\nThe Evidence of Prophecy--Continued\n\nCHAPTER XXIII.\n\nThe Evidence of Prophecy--Concluded\n\nCHAPTER XXIV.\n\nThe Church Founded by Joseph Smith, a Monument to his Inspiration\n\nCHAPTER XXV.\n\nTestimony of the Inspiration and Divine Calling of Joseph Smith Derived\nfrom the Comprehensiveness of the Work he Introduced\n\nCHAPTER XXVI.\n\nTestimony of the Inspiration and Divine Calling of Joseph Smith Derived\nfrom the Comprehensiveness of the Work he Introduced--Continued\n\nCHAPTER XXVII.\n\nEvidence of Inspiration Derived from the Wisdom in the Plan Proposed\nfor the Betterment of the Temporal Condition of Mankind\n\nCHAPTER XXVIII.\n\nEvidence of Divine Inspiration in Joseph Smith Derived from the\nProphet's Teaching in Regard to the Extent of the Universe, Man's\nPlace in it, and his Doctrine Respecting the Gods\n\nCHAPTER XXIX.\n\nEvidence of Divine Inspiration in Joseph Smith Derived from the\nProphet's Teaching in Regard to the Extent of the Universe, Man's\nPlace in it, and his Doctrines Respecting the Gods--Continued\n\nCHAPTER XXX.\n\nEvidence of Divine Inspiration in Joseph Smith Derived from the\nProphet's Teaching in Regard to the Extent of the Universe, Man's Place\nin it, and his Doctrine Respecting the Gods--Concluded\n\nCHAPTER XXXI.\n\nThe Testimony of the Martyrdom--Conclusion\n\n\n\nTHESIS I.\n\nThe World Needs a New Witness for God.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\nTHE NECESSITY OF A NEW WITNESS.\n\nTHE very title of this book may give offense. \"A New Witness for God!\"\nwill exclaim both ministry and laity of Christendom; \"are not the Old\nWitnesses sufficient? Has not their testimony withstood the assaults of\nunbelievers, atheists and agnostics alike for nineteen centuries? What\nneed have we for a New Witness? Every weapon that hostile criticism\ncould suggest, has been brought to bear against the tower of our\nfaith based on the testimony of the Old Witnesses; and it stands more\nvictorious now than ever, four square to all the winds that blow. [1]\nThe testimony of the Old Witnesses has outlived the ridicule of\nVoltaire, the solemn sneers of Gibbon, the satire of Bolingbroke, the\nribaldry of Paine; just as it will outlive the insidious assaults of\nthe German mythical school, and the rationalistic school of critics,\nwhich are now much in vogue. Such the confident boast of orthodox\nChristians.\n\n\"Meanwhile, every diocesan conference rings with the wail over 'infidel\nopinions.' It grows notoriously more and more difficult to get educated\nmen to take any interest in the services or doctrines of the church;\n* * * literature and the periodical press are becoming either more\nindifferent, or more hostile to the accepted Christianity year by year;\nthe upper strata of the working class, upon whom the future of that\nclass depends, either stand coldly aloof from all the Christian sects,\nor throw themselves into secularism. Passionate appeals are made to all\nsections of Christians, to close their ranks, not against each other,\nbut against the 'skepticism rampant' among the cultivated class and the\nreligious indifference of the democracy.\" [2]\n\nIn the face of these facts, notwithstanding the confident boasts of\northodox Christians about the invulnerableness of the testimony of the\nOld Witnesses, it will be well for us to look a little more closely\ninto the achievements of Christianity, Catholic as well as Protestant,\nand see if they are as satisfactory when measured by actual results, as\nthey are claimed to be in the fervid rhetoric of the orthodox special\npleader.\n\nWhat is distinctly and commonly recognized as the Christian religion,\nwas founded some nineteen centuries ago [3], by the personal ministry\nof Jesus Christ, and those whom he chose as Apostles. For about three\ncenturies it had a hard struggle for existence. The persecutions waged\nagainst it, first by the Jews, from whose religious faith it may be\nsaid to have sprung; and second, from the pagans, then in possession\nof all secular power, well-nigh overcame it. The \"beast\" made war upon\nthe saints and \"prevailed against them.\" Then Constantine, the friend\nof Christianity, succeeded to the imperial throne of Rome, and external\npersecution ceased. Christian ministers were invited to the court of\nthe emperor and loaded with wealth and honors. Magnificent churches\nwere erected, and the hitherto despised religion became the favorite\n_protege_ of the imperial government. From a precarious and wretched\nexistence, the Christian church was suddenly raised to a position of\nmagnificence and power. Nor was it long in playing the part of the\ncamel which, being permitted by the kind indulgence of its master to\nput its head within the tent during a violent storm, next protruded\nits shoulders, then its whole body, and turning about kicked out its\nmaster. [4] So did the Christian ecclesiastical power with the civil\npower. That is to say, that which was at first granted to the church\nas a privilege was soon demanded as a right; and what was at first\nreceived by grace, was at the last taken by force. On the ruins of\npagan Rome, rose papal Rome, and while the latter power did not abolish\nsecular government, it did make it subservient to ecclesiasticism. From\nthe chair of St. Peter, the Roman pontiffs ruled the world absolutely.\nKings and emperors obeyed them, and all stood in awe before the throne\nof the triple-crowned successor of St. Peter.\n\nFinally, through the mutual jealousy and ambition of the bishops of\nRome and Constantinople, a controversy arose which, in the ninth\ncentury, resulted in a great and lasting division of Christendom into\ntwo great ecclesiastical bodies; viz., the Greek Catholic or Eastern\nChurch, and the Roman Catholic or Western Church. In the Western Church\nthe secular or civil power continued to be regarded as subordinate to\necclesiastical authority, a sort of convenient instrument to execute\nthe decrees of the church. Hence Roman Catholic Christianity drew to\nitself all that prestige in the propagation of its doctrines which\ncomes from the authority and support of the state; and though the power\nof the state was held to be subordinate to that of the church, no\none who has read our Christian annals can help being struck with the\nimportance of the civil power as a factor in the propagation of Roman\nCatholic Christianity. The barbarous peoples who came in contact with\nthe Christian nations, were often compelled to accept the so-called\nChristian religion as one of the terms of capitulation; and the fear\nof the sword often eked out the arguments of the priests, and was\ngenerally much more effective.\n\nI think it proper that the above statement should be emphasized by the\nfollowing proofs:\n\n\"In the year 772, A. D., Charlemagne, king of the Franks, undertook\nto tame, and to withdraw from idolatry, the extensive nation of the\nSaxons, who occupied a large portion of Germany, and were almost\nperpetually at war with the Franks, respecting their boundaries and\nother things; for he hoped that if their minds could become imbued\nwith the Christian doctrines, they would gradually lay aside their\nferocity, and learn to yield submission to the empire of the Franks.\nThe first attack upon their heathenism produced little effect, being\nmade not with the force of arms, but by some bishops and monks whom\nthe victor had left for that purpose among the vanquished nation. But\nmuch better success attended the subsequent wars which Charlemagne\nundertook, in the years 775, 776, and 780, A D., against that heroic\npeople, so fond of liberty, and so impatient, especially of sacerdotal\ndomination. For in these assaults, not only rewards, but also the sword\nand punishments were so successfully applied upon those adhering to\nthe superstition of their ancestors, that they reluctantly ceased from\nresistance, and allowed the doctors whom Charles employed to administer\nto them Christian baptism. Widekind and Albion, indeed, who were two\nof the most valiant Saxon chiefs, renewed their former insurrections;\nand attempted to prostrate again by violence and war, that Christianity\nwhich had been set up by violence. But the martial courage, and the\nliberality of Charles at length brought them, in the year 785, solemnly\nto declare that they were Christians, and would continue to be so. *\n* * The Huns inhabiting Pannonia, were treated the same way as the\nSaxons; for Charles so exhausted and humbled them by successive wars,\nas to compel them to prefer becoming Christians to being slaves.\" [5]\n\nIn Denmark, during the tenth century, \"the Christian cause had to\nstruggle with great difficulties and adversities, under King Gorman,\nalthough the queen was a professed Christian. But Harald, surnamed\nBlatand, the son of Gorman, having been vanquished by Otto the Great,\nabout the middle of the century, made a profession of Christianity in\nthe year 949, and was baptized. * * * Perhaps Harald, who had his birth\nand education from a Christian mother, Tyra, was not greatly averse\nfrom the Christian religion; and yet it is clear that in the present\ntransaction he yielded rather to the demands of his conqueror, than to\nhis own inclinations. For Otto, being satisfied that the Danes would\nnever cease to harass their neighbors with wars and rapine, if they\nretained the martial religion of their fathers, made it a condition of the\npeace with Harald that he and his people should become Christians.\" [6]\n\n\"Waldemar I., King of Denmark, obtained very great fame by the many\nwars he undertook against the pagan nations, the Slavs, the Wends,\nthe Vandals, and others. He fought not only for the interests of his\nsubjects, but likewise for the extension of Christianity; and wherever\nhe was successful, he demolished the temples and images of the gods,\nthe altars and groves, and commanded the Christian worship to be set\nup. * * * The Fins who infested Sweden with frequent inroads, were\nattacked by Eric IX., King of Sweden, called St. Eric, after his death,\nand by him subdued after many bloody battles. * * * The vanquished\nnation was commanded to follow the religion of the conqueror, which\nmost of them did with reluctance and disgust.\"\n\n\"Towards the close of the century [the tenth], * * * some merchants of\nBremen or of Lubec trading to Livonia, took along with them Mainhard, a\nregular canon of St. Augustine in the monastery of Segberg in Halsatia,\nto bring that warlike and uncivilized nation to the Christian faith.\nBut as few listened to him, Mainhard consulted the Roman pontiff,\nwho created him the first bishop of the Livonians, and desired that\nwar should be waged against the opposers. This war, which was first\nwaged with the Esthonians, was extended farther and prosecuted more\nrigorously by Berthold, the second bishop of the Livonians, after the\ndeath of Mainhard; for this, Berthold, formerly Abbot of Lucca, marched\nwith a strong army from Saxony, and recommended Christianity not by\narguments but by slaughter and battle. Following his example, the third\nbishop, Albert, previously a canon of Bremen, entering Livonia in the\nyear 1198, well supported by a fresh army raised in Saxony, and fixing\nhis camp at Riga, he instituted, by authority of Innocent III., the\nRoman pontiff, the military order of knight's sword-bearers, who should\ncompel the Livonians by force of arms to submit to baptism. New forces\nwere marched from time to time from Germany, by whose valor and that of\nthe sword-bearers the wretched people were subdued and exhausted, so\nthat they at last substituted the images of Christ and the saints in\nplace of their idols.\" [7]\n\nA volume of evidence similar in import to the foregoing could be\ncompiled, showing that from the accession of Constantine the Great down\nto the sixteenth century, the Roman Catholic Church did not hesitate to\nemploy the civil power to enforce conversion and punish recalcitrants.\n\nIf the Eastern Church has been less successful in extending the borders\nof Christianity by means of conquests waged by the civil power, it was\nbecause the division of the world it occupied afforded less opportunity\nthan Western Europe, where a great struggle was on between the race of\nmen made weak by the effete civilization of Rome and the more vigorous\nbarbarians. But while the Eastern Church made less direct use of the\nsword to extend its dominions, it nevertheless had the state for an ally\nwhich sustained it at need.\n\nWhen in the sixteenth century the great revolt against the authority\nof the pope and the religion of the Roman Catholic Church gave birth\nto the Protestant churches, they, too, in the main, formed alliances\nwith the states in which they were founded. Nay, in the very struggle\nfor their existence, the states of Germany, of Holland, Scandinavia\nand of England, drew the sword in their behalf and by their support\nmade it possible for the seceding religionists to establish churches\ndespite all efforts of the Roman pontiffs to prevent them; and after\nthe revolution was an accomplished fact, the states above enumerated\ncontinued to give support to the churches founded within their borders.\nIf the church and the state in some instances were regarded as separate\nand distinct societies, they acted at the same time as close neighbors,\nand nearly interested in each other's welfare. If they lived separate,\nthey were not estranged; and each at need gave the other support.\n\nI have thought it necessary to call the attention of the reader to\nthe conditions in which Christianity has existed since the days of\nConstantine under all three great divisions of Christendom--the\nRoman Catholic, the Greek Catholic, and Protestant--in order that\nhe might be reminded of the fact that circumstances of the most\npropitious character have existed for the propagation of the so-called\nChristian religion. Christendom has had at its command the wealth\nand intelligence of Europe; it has been able to follow the commerce\nof European states into every country of the world; and not only its\ncommerce, but its conquests as well; and wherever the love of adventure\nor the desire for conquest has led Christian soldiers, Christian\npriests have either accompanied or followed them, that the gospel, in\nthe hands of the Christian minister, might be a balm for the wounds\ninflicted by the sword in the hands of the Christian soldier; so that\nif Christian armies were a bane to the savages, the Christian priests\nmight be an antidote!\n\nYet with all the advantages which came to Christianity through the\nsupport of the state; with the intelligence and wealth of Europe behind\nit; with the privilege of following in the wake of its commerce and\nconquests; what has Christendom done in the way of converting the world\nto its religion? But a little over one-fourth of the inhabitants of the\nearth are even nominally Christian! There are in the world, according\nto statistics published on the subject:\n\n  Roman Catholics ...........................206,588,206\n\n  Protestants (all sects) ................... 89,825,348\n\n  Greek and Russian Churches ................ 75,691,382\n\n  Oriental Churches ......................... 6,770,000\n\n  Making the total of all Christians........ 378,874,936.\n\n  The other religions stand as follows:\n\n  Brahminical Hindoos .......................120,000,000\n\n  Followers of Buddha, Shinto and\n  Confucius .................................482,600,000\n\n  Mohammedans ...............................169,054,789\n\n  Jews ....................................... 7,612,784\n\n  Parsees (fire-worshipers in Persia) ........ 1,000,000\n\n  Pagans not otherwise enumerated ...........277,000,000\n                                           ______________\n\n  Making a total of .......................1,007,267,573 [8]\n\nSurely when the superior advantages for the propagation of the\nChristian religion are taken into account, one could reasonably expect\nbetter results than this, after a period of nineteen centuries, sixteen\nof which may be said to have been of a character favorable to the\nextension of the borders of the church.\n\nBut let us take a nearer view of the status of Christendom. As seen in\nthe foregoing, but a little more than one-fourth of the population of\nthe earth is even nominally Christian. No one will contend that all\nthose nominally Christians are really Christians. Church membership\nmay be one thing, conversion to the Christian religion quite another.\nIf those who are Christians in name only, and church members from\ncustom or for worldly advantage were separated from those who are\nChristians upon principle, upon conversion and real faith, the number\nof Christians in the world would be materially reduced. For it cannot\nbe denied that when any religion becomes popular there are multitudes\nof insincere men who will outwardly accept it, and give it lip-service\nin return for the advantages that accrue to them socially, financially\nor politically.\n\nMoreover, Christendom is not united in one great body or church; but\non the contrary it is divided into numerous contending factions whose\ndifferences are so far fundamental that there appears no prospect of\nreconciliation among them. The Catholics refuse to recognize any power\nof salvation in Protestantism. To the Catholic the Protestant is an\nheretic, a renegade child; and on the other hand, to the Protestant,\nthe Catholic is an idolator, and the pope the very anti-Christ,\nprophesied of in scripture.\n\nNor are the Roman and Greek Catholics much nearer at one with each\nother than the Roman Catholics and Protestants. Away back in the\nninth century, as a result of the controversy between the Eastern and\nWestern Churches, Pope Nicholas, in a council held at Rome, solemnly\nexcommunicated Photius, the patriarch of Jerusalem, and had his\nordination declared null and void. The Greek emperor resented this\nconduct of the pope, and under his sanction Photius, in his turn,\nconvened what he called an acumenical council, in which he pronounced\nsentence of excommunication and deposition against the pope, and got it\nsubscribed by twenty-one bishops and others amounting in number to one\nthousand.\n\nAlthough this breach was patched up after the death of the Emperor\nMichael, difficulties broke out again between the East and the West\nfrom time to time, until finally in the eleventh century, when Michael\nCerularius, patriarch of Constantinople, opposed the Western Church\nwith respect to their making use of unleavened bread in the sacrament,\ntheir observation of the Sabbath, and fasting on Saturdays, charging\ntherein that they lived in communion with the Jews. Pope Leo IX.\nreplied, and in his apology for the Western Churches, declaimed warmly\nagainst the false doctrine of the Greeks, and ended by placing on\nthe altar of Santa Sophia, by his legates, a deed of excommunication\nagainst the Patriarch, Michael Cerularius. This was the final rupture.\nFrom that time the mutual hatred of the Greeks and the Latins became\ninsuperable, insomuch that they have continued ever since separated\nfrom each other's communion. [9]\n\nThough both the Greek and the Protestant Churches are separated\nfrom the Roman Catholic Church, yet there is no union or fellowship\nbetween them; on the contrary, they hold doctrines so opposite that\nunion between them is out of the question. At least so remote is the\nprospect, that all attempts at union have been ineffectual.\n\nTurn now to Protestant Christendom. Surely we shall find a union of\norganization and agreement of sentiment here! But no; division, on\nthe contrary, is multiplied. Protestant Christendom is divided into\nnumerous sects between some of which the gulf of separation is almost\nas broad and deep as that which separates Protestants from Catholics.\nSuch is the distracted condition of Protestant Christendom that sects\nare daily multiplying, and confusion is constantly increasing. Nor can\none refrain from saying with Cardinal Gibbons, that \"This multiplying\nof creeds is a crying scandal, and a great stumbling-block in the way\nof the conversion of the heathen nations.\" [10] And I will add, equally\na stumbling-block to the conversion of the unbelievers living among\nChristians.\n\nThis last class of persons named, the unbelievers living among\nChristians, we must now consider; and note the effect of their assaults\nupon Christianity. They are, for the most part, without organization;\nwithout unity of purpose, except in so far as they are united in their\ndisbelief of revealed religion. Their position being essentially a\nnegative one, the incentive to organization is not active. It requires\nunity of purpose and organization of effort to build; those who content\nthemselves with pointing out the defects, real or imagined, of the\nwork of the builders, or saying the structure does not answer well\nthe purposes for which it was erected, feel no such necessity for\norganization as the builders do.\n\nIn consequence of having no organization, infidels keep no account of\ntheir numerical strength; they publish no statistics, and therefore we\nhave no way of estimating how numerous they are. But no one with large\nacquaintance in Christian countries, and who is in touch with the trend\nof modern religious thought, can doubt that the number of unbelievers\nis considerable, and their influence upon the Christian religion more\ndamaging than Christian enthusiasts are willing to admit.\n\nWhat a motley crowd this great body of unbelievers is! First is the\ndownright atheist who says plainly, \"There is no God. Nothing but blind\nforce is operating in the universe; there is no Providence whose will\ncan interrupt the destined course of nature.\" Providence they set down\nas a dream. \"The universe and all its varied phenomena are generated\nby natural forces out of cosmic atoms, and into atoms to be again\nresolved,\" is their creed.\n\nFollowing the atheist is the deist, who, while not one whit behind the\natheist in rejecting revealed religion, is of the opinion that mind\nis somewhere operating in the universe, but refuses to recognize that\nintelligence as associated with a personality. Still that Intelligence,\nwhatever or wherever it be, is God; but with them is always \"It,\" never\n\"He.\"\n\nThen comes the agnostic. He prefers to suspend his judgment on\nthe question of Deity; and with a modesty, not always free from\naffectation, says, \"I don't know. The evidence in the case is not\nquite clear; in fact it is sometimes quite conflicting.\" He questions;\nis debating; but you find his sympathies, at bottom, on the side of\nunbelief.\n\nNext to the agnostic comes the rationalist, who, while he leaves God\nmore or less of an open question, has his mind made up in respect to\nJesus Christ. He recognizes him as a good man, though mistaken on many\nquestions; but though he strips Jesus of all divinity, he nevertheless\nrecognizes him as the friend of God and of man; and sees embodied in\nhim, moreover, \"the symbol of those religious forces in man which are\nprimitive, essential and universal.\" [11]\n\nSuch are the varied classes which assail the Christian religion. Their\nmethods of assault, though having much in common, are as varied as\nthe kinds of unbelievers. The atheist mockingly asks if there be a\nGod why he does not make himself manifest to all the world; why he\nkeeps himself shrouded in mystery? Why not reveal himself to all as\nwell as to a chosen few? Pushing aside the testimony of those who say\nthey have stood in his presence, he boldly asserts there is no God,\nbecause no one has ever seen him; he has not made himself known to men,\nand in conclusion he points to the natural and uninterrupted order of\nthings in the universe as proof that all things are governed by blind\nforces instead of intelligence, whether a personality or apart from\npersonality.\n\nThe deists say nearly all that the atheists say; but admitting an\nintelligence back of all phenomena in the universe, they pretend to\nread his will in the book of nature, [12] and contrast its perfections\nwith the imperfections of all written books of revelation. To them\nthe Bible--the Christian volume of revelation--is imperfect and\ncontradictory; it teaches a morality and seems to tolerate practices\nunworthy of a Being of infinite goodness.\n\nThe agnostics join with the deists in their objections. They see all\nthe contradictions, imperfections and alleged immorality that deists\nsee in the Christian volume of revelation; and with them question the\nauthenticity and credibility of the scriptures. If they differ from\nthe deists in anything, it is simply in arriving at a less positive\nconclusion. But the worst is to come.\n\nThere has arisen within our century, mainly in Germany, a class of\ntheological writers, who indeed profess a reverence both for the name\nand person of Jesus Christ, and a real regard, moreover, for the\nscriptures as \"embodiments of what is purest and holiest in religious\nfeeling;\" and yet they degrade Christ to a mere name, and strip the\nscriptures of all their force as the word of God, by denying the\nhistorical character of the Biblical narrative. Starting with the\npostulate that the miraculous is impossible and never happens, or at\nleast has never been proven, [13] they relegate the scriptures--the New\nTestament as well as the Old--to the realms of poetry, legend or myth,\nbecause they are filled with accounts of the miraculous. [14]\n\nThis movement of theological thought had its origin in a new science,\nthe science of historical criticism, which had its birth in our own\nnineteenth century. The new science consisted simply in applying to the\nmass of materials on which much of ancient history had been hitherto\nbased--myths, legends and oral traditions--the rules [15] embodying\nthe judgment of sound discretion upon the value of different sorts\nof evidence. The effect of the application of this principle to the\nmaterials out of which our ancient histories were constructed, was to\nbanish to the realms of pure myth or doubtful legend much which our\nfathers accepted as historical fact. The relations of ancient authors\nare no longer received with as ready a belief as formerly; nor are\nall ancient authors any longer put upon the same footing and regarded\nas equally credible, or all parts of their work supposed to rest upon\nthe same basis. [16] Many old, fond theories have been shattered;\nin some respects the whole face of antiquity has been changed, [17]\nand instead of now looking upon the ancients as demi-gods, and the\ncondition in which they lived as being something supernatural, we\nare made to feel that they were men of like passions with ourselves,\npossessed of the same weaknesses, actuated by the same motives of self\ninterest, ambition, jealousy, love, hatred; and that the conditions\nsurrounding them were no more supernatural than those which surround\nus. The science of historical criticism by the application of its main\nprinciple has stripped ancient times of their prodigies, and has either\nbrought those demi-gods of legend to earth and made them appear very\nhuman, or has banished them entirely from real existence.\n\nSo long as the leading principle of this new science was applied to\nprofane history alone; and the revolution it inaugurated confined\nto smashing the myths of ancient Greece, Rome, Babylon, Egypt and\nIndia, no complaints were heard. Indeed, the work was very generally\napplauded. But when the same principle began to be applied to what, by\nChristians at least, was considered sacred history, then an exception\nwas pleaded.\n\nThis difficulty was met by orthodox believers much in the same way that\nan earlier question, one about miracles, was met by Conyers Middleton.\nIt will be remembered that the Catholic Church has always claimed for\nherself the power of working miracles from the earliest days until the\npresent; and cites, in confirmation of her claims, testimony that seems\nat once respectable and sufficient. The Protestants, with the Anglican\nChurch at their head, in the discussions to which reference is here\nmade, conceded that the possession of the gift of working miracles was\n_prima facie_ evidence of divine authority and soundness of faith. [18]\nSo much being conceded, Protestants were puzzled when to fix the date\nthat miracles ceased. They were certain that no miracles had happened\nin their times, but were equally positive that they had occurred in\nthe early Christian centuries. But the recent testimony presented by\ntheir Catholic opponents was just as worthy of belief as the testimony\nof the early Christian Fathers; in some respects it was better,\nbecause it was within reach for examination. What was to be done? If\nthis recent testimony of the Catholic Church concerning miracles was\nto be rejected, could the earlier testimony of the Christian Fathers\nstand? The discussion had reached this point when Middleton published\nhis \"Free Inquiry,\" in which he held that the miracles claimed by\nthe Catholic Church, both in former and recent times must stand or\nfall together. For if the testimony of the early Christian Fathers\nand contemporary witnesses could confirm the former, the testimony of\nthe recent witnesses, being just as respectable as the former, and\nhence as worthy of belief, would confirm the latter. Middleton met\nthe difficulty by rejecting all testimony to miracles after the close\nof the apostolic age. When it was suggested that the New Testament\nmiracles might be treated in a like summary manner, he took the\nposition that the New Testament account of miracles was inspired, and\ntherefore beyond the reach of criticism.\n\nSo likewise I say, orthodox Christians were disposed to meet\nthe application of this principle of Historical Criticism under\nconsideration. They protested against the application of it to sacred\nhistory. They insisted that the marvelous occurrences related in the\nBible, and which read so much like myth or legend, were recorded\nby inspired writers, hence above criticism. The exception pleaded,\nhowever, was not granted. There were bold spirits both within the\nchurch as well as outside of it, who did not hesitate, at least so\nfar as the Old Testament was concerned, to apply the new methods of\ncriticism to sacred history.\n\nThe conclusions of those who started with the hypothesis that what we\ncall the miraculous is impossible, would not be difficult to forecast.\nFrom the outset, with them, the Old Testament was doomed. In the\nwonderful incidents related as the experience of the patriarchs, of\nMoses, Aaron, Joshua and the kings and prophets of Israel, this school\nof critics could discern a striking parallel to the legends of Rome, of\nGreece and Egypt; and as readily rejected the one as the other. They\nrejected also the cosmogony of Genesis, insisting that it was not the\nhistory of the creation but poetry, and as such must be regarded, but\nnot as fact.\n\nSuspicion once cast upon the historical value of sacred writings, the\ncritics grew bolder and declared that portions of the sacred narrative\npresented the appearance of being simply myths; and from this by\ndegrees it soon became the fashion to attach a legendary character\nto the whole of the Old Testament. It was decided by the same class\nof critics that the whole narrative, in the main, rests upon oral\ntradition and that that tradition was not written until long after\nthe supposed events occurred. Moreover, when the old traditions were\nwritten, the work was done by poets bent rather on glorifying their\ncountry than upon recording facts; and it is claimed that at times they\ndid not hesitate to allow imagination to amplify the oral traditions\nor at need to invent new occurrences, to fill up blanks in their\nannals. The authorship of the sacred books was held to be a matter of\ngreat uncertainty, as well as the date at which they were written; but\ncertainly they were not written until long after the dates usually\nassigned for their production. This style of criticism not only got rid\nof the cosmogony of Genesis, but discredited as histories the whole\ncollection of books comprising the Old Testament. The Fall of man, that\nfact which gives meaning to the atonement of Christ, and without which\nthe scheme of Christian salvation is but an idle fable--was regarded as\nmerely a myth. So, too, were the revelations of God to the patriarchs;\nhis communion with Enoch; his warning to Noah, together with the story\nof the flood; the building of Babel's tower; the visions of Abraham;\nthe calling of Moses; the splendid display of God's power in the\ndeliverance of Israel from bondage; the law written upon the tables of\nstone by the finger of God, the ark of the covenant and the visible\npresence of God with Israel; the visitation of angels to the prophets;\ntheir communion with God and the messages of reproof, of warning or\nof comfort they brought to the people--all, all were myths, distorted\nlegends, uncertain traditions told by ecstatic poets, falsely esteemed\nprophets! Such was the wreck which this new science of criticism made\nof the Old Testament.\n\nThere was scarcely a halt between the wrecking of the Old Testament\nby this new school of critics and their assault upon the New. Their\nsuccess gave them confidence, and they attacked the Christian documents\nwith more vigor than they had the Old Testament. By research which did\nnot need to be very extensive in order to conduct them to the facts,\nthey discovered that the age which witnessed the rise of the Christian\nreligion was one in which there existed a strong preconception in favor\nof miracles; that is, the miraculous was universally believed, and it\nwas held by our new school of critics that this pre-conception in favor\nof miracles influenced the writers of the New Testament to insert them\nin their narratives.\n\nEver present in their New Testament criticism as in that of the\nOld, was the cardinal principle that miracles never take place--the\nmiraculous is the impossible; [19] hence whenever our anti-miracle\ncritics found accounts of miracles interwoven in the biographies of\nJesus, or in the epistles of the apostles, they inexorably relegated\nthem to the sphere of myth or legend. [20]\n\nUnhappily for orthodox believers who cling to the gospel narratives\nas reliable statements of fact, they themselves found it necessary to\ndiscard as apocryphal many of the books and writings which sprang into\nexistence in the early Christian centuries; books which pretended to\nrelate incidents in the life of Messiah, especially those which treated\nof his childhood and youth. The marvelous account of his moulding\noxen, asses, birds and other figures out of clay, which at his command\nwould walk or fly away; his power to turn his playmates into kids; his\nstriking dead with a curse the boys who offended him; his stretching\na short board to its requisite length; his silencing those who try to\nteach him [21]--all this, and much more, Christians had to discard as\npure fable. But they stopped short with the pruning process at the\nbooks of the New Testament as we now have them.\n\nOur new school of critics, however, infatuated with the chief principle\nof their new science, went right on with the pruning, and made as sad\nwork of the New Testament as they had with the Old. They rejected the\nmiraculous in the New Testament writings as well as the account of\nmiracles which the Christians themselves rejected in the apocryphal\nwritings. By this step they got rid of the story of the miraculous\nconception and birth of Christ; of the journey of the vision-led\nmagi; of the dream-led Joseph; of the testimony of the Holy Ghost,\nand of the Father at Christ's baptism; of converting water into wine;\nof Christ walking upon the water; of the miraculously fed multitude;\nof the healing of the sick by a word or with a touch; casting out\ndevils; the raising of the dead; the earthquake; the rending of the\nvail of the temple; and the miraculous three hours' darkness at the\ncrucifixion; Christ's resurrection from the dead; his appearance\nafter the resurrection; his final ascension into heaven; and the\ndeclaration of the two angels that he would come again to the earth as\nhe had left it: in the clouds of heaven and in great glory. The new\ncriticism got rid of all this--all that makes Christ God, or one of\nthe persons of the Godhead, or that ascribes to him powers above those\nthat may be possessed by a man. Christ's divinity is destroyed by this\nmethod of criticism, and one instinctively asks what there is left,\nand is told--\"The manifestations of the God concealed in the depths\nof the human conscience.\" [22] \"God-man, eternally incarnate, not an\nindividual but an idea!\" [23]\n\nTo this then it comes at last, a Christianity without a Christ--that\nis, without a divine Christ; and a Christ not divine--not God manifest\nin the flesh, is no Christ. We had trusted that Jesus of Nazareth\nhad been he who would have redeemed not only all Israel, but all the\nnations of the earth. We and our fathers had believed that he had\nbrought life and immortality to light through the gospel; but alas! it\nturns out according to our new school of critics, that his \"revelations\nof blissful scenes of existence beyond death and the grave, are but\none of the many impostures which time after time have been palmed off\non credulous mankind!\" Christ but a man, \"the moralist and teacher of\nCapernaum and Gennesaret\"--nothing more! On a level with Socrates,\nor Hillel, or Philo! What a void this new school of criticism makes!\nA Christianity without the assurance of the resurrection! without\nthe hope of the glorious return of the Messiah, to reward every man\naccording to his works!\n\nThe new school of critics does not question so severely as other\ncritics have done the authenticity of the Christian documents, or the\ndate of their origin. Indeed, one of their chief apostles concedes the\nauthenticity of the gospels and their antiquity. [24] But after having\nadmitted the authenticity and antiquity of the Christian documents,\nthey then proceed to mutilate the story they relate--the gospel they\nteach--as to render it practically valueless to mankind. This is\naccomplished by regarding the Christian documents as legends, [25]\nfrom which if we would arrive at historical truth must be excluded\nall that is miraculous, [26] and hence all that makes Christ God. And\nwhile to the imagination of the idealist much that is of value and\nthat is beautiful may remain in the attenuated Christianity which\nthe new criticism would leave us, yet for the great body of humanity\nsuch a Christianity would be worthless. For however beautiful the\nmoral precepts of the merely human Jesus may be, they will have no\nperceptible influence on the lives of the multitude unless back of\nthem stands divine authority, accompanied by a conviction of the fact\nof man's immortality and his accountability to God for his conduct.\nShorn of these parts, what remains may be beautiful; but it would\nbe as the beauty of a man from whom the spark of life had fled--the\nbeauty of the dead. Of course the orthodox Christian denies that this\nstyle of attack on the Christian religion has had any success. To him\nit is an \"attack\" which has \"failed.\" \"In spite of all the efforts of\nan audacious criticism,\" says one, \"as ignorant as bold--the truth of\nthe sacred narrative stands firm, the stronger for the shocks that it\nhas resisted; the boundless store of truth and life which for eighteen\ncenturies has been the ailment of humanity is not (as Rationalism\nboasts) dissipated. God is not divested of his grace, or man of his\ndignity--nor is the tie between heaven and earth broken. The foundation\nof God--the everlasting gospel--still standeth secure--and every effort\nthat is made to overthrow, does but more firmly establish it.\" [27]\n\nLet us examine this matter more nearly, and with less partiality\nthan Rawlinson has done. If for the new school of critics to succeed\nmeans that the orthodox view respecting Jesus of Nazareth, and the\nreligion he founded must be entirely overthrown by being driven out of\nexistence, then the new criticism is an \"attack\" which has \"failed,\"\nfor orthodox Christianity, that is, the Christianity which recognizes\nChrist as divine--as God, and the New Testament as divinely inspired\nand stating the substantial facts of Messiah's life--is still with us.\n\nThere are a number of reasons why the orthodox view of Christ has not\nbeen entirely overthrown by the new criticism. First, the great body\nof Christians which constitute the Catholic Church have been preserved\nin the orthodox faith of Christ by the protecting aegis afforded by\nthe authority of that Church. Recognizing the church as superior to\nthe written word, alike its custodian and interpreter, and accepting\nthe meaning which the church attaches to the Bible as infallible,\nCatholics, I say, have been preserved from the faith-shattering effects\nof the New Criticism. Second, the criticism has been conducted, in the\nmain, and especially in the early stages of it, in the German language,\nand hence has been largely confined to the German nation. Third, the\ndiscussion wherever it has taken place has been carried on over the\nheads of the laity; it has not been within their reach, hence to a\nlarge extent it has been without effect upon them--an \"attack that has\nfailed.\" But in each case, let it be remembered, its non-effect is\nthe result of not coming in contact with it. In one case it has been\nkept away from the people by the authority of the church; in the other\nthrough the inability of the laity, outside of Germany, to understand\nthe language in which the attack was written; and thirdly, through\nthe inability of the masses to bring the necessary scholarship to the\ninvestigation.\n\nBut, on the other hand, if to attract to itself a large following,\nboth among clergymen and laity, and especially among scholars; if to\nmodify prevailing orthodox opinion concerning the historical character\nof the Old Testament, and force concessions respecting the character\nat least of some parts of the Christian documents; if to permeate\nall Christendom--the Catholic Church perhaps excepted--with doubt\nconcerning the divinity of Christ, and to threaten in the future the\nfaith of millions of Christians--if to do this is to succeed, then\nthe new criticism is succeeding, for that is what it is doing. Forty\nyears ago it was the complaint of German orthodox writers that this\nGerman neology, as the new criticism is sometimes called, had left \"No\nobjective ground or standpoint,\" on which the believing theological\nscience can build with any feeling of security. [28] \"Nor,\" says the\nsame authority, \"is the evil in question confined to Germany. The\nworks regarded as most effective in destroying the historical faith\nof Christians abroad, have received an English dress, and are, it is\nto be feared, read by persons very ill-prepared by historical studies\nto withstand their specious reasonings, alike in our country and in\nAmerica. The tone, moreover, of German historical writings generally is\ntinged with the prevailing unbelief; and the faith of the historical\nstudent is likely to be undermined, almost without his having his\nsuspicions aroused, by covert assumptions of the mythical character of\nthe sacred narrative, in works professing to deal chiefly, or entirely\nwith profane subjects.\" [29]\n\nIt is more than thirty years since these admissions were made; since\nthen the German works complained of have been more generally translated\nand widely read than before. Besides, since then, Renan has given\nhis \"_Origins of Christianity_\" [30] to the world, and by his great\nlearning, but more especially by the power and irresistible charm of\nhis treatment of the subject, has popularized the conceptions of the\nRationalists, until now the virus of their infidelity may be said to be\npoisoning all Protestant Christendom.\n\nWhat must ever be an occasion for chagrin, not to say humiliation,\nto orthodox Christendom, is, its inability to meet in any effectual\nway the assaults of this new criticism. In Germany they complain\nagainst Strauss for having written his \"_Life of Jesus_\" in the German\nlanguage. If he must write such a book, so full of unbelief in the\northodox conception of Jesus, he ought at least to have had the grace\nto have written it in Latin! [31]\n\nFor his rationalism Renan is driven out of the Church of Rome; but\nthis only gives notoriety to his views, creates a desire to read his\nbooks and spreads abroad his unbelief. When the Presbyterian Church\ntakes to task one of its most brilliant scholars [32] for accepting\nthe results of the new criticism, he is sustained by the powerful\nPresbyterian Synod of New York and acquitted; and when an appeal\nis taken to the general assembly of the church and he is finally\ncondemned, he is able to retort that while he was condemned by the\ngeneral assembly, it was by numbers and not by intelligence that he\nwas overcome; it was the less intelligent Presbyteries of the rural\ndistrict that gave the necessary strength to his opponents. The better\ninformed members--members from the cities and centers of education\nand enlightenment--were with him. [33] The defense commonly made for\northodox Christianity is an appeal to its antiquity and its past\nvictories. Its defenders point with pride to the failure of the proud\nboast of Voltaire, who was foolish enough to say: \"In twenty years\nChristianity will be no more. My single hand shall destroy the edifice\nit took twelve apostles to rear.\" \"Some years after his death,\" say\nthe orthodox, \"his very printing press was employed in printing New\nTestaments, and thus spreading abroad the gospel.\" Gibbon with solemn\nsneer devoted his gorgeous history [34] to sarcasm upon Christ and his\nfollowers. \"His estate,\" say the orthodox, \"is now in the hands of one\nwho devotes large sums to the propagation of the very truth Gibbon\nlabored to sap.\" [35]\n\nAll this may be very well, but even in their day these men of the\neighteenth century had a large following, and did much damage to\northodox belief. In fact, it is not inconsistent to claim that, in an\nindirect way, they were the forerunners of our new school of criticism;\nfor many Christian scholars not satisfied with the answers made to the\ninfidel writers of the eighteenth century have accepted the results of\nthis new criticism as a solution of the difficulties urged against\nchristianity by the infidels of the eighteenth century.\n\nIt is time now to pause and summarize what has been thus far discussed:\n\nFirst, the divided state of Christendom of itself argues something\nwrong; for nearly every page of holy scripture urges the unity of\nChrist's Church. \"Is Christ divided?\" [36] is the ringing question that\nthe apostle of the Gentiles asks the schismatically inclined church\nat Corinth. \"I beseech you, brethren,\" says he, \"by the name of our\nLord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there\nbe no division among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in\nthe same mind and the same judgment.\" [37] He then proceeds to tell\nthem that they are utterly at fault in one saying that he was of Paul;\nanother that he was of Apollos, and another that he was of Cephas. [38]\nWhat he would say of divided, not to say warring Christendom of today,\none may not conjecture, further than to say that if the incipient\ndivisions in Corinth provoked his condemnation, the open rupture and\nconflicting creeds of the Christianity of the nineteenth century would\nmerit still harsher reproof.\n\nSecond, the failure of Christianity to evangelize the world in nineteen\ncenturies, sixteen of which, to all human judgment, appear to have\nbeen especially favorable to that evangelization, since at the back\nof Christianity stood the powerful nations of Europe whose commerce\nand conquests opened the gates of nearly all nations to Christian\nmissionaries--argues some weakness in a religion bottomed on divine\nrevelation and sustained through all these centuries (so Christians\nclaim) by divine power. To be compelled to admit after all these\ncenturies favorable to the establishment of Christianity that now only\na little more than one-fourth of the population of our earth is even\nnominally Christian is to confess that the results do not do credit\nto a religion making the claims and possessing the advantages of\nChristianity.\n\nThird, the existence of a broad and constantly widening stream of\nunbelief, not only in Christian lands and apart from Christian\ncommunion, but within the very churches claiming to be churches of\nChrist, together with the inability of the orthodox to meet and silence\nthe infidel revilers of the Christian religion--tells its own tale of\nweakness; and bears testimony of the insufficiency of the Christian\nevidences to bring conviction to the doubting minds of many sincere and\nmoral people.\n\nAll these considerations proclaim in trumpet-tones\n\n    \"'Tis time that some new prophet should appear.\"\n\nMankind stand in need of a new witness for God--a witness who may speak\nnot as the scribes or the pharisees, but in the clear, ringing tones of\none clothed with authority from God. The world is weary of the endless\nwrangling of the scholastics. They settle nothing. Their speculations\nmerely shroud all in profounder mystery, and beget more uncertainty.\nThey darken counsel by words without knowledge. Therefore, to heal\nthe schisms in Christendom; to bring order out of the existing chaos;\nto stay the stream of unbelief within the churches; to convert the\nJews; to evangelize the world; to bring to pass that universal reign\nof truth, of peace, of liberty, of righteousness that all the prophets\nhave predicted--the world needs a new witness for God.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Such is the language, slightly paraphrased, which Mrs. Humphrey Ward\nputs in the mouth of the orthodox Ronalds in her dialogue entitled _The\nNew Reformation_ (See Agnosticism and Christianity--Humbolt Library\nSeries, page 151); and it accurately states the claims of the orthodox\nChristian.\n\n2. \"Agnosticism and Christianity,\" p. 151. The passage is paraphrased.\n\n3. I thus carefully qualify the statement for the reason that I believe\nthe Christian religion--that is, the Gospel, has a much earlier\nexistence than the birth of Christ. Messiah is spoken of in Scripture\nas \"the lamb slain from the foundation of the world,\" from which\nexpression in connection with many other evidences--too numerous to\nmention here (see the Author's work \"The Gospel,\" ch. xxxii.)--I get\nthe idea that the plan of man's redemption through the atonement of\nJesus Christ is at least as old as the foundation of the world. It was\nrevealed to Adam, and the Patriarchs, to Abraham, to Moses, and to some\nof the prophets; and finally through the earthly ministry of the Son of\nGod himself; but it is an error to suppose that it came into existence\nfirst through the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth on earth.\n\n4. \u00c6sop's Fables.\n\n5. Mosheim's Ecclesiastical Institutes, book iii., cent. viii., part\ni., chap. i. (Murdock's translation always quoted.)\n\n6. Mosheim, book iii., cent. x., part i., chap. i.\n\n7. Mosheim, book iii., cent. xii., part i., chap. i.\n\n8. \"What the World Believes,\" Gay Bros & Co., New York. Dr. Hurst's\n\"Outline History of the Church\" (1875) gives the following population\nto the creeds:\n\nChristianity ........................ 407 Millions.\n\nJudaism ............................... 7   \"\n\nBuddhism ............................ 340   \"\n\nMohammedism ......................... 200   \"\n\nBrahmanism .......................... 175   \"\n\nConfucianism ......................... 80   \"\n\nAll other forms of religious belief . 174   \"\n\nWhile this is a little different grouping of the religions than that in\nthe text, the computation is approximately the same. \"Of the Christian\npopulations of the world, 131,007,449 are assigned to Protestantism,\n200,339,390 to Roman Catholicism, and 76,390,040 to the oriental\nchurches. In the New World, comprising North and South America, the\nRoman Catholics are in the majority, having about sixty millions\" (Behm\n& Wagner). The above is also quoted with favor by Dr. Joseph Faa Di\nBruno in his work \"Catholic Belief,\" p. 397.\n\n9. Burder's History of all Religions (1860), p. 140; also Buck's Theol.\nDic., Art. Greek Church.\n\n10. Faith of our Fathers, p. 109.\n\n11. Christianity and Agnosticism, p. 161.\n\n12. \"The true deist has but one Deity; and his religion consists\nin contemplating the power, wisdom and benignity of the Deity in\nhis works, and in endeavoring to imitate him in everything moral,\nscientifical and mechanical. * * * * The Almighty Lecturer (Deity), by\ndisplaying the principles of science in the structure of the universe,\nhas invited man to study and to imitation. It is as if he had said to\nthe inhabitants of this globe we call ours, 'I have made an earth for\nman to dwell upon, and I have rendered the starry heavens visible, to\nteach him science and the arts. He can now provide for his own comfort,\nand learn from my munificence to all, to be kind to each other.' * *\n* * * In Deism our reason and our belief become happily united. The\nwonderful structure of the universe, and everything we behold in the\nsystem of the creation, prove to us far better than books can do, the\nexistence of a God and at the same time proclaim his attributes. It is\nby exercise of our reason that we are enabled to contemplate God in his\nworks and imitate him in his ways. When we see his care and goodness\nextended over all his creatures, it teaches us our duty towards each\nother while it calls forth our gratitude to him.\"--_Thomas Paine._\n\n13. \"It is not in the name of this or that philosophy, but in the name\nof constant experience that we banish miracle from history. We do\nnot say 'miracle is impossible'; we say: 'there has been hitherto no\nmiracle proved.' * * * * Till we have new light, we shall maintain,\ntherefore, this principle of historical criticism, that a supernatural\nrelation cannot be accepted as such, that it always implies credulity\nor imposture.\" Renan, Life of Jesus, E. T. pp. 44, 45.\n\n14. \"Let the gospels be in part legendary, that is evident since they\nare full of miracles and the supernatural.\" \"Renan, Life of Jesus, p.\n19.\" Renan is one of the chief writers of the rationalistic school.\n\n\"No just perception of the true nature of history is possible without a\njust perception of the inviolability of the chain of finite causes, and\nof the impossibility of miracles.\" Strauss, Leben Jesu, Vol. I., p. 64.\nE. T.\n\n15. \"Canons,\" is the scientific term.\n\n16. \"Inquiry into the Credibility of Early Roman History.\" (Sir G. C.\nLewis) Vol. I., p. 2, of the Introduction.\n\n17. The whole world of profane history has been revolutionized: * * *\n* The views of the ancient world formerly entertained have been in ten\nthousand points either modified or revised--a new antiquity has been\nraised up out of the old--while much that was unreal in the picture\nof past times which men had formed to themselves has disappeared,\nconsigned to that \"Limbo large and broad\" into which \"all things\ntransitory and vain\" are finally received, a fresh revelation has in\nmany cases taken the place of the old view, which has dissolved before\nthe wand of the critic; and a firm and strong fabric has arisen out\nof the shattered _debris_ of the fallen systems.--George Rawlinson's\n\"Historical Evidences\" (London Edition) pp. 28, 29.\n\n18. A footnote scarcely affords the space necessary in which to discuss\nthe value of miracles as evidence to the truth of a religion or the\ndivine authority of the miracle worker; but a few observations at this\nparticular point will be, in the estimation of the author, _apropos._\nIt is a mistake on the part of the Protestants or any one else to\nconcede that the power to work miracles is absolute evidence of the\ntruth of a religion, or of the divine calling of the miracle worker.\nToo much importance has been given to miracles as evidence of divine\nauthority. Looking upon what are commonly called miracles, not as\nevents or effects contrary to the laws of nature, but interventions on\nthe part of God (through the operation of natural, though perhaps to\nman unknown laws) for the benefit of his children, and recognizing God\nas the Father of all mankind, it would be an extremely narrow conception\nof the love and mercy of the Deity to suppose that he would confine\nthese interventions to any one class of his children. Surely it is\negotism run mad for a people to suppose that they have succeeded so\nfar in becoming the special favorites of heaven that all God's special\nprovidences will be confined to them. No, no; he who maketh his sun\nto rise on the evil as well as the good, and sendeth rain on the\njust and unjust alike, is capable of better things than men ascribe\nto him in this matter of miracles. But it does not follow that those\nwho enjoy these special manifestations have correct religious creeds\nor possess the fullness of truth. Equally erroneous is it to suppose\nthat the powers of evil cannot work what are called miracles; that is,\nput into operation forces as yet unknown to man which produce effects\nuncommon to his experience. Can it be that our Christian writers have\nforgotten that \"to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness\ntell us truths--win us with honest trifles, to betray us in deepest\nconsequences?\" Have they forgotten that the miracles of Moses were well\nnigh matched by those of the magicians of Egypt? That Simon Magus,\nnotwithstanding he had no lot nor part in the things of God, yet had\nwrought miracles. Have they forgotten that in the description given us\nin Holy Writ (II. Thess. ii.) of the rise of Anti-Christ, that Satan\nshall have power to work \"signs and lying wonders,\" and that God will\npermit the strong delusions that those might be condemned who believe\nnot the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness? Have they forgotten\nthat the word of prophecy hath said that even unclean spirits,\n\"devils,\" shall have the power of \"working miracles,\" even calling down\nfire from heaven, to deceive the inhabitants of the earth? (Rev. xvi)?\nIf miracles are to be taken as an absolute test of divine authority,\nwill not the unclean spirits, these miracle-working devils, prove the\ndivinity of their mission? Again, it said that \"John\" (the baptist),\nthan whom there is no greater prophet, \"did no miracle\" (John x. 41).\nIt appears, therefore, that not all that are sent of God work miracles;\nand we see that devils have in the past and will in the future possess\nthat power; hence miracles are not as important a class of testimony as\nthey have usually been esteemed; and writers are utterly at fault who\nregard them as an absolute test of true religion or divine authority.\n\n19. I find it necessary to say another word on miracles. There is a\ngeneral misapprehension, I think, of what a miracle really is. The\ncommonly accepted definition of the term is, \"an event or effect\ncontrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a\ndeviation from the known laws of nature.\" Renan defines a miracle\nto be, \"not simply the inexplicable, it is a formal derogation from\nrecognized laws in the name of a particular desire.\" What is especially\nfaulty in these definitions is this: Miracles are held to be outside or\ncontrary to the laws of nature. Let us examine this. Two hundred years\nago the only motive powers known to ocean navigators were wind and the\nocean currents. Suppose at that time those old mariners had seen one\nof our modern ocean steamers running against both ocean currents and\nthe wind; and, withal, making better speed in spite of both wind and\ntide than the old time sailing vessel could even when running before\nthe wind and the ocean currents in her favor. What would have been\nthe effect of such a sight on the mind of the old-time sailor? \"It is\na miracle!\" he would have exclaimed; that is, it would have been an\n\"effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things,\"\n\"a derogation from recognized laws.\" But is such an effect to us who\nknow something of the force of steam contrary to the laws of nature?\nNo; it is simply the employment of forces in nature of which the\nold-time mariner was ignorant; and while it would have been a miracle\nto him, to us it is merely the application of a newly discovered\nforce of nature, and it is now so common that we cease to look upon\nit with wonder. So with the things that we now in our ignorance call\nmiracles--such as the healing of the sick, restoring the blind to\nsight, making the lame to walk, through the exercise of faith, and the\nresurrection of the dead--instead of these things being in \"derogation\nfrom recognized laws,\" we shall yet learn that they are done simply by\nthe application of laws of which we are as yet in ignorance. With man's\nlimited knowledge of the laws of nature, how presumptuous it is in him\nto say that the healing of the sick or even the resurrection of the\ndead are in \"derogation of the laws of nature,\" or that deviation from\nthose few laws of nature with which he is acquainted will never happen,\nor is impossible! Better reasoners are they who, like George Rawlinson,\nsay, \"Miraculous interpositions on fitting occasions may be as much a\nregular, fixed, and established rule of his (God's) government as the\nworking ordinarily by what are called natural laws.\" In other words,\nwhat we in our ignorance call miracles, are to God merely the results\nof the application of higher laws or forces of nature not yet learned\nby man. Miracles are to be viewed as a part of the divine economy.\n\n20. It will be observed that throughout a difference between myth and\nlegend is recognized. Strauss thus distinguishes between them: \"Mythus\nis the creation of a fact out of an idea; legend the seeing of an idea\nin a fact, or arising out of it.\" \"The myth is therefore pure and\nabsolute imagination,\" says Rawlinson; \"the legend has a basis of fact,\nbut amplifies, abridges, or modifies that basis at its pleasure.\" And\nthus De Wette: \"The myth is an idea in a vestment of facts; the legend\ncontains facts pervaded and transformed by ideas.\"\n\n21. All this and a hundred other things equally silly and untrue which\nmar rather than dignify the character of Jesus Christ are related\nin the \"First Gospel of the Infancy,\" translated by Mr. Henry Sike,\nprofessor of Oriental Languages at Cambridge. \"The Infancy\" was\naccepted by the Gnostics, a Christian sect of the second century.\n\n22. \"Life of Jesus\" (Renan), p. 50, E. T.\n\n23. \"Life of Jesus\" (Strauss), vol. III., p. 434, E. T.\n\n24. \"Upon the whole, I accept the four canonical gospels as authentic.\nAll, in my judgment, date back to the first century, and they are\nsubstantially by the authors to whom they are attributed.\" \"Renan's\nLife of Jesus,\" Introduction, p. 34, E. T.\n\n25. \"Let the Gospels be in part legendary, that is evident since they\nare full of miracles and the supernatural. . . . . The historic value\nwhich I attribute to the Gospels is now, I think, quite understood.\nThey are neither biographies, after the manner of Suetonius, nor\nfictitious legends, like those of Philostratus; they are legendary\nbiographies.\" Renan, \"Life of Jesus,\" Introduction, p. 17 38.\n\n26. \"Till we have new light, we shall maintain, therefore, this\nprinciple of historical criticism, that a supernatural relation cannot\nbe accepted as such, that it always implies credulity or imposture,\nthat the duty of the historian is to interpret it, and to seek what\nportion of truth and what portion error it may contain. Such are the\nrules which have been followed in this life\" (of Christ). Renan, \"Life\nof Jesus,\" p. 45, E. T.\n\n27. \"Historical Evidences\" (Rawlinson), p. 228.\n\n28. \"Historical Evidences,\" (Rawlinson), Preface.\n\n29. \"Historical Evidences\" (Rawlinson), see Preface. See also Keil's\npreface to his \"Comment on Joshua.\"\n\n30. \"Origins of Christianity\" in three volumes; \"The Life of Jesus,\"\n\"The Apostles,\" \"Saint Paul.\"\n\n31. See Preface to Strauss' \"Life of Jesus.\"\n\n32. Dr. C. A. Briggs.\n\n33. The triumphant language of Dr. Briggs in the _North American\nReview_ is: \"The majority of votes in favor of the suspension was very\ngreat. But if the votes are weighed as well as counted the disparity\nwill not be regarded as serious. The basis of representation in the\ngeneral assembly gives the small presbyteries in the country districts\nand on the frontiers a vastly greater power than they are entitled\nto by their numbers or influence, while the strong presbyteries in\nour large cities and in the great communities are put at a serious\ndisadvantage. The general assemblies, as they are now constituted,\nrepresent the least intelligent portion of the church, and not\nunfrequently a majority in the Assembly really represents a minority of\nthe ministers and people in the denomination. A majority of a general\nassembly is not taken seriously by intelligent Presbyterians.\"\n\n34. \"Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.\"\n\n35. The remarks in relation to both Gibbon and Voltaire are to be found\nin the _Christian Visitor_ for 1889.\n\n36. 1 Cor. i. 13.\n\n37. _Ibid_ verse 10.\n\n38. 1 Cor. i. 12.\n\n\n\nTHESIS II.\n\nThe Church of Christ Was Destroyed: There Has Been an Apostasy from the\nChristian Religion, So Complete and Universal, as to Make Necessary a\nNew Dispensation of the Gospel.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\nTHE EFFECT OF PAGAN PERSECUTION ON THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.\n\nA variety of causes have operated to produce the result stated in\nmy second Thesis, among which I shall first consider those terrible\npersecutions with which the saints were afflicted in the first\ncenturies of our era.\n\nLet it not be a matter of surprise that I class those persecutions\nas among the means through which the church was destroyed. The force\nof heathen rage was aimed at the leaders and strong men of the body\nreligious; and being long-continued and relentlessly cruel, those\nmost steadfast in their adherence to the church invariably became its\nvictims. These being stricken down, it left none but weaklings to\ncontend for the faith, and made possible those subsequent innovations\nin the religion of Jesus which a pagan public sentiment demanded, and\nwhich so completely changed both the spirit and form of the Christian\nreligion as to subvert it utterly.\n\nLet me further ask that no one be surprised that violence is permitted\nto operate in such a case. The idea that the right is always victorious\nin this world; that truth is always triumphant and innocence always\ndivinely protected, are old, fond fables with which well-meaning men\nhave amused credulous multitudes; but the stern facts of history\nand actual experience in life correct the pleasing delusion. Do not\nmisunderstand me. I believe in the ultimate victory of the right,\nthe ultimate triumph of truth, the final immunity of innocence from\nviolence. These--innocence, truth and the right--will be at the last\nmore than conquerors; they will be successful in the war, but that does\nnot prevent them from losing some battles. It should be remembered\nalways that God has given to man his agency; and that fact implies that\none man is as free to act wickedly as another is to do righteousness.\nCain was as free to murder his brother as that brother was to worship\nGod; and so the pagans and Jews were as free to persecute and murder\nthe Christians as the Christians were to live virtuously and worship\nChrist as God. The agency of man would not be worth the name if it did\nnot grant liberty to the wicked to fill the cup of their iniquity,\nas well as liberty to the virtuous to round out the measure of their\nrighteousness. Such perfect liberty or agency God has given man; and it\nis only so variously modified as not to thwart his general purposes.\nHence it comes that even when stealthy Murder in sight of his helpless\nvictim meditates the crime, no voice to prevent the act \"speaks through\nthe blanket of the dark\" crying, \"Hold! hold!\" Of course it follows\nthat running parallel with this fact of man's liberty is the solemn\ntruth of his full responsibility for the use he makes of it.\n\nIn the light of these reflections, then, I say that after Christ, as\nbefore his day, the kingdom of heaven suffered violence and the violent\ntook it by force. [1] How far that violence, as manifested in the\npersecutions of the first three Christian centuries, was effectual as\na factor in causing the destruction of the church is now to engage our\nattention.\n\nAt the outset, however, there is a difficulty I cannot pass without\ncomment--the disagreement of eminent writers on the extent and severity\nof the persecutions endured by the Christians up to the accession of\nConstantine to the imperial throne of Rome. On the one hand infidel\nwriters, such as Gibbon and Dodwell, have sought to minimize the\nsuffering of the Christians under the persecutions, and on the other,\nChristian writers, such as Milner, Paley and Fox, have sought to\nmagnify it. The motive on the part of both infidels and Christians is\nobvious. The more violent and extensive the persecutions, the more\nthe martyrs, the more glorious the triumph for the church. While on\nthe other hand, if the persecutions can be proven to be limited, the\nsuffering made to appear trifling and the martyrs few in number, the\nchurch is robbed of so much of her glory. Doubtless both parties have\ngone to extremes in the contention. Unfortunately for the Christian\nside of the controversy, there is much reason for believing that the\naccount of Christian suffering within the period named has been much\nexaggerated. Their chief authority--Eusebius--has thrown more or\nless suspicion upon the trustworthiness of all that he has written,\nby declaring in the opening chapter of his Ecclesiastical History\nand elsewhere that \"Whatsoever, therefore, _we deem likely to be\nadvantageous to the proposed subject_, we shall endeavor to reduce\nto a compact body by historical narration. For this purpose we have\ncollected the materials that have been scattered by our predecessors,\nand culled, as from some intellectual meadows, the appropriate extracts\nfrom ancient authors.\" [2]\n\nOn these passages Gibbon remarks: \"The gravest of the ecclesiastical\nhistorians, Eusebius himself, indirectly confesses that he has related\nwhatever might redound to the glory, and that he has suppressed all\nthat could tend to the disgrace of religion. Such an acknowledgment\nwill naturally excite a suspicion that a writer who has so openly\nviolated one of the fundamental laws of history, has not paid a very\nstrict regard to the observance of the other.\" [3] Draper also refers\nto the same when, commenting upon the inaccuracies of early Christian\nwriters, he says: \"In historical compositions there was a want of\nfair dealing and truthfulness almost incredible to us; thus, Eusebius\nnaively avows that in his history he shall omit whatever might tend to\nthe discredit of the church, and magnify whatever might conduce to her\nglory.\" [4]\n\nBut while it must be conceded that there is much reason for believing\nthat the Christian fathers exaggerated both the extent and severity\nof those early persecutions, it remains clear that both the extent\nand severity of them were greater and more baneful to the church than\ninfidel writers allow; and the truth of it may be proven independent\nof the testimonies of the Christian fathers. The proofs I refer to\nare the edicts themselves, considered in the light of the well-known\ncruelty of the Roman people, intensified by the malice of religious\nzeal aroused to suppress an obnoxious society whose doctrines were held\nto be destructive of the ancient religion of Rome, and a menace to the\nexistence of the state itself.\n\nPassing by the persecutions inflicted upon the Christians by the\nJews, an account of which is to be found in the New Testament, I call\nattention to the first great pagan persecution under the cruel edict of\nthe Emperor Nero. For our information in respect to this persecution we\nare indebted not to any Christian writer, but to the judicious Tacitus,\nwhom even \"the most sceptical criticism is obliged to respect.\" [5]\nNero having set on fire the city of Rome, in order that he might\nwitness a great conflagration, and wishing to divert suspicion from\nhimself, first accused and then tried to compel the Christians to\nconfess the great crime--and now Tacitus:\n\n\"With this view he inflicted the most exquisite tortures on those men\nwho, under the vulgar appellation of Christians, were already branded\nwith deserved infamy. They derived their name and origin from Christ,\nwho, in the reign of Tiberius had suffered death by the sentence of\nthe procurator Pontius Pilate. For awhile this dire superstition was\nchecked; but it again burst forth; and not only spread itself over\nJudea, the first seat of this mischievous sect, but was even introduced\ninto Rome, the common asylum which receives and protects whatever is\nimpure, whatever is atrocious. The confessions of those that were\nseized discovered a great multitude of their accomplices, and they were\nall convicted, not so much for the crime of setting fire to the city,\nas for their hatred of human kind. They died in torments, and their\ntorments were embittered by insults and derision. Some were nailed on\ncrosses; others sewn up in the skins of wild beasts, and exposed to the\nfury of dogs; others, again, smeared over with combustible materials,\nwere used as torches to illuminate the darkness of the night. The\ngardens of Nero were destined for the melancholy spectacle, which was\naccompanied with a horse-race, and honored with the presence of the\nemperor, who mingled with the populace in the dress and attitude of\na charioteer. The guilt of the Christians deserved indeed the most\nexemplary punishments, but the public abhorrence was changed into\ncommiseration, from the opinion that those unhappy wretches were\nsacrificed, not so much to the public welfare as to the cruelty of a\njealous tyrant.\" [6]\n\nEminent scholars are divided in opinion as to whether this persecution\nunder Nero extended to the provinces or was confined to the city\nof Rome. Gibbon assumes that it was both brief and confined to the\ncity. According to Milman \"M. Guizot, on the authority of Suplicious\nSeverus and of Orosius inclines to the opinion of those who extend the\npersecution to the provinces. Mosheim rather leans to that side on this\nmuch disputed question. Neander takes the view of Gibbon, which is, in\ngeneral, that of the most learned writers.\" [7]\n\nThis controversy need not detain us a moment. It matters not to my\npurpose whether the edicts of Nero extended to the provinces or were\nlimited in their operations to the Christians within the capital.\nThe testimony of Tacitus is sufficient to prove, first, that the\npersecution was general within the city; second its terrible cruelty;\nand third, the great abhorrence in which the Christians were held by\nthe Romans.\n\nI submit to the consideration of the reader that a people so greatly\ndetested as the Christians, were not likely to meet with gentle\ntreatment from the Romans; and when, as subsequently it came to\npass, the people clamored for the sacrifice of the saints whom they\nabhorred as the enemies of mankind, instead of looking upon them with\ncommiseration as the citizens of Rome did in their persecution under\nNero--when the Roman people, I say, clamored for the sacrifice of\nthe Christians and the emperors were cruel enough, and unjust enough\nto issue edicts for their destruction, the persecutions of those\ntimes were neither so limited nor so free from severity as Gibbon and\nothers would have us believe. Even in this persecution under Nero, if\nno edicts were sent into the provinces commanding the execution of\nChristians, it is not unreasonable to believe that the despisers of\nthe followers of Christ, finding warrant for their conduct by what was\ntaking place at Rome, under the supervision of the emperor himself,\nwould not hesitate to inflict hardships upon the saints without the\nformality of his proclamation.\n\nIt was this unofficial persecution which, without doubt, arose in the\nprovinces as an indirect result of the persecution in the capital,\nthat has led a number of prominent writers to believe that Nero's\npersecution extended throughout the empire. However that may be, a\n\"great multitude\" suffered in the city of Rome, and were subject to\nsuch tortures and cruel modes of death--described, mark you, by the\nunfriendly Tacitus--that little is left to be added even by the fervid\nimaginations of the Christian fathers. It is reasonable to believe\nthat the subsequent persecutions were not freer from cruelty than this\none under Nero; and therefore, though some allowance must be made\nfor exaggeration in the writings of the Christian fathers, it may be\nsafely concluded that those persecutions which preceded the reign of\nConstantine were both widespread and horribly cruel.\n\nWhat is usually denominated the third persecution of the Christian\nChurch occurred in the reign of Trajan, 98--117 A. D. Here, as in the\npersecution under Nero, we may determine something of the severity and\nmanner of it from a Roman writer. Trajan intrusted the government of\nBithynia and Pontius to his personal friend, the younger Pliny. The new\ngovernor, in his administration of the affairs of his provinces, found\nhimself perplexed as to what course he should pursue in regard to the\nChristians brought before him for trial. He accordingly wrote to his\nmaster for instruction; and I deem his letter of such importance as\nshowing the severity to which Christians were subject, the character of\nthe Christians, and the number of unfaithful members who had evidently\nentered the church by that time, that I give it _in extenso_:\n\n\"Health.--It is my usual custom, sir, to refer all things, of which I\nharbor any doubts, to you. For who can better direct my judgment in\nits hesitation, or instruct my understanding in its ignorance? I never\nhad the fortune to be present at any examination of Christians, before\nI came into this province. I am, therefore, at a loss, to determine\nwhat is the usual object either of inquiry or of punishment, and to\nwhat length either of them is to be carried. It has also been with me\na question very problematical, whether any distinction should be made\nbetween the young and the old, the tender and the robust; whether any\nroom should be given for repentance, or the guilt of Christianity, once\nincurred is not to be expiated by the most unequivocal retraction;\nwhether the name itself, abstracted from any flagitiousness of conduct,\nor the crimes connected with the name, be the object of punishment. In\nthe meantime, this has been my method, with respect to those who were\nbrought before me as Christians: If they pleaded guilty, I interrogated\nthem twice afresh, with a menace of capital punishment. In case of\nobstinate perseverance, I ordered them to be executed. For of this I\nhad no doubt, whatever was the nature of their religion, that a sullen\nand obstinate inflexibility called for the vengeance of the magistrate.\nSome who were infected with the same madness whom, on account of their\nprivilege of citizenship, I reserve to be sent to Rome, to be referred\nto your tribunal. In the course of this business, information pouring\nin, as is usual when they are encouraged, more cases occurred. An\nanonymous libel was exhibited, with a catalogue of names of persons,\nwho yet declared they were not Christians then or ever had been; and\nthey repeated after me an invocation of the gods and of your image,\nwhich for this purpose I had ordered to be brought with the images of\nthe deities. They performed sacred rites with wine and frankincense,\nand execrated Christ, none of which things I am told a real Christian\ncan ever be compelled to do. On this account I dismissed them. Others\nnamed by an informer, first affirmed and then denied the charge of\nChristianity, declaring that they had been Christians, but had ceased\nto be so, some three years ago, others still longer, some even twenty\nyears ago. All of them worshiped your image, and the statues of the\ngods, and also execrated Christ. And this was the account which they\ngave of the nature of their religion they once professed, whether it\ndeserves the name of crime or error, namely, that they were accustomed\non a stated day to meet before daylight, and repeat among themselves\na hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by an oath with\nan obligation of not committing any wickedness; but on the contrary,\nof abstaining from thefts, robberies, and adulteries; also, of not\nviolating their promise, or denying a pledge; after which it was their\ncustom to separate, and to meet again at a promiscuous, harmless\nmeal, from which last practice they however desisted, after the\npublication of my edict, in which, agreeably to your order, I forbade\nany societies of that sort. On which account I judged it the more\nnecessary, to inquire, by torture, from two females, who were said to\nbe deaconesses, what is the real truth. But nothing could I collect,\nexcept a depraved and excessive superstition. Deferring, therefore,\nany further investigation, I determined to consult you. For the number\nof the culprits is so great, as to call for serious consultation.\nMany persons are informed against of every age, and of both sexes;\nand more still will be in the same situation. The contagion of the\nsuperstition hath spread not only through cities, but even villages and\nthe country. Not that I think it impossible to check and correct it.\nThe success of my efforts hitherto forbids such desponding thoughts;\nfor the temples, once almost desolate, begin to be frequented, and the\nsacred solemnities which had long been intermitted, are now attended\nafresh, and the sacrificed victims are now sold everywhere, which once\ncould scarcely find a purchaser. Whence, I conclude, that many might\nbe reclaimed, were the hope of impunity, on repentance, absolutely\nconfirmed.\" [8]\n\nTo this Trajan sent the following answer: \"You have done perfectly\nright, my dear Pliny, in the inquiry which you have made concerning\nChristians. For truly no one general rule can be laid down which\nwill apply itself to all cases. These people must not be sought\nafter. If they are brought before you and convicted, let them be\ncapitally punished, yet with this restriction, that if anyone renounce\nChristianity, and evidence his sincerity by supplicating our gods,\nhowever suspected he may be for the past, he shall obtain pardon for\nthe future, on his repentance. But anonymous libels in no case ought\nto be attended to; for the precedent would be of the worst sort, and\nperfectly incongruous to the maxims of my government.\" [9]\n\nGibbon makes much of the perplexity of Pliny as to how to proceed\nagainst the Christians. For since the life of that Roman had been\nemployed in the acquisition of learning and the business of the world;\nsince from the age of nineteen he had pleaded with distinction in\nthe tribunals of Rome; therefore, from the ignorance of this Roman\ngovernor, the great historian of the Decline and Fall concludes\nthat there were no general laws or decrees of the senate in force\nagainst the Christians previous to Pliny accepting the governorship\nof Bithynia. [10] There is nothing, however, in the circumstance of\nPliny's ignorance to justify such a conclusion.\n\nIt is not difficult to conceive how laws and decrees against the\nChristians could exist and yet a man employed as Pliny was have no\ntechnical knowledge of the _modus operandi_ of procedure against them.\nHis very letter, quoted above, seems to recognize the existence of such\nlaws before he went into Bithynia; for he pleads as an excuse for his\nignorance of how to proceed in the business neither the non-existence,\nnor the newness of the laws, but merely the fact that he had never been\npresent at the examination of Christians brought to trial previous to\naccepting the governorship of his provinces.\n\nIn like spirit Gibbon points to the mildness of both the emperor and\nthe governor as being against the idea that this persecution was very\nsevere. Giving full credit for that mildness, what was the status of\nthe Christians as to liability to persecution in Bithynia and Pontus\nafter Pliny received the instruction of his master? (1) They were\nnot to be sought after, that is, hunted down for the mere sake of\ndestroying them; (2) anonymous complaints or libels were not to be\nentertained against them; (3) if brought before the judge and they\nwould renounce their religion by supplicating the gods of Rome, they\nwere to receive pardon. So far the tender mercies of Trajan extended.\nThey could still be accused by any one bold enough to affix his name\nto the charge; and if the accused Christians refused to deny the\nfaith, they were punished by sentence of death. When it is considered\nhow bitter was the malice of their enemies, and how wide-spread the\ndetestation of Christianity, it will be conceded that even in Bithynia\nand Pontus, notwithstanding the mildness of the emperor and the\nhumanity of the governor, there was still left plenty of opportunity\nto vex the church and make persecution contribute to its destruction.\nI say even in Bithynia and Pontus this was the case; how much more\nwas it so in those provinces where less humane magistrates than Pliny\nadministered the laws, and who proceeded without asking for instruction\nfrom the emperor! In such provinces the saints were liable to be\naccused anonymously, put to the torture, not with a view to force from\nthem a confession, but a denial of the charge, failing in which they\nwere executed without mercy.\n\nThe limits of this inquiry forbids anything like an exhaustive\nexamination of the several persecutions endured by the Christians. I\nshall therefore content myself with a brief reference to those most\ndisastrous to the church.\n\nPassing by, then, the persecutions under Aurelius and Verus, in which\nthe sufferings of the Christians in Gaul were most severe--especially\nin the cities of Lyons and Vienne, [11] where churches were well nigh\ndestroyed by its violence; and also passing by the persecutions which\narose under the edicts of Severus, which were issued more especially to\nprevent the propagation of Christianity than to punish those already\nconverts to it, I come to that general and terrible persecution under\nDecius Trajan, in the middle of the third century. The incentive which\nprompted the action of Decius against the Christians is variously\nascribed to hatred of his predecessor, Philip, whom he had murdered,\nand who was friendly to the church; to his zeal for paganism; and\nlastly to his fear, feigned or real, that the Christians would usurp\nthe empire. Perhaps all these motives combined impelled him to make war\nupon the church. According to the representations of one Dionysius,\nquoted by Eusebius, the persecution, at least in Africa, began before\nthe edicts of Decius were issued. \"The persecution with us,\" says the\nwriter referred to, \"did not begin with the imperial edict but precede\nit by a whole year. And a certain prophet and poet, inauspicious to the\ncity [Alexandria], whoever he was, excited the mass of the heathens\nagainst us, stirring them up to their native superstition. Stimulated\nby him, and taking full liberty to exercise any kind of wickedness,\nthey considered this the only piety, and the worship of their demons,\n_viz,_ to slay us. * * But as the sedition and civil war overtook the\nwretches, their cruelty was diverted from us to one another. We then\ndrew a little breath, while their rage against us was a little abated.\nBut, presently, that change from a milder reign was announced to us,\nand much terror was now threatening us. The decree [of Decius] had\narrived, very much like that which was foretold by our Lord, exhibiting\nthe most dreadful aspects so that, if it were possible, the very\nelect would stumble. All indeed were greatly alarmed, and many of the\nmore eminent immediately gave way to them; others, who were in public\noffices, were led forth by their very acts; others were brought by\ntheir acquaintances and when called by name, they approached the impure\nand unholy sacrifices. But pale and trembling, as if they were not to\nsacrifice but themselves to be the victims and the sacrifices to the\nidols. They were jeered by many of the surrounding multitude, and were\nobviously equally afraid to die and to offer the sacrifice. But some\nadvanced with greater readiness to the altar and boldly asserted that\nthey had never before been Christians, concerning whom the declaration\nof our Lord is most true, that they will scarcely be saved. Of the\nrest, some followed the one or the other of the preceding; some fled,\nothers were taken, and of these some held out as far as the prison and\nbonds, and some after a few days' imprisonment abjured Christianity\nbefore they entered the tribunal. And some, also, after enduring\nthe torture for a time, at last renounced. Others, however, firm\nand blessed pillars of the Lord, confirmed by the Lord himself, and\nreceiving in themselves strength and power, suited and proportioned to\ntheir faith, became admirable witnesses of his kingdom.\" [12]\n\nEusebius at great length recounts the suffering of individuals both\nin the east and west divisions of the empire, but it is not necessary\nto follow him through all those details. It will be sufficient to say\nthat this persecution was more terrible than any which preceded it.\nIt extended over the whole empire, and had for its avowed object the\nenforced apostasy of the Christians. [13]\n\nHow unrelenting the efforts must have been to encompass either the\ndestruction or the apostasy of the Christians will appear when it is\nknown that the governors of the provinces were \"commanded, on pain\nof forfeiting their own lives, either to exterminate all Christians\nutterly, or bring them back by pain and tortures to the religion\nof their fathers.\" \"During two years,\" continues Mosheim, \"a great\nmultitude of Christians in all the Roman provinces were cut off by\nvarious species of punishment and suffering. This persecution was more\ncruel and terrific than any that preceded it; and immense numbers\ndismayed, not so much by the fear of death, as by the dread of the\nlong-continued tortures by which the magistrates endeavored to overcome\nthe constancy of the Christians, professed to renounce Christ; and\nprocured for themselves safety, either by sacrificing, i. e., offering\nincense before the idols, or by certificates purchased with money.\" [14]\n\nGibbon, who never admits the severity of the persecutions under the\nemperors, except when compelled by undeniable facts, says, of this\none under Decius: \"The fall of Philip (the predecessor of Decius)\nintroduced with a change of masters, a new system of government so\noppressive to the Christians that their former condition, ever since\nthe time of Domitian, was represented as a state of perfect freedom\nand security, if compared with the rigorous treatment which they\nexperienced under the short reign of Decius. * * * The bishops of the\nmost considerable cities were removed by exile or death; the vigilance\nof the magistrates prevented the clergy of Rome during sixteen months\nfrom proceeding to the new election; and it was the opinion of the\nChristians that the emperor would more patiently endure a competition\nfor the purple than a bishop for the capital.\" [15]\n\nMilner, quoting Cyprian, says concerning the effect of this\npersecution: \"Vast numbers lapsed into idolatry immediately. Even\nbefore men were accused as Christian many ran to the forum and\nsacrificed to the gods as they were ordered; and the crowds of\napostates were so great that the magistrates wished to delay numbers\nof them till the next day, but they were importuned by the wretched\nsuppliants to be allowed to prove themselves heathens that very night.\"\n[16]\n\nThe reign of Decius was brief, lasting only two years, and toward the\nclose of it, as if surfeited with slaughter, the violent persecution\nagainst the saints relaxed somewhat of its severity; but his\nsuccessors, Gallus and his son Volusian, renewed it. A pestilential\ndisease broke out about this time and spread through a number of the\nprovinces, and this the pagan priests persuaded the populace was a\ncurse sent upon the people on account of the toleration shown to the\nChristians. This was sufficient to re-kindle the flames of hatred and\nfor two years more the Church of Christ suffered violence as it had\ndone under Decius.\n\nThere remains but one more persecution to notice, that which is\ncommonly known as the Diocletian. It could be called more properly the\nGalerian persecution; for Galerius, son-in-law to the emperor, and one\nwith two others--Constantius Chlorus and Maximian--who shared with\nhim the responsibility of governing the empire, [17] had most to do\nwith it. It is said that Galerius was urged to secure the edicts of\nDiocletian against the Christians by his mother, Romlia, a very haughty\nwoman, who had taken offense because the saints had excluded her from\ntheir sacrament meetings. Be that as it may, it is generally conceded\nthat this severest of all persecutions against the Church of Christ was\ninaugurated and carried on through the hatred and influence of Galerius.\n\nAccording to Eusebius [18] the persecution began in the nineteenth\nyear of the reign of Diocletian--303 A. D. The emperor in issuing his\nfirst edict could not be brought to the infamy of aiming at the lives\nof the saints; it appears he could only be brought to that by degrees.\nHis first edict ordered the destruction of the Christian churches, and\nthe surrender of the holy scriptures and the degradation of Christians\nfrom office. Shortly after this the royal palace at Nicomedia was twice\nset on fire, and from it Galerius fled, giving out that he feared\nChristian malice had attempted his life. The Christians being charged\nwith the crime the incident was made the excuse for issuing a second\nedict, \"in consequence of which whole families of the pious were slain\nat the imperial command, some with the sword, some also with fire. But\nthe populace, binding another number upon planks, threw them into the\ndepths of the sea.\" [19]\n\nA rebellion which occurred in Syria about this time was also charged\nto Christian intrigue, and a third edict was issued commanding that\nthe heads of the church everywhere should be thrust into prison. \"The\nspectacle of affairs after these events exceeds all description.\nInnumerable multitudes were imprisoned in every place, and the\ndungeons formerly destined for murderers and the vilest criminals\nwere then filled with bishops, and presbyters, and deacons, readers\nand exorcists, so that there was no room left for those condemned for\ncrimes.\" [20] It was ordered after a time that the prisoners should be\ngranted their liberty on condition that they offer sacrifice at the\nshrine of the heathen gods. To effect that purpose the judges were\ncommanded to employ the most excruciating tortures.\n\nDiocletian thought to destroy the Christian \"superstition\" by\novercoming the constancy of the leaders; but meeting with more\nresistance than he anticipated, he at last issued a fourth edict,\ndirecting the magistrates to compel all Christians, irrespective of\nage, sex, or official position, to offer sacrifice to the gods; and\nto employ tortures to compel that apostasy. The magistrates yielded\nstrict obedience to the edict of the emperor, and the Christian church\nwas reduced to the last extremity. [21] The scenes of suffering from\ntortures and bloodsheds throughout the empire, except in Gaul, where\nConstantine reigned, defy description. \"Thousands, both men, and women\nand children,\" says Eusebius, speaking of those who suffered in Egypt,\n\"despising the present life for the sake of our Savior's doctrine,\nsubmitted to death in various shapes. Some, after being tortured with\nscrappings [22] and the rack, and the most dreadful scourgings, and\nother innumerable agonies which one might shudder to hear, were finally\ncommitted to the flames; and some plunged and drowned in the sea,\nothers voluntarily offering their own heads to their executioners,\nothers dying in the midst of their torments, some wasted away by\nfamine, and others again fixed to the cross. Some, indeed, were\nexecuted as malefactors usually were; others, more cruelly, were nailed\nwith the head downwards, and kept alive until they were destroyed by\nstarving on the cross itself.\" [23]\n\nAfter describing similar but still more cruel tortures endured by the\nChristians of Thebais, Eusebius continues: \"And all these things were\ndoing not only for a few days or some time but for a series of whole\nyears. At one time ten or more, at another more than twenty, at another\ntime not less than thirty, and even sixty, and again at another time,\na hundred men with their wives and little children were slain in one\nday, whilst they were condemned to various and varied punishments. We\nourselves have observed when on the spot, many crowded together in\none day suffering decapitation, some the torments of the flames; so\nthat the murderous weapon was completely blunted, and having lost its\nedge, broke to pieces; and the executioners themselves wearied with the\nslaughter, were obliged to relieve one another.\" [24]\n\nGibbon, whose very reluctance to concede the severity of these\npersecutions induces me to quote him as often as admissions are forced\nfrom his unwilling lips, says of this persecution: \"The magistrates\nwere commanded to employ every method of severity which might reclaim\nthem from their odious superstition, and obliged them to return to the\nestablished worship of the gods. This rigorous order was extended, by a\nsubsequent edict, to the whole body of Christians, who were exposed to\na violent and general persecution. Instead of those salutary restraints\nwhich had required the direct and solemn testimony of an accuser,\nit became the duty as well as the interest of the imperial officer\nto discover, to pursue, and to torment the most obnoxious among the\nfaithful. Heavy penalties were denounced against all who should presume\nto save a prescribed sectary from the just indignation of the gods and\nthe emperors.\" [25]\n\nThis persecution lasted for ten years; and at the end of that time the\nchurch presented a melancholy spectacle. Everywhere, even in Gaul, the\nChristian houses of worship were laid in ruins. Streams of Christian\nblood had flowed in every province of the empire, excepting in Gaul,\nwhere Constantine governed; and there, it will be remembered, a\nprevious persecution under Aurelius and Verus had well-nigh destroyed\nthe churches. Public worship was suspended. The saints were either\ndriven to apostasy by tortures, had fled from the provinces to the\nbarbarians, or kept themselves concealed. Meantime the magistrates\nincited as much by avarice as by hatred of Christianity, confiscated\nnot only the church property, but also the private possessions of the\nministers. In other cases the church leaders were either slain, or\nmutilated and sent to the mines or banished from the country. \"Many\nthrough dread of undergoing torture had made way with their own lives,\nand many apostatized from the faith; and what remained of the Christian\ncommunity, consisted of weak, poor and timorous persons.\" [26]\n\nAfter adopting these measures for the destruction of the church,\nseverities of another character were put in operation. \"It was thought\nnecessary to subject to the most intolerable hardships the condition\nof those perverse individuals who should still reject the religion\nof nature, of Rome, and of their ancestors. Persons of liberal birth\nwere declared incapable of holding any honors or employments; slaves\nwere forever deprived of the hopes of freedom, and the whole body of\nthe people were put out of the protection of the law. The judges were\nauthorized to hear and determine every action that was brought against\na Christian. But the Christians were not permitted to complain of any\ninjury which they themselves had suffered; and thus those unfortunate\nsectaries were exposed to the severity, while they were excluded from\nthe benefits of public justice. This new species of martyrdom, so\npainful and lingering, so obscure and ignominious was, perhaps, the\nmost proper to weary the constancy of the faithful; nor can it be\ndoubted that the passions and interest of mankind were disposed on this\noccasion to second the designs of the emperors.\" [27] That the Romans\nconsidered the destruction of the Christian church completed by the\nDiocletian persecution is witnessed by the inscriptions upon monuments\nand medals. Two pillars in Spain, erected to commemorate the reign of\nDiocletian bore the following; on the first--\n\n\"DIOCLETIAN, JOVIAN, MAXIMIAN HERCULIUS, CAESARES AUGUSTI, FOR HAVING\nEXTENDED THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE EAST AND WEST, AND FOR HAVING\nEXTINGUISHED THE NAME OF CHRISTIANS, WHO BROUGHT THE REPUBLIC TO RUIN;\"\n\nOn the second,\n\n\"DIOCLETIAN, ETC., FOR HAVING ADOPTED GALERIUS IN THE EAST, FOR HAVING\nEVERYWHERE ABOLISHED THE SUPERSTITION OF CHRIST, FOR HAVING EXTENDED\nTHE WORSHIP OF THE GODS.\"\n\nAnd on the medal of Diocletian this: \"THE NAME OF CHRISTIAN BEING\nEXTINGUISHED.\" [28]\n\nWhen it is remembered that these persecutions, to which I have briefly\nreferred, ran through more than three centuries; that the emperors\nwhose edicts inaugurated them possessed unlimited power to execute\ntheir decrees; that the age in which they occurred was cruel beyond\nmodern comprehension; that Roman, that is to say, pagan hatred of\nChristians was venomously bitter, because they were made to believe\nthat the existence of the ancient religion of Rome and latterly the\nexistence of the empire itself depended upon the destruction of\nChristianity--when all this is remembered, it is not to be wondered\nat that the saints were worn out, or so nearly so that only \"weak and\ntimorous\" men were left to ineffectually resist the paganization of\nChristianity--the destruction of the Church of Christ.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Matt. xi. 12.\n\n2. \"Euseb. Eccl. Hist.,\" Book VIII., ch. ii. and ch. xii.\n\n3. \"Decline and Fall,\" Vol. I., p. 486, Ed. of 1880.\n\n4. \"Intellectual Development of Europe,\" Vol. I., p. 360.\n\n5. Of the burning of Rome, the punishment of the Christians and this\ncelebrated passage in the writings of the famous Roman annalist,\nGibbon, from whom I quote the phrase above, says: \"The most sceptical\ncriticism is obliged to respect the truth of this extraordinary fact\nand the integrity of this celebrated passage of Tacitus. The former\n[the burning of Rome and the punishment of the Christians] is confirmed\nby the diligent and accurate Suetonius, who mentions the punishment\nwhich Nero inflicted on the Christians, a sect of men who had embraced\na new and criminal superstition. The latter may be proved by the\nconsent of the most ancient manuscripts, by the imimitable character of\nthe style of Tacitus, by his reputation, which guarded his text from\nthe interpolation of pious fraud.\" \"Decline and Fall,\" Vol. i., p. 448.\n\n6. \"Tacitus Annl.,\" lib, XV., ch. 44.\n\n7. See Milman's Note in \"Decline and Fall,\" Vol. I., p. 450.\n\n8. I have taken Milner's translation of the Epistle. See \"Ch. Hist.,\"\nVol I., p. 145.\n\n9. \"Milner's Ch. Hist.,\" Vol. I., p. 148.\n\n10. \"Decline and Fall,\" Vol. I., p. 453.\n\n11. An account of these persecutions at great length will be found in\nthe letters of the survivors sent to the churches of Asia and Phrygia.\n\"Eusebius,\" Book V., ch. i.\n\n12. That is, they were executed. Eusebius, Bk. vi., Ch. xli.\n\n13. See Murdock's note in Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., Bk. i, Cent. iii, Ch.\nii.\n\n14. Mosheim, (Murdock) Bk. i, Cent. iii, Ch. ii.\n\n15. \"Decline and Fall,\" Vol i., Ch. xvi.\n\n16. Milner's Church Hist., Vol. i, Cent. iii, Ch. viii.\n\n17. The situation was this: A year after his elevation to the imperial\nthrone, Diocletian, believing the government of the vast empire of\nRome a task too great for a single mind, chose Maximianus Herculius,\ncommonly called Maximian, to be his colleague and to share with him\nthe title of Augustus. After a few years each of the emperors chose a\ncolleague in order to still further divide the labor of administration.\nThese were Constantius Chlorus and Galerius Maximianus, usually called\nby his first name. Constantius and Galerius occupied an inferior\nposition to that of Diocletian and Maximian, and were honored only with\nthe title of \"Caesar.\"\n\n18. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. ii.\n\n19. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. vi.\n\n20. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. vi.\n\n21. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., Cent, iv, Part i, Ch. i.\n\n22. This torture was raking the flesh from the body by means of an\niron-toothed instrument.\n\n23. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. viii.\n\n24. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, Ch. ix.\n\n25. \"Decline and Fall,\" Vol. i, p. 481. Gibbon claims, however, that\n\"notwithstanding the severity of this law, the virtuous courage of many\nof the pagans in concealing their friends or relatives, affords an\nhonorable proof, that the rage of superstition had not extinguished in\ntheir minds the sentiments of nature and humanity.\"--_Ibid_.\n\n26. Schlegel, quoted by Murdock, see note Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., Cent.\niv, Bk. ii. Ch. i.\n\n27. \"Decline and Fall,\" Vol. i, ch. xvi, p. 477. Gibbon undertakes\nto modify what he has here written by saying that the policy of a\nwell-ordered government must sometimes have interposed in behalf of the\noppressed Christians. \"This wants proof,\" says Milman in a footnote\non the remark, \"the edict of Diocletian was executed in all its rigor\nduring the rest of the reign;\" and gives reference to Eusebius Eccl.\nHist., Bk. viii, ch. xiii.\n\n28. See Milner's Church History, Vol. ii, cent. iv, ch. ii, I also give\nthe following in evidence of the severity of the persecution of the\nChristians in the early centuries of our era; and since it is taken\nfrom the funeral oration pronounced by Libanius over the body of his\nfriend, the Emperor Julian, commonly called the apostate--because in\nmanhood he renounced that Christianity which had been forced on him in\nchildhood, and attempted to restore the ancient religion of Rome--it\nis of the same character of evidence as that already found in the\nstatements of Tacitus and Pliny--it is the testimony of one unfriendly\nto Christianity, who could have no motive for exaggerating the\nsufferings of the Christians. Referring to the mildness of the methods\nof persecution adopted by Julian against the Christians, Labanius says:\n\"They who adhered to corrupt religion [he means the Christians] were\nin great terrors [on his accession to the throne] and expected that\ntheir eyes would be plucked out, that their heads would be cut off, and\nthat rivers of their blood would flow from the multitude of slaughters.\nThey apprehended their new master would invent new kinds of torment,\nin comparison of which mutilation, sword, fire, drowning, being buried\nalive, would appear slight pains. _For the preceding emperors had\nemployed against them all these kinds of punishments_.\"\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\nTHE EFFECT OF PEACE, WEALTH AND LUXURY ON CHRISTIANITY.\n\nDisastrous as the persecutions of the early Christian centuries were,\nstill more mischievous to the church were those periods of tranquility\nwhich intervened between the outbursts of rage that prompted them.\nPeace may have her victories, no less renowned than those of war; and\nso, too, she has her calamities, and they are not less destructive than\nthose of war. War may destroy nations, but ease and luxury mankind\ncorrupt--the body and the mind. Especially is peace dangerous to the\nchurch. Prosperity relaxes the reins of discipline; people feel less\nand less the need of a sustaining providence; but in adversity the\nspirit of man feels after God, and he is correspondingly more devoted\nto the service of religion.\n\nWe shall find the early Christians no exception to the operation of\nthis influence of repose. Whenever it was accorded them, either through\nthe mercy or the indifference of the emperors, internal dissensions,\nthe intrigues of aspiring prelates and the rise of heresies\ncharacterized those periods. Even Milner, who wrote his great work to\ncounteract the influence of the too candid Mosheim; who takes to task\nother ecclesiastical writers for making too much of the wickedness\nthat has existed in the church; who declares in the introduction of\nhis Church History that genuine piety is the only thing he intends to\ncelebrate, and announces it to be his purpose to write the history\nof those men only, irrespective of the external church to which they\nbelonged, who have been real not nominally Christians [1]--even Milner,\nI say, admits and deplores the mischief wrought by these periods of\npeace which came to the church between the storms of persecution which\nplagued it; and refers in several places to the marked and steady\ndeclension of the Christian spirit in those centuries with which at\npresent I am dealing. He admits that a gloomy cloud hung over the\nconclusion of the first century; and argues that the first impressions\nmade by the effusion of the spirit are generally the strongest; that\nhuman depravity, overborn for a time, arises afresh, particularly in\nthe next generation--hence the disorders of schism and heresy that\narose in the church, the tendency of which was to destroy the work of\nGod. [2]\n\nThe same writer upon the authority of Origen says that the long peace\ngranted the church in the third century produced a great degree of\nluke-warmness and religious indecorum. \"Let the reader,\" says he, \"only\nnotice the indifference which he [Origen] here describes, and the\nconduct of the Christians both in the first and second century, and he\nwill be affected with the greatness of the declension.\" Then follows\nthe picture drawn by Origen: \"Several come to church only on solemn\nfestivals; and then not so much for instruction as diversion. Some go\nout again as soon as they have heard the lecture, without conferring\nor asking the pastors questions. Others stay not till the lecture is\nended; and others hear not so much as a single word; but entertain\nthemselves in a corner of the church.\"\n\nComing to the middle of the third century, just previous to that severe\npersecution inaugurated by the Emperor Decius, and speaking of Cyprian,\nbishop of Carthage: Milman exclaims: \"A star of the first magnitude!\nwhen we consider the times in which he lived. Let us recreate ourselves\nwith the contemplation of it. _We are fatigued with hunting for\nChristian goodness; and we have discovered but little and that little\nwith much difficulty_. We shall find Cyprian to be a character who\npartook indeed of the declension which we have noticed and lamented;\nbut who was still far superior, I apprehend, in real simplicity and\npiety to the Christians of the East.\" [3] This same Cyprian, in whom\nMilner delights, speaking of the effects of the long peace which\npreceded the Decian persecution, says: \"Each had been bent on improving\nhis own patrimony; and had forgotten what believers had done under the\napostles, and what they ought always to do. They were brooding over the\narts of amassing wealth; the pastors and the deacons each forgot their\nduty; works of mercy were neglected, and discipline was at the lowest\nebb; luxury and effeminacy prevailed; meritricious arts in dress were\ncultivated; fraud and deception practiced among brethren. Christians\nwould unite themselves in matrimony with unbelievers; could swear\nnot only without reverence but even without veracity. With haughty\nasperity they despised their ecclesiastical superiors; they railed\nagainst one another with outrageous acrimony, and conducted quarrels\nwith determined malice. Even many bishops, who ought to be guides and\npatterns to the rest, neglected the peculiar duties of their stations,\ngave themselves up to secular pursuits. They deserted their places of\nresidence and their flocks; they traveled through distant provinces in\nquest of pleasure and gain; gave no assistance to the needy brethren;\nbut were insatiable in their thirst of money. They possessed estates\nby fraud and multiplied usury. What have we not deserved to suffer\nfor such conduct? Even the divine word hath foretold us what we might\nexpect: 'If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments, I\nwill visit their offenses with the rod and their sins with scourges.'\nThese things had been denounced and foretold, but in vain. Our sins\nhad brought our affairs to that pass, that because we had despised\nthe Lord's directions, we were obliged to undergo a correction of our\nmultiplied evils and a trial of our faith by severe remedies.\" [4]\n\nThe last forty years of the third century were years of peace to the\nchurch. That period began with the ascension of Gallienius, a man of\ntaste, indolence, philosophy and toleration, to the throne; and his\nexample was followed by the emperors to the end of the century. A new\nscene this, Christianity tolerated by a pagan government for forty\nyears! \"This new scene did not prove favorable to the growth of grace\nand holiness,\" writes Milner. \"In no period since the apostles was\nthere ever so great a general decay as in this; not even in particular\ninstances can we discover during this interval, much of lively\nChristianity.\" [5]\n\nThough conscious of having already quoted copiously upon the point\nunder consideration, I cannot withhold the testimony of Eusebius who\nwas a witness of the effects of that peace granted the church previous\nto the last great pagan persecution, the Diocletian. After describing\nthe multitudes which flocked into the church before the declension\nin the spirit of true Christianity so greatly prevailed, he remarks:\n\"Nor was any malignant demon able to infatuate, no human machinations\nprevent them so long as the providential hand of God superintended and\nguarded his people as the worthy subjects of his care. But when by\nreason of excessive liberty, we sunk into negligence and sloth, one\nenvying and reviling another in different ways, and we were almost, as\nit were, upon the point of taking up arms against each other with words\nas with darts and spears, prelates inveighing against prelates, and\npeople rising up against people, and hypocrisy and dissimulation had\narisen to the greatest height of malignity, then the divine judgment,\nwhich usually proceeds with a lenient hand, whilst the multitudes were\nyet crowding into the church, with gentle and mild visitation began\nto afflict the episcopacy; the persecution having begun with those\nbrethren in the army. But as if destitute of all sensibility, we were\nnot prompt in measures to appease and propitiate the Deity; some indeed\nlike atheists, regarding our situation as unheeded and unobserved\nby a Providence, we added one wickedness and misery to another. But\nsome that appeared to be our pastors deserting the law of piety, were\ninflamed against each other with mutual strifes, only accumulating\nquarrels and threats, rivalship, hostility and hatred to each other,\nonly anxious to assert the government as a kind of sovereignty for\nthemselves.\" [6]\n\nLet it be remembered that this is quoted from a writer contemporary\nwith the events, and who says in the very chapter following the one\nfrom which the foregoing is taken that it was not for him to record the\ndissensions and follies which the shepherds of the people exercised\nagainst each other before the persecution. He also adds: \"We shall\nnot make mention of those that were shaken by the persecution, nor of\nthose that suffered shipwreck in their salvation, and of their own\naccord were sunk in the depths of the watery gulf.\" [7] Then in his\nBook of Martyrs, referring to events that occurred between the edicts\nordering the persecution, he says: \"But the events that occurred in\nthe intermediate times, besides those already related, I have thought\nproper to pass by; I mean more particularly the circumstances of the\ndifferent heads of the churches, who from being shepherds of the\nreasonable flocks of Christ, that did not govern in a lawful and\nbecoming manner, were condemned, by divine justice, as unworthy of\nsuch a charge, to be the keepers of the unreasonable camel, an animal\ndeformed in the structure of his body; and condemned further to be the\nkeepers of the imperial horses. * * * Moreover, the ambitious aspirings\nof many to office, and the injudicious and unlawful ordinations that\ntook place, the divisions among the confessors themselves, the great\nschisms and difficulties industriously fomented by the factions among\nthe new members, against the relics of the church, devising one\ninnovation after another, and unmercifully thrusting them into the\nmidst of all these calamities, heaping up affliction upon affliction.\nAll this, I say, I have resolved to pass by, judging it foreign to my\npurpose, wishing, as I said in the beginning, to shun and avoid giving\nan account of them.\" [8]\n\nHence, however bad the condition of the church is represented to be\nby ecclesiastical writers, we must know that it was still worse than\nthat; however numerous the schisms; however unholy the ambition of\naspiring prelates; however frequent and serious the innovations upon\nthe primitive ordinances of the gospel; however great the confusion\nand apostasy in the church is represented to be; we must know that it\nis still worse than that, since the church historians contemporaneous\nwith the events refused to record these things in their fullness lest\nit should prove disastrous to the church; just as some of our modern\nscholars professing to write church history express their determination\nto close their eyes to the corruption and abuses which form the greater\npart of the melancholy story of ecclesiastical history, for fear\nthat relating these things would make it appear that real religion\nscarcely had any existence. [9] But it is all in vain. \"It is idle,\nit is disingenuous,\" remarks the editor [10] of Gibbon's great work,\n\"to deny or to dissemble the early depravations of Christianity, its\ngradual but rapid departure from its primitive simplicity and purity,\nstill more from its spirit of universal love.\" If the intermittent\npeace accorded to the church in the first three troubled centuries of\nits existence was productive of the evils admitted by the writers who\nhave felt that the cause of religion demanded that these evils as much\nas possible should be covered up, naturally enough one exclaims, what\nthen must have been the result of that repose which came to the church\nafter the elevation of Constantine to the imperial throne! When from\na proscribed religion Christianity was exalted to the dignity of the\nstate religion of the empire; and her prelates and clergy, recalled\nfrom exile and suffering, poverty and disgrace, were loaded with the\nwealth and the honors that the lords of the Roman world could bestow!\nLet imagination do her best or worst in picturing the rapid decline of\nwhatever remained of true Christianity, conjecture can scarcely outrun\nthe facts. If when the office of bishop was attended with danger and\nscant revenues it aroused the inordinate ambition of men to possess it,\nhow infinitely more must it have become the object of envy, strife and\nambition when by the patronage of Constantine it became not only free\nfrom danger but endowed with revenues that a prince might envy, and\naccorded an influence in the palace scarcely second to that granted to\nthe governors of the provinces!\n\nIf before the Decian persecution the rivarly between the bishops of\nRome and Carthage prompted a bitter controversy which threatened the\nunity of the church, how much more likely were such conflicts to arise\nbetween the bishops of Rome and Constantinople--rival bishops of rival\ncities, Rome proud of her past, Constantinople vain of her present\nglory; the former jealous of the place she had filled in the world's\nhistory; the latter ambitious of future influence! If heresies were\nfomented and schisms created when to be a Christian invited espionage\nand perhaps death, what an increase there must have been in these and\nother disintegrating influences when it became a reproach rather than\na praise _not_ to be a Christian, and the door of the church stood\nwide open to the evil-minded, who sought membership, not to enjoy the\nconsolation of religion but for worldly advantage!\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Church History, Vol. i, Introduction. In justification of his\ncourse, in a foot note he argues that \"A history of the perversions and\nabuses of religion is not properly a history of the church; as absurd\nwere it to suppose a history of the highwaymen that have infested their\ncountry to be a history of England.\" He appears oblivious to the fact\nthat he throws himself open to the retort: A history of the blessedness\nand charity of the purely good men alone is not properly a history of\nthe church; as absurd were it to suppose a history alone of the honest\nmen of England that have blessed their race to be a history of that\ncountry. Milner's work is more properly a history of piety than of the\nchurch. In every age and country he seeks out the good men who have\nnearest conformed their lives to Christian precepts and celebrates them\nin his pages. Therefore, whatever admissions we find this author making\nas to the corruptions and abuses which found their way into the church:\nwe shall be justified in considering as of special weight since they\nare admitted by him only on compulsion, and when there is no chance of\neither denying or excusing them. I have already called attention to the\nsame disposition in Eusebius, p. 37; and hence his testimony may also\nbe regarded as of special value in relation to the decline of the true\nChristian spirit.\n\n2. Ch. Hist., Vol. i, ch. xv.\n\n3. Milner's Ch. Hist., Vol. i, cent. iii, ch. vi.\n\n4. Milner's Ch. Hist., Vol. i, cent. iii, ch. viii.\n\n5. Milner's Ch. Hist., Vol. i, cent. iii, ch. xvii.\n\n6. Eusebius' Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, ch. i.\n\n7. Eusebius' Eccl. Hist., Bk. viii, ch. ii.\n\n8. Book of Martyrs, ch. xii.\n\n9. See Milner's Introduction to his Church Hist., Vol. i.\n\n10. This is the Rev. H. H. Milman who edited and annotated Gibbon's\n\"Decline and Fall.\" The above quotation will be found in the editor's\npreface.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\nCHANGES IN THE FORM AND SPIRIT OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT--CORRUPTION OF THE\nPOPES.\n\nIt is now my purpose to notice those alterations actually made in\nthe form and spirit of the Christian church government. Necessarily\nmy reference to these matters must be brief; sufficient only to\ndemonstrate the fact for which I am contending in these chapters.\n\nI am forced to admit that the description of the church organization in\nthe New Testament is not all one could wish it to be. Only the faintest\noutline may be traced in those documents which all Christians accept as\nauthority, and as they are fragmentary the description of the church\ncontained in them is necessarily imperfect.\n\nFrom what is written it appears that the quorum of the Twelve Apostles\nexercised a universal jurisdiction over the church, and a sort of\nprimacy seems to be accorded to three of their number, Peter, James and\nJohn. Before the crucifixion Jesus also called into existence quorums\nof seventies to whom he gave similar powers to those bestowed upon the\nTwelve; [1] but for some reason, doubtless the imperfection of the\nChristian records, we can learn nothing more of them than is set down\nin the tenth chapter of Luke.\n\nAfter the departure of the resurrected Messiah from his disciples\nat Bethany, the apostles, as fast as men were brought to faith and\nrepentance through their preaching, organized in the various cities\nwhere they labored branches of the church, over which they appointed\nelders or bishops to preside; [2] and these evidently were assisted in\ntheir duties by deacons. [3] In an enumeration of the church officers\ngiven by Paul, we have other officers named besides apostles, prophets,\nseventies; _viz.,_ evangelists, pastors and teachers. [4]\n\nIt is difficult from the New Testament to determine the exact nature\nand full extent of the duties of these respective officers in the\nchurch, or their gradation. But that there was a prescribed duty\nto each officer, a limit to the authority of each, and a gradation\namong them, which made a harmonious whole--a complete ecclesiastical\ngovernment, with all the parts properly adjusted and assigned their\nrespective duties, there can be no question. For Paul likens the church\nof Christ to the body of a man, which, though it hath many members,\nyet is it one body; and all the members are necessary; one cannot say\nto the other, \"I have no need of thee.\" So all these officers in the\nchurch, the apostle argues, are necessary; and as the head in the\nnatural body cannot say to the foot, \"I have no need of thee,\" neither\nin the church can the apostle say to the deacon, \"I have no need of\nthee;\" much less can the deacon say to the apostle, \"I have no need of\nthee.\" [5] \"Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?\" he\nasks. The implied answer is, No; but, as he elsewhere says, the whole\nbody--i. e., the church--\"is fitly joined together, and compacted by\nthat which every joint supplieth.\" [6]\n\nThis organization as given by the Master had for its purpose the\nperfecting of the saints; the work of the ministry; edifying the body\nof Christ; and to prevent the saints being carried about by every wind\nof doctrine, by the sleight and cunning of men. [7] The apostle who\nthus specifies the purposes of the church organization also intimates\nthat it was to be perpetuated until the saints all come to the \"unity\nof the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God--unto a perfect\nman, unto the measure of the fullness of the stature of Christ.\" [8]\nFurthermore, it is obvious that since the church organization was\ngiven for the purposes above enumerated, so long as there are saints\nto be perfected, or a necessity for work in the ministry; so long as\nthe church needs edifying or the saints guarding from heresy, and the\ndeceitfulness of false teachers--just so long will this organization of\nthe church with apostles and prophets, seventies and elders, bishops\nand pastors, teachers and deacons be needed; and since the kinds of\nwork enumerated in the foregoing will always be necessary, we arrive\nat the conclusion that the church organization as established by\nthe apostles was designed to be perpetual. [9] But that it was not\nperpetuated is clearly demonstrated by writers of the second century,\nwho, with the single exception of Clement of Alexandria, who calls\nClement of Rome an \"Apostle,\" recognize no other officers in the\nchurch than bishops, presbyters (elders) and deacons. It is difficult\nto account for the sudden loss of so many orders of officers in the\nchurch, unless, indeed, the apostasy for which I contend had made very\ngreat progress as early as the opening of the second century, which, I\nbelieve, was the case.\n\nIt appears from a statement of Clement of Rome [10] that persons\nselected by the apostles to be bishops, and after the death of the\napostles those selected by other men of repute in the church, were\nsubmitted to the people for their approval, and this was the custom\nuntil the fourth century. It was also the custom of the bishops to\nemploy the elders as a sort of council; and to call upon the people for\ntheir assent in the important matters of church government. In course\nof time, however, early in the fourth century, this respect for the\nprinciple of common consent was lost. The people were first altogether\nexcluded from a voice in ecclesiastical affairs; and the next step was\nto deprive the elders of their former authority. [11] Thus power was\ncentralized in the hands of the bishops, which enabled them to control\neverything at their discretion, and paved the way for those abuses of\npower which bear evidence of the awful apostasy of the church.\n\nSo far as can be learned from the Christian annals, the churches that\ngrew up under the preaching of the apostles recognized in that quorum\na general presidency over all the churches established; and in fact\nseemed to regard each separate church as but a member of the one great\nhousehold of faith. But after the death of the apostles, these several\nbranches seem to be considered separate and independent organizations,\nunited in faith and charity, it is true, but in nothing more. There\nis no evidence that there was such a thing as subordination among the\nchurches, or rank among the bishops. As might be expected, however,\nthere was a peculiar respect paid to the churches founded by the\napostles. Those churches were appealed to in controversies on points\nof doctrine, as most likely to know what the apostles taught, but the\nappeal had no other significance. This equality of rank among the\nbishops, together with the simple form of church government, described\nabove, was soon changed. The bishops who lived in cities, either by\ntheir own labors or those of the elders associated with them, raised up\nnew churches in the adjacent villages and hamlets. The bishops of these\nrural districts being nominated and ordained by the bishops presiding\nin the cities, very naturally felt themselves under the protection and\ndependent upon the city bishops. This idea continued to grow until\nthese bishops of \"the suburbs and the fields\" were looked upon as a\ndistinct order of officers, possessing a dignity and authority above\nthe elders, and yet subordinate to the bishops of the cities who,\nwherever they presided over bishops in outlying districts, soon came to\nbe designated as archbishops.\n\nGradually, and perhaps almost imperceptibly, the church in the west\nin its government followed the civil divisions of the Roman empire.\nThe bishop of the metropolis of a civil province, in time came to be\nregarded as having a general supervision of all the churches in that\nprovince, and soon it became the custom to style them metropolitans.\n\nThe bishops of the great cities of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria,\nand Antioch, after the ascension of Constantine, were made to\ncorrespond to the four praetorian prefects created by Constantine in\nthe civil government; and before the end of the fourth century received\nthe title of patriarchs. [12] It is also said by Mosheim, though denied\nby other writers, that next to the patriarchs were bishops whose\njurisdiction extended over several provinces and corresponded to the\ncivil exarchs; next came the metropolitan bishops whose jurisdiction,\nas already stated, was limited to a single province, and corresponded\nto the governor of the provinces. The arch-bishops presided over a\ndistrict including several bishoprics within a province; and lastly\ncame the bishops of churches.\n\nConcurrent with these changes arose the custom, first derived from the\nGreeks, of holding provincial councils. The bishops living in a single\nprovince met in council to confer upon mattes of common interest to\ntheir churches. At first the attending bishops looked upon themselves\nas merely the representatives of their respective churches, without\nfurther jurisdiction than to discuss and come to agreement on matters\nof common concern. But gradually they usurped the power to order by\ndecree where at first they were wont to advise or entreat. Nor was it\nlong ere the decrees of these provincial councils were forced upon the\nrespective churches as laws to be implicitly obeyed.\n\nThere was some resistance to this from the lower clergy, but it was\nquickly overcome by the activity and ambition of the bishops, who were\nonly too glad to escape the restraints imposed upon their movements by\nthe doctrine of common consent. It is said also that as many changes\noccurred among the lower order of the clergy as among the bishops.\nThe elders and deacons aping the conduct of their file leaders became\ntoo proud to attend to the humble duties of their offices, and hence\na number of other officers were added to the church--subdeacons,\nacolythi, ostiarii, lectors, exorcists and copiatae [13]--while the\nelders and deacons spent much of their time in indolence and pleasure.\n\nIf the ambition of rival bishops distracted the church in the second\nand third centuries, much more did ambitious prelates--patriarchs\nand metropolitans--of the fourth and fifth centuries disturb its\ntranquility. They contended about the limits of their respective\njurisdiction with all the bitterness of temporal kings seeking an\nenlargement of their dominions. They made conquests and reprisals\nupon each other in much the same spirit, and at times were not above\nresorting to violence to attain their ends. It soon happened that\nthe patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem sank below their\nfellow patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople in wealth and dignity. The\nprelates of these latter cities fiercely contended for the title of\nuniversal bishop; and in that contest the bishop of Constantinople was\nnot always unsuccessful.\n\nOver the protest of Leo the Great, in the fifth century, the council of\nChalcedon decreed that the bishop of \"New Rome\" ought to enjoy the same\nhonors and prerogatives with the pontiff of ancient Rome, on account of\nthe equal rank and dignity of the two cities. In the following century,\nencouraged by past successes the bishop of \"New Rome,\"--John, surnamed\nthe Faster, because of the austerity of his life, assembled a council\nof eastern bishops on his own account, to decide on charges brought\nagainst the patriarch of Antioch. It was on this occasion that he made\nsuch an assumption of the title of acumenical or universal bishop, that\nGregory the Great supposed him to be aiming at a supremacy over all the\nChristian churches. In spite of the opposition of Gregory, the Faster,\nsustained by the emperor, continued to wear the title, though, it is\nsaid, not in the sense that Gregory supposed. The contest continued\nfrom this time forward with little interruption until that fatal\nschism came between the east and the west with which the reader has\nalready been made acquainted. [14] The patriarchs of New Rome retained\ntheir hold upon the east; but the decay, moral and spiritual, which\nblighted those churches steadily went on, until at the last, Mohammedan\ncivilization displaced Christian civilization. The crescent rose\ntriumphantly above the cross, and the east sank into a settled gloom\nout of which it has not yet been able to rise.\n\nIn the west it was otherwise. There all was activity. The Roman\npontiffs not only sent their missionaries to the barbarians to preach\nthe supremacy of the popes, but the barbarians came to Rome. They came\nwith arms in their hands and as conquerors, it is true, and in the\nclosing years of the fifth century obtained an easy victory over the\nwestern division of the empire. But if imperial Rome was vanquished,\nthere arose above its ruins papal Rome, in majesty no less splendid\nthan that possessed by imperial Rome in her palmiest days; and in the\ncourse of time the victorious barbarians bowed in as humble submission\nto the wand of the popes, as their ancestors had to the eagle-mounted\nstandard of the emperors. Moreover, the barbarous nations that fell\nunder the influence of the Roman missionaries were accustomed to hold\ntheir priests in a superstitious reverence. In portions of Western\nEurope the Druid priests had reigned over both people and magistrates,\ncontrolling absolutely the jurisdiction of the latter; and, in the\ncase of the supreme priest, according to some authorities, [15] the\nreverence of the barbarians amounted to worship. This reverence,\non their conversion to Christianity, was readily transferred to\nthe supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church; and made possible that\nspiritual and temporal despotism before which monarchs trembled and the\nworld stood in abject fear.\n\nHaving traced the rise of the Church of Rome to this point, it yet\nremains to say that the corruption of her clergy and members kept pace\nwith the developing splendor of the hierarchy. The pride, ambition and\nwickedness which bishops and other ministers of the church practiced\nin the second and third centuries have already been pointed out, and\nat the same time it was suggested that in these matters there was not\nlikely to be any improvement after ease and luxury--ever the panderers\nto immorality--had increased the appetite for sensual pleasures and\nsupplied the means of gratification.\n\nEarly in the history of the church the morality of the times not only\nexcused but justified lying and deceit whenever it was supposed that\nthe interests of religion could be promoted by it; and hence the\nexistence of that mass of childish fable and falsehood respecting\nthe infancy and youth of Messiah, and the wonder-working power of\nthe relics of the saints and martyrs which has brought the Christian\nreligion into contempt. Not even the greatest and most pious teachers\nof the first five or six centuries are free from this leprosy; [16] and\nif such characters as Ambrose, Hilary, Augustine, Gregory Nazianzen,\nand Jerome are not free from it, how much more may we expect to find it\na vice with men of less reputation!\n\nThe attempt to live in a state of celibacy gave rise to many scandals\nin the church. Ambitious of a peculiar sanctity, the clergy began\nto abstain from marriage, but not from the pleasures supposed to be\npeculiar to the married state. It became the custom for the priests\nto live with \"sub-introduced women,\" who \"passed as sisters of the\npriests, the correctness of whose taste was often exemplified by the\nremarkable beauty of their sinful partners.\" [17] It is only fair to\nsay that a law of Honorius condemned this practice, but it is to be\nfeared that the only effect of the law upon those undertaking to live\nin the unnatural condition which celibacy imposes was merely to drive\nthe practice from the public gaze.\n\nOf all the writers who have given us a description of the moral\ncondition of the church in the period of which I write, I think\nSalvian, who wrote about the middle of the fifth century, is the most\nvivid, and hence I quote in part his arraignment:\n\n\"The very church which should be the body to appease the anger of God,\nalas! what reigns there but disorders calculated to incense the Most\nHigh? It is more common to meet with Christians who are guilty of the\ngreatest abominations than with those who are wholly exempt from crime.\nSo that today it is a sort of sanctity among us to be less vicious\nthan the generality of Christians. We insult the majesty of the Most\nHigh at the foot of his altars. Men, the most steeped in crime, enter\nthe holy places without respect for them. True, all men ought to pay\ntheir vows to God, but why should they seek his temples to propitiate\nhim, only to go forth to provoke him? Why enter the church to deplore\ntheir former sins, and upon going forth--what do I say?--in those very\ncourts they commit fresh sins, their mouths and their hearts contradict\none another. Their prayers are criminal meditations rather than vows\nof expiation. Scarcely is service ended before each returns to his old\npractices. Some go to their wine, others to their impurities, still\nothers to robbing and brigandage, so that we cannot doubt that these\nthings had been occupying them while they were in the church. Nor is it\nthe lowest of the people who are thus guilty. There is no rank whatever\nin the church which does not commit all sorts of crimes.\n\n\"It may be urged that we are better at heart than the barbarians who\noppose us. Suppose this to be granted; we ought to be better than they.\nBut as a matter of fact, they are more virtuous than we. The mass of\nChristians are below the barbarians in probity. True, all kinds of\nsins are found among them; but what one is not found among us? The\nseveral nations have their peculiar sin; the Saxons are cruel, the\nFranks perfidious; the Gepidae inhuman; the Huns lewd. But we, having\nthe law of God to restrain us, are given over to all these offenses.\nThen, to confine ourselves to the single sin of swearing, can many\nbe found among the faithful who have not the name of Jesus Christ\nconstantly upon their lips in support of their perjuries? This practice\ncoming down from the higher to the lower classes, has so prevailed\nthat Christians might be deemed pagans. This, although the law of God\nexpressly forbids to take his name in vain. We read this law; but we\ndo not practice it; as a consequence the pagans taunt us that we boast\nourselves the sole possessors of God's laws and of the rules of truth\nand of what that law enjoins. 'Christians, indeed, to the shame of\nJesus Christ,' say they.\" [18]\n\nIn book VI. on _The Providence of God,_ Salvian continues his\narraignment: \"We rush from the churches to the theatres, even in the\nmidst of our perils. In Carthage the theatres were thronged while the\nenemy were before the walls, and the cries of those perishing outside\nunder the sword mingled with the shouts of the spectators in the\ncircus. Nor are we better here in Gaul. Treves has been taken four\ntimes, and has only increased in wickedness under her misfortunes. The\nsame state of things exists in Cologne--deplorable wickedness among\nyoung and old, low and high. The smaller cities have been blind and\ninsensible to the dangers threatening, until they have overwhelmed\nthem. It seems to be the destiny of the Roman empire to perish rather\nthan reform; they must cease to be, in order to cease to be vicious.\nA part of the inhabitants of Treves, having escaped from the ruins,\npetitions the emperor for--what? A theatre, spectacles, public shows!\nA city which thrice overthrown could not correct itself, well deserved\nto suffer a fourth destruction. * * * Would that my voice might be\nheard by all Romans! I would cry: Let us all blush that today the only\ncities where impurity does not reign are those which have submitted to\nthe barbarians. Think not, then, that they conquer and we yield by the\nsimple force of nature. Rather let us admit that we succumb through\ndissoluteness of our morals, of which our calamities are the just\npunishment.\"\n\nThe moral condition of the church did not improve in the sixth nor the\nseventh century. It kept getting worse and worse until in the tenth\ncentury those writers most interested in upholding the purity of the\nchurch declare that this was an iron age, barren of all goodness; a\nleaden age, abounding in all wickedness; and a dark age, remarkable for\nthe scarcity of writers and men of learning. Christ is represented as\nin a very deep sleep, the ship as covered with waves, and there were no\ndisciples who by their cries might wake him, being themselves asleep.\n[19] \"Infidel Malice,\" says Milner, \"has with pleasure recorded the\nvices and crimes of the popes of this century. Nor is it my intention\nto attempt to palliate the account of their wickedness. It was as deep\nand atrocious as language can paint; nor can a reasonable man desire\nmore authentic evidence of history than that which the records both of\ncivil and ecclesiastical history afford concerning the corruption of\nthe whole church.\" [20]\n\nAs already remarked, it is the contention of the Roman Catholic Church\nthat from Peter to Leo XIII. there has been an uninterrupted line\nof bishops in the see of Rome who have held divine authority; who\nsucceeded both to the divine authority and mission of St. Peter; with\npower to bind and loose on earth and in heaven; who were, in fact, the\nvicars of Christ on earth, presidents of the church universal.\n\nIt now becomes my duty to refute that claim and give further proof\nof the complete apostasy of the church by presenting the history of\nthe popes for three hundred years, from the middle of the eighth to\nthe middle of the eleventh century. I quote the sketch from Draper's\nIntellectual Development of Europe:\n\n\"On the death of Pope Paul I., who had attained the pontificate\nA. D. 757, the Duke of Nepi compelled some bishops to consecrate\nConstantine, one of his brothers, as pope; but more legitimate electors\nsubsequently, A. D. 768, choosing Stephen IV., the usurper and his\nadherents were severely punished; the eyes of Constantine were put\nout; the tongue of Bishop Theodorus was amputated, and he was left\nin a dungeon to expire in the agonies of thirst. The nephews of Pope\nAdrian seized his successor, Pope Leo III., A. D. 795, in the street,\nand forcing him into a neighboring church, attempted to put out his\neyes and cut out his tongue; at a later period this pontiff trying to\nsuppress a conspiracy to depose him, Rome became a scene of rebellion,\nmurder and conflagration. His successor, Stephen V., A. D. 816, was\nignominiously driven from the city; his successor, Paschal I., was\naccused of blinding and murdering two ecclesiastics in the Lateran\nPalace; it was necessary that imperial commissioners should investigate\nthe matter, but the pope died, after having exculpated himself by\noath before thirty bishops. John VIII., A. D. 872, unable to resist\nthe Mohammedans, was compelled to pay them tribute; the Bishop of\nNaples, maintaining a secret alliance with them, received his share\nof the plunder they collected. Him John excommunicated, nor would he\ngive him absolution unless he would betray the chief Mohammedans and\nassassinate others himself. There was an ecclesiastical conspiracy\nto murder the pope; some of the treasures of the church were seized;\nand the gate of St. Pancrazia was opened with false keys, to admit\nthe Saracens into the city. Formosus, who had been engaged in these\ntransactions, and excommunicated as a conspirator for the murder of\nJohn, was subsequently elected pope, A. D. 891; he was succeeded by\nBoniface VI., A. D. 896, who had been deposed from the diaconate, and\nagain from the priesthood, for his immoral and lewd life. By Stephen\nVII., who followed, the dead body of Formosus was taken from the grave,\nclothed in papal habiliaments, propped up in a chair, tried before a\ncouncil, and the preposterous and indecent scene completed by cutting\noff three of the fingers of the corpse and casting it into the Tiber;\nbut Stephen himself was destined to exemplify how low the papacy had\nfallen; he was thrown into prison and strangled. In the course of five\nyears from A. D. 896 to A. D. 900, five popes were consecrated. Leo\nV., who succeeded in A. D. 904, was in less than two months thrown\ninto prison by Christopher, one of his chaplains, who usurped his\nplace, and who, in his turn, was shortly expelled from Rome by Sergius\nIII., who, by the aid of a military force, seized the pontificate, A.\nD. 905. This man, according to the testimony of the times, lived in\na criminal intercourse with the celebrated prostitute Theodora, who,\nwith her daughters Marozia and Theodora, also prostitutes, exercised an\nextraordinary control over him. The love of Theodora was also shared\nby John X.: she gave him the first arch-bishopric of Ravenna, and then\ntranslated him to Rome, A. D. 915, as pope. John was not unsuited to\nthe times; he organized a confederacy which perhaps prevented Rome\nfrom being captured by the Saracens, and the world was astonished and\nedified by the appearance of this warlike pontiff at the head of his\ntroops. By the love of Theodora, as was said, he maintained himself\nin the papacy for fourteen years; by the intrigues and hatred of\nher daughter, Marozia, he was overthrown. She surprised him in the\nLateran palace; killed his brother Peter before his face; threw him\ninto prison, where he soon died, smothered, as was asserted, with a\npillow. After a short interval Marozia made her own son pope as John\nXI., A. D. 931. Many affirmed that Pope Sergius was his father, but\nshe herself inclined to attribute him to her husband Alberic, whose\nbrother Guido she subsequently married. Another of her sons, Alberic,\nso called from his supposed father, jealous of his brother John, cast\nhim and his mother Marozia into prison. After a time Alberic's son was\nelected pope, A. D. 956; he assumed the title of John XII., the amorous\nMarozia thus having given a son and a grandson to the papacy. John was\nonly nineteen years old when he thus became head of Christendom. His\nreign was characterized by the most shocking immoralities, so that\nthe Emperor Otho I. was compelled by the German clergy to interfere.\nA synod was summoned for his trial in the Church of St. Peter, before\nwhich it appeared that John had received bribes for the consecration\nof bishops, that he had ordained one who was but ten years old, and\nhad performed that ceremony over another in a stable; he was charged\nwith incest with one of his father's concubines, and with so many\nadulteries that the Lateran Palace had become a brothel; he put out\nthe eyes of one ecclesiastic and castrated another, both dying in\nconsequence of their injuries; he was given to drunkenness, gambling,\nand the invocation of Jupiter and Venus. When cited to appear before\nthe council, he sent word that 'he had gone out hunting;' and to the\nfathers who remonstrated with him, he threateningly remarked 'that\nJudas, as well as the other disciples, received from his master the\npower of binding and loosing, but that as soon as he proved traitor\nto the common cause, the only power he retained was that of binding\nhis own neck.' Hereupon he was deposed, and Leo VIII. elected in his\nstead, A. D. 963; but subsequently getting the upper hand, he seized\nhis antagonists, cut off the hand of one, the nose, finger, tongue of\nothers. His life was eventually brought to an end by the vengeance of a\nman whose wife he had seduced.\n\n\"After such details it is almost needless to allude to the annals of\nsucceeding popes; to relate that John XIII. was strangled in prison;\nthat Boniface VII. imprisoned Benedict VII., and killed him by\nstarvation; that John XIV. was secretly put to death in the dungeons\nof the castle of St. Angelo; that the corpse of Boniface was dragged\nby the populace through the streets. The sentiment of reverence for\nthe sovereign pontiff, nay, even of respect, had become extinct in\nRome; throughout Europe the clergy were so shocked at the state of\nthings that, in their indignation, they began to look with approbation\non the intention of the Emperor Otho to take from the Italians their\nprivilege of appointing the successor of St. Peter, and confine it to\nhis own family. But his kinsman, Gregory V., whom he placed on the\npontifical throne, was very soon compelled by the Romans to fly; his\nexcommunications and religious thunders were turned into derision by\nthem; they were too well acquainted with the true nature of these\nterrors; they were living behind the scenes. A terrible punishment\nawaited the Anti-pope John XVI. Otho returned into Italy, seized\nhim, put out his eyes, cut off his nose and tongue, and sent him\nthrough the streets mounted on an ass, with his face to the tail, and\na wine-bladder on his head. It seemed impossible that things could\nbecome worse; yet Rome had still to see Benedict IX., A. D. 1033, a\nboy of less than twelve years, raised to the apostolic throne. Of this\npontiff, one of his successors, Victor III., declared that his life was\nso shameful, so foul, so execrable, that he shuddered to describe it.\nHe ruled like a captain of a banditti rather than a prelate. The people\nat last, unable to bear his adulteries, homicides and abominations any\nlonger, rose against him. In despair of maintaining his position, he\nput up the papacy to auction. It was bought by a presbyter named John,\nwho became Gregory V., A. D. 1045.\"\n\n\"More than a thousand years had elapsed since the birth of our Savior,\nand such was the condition of Rome. Well may the historian shut the\nannals of those times in disgust; well may the heart of the Christian\nsink within him at such a catalogue of hideous crime; well may he ask,\nWere these the viceregents of God upon earth--those who had truly\nreached that goal beyond which the last effort of human wickedness\ncannot pass?\" [21]\n\nIs it not difficult to reconcile one's mind to the thought that\nthese men who ruled the Catholic Church for three centuries were the\nviceregents of God on earth? Or that through them a divine authority\nand a divine mission has been transmitted to later and happier times?\nTo do so one would be under the necessity of maintaining that no amount\nof immorality, however infamous, can possibly disqualify men from\nacting as God's representatives. And such a position would be contrary\nto all the evidence of scripture, as well as revolting to sound reason.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Compare Luke x with Matt. x.\n\n2. Acts xiv: 23. Acts xx: 17, 28.\n\n3. Phillip i: 1. I Tim. iii. This also is the view of Clement of Rome\nwho, in writing to the Corinthians in the third century, says of the\napostles: \"So preaching everywhere in country and town, they appointed\ntheir first fruits when they had proved them by the spirit, to be\nbishops and deacons unto them that should believe. And this they did do\nin no new fashion; for indeed it had been written concerning bishops\nand deacons from very ancient times; for thus saith the scriptures in a\ncertain place: 'I will appoint their bishops in righteousness and their\ndeacons in faith.'\"\n\n4. Eph. iv.\n\n5. I Cor. xii.\n\n6. Eph. iv.\n\n7. Eph. iv.\n\n8. \"Ibid.\"\n\n9. In this connection it may be observed that the vacancy in the\nquorum of the Twelve, occasioned by the apostasy of Judas, was filled\n(Acts i: 24-26). Paul, too, though not in the original Twelve was an\nApostle, and so subscribes himself in nearly all his letters. Clement\nof Alexandria, an elder and writer of the second century, calls Clement\nof Rome, the \"Apostle Clement.\" Though whether this is meant in a\nrather loose sense or because he had been ordained such by one of the\napostles--for he was an associate of both Peter and Paul--does not\nappear. (Philip iv: 3.)\n\n10. See epistle of Clement to the Corinthians.\n\n11. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., Cent. iv, Bk. ii, Part ii, ch. ii. See also\nhis remarks on the government of the church in Cent. iii and ii.\n\n12. The bishops of Jerusalem, in the 5th century, also contended for\nand at last secured the title of Patriarch. (Mosheim's E. Inst., Cent.\nv, Part ii, ch. ii.)\n\n13. Mosheim's Eccl. Inst., Cent. iii, Part ii, ch. ii.\n\n14. See pp. 21, 22.\n\n15. Schlegel among them.\n\n16. Mosheim's Eccl. Inst., Cent. iv, Part ii, ch. ii.\n\n17. Intellectual Development of Europe, Vol. i, p. 359. Draper remarks\nalso that \"the children arising from these associations do not appear\nto have occasioned any extraordinary scandal.\"--_Ibid_.\n\n18. The above quotation is taken from the third and fourth books on\n\"The Providence of God,\" by Salvian.\n\n19. Such are the representations of Caesar Baronius, a Catholic\nhistorian of the 16th century. He was a candidate for the papacy in\n1605, and hence his devotion to the Catholic church cannot be doubted.\n\n20. Milner's Ch. Hist., vol. III, Cent. x, ch. i.\n\n21. Intellectual Development of Europe, Vol. i, pp. 378-382.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\nCHANGE IN PUBLIC WORSHIP--IN THE ORDINANCES OF THE GOSPEL.\n\nIt yet remains to note some of those changes in the public worship of\nthe church, and in the ordinances of the gospel, which contributed to\nthe great apostasy.\n\nThe simplicity of the Christian religion was made a reproach to the\nChurch of Christ by the pagan priests. \"The Christians have no temples,\ntherefore they have no gods,\" was an argument sufficiently convincing\nto the heathens. It was but natural, perhaps, to seek to cast off this\nreproach; but the effort to do so led to the introduction of many\nceremonies quite at variance with the gospel. The early Christian\nSaints were accustomed to meet on the first day of the week for public\nworship; the meetings, during the first century at least, being held,\nfor the most part, in private houses. The ceremonies were of the\nsimplest character. They consisted of reading the scriptures, the\nexhortation of the president of the assembly--\"neither eloquent nor\nlong, but full of warmth and love,\" [1]--the testimony of such as felt\nmoved upon by the Holy Ghost to bear testimony, exhort or prophesy; the\nsinging of hymns; the administration of the sacrament and prayers.\n\nBut all this was soon changed. The bishops and other public teachers in\nthe third century, framed their discourses and exhortations according\nto the rules of Grecian eloquence; \"and were better adapted,\" says a\nlearned writer, [2] \"to call forth the admiration of the rude multitude\nwho love display, than to amend the heart. And that no folly and no\nsenseless custom might be omitted in their public assemblies, the\npeople were allowed to applaud their orators, as had been practiced\nin the forums and theatres; nay, they were instructed both to applaud\nand to clap the preachers.\" This was a wide departure from that spirit\nof meekness and humility enjoined by Messiah upon his ministers. And\nwhen to these customs was added the splendid vestments of the clergy,\nthe magnificence of the temples, with all the pageantry of altars,\nsurrounded with burning tapers, clouds of incense, beautiful images,\nthe chanting of choirs, processions and other mummeries without\nnumber--one sees but little left of that simple worship instituted by\nthe Messiah and his apostles.\n\nAbout the third century incense began to be used. The Christians of\nthe first and second centuries abhorred the use of incense in public\nworship as being a part of the worship of idols. [3] It first became a\ncustom to use it at funerals against offensive smells; then in public\nworship to disguise the bad air of crowded assemblies; then at the\nconsecration of bishops and magistrates, and by these steps its use at\nlast degenerated into a superstitious rite.\n\nIn the fourth century matters became still worse. The public\nsupplications by which the pagans were accustomed to appease their\ngods, were borrowed from them, and were celebrated in many places\nwith great pomp. To the temples, to water consecrated in due form,\nand the images of holy men, the same efficacy was ascribed and the\nsame privileges assigned as had been attributed to the pagan temples,\nstatues and lustrations before the advent of Christ. [4]\n\nIn the third century also arose the worship of martyrs. It is true\nthat worship or adoration was relative, and a distinction was made\nbetween the worship of martyrs and the worship paid to God; but by\ndegrees the worship of martyrs was made to conform with that which the\npagans had in former times paid to their gods. [5] This was done out of\nindiscreet eagerness to allure the pagans to embrace Christianity. [6]\n\"When Gregory [surnamed Thaumaturgus on account of the numerous miracle\nshe is said to have wrought--born in Pontus, in the second decade of\nthe third century] perceived that the ignorant and simple multitude\npersisted in their idolatry, on account of the sensuous pleasures and\ndelights it afforded--he allowed them in celebrating the memory of\nthe holy martyrs, to indulge themselves and give a loose to pleasure\n(i. e., as the thing itself, and both what precedes and what follows,\nplace beyond all controversy, he allowed them at the sepulchres of\nthe martyrs on their feast days, to dance, to use sports, to indulge\nin conviviality, and do all things that the worshipers of idols were\naccustomed to do in their temples, on their festival days), hoping\nthat in process of time they would spontaneously come over to a more\nbecoming and correct manner of life.\" [7]\n\nWhile pagan rites and ceremonies were increasing in the church, the\ngifts and graces characteristic of apostolic times, seemed to have\ngradually departed from it. Protestant writers insist that the age\nof miracles closed with the fourth or fifth century, and that after\nthat the extra-ordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost must not be expected.\nCatholic writers, on the other hand, insist that miracles have always\ncontinued in the church; yet those spiritual manifestations which they\ndescribe after the fourth and fifth centuries savor of invention on the\npart of the priests and childish credulity on the part of the people;\nor else what is claimed to be miraculous falls far short of the power\nand dignity of those spiritual manifestations which the primitive\nchurch was wont to witness. The virtues and prodigies ascribed to\nthe bones and other relics of the martyrs and saints are purile in\ncomparison with the healings, by the anointing with oil and the\nlaying on of hands, speaking in tongues, interpretations, prophecies,\nrevelations, casting out devils in the name of Jesus Christ; to say\nnothing of the gifts of faith, wisdom, knowledge, discernment of\nspirits, etc., common in the church in the days of the apostles. [8]\nThere is nothing in the scriptures or in reason that would lead one to\nbelieve that the miraculous gifts were to be discontinued. Still this\nplea is made by modern Christians--explaining the absence of these\nspiritual powers among them--that the extraordinary gifts of the Holy\nGhost were only intended to accompany the proclamation of the gospel\nduring the first few centuries until the church was able to make its\nway without them, and then they were to be done away. It is sufficient\nto remark upon this that it is assumption and stands without warrant\neither of scripture or right reason, and proves that men had so far\nchanged the religion of Jesus Christ that it became a form of godliness\nwithout the power thereof. [9]\n\nIt appears to have been the custom of the apostles in the case of\nmembers of the church grievously transgressing the moral law of the\ngospel, to require repentance and confession before the church;\nand in the event of a stubborn adherence to sin the offender was\nexcommunicated, that is, he was excluded from the communion of the\nchurch and the fellowship of the saints. For the crimes of murder,\nidolatry and adultery some of the churches excommunicated those guilty\nof them forever; in other churches they were received back, but only\nafter long and painful probation.\n\nThe manner in which excommunication was performed in apostolic times\nis not clear, but there is every reason to believe the process was\nvery simple. In the course of time, however, this simple form of\nexcommunication was changed, by being burdened with many rites and\nceremonies borrowed from pagan sources. [10] It was not enough that the\nfellowship of the saints be withdrawn from the offender and he left\nto the mercy of God, or the buffetings of Satan, according as he was\nworthy of the one or the other; but the church must load him down with\nanathemas too terrible to contemplate. The power of excommunication,\ntoo, eventually, passed from the body of the church into the hands\nof the bishops, and finally into those of the pope. At first\nexcommunication meant the loss of the fellowship of the saints and such\nother punishment as God Himself might see proper to inflict; the church\nleaving the Lord to be the minister of His own vengeance. But gradually\nit came to mean in some instances banishment from home and country, the\nconfiscation of property, the loss not only of church fellowship, but\nloss of civil rights and the rights of Christian burial. In the case of\na monarch, excommunication absolved his subjects from their allegiance;\nand in the case of a subject, it robbed him of the protection of his\nsovereign. No anathema was so terrible but it was pronounced against\nthe excommunicated, until the sweet mercies of God were overshadowed by\nthe black pall of man's inhumanity.\n\nThe outward ordinances of the gospel consisted of baptism, the laying\non of hands for the imparting of the Holy Ghost, and the Lord's supper.\nThe laying on of hands was also employed in ordaining men to the\npriesthood and in administering to the sick. In the latter case it was\naccompanied by anointing with oil.\n\nBaptism was administered by immersing the candidate in water. The only\npre-requisites were faith in Jesus Christ and repentance.\n\nAs soon as the candidate professed these he was admitted into the\nchurch by baptism. [11] In a short time, however, the simplicity of\nthis ordinance was corrupted and burdened with useless ceremonies.\nIn the second century the newly baptized converts, since by baptism\nthey had been born again, were taught to exhibit in their conduct\nthe innocence of little infants. Milk and honey, the common food of\ninfants, were administered to them, after their baptism, to remind them\nof their infancy in the church. Moreover, since by baptism they were\nreleased from being servants of the devil, and became God's free men,\ncertain forms borrowed from the Roman ceremony of manumission of slaves\nwas employed in baptism. As by baptism also they were supposed to be\nmade God's soldiers, like newly enlisted soldiers in the Roman army,\nthey were sworn to obey their commander. [12] A century later (the\nthird) further ceremonies were added. It was supposed that some evil\nspirit was resident in all vicious persons and impelled them to sin.\nTherefore, before entering the sacred fount for baptism, an exorcist\nby a solemn, menacing formula declared them free from the bondage of\nSatan, and hailed them servants of Christ. [13] After baptism the new\nconverts returned home \"decorated with a crown and a white robe; the\nfirst being indicative of their victory over the world and their lusts,\nthe latter of their acquired innocence.\" [14] We have already noted\nthe fact that baptism was administered in the days of the apostles as\nsoon as profession of faith and repentance was made, but in the second\nand third centuries baptism was only administered twice a year, and\nthen only to such candidates as had gone through a long preparation and\ntrial. [15] The times chosen for the administration of the ordinance\nwere on the vigils of Easter and Whitsuntide, [16] and in the fourth\ncentury it had become the custom to accompany the ceremony with lighted\nwax candles, to put salt--an emblem of purity and wisdom--in the mouth\nof the baptized, and everywhere a double anointing was administered to\nthe candidates, the one before the other after baptism. [17]\n\nIt must have been early in the third century that the form of baptism\nbegan to be changed. Up to this time it had been performed only by\nimmersion of the whole body. But in the first half of the third\ncentury, Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, during a controversy respecting\nthe re-baptism of those who in times of persecution had denied the\nfaith, decided that those whose weak state of health did not permit\nthem to be immersed, were sufficiently baptized by being sprinkled.\n[18] The first case of this kind of baptism is related by Eusebius. The\nperson to whom it was so administered was Novatus, a desperate heretic,\nwho created a schism in the church and became the founder of a sect.\nHe was among the number of so-called Christians who put off baptism\nas long as he dared; in order to enjoy a life of sin and then through\nbaptism, just before death, obtain forgiveness--a custom very prevalent\nin those times. Novatus being attacked with an obstinate disease, and\nsupposed to be at the point of death, was baptized by having water\nsprinkled upon him as he lay in bed; \"if indeed,\" says Eusebius, \"it be\nproper to say one like him did receive baptism.\" [19]\n\nThis innovation continued to spread until now the general rule among\nChristians is to baptize by sprinkling or pouring. For this change\nthere is no warrant of revelation. It destroys the symbol there is\nin baptism as taught by Messiah and his apostles--that of a burial\nand resurrection--of a death and birth--a death unto sin, a birth\nunto righteousness. It is one of those innovations which changed an\nordinance of the everlasting covenant. [20]\n\nAbout the same time that the form of administering baptism was changed\nit began to be misapplied, that is, it was administered to infants.\nJust when this custom came into vogue may not be determined, but\nclearly it has no warrant for its existence either in the doctrine or\npractice of the apostles or any New Testament writer. No truth is more\nplainly taught by the apostles than that baptism is for the remission\nof sins, and must be preceded by faith and repentance; and as infants\nare incapable of sin, and of exercising faith, or of repenting,\nevidently they are not fit subjects for baptism.\n\nStill it became the custom in the latter part of the second century or\nearly in the third to baptize infants. In the year 253 A. D., a council\nof sixty bishops, in Africa--at which Cyprian, bishop of Carthage,\npresided--considered the question whether infants should be baptized\nwithin two or three days after birth, or whether baptism should be\ndeferred until the eighth day, as was the custom of the Jews in respect\nto circumcision. The council decided that they should be baptized at\nonce, within a day or two after birth. [21] It will be observed that\nthe question was not as to whether infants should be baptized or not,\nbut when they should be baptized, within a day or two after birth or\nnot until they were eight days old.\n\nThe matter was treated in the council as if infant baptism was a custom\nof long standing. This proves, not that infant baptism is a correct\ndoctrine, or that it was derived from the teachings of the apostles--as\nsome aver [22]--but that in a century or so after the introduction of\nthe gospel, men began to pervert it by changing and misapplying its\nordinances. The false doctrine of infant baptism is now practiced by\nnearly all so-called Christian churches, Catholic and Protestant.\n\nMuch as the simple rite of baptism was burdened with useless\nceremonies, changed in its form and misapplied, it was not more\ndistorted than was the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The nature of\nthe sacrament--usually called Eucharist--and the purposes for which\nit was instituted are so plain that he who runs may read. From Paul's\ndescription of the ordinance, it is clear' that the broken bread was\nintended to be an emblem of the Messiah's broken body; the wine an\nemblem of his blood, shed for sinful man; and his disciples were to\neat the one and drink the other in remembrance of him until he should\nreturn; and by this ceremony show forth the Lord's death. [23] It was\ndesigned as a memorial of Messiah's great atonement for mankind, a\ntoken and witness unto the Father that the Son was always remembered.\nIt was to be a sign that those partaking of it were willing to take\nupon them the name of Christ, to remember him always and keep his\ncommandments. In consideration of these things being observed, the\nsaints were always to have the Spirit of the Lord to be with them.\n\nIn this spirit and without great ceremony the sacrament was\nadministered for some time. But in the third century there were longer\nprayers and more ceremony connected with the administration of the\nsacrament than in the century preceding. Disputations arose as to the\nproper time of administering it. Some considered the morning, others\nthe afternoon, and some the evening the most suitable time. All were\nnot agreed either as to how often the ordinance should be celebrated.\nGold and silver vessels were used, and neither those doing penance, nor\nthose unbaptized, though believers, were permitted to be present at\nthe celebration of the ordinance; \"which practice, it is well known,\nwas derived from the pagan mysteries.\" [24] Very much of mystery began\nto be associated with it even at an early date. The bread and the\nwine through the prayer of consecration were considered to undergo a\nmystic change, by which they were converted into and became the very\nbody and the very blood of Jesus Christ; so that they were no longer\nregarded as emblems of Messiah's body and blood, but the body and blood\nitself. [25] This is the doctrine of transubstantiation. This dogma\nestablished, it was but a short step to the \"elevation of the host;\"\nthat is, the elevation of the bread and wine before it was distributed,\nso that it might be viewed and worshiped by the people. This was called\nthe adoration of the symbols. It was idolatry--the worship of the bread\nand wine falsely taught to be the Lord Jesus. [26]\n\nHence came the Mass, or the idea of a sacrifice being connected with\nthe celebration of the Eucharist. It was held that as Jesus was truly\npresent in the bread and wine he could be offered up as an oblation to\nhis Eternal Father. The death of the victim was not supposed to occur\nin reality, but mystically, in such a way, however, as to constitute a\ntrue sacrifice, commemorative of that of the cross and not different\nfrom it in essence. The same Victim was present, and offered up by\nChrist through his minister the priest. The sacrifice at the cross was\noffered with real suffering, true shedding of blood, and real death of\nthe Victim; in the mass it was taught there was a mystical suffering, a\nmystical shedding of blood and a mystical death of the same Victim.\n\nInto such absurdities was the simple sacrament of the Lord's Supper\ndistorted! When attended with all the pomp and ceremony of splendid\naltars, lighted tapers, processions, elevations and chantings; offered\nup by the priests and bishops clad in splendid vestments and in the\nmidst of clouds of incense, accompanied by mystic movements and\ngenuflections of bishops and priests, the church could congratulate\nitself on having removed the reproach at the first fastened upon the\nChristians for not having altars and a sacrifice. The mass took away\nthe reproach; and the new converts to Christianity were accustomed to\nsee the same rites and ceremonies employed in this mystical sacrifice\nof the Son of God as they had seen employed in offering up sacrifices\nto the pagan deities.\n\nIn time the idea became prevalent that the body and blood of Messiah\nwere equally and entirely present under each \"species\"--that is,\nequally and entirely present in the bread and in the wine; and was\nequally and entirely given to the faithful which ever they received.\nThis idea, of course, rendered it unnecessary to partake of both bread\nand wine--hence the practice of communion in one kind. That is, the\nsacrament was administered by giving bread alone to the communicant.\nTo remark that this was changing the ordinance of the sacrament as\ninstituted by Messiah--suppressing half of it in fact--can scarcely be\nnecessary, since it is so well known that he administered both bread\nand wine when instituting the sacred ordinance. [27]\n\nThus, through changing the ordinances of the gospel; by misapplying\nthem in some cases, and adding pagan rites to them in others; by\ndragging into the service of the church the ceremonies employed in\nheathen temples in the worship of pagan gods; by departing from the\nmoral law of the gospel, until the pages of Christian church history\nare well nigh as dark in immorality, as cruel and bloody as those\nthat recount the wickedness of pagan Rome; [28] by changing the form\nand departing from the spirit of government in the church as fixed\nby Jesus, coupled with the corrupting influence of luxury which came\nwith repose and wealth, together with the destruction visited upon\nthe noblest and best of the servants and saints of God by the pagan\npersecutions which continued through three centuries--all this, I\nsay, brought to pass the apostasy for which I am contending in these\npages--the destruction of the Church of Christ on earth.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Justin Martyr, First Apology to the Emperor Antoninus Pius.\n\n2. Mosheim.\n\n3. Tertullian's Apology, ch. xiii.\n\n4. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., vol. I, bk. ii, ch. 4.\n\n5. Historie de Manicheism, tom ii, p. 642.\n\n6. Eccl. Hist. (Mosheim), vol. I, bk. ii, part ii.\n\n7. Nyssen's Life of Gregory Thaumaturgus.\n\n8. I Cor. xii: 8--10.\n\n9. \"It does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the Holy\nSpirit (speaking of I Cor. xii) were common in the church for more than\ntwo or three centuries. We seldom hear of them after that fatal period\nwhen the Emperor Constantine called himself a Christian; and from a\nvain imagination of promoting the Christian cause thereby heaped riches\nand power and honor upon Christians in general, but in particular\nupon the Christian clergy. From this time they [the spiritual gifts]\nalmost totally ceased; very few instances of the kind were found. The\ncause of this was not (as has been supposed) because there was no more\noccasion for them, because all the world was become Christians. This\nis a miserable mistake, not a twentieth part of it was then nominally\nChristians. The real cause of it was the love of many, almost all\nChristians, so-called, was waxed cold. The Christians had no more of\nthe spirit of Christ than the other heathens. The Son of Man, when he\ncame to examine his church, could hardly find faith upon earth. This\nwas the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were\nno longer to be found in the Christian Church--because the Christians\nwere turned heathens again and only had a dead form left.\"--_John\nWesley_ (Wesley's Works, vol. vii, Sermon 89, pages 26, 27).\n\n10. \"That it was proper for the Christian bishops to increase\nrestraints upon the licentiousness of transgressors will be readily\ngranted by all who consider the circumstances of those times. But\nwhether it was for the advantage of Christianity to borrow rules\nfor this salutary ordinance from the enemies of truth, and thus to\nconsecrate, as it were, a part of pagan superstition, many persons very\njustly call in question.\"--Eccl. History (Mosheim), book i, cent, ii,\npart ii, ch. iii.\n\n11. Acts ii: 41. Acts viii: 12, 35--40.\n\n12. Mosheim, vol. i, book i, part ii, ch. iv.\n\n13. That exorcism was not annexed to baptism till some time in the\nthird century, and after the admission of the Platonic philosophy\ninto the church, may almost be demonstrated. The ceremonies used at\nbaptism in the second century are described by Justin Martyr in his\nsecond apology, and by Tertullian in his book _de Corono Militis._ But\nneither makes mention of exorcism. This is a cogent argument to prove\nthat it was admitted by Christians after the times of these fathers,\nand of course in the third century. Egypt perhaps first received\nit,--Murdock's Mosheim, vol. i, p. 190. (Note.)\n\n14. Mosheim, vol. i, book i, part ii, ch. iv.\n\n15. According to Schlegel, the so-called apostolic constitution (b.\nviii. ch. xxxii) enjoined a three years' course of preparation; yet\nwith allowance of some exceptions.\n\n16. That is, in the evening preceding the day on which Messiah is\nsupposed to have arisen from the dead, and the evening preceding the\nseventh Sunday after Easter, the anniversary of Pentecost, when the\nHoly Ghost was poured out upon the Apostles in a remarkable manner.\n(Acts ii.)\n\n17. Mosheim, vol. i, book ii, part ii, ch. iv.\n\n18. Cyprian's Epistles, letter 76.\n\n19. Eusebius Eccl. Hist., b. vi, ch. 43.\n\n20. In writing to the saints of Rome, Paul says: \"Know ye not, that so\nmany of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death?\nTherefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as\nChrist was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so\nwe also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted\ntogether in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness\nof his resurrection\" (Rom. vi: 3--5.) In writing to the saints of\nColosse, the same apostle reminds them that they had been \"Buried with\nhim [Christ] in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through\nthe faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead\"\n(Col. ii: 12). In these passages the terms \"buried\" and \"planted\"\nare in plain allusion to the manner in which the saints had received\nthe ordinance of baptism, which could not have been by sprinkling or\npouring, as there is no burial or planting in the likeness of Christ's\ndeath, or being raised in the likeness of his resurrection in that; but\nin immersion there is.--\"The Gospel\" (Roberts), page 185.\n\n21. Milner's Church Hist., vol. i, pp. 429, 430.\n\n22. Such is the opinion of Milner--Church Hist., vol. i, p. 430.\n\n23. \"The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread;\nand when he had given thanks, he brake it and said, Take, eat: this is\nmy body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After\nthe same manner he took the cup, when he had supped, saying: This cup\nis the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it,\nin remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this\ncup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.\" (I Cor. xi: 23--26.)\n\n24. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., bk. i, cent. iii, part ii, ch. iv.\n\n25. Protestants combating the Catholic idea of the real presence of the\nflesh and blood in the Eucharist--transubstantiation--have endeavored\nto prove that this doctrine was not of earlier origin than the eighth\ncentury. In this, however, the evidence is against them. Ignatius,\nbishop of Antioch, writing early in the second century, says of certain\nsupposed heretics: \"They do not admit of Eucharist and oblations,\nbecause they do not believe the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Savior\nJesus Christ, who suffered for our sins.\" (Epistle of Ignatius to\nthe Smyrneans.) So Justin Martyr, also writing in the first half of\nthe second century: \"We do not receive them (the bread and wine) as\nordinary food or ordinary drink; but as by the word of God Jesus Christ\nour Savior was made flesh, and took upon him both flesh and blood for\nour salvation, so also the food which was blessed by the prayer of the\nword which proceeded from him, and from which our flesh and blood,\nby transmutation, receive nourishment, is, we are taught, both the\nflesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.\" (Justin's Apology to\nEmperor Antoninus.) After Justin's time the testimony of the fathers is\nabundant. There can be no doubt as to the antiquity of the idea of the\nreal presence of the body and blood of Jesus in the Eucharist; but that\nproves--as we said of infant baptism--not that the doctrine is true,\nbut that soon after the apostles had passed away, the simplicity of the\ngospel was corrupted or else entirely departed from.\n\n26. As evidence of the superstition which was connected with the\nEucharist, note the following. \"If any one through negligence, shall\ndestroy the Eucharist, _i. e.,_ the sacrifice; let him do penance one\nyear. * * * * If he lets it fall on the ground, carelessly, he must\nsing fifty Psalms. Whoever neglects to take care of the sacrifice, so\nthat worms get into it, or it lose its color, or taste, must do penance\nthirty or twenty days; and the sacrifice must be burned in the fire.\nWhoever turns up the cup at the close of the solemnity of the mass must\ndo penance forty days. If a drop from the cup should fall on the altar,\nthe minister must suck up the drop and do penance three days; and the\nlinen cloth which the drop touched must be washed three times, over\nthe cup, and the water in which it is washed be cast into the fire.\"\nDecisions of Pope Gregory III.--Harduin's Concilia.\n\n27. Luke xxii. Matt. xxvi.\n\n28. The wickedness of the Christian world in the dark ages and during\nthe progress of the \"Reformation\" was such that the author of the\n\"Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,\" in closing his famous sixteenth\nchapter which deals with the persecution of the Christians during\nthe first three centuries of our era, can say, and his arraignment\ncannot be successfully contradicted: \"We conclude this chapter by a\nmelancholy truth which obtrudes itself on the reluctant mind; that\neven admitting without hesitation or inquiry, all that history has\nrecorded, or devotion has feigned, on the subject of martyrdom, it\nmust still be acknowledged, that the Christians, in course of their\nintestine dissensions, have inflicted far greater severities on each\nother, than they had experienced from the zeal of infidels. During the\nages of ignorance which followed the subversion of the Roman Empire\nin the west, the bishops of the imperial city extended their dominion\nover the laity as well as the clergy of the Latin church. The fabric of\nsuperstition which they had erected, and which might long have defied\nthe feeble efforts of reason, was at length assaulted by a crowd of\ndaring fanatics, who from the twelfth to the sixteenth century assumed\nthe popular character of reformers. The church of Rome defended by\nviolence the empire which she had acquired by fraud; a system of peace\nand benevolence was soon disgraced by proscriptions, war, massacres\nand the institution of the holy office (the Inquisition). And as the\nreformers were animated by the love of civil as well as of religious\nfreedom, the Catholic princes connected their own interest with that of\nthe clergy, and enforced by fire and the sword the terrors of spiritual\ncensurers. In the Netherlands alone more than one hundred thousand of\nthe subjects of Charles V. are said to have suffered by the hand of the\nexecutioner; and this extraordinary number is attested by Grotius (See\nGrotius Annal. de Rebus Belgiers). * * * If we are obliged to submit\nour belief to the authority of Grotius, it must be allowed, that the\nnumber of Protestants who were executed in a single province and a\nsingle reign, far exceed that of the primitive martyrs in the space of\nthree centuries, and of the Roman Empire.\" \"Decline and Fall,\" vol. i,\nch. xvi.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\nTHE TESTIMONY OF PROPHECY TO THE APOSTASY.\n\n\"What is prophecy but history reversed?\" Nothing. Prophecy is a record\nof things before they transpire. History is a record of them after\nthey have occurred; and of the two prophecy is more to be trusted for\nits accuracy than history: for the reason that it has for its source\nthe unerring inspiration of Almighty God; while history--except in the\ncase of inspired historians--is colored by the favor or prejudice of\nthe writer, depends for its exactness upon the point of view from which\nhe looks upon the events; and is likely to be marred in a thousand\nways by the influences surrounding him--party considerations, national\ninterest or prejudice; supposed influence upon present conditions and\nfuture prospects--all these things may interfere with history; but\nprophecy is free from such influences. Historians are self-constituted,\nor appointed by men; but prophets are chosen of God. Selected by divine\nwisdom, and illuminated by that spirit which shows things that are to\ncome, [1] prophets have revealed to them so much of the future as God\nwould have men to know, and the inspired writers record it for the\nenlightenment or warning of mankind, without the coloring or distortion\nso liable to mar the work of the historian. Thus Moses recorded what\nthe history of Israel would be on condition of their obedience to God;\nand what it would be if they were disobedient. Israel was disobedient,\nand historians have exhausted their art in attempts to tell of their\ndisobedience and suffering; but neither in vividness nor accuracy do\nthe the histories compare with the prophecy. [2] So with the prophecy\nof Daniel in respect to the rise and succession of the great political\npowers that should dominate the earth, and the final triumph of the\nKingdom of God. [3] So with well nigh all of the prophecies.\n\nWith these observations upon the trustworthiness of prophecy it is\nmy purpose to show that prophecy no less than the facts of history,\nsustains the conclusion arrived at in the foregoing chapters on the\napostasy from the Christian religion, and the destruction of the\nChristian Church.\n\nPaul warned the church at Ephesus that after his departing grievous\nwolves would enter in among them, not sparing the flock; and \"also of\nyour own selves,\" said he, \"shall men arise, speaking perverse things\nto draw away disciples after them.\" [4] \"Preach the word,\" said the\nsame apostle in writing to Timothy, \"be instant in season, out of\nseason, reprove, rebuke, with all long suffering and doctrine. For the\ntime will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after\ntheir own lusts shall they heap teachers to themselves having itching\nears; and they shall turn their ears from the truth and be turned to\nfables.\" [5] The prophet Peter also warned the church of the rise of\nfalse teachers, who privily would bring in damnable heresies; deny the\nLord who bought them; bring upon themselves swift destruction, speak\nevil of the way of truth and through covetousness, with feigned words\nwould make merchandise of the saints. [6]\n\nReferring again to Paul's prophecies we have him foretelling the rise\nof anti-Christ before the glorious coming of the Messiah to judgment.\nHe plainly foresaw the \"falling away\"--the long night of spiritual\ndarkness and apostasy that would brood over the world before the coming\nof the Son of God, in the glory of his Father, to reward the righteous,\nto condemn the wicked. He said of this apostasy: \"We beseech you,\nbrethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering\ntogether unto him; that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,\nneither by spirit nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the\nday of Christ is at hand. [7] Let no man deceive you by any means, for\nthat day shall not come except there be a falling away first and that\nman of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth\nhimself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he\nas God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.\nRemember ye not that when I was yet with you I told you these things?\nAnd now ye knew what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.\nFor the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth\nwill let, until he be taken out of the way, and then shall that wicked\nbe revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,\nand shall destroy with the brightness of his coming; even him whose\ncoming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and\nlying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them\nthat perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they\nmight be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion,\nthat they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who\nbelieve not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.\" [8]\n\nThe reader with the facts of history before him, cannot see more\nclearly the \"falling away,\" the rise of that corrupt ecclesiastical\npower which opposed and exalted itself above all that was called God;\nlorded it over God's heritage; shrouded itself in mystery; placed its\nfoot on the neck of kings; forbade marriage; transgressed the laws;\nchanged the ordinances, and broke the everlasting covenant--I say the\nreader with the facts of history before him can not see these things\nmore clearly than Paul foresaw and predicted them in this remarkable\nprophecy.\n\nBut not to the prophets of the New Testament alone was the great\napostasy revealed. Isaiah as well as Paul and with equal clearness\nforesaw and predicted it. In a prophecy, which beyond all question\nrelates to conditions that can only exist in the last days, he writes:\n\"Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and\nturneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.\nAnd it shall be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the\nservant, so with the master; as with the maid, so with her mistress;\nas with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the\nborrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to\nhim. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled; for the\nLord has spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the\nworld languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do\nlanguish. The earth is also defiled under the inhabitants thereof.\"\nWhy? _\"Because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances,\nbroken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath a curse devoured\nthe earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the\ninhabitants of the earth are burned and few men are left.\"_ [9]\n\nOf this prophecy it is to be observed that the defilement of the earth,\nand the wretched condition of the inhabitants thereof described in\nthe opening sentences, and in the remaining verses of the chapter,\nnot quoted, are the result of transgressing the law, changing the\nordinances and breaking the \"everlasting covenant.\" The prophet cannot\nhave reference to transgressing the law, and changing the ordinances\nof the Mosaic covenant, for the Mosaic Law was not an everlasting\ncovenant, [10] but merely a temporary law \"added to the Gospel because\nof transgression.\" It was a law of carnal commandments to act as a\nschool master to bring the people to Christ; and when Christ came was\nlaid aside, having fulfilled its purpose. [11] It was not, therefore,\nan everlasting covenant, and hence was not the thing the prophet Isaiah\nhad in mind in his great prophecy. On the other hand, Paul refers to\nthe blood of Christ as \"the blood of the everlasting covenant,\" [12]\nhence it is the covenant sealed by that blood to which Isaiah must have\nhad reference--the Gospel; and the transgression of its laws, the\nchanging of its ordinances, the breaking of that covenant was to result\nin making desolate the earth and the inhabitants thereof.\n\nAs additional evidence that it was not the transgression of the Mosaic\nLaw, nor transgression against any former dispensation of the Gospel,\nthat the prophecy refers to, the reader's attention is called to the\nfact that the disasters of the great apostasy find their culmination\nin the burning of the inhabitants of the earth, from which but few\nmen shall be left. That is a calamity that has not yet overtaken\nmen. It is a judgment that will fall upon them in the future. Yet a\nfew shall escape. As the prophet in another place in this remarkable\nchapter says--referring to the general desolation of the earth and its\ninhabitants--\"When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the\npeople, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the\ngleaning of grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their\nvoices, they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry\naloud from the sea.\" [13] From which it is to be understood that there\nwill be a few even in those disastrous times, whose righteousness will\ncall down the favor of God. And though the earth shall reel to and fro\nlike a drunkard, and the transgressions thereof shall be heavy upon\nit; though the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on\nhigh, and the kings of the earth upon the earth; though as prisoners\nthey shall be gathered into the pit, and will not be visited for many\ndays; though the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, yet\nshall the Lord of Hosts reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and\nbefore his ancients gloriously. [14]\n\nMy direct argument for the apostasy is completed. The facts of history\nhave testified to the destruction of the church, to the apostasy from\nthe Christian religion; and prophecy with a voice no less certain has\ntestified to the same things.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. St. John xvi: 13.\n\n2. Deut. xxviii.\n\n3. Daniel ii.\n\n4. Acts xx: 27-30.\n\n5. II Tim. iv: 1-4.\n\n6. II Peter ii: 1-3.\n\n7. That is, he would not have them believe that the day of Messiah's\nglorious coming was at hand.\n\n8. II Thess. 1-12.\n\n9. Isaiah xxiv.\n\n10. Gal. iii.\n\n11. Heb. xiii: 20.\n\n12. Isa. xxiv: 13, 14.\n\n13. Isaiah xxiv: 20-23.\n\n14. Isaiah xxiv: 20-23.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\nCATHOLIC ARGUMENTS--PROTESTANT ADMISSIONS.\n\nBut what of the Catholic argument that there has been an unbroken\nline of authority from Peter to Leo XIII.; and running parallel with\nthat line of authority a continuation of all that is essential to the\nGospel, both in doctrine and ordinances? My reply is: \"Of what avail is\nargument in the face of facts which contradict it? The facts of both\nhistory and prophecy are against the contention that there has been\nsuch a line of divine authority, accompanied by a continuation of all\nthe essentials of the Gospel; and therefore, the argument is worthless.\nBut that we may see how weak the argument is in itself, let us examine\nit.\n\n\"Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name\nof the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost * * * And lo I\nam with you to the end of the world.\" [1] On this Catholic writers\nremark: \"Now the event has proved * * * that the apostles themselves\nwere only to live the ordinary term of man's life; therefore the\ncommission of preaching and ministering together with the promise of\nthe divine assistance, _regards the successors of the apostles, no less\nthan the apostles themselves._ This proves that there must have been\nan uninterrupted series of such successors of the apostles, in every\nage since their time; that is to say, successors to their doctrines,\nto their jurisdiction, to their orders, and to their mission.\" [2]\nCardinal Gibbons, commenting on the same passage says: \"This sentence\ncontains three important declarations: 1st, the presence of Christ\nwith His Church, 'behold, I am with you;' 2nd, His constant presence\nwithout an interval of one day's absence, 'I am with you all days;'\n3rd, His perpetual presence to the end of the world, and consequently\nthe perpetual duration of the church, 'even to the consummation of the\nworld.' Hence it follows that the true church must have existed from\nthe beginning; it must have had not one day's interval of suspended\nanimation, or separation from Christ, and must live to the end of\ntime.\" [3]\n\nOf the conclusion here arrived at, it is only necessary to say that it\nis founded upon an assumption. Look again at the passage upon which the\nargument is based, in connection with its context. \"Then the eleven\ndisciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had\nappointed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him; but some\ndoubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying: All power is given\nunto me in heaven and in earth, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations;\n* * * and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.\"\n[4] It will be seen that the promise was to the eleven apostles, not\nto the church. To say that this promise \"regards the successors of\nthe apostles no less than the apostles themselves,\" is an assumption\nunwarranted by the text; and it is upon that assumption that the Rev.\nJohn Milner and other Catholic writers, base their conclusions that the\nword of Jesus is pledged to an uninterrupted continuation of His church\nin the earth.\n\nThe argument of Cardinal Gibbons is still worse than that of Dr.\nMilner. He says the promise of Jesus to the apostles contains three\nimportant declarations, the first of which is: \"The presence of Christ\nwith His _church._\" This is worse than assumption. The learned Cardinal\nhas written \"church,\" where he should have written \"apostles;\" and\ntherefore the conclusion he reached, namely, the perpetual duration\nof the church, is based upon a misstatement; and as the premises upon\nwhich the argument is based are untrue, the conclusion is false.\n\nThe argument by Catholics is thought to be invulnerable, because the\npromise of Jesus to be with the apostles to the end of the world is\nimpossible of fulfillment, unless it \"regarded the successors of the\napostles no less than the apostles themselves.\" But to be with their\nsuccessors is not being with the apostles. Hence the device arranged\nby Catholics for the fulfillment of this promise of the Lord, misses\nits purpose altogether. Moreover, there is no need of such device to\nexplain how the promise of Jesus could be fulfilled. \"In my Father's\nhouse,\" said he, addressing these same men, \"are many mansions: if it\nwere not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you,\n* * * _that where I am there ye may be also;_\" [5] And there they are\nwith Jesus in the place he prepared for them, and they will continue to\nbe with him even unto the end of the world.\n\nNo less erroneous is the Catholic argument for the uninterrupted\ncontinuation of the church of Christ on earth, based on the passage\nin the sixteenth chapter of Matthew, when Jesus in the course of a\nconversation with Peter says to him: \"Thou art Peter, and upon this\nrock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail\nagainst it.\" \"By this promise,\" says a foot-note on this passage in the\nDouay Bible--the version accepted by the Catholic Church,--\"we are\nfully assured that neither idolatry, heresy, nor any pernicious error\nwhatever, shall at any time prevail over the church of Christ.\" \"Our\nblessed Lord clearly intimates here,\" says Cardinal Gibbons, \"that the\nchurch is destined to be assailed always but to be overcome never.\"\n[6] The argument of Catholics is, that if the great apostasy took\nplace which, as we have seen, is clearly predicted in the scriptures,\nand, as I believe, confirmed by the facts already presented to the\nreader in this volume, then the express promise of Jesus Christ that\nthe gates of hell should not prevail against His church has failed.\n\"If the prediction of our Savior about the preservation of His church\nfrom error be false, then Jesus Christ is not God, since God cannot\nlie. He is not even a prophet, since he predicted falsehood. Nay, he is\nan imposter, and all Christianity is a miserable failure, and a huge\ndeception, since it rests on a false prophet.\" [7]\n\nThis argument and its conclusion is based upon too narrow a conception\nof the Church of Christ. That church exists not only on earth, but in\nheaven; not only in time, but in eternity. It has not been prevailed\nagainst, because men on earth have departed from it; corrupted its\ndoctrines, changed its ordinances, transgressed its laws. The Church of\nChrist in heaven, consisting of \"an innumerable company of angels--the\ngeneral assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in\nheaven--\" [8] the church there has been far beyond the reach of the\npowers of hell; and ultimately here on earth it shall be triumphant. To\nrepeat an illustration I before used: Truth may lose a single battle,\nit may lose two or three, and yet be victorious in the war. So with\nthe Church of Christ: many of those enrolled as its members may be\nstricken down by cruel persecution; those remaining may capitulate with\nthe enemy, and by compromises betray the cause of Christ, and put him\nto an open shame. Repose and luxury, the reward of the above perfidy,\nmay bring in such floods of wickedness that virtue can scarce be found\namong men, and no abiding place found on earth for the church of the\nRedeemer. That church, however, still exists in heaven, in all the\nglory of the general assembly of the firstborn; and from time to time\ndispensation after dispensation of the gospel will be sent from thence\nto the children of men, until a people shall be found who will remain\ntrue to all its doctrines, accept its ordinances, obey its precepts,\npreserve its institutions, and the Church of Christ everywhere become\ntriumphant as well on earth as in heaven. The promise of the Lord Jesus\nwill not fail--the gates of hell will not finally prevail against his\nchurch.\n\nThe reader's faith in the above view will doubtless be strengthened if\nI remind him that the apostasy contended for in the foregoing pages,\nis not the first time in the experience of men that the gospel has\nbeen taken from among them. It is written by Paul that, \"the scripture\nforeseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith preached\nbefore the gospel unto Abraham.\" [9] A little further on the apostle\nasks: \"Wherefore then serveth the law?\" Referring to the law of Moses.\nThat is to say, if the gospel was preached unto Abraham, wherefore\nserveth the law of Moses? His answer is, \"It was added because of\ntransgression till the seed should come, to whom the promise was made\n* * * Wherefore the law was our school master to bring us unto Christ\nthat we might be justified by faith.\" [10] Having in the third chapter\nof his epistles to the Hebrews referred to the dealings of God with\nthe children of Israel in the wilderness, and having in the opening\nverse of the fourth chapter warned the saints against similar sins\nto those committed by Israel, Paul says: \"For unto us was the gospel\npreached as well as unto them [ancient Israel], but the word preached\ndid not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.\"\nThe only conclusion to be drawn from these passages is this: In very\nancient times the Gospel was introduced among men; but because of their\ndisinclination or inability to keep its laws and live in harmony with\nits precepts--\"because of transgression,\" it was taken from among them.\nGod, however, not willing to leave His children utterly without light,\ngave unto them a less exalted law--the law of carnal commandments. A\nlaw better suited to their condition, wherein were forms and ceremonies\nforeshadowing things to come, designed to act as a school master to\nbring the people to Christ.\n\nTaking away the gospel from the earth, then, is not a new thing; not\na thing peculiar to the first centuries of the Christian era. It had\nbeen done before when transgression led the people to depart from its\nordinances and disregard its precepts. So, too, after the introduction\nof the gospel by the personal ministry of the Son of God, when men\ntransgressed its laws, and corrupted its teachings and ordinances by\ntheir vain and foolish fancies, or by their efforts to modify it to\nmake it acceptable to a pagan nation, because of transgression, it\nwas taken from among them. Not abruptly. Not in such a sense as that\nthe Christians some night in the third century all laid down to sleep\ngood, faithful saints and awoke next morning stripped of the Gospel\nand turned pagans. No; but as the elders and bishops who held divine\nauthority were destroyed by persecution, or passed away by natural\ndeath, the people with each succeeding generation growing worse and\nworse, and less and less worthy of the gospel--false teachers without\nauthority from God usurped power, corrupted the gospel and the church\nuntil the false displaced the true, and anti-Christ sat in the temple\nof God.\n\nNothing remained but fragments of the gospel; here a doctrine and there\na principle, like single stones fallen and rolled away from the ruined\nwall; but no one able to tell where they belonged in the structure, and\nso many of the stones missing that to reconstruct the wall with what\nremains is out of the question.\n\nThe fragmentary accounts of the gospel, as recorded by some of the\napostles, and their associates, is all that was left to the world.\nAll! But this was much. It has stood to the people since the days of\nthe great apostasy as the law of carnal commandments did to Israel\nafter the transgression which occasioned the gospel to be taken from\nthem. Those fragments of the truth, however disconnected, have been\nas the light of the moon and the stars to the night traveler; not\nthe sunlight, indeed, which makes so clear the way, but light which,\nhowever dim, is still better than absolute darkness; and will, I trust,\nyet lead many of our Father's children into the sunlight of Christ's\nrestored gospel.\n\nIt will not be necessary to examine at length the Protestant argument,\nviz.: The gospel had been corrupted, and buried under the rubbish of\nidolatry for ages it is true, but the \"Reformers\" of the sixteenth\ncentury cleared away the rubbish and brought to light again the\ngospel, and restored the Church of Christ in all its simplicity of\norganization, and efficacy of power. Of this one need only say that the\ngospel having been taken from the earth, and divine authority lost, the\nonly way for their restoration is through the re-opening of the heavens\nand the committing of a new dispensation thereof to men. As this answers\nthe argument, it is only necessary to prove that Protestants admit the\napostasy.\n\nLuther said of himself, \"At first I stood alone.\" Calvin in his epistle\nsays: \"The first Protestants were obliged to break off from the whole\nworld.\" [11] The editor of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman\nEmpire, the Rev. H. H. Milman, a Protestant divine, writes in his\npreface to that book: \"It is idle, it is disingenuous to deny or to\ndissemble the early depravations of Christianity, its gradual and rapid\ndeparture from its primitive simplicity, still more from its spirit of\nuniversal love.\"\n\nThe reader is already acquainted with the declaration of Wesley that\nthe Christians had turned heathens again and only had a dead form of\nfaith left. [12]\n\nIn Smith's Dictionary of the Bible--the work is endorsed by sixty-three\nlearned divines and Bible scholars--the following occurs: \"We must not\nexpect to see the Church of Christ existing in its perfection on the\nearth. It is not to be found thus perfect, either in the collected\nfragments of Christendom, or still less in any one of those fragments.\"\n[13]\n\nRoger Williams refused to continue as pastor over the oldest Baptist\nChurch in America on the ground that there was no regularly constituted\nchurch on earth, nor any person authorized to administer any church\nordinance; \"nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the great\nhead of the church for whose coming I am seeking.\" [14] Alexander\nCampbell, founder of the sect of the \"Disciples,\" says: \"The meaning\nof this institution (the kingdom of heaven) has been buried under the\nrubbish of human tradition for hundreds of years. It was lost in the\ndark ages and has never, until recently been disinterred.\" [15]\n\nAnd lastly, that greatest of all Protestant sects, the Church of\nEngland in its homily on the Perils of Idolatry, says: \"Laity and\nclergy, learned and unlearned, all ages and sects and degrees have been\ndrowned in abominable idolatry, most detested by God and damnable to\nman, for eight hundred years and more.\" [16]\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Matt, xxviii: 19, 20.\n\n2. End of Religious Controversy (Rev. John Milner), p. 281.\n\n3. Faith of our Fathers, p. 72.\n\n4. Matt. xxviii: 16-20.\n\n5. John xiv: 2.\n\n6. Faith of Our Fathers, p. 72.\n\n7. Faith of our Fathers, p. 87.\n\n8. Heb. xii: 22, 23.\n\n9. This should be remembered by the student of the Bible. The law of\nMoses, with its formalisms and numerous rites, does not reflect the\nfullness of divine wisdom. It was not the best and highest code of\nlaws and morals which God could give, but the best the people could be\ninduced to accept.\n\n10. Quoted by Rev. John Milner in End of Religious Controversy.\n\n11. See p. 101.\n\n12. Smith's Dict. of Bible, p. 163.\n\n13. Picturesque America, p. 502.\n\n14. Picturesque America, p. 502.\n\n15. Christianity Restored, p. 184.\n\n16. Perils of Idolatry, p. 3.\n\n\n\nTHESIS III.\n\nThe Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Last Days--In the Hour of God's\nJudgment--Is to Be Restored to Earth by Re-opening the Heavens, and\nGiving a New Dispensation Thereof to the Children of Men.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\nTHE NECESSITY OF A NEW REVELATION--THE ARGUMENTS OF MODERN CHRISTIANS\nAGAINST IT CONSIDERED.\n\nI shall take it for granted that those who have followed me to this\npoint are convinced that the world has need of a new witness for\nGod; that the Church of Christ was destroyed; that there has been an\napostasy from the Christian religion so complete and universal as to\nmake necessary a new dispensation of the gospel.\n\nI have already remarked, in noticing the Protestant claim that the\nChurch of Christ was re-established by the Reformers of the sixteenth\ncentury, that the gospel having once been taken from among men, and\ndivine authority lost, the only way that either one or the other could\never be restored would be by the Lord giving a new revelation, and\nre-commissioning men with divine authority, both to teach the gospel\nand administer in its ordinances. This is a proposition so obvious to\nreason that I can scarcely persuade myself that it requires either\nargument or proofs to sustain it.\n\nIf there are those, however, who think that the plan of salvation\nmight be clearly defined from the fragmentary documents which comprise\nthe New Testament, without the aid of more revelation, I ask them to\nconsider the Protestant effort to accomplish that task. The Protestants\naccepted the Bible as an all-sufficient guide in matters of faith and\nmorals and church discipline. But when they undertook to formulate\nfrom it a creed that should embody the whole plan of salvation, and\nprescribe a government for their church, it was found that well nigh\neach Doctor understood the Bible differently. One saw in it the\nauthorization of the Episcopal form of church government; another the\nPresbyterian form; and another the Congregational. One saw in the Bible\nauthority for believing there was a trinity of persons in the God-head;\nanother that there was but one. One saw authority for believing that\nGod had predestined an elect few to be saved; another that salvation\nwas equally within reach of all. And so on through all the vexed\nquestions that have distracted Protestant Christendom and divided it\ninto a hundred contending sects.\n\nIt must be remembered that to this effort to construct from the New\nTestament scriptures a creed which would embody all the principles\nand ordinances essential to salvation, and re-construct the Church\nof Christ, all the zeal and learning that we can hope to see brought\nto such a task was possessed by Protestant \"Reformers,\" and they\nfailed miserably; for the confusion grows greater by the constant\nmultiplication of sects, led by men making the vain attempt to\nre-construct the Church of Christ and define the gospel by their own\nwisdom from fragmentary Christian documents.\n\nBut if the theory of salvation could be clearly defined from the\nscriptures, by the wisdom of man; if all the doctrines to be believed\nand all the ordinances to be obeyed could be formulated, where,\nwithout further revelation, is the divinely authorized ministry to\nteach the gospel or administer its ordinances? However distinctly the\ngospel as a theory might be defined from the New Testament, the dead\nletter authorizes no one to perform its ceremonies, or even teach its\ndoctrines. The New Testament writers have recorded in a number of\nplaces how Jesus called his apostles and commissioned them to go into\nall the world and preach the gospel to every creature, saying in one\nplace, that. \"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he\nthat believeth not shall be damned;\" [1] and in another place, \"Go ye,\ntherefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the\nFather, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe\nall things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo I am with you alway\neven unto the end of the world\" [2] But to say this authorizes anyone\nelse but those to whom the commission was directly given is to advocate\nthe stealing of other men's commission, and presumptuously attempting\nto act in the name of God without divine appointment.\n\nA case of this kind is related in the Acts of the Apostles, the result\nof which should be a warning to those who would advocate such a course\nnow. Among the Jews who witnessed the power of God displayed through\nthe administrations of Paul--the Holy Ghost imparted by laying on\nhands, the sick healed and unclean spirits cast out--were seven sons of\none Sceva, a chief priest among the Jews, who took it upon themselves\nto call over one possessed of an evil spirit the name of the Lord Jesus\nsaying, \"We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth * * * And the evil\nsprit answered and said: Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are ye?\nAnd the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped upon them, and overcame\nthem, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house\nnaked and wounded.\" [3]\n\nAnother case in point is the incident of Uzziah stretching forth his\nhand to steady the ark of God without authority--\"And God smote him\nthere for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.\" [4]\n\nKing Uzziah's presumption in this kind also points a warning. Made\nking when but sixteen years of age, he was wonderfully blessed of the\nLord, and his fame went abroad until he was feared or honored by all\nthe surrounding nations. In the height of his glory he presumptuously\nentered the temple of God and essayed to exercise the functions of the\npriest's office--to burn incense before the Lord. Azariah, the chief\npriest, withstood the king's usurpation, saying, \"It appertaineth not\nunto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests,\nthe sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the\nsanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine\nhonor from the Lord God.\" The king was not inclined to yield to the\nadmonition, and while he was yet angry with the priests the leprosy\narose in his forehead, and he lived a leper the remainder of his life,\nseparated from his people and from the house of the Lord. [5]\n\nIf the usurpation of authority to act in the name of the Lord in\ncasting out an evil spirit, in steadying the ark of God and burning\nincense called forth such pronounced evidences of the divine\ndispleasure, would usurpation in administering the more sacred\nordinances of the gospel meet with divine approbation? If men by\nusurping authority could not drive out an evil spirit from one\npossessed through calling over him the name of Jesus, just as they had\nseen Paul do, would there likely be any more efficacy attend their\nadministrations if they baptized in the name of the holy Trinity for\nthe remission of sins, or laid on hands to impart the Holy Ghost? The\nreasonable answer is obvious.\n\n\"Every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things\npertaining to God; * * * and no man taketh this honor unto himself,\nbut he that is called of God as was Aaron.\" [6] Aaron was called by\nrevelation, and ordained by one already holding divine authority. [7]\nIt amounts to nothing to say that this particular passage relates to\nhigh priests of the Mosaic law. The principle is announced in it that\nthose who officiate for men in things pertaining to God must be called\nof God by revelation through a divinely established authority; and\nthat holds good in the gospel as well as in the Mosaic law; aye, and\nmore abundantly is it true; for as the gospel is more excellent than\nthe carnal law, so is it to be expected that more care will be taken\nto have it administered by a divinely authorized ministry. \"You have\nnot chosen me,\" said Jesus to the Twelve, \"but I have chosen you, and\nordained you, that ye may bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should\nremain.\" [8] This sounds the keynote relative to an authorized ministry\nfor the gospel. Men are not to take it upon themselves to administer\nin things pertaining to God. They must be called as Aaron was, as the\nTwelve were, as Jesus himself was; for even \"Christ glorified not\nhimself to be made a high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art\nmy Son, this day have I begotten thee. * * * Thou art a priest forever\nafter the order of Melchisedek.\" [9]\n\nBut I must not be drawn into an argument on a point that is obviously\ntrue, namely, that the gospel of Christ having been taken from among\nmen and divine authority lost, the only way of regaining them is by a\nre-opening of the heavens and a re-commitment of them to man from God.\nThis of course would constitute a new dispensation, a new revelation;\nand as all Christendom, both Catholics and Protestants, hold that\nthe volume of scripture is completed and forever closed--that divine\ninspiration, prophecy and revelation, together with the visitation of\nangels has ceased forever, I think it necessary to inquire into those\nreasons that are assigned for such a belief, or rather unbelief.\n\nIt is a necessity to inquire into this question; for disbelief in new\nrevelation bars the way to a consideration of the claims of the New\nWitness I am introducing. The case stands thus: The Christians in\nthe early centuries of our era having turned heathens again, thereby\nlosing the gospel and divine authority, it seems reasonably clear that\nthe only way these precious things can be regained is through a new\ndispensation of the gospel, by means of a new revelation, which shall\nrestore all that was lost. But since all Christians have been persuaded\nthat the volume of the scripture is completed; that God will give no\nmore revelation; and that the Bible sustains that view of the case, it\nbecomes necessary to investigate the reasons given for this doctrine.\n\nI apprehend that this Christian belief respecting the discontinuance\nof revelation came into existence as the an excuse offered for the\nabsence of revelation. Ministers of apostate churches found themselves\nwithout communication with God, either through the visitation of\nangels or direct revelation. Finding themselves without these powers\nso abundantly possessed by the servants of God in the early age of the\nchurch, they attempted a defense of their own powerless state by saying\nthese things were no longer needed. They were extraordinary powers only\nto be employed at the commencement of the work of God, in order to\nestablish it in the earth, and afterwards to be put aside as childish\nthings.\n\nIn support of the theory that the volume of revelation is closed\nforever, the following passage in the Book of Revelation is usually\nquoted: \"I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the\nprophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God\nshall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if\nany man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy,\nGod shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the\nholy city, and from the things which are written in this book.\" [10]\nAs this passage occurs in the last book of the New Testament--and also\nthe last book of the Bible--in the last chapter, and the last but\ntwo of the closing verses of the chapter, it has been argued that it\nis a formal closing up of God's revelation to man. No more is to be\nadded--nothing is to be taken from it, it is completed and sealed up,\nand therefore no more revelation is to be given after that.\n\nUpon this it should be observed, _first,_ that it was not by the\narrangement of the inspired writer himself that the Book of Revelation\nwas made the last book of the Bible; nor is that book the last\ninspired book of the New Testament collection that was written. It\nis the prevailing opinion of the early Christian writers that the\nBook of Revelation was written while the apostle John was an exile on\nthe isle of Patmos, and that he did not write his book called \"The\nGospel according to St. John,\" until after his return from Patmos.\n[11] \"The weight of evidence now tends to prove,\" says Canon Farrar,\nspeaking of the Book of Revelation, \"that it is _not_ the last book\nin chronological order; that it was written nearer the beginning than\nthe end of St. John's period of apostolic activity amid the churches\nof Asia; that the last accents of revelation which fall upon our ears\nare not those of a treatise which, though it ends in such music,\ncontains so many terrible visions of blood and fire; but rather those\nof the gospel which tells us that the 'Word was made flesh,' and of the\nepistle which first formulated the most blessed truth which was ever\nuttered to human hearts--the truth that 'God is love.'\" [12] And again:\n\"Some may think it an exaggeration to say that this closing of the Holy\nBook with the Apocalypse has not been without grave consequences for\nthe history of Christendom; but certainly it would have been better\nboth for the church and for the world if we had followed the divine\norder, and if those books had been placed last in the canon which were\nlast in order of time. Had this been done, our Bible would have closed\nas the Book of God to all intents and purposes did close, with the\nepistle and solemn warning of the last apostle, 'Little children, keep\nyourselves from idols.'\" [13]\n\nIf the words in the last chapter in the Book of Revelation mean that no\nmore scripture or revelation was to be written after the prohibitory\nwords under consideration, then John himself became a violator of\nthe word of God which he himself had written; for according to the\ntestimony here adduced his gospel and first epistle were written after\nhe Book of Revelation. Such an alternative as makes the divinely\ninspired writer a violator of his own supposed inhibition of further\nrevelation is so absurd, so unlike the conduct of an inspired apostle,\nthat it is sufficient in itself to overthrow the theory that the\npassage in the last chapter of the Apocalypse intended to close the\nvolume of revelation.\n\n_Second:_ Since the Apocalypse had no connection with the other\nbooks of the New Testament for many years after it was written, its\nprohibitory clause under the most liberal construction could only\nhave reference to itself--it forbade men adding anything more to\nthat particular book of prophecy, the Apocalypse, not to a volume of\nscripture with which, at the time, it had no connection.\n\n_Third:_ A careful reading of the passage discloses that it is only\n_man_ who is prohibited from adding anything more to that book of\nprophecy, not God. While man may have added to him the plagues which\nare written in the book if he presumptuously adds to the words of\nthe prophecy and passes them off for the word of God, yet God would\nstill be left free to give revelation _ad infinitum._ I must needs\nthink that this is the proper view to take of the prohibition, since\nin Deuteronomy I find it recorded: \"You shall not add to the word\nwhich I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it.\" [14] To\ngive to this passage the same interpretation that is placed by modern\nChristians on the passage under consideration from the Apocalypse\n(and it is just as reasonable to place such an interpretation on the\npassage in Deuteronomy as to place it on the one in Revelation) would\nresult in rejecting all scripture that was given after the prohibitory\nclause in the writings of Moses--which would be the greater part of the\nOld Testament and all of the New. The same is true of the prohibitory\npassage in Proverbs: \"Every word of the Lord is perfect. * * * Add\nthou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a\nliar.\" [15] There can be no doubt that these passages mean only this:\nMan must not add his own words to the revelation of God and pass them\noff as God's word. To say that they mean that no more revelation is\nto be given after they were uttered is to condemn all the scripture\nwritten subsequent to that time. What those passages mean the passage\nin Revelation means. Man must not add to the words of Deity; but God is\nleft as free to give more revelation as he was before this prohibition\nto man was placed on record. The passage in question does not in the\nremotest manner refer to the close of the volume of revelation.\n\nWhen the last act of indignity which the wicked ingenuity of his\npersecutors could suggest was perpetrated on the Son of God, Jesus\nbowed his thorn-crowned head and exclaimed \"It is finished.\" By some\nwho contend against new revelation it is held that this means that\nno more revelation is to be expected--revelation is finished! Such a\nconstruction would exclude the inspired revelations, visions, dreams\nand revelations given to the apostles after the crucifixion of Jesus\nand abundantly testified of in the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles\nand the Apocalypse. It is so clearly evident that the exclamation, \"It\nis finished,\" [16] had reference to the suffering of the Son of God,\nthat it is not necessary to enter further into a refutation of the\nclaim that it means the revelation of God to man was finished.\n\nAgain it is contended that Paul predicted that prophecies should\ncease: \"Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be\ntongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge it shall vanish\naway.\" [17] Unfortunately, however, for those who see in this passage\na prophecy of the discontinuance of revelation, Paul tells us _when_\nprophecy or revelation (for prophecy must needs always be founded on\nrevelation) will cease; that it is not in this mortal life, but \"when\nthat which is perfect is come.\" \"For we know in part and prophesy in\npart; but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part\nshall be done away. * * * For now we see through a glass darkly, but\nthen [when that which is perfect is come] face to face. Now I know\nin part, but then [when that which is perfect is come] shall I know\neven as I am known.\" [18] That this refers not to this life, where the\nbest and purest only see in part and know in part, but is to be looked\nfor in that future and perfect existence where men shall see as they\nare seen and know as they are known, is too obvious to need comment.\nThat prophecy, and the revelation on which it is based, was designed\nto continue with the saints in this mortal existence is evident from\nthe fact that in the opening verse of the succeeding chapter [19] the\napostle admonishes the saints to \"follow after charity and desire\nspiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.\"\n\nThe whole genius of the gospel contemplates continuous revelation in\nthe church; and so far is the Bible from justifying the belief that the\ntime will come when it will cease, that on the contrary it teaches that\nrevelation will increase more and more, especially becoming abundant in\nthe last days.\n\nRevelation is the very \"rock\" or principle upon which the Church of\nChrist is founded. \"Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?\" was the\nabrupt question which Jesus once put to his disciples. The answers\ngiven were varied. \"But whom say ye that I am?\" Then Peter answered:\n\"Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God.\" \"Blessed art thou\nSimon Barjona,\" was the Lord's reply, \"for flesh and blood hath not\nrevealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto\nthee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church;\nand the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.\" [20] That is as if\nthe Master had said: \"Blessed art thou Simon, for flesh and blood hath\nnot revealed unto you that I am Christ, the Son of the living God, but\nmy Father which is in heaven; and I say unto thee, Peter, upon this\nprinciple of revelation will I build my church, and the gates of hell\nshall not prevail against it.\"\n\nThis I hold to be the plain meaning of the passage, and not the\ninterpretation given it by the Catholic Church, which is as follows:\nFirst let me remind the reader that when Peter was introduced by\nhis brother Andrew to the Lord Jesus, the latter said to Him: \"Thou\nart Simon, the son Jona; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by\ninterpretation a stone.\" [21] Therefore when on the occasion above\nreferred to Jesus said: \"Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and\nblood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.\nAnd I say unto thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build\nmy church,\" Catholics say that \"the words of Christ to Peter, spoken\nin the vulgar language of the Jews * * * were the same as if he had\nsaid in English: \"Thou art a rock, and upon this rock will I build my\nchurch,\" so that by plain course of the words, Peter is here declared\nto be the rock upon which the church was to be built, Christ himself\nbeing both the principal foundation and founder of the same.\" [22] But\nthis interpretation strikes wide of the real truth. To say the least\nit is a far-fetched assumption to hold that Jesus when He addressed\nPeter on this occasion had any reference to the name He had given\nhim on a former occasion, which, by interpretation, meant a stone.\nIf the Master meant to announce his intention to build his church on\nPeter, one cannot refrain from asking why he did not explicitly say\nso? The passage would then doubtless have read: \"I say unto thee,\nPeter, that thou art a stone, and upon _thee_ I will build my church.\"\nUnfortunately for the Catholic contention such is not the reading,\nand it is only by juggling with the words that such a meaning can be\nread into the passage. The subject under consideration was not Peter,\nbut the principle upon which he had learned that Jesus was the Son of\nGod--revelation, and on that principle, and not on Peter, the Lord\npromised to build his church.\n\nBut I said the whole genius of the gospel contemplates the continuation\nof revelation--a statement incumbent upon me to prove. We have seen\nthat the Lord promised to build his church upon revelation. It is\nthe very life and light of it. The means by which it preserves its\ncorrespondence with heaven, and learns the will of God under the\nconstantly varying conditions through which it is called to pass.\n\nThe means by which revelation may be communicated to the church or to\nman are varied. Revelation may be given by direct communication with\nGod, as in the case when the Lord walked with Enoch, [23] or talked\nface to face with Moses, as a man speaks to his friend. [24] Or it\nmay be by the ministrations of angels, of which we have numerous\ninstances, both in the Old and New Testaments; but more generally the\ncommunication of God's will to man is through the medium of the Holy\nGhost.\n\nNo one can doubt that prophecy is based upon revelation. No man can\ntruthfully predict the future save God reveals it to him. \"Prophecy\ncame not in old time by the will of man,\" writes Peter, \"but holy men\nof God spake as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost.\" [25] Again, in\nfurther proof that the Holy Ghost is the means of revelation and the\nsource of prophecy--\"When the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide\nyou into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever\nhe shall hear that he shall speak; and he will show you things to\ncome.\" [26] This Jesus said of the Holy Ghost. If anything were lacking\nto prove that the Holy Ghost is a medium of revelation, the very spirit\nof prophecy, it would be found in the following: \"When the Comforter\nis come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of\nTruth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.\" [27]\nTo this Paul agrees: \"No man speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth\nJesus accursed, and no man can say that Jesus is the Christ but by the\nHoly Ghost.\" [28] It is the Holy Ghost, then, that testifies that Jesus\nis the Christ. Now mark what follows: An angel appeared to John, the\nApostle, on Patmos, \"and,\" says John, \"I fell at his feet to worship\nhim, and he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant,\nand of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: Worship God: for\nthe testimony of Jesus _is the spirit of prophecy._\" [29] This is the\nsum of my argument: The Holy Ghost testifies that Jesus is the Christ,\nand that \"testimony of Jesus\" is the spirit of prophecy; and since\nprophecy must of necessity be based on revelation, the \"testimony of\nJesus\"--the Holy Ghost must also be the spirit of revelation.\n\nWhen Peter on the day of Pentecost preached the famous sermon by which\nthree thousand souls were converted, he made an unqualified promise\nof the Holy Ghost unto all who would obey the gospel. Replying to the\ncry of the multitude, \"Men and brethren, what shall we do?\" he said:\n\"Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ,\nfor the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy\nGhost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all\nthat are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.\" [30]\nThis simply means that the Holy Ghost is promised to all who will\nobey the gospel. It was promised to those that were listening to the\napostle, to their children, to all that were afar off, not only as to\ndistance, but as to time; to those a hundred years off, five hundred,\nor five thousand years off; \"even to as many as the Lord our God shall\ncall\"--that is, called to obedience to the gospel. It is a promise\nthat reaches our own generation as well as the first generation of the\nChristian era.\n\nWe, then, are promised the Holy Ghost, the spirit of prophecy and of\nrevelation; and indeed we are instructed by the Master himself that\nexcept we are born of the Spirit, that is, receive the Holy Ghost, we\ncannot enter into the kingdom of God. [31] So clearly is receiving the\nHoly Ghost a part of the plan of salvation, that, so far as I know,\nthere is not a Christian sect or church, but teaches the necessity\nand right and duty of the Christian to possess it. But oh, strange\ninconsistency of apostate Christendom! While teaching that men must\nbe baptized with the Holy Ghost, and must possess it, and walk in the\nlight thereof, they deny to it the chiefest of its powers--revelation\nand prophecy! Modern Christian teachers have dared, without the\nwarrant of divine authority, to divide the manifestations of the Holy\nGhost into \"ordinary\" and \"extraordinary\" powers; and then have had\nthe further presumption to tell us that the \"ordinary\" powers of the\nSpirit, such as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,\nfaith, meekness, and temperance, are to remain with men; but the\n\"extraordinary\" powers, such as revelation, prophecy, healing the sick,\ndiscernment of spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues,\netc., these are to be discontinued! Unhesitatingly I pronounce such\nunwarranted assumption blasphemous!\n\nInstead of trying to excuse the absence among them of the mighty powers\nof the Holy Ghost as manifested anciently in revelation and prophecy,\nby falsely saying it was the design of Almighty God that the Holy\nGhost should discontinue the exercise of these \"extraordinary\" powers,\nthe proper thing for Christendom to do would be to humble itself in\nthe dust, and confess that it has strayed from God's ordinances,\ntransgressed his laws, changed his ordinances, broken the covenant of\nthe gospel, blasphemously denied the powers of the Holy Ghost, because\nin their apostate state they received not the manifestations thereof.\nHow absurd to contend that part of the powers of the Holy Ghost are to\nbe exercised and not the others! What a denying and splitting up of the\npowers of God are here! One class of his powers to be exercised in one\nage, but to lie dormant in another, and man presuming to tell which are\nnecessary to be active and which dormant!\n\nSo far from leading us to believe in the discontinuance of the\n\"extraordinary powers\" of the Holy Ghost in the last days, the\nteachings of scripture on the contrary lead us to expect an increase\nof them. Peter in the sermon already referred to above, says, quoting\nthe prophet Joel: \"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith\nGod, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your\ndaughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions and your\nold men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens\nI will pour out of my spirit and they shall prophesy; and I will show\nwonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood and fire\nand vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon\ninto blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: and it\nshall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord\nshall be saved.\" [32]\n\nI know that the general understanding among Christians is that this\nprophecy was fulfilled upon the occasion of the Holy Ghost being poured\nout upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost; because, in replying to\nthe accusation of the multitude that the apostles who were speaking in\ntongues were drunk, Peter said: \"These are not drunken as ye suppose,\nseeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is _that_ which\nwas spoken by the Prophet Joel.\" Then follows the quotation already\ngiven. But that Peter meant by this that the prophecy of Joel was\ncompletely fulfilled is out of all harmony with the facts of the case.\nFirst, Joel's prophecy relates to \"the last days\"--not to the days\nin which Peter was living and speaking; second, according to Joel's\nprophecy, the Spirit of God was to be poured out upon \"all flesh;\"\non the occasion of its outpouring on the day of Pentecost, it was\nconfined to twelve men; third, both the \"sons and daughters\" of the\npeople are to prophesy, according to Joel's prediction; young men are\nto see visions; old men to dream dreams; and on his servants and his\nhandmaidens the Lord promises to pour out of his Spirit \"and they shall\nprophesy.\"\n\nThis describes so general an outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord upon\nhis people that the conditions existing on the day of Pentecost by no\nmanner of means fulfill the prophecy. What then could mean the saying\nof Peter--\"This is _that_ which was spoken by the prophet Joel?\" It\nmeans this: The Spirit that you here see manifestations of is that\nSpirit spoken of by Joel that will eventually be poured out upon \"all\nflesh;\" doubtless in that happy time spoken of by other prophets when\n\"The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down\nwith the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;\nand a little child shall lead them. * * * They shall not hurt nor\ndestroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the\nknowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.\" [33] Then and not\ntill then will Joel's great prophecy have its complete fulfillment.\n\nMoreover, connected with this outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord\nupon all flesh in the last days, is the fact that God will also \"show\nwonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood and fire\nand vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon\ninto blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come;\" but,\n\"whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.\" These\njudgments that are to be poured out upon the earth, together with the\nmercy that shall be shown to those who turn to the Lord, are so nearly\nidentical with those which are described as preceding or connected with\nthe glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus in the last days, [34] that\nthey must be the same; and these judgments, as also the outpouring\nof the Holy Spirit of God upon all flesh, look to the last days, and\nnot to the days when Peter preached to the people, for their complete\nfulfillment.\n\nIf we contemplate the Church of Christ as having existed, without a\nmoment's interruption from the time it was founded by the Savior and\nhis apostles until now, instead of losing or having any spiritual power\ndiscontinued the Christians ought to have increased in the enjoyment\nof them more and more. And instead of saying that the \"extraordinary\npowers\" of the Holy Ghost have been discontinued, they ought to be\nable to say the circle of those possessed of and able to employ all\nthe spiritual gifts of the gospel to their own and the salvation of\nothers, has been marvelously enlarged. The spirit of prophecy and\nrevelation, which, as we have seen, is the Holy Ghost, is absolutely\nnecessary in the church to call its officers. How else shall the church\nhave a divinely authorized ministry? How else shall men be called of\nGod as was Aaron? The church today has as much need of inspired men\nable to say, separate unto the Lord such and such men for the work\nwhereunto God has called them, as it was for the church in Antioch, in\nthe early days of Christianity, to have prophets and teachers who, as\nthey ministered before the Lord and fasted, heard the Holy Ghost say,\n\"Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called\nthem.\" [35]\n\nThe spirit of prophecy and revelation is necessary in the church\nto direct the officers thereof in the performance of their duties.\nIt is useless to contend that the directions given by the spirit\nof revelation to the ancient servants of the Lord will answer for\nGod's ministry now. As well might it be argued that the miller today\ncould grind with the water which passed his mill-wheel yesterday.\nThe conditions under which the Church of Christ exists in various\nages are constantly changing; and the officers of the church always\nrequire divine direction, which can only be supplied by revelation.\nThe revelations given to the patriarchs from Adam to Abraham and\nMelchisedek were not esteemed sufficient to direct Moses in the\nmanagement of the dispensation committed to him. Nor were the numerous\nrevelations given to Moses sufficient to guide his successor, Joshua,\nin leading Israel; but a means for obtaining the word of the Lord\nwas provided for him through the use of the Urim and Thummim, in the\nhands of the high priest. So also the revelations given to Moses, to\nJoshua and his successors, the judges and prophets of Israel, were\nnot considered sufficient to direct the labors of the apostles and\nseventies and elders in the dispensation of the gospel introduced by\nthe Lord Jesus. Nor were the revelations given to the first apostle\nsufficient to direct the labors of Paul and his associates in the\nconstantly changing circumstances in the midst of which they found\nthemselves. After having gone throughout Phrygia and the whole region\nof Galatia, Paul, had he followed his own inclinations, would have gone\ninto Asia to preach; but he was forbidden of the Holy Ghost [36]--that\nis, by revelation. Afterwards he would have gone into Bithynia, but the\nSpirit suffered him not [37]--that is, gave a revelation forbidding\nhim to go into that land. Afterwards, through an inspired vision, he\nwas called into Macedonia, [38] and began that wonderful missionary\ncareer which resulted in spreading a knowledge of the gospel throughout\nMacedonia, Greece and the western division of the Roman empire. In like\nmanner, in all succeeding generations, and no less in our own than in\nany that has preceded it, the ministry of the Church of Christ stands\nabsolutely in need of the spirit of prophecy and revelation to direct\nits labors, if those labors are to be efficient and acceptable to God.\n\nThe spirit of prophecy and revelation is necessary in the church not\nonly to call its ministers and direct their labors but also to teach,\ncorrect, reprove, comfort and warn the members thereof. How else shall\nthey be preserved from error in doctrine, and from the strife and\ndivision consequent upon it? Man's ways are not as God's ways; and it\nseems almost inherent in human nature to wander from the ways of the\nLord, to seek out many and strange inventions. Human wisdom is not\nsufficient for this work of correcting errors and reproving saints;\nfor \"the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God;\" [39]\nhence the necessity of the ministry of the church having the spirit of\nprophecy and revelation.\n\nAnd then, for another reason should the ministry of the church teach,\n\"not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of\nthe spirit and of power;\" that the faith of the saints stand not in\n\"the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.\" [40]\n\nNor is it enough for the ministry to be inspired of God, the lay\nmembers of the church no less than the ministry have a right to it--to\nthe people as well as to the priests is the Holy Ghost promised;\nand the people have need of it as well as the ministry; for \"the\nnatural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: they\nare foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, for they are\nspiritually discerned.\" [41] Hence the importance of those who listen\nbeing inspired by the same spirit as those who teach. \"It is written,\"\nsays Paul, that \"eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it\nentered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for\nthem that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit;\nfor the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. * * *\nNow we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which\nis of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us\nof God.\" [42] If thus the saints in primitive Christian times enjoyed\nthe spirit of revelation and of prophecy, why should not the saints\nin all succeeding ages also enjoy it, since it is promised to them as\nwell as unto the first Christians, and God is no respecter of persons?\n[43] Why should not Christians in all ages have the spirit of prophecy\nto enlighten and comfort their souls and warn them of events to come?\nBut the argument is interminable, and I only desired to pursue it far\nenough to prove that the whole genius of the gospel contemplates the\ncontinuance of revelation.\n\nHow long I have delayed the direct consideration of my Thesis! The\nforegoing remarks, however, were necessary since the belief that the\nvolume of scripture was completed and forever closed; that the voice\nof prophecy is no more to be heard; that the visitation of angels is\nnot to be expected; that revelation has forever ceased--all stood as\nso many obstacles to be removed before we could consider the direct\ntestimony supporting the proposition that the gospel in the last days\nis to be restored to the earth by re-opening the heavens and giving\na new dispensation thereof to the children of men. But now all things\nare ready. I have shown that since men corrupted and lost the gospel,\ntogether with divine authority to administer its ordinances, the only\nway to regain possession of it is by receiving a new dispensation\nthereof through a revelation from God; that the sectarian teaching\nthat the volume of scripture is completed and closed is based upon\nassumption merely; that the same sectarian teaching that revelation\nand prophecy had ceased forever is equally false; on the contrary we\nhave seen that the very spirit and genius of the gospel contemplates\nthe continuation of revelation both to the church and to individuals;\ntherefore it can be neither unscriptural nor unreasonable to expect a\nnew revelation that will restore the gospel.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Mark xvi.\n\n2. Matt. xxviii.\n\n3. Acts xix.\n\n4. See II. Samuel vi, in connection with Numb. iv, 5-15.\n\n5. II. Chron. xxvi.\n\n6. Heb. v: 1-4.\n\n7. \"And take unto thee Aaron, thy brother, and his sons with him, from\namong the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the\npriest's office.\" _Word of the Lord to Moses,_ Ex. xxviii: 1.\n\n8. John xv: 16.\n\n9. Heb. v: 5, 6.\n\n10. Rev. xxii: 18, 19.\n\n11. Vide Biblical Literature (Kitto), Art. Book of Revelation.\n\n12. Early Days of Christianity, ch. xxvii.\n\n13. This would make the 1st Epistle of John the closing book of the\ncanon.\n\n14. Deut, iv: 2.\n\n15. Proverbs xxx: 6.\n\n16. St. John xix: 30.\n\n17. Corinth xiii: 8.\n\n18. _Ibid,_ verse 9-12.\n\n19. It should be remembered that the division of the Epistle, and for\nthat matter the whole of the New Testament, into chapters and verses\nwas not made by the writers of it, but is quite a modern work. The\nverse with which the fourteenth chapter opens is a direct and close\ncontinuation of the subject with which the thirteenth chapter closes,\nand ought not to have been separated from it into another chapter. It\nis an instance of how clumsily the work of dividing the New Testament\ninto chapters and verses was done.\n\n20. Matt. xvi.\n\n21. St. John i: 42.\n\n22. Footnote in the Douay Bible on Matt. xvi: 17, 18.\n\n23. Genesis v:24; Heb. xi: 5.\n\n24. Exodus xxxiii: 11.\n\n25. II Peter i: 20, 21.\n\n26. John xvi: 13.\n\n27. John xv: 26--Jesus to the apostles.\n\n28. I Cor. xii.\n\n29. Rev. xix: 10.\n\n30. Acts ii: 38, 39.\n\n31. John iii: 5.\n\n32. Acts ii.\n\n33. Isaiah xi.\n\n34. See Matt. xxiv.\n\n35. Acts xiii.\n\n36. Acts xvi:6.\n\n37. Acts xvi:7.\n\n38. Acts xvi:9, 10.\n\n39. I Cor. ii: 11.\n\n40. I Cor. ii: 4, 5.\n\n41. I Cor. ii: 14.\n\n42. I Cor. ii: 9, 10, 12.\n\n43. Rom. ii: 11.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\nPROPHETIC HISTORY OF THE CHURCH--THE RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL BY AN\nANGEL.\n\nAnd now as to the direct testimony for the restoration of the gospel by\nmeans of a new revelation. It is to be found in one of the revelations\nto St. John upon the Isle of Patmos. While there, either as an exile,\nor a prisoner in the mines during the persecution under the Emperor\nDomitian--and in either case suffering for the word of God and the\ntestimony of Jesus Christ--the apostle received many visions pertaining\nto the past, the present and the future of the Church of Christ.\nEspecially are the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of His\nrevelation instructive. There is a unity of design in them that cannot\nbe mistaken. They contain a history of the church from the time it\nwas presided over by the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, unto the time\nwhen the judgments of God fall upon Babylon to her utter destruction.\nWithout entering into minute detail let me point this out.\n\nIn the first two verses of the twelfth chapter, under the figure of a\nwoman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and about her\nhead a crown of twelve stars, and ready to be delivered of a child,\nJohn describes the church presided over by the apostles, and ready to\nbring forth the complete organization of the priesthood--the male child\nthat is to rule the nations.\n\nIn the third and fourth verses, under the figure of a great red dragon,\nwhose tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and who stood\nbefore the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born,--we have a\ndescription of Lucifer standing ready to destroy the priesthood so soon\nas it should be brought forth.\n\nIn verses five and six, under the figure of the woman bringing forth\nthe male child, the child being caught up into heaven, and the flight\nof the woman into the wilderness, where God has a place prepared for\nher, where she is nourished for a thousand two hundred and three score\ndays--we have a description of the coming forth of the priesthood as an\norganization, its being taken up into heaven out of reach of Lucifer,\nand also the flight of the church beyond his power into the wilderness,\nwhere it is nourished for a certain time.\n\nIn the verses from seven to twelve, inclusive, we have a deflection\nfrom the main line of history to explain who and what the great red\ndragon is. We are told of the war in heaven, where Michael and his\nangels fought; and the dragon and his angels fought, but prevailed\nnot; and how at last the dragon, that old serpent called the Devil and\nSatan, was cast out of heaven into the earth and his angels with him.\nWe are told of the joy there was in heaven when the accuser of the\nbrethren was cast out; and how there had come salvation and strength\nand the kingdom of God and the power of his Christ. But those who thus\nrejoiced in heaven cry woe unto the inhabitants of the earth, because\nthe devil had come down unto them having great wrath.\n\nThe thirteenth verse brings us back from the deflection to the line of\nhistory again; and from there to the close of the chapter under the\nfigure of the woman flying into the wilderness, the dragon casting\nout of his mouth floods of water to carry her away if possible, and\nthe return of the dragon full of wrath to make war on the seed of the\nwoman,--\"which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of\nJesus\"--we have repeated the story of the flight of the church from the\nearth, the slander of Lucifer still seeking to destroy the church, now\nbeyond the direct influence of his power, and his return to make was\nupon the few saints that remained after the church as an organization\nhad been taken from among men.\n\nIn the first and second verses of the thirteenth chapter, under the\nfigure of a monstrous, hydra-headed beast rising out of the sea,\nand the dragon giving unto him his power and his seat and great\nauthority--we have a description of the rise and nature of pagan Rome,\nand Lucifer giving unto it his power and inspiring it with his spirit\nof hatred towards the saints.\n\nIn the third and fourth verses, under the figure of one of the heads of\nthe beast being wounded and afterwards healed, all the world wondering\nafter the beast, the dragon who gave him his power being worshiped, and\nthe beast being worshiped--we have the transition from the pagan to the\npapal power of Rome described, and the worship of Lucifer in return for\ngiving his power to the beast.\n\nThen follows in verses from the fifth to the tenth, inclusive, the\nproclamation of this devil-inspired power to blaspheme against God,\nagainst his tabernacle and the saints in heaven; _\"to make war upon\nthe saints and to overcome them;\"_ his dominion over all kindreds and\ntongues and nations; the prophecy that all who dwell upon the earth\nshall worship him whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of\nlife from the foundation of the world; and also the prophecy of the\ncaptivity of this power which has led into captivity, and the killing\nof him by the sword who killed with the sword.\n\nFrom the tenth verse to the close of the chapter we have the rise of\nother powers described which shall under new forms inaugurate the old\nworship, exercise the old tyranny, practice the old deceptions, and\nconfirm them by the performance of miracles.\n\nThe first seven verses of the fourteenth chapter describe the\nblessedness of a special company of the servants of God who have been\nredeemed from the earth, an hundred and forty and four thousand of\nthem, being the first fruits unto God and the Lamb, in whose mouth was\nfound no guile, and who are without fault.\n\nThe sixth and seventh verses describe an angel flying \"in the midst of\nheaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on\nthe earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,\nsaying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour\nof his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth,\nand the sea, and the fountains of waters.\"\n\nThe eighth verse proclaims the fall of Babylon which has made all\nnations drunk with the wine of the wrath of her fornication. The\nrest of the chapter forbids the worship of the beast or his image,\npronouncing the wrath of God against those who do so; and deals\nwith the successive judgments which shall overtake the earth to\ncleanse it of its wickedness. Thus in prophecy was the history of the\nchurch written, its establishment; the war made upon its priesthood\nby Lucifer; the taking away of the priesthood and the church from\nwithin the circle of his power; Lucifer's league first with pagan and\nafterwards with papal Rome; the establishment of devil and man worship;\nthe blaspheming of God, his tabernacle and the saints in heaven; the\nrise of other powers who under new forms establish old blasphemies\nand devil-worship; the restoration of the gospel in the hour of God's\njudgment; and the final fall of Babylon and the cleansing of the earth\npreparatory to the reign of peace and righteousness inaugurated by the\nrestoration of the gospel. There it is, a mighty compendium of history\nwritten by the spirit of prophecy!\n\nIt is, however, with that part of it which relates to the restoration\nof the gospel that here I have most to do. This the passage: \"I saw\nanother angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel\nto preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and\nkindred and tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, fear God and\ngive glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come; and worship\nhim that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of\nwaters.\" [1]\n\nHowever obscure some parts of the Books of Revelation may be\nconsidered, this prophecy is perfectly clear. Looked at from any\nstandpoint, it means simply this: In the hour of God's judgment an\nangel will come from heaven bringing with him the everlasting gospel,\nwhich is thence to be preached unto all nations and peoples of the\nearth. The fact that the gospel is to be restored in the hour of God's\njudgment by the ministry of an angel, and thence is to be preached to\nevery nation and kindred and tongue and people is proof positive that\nevery nation and kindred and tongue and people in the hour of God's\njudgment would be without the gospel, hence the necessity of restoring\nit in the manner described. For if the Lord had a church on the earth,\npossessing divine authority, there would be no necessity to bring in\na new dispensation of the gospel as described in the prophecy under\nconsideration.\n\nIn this passage several of the facts for which I have contended meet:\nFirst, that there has been a universal apostasy from the gospel, so\ncomplete in its departure from the doctrines and rites of the Christian\nreligion, so universal, as to destroy the church of Christ; second, the\nnecessity of restoring the gospel by a re-opening of the heavens; and\nthird, the fact of the restoration of the gospel by the ministration of\nan angel who commits a new dispensation of it to man, to be preached\nthroughout the world.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Rev. xiv: 6, 7.\n\n\n\nTHESIS IV.\n\nJoseph Smith is the New Witness for God; a Prophet Divinely Authorized\nto Teach the Gospel, and Re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ on\nEarth.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\nTHE NEW WITNESS INTRODUCED.\n\nAt the beginning of the nineteenth century, the western part of\nthe State of New York was a new country, by which I mean--one\nrecently settled, and comparatively a wilderness. At the close of\nthe Revolutionary War, which secured to the former British Colonies\nindependence, the people of the new-born nation found their country\nand themselves impoverished. Manufactures owing to the narrow and\nselfish policy of England toward her colonies (that policy had been\nto discourage the colonies from manufacturing, least they should\ncompete with the manufactures of England) could scarcely be said to\nhave an existence. Commerce, owing to the fact that the new nation\nhad not yet established a commercial standing in the world, afforded\nlittle opportunity for American activity. Moreover, the American\npeople themselves, of that generation, because of the conditions which\nhad surrounded them in the New World, were neither skilled artisans\ncapable of competing with the British workmen in manufacturing, nor\nhad they the cunning that comes by training, which qualified them\nfor immediate success. What they did possess was sturdy physical\nframes--constitutions unimpaired either by the excesses practiced among\nbarbarians, or by the vices which abound in older civilizations. They\npossessed strong hands, superb courage and simple tastes, and with\nthese they entered into that almost boundless empire of wilderness to\nthe west of them, to make homes for themselves and their children.\n\nLooking from the standpoint of our modern life, which knows so much\nof ease and comfort, the lot of these pioneers was a hard one. The\nsoil which their rude shares upturned to the sun was indeed virgin\nand fertile, but before it could be cultivated it had to be cleared\nof its heavy growth of timber and underbrush, and with the means\nthen employed, to clear a farm was well-nigh a life's labor. Each\npioneer with the help of a few neighbors--which help he paid for by\nhelping them in return--built his own house, his barn, his sheds,\nand fenced his \"clearing.\" Each family within itself was practically\nself-supporting. The hum of the spinning-wheel, the rattle of the\nshuttle and the thumping of the loom was heard in every home, as wool\nand flax were converted into fabrics to clothe the family; and every\npioneer cultivated such a variety of products that his farm and his\nlabor supplied his wants and those of his household. Happily for their\ncontentment, the conditions in which they lived rendered their wants\nbut few.\n\nIn settling the wilderness the pioneers were not disposed to crowd each\nother. They settled far apart. It often happened that a man's nearest\nneighbor would be two or three miles away, so that the country for a\nlong time was but sparsely settled. Towns were few and far between,\nand were only slowly built up. No such mushroom-growth of towns was\nknown as that which characterized the settlement of the great prairie\nstates in subsequent years. A few families settling on a stream\nfurnishing water power for a grist-mill, or at some point on lake or\nstream frequented by the Indians for the purpose of trading their furs,\nformed the nucleus of these towns, and soon school-houses and churches\nincreased their attractions.\n\nIt was a simple, honest life these pioneers led. A life full of toil;\nfor it was a stubborn fight they had with the wilderness to subdue it.\nAnd yet their very hardships tended towards virtue. A busy life in\nhonorable pursuits can never be a vicious one; and the constant toil of\nthese men in wood and field so kept hands and head employed that there\nwas left no time nor opportunity to pursue evil. Their amusements were\nfew and simple, consisting in the main of the occasional gatherings of\nneighbors for social enjoyments--the love of youth and maiden seeking\nits legitimate expression in that companionship which alone satisfies\nthe hunger of the heart, I doubt not, was the incentive which brought\nabout these gatherings--at least their frequency; and the old, well\npleased to see their own youth reflected in that of their sons and\ndaughters, looked on with unconcealed delight.\n\nNot only was this life in the wilderness favorable to morality, it\ncontributed equally well to the cultivation of the religious sentiment\nin man. Man is by nature a religious animal, and where natural\nconditions prevail instead of artificial ones, true to his nature,\nman inclines toward a religious state of mind. There is something in\nthe awful stillness of the wood that says to man--\"God is in this\nsolitude!\" The murmur of the brook splashing over its pebbly bed, and\nthe mournful sighing of the winds through the tree tops, whisper to\nhis spirit the fundamental truth of all religion--\"God lives!\" The\nstars looking down through the trees or mirrored in stream or lake\nbear witness to the same great truth; while the orderly course of\nthe seasons, bringing with such undeviating regularity seed time and\nharvest, the period of summer's growth and winter's rest, accompanied\nby the fact of the sun shining for the wicked as for the good, and the\nrain falling upon the just and the unjust alike, gives ample evidence\nof God's interest in the world he has created and of his beneficence\nand mercy towards all men.\n\nWhen conditions were so favorable for the development of natural\nreligion, it is not surprising that profound interest was manifested\nalso in revealed religion. Especially when we remember that these\npioneers of the wilderness were but from one to three generations\nremoved from ancestors who had left the Old World for the express\npurpose of worshiping God according to their understanding of that same\nrevealed religion. That skepticism of the eighteenth century which in\nsome quarters had such a baneful influence upon religious belief was\nscarcely felt in these settlements remote from the old centers of the\nNew World civilization. These men of the wilderness believed the Bible\nand looked upon it with the reverence worthy of men descended from\nProtestant fathers who had in their system of theology made it take the\nplace of pope and church, and established it as their sole authority\nand infallible guide in the matters of faith and morals. While many of\nthem refused to identify themselves with any of the various sects about\nthem, or subscribe to their creeds, they were profound believers in\nthe word of God, and often confessed this short creed which they duly\nimpressed upon their descendants: \"I believe in God, in the Bible, and\nin a state of future rewards and punishments.\"\n\nThere was no lack of zealous churchmen among the pioneers, sectaries\nwho taught special forms of faith and contended for the necessity of\nparticular dogmas and formulas with all that ardor and narrowness of\nview that usually characterizes the sectarian mind. Their contentions\nfor the correctness of their respective creeds were not always free\nfrom bitterness but for all that the Protestant sects recognized each\nother as parts of a great universal church, and occasionally would so\nfar put away the differences of creed which separated them as to unite\nfor the purpose of holding union protracted meetings for the conversion\nof unbelievers.\n\nDuring the continuance of these meetings the minister avoided\npreaching any doctrine except such as could be accepted by all the\nsects--evangelical doctrine. Professedly their sole effort was to lead\nthe unconverted to believe in and accept Christ, let them join what\nsect they pleased. Usually matters went on very agreeably until the\nconverts made by these united efforts began to express their preference\nfor one or the other of the different religious sects. Then would break\nout those fierce sectarian struggles for advantage which have ever been\nso disgraceful to Protestant Christendom. The good feeling temporarily\nexhibited during the union meetings nearly all disappeared, and by the\nfact of its vanishing impressed an observer with the idea that all\nalong it was more pretended than real. Sectarian zeal was unbounded\nin its efforts to secure as many of the new converts as possible to\nits own particular denomination. There was a cry of lo here and of lo\nthere, not unfrequently accompanied with remarks of detraction about\nthe opposing sects. The priests, each jealous for his own church,\ncontended fiercely with one another, so that they who ought to have\nbeen the most exemplary in that conduct which makes for peace on\nearth and good will towards men, were often the most to be blamed for\nstirring up contention.\n\nSuch a wave of religious fervor brought about in the manner above set\nforth, and attended with results described, passed over the western\npart of the State of New York in the winter and spring of 1820. The\nmovement at that time was of unusual interest, first on account of\nits extent, and second on account of the intensity of the religious\nexcitement produced. It can well be imagined that with these two\nconditions existing, the bitterness among the sects taking part in the\nmovement would be correspondingly great when it came to dividing up the\nspoils. By which I mean when the converts made by a unity of effort\nbegan to file off some to one sect and some to another. Such was the\ncase. Presbyterians opposed Methodists, and Methodists Baptists; and\nBaptists opposed both the other sects. All was strife, contention,\nconfusion, beneath which Christian charity and good will to man--these\nweightier matters of the law--were buried so far out of sight that it\nmight be questioned if they ever existed.\n\nStanding somewhat apart from, but watching with intense interest this\nreligious excitement, and wondering greatly at the confusion and strife\nattendant upon it was a lad fourteen years old. [1] He was born of\nparents numbered among the pioneers of the wilderness, and up to that\ntime had lived with them surrounded by the conditions already described\nin the first part of this chapter as so favorable to morality and\nthe development of religious sentiment. By this religious agitation\nthe mind of the lad was stirred to serious reflection accompanied\nwith great uneasiness on account of the sectarian strife so incessant\nand so bitter. He saw several members of his father's family connect\nthemselves with the Presbyterian sect, but he himself was more partial\nto the Methodist Church; and at times he felt some desire to be united\nwith them. The tumult arising from the religious contention, however,\nwas such as to bewilder him, and he felt himself incompetent to decide\nwho was right and who was wrong. \"What is to be done?\" he would often\nask himself. \"Who of all these parties are right? Or are they all wrong\ntogether? If any one of them be right, which is it and how shall I know\nit?\" [2]\n\nYoung as he was, his native intelligence taught him that something\nwas radically wrong with all this contention over religion. It was\nclear even to his boyish mind that God could not be the author of\nall this confusion. God's church would not be split up into factions\nin this fashion; if he taught one society to worship one way, and\nadminister one set of ordinances, he would not teach another principles\ndiametrically opposed. [3]\n\nInfluenced by these reflections he refrained from joining any of the\nsects and in the meantime studied the scriptures as best he could for\nhimself. While thus engaged he came to that passage in James which\nsays: \"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to\nall men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him.\" That\npassage was like the voice of God to his spirit. \"Never,\" he was wont\nto say in later life--\"never did any passage of scripture come with\nmore power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It\nseemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart.\" [4]\nHe reflected upon it again and again, and as he did so the impression\ngrew stronger that the advice of the ancient apostle offered a solution\nto his perplexities. It never occurred to him to think that the passage\nmeant other than it said, or to question the universal application of\nthe advice it gives. He knew nothing of the sophistry of the schools of\ntheology which too often made the word of God of none effect by their\nlearned exegesis. Through the innocent eyes of a mere boy, he looked\nthe proposition of James squarely in the front, and, thanks to the\nteachings of parents who revered the word of God, he believed what the\nman of God said, and he believed further that he expressed that which\nthe Lord inspired him to say; so that it came to him with the full\nforce of a revelation. Under such circumstances what was more natural\nthan for him to reason thus: If any person needs wisdom from God, I\ndo, for how to act I do not know, and unless I can get more wisdom\nthan I now have, I shall never know. [5] But one conclusion could be\narrived at through such a course of reflection: he must either remain\nin darkness and confusion or do as James directed--ask of God. And\nsince he gives wisdom to them that lack wisdom, and will give liberally\nand not upbraid, he thought he might venture. And so at last he did.\nHe selected a place in a grove near his father's house, and there one\nbeautiful morning in the spring of 1820, [6] after looking timidly\nabout to ascertain that he was alone, the boy knelt in his first\nattempt at vocal prayer, to ask God for wisdom.\n\nNo sooner had he begun calling upon the Lord than there sprang upon\nhim a being from the unseen world, who so entirely overcame him, and\nbound his utterance, that he could not speak. Thick darkness gathered\nabout him, and it seemed to the struggling boy that he was doomed to\nsudden destruction. He still exerted all his power to call upon the\nLord to deliver him from the power of the enemy who had seized him.\nBut still his unseen though none the less real enemy continued to\nprevail. Despair filled his heart. He was about to abandon himself to\ndestruction when at the moment of his greatest alarm he saw a pillar\nof light exactly over his head, above the brightness of the sun, which\ndescended gradually until it fell upon him. No sooner did this light\nappear than he was free from the enemy which had held him bound. As the\nlight rested upon him he saw within it two personages whose brightness\nand glory defy all description. They stood above him in the air, and\none of them pointing to the other said: \"JOSEPH, THIS IS MY BELOVED\nSON, HEAR HIM.\"\n\nThe object of the lad in going to that place to engage in secret\nprayer was to learn of God which of all the sects was right, that\nhe might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did he recover\nhis self-possession than he asked the personage to whom he was thus\nintroduced, which of all the sects was right--which he should join. He\nwas answered that he must join none of them; for they were all wrong\nTheir creeds were an abomination in God's sight; the professors of\nthem were all corrupt--\"They draw near me with their lips,\" said the\npersonage, talking to him, \"but their hearts are far from me; they\nteach for doctrine the commandments of men; having a form of Godliness\nbut denying the power thereof.\" Again he was told that he must join\nnone of them.\n\nMany other things were said to him on that occasion which the Prophet\nhas not recorded, except to say that he was promised that the fullness\nof the gospel would at some future time be made known to him. [7]\n\nWith this the vision closed, and the boy on coming to himself was lying\nupon his back looking up into heaven. He arose to his feet and looked\nupon the place of his fierce struggle with his unseen though powerful\nenemy--the place also of his splendid vision!\n\nWhat a change had come to the lad in one brief hour! He was no longer\nstruggling with doubts or troubled with perplexities as to which of\nthe sects was right. He had gone to that place of prayer plagued with\nuncertainty, now no one among the children of men so well assured as\nhe of the course to pursue. He had proved the correctness of James'\ndoctrine--men may ask God for wisdom, receive liberally and not\nbe upbraided. He knew that the religious creeds of the world were\nuntrue; that they taught for doctrine the commandments of men; that\nreligionists observed a form of godliness, but in their hearts denied\nthe power of God; that they drew near to the Lord with their lips,\nbut their hearts were far from him. He knew that God, the Father,\nlived, for he had both seen him and heard his voice; he knew that\nJesus lived and was the Son of God, for he had been introduced to him\nby the Father, conversed with him in heavenly vision and had received\ninstruction and a promise that the fullness of the gospel should yet be\nmade known to him. Up to that time his life had been uneventful, and\nof a character to make him of no particular consequence in the world;\nnow he stood as God's WITNESS among the children of men. Henceforth he\nmust bear witness to the great truths he had learned. His testimony\nwill arouse the wrath of men, and with unrelenting fury they will\npursue him. Slander, outright falsehood and misrepresentation will play\nhavoc with his reputation. Everywhere his name will be held up as evil.\nDerision will laugh at his testimony, Ridicule mock it. On every hand\nhe will be met with the cry of \"False prophet! false prophet!\" Chains\nand the dungeon's gloom await him; mobs with murderous hate will assail\nhim again and again; and at the last, while under the protection of the\nlaw, and the honor of a great commonwealth pledged for his safety, he\nwill be murdered in cold blood for the word of God and the testimony of\nJesus!\n\nHow little that fair-haired boy, standing there in the unpruned forest,\nwith the sunlight stealing through the trees about him, realized\nthe burden placed upon his shoulders that morning by reason of the\nvisitation he received in answer to his prayer!\n\nHere is not the place for argument, that is to come later; but let\nus consider the wide-sweeping effect of this boy's vision upon the\naccepted theology of Christendom.\n\nFirst, it was a flat contradiction to the assumption that revelation\nhad ceased, that God had no further communication to make to man.\n\nSecond, it reveals the errors into which men had fallen concerning the\npersonages of the Godhead. It makes it manifest that God is not an\nincorporeal being without body, or parts; on the contrary he appeared\nto the Prophet in the form of a man, as he did to the ancient prophets.\nThus after centuries of controversy the simple truth of the scriptures\nwhich teach that man was created in the likeness of God--hence God must\nbe the same in form as man--was re-affirmed.\n\nThird, it corrected the error of the theologians respecting the oneness\nof the persons of the Father and the Son. Instead of being one in\nperson as the theologians taught, they are distinct in their persons,\nas much so as any father and son on earth; and the oneness of the\nGodhead referred to in the scriptures, must have reference to unity of\npurpose and of will; the mind of the one being the mind of the other,\nand so as to the will and other attributes.\n\nThe announcement of these truths, coupled with that other truth\nproclaimed by the Son of God, viz.: that none of the sects and churches\nof Christendom were acknowledged as the church or kingdom of God,\nfurnish the elements for a religious revolution that will affect the\nvery foundations of modern Christian theology. In a moment all the\nrubbish concerning religion which had accumulated through all the\ncenturies since the gospel and authority to administer its ordinances\nhad been taken from the earth, was grandly swept aside--the living\nrocks of truth were made bare upon which the Church of Christ was to be\nfounded--a New Dispensation of the gospel was about to be committed to\nthe earth--God had raised up a witness for himself among the children\nof men.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Joseph Smith the prophet was born in Sharon, Windsor County, state\nof Vermont, 23rd of December, 1805.\n\n2. Pearl of Great Price, p. 86. (1888 edition always quoted).\n\n3. See Joseph's reasoning upon this subject, published in his account\nof the rise of the church, written for Mr. John Wentworth, proprietor\nof the _Chicago Democrat_ (1842), This article is also found in a\npamphlet published by Geo A. Smith, entitled _Answers to Questions,_ p.\n37.\n\n4. Hist. of Joseph Smith, Supplement to Millennial Star, Vol xiv.\n\n5. His reasoning set down here is paraphrased from his own account of\nwhat he thought. See Hist. of Joseph Smith, Millennial Star, Vol. xiv.\n\n6. The exact date of this occurrence is not known.\n\n7. _Answers to Questions,_ p. 37.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\nA NEW DISPENSATION OF THE GOSPEL.\n\nThe true test of moral courage is to stand alone against the world and\nmaintain what one believes or knows to be the truth. It is easy enough\nto join in the chorus that cries \"Amen\" to orthodox doctrines, or even\nto lead in advocating opinions that the multitude by very force of\ntradition accept with applause. Even unpopular opinions are maintained\nand that stoutly by men whose moral courage falls very far short of\nthe sublime, if only they are supported by a following. Just as men of\nindifferent physical courage will sometimes show a spirit of desperate\ndaring, and rush into the jaws of death, borne up against the danger\nby the sheer consciousness of moving upon it with a large number of\ntheir fellows. Examples are furnished by armies in battle. Not a few\nof those who charge the enemy with apparent reckless bravery are borne\nalong by the strength which comes from the support of numbers. The\ncharge upon the enemy, therefore, even in the face of a galling fire,\nis not the truest test of the courage of the soldier. A better evidence\nof courage is given by the solitary sentinel upon his beat; when alone\nunder the quiet stars he walks the path of danger, uncertain where it\nmay be lurking or from what quarter it may come; when the shouts of\nhis comrades are hushed in slumber; when the soul-stirring drum and\near-piercing fife are silent; when the excitement which comes from\naction, and the tumult of glorious battle no longer sustains him--then\nif his spirit fails him not, and he calmly and alone faces the danger\nand does his duty, he gives his commander a better evidence of his\ncourage than he will ever give in the mad recklessness of the charge.\n\nAs dogs best hunt in packs, so men best fight in armies; and so, too,\ndo men best stand by their convictions when strengthened by that\nmoral support which comes from the approval of their fellows. But, as\nI remarked, the truest test of moral courage is to stand alone and\nmaintain what one either knows or believes to be the truth against the\nsneers and ridicule of the world.\n\nWhen the one who stands alone against millions is young, and the\ninfluences brought to bear against him are the most powerful that can\nbe employed; if he break not down, but steadily holds to the assertion\nor principle which gives offense, his courage and integrity must\nstand as presumptive evidence that he either has the truth or what he\nbelieves to be the truth, for out and out falsehood has no such heroes.\nThe truth alone, or what is honestly taken for it, can support men in\nsuch an issue as this. And more especially is this the case if the one\nundergoing the trial, in addition to tender years, is also unschooled\nin the vices of the world, is of quick sympathies and easily persuaded.\n\nSuch was Joseph Smith when he received that vision of the Father and\nthe Son described in a preceding chapter. He had but just completed his\nfourteenth year. The conditions amid which he spent his childhood--not\nyet ended--were such as to keep him innocent; and his deep filial\nlove and strong affection for brothers and sisters gave evidence\nof the existence in him of those quick sympathies which in later\nlife developed into that deep universal love for his fellow-men so\ncharacteristic of him; while the disposition to yield to the persuasion\nof his friends was so prominent in him as well nigh to amount to\nweakness. [1] Thus in him were all those qualities of character, and\nabout him were all those conditions, which make his stand for the\ntruth of his story of such great force as presumptive evidence of its\ncorrectness; for notwithstanding his youth, his inclination to yield\nto the persuasions of friends, his deep sympathetic soul, which was\npained at the abuse heaped upon his parents as well as upon himself for\nasserting that he had seen a vision--notwithstanding all this, he never\ncould be induced either by persuasion, by threats, by scoffs, by scorn\nor ridicule, or religious influence, or abuse heaped upon himself and\nfamily, to retract his declaration that he had seen a heavenly vision\nin which he beheld both God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.\n\nHe made no secret of the vision. Only a few days after receiving it,\nbeing in company with a prominent Methodist minister, he gave him an\naccount of the revelation which he had received from God, when to the\nboy's astonishment the minister railed most viciously against it. \"He\ntreated my communication not only lightly,\" says the Prophet, writing\nof those early experiences later in life, \"but with contempt, saying\nit was all of the devil, that there was no such thing as visions or\nrevelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the\napostles, and that there never would be any more of them. I soon found,\nhowever, that by telling the story I had excited a great deal of\nprejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause\nof great persecution, which continued to increase, and though I was an\nobscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my\ncircumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the\nworld, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite\nthe public mind against me, and create a hot persecution, and this was\ncommon among all the sects, all united to persecute me.\n\n\"It has often caused me serious reflection, both then and since, how\nvery strange it was that an obscure boy, a little over fourteen year\nof age, and one, too, who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a\nscanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be thought a character\nof sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of\nthe most popular sects of the day, so as to create in them a spirit\nof the hottest persecution and reviling. But strange or not, so it\nwas, and was often a cause of great sorrow to myself. However, it was,\nnevertheless, a fact that I had had a vision. I have thought since that\nI felt much like Paul when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and\nrelated the account of the vision he had when he saw a light and heard\na voice, but still there were but a few who believed him; and some said\nhe was dishonest; others said he was mad, and he was ridiculed and\nreviled; but all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had\nseen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven\ncould not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto\ndeath, yet he knew and would know to his latest breath that he had both\nseen a light, and heard a voice speaking to him, and all the world\ncould not make him think or believe otherwise.\n\n\"So it was with me; I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of\nthat light I saw two personages, and they did in reality speak unto\nme, or one of them did; and though I was hated and persecuted for\nsaying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were\npersecuting me, reviling me and speaking all manner of evil against me\nfalsely, for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute for\ntelling the truth? I had actually seen a vision, and who am I that I\ncan withstand God? Or why does the world think to make me deny what I\nhave actually seen? For I had seen a vision. I knew it, and I knew that\nGod knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dare I do it; at least I\nknew that by so doing I would offend God and come under condemnation.\"\n[2]\n\nThis statement the boy maintained alone (save such support as came from\nthe belief of his own family, none of the immediate members of which,\nso far as I have learned, ever doubting his story), against the world\nfor three years; without even the encouragement of a further spiritual\nmanifestation. It would be improper, as I believe, to say that God did\nthis to prove him. The Almighty, who is also All Knowing, knew before\nthe test was made that he would endure it. God knew his spirit and\nits nobility and strength as he knew Messiah's or Abraham's; He knew\nit as he knew the spirit of Jeremiah and ordained him, too, to be a\nprophet to the nations before he was born. [3] But if God needed no new\nevidence of the strength of character possessed by his New Witness; if\nhe needed no proof of his integrity, his devotion to the truth--the\nworld did; and during that period of three years of sore trial, when\nalone he maintained the truth against scoffing priests, the gibes of\nhis companions, and the sneers, ridicule and unbelief of the world,\nhe gave to the generation in which he lived and to all generations\nsucceeding, such evidence of his integrity to the truth, or what at\nleast he believed to be true, as ought and will secure the respectful\nattention of sincere men to the testimony he bears for God.\n\nThe constancy of the lad, under all the circumstances, laid deep the\nfoundation for faith in the man, and in the work which, under God,\nhe founded. There were so many interests--the peace of himself and\nfamily; his own and his family's good name and standing in society;\nthe applause of religionists who would have hailed with delight his\nrenunciation of the vision as a delusion of the devil--all these things\ncried out, \"Renounce it!\" But the fact that to all such demands the\nlad shouted back, \"'Tis God's truth, I saw the vision!\"--will go far\ntowards making men believe that he did; for had he been base enough to\ninvent such a story, when he found that it made against his interest\nand brought nothing but reproaches, without doubt, he would have denied\nit; for men seldom persist in conscious falsehood which works only to\ntheir disadvantage. And in this instance the renunciation would have\nbeen so easy by calling it a delusion wrought by the adversary of men's\nsouls, by which he had been deceived. But neither ease of denial nor\nthe seeming advantages to accrue from it moved him; against it all he\nwas supported by the consciousness of having told the truth. Unless\nindeed we can believe him so insane as to have been a candidate for\ndisgrace and ambitious of the contempt of his fellows.\n\nAt the end of three years' silence, viz., on the 21st of September,\n1823, he was blessed with another vision. During the three years he was\nleft to stand alone he lays no claim to perfect sanctity, but freely\nconfesses to have fallen frequently into \"foolish errors, and displayed\nthe weakness of youth, and the corruption of human nature.\" In\nconsequence of these things he often felt condemned; and on the above\nmentioned 21st of September, he betook himself to prayer to Almighy\nGod, sought a remission of his sins, and asked for a manifestation of\nhis standing before the Lord.\n\nWhile thus calling upon God in prayer, the room in which he knelt was\nfilled with light, and an angel stood in his presence, who announced\nhimself a messenger sent from God to inform him that the Lord had a\nwork for him to do; and that his name should be had for good and evil\namong all nations; or that it should be both good and evil spoken of\namong all people. [4]\n\nMoroni, for such was the angel's name, was one of the ancient prophets\nwho had lived in America; he was now raised from the dead, [5] and\nhad come to make known the existence of the record of the ancient\ninhabitants of the western hemisphere. Besides giving an account of\nthe ancient peoples who inhabited America and the source from whence\nthey sprang, this record also contained the fullness of the gospel as\ndelivered by the Savior to them. Hidden with the record were two stones\nin silver bows, and the bows fastened to a breast-plate, constituting\nthe Urim and Thummim. The ability to use the Urim and Thummim was what\nconstituted seers in ancient times, and they had been deposited with\nthis record for the purpose of translating it.\n\nAfter these explanations, Moroni began quoting and explaining a number\nof the prophecies of the Old Testament. Following are the passages in\nthe order in which he quoted them: Part of the 3rd chapter of Malachi,\n4th chapter of Malachi; 11th chapter of Isaiah--saying it was about to\nbe fulfilled; 3rd chapter of Acts, 22nd and 23rd verses, saying that\nthe prophet therein named was Jesus Christ, but the time when those who\nwould not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people had\nnot yet come, but would soon come; 2nd chapter of Joel, from 28th verse\nto the last: this was not fulfilled, but soon would be.\n\nSome of the passages he quoted differently from the way they read in\nour English version. Malachi 3rd chapter, 1st verse, for example, he\nquoted as follows: \"For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an\noven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as\nstubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts,\nand it shall leave them neither root nor branch.\"\n\nThe 5th and 6th verses he quoted thus: \"Behold I will reveal unto you\nthe priesthood by the hand of Elijah the prophet before the coming\nof the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the\nhearts of the children the promises made to the fathers and the hearts\nof the children shall turn to their fathers; if it were not so the\nwhole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.\"\n\nThis heavenly messenger appeared to him three times during that night\nand each time related the same things to him, the interviews occupying\nnearly the whole night.\n\nThe next day while working beside his father in a field Joseph was\ntaken ill. His father observing it advised him to go to the house. This\nthe boy started to do, but in climbing over the fence, which separated\nthe field from the house, his strength utterly failed him, and he sank\nto the ground unconscious. He was aroused by some one calling his name,\nand when he regained consciousness the messenger of the night before\nstood near him. Again the things of the night before were repeated; and\nhe received a commandment to go and tell his father the vision. This\nhe did and his father encouraged him to do as he had been commanded.\nHe accordingly went as directed in his vision to the place where the\nrecord of the ancient Americans was concealed--to a hill called by them\nCumorah.\n\nRemoving the grass and soil which was about the edges of the stone box\nthat contained the ancient record, with a lever he raised the lid and\nthere saw the gold plates and the Urim and Thummim. He was about to\ntake them from the box, when the angel Moroni again stood before him,\nand forbade his taking them out, as the time for them to be given to\nhim for translation had not yet come, nor would it come until four\nyears from that date. He was commanded to come at the end of each year\nto that place, and the angel would meet him to give the necessary\ninstruction.\n\nThis Joseph did for four successive years, and each time met the same\nheavenly messenger and received instruction. On the occasion of the\nfourth meeting, viz., on the 22nd of September, 1827, the record was\ngiven into his hands to translate. This work of translation, through\nthe grace of God, he accomplished, and in 1830 the Book of Mormon was\npublished to the world.\n\nBefore it was published, the plates of gold on which it had been\nengraven by the ancient inhabitants of the land, were shown by the\nangel Moroni to Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris,\ntogether with the Urim and Thummim through which the translation was\neffected; and their testimony to this fact was printed over their\nsignatures on the fly-leaf of the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith himself\nexhibited the plates to eight other persons, viz: Christian, Jacob,\nPeter and John Whitmer; Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sen., Hyrum Smith\nand Samuel H. Smith. The testimony of these eight witnesses to the\neffect that they had seen, and handled the plates from which the Book\nof Mormon had been translated, and examined the characters engraven\nthereon, was also printed in the first and all subsequent authorized\neditions of the book. [6]\n\nIt must be understood that during the progress of the young Prophet's\nwork, persecution was continuous; and slander with her thousand\ntongues was inventing falsehood to destroy the work of God. But while\nopposition was strong, the Lord from time to time raised up friends to\nassist him in his labors and share his responsibilities. Among such\npersons was one Oliver Cowdery, a young school teacher, who while\nfollowing his profession in the town of Manchester, was boarding in\nthe family of Joseph Smith's parents, from whom he learned of the\nrevelations of God to Joseph, and of his having the record of the\nancient inhabitants of America.\n\nThe youthful Prophet at this time was living at Harmony, Susquehanna\nCounty, Pennsylvania. He had married a Miss Emma Hale and settled there\non a piece of land purchased of his father-in-law. Oliver Cowdery went\nto Harmony to investigate the claims of Joseph Smith, both in respect\nto his receiving revelations from God and having the Book of Mormon. He\nbecame satisfied upon both points and remained with him to act as his\nscribe in the work of translation.\n\nIn May, 1829, the work of translation drawing near to completion, they\ncame upon a passage in the Book of Mormon respecting baptism, upon\nwhich they held different views. They retired to the woods on the\n15th of May to present the matter before the Lord for further light,\nand while engaged in calling upon God in prayer, a personage appeared\nto them surrounded by a glorious light, who, as he laid his hands\nupon their heads, said: \"Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of\nMessiah, I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the\nministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism\nby immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken\nagain from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering\nunto the Lord in righteousness.\"\n\nThe Messenger who thus conferred the Aaronic priesthood upon them was\nnamed John, the same that is called the Baptist in the New Testament.\nHe had been raised from the dead, and was now sent as a messenger from\nGod to confer the keys of the Aaronic priesthood upon Joseph Smith and\nOliver Cowdery. He told them that he acted under the direction of the\napostles Peter, James and John, and that some time in the near future\nthe Melchisedek or higher priesthood would be conferred upon them. He\nthen commanded them to each baptize the other, Joseph to first baptize\nOliver, and then Oliver to baptize Joseph. Thus the work of baptizing\nmen for the remission of sins began in the new dispensation.\n\nSome time in the following month, June, 1829, the promise made by John\nto Joseph and Oliver that the Melchisedek Priesthood would be conferred\nupon them was fulfilled. In the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna\nCounty, Penn., and Colesville, Broom County, New York, on the banks\nof the Susquehanna River, Peter, James and John conferred upon Joseph\nSmith and Oliver Cowdery the apostleship, the keys of the Melchisedek\nPriesthood, which gave them the right to build up the church of Christ\nin all the world, and organize it in all its departments.\n\nIt is proper here to say a few words upon the subject of priesthood.\nPriesthood is power which God confers upon man, by which he becomes\nan agent for God, authorized to act in his name. It may be to warn a\ncity or nation of approaching calamity because of corruption; it may\nbe to teach faith in God, or cry repentance to the wicked; it may be\nto baptize in water for the remission of sins, or lay on hands, as the\nancient apostles did, for the baptism of the Holy Ghost; or it may\nbe to lay on hands for the healing of the sick, or all these things\ncombined. Men who hold the priesthood possess divine authority thus to\nact for God; and by possessing part of God's power they are in reality\npart of God, that is, in the sense of being part of the great governing\npower that extends throughout the universe. This is the authority of\nmen that hold the priesthood, and when those who possess it walk in\nobedience to the commandments of God, men who honor the priesthood in\nthem, honor God; and those who reject it reject God, even the power of\nGod.\n\nIt was doubtless these considerations which led Jesus to say, when\nsending out his apostles to preach the gospel: \"He that receiveth you,\nreceiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.\n* * * And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words when\nye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.\nVerily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom\nand Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.\" [7]\n\nConsidered in the light of these sayings of Jesus, the priesthood is\na solemn thing. To hold power delegated to one by Almighty God--to\nhave authority to speak and act in his name, and have it of the same\nbinding force as if the Deity himself spoke or acted, is both an honor\nand a responsibility which few men comprehend. It is an awe-inspiring\nthing. Yet such authority God does confer upon men. It was bestowed\nupon the Patriarchs before the flood, upon Melchisedek, Abraham, Moses,\nand the prophets. It was given to the apostles through Jesus; he said\nto Peter, \"I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven;\nand whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;\nand whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.\"\n[8] These mighty keys of authority were conferred, as related in the\nforegoing, upon Joseph Smith, and by that authority he organized the\nChurch and regulated its affairs up to the time of his death.\n\nThe Church of Jesus Christ, in the new dispensation under the direction\nof revelation from God, was organized on the 6th day of April, 1830.\nThat organization was very simple; it was effected with six members.\nJoseph Smith was acknowledged as the first Elder of the Church, and\nOliver Cowdery as the second Elder; but before the meeting which\norganized the Church adjourned, the Church was commanded to keep\na record in which the Prophet Joseph was to be called \"a seer, a\ntranslator, a prophet, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, an Elder\nof the church.\" [9] The more complete organization of the church with\nApostles, Seventies, High Priests, Elders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers\nand Deacons was a later development, and will receive attention in a\nsubsequent chapter.\n\nIn the month of February, 1832, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon [10]\nwere wrapt in vision, in which they beheld the Son of God and conversed\nwith him--let them bear their own testimony: \"We, Joseph Smith, Jun.,\nand Sidney Rigdon, being in the spirit on the sixteenth of February, in\nthe year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, by the\npower of the spirit, our eyes were opened, and our understandings were\nenlightened so as to see and understand the things of God--even those\nthings which were from the beginning, before the world was, which were\nordained of the Father through his Only Begotten Son who was in the\nbosom of the Father even from the beginning. Of whom we bear record,\nand the record which we bear is the fullness of the gospel of Jesus\nChrist, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the\nheavenly vision; for while we were doing the work of translation which\nthe Lord had appointed to us, we came to the tenth verse of the fifth\nchapter of John, which was given to us as follows--speaking of the\nresurrection of the dead, concerning those who shall hear the voice\nof the Son of Man, and shall come forth: 'They who have done good\nin the resurrection of the just and they who have done evil in the\nresurrection of the unjust.' [11] Now this caused us to marvel, for\nit was given unto us of the Spirit; and while we meditated upon these\nthings, the Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they were\nopened, and the glory of the Lord shone round about; and we beheld the\nglory of the Son on the right hand of the Father, and received of his\nfullness; and saw the holy angels, and they who are sanctified before\nhis throne, worshiping God and the Lamb, who worship him forever and\never. And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him,\nthis is the testimony last of all which we give of him, that he lives;\nfor we saw him, even on the right hand of God, and we heard the voice\nbearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father--that by him\nand through him and of him the worlds are and were created, and the\ninhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.\" [12]\n\nFour years after the vision of Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, viz.,\nApril 6th, 1836, other visions of Jesus Christ and several mighty\nangels were given to the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery. The visions\noccurred during the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. The first was\nof Jesus Christ, who declared his acceptance of the temple. The angels\ncame to deliver certain keys of authority to Joseph Smith. Following is\nthe Prophet's account of the several manifestations:\n\n\"The vail was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding\nwere opened. We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the\npulpit, before us, and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold\nin color like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire, the hair of\nhis head was white like pure snow, his countenance shone above the\nbrightness of the sun, and his voice was as the sound of the rushing\nof great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying 'I am the first and\nthe last, I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain, I am your advocate\nwith the Father. Behold, your sins are forgiven you, you are clean\nbefore me, therefore lift up your heads and rejoice. Let the hearts\nof your brethren rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice\nwho have, with their might, built this house to my name; for behold,\nI have accepted this house, and my name shall be here, and I will\nmanifest myself to my people in mercy in this house. Yea, I will appear\nunto my servants and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people\nwill keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house, yea,\nthe hearts of thousands and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice\nin consequence of the blessings which shall be poured out, and the\nendowment with which my servants have been endowed in this house; and\nthe fame of this house shall spread to foreign lands, and this is the\nbeginning of the blessing which shall be poured out upon the heads of\nmy people, even so, Amen.\n\n\"After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us,\nand Moses appeared before us and committed unto us the keys of the\ngathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading\nof the ten tribes from the land of the north.\n\n\"After this Elias appeared and committed the dispensation of the gospel\nof Abraham, saying, that in us, and our seed, all generations after us\nshould be blessed.\n\n\"After this vision closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon\nus, for Elijah, the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting\ndeath, stood before us, and said: 'Behold the time is fully come, which\nwas spoken by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he [Elijah] should\nbe sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come, to turn the\nhearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers,\nlest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore the keys of\nthis dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may\nknow that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the\ndoors.\" [13]\n\nThere were numerous other revelations given to Joseph Smith and to\nothers through him; for he was God's mouthpiece to men in this new\ndispensation, both before and after the church was organized. Some of\nthese revelations were received through the Urim and Thummim which\nthe angel Moroni gave into his possession in connection with the gold\nplates of the Book of Mormon. [14] Other revelations were received\nthrough inspiration from God acting directly upon the Prophet. Of the\nmanner in which these last named revelations were received, a prominent\nwriter and officer in the church who was present on several such\noccasions, says. \"Each sentence was uttered slowly and very distinctly,\nand with a pause between each sufficiently long for it to be recorded\nby an ordinary writer in long hand. This was the manner in which all\nhis written revelations were dictated and written. There was never\nany hesitation, reviewing or reading back to keep the thread of the\nsubject; neither did any of these communications undergo revisions,\ninterlinings, or corrections. As he dictated them, so they stood, so\nfar as I have witnessed; and I was present to witness the dictation of\nseveral communications of several pages.\" [15]\n\nWith the revelations thus received, as well as those received through\nthe Urim and Thummim, we shall have more or less to do in this work;\nbut the visions and ministrations of angels related in this and the\npreceding chapter constitute the basis upon which the work of God in\nthis new dispensation is founded. From the information and authority\nreceived through them comes the organization of the Church of Christ\nand the proclamation of the Gospel in all the world.\n\nThe manifestations are of a character which preclude all possibility of\nthe parties who received them being mistaken. If the great work of God\nin these last days, were founded alone upon the internal inspiration or\nillumination of the Prophet Joseph, the probability of his belonging\nto that very large number of well-meaning but mistaken men who have\nthought themselves inspired of God would be very much increased; for\nnothing is more common perhaps than self-deception in such matters.\n\"Mormonism,\" however, came into existence not alone from internal\ninspiration, or divine inward illumination of Joseph Smith; but from\nwhat we may term external revelations as well; revelations which appeal\nto the senses of the mind as well as to the inner consciousness. Review\nthem I pray you:\n\nGod the Father and his Son Jesus Christ are beheld in the full light\nof day--nay, in an effulgence of light, brighter than the sunlight\nat noon-day. And a direct conversation is held with them upon a\nmatter-of-fact subject for some length of time.\n\nOne of the resurrected prophets of ancient America appears three times\nin one night, and twice the following day; he conversed upon a variety\nof subjects, but the main purpose of his visitation was to reveal the\nexistence of the record of an ancient people. At the end of each year,\nfor four successive years, this same heavenly messenger repeats his\nvisits, and at the last gives into the possession of Joseph Smith a\nvolume of gold plates, the engravings on which the Prophet translated\ninto the English language.\n\nAn angel exhibits these same plates to other men, and permits them to\nexamine the engravings thereon.\n\nEight other men see and handle the plates and examine the characters\nengraven on them.\n\nAnother angel, also a resurrected prophet, appears in broad day light\nand lays his hands upon the heads of two men, viz: Joseph Smith and\nOliver Cowdery, and ordains them to the Aaronic Priesthood.\n\nThree of the ancient apostles appear and ordain the same men to the\nMelchisedek or higher Priesthood.\n\nJesus is seen by two men, viz., Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, at the\nright hand of God the Father, and a protracted conversation ensues.\n\nJesus is again seen in the Temple at Kirtland, by Joseph Smith and\nOliver Cowdery and again his voice is heard.\n\nOn the same occasion Moses, Elias, and Elijah, the prophet, appeared\nand conferred certain keys of authority upon two men--Joseph Smith and\nOliver Cowdery.\n\nNow all this appeals to the outward senses. It is matter of fact. It\nis tangible. It all occurred and is a solemn verity, or it is all\nwicked fabrication. A fabrication it is possible for it to be, but it\ncan never be resolved into a mere mistake--a self-deception. The men\nwho affirm all of it to have taken place may have been villains, bent\non deluding mankind; for wicked men still lie in wait to deceive; but\nthey can never be classed as well-meaning but _mistaken_ men. Either\nwhat Joseph Smith and his associates affirm is true, or they are base\nand conscious imposters. The manifestations of which they proclaim\nthemselves witnesses are so palpable to the senses--to sight, and\ntouch and hearing; they occur at such times and places, and under\nsuch circumstances, and are so frequently repeated, that there can be\nno possibility of mistake. In the consideration of their testimony,\ntherefore, there is no middle ground between the extremes of absolute\ntruthfulness or absolute falsehood, and I ask the readers of this book\nto take up the investigation upon which we are about to enter in this\nspirit.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. After the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated were\ndelivered to the prophet Joseph, the Lord had occasion to reprove him\nseveral times for his disposition to yield to the persuasion of men.\nWhen he received the record of the Nephites the Lord put him under\na covenant to show them to no one except to those to whom the Lord\nshould command him to show them (Doc. & Cov., Sec. v. 3). When he\nhad translated enough to make 116 pages of old foolscap manuscript,\nMartin Harris continually importuned him to be allowed to show that\nmuch of the work to his friends. This the Lord forbid, but Harris\ncontinuing his importunings, and Joseph in turn petitioning the Lord\nat Harris' request, permission was at last granted, and the MS. was\nstolen. Joseph, for thus yielding to the persuasion of Martin Harris\nafter the word of the Lord was known, lost for a season his gift to\ntranslate, and the plates were taken from him. When they were returned,\nand permission given to continue the work of translation, the Lord\nthus reproved him for his disposition to yield to persuasion: \"Behold,\nyou have been intrusted with these things, but how strict were your\ncommandments; and remember, also, the promises which were made to\nyou, if you did not transgress them; and behold, how oft you have\ntransgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in\nthe persuasions of men!\" (Doc. & Cov., Sec. iii). And again the Lord\nsaid to him: \"And now, I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and\nwalk more uprightly before me, and yield to the persuasions of men\nno more; and that you be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith\nI have commanded you, and if you do this, behold I grant unto you\neternal life, even if you should be slain.\" (Doc. & Cov., Sec. v).\nBut this characteristic was only manifested early in his career.\nOr if it appeared later in life, it was only in relation to things\nindifferent--that is, in things that did not involve a sacrifice of\nprinciple.\n\n2. Extracts from the History of Joseph Smith, \"Pearl of Great Price,\"\n(1888 edition), pp. 89, 90, 91.\n\n3. \"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou\ncamest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and ordained thee a\nprophet unto the nations\"--The Lord to Jeremiah, Jeremiah ch. i:5.\n\n4. Pearl of Great Price, p. 94 (ed. of 1888).\n\n5. It certainly ought not to be difficult for Christians to believe\nin the existence of resurrected men; for in Matthew's Gospel we read:\n\"And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept\narose, and came out of the graves after his (Christ's) resurrection,\nand went into the holy city, and appeared unto many\" (Matt. xxvii:\n52, 53). If the ancient saints on the eastern hemisphere who were\nworthy arose from the dead after the resurrection of Jesus, it is not\nimprobable, but rather reasonable, that the worthy saints who had lived\nupon the western hemisphere also should be raised from the dead.\n\n6. This is a very brief and imperfect account of the coming forth of\nthe Book of Mormon. A fuller account will be given in a volume which\nwill treat upon the Book of Mormon as a 'Witness for God, now in course\nof preparation by the author, and I shall then write in greater detail\nof its coming forth. I could not do so in this volume on account of\nthe space it would require, and besides, such an account more properly\nbelongs to the part of my work that will treat exclusively of that book.\n\n7. Matt. x.\n\n8. Matt. xvi.\n\n9. Doc. & Cov., Sec. xxi.\n\n10. Sidney Rigdon, born in Pennsylvania, 19th of February, 1793, had\nbeen prominently connected with what is known as the \"Campbellite\" or\nReformed Baptist movement in the United States; but was converted to a\nbelief in the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith, by Elder\nParley P. Pratt, who first presented him with the Book of Mormon. At\nthe time indicated in the text he was a prominent Elder in the Church\nand closely associated with Joseph Smith.\n\n11. In the English version of the New Testament the passage reads: \"And\nshall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of\nlife; and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation.\"\nSt. John v: 29.\n\n12. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxxvi.\n\n13. Doc. and Cov., Sec. cx.\n\n14. The revelations known to have been received through the Urim and\nThummim are the following: Doc. and Cov. Sec. iii, _Ibid,_ Sec. vi,\nSec. vii, Sec. xi, Sec, xiv, Sec. xv, Sec. xvi, Sec. xviii. There were\ndoubtless others received through that sacred instrument, but these are\nspecially mentioned as being so received.\n\n15. Autb. of Parley P. Pratt, p. 65, 66.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\nOBJECTIONS TO THE WITNESS CONSIDERED.\n\nSince, as we have seen, a new dispensation of the gospel in the last\ndays is to be given to man; and as neither the \"Reformers\" of the\nsixteenth century, nor any person since their day and before Joseph\nSmith has even made any pretension that God by a new revelation and the\nministry of angels restored the gospel; and as that is the manner in\nwhich God has promised to restore the gospel, may not Joseph Smith be\nthe prophet of the New Dispensation, the instrument in the hands of God\nto bring to pass his purpose in the great work of the last days? Some\nman must be chosen, why not he?\n\nThese questions lead me to the consideration of those objections urged\nagainst Joseph Smith as reasons for believing that he was not a prophet\nof God. First of all, I shall consider the one made against him on\naccount of his humble birth and lowly station in life.\n\nIt would be well-nigh an endless, as also a useless task to repeat\nwhat has been said of Joseph Smith on this score. Not content with the\nfacts in the case, malice has employed misrepresentation to degrade his\nfamily in the estimation of the world; and sneer and ridicule have done\nwhat they could to cast discredit upon his pretensions, by pointing to\nthe rock from whence he was hewn, and the supposed pit from whence he\nwas digged. His friends and followers are prepared to admit the whole\ntruth in respect to his humble origin and lowly station in life. The\ncharacter of his parents, the circumstances under which he himself was\nreared are detailed in chapter X of this book.\n\nIt will be remembered that his forefathers were among the earlier\nsettlers of New England; that his father was a farmer, industrious,\nhonorable, though in humble circumstance; and under the necessity of\nlaboring with his hands in wood or field to support his large family.\nIt has already been said that the youthful Prophet Joseph shared these\nlabors.\n\nBut of what value is the objection of lowly birth and humble station?\nIs it to be argued that if the Lord had a communication to make to\nmankind, such as Joseph Smith claims to have received, he would have\nchosen some of the great ones of the earth, one of high birth, of\nvast fortune, of profound learning, of deep knowledge and famous for\neloquence? Such an one man might choose, but how often has God done\notherwise! Let the roll in part be called: Moses and Aaron, the sons\nof an Israelitish slave; Joshua, the same; David, a shepherd; the\nprophet Amos, a shepherd and dresser of sycamore trees; the apostles\nof Jesus Christ, men of the lowliest birth and humblest occupations;\nPeter and Andrew his brother, were fishermen; John and James, the sons\nof Zebedee, also fishermen; Matthew, a despised tax-collector; Paul, a\ntent-maker; and while of the occupations of the rest of the apostles\nnothing is known definitely, we have every reason to believe that they\nwere men of the humblest extraction and meanest occupation.\n\nThese are some of those whom God called to do his work. He has not\nalways confined his choice to men of this class; sometimes he has\nchosen men of royal descent and from what are called the higher walks\nof life. Because Deity has chosen his servants so frequently from those\nof humble extraction and occupation, it is not for me to flout the\nrich and learned and great. That were an arrogance as offensive to the\nspirit of right reason and to heaven, as that which I condemn in those\nwho affect to despise the Prophet Joseph because of his humble birth\nand circumstances. By citing the fact that God in other ages has chosen\nmen of lowly birth and mean occupation, I only desire to show that\nthere is no value in the objection urged against Joseph Smith on the\nground of his humble station in life.\n\nLet Joseph Smith's birth be as humble as it will, it cannot be more\nlowly than that of Jesus Christ. The fortunes of the mother of the\nprophet were not more fallen than those of Mary, the mother of Jesus.\nA log house in Sharon, Vermont, was not a more humble birth-place than\na stable in Bethlehem. The rude cradle of Joseph Smith, made by his\nfather's hands, though rough hewn, was at least equal to the ruder\nmanger of the stable at Bethlehem; and the occupation of husband-man,\nwhich the father of Joseph followed, and in which the Prophet in\nboyhood assisted him, is not more humble as an occupation than that\nof a carpenter which the supposed father of Jesus followed, and in\nwhich Jesus doubtless assisted him, before entering upon his public\nministry. Indeed, I may say that neither Joseph Smith nor any other\nprophet has been permitted to start from a more lowly station in life\nthan the Son of God; for it is fitting that he who is to ascend above\nall things--all heights, principalities and powers, should also descend\nbelow all things, that he might in all things touch all points of human\nexperience so that whatever the experience of man might be, however\nlowly his station, however distressing his misfortunes; however poor,\nforsaken, desolate; however ridiculed, despised, hated, persecuted;\nhowever tempted--looking down from his exalted throne at the right hand\nof God, with his soul swelling with compassion, Jesus might say--\"The\nSon of Man hath descended below them all.\" [1]\n\nThe objections urged against Joseph Smith on the ground of his lowly\nbirth and humble occupation are without value. Writing to the saints at\nCorinth, the apostle to the Gentiles says: \"For ye see your calling,\nbrethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty,\nnot many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of\nthe world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things\nof the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things\nof the world, and things, which are despised, hath God chosen, yea,\nand things which are not, to bring to naught the things which are.\"\n[2] The reason God assigns for pursuing such a course in the selection\nof his servants is said to be, \"That no flesh should glory in his\npresence. * * * That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let\nhim glory in the Lord.\" [3] If the wisdom of this method of procedure\ndoes not appeal to the intelligence of man, let him accept it as an\nevidence that God's ways are not as man's ways, nor his thoughts as\nman's thoughts. Of this, too, we may be assured--that as the heavens\nare higher than the earth, so are God's ways higher than man's ways;\nand his thoughts than man's thoughts. [4] Moreover, as I have remarked\nelsewhere, [5] it has become proverbial that all great movements, all\nreformations, all revolutions must produce their own leaders; and\nthis is true of the great work of the last days--the establishment of\nthe Church of Christ on earth--as it is of any other great movement.\nLeaders in established usages and institutions, political, social or\nreligious, are seldom or never converted to innovations. They usually\nconsider it to their interest to oppose change, especially those\nchanges which from their very nature, cast any shadow of doubt upon the\ncorrectness of existing customs or institutions with which they are\nconnected. Hence it happened that the Jewish Rabbis, the priests, the\nscribes, the members of the great Sanhedrim did not accept the doctrine\nof Messiah and become the chief apostles, seventies and elders of the\nnew church. On the contrary, this class were the stubbornest opponents\nof the doctrines taught by the Son of God, and his most implacable\nenemies. It was the common people who heard him gladly, and from their\nnumber he chose the apostles, who, through the God-given powers of the\npriesthood conferred upon them, shook the old systems of morals and\nreligion from their foundations.\n\nFrom the very nature of things it must be necessary that men whose\nminds are unwarped by prevailing customs and traditions, should be\nselected to establish a new order of religion, of government or\nsociety. How could the Jewish priests and rabbis, bound by long custom\nto a slavish adherence to the outward forms and ceremonies of the\nMosaic ritual, the spirit of which had long been made of no effect by\nthe rubbish of false traditions, open their minds to receive the larger\nand nobler doctrines of the gospel of Christ unmixed with the pomp and\ncircumstance which men of that age considered essential to religion?\nCan men educated to an attachment for despotic government, and whose\ninterests are bound up with its maintenance, be expected to look with\nfavor on democratic principles, or become the champions of a republic?\n\nFinally, were the religious leaders of the early part of the nineteenth\ncentury educated to the idea that revelation had ceased; that the voice\nof prophecy was forever silenced; that the ministration of angels was\nended; that the miraculous powers of the Holy Ghost were done away;\nthat the ancient organization of the church was no longer needed--were\nsuch men, filled with pride which the learning of the world too\noften infuses into the hearts of those who possess it--were such men\nqualified to stand at the head of, and become leading actors in the\ndispensation of the fullness of times? A dispensation opened by a new\nrevelation, by numerous visitations of angels, and to end eventually in\nthe full establishment of the Church of Christ, the restoration of the\nhouse of Israel and the complete redemption of the earth and all its\ninhabitants?\n\nSuch a work was too large, too high and too deep for minds filled with\nfalse sectarian ideas. Hence God chose for his servant to stand at the\nhead of this great and last dispensation, a man whose mind was unwarped\nby false education; but one of large capacity; possessing breadth and\nfreedom of thought, of sanguine, fearless temperament: a child of\nnature, with a conscience unseared by worldly guile and a stranger to\nmotives other than those dictated by an honest purpose; and withal,\nfull of implicit confidence in God--a confidence born of a living faith\nin the fact of Deity's existence, and a consciousness of the rectitude\nof his own intentions and life.\n\nAs ill-founded as the objection based upon his humble parentage and\nstation in life is that objection which arises out of the fact that\nhe was evil spoken of by the world. Let not the reader here confound\nreputation with character. They are quite distinct, I assure you.\nThe latter is what one is; the former may be a fool's estimate of\none; or, even worse, it may be and often is a thing created by liars\nand knaves--formed by misrepresentations and set on its feet by\nmalice. When favorable it is often obtained without merit, and as\noften lost without deserving. But with character it is not so. That\nstands independent of the estimate of fools or the misrepresentation\nof knaves. It is formed in great part by ourselves; in part by our\nsurroundings; in part by God. It is what we are irrespective of what\nthe world may think or say of us.\n\nI have said so much that the reader may be reminded that a man's\ncharacter may be good, while his reputation may be villainous; or _vice\nversa._ There is nothing, therefore, that is so unsafe a criterion\nby which to estimate a man as by what the world says of him--by his\nreputation.\n\nEspecially is this true of the servants of God. Commissioned as they\nusually are to reprove the world of sin and unrighteousness, and to\ncall mankind to repentance, they have appeared as rude disturbers of\nthe peace and ease of mankind--iconoclasts bent on breaking the images\non which men set their hearts. The world does not love them, and what\nit hates it maligns--and thence, with the world, springs the reputation\nof the servants of God. The balances in which they are weighed are\nfalse, hence the announcement of their value from that source is untrue.\n\nJudged by his reputation with the world when he lived among men, the\nLord Jesus himself would be condemned as a blaspheming malefactor; a\nviolator of ancient customs; a traitor to Caesar's government; one so\nbase as to be in league with Lucifer by whose power he cast out devils;\nby magic healed the sick and blind and halt; who for his many crimes\nwas crucified between two thieves; and whose body his disciples--being\nof like spirit with their master--stole, and then sent out the lying\nreport that Jesus was risen from the dead. Such was the world's account\nof Christ, in his day, and in the days of his apostles--such the\nreputation of the Son of God! If judged by it would he not be rejected\nas an imposter? How unjust would such a judgment be! To those who\nreject Joseph Smith as a servant and witness for God, because he was,\nand is evil spoken of by the world, I put this question: \"May not the\njudgment you pass upon him--which you base upon what the world, and\ngenerally what his enemies, say of him, be equally unjust and untrue?\"\n\n\"If the world hate you,\" said Jesus to his apostles, \"ye know it hated\nme before it hated you. If ye were of the world the world would love\nhis own: but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out\nof the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I\nsaid unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have\npersecuted me they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying\nthey will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you\nfor my name's sake because they know not him that sent me.\" [6]\n\nIn the light of these sayings of the Lord Jesus, of what value is the\nobjection urged against Joseph Smith as a Prophet and witness for God\nbased upon the fact that he was evil spoken of by the world? Why, since\nhe was a servant of the Most High, sent to reprove the world of its\nunrighteousness, may we not reasonably expect that the world would\nspeak against him? Would there not be something manifestly wrong if it\ndid not do it? \"Blessed are ye,\" said Jesus, \"when men shall hate you,\nand when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach\nyou, and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice\nye in that day, and leap for joy; for behold, your reward is great in\nheaven: _for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets._\" [7]\n\nIt is nothing strange, then, that the great Prophet of the new\ndispensation should be spoken evil against. 'Tis an old tale, this\nslandering of God's servants by the world, so old that one wonders that\nmen have not become so accustomed to it that they can assign to it its\ntrue importance, or rather its want of importance. But it seems to be\nthe doom of every age in this matter to follow in the footsteps of that\nwhich preceded it--to build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the\nsepulchres of the righteous, and say, \"If we had been in the days of\nour fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of\nthe prophets.\" [8] And yet with strange inconsistency, these builders\nof tombs, these garnishers of sepulchres, while they profess to honor\nthe prophets of past ages, persecute to the death the prophets of their\nown days! Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, they do\nalways resist the Holy Ghost: as their fathers did, so do they--which\nof the prophets have they not persecuted?\n\n\"Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! _for so did their\nfathers of the false prophets_!\" [9] Stranger grows the inconsistency\nof human conduct. The true rejected; the false enshrined! and so\ncommon has become the practice that one great thinker [10] touching\nthe theme said: \"There is always something great in that man against\nwhom the world exclaims, at whom every one throws a stone, and on whose\ncharacter all attempt to fix a thousand crimes without being able to\nprove one.\"\n\nHere I may pause again to ask: What is the value of the objection made\nto Joseph Smith as a Prophet and witness for God, based upon the fact\nthat he was evil spoken of by the world? That has been the heritage of\nthe servants of God so long that the memory of man runneth not to the\ncontrary. Had Joseph Smith failed to have received this treatment at\nthe hands of the world, he would have failed of one of the marks of\na true Prophet. Had he been received with open arms by the world, he\ncould with some effect have been denounced as a false prophet; for in\nsuch manner they have been received:--\"Woe unto you when all men shall\nspeak well of you, for so did their fathers of the false prophets!\"\nThe fact here stated by the Son of God is a complete answer to the\nobjections based on the calumny of the world against the prophets of\nGod in all subsequent times; and no less an answer to the objections\nurged against Joseph Smith than to other prophets.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. These were the words of the Lord to Joseph Smith when confined a\nprisoner for the truth's sake in Liberty Jail, Clay County, State of\nMissouri: \"If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art\nin perils among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers;\nif thou art in perils by land or by sea; if thou art accused with\nall manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee * *\n* * and if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of\nmurderers, and the sentence of death be passed upon thee; if thou be\ncast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if\nfierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and\nall the elements combine to hedge up thy way; and above all, if the\nvery jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou\nmy son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be\nfor thy good. _The Son of Man hath descended below them all._\" (Doc.\nand Cov. Sec. cxxii.) So also Paul: \"Where in all things it behoved\nhim (Jesus) to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a\nmerciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make\nreconciliation for the sins of the people. For that he himself hath\nsuffered, being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.\"\n(Heb. ii: 17, 18.)\n\n2. I Cor. i: 26, 27.\n\n3. I Cor. i: 29, 31.\n\n4. Isaiah lv: 8, 9.\n\n5. Life of John Taylor, chapter 1.\n\n6. St. John xv: 18-21.\n\n7. Luke vi: 22, 23.\n\n8. Matt. xxiii. 29,\n\n9. Luke vi: 26.\n\n10. Zimmerman.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\nTHE CHARACTER OF THE NEW WITNESS.\n\nIt will be argued that the ancient and true prophets were _falsely_\naccused, and proceeded against, not because they were law-breakers and\nimmoral persons, but because of the message they bore; while it is\ncharged that Joseph Smith was a very vile person, lawless and immoral,\nand so odious at the last that the people rose _en masse_ and crushed\nhim! Thus has reasoned every persecutor in every age from Cain to the\nlast under whose hands a martyr fell. Can it in reason be expected\nthat human nature will fall so low that we shall find men who will\nbe so recklessly wicked as to avow their intention to kill men for\nrighteousness sake? Why even devils seek out some semblance of virtue\nin which to enshroud their evil deeds. There never yet was man so vile,\nif he retained his reason, but sought out some excuse to sanctify his\ncrime. It was not because Jesus of Nazareth was pure and upright in his\nown heart; gracious in speech; dignified and gentle in action; merciful\nto the wayward; considerate to the unfortunate; loving and kind to the\npoor--God-like in spirit, in thought, in conduct--a reprover of the\nwicked, a reformer of evil ways--it was not for these qualities that\nhe was hailed before the high priest, thence to the Sanhedrim, there\ncondemned and thence dragged to Pilate's judgment seat to have the\nsentence confirmed; and thence whipped through the streets of Jerusalem\nto Golgotha and there crucified! Not for his virtues was this done.\nCould any one suppose that the Sanhedrim of Israel, the dignified\nsenate of the Jews, could condemn anyone to death for righteousness?\nNo, certainly not! It was because Jesus was to them a wicked imposter;\nwho, being in the form of man, and so far as they could discern, very\nlike the rest of his fellow-men--made himself a God [1]--was guilty of\nblasphemy. It was written in their law that he that blasphemed should\nbe put to death, and all the people should say Amen. [2] Jesus was\nfound guilty of blasphemy by the Sanhedrim, and accordingly condemned\nto death. The sentence was confirmed by the Roman judge and executed.\nThe procedure was strictly according to the forms of the law, and to\nthe Jews of that generation Jesus of Nazareth was not condemned and\nexecuted for that he was a prophet, and the Son of God; but because he\nwas a pestilential fellow, a mover of sedition, a blaspheming imposter.\nAnd so it has been in all ages of the world. All the martyrs that ever\nfell were, to those who struck the blow, lawless, dangerous characters,\nof whom it were a blessing to rid the world; and so it promises to be\nto the last hour of recorded time.\n\nIn view of the fact that so much which is evil has been said of Joseph\nSmith I think it proper here to give some account of his character. Of\nnecessity what is said must be brief.\n\nIt would be impossible as also unprofitable to reproduce all or any\nconsiderable part of what has been said of him by his enemies, since\nit would be only a repetition of slanders and untruths which have\nspent their force and accomplished nothing. It will be sufficient\nto say that on the unfriendly side it is claimed that--in the\nlanguage of one who just now is recognized as one of earth's leading\nphilosophers--Professor Huxley--\"There is a complete consensus of\ntestimony that the founder of Mormonism, one Joseph Smith, was a\nlow-minded, ignorant scamp, and that he stole the scriptures, which he\npropounded; not being clever enough to forge even such contemptible\nstuff as they contain. Nevertheless, he must have been a man of some\nforce of character, for a considerable number of disciples soon\ngathered about him.\" [3]\n\nI have selected this passage from a mass of such matter at command,\nfirst, because of the prominence of the one who utters it; second,\nbecause in it is focused the spirit of coarseness and vulgarity\ncharacteristic of all that has been said by those who have rejected\nthe claims of Joseph Smith as a witness and Prophet of God; and third,\nbecause it may be looked upon as the \"Complete consensus of the\ntestimony\" of his enemies and presents all they have to say against\nhim in a single sentence, slightly modified by one other sentence,\nrecognizing the prophet's force of character.\n\nI am happy also in having another utterance, representative of another\nclass of men who have viewed the character of the Prophet from the\nstandpoint of the _savant_--the dispassionate philosopher looking at\npassing events without prejudice, and speculating upon what shall grow\nout of them--such was Josiah Quincy, author of the book \"Figures of the\nPast.\" He visited Joseph Smith at Nauvoo a little before the tragedy at\nCarthage, and after the Prophet's death wrote:\n\n\"It is by no means improbable that some future text-book, for the use\nof generations yet unborn, will contain a question something like this:\nWhat historical American of the nineteenth century has exerted the most\npowerful influence upon the destinies of his countrymen? And it is by\nno means impossible that the answer to that interrogatory may be thus\nwritten: _Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet._ And the reply, absurd as\nit doubtless seems to most men now, may be an obvious commonplace to\ntheir descendants. History deals in surprises and paradoxes quite as\nstartling as this. The man who establishes a religion in this age of\nfree debate, who was and is today accepted by hundreds of thousands as\na direct emissary from the Most High--such a rare human being is not to\nbe disposed of by pelting his memory with unsavory epithets. * * * The\nmost vital questions Americans are asking each other today have to do\nwith this man and what he has left us. * * * Burning questions, they\nare, which must give a prominent place in the history of the country\nto that sturdy self-asserter whom I visited at Nauvoo. Joseph Smith,\nclaiming to be an inspired teacher, faced adversity, such as few men\nhave been called to meet, enjoyed a brief season of prosperity, such\nas few men have ever attained, and, finally, forty-three days after I\nsaw him, went cheerfully to a martyr's death. When he surrendered his\nperson to Governor Ford, in order to prevent the shedding of blood, the\nProphet had a presentiment of what was before him. 'I am going like a\nlamb to the slaughter,' he is reported to have said, 'but I am as calm\nas a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense and shall\ndie innocent.'\" [4]\n\nOf course testimony which sustains the virtue and uprightness of\nJoseph Smith is abundant, but I shall content myself by a very limited\nreference to it; depending not so much upon the testimony of men as\nupon the work he has accomplished for the vindication of his character.\nBut I think it proper that the world should know in what esteem he was\nheld by his friends and followers.\n\nFirst, I introduce the description and estimation of the character of\nthe Prophet by Parley P. Pratt, who was intimately associated with\nhim, who shared his toils, labors, persecutions and imprisonment; and\nwho spent his life in preaching the gospel taught him by the youthful\nProphet. Elder Pratt says: \"President Joseph Smith was in person tall\nand well built, strong and active; of a light complexion, light hair,\nblue eyes, very little beard, and of an expression peculiar to himself,\non which the eye naturally rested with interest, and was never weary\nof beholding. His countenance was ever mild, affable, beaming with\nintelligence and benevolence, mingled with a look of interest and an\nunconscious smile or cheerfulness, and entirely free from all restraint\nor affectation of gravity; and there was something connected with the\nserene and penetrating glance of his eye, as if he could penetrate the\ndeepest abyss of the human heart, gaze into eternity, penetrate the\nheavens and comprehend all worlds.\n\n\"He possessed a noble boldness and independence of character; his\nmanner was easy and familiar; his rebuke terrible as the lion; his\nbenevolence unbounded as the ocean; his intelligence universal, and\nhis language abounding in original eloquence peculiar to himself--not\npolished--not studied--not smoothed and softened by education and\nrefined by art, but flowing forth in its own native simplicity, and\nprofusely abounding in variety of subject and manner. He interested\nand edified, while, at the same time, he amused and entertained his\naudience; and none listened to him that were ever weary with his\ndiscourse. I have even known him to retain a congregation of willing\nand anxious listeners for many hours together, in the midst of cold\nor sunshine, rain or wind, while they were laughing at one moment and\nweeping the next. Even his most bitter enemies were generally overcome,\nif he could once get their ears. I have known him when chained and\nsurrounded with armed murderers and assassins who were heaping upon him\nevery possible insult and abuse, rise up in the majesty of a son of God\nand rebuke them, in the name of Jesus Christ, till they quailed before\nhim, dropped their weapons, and, on their knees, begged his pardon and\nceased their abuse.\n\n\"In short, in him the characters of a Daniel and a Cyrus were\nwonderfully blended. The gifts, wisdom and devotion of a Daniel were\nunited with the boldness, courage, temperance, perseverance and\ngenerosity of a Cyrus. And had he been spared a martyr's fate till\nmature manhood and age, he was certainly endowed with powers and\nabilities to have revolutionized the world in many respects, and to\nhave transmitted to posterity a name associated with more brilliant and\nglorious acts than has yet fallen to the lot of mortal. As it is his\nworks will live to endless ages, and unnumbered millions yet unborn\nwill mention his name with honor, as a noble instrument in the hands of\nGod, who, during his short and youthful career, laid the foundation of\nthat kingdom spoken of by Daniel, the prophet, which should break in\npieces all other kingdoms and stand forever.\" [5]\n\nBrigham Young, the successor of Joseph Smith in the Presidency of the\nChurch, said of him:\n\n\"From the first day I knew Brother Joseph to the time of his death, a\nbetter man never lived upon the face of the earth. * * * Joseph Smith\nwas not killed because he was deserving of it, nor because he was a\nwicked man; but because he was a virtuous man. I know that to be so, as\nwell as I know that the sun now shines. * * * I know for myself that\nJoseph Smith was the subject of forty-eight lawsuits, and the most of\nthem I witnessed with my own eyes. But not one action could ever be\nmade to bear against him. No law or constitutional right did he ever\nviolate. He was innocent and virtuous; he kept the laws of his country\nand lived above them; out of forty-eight lawsuits, not one charge could\nbe substantiated against him. He was pure, just and holy as to the\nkeeping of the law.\" [6]\n\nJohn Taylor, who succeeded Brigham Young as President of the Church,\nand who in Carthage jail may be said to have shared the martyrdom with\nthe Prophet Joseph--for he was savagely wounded when the Prophet was\nslain--says of him: \"I was acquainted with Joseph Smith for years.\nI have traveled with him; I have been with him in private and in\npublic; I have associated with him in councils of all kinds; I have\nlistened hundreds of times to his public teachings, and his advice\nto his friends and associates of a more private nature. I have been\nat his house and seen his deportment in his family. I have seen him\narraigned before the courts of his country, and seen him honorably\nacquitted, and delivered from the pernicious breath of slander, and\nthe machinations and falsehoods of wicked and corrupt men. I was\nwith him living, and with him when he died; when he was murdered\nin Carthage jail by a ruthless mob with their faces painted, and\nheaded by a Methodist minister named Williams--I was there, and was\nmyself wounded in my body. I have seen him under all these various\ncircumstances, and I testify before God, angels and men that he was a\ngood, honorable, virtuous man--that his doctrines were good, scriptural\nand wholesome--that his precepts were such as became a man of God--that\nhis private and public character was unimpeachable--and that he lived\nand died as a man of God.\" [7]\n\nIf of these testimonies it shall be said they are borne by men who\nwere Joseph Smith's friends and followers--interested parties, bent\non perpetuating the frauds he inaugurated, I would reply by asking:\nWhose testimony do Christians accept as representing the true character\nof Jesus Christ? Certainly _not_ the testimony of the Sadducees\nand Pharisees; but the testimony of Matthew, of Mark, of Luke and\nJohn--\"his friends and followers,\" the infidel exclaims--\"_interested\nparties,_ bent on perpetuating the frauds he inaugurated!\" Will the\nChristian world because of that preposterous claim that Christ's\nfriends and followers are not proper witnesses of his life and\ncharacter, give up the evidence supplied in the testimonies of his\nfriends to the uprightness and purity of his life, and the divinity\nof himself and his mission? Ah, no! They will ask rather, \"Who so\ncompetent to bear testimony of his life and the divinity of his\ncharacter as those who intimately knew him, who lived with him, who\nshared his joys and his sorrows; who were in sympathy with his life's\nmission and could enter into its spirit?\" I only ask that the same\nreasoning be applied to the testimony given by the friends of Joseph\nSmith.\n\nOne thing connected with the character of Joseph Smith, and one\nthat distinguishes him from false prophets and mere enthusiasts is\nthe unaffectedness of his conduct. It was the prevailing idea of\nhis day and even now that the calling of a prophet is inseparably\nconnected with a life of austerity--with inordinate fastings and\nmidnight prayers; with the vows of monastic life, with gloom and\nself-mortifications; with hair shirts, long robes, and sandals; with\nlong hair, beard unkempt and bodies filthy--as if prophets had no time\nto keep clean--with solemn, awful brows and measured tread--lives\nwherein there is nothing natural--no sunshine, nor smiles nor\nrose-lipped laughter--as if communing with God was such awful business\nthat it chills the heart and drives all happiness out of the life of\nman! Joseph Smith was nothing of all this. There was no affectation\nabout him. He complied with the customs of his time and nation in\nrespect to his apparel--scrupulously neat and clean therein; face\nsmooth shaven, and hair cut according to the prevailing fashion. While\ntemperate in his habits and content with the humble fare which adverse\ncircumstances during the most of his life forced upon him, he was not\naverse to good food and pleasant surroundings--he was not the prophet\nof sackcloth and ashes. While dignified in deportment and having a due\ncomprehension of the magnitude of his calling and the work committed to\nhis hands, there was nothing strained or unnatural in his demeanor--no\nstriving after effect; and often he unbent, played ball, wrestled, or\nromped with children--with whom he was a general favorite--with all\nthe joyousness and freedom of a boy. And what may be regarded as one\nof the true tests of his greatness is, that while here and there his\nhappiness and freedom shocked some over-pious persons who looked on\nfrom without, and expected austerity and gloom in one claiming to be a\nprophet, he never lost caste with his friends for his unconventional\nconduct. He was the Prophet of a joyous countenance; of unconventional\nbut upright deportment; the apostle of cleanliness and becoming\napparel. He believed that serving God should make men happier and that\nthe good things of the earth were made for the comfort and to increase\nthe happiness of the righteous.\n\nTo take such a stand as this in the face of the traditional ideal of\na prophet, stamps him as an original character, and separates him by\nlong distances from the mere enthusiasts and the false prophets whose\nextreme pretensions to sanctity, whose studied gloom, whose affectation\nof impassioned devotion and assumption of the garb and supposed severe\ndemeanor of ancient prophets--all too plainly proclaim their hypocrisy\nand declare them players of parts they have assigned themselves.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. John x: 22-37, also ch. v: 17, 18.\n\n2. Levit. xxiv: 15, 16.\n\n3. Agnosticism and Christianity (Humbolt Library ed.) p. 28.\n\n4. _Figures of the Past,_ pp. 376, 377, 378.\n\n5. Autobiography of P. P. Pratt, pp. 47, 48.\n\n6. Journal of Discourses.\n\n7. Life of John Taylor, pp. 213, 214.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIV.\n\nFITNESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW DISPENSATION.\n\nHaving considered the objections urged against Joseph Smith and\nascertained their value, I am now prepared to proceed with the\ntestimony and argument which sustains my fourth thesis; viz.:--Joseph\nSmith is a New Witness for God, a Prophet divinely authorized to teach\nthe gospel and establish the Church of Christ on earth.\n\nI have already argued at some length that the only way the gospel\ncould be restored to the earth when once taken from it was by a new\nrevelation. It was upon the principle of revelation that Jesus promised\nto build his church; it was through the ministration of an angel that\nthe Apostle John foresaw that the gospel would be restored in the hour\nof God's judgment; and it was at this particular point that Joseph\nSmith started, thus differing from all other religious teachers who\nhave arisen in modern times.\n\nHe appealed to God for wisdom, as we have seen; and that appeal brought\na revelation from God the Father, who introduced his Son Jesus Christ.\nThe lad was informed that God accepted none of the religious societies\nas his church or kingdom, but was promised that the Church of Christ\nwould be restored to the earth and that he should be an instrument in\nthe hands of the Lord in bringing the event to pass. Subsequently, the\nangel Moroni visited him, revealing the existence of the Book of Mormon\nand finally giving it into his hands to translate into the English\nlanguage. This book itself contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus\nChrist as taught to the ancient inhabitants of the western hemisphere;\nbut in addition to this the angel Moroni met with Joseph Smith at the\nhill Cumorah on the 22nd of September for four successive years, and\nfrom him, at each of the annual meetings, he \"received instruction and\nintelligence * * * respecting what the Lord was going to do, and how\nand in what manner his kingdom was to be conducted in the last days.\"\n[1] Thus Joseph Smith started right. He started upon the only principle\nthat the church could again be re-established; he received the gospel\nthrough the ministration of an angel--in just the manner a recognized\nprophet of God had foretold it would be restored.\n\nAll this, however, I may be told, was but a bold stroke of genius on\nthe part of a bold imposter. That might answer for an explanation if it\nwere not for the fact that it all happened in connection with a youth\nnot yet parted from the innocence of childhood. Then, again, why is it,\nif this happiness on the part of Joseph Smith in starting right is to\nbe attributed to the master stroke of genius--why is it that some one\nof the many imposters who have arisen among Christians, and founded\nsects, have not hit upon the plan of announcing a new revelation from\nGod and the restoration of the gospel through the ministration of\nan angel? Surely among the many imposters and \"reformers\" who have\narisen since the days of Jesus there have been some who were not\nlacking that which men recognize as genius! Why was it left for a\nmere lad in the wilds of Western New York to display more \"genius\"\nthan all the imposters since the days of Christ? The fact that one so\nunsophisticated in the ways of the world had the boldness to announce a\nnew revelation to the world, and proclaim a restoration of the gospel\nthrough the ministration of an angel, carries on the face of it much\nevidence of its truth.\n\nNot only, however, did our Prophet start right but he continued right.\nHe not only received the gospel through the ministration of an angel;\nbut he received his authority to preach it, administer its ordinances\nand build up the Church of Christ from those who last held the keys\nof that authority on earth. From John who when on earth was called\nthe Baptist, now raised from the dead and become an angel of God,\nhe received the Aaronic Priesthood, which gave him power to preach\nrepentance and baptize for the remission of sins; from Peter, James\nand John, the three chief apostles of the dispensation ushered in by\nthe personal ministry of the Lord Jesus, he received the keys of the\nMelchisedek Priesthood--the Holy Apostleship, which gave him power to\nestablish the church of Christ to the uttermost and regulate all its\naffairs; from Moses he received the keys of the gathering of Israel\nfrom the four quarters of the earth and the leading of the ten tribes\nfrom the land of the north; [2] from Elijah the keys of the priesthood\nto turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of\nthe children to the fathers, according to the prediction of Malachi. [3]\n\nThus he was called and ordained of God through divinely appointed\nagents as was Aaron, and therefore fulfilled the law which provides\nthat those who minister for men in things pertaining to God, must be\ncalled of God as Aaron was, by prophecy and revelation.\n\nIn this development of the work of God, one sees a fitness of\nthings. Look for a moment at the work God has proposed to himself\nto accomplish: The time has come for the restoration of the gospel;\nfor the reestablishment of his church; for the ushering in of the\ndispensation of the fullness of times in which he has promised to\ngather together in one all things in Christ, \"both which are in heaven,\nand which are on earth.\" [4] A reign of peace, a reign of righteousness\nis about to be inaugurated--the Millennium which the scriptures\npromised--long looked for by earth's troubled children--despaired\nof--given up--is about to be realized! The remnant of Israel is to\nbe gathered to Zion; Jerusalem is to be established, no more to be\nthrown down; the nations are to beat their swords into plow-shares,\nand their spears into pruning-hooks and nation shall not lift up sword\nagainst nation, nor shall they learn war any more--the earth is to\nrest from its wickedness. To bring this to pass, the co-operation of\nman is necessary--his obedience, his righteousness. To secure that\nobedience, that co-operation, faith is needed; and as faith is based\non evidence, God proceeds to create the evidence by bringing a witness\ninto existence who can not only testify of God's existence, but also\nof his purposes. He then enlarges the evidence by bringing forth the\nBook of Mormon, the voice of entire nations of people speaking out of\nthe dust of ages, testifying that the Lord is God, that Jesus is the\nChrist, that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation; and by thus\nincreasing the evidence the foundation for faith was enlarged; and\nby establishing faith in the hearts of men the seed of obedience was\nplanted. For faith is the incentive to action, the cause of obedience,\nand the foundation of all righteousness.\n\nWhen the work reached that stage of development that men could be\ntaught repentance, and receive baptism for the remission of sins,\nwho so qualified or who with more propriety could be sent to deliver\nthe keys of the priesthood that is especially appointed to cry\nrepentance and administer baptism than _the_ teacher of repentance\nand _the_ Baptist? Or, when the time came for the restoration of the\napostleship, who could restore it save those who last held the keys\nof it on earth--Peter, James and John? Who so fit to restore the\nkeys of the gathering of Israel and leading the ten tribes back from\nthe north as Moses, the great prophet of Israel? Who so fitting to\nrestore the keys of the priesthood which should turn the hearts of\nthe fathers and children towards each other as Elijah, of whom it was\nprophesied that he would do that work? [5] Thus throughout there was\na fitness in the development of the great work of God in the last\ndays--an appropriateness to be observed in the personages employed to\nrestore the keys of authority which opened up the several departments\nof the great dispensation. And it is to be observed, too, that this\nfitness of things as here pointed out was not the result of working\nto a well-matured plan in the mind of Joseph Smith; he was too young\nand too inexperienced to preconceive it all and then set himself at\nwork to unfold it in such beautiful order. It was of course working\nto a well-matured plan, but the plan existed in the mind of God; and\nit was given to Joseph Smith piece-meal--incident following incident\nwithout an apparent suspicion in his mind that each incident was a step\nin the progress of the mighty march of events matured in the mind of\nGod--each key of authority, or part of the gospel but a fragment of a\nmighty and consistent whole that God was unfolding. The consistency and\nappropriateness of the development Joseph Smith never spoke of; it was\nleft for others to note these things after the work was well advanced\nin the course of its development. The Prophet received the messengers\nGod sent to him, and under their instruction proceeded with the\nunfoldment of the purposes of the Lord, and left it to others to admire\nthe work and note the evidences of God's directing hand in the order of\nthe events and the appropriateness of the parties entrusted with the\nintroduction of the various departments of it.\n\nI am not claiming for this appropriateness in the development of the\nwork of the Lord, as thus far seen, absolute proof that Joseph Smith\nwas divinely inspired and commissioned of God, it is only one item of\nthe cumulative evidence, and the inference but part of the cumulative\nargument it is my purpose to present; but certainly as part of such\nevidence and argument it is not insignificant. To see the strength\nof it, one needs to think what the pretensions of Joseph Smith would\namount to, if this fitness of things did not exist. Having affirmed\nthat the gospel had been taken from the earth and the church of Christ\ndestroyed, suppose he had claimed to have obtained the former and\nfounded the latter upon any other basis than through a revelation\nfrom God; how easy it would have been to show both from reason and\nfrom scripture, that the only way the gospel and the church could be\nre-established, would be by a new dispensation from God through a new\nrevelation! Had he claimed to have received the gospel through any\nother means than by the ministration of an angel, how easy it would be\nto confound him and his followers, by showing that a recognized prophet\nof God had predicted its restoration in the hour of God's judgment\nthrough an angel! Had he claimed to have received divine authority in\nany other manner than through a revelation, and the ordination of one\nalready known to hold authority from God, how easy it would have been\nto refute his claim by quoting the law of God to the effect that no\nman taketh the honor of administering in things pertaining to God upon\nhimself, except he that is called of God as was Aaron! [6] But when in\nall these things it is seen that the pretensions of Joseph Smith were\nparallel with both reason and the prophecies and laws of scripture, and\nthat there is a propriety in all the heavenly messengers doing just\nwhat Joseph Smith claims they did do--because of their known relation\nto the work of God in former dispensations--it all forms a strong\npresumptive evidence, at least that his claims are genuine--that he was\ncalled of God.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Pearl of Great Price, pp. 99, 100.\n\n2. Doc. and Cov. Sec. cx.\n\n3. Doc. and Cov. Sec. cx.\n\n4. Eph. i: 10.\n\n5. Malachi iv: 5, 6.\n\n6. Heb. v: 4-10.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XV.\n\nTHE EVIDENCE OF SCRIPTURAL AND PERFECT DOCTRINES.\n\nContinuing to follow the line of presumptive evidence I call attention\nto the fact that the doctrines taught by Joseph Smith are scriptural\nand perfect in every particular. I do not mean this to apply to\nall that he is alleged to have taught and that is to be found in\nimperfectly reported discourses or handed down by the still more\nuncertain vehicle of word of mouth tradition; but those doctrines which\nhe taught _ex cathedra_ by which I mean those doctrines that he taught\nin his official capacity as a Prophet and witness for God, as the\nPresident of the Church of Christ. [1]\n\nI do not wish to be understood as saying that Joseph Smith did not\nteach doctrines which perhaps are not to be found in the Bible; for\nsince the Bible itself is fragmentary, containing at most but part of\nthat which God has revealed to man, it does not contain all the truth;\nnor does it contain a fullness of the truth concerning some of those\nmatters of which it treats; and hence in the revelations which the Lord\nhas given to Joseph Smith, there are many truths in respect to which\nthe Bible is silent; and in other instances the modern revelations\ncontain the truths spoken of in the Bible in greater fullness. But\nsince the Prophet recognized the Bible as the word of God; and\nimperfect only so far as imperfection may result from its being\nfragmentary and marred through faulty translations, his revelations and\nteachings must be in harmony with the truths of the Bible. The Bible\nthus becomes, in some measure, at least, a standard by which to test\nthe truths of Joseph Smith's claims and work. Speaking broadly, his\ndoctrines must be in harmony with the Bible, and while much that he\nteaches may go beyond that which was written in the Jewish scriptures,\nyet between his doctrines and those of the Bible, so far as the latter\ntreats of the same themes, there must be substantial agreement.\n\nThe doctrines which our Prophet teaches as the revelations of God, must\nbe perfect in every particular; for since he claims to have received\nthem from the Lord Almighty at first hand, by revelation, there is\nleft no room to plead the error of historians or of translators, and\ncertainly the Lord would not reveal erroneous or untrue doctrine.\n\nThe force of the argument in favor of the genuineness of the claims\nof Mr. Smith derived from the fact that his doctrines are scriptural\nand perfect in every particular, as in the case of the argument based\nupon the fitness there was in the order of the development of the great\nwork, is best seen from the negative side, that is, by contemplating\nwhat the result would be if his doctrines were absolutely contrary to\nthe Bible, and imperfect in some particulars. If such a thing could be\ndemonstrated, it would prove fatal to the validity of his pretensions;\nand therefore, if on the one hand the finding of unscriptural and\nimperfect doctrine would be so disastrous to his pretensions, on the\nother, if it can be shown that his doctrines are in harmony with the\nBible and perfect in every particular--such a fact should be accepted\nas a strong presumptive evidence that he was a true witness and prophet\nsent of God.\n\nWith these considerations in mind, let us examine his doctrines. I wish\nto say, however, that some of the doctrines briefly noticed here will\nreceive, because of their importance, special attention in subsequent\nchapters devoted to their attention.\n\nFirst, then, Joseph Smith taught the existence of God, the Father,\nthe Creator of heaven and earth; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,\nin whose name the Father is to be worshiped; that the Holy Ghost is a\nwitness for the Father and the Son, and that these three constitute the\nGodhead or Grand Presidency of heaven and earth.\n\nSecond, he taught that God the Father so loved the world that he gave\nhis only begotten Son for the redemption of mankind; that Jesus Christ\nsuffered temptations but gave no heed to them; that he was crucified,\ndied, and rose again the third day; that he ascended into heaven to\nsit down on the right hand of the Father, to reign with almighty power\naccording to the will of God. This is all so perfectly in harmony with\nthe well known teachings of the Bible that I do not deem it necessary\nto give references to particular texts in proof of it.\n\nThird, he taught that men will be punished for their own sins and\nnot for Adam's transgression; that through the atonement of Christ\nall mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances\nof the gospel. [2] Since the agency of man was not involved in the\ntransgression of Adam, it is just that they should be delivered from\nthe consequences of that transgression unconditionally, hence Joseph\nSmith teaches that through and by the atonement wrought out in the\nsuffering and death of Jesus Christ, and without obedience to any\nconditions whatsoever, all men will be saved from the consequences\nof Adam's transgression, that is, they will be redeemed through the\nresurrection of the dead from that death which came upon our race\nthrough Adam's disobedience. This teaching is in harmony with the\nscripture which says: \"Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the\nfirst fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man\ncame also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam _all die,_ even\nso in Christ shall _all be made alive_.\" [3]\n\nBut not alone from the consequences of Adam's transgression does the\ngospel save men, but also from the consequences of their own sins, on\ncondition of their obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.\nThe beauty and justice of this doctrine is apparent when we regard it\nin relation to the doctrine we have just considered: All men are to be\nsaved from the consequences of Adam's transgression without compliance\nwith any conditions whatsoever, because their agency was not involved\nin the transgression; but to be saved from the consequences of their\nown sins--their personal violations of God's laws, certain conditions\nare to be complied with because their agency was exercised in the act\nof transgression, and justice has a claim upon them and may command\ntheir obedience to conditions.\n\nJoseph Smith taught that those laws and ordinances to be obeyed are,\n\"first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third,\nbaptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of\nhands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.\" [4]\n\nFourth, he taught that a man must be called of God, by prophecy and by\nthe laying on of hands, by those who are in authority to preach the\ngospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.\n\nFifth, he taught that the church of Christ should be organized in\nthe same manner--i. e., with the same officers that existed in the\nprimitive church, viz.: Apostles, prophets, seventies, bishops, elders,\npastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.\n\nSixth, he taught that all the spiritual gifts of the gospel could be\npossessed and exercised today as well as in former times--the gift of\ntongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healings, interpretation of\ntongues, etc. [5]\n\nSeventh, he taught that the Bible was the word of God as far as it is\ntranslated correctly and also taught that the Book of Mormon was the\nword of God. [6] Indeed the Prophet taught men to believe all that\nGod has revealed, all that he at present reveals, and also said that\nthe Lord would reveal many great and important things in the future\npertaining to the kingdom of God. [7]\n\nEighth, he taught that there would be a literal gathering of Israel,\nand a restoration of the ten tribes; that a city called Zion would\nbe built upon the continent of North America; that Christ will reign\npersonally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and\nreceive its paradisic glory. [8]\n\nNinth, Joseph Smith claimed for himself and his followers the right\nto worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own\nconsciences, but conceded the same privilege to all other men, let\nthem worship how, where or what they may. [9] \"We believe,\" said he,\n\"in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing\ngood to all men. Indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of\nPaul: 'We believe all things, we hope all things;' we have endured many\nthings and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything\nvirtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after\nthese things.\" [10]\n\nThis is, of course, but an epitome of the teachings of the Prophet,\nand as before stated a number of these doctrines will be considered in\nchapters by themselves; but even in this epitome there may be discerned\nthe outlines of a great work, the harmonious parts of a great and\nperfect whole; a system which contemplates the completion of the work\nof redemption for the whole race of men and of the earth itself--a\nconception of the mighty purposes of God which far out-runs anything\nwhich the mind of Joseph Smith unaided by the inspiration of God was\ncapable of perceiving.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. I have been careful thus to limit the teachings of the prophet which\nI call \"scriptural and perfect in every particular\" to those doctrines\nthat he taught officially as the word of the Lord; for the reason\nthat there are some things accredited to him by individuals that I\nfeel sure they must have misunderstood at the time, or unconsciously\nchanged through imperfect recollection of what the prophet said. Even\nsome of his published sermons do him an injustice; for the reason\nthat they are not accurately reported nor from the nature of the\ncircumstances could they be. They were not reported by stenographers,\nbut by men writing down what they could in long hand during the course\nof delivery, and published with such additions and corrections as could\nbe made afterwards from memory. These published sermons therefore are\nlittle better than synopses of what the prophet said, and necessarily\nimperfect.\n\n2. In this statement I have grouped together the second and third\narticles of faith as prepared by Joseph Smith for Mr. John Wentworth\nfor publication in the _Chicago Democrat,_ in 1842. See also Book of\nAlma; in Book of Mormon, chapter xi: 4-44. III Nephi (Book of Mormon)\nch. xxvii: 12, 13.\n\n3. I Cor. xv: 20-22 and Rom. v: 12-19.\n\n4. See fourth Article of Faith. Those desirous of inquiring into\nthe agreement of these doctrines with the scripture may examine the\nfollowing text: Heb. xi: 6; Rom. i: 16, 17; Rom. x: 14, 15; James iii;\nMark xvi: 15, 16; Acts ii: 38, 39; John iii: 5; Acts viii; Acts xix:\n1-6; Heb. vi: 1-6. Also author's \"Gospel.\"\n\n5. Seventh Article of Faith. See also Mark xvi: 15-20; I Cor. xii;\nJames v: 1315; I Thess. v: 19, 20; John xiv: 12; Acts ii: 17.\n\n6. The eighth Article of Faith. Volume II of this work is to be devoted\nto the consideration of the Book of Mormon as a witness for God, and\nthe evidences of its divine authenticity will there receive full\nattention.\n\n7. Let the reader examine the following passages in evidence of the\ntruth of future revelation from God. Acts ii: 17, 18. See also Mal. iv;\nMal. iii; Isa. xi; Ezek. xx: 33-38; Matt. xxiv: 31; Zach. xiv.\n\n8. See tenth Article of Faith. A subsequent chapter is devoted to the\ngathering of Israel and the other statements of the above paragraph.\n\n9. Eleventh Article of Faith.\n\n10. Thirteenth Article of Faith.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVI.\n\nMANNER OF THE PROPHET'S TEACHING.\n\nNext to what Joseph Smith taught may be considered his manner of\nteaching; in which, as I think, may be seen evidences of divine\ninspiration as well as in the correctness of his doctrines. Before\ninquiring into his manner of teaching, however, it is necessary to\nexplain that I shall feel at liberty to refer to any of the revelations\nhe has published as illustrating this method. It must ever be borne in\nmind that it is claimed for Joseph Smith in these pages that he was\na man inspired of God; and as at this point we are about to consider\nhis manner of teaching as an evidence of his inspiration, it will be\nreadily seen that the revelations he announced and any peculiar style\nthey possess may properly be referred to in evidence.\n\nOne other remark should be made, namely: That Joseph Smith was not a\nlearned man in the sense that the world regards learning. How limited\nhis scholastic attainments were has already been stated; and though his\nindustry in pursuit of knowledge later in life did much to make up the\ndeficiency occasioned by lack of opportunity in early life, yet, when\nthat is allowed, it must still be said that he was not a learned man\nin the sense in which that phrase is understood by the world. He knew\nbut little of history, less of languages, and still less of science or\nthe world's philosophy. Nor can this be any reproach to him when the\nconditions in the midst of which he was reared and lived are taken into\naccount; nor, for that matter, do I believe that the lack of education\nas that term is understood by the world, was any serious bar to his\nsuccess in the work to which God called him. If indeed he lacked the\npolish and finish which a liberal and polite education are supposed to\nimpart, he also escaped the bias and warping which a training in the\nschools and colleges gives to the mind.\n\nIt has already been stated how Joseph Smith received his revelations;\nand from the fact that much of his teaching is in the form of\nrevelations, it may naturally be expected that it will come in the\ntone and spirit of authority, and will not be like the teaching of\nmen who make no such pretensions as the Prophet did,--but satisfy\nthemselves with deductions drawn from the revelations given in former\ndispensations, teaching as the Scribes and Pharisees of old. Joseph\nSmith announced himself a teacher sent of God; and necessarily must\nplace the truth of what he taught upon that authority. It is that\nwhich is the peculiar characteristic of his teaching. It is a style\nthat would be altogether out of place for the philosopher or moralist;\nbut one that the position of our Prophet made imperative; and had he\nfailed to teach in that style, his manner would have been out of all\nharmony with his pretensions and would have been a means of detecting\nan imposter. As an illustration of the style here pointed out, I quote\nthe following:\n\n\"It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance.\"\n\n\"Whatever principles of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it\nwill rise with us in the resurrection, and if a person gains more\nknowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and\nobedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world\nto come.\"\n\n\"There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but\nit is more fine and pure and can only be discerned by purer eyes. We\ncannot see it; but when our bodies are purified, we shall see that it\nis all matter.\"\n\n\"The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son\nalso; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a\npersonage of spirit. Were it not so the Holy Ghost could not dwell in\nus.\"\n\n\"There are in the Church, two Priesthoods, namely, the Melchisedek, and\nAaronic, including the Levitical Priesthood. Why the first is called\nthe Melchisedek Priesthood is because Melchisedek was such a great\nhigh priest. Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood after\nthe order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence to the\nname of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his\nname, they, the church, in ancient days, called that Priesthood after\nMelchisedek, or the Melchisedek Priesthood.\"\n\n\"Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of\nGod hath no need to break the laws of the land. Wherefore be subject\nto the powers that be, until he reigns whose right it is to reign, and\nsubdues all enemies under his feet.\"\n\n\"Thou shalt not be proud in thy heart; let all thy garments be plain,\nand their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands.\"\n\n\"Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread\nnor wear the garments of the laborer.\"\n\nThis perhaps is enough for the purpose of illustration; and will\nexhibit the spirit of all his teaching. In this manner he sets the\nofficers of the church in order, asserts the powers they severally\npossess, and defines their relations to the church and to each other.\nIn like manner he states the laws of the church, and gives instruction\nas to the manner in which the ordinances are to be administered. For\nexample, of baptism--about which there has been so much controversy in\nChristendom--he says:\n\n\"Baptism is to be administered in the following manner: The person who\nis called of God, and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall\ngo down into the water with the person who has presented him or herself\nfor baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name--Having been\ncommissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father;\nand of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.\"\n\nAnd so on throughout in the ordinances to be performed, instruction is\ngiven in this spirit. Not a statement deduced from ancient scripture,\nsustained by labored logic, but stated in bold, round terms by virtue\nof the authority he possessed. It is to be observed, too, that in all\nsuch cases the simplicity and appropriateness of the language employed\nbear witness to its inspiration. The tendency of man is to verbosity\nin administering in sacred things; to introduce form and pomp and\nceremony; while simplicity and directness mark all the works of God\nin revelation as in nature. Looked at with a view to the discovery\nof these excellencies in them, to what advantage do the formulas\nfor ordinances given by Joseph Smith appear! Take this ceremony for\nbaptism--not a superfluous word in it--direct--covering all the ground\nnecessary, and yet how simple withal!\n\nSo it is with the formula given for administering the sacrament of the\nLords supper, which is as follows: \"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask\nthee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this\nbread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in\nremembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God the\nEternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy\nSon, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he has\ngiven them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.\"\n\nThe formula for administering the wine or water is only slightly\ndifferent from this. Of the above prayer I may say \"that for a\nsuccession of solemn thoughts, for fixing the attention upon a few\ngreat points, for suitableness, * * * for sufficiency, for conciseness\nwithout obscurity for the weight and real importance of its petitions\"\n[1]--this prayer so far as I am aware is without an equal excepting,\nperhaps, the Lord's prayer.\n\nThe same qualities, directness and simplicity, are to be observed\nin the ordination of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic\nPriesthood, by John the Baptist. This is the more surprising when the\ncircumstances connected with that event are taken into account. The\nAaronic Priesthood had not been upon the earth for many centuries; it\nis to be restored by the great forerunner of Messiah, whose business\nit is to prepare the way before him; he descends out of heaven in a\npillar of light, and appears to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and\nlays his hands upon them--I am bold to affirm it as my steadfast\nbelief that any mere enthusiast or impostor would have taken advantage\nof these really dramatic circumstances to have indulged in something\ntheatrical in the ceremony of ordination that was to follow. Some\nreference to the long absence of the Priesthood from the earth; some\nglowing words relative to its importance; the awful solemnity of\nconferring part of God's power on men; the honor these men received in\nhaving it bestowed upon them--the temptation to the mere enthusiast or\nimpostor to have indulged in some extravagant expression would have\nbeen simply irresistible. But hear what the angel said: \"Upon you,\nmy fellow-servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood\nof Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and the\ngospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission\nof sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until\nthe sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in\nrighteousness.\" That was all, except that the messenger explained that\nhe acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, that a higher\nPriesthood would later be conferred upon them, and commanded them each\nto baptize the other.\n\nThe simplicity, directness and appropriateness of this ordination in\nthe presence of such temptation to introduce pomp and ceremony, stamp\nit with the seal of truth. It is just such an ordination as we would\nexpect--upon due reflection--an angel to make, full, covering all\nnecessary ground, but simple and direct.\n\nThus it is seen that the manner of Joseph Smith's teaching is in\nharmony with his pretensions; and while not a conclusive it is at least\npresumptive evidence of the truth of his pretentions.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. The quoted part of the statement is what Archdeacon Paley says of\nthe Lord's prayer.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVII.\n\nTHE TESTIMONY OF TOIL AND SUFFERING--EXERTION AND DANGER--A CHRISTIAN\nARGUMENT APPLIED.\n\nArchdeacon Paley in his work, \"The evidences of Christianity,\" says:\n\"There is satisfactory evidence that many, pretending to be original\nwitnesses of the Christian miracles, passed their lives in labors,\ndangers, and sufferings, voluntarily undertaken and undergone in\nattestation of the accounts which they delivered, and solely in\nconsequence of their belief of the truth of those accounts.\"\n\nThe learned archdeacon deducts from this fact a strong argument in\nsupport of the truth of Christianity. In order to display his confidence\nin the strength of his argument, he says: \"If the Reformers in the time\nof Wicliffe, or of Luther; or those of England, in the time of Henry\nthe Eighth, or of Queen Mary; or the founders of our religious sects\nsince, such as were Mr. Whitefield and Mr. Wesley in our times--had\nundergone the life of toil and exertion, of danger and suffering, which\nwe know that many of them did undergo, for a miraculous story; that is\nto say, if they had founded their public ministry upon the allegation\nof miracles wrought within their knowledge, and upon narratives which\ncould not be resolved into delusion or mistake; and if it had appeared\nthat their conduct really had its origin in these accounts, _I should\nhave believed them_.\" [1]\n\nMr. Paley's argument is this: The early Christians came to the world\nwith a miraculous story; their public ministry was founded upon the\nallegation of miracles wrought within their own knowledge, and upon\nnarratives which could not be resolved into delusion or mistake; their\nconduct really had its origin in these miraculous accounts; and in\nsupport of their declarations they endured lives of toil, poverty,\npersecution, danger and suffering; and for these reasons Mr. Paley\nconcludes that the religion they advocated \"must be true.\" \"These men,\"\nhe says \"could not be deceivers. By only _not_ bearing testimony they\nmight have avoided all these sufferings and have lived quietly. Would\nmen in such circumstances pretend to have seen what they never saw;\nassert facts which they had no knowledge of; go about lying, to teach\nvirtue; and though not only convinced of Christ's being an impostor,\nbut having seen the success of his imposture in his crucifixion, yet\npersist in carrying it on; and so persist as to bring upon themselves,\nfor nothing, and with a full knowledge of the consequences, enmity and\nhatred, danger and death?\" [2]\n\nThe world, at least that part of it called Christian, accept as\nconclusive the argument of the archdeacon; and even unbelievers in\nthe Christian story recognize the force of his reasoning. It is my\nintention to apply his argument to the new dispensation of the gospel\nintroduced by Joseph Smith; for if the argument tends to prove the\ndivinity of the mission of the ancient apostles of the church, it ought\nalso to prove the divinity of the mission of the apostles of the new\ndispensation, provided, of course, that the same conditions exist in\nthe latter as in the former case. Those conditions exist in the new\ndispensation, as in the old, men come to the world with a miraculous\nstory--a story that relates the personal appearing of God the Father,\nand his Son Jesus Christ; bringing to light the record of an ancient\npeople and translating it by miraculous means into the English\nlanguage; and the visitation of angels to restore divine authority. The\npublic ministry of Joseph Smith and his associates was founded upon the\nallegation of these miracles wrought within their own knowledge, and\nwhich are of a character, as I have already said, that they can not be\nresolved into delusion or mistake; their conduct really had its origin\nin these miraculous accounts; and in support of their declarations they\nendured lives of toil, poverty, persecution, danger and suffering. The\nreader has the proof of all these statements in the preceding pages of\nthis work, except in regard to the last, and it is now my purpose to\nfurnish him proof of that.\n\nIt has already been stated how the story of the appearance of the\nFather and the Son to Joseph Smith brought upon his youthful head the\nwrath of the ministers of the locality where he lived; how his own name\nand that of his parents were loaded with opprobrium for no other reason\nthan because he asserted he had seen a vision.\n\nPersecution and annoyance increased when it was noised abroad that he\nhad the plates from which he translated the Book of Mormon.\n\nSoon after the church was organized there were a number of vexatious\nlaw suits growing out of charges against him for setting the country in\nan uproar by preaching the Book of Mormon.\n\nIn March, 1832, the prophet's house was broken into in the night. He\nwas dragged from his bed into an adjacent field, where the mob beat\nhim in the most inhuman and brutal manner. His body was bruised and\nlacerated from head to foot. He was be-smeared all over with tar and\ncovered with feathers. At the same time Sidney Rigdon, who was now\nconnected with him in the ministry, was similarly treated. During the\nnight the friends of the prophet removed the tar and cleansed his body,\nand the next day (Sunday), scarred and bruised as he was, he preached\nto the people and baptized three persons.\n\nBy the year 1833 a large number of Saints had settled in Jackson\nCounty, in the western part of Missouri, that place being pointed out\nby revelation as the location of a great city to be called Zion. In\nNovember of the year above named the inhabitants of Jackson County rose\nagainst the church in that land and drove some twelve hundred men,\nwomen and children from their homes into the wilderness, where they\nlay exposed to the inclemency of the season, which in that latitude is\nvery severe. In the course of the troubles a number of the Saints were\nkilled, and others died from exposure. Two hundred and three houses\nand one grist mill were burned down. A printing press was destroyed, a\nstore owned by members of the church looted, and much other property\ndestroyed. These troubles arose from the fact of the Saints accepting\nthe testimony of Joseph Smith concerning the miraculous events by which\nthe new dispensation of the gospel was introduced. [3]\n\nWhen Joseph Smith learned of the expulsion of his followers from\nMissouri he immediately organized a company and gathered together\nclothing and provisions to go to their relief; and, if possible,\nrestore them to the lands from which they had been driven. This company\nin Mormon history is known as Zion's camp. During that journey from\nOhio to Western Missouri many dangers were braved, many hardships\nencountered, much toil and sickness experienced. As the only assurance\nof assistance which could be obtained from the governor of Missouri was\nof a nature to invite more bloodshed, [4] the company called Zion's\nCamp disbanded.\n\nThe exiled Saints subsequently settled some fifty or sixty miles\nnorth of Jackson County, and organized Caldwell County, where they\nwere joined by large numbers of their co-religionists from the East.\nJoseph Smith also settled with them. The religious intolerance of\ntheir neighbors, however, gave them no peace, and in the fall and\nwinter of 1838 the whole state of Missouri arose against the church\nand expelled some twelve thousand peaceful and law-abiding United\nStates citizens from their homes solely on account of their religious\nviews. Joseph Smith, under circumstances of great cruelty, was torn\nfrom his family and friends, and with a number of his prominent\nbrethren was thrust into prison where they remained for six months\nawaiting trial, while their families and the church in the midst of\ngreat suffering--hunger, cold and nakedness--the greater part of their\nproperty destroyed--were driven from the State. Recognizing their\ninability to prove aught against the prophet and his fellow-prisoners,\nafter six months' incarceration, while moving them from one part of the\nState to another, their guards, evidently through an understanding with\nthe judges--connived at their escape. After enduring many hardships\nthe prophet rejoined his family and the church in Illinois, where the\nSaints were then settling.\n\nDuring his residence in Illinois the prophet's life was one continual\ncourse of toil, excitement, sickness, and danger. Old foes and false\nfriends were well-nigh constantly seeking to entrap him. New schemes\nwere constantly hatching to destroy him. During his career some fifty\ntimes he was dragged before the tribunals of his country and as many\ntimes were the judges compelled to dismiss him. While living in\nIllinois an effort was made to kidnap him and take him to Missouri\namong his old enemies. In the midst of these persecutions he was\nconstantly preaching, translating, or completing the organization of\nthe church--setting in order the various quorums of the Priesthood\nand instructing them in their duties. He endured poverty and hardship\nthroughout the greater part of his career and scarcely knew what it was\nto enjoy peace--save that God-given peace that comes from within; and\nwhich, however great the tempest from without may be, gives serenity\nand joy unspeakable to the servants and prophets of God.\n\nAt last, after a life of continual warfare with error; after enduring\nuntold toil and persecution, illegal prosecutions and mob violence,\nhardships and suffering--wicked men conspired against him, and while in\nthe charge of the officers of the State of Illinois, with the honor of\nthe great state pledged through the governor for his protection, he was\nmurdered in cold blood for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,\nin the thirty-ninth year of his age.\n\nCounting from the time that he received his first vision, when a lad\nof fourteen years, he stood a witness for God a little less than a\nquarter of a century; but in that short time he suffered more and\naccomplished more than has fallen to the lot of any other man to suffer\nand accomplish since the Son of God expired on the summit of Golgotha.\n\nNot only did Joseph Smith thus endure a life of toil, poverty,\npersecution, danger and suffering in support of the miraculous accounts\nin which his public ministry had its origin; but many of his followers\n(some of them also witnesses of the miraculous events which brought\ninto existence the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) spent\ntheir lives in the same way. The first Elders of the church shared\nJoseph Smith's toils, mobbings, imprisonment, poverty, danger and\nexile; and some, while engaged in the ministry, even in later years\nhave suffered death by violence [5] for testifying to the truth of\nthe miraculous story in which the church had its origin. The servants\nof God have traveled in nearly all the nations of Europe; through the\nstates of North America; and among the peoples of the Pacific Islands.\nThey have usually gone without purse or scrip, and always without\nremuneration. They have sacrificed their business and professional\ninterests, together with the associations of home and family that\nthey might preach the gospel newly restored to the earth, through the\nministration of angels to Joseph Smith. In telling the miraculous story\nin which the new dispensation had its birth, they have \"found leopards\nand lions in the path,\" and \"have made abundant acquaintance with the\nhungry wolf, that with privy paw devoured apace and nothing said;\" but\nthe have kept right on in the work God called them to perform; and have\nendured toils and privations which even those of the ancient apostles\ndo not surpass. Amid the ridicule of the learned, the indifference\nof the rich and the great, and the violence of the rabble they have\nfaithfully borne witness to the truth of the miraculous restoration\nof the gospel in these last days, until the whole world is acquainted\nwith the story; and in their ministry they have given as much evidence\nof the divinity of the message they proclaim to the world as ever the\napostles and elders of the ancient Christian church did by their lives\nof self-denial, of toil, exertion, danger and suffering.\n\nThese labors they continued after the death of their prophet leader;\nand I may say of them what Mr. Paley says of the first Christian\nministers--only slightly paraphrasing his words: These men could\nnot be deceivers. By only _not_ bearing testimony they might have\navoided all these sufferings and have lived quietly. Would men in such\ncircumstances pretend to have seen what they never saw; assert facts\nwhich they had no knowledge of; go about lying, to teach virtue; and\nthough not only convinced of Joseph Smith's being an impostor but\nhaving seen the success of his imposture in his martyrdom, yet persist\nin carrying it on; and so persist, as to bring upon their own heads,\nfor nothing, and with a full knowledge of the consequences, enmity and\nhatred, danger and death?\n\nThe conditions demanded in Mr. Paley's argument all exist in the\nexperience of the ministry of the new dispensation of the gospel,\nand if the same weight be given the argument in the case of this\ndispensation as is accorded to it when employed to prove the truth\nof the Christian story as told by the ancient apostles and elders,\nthe divinity of the mission of Joseph Smith is proven beyond all\ncontroversy.\n\nMr. Paley, continuing his argument under the head I have been\ndiscussing, says that his belief in the miraculous story told by\nmen who had on account of it endured lives of toil and exertion, of\ndanger and suffering, would be very much increased \"If the subject of\nthe mission were of importance to the conduct and happiness of human\nlife; if it testified of anything which it behoved mankind to know\nfrom such authority; if the nature of what was delivered, required\nthe sort of proof which it alleged; if the occasion was adequate to\nthe interposition, the end worthy of the means. In the last case my\nfaith would be much confirmed, if the effects of the transaction\nremained; more especially, if a change had been wrought, at the time\nin the opinion and conduct of such members, as to lay the foundation\nof an institution, and of a system of doctrines, which had since\noverspread the greatest part of the civilized world.\" [6] In the new\ndispensation of the gospel all these additional circumstances which\nMr. Paley finds in the old dispensation of Christianity, exist; so\nthat there is nothing wanting to justify the complete appropriation of\nthis time-honored Christian argument to the divinity of Joseph Smith's\nmission. Let me point this out:\n\nFirst: _The subject of the mission must be of importance to the conduct\nand happiness of human life._ This is true of the message with which\nJoseph Smith came to the world, since it cries repentance to all men,\nwarns them of the approaching judgments of God, and calls upon them to\nworship God who created heaven and earth. If such a message is not a\nsubject of importance \"to the conduct and happiness of human life\" what\nmessage could be? This message was surely of such importance since the\nacceptance or rejection of it would affect the condition of men in time\nand in eternity.\n\nSecond, _it must testify of that which it behoves mankind to know\nfrom such authority._ This the message brought to the world by Joseph\nSmith does, for it proclaims first, that the gospel together with the\nauthority to administer its ordinances had been taken from among men;\nand second, that this same gospel and authority had been restored by\na new revelation, the only way it could be re-established when once\ntaken from the earth. I take it that it behooves mankind to know of\nsuch a great transaction as this from \"such authority\"--that is, divine\nauthority.\n\nThird, _the nature of what is delivered must require the sort of proof\nwhich is alleged._ This the new dispensation does; for claiming to be\na revelation from God it requires just the same kind of testimony that\nthe old Christian dispensation did--the testimony of suffering and\ntoil on the part of those who receive it, and especially upon the part\nof those who enter its ministry. It may be remarked in passing that\nthe new dispensation is just as worthy of such testimony as the old\nChristian dispensation.\n\nFourth, _the occasion must be adequate to the divine interposition--the\nend worthy of the means._ This is true of the new dispensation since\nrestoring the gospel to the earth after its absence for many centuries,\nis not only an occasion worthy of the interposition but the only\nway in which the plan of salvation could be restored. To make such\na restoration to the human race was surely an end worthy of such\nmeans--that is, worthy of a revelation.\n\nFifth, _the effects of the original transaction must remain._ This\nis true of the new dispensation as the religious faith at the first\npromulgated by Joseph Smith and his associates is still in the earth,\nand the circle of its influence is constantly widening.\n\nSixth, _a change must be wrought at the time of the transaction in the\nopinion and conduct of such members as to lay the foundation of an\ninstitution, and of a system of doctrines which have since overspread\nthe greatest part of the civilized world._ This condition also the\nnew dispensation fulfills. That is, a change was wrought at the time,\nand by the means of the introduction of the new dispensation in the\nopinions and conduct of a sufficient number to lay the foundation of\nan institution, and of a system of doctrines which has since spread\nthroughout the greater part of the civilized world. I do not mean to\nsay by the last part of the statement that the new dispensation has\nbeen accepted as true throughout the greater part of the civilized\nworld; but I do mean to say that a knowledge of it has since overspread\ncivilized nations; and that it has drawn to itself as great a number\nof disciples as Christianity did in the first sixty-three years of\nits existence. The change wrought in the opinions of those who have\naccepted the testimony of Joseph Smith was quite as radical as that\nwhich came to those who accepted the gospel in the first century of\nChristianity. From believing that the volume of scripture was completed\nand closed, and that the Bible contained all that had been revealed to\nman, they turned to the belief that it contained but a few fragments of\nthe revelations of God and accepted a new volume of scripture received\nand preserved by the people of the Western Hemisphere. From believing\nthat the ministrations of angels had forever ceased, they turned to\nthe belief that a number of angels had ministered to Joseph Smith,\nand that in the future the visitation of angels to men would be still\nmore frequent. From believing that the spiritual graces and gifts of\nthe gospel were no more to be expected, they turned to the belief\nthat these blessings so abundantly enjoyed in the primitive Christian\nchurch could also be possessed by them. They consequently sought\nfor and according to a volume of testimony that cannot be rejected,\nthey enjoyed the spiritual gifts of healing the sick, speaking in\ntongues, interpretation of tongues, discernment of spirits, prophecy,\nrevelation, etc.; and sought a closer walk with God, and read and\npracticed the moral law of the gospel more strictly.\n\nThus, as in the testimony of toil and suffering on the part of those\nwho came with the new faith--or the old faith renewed--there is nothing\nwanting in these supplemental conditions which, in Archdeacon Paley's\nopinion, adds to the weight of the testimony of toil and suffering.\nEvery condition in his argument for the truth of the old dispensation\nof Christianity is met in the circumstance in the midst of which the\nnew dispensation of Christianity came into existence; and I claim for\nthe latter all the force that has been demanded for this argument when\napplied to the former. The argument is the Archdeacon's, not mine;\nbut finding the conditions existing in the new dispensation that Mr.\nPaley claims existed when the old was brought forth, I merely apply the\nargument to the new; and throw the weight of Mr. Paley's reputation for\nlogic and force of statement into the support of the divinity of Joseph\nSmith's mission.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Paley's View of the Evidences of Christianity, Proposition II.,\nchap. i.\n\n2. Paley's Evidences, Proposition I., ch. x.\n\n3. Wight's Affidavit, _Times and Seasons_ for 1843, p. 26. The writer\nfor want of space cannot introduce the testimony to support these\nseveral statements, nor indeed is it necessary; for the injustice and\ncruelty of the conduct of the people of Missouri and Illinois against\nthe Latter-day Saints are universally conceded; as is also the fact\nthat these cruelties grew out of the prejudice existing against the\nreligion professed by the Saints. Those desiring information on the\nsubject may consult the writer's History of The Missouri Persecutions\nand the Rise and Fall of Nauvoo.\n\n4. The governor recognized the right of the people to be returned to\ntheir lands, and agreed to call out the militia to accomplish that\nobject; but held that he had no authority to keep a force in Jackson\nCounty to protect them from the mob. As to go back to their lands\nunder such circumstances would only be inviting another expulsion--the\nsaints not being sufficiently strong to hold their possessions against\nthe invasions of the mob--the attempt to re-instate the exiles was\nabandoned.\n\n5. As late as August, 1884, two Elders while in the act of beginning\nreligious service, on Sunday, in the state of Tennessee, were murdered\nby a mob; two young men, members of the Church, were also killed, and\nan aged woman, a member of the Church, savagely wounded.\n\n6. Paley's Evidences, Proposition II., ch. i.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XVIII.\n\nTHE TESTIMONY OF MIRACLES--THE EVIDENCE OF FULFILLED PROMISES.\n\nIt has been already remarked that Christian writers have attached\ntoo much importance to miracles as evidences of the divine authority\nof those who worked them; for the reason that in some instances the\nprophets of God have worked no miracles; in other instances impostors\nhave worked miracles, and it is predicted for the future that the\nspirits of devils will have power to work miracles to deceive men.\nI have also pointed out the fact that miracles are not, properly\nspeaking, events which take place in violation of the laws of nature,\nbut that they take place through the operation of higher laws of nature\nnot yet understood by man; hence the occurrences which are called\nmiracles are only so in appearance, and we may confidently expect the\nday to come when they will cease to appear as miraculous.\n\nI say that Christian writers have attached too much importance to\nthe testimony based on what are called miracles; and yet I would not\nbe understood as ignoring the importance which may attach to them as\ncollateral evidence. When the miracles follow the claimants to divine\nauthority in fulfillment of their promises, the testimony becomes very\nimportant indeed; for the reason that if certain miraculous gifts or\npowers are promised by the claimants of divine authority and then they\ndo _not_ follow--then, granting of course that their disciples comply\nwith the conditions upon which the promises are based, the failure in\nthe fulfillment of their promises would prove them impostors. More\nespecially would miracles under these circumstances be strong proof of\ndivine authority if the promises were of a nature beyond the power of\nman to fulfill, or of Lucifer to imitate. For example: Peter on the day\nof Pentecost, in the boldest manner conceivable, told the people on\ncondition of their repentance and baptism that they should receive the\nHoly Ghost.\n\nThat, I take it, was a promise that could not be fulfilled by the\nagency of man; and still more revolting to reason would it be to\nsuppose that the spirit of devils could influence the fulfillment of\nsuch a promise. It would be insulting to the dignity of God--blasphemy\nof the first degree--to say that agencies of Lucifer could confer\nthe Holy Ghost. However great the powers which God in his wisdom has\npermitted Lucifer to retain, to confer the Holy Ghost, or in any manner\nto operate through or by it, is not one of them. If this promise made\nby Peter, then, is fulfilled, the people to whom he made it would have\nmost positive proof that he held divine authority. Or, on the other\nhand, if this or any other promise of heavenly gifts or powers, though\nof a subordinate nature to the great promise of the Holy Ghost, should\nfail of fullfilment--provided always that the conditions were complied\nwith--it would be all that was necessary to prove that the one making\nit was an impostor.\n\nIt is in the light of these reflections that I propose to submit the\nevidence of miracles to the divinity of Joseph Smith's mission. That\nis, making their chief weight as evidence consist in the fact that\nthey are possessed and enjoyed by his followers in fulfillment of his\npromises to them.\n\nJohn the Baptist, when he conferred the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph\nSmith and Oliver Cowdery, told them that this Priesthood did not hold\nthe power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost; but that\nsuch power would be given to them later. Subsequently they received the\nhigher or Melchisedek Priesthood under the hands of Peter, James and\nJohn, which gave them the authority promised by the Baptist--the power\nto lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.\n\nIn September, 1832, on the occasion of a number of Elders coming into\nKirtland from their missions in the Eastern States, six of them met\ntogether, and Joseph Smith received a revelation directing their future\nlabors, in the course of which the following commandment and promise\nwere given to them: \"Go ye into all the world, and whatsoever place ye\ncannot go into ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into\nall the world unto every creature. And as I said unto mine apostles,\neven so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God's high\npriests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me--ye are my friends;\ntherefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that\nevery soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for\nthe remission of sins, _shall receive the Holy Ghost._\" [1]\n\nI thought proper to call attention to the fact that Joseph Smith\nclaimed to have received power through ordination by heavenly\nmessengers to confer the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands; and\nthen that afterwards in this revelation a promise of the reception of\nthe Holy Ghost is made to all those who will believe the testimony of\nthe servants of God in the new dispensation and be baptized for the\nremission of their sins. Accordingly Joseph Smith and the Elders of the\nChurch have made this promise to all the inhabitants of the earth, and\nupon as many as have complied with the conditions prescribed, they have\nlaid their hands and said--\"Receive ye the Holy Ghost.\" If this promise\nthat they shall receive the Holy Ghost fails, then the men making the\npromise stand convicted as impostors. If it is fulfilled, since, as\nalready remarked, neither man nor the agencies of Lucifer can fulfill\nsuch a promise--God only--then it stands as very positive evidence\nthat Joseph Smith through whom the promise is made was divinely\nauthorized, and that he conferred divine authority upon others. If\nhe was authorized to impart the Holy Ghost by an ordinance of the\ngospel, it follows also that he was divinely authorized to preach a new\ndispensation of the gospel, and re-establish the Church of Christ on\nearth. The only question that remains to be considered is, do those who\ncomply with the conditions receive the fulfillment of the promise?\n\nFor over sixty years the gospel has been preached among nearly all the\nnations of the earth, during which time hundreds of thousands have\nreceived the message, and they have testified that to them the word\nof promise made to the ear has not been broken to the hope--but they\nhave realized its fulfillment. Not always, and indeed not frequently,\nin the earth-quake, or the whirlwind, have they seen the evidence of\nhaving received the Holy Ghost; but in the whisperings of the still,\nsmall voice of the Comforter, which fills the soul with assurance;\nwhich enlarges while it quickens the intellect; makes broader while\nit sanctifies the affections; shows things to come, or testifies that\nJesus is the Christ; through adversity or affliction is a voice in the\near saying, when those who have it would turn to the right hand or to\nthe left, this is the way, walk ye in it; or which, though it brings\ntogether men and women from all nations and tribes of the earth, with\nall their diverse customs and peculiarities, yet makes them one people;\nblends all their desires in the accomplishment of a common purpose,\nand enables them to dwell together in perfect peace and unity. Such is\nthe manner of its operations--and in such operations the saints have\nevidence of its existence among them; and the whole Church of Christ\nis ready and does testify to the world that the Holy Ghost is given in\nfulfillment of the promise made through Joseph Smith.\n\nFollowing the promise of the Holy Ghost, in the revelation quoted,\nis this array of promises: \"And these signs shall follow them that\nbelieve. In my name they shall do many wonderful works; in my name [2]\nthey shall cast out devils; in my name they shall heal the sick; in\nmy name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of\nthe deaf; and the tongue of the dumb shall speak; and if any man shall\nadminister poison unto them, it shall not hurt them; and the poison\nof a serpent shall not have power to harm them. _But a commandment I\ngive unto them, that they shall not boast themselves of these things,\nneither speak them before the world; for these things are given unto\nyou for your profit and for salvation_.\" [3]\n\nThe last part of the passage I have written in Italics that it might\nbe the clearer understood that this promise of the miraculous gifts\nenumerated was not made that servants of God in the new dispensation\nmight have evidence of what are commonly looked upon as miracles to\npoint to in attestation of their divine authority; but are blessings\ngiven to the saints for their profit and salvation. For the very\nreasons that they were not given as evidence of divine authority,\nbut as a promise of blessing to the saints, they will become all\nthe stronger proof of divine authority in the ministry of the new\ndispensation, provided it can be proven that they follow those who\nbelieve. And I want to say, also, that because of the commandment\nthat the servants of God shall not boast of these powers before the\nworld is the very reason that so little has been said of them as proof\nof the divine mission of our New Witness; and even now I make their\nchief weight as evidence consist in the fact that their enjoyment is\nthe fulfillment of a promise made by the God of heaven through Joseph\nSmith, which if it had not been fulfilled would prove him beyond all\nquestion an impostor. But I affirm that these promises are fulfilled in\nthe experience of those who believe in, and accept the new dispensation\nand offer the following testimony in evidence:--\n\nIn the month of April, 1830, Joseph Smith was visiting at the house\nof a Mr. Joseph Knight, at Colesville, Broome County, New York. This\ngentleman had rendered the prophet some timely assistance while\ntranslating the Book of Mormon, and he was anxious that Mr. Knight and\nhis family should receive the truth. While in Mr. Knight's neighborhood\nthe prophet held a number of meetings. Among those who attended\nregularly was Newel Knight, son of Joseph Knight. He and the prophet\nhad many serious conversations on the subject of man's salvation. In\nthe meetings held the people prayed much, and in one of the aforesaid\nconversations with the prophet, Newel Knight promised that he would\npray publicly. When the time came, however, his heart failed him, and\nhe refused, saying that he would wait until he got into the woods by\nhimself. The next morning when he attempted to pray in the woods, he\nwas over-whelmed with a sense of having neglected his duty the evening\nbefore, in not praying in the presence of others. He began to feel\nuneasy and continued to grow worse both in body and mind, until upon\nreaching home his appearance was such as to alarm his wife. He sent\nfor the prophet, who, when he came found Newel in a sad condition and\nsuffering greatly. His visage and limbs were distorted and twisted in\nevery shape imaginable. At last he was caught up off the floor and\ntossed about most fearfully. The neighbors hearing of his condition\ncame running in. After he had suffered for a time the prophet succeeded\nin getting him by the hand, when Newel immediately spoke to him, saying\nhe knew he was possessed of the devil, and that the prophet had power\nto cast him out. \"If you know I can, it shall be, done,\" replied the\nprophet; and then almost unconsciously he rebuked Satan and commanded\nhim to depart from the man. Immediately Newel's contortions stopped,\nand he spoke out and said he saw the devil leave him and vanish from\nsight.\n\n\"This was the first miracle which was done in this church, or by any\nmember of it,\" writes the prophet; \"and it was done not by man, nor by\nthe power of man, but it was done by God and by the power of Godliness;\ntherefore let the honor and praise, the dominion and the glory, be\nascribed to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.\"\n\nThe following account of a miraculous healing is to be found in Hayden'\nHistory of the Disciples (Campbellites); and is the statement of\nwitnesses hostile to the prophet and the work in which he was engaged:\n\n\"Ezra Booth, of Mantua, a Methodist preacher of much more than ordinary\nculture, and with strong natural abilities, in company with his\nwife, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and some other citizens of this place,\nvisited Smith at his house in Kirtland, in 1831. Mrs. Johnson had been\nafflicted for some time with a lame arm, and was not at the time of\nthe visit able to lift her hand to her head. The party visited Smith,\npartly out of curiosity, and partly to see for themselves what there\nmight be in the new doctrine. During the interview the conversation\nturned upon the subject of supernatural gifts; such as were conferred\nin the days of the apostles. Some one said: 'Here is Mrs. Johnson\nwith a lame arm; has God given any power to men on the earth to cure\nher?' A few moments later, when the conversation had turned in another\ndirection, Smith rose, and walking across the room, taking Mrs. Johnson\nby the hand, said in the most solemn and impressive manner: '_Woman, in\nthe name of Jesus Christ, I command thee to be whole;_ and immediately\nleft the room. The company were awestricken at the infinite presumption\nof the man, and the calm assurance with which he spoke. The sudden\nmental and moral shock--I know not how better to explain the well\nattested fact--electrified the rheumatic arm--Mrs. Johnson at once\nlifted it with ease, and on her return home the next day she was able\nto do her washing without difficulty or pain.'\" [4]\n\nWhen the saints first settled at Commerce, afterwards called Nauvoo, it\nwas a very unhealthy locality. Malaria was prevalent and other people\nwho had tried to make a settlement there had failed. The exposure to\nwhich the saints had been subjected in their expulsion from Missouri,\nmade them easy victims to the malaria. By the middle of July, 1839,\nthe greater part of them were stricken down of the fever, and in the\nmost helpless condition. From the 21st of July to the 23rd, inclusive,\nthere were remarkable manifestations of the power of God in the church\nthrough the administrations of the Prophet Joseph to the sick. His own\naccount of the matter in his journal is extremely brief, it stands thus:\n\n\"Sunday, 21st. There was no meeting on account of much rain and much\nsickness; however, many of the sick were this day raised by the power\nof God, through the instrumentality of the Elders of Israel ministering\nunto them in the name of Jesus Christ.\"\n\n\"Monday and Tuesday, 22nd, 23rd. The sick were administered unto with\ngreat success, but many remain sick, and new cases are occurring\ndaily.\" [5]\n\nAnother hand, however, has recorded the manifestation of God's power\non that memorable 22nd of July, 1839, that of Wilford Woodruff, now\nPresident of the church, and I quote his account of it.\n\n\"In consequence of the persecutions of the saints in Missouri, and\nthe exposures to which they were subjected, many of them were taken\nsick soon after their arrival at Commerce, afterwards called Nauvoo;\nand as there were but a small number of dwellings for them to occupy,\nJoseph had filled his house and tent with them, and through constantly\nattending to their wants, he soon fell sick himself. After being\nconfined to his house several days, and while meditating upon his\nsituation, he had a great desire to attend to the duties of his office.\nOn the morning of the 22nd of July, 1839, he arose from his bed and\ncommenced to administer to the sick in his own house and door-yard, and\nhe commanded them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to arise and be\nmade whole; and the sick were healed upon every side of him.\n\n\"Many lay sick along the bank of the river; Joseph walked along up to\nthe lower stone house, occupied by Sidney Rigdon, and he healed all the\nsick that lay in his path. Among the number was Henry G. Sherwood, who\nwas nigh unto death. Joseph stood in the door of his tent and commanded\nhim in the name of Jesus Christ to arise and come out of his tent, and\nhe obeyed him and was healed. Brother Benjamin Brown and his family\nalso lay sick, the former appearing to be in a dying condition. Joseph\nhealed them in the name of the Lord. After healing all that lay sick\nupon the bank of the river as far as the stone house, he called upon\nElder Kimball and some others to accompany him across the river to\nvisit the sick at Montrose. Many of the saints were living at the old\nmilitary barracks. Among the number were several of the Twelve. On his\narrival, the first house he visited was that occupied by Elder Brigham\nYoung, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, who lay sick. Joseph\nhealed him, then he arose and accompanied the prophet on his visit to\nothers who were in the same condition. They visited Elder W. Woodruff,\nalso Elders Orson Pratt and John Taylor, all of whom were living in\nMontrose. They also accompanied him.\n\n\"The next place they visited was the home of Elijah Fordham, who was\nsupposed to be about breathing his last. When the company entered the\nroom, the prophet of God walked up to the dying man and took hold of\nhis right hand and spoke to him; but Brother Fordham was unable to\nspeak, his eyes were set in his head like glass, and he seemed entirely\nunconscious of all around him. Joseph held his hand and looked into\nhis eyes in silence for a length of time. A change in the countenance\nof Brother Fordham was soon perceptible to all present. His sight\nreturned, and upon Joseph asking him if he knew him, he, in a low\nwhisper, answered 'Yes'. Joseph asked him if he had faith to be healed.\nHe answered, 'I fear it is too late; if you had come sooner I think\nI could have been heald.' The prophet said, 'Do you believe in Jesus\nChrist?' He answered in a feeble voice, 'I do.' Joseph then stood\nerect, still holding his hand in silence several moments; then he spoke\nin a very loud voice, saying, 'Brother Fordham, I command you in the\nname of Jesus Christ, to arise from this bed and be made whole.' His\nvoice was like the voice of God, and not of man. It seemed as though\nthe house shook to its very foundations. Brother Fordham arose from his\nbed, and was immediately made whole. His feet were bound in poultices\nwhich he kicked off; then putting on his clothes he ate a bowl of bread\nand milk and followed the prophet into the street.\n\n\"The company next visited Brother Joseph Bates Noble, who lay very\nsick. He also was healed by the prophet. By this time the wicked became\nalarmed and followed the company into Brother Noble's house. After\nBrother Noble was healed, all kneeled down to pray. Brother Fordham was\nmouth, and while praying, he fell to the floor. The prophet arose, and\non looking around he saw quite a number of unbelievers in the house,\nwhom he ordered out. When the room was cleared of the wicked, Brother\nFordham came to and finished his prayer.\n\n\"After healing the sick in Montrose, all the company followed Joseph to\nthe bank of the river, where he was going to take the boat to return\nhome. While waiting for the boat a man from the West, who had seen that\nthe sick and dying were healed, asked Joseph if he would not go to his\nhouse and heal two of his children, who were very sick. They were twins\nand were three months old. Joseph told the man he could not go, but he\nwould send some one to heal them. He told Elder Woodruff to go with the\nman and heal his children. At the same time he took from his pocket a\nsilk bandanna handkerchief, and gave to Brother Woodruff, telling him\nto wipe the faces of the children with it, and they should be healed;\nand remarked at the same time: 'As long as you keep that handkerchief\nit shall remain a league between you and me.' Elder Woodruff did as\nhe was commanded, and the children were healed, and he keeps the\nhandkerchief to this day.\n\n\"There were many sick whom Joseph could not visit, so he counseled the\nTwelve to go and visit and heal them, and many were healed under their\nhands. On the day following that upon which the above-described events\ntook place, Joseph sent Elders George A. and Don Carlos Smith up the\nriver to heal the sick. They went up as far as Ebenezer Robinson's\none or two miles--and did as they were commanded, and the sick were\nhealed.\" [6]\n\nThe manifestation of God's power was by no means confined to the\npersonal ministry of Joseph Smith, nor to the land of America. God\nhonored the ministrations of those who received authority through his\nprophet, and poured out his blessings on those who received the message\nin distant lands, as will be seen by the testimony I now introduce.\n\nThe following is an Editorial in _The Merlin,_ a non-Mormon paper,\npublished in Merthyr Tydvil, Wales, under the caption of an\n\"_Extraordinary Occurrence_.\"\n\n\"During the night of Friday week (Sept. 22nd, 1848) between the hours\nof eleven and twelve, a very extraordinary occurrence took place in\nNewport. A young man named Reuben Brinkworth was, in 1840 (?) at\nBermuda, on board the _Terror,_ Commodore Franklin, in the Arctic\nexpedition, when, in the midst of a storm of thunder and lightning,\nhe was suddenly deprived of both hearing and speech, and in that\ndeplorable condition returned to Stroud, in England, of which place\nhe was a native. He has since been residing with Mr. Naish, basket\nmaker, Market Street, Newport, who, with several other persons, is\nattached to the community of people known as 'Mormons.' Persons of\nthis denomination have been able to communicate their doctrines to\nBrinkworth, by means of writing, signs, and the finger alphabet. His\nsad condition they allege, excited their sympathy for his spiritual as\nwell as temporal welfare; and their doctrines made very considerable\nimpression upon him--perhaps, more especially, because their creed was\nthat God did perform miracles in these days as he did in the days of\nold, and a miracle might be wrought in his favor. On Friday night week,\nthe young man was seized with a kind of fit, in which he continued some\ntime; and on his recovery he was called upon, by sight, [7] to believe\nin the Savior, that the healing power of God might be exercised in his\nbehalf. He was moreover earnestly entreated to be baptized; but this\nwas very strongly opposed by a person in the room. The deaf and dumb\nman, however, signified his acquiescence. He was taken to the canal and\nbaptized in the name of our Savior; and immediately on coming up out of\nthe water, he cried out, \"Thank the Lord, I can speak and hear again\nas well as any of you!\" He now speaks fluently and hears distinctly;\nwhich miraculous circumstance is attributed to the power of Providence\nby the friends of the young man; who called at our office with him, and\ngave us the details. We have heard from another source that this happy\nchange in the young man's condition is supposed to have been produced\nby the action upon him of the electric fluid during the thunder storm\nof the Friday night. We shall not take upon ourselves to decide this\nmatter.\"\n\nSubsequently Mr. Reuben Brinkworth himself made a statement of the\nmiraculous event, and it was published in the _Millennial Star,_ from\nwhich I quote it.\n\n\"On the 2nd of July, 1839, I entered on board the _Terror,_ Commodore\nSir J. Franklin being then about to set out on a voyage of discovery\nfor a northwest passage to India. Upon returning to England we landed\nat Bermuda on the 16th of July, 1843, and in the afternoon of the same\nday a terrible thunder storm occurred, in which I was suddenly deprived\nof my hearing and speech. At the same time five of my comrades, viz.,\nJohn Ennis, William Collins, John Rogers, Richard King, and William\nSimms were summoned into eternity. I remained insensible fifteen\ndays--perfectly unconscious of all that was passing around me; but upon\nthe return of reason, came the dreadful conviction that I was deprived\nof two of my faculties. I well remember the period, and shall ever\ncontinue to do so--language cannot describe the awful sensations that\npervaded my mind when I became fully sensible of the reality of my\ncondition.\n\n\"I will here remark, that the subject of religion had never troubled my\nmind; nor did the calamity I was called to suffer awaken any feeling\nakin to it; nevertheless I felt a certain feeling of gratitude that\nI had not met with the same fate as my more unfortunate companions;\nyet I must, to my shame, confess that it was not directed to the\nGreat Disposer of all events, who could have taken my life as those\nof my companions, had he willed it. But it was not his design. I was\nspared, and am now a living witness of his loving kindness to the most\nabandoned sinners, if they will turn and seek his face.\n\n\"At that time I was about nineteen years old. After remaining at\nBermuda about three weeks, we again set sail for England, and reached\nChatham on the 14th of December. I remained there only fourteen days,\nafter which I went to London, and, by the kind assistance of some\ngentlemen, entered the deaf and dumb school in Old Kent Road, where I\nremained for ten weeks, but not liking the confinement, and being from\nhome, I became dissatisfied and unhappy, and resolved to leave it, and\naccordingly did so. I then went to George Lock's, Oxford Arms, Silver\nStreet, Reading, with whom I lived eighteen months, supporting myself\nthe whole of that period upon the wages I earned on board the _Terror._\nI afterwards went to Rugby not to remain there, but on the way to my\nmother at Stroud, Gloucestershire.\n\n\"I will here relate a circumstance of cruelty of which I was made the\nsufferer; being thirsty, I stepped into a public house to get something\nto drink; there were gentlemen in the parlor, who, seeing that I was\ndumb, motioned me to them, and put many questions in writing, which I\nanswered in the same manner. While I was thus being questioned, one\nof the men went out and brought in a policeman, who hauled me away to\nthe lock-up in which place I was kept all that night, the next day,\nand following night, and on the morning of the second day I was taken\nbefore a magistrate who ordered me to be taken to a doctor, where I\nunderwent an operation, namely having my tongue cut in two places;\nhe became satisfied that I was both deaf and dumb, and then I was\ndischarged. From the treatment I had received I was determined to go to\nanother of the magistrates of that town, to whom I related by writing\nwhat had happened. He said very little to me, more than that he would\nwrite to London respecting it, and I have since heard from a gentleman,\nthat the magistrate who examined me, has been removed from his office.\nI then continued my journey to Stroud, which I reached without any\nother inconvenience, and remained there two days. I then went to\nNewport, Monmouthshire, and occupied my time in teaching the deaf and\ndumb alphabet for about three years, at the end of which I became\nacquainted with the Latter-day Saints. At that time I was lodging\nat a public house, kept by James Durbin, sign of the \"Golden Lion,\"\nPentonville. One of the customers of this house became acquainted with\nme and prevailed upon me to go and live with him and his brother, who\nwas a member of the Latter-day Saints' Church. There I first became\nacquainted with the doctrines taught by this people, by reading and by\nmeans of the finger alphabet. I continued to investigate them for about\nthree months, when I felt convinced of the truth of those doctrines\nwhich have since become so beneficial to my temporal and eternal\nwelfare. On the 22nd of September I had been, by means of the deaf and\ndumb alphabet, conversing freely with some of the Saints, and had fully\ndetermined to be baptized that evening; therefore I expressed my desire\nto receive the ordinance of baptism, and was taken to the canal early\non the morning of the 23rd, and baptized in the name of the Father, Son\nand Holy Ghost; and upon my head emerging from the water, I heard the\nvoices of persons upon the towing path, and this was the first sound\nI had heard since my deprivation upon the island of Bermuda, in 1843.\nWith my hearing came also my speech, and the first words that I uttered\nwere, 'Thank the Lord, I can speak and hear again as well as any of\nyou.' I scarcely need state my own surprise at the moment, but such it\nwas, and it appears marvelous in my own eyes, not that God is possessed\nof such power, but that he should manifest it in my behalf. I have much\ncause to praise him and glorify his holy name, for in obedience to his\ndivine commands, I not only received the remission of my sins, which I\nesteem above all earthly blessings, but also the removal of my deafness\nand dumbness; and now I can hear as distinctly and speak as fluently as\nI ever did, although I have been deprived of both these faculties for\nupwards of five years, not being able to hear the loudest noise, nor to\nuse my tongue in speech.\n\n\"There is a mistake in the _Merlin_ of the date of my landing at\nBermuda, it should have been 1843, instead of 1840. The same error\nappeared also in the _Millennial Star,_ No. 22, Vol. X, which was\ncaused by extracting the account from that paper.\n\n\"The following individuals are witnesses to my baptism:\n\n\"HENRY NAISH,\n\n\"JOHN ROBERTS,\n\n\"JOHN WALDEN. Members of the Church.\n\n\"JANE DUNBIN,\n\n\"THOMAS JONES,\n\n\"JACOB NAISH. Non-Members.\" [8]\n\nI quote the following cases from one of the publications of the\nchurch--the _Millennial Star_--from which alone could be selected\nenough of such incidents to fill a large volume. These letters were\naddressed to Elder Orson Pratt, one of the Twelve Apostles of the New\nDispensation, who in 1848-50 was Editor of the _Star_ and President of\nthe European Mission:\n\nTHE BLIND HEALED.\n\nBERRIEN, MONTGOMERYSHIRE, NORTH WALES,\n\nMay 23, 1849.\n\nI feel it my bounden duty to make the following narrative known to\nthe authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ, to show that the\nmanifestation of the power of God attends this church, in the last\ndays, as it did the church of the early Apostles, viz:--My daughter\nSophia Matilda, aged eight years, was in the month of May, 1848,\nafflicted in her eyes; she soon lost the sight of her left eye, and\non applying to medical aid, instead of the sight being restored she\nimmediately lost the other, the surgeon stating that the pupils were\nclosed, and feared she could never be restored to her sight. I was\nadvised to try an eminent surgeon in Shrewsbury, in the county of\nSalop, where in June, 1848, I sent her and her mother, as she was\nnow quite blind, and the poor little creature's sufferings were\nindescribable, though the Lord enabled her to be patient in her\nafflictions; she remained in Shrewsbury a fortnight but found no\nbenefit, and as the last resource to human aid, I was advised to\nsend her to an eminent oculist in Liverpool (Dr. Neile) under whose\ntreatment she was relieved, and a gradual improvement took place, to\nour great joy, until the Autumn of the same year. I corresponded with\nDr. Neile, who desired me to continue the treatment he had prescribed,\nbut it was all to no purpose, for she relapsed into the same state as\nbefore, and was in total darkness the whole of the winter, suffering\nacutely, and by February of the present year, 1849, she had wasted to\na mere skeleton, when my brother-in-law paid me a visit previous to\nhis embarkation to California, and told me that if I would have faith\nin the Lord Jesus Christ, and call for the Elders of the church, he\nbelieved she would be healed. I also soon was enabled to believe and\nobeyed the command of St. James. The church put up their prayers for\nus, and I found, thanks to the Giver of all good, some improvement ere\nthe ordinance was performed. On the following Sabbath, Elder Dudley and\nRichards, from Pool Quay, came to my house, performed the ordinance\nupon my child, the pain soon left her, and she was soon by the power of\nGod and the prayers of the faithful restored to sight and health and,\nthanks be to Almighty God, she is still in the enjoyment of these great\nblessings; trusting you will rejoice in the Lord with me for his great\nmercies manifested to me, I remain, etc. etc.,\n\nHENRY PUGH. [9]\n\n* * * *\n\nSome years ago, the author speaking in Farmington, the county seat of\nDavis County, Utah, had occasion to refer to this instance of healing,\nand at the conclusion of his remarks a gentleman of the name of James\nLoynd arose and said he was well acquainted with the circumstance, as\nthe person healed was a relative of his, and said the incident above\nrelated was true in every particular. Happening to remember this when\nmaking his selection of cases of healing that have occurred in the\nchurch, I wrote this gentleman and here give my letter to him and his\nreply:\n\nSALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. Dec. 31, 1894.\n\n_James Loynd, Esq.,_ Farmington, Utah.\n\nDEAR BROTHER:--A number of years ago, when delivering a public\ndiscourse in your village, I had occasion to refer to some of the\ntestimonies to remarkable cases of healing in the church that were\ncollected and published in the _Millennial Star_ by Elder Orson Pratt.\nMy recollection is that after I had read one of the many cases\npublished by Elder Pratt, you arose in the body of the house and\ntestified that the person healed--I think restored to sight--was a\nrelative of yours, perhaps your wife.\n\nIf the circumstance still lives in your memory I wish you would confirm\nmy statement of the case, as I am about to go to press with a book\nwhere your confirmation of my recollection will be of service to me.\n\nI trust you will pardon me for thus intruding upon you, but believing\nyou have an interest in the great cause of truth I make bold to trouble\nyou.\n\nVery truly, your brother,\n\nB. H. ROBERTS.\n\n* * * *\n\nFARMINGTON, UTAH., Dec. 16th, 1894.\n\n_Elder B. H. Roberts,_ Salt Lake City.\n\nDEAR BROTHER:--I very distinctly remember the circumstance of you\nspeaking some years ago in Farmington, and my confirming one of\nthe cases of healing read by you on that occasion. It was the case\nof Sophia Matilda Pugh, who is now my wife, Sophia M. Loynd. The\ncircumstance of her receiving her sight, is accurately stated by\nher father in a letter to the _Star_ (Vol XI). It is now forty-six\nyears ago since the miracle was performed. Sophia M. Loynd, who was\nthen healed in so remarkable a manner, is still alive and joins me\nin signing this letter to you. She is fifty-four years old, in good\nhealth, and a living witness to the miraculous power that is in the\nchurch of Christ. She says that this case of healing is what brought\nher parents into the church. They immigrated to Utah, where they died\nin the faith. I have written this in the presence of my wife, have read\nthe same to her and she now joins me in saying that you may make such\nuse of it as you choose.\n\nVery truly yours,\n\n(signed) JAMES LOYND,\n\nSOPHIA M. LOYND.\n\n* * * *\n\nHEALING OF ONE BORN BLIND.\n\nBRISTOL, November 25, 1849.\n\nDEAR PRESIDENT PRATT:--As you were so kind as to publish the letter\nI sent, dated July 9, 1849, containing an account of the miraculous\npower of God, displayed in the healing of Elizabeth Ann Bounsell,\nwhich made quite a stir amongst the pious Christians of this city, I\nnow venture to write to you again, and say that the above circumstance\ncaused many to call at the house to see if it were true. And upon\nseeing, many rejoiced, others mocked, saying, \"She would have got well\nif the Elders had not laid their hands upon her.\" Among the latter,\nwas one _would-be_ great man, by the name of Charles Smith (who has\nwritten a flimsy attack against the Saints,) who said it was not enough\nto satisfy him. So the mother took another of her daughters, and put\nher upon his knee, and said, \"Sir, is that child blind?\" After he had\nexamined the eyes he said \"She is.\" \"Well,\" said the mother, \"she was\nborn blind: and now she is four years old; and I am going to take her\nto the Elders of our church for them to anoint her eyes with oil and\nlay their hands upon her; and you can call again when you have time and\nsee her with her eyes opened; for I know the Lord will heal her and she\nwill see.\" \"Well,\" said he, \"if she ever does see it will be a great\nproof.\" Accordingly the mother brought the child to the Elders and\nElder John Hackwell anointed her eyes, and laid hands upon her, only\nonce, and the Lord heard his prayer, so that the child can now see with\nboth of her eyes, as well as any other person. For which we all feel\nthankful to our Heavenly Father, and are willing to bear testimony of\nit to all the world.\n\nYours in the kingdom of God,\n\nGEORGE HALLIDAY.\n\nP. S.--We, the father and mother of the child, do here sign our names\nto the above, as being true.\n\nWILLIAM BOUNSELL.\n\nELIZABETH BOUNSELL. [10]\n\nNo. 12, Broad Street, Bristol.\n\n* * * *\n\nBONES SET THROUGH FAITH.\n\nRUMFORD, May 1st, 1849.\n\nDEAR BROTHER GIBSON:--At your request, I now sit down to give you\na short account of the goodness and power of God, made manifest\nin my behalf. About two years ago, while working at my trade of\ncoach-builder, while assisting in removing a railway carriage, I\ndislocated my thigh, and was conveyed home, and my parents not being\nin the church, and no Elders in the town, (viz. Sterling) medical\nskill was called in, but from the swelling it could not be set. I was\nagain examined by a Doctor Jeffrey, and one Taylor of Glasgow, who\nsaid that a kind of jeal had gathered in the hip joint, and before it\ncould be set this must be removed by cupping; so I was cupped with\ntwenty-four lances but it did no good and I lingered in great pain for\nthree weeks when it was proposed that I should again be cupped; but I\nwas determined that it should not be; and hearing from you that Elder\nSamuel W. Richards, from America was coming to Sterling, I told my\nfriends that when he came they would see the power of God, and I should\nbe healed. Accordingly, when he came, he anointed me in the name of the\nLord, and the bone went into its place, and I got up in the morning and\nwent to my work, to the astonishment of doctors and friends. I am now\na traveling Elder, and have a great deal of walking, but experience no\ninconvenience from it. I can get a dozen witnesses to attest to the\ntruth of this cure both in and out of the church.\n\nI remain your brother,\n\nJAMES S. LOW.\n\n* * * *\n\nNANTYGWNITH, GEORGETOWN, MERTHYR TYDFIL,\n\nSeptember 14, 1850.\n\nDEAR PRESIDENT PRATT:--I enclose a testimony of a miraculous case of\nhealing which has taken place a few days ago in Abercanaid; I saw the\nbrother in his affliction and the accompanying testimony he bore at\nmy house more than two miles distant from his. I send it to you with\npermission to do with it as you think proper.\n\nWM. PHILLIPS.\n\n* * * *\n\nTHE TESTIMONY OF DAVID RICHARDS.\n\nMERTHYR TYDFIL. September 10, 1850.\n\nOn Friday, August 23rd, 1850, at about eleven o'clock while I was\nworking among the coal, a stone fell upon me, about 200 pounds weight.\nI was carried home, and the doctor who was present said he could do\nnothing for me, and told those around me to wrap me up in a sheet that\nI might die. There was a lump on my back as big as a child's head.\nThe doctor afterwards told one of my relatives, about six o'clock in\nthe evening, that I could not recover. Elder Phillips called to see\nme, attended to the ordinance of the church for the sick, and while\ncommanding the bones in the name of Jesus, they came together, making a\nnoise like the crushing of an old basket; my strength returned, and now\nI am able to go some miles to bear my testimony to this great miracle.\nThe doctor who called to see me was astonished, and said in the hearing\nof witnesses that my backbone was broken; but that it now was whole,\nand that I was now recovering as well as any man he ever saw. Many of\nour greatest enemies confessed that I was healed by the power of God,\nand while coming here today, many who heard of my accident were struck\nwith the greatest amazement. But I thank my Heavenly Father for his\nkindness towards me, hoping I shall live to serve him more faithfully\nhenceforth than ever.\n\nWitnesses,\n\nD. RICHARDS.\n\nMORGAN MILLS,\n\nTHOMAS REES,\n\nJOHN THOMAS,\n\nHENRY EVANS. [11]\n\n* * * *\n\nLEPROSY HEALED.\n\nNo. 9 GUARDIAN STREET, SPRINGFIELD LANE,\n\nSALFORD, May 19, 1849.\n\nLast winter, a young woman addressed me in the Carpenter's Hall, the\ndaughter of a fustian cutter, named Lee, residing in Cook Street,\nSalford, and said her parents were desirous that I should go and see\nher brother, who was very bad with a leprosy. I went in company with\none or two of my brethren. I think I never saw anything so bad as the\nboy was (the small pox excepted); the whole lower part of his face and\nunder his chin, as well as the back of his hands and wrists, were one\nentire mass of scabs; indeed, you could not have inserted a needle\npoint, they were so thick. He was eight and a half years of age, and\nhad been afflicted since he was six months old; they had him at the\nManchester Infirmary and the Salford Dispensary, and are at this time\npaying the surgeon's bill who attended him as a private patient. The\nsurgeon told his parents he could do nothing for him, as the disease\nwas too virulent for medicine to reach it. His parents told me they did\nnot know what it was to get a regular night's rest with him, and it\nfrequently took three hours to wash him. The first night we went they\nwere not disturbed during the night, and in three weeks he was entirely\nfree, and his flesh was renewed like that of a young child.\n\nJOHN WATTS.\n\n* * * *\n\nTo all whom it may concern. This is to certify, that I was seized\nwith a disease like the leprosy, in the year 1837, and tried all that\nI could to get a cure, but I could not, and all the doctors that I\napplied to could do me no good; and it continued with me over all my\nbody till the month of September, 1843, when I went and was baptized\ninto the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by William\nMcFarland, Elder of the church, on the first of September, 1843, and on\nthat same night the leprosy left me.\n\nJENET RIDD.\n\nWitnesses,\n\nWILLIAM McFARLAND,\n\nJAMES CRYSTAL,\n\nALEXANDER RIDD. [12]\n\n* * * *\n\nThe instances of what are usually called miraculous cases of healing in\nthe church are by no means confined to the past, they take place today\nand are of frequent occurrence. By permission of Elder Heber J. Grant,\none of the Twelve Apostles, I give herewith a letter of his written\nto his cousin, Mrs. Julia MacDonald, living in St. George, Utah, that\nrelates a case of quite recent date.\n\nTOOELE CITY, April 28th, 1894.\n\nMY DEAR COUSIN JULIA:--I am half inclined to the opinion that you\nwill be thinking that I have entirely forgotten the promise which I\nmade you, some time ago, to write about the case of healing, that\ncame under my observation in connection with my brother Hyrum. I have\nnot forgotten the promise, but I have been pretty busy with my usual\nduties, and the conference matters which needed attention before and\nsince April 6th.\n\n* * I will, to the best of my ability, now redeem my promise about\ngiving an account of the young lady healed by the Lord. Some years\nago, as nearly as I can now recall it is about seven or eight years,\nmy brother Hyrum was living in Salt Lake City, he had charge of the\nbusiness of Grant Brothers' Livery Co. The employees of the Z. C. M.\nI. shoe factory arranged with our company to carry them to Calder's\nFarm to spend the day. Just before dark it looked quite like a storm,\nor commenced storming, I do not now recall which. My brother, who\nhad driven one of the large drags down to Calder's, called the party\ntogether, and told them he felt that it was the proper thing to start\nfor the city before it was dark, for fear of an accident on State Road.\nThe people declined to start for the city, and Hyrum then and there\nwarned them that he was not to be responsible for any accident that\nmight happen.\n\nComing from Calder's in the rain and dark, the drag driven by my\nbrother was turned over, and one young lady had some bones broken, and\nin addition being so badly exposed, she took cold and the result was\npneumonia. She got very low and the doctors had a consultation and\ndecided it was an impossibility for her to recover. Hyrum felt very\nbad indeed when he learned her condition and that the doctors had said\nthat the young lady could not live more than two days, and that they\ndid not think she would live more than twenty-four hours. He came to\nsee me and said that he had had a testimony that in case he and I would\ngo and administer to the young lady she would get well. I was pleased\nto go with him, but when I got to the house where she lived I looked\nat her and felt that she was dying, and told my brother that I did\nnot think there was any use of blessing her, but he turned and said,\n\"Did I not tell you that I had had a testimony that if we would bless\nher that she would get well?\" I felt ashamed of my refusal to bless\nthe girl, and we then administered to her, and, while I had my hands\non her head, I got a testimony that she would recover. I met Brother\nWm. H. Rowe, [manager of the shoe factory] soon after I left the young\nlady's home, and he was feeling very badly, and told me that she was\ngoing to die. I then assured him that he need have no fears, as I had\nbeen blessed of the Lord with a testimony that she would recover, and I\nthen explained to him what my brother had told me, and of our visit to\nthe home of the sick sister. The next morning the doctor in attendance\nupon her called at the livery stables and told my brother that there\nwas a wonderful change in the girl's condition, and that he could not\npossibly account for the improvement, and that he now had hopes of her\nrecovery. My brother informed the doctor that he had no difficulty in\naccounting for the change, and he then told him of our visit. He, the\ndoctor, did not have any faith that our visit had anything to do with\nthe improvement in the sister's condition, notwithstanding the fact\nthat he had admitted that he could not account for her improvement.\n\nThe girl recovered, and the last I heard of her she was still working\nin the Z. C. M. I. Shoe Factory. I have a faint recollection that I\nwas told that she was married, but of this I would not be sure. I have\nnever seen her since I called with Hyrum at her house, and I do not\nknow whether or not her family ever knew that she was given up to die\nby the doctors. I think the sister's name was Maria DeGray, but in\ncase you wish to use her name I will make sure that this is correct.\nWith love and best wishes to each and all of the folks, not forgetting\nyourself, I remain,\n\nYour affectionate cousin,\n\nHEBER J. GRANT.\n\nThe following account of a case of healing is taken from the _Juvenile\nInstructor,_ one of the leading periodicals of the church, the pages of\nwhich are replete with such accounts of healing by the power of God as\nis here presented:\n\nHEALED OF BLINDNESS.\n\nAs near as I can remember, it was in the month of June, 1879, that I\nwas engaged in building a rock cellar for Vernee Halliday, in Provo\nCity. About noon, after finishing the walls as high as I could from\nthe inside, before drawing my lines off to go outside, I looked along\nthe wall to see if every rock was in keeping with the line, when I\nsaw a small corner of a rock a little out of place. With my hammer I\ntapped it very lightly to bring it to its proper position, keeping my\neye along the line to see when it came to its place. While doing this\nI felt as if something had touched my eye, but nothing to cause me any\nuneasiness. At the time I did not think more of the affair.\n\nI worked all the afternoon and the next forenoon, but felt my eye\nbeginning to get very hot, and water came therefrom. In the afternoon\nmy eye became worse, and was inflamed to such an extent that I could\nnot see; my head also became so affected that about four o'clock I\nwas obliged to cease work and go home. Arriving there my wife, seeing\nmy eye in such an inflamed condition, got me into a dark room, and\nfrom that time till very early the next morning she used about two\npackets of tea in making strong lotions to bathe my eye to keep down\nthe inflammation. At four o'clock in the morning I got a handkerchief\non my eye, and went away to arouse Dr. W. R. Pike. When I arrived at\nhis house he was attending a man from Payson. This done, he asked me\nwhat he could do for me. I told him of the inflammation of my eye and\nthe pain in my head, and said I wanted him to examine it and see what\nwas the matter with it, or to tell the cause of my suffering. After\nexamining my eye he said there was one-third of the lens of my eye\nentirely destroyed. The center of the lens was gone and only a little\non each edge remained. He said it had been struck with something\nrough like a rock, and that I would never see again with that eye. He\ndescribed the transparency of the eye, and assured me that it could not\nby nature be restored. He said it was likely to take away the use of\nmy other eye at any time, and that a white opaque substance would grow\nover my eye so that I could never see any more.\n\nAfter leaving his office, I met on the street a Mr. Harrison, who had\nformerly lived in Salt Lake City. He told me of Dr. Pratt, who had\njust returned to Salt Lake from the East, where she had been studying\nthe eye, and had done a great deal of good. I therefore went the same\nday to see her, but had then to be led by my wife. When we arrived in\nSalt Lake it was too late for her to do anything with my eye that day,\nand she told us to come back the following morning at ten o'clock. We\ndid so, and after hearing my story she examined my injured member by\nthe aid of many glasses, and told me the same as Dr. W. R. Pike had\ndone. She allowed my wife to look through the glass at my eye, and she\ndescribed its appearance as that of a wound from which a dog had bitten\na piece. Dr. Pratt then took me by my front hair, and pushing my head\nback, was about to take my eye out. I inquired what she was about to\ndo, and she answered me that she was going to take it out and put in a\nglass one.\n\nMy wife seized her arm, and I scrambled out of the chair saying, \"No\nyou don't, or you will shoot me first.\"\n\nI then asked if she could give me a lotion to check the pain. She\ntook a small vial and put one drop of its contents in my eye, which\nimmediately took away all pain. She then gave me a prescription, which\nI had filled, and then went home.\n\nJust as both doctors had said, the opaque matter gradually grew on\nmy eye for three or four weeks, at the end of which time I could not\ndistinguish my own wife standing so that her dress touched my clothes,\nunless she spoke. Up to this time I had not been able to work, and I\nwas getting dissatisfied.\n\nAbout that time the quarterly conference took place in Provo. On the\nSunday morning I found my way to conference, still with the napkin\non my eye. There were present of the general authorities, Presidents\nGeorge Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith and Apostle John Henry Smith.\nDuring the morning meeting I made up my mind to have them administer to\nme for my sight, and at the close of the services I went to the vestry\nwhere they were attending to this ordinance for many who were there\nbefore me. When I entered Brothers Joseph F. and John Henry Smith came\nand shook hands with me, enquiring what was the matter, and what I\nwanted them to do. They introduced me to Brother George Q. Cannon, whom\nI had never before known. I knew the Brothers Smith in the old country.\nI was told to take a seat, and when they had attended to the rest they\nwould administer to me, and that I would get my sight. After they got\nthrough with the others they came to me. I cannot now call to mind who\nanointed, or who confirmed it, but this I do know that from that very\nhour the white, opaque matter that had gradually grown over my eye as\ngradually began to disappear, until my eyesight was completely restored\nand has remained to this date as perfect as it ever has been. To this\nfact myself and family, and others yet living in Provo can testify.\n\nWhile suffering with this affliction I reasoned that as God made the\neye He also knew how to repair and restore a damaged one, and I testify\nto all to whom this may come that He did restore sight to the blind one.\n\nROBERT McKINLEY. [13]\n\nLet me assure the reader that these cases of healing the sick, opening\nthe eyes of the blind, unstopping the ears of the deaf, etc., are\nbut as a handful of earth to a mountain. It would require volumes\nto contain the testimonies of the Saints to the fulfillment of the\npromises of the Lord made through the great modern prophet; but what\nis set down in this chapter will doubtless be sufficient to prove the\nfulfillment of his promises. The church has taken little or no pains to\npublish accounts of \"miracles.\" But the fact that more than sixty years\nafter these promises of the gifts of healing, etc., were made to the\nchurch, the chief reliance of the Saints in times of sickness is upon\nthe anointing with oil and the laying on of hands by the Elders--and\nthis throughout all the branches of the church--it must be evident even\nto the most skeptical that the promises of Jesus Christ through Joseph\nSmith have been realized, or else long ago the faith of the firmest\nwould have failed them.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxxxiv: 62-64.\n\n2. i.e. in the name of Jesus Christ.\n\n3. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxxxiv: 65-73.\n\n4. Hayden's History of the Disciples, pp. 250-I.\n\n5. Hist. Joseph Smith, Mill. Star, vol. xvii, p. 355.\n\n6. The same event is spoken of at some length in Parley P. Pratt's\nAutobiography, p. 325.\n\n7. Mill. Star vol xi: p. 301-2\n\n8. Mill. Star vol. xi: p. 188-9.\n\n9. Mill. Star, vol. xi, p. 337.\n\n10. Mill. Star, vol. xi, p. 202-3.\n\n11. Mill. Star. vol. xi, p. 187.\n\n12. Mill. Star, vol. xii, p. 312.\n\n13. _Juvenile Instructor,_ vol. 29, p. 434.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XX.\n\nTHE EVIDENCE OF PROPHECY\n\nOf all the means by which the claims of a prophet may be tested,\nit seems to me that an inquiry respecting the fulfillment of his\nprophecies is at once the most direct and positive. Has he prophesied;\nand have his prophecies been fulfilled? If they have, who can doubt the\nprophet's inspiration, or the revelations of God to him? This was the\nmeans which the Lord suggested to ancient Israel for the testing of\nthe genuineness of a prophet's claims: \"And if thou shalt say in thy\nheart,\" said the Lord to Israel, \"How shall we know the word which the\nLord hath not spoken? _When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord,\nif the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the\nLord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:\nthou shalt not be afraid of him._\" [1] And conversely, if the thing\nwhich the prophet speaks in the name of the Lord comes to pass, then\nthe prophet has spoken the thing commanded him by the Lord--he has not\nspoken presumptuously and the people are under obligation to respect\nhis message, since he has furnished them the highest possible evidence\nof his divine inspiration.\n\nI know of no more simple, yet common-sense and effective test than\nthis. Of course it must be understood in applying it that many\npredictions which prophets utter may not come to pass immediately.\nSome of them perhaps not in the lifetime of the prophet, or even in\nthe generation in which he lived; for some prophets have been given\nthe power to look into the future, and predict things which the wheels\nof time will not bring due until the very last generation of men; but\nif when the time for the fulfillment of the prophecies uttered comes\ndue they are not fulfilled, the world may know that the Lord did not\nspeak through that prophet, but he has spoken presumptuously, without\nrevelation from God, and the people need have no regard for him or his\npretended messages.\n\nOf the value of the fulfillment of prophecy as evidence of divine\ninspiration it is scarcely necessary to speak. It has ever been\nrecognized, and that properly, as a species of miracle; and therefore\nhas been accorded all the value attached to miracles. The Lord himself\nhas recognized the value of the evidence of prophecy; for when he would\nhave Israel distinguish between himself and the gods of the heathens,\nhe issued this challenge to them: \"Produce your cause, saith the Lord,\nbring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them\nbring them forth, and show us what shall happen: let them show the\nformer things, and what they be, that we may consider them, and know\nthe latter end of them; _or declare us things for to come. Show the\nthings that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods._\"\n[2]\n\nFrom this it appears that the power to foretell future events is\nregarded peculiarly as one belonging to God alone, or that spirit which\nemanates from him; and those who possess that power, and can point to\nthe fulfillment of their prophecies in attestation of their inspiration\nand divine authority may be looked upon as possessing evidence of\nspecial and peculiar force in their favor.\n\nBefore applying the test here purposed to the prophetic claims of\nJoseph Smith, I would remark that at least two things in relation to\nprophecy must be established: first, that the prediction ante-dates\nthe events; and, second, that the events must be of a nature that no\nmerely human foresight or judgment, unaided by divine inspiration or\nrevelation, could have foretold them. Furthermore, I may add, that\none's belief in the divine inspiration of a prophet would be materially\nincreased, if his prophecies are of a nature to make them of importance\neither to the individuals or nations to whom they may be addressed.\nFor I take it as a common-sense idea that God does not give revelation\nto men or inspire them in relation to trivial or unimportant things;\nbut deals with those matters that are worthy of God's attention and\ncommunication. Hence in my opinion, many of those who have made\npretensions to the prophetic gift stand condemned, because the things\nthey bring forth are of a nature too trivial to be worthy the notice or\nintelligence of men, much less worthy the attention of God.\n\nThe first prophecy to be considered is one not made by Joseph Smith,\nbut one made of him by the angel Moroni, on the occasion of Joseph's\nfirst visit to the Hill Cumorah, when he beheld for the first time the\nplates from which he afterwards translated the Book of Mormon. But as\nJoseph Smith is the one who acquainted the world with this prediction I\nam about to quote, in a certain way it is his prophecy, and will answer\nall the purposes of a test such as I am making in this chapter. On the\noccasion of this interview with Moroni, before referred to, that the\nyoung prophet might not be deceived by the powers of darkness, he was\ngiven a vision of Satan and his hosts and their methods of deception.\nAfter the vision closed the angel said:\n\n\"Behold, notwithstanding you have seen this great display of power,\nby which you may be able to detect the Evil One, yet I give unto you\nanother sign, and when it comes to pass then know that the Lord is God,\nand _that he will fulfill his purposes, and that the knowledge that\nthis record [3] contains will go to every nation, and kindred, and\ntongue and people under the whole heaven._ This is the sign: When these\nthings begin to be known, that is, when it is known that the Lord has\nshown unto you these things, _the workers of iniquity will seek your\noverthrow: they will circulate falsehood to destroy your reputation,\nand also will seek your life;_ but remember this, if you are faithful,\nand shall hereafter continue to keep the commandments of the Lord, _you\nshall be preserved to bring these things [4] forth;_ for in due time\nhe will again give you a commandment to come and take them. When they\n[5] are interpreted, _the Lord will give the Holy Priesthood to some,\nand they shall begin to proclaim this gospel and baptize by water, and\nafter that they shall have power to give the Holy Ghost by the laying\non of their hands. Then will persecution rage more and more:_ for the\niniquities of men shall be revealed, _and those who are not built upon\nthe rock will seek to overthrow this work; but it will increase the\nmore opposed, and spread farther and farther,_ increasing in knowledge\ntill they [6] shall be sanctified and receive an inheritance where the\nglory of God shall rest upon them. * * * _Your name [7] shall be known\namong the nations, for the work which the Lord will perform by your\nhands shall cause the righteous to rejoice and the wicked to rage; with\none it shall be had in honor, with the other in reproach; yet with\nthese it shall be a terror because of the great and marvelous work\nwhich shall follow the coming forth of this fullness of my gospel._\"\n\nIt was in September, 1823, that these prophetic words were uttered by\nMoroni--four years before the plates of the Book of Mormon were given\nto Joseph Smith to translate; [8] six years before the Priesthood\nwas given; [9] seven years before the church was organized; [10]\nand fourteen years before the knowledge contained in the Book of\nMormon was sent to a foreign nation. [11] This prophecy, however, was\nfirst published to the world in 1834, in the _Saints' Messenger and\nAdvocate,_ and is taken from a letter of Oliver Cowdery's to W. W.\nPhelps, giving items of church history. Subsequently, in 1840, these\nletters were copied from the _Messenger and Advocate_ into the _Times\nand Seasons,_ from which I quote [12] the above predictions.\n\nThe severe skeptic will insist that the prophecy can only be considered\nwith reference to its fulfillment from the time it was published to the\nworld in the _Messenger and Advocate,_ in 1834; this at first glance\nwould seem to cut down much of the prophetic part of the passages I am\nconsidering. It would cut out the prediction that notwithstanding the\nopposition that would be arrayed against the young prophet he would\nhave power to bring forth the Book of Mormon; that the Lord would give\nthe holy Priesthood to some; that they would begin to proclaim the\ngospel and baptize by water; and give the Holy Ghost by the laying on\nof hands. This much would be cut out by the skeptic because it could be\nalleged that all this it is claimed occurred before 1834, the time when\nthe prophecy was first published. Let these items, then, be eliminated;\nand still the greater part of the prophecy remains to be fulfilled\nafter 1834.\n\nThe items left are, first, that a knowledge of what the Book of Mormon\ncontains will go to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people\nunder the whole heaven; second those not built upon the rock of truth\nwill oppose the work of God, but it will increase the more it is\nopposed and spread farther and farther; third Joseph Smith shall be\nknown among the nations because of the work the Lord would perform by\nhis hands--by the righteous he would be held in honor, by the wicked\nin reproach. All this was fulfilled after 1834, though some of it was\nin process of fulfillment before and at that time--such as the work\nthriving in spite of opposition and the name of Joseph being received\neither in honor or reproach among the people. I now enter into a more\nparticular consideration of the fulfillment of this prophecy.\n\nFirst, _The knowledge of what the Book of Mormon contains will go to\nevery nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people under the whole\nheavens._ In 1834 the Book of Mormon had been published only in the\nEnglish language, and but little was known of it even in the United\nStates and Canada. Yet here is a prediction that it shall be known\nin all the world. Since then it has been published in the following\nlanguages: French, German, Danish, Italian, Dutch, Welsh, Swedish,\nSpanish, Hawaiian and Maori. It has also been translated but not yet\npublished in Hindostanee and Modern Hebrew. Proclamation of the new\ndispensation, and hence also of the Book of Mormon, has been made by\nthe elders of the church of Christ in the following nations: Great\nBritain, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway,\nIceland, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, Hindostan, Malta, South Africa,\nMexico, and to many of the Indian tribes of America; all the states of\nthe American Union, British America, Sandwich Islands, Samoa, Friendly\nIslands, New Zealand, West Indies, Turkey and Palestine. While this\nenumeration does not include the principal ones. That a knowledge of\nwhat the Book of Mormon contains will yet go to the remaining nations\nwhere the gospel has not yet been proclaimed, and into whose language\nthe Book of Mormon has not yet been translated, cannot be doubted; for\nthis item of the prophecy has been so nearly completed that the end is\nin sight; and if the church while in its infancy and childhood has done\nso much, it will not fail in its strong manhood to fulfill what remains.\n\nThe proclamation of the knowledge which the Book of Mormon contains to\nall nations and peoples and tongues of the earth, is not an event which\ncould have been foretold by human foresight, or shrewdness, in 1823,\nor even in 1834. The reception given up to that time to the Book of\nMormon was anything but flattering. Only a very few people had received\nit. All the learned ridiculed it; the Christians mocked and rejected\nit because it was a new revelation. It will be remembered that it\nwas the universal belief of Christians that the volume of revelation\nwas completed and forever closed; and hence anything that claimed to\nbe a new revelation was summarily rejected. In the face of all these\ncircumstances it required more than mere human foresight on the part\nof a few obscure and persecuted followers of Joseph Smith to see that\nthe time would come when proclamation of the knowledge contained in\nthe Book of Mormon would be made in all the nations and tongues of the\nearth.\n\nSecond, _The work of the Lord will meet opposition, but it will\nincrease the more it is opposed and spread farther and farther._ The\nreader already knows that from its inception the work of the Lord in\nthe new dispensation met with the most violent opposition. Only the\nyear before Oliver Cowdery published this prophecy under consideration,\ntwelve hundred of the Saints were driven from their lands and homes in\nJackson County, Missouri, more than two hundred of their houses burned\nand much other property destroyed. But I am to prove that opposition\nmet the church after 1834, and that in spite of that opposition the\nwork increased, and a knowledge of it became more widely diffused. Be\nit so. Five years after the expulsion from Jackson County, Missouri,\nopposition so increased that the inhabitants of the state of Missouri,\nwith the officers of the state at their head, arose against the Saints;\ndirectly or indirectly caused the death of some four hundred, and\ndrove between twelve and fifteen thousand from their homes into exile,\nconfiscated their lands, drove off their cattle and wantonly destroyed\nother property.\n\nEight years after their expulsion from the state of Missouri, the\nSaints to the number of twenty thousand were driven by mob violence\nfrom the state of Illinois, into the wilderness. They fled beyond the\nconfines of civilization--going a thousand miles beyond the frontiers\nof the United States, and settled in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains;\nwhere, despite the waves of persecution which have broken upon the\nchurch, it still lives, its membership more numerous than ever, the\nfaith of the Saints more strongly established; and where from its lofty\nstation it overlooks the world and sends its accredited representatives\nto all the peoples of the earth, to fulfill the decree of Jehovah that\nthe gospel of the kingdom, in the last days, shall be preached in all\nthe world for a witness and then shall the end come. [13]\n\nIt was rather a remarkable prediction that the more the work of the\nLord in the last days was opposed the more it would prosper. It was\nstill more remarkable that it should be predicted that opposition would\nrise against it at all, since the great work had its birth in a land\nwhere the constitution of the government guaranteed religious liberty.\nThe marvelous fulfillment of the prediction under these circumstances\nis evidence that there was behind it more than human foresight.\n\nThird, _The name of Joseph Smith is to be known among the nations.\nThe work which the Lord would perform by his hands would cause the\nrighteous to rejoice and the wicked to rage: by the former his name\nwould be held in honor, by the latter in reproach._ The probability\nof Joseph Smith ever being known outside of the nation where he was\nborn was very limited, even in 1834, much less when the prophecy was\nuttered by the angel in 1823. It was a strange thing to say that his\nname among the nations would be held either in honor or reproach. But\nthe fulfillment of the prediction will be so generally conceded that\nto point out the fact is not necessary. It will be enough to say that\neverywhere the new dispensation of the gospel has been proclaimed,\nthere the people have been made acquainted with the name of Joseph\nSmith, and there he is known for good or evil--he is held in honor or\nreproach--the righteous have rejoiced, the wicked have raged, and in\nmany instances have resorted to violence in resisting the message of\nheaven.\n\nThe fulfillment of the three items just considered in the prediction\nof Moroni proves the genuineness of the prophecy; and therefore I have\na right to claim for it the date on which it was first delivered, the\nyear 1823. And when considered from that date--when the existence of\nthe Book of Mormon was as yet unknown except by Joseph Smith; when\nJoseph Smith was an obscure boy still in his teens and unknown outside\nof his own family and immediate neighborhood; before the Priesthood had\nbeen received, or the remission of sins obtained through baptism, or\nthe Holy Ghost imparted by the laying on of hands; before the work of\nGod prospered in spite of opposition--when considered from that date\nwhich places the prediction before all these events, how much more the\nprophetic character of the prediction stands out in bold relief! And\nwho can question its divine inspiration?\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Deut. xviii: 21, 22.\n\n2. Isaiah xli: 21-23.\n\n3. Referring to the record of the Nephites, the records lying before\nthem in the stone box from which Joseph had just removed the covering.\n\n4. Meaning the record of the Nephites--the Book of Mormon.\n\n5. The plates comprising the Book of Mormon.\n\n6. Meaning the people who receive the gospel.\n\n7. Meaning the prophet Joseph.\n\n8. The plates of the Book of Mormon were given to the prophet to\ntranslate in 1827.\n\n9. It was in May, 1829, that the Priesthood was first given.\n\n10. The Church was organized April 30th, 1830.\n\n11. The first foreign mission in the New Dispensation was opened in\nEngland, 1837.\n\n12. _Times and Seasons,_ Vol. II, No. 13.\n\n13. Matt. xxiv: 14.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXI.\n\nTHE EVIDENCE OF PROPHECY--CONTINUED.\n\nBefore the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, a\nnumber of persons who had faith in the statement of Joseph Smith that\nhe had in his possession the gold plates from which he was translating\nthe Book of Mormon, and who believed him to be a prophet, came to\ninquire through him the will of the Lord concerning themselves in\nrelation to the new dispensation about to be ushered in. Among those\nwho thus came were the prophet's father, Joseph Smith, Sen., some time\nin February, 1829; Oliver Cowdery, April, 1829; Joseph Knight, Sen.,\nMay, 1829; and David Whitmer, June, 1829. The prophet inquired for the\nwill of the Lord concerning these men as they requested, and received\nfor them the word of the Lord through the Urim and Thummim. In each of\nthese revelations is contained, with a little variation, the following\nprophecy: \"_A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the\nchildren of men_ * * * Behold the field is white already to harvest,\ntherefore, whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with\nhis might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for\nhis soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God; yea, whosoever\nwill thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God.\" [1]\n\nThis prophecy that a great and marvelous work was about to come forth\namong the children of men, I say, was uttered before the translation\nof the Book of Mormon was completed or the church organized. How well\nit has been fulfilled let the history of the Church of Jesus Christ in\nthe new dispensation, its present condition and the wonder with which\nthe world regards it, answer. Of all the religions that have arisen\nsince the days of Jesus Christ and the apostles, it is looked upon as\nthe most marvelous; its growth, all things considered, has been most\nwonderful; it has a history the most thrilling; a present interest the\nmost widespread; and a future that challenges more speculation than any\nother religious organization. The prophecy was a true one--a great and\na marvelous work has come forth among the children of men.\n\nOn the 24th of February, 1834, Joseph Smith received a revelation,\nmaking known to the church how to proceed concerning the brethren who\nhad been driven from their homes in Jackson County, Missouri, the\nNovember previous. In that revelation occurs the following prophetic\npassage: \"Verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my\npeople shall realize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour,\nunto the counsel which I, the Lord their God, shall give unto them.\nBehold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine\nenemies from this very hour, and by hearkening to observe all the words\nwhich I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never\ncease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my\nfeet, and the earth is given unto the Saints, to possess it forever\nand ever. But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken\nnot to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail\nagainst them, for they were set to be a light unto the world, and to\nbe saviors of men; and inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men,\nthey are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for\nnothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. But verily\nI say unto you, I have decreed that your brethren which have been\nscattered shall return to the land of their inheritances, and build the\nwaste places of Zion; for after much tribulation, as I have said in a\nformer commandment, cometh the blessing. Behold this is the blessing\nwhich I have promised after your tribulations, and the tribulations of\nyour brethren; your redemption and the redemption of your brethren,\neven their restoration to the land of Zion, to be established no more\nto be thrown down; nevertheless if they pollute their inheritances they\nshall be thrown down, for I will not spare them if they pollute their\ninheritances.\" [2]\n\nCondensed the prophecy stands thus: (1) The Saints from the 24th of\nFebruary, 1834, are to begin to prevail over God's enemies; and are\nto continue to prevail until the kingdoms of this world are subdued\nunder his feet--_provided_ they hearken to his counsel: the kingdoms\nof this world will prevail against the saints if they hearken not to\nthe counsels of God: (2) After much tribulation the Saints shall return\nand build up the waste places of Zion--they are to be restored to the\nland of Zion; and Zion is to be established, never more to be thrown\ndown--_provided_ the Saints pollute not their inheritances.\n\nThe first part of the prophecy has had a remarkable fulfillment. Though\nthere have been individuals in the church of Christ who have failed to\nwalk in the holy counsels of God, and have reaped an abundant harvest\nof sorrow and shame, and many have made complete shipwreck of faith,\nstill the church as a whole has kept reasonably well the counsel of\nGod. The Saints may not have attained to that ideal obedience to the\nwill of God which all recognize as desirable; but human weakness and\nall the circumstances by which they have been surrounded considered, I\nrepeat that the church has reasonably well walked in accordance with\nthe counsels of the Lord; and as a result has prevailed, so far, over\nall the powers that have been arrayed for its destruction. In proof of\nthis let the present condition of the church be contrasted with what it\nwas in February, 1834.\n\nAt the time the prophecy of 1834 was uttered, a great part of the\nchurch was scattered along the Missouri bottoms, in Clay County,\nMissouri. The Saints had just been driven from their houses and lands\nin Jackson County, and were living in log huts and dug-outs, [3] and\nsubsisting, for the time being, upon the charity of the people of\nClay County. The rest of the church was scattered in branches through\nseveral states of the American Union and Canada. They were without\nwealth, or influence; derided, scorned, distrusted, hated. Indeed,\nit is difficult to even imagine a situation more hopeless than that\noccupied by the church of Christ when this prophecy was uttered.\n\nIt would be difficult to determine with any exactness the membership\nof the church in 1834, or the number of branches; but certainly the\nmembership did not exceed six or eight thousand. Now [4] the membership\nof the church in Utah and the surrounding states and territories is\nmore than two hundred and fifty thousand, besides those scattered\nthroughout the United States, Europe and the Pacific Islands. There\nare about five hundred organized wards, grouped into thirty-six stakes\nof Zion, [5] each with its high council, its high priests' quorum, its\nseveral elders' quorums, etc. In addition to this there are in all\nthe wards female relief societies, improvement associations for both\nsexes, the primary societies for younger children. There are 504 Sunday\nschools, with a total membership of 100,000. In 1834 the church had no\ntemple; but now it has four magnificent temples wherein are performed\nthe ordinances of the gospel both for the living and for the dead.\n\nThough but few individuals in the church can be considered wealthy,\nyet the Saints are a prosperous, contented, happy people. A greater\npercentage of them own the homes they live in and the lands they\ncultivate than is the case with any other community in the world; and\nthey are freer than any other people on earth from those difficulties\nwhich perplex mankind. Peace is in their habitations, God is honored\nat the family altars as well as in the public sanctuaries; faith and\nconfidence in God abound, and on every hand are evidences that the Lord\nhas owned them and blessed them as his people. It is true that the\nchurch has had its tribulations. Immunity from them was not promised.\nThe expulsion from the state of Missouri; the exodus from Illinois;\nthe subsequent journey into the wilderness; the desperate struggle for\nexistence in the early days of Utah; the judicial crusade waged against\nthe church during the last decade; these events and all the bloodshed,\nwholesale imprisonment, and the suffering and sorrow incident to them\nrise up to proclaim that mob violence and other forces of this world\nhave been employed to destroy the work of God, but they have not\nprevailed. The church of Christ still exists; its members are more\nnumerous and stronger in faith than ever before; the Saints are more\nperfectly organized, happier circumstanced, more experienced; they are\nmore confident of God's sustaining power, more convinced of their high\ndestiny and the complete fulfillment of this noble prophecy, namely,\nthat if they continue to hearken to the counsels of the Lord, they will\ncontinue to prevail until the kingdoms of this world are subdued under\nhis feet, and the earth given to the Saints to possess it forever and\never.\n\nOf the second division of the prophecy little need be said, except that\nthe first part of it, _viz:_ that which relates to the tribulation\nwhich is to befall the Saints previous to the redemption of Zion has\nbeen, in part at least, fulfilled; and like the partial fulfillment of\nthe first division of the prophecy, gives good earnest of the complete\naccomplishment of all that it predicts.\n\nIn the fall of 1838, the city of Far West, inhabited by the Saints,\nfell into the hands of the mob forces of Missouri, and Joseph Smith\nand a number of his brethren, _viz.,_ his brother Hyrum Smith,\nSidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight, George W. Robinson and\nAmasa Lyman were betrayed into their hands. These men were torn from\ntheir families in the most brutal manner. They were tried off hand\nby a court-martial of the mob officers, and condemned to be shot\non the public square of Far West in the presence of their families\nand the Saints; but one of the officers of the mob-militia--General\nDoniphan--refused to sanction the murder and declared he would not\nallow his men to witness it. The other officers were afraid to assume\nthe responsibility of executing the court-martial decision, and the\nprisoners escaped the fate designed for them. Charges of the most\nserious nature, including murder, arson, and robbery were then trumped\nup against them, intending to encompass their execution under civil\nprocedure. Amidst the proud boasts of their captors, who brutally told\ntheir heart-broken families and the Saints that they had seen the last\nof their prophet, a start was made with the prisoners for Independence,\nJackson County. The prospects of the betrayed men were most desperate.\nThey were in the hands of a reckless mob whose hatred of them was\nintense. There was little respect at the time for law in the state. In\nthe language of General Clark (Commander-in-Chief of the mob-militia of\nthe state, then assembled at Far West) addressed to the Saints, their\nfate seemed fixed, their die cast, their doom sealed. [6]\n\nThe start for Independence was made on the 2nd of November; the\nfollowing morning, after spending a most wretched night, encamped on\nthe banks of Crooked River, Joseph Smith spoke to his fellow-prisoners\nin low but cheerful and confident tones, and uttered this prophecy:\n_\"Be of good cheer, brethren, the word of the Lord came to me last\nnight that our lives should be given us, and that whatever we may\nsuffer during this captivity, not one of our lives should be taken.\"_\n\"Of this prophecy,\" says Elder Parley P. Pratt, \"I testify in the\nname of the Lord, and though spoken in secret, its public fulfillment\nand the miraculous escape of each of us is too notorious to need my\ntestimony.\" [7]\n\nAfter enduring five weary months of captivity, which had been spent\nin a loathsome prison, and when the heart of the prophet was breaking\nwithin him because of the affliction of his people, betrayed by false\nbrethren and oppressed by those in power, the word of the Lord came\nto him saying: \"The ends of the earth shall enquire after thy name,\nand fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall mock against\nthee, while the pure in heart and the wise, and the noble and the\nvirtuous shall seek counsel, and authority and blessings constantly\nunder thy hands. _And thy people shall never be turned against thee\nby the testimony of traitors._ And although their influence shall\ncast thee into trouble, and into bars and walls, thou shalt be had in\nhonor, and but for a small moment and thy voice shall be more terrible\nin the midst of thine enemies than the fierce lion, because of thy\nrighteousness; and thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever.\" [8]\n\nThis prophecy is contained in a letter written by the prophet and his\nfellow-prisoners from Liberty jail, and addressed to the Saints then\nsettling in Quincy, Illinois, to \"those scattered abroad\" and \"to\nBishop Edward Partridge in particular.\" It was written in March, 1839.\nThe fulfillment of the prophecies contained in the above extract are\nnotorious. While fools hold the name of the prophet in derision the\nwise and the virtuous from the ends of the earth have inquired and are\ninquiring after Joseph Smith, and the work he established; and though\nthere were many who turned against him and became strong enemies, for\nthey were strong men, his people were never turned against him by the\ntestimony of traitors. While living his people were true to him, and\nsince his death they have revered his memory.\n\nOn the 8th of July, 1838, a revelation was given concerning the\nquorum of the Twelve Apostles. A number of vacancies existed in this\nquorum occasioned through apostasy of several of its members; these\nvacancies the prophet was commanded to fill; \"And next spring,\" said\nthe revelation, \"let them [the apostles] depart to go over the great\nwaters, and there promulgate my gospel, the fullness thereof, and bear\nrecord of my name. Let them take leave of my Saints in the city of Far\nWest, on the 26th day of April next, on the building spot of my house,\n[9] saith the Lord.\" [10]\n\nBefore the date appointed in the revelation for the Twelve to take\nleave of the Saints at Far West for a foreign mission, _viz.,_ the\n26th of April, 1839, that city had fallen into the hands of the mob,\nthe church leaders were cast into prison, the apostles were scattered\nand the great body of the church driven from the state. In the midst\nof these circumstances it was a matter of open boasting with the mob\nthat there was at least one of \"old Joe Smith's\" revelations that would\nfail. [11] They said that there would be no meeting of the Twelve\nwith the Saints on the 26th of April, 1839. But a consultation of the\napostles who escaped from Missouri was held early in the spring of\n1839, at Quincy, and they resolved return to Far West and fulfill the\nLord's commandment, which, as the reader will perceive, partook of\nthe nature of a prophecy. The undertaking was successful. Five of the\napostles were at the temple site before day light of the day appointed,\ntogether with a number of high priests, elders and priests.\n\nAt this meeting they excommunicated a number of persons from the\nchurch, ordained Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith apostles, and\nothers were ordained to the office of seventy. The apostles each prayed\nin turn, and a beautiful hymn called \"Adam-Ondi-Ahman\" was sung. At\nthe conclusion of the hymn, Elder Alpheus Cutler, the master workman\nof the Lord's House, laid the south-east corner stone in its position,\nand stated that in consequence of the peculiar situation of the Saints\nit was deemed prudent to discontinue further labor on the house until\nthe Lord should open the way for its completion. The apostles then took\nleave of some seventeen Saints who were present and started on their\nway to fulfill their missions beyond the Atlantic. Thus the commandment\nand prophecy which the mobs of Missouri so confidently boasted should\nfail, were fulfilled.\n\nIn a revelation given in March, 1831, after telling some of the\njudgments and commotions which shall precede the glorious coming of\nthe Lord Jesus, occurs this prophecy: \"But before the great day of\nthe Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the\nLamanites [the American Indians] shall blossom as the rose. Zion shall\nflourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be\nassembled together unto the place which I have appointed.\" [12]\n\nIn order to have a complete understanding of this prophecy it is\nnecessary to explain that the word \"Zion\" refers not only to a land\ncalled Zion, and a city called Zion, but also to a people, as will be\nclearly seen in the above, where \"Zion\" is not only to rejoice upon\nthe mountains, but is also to \"be assembled together,\" which really\ncould only be consistently said of a people. In another revelation the\nLord says: \"Let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion, _the pure in heart;_\ntherefore, let Zion rejoice, while all the wicked shall mourn.\" [13]\nWith this explanation of the word \"Zion\" let us now consider the\nprophecy:\n\nFirst, then, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, Jacob, that\nis Israel, or descendants of Israel, shall flourish in the wilderness.\n\nSecond, the American Indians shall blossom as the rose, that is, they\nwill be in a blessed and happy condition.\n\nThird, Zion, the pure in heart, the Saints of God, shall flourish upon\nthe hills, rejoice upon the mountains and shall be assembled together\nunto the place which the Lord has appointed.\n\nThe parts of the prophecy which are in progress of fulfillment are\nthe first and third items. Israel is flourishing in the wilderness,\nand Zion, or the Saints of God, who are also, for the most part,\ndescendants of Israel gathered from among the Gentile nations are\nrejoicing upon the mountains; and though the Lamanites are not yet\nblossoming as the rose, neither has \"the great day of the Lord\" come;\nand before that day does come, this second item of the prophecy,\nreferring to the Lamanites, will be fulfilled. Let it be borne in mind\nthat the prophecy was uttered in March, 1831, long ere the Saints had\nso much as dreamed of settling in the Rocky Mountains.\n\nAt this juncture I may be permitted to introduce another prophecy of\nJoseph Smith's relating to this same subject, and then consider the\nfulfillment of both at once.\n\nUnder date of August 6th, 1842, the prophet records the following in\nhis history: \"Passed over to Montrose, Iowa, in company with General\nAdams, Colonel Brewer and others, and witnessed the installation of\nthe officers of the Rising Sun Lodge of the Ancient York Masons, at\nMontrose, by General James Adams, deputy grand master of illinois.\nWhile the deputy grand master was engaged in giving the requisite\ninstructions to the master elect, I had a conversation with a number\nof brethren, in the shade of the building, on the subject of our\npersecutions in Missouri, and the constant annoyance which has followed\nus since we were driven from that state. _I prophesied that the Saints\nwould continue to suffer much affliction and would be driven to the\nRocky Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death\nby our persecutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure\nor disease; and some of you will live to go and assist in making\nsettlements and build cities and see the Saints become a mighty people\nin the midst of the Rocky Mountains. [14]_\"\n\nAt that date, August 6th, 1842, the Rocky Mountains seemed like a\ncountry afar off to the people of Illinois. The Missouri River was the\nextreme frontiers of the United States. All beyond that was well nigh\nan unexplored wilderness filled with savages. The church was fairly\nsettled at Nauvoo, the state authorities were apparently very friendly,\nthe future of the Saints in Illinois seemed propitious. Yet in the\nmidst of all these favorable circumstances the prophet predicted much\naffliction for some of the Saints, death from persecution for others,\napostasy for many, and for the great body of the church an exodus to\nthe Rocky Mountains, where some of those present who were listening\nto the prediction, should live to assist in making settlements and\nbuilding cities in the Rocky Mountains where they would see the Saints\nbecome a mighty people.\n\nThere can be no question as to the reality of these two predictions,\nthe one of March, 1831, and the other of August, 1842, or of their\nbeing of a character to test the divine inspiration of him who uttered\nthem. That they were proclaimed some years before the events predicted\nin them began to be fulfilled, or even there was any thought or\nprospect of such events taking place, is well known; that the latter\nprophecy has been fulfilled to the uttermost, the whole history of\nthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from August, 1842,\nuntil now witnesses. The Saints suffered many afflictions in Illinois.\nTheir homes, fields, stacks of grain, stock and other property\nwere destroyed; their prophets and a number of others were killed\noutright by mob violence; many more perished from exposure and disease\noccasioned by being driven from their homes at an inclement season of\nthe year. In those trying times, following the martyrdom of the prophet\nand the expulsion from Nauvoo, many turned away from the faith, and\nit is too generally known to need comment, that the great body of the\nchurch made its way to the Rocky Mountains, where cities, towns and\nvillages have been founded, the wilderness subdued, and the Saints are\nfast becoming a mighty people.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Doc. and Cov., Sec. xi: 1-4. See also Sec. iv, Sec. vi, Sec. xii,\nand Sec. xiv, where the same prophecy is repeated.\n\n2. Doc. and Cov., Sec. ciii, 5-14.\n\n3. Holes dug in the ground and covered over with brush and earth.\n\n4. 1895.\n\n5. A stake of Zion is a division of the church comprised of several\necclesiastical wards; and is presided over by a presidency consisting\nof three high priests.\n\n6. The language of General Clark was: \"As for your leaders, do not once\nthink--do not imagine for a moment--do not let it enter your mind that\nthey will be delivered, or that you will see their faces again; for\ntheir fate is fixed--their die is cast--their doom is sealed.\"--Autob.\nP. P. Pratt, p. 266.\n\n7. Pratt's Autob., p. 210.\n\n8. Mill. Star, Vol. xvii, p. 85; also, Doc. and Cov., Sec. cxxii.\n\n9. A temple site had been selected at Far West and an excavation made\nfor the foundation. It is this \"spot\" that the revelation refers. The\nexcavation for the temple at Far West still remains, or did in 1884,\nwhen the writer visited it.\n\n10. Doc. and Cov., Sec. cxviii.\n\n11. One of the leaders of the mob forces by the name of Bogart,\nreferring to this revelation, said to Elder Theodore Turley: \"As a\nrational man, you must give up the claim that Joseph Smith is a prophet\nand an inspired man; the Twelve are scattered all over creation; let\nthem come here if they dare; if they do they will be murdered. As that\nrevelation cannot be fulfilled, you must now give up your faith. This\nis like all the rest of Joseph Smith's damned prophecies!\" (Cannon's\nLife of the Prophet, p. 285.)\n\n12. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xlix: 24, 25.\n\n13. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xcvii: 21.\n\n14. _Mill. Star,_ Vol. xix, p. 630.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXII.\n\nTHE EVIDENCE OF PROPHECY--CONTINUED.\n\nIn the journal of William Clayton, under date of May 18th, 1843, is the\nfollowing entry, relating a conversation that took place between Joseph\nSmith and Stephen A. Douglas, at the house of Sheriff Backenstos,\nat Carthage, Illinois: \"Dined with Judge Stephen A. Douglas, who is\npresiding at court. After dinner Judge Douglas requested President\nJoseph to give him a history of the Missouri persecution, which he did\nin a very minute manner for about three hours. He also gave a relation\nof his journey to Washington City, and his application in behalf of\nthe Saints to Mr. Van Buren, the President of the United States,\nfor redress; and Mr. Van Buren's pusillanimous reply--'Gentlemen,\nyour cause is just, but I can do nothing for you;' and the cold,\nunfeeling manner in which he was treated by most of the senators and\nrepresentatives in relation to the subject, Clay saying, 'You had\nbetter go to Oregon,' and Calhoun shaking his head solemnly, saying,\n'It's a nice question--a critical question; but it will not do to\nagitate it.'\n\n\"The Judge listened with the greatest attention, and then spoke warmly\nin deprecation of Governor Boggs and the authorities in Missouri,\nwho had taken part in the extermination, and said that any people\nthat would do as the mobs of Missouri had done ought to be brought to\njudgment; they ought to be punished.\n\n\"President Smith, in concluding his remarks, said that if the\nGovernment, which receives into its coffers the money of citizens for\nits public lands, while its officials are rolling in luxury at the\nexpense of its public treasury, cannot protect such citizens in their\nlives and property, it is an old granny anyhow; and I prophesy in\nthe name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress\nthe wrongs committed upon the Saints in the State of Missouri and\npunish the crimes committed by her officers, that in a few years the\nGovernment will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not\nbe so much as a potsherd left, for their wickedness in permitting the\nmurder of men, women, and children, and the wholesale plunder and\nextermination of thousands of her citizens to go unpunished, thereby\nperpetrating a foul and corroding blot upon the fair fame of this great\nrepublic, the very thought of which would have caused the high-minded\nand patriotic framers of the Constitution of the United States to hide\ntheir faces with shame. _Judge, you will aspire to the Presidency of\nthe United States; and if you ever turn your hand against me or the\nLatter-day Saints, you will feel the weight of the hand of the Almighty\nupon you; and you will live to see and know that I have testified\nthe truth to you; for the conversation of this day will stick to you\nthrough life._ He appeared very friendly, and acknowledged the truth\nand propriety of President Smith's remarks.\"\n\nThis prophecy was first published in Utah, in the _Deseret News_ of\nSeptember 24th, 1856; it was afterwards published in England, in the\n_Millennial Star,_ February, 1859. [1] In both instances it is found\nin the History of Joseph Smith, then being published in sections in\nthose periodicals. Stephen A. Douglas did aspire to the Presidency of\nthe United States, and was nominated for that office by the Democratic\nConvention, held in Charleston, on the 23rd of June, 1860. When in the\nconvention he was declared the regular nominee of the Democratic Party,\n\"The whole body rose to its feet, hats were waved in the air, and many\ntossed aloft; shouts, screams, and yells, and every boisterous mode of\nexpressing approbation and unanimity, were resorted to.\" [2]\n\nWhen Mr. Douglas aspired to the Presidency, no man in the history of\nAmerican politics had more reason to hope for success. The political\nparty of which he was the recognized leader, in the preceding\nPresidential election had polled 174 electoral votes as against 122\ncast by the other two parties which opposed it; and a popular vote of\n1,838,169 as against 1,215,798 votes for the two parties opposing.\nIt is a matter of history, however, that the Democratic party in the\nelection of 1860 was badly divided; and factions of it put candidates\ninto the field with the following result: Mr. Abraham Lincoln,\ncandidate of the Republican party, was triumphantly elected. He\nreceived 180 electoral votes; Mr. Breckinridge received 72 electoral\nvotes; Mr. Bell 39; and Mr. Douglas 12. \"By a plurality count of the\npopular vote, Mr. Lincoln carried 18 states; Mr. Breckinridge 11; Mr.\nBell 3; _and Mr. Douglas but I!_\" [3] Twenty days less than one year\nafter his nomination by the Charleston convention, while yet in the\nprime of manhood--forty-eight years of age--Mr. Douglas died, at his\nhome in Chicago, a disappointed, not to say heartbroken, man.\n\nLet us now search out the cause of his failure. Fourteen years after\nthe interview containing the prophecy with which this chapter opens,\nand about one year after the prophecy had been published in the\n_Deseret News,_ Mr. Douglas was called upon to deliver a speech in\nSpringfield, the capital of Illinois. His speech was delivered on\nthe 12th of June, 1857, and published in the _Missouri Republican_\nof June 18th, 1857. It was a time of much excitement throughout the\ncountry concerning the Mormon Church in Utah. Falsehoods upon the\nposting winds seemed to have filled the air with the most outrageous\ncalumny. Crimes the most repulsive--murders, robberies, rebellion,\nand high treason--were falsely charged against its leaders. It was\nwell known that Mr. Douglas had been on terms of intimate friendship\nwith the Prophet Joseph Smith; and was well acquainted with the other\nchurch leaders. He was therefore looked upon as one competent to speak\nupon the \"Mormon Question,\" and was invited to do so in the speech to\nwhich reference is here made. Mr. Douglas responded to the request.\nHe grouped the charges against the Mormons which were then passing\ncurrent, in the following manner:\n\n\"First, that nine-tenths of the inhabitants are aliens by birth who\nhave refused to become naturalized, or to take the oath of allegiance,\nor do any other act recognizing the Government of the United States as\nthe paramount authority in that territory [Utah];\n\n\"Second, that the inhabitants, whether native or alien born, known\nas Mormons (and they constitute the whole people of the territory)\nare bound by horrible oaths, and terrible penalties, to recognize and\nmaintain the authority of Brigham Young, and the government of which\nhe is head, as paramount to that of the United States, in civil as\nwell as in religious affairs; and they will in due time, and under the\ndirection of their leaders, use all the means in their power to subvert\nthe government of the United States, and resist its authority.\n\n\"Third, that the Mormon government, with Brigham Young at its head,\nis now forming alliances with Indian tribes in Utah and adjoining\nterritories--stimulating the Indians to acts of hostility--and\norganizing bands of his own followers under the name of Danites or\ndestroying angels, to prosecute a system of robbery and murders upon\nAmerican citizens who support the authority of the United States, and\ndenounce the infamous and disgusting practices and institution of the\nMormon government.\"\n\nMr. Douglas based his remarks upon these rumors against the Saints, in\nthe course of which he said: \"Let us have these facts in an official\nshape before the President and Congress, and the country will soon\nlearn that, in the performance of the high and solemn duty devolving\nupon the executive and Congress, there will be no vacillating or\nhesitating policy. It will be as prompt as the peal that follows the\nflash--as stern and unyielding as death. Should such a state of things\nactually exist as we are led to infer from the reports--and such\ninformation comes in an official shape--_the knife must be applied to\nthis pestiferous, disgusting cancer which is gnawing into the very\nvitals of the body politic. It must be cut out by the roots, and seared\nover by the red hot iron of stern and unflinching law._ * * * Should\nall efforts fail to bring them [the Mormons] to a sense of their duty,\nthere is but one remedy left. _Repeal the organic law of the territory,\non the ground that they are alien enemies and outlaws, unfit to be\ncitizens of a territory, much less ever to become citizens of one of\nthe free and independent states of this confederacy._ To protect them\nfurther in their treasonable, disgusting and bestial practices would\nbe a disgrace to the country--a disgrace to humanity--a disgrace to\ncivilization, and a disgrace to the spirit of the age. Blot it out of\nthe organized territories of the United States. What then? It will be\nregulated by the law of 1790, which has exclusive and sole jurisdiction\nover all the territory not incorporated under any organic or special\nlaw. By the provisions of this law, all crimes and misdemeanors,\ncommitted on its soil, can be tried before the legal authorities of\nany state or territory to which the offenders shall be first brought\nto trial, and punished. Under that law persons have been arrested in\nKansas, Nebraska and other territories, prior to their organization as\nterritories, and hanged for their crimes. The law of 1790 has sole and\nexclusive jurisdiction where no other law of a local character exists,\nand by repealing the organic law of Utah, you give to the general\ngovernment of the United States the whole and sole jurisdiction over\nthe territory.\"\n\nThe speech of Mr. Douglas was of great interest and importance to the\npeople of Utah at that juncture. Mr. Douglas had it in his power to\ndo them great good. Because of his personal acquaintance with Joseph\nSmith and the great body of the Mormon people then in Utah, as well as\ntheir leaders (for he had known both leaders and people in Illinois,\nand those whom he had known in Illinois constituted the great bulk of\nthe people in Utah, when he delivered that Springfield speech), he knew\nthat the reports carried to the East by vicious and corrupt men were\nnot true. He knew that these reports in the main were but a rehash of\nthe old exploded charges made against Joseph Smith and his followers\nin Missouri; and he knew them to be false by many evidences furnished\nhim by Joseph Smith in the interview of the 18th of May, 1843, and by\nthe Mormon people at sundry times during his association with them at\nNauvoo. He had an opportunity to befriend the innocent; to refute the\ncalumny cast upon a virtuous community; to speak a word in behalf of\nthe oppressed; but the demagogue triumphed over the statesman, the\npolitician, over the humanitarian; and to avoid the popular censure\nwhich he feared befriending the Mormon people would bring to him, he\nturned his hand against them with the result that he did not destroy\nthem but sealed his own doom--in fulfillment of the words of the\nprophet, he felt the weight of the hand of the Almighty upon him.\n\nIt was impossible for any merely human sagacity to foresee the events\npredicted in this prophecy. Stephen A. Douglas was a bright but\ncomparatively an unknown man at the time of the interview, in May,\n1843. There is and can be no question about the prophecy preceding the\nevent. It was published as before stated in the _Deseret News_ of the\n24th of September, 1856, about one year before the Douglas speech at\nSpringfield, in June, 1857; and about four years before Douglas was\nnominated for the Presidency by the Charleston Democratic Convention.\n\nMoreover, a lengthy review of Mr. Douglas' speech was published in the\neditorial columns of the _Deseret News_ in the issue of that paper for\nSeptember 2nd, 1857, of which the following is the closing paragraph\naddressed directly to Mr. Douglas: \"In your last paragraph [of the\nSpringfield speech] you say, 'I have thus presented to you plainly and\nfairly my views of the Utah question;' with at least equal plainness\nand with far more fairness have your views now been commented upon.\nAnd inasmuch as you were well acquainted with Joseph Smith, and this\npeople, also with the character of our maligners, and did know their\nallegations were false, but must bark with the dogs who were snapping\nat our heels, to let them know that you were a dog with them; and\nalso that you may have a testimony of the truth of the assertion that\nyou did know Joseph and his people and the character of their enemies\n(and neither class have changed, only as the Saints have grown better\nand their enemies worse); and also that you may thoroughly understand\nthat you have voluntarily, knowingly, and of choice sealed your\ndamnation, and by your own chosen course have closed your chance for\nthe Presidential chair, through disobeying the counsel of Joseph which\nyou formerly sought and prospered by following, and that you in common\nwith us, may testify to all the world that Joseph was a true prophet,\nthe following extract from the History of Joseph Smith is again printed\nfor your benefit, and is kindly recommended to your careful perusal and\nmost candid consideration.\" Then follows the interview between Joseph\nSmith and Mr. Douglas as recorded in the Journal of William Clayton, as\npublished in the _News_ a year before Mr. Douglas' Springfield speech,\nand as now quoted at the beginning of this chapter.\n\nThis was boldly accepting the challenge of Mr. Douglas. He raised his\nhand against the followers of Joseph Smith despite the warning of the\nprophet, and they, in the chief organ of the church, reproduced the\nprophecy and told him that he had sealed his damnation and closed his\nchance for the Presidential chair through disobeying the counsel of the\nprophet. The presidential election of 1860 and the death of Mr. Douglas\nin the prime of life the year following tells the rest. [4]\n\nIt would be mere conjecture, of course, to say what the result would\nhave been had Stephen A. Douglas been true to the Saints--the people of\nhis friend Joseph Smith. But certainly had he been elected in 1860 the\nSouthern States would have had no such excuse for their great movement\nof secession as they at least pretended to have in the election of\nAbraham Lincoln. And had Mr. Douglas in the event of his election\nfollowed the counsel given to the government and people of the United\nStates by Joseph Smith in respect to the question of slavery, that evil\nmight have been abolished without the effusion of blood, and no place\nfound in the history of the United States for that horrible conflict\nknown as the American civil war.\n\nThe prophet's counsel here referred to in respect to slavery, was as\nfollows: \"Petition, also, ye goodly inhabitants of the slave states,\nyour legislators to abolish slavery by the year 1850, or now, and save\nthe abolitionists from reproach and ruin, and infamy and shame. Pray\ncongress to pay every man a reasonable price for his slaves out of the\nsurplus revenue arising from the sale of the public lands, and from the\ndeduction of pay from the members of congress. Break off the shackles\nfrom the poor black man, and hire him to labor like other human beings;\nfor an hour of virtuous liberty is worth a whole eternity of bondage.\"\n[5]\n\nThe document from which this counsel is quoted was published in\nFebruary, 1844. Eleven years later, namely, in 1855, Mr. Ralph Waldo\nEmerson declared that the question of slavery should be met in\naccordance \"with the interests of the South, and with the settled\nconscience of the North.\" \"It is not really a great task,\" said this\neminent writer, \"a great feat for this country to accomplish, to buy\nthat property of the planter as the British nation bought the West\nIndian slaves.\" He also predicted that \"the United States will be\nbrought to give every inch of their public lands for a purpose like\nthis.\" This plan suggested by Mr. Emerson in 1855, brought to him no\nend of praise as a sage philosopher and wise humanitarian. But what of\nJoseph Smith, whose suggestion preceded that of Mr. Emerson by eleven\nyears? Let another--Josiah Quincy--answer:\n\n\"We who can look back upon the terrible cost of the fratricidal war\nwhich put an end to slavery, now say that such a solution of the\ndifficulty would have been worthy a Christian statesman. But if the\nretired scholar [referring to Emerson] was in advance of his time when\nhe advocated this disposition of the public property in 1855, what\nshall I say of the political and religious leader [referring to Joseph\nSmith] who had committed himself in print, as well as in conversation,\nto the same course in 1844? If the atmosphere of men's opinions was\nstirred by such a proposition when war clouds were discernable in the\nsky, was it not a statesman-like word eleven years earlier when the\nheavens looked tranquil and beneficent?\" [6]\n\nBy indulging in these reflections based upon the supposition of the\nsuccess of Stephen A. Douglas in the election of 1860, I have wandered\nfrom the line of direct argument. I have nothing further to do with\nthe career of Mr. Douglas than to point out in it the remarkable\nfulfillment of a prophecy which demonstrates the divine inspiration of\nthe man who uttered it.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. _Mill. Star,_ Vol. xxi, No. 9.\n\n2. See Cooper's American Politics, Bk. I, p. 86.\n\n3. See tables in \"American Politics,\" Bk. vii, pp. 22, 26; also,\nHistory U. S. (by Alexander H. Stephens), p. 559.\n\n4. Shortly after the result of the election of 1860 was known in Utah,\nElder Orson Hyde, one of the Twelve Apostles, then residing in Sanpete\nCounty, Utah, wrote to the _Deseret News_ the following letter:\n\n\"Ephraim, Utah Ter., Nov. 27, 1860.\n\n\"Will the Judge now acknowledge that Joseph Smith was a true prophet?\nIf he will not, does he recollect a certain conversation had with Mr.\nSmith at the house of Sheriff Backenstos, in Carthage, Illinois, in the\nyear 1843, in which Mr. Smith said to him: 'You will yet aspire to the\nPresidency of the United States. But if you ever raise your hand or\nyour voice against the Latter-day Saints, you shall never be President\nof the United States.'\n\n\"Does Judge Douglas recollect that in a public speech delivered by him\nin the year 1857, at Springfield, Illinois, of comparing the Mormon\ncommunity, then constituting the inhabitants of Utah Territory, to a\n'loathsome ulcer on the body politic,' and of recommending the knife to\nbe applied to cut it out?\n\n\"Among other things, the Judge will doubtless recollect that I was\npresent and heard the conversation between him and Joseph Smith at Mr.\nBackenstos' residence in Carthage, before alluded to.\n\n\"Now, Judge, what do you think about Joseph Smith and Mormonism?\n\n\"ORSON HYDE.\"\n\n5. Joseph Smith's \"Views of the Powers and Policy of the Government of\nthe United States,\" _Mill. Star,_ Vol. XXII, p. 743.\n\n6. \"Figures of the Past--Joseph Smith at Nauvoo,\" p. 398.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIII.\n\nTHE EVIDENCE OF PROPHECY--CONCLUDED.\n\nOn the 25th of December, 1832, the following revelation and prophecy in\nrelation to the great American civil war, and war among all nations,\nwas given through Joseph Smith:\n\n\"Verily, thus saith the Lord, concerning the wars that will shortly\ncome to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will\neventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls.\n\n\"The days will come that war will be poured out upon all nations,\nbeginning at that place.\n\n\"For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern\nStates, and the Southern States will call on other nations, even the\nnation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon\nother nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and\nthus war shall be poured out upon all nations.\n\n\"And it shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up\nagainst their masters, who shall be marshalled and disciplined for\nwar: and it shall come to pass also, that the remnants who are left of\nthe land will marshal themselves and shall become exceeding angry, and\nshall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation;\n\n\"And thus, with the sword, and by bloodshed, the inhabitants of the\nearth shall mourn; and with famine and plague and earthquakes and the\nthunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the\ninhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation and\nchastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath\nmade a full end of all nations;\n\n\"That the cry of the Saints, and of the blood of the Saints, shall\ncease to come up into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth, from the earth,\nto be avenged of their enemies.\n\n\"Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of\nthe Lord come; for behold it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen.\"\n\nAs stated this revelation and prophecy was given in December, 1832; the\nelders carried manuscript copies of it with them in their missionary\njourneys, and frequently read it to their congregations in various\nparts of the United States. In Vol. XIII of the _Millennial Star,_\npublished in 1851, pp. 216 and 217, is an advertisement of a new church\npublication to be called the _Pearl of Great Price._ In the announced\ncontents is named this revelation of December, 1832, with a statement,\nthat it had \"never before appeared in print.\" Subsequently, but in the\nsame year, the _Pearl of Great Price_ with this prophecy in it, was\npublished by Franklin D. Richards, in Liverpool, England. There are\ncopies of the first edition still extant. [1]\n\nI am careful to make these statements that the reader may have ample\nassurance that the revelation and prophecy preceded the event of the\ngreat Civil War. The revelation containing the prophecy was given on\nthe 25th of December, 1832. The first shot fired in the great American\nCivil War was fired early on the morning of April 12th, 1861. Hence the\nprediction preceded the commencement of its fulfillment by twenty-eight\nyears, three months and seventeen days. Ten years before the war began,\nthe prophecy was published in England and circulated both in that\ncountry and in the United States. There can be no question, therefore,\nas to the prophecy preceding the event.\n\nLet us inquire if the events predicted were of a nature that they could\nnot be foreseen and hence foretold by human judgment, unaided by divine\ninspiration. The prophecy predicts,\n\nFirst, that the war would begin with the rebellion of South Carolina.\n\nSecond, that it would terminate in the death and misery of many souls.\n\nThird, that the Southern States would be divided against the Northern\nStates.\n\nFourth, that the Southern States would call upon other nations for\nassistance, even upon the nation of Great Britain.\n\nFifth, that Great Britain would call upon other nations for assistance,\nand thus war would eventually be poured out upon all nations.\n\nI submit that this is an enumeration of events twenty-eight years in\nthe future altogether too definite for human wisdom, unassisted by\ndivine inspiration, to give. Profane history has nothing like it. To\nfind a parallel to it, recourse must be had to the history of the\nJewish prophets. It is true there was considerable agitation about the\ntime of the prophecy on the question known in American politics as\n\"States' rights.\" In 1830 had occurred the great Senate debate on that\nsubject between Robert Y. Hayne, of South Carolina, and Daniel Webster,\nof Massachusetts. On that occasion the champion from South Carolina\nadvocated the doctrine known as \"nullification.\" The discussion had its\norigin in an effort to repeal the protective tariff laws of 1828, which\nSouth Carolina, with several other States, regarded as unconstitutional\nbecause the laws were based upon the principle of federal protection\nto local interests in the several States, to the injury of the general\ninterests of the country. But South Carolina also held, which the other\nstates did not, \"that it was within the reserved rights of the states\nto have the question of constitutionality on this subject rightfully\ndetermined by the judiciary of the states severally, each for itself,\ninstead of exclusively by the federal judiciary.\" [2]\n\nThe question again approached the acute stage in 1832, when the\nsovereign convention of the people of South Carolina was called which\nadopted what was known as the \"Nullification Ordinance.\" The leading\nfeatures of this were (1) a declaration that the tariff act of 1832,\nbeing based upon the principle of protection to manufacturers, and not\nwith the view to raising revenue, was unconstitutional and therefore\nnull and void; (2) a provision for testing the constitutionality of\nthis act before the courts of the state; (3) that in case the measures\nthus adopted for the purpose stated should be forcibly resisted by the\nfederal authorities, then the State of South Carolina was declared\nto be no longer a member of the Federal Union. The last measure was\nto take effect on the 12th of February, 1833, if before that time\nthe principle of levying duties upon imports, not with a view to\nrevenue, but for the protection of domestic manufactures, should not be\nabandoned by the congress of the states. [3]\n\nBut notwithstanding these hostile demonstrations on the part of South\nCarolina, there was really no very great danger to the Union at that\ntime. Andrew Jackson, a man of great determination of character, and\npatriotically devoted to the Union, was president; and his political\nprinciples ran parallel with his devotion. He issued a proclamation\nin which he urged South Carolina not to persist in the enforcement\nof her ordinance as it would necessarily bring the federal and state\nauthorities in conflict, and if the citizens of South Carolina took\nup arms against the United States they would be guilty of treason.\n\"The ordinance,\" said he, \"is founded not on the indefeasible right of\nresisting acts which are plainly unconstitutional, and too oppressive\nto be endured; but on the strange position that any one state may not\nonly declare an act of congress void but prohibit its execution, and\nthat they may do this consistently with the constitution; that the true\nconstruction of that instrument permits a state to retain its place in\nthe Union, and yet be bound by no other of its laws than those it may\nchoose to consider constitutional.\" [4]\n\nIt was in December, 1832, the same month in which the revelation\nand prophecy under consideration was given, that this issue between\nSouth Carolina and the Federal government about reached its climax.\nIt is important to observe that these questions of nullification and\na state's right to secede from the Union were sharply agitated in\nDecember, 1832, because it gives direct testimony of the original date\nof the prophecy. That is, it is clear from the facts of history that\nthe question in 1832 was before the nation; and very naturally the\nprophet inquired of the Lord concerning it, with the result that he\nreceive the revelation now under consideration.\n\nThat the prophet did make inquiry of the Lord concerning this subject\nis evident from a direct statement of his to that effect. Preaching at\nRamus, Illinois, on the 2nd of April, 1843, the prophet in the course\nof his remarks said: \"I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God, that\nthe commencement of the difficulties which will cause much bloodshed\nprevious to the coming of the Son of Man will be in South Carolina. It\nmay probably arise through the slave question. This a voice declared to\nme, while I was praying earnestly on the subject, December 25th, 1832.\"\n[5]\n\nNo American statesman in 1832 believed that the doctrines of secession\nthen talked of would result in a great civil war. None of them had\nthe foresight to see that a great rebellion would occur, beginning\nin South Carolina; that it would terminate in the death and misery\nof many souls; that the Southern States would be divided against the\nNorthern States; that the Southern States would call on Great Britain,\nand that war would eventually be poured out upon all nations. No one,\nI say, foresaw that this would be the result save only that inspired\nyouth--then but twenty-seven years of age--Joseph Smith, and he saw\nit only by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. To be required to\nbelieve that the prophecy was merely the fortunate conjecture of a more\nthan ordinarily astute mind, requires a greater amount of credulity\nthan to concede the inspiration of the prophet; and then the question\nwould still remain, why is it that sagacious minds in other generations\nhave not paralleled this astuteness of Joseph Smith's? Why did not some\nof the brilliant minds in the Senate or House of Representatives in\n1832 make such a prediction? There was no dearth of brilliant minds in\neither Senate or House at that time, yet none seemed equal to the task.\n\nBut was the prophecy fulfilled? Did the great Civil War begin with the\nrebellion of South Carolina? Let history answer.\n\n_I. South Carolina took the initiative in the great rebellion._ Deeming\nher interests threatened, and the institution of slavery doomed if\nAbraham Lincoln was elected; on November 5th, 1860, her legislature met\nto choose presidential electors, and Governor William H. Gist in his\nmessage to that legislature recommended that in the event of Abraham\nLincoln's election to the presidency, a convention of the people of the\nstate be immediately called to consider and determine for themselves\nthe mode and measure of redress. He expressed the opinion that the only\nalternative left in the event of Lincoln's election was \"the secession\nof South Carolina from the Federal Union.\" [6]\n\nOn the 10th of November, 1860, the United States Senators from South\nCarolina, James N. Hammond and James Chestnut, Jr., resigned their\nseats, being the first of the senators to take that step. [7]\n\nOn the 17th of November, 1860, an ordinance of secession was\nunanimously adopted by the Legislature of South Carolina, the first act\nof the kind by any of the states. [8]\n\nOn the 24th of November, 1860, South Carolina's Representatives in\nCongress withdrew; they were the first representatives to do so. [9]\n\nMembers to a state convention for the purpose of considering the method\nand measure of redress in the event to Abraham Lincoln's election, were\nelected on the 3rd of December, 1860; the convention was assembled in\nCharleston. [10]\n\nOn the 20th of December, 1860, the convention passed the ordinance of\nsecession and Governor Pickins--just elected--announced on the same\ndate the repeal, by the good people of South Carolina, the ordinance\nof May 23rd, 1788, by which South Carolina had ratified the Federal\nConstitution, and declared \"the dissolution of the union between the\nstate of South Carolina and the other states under the name of the\nUnited States.\" The governor's proclamation also announced to the\nworld \"that the state of South Carolina is, as she has a right to be,\na separate, sovereign, free and independent state and, as such, has\na right to levy war, conclude peace, negotiate treaties, leagues, or\ncovenants, and to do all acts whatsoever that rightly pertain to a free\nand independent state. Done in the eighty-fifth year of the sovereignty\nand independence of South Carolina.\" [11]\n\nFollowing is the complete Ordinance passed by the Convention, as it\nappeared in the _Charleston Mercury Extra_ for that date, the original\nof which the following is a copy is in the Libby Prison Museum, of\nChicago:\n\nPASSED UNANIMOUSLY AT 1:15 P. M., DECEMBER 20TH, 1860.\n\n\"An ordinance to dissolve the union between the States of South\nCarolina and other States united with her under the compact entitled\n'The Constitution of the United States of America.'\n\n\"We, the people of the State of South Carolina, in convention\nassembled, do declare and ordain, and it is hereby declared and\nordained, 'That the ordinance adopted by us on the 23rd of May, A. D.\n1788, whereby the Constitution of the United States of America was\nratified, and also all acts and parts of acts of the General Assembly\nof this State ratifying amendments of the said Constitution are hereby\nrepealed, and the union now subsisting between South Carolina and other\nStates, under the name of 'The United States of America' is hereby\ndissolved.\"\n\nThe act of rebellion on the part of South Carolina was completed. She\nwas the first state to take the several steps here enumerated leading\nup to that culmination. She was followed in the act of rebellion by ten\nother Southern States, as follows--I take the date on which the state\nconventions passed their secession ordinances to be the date on which\nthe rebellion of the respective states was completed:\n\n_Mississippi,_ January 9th, 1861; _Florida,_ January 10th; _Alabama,_\nJanuary 11th; _Georgia,_ January 19th; _Louisiana,_ January 26th;\n_Texas,_ February 1st; _Virginia,_ April 17th; _Arkansas,_ May 6th;\n_North Carolina,_ May 20th; _Tennessee,_ June 8th, all of the same\nyear, 1861. [12]\n\nHaving proven that the Great Rebellion began with the rebellion of\nSouth Carolina, I wish now to show that the war itself actually began\nthere.\n\nThe states which seceded from the union in the last months of Mr.\nBuchanan's administration, quietly took possession of all the forts\nwithin their respective limits, except Fort Sumter, in Charleston\nHarbor, and Fort Pickens, at Pensacola, Florida; and transferred them\nto the Confederate States. After the Southern States united into a\nconfederacy, that government \"appointed a commission consisting of Mr.\nJohn Forsyth, of Alabama, Mr. Martin J. Crawford, of Georgia, and Mr.\nA. B. Roman, of Louisiana, to open negotiations for the settlement of\nall matters of joint property, forts, arsenals, arms, or property of\nany other kind within the limits of the Confederate States, and all\njoint liabilities with their former associates, upon the principles of\nright, justice, equity and good faith.\" [13] Separate states previous\nto this action of the confederate states had sent commissioners to\naccomplish the same purpose; but of course these gave place to the\ncommission from the general government of the confederacy.\n\nDuring an attempt of this commission to obtain official recognition\nfrom the administration at Washington, active preparations for war were\ngoing on at the New York navy yard. Early in April a squadron of seven\nships, carrying two thousand four hundred men, and two hundred and\neighty-five guns put to sea from New York and Norfolk navy yards, under\nsealed orders. The design of the enterprise was to re-provision and\nre-enforce Fort Sumpter, which at the time was held by Major Anderson,\nwith a small garrison of men very ill provisioned for a siege.\n\nOn the 8th of April Washington authorities, ignoring the commission in\nWashington from the Confederate States, sent word to Governor Pickens\nof South Carolina of a change in the attitude of the general government\nin regard to unofficial assurances given respecting the withdrawal\nof Federal forces from Fort Sumter, and declaring the intention of\nthe government to re-provision and re-enforce the garrison there,\n\"peaceably if permitted; otherwise, by force.\" [14]\n\nAt the time General Gustave T. Beauregard was at Charleston, with six\nthousand Confederate volunteer troops, for the purpose of defending\nthe city. Governor Pickens informed him of the notice he had received\nfrom the authorities at Washington; and General Beauregard immediately\ntelegraphed the information to the Confederate authorities at\nMontgomery. The reply received by General Beauregard was that, \"if he\nhad no doubt of the authenticity of the notice of the intention of\nthe Washington government to supply Fort Sumter by force, to demand\nat once its evacuation; and if this should be refused, to proceed to\nreduce it.\" [15]\n\nOn April the 11th the demand for its evacuation was made. Major\nAnderson refused to comply with the demand, and at 4:30, on the morning\nof the 12th of April, 1861, General Beauregard opened fire on the fort,\nto which the guns of the fort promptly replied. The bombardment lasted\nthirty-two hours; and then Major Anderson capitulated, though the fleet\nfrom the north was within view during the bombardment. \"This was the\nbeginning of a war between the states of the Federal Union, which has\nbeen truly characterized as 'one of the most tremendous conflicts on\nrecord.' The din of its clangor reached the remotest part of the earth\nand the people of all nations looked on, for four years and upwards,\nin wonder and amazement, as its gigantic proportions loomed forth, and\nits hideous engines of destruction of human life and everything of\nhuman structure were terribly displayed in its sanguinary progress and\ngrievous duration.\" [16] It began where the Prophet Joseph twenty-eight\nyears before said it would commence--with the rebellion of South\nCarolina.\n\nII. _This war, beginning with the rebellion of South Carolina, did\nterminate in the death and misery of many souls._ Though it is\nnotorious that it did so, let us consider the history of it somewhat in\ndetail. Mr. Alexander H Stephens, in concluding the chapter he devotes\nto the Civil War, in his history of the United States, says: \"The\nFederal records show that they had, from first to last, 2,600,000 men\nin the service; while the Confederates all told, and in like manner,\nhad but little over 600,000. * * * Of Federal prisoners during the\nwar, the Confederates took in round numbers 270,000; while the whole\nnumber of Confederates captured and held in prisons by the Federals\nwas in like round numbers 220,000. * * * Of the 270,000 Federal\nprisoners taken, 22,576 died in Confederate hands; and of the 220,000\nConfederates taken by Federals, 26,436 died in their hands. * * *\nThe entire loss on both sides, including those who were permanently\ndisabled, as well as those killed in battle, and who died from wounds\nreceived and diseases contracted in the service, amounted, upon a\nreasonable estimate, to the stupendous aggregate of 1,000,000 of men.\"\n[17]\n\nIn 1887, the _Cincinnatti Commercial Gazette_ published the following\ninteresting compilation of statistics in relation to the number that\nfell in the Civil War on the side of the Federal armies:\n\n\"Official returns show that about 2,653,000 soldiers enlisted during\nthe war in response to the successive calls of President Lincoln, and\nof that number 186,097 were colored troops. Reports show that the\nNorthern and Southern armies met in over two thousand skirmishes and\nbattles. In 148 of these conflicts the loss on the Federal side was\nover 500 men, and in at least ten battles over 10,000 men were reported\nlost on each side. The appended table shows that the combined losses of\nthe Federal and Confederate forces in killed, wounded, and missing in\nthe following engagements were: Shiloh, 24,000; Antietam, 18,000; Stone\nRiver, 22,000; Chickamauga, 33,000; McClellan's Peninsula campaign,\n50,000; Grant's Peninsula campaign, 140,000; and Sherman's campaign,\n80,000.\n\n\"Official statistics show that of the 2,653,000 men enlisted, there\nwere killed in battle 44,238; died of wounds, 49,205; died of disease,\n186,216; died of unknown causes, 24,184; total 303,843. This includes\nonly those whose death while in the army had been actually proved. To\nthis number should be added first 26,000 men who are known to have\ndied while in the hands of the enemy as prisoners of war, and many\nothers in the same manner whose deaths are unrecorded; second, a fair\npercentage of the 205,794 men who are put down on the official reports\nas deserters and missing in action, for those who participated in the\nwar know that men frequently disappear who, it was certain, had not\ndeserted, yet could not be otherwise officially accounted for; third,\nthousands who are buried in private cemeteries all over the north, who\ndied while at home on furlough.\n\n\"The dead are buried in 73 national cemeteries, of which only twelve\nare in the Northern States. Amongst the principal ones in the North\nare Cypress Hill, with its 3,786 dead; Finns Point, N. J., which\ncontains the remains of 2,644 unknown dead; Gettysburg, Pa., with 1,967\nknown and 1,608 unknown dead; Mound City, Ill., with 2,505 known and\n2,721 unknown graves; Philadelphia, with 1,909 dead; and Woodlawn,\nElmira, N. Y., with its 3,900 dead. In the South, near the scenes of\nthe terrible conflicts, are located the largest depositories of the\nslain: Arlington, Va., 16,264, of which 4,319 are unknown; Beaufort,\nS. C., 9,241, of which 4,493 are unknown; Chalmettee, La., 12,511, of\nwhich 5,674 are unknown; Chattanooga, Tenn., 12,972, of which 4,963\nare unknown; Fredricksurg, Va., 15,257, of which 12,770 are unknown;\nJefferson Barracks, Mo., 11,290, of which 2,900 are unknown; Little\nRock, Ark., 5,602, of which 2,337 are unknown; City Point, Va., 5,122,\nof which 1,374 are unknown; Marietta, Ga., 10,151, of which 2,963 are\nunknown; Memphis, Tenn., 13,997, of which 8,817 are unknown; Nashville,\nTenn., 16,526, of which 4,700 are unknown; Poplar Grove, Va., 6,190,\nof which 4,001 are unknown; Richmond, Va., 6,542, of which 5,700\nare unknown; Salisbury, N. C., 12,126 of which 12,032 are unknown;\nStone River, Tenn., 5,602 of which 288 are unknown; Vicksburg, Miss.,\n16,600 of which 12,704 are unknown; Antietam, Va. 4,671 of which 1,818\nare unknown; Winchester, Va., 4,559 of which 2,365 are unknown. In\nall, the remains of 300,000 men who fought for the stars and stripes\nfind guarded graves in our national cemeteries. Two cemeteries are\nmainly devoted to the men who perished in the prisons of the same\nname--Andersonville, Ga., which contains 13,714 graves, and Salisbury,\nwith its 12,126 dead, among which 12,032 are unknown.\"\n\nIf to the 303,843 given above as the total number of union troops whose\ndeath while in the army was actually proved, be added, as the _Gazette_\nsuggests, first, 26,000 [18] men who are known to have died while in\nthe hands of the enemy as prisoners of war; second, many others whose\ndeath was not recorded; third, a fair percentage of the 205,794 put\ndown on the official reports as deserters and missing in action; and\nthen add to this all who were killed in the Confederate army, all\nConfederates who died in prisons through wounds and diseases contracted\nin the service, it will be seen that the estimate of Mr. Stephens,\nnamely, that one million of men perished in the Great Rebellion, would\nnot be considered exaggerated. Indeed the same estimate is made by\nnearly all writers upon the subject. Thus Lossing: \"The whole number\nof men called into service during the war (on the Union side) was\n2,628,523. Of these about 1,490,000 were in actual service. Of this\nnumber, nearly 60,000 were killed on the field, and about 35,000 were\nmortally wounded. Disease in camps and hospitals slew 184,000. It is\nestimated that 300,000 Union soldiers perished during the war. Fully\nthat number of the Confederate soldiers perished, and the aggregate\nnumber of men including both armies, who were crippled or permanently\ndisabled by disease was estimated at 400,000. The actual loss to the\ncountry, of able-bodied men, in consequence of the rebellion was fully\n1,000,000.\" [19]\n\n\"Both sides, during the struggle, relied for means to support it upon\nthe issue of paper money, and upon loans secured by bonds. An enormous\npublic debt was thus created by each, and the aggregate of money thus\nexpended on both sides, including the loss and sacrifice of property,\ncould not have been less than 8,000,000,000 of dollars--a sum fully\nequal to three-fourths of the assessed valuation of the taxable\nproperty of all the states together when it commenced.\" [20]\n\nTo the terrible loss of life and property let there be added the\nconsideration of the suffering of the wounded and the sick who\nlanguished in loathsome prisons; the sorrow of widows and orphans who\nlooked in vain for the return of husbands and fathers, who marched in\nthe fullness of manly strength to the war; the anguish of parents,\nwhose dim eyes looked in vain for sons thrown into unknown graves; and\nthe gentler yet equally tender sorrow of sisters which in the fierce\nwar lost the companions of their childhood. Let all this, I say, be\ntaken into account, and the fact that Joseph Smith was a prophet of\nthe living God will be found written in characters of blood to this\ngeneration, and witnessed by the heartache and tears of millions!\n\nIII. _The Southern States were divided against the Northern States._\nThe fact is too well known to need affirming. There were eleven states\nin all whose legislatures passed secession ordinances. These were South\nCarolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas,\nVirginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina--all Southern States.\nIn the first Confederate Congress members representing districts in\nMissouri and Kentucky were also admitted, though those states did not\nsecede from the Union. [21]\n\nIV. _The Southern States did call upon other nations, and upon the\nnation of Great Britain in particular, for assistance._ As early\nas May, 1861, the Confederacy sent commissioners abroad to seek\nrecognition and aid from foreign powers. William L. Yancy, of Alabama;\nP. A. Rost, of Louisiana; A. Dudley Mann, of Virginia; and T. Butler\nKing, of Georgia. Mr. Yancy was appointed to operate in England, Mr.\nRost in France, and Mr. Mann in Holland and Belgium. Mr. King had a\nroving commission. [22] Subsequently, in October, 1861, the Confederacy\nappointed James M. Mason and John Slidell, ambassadors to England and\nFrance respectively, to solicit the assistance of the British and\nFrench governments in the Southern cause. The ambassadors took passage\nfrom Charleston to Cuba in a blockade runner. At the latter place they\nengaged passage to England on the British steam packet _Trent._ On the\n8th of November, 1861, the _Trent_ was overtaken by the Federal warship\n_San Jacinto,_ Captain Wilkes commanding; and Messrs. Mason and Slidell\nwere taken prisoners and carried to Boston Harbor where they were\nplaced in Fort Warren. England promptly resented this violation of the\nrights of a neutral nation upon the high seas, and the United States\nas promptly disavowed the action of Captain Wilkes, made an humble\napology, and as soon as might be restored Messrs. Mason and Slidell to\na British deck, the _Rinaldo,_ in which vessel the ambassadors were\ntaken to England where they prosecuted their mission.\n\nThough Messrs. Mason and Slidell did not succeed in securing the\nopen assistance of Great Britain, yet it is well known that British\nsympathy was with the Confederate cause; and so far did this sympathy\nlead England to violate the law of nations that, against the protests\nof the United States Minister at the court of St. James, she allowed\nthe war vessels _Alabama_ and _Florida_ built by Messrs. Laird &\nCo., shipbuilders, Liverpool, England, to put to sea. These vessels\ndid immense damage to Northern States shipping. The _Alabama_ alone\ncaptured sixty-five merchant vessels belonging to the United States;\nand destroyed some ten million dollars' worth of property. Finally the\nUnited States warship _Kearsarge_ sunk her off the coast of France,\nnear Cherbourg. This _Alabama_ trouble led to ill feeling between\nEngland and the United States which was not finally settled until the\n27th of June, 1872, when the Geneva Board of Arbitration decided that\nEngland should pay to the United States the sum of fifteen million five\nhundred thousand dollars, an amount really in excess of the demands of\nmerchants and others claiming the loss of property through depredations\nof the _Alabama_. [23]\n\nThe evidence is surely sufficient that the Southern States did call\nupon the nation of Great Britain for assistance (and that is as far\nas the prophecy goes on this point), and England did give at least\nindirect aid and comfort to the Confederate cause, to the extent that\nshe was found violating the law of nations so far that she paid a fine\nof $15,500,000 for her trespass.\n\nThus in all these important items the remarkable prophecy has been\nfulfilled. It now remains to call attention to the events it predicts\nwhich are still in the future. These are:\n\nFirst, Great Britain is to call upon other nations for aid, and she\nwith her allies thus formed, is to call on other nations in order to\ndefend themselves against other nations, until war is poured out upon\nall nations.\n\nSecond, A great race war in America--slaves are to rise up against\ntheir masters who shall be marshalled and disciplined for war. [24]\n\nThird, The aboriginal inhabitants of America--the Indians--will become\nexceeding angry, and marshalling themselves, will vex the Gentiles with\na sore vexation.\n\nFourth, With sword and by bloodshed and finally with famine and plague,\nand earthquake; with the thunder of heaven and the fierce and vivid\nlightning--the inhabitants of the earth will mourn, and be made to feel\nthe wrath and indignation and chastening hand of Almighty God, until\nthe consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations.\n\nThese several items yet to be fulfilled strengthen belief in the\nreality of the prophecy, for the reason that if the prophecy had\noriginated in fraud, had it been written after the events it pretended\nto predict had taken place, the pseudo-prophet and his associates would\nnot have dared in any respect to have ventured into the domain of the\nfuture. They would have clung exclusively to the past. But standing as\nwe do now midway between what has been fulfilled of the prophecy and\nwhat is yet to come, we are made to feel the reality of the prophecy;\nand so much of it as the wheels of time have brought due having been\nfulfilled, gives ample assurance that the remainder will come to pass\nto the very letter.\n\nIf it shall be asked of what use is this prophecy about war,\nearthquakes, bloodshed, famine and general distress of mankind--what\nmakes it worthy of inspiration--knowledge worthy of God to reveal and\na prophet to proclaim--let it be answered that its value consists in\nthis, that it is a warning to mankind, it cries repentance to the\nwicked, and gives all who will avail themselves of it an opportunity to\nmake God their friend, escape the calamities predicted, and have the\nprivilege of uniting with God's Saints who, in the closing sentence in\nthe prophecy, are admonished to stand in holy places unmoved until the\nday of the Lord comes; and they are assured it will come quickly.\n\nThe evidence of prophecy is, in part, before the reader, all I design\nto introduce in this book; [25] and now I ask him to review it;\nconsidering first the importance attached to the peculiar power of\nprophecy as evidence of divine inspiration--how it is within itself a\nsort of miracle, as men understand miracles, and has ever been regarded\nas an evidence of the possession of a power peculiar to God and those\nwhom he commissions. Second, remember how definitely proven is the fact\nthat these prophecies preceded the events they fore ell. Third, that\nthey so minutely describe the future events they predict that by no\nmeans can they be resolved into a fortunate conjecture of an uninspired\nmind. Fourth, that they treat of things that from their nature are of\nimportance to man to know and therefore are worthy of inspiration.\nFifth, that their remarkable fulfillment has been by agencies outside\nof the prophet himself.\n\nSide by side with all these facts consider how fatal to Joseph Smith's\nclaims as a divinely commissioned prophet of God would have been the\nfailure of his prophecies! After all this is carefully considered,\nwithout prejudice and with a candid desire to know the truth, let each\nfor himself answer these questions: Does not the fulfillment of the\nprophecies of Joseph Smith furnish a volume of testimony sufficient\nboth as to quality and quantity to convince a reasonable mind that he\nwas a divinely inspired prophet? If he was not a divinely inspired\nprophet, on what hypothesis shall we account for this remarkable list\nof predictions here set forth and their marvelous fulfillment?\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. The writer saw a copy in the Church Liverpool Office Library, in\n1887, while acting as assistant editor of the _Millennial Star._ See\n_Millennial Star,_ Vol. xlix: p. 396.\n\n2. Stephens' History of the United States, p. 448.\n\n3. Stephens' History of the United States, p. 451.\n\n4. See Cooper's American Politics, Book I, p. 33.\n\n5. _Millennial Star,_ Vol. xx, p. 728.\n\n6. Cooper's American Politics, Book I, p. 88.\n\n7. Cooper's American Politics, Book I, p. 88.\n\n8. _Ibid_.\n\n9. Cooper's American Politics, p. 88.\n\n10. Lossing's History of the United States, p. 546.\n\n11. Cooper's American Politics, Book I, p. 88.\n\n12. Lossing's History of the United States, p. 547, note 2.\n\n13. Stephens' History of the United States, p. 604.\n\n14. See War between the States, Vol. II, pp. 346-7, _et seq._; also\nAppendix N. Stephens' Hist. United States. There the correspondence on\nthe subject is given _in extenso_.\n\n15. Stephens' History of the United States, p. 609.\n\n16. Stephens' History of the United States, p. 610.\n\n17. Stephens' History of the United States, p. 837-8. The figures\nof Mr. Stephens are sustained by the report of the Surgeon-General,\nU.S.A.; and also by Mr. Stanton's report for 1866. Mr. S. was Secretary\nof War.\n\n18. It will be observed that there is a slight disagreement between Mr.\nStephens and the _Gazette_ Compilation in this item; the former putting\nthe number of prisoners who died in Confederate hands at 22,576, the\nlatter at 26,000.\n\n19. Lossing's History of the United States, p. 723-4, note 3.\n\n20. Stephens' History of the United States, p. 838.\n\n21. Cooper's American Politics, Book I, p. 99.\n\n22. Lossing's History of the United States, p. 559 and note I.\n\n23. Cooper's American Politics, Bk. I, p. 197.\n\n24. Many believe this part of the prophecy was fulfilled during the\nwar of the Southern Rebellion, when many colored men formerly slaves\nwere enlisted in the Union service. We have already seen that of the\n2,653,000 soldiers enlisted in the Union army 186,397 were colored.\n\n25. In a second volume in which the Book of Mormon will be the\nsubject--the witness for God--the author will consider many prophecies\ncontained in the Book of Mormon which will not only tend to prove the\ntruth of that book but will also establish the inspiration and divine\nmission of the Prophet Joseph Smith.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIV.\n\nTHE CHURCH FOUNDED BY JOSEPH SMITH A MONUMENT TO HIS INSPIRATION.\n\nThe church founded by Joseph Smith is of itself a monument to the\ninspiration of the prophet. It embraces a scheme of ecclesiastical\ngovernment so comprehensive, so effective in its administration, and\nat the same time so protects the members of the body religious from\npriestcraft, by which I mean here the oppression of ecclesiastical\nrulers, that none who become acquainted with its organization and the\nspirit of its administration can doubt that a deeper wisdom presided\nat its creation than that possessed by Joseph Smith uninspired of God.\nIt must be borne in mind that the prophet during the development of\nthe church organization was but a mere youth; unschooled in history,\nuntaught, save by God, in the science of government; and I say that\na man who had lived in the midst of such environments as those which\nsurrounded Joseph Smith would be utterly incapable--if you deny to\nhim divine inspiration--of bringing into existence such a system of\ngovernment as that which obtains in the church he founded.\n\nIt will be said by some that he founded this church government on the\npattern of that described in the New Testament, and thus attempt to\ndispose of his achievement. But the outlines of church government that\nmay be traced in the New Testament are so faint that they can scarcely\nbe defined, and have led the most learned of our Christian scholars\nto diverse conclusions. One sees in the New Testament authority for\nthe Episcopal form of government; and a gradation in the orders of\nthe ministry. Another sees in the New Testament authority for the\nconclusion that there is a perfect equality in the Christian ministry,\nno gradation of officers, but a government through synods, assemblies\nand councils of these officers of equal rank. And still a third finds\nin the same book authority for the idea that each congregation within\nitself constitutes an independent Christian church, subordinate to\nno other organization, self-governing, and only bound to other like\nsocieties by sympathy which springs from faith in a common doctrine and\ncommon aims. Such is the confusion into which the learned are thrown\nby considering alone the data that exists in the New Testament for a\nchurch government.\n\nAlthough I have once before briefly sketched the organization of\nthe church from such data as exists in the New Testament, I find it\nnecessary again to go over the ground that we may see how meagre the\nmaterials are; and how utterly impossible it would be for Joseph Smith\nto frame such an organization as he established from such materials.\n\nJesus called twelve men whom he named apostles and conferred upon\nthem divine authority, by which they were to preach the gospel,\nadminister its ordinances and proclaim the kingdom of heaven at hand.\nHe also called into existence quorums of seventies to aid them in this\nministry, and conferred upon them like powers. These are the only\nchurch officers called into existence, so far as we are informed in\nthe New Testament, previous to the crucifixion of Jesus. But after\nhis resurrection from the dead, he was with his disciples forty days\n\"speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.\" [1] It was\nduring that interesting period of his association with his disciples\nthat he doubtless gave those instructions by which their actions were\ngoverned in organizing churches after the gospel began to spread abroad.\n\nWherever people were found who accepted the gospel an organization was\neffected. In some instances elders [2] were appointed to preside over\nthese organizations, and in other cases bishops were appointed, and\nwere assisted in their labor by deacons. [3]\n\nIn his description of the organization of the church, which the apostle\nnever pretended was complete, Paul in one instance enumerates among the\noffices first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers. [4] In\nanother instance he enumerates apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors\nand teachers. [5] The same writer holds that the whole organization\nconstitutes but one body though consisting of many parts, that there is\na relation of all the parts to the whole, and a sympathy which binds\nall together. [6] He enumerates the object of this organization to\nbe, the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry, edifying\nthe body of Christ, and to preserve the saints from being deceived by\ncunning men who lie in wait to deceive. [7]\n\nThere is also a hint at some kind of judicial authority in the church.\nJesus himself said: \"If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go\nand tell him his fault between him and thee alone: if he shall hear\nthee thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, take\nwith thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses\nevery word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them,\ntell it unto the church, but if he neglect to hear the church, let him\nbe unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.\" [8] \"Dare any of you,\"\nPaul asks the Corinthian saints, \"having a matter against another, go\nto law before the unjust, and not before the saints?\" \"Do ye not know,\"\nhe continues, \"that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world\nshall be judged by you are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? *\n* * I speak to your shame. Is it so that there is not a wise man among\nyou? No, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But\nbrother goeth to law with brother and that before the unbelievers.\" [9]\nI say this gives evidence of the existence in the church of some kind\nof ecclesiastical judiciary, but of the nature of it, the extent of its\nauthority and mode of procedure we know nothing.\n\nThis is all that is written in the New Testament about church\norganization. The description is fragmentary and consequently\nimperfect; and the materials altogether too meagre and insufficient as\nwill presently appear for the formation of such an elaborate system of\nchurch government as that brought into existence by Joseph Smith.\n\nThe church officers and church organization founded by Joseph Smith\ngrew out of the Priesthood, which, as already stated, is the power\nof God delegated to man, by which man becomes an agent for God with\nauthority to act in his name and for him. While there is of necessity\na unity in this power, that is, all one power, yet in the exercise of\nits functions divisions are recognized. First a division into what\nis called respectively the Melchisedek and Aaronic Priesthood, the\nformer of which is the greater and devoted more especially to spiritual\nthings, while the latter has most to do with temporal concerns.\n\nWithin each of these divisions there are degrees of power or authority.\nSpeaking of the Melchisedek Priesthood, one degree of it makes men\nelders, another high priests, another seventies, another patriarchs,\nanother apostles. Speaking of the Aaronic Priesthood, one degree of\nit makes men deacons, another teachers, another priests, another\nbishops--the bishopric is the presidency of and embraces the fullness\nof this lesser Priesthood.\n\nThese respective degrees of Priesthood are limited to the performance\nof special duties or functions. While the deacon and teacher may teach\nand expound scripture, persuade and exhort men to come unto Christ,\nand the former may visit the homes of the members of the church, watch\nover them and see that there is no iniquity in the church, yet neither\nmay baptize the people for the remission of sins nor administer the\nsacrament. While the priest may teach and expound doctrine, baptize\nand administer the sacrament and assist the elder in the performance\nof his duties, when necessity requires, yet he cannot lay on hands for\nimparting the Holy Ghost. So in the Melchisedek Priesthood. Each degree\nor order of it has its specific duties assigned to it, but the greater\nalways includes the lesser and may on occasion officiate in all the\noffices below its own.\n\nI now proceed to consider the organization of the church. First and\nhighest of all officers stands the First Presidency, consisting of\nthree Presiding High Priests. Their jurisdiction and authority are\nuniversal. Their jurisdiction extends over all the affairs of the\nchurch as well in temporal as in spiritual things; as well in the\norganized stakes of Zion as in the missions and branches of the church\nabroad. In that presidency are legislative, judicial and executive\npowers. That is to say, the President of the church is the mouthpiece\nof God to the church, and he alone receives the law from the Lord by\nrevelation and announces the same to the people; virtually, then, this\nis the law-making power. From all high councils--the judicial courts\nof the church--except where the Twelve Apostles sit as a high council\nabroad--there lies an appeal to the First Presidency, which finally\ndetermines the matter and also defines the law of the church, hence\nhere is judicial power. The proof that in the Presidency is executive\npower is seen in the fact of their universal presidency, and authority\nover all the affairs of the church.\n\nThe quorum of the Twelve Apostles are equal in power and authority to\nthe First Presidency. The First Quorum of Seventies [10] are equal in\nauthority to the quorum of the Twelve; and, of course, indirectly equal\nin authority to the First Presidency. But this is evidently in the main\nbut an emergency provision, and though the power is there and may be\nused when occasion requires, yet for the most part it lies dormant.\nThat is to say, the powers above described as belonging to the First\nPresidency, may only be exercised in full by the quorum of the Twelve\nApostles in the event of the First Presidency becoming disorganized by\ndeath or from other causes; and by the Seventy, only in the event of\nthe destruction or absence of the First Presidency and the Twelve. But\nthese powers of the Presidency without diminution would be exercised by\nthe quorum of the Twelve and the Seventy, should occasion arise for it;\nand the arrangement renders the church well nigh indestructible at its\nhead. But, as already remarked, those are but emergency provisions, and\nit is my desire to set before the reader the beauty and harmony of the\nchurch organization when its councils are all in place.\n\nThe great powers enumerated, then, center in the First Presidency.\nOn the right of the First Presidency may be said to be the Twelve\nApostles, clothed with the authority to officiate in the name of the\nLord, under the direction of the First Presidency to build up the\nchurch and regulate all the affairs of the same in all the world. Next\nto them stand the Seventies as their assistants in the great work\nassigned to them. To these two orders of the Priesthood more especially\nis assigned and upon them rests the responsibility of the foreign\nministry of the church. They are witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ\nin all the nations of the earth, and their special duty is that of\npreaching the gospel and regulating the affairs of the church abroad.\n\nOn the left of the First Presidency may be said to stand the high\npriests, to which order of Priesthood belongs the right of local\nPresidency in the church. From their ranks patriarchs, presidents of\nstakes, high councilors, and bishops and their counselors are chosen.\n[11]\n\nNext to the high priests stand the elders, who are to assist them in\nthe performance of their duties. These quorums of Priesthood constitute\nthe standing ministry of the stakes of Zion, upon whom more especially\ndevolve local presidency, and the duty of preaching the gospel within\nthe stakes of Zion.\n\nThe presidency of the Aaronic Priesthood centers in the Presiding\nBishopric of the church, which presides over all traveling and local\nbishops. The former are bishops appointed to preside over large\ndistricts of country and who travel from place to place therein,\nsetting in order the temporal affairs of the church; the latter are\nbishops appointed to preside over regularly organized wards and whose\njurisdiction is confined within such wards respectively.\n\nTo aid the bishops in the duties of their several bishoprics are the\nquorums of priests, teachers and deacons\n\nThe duty of the priests is to visit the homes of the Saints, to teach\nthe people, to expound the scriptures, baptize believers and administer\nthe sacrament. Forty-eight priests form a quorum of which the bishopric\nis the presidency.\n\nThe duty of teachers is to be the standing ministers in the respective\nwards where they reside, to ferret out iniquity in the church, and see\nthat the members perform their duties. Twenty-four of them constitute a\nquorum, which is presided over by a president and two counselors chosen\nfrom the members.\n\nThe duty of the deacons is to assist the teacher, and they may also\nexpound, teach, warn and invite all to come unto Christ. Twelve of them\nform a quorum, and from their number a president and two counselors\nare chosen to preside.\n\nBefore proceeding to a description of the judiciary system of the\nchurch it may be well to briefly explain the territorial division of\nit. A stake of Zion is a division of the church territorially that\nembraces several villages or towns or ecclesiastical wards. A stake\nis presided over by a presidency comprised of a president and two\ncounselors, all of whom must be high priests. In each stake is a\nhigh council, composed of twelve high priests. The presidency of the\nstake is also president of the high council, which constitutes the\nhighest judicial tribunal in the stake. The stakes are divided into\necclesiastical wards, presided over by a bishopric, assisted in its\nlabors by the quorums of the lesser Priesthood as already explained.\n\nThe judicial powers of the church are vested in the ordinary bishop's\ncourt, the standing high councils of the stakes of Zion, temporary\nhigh councils of high priests abroad, the Traveling Presiding high\ncouncil, which is also the quorum of Twelve Apostles, and a special\ncourt consisting of the presiding bishop of the chuch and twelve high\npriests--of which more is to be said presently--and finally in the\nPresidency of the church.\n\nChurch discipline requires that in case of difficulty between members,\nevery effort shall be made by the parties aggrieved with each other to\nbecome reconciled. Failing in this they are required to call in others\nto bring about a reconciliation, but if through that means a settlement\nof the case is impossible the matter goes to the bishop's court on\nthe complaint of the party aggrieved, and there the case is heard on\ntestimony and a decision rendered. The bishop's court is the first\nor lowest court of the church, and the bishop is known as the common\njudge. In the event of the parties or either of them being dissatisfied\nwith the decision of the bishop, an appeal lies to the high council of\nthe stake, where a re-hearing is given to the case. The organization\nof the high council is worthy of consideration. It is composed of\ntwelve high priests, presided over by the Presidency of the Stake. [12]\nThe high council cannot act unless seven of its members are present;\nbut seven have the power to call upon other high priests to act\ntemporarily in the place of absent councilors. Whenever a high council\nis organized, the twelve members draw lots for their places. Those\nwho draw the even numbers--two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve--are to\nstand in behalf of the accused; those drawing the odd numbers in behalf\nof the accuser. In every case the accused has a right to half the\ncouncil, to prevent injury or injustice. The councilors who represent\nthe accused and accuser respectively, do not become partisans bent on\nwinning their case irrespective of its righteousness or justice; on the\ncontrary every man is to speak according to equity and truth; and aside\nfrom that is merely to see that each party to the issue involved has\njustice accorded him and that he be not subjected to insult or injury.\n\nWhenever the council convenes to act on any case, the twelve councilors\nare to consider whether it is very difficult or not. If it be not a\ndifficult case, then only two of the councilors, one for the accused\nand accuser respectively, are appointed to speak. But if the case is\naccounted difficult, then four are appointed to speak; if still more\ndifficult, six; but in no case are more than six to speak. In all cases\nthe accuser and accused are to have the privilege of speaking for\nthemselves, after the evidence is all in, and the councilors appointed\nto speak have all spoken. The evidence all in, the speakers for the\naccused and the accuser having spoken, as also the accused and the\naccuser, the president gives a decision according to the understanding\nthat he has of the case and calls upon the twelve councilors to sustain\nit by vote. But should the councilors who have not spoken, or any one\nof them, discover an error in the decision of the president, they\nhave the right to manifest it and the case has a re-hearing. If after\na careful re-hearing, additional light is thrown upon the case, the\ndecision is altered accordingly. But if no additional light is given\nthe first decision stands unaltered. Such are the general outlines of\nthe organization of a high council and the manner of procedure before\nit.\n\nThere are three kinds of high councils in the church. They are similar\nin organization, and the manner of procedure is practically the same\nbefore them all; but they differ in authority and jurisdiction.\n\nI. _The Traveling High Council._ This council consists of the Twelve\nApostles of Jesus Christ. They are a traveling, presiding high council;\nand, laboring under the direction of the First Presidency of the\nChurch, they have the right to build up the church and regulate all\nthe affairs of the same in all the world. Whenever they sit as a high\ncouncil, there is no appeal from their decisions--that is, they can\nonly be called in question by the general authorities of the church in\nthe event of transgression.\n\nII. _The Standing High Councils at the Stakes of Zion._ The church is\ndivided into branches or wards with appropriate officers; and these\nbranches, wards, and settlements of the Saints are grouped into stakes\nof Zion. In each stake there is a standing high council, limited in\nits jurisdiction to the affairs of that particular stake where it is\nlocated.\n\nIII. _Temporary High Councils._ The high priests abroad, that is,\noutside of the organized stakes of Zion, whenever the parties to a\ndifficulty, or either of them demand it, and the high priests abroad\ndeem the case of sufficient importance to justify such action, are\nauthorized to organize a temporary high council to try the case. The\ncouncil is to be organized after the pattern and proceed in the same\nmanner as those at the stakes of Zion. If the decision of any high\ncouncil--except that of the Traveling, Presiding High Council--is\nunsatisfactory, an appeal lies to the First Presidency, who take such\nsteps in the case as wisdom and the Spirit of the Lord indicate. But\nwhatever their decision is it is final.\n\nThe special court referred to a moment ago--consisting of the Presiding\nBishop of the church and twelve high priests especially called for\neach occasion--I must not neglect to mention, for the reason that it\nexhibits the fact that no one in the church is so exalted but he is\namenable to the laws and courts of the church, as well as the humblest\nmember. This special court is called into existence for the purpose\nof trying the President of the High Priesthood, who is also the\nPresident of the church, if he should be found in transgression. It may\ninvestigate his conduct, subject him to the most rigid examination,\nand if the evidence showed him to be in transgression the court could\ncondemn him and its action would be final, from its decisions he would\nhave no appeal. [13]\n\nThus none, not even the highest, is beyond the operation of the laws\nand councils of the church. However great and exalted any single\nofficer of the church may be, the _church_ and its system of government\nis still greater and more exalted than he; for though the President\nof the church is God's mouthpiece--God's viceregent on earth--yet he\nmay be tried and his conduct inquired into by this court to which I\nhave called attention. Therefore if the time should ever come that\nthe church should be so unfortunate as to be presided over by a man\nwho transgressed the laws of God and became unrighteous (and that\nsuch a thing _could_ be, and that the President of the church is not\nregarded as infallible is quite evident from the fact that provisions\nare made for his trial and condemnation); a means of deposing him\nwithout destroying the church, without revolution, or even disorder, is\nprovided in the church system of government. [14]\n\nOf course the only punishment which is within the power of the\nchurch to inflict if the decisions of its councils or courts are not\nrespected, is to disfellowship or excommunicate such offenders. In the\nformer case the transgressor is merely suspended from the privileges of\nchurch communion; this punishment may be inflicted by the bishop, until\nsatisfaction is made. In the latter case--excommunication--the person\nabsolutely loses his membership in the church, together with all the\npriesthood he holds; and if he ever regains a standing it must be by\nbaptism and confirmation as at first. To those who hold lightly their\nstanding in the church, suspension of fellowship, or excommunication\nhas no especial terror; but to the man of faith, whose full hopes of\neternal life with all its advantages stand or fall with his standing\nin the church of Christ, no greater punishment can threaten him. The\npunishment of excommunication is a serious one in the estimation of\nthe faithful, and since man in his imperfect state is influenced to\nrighteousness by his fear of punishment, as well as by his hope of\nreward, the punishment of excommunication has a wholesome effect in\npreserving the discipline of the church.\n\nSuch, in brief, is a description of the judiciary system of the\nchurch, and also of the church itself. And as one contemplates its\ncompleteness and its efficiency; the arrangements made for carrying on\nthe work of God within the organized stakes of Zion and throughout the\nworld--both at home and abroad--the wonder of it all grows upon him.\nAnd furthermore, a contemplation of the church judiciary system, the\nelaborate and yet inexpensive [15] arrangements made for dealing out\neven-handed justice to all, and making all, even the highest, amenable\nto its courts and its laws--gives intense meaning to the emphatic\nquestion of Paul--\"Dare any of you having a matter against another, go\nto law before the unjust and not before the saints?\" and also bears\nstrong testimony to the deep wisdom that created it--a wisdom greater\nthan that possessed by a youth reared in the rural districts of the\nstate of New York!\n\n\"The formation of a free government on an extensive scale\", remarks\nLord Beaconsfield, \"while it is assuredly one of the most interesting\nproblems of humanity, is certainly the greatest achievement of human\nwit. Perhaps I should rather term it a superhuman achievement; for\nit requires such refined prudence, such comprehensive knowledge, and\nsuch perspicacious sagacity, united with such illimitable powers of\ncombination, that it is nearly in vain to hope for qualities so rare to\nbe congregated in a solitary mind.\" It is true that his lordship makes\nthese remarks respecting a secular government, but I see no reason why\nsuch reflections do not apply as well to an ecclesiastical government,\nespecially to that brought into existence by the life's labor of Joseph\nSmith; for it is both free and founded on an extensive scale, and\npresents all the difficulties that would be met in the creation of a\nsecular government.\n\nIt still remains to describe the spirit of the church government. As\nin the New Testament we are able to trace the outlines of the church\norganization (the lines in places are dim, it is true, and in some\nplaces we miss them altogether, but however dim or broken we feel that\nthey are nevertheless there), which Joseph Smith gives in full, every\ndetail so complete; so, too, in the teachings of Jesus and some of\nthe apostles, as recorded in the New Testament, we may feel the true\nspirit of Christ's church government. No clearer manifestation of what\nthat spirit is can be found than is brought out in the incident where\nthe mother of Zebedee's children brought her two sons to the Master,\nsaying: \"Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right\nhand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom.\" To this Jesus replied\nthat it was not his prerogative to say who should sit on his right hand\nand who on his left, but \"it shall be given to them for whom it is\nprepared of my Father.\"\n\nThe other apostles were indignant at this manifestation of ambition\non the part of the sons of Zebedee and their mother. Whereupon \"Jesus\ncalled them unto him and said: Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles\nexercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority\nupon them. _But it shall not be so among you:_ but whosoever will be\ngreat among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief\namong you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of Man came not to\nbe ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for\nmany.\" [16]\n\nIn line with this spirit Peter, about thirty years later, said: \"Feed\nthe flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not\nby constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind;\nneither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the\nflock. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a\ncrown of glory that fadeth not away.\" [17]\n\nAny church government that shall be established in the earth must of\nnecessity reflect this spirit, or it will contradict the idea of its\ndivine origin. How well the spirit of government in the church founded\nby Joseph Smith meets this requirement will be seen in the remarks I am\nabout to make.\n\nFirst of all let me say that this church organization I have described,\nwhile ordained of God, cannot subsist without the consent of the\npeople. When the young prophet Joseph contemplated the great work of\norganizing the church of Christ, he received a commandment from the\nLord to the effect that he must call his brethren together who had\nreceived the gospel, and obtain their sanction to such a proceeding.\n[18]\n\nAccordingly at the time appointed, April 6th, 1830, when these brethren\nassembled, the question of organizing the church was submitted to\nthem and they voted unanimously in favor of it. By a unanimous vote\nthey also sustained Joseph Smith as the first and Oliver Cowdery as\nthe second Elder in the church, and they proceeded to ordain each\nother accordingly. Thus in the very inception of the organization of\nthe church, the Lord taught his servant that the organization he was\nabout to bring forth recognized the right of the people to a voice in\nits affairs. The principle of common consent was to be a prominent\nfactor in its government, as well as the voice of God. It is as true\nof ecclesiastical as it is of civil governments, that they derive\ntheir just powers from the consent of the governed. And hence it is a\nlaw of the church that \"no person is to be ordained to any office in\nthis church, where there is a regularly organized branch of the same,\nwithout the vote of that church.\" [19] And it is further provided that\n\"all things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much\nprayer and faith.\" [20]\n\nNot only was the consent of the people recognized as an important\nfactor in establishing the church government, but it is also provided\nthat it shall be often consulted by a frequent election of officers\non the plan of popular acceptance. Twice annually at the general\nconferences of the church the general officers are presented to the\npeople for acceptance. Four times a year at the quarterly conferences\nheld in all the stakes of Zion both the general and stake officers of\nthe church are presented to the people for their vote of confidence and\nsupport. Once every year ward conferences are held where a similar vote\nis taken in support of both local and general officers of the ward.\n\nThis voting is not a formality. There is virtue in it. No man can hold\na position in the church longer than he can command the support of the\nmembers thereof; for when the people refuse to sustain a man by their\nvotes, no power in the church can force him upon the people against\ntheir will.\n\nFrequent elections are held to be the bulwarks of liberty in civil\ngovernment; I see no reason why they should not be equally so in\necclesiastical government; and as in the one case they make the tyranny\nof secular rulers impossible, so in the other they disarm priests of\nthe power to lord it over God's heritage, the church. If the frequent\nelection of a parliament in Great Britain, and the frequent election\nof executive and legislative officers in the United States are held\nto be on the one hand a safeguard against the tyranny and injustice\nof those elected to manage the affairs of civil government for the\npeople; and on the other hand they are esteemed equally as a safeguard\nagainst revolution, because full and frequent opportunity is afforded\nfor correcting all abuses of power and effecting whatever reformation\nmay be necessary in the laws--if, I say, these frequent elections in\nthe government of the United States and Great Britain accomplish all\nthis, how much more carefully are the liberties of the people guarded;\nhow much more readily may a tendency to oppression be rebuked, and\nreformation without disorder be accomplished by the still greater\nfrequency of elections in the church? Especially since those elections\nare not only more frequent than in the states named, but are also\nconducted without expense.\n\nIt is the law of the church that the decisions of the quorums of the\npriesthood are to be \"made in all righteousness, in holiness, and\nlowliness of heart, meekness and long suffering, and in faith, and\nvirtue, and knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly\nkindness and charity; because the promise is if these things abound in\nthem they shall not be unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord.\" [21]\nThere is nothing in this which justifies the exercise of arbitrary\npower or any improper authority over men.\n\nIn March, 1839, while the prophet was imprisoned in Liberty jail he\nwrote to the church for its instruction and comfort, and in the course\nof his letter in speaking of the priesthood and the exercise of its\npowers he remarks: \"There are many called but few are chosen. And\nwhy are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon\nthe things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they\ndo not learn this one lesson--That the rights of the priesthood are\ninseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers\nof heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles\nof righteousness. That they may be conferred upon us,\" he continues,\n\"it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify\nour pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control, or dominion, or\ncompulsion, upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of\nunrighteousness, behold the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of\nthe Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, amen to the priesthood,\nor the authority of that man. Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto\nhimself, to kick against the pricks; to persecute the saints, and to\nfight against God. We have learned by sad experience, that it is the\nnature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little\nauthority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise\nunrighteous dominion. Hence many are called, but few are chosen.\n\n\"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the\npriesthood, only by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness, and\nmeekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness, and pure knowledge, which\nshall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile,\nreproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost,\nand then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom\nthou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; that he may\nknow that thy faithfulness is stronger than the bands of death.\" [22]\n\nAs the letter from which the foregoing is quoted was inspired by the\nSpirit of the Lord, and is published in the Doctrine and Covenants, at\nleast in part, [23] the ideas set forth in relation to the spirit of\nchurch government by the priesthood, stand as the word and law of God\nto the church. How well this spirit of government corresponds to that\nreflected in the teachings of Messiah and the first apostles already\nnoticed, the reader will easily perceive. All I wish to do here is to\nobserve that the instructions of the prophet upon this subject are not\nat all the teachings of a man ambitious of power and authority over\nhis followers; nor that of a man bent on establishing the unrighteous\ndominion of priestcraft. Knowledge, persuasion, patience, meekness,\nlong suffering, brotherly kindness, love unfeigned, are not the\nsources from whence those ambitious of place and power are content\nto draw their authority. The effort to lord it over their fellows by\ndirect exercise of authority which arises from the advantage of an\nexalted position or the possession of great vigor of mind, firmness,\nresolution, daring, activity or other transcendent abilities always\ncharacterize your imposter. Teaching correct principles, and then\nallowing people to govern themselves is not at all the method of\ngovernment adopted by self-appointed leaders or imposters. They are\never impatient of restraints and always over-anxious to arrive at an\nexalted station. Hence it comes that the spirit of government which\nobtains in the Church of Jesus Christ founded by Joseph Smith, since it\nfinds its sources of power and authority in the imparting of knowledge,\nin persuasion, and love unfeigned, bears testimony not only that the\nprophet was not actuated by vulgar ambition, but is also a strong\ntestimony in favor of the divine origin of the Church of Jesus Christ\nof Latter-day Saints, and of course a testimony also to the divine\nauthority of him who was, under God, the founder of it.\n\nNext to the evidence of divine authority furnished by the spirit of\nchurch government is the manner in which that government was brought\ninto existence. \"Governments,\" remarks Herbert Spencer, \"are not\nmade, they grow.\" A remark which is as true of ecclesiastical as of\ncivil government: and although the growth of the church government\nfounded by Joseph Smith was rapid, it was, nevertheless, a growth, a\ndevelopment; it was not made. What I mean is there was no plan more or\nless elaborate formed by the prophet, a mental creation of officers\nwith duties assigned, powers defined and authority limited, and then an\norganization effected in accordance with such a plan. On the contrary\nthe organization at the beginning was extremely simple. Before the\nchurch was organized both the Melchisedek and Aaronic Priesthood had\nbeen conferred on Joseph Smith, but the only officers known to the\nchurch at its organization, April 6th, 1830, were elders, priests,\nteachers, and deacons. It was not until the 4th of February, 1831,\nthat a bishop was appointed, and then of course by revelation. Then\nin November following it was made known that other bishops were to be\nappointed. The first high council in the church was not organized until\nFebruary 17th, 1834. The quorum of the Twelve Apostles and quorums of\nSeventy were not organized until the winter of 1835. Thus throughout,\nan officer was appointed today and his duties defined; another officer\nwas appointed tomorrow or next year and an explanation given of his\nduties and perhaps a limit fixed to his authority. Thus line was given\nupon line, precept upon precept; the prophet and those co-operating\nwith him being apparently unconscious that they were gradually\ndeveloping a _system_ of government, each part of which was beautifully\nadjusted to every other part and to the whole. This gives evidence\nthat if there was no general plan for this organization in the mind\nof Joseph Smith, there was a plan in the mind of God who through the\ninstrumentality of this man was founding his church.\n\nJoseph Smith, under God's direction, was building better than he knew.\nHe as well as others associated with him were called upon to lay the\nfoundation of a great work--how great they knew not. One may stand so\nclose to a mountain that he perceives neither the vastness of the pile\nnot the grandeur of its outlines. Not until one recedes from it some\ndistance does the magnificence of its snow-capped peaks, the solemnity\nof its rugged cliffs, and deep ravines stir the sensibilities of the\nsoul. So with this work established through the labors of Joseph\nSmith and his associates. They stood too close to it to comprehend\nits greatness; too absorbed in its parts to contemplate much less\nfully understand the meaning and harmony of the whole. It was not\nuntil the work was well advanced towards its completion, and men had\nreceded some distance from it in time that they began to be aware\nthat out of the parts given to them at sundry times and under various\ncircumstances there was gradually being developed so sublime a system\nof ecclesiastical government, the like of which was not to be found in\nall the world.\n\nAnd now let me say, in concluding this chapter, that if the lack of\neducation and inexperience of Joseph Smith in relation to government\nand its administration be taken into account; if the scant materials in\nthe New Testament for such a system of church government as the young\nprophet founded be considered; if the wonderful organization itself,\nso complete in its officers and institutions, and yet so simple in\nits administration, be examined with attention; if the spirit which\npervades this government, and characterizes its administrations be\nnot lost sight of; if on the one hand its effectiveness shall be\nnoticed and on the other the provisions made for the security of the\nliberties of the people; if the manner in which it was brought into\nexistence--piece by piece--be observed--if all this, I say, shall\nbe considered without prejudice the reader cannot be far from the\nconclusion that the church itself bears indisputable testimony to the\ndivinity of its own origin.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Acts i: 3.\n\n2. Acts xiv: 23; Acts xx: 17, 28.\n\n3. Phil i: I; Titus i: 5-7.\n\n4. I Cor. xii: 28-30.\n\n5. Eph. iv: 16.\n\n6. I Cor. xii.\n\n7. Eph. iv.\n\n8. Matt. xviii.\n\n9. I Cor. vi: 1-7.\n\n10. This means the first quorum of seventy--comprised of seventy\nmen--and the first seven presidents of the first quorum.\n\n11. The office of bishop of right belongs to the first born of the seed\nof Aaron and properly descends from father to son of the chosen seed.\nA bishop of this lineage can act without counselors--except in a case\nwhere a president of the High Priesthood is tried; in that event he\nmust be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood--but when\nno literal descendant of Aaron can be found, then a high priest is to\nbe chosen for a bishop and two other high priests to act as counselors.\n\n12. In the absence of his counselors the president of the stake has\npower to preside over the council without an assistant; and in case\nthat he himself is absent, his counselors have power to preside in his\nstead, both or either of them. In the absence of all the presidency\nthen the senior member of the council may preside.\n\n13. Doc. & Cov., Sec. cvii: 76, 82-84.\n\n14. This special court was once organized; before it Sidney Rigdon, one\nof the Presidency of the Church, was tried and condemned in 1844.\n\n15. Bishops, when acting as judges, high councilors, presidents and all\nwitnesses before these church tribunals act without compensation, hence\nthese courts are without expense to the litigants.\n\n16. Matt. xx: 20-28.\n\n17. I Peter v: 2-5.\n\n18. _Mill. Star,_ Vol. xiv. (Supplement), pp. 20, 26.\n\n19. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xx: 65.\n\n20. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xxvi.\n\n21. Doc. and Cov., Sec. cvii.\n\n22. Doc. and Cov., Sec. cxxi.\n\n23. Doc. and Cov., Sec. cxxi and cxxii.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXV.\n\nTESTIMONY TO THE INSPIRATION AND DIVINE CALLING OF JOSEPH SMITH DERIVED\nFROM THE COMPREHENSIVENESS OF THE WORK HE INTRODUCED.\n\nNext to the evidence of divine inspiration to be seen in the\norganization of the church and the spirit of its government, are\nthose which may be seen in what I shall call the comprehensiveness of\nthe great work founded by Joseph Smith. I mean by this that the New\nDispensation contemplates the fulfillment of all things predicted by\nthe prophets; the gathering of Israel, the redemption of Jerusalem, the\nfounding of a city called Zion or New Jerusalem, the ushering in of a\nreign of peace and righteousness on earth, with Christ as king; the\ncompletion of the work of God relative to the salvation of the human\nrace and such a final redemption of the earth as shall convert it into\na celestial sphere, the happy abode of such of its inhabitants as have\nobeyed and are sanctified by celestial laws.\n\nThese items have already been alluded to in a former chapter; [1] but\nit is now my purpose to consider some of them more in detail, and to\nthat consideration this chapter and the one following are devoted.\n\nThat Israel--by which I mean all the twelve tribes which sprang from\nthe twelve sons of Jacob, together with their descendants scattered\namong all the nations of the Gentiles--that Israel will be gathered\ntogether and re-established upon the lands covenanted by the Lord to\ntheir forefathers is abundantly evident from the prophecies of the\nscripture.\n\n\"Hear the word of the Lord, O, ye nations,\" exclaims Jeremiah, \"and\ndeclare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel\nwill gather him, and keep him as a shepherd does his flock. For the\nLord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that\nwas stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height\nof Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat\nand for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the\nherd; and their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not\nsorrow any more at all.\" [2]\n\nAgain the prophet says: \"Therefore, behold the days come saith the\nLord, that it shall no more be said, the Lord liveth that brought up\nthe children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but the Lord liveth\nthat brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and\nfrom all lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again\ninto their land that I gave unto their fathers.\" [3]\n\nSpeaking of that day when the enmity of man and beast shall have\ndeparted; when they shall not hurt nor destroy in all God's holy\nmountain; when there shall be a reign of righteousness in which the\npoor and meek of the earth shall be accorded equity--\"It shall come to\npass in that day,\" says the prophet Isaiah, \"that the Lord shall set\nhis hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people,\nwhich shall be left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathos and\nfrom Cush, and from Elam and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from\nthe islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations,\nand shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the\ndispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also\nof Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut\noff. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. *\n* * And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which\nshall be left from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he\ncame up out of the land of Egypt.\" [4]\n\nThis is one of the prophecies that the angel Moroni repeated to Joseph\nSmith on the occasion of his first visit, and assured him that it was\nabout to be fulfilled. [5]\n\nAgain Jeremiah: \"Turn, O back-sliding children, saith the Lord; for\nI am married unto you; and I will take you one of a city, and two of\na family, and I will bring you to Zion: and I will give you pastors\naccording to my own heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and\nunderstanding. And it shall come to pass when ye be multiplied and\nincreased in the land in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say\nno more the ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to\nmind. * * * At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the\nLord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the\nLord, to Jerusalem. * * * In those days the house of Judah shall walk\nwith the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land\nof the north, to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto\nyour fathers.\" [6]\n\nIt is needless to multiply passages; if any credit is to be ascribed\nto prophecy at all it is clear that Israel, the chosen people of God,\nthough now smitten and scattered, are to be gathered together again\nand reestablished in the land given to their fathers. The lost tribes\nare to be brought from the land of the north, Judah is to return to\nJerusalem, and the envy of Ephraim and Judah is to depart, and the\nmighty power of God which was manifested in the deliverance of Israel\nfrom Egyptian bondage is to be so far surpassed by a display of his\npower in the latter-day deliverance, that the former shall not be\ncalled to mind.\n\nNot only are the tribes of Israel to be re-assembled upon the lands\nof their inheritances, but the descendants of the children of Israel\nscattered through all the nations among which they have been \"sifted,\"\nare also to be gathered. The Jews since the destruction of their\ncity and nation by the Romans have been scattered among all nations,\nbut they have succeeded in a remarkable manner in preserving their\nidentity as a distinct people. Still it is not to be doubted that\nthere are instances where Jews have married and inter-married with\nthe Gentiles among whom they lived, until they lost their identity,\nand thus the blood of Israel, unrecognized, is in the veins of many\nsupposed to be Gentiles. The tribes of Israel sent into Babylon,\nAssyria and the surrounding countries at the fall of the kingdom of\nIsrael, in the sixth century B. C., in like manner intermingled their\nblood with the people of those nations. Moreover there are good reasons\nto believe that in that exodus of the ten tribes from Assyria to the\nnorth--(spoken of, it is true, only by the apocryphal writer Esdras;\nbut as what he says agrees so well with the idea that Israel is to\nreturn from the \"north,\" according to the prophets, I am inclined to\naccept it as true [7])--many became discouraged and stopped by the\nway. Others unable to prosecute the journey abandoned the expedition,\nand those that halted, uniting and intermarrying with the original\ninhabitants of the land, doubtless constituted those prolific races\nthat over-ran the western division of the Roman empire. In this manner\nthe blood of Israel has been sprinkled among all the nations of the\nearth, until the word of the Lord which says: \"I will sift the house of\nIsrael among all nations,\" [8] has been literally fulfilled.\n\nThese scattered remnants, I say, are to be gathered, hence the prophet\nJeremiah says, \"I will take you one of a city and two of a family\nand bring you to Zion;\" [9] and Isaiah says, \"It shall come to pass\nthat in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall\nbe established in the top of the mountains, * * * _and all nations\nshall flow unto it._\" [10] John the Apostle in those visions received\non Patmos foretells a time when a voice shall be heard speaking from\nheaven, calling upon God's people to come out of Babylon, \"that ye\nbe not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues;\nfor her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembered her\niniquities.\" [11] This not only predicts the gathering together of\nGod's people, but makes clear one of the reasons for which they\nare brought from among the nations. It is that they may escape the\njudgments of God that have been decreed to fall upon the wicked.\n\nThe New Dispensation introduced by Joseph Smith includes the\nfulfillment of these prophecies concerning the return of Israel to\ntheir lands. As already stated, [12] Moses, the great prophet of\nancient Israel, appeared in the Kirtland Temple and there committed\nto Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery \"the keys of the gathering of\nIsrael from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten\ntribes from the land of the north.\" Indeed the revelations received\nby Joseph Smith are replete with references to this subject. In one\nof considerable note occurs the following passage: \"The Lord, even\nthe Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign\nover all flesh. And they who are in the north countries shall come in\nremembrance before the Lord, and their prophets shall hear his voice,\nand shall no longer stay themselves, and they shall smite the rocks,\nand the ice shall flow down at their presence. And an highway shall be\ncast up in the midst of the great deep. Their enemies shall become a\nprey unto them, and in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools\nof living water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty\nland. And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children\nof Ephraim, my servants. And the boundaries of the everlasting hills\nshall tremble at their presence. And there they shall fall down and be\ncrowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the\nLord, even the children of Ephraim; and they shall be filled with songs\nof everlasting joy. Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God\nupon the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of\nEphraim and his fellows. And they also of the tribes of Judah, after\ntheir pain, shall be sanctified in holiness before the Lord to dwell in\nhis presence day and night, for ever and for ever.\" [13]\n\nSince this matter of the gathering of Israel and their restoration\nto the lands of their forefathers is so prominent a subject in the\nprophecies of Jewish scriptures, it would have proven fatal to all\nclaims of a divine commission by Joseph Smith had he failed to have\nincluded this important item of prophecy among the things to be\naccomplished in the new dispensation. And since to have missed it\nwould have proven him an imposter, the fact that it is incorporated as\nan important part of the great work of the last days, is, at least,\na presumptive evidence in favor of the genuineness of the prophet's\nclaims. It is all the stronger from the fact that this gathering of\nIsarel and their restoration to their lands and the favor of God\nseems to have been lost sight of by the world. The announcement of it\npartakes almost of the nature of a discovery in prophecy: and it shows\nhow universal is the sympathy of the New Dispensation, when it is seen\nthat it carries to the smitten remnants of Israel a message so burdened\nwith hope.\n\nIt is also necessary to the completeness of the New Dispensation that\nit shall include in its list of events the personal and glorious\nappearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the worthy\nsaints and a reign of righteousness for a thousand years. These matters\nare no less the subject of prophecy than the gathering of Israel: and\nto omit them from the New Dispensation would be as fatal to Joseph\nSmith's claim of possessing divine authority as to omit the gathering\nof Israel. I propose to quote a few of the prophecies relating to the\npersonal coming of Messiah, that the reader may be reminded how direct\nand emphatic they were.\n\nIn the first chapter of the acts of the Apostles an account is given\nof the departure of Jesus from his disciples into heaven. \"And while\nthey beheld he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their\nsight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up,\nbehold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye\nmen of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus\nwhich is taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye\nhave seen him go into heaven.\" [14] It is generally conceded that the\ntwo men in white apparel were angels of God. This prophecy is also in\nstrict harmony with what Jesus himself said: \"For the Son of Man shall\ncome in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall\nreward every man according to his works.\" [15]\n\nPaul is very explicit on the subject. Writing to the Thessalonian\nSaints, he says: \"I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning\nthem which are asleep (the dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others\nwhich have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again,\neven so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For\nthis we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive\nand remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which\nare asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a\nshout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and\nthe dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain\nshall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord\nin the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.\" [16]\n\nWriting a second time to the same people, evidently to encourage\nthem in the midst of their tribulation, he said: \"And to you who are\ntroubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven\nwith his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that\nknow not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ;\nwho shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence\nof the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be\nglorified, in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe\n(because our testimony among you was not believed) in that day.\" [17]\n\nClosely allied with these prophecies is the prediction of the writer\nof the Apocalypse which tells of the binding of Satan for a thousand\nyears and the resurrection of \"the souls of them that were beheaded\nfor the witness of Jesus and for the word of God * * * And they lived\nand reigned with Christ a thousand years * * * This is the first\nresurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first\nresurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall\nbe priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand\nyears. [18]\"\n\nThe orthodox sects of Christendom have either so spiritualized these\nprophecies as to explain away their plain meaning, or have put off to\nso distant a day the Lord's glorious coming that real and active faith\nin that great event can scarcely be said to exist.\n\nThere is another matter connected with the second appearing of\nJesus Christ that should be considered. It will be observed that\nhis coming is attended with judgment upon the ungodly and rewards\nfor the righteous. It would accord with our conceptions of justice,\nnecessarily imperfect as they may be, and certainly it would accord\nwith our ideas of the mercy of God, if mankind were warned by special\nmessengers of these threatened judgments. Such a proceeding would be\nin harmony not only with our conceptions of justice but also with the\ncourse the Lord has pursued in former ages. For example, when God\ndecreed that he would destroy the Antediluvians by a flood, he first\nsent Noah, a preacher of righteousness, among them to warn them of the\napproaching calamity. When destruction was hanging over the cities\nof the plain--Sodom and Gomorrah--the Lord sent his angels to first\ngather out righteous Lot and his family. When destruction was decreed\nagainst Nineveh, the prophet Jonah was sent to cry repentance to the\npeople, and in this instance the warning was heeded and the calamity\nwas turned aside. Whenever bondage, famine, disease or judgment of any\ncharacter, was about to overtake ancient Isarel for their wickedness,\nprophets were sent to warn them, that they might repent and escape the\nsore affliction; and now that mighty judgments are pronounced against\nthe ungodly at the coming of the Son of God, we may reasonably expect\nthat God will be true to his custom in the past, and send messengers to\nwarn the nations of the near approach of those calamities. Indeed the\nScriptures plainly say as much. Jesus replying to the question, \"What\nshall be the sign of thy coming\" among other things said: \"This gospel\nof the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness and\nthen shall the end come.\" [19] I have already discussed at length the\ndeclaration of John that an angel would be sent in the hour of God's\njudgment with the everlasting gospel to be preached to all nations.\n\n\"Behold I will send my messenger,\" says the Lord through Malachi, \"and\nhe shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall\nsuddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom\nye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who\nmay abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth?\nFor he is like a refiner's fire and as fuller's soap: and he shall sit\nas a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of\nLevi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the\nLord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and\nJerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in\nformer years.\" [20]\n\nI have quoted this last passage at length for the reason that those who\nadvocate that no more revelation is to be given, and that class, as\nwe have seen, includes all Christendom, represent that the messenger\nhere referred to is no other than John the Baptist, and that this\nprophecy was fulfilled when that personage went throughout Judea\ncrying repentance, proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, and the near\napproach of the kingdom of heaven. It is with no desire to lessen the\nimportance of John's mission on that occasion that I respectfully\ndissent from the conclusions of the learned Christian scholars on that\nsubject. And by way of justification for that dissent I submit the\nfollowing reflections.\n\nI. Following the work of this messenger of which the prophet Malachi\nspeaks, the Lord is to come suddenly to his temple. Did that come to\npass when John the Baptist some nineteen centuries ago prepared the\nway for the coming of the Son of God, by crying repentance? I think it\nquestionable if the Lord so much as recognized the temple at Jerusalem\nin those days, corrupted as it was by a fallen priesthood, as his\nhouse. When connected with the reflections to follow, I am sure the\nreader will conclude that this prophecy must relate to some other\ntemple than that old and corrupted one at Jerusalem, and to some other\nappearing than any which occurred at that temple during the former\ncareer of Jesus on earth.\n\nII. \"But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when\nhe appeareth?\" From this it seems that it will be difficult to abide\nthe day of his coming, and to stand when he appeareth in fulfillment of\nthis prophecy of Malachi's. Was it so when Jesus came in the meridian\nof time to make his great atonement for man? Let the life of Jesus\nanswer. Passing by the days of his childhood and youth, we may see him\nemerge from the obscurity of his uneventful life at Nazareth in the\nfull bloom of perfected manhood. He applies to John for baptism, that\nhe might fulfill all righteousness; and as from the watery grave he is\nbrought forth, lo! a voice from heaven proclaims him the Son of God.\nFrom that time he becomes a teacher of men. On the peaceful hills, and\nin the quiet hamlets of Galilee, or along the pleasant shores of the\nlake of that name, men heard his gracious words, and admired while\nthey marveled at the wisdom of one untaught in schools and unlearned\nin man's petty wisdom. The synagogues of the Jews also resounded\nwith his doctrines, and the tones of his voice so mild among the\npastoral people of Galilee, swelled into mighty notes of denunciation,\nwhen he approached the centers of population where wickedness more\nabounded. His arraignment of the priests, his denunciation of the\nnational hypocrisy, his condemnation of the false traditions which\nwere making of no effect the law of God--all this delivered in the\ntone of undoubted authority, brought upon him the wrath of a corrupt\npriesthood, which conspired to kill him.\n\nThe priests were successful. They were careful to arouse the people\nagainst him; and often the Son of God sought safety from their violence\nby flight. At the last he was betrayed into their hands; dragged\nunceremoniously before the high priest at midnight; thence to the\nSanhedrim, where he was tried and condemned, and afterwards mocked,\nbeaten and spit upon; next morning he is brought before Pilate for\nthe confirmation of the sentence of death; and though the Roman judge\ncould see nothing in his conduct which would warrant the sentence, the\ncries of the rabble prevailed over his better judgment, and Jesus was\ncondemned to crucifixion. Through the streets of Jerusalem bending\nbeneath the weight of his own cross, and scourged with cords by the\nsoldiery, to the infinite delight of the rabble which shouted at\nhis heels, Jesus moved towards the place of his execution. Arriving\nthere he is stripped of his clothing, his limbs are stretched to the\ncross, and through the quivering flesh the nails are driven. The cross\nis erected, and on either side, is placed a criminal condemned to\nexecution. Before him now pass the mocking rabble with which the chief\npriests mingle. Tauntingly they pass by and do him mock reverence,\nsaying, \"Hail King of the Jews--hail!\" \"He saved others,\" they shout,\n\"let him save himself. Let him come down from the cross and we will\nbelieve on him.\" \"He trusted in God--let him deliver him now, if he\nwill have him--\" and amid such taunts as these the Son of God expired.\n\nTell me, was it difficult to abide that day of his coming? Or difficult\nto stand in that day of his appearing? Clearly it was not. But when\nthe Son of God shall come in the glory of his Father, to reward every\nman according to his works; when he shall come with \"ten thousands of\nhis saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are\nungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly\ncommitted, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have\nspoken against him;\" [21] when he shall descend from heaven with a\nshout, with the voice of the archangel, then there will be pertinence\nin the questions, \"Who may abide the day of his coming?\" \"Who shall\nstand when he appeareth?\"\n\nIII. The argument may be pushed further still. When the Lord comes\nsuddenly to his temple, in fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy, he is to\n\"sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons\nof Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto\nthe Lord an offering in righteousness.\" Did Jesus do so when he was on\nearth nineteen centuries ago? No; the sons of Levi were not purified,\nneither then nor at any time since have they offered an acceptable\noffering unto the Lord.\n\nIV. \"Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto\nthe Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.\" Did such a\nresult as this follow the appearance and mission of Jesus in Palestine,\nwhen he came to be offered as a sacrifice for sinful man? On the\ncontrary, Judah was rejected; his temple was destroyed, so that not\none stone was left upon another that was not cast down; Jerusalem was\nmade desolate, and for many centuries has been trodden under foot of\nthe Gentiles, while her children, as outcasts, have wandered among the\nnations, a hiss, a byword; and a reproach.\n\nIn the light of all these circumstances, it is perfectly clear (1) that\nthe terms of Malachi's prophecy concerning the Lord coming suddenly\nto his temple, were not fulfilled in his first appearing, and hence\nthe prophecy must refer to some subsequent appearing, which is to be\nfollowed with a blessing upon the house of Israel, the purifying of the\nsons of Levi, and the re-establishment of Jerusalem; (2) that preceding\nthat glorious coming a messenger will be sent to prepare the way.\n\nThe prophecy of Malachi, without doubt, refers to some glorious\nappearing of the Lord Jesus, such as that prophesied by the New\nTestament writers, when they predict that he shall come in the glory\nof his Father to judgment, before which event, however, a great\npreparatory work is to be performed: the gospel restored to earth\nand preached to all nations as a witness, Israel gathered, the Jews\nrestored to Palestine, a temple builded to which the Lord may come,\nand a people prepared to receive him. This preparatory work the reader\nwill recognize in the work founded by Joseph Smith. And if John the\nBaptist was a special messenger to prepare the way for the coming of\nChrist, and he is to prepare the way for his second coming as well as\nfor his first, the reader will remember that it was this personage who\nappeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and conferred upon them\nthe Aaronic Priesthood. That Priesthood, according to the teachings of\nJoseph Smith, holds \"the keys of the ministering of angels, _and the\npreparatory gospel._\" Moreover, when John the Baptist conferred that\nPriesthood upon the two men named, he told them that it would \"never\nbe taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again\nan offering unto the Lord in righteousness,\" [22] a promise so similar\nto that made in the prophecy of Malachi that it surely argues some\nconnection between this angel's message and the fulfillment of that\nprediction.\n\nIn further evidence that the work founded by Joseph Smith, is one to\nprepare the way for the glorious appearing of Messiah let the following\ninstructions and admonitions given early in the history of the Church of\nChrist in this dispensation to the elders of the church be considered:\n\n\"Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh\nevery man who hath been warned, to warn his neighbor. Therefore, they\nare left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads. * *\n* Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected\nin your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as\nmany as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal\nup the testimony and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment\nwhich is to come; that their souls may escape the wrath of God, the\ndesolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world\nand in the world to come. * * * Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye\nare made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be\nclean, until the Lord come; for not many days hence and the earth shall\ntremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and the sun shall hide\nhis face, and shall refuse to give light, and the moon shall be bathed\nin blood, and the stars shall become exceeding angry, and shall cast\nthemselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.\n\n\"And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people;\nfor after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that\nshall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the\nground, and shall not be able to stand. And also cometh the testimony\nof the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice\nof tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea, heaving themselves\nbeyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion; and surely,\nmen's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people;\nand angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud\nvoice, sounding the trump of God, saying, Prepare ye, prepare ye, O\ninhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come: behold,\nand lo! the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.\" [23]\n\n\"Hearken, and lo, a voice as of one from on high, * * * Prepare ye\nthe way of the Lord, make his paths straight. The keys of the kingdom\nof God are committed unto man on the earth, and from thence shall the\ngospel roll forth unto the ends of the earth, as the stone which is cut\nout of the mountain without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled\nthe whole earth; yea, a voice crying--Prepare ye the way of the Lord,\nprepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make ready for the Bridegroom; pray\nunto the Lord, call upon his holy name, make known his wonderful works\namong the people; call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go forth\nupon the earth, that the inhabitants thereof may receive it, and be\nprepared for the days to come, in the which the Son of Man shall come\ndown in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the\nkingdom of God which is set up on the earth.\" [24]\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. See chapter xvii.\n\n2. Jeremiah xxxi: 10-12. See also verses 7, 8, 9.\n\n3. Jeremiah xvi: 14, 15.\n\n4. Isaiah xi,\n\n5. Pearl of Great Price, p. 50.\n\n6. Jeremiah iii: 15-19.\n\n7. II Esdras xiii.\n\n8. Amos ix: 8, 9.\n\n9. Jeremiah iii: 14, 15.\n\n10. Isaiah ii.\n\n11. Rev. xvii: 4, 5.\n\n12. Chapter xii.\n\n13. Doc. and Cov. Sec. cxxxiii.\n\n14. Acts i: 9-11.\n\n15. Matt. xvi: 27.\n\n16. I Thess. iv: 13-17.\n\n17. II Thess. 1: 7-10.\n\n18. Rev. xx: 1-7.\n\n19. Matt. xxiv: 14.\n\n20. Mal. iii: 1-4.\n\n21. Jude 14-15.\n\n22. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xiii.\n\n23. Doc. and Cov. lxxxviii: 78, 92.\n\n24. Doc. and Cov. lxv.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVI.\n\nTESTIMONY TO THE INSPIRATION AND DIVINE CALLING OF JOSEPH SMITH DERIVED\nFROM THE COMPREHENSIVENESS OF THE WORK HE INTRODUCED--CONTINUED.\n\nAt once intimately connected with the coming of the Lord Jesus, and\nfatal to all claims of a divine commission on the part of Joseph Smith\nhad he omitted it from the New Dispensation, is the mission of Elijah.\nThis, too, is the subject of one of Malachi's prophecies. \"Behold,\"\nthat prophet represents the Lord as saying, \"I will send you Elijah\nthe prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the\nLord: and he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and\nthe heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the\nearth with a curse.\" [1] According to the testimony of Joseph Smith and\nOliver Cowdery, on the 3rd of April, 1836, Elijah appeared to them in\nthe Kirtland Temple and fulfilled this prophecy. \"Therefore,\" said he,\non that occasion, \"the keys of this dispensation are committed into\nyour hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of\nthe Lord is near, even at the doors.\" [2]\n\nThe nature of Elijah's mission, the manner in which the hearts of\nthe fathers would be turned to the children, and the hearts of the\nchildren to the fathers, has been and is a mystery to Christendom;\nand only by a revelation from God could it be made plain. The mission\nof Elijah related to the salvation of the dead; and the introduction\nof that doctrine was the beginning of a revolution in the theology\nof Christendom. Up to that time--1836--I may say it was universally\nbelieved by Christians that the souls of men who died without\nconversion to the Christian religion were everlastingly lost. As I\nhave said elsewhere, [3] it was believed that the application of\nthe gospel of Jesus Christ was limited to this life; and those who\nfailed, through whatever cause, to obtain the benefits of the means\nof salvation it affords, are forever barred from such benefits. \"If\nthe tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place\nwhere the tree falleth, there it shall be;\" [4] and they argued from\nthis that in whatever state a man died so he remained. If he died in\na state of justification his salvation was assured; but if not, then\njustification, and consequently salvation, were forever beyond his hope.\n\nThis sectarian doctrine which does so much violence to the justice of\nGod--since it closes the door of salvation against so many millions of\nGod's children through no other circumstance than that they never so\nmuch as heard of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and therefore could not\neither believe or obey it--arose, first, through a misconception of the\ndoctrine of eternal punishment with which the wicked are threatened in\nthe scriptures; and, second, through a very narrow conception of the\nsure mercies of God.\n\nChristians believed that to receive eternal punishment was to be\npunished eternally. This popular error was corrected in a revelation\nto Martin Harris through Joseph Smith, even before the church was\norganized. [5] In that revelation it is explained that God is\n\"Endless,\" that is one of his names; as also is \"Eternal,\" one of\nhis names. \"Wherefore eternal punishment is God's punishment.\" In\nother words the punishment that will overtake the wicked is Eternal's\npunishment; Endless' punishment. But Christians mistaking the name\nof the punishment for the sign of its duration, taught that men\nwere punished eternally for the sins committed in this life. God's\npunishment is eternal; that is, it always exists; it is eternal as\nGod is, but the transgressor receives only so much of it, endures it\nonly so long as may be necessary to satisfy the reasonable claims\nof justice, tempered with mercy. Then, when the insulted law is\nvindicated, the offender is released from the punishment. But as \"the\nbars survive the captive they enthrall,\" as the prison remains after\nthe transgressor has served his time in it; so in God's government, the\npunishment eternally remains after transgressors have satisfied the\nclaims of justice, and are relieved from its pains and penalties. It\nremains to vindicate the law of God whenever it shall be broken.\n\nBut men read, \"He that believeth not\" (the gospel) \"shall be damned,\"\n[6] and they have been taught to believe that they are damned to all\neternity--that they are consigned forever to the flames of hell. The\nso-called early fathers of the church, Justin Martyr, Clement of\nAlexandria, Tertullian and Cyprian, all taught that the fire of hell\nis a real, material flame; and that the wicked were punished in it\neternally. Augustine in the fifth century stated the same doctrine with\ngreat emphasis and argued against those who sought to modify it. [7]\nThomas Aquinas of the mediaeval school of theologians, rising head and\nshoulders above divines of his day, teaches in his _Summa Theologia,_\nthat the fire of hell is of the same nature as ordinary fire, though\nwith different properties; that the place of punishment though not\ndefinitely known is probably under the earth. He also taught that\nthere was no redemption for those once damned, their punishment is to\nbe eternal. Coming to more modern times, we read in the Westminster\nConfession of Faith--adopted in the seventeenth century by the Puritan\nparty in England--the following on the subject: \"The wicked who know\nnot God, and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into\neternal torment and be punished with everlasting destruction from\nthe presence of the Lord and the glory of his power.\" [8] Question\ntwenty-nine of the larger catechism and the answer to it are as\nfollows: \"What are the punishments of sin in the world to come?\"\n\n\"_Ans._ The punishments of sin in the world to come are everlasting\nseparation from the comfortable presence of God, and most grievous\ntorment in soul and body, without intermission, in hell fire forever.\"\nThe Westminster confession and the larger catechism are still the\nstandards of the Presbyterian churches. Indeed the above expresses the\northodox Christian faith, from the second and third centuries until the\npresent time.\n\nOne would think that right conceptions of the attributes of justice and\nmercy as they exist in God's character would lead men to the rejection\nof the horrible dogma of eternal punishment as taught by orthodox\nChristianity. But if that be not sufficient then the scriptures\nthemselves refute it, as will appear in the following paragraphs:\n\nFrom a remark made in the writings of the Apostle Peter, [9] we\nlearn that after Messiah was put to death in the flesh \"He went and\npreached to the spirits in prison, which sometime\" [aforetime] \"were\ndisobedient, when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of\nNoah.\"\n\nDuring the three days, then, that Messiah's body lay in the tomb at\nJerusalem, his spirit was in the world of spirits preaching to those\nwho had rejected the testimony of righteous Noah. The Christian\ntraditions no less than the scriptures teach that Jesus went down\ninto hell and preached to those there held in ward. \"In the second\nand third centuries, every branch and division of Christians, so far\nas their records enable us to judge, believed that Christ preached\nto the departed; and this belief dates back to our earliest reliable\nsources of information in the former of these two centuries.\" [10]\n\"As Christ died for us, and was buried, so also is it to be believed\nthat he went down into hell.\" [11] A writer in Kitto's Cyclopaedia of\nBiblical Literature referring to the passage in Peter on preaching to\nthe spirits in prison, says: \"These 'spirits in prison' are supposed to\nbe the holy dead. * * * The most intelligent meaning suggested by the\ncontext is, however, that Christ by his spirit preached to those who\nin the time of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, were disobedient,\nand whose spirits are now in prison, abiding the general judgment. The\nprison is doubtless hades, but what hades is must be determined by\nother passages of scripture; and whether it is the grave or hell, it is\nstill a prison for those who await the judgment day.\"\n\nNot only is the mere fact of Messiah's going to prison stated in the\nscripture, but the purpose of his going there is learned from the same\nsource. \"For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are\ndead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live\naccording to God in the spirit.\" [12] This manifestly means that these\nspirits who had once rejected the counsels of God against themselves,\nhad the gospel again preached to them and had the privilege of living\naccording to its precepts in the spirit life, and of being judged\naccording to men in the flesh, or as men in the flesh are judged; that\nis, according to the degree of their faithfulness to the precepts of\nthe gospel.\n\nNaturally the question arises why was the gospel preached to the\nspirits in prison who had once been disobedient if there were no means\nby which it could be applied to them for their salvation. We can\nscarcely suppose that Messiah would preach the gospel to them if it\ncould do them no good. He did not go there to mock their sufferings\nor to add something to the torture of their damnation by explaining\nthe beauties of that salvation now forever beyond their reach. Such\na supposition would at once be revolting to reason, insulting to the\njustice of God, and utterly repugnant to the dictates of mercy. The\nvery fact, therefore, that the gospel was preached to the departed is\nsufficient to assure us of the existence of some method by which its\npowers of salvation may be applied to all unto whom it is preached,\nincluding those who are dead. Following that question comes another:\nIf the gospel is preached again to those who have once rejected it,\nhow much sooner will it be presented to those who have never heard it,\nwho have lived in those generations when the gospel and the authority\nto administer its ordinances were not in the earth? Seeing that those\nwho once rejected the offer of salvation had it presented to them\nagain--after paying the penalty of their first disobedience--it would\nseem that those who lived when it was not upon the earth, or who when\nit was upon the earth perished in ignorance of it, will much sooner\ncome to salvation.\n\nOf the things we have written, this is the sum: (1) The gospel was\npreached by Messiah to the spirits in prison who had rejected the\nteachings of Noah; therefore there must be some means through which its\nprecepts and ordinances may be applied to them. (2) If the gospel can\nbe made available to those who once rejected the proffered mercies of\nGod, its privileges will much sooner and doubtless more abundantly be\ngranted to those who died in ignorance of it. Let us next consider how\nthe ordinances of the gospel wherein the power of godliness is made\nmanifest, and without which it is not made manifest, may be applied to\nthe dead.\n\nThe manner in which the ordinances of the gospel may be\nadministered to those who have died without receiving them is\nhinted at by Paul. Writing to the Corinthians on the subject of the\nresurrection--correcting those who said there was no resurrection--he\nasks: \"What shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead\nrise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?\" [13] In this\nthe apostle manifestly referred to a practice which existed among the\nChristian saints of the living being baptized or the dead, and argues\nfrom the existence of that practice that the dead must rise, or why\nthe necessity of being baptized for the dead? Though this is the only\npassage in the New Testament, or in the whole Bible that refers to the\nsubject, yet of itself it is sufficient to establish the fact that such\na principle was known among the ancient saints.\n\nWhile not maintaining the view that there is such a thing as a\nliving man being baptized for one who is dead, a writer in _Biblical\nLiterature (Kitto's),_ expresses these views: \"From the wording of\nthe sentence (why are they then baptized for the dead?) the most\nsimple impression certainly is, that Paul speaks of a baptism which a\nliving man receives in the place of a dead one. This interpretation\nis particularly adopted by those expounders with whom grammatical\nconstruction is of paramount importance and the first thing to be\nconsidered.\" This view is also upheld by Ambrose among the early\nChristian writers; and by Erasmus, Scaliger, Grotius, Calistus among\nthe moderns; and still more recently by Agusti Meyer, Billroth and\nRuckert. De Wette considers this the only possible meaning of the\nwords. Epiphanius, a writer of the fourth century, in speaking of the\nMarcionites, a sect of Christians to whom he was opposed, says: \"In\nthis country--I mean Asia--and even Galatia, their school flourished\neminently; and a traditional fact concerning them has reached us, that\nwhen any of them had died without baptism, they used to baptize others\nin their name, lest in the resurrection they should suffer punishment\nas unbaptized.\" [14]\n\nThis proves beyond controversy the fact that vicarious baptism for the\ndead was practiced among some of the sects of the early Christians.\n\nAnother fact proves it still more emphatically than this statement by\nEpiphanius. The Council of Carthage, held A. D., 397, in its sixth\ncanon, forbids the administration of baptism and holy communion for the\ndead; why should this canon be formed against these practices if they\nhad no existence among the Christians of those days?\n\nFrom the revelations of God to the church in this dispensation, the\nfollowing may be learned: Elijah in fulfillment of ancient prophecy,\nappeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and delivered to them\nthose keys or powers of the Priesthood which give to the living the\nright to do a work for the salvation of the dead. As a consequence, the\nhearts of the children are turned to the fathers; and of course, since\nthe fathers in the spirit world through the preaching of the gospel\nlearn that it is within the power of their children to do a work for\nthem, their hearts are turned to the children, and thus the result to\nfollow Elijah's predicted mission is fulfilled.\n\nThe work that the living may do for the dead is attending to outward\nordinances--baptisms, confirmations, ordinations, washings, anointings\nand sealings--all being appointed by revelation from the Lord, and all\nsealed and ratified by the power of the Priesthood of God, which binds\non earth and in heaven. It is required that all baptisms and other\nordinances of the gospel performed for the dead, be attended to in\ntemples dedicated for such holy purposes. These ordinances performed\non earth by the living, and accepted in the spirit world by those for\nwhom they are administered, will make them a potent means of salvation\nto the dead, and of exaltation to the living, since they become in very\ndeed \"saviors upon Mount Zion.\"\n\nThis work that can be done for the dead enlarges one's views of the\ngospel of Jesus Christ. One begins to see indeed that it is the\n\"everlasting gospel;\" for it runs parallel with man's existence both in\nthis life and in that which is to come. It vindicates the character of\nGod, for by it we may see that justice and judgment, truth and mercy\nare in all his ways.\n\nThe servants of God and the saints generally have been earnest in\nseeking to erect temples in which to attend to these ordinances of\nthe gospel for the dead. [15] At first thought I was tempted to say\nthat this work for the dead was by far the greatest part of the work\ncontemplated in the New Dispensation; for as the leaves upon the trees\nin a single summer are insignificant in comparison to the leaves that\nhave flourished upon the trees in all the summers since creation's\ndawn, so the number of men now living is insignificant in comparison\nto the unnumbered millions that have passed away; but I chanced to\nremember that this work extends to the future as well as to the past;\nthat it will effect the generations to come, as well as those that have\ngone, and so I checked the thought that the work in relation to past\ngenerations was greatest. It is enough to say for this phase of the\nwork that relates to salvation for the dead, that it recognizes the\ngreat truth, which Paul also teaches, in part, that the fathers who\nhave died without us cannot be made perfect; [16] nor can we without\nthem be made perfect. Hence in the great dispensation of the fullness\nof times those principles are made active, and those sentiments excited\nwhich shall turn the hearts of the present generation backward to\nthe fathers, and turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, a\ncircumstance that shall eventuate in the complete salvation and linking\ntogether not only of all the generations of men, but also all the\nfamilies and kindred of the earth.\n\nClosely associated with the matter treated in the foregoing paragraphs,\nis the subject of the different degrees of glory. Nothing is more\nclearly stated in holy writ than that men will be judged and rewarded\naccording to their works. [17] And as their works vary in degree of\nrighteousness, so will their rewards vary, and so will they have\nbestowed upon them different degrees of glory according as their\nworks shall merit, and their intelligence be capable of receiving and\nenjoying. Messiah said to his disciples: \"In my Father's house are many\nmansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a\nplace for you; * * * that where I am there ye may be also.\" [18] Still\nit is commonly held among Christian sects, that he who attains heaven\npartakes immediately of the highest glories; while he who misses heaven\ngoes direct to hell and partakes of all its miseries forever.\nYet nothing is clearer than the fact that there are different heavens\nspoken of in scripture and different degrees of glory. When Solomon\ndedicated the temple he had builded, he exclaimed in his prayer:\n\"Behold the heaven and heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee; how much\nless this house which I have builded!\" [19] Paul in writing to the\nCorinthians says: \"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, * *\n* such an one caught up to the _third_ heaven; and I knew such a man,\n* * * how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable\nwords, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.\" [20]\n\nReasoning on the resurrection, the last writer quoted says: \"There are\nalso celestial bodies and bodies terrestrial, but the glory of the\ncelestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is\none glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon and another glory\nof the stars: for as one star differeth from another star in glory, so\nalso is the resurrection of the dead.\" In all this, however, the great\nsubject is but vaguely hinted at, for a full understanding of it we are\nindebted to a revelation given to Joseph Smith, February 16th, 1832.\nFrom that revelation we summarize the following: [21]\n\nThey who receive the testimony of Jesus, who believe on his name, and\nare baptized after the manner of his burial; who keep the commandments\nof God and are washed and cleansed from all sin; who receive the\nHoly Ghost by the laying on of hands; who overcame by faith, and are\nsealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise--these become the church of the\nFirst Born. They are they into whose hands the Father hath given\nall things--they are priests and kings, who have received of God's\nfullness, and of his glory; they are priests of the Most High, after\nthe order of Melchisedek, which is after the order of the Son of\nGod--therefore they are Gods, even Sons of God. All things are theirs.\nWhether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are\ntheirs, and they are Christ's, and Christ is God's. They shall overcome\nall things; they shall dwell in the presence of God and Christ forever\nand forever; they are they whom Christ will bring with him when he\nshall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his\npeople; they have part in the resurrection of the just; their names are\nwritten in heaven, where God and Christ dwell; they are just men made\nperfect through Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant; these are they\nwhose bodies are celestial, whose glory the sun in heaven is spoken of\nas typical--they inherit the celestial glory, they see as they are seen\nand know as they are known.\n\nThe terrestrial glory differs from the celestial glory as the light\nof the moon differs from the light of the sun. These are they who\ndied without law, and also they who are the spirits of men in prison,\nwhom the Son visited and preached the gospel unto, that they might be\njudged according to men in the flesh; who received not the testimony of\nJesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it. These are they who are\nhonorable men of the earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men.\nThese are they who receive of God's glory but not of his fullness. They\nwill enjoy the presence of the Son, but not the presence of the Father;\nthese are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus, therefore\nthey obtain not the crown over the kingdom of God.\n\nThe telestial glory differs from the terrestrial as the light of the\nstars differs from the light of the moon. The inhabitants of the\ntelestial glory are those who neither receive the gospel of Christ in\nthe flesh nor the testimony of Jesus in the spirit world. These are\nthey who are thrust down to hell, and will not be redeemed from the\ndevil until the last resurrection, when Christ shall have finished his\nwork. These are they who are of Paul and of Apollos and of Cephas;\nsome of Christ and some of John; some of Moses and some of Elias; but\nreceived not the gospel nor the testimony of Jesus. These are they who\nwill not be gathered with the Saints, to be caught up unto the church\nof the First Born and received into the cloud. These are liars, and\nsorcerers and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whoso loves and makes a\nlie. They suffer the wrath of God on earth and the vengeance of eternal\nfire; but they will be judged every man according to his deeds and\nreceive according to his works, his own dominion, in the mansions which\nare prepared; and they shall be servants of the Most High, [22] but\nwhere God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end. They\nof the telestial glory enjoy neither the presence of the Father nor the\nSon, but receive the ministration of angels and of the Holy Ghost, for\neven they of the telestial glory are accounted heirs of salvation.\n\nThe Prophet Joseph and Sidney Rigdon in their vision saw that the\ninhabitants of the telestial glory were as innumerable as the stars in\nthe firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the sea shore--and they\nheard the voice of God saying--\"These all shall bow the knee and every\ntongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne forever and ever;\nfor they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall\nreceive according to his own works, his own dominions in the mansions\nwhich are prepared, and they shall be servants of the Most High, but\nwhere God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end.\"\n\nThese are the great divisions of glory in the world to come, but there\nare subdivisions or degrees. Of the telestial glory it is written:\n\"And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars\nis one, for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so\ndiffers one from another in glory in the telestial world.\" [23] From\nthis it is evident that there are different degrees of glory within\nthe celestial and the telestial glories; and though we have no direct\nauthority for the statement, it seems but reasonable to conclude\nthat there are different degrees of glory in the terrestrial world\nalso. It appears but rational that it should be so, since the degrees\nof worthiness in men are almost infinite in their variety; and as\nevery man is to be judged according to his works, it will require a\ncorresponding infinity of degrees in glory to mete out to every man\nthat reward of which he is worthy, and that also which his intelligence\nwill enable him to enjoy.\n\nThe question of advancement within the great divisions of glory\ncelestial, terrestrial, and telestial; as also the question of\nadvancement from one sphere of glory to another remains to be\nconsidered. In the revelation from which we have summarized what has\nbeen written here, in respect to the different degrees of glory, it is\nsaid that those of the terrestrial glory will be ministered unto by\nthose of the celestial; and those of the telestial will be ministered\nunto by those of the terrestrial--that is, those of the higher glory\nminister to those of a lesser glory. I can conceive of no reason for\nall this administration of the higher to the lower, unless it be for\nthe purpose of advancing our Father's children along the lines of\neternal progression. Whether or not in the great future, full of so\nmany possibilities now hidden from us, they of the lesser glories after\neducation and advancement within those spheres may at last emerge\nfrom them and make their way to the higher degrees of glory until at\nlast they attain to the highest, is not revealed in the revelations\nof God, and any statement made on the subject must partake more or\nless of the nature of conjecture. But if it be granted that such a\nthing is possible, they who at the first entered into the celestial\nglory--having before them the privilege also of eternal progress--have\nbeen moving onward, so that the relative distance between them and\nthose who have fought their way up from the lesser glories may be as\ngreat when the latter have come into the degrees of celestial glory\nin which the righteous at first stood, as it was at the commencement.\nThus: Those whose faith and works are such only as to enable them to\ninherit a telestial glory, may arrive at last where those whose works\nin this life were such as to enable them to entrance into the celestial\nkingdom--they may arrive where these _were,_ but never where they _are_.\n\nThere is a class of souls with whom the justice of God must deal, which\nwill not and cannot be classified in the celestial, terrestrial or\ntelestial glories. They are the sons of perdition. But though they will\nnot be assigned a place in either of these grand divisions of glory,\nthe revelation from which we have drawn our information respecting\nman's future state describes the condition of these sons of perdition\nso far as it is made known unto the children of men. It also informs us\nas to the nature of the crime which calls for such grievous punishment.\n\nThe sons of perdition are they of whom God hath said that it had been\nbetter for them never to have been born; for they are vessels of wrath\ndoomed to suffer the wrath of God with the devil and his angels in\neternity. Concerning whom he hath said there is no forgiveness in this\nworld nor in the world to come. These are they who shall go away into\neverlasting punishment, with the devil and his angels and the only\nones on whom the second death shall have any power; the only ones who\nwill not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord after the sufferings\nof his wrath. He saves all the works of his hands except the sons of\nperdition; but they go away to reign with the devil and his angels in\neternity, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched,\nwhich is their torment. The end thereof, the place thereof no man\nknoweth. It has not been revealed nor will it be revealed unto man,\nexcept to them who are made partakers thereof. It has been partially\nshown to some in vision, and may be shown again in the same partial\nmanner to others; but the end, the width, the heighth, the depth and\nthe misery thereof they understand not, nor will it be revealed to any\nbut those who receive the terrible condemnation. [24]\n\nSuch the punishment, now, as to the crime that merits it. It is the\ncrime of high treason to God which pulls down on men this fearful doom.\nIt falls upon men who know the power of God and who have been made\npartakers of it, and then permit themselves to be so far overcome of\nthe devil that they deny the truth that has been revealed to them and\ndefy the power of God. They deny the Holy Ghost after having received\nit. They deny the Only Begotten Son of the Father after the Father has\nrevealed him, and thus crucify him unto themselves anew, and put him to\nan open shame. They commit the same act of high treason that Lucifer\nin the rebellion of heaven did, and hence are condemned to the same\npunishment. Thank God, the number who commit that fearful crime is few!\nOnly those who attain to a very great knowledge of the things of heaven\nare capable of committing it; and the number among such is few indeed\nwho become so recklessly wicked as to rebel against and defy the power\nof God. But when such characters do fall, they fall like Lucifer, never\nto rise again; they get beyond the power of repentance or the hope of\nforgiveness. [25]\n\nCarried away by the beauty, consistency and grandeur of these\ndoctrines, how far I have wandered from the line of direct argument!\nAnd yet not so; for these very doctrines breathing as they do a spirit\nso purely charitable, laden with joy for the living and hope for even\nthe unconverted dead, manifesting such a spirit of universal love, so\nevery way broad, noble and Godlike, they are within themselves the\nstrongest arguments that they are not merely human conceptions. As\n\"the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his\nhandiwork,\" so these doctrines proclaim that the mind which fashioned\nthem was inspired of God. In other words they were not conceptions of\nthe human mind, but are the outgrowth of revelation direct from God;\nand bespeak a divine authority for him who in this generation first\ntaught them to the world.\n\nBut how comprehensive is this New Dispensation! The Dispensation of\nthe Fullness of Times, truly; in which God is gathering \"together in\none all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in\nearth!\" A dispensation in which all former dispensations find their\ncomplement, and without which they would be meaningless. Nothing is\nomitted essential to its completeness. In it all the prophecies of the\nscripture either have been fulfilled, are in process of fulfillment,\nor are in contemplation, that is, the way is being prepared for their\naccomplishment.\n\nIn viewing a work so vast in its designs, so complete in what it\nis accomplishing and what it contemplates, one stands over-awed at\nthe boldness of the conceptions involved in it; and as its real\ngreatness begins to be comprehended by the understanding, the folly\nof accrediting such a work to Joseph Smith uninspired of God becomes\napparent. There is no proportion between such a work and the uninspired\nintelligence of Joseph Smith, or any other man. It is too universal in\nits sympathies, too broad in its contemplated achievements, too great,\nin every way too splendid to be referred to a merely human origin.\nAnd I assert again that as the grandeur of the universe forces upon\nthe mind the conviction that behind all its phenomena, there must be\nan intelligence operating infinitely greater than that possessed by\nman, so the comprehensiveness of the New Dispensation proclaims an\nintelligence superior to that possessed by man for the origin of it;\nand which can only be attributed to the inspiration of God in him who\nwas the instrument by which it was brought into existence.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Mal. iv: 5, 6.\n\n2. Doc. and Cov. Sec. cx.\n\n3. The following passages are largely adapted from the writer's work\n\"Outlines of Ecclesiastical History.\"\n\n4. Eccl. xi.\n\n5. The revelation was given in March, 1830; Doc. and Cov. Sec. xix.\n\n6. Mark xvi: 16.\n\n7. See \"Augustine's City of God.\" Part II.; book xx and xxi.\n\n8. Ch. xxxiii.\n\n9. I. Peter iii. 18-21.\n\n10. Christ's Mission to the Under World (Huidekoper), 4th edition, p.\n49. Huidekoper's volume, 185 pages, is a most valuable collection of\nChristian tradition and teaching on this subject.\n\n11. Church of England--Book of Common Prayer, p 311.\n\n12. p. 798.\n\n13. I. Peter iv: 6.\n\n14. I. Cor. xv: 29.\n\n15. Heresies xxviii: 7.\n\n16. A temple was erected in Kirtland, Ohio, and dedicated in 1836,\nthough at the time little was known of the character of the work to\nbe performed in such kind of structures. A temple site was dedicated\nat Independence, Missouri; another at Far West in the same state. One\nwas erected at Nauvoo and there the ordinance work for the dead was\nbegun. Since settling in the Rocky Mountains the church has erected\nfour splendid temples, in which up to December, 1893, there have been\n683,377 baptisms for the dead; of ordinations to the priesthood, for\nthe dead, 20,232; of endowments, 310,511; of sealings (including wives\nto husbands and children to parents--three temples reported), 69,749.\n\n17. Heb. xi: 39, 40.\n\n18. Rom. ii: 6-12. I, Cor. iii: 8. II. Cor. v: 10. Rev. ii. 23. Rev.\nxx: 12.\n\n19. St. John xiv: 1-3.\n\n20. An exception must be made in the case of the Roman Catholic Church.\nCatholics do not believe that all Christians at death go immediately\ninto heaven, but on the contrary \"believe that a Christian who dies\nafter the guilt and everlasting punishment of mortal sins have been\nforgiven him, but who, either from want of opportunity or through his\nnegligence has not discharged the debt of temporal punishment due to\nhis sin, will have to discharge that debt to the justice of God in\npurgatory.\" \"Purgatory is a state of suffering after this life, in\nwhich those souls are for a time detained, which depart this life\nafter their deadly sins have been remitted as to the stain and guilt,\nand as to the everlasting pain that was due to them; but which souls\nhave on account of those sins still some temporal punishment to pay;\nas also those souls which leave this world guilty only of venial\n(that is pardonable) sins. In purgatory these souls are purified and\nrendered fit to enter into heaven, where nothing defiled enters.\" The\nquotations in the above are from \"Catholic Belief,\" by Bruno, D. D.,\nof the Catholic church. As all works of the Catholic church accessible\nto me have nothing on the different degrees of glory, I conclude that\nCatholic teaching is that they who attain unto heaven are all equal in\nglory.\n\n21. I. Kings viii: 27.\n\n22. II. Cor. xii: 1-4.\n\n23. The circumstances under which the revelation was given are these:\nThe Prophet Joseph and Sidney Rigdon were engaged in revising the\nJewish scriptures. When they came to St. John, ch. v: 29--speaking of\nthe resurrection of the dead, concerning those that should hear the\nvoice of the Son of Man and come forth, instead of reading as in the\ntext of our common English Bibles--\"And shall come forth; they that\nhave done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done\nevil, unto the resurrection of damnation,\" the following was given to\nthem by the Spirit: \"And shall come forth, they who have done good\nin the resurrection of the just, and they who have done evil in the\nresurrection of the unjust.\" This reading of the passage caused them to\nmarvel, as it was given to them by inspiration; and while they pondered\non this thing the Spirit of God enveloped them and they saw the Lord\nJesus Christ and those different glories which men will inherit, an\naccount of which is given in the text. The vision is recorded in Doc.\nand Cov. Sec. lxxvi.\n\n24. \"Servants of God, but not Gods, nor the Sons of God,\" remarks\nApostle Orson Pratt in his footnote on the passage from which this is\ncondensed. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxxvi: 112.\n\n25. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxxvi.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVII.\n\nEVIDENCE OF INSPIRATION DERIVED FROM THE WISDOM IN THE PLAN PROPOSED\nFOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE TEMPORAL CONDITION OF MANKIND.\n\nThe New Dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ does not regard\nalone the spiritual welfare of man; it contemplates also his temporal\nsalvation. That is, it looks to the amelioration of those conditions\nwhich today render the lot of by far the greater portion of the human\nrace so hard to endure.\n\nNothing can be more patent to the understanding than the fact that\nthe basis of all our commercial or other industrial enterprises, is\nselfishness. The selfish desire for wealth that ease and luxury may\nfollow and be enjoyed, or power wielded that shall administer to family\npride or vain ambition, seems to have taken complete possession of the\nthoughts of civilized man, and well nigh fills up the sphere of his\nactivity. Almost unconsciously selfishness has been intensified in\nour modern life. The inventions of our time have greatly multiplied\nhuman conveniences and luxuries. Ease that springs from affluence\nhas been brought within the reach of a greater number of people than\nat any other time in the world's history; yet those who have entered\nwithin the charmed circle of the enjoyment of ease and luxury are\nnot satisfied. Something is lacking to the completeness of their\ncontentment. They see for one thing the instability of their wealth,\nand note what small affairs may wrest it from them. So that the fear of\nlosing what is possessed is well nigh as tormenting as the inability to\ngain riches. The wish to permanently secure that which is possessed,\nand in like security have it descend to their posterity occasions as\nmuch anxiety and effort on the part of the rich, as the determination\nto come to the possession of wealth occasions the less fortunate--the\nenvious poor.\n\nInstead of this wider distribution of comforts and luxuries among\nmankind contributing to the sum of human contentment, it has increased\nits restlessness; for luxury being more commonly paraded in the face of\nthe masses has maddened all with a desire to possess it, and, failing\nin that, life is felt to be scarce worth the living. But possession is\npossible only to the few; the great mass of humanity is excluded from\nits attainment.\n\nThis success of the few and the failure of the many divides civilized\ncommunities into two classes--the proud and the envious. It also\nresults in the division of communities into capitalists and laborers;\nthe former living in affluence on the proceeds of their wealth, the\nlatter, for the most part, eking out an existence on the insufficient\nmeans secured through their labor. Capital, it must be said, feels\npower and forgets right; labor in its despair grows desperate and\nviolates the law. Capital, to secure and perpetuate its interests,\ncombines into huge corporations which control production and the\nmarkets, waters its stock, bribes legislatures, congresses and\nparliaments; oppresses labor in its wages, robs the people; and having\nthrived by its chicanery and fraud, laughs at all attempts to wrest\nfrom it the spoils in which it revels.\n\nLabor, to protect itself against the ever-increasing greed and power of\ncapital, forms societies and leagues and asks not only what is easily\nrecognized as its rights, but often demands that which capital cannot\ngive. Each confident in its ability to coerce the other, lockouts and\nstrikes follow, with the result that not infrequently the conflict ends\nin civil strife, lawlessness and bloodshed.\n\nMeantime wealth accumulates in the hands of the few; and if every year\ndoes not see the condition of the masses growing worse and worse, it is\na fact at least that there is no just proportion between the increasing\ngains of the capitalists and the wages of the laborers. As a result,\nthe bitterness between employer and the employed increases every year;\nand the sphere of our industrial activities, instead of presenting a\nscene of harmony and good-will, where the interests of both capital and\nlabor are recognized as existing in common, and the welfare of both\ndependent on each, it represents more nearly the scene of two hostile\ncamps where distrust and jealousy have arrayed the respective parties\nfor deadly conflict.\n\nPhilosophers and philanthropists who have seen and deplored the evils\nof our modern system of economics have not been wanting; but only a\nfew have ventured to propose remedies. Of these some have suggested\ncooperative methods in trade, in manufactures, in commerce and other\nlabor, with an equal distribution of profits, as not only securing the\nconservation of energy, but also a more equitable basis of economics\nthan our present individual and competitive methods. Many attempts\nhave been made to carry out these principles in practice, and for a\ntime, in several instances, partial success has been attained. In the\nend, however, human greed, weakness, or individual necessity, real\nor imagined, together with inability to make the system universal--a\ncondition necessary to the system's success, according to the claims of\nits advocates--have proven too much for these attempts at co-operation,\nand the several enterprises have either drifted into the hands of a\ncorporation or become the concerns of individuals, or else have been\nabsolutely abandoned.\n\nOthers seeing the failure of voluntary attempts to secure the benefits\nof the co-operative system, have advocated the enlargement of the\npowers of the State to the extent of consigning to it the management of\nall industry; so far taking control of the individual as to compel him\nto work, according to his capacity and remunerate him according to his\nwants.\n\nOthers have gone even further than this, and proposed not only to make\nthe individual a creature of the State, in relation to the matter of\nlabor and wages, but to control him in all the relations of life,\neven invading the domestic relations to the extent of abolishing the\nmarriage institution and all domestic government founded on paternal\nauthority. These last two suggestions, with various amplifications, are\nclassed as socialism and communism respectively. The former has many\nadvocates in nearly all civilized countries, especially in Germany and\nFrance, where they wield a political influence of considerable potency.\nThe latter, communism, since the abortive efforts of Robert Owen in\nEngland, of St. Simon and Fourier in France, and M. Cabet--the disciple\nof Fourier--at Nauvoo, Illinois, United States, may be considered as\nrelegated to the graveyard of impracticable theories which from time to\ntime have engaged the attention of philosophical minds with a bent for\nspeculation in human affairs.\n\nBut bad as our modern system of economics may be, with all its manifest\nabsurdities in the waste of energy, the unfairness in the distribution\nof the products of industry, still mankind has, so far, preferred to\nendure its known evils and incongruities rather than to trust their\nfortunes to the proposed systems of the socialists and communists.\n\nThe New Dispensation of the Gospel, however, contemplating as it does\nthe ushering in of that era of peace on earth and goodwill among men\nof which angels have sung and prophets written, must perforce and\ndoes, as I remarked at the opening of this chapter, take account of\nthe social and industrial conditions prevailing, and offers a solution\nfor the difficulties presented which, while within the possibility\nof performance, is effectual as a remedy for the evils under which\nhumanity groans. Failure to do this would have been a grave defect\nin a work making the pretensions of that founded by Joseph Smith.\nMoreover, since what it has to offer as a solution of existing\nindustrial inequalities and evils is either based on or is itself\ndirect revelation from God, the Divine wisdom must appear in the plan\nproposed for the betterment of humanity's condition. All this mankind\nhas a right to expect of a divine plan for such a purpose, and all this\nI claim for the plan revealed through Joseph Smith.\n\nThat plan does not begin with the community or the nation, and through\nthe community or state seek to reach the individual. While not ignoring\nthe value of institutions or the necessity for favorable conditions, it\ndoes not put its whole trust in arbitrary institutions or regulations\nfor the successful accomplishment of its purposes. It comes first to\nthe individual with a cry of repentance, with an appeal to turn unto\nrighteousness. It teaches him that by repentance, accompanied with true\nand holy faith in God, he may attain through baptism to a remission\nof sins, to a consciousness of renewed innocence, lost through\ntransgression, and to the possession of the Holy Ghost. This last adds\nto his own strength, in some degree, the strength of the Almighty God.\nThrough its influence he is guided into all truth, taught a knowledge\nof the things of heaven, receives a testimony that Jesus is the Christ;\nby it he is reproved for his errors; commended for resisting evil;\nprompted in uncertainty; by courting its influence and listening to\nits counsels he is purified in heart, is purged of his lusts and his\nselfishness, loves his neighbor as himself, and is ready to seek\nanother's rather than his own good.\n\nIt is with an element such as this--cleansed and purified by such a\nprocess, and thus made fit for the Master's use--that the plan revealed\nthrough Joseph Smith proposes to deal. It is an evidence that other\nschemes for the amelioration of the distresses of mankind originated\nin the petty wisdom of man that they did not take into account the\nnecessary preparation of the elements for their model communities.\nAnd let me observe, in passing, that that preparation can only be\nmade through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the spirit of it outlined\nabove. It is vain for men to seek to build up communities in which\nselfishness shall be abolished, and love and goodwill abound, until\nthey have developed in the separate units that are to compose it\nthe same qualities that are to be characteristic of the community;\nfor communities can be no better than the individuals that compose\nthem. As well might men hope to mix to the same consistency pieces\nof iron and pieces of clay, make a rope of dry sand, or do anything\nelse impossible, as to undertake to organize a society in which want\nshall be abolished, unselfishness abound, and all the virtues prevail,\nwith men unrighteous, proud, envious, jealous, lustful, suspicious,\ntreacherous and possessed of no higher gauge of right and truth than\nhuman intelligence. Here, then, begins to be seen the wisdom of the\nplan for the temporal salvation of mankind revealed through Joseph\nSmith: it begins with the individual--with the preparation of the\nelements.\n\nNext to the preparation of the elements, the plan recognizes the\nFatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. It also recognizes\nthe fact that the earth is the Lord's; that it is his by right of\nproprietorship. He created it and sustains it by his power, and man's\nright to the portions of it he seizes so greedily can only be that of\na steward. Following these principles to their legitimate conclusion,\nthe plan contemplates the complete consecration unto the Lord all the\npossessions of those who accept it. The person who desires to make the\nconsecration brings his possessions to the bishop of the Church, and\ndelivers them to him, with a deed and covenant that cannot be broken.\n[1] The consecration is complete.\n\nThe person so consecrating his possessions, whether they be great or\nsmall, if it be a full consecration, has claim upon the bishop for\na stewardship out of the consecrated properties of the Church. That\nstewardship may be a farm, a factory, a publishing house, mercantile\nestablishment, a home with the privilege of following a trade or\nprofession, according to individual tastes, abilities or capacities.\nThe stewardships are secured to those unto whom they are granted by a\ndeed and covenant that cannot be broken, hence the stewards are secured\nin their stewardships.\n\nThe income from a stewardship over and above that needed for the\nmaintenance of the steward and his family, is consecrated to the Lord's\nstorehouse, where all the surplus means from the community is, in like\nmanner, collected. Said surplus to be used, first, in supplying the\ndeficiency where stewardships fail to yield sufficient income for the\nnecessities of those who possess them; second, to form or purchase new\nstewardships for such as have not received any; third, to supply those\nwith means who may need it for the improvement or enlargement of their\nrespective stewardships; fourth, the purchase of lands for the public\nbenefit, to establish new enterprises, develop resources, build houses\nof worship, temples, send abroad the Gospel, or for anything else that\nlooks to the general welfare and the founding of the Kingdom of Heaven\non earth.\n\nThe several stewards have claim upon the general fund created by the\nconsecration of the surplus of each, for the means necessary to the\nimprovement or enlargement of the business entrusted to him as his\nstewardship; and so long as he is in full fellowship with the Church,\nand is a wise and faithful steward, his application to the treasurer of\nthe general fund is to be respected by being granted; the treasurer,\nof course, being accountable to the Church for his management of the\ngeneral fund, and subject to removal in the event of incompetency or\ntransgression.\n\nEach steward is independent in the management of his stewardship, and\nis the master of his own time. He must pay for that which he buys; he\ncan insist on payment for that which he sells. He has no claim upon\nthe stewardship of his neighbor; his neighbor has no claim upon his\nstewardship; but both have claim, as also have their children--when the\nlatter come of age and start in life for themselves--upon the collected\nsurplus in the Lord's storehouse, to aid them in the event of their\nneeding assistance.\n\nThe various branches or ecclesiastical wards of the Church, where\nthe above plan of managing the temporal affairs of life is carried\nout, are each to be independent in the management of their respective\nstorehouses, subject of course to the general supervision of the\npresiding bishop of the Church and of the First Presidency.\n\nSuch is a brief and, I fear, because of my effort to be brief, a\nrather imperfect outline of the plan for the management of the\ntemporal affairs of life in the Church of Christ. It is a system\nwhich contemplates the humiliation of the rich and the exaltation of\nthe poor, by the operation of consecration and stewardship, above\ndescribed. By the act of consecration both the rich man and the poor\none make a formal acknowledgement that the earth and the fullness\nthereof is the Lord's; and by receiving back a stewardship, each\nreceives that which his wants demand, or that his capacity will warrant\nplacing under his management; and which may be added upon as he gives\nincreased evidence of faithfulness and ability to wisely control the\nstewardship for his own and the general good.\n\nThe plan recognizes the truth that there is enough and to spare in the\nearth to provide plentifully for all the wants of the human race; for\nall its necessities and all reasonable luxuries, if the wealth created\nby the race's industry be justly distributed. In it, too, is recognized\nthe truth that transcendent abilities for the manipulation of the\nelements or the management of affairs by which wealth is created are\nnot possessed that they might minister alone to personal advantage, or\npride, or ambition; nor are they to be employed alone for the benefit\nof the possessor's family. This plan revealed to Joseph Smith teaches\na nobler and higher use of abilities than this; a broader field of\nsympathy than that which merely comprehends a family. A great mind\nin any department of abilities, and no less in financial or temporal\naffairs than in law, or government, or literature, belongs to the race,\nand is God's best gift to it; for through it God, in part, shines. The\nemployment of talents and genius for the common interest is to be the\noutgrowth of universal sympathy and a willingness to co-operate with\nGod to bring to pass the eternal life, and, both in time and eternity,\nthe eternal happiness of man. Hence it is written that the inhabitant\nof Zion shall labor for Zion and if he labor for money he shall perish\nwith his money.\n\nThe plan also recognizes the dignity of all labor; and provides that\nthe idler shall be had in remembrance before the Lord. [2] Idleness is\nan offense against the doctrine of the gospel and has received God's\nsevere condemnation; for he has declared that the \"idler shall not eat\nthe bread, nor wear the garments of the laborer,\" [3] nor have place in\nthe church, except he repents. [4]\n\nIt will be observed that the plan revealed through Joseph Smith,\nwhile differing from the present selfish and competitive system,\nis neither state socialism nor communism. It neither makes man the\ncreature of the state, nor invades the sanctity of his fireside. It\npreserves a healthy individualism in that it allows each man control\nof his own stewardship, and makes him the disposer of his own time.\nIt provides for the general welfare in that it centralizes all the\nsurplus means of the community and places it at the disposal of the\nwisest men who apportion it out to the improvement of enterprises\nor stewardships under the management of men of demonstrated ability\nand approved integrity; or who employ it in the development of new\nenterprises, or distribute it in new stewardships to those who as yet\nmay not have received them. This system therefore guards against want\nand destitution on the one hand; while on the other it collects the\nsurplus means to be used in those new enterprises, the success of which\nshall remove the community further and ever further from poverty and\nwretchedness which is now at once the world's anxiety and shame.\n\nBy this plan the anxiety of the fathers to secure estates or a fortune\nfor their posterity is relieved, since their children will have claim\nupon the surplus property of the community for a stewardship when they\nare prepared to start in life. And since the prosperity and success\nof their children depends upon the success and prosperity of the\ncommunity, the fathers shall in that find an incentive to honorable\nexertion. The children find no fortune to squander, no opportunity\nto grow up in idleness, or contract those vices which unfit them for\nlife's serious affairs. But trained from youth to be industrious, and\nstarting with a stewardship that by industry and economy shall minister\nto their necessities, and enable them to contribute something to the\ngeneral good, they have an opportunity by wise management of their\nstewardship, the improvement and enlargement of it, to demonstrate\ntheir abilities, rise in public esteem and have more and still more\nentrusted to their control, until they reach a position where they can\ndo all the good they are capable of doing, or that is in their hearts\nto accomplish.\n\nThe two prime objections to co-operative methods, state socialism\nand communism are, first, that by taking the proceeds of individual\nindustry, talent or transcendent financial abilities and applying them\nto the common good rather than to individual aggrandizement, one of\nthe chief incentives to earnest endeavor is stricken down; and second,\nby creating an assurance in the minds of individuals that their wants\nwill be provided for out of a common fund and that necessity cannot\novertake them, the other chief incentive to industry is swept aside.\nIn other words it is held that ambition and the fear of coming to want\nare the chief incentives to human activity. Remove these incentives to\naction, it is contended, and you have, of course, a listless, idle and\nhence non-progressive community, that all too soon from want of motive\nprinciple would come to poverty, ignorance and at last to dissolution.\n\nThese are held to be the vices of the schemes of socialists and\ncommunists, so far as the industrial phase of their plans is concerned,\nand I anticipate that the same objections will be urged to the plan for\nthe temporal salvation of mankind revealed through Joseph Smith.\n\nVolumes have been written upon the unworthiness of a desire for\npersonal aggrandizement, and man's necessities being regarded as the\nchief incentives to human activity; and it is not my purpose to add\nanything to the mass of matter that exists on that subject. Indeed,\ntaking average humanity as it is, rather than what idealists would\nhave it or believe it to be, and I am rather of the opinion that the\nobjection urged against socialism and communism in regard to the\nindustrial phase of these schemes is a good one; and that however\nunworthy the gratification of personal ambition and the fear of want\nmay be as incentives to industry, they are, nevertheless, the prime\nincentives to action; and if removed, there is grave reason to fear\nthat what the objectors to community of effort and of interests\npredict, would come to pass. My point is that this objection can be\nof no force against a system in which individualism is not stricken\ndown. A man's success in the management of his stewardship in the plan\nrevealed through Joseph Smith, depends upon his individual effort;\nand though the system requires the consecration, from time to time,\nof the surplus arising from the management of the stewardships, it\nis also provided that the stewards shall have claim upon the general\nfund for whatever means they may require to improve or enlarge\ntheir stewardships. But the chances of obtaining means to make such\nimprovement or enlargement depends upon the capabilities the individual\nhas developed, in the management of that already committed to his\ncare; hence his advancement, his growth and standing in the community,\ntogether with the comfort, convenience and beauty of his surroundings\ndepend primarily upon his individual exertion.\n\nFurthermore, it must be remembered that the system revealed through\nJoseph Smith teaches as a religious duty the consecration and\nemployment of individual abilities for the common good; and it also\nteaches that industry and economy are religious duties.\n\nIt is by preparing the units of which society is composed through\nthe acceptance and practice of the gospel; by preserving all that is\ndesirable in individualism and at the same time abundantly providing\nfor the common good; by recognizing the religious sentiment and\nrighteousness as elements necessary to its success; by teaching that\nit is the duty of those possessed of transcendent abilities to employ\nthem for the common good; by inculcating that humility that shall\nmake those possessed of humbler abilities willing to labor in less\nexalted spheres, and, above all, by depending upon the enlightening\nand directing influence of the Holy Ghost, as well in each member\nof the community as in the appointed leaders, that the plan for the\namelioration of the present distressed condition of society, revealed\nthrough Joseph Smith, hopes in the end to achieve success.\n\nIf I am told that the success of this plan depends upon too many\ncontingencies; that the attainment of all of them is impracticable;\nthat humanity can never be brought to that excellence of individual and\ncommunity righteousness that the plan requires; my answer would be that\nthe condition of the world, then, is hopeless; for this is the only\nplan which can bring to pass the amelioration of the hard conditions\nunder which mankind is sinking. But I do not at all despair of the\nsuccess of it. If it cannot immediately be made universal, its success\nwill be made manifest in the church of Christ; and as the peace,\nprosperity and happiness of those that accept it indicate the wisdom\nthat constructed it, more and more will seek its benefits, until all\nthe children of men shall bask in its blessings.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Doc and Cov. sec. xlii: 30-32.\n\n2. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxviii: 30.\n\n3. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xlii: 42.\n\n4. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxxv: 29.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXVIII.\n\nEVIDENCE OF DIVINE INSPIRATION IN JOSEPH SMITH DERIVED FROM THE\nPROPHET'S TEACHING IN REGARD TO THE EXTENT OF THE UNIVERSE, MAN'S PLACE\nIN IT, AND HIS DOCTRINE RESPECTING THE GODS.\n\nIf the church Joseph Smith organized is a monument to his divine\ninspiration; if the comprehensiveness of the work he introduced\ngives evidence that more than human wisdom was necessary to conceive\nit; if his proposed reconstruction of society as to its industrial\naspects proclaims for him a divine wisdom--a still greater evidence of\ninspiration is to be seen in the prophet's teaching on the extent of\nthe universe, man's place in it, and his doctrine respecting the Gods.\n\nTo make this appear it will be necessary to state briefly the opinions\nentertained on these subjects by those accepting orthodox Christianity\nbefore the introduction of the New Dispensation. Indeed, I may go as\nfar back as the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in this statement, in\norder that the reader may see what the real orthodox faith on all these\nsubjects was before modern discoveries forced upon it some modification\nof its views.\n\nIn the centuries named the geocentric theory respecting the universe\nprevailed. That is, it was believed that the earth was in shape flat,\nand the immovable centre of the universe; that about it circled sun,\nmoon and stars in regular order. Indeed it was supposed that the\nspecific and only purpose for which the sun was formed was to give\nlight and heat to the earth; and the moon and stars were formed to\ngive light by night in the absence of the sun. Above the earth was\nbent the vast dome of the blue sky, its edges apparently resting on\nthe circumfluous waters. Above the blue sky was heaven, the abode of\nGod and the blest; and under the earth was the dark region of hell,\ninto which was thrust the wicked--the damned. It was believed that God,\nabout six thousand years ago, created by a word, out of nothing, all\nthis universe--earth, sun, moon, stars, and all things in the earth.\nThat man and all living creatures were moulded from the dust, and\nthen had breathed into them the spirit of life, and so became living\ncreatures. This was the view \"authoritatively asserted by the church,\"\n[1] in the centuries I have designated.\n\nThere were, however, in those centuries a few bold spirits who held\nviews at variance with those accepted by the orthodox. These believed\nin the heliocentric theory--the theory which regards the sun as the\ncentre of our planetary system, and that the earth is comparatively\na small and subordinate body revolving around it. This view was\nmaintained by Nicholas Cusa, afterwards Cardinal Cusa, at the Council\nof Basil, in 1431. About a century later--1543--the great Copernicus\nissued the first formal announcement, in modern times, of the\nheliocentric theory. What storms of opposition the great philosopher\nanticipated may readily be perceived in the preface to his work. That\npreface was addressed to Pope Paul III., and in it, after referring\nto the imperfections of the prevailing theory, he states that he had\nsought among ancient writers for a better, and so had learned the\nheliocentric doctrine. [2] \"I, too, began to meditate on the motion\nof the earth, and though it appeared an absurd opinion, yet, since I\nknew that in previous times others had been allowed the privilege of\nfeigning what circles they chose in order to explain the phenomena,\nI conceived that I might take the liberty of trying whether, on the\nsupposition of the earth's motion, it was possible to find better\nexplanations than the ancient ones of the revolutions of the celestial\norbs. * * * Though I know that the thoughts of a philosopher do not\ndepend on the judgment of the many, his study being to seek truth in\nall things as far as is permitted by God to human reason, yet when\nI considered how absurd my doctrine would appear, I long hesitated\nwhether I should publish my book, or whether it were not better to\nfollow the example of the Pythagoreans and others, who delivered their\ndoctrines only by tradition and to friends. * * * If there be vain\nbabblers who, knowing nothing of mathematics, yet assume the right of\njudging on account of some place of scripture perversely wrested to\ntheir purpose, and who blame and attack my undertaking--I heed them\nnot, and look upon their judgment as rash and contemptible.\"\n\nIn addition to recognizing the sun as the real centre of planetary\nmotions, Copernicus taught also that the earth was a planet which\nturned upon its axis, and revolved around the sun. [3]\n\nThe person who most zealously accepted the Copernican system was\nGiordano Bruno, born in Italy, 1550. In his book, \"The Plurality of\nWorlds,\" he taught that space is infinite; that every star is a sun\nhaving opaque planets revolving around it; and that these planets\nare inhabited. Bruno was a man of aggressive disposition and pushed\nhis doctrines on public attention irrespective of consequences to\nhimself. Because of his peculiar views he was compelled to flee from\nItaly. He first went to Switzerland, thence to England, where he\ndelivered lectures at Oxford on Cosmology. Here his views were met\nwith intolerance and he fled to France. Meeting with persecution in\nFrance, he next fled to Germany, and from thence ventured to return\nto Italy. He was arrested at Venice and imprisoned for six years. At\nthe expiration of his long imprisonment he was demanded by the Holy\nInquisition to be tried for having written heretical books. Accordingly\nhe was given up to the authorities of Rome; and after an imprisonment\nof two years was tried, found guilty, excommunicated and delivered over\nto the secular authorities to be punished. \"As mercifully as possible,\nand without the shedding of his blood,\" reads the sentence which\ndelivered him to the secular authorities; \"the abominable formula,\"\nremarks Draper, \"for burning a man alive.\" [4] He was burned at Rome\non the 16th of February, 1600. Some of the spectators remarked as he\nfell out of sight in the consuming flames that his soul had doubtless\ngone to some of the imaginary worlds of whose existence he had been so\npositive. [5]\n\nIt is suspected that this harsh treatment of Bruno, and in his person\nof the Copernican theory itself, checked for a time speculation on\nthe lines of thought which Cusa, Copernicus and Bruno followed.\nInvestigation, however, was afoot, and in an age when the people\nwere just awakening to a sense of intellectual freedom, it could not\nbe expected that a subject of such great interest would long remain\nunagitated. The man who next championed the Copernican system was the\nimmortal Galileo. Early in the seventeenth century he invented the\ntelescope, and by its aid made numerous discoveries which demonstrated\nthe truth of the Copernican theory. He discovered that the planet Venus\nhad phases like the moon, which demonstrated for her a motion around\nthe sun. The discovery of this fact well nigh silenced the opposition\nto the Copernican theory, at least, among its more intelligent\nopponents who were capable of appreciating the value of the discovery.\n\"If the doctrine of Copernicus be true,\" they had said, \"the planet\nVenus ought to show phases like the moon which is not the case.\"\nBut the telescope of Galileo proved that Venus had phases and hence\nfurnished the proof demanded by the objectors to the Copernican theory.\n\nBy means of his telescope Galileo also discovered the existence\nof innumerable stars not visible to the unaided eye. The ignorant\nmultitude who assailed the Copernican theory of the universe, starting\nto argue from the supposition that the stars had been created merely to\ngive light by night, said that since the stars which Galileo claimed to\nhave discovered could not be seen by the naked eye, they could be of no\nuse in giving light to the earth and therefore they did not exist!\n\nGalileo by turning his telescope upon the moon found that she had\nmountains casting shadows, and valleys like those of the earth. He also\ndiscovered the four satellites of Jupiter, and their movement about\ntheir primary. As this furnished an illustration in miniature of the\nCopernican theory of the solar system, it was hailed with great delight\nby the ever increasing number that accepted the heliocentric doctrine.\n\nGalileo, like Bruno, lacked the caution that characterized Copernicus,\nand by boldly affirming the truth of the heliocentric doctrine, he\nbrought upon himself the displeasure of the orthodox party, and finally\nthe condemnation of the church. The controversy which arose over his\ndoctrines and discoveries would require too much space to detail here.\nLet it be sufficient to say that he was tried before the Inquisition\nfor teaching as a positive truth that the earth moves; that the sun\nis stationary; and attempting to reconcile these doctrines with the\nscriptures. He acknowledged the charges made against him, and thereupon\nwas commanded on pain of imprisonment to renounce these heretical\nopinions and pledge himself for the future not to defend or publish\nthem. Doubtless the fate of Bruno, still sufficiently recent to be\nvividly remembered, influenced the conduct of the astronomer, for he\ngave the necessary pledges. The Inquisition in passing sentence on\nGalileo took occasion to say something of the Copernican system itself,\ndenouncing it as \"_that false Pythagorean doctrine utterly contrary to\nthe Holy Scriptures_.\"\n\nGalileo after his condemnation by the Inquisition received some\nkindnesses both from Pope Paul V, and Urban VIII, his successor,\nand from other high ecclesiastical authorities. Whether or not the\nconsiderate and even flattering treatment he received from these popes\nled him to think he could with impunity break the pledge he had so\nsolemnly given the church not to publish more about or defend the\nCopernican doctrine, is difficult to determine; but it is a fact that\nhe broke that pledge by publishing in 1632, the work entitled \"The\nsystem of the world,\" the purpose of which was to establish the truth\nof the heliocentric doctrine. He was again summoned before the Holy\nInquisition. His offenses were recited and he was told that he had\nbrought upon himself the suspicion of heresy, and was liable to the\npenalties thereof--imprisonment or death. The Inquisition, however,\nwas inclined to be merciful, and agreed to give him absolution for\nhis offenses if with real intent of heart he would adjure and curse\nhis heresies. This the now aged philosopher consented to do. But\nthat he might be a warning to others he was to be kept a prisoner at\nthe pleasure of his judges, his new work was prohibited by public\nedict, and for three years he was condemned to recite once a week the\npenitential psalms. \"In his garment of disgrace the aged philosopher\nwas now made to fall upon his knees before the assembled cardinals, and\nwith his hand upon the gospels, to make the required abjuration of the\nheliocentric doctrine and to give the pledges demanded. He was then\ncommitted to the prison of the Inquisition. The persons who had been\nconcerned in the printing of his book were punished; and the sentence\nand abjuration were formally promulgated, and ordered to be publicly\nread in the universities.\" [6]\n\nIt has been claimed that Galileo as he rose from his humble posture\nbefore the cardinals exclaimed,--_soto voce--\"ep pur si muove!\" [7]_\nWhether the philosopher ever made the remark may be doubtful, but the\ntruth nevertheless was that it did move, and it found those of a more\ndaring spirit than Galileo to affirm it. Among these was Galileo's\ncontemporary, the great Kepler. [8] He lived in Protestant Germany\nwhere, though as bitterly opposed by the Protestant Christians of\nGermany as Galileo was by the Catholics of Italy; and his advocacy\nand defense of the Copernican theory as emphatically condemned by the\nTheological Faculty of Tubingen as the Italian philosopher's efforts\nin the same line were by the Inquisition, yet, though the Academical\nSenate of Tubingen might prevent the publication of his works, he could\nnot be threatened with death or imprisonment, nor could he be compelled\nto deny the truths he had discovered.\n\nKepler relieved the Copernican system from the erroneous hypothesis\nof circular orbits for the planets, by proving that the orbits were\nelliptical and have the sun as a common focus. This first discovery,\nknown as Kepler's first law, together with his other two laws of\nplanetary motion, establish the Copernican system upon an immovable\nbasis by adding to the fact of the motion of the planets around\nthe sun, the other fact that that motion is under the influence of\nnever-varying mathematical law.\n\nBut one thing was lacking to complete the triumph of the new theory--an\nexplanation of the force which held the planets in their orbits and\nbalanced the universe. That explanation came in Newton's great law of\ngravitation, by which it is made know that \"Every portion of matter in\nthe universe attracts every other portion with a force varying directly\nas the product of the masses acted upon, and inversely as the square of\nthe distance between them.\" [9]\n\nThe explanation of the Copernican system was now complete, and\neverywhere triumphant. Meantime larger and more powerful telescopes\nwere being invented which constantly extended man's knowledge of the\nimmensity of the universe. It is estimated that the unaided eye can\nsee from five to eight thousand of the fixed stars; but with the aid\nof our modern telescopes, though no very reliable computation has yet\nbeen made, it is estimated that between thirty and fifty millions are\nvisible; [10] and it only requires the invention of larger or more\nperfect telescopes to increase the number of God's creations to our\nalready astonished vision!\n\nIt could only be expected that the facts discovered by our exact\nscientists would set in motion those of a speculative turn of mind.\nAmong those most noted for outstripping the plodding scientists and\nplunging into speculation were Kant [11] and Johann Heinrich Lambert.\n[12] The former taking the now well-known construction of the planetary\nsystem as the basis of his speculation advanced the idea that the whole\nstellar universe was constructed on the same plan. That is, as the\nplanets of our solar system revolved about a common centre, and are\nkept from falling into each other or into the sun by the centrifugal\nforce generated by their revolutions in their orbits, \"so Kant supposed\nthe stars to be kept apart by a revolution around some common centre.\"\n[13]\n\nAt that time but little, if anything, was known positively about the\nproper motion of the stars; and the objection was made to his theory\nthat the stars were found to occupy not only the same position from\nyear to year, but from age to age, and therefore could not be moving\nabout a centre. To this the philosopher replied that the motion of the\nstars was so slow, their distances from us so immense, and the time\nof their revolutions so long that the movement was imperceptible to\nus, but he doubted not that \"future generations by combining their\nobservations with those of their predecessors, would find that there\nactually was a motion among the stars.\" [14]\n\nLambert, the contemporary and a correspondent of Kant's, supposed\n\"the universe to be arranged in a system of different orders. The\nsmallest systems which we know are those made up of a planet with its\nsatellites circulating around it as a center. The next system in order\nof magnitude is a solar system, in which a number of smaller systems\nare each carried round the sun. Each individual star which we see is a\nsun, and has its retinue of planets revolving round it, so that there\nare as many solar systems as stars. These systems are not, however,\nscattered at random, but are divided up into greater systems which\nappear in our telescopes as clusters of stars. An immense number of\nthese clusters make up our galaxy, and form the visible universe as\nseen in our telescopes. There may be yet greater systems, each made up\nof galaxies, and so on indefinitely, only their distance is so immense\nas to elude our observation. Each of the smaller systems visible to us\nhas its central body, the mass of which is much greater than that of\nthose which revolve around it. This feature Lambert supposed to extend\nto other systems. As the planets are larger than their satellites, and\nthe sun larger than its planets, so he supposed each stellar cluster to\nhave a great central body round which each solar system revolved. As\nthese central bodies are invisible to us, he supposed them to be opaque\nand dark. All the systems from the smallest to the greatest, were\nsupposed to be bound together by the one universal law of gravitation.\"\n[15]\n\nThis of course in Lambert was speculative conjecture, based on the\nfew facts that astronomers had discovered up to his day. There was no\nevidence, astronomers said, of the existence of the opaque centers\nreferred to by Lambert, and they relegate the sublime ideas of the\nphilosopher to the realm of pure speculation.\n\nLater the German astronomer Madler [16] attempted to show from an\nexamination he made of the motion of the stars that the whole steller\nuniverse was revolving around the star Alcyone, in the constellation\nof Pleiades. No more weight, however, has been given by astronomers to\nthe conjectures of Madler than to those of Kant or Lambert. The ideas\nof all three have been held to be mere baseless speculation. [17] There\nis this to say, however, in favor of the theories of Kant, Lambert and\nMadler, and against the astronomers who condemn their conjectures: the\nstars which, in the days of the two former, at least, were generally\nsupposed to be stationary and hence called fixed stars, are now known\nto have \"a proper motion,\" by which astronomers mean \"not an absolute\nmotion, but only a motion relative to our system. As the sun moves, he\ncarries the earth and all the planets with him; and if we observe a\nstar at perfect rest while we ourselves are thus moving, the star will\nappear to move in the opposite direction. * * * Hence from the motion\nof a single star it is impossible to decide how much of this apparent\nmotion is due to the motion of our system, and how much to the real\nmotion of the star. If, however, we should observe a great number of\nstars on all sides of us, and find them all apparently moving in the\nsame direction, it would be natural to conclude that it was really our\nsystem which was moving and not the stars. When Herschel averaged the\nproper motions of the stars in different regions of the heavens he\nfound that this was actually the case. In general the stars moved from\nthe direction of the constellation Hercules, and toward the opposite\npoint of the celestial sphere, near the constellation Argues. This\nwould show that, relatively to the general mass of the stars, our sun\nwas moving in the direction of the constellation Hercules.\" [18]\n\nAs our sun is conceded to be one of the stars--one of the smaller ones,\ntoo, of the great galaxy that spans the heavens--if it be in motion,\nthe inference that other stars are also in motion is not unreasonable.\nIndeed they are known to be in motion, but their appears to be, so\nfar as the observations of astronomers enable them to determine, no\nregularity in that movement more than the general movement noted from\nthe direction of Hercules. \"So far as they have yet been observed,\"\nsays Newcomb, \"and indeed so far as they can be observed for many\ncenturies to come, these motions take place in perfectly straight\nlines. If each star is moving in some orbit, the orbit is so immense\nthat no curvature can be perceived in the short arc which has been\ndescribed since accurate determinations of the position of the stars\nbegan to be made. * * * The stars in all parts of the heavens move\nin all directions, with all sorts of velocities. It is true that by\naveraging the proper motions, as it were, we can trace a certain law in\nthem; but this law indicates, not a particular kind of orbit, but only\nan apparent proper motion, common to all the stars, which is probably\ndue to a real motion of our sun and solar system.\" [19]\n\nThe assertion of the fact on the part of our exact masters in working\nastronomy that there is a motion among the stars, places under the\nspeculations of Kant, Lambert and Madler the groundwork of a great\nprobability in respect to their main idea, which I understand to be,\nthat as the planets move around the sun in regular order, influenced\nby unvarying law, so the stars that make up the visible universe move\naround one or more centres. These centres are yet unknown. Madler may\nhave been mistaken in pointing to Alcyone as that centre, but who shall\nsay that one does not exist?\n\nMeantime we need not follow this matter further. Enough has been said\nto show that the false geocentric theory has been displaced by the\nheliocentric doctrine, which has been demonstrated to be true. The\nearth is no longer looked upon as the centre of the universe, with the\nsun, the moon and stars especially created to revolve about it, to\ngive it light by day and preserve it from total darkness in the night.\nThe burning of Bruno, the imprisonment of Galileo by the Catholics,\nthe condemnation of the works of Kepler by the Protestants of Germany,\ncould not save the erroneous geocentric theory. It went down as all\nerror in the end must go down. The earth instead of being the immovable\ncentre of the universe is relegated to its true place--it is one of\na number of planets, one of the smaller ones--that revolve around\nthe sun. With all its islands and continents; its rivers, lakes and\nmighty oceans; its mountains and valleys; its towns, cities, and all\nthe tribes of men, together with all their hopes and fears and petty\nambitions--all is but a moat in God's sunbeam--a single grain of sand\non the seashore! Our solar system itself, magnificent as it is in its\ngreatness, is nevertheless insignificant in comparison with the visible\nuniverse of which it is only so small a part.\n\n\"As there are other globes like our earth,\" says a popular author,\n\"so, too, there are other worlds like our solar system. There are\nself-luminous suns exceeding in number all computation. The dimensions\nof the earth pass into nothingness in comparison with the dimensions of\nthe solar system, and that system, in its turn, is only an invisible\npoint if placed in relation with the countless hosts of other systems\nwhich form, with it, clusters of stars. Our solar system, far from\nbeing alone in the universe, is only one of an extensive brotherhood,\nbound by common laws and subject to like influences. Even on the very\nverge of creation, where imagination might lay the beginning of the\nrealms of chaos, we see unbounded proofs of order, a regularity in the\narrangement of inanimate things, suggesting to us that there are other\nintellectual creatures like us, the tenants of those islands in the\nabysses of space.\n\n\"Though it may take a beam of light a million years [20] to bring to\nour view those distant worlds, the end is not yet. Far away in the\ndepths of space we catch the faint gleams of other groups of stars like\nour own. The finger of a man can hide them in their remoteness. Their\nvast distances from one another have dwindled into nothing. They and\ntheir movements have lost all individuality; the innumerable suns of\nwhich they are composed blend all their collected light into one pale\nmilky glow.\n\n\"Thus extending our view from the earth to the solar system, from\nthe solar system to the expanse of the group of stars to which we\nbelong, we behold a series of gigantic nebula creations rising up one\nafter another, and forming greater and greater colonies of worlds.\nNo numbers can express them, for they make the firmament a haze of\nstars. Uniformity, even though it be the uniformity of magnificence,\ntires at last, and we abandon the survey, for our eyes can only behold\na boundless prospect, and conscience tells us our own unspeakable\ninsignificance!\" [21]\n\nThat philosophy which considered the earth to be the immovable centre\nof the universe with sun, moon and stars performing a daily revolution\nabout it was not more erroneous than that which asserted the earth and\nthe universe to be instantaneously created about six thousand years\nago, out of nothing.\n\nThe doctrine that the earth and universe were created out of nothing,\nneed not detain us a moment. The absurdity of such a proposition is\nself-evident, and is becoming quite generally conceded.\n\nOf the idea that the earth and the heavens, by which I understand is\nmeant the universe, were created about six thousand years ago, it is\nonly necessary to say that the discoveries men made in astronomy led\nthem to question the correctness of that theory. Men have learned\nthat there is a progressive movement in light. That is, the rays of\nlight emitted by an object, \"and making us sensible of its presence\nby impinging on the eye, do not reach us instantaneously, but consume\na certain period in their passage. If any sudden visible effect took\nplace in the sun, we would not see it at the absolute moment of\nits occurrence, but about eight minutes later, this being the time\nrequired for light to cross the intervening distance.\" [22] It is said\nby astronomers that there are objects in the heavens so distant that\nit would take many hundreds of thousands of years--allowing that light\ntravels at the rate of 198,000 miles per second--for their light to\nreach us; and since we see them it necessarily follows that they have\nexisted so long. They, at least, were not created six thousand years\nago, but long before that time. If the orthodox theory was wrong as to\nthe time when those distant worlds were created, may it not be equally\nwrong concerning the age of the earth?\n\nOf course, it cannot be expected that in this work the writer can\ngive any extended review of the evidence which geology furnishes\nof the great age of the earth. It will be enough to say that when\nmen look upon the earth, and take note of those forces which today\nare producing the gradual changes in the structure of its islands,\ncontinents, mountain ranges and deltas, and then attribute the changes\nwhich have evidently taken place in the past to the operation of those\nsame forces, they see on all sides of them evidences of a very great\nantiquity for the origin of the earth.\n\nIt is generally conceded that all the heat we now have upon the surface\nof the earth comes from the sun; but this only effects the surface of\nthe earth to the extent of a few feet at most. It has been determined,\nhowever, by experiments so many times repeated, and in all parts of\nthe earth that it cannot be attributed to any merely local cause,\nthat beyond the few feet of the earth's surface affected by the sun's\nheat, a stratum of invariable temperature is discovered, beneath which\nas we descend, the heat increases at the uniform rate of one degree\nFahrenheit for every fifty or seventy feet. The uniformity of this rate\nimplies that at no great depth a very high temperature must exist. \"We\nhave every reason to believe,\" remarks Newcomb, \"that the increase of\nsay one hundred degrees a mile continues many miles into the interior\nof the earth. Then we shall have a red heat at a distance of twelve\nmiles, while at the depth of one hundred miles the temperature will be\nso high as to melt most of the materials which form the solid crust of\nthe globe.\" [23]\n\nThe globular form of the earth is also looked upon as evidence of its\noriginal fluidity; while the existence of volcanoes, found all over\nthe land, as well in the frigid as the torrid zone; in ocean beds as\nwell as in the interior of continents, proving that they are not merely\nlocal, or depend on restricted areas for the liquid lava they belch\nforth--are supposed to furnish indisputable evidence that the interior\nof the earth is now as its whole mass once was, white-hot, molten\nmatter.\n\nGranting that the whole earth was once such a ball of fire, the time\nfor the cooling of such a mass to the present depth of the earth's\ncrust would require a much longer period than the sometime orthodox\nview of the Bible account of creation allows. \"The age of the earth,\"\nremarks Draper, \"is not a question of authority, not a question of\ntradition, but a mathematical problem sharply defined; to determine the\ntime of cooling a globe of known diameter, and of given conductibility\nby radiation in a vacuum.\"\n\nIt would unquestionably require a great length of time for the thinest\nof crusts to form on such a globe; long ages for the immense clouds of\ngases and vapors in which the mass revolved to be separated into oceans\nand atmosphere. Then followed upheavals from the ocean's bed, some\ngradual, some abrupt--the mountains appeared, bleak and bare, dripping\nonly with the ocean's slime. Then came the action of atmosphere and\nfloods of rain upon them. Mountains were melted down and valleys\nformed. Then followed depressions and more upheavals; vast quantities\nof the interior lava were thrown to the surface through immense rents\nin the earth's thin crust, and in time cooled. The ocean receded here\nand advanced there, mountain chains, islands and continents were as\nunstable as clouds, when viewed in geological time. Constantly the\nearth's crust grew thicker and more stable as the mass of molten matter\nwithin was more securely confined.\n\nIn time vegetation appeared and so did animal life. Still the operation\nof depression and elevation went on, as is evident from the fact that\nimbedded in various strata of the earth's crust, at great depths, are\nfound the remains of animals whose species is long extinct; while on\nmountain tops are found imbedded in rocks in the region of perpetual\nsnow the fossil remains of animals that only inhabit the ocean.\n\nAll these changes, necessarily gradual and slow, require periods of\ntime so vast that the finite mind fails to grasp them. The book of\nnature, made up of the earth's crust, turn to what page of it you will,\n\"tells us of effects of such magnitude as imply prodigiously long\nperiods of time for their accomplishment. Its moments look to us as if\nthey were eternities. What shall we say when we read in it that there\nare fossiliferous rocks which have been slowly raised ten thousand\nfeet above the level of the sea so lately as since the commencement\nof the Tertiary times? * * * That, since a forest in a thousand years\ncan scarce produce more than two or three feet of vegetable soil, each\ndirt-bed is the work of hundreds of centuries? What shall we say when\nit tells us that the delta of the Mississippi could only be formed in\nmany tens of thousands of years, and yet that is only as yesterday when\ncompared with the date of the inland terraces? * * * If the depression\nof the carboniferous strata of Nova Scotia took place at the rate of\nfour feet in a century, there were demanded 375,000 years for its\ncompletion--such a movement in the upward direction would have raised\nMount Blanc. * * * It would take as great a river as the Mississippi\nmillions of years to convey into the Gulf of Mexico as much sediment as\nis found in those strata. Such statements may appear to us, who with\ndifficulty shake off the absurdities of the patristic chronology, wild\nand impossible to be maintained, and yet they are the conclusions that\nthe most learned and profound geologists draw from their reading of the\nbook of nature.\" [24]\n\nWhile not accepting all the conclusions of geologists, and certainly\nnot all their speculations--because they do not know what conditions\nhave existed in the past, nor can they be sure that the forces which\nthey now see operating are the only ones that have operated in all past\ntime--yet the evidence is very clear that the earth has a much greater\nage than was attributed to it by the orthodox explanations of the\nscriptural accounts of creation. It is now generally conceded that the\nsix creative days spoken of in Genesis are not six ordinary days, but\nsix long creative periods. So strong is the proof of the great age of\nthe earth, however absurd some of the conjectures of geologists may be\nconsidered, that no one undertakes to dispute it.\n\nThus the ideas of men as to the relation of the earth in time as well\nas its relation in space have been completely changed within the last\ncentury. Illimitable ages of duration corresponding to infinite space,\nleads up to a grander conception of the universe and prepares the mind\nfor a better comprehension of God and his works.\n\nSo far I have considered these changes in the ideas of men relative\nto the universe as they have been affected by the researches of\nscientists and speculative philosophers. It now remains to show that\nwhile these philosophers have been plodding their way through slow\ndiscovery and precarious conjecture towards the truth; wholly apart\nfrom them and independent of them, there sprang into existence a\nphilosophy pertaining to duration, space, matter, the earth's place in\nthe universe, the universe itself, the relation of man therein and the\nGods which, while running parallel with the truths that scientists have\ndiscovered, goes far beyond them, and demonstrates a divine inspiration\nas its source.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. \"Intellectual Development of Europe\" (Draper), Vol. ii. pp. 252-4.\n\n2. \"Intellectual Development,\" Vol ii. p. 255.\n\n3. \"Newcomb's Popular Astronomy,\" Introduction, p. 6.\n\n4. \"Intellectual Development,\" Vol. ii. p. 258.\n\n5. I have read with some attention the apology which Catholics make\nfor the church's harsh treatment of Galileo; but I have not yet found\na writer among Catholics who attempts a defense of the church in this\nBruno affair. Perhaps it is a credit to modern Catholics that they\nmake no such effort. The incident stands, however, as an evidence of\nCatholic intolerance and bigotry, and shows how the apostate church of\nRome had departed from the spirit of the Gospel of Christ.\n\n6. \"Intellectual Development,\" Vol. ii. p. 264.\n\n7. \"It moves however.\"\n\n8. Kepler was born near Stuttgard in Wurtemburg, 1571, died 1630.\n\n9. \"Gillet & Rolfe's Astronomy,\" p. 48.\n\n10. \"Newcomb's Astronomy,\" p. 422.\n\n11. Born 1724, died 1804.\n\n12. Born 1728, died 1777.\n\n13. \"Newcomb's Astronomy,\" p. 475.\n\n14. \"Newcomb's Astronomy,\" p. 476.\n\n15. \"Newcomb's Astronomy,\" p. 477.\n\n16. Johann Heinrich Madler, born 1794, died 1874.\n\n17. \"Newcomb's Astronomy,\" p. 466.\n\n18. \"Newcomb's Astronomy,\" p. 466-7.\n\n19. \"Newcomb's Astronomy,\" p. 466.\n\n20. And light travels at the rate of 198,000 miles per second.\n\n21. \"Draper's Intellectual Development of Europe,\" Vol. ii., p. 292-3.\n\n22. Intellectual Development of Europe, Vol. II., p. 299.\n\n23. Newcomb's Astronomy, p. 305.\n\n24. Intellectual Development of Europe, vol. ii, page 334.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXIX.\n\nEVIDENCE OF DIVINE INSPIRATION IN JOSEPH SMITH DERIVED FROM THE\nPROPHET'S TEACHING IN REGARD TO THE EXTENT OF THE UNIVERSE, MAN'S PLACE\nIN IT, AND HIS DOCTRINE RESPECTING THE GODS--CONTINUED.\n\nBefore entering into an exposition of those doctrines taught by Joseph\nSmith in respect to the construction of the universe, man's place in it\nand the Gods, it is necessary to remind the reader that the prophet was\nreared and spent his life in the midst of environments which utterly\nseparated him from all possible connection with the scientific thought\nof the age in which he lived. The western wilds of the state of New\nYork in the eighteen-twenties and thirties, the wilderness of Ohio,\nthe frontiers of Missouri and Illinois were not the centres of thought\non astronomy and other scientific subjects; nor was a man engaged in\nthe great affairs of a new and struggling religious society, hunted by\nhis enemies, often betrayed by men whom he trusted, and constantly on\nthe move, in any condition to give his attention to scientific thought\nhad he lived in the very centres of its agitation. Moreover, some of\nthe things that the prophet announced as revelation concerning the\nuniverse, the movements of planetary systems and their habitability are\nnot even yet commonly accepted by scientists. Only the most advanced of\nastronomers admit the possibility of these things, and that with great\ncaution. [1]\n\nI. Joseph Smith taught that space is infinite, and that there are no\noutside curtains to it--no limits--no place beyond its bounds. As it\nwas at creation's dawn so it is now and ever will remain, incapable\nof extension or contraction--a limitless vastness to which nothing\ncan be added by way of extension. It is without a centre, without a\ncircumference. Let reason, aided by the imagination, do all it can,\nno other conception regarding space can be formed. Astronomers tell\nus that between our earth and the sun there are ninety-two millions\nof miles of space. What is beyond the sun in a straight line from us?\nSpace. Ninety-two million miles of it? Aye, and if ninety-two millions\nof miles be multiplied by ninety-two millions, the space in a direct\nline from us beyond the sun would not begin to be measured!\n\nBut I am weary of measuring distances by such a paltry unit as a mile,\nlet us pluck a ray of light from the sun to aid us in our measurements.\nScientists tell us that in one beat of the pendulum a ray of light\nwould pass eight times round the circumference of the earth, or\n198,000 miles! Yet from _Alpha Centauri,_ the brightest star in the\nconstellation of the _Centaur_ and of the fixed stars the nearest to\nthe earth--it would take its light about three and a half years to\nreach us. \"It has also been estimated that it would take light over\nsixteen years to reach us from _Sirius,_ about eighteen years to reach\nus from _Vega,_ about twenty-five years from _Arcturus_ and over forty\nyears from the _Pole-Star_.\" [2]\n\nThese are stars whose distances from the earth have been carefully\nascertained. But if these stars nearest to the earth are at such an\nimmense distance from us that figures fail to convey to the mind any\nadequate idea of its immensity, what of those clusters of stars of\nwhich astronomers speak as only being visible through the most powerful\ntelescopes, and that are at such immeasurable distances that it would\nrequire a million of years for a ray of light to reach us from them!\n[3] So much space is between us and them--what is beyond those distant\ngroups of stars in a direct line from us? Space; and as much of it\non the other side of them as on this side; just as there is as much\nbeyond our earth in a straight line from them as there is between our\nearth and those distant groups of stars. But why attempt to describe\nthe infinite? It is a hopeless task; and as space is infinite, it is\nuseless to attempt to describe it. Let imagination fancy it as vast\nas it can, but it is still vaster than that. There are heights in it\nto which even in thought the mind cannot ascend; there are depths in\nit which imagination even cannot fathom. What is here set down is not\nwritten with the hope of describing space, but only to aid minds not\naccustomed to think upon such themes to mentally grasp the self-evident\ntruth that space is limitless. That to some minds may be a difficult\nthought, but it is more difficult to conceive bounds to space; and the\neffort to do so will result in bringing a consciousness of the truth\nthat space is absolutely without limits.\n\nII. In this limitless space Joseph Smith taught that there are\ninexhaustible quantities of matter; that matter is eternal; it always\nexisted, it always will exist in some form or other--some of it as\nsuns, earths and their satellites, and immeasurable quantities of it\nin unorganized masses, or thinly distributed throughout the immensity\nof space. As space cannot be extended or contracted, so the sum-total\nof matter cannot be increased by so much as an atom, nor can one\natom of it be destroyed. It may be put through innumerable changes,\norganized into worlds and systems of worlds, and then resolved again\ninto unorganized elements, but these changes neither increase the sum\ntotal of matter nor annihilate a single atom of it. He who asserts the\neternity of matter, at the same time asserts the impossibility of its\ncreation from nothing, and also its indestructibility.\n\nThe discovery of the immense quantity of matter in space by astronomers\ngoes far towards establishing the truth of its infinitude and eternity;\njust as their measurements of immense distances go far towards\nestablishing in the mind the conception that space is limitless.\n\nWhen the geocentric theory prevailed, men had only a very narrow\nconception of the amount of matter that really existed, just as they\nhad but a meagre conception of the extent of space. But when through\nthe successive speculation and discoveries of Cusa, Copernicus, Bruno\nand Galileo, the conception that the earth is the immovable centre\nof the universe to attend upon which the sun and all the stars were\ncreated, was displaced by the truth that the earth is but one of the\nsmaller of a number of planets that revolve around the sun; that the\nsun with its retinue of planets is but one of the stars that make up\nthe galaxy that spans the heavens--each of which is a sun and doubtless\nthe centre of a planetary system; [4] when the telescope increased to\nman's vision the number of such suns from five thousand visible to the\nnaked eye, to thirty or fifty millions, he began to be aware of the\nvast amount of matter distributed in space which makes up the visible\nuniverse.\n\nBut beyond the faintest stars that can be discerned, the telescope\nreveals the existence of masses of soft, diffused light of greater or\nless extent, to which astronomers have given the name of nebulae. Many\nnebulae which once were set down as masses of unorganized matter, when\nmore powerful telescopes were turned upon them, were resolved into star\nclusters, and for a time it was thought that all that was needed to\ndiscover that all nebulae were star clusters was still more powerful\ntelescopes. This opinion is now, however, abandoned, since another\nmeans of determining the character of these hazy patches of light\nexists, viz., the spectroscope. In 1846 it was discovered by Dr. John\nWilliam Draper, that the spectrum of an ignited solid is continuous,\nand as it was already known through the careful experiments of\nFraunhofer that the spectrum of ignited gases is discontinuous, a means\nwas furnished by the discovery of Dr. Draper for \"determining whether\nlight emitted by a given nebulae comes from an incandescent gas, or\nfrom a congeries of ignited solids, stars, or suns. If the spectrum be\ndiscontinuous, it is a true nebulae or gas; if continuous a congeries\nof stars.\" [5]\n\nObservations of nebulae by means of the spectroscope since this\ndiscovery have resulted in some of them giving discontinuous or\ngaseous spectre, others continuous ones; and accordingly the nebulae\nof the former class have been set down as true nebulae or gas, and\nthe latter as star clusters, too distant to be resolved by our most\npowerful telescopes into separate stars to the vision. The revelations\nof the spectroscope in this particular are accepted by scientists as\n\"demonstrating the existence of vast masses of matter in a gaseous\ncondition, and at a temperature of incandescence;\" and it is suggested\nby Draper that in some of those gleaming apparitions we see the\ngenesis, and in others the melting away of universes. However that\nmay be, the extended view of the amount and diversity of matter in\nspace afforded us by means of the discoveries of scientists through\nthe instrumentality of telescopes and spectroscopes, helps the mind to\ncomprehend the infinitude and eternity of it; and prepares the way for\nthe acceptance of the great truth announced in one of God's revelations\nto Joseph Smith--\"_There are many kingdoms; for there is no space where\nthere is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no\nspace, either a greater or a lesser kingdom_.\" [6]\n\nWhile on this subject of \"matter\" it may be as well to state that the\nprophet taught that \"There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All\nspirit is matter,\" said he, \"but it is more fine or pure, and can only\nbe discerned by purer eyes. We cannot see it; but when our bodies are\npurified, we shall see that it is all matter.\" [7]\n\nThat there is no such thing as \"immaterial matter\" is a self-evident\ntruth; and either we must affirm the materiality of spirit, or deny\nits existence; for what would an immaterial spirit be? the same as\nimmaterial fire or water or atmosphere. To say that any one of the\nsubstances named is immaterial is to deny its existence. If it shall be\nsaid that intelligence or love is immaterial, the answer would be that\nneither intelligence nor love is matter, but a property of matter--an\nattribute of spirits, just as motion or weight is a property of matter.\n\nRunning parallel with boundless space and limitless and eternal matter\nis eternal duration, according to the teaching of the prophet. Eternal\nduration of time is of that class of truths called \"necessary truths,\"\nbecause it is impossible to conceive the contrary; that is, we cannot\nconceive of duration having a beginning. Starting with today for a\nunit, I ask, what preceded it? Yesterday, I am answered. And what will\nfollow it? Tomorrow. What preceded this present year? Last year. And\nwhat will follow it? Next year. What preceded this present century?\nLast century. What preceded the present millennium? Last millennium.\nAnd what will follow it? Another millennium. So I might continue to\ngo on questioning and answering, constantly enlarging the periods,\nyet getting no nearer to the beginning of the past, nor to the end of\nfuture time. As in starting from any given point in space, and going\nwith the velocity of light or thought in opposite directions, would\nnever take us to the point where space is not extended, so starting\nfrom any given point in duration, and going in opposite directions,\nthough our mental strides be a million years each we should never\narrive at the beginning nor the end of time. It has neither, it is\neternal.\n\nOf course there is relative duration, which has a beginning and an end,\nsuch as the period between that moment, when the chaotic mass of matter\nout of which a solar system was made began to break up into rings and\ncondense into a sun and its planets and their satellites, and that\nmoment when it may be resolved again into such a mass. Such a period\nmay have a beginning and an end. There is also relative space which may\nhave a point where it begins and another where it ends, such as space\nbetween our earth and the sun. But I have been speaking of absolute\nspace and duration, not of relative, and the one is as limitless as the\nother is eternal.\n\nI shall be told that in all this there is nothing new; that the\nphilosophers, at least of the materialistic school, believe and teach\nall this. Be it so, they thus far teach the truth, at which they have\narrived by the slow and painful pathway of experiment and discovery.\nWholly separated from them and independent of them, the youthful\nprophet Joseph Smith learned the same truths by the inspiration of\nGod, and taught them to his followers fifty and sixty years ago in the\nwilderness of New York and Ohio. But he went beyond the philosophers as\nI am now to prove.\n\nFirst, Lambert and Madler, as we have seen, conjectured that the\nso-called fixed stars of our galaxy were each the centre of groups of\nplanets and with their retinue revolved about some greater centre,\nsomewhere in the universe. Lambert's conjectures provided opaque\ncentres, while Madler selected _Alcyone_ of the constellation Pleiades\nas the centre of the steller universe. Astronomers regard these\nconjectures as baseless speculation, but cannot deny the possibility\nof them. They say that such may be the plan on which the universe\nis constructed, but they have no proof of it. They admit that their\ndiscoveries prove a movement of the stars, but they are unable to\ndetermine its character. But what the speculative philosophers\nadvanced as conjecture and the working astronomers of today admit\nonly as possible, more than half a century ago Joseph Smith taught as\nrevelation from God. That is, he taught that among the stars commonly\ncalled fixed stars there are certain great ones which govern the\nsmaller ones in their times and revolutions, or are the centres about\nwhich they revolve; that there is pre-eminently one great central\nbody around which even these great ones with their attendant systems\nrevolve, and that this governs all the planetary systems of the order\nto which our earth belongs.\n\nTo put the statement in another form, for the sake of clearness, as\nthe eight planets with their attendant satellites which form our solar\nsystem revolve around the sun, so the sun with all his attendant\nplanets is one of a number of such systems which revolve around a still\ngreater centre; and that centre with its attendant systems is but one\nof a number of such systems which revolve around the pre-eminently\ngreat central body--to which reference has been made--that God has set\nto govern all those planetary systems that belong to the same order as\nour own.\n\nSecond, Joseph Smith taught that all these worlds and systems of worlds\nare under the dominion of law, by which they move in their times and\ntheir seasons; \"that their courses are fixed, even the courses of the\nheavens and the earth--which comprehend the earth and all the planets.\nAnd they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons,\nin their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in\ntheir months, in their years: all these are one year with God, but not\nwith man.\" [8] But while the prophet proclaimed the universal dominion\nof law, he also proclaimed that \"unto every law there are certain\nbounds also and conditions;\" [9] by which I understand that even law\nis governed by law. That as systems upon systems of universes rise one\nabove another, so also do the laws by which they are governed, so that\nwhich to us often seems a violation of law, is but the application of\nhigher laws of which we are wholly or in part ignorant.\n\nThird, the prophet taught that these worlds and systems of worlds, of\nwhich I have spoken, were inhabited. [10] The learned scientists of\ntoday in dealing with the question, \"are the innumerable worlds in the\nuniverse revealed to you by your powerful telescopes inhabited?\" can\nonly give as an answer a doubtful \"perhaps.\" One of the scientists,\na leading astronomer, thus gives his conclusions after a long review\nof the question: \"It seems, therefore, so far as we can reason from\nanalogy, that the probabilities are in favor of only a very small\nfraction of the planets being peopled with intelligent beings. But\nwhen we reflect that the possible number of the planets is counted by\nhundreds of millions, this small fraction may be really a large number,\nand among this number many may be peopled by beings much higher than\nourselves in the intellectual scale. Here we may give free rein to our\nimagination with the moral certainty that science will supply nothing\ntending either to prove or disprove any of its fancies.\" [11] This\nis the best that science can do. The habitability of other worlds to\nscience is a proposition more or less doubtful; but the teachings of\nthe Prophet Joseph are clear and positive upon the subject as far back\nas 1832. [12]\n\nFourth, the prophet taught that all these inhabitants had their own\ntimes and seasons, days and years, etc., according to the revolutions\nof the planets on which they reside. [13]\n\nFifth, that the Creator of all these worlds and systems of worlds will\nvisit them each in turn. The revelation which teaches this doctrine\nrefers to those worlds or planets that constitute the universe as\n\"kingdoms\" which the Lord likens unto a man having a field, \"and he\nsent forth his servants into the field to dig in the field; and he said\nunto the first, go ye and labor in the field, and in the first hour\nI will come unto you, and ye shall behold the joy of my countenance.\nAnd he said unto the second, go ye also into the field, and in the\nsecond hour I will visit you with the joy of my countenance; and also\nunto the third, saying, I will visit you; and unto the fourth; and so\non unto the twelfth. And the Lord of the field went unto the first\nin the first hour, and tarried with him all that hour, and he was\nmade glad with the light of the countenance of his Lord. And then he\nwithdrew from the first that he might visit the second also, and the\nthird and the fourth, and so on unto the twelfth; and thus they all\nreceived the light of the countenance of their Lord; every man in his\nhour, and in his time, and in his season, beginning at the first and\nso on unto the last, and from the last unto the first, and from the\nfirst to the last--every man in his order, until his hour was finished\neven according as his Lord had commanded him, that his Lord might be\nglorified in him, and he [the servant] in him [the Lord], that they all\nmight be glorified. Therefore unto this parable will I liken all these\nkingdoms [worlds] and the inhabitants thereof; every kingdom in its\nhour and in its time and in its season; even according to the decree\nwhich God hath made.\" [14]\n\nSixth, the prophet taught that the earth and the heavens at least as\nthey are now constituted, will pass away; that afterwards the earth\nwill be re-created and made an immortal or celestial world; and the\nrighteous inhabit it as an eternal abode. This is the language of\nthe revelation which teaches the doctrine--\"Verily I say unto you,\nthe earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the\nmeasure of its creation and transgresseth not the law. Wherefore it\nshall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be\nquickened, again and the righteous shall inherit it. [15]\n\n\"And the earth shall pass away so as by fire. * * * * And every\ncorruptible thing, both of man or the beasts of the field, or the fowls\nof the heavens, or the fish of the sea, that dwell upon all the face\nof the earth, shall be consumed; and also the elements shall melt with\nfervent heat; and all things shall become new, that my [the Lord's]\nknowledge and glory may dwell upon all the earth.\" [16] In a revelation\ngiven to Joseph Smith making known to him more fully the visions which\nthe Lord gave to Moses in the mount, and from which Moses wrote his\naccount of creation in the book of Genesis, the Lord is represented as\nsaying: \"And worlds without number have I created. * * * But only an\naccount of this earth and the inhabitants thereof give I unto you. For\nbehold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my\npower. * * * And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying, the heavens\nthey are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man, but they are\nnumbered unto me, for they are mine, and as one earth shall pass away,\nand the heavens thereof, even so shall another come; and there is no\nend to my work.\" [17]\n\nSeventh, the prophet taught that the \"earth in its sanctified and\nimmortal state will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and\nThummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things\npertaining to an inferior kingdom [world], or all kingdoms [worlds]\nof a lower order will be manifest to those who dwell on it;\" and that\nthrough the means of Urim and Thummim these inhabitants of the earth in\nits celestial state will learn of things pertaining to the higher order\nof kingdoms or universes. [18]\n\nThese doctrines concerning the earth and the universe will be found\nscattered through the revelations received by the prophet as quoted\nin the margin of the respective pages of this book devoted to their\nconsideration, except the first, which, from the importance of the\nmatter with which it deals, viz.: the movements of planetary systems\naround great centres, and these great centres with their attendant\nsystems around some pre-eminently great centre--as well as from the\npeculiar manner by which he came into possession of the information,\nrequires special consideration.\n\nThe construction and movements of the planetary systems herein\ndescribed as the teaching of the prophet Joseph Smith makes no\npretension to being new doctrine. The prophet rather proclaims that\nthe ancients were familiar with it. Such was the construction of\nthe universe as taught to the Egyptians by Abraham; and Joseph\nSmith learned it from the \"Book of Abraham,\" a record written by\nthat patriarch, and which came into the hands of the prophet in the\nfollowing manner:\n\nThe records were obtained from one of the catacombs in Egypt, near\nthe place where once stood the renowned city of Thebes, by a French\ntraveler named Antonio Sebolo, in the year 1831. He procured license\nfrom Mehemet Ali, the viceroy of Egypt, under the protection of\nChevalier Drovetti, the French Consul, in the year 1828. He employed\nfour hundred and thirty-three men; and after four months and two days'\nhard work, entered the catacomb June 7th, 1831, and obtained eleven\nmummies. There were several hundred mummies in the same catacomb; about\none hundred embalmed after the first order, and placed in niches,\nand two or three hundred after the second and third orders, and laid\nupon the floor or bottom of the ground cavity. The last two orders of\nembalmed were so decayed, that they could not be handled, and only\neleven of the first order found in niches were well enough preserved to\nbe removed.\n\nOn his way from Alexandria to Paris, Sebolo put in at Trieste, and,\nafter ten days' illness, died. This was in the year 1832. Previous to\nhis decease, he made a will of his whole collection of mummies to Mr.\nMichael H. Chandler (then in Philadelphia, Pa.), his nephew, whom he\nsupposed to be in Ireland. Accordingly the mummies were sent to Dublin,\nand Mr. Chandler's friends ordered them to New York, where they were\nreceived at the custom house in the winter or spring of 1833. In April\nof the same year, Mr. Chandler paid the duties, and took possession of\nhis treasures. [19] Up to this time they had not been taken out of the\ncoffins, nor the coffins opened. On opening the coffins, Mr. Chandler\ndiscovered that in connection with two of the bodies, was something\nrolled up with the same kind of linen, saturated with the same bitumen,\nwhich when examined, proved to be two rolls of papyrus, filled with\nhieroglyphics and characters or letters somewhat like the present form\nof the Hebrew. All the hieroglyphics were beautifully written with\nblack and a small part with red ink or paint. Two or three other small\npieces of papyrus with astronomical calculations, epitaphs, etc., were\nfound with the other mummies. Mr. Chandler traveled with his mummies\nexhibiting them and the rolls of papyrus in the principal cities of\nthe eastern states, and in July, 1835, arrived at Kirtland, where the\nability of Joseph Smith to translate ancient languages by a divine gift\nbeing known, Mr. Chandler submitted to him some of the characters,\nwhich the prophet translated.\n\nA few days later some of the Saints in Kirtland purchased the mummies\nand rolls of papyrus of Mr. Chandler; and the Prophet Joseph with W. W.\nPhelps and Oliver Cowdery acting as scribes commenced the translation\nof the rolls, when to their joy they found that one of them contained\nthe writings of Abraham, and the other of Joseph, who was sold into\nEgypt by his brethren. [20]\n\nAs soon as it was announced that the prophet had come into possession\nof another ancient record in the manner above described, it was rumored\nabout that he pretended to be in possession of the bodies of Abraham,\nAbimelech, the king of the Philistines, Joseph who was sold into\nEgypt, etc. These false rumors the prophet corrected by saying of the\nmummies which had so strangely come into his possession--\"Who these\nancient inhabitants of Egypt were, I do not at present say. Abraham was\nburied on his own possession in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of\nEphron, the son of Zohah, the Hittite, which is before Mamre, which he\npurchased of the sons of Heth. Abimelech lived in the same country,\nand for aught we know died there; and the children of Israel carried\nJoseph's bones from Egypt, when they went out under Moses; consequently\nthey could not have been found in Egypt in the nineteenth century.\"\n[21] Then follows the account of the finding of the record as already\nrecited in preceding paragraphs.\n\nSome parts of the \"Book of Abraham\" the prophet translated and\npublished, but if he translated the writings of Joseph they have not\nbeen published. From the fragments of the writings of Abraham thus\nbrought to light the prophet learned the construction of the universe\nthat I have set down in these pages. Abraham received his knowledge of\nthe wonderful works of God as seen in the planetary and stellar worlds\nby revelation from God through the Urim and Thummim, an instrument by\nmeans of which God revealed knowledge to the ancient patriarchs and\nprophets. [22] One of the principal passages in the writings of Abraham\nwhich teaches the principles of astronomy is as follows:\n\n\"And I, Abraham, had the Urim and Thummim, which the Lord my God had\ngiven unto me, in Ur of the Chaldees; and I saw the stars that they\nwere very great, _and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of\nGod; and the Lord said unto me, these are the governing ones; and the\nname of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me. * * * I\nhave set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order\nof that upon thou standest._ And the Lord said unto me, by Urim and\nThummim, that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its\ntimes and seasons in the revolutions thereof, that one revolution was a\nday unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand\nyears according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest.\nThis is the reckoning of the Lord's time, according to the reckoning of\nKolob.\" [23]\n\nIn this passage will be found the germ of that system of the\nconstruction and movement of planetary systems that make up the\nuniverse, set forth in the teachings of Joseph Smith. Here it may\nbe seen that there are many great stars--the \"governing ones,\"\nnear together, and from among them rises one pre-eminent in\ngreatness--Kolob--which governs all the rest that are of the same order\nas that to which our solar system belongs.\n\nFrom other fragments translated from the writings of Abraham on the\nroll of papyrus we learn that a star called by the Egyptians \"Oliblish\"\nstands next to Kolob--that it is the next grand, governing creation;\nthat it is equal to Kolob in its revolutions and in the measurement of\ntime; that it holds the keys of power as pertaining to other planets.\n[24]\n\nAnother governing star in this Abrahamic system is Enish-go-on-dosh,\n\"said by the ancient Egyptians to be the sun, and to borrow [receive]\nits light from Kolob through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash. * * *\nKae-e-vanrash is the grand key or governing power which governs fifteen\nother fixed planets or stars, as also the moon (Floeese), the earth\nand the sun in their annual revolutions. * * * Kae-e-vanrash receives\nits power through Kli-flos-is-es or Hah-ko-kau-beam. Kli-flos-is-es\nand Hah-ko-kau-beam receive their light from the revolutions of\nKolob.\" [25] From the foregoing it appears that our solar system, the\ngoverning planet of which--the sun--is known in this Abrahamic system\nas Enish-go-on-dosh, is governed by, or has for a centre around which\nit revolves a star known as Kae-e-vanrash. Kae-e-vanrash is governed\nby or has for a centre around which it revolves, together with its\nattendant systems of worlds, Kli-flos-is-es or Hah-ko-kau-beam; and\nthese two stars with their attendant systems are governed by or revolve\naround Kolob, the great centre of that part of the universe to which\nour planetary system belongs.\n\nOf course these names of governing stars are of but little importance\nto us at present because of our inability to identify them with those\n\"fixed\" stars known to us under other names; but this Abrahamic system\nof the construction of the universe and movement of planetary systems,\nrevealed to the world by Joseph Smith certainly presents the grandest\nideas of the scale on which the universe is constructed, and the power\nand majesty of the laws by which it is governed. It is true that Kant,\nLambert and Madler somewhat approached the Abrahamic system in their\nspeculations, but what they advanced as conjecture, the Prophet Joseph\nSmith taught as divine truth, as revelation.\n\nIt is over half a century since the Abrahamic system was first\nannounced by the prophet; and it is interesting to note the fact\nthat though the heavens have been constantly searched by powerful\ntelescopes during that time, nothing has yet been discovered which\nat all conflicts with it. On the contrary, as we have seen, much has\nbeen learned which tends to confirm it. What God has revealed on this\nmost important and interesting branch of knowledge far outstrips what\nscientists have learned or speculative philosophers have conjectured;\nand with confidence those who accept that revelation may watch the slow\nbut important discoveries of astronomers which will yet demonstrate the\ntruth of that system which God has revealed.\n\nIt represents the universe as planned on a scale so magnificent that\nit is worthy of the intelligence of a God as its Creator. Such ideas\nof the construction of the universe are worthy of revelation, they\ncarry with them by the very force of their grandeur the evidence of\ntheir truth; and when it is remembered that they were brought forth by\na young man wholly separated from the centres of scientific thought,\nunacquainted with the speculations of philosophers, and without any\nprevious knowledge of astronomy, it is not difficult to believe that\nhe received his knowledge of them from the writings of one inspired\nor taught of God; and that he himself was gifted with divine power to\ntranslate those ancient writings, and hence himself a prophet and seer\ninspired of God.\n\nAnother matter of interest to note is, as already observed, that this\nAbrahamic system of astronomy is not held up as a new idea of the\nconstruction of the universe, but is simply bringing to light again\nthe knowledge had among the ancients. In a preceding chapter I called\nattention to the fact that Copernicus in the preface of his work on the\nmovement of the heavenly bodies, complains against the imperfections\nof the geocentric theory and states that he _sought among ancient\nwriters for a better way, and so had learned the heliocentric doctrine\n[26]_--that is, that the sun was the center around which the earth\nmoved.\n\nAs another evidence that the idea of Copernicus concerning the\nstructure of the universe was known to the ancients and that he learned\nit from their writings, it is only necessary to say that when the\n\"Holy Inquisition\" on the 5th of March, 1616 A. D., issued its decrees\nagainst Galileo, it also condemned and denounced the whole Copernican\nsystem as \"_that false Pythagoran doctrine, utterly contrary to the\nHoly Scriptures_.\" [27]\n\nPythagoras was born about 540 B. C., most probably at Samosa, an island\nin the Aegean Sea. Despite the efforts of some eminent scholars to\nprove that the doctrines of Pythagoras were not of Egyptian origin,\nit is now quite generally conceded that they were. \"If it were not\nexplicitly stated by the ancients,\" says Draper, \"that Pythagoras lived\nfor twenty-two years in Egypt, there is sufficient internal evidence in\nhis story to prove that he had been there a long time. As a connoisseur\ncan detect the hand of a master by the style of a picture, so one who\nhas devoted attention to the old system of thought sees, at a glance,\nthe Egyptian in the philosophy of Pythagoras.\" [28]\n\nThe only thing, however, that now concerns me in his doctrines is\nthat part which relates to astronomy. However touched with fancy his\ntheory may have been, he did teach that the sun was the centre of\nthe planetary system, around which the earth with four other planets\nrevolved; [29] and in that one may see substantially the heliocentric\ntheory subsequently taught by Copernicus. It is clear from his own\nstatement that Copernicus learned the heliocentric doctrine from the\nancients, among whom doubtless was Pythagoras, who learned it from\nthe Egyptians, among whom he spent twenty-two years of his life. It\nonly now remains to prove that the Egyptians received their knowledge\nof astronomy from Abraham, in order to prove that indirectly the\nheliocentric theory, which has led to our modern notions of the\nconstruction of the universe, as well as the Abrahamic system of\nastronomy revealed to the world through Joseph Smith has one and the\nsame source--the revelations which the Lord gave to the Patriarch\nAbraham.\n\nThat Abraham was in Egypt is clear both from the Bible [30] and the\nwritings of Josephus. The latter after relating all that the Bible\ndoes, only in greater detail, adds to the account that the Egyptian\nking made Abraham a large present in money; \"and gave him leave to\nenter into conversation with the most learned among the Egyptians;\nfrom which conversation, his virtue and his reputation became more\nconspicuous than they had been before. For whereas the Egyptians were\nformerly addicted to different customs, and despised one another's\nsacred and accustomed rites, and were very angry one with another\non that account, Abraham conferred with each of them, and confuted\nthe reasonings they made use of, every one for their own practices,\nhe demonstrated that such reasonings were vain, and void of truth;\nwhereupon he was admired by them, in those conferences, as a very wise\nman, and one of great sagacity, when he discoursed on any subject he\nundertook; and this was not only in understanding it, but in persuading\nother men also to assent to him. He communicated to them arithmetic,\nand delivered to them the science of astronomy; for before Abraham came\ninto Egypt, they were unacquainted with those parts of learning; for\nthat science came from the Chaldeans into Egypt, and from thence to the\nGreeks also.\" [31]\n\nJosephus does not give his authority for this remarkable addition to\nthe Bible account of Abraham's sojourn in Egypt, but there can be\nno doubt of the correctness of his statement or of his sufficiency\nas authority for the fact. For, as remarked by Mr. William Osburn,\nauthor of the \"Monumental History of Egypt,\" \"Not only were the temple\nrecords of Egypt in existence at the time [when Josephus wrote his\nAntiquities], but the work of Josephus was itself specially addressed\nto the Greek and Egyptian philosophers of Alexandria as an apology\nfor his own nation. So that to have ventured upon a falsification of\nthe history of Egypt, thus disparaging to its ancient fame, and thus\nto the credit of his own hero, to antagonists perfectly competent to\nexpose it, and deeply interested in the exposure, would have been\nsheer insanity. It would hardly, therefore, be possible to produce a\nstatement better authenticated. We assume it, then, for an historical\nfact, that Abraham arrived in Egypt at a time when the monarchy\nwas convulsed by a fierce civil broil, arising out of religious\ndifferences, which was appeased during his sojourn there.\" [32] And\non the same authority, supported by the same reasoning, I also accept\nit as an historical fact that the patriarch taught the Egyptians\narithmetic and astronomy, from whence afterwards the Greeks learned\nsome fragments of the patriarch's teaching on the latter subject. [33]\nFrom the Book of Abraham we learn that the patriarch went into Egypt\nbecause he was commanded of God to go, and that for the express purpose\nof teaching the things he had learned concerning the heavens and the\nearth. [34]\n\nThe agreement of the statement of Joseph Smith that he learned what he\nknew of the construction of the universe from the writings of Abraham,\nfound as already described, in Egpyt--the agreement of this claim with\nthe historical fact that Abraham did, for a time, live in Egypt and\nteach the Egyptians a system of astronomy, is very strong presumptive\nevidence of its truth. It will appear the more so when Joseph Smith's\nlack of historical information at the time he first announced these\ndoctrines--as early as 1835--is taken into account. Still more will it\nappear when it is remembered that the fragments of astronomy learned\nby Pythagoras in Egypt is the foundation of the Copernican system,\nthe nucleus from which has been developed through the researches of\nour latter-day astronomers, our modern knowledge of the solar system\nand the plan of the construction of the universe. And when it is also\nremembered that those fragments as well as the system developed from\nthem are in accord with that fuller information that has come through\nthe medium of revelation to Joseph Smith. All this--these undesigned\ncoincidences--give direct evidence that in this man Joseph Smith\nthere was an excellent spirit of understanding, so extra-ordinary in\nits character that it can be referred to no other origin than the\nrevelations of God to him.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. See a recent article in the American press by Sir Robert Ball on\nthe \"Possibility of Life on Other Worlds,\" in which Sir Robert views\nthe present state of the question from a scientific standpoint, and\nonly conservatively admits the possibility of life on other worlds.\nHe concludes, however, thus: \"No reasonable person will, I think,\ndoubt that the tendency of modern research has been in favor of the\nsupposition that there may be life on some of the other globes.\"\n\n2. Gillet and Rolf's Astronomy pp. 364-5. \"In many instances it is\nbelieved that it would take the light of stars hundreds of years to\nmake the journey to our earth, and in some instances even thousands of\nyears.\"--_Ibid_.\n\n3. Draper's Intellectual Development Vol. II., p. 292. Also Newcomb's\nAstronomy p. 455-6.\n\n4. \"These distant suns are, many of them, much larger than our sun.\nSirus, the beautiful Dog-star, is (so far as can be judged by its\namount of light) nearly 3,000 times larger, and therefore its system\nof dependent worlds must be so much more important than those which\nform our solar system. Its planets may far exceed ours in size and\nrevolve at far greater distances; for such a sun would throw its beams\nof light and heat very much beyond a distance equal to that of our\nNeptune.\"--_Samuel Kinns,_ P. H. D, F. R. A. A. S., in \"Harmony of the\nBible with Science,\" second edition, p. 238.\n\n\"Man when he looks upon the countless multitudes of stars--when he\nreflects that all he sees is only a small portion of those which exist,\nyet that each is a light and life-giving sun to multitudes of opaque,\nand therefore invisible worlds--when he considers the enormous size of\nthese various bodies and their immeasurable distance from one another,\nmay form an estimate of the scale on which the world [universe] is\nconstructed.\"--\"Intellectual Development of Europe,\" Vol. II., p. 279.\n\n5. \"Draper's Intellectual Development of Europe,\" Vol. II., p. 283.\n\n6. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxxxviii: 37.\n\n7. Doc. and Cov. Sec. cxxxi. See also an article on the absurdities of\nImmaterialism, by Elder Orson Pratt; and Doc. and Cov. Sec. xciii: 29,\n33-35.\n\n8. Doc. and Cov., Sec. lxxxviii: 36, 42-44.\n\n9. _Ibid,_ verse 38.\n\n10. Doc. and Cov. Sec. lxxxviii: 45-6.\n\n11. Newcomb's Astronomy, p. 531.\n\n12. Doc and Cov., Sec. lxxxviii: 45-61. The revelation was given\nDecember, 1832. See also Doc. and Cov., Sec. cxxx: 4, 8.\n\n13. Doc. and Cov., Sec. cxxx: 4, 5.\n\n14. Doc. and Cov., Sec. lxxxviii: 51-61.\n\n15. _Ibid,_ verses 25, 26.\n\n16. Doc. and Cov., Sec. ci: 24, 25.\n\n17. Pearl of Great Price, p. 5, 6, 1888 edition. A noted author and\nscientist states essentially the same truth in the following manner:\n\"The multiplicity of worlds in infinite space leads to the conception\nof a succession of worlds in infinite time. This existing universe,\nwith all its splendors, had a beginning, and will have an end; it had\nits predecessors, and will have its successors; but its march through\nall its transformations is under the control of laws as unchangeable\nas destiny. As a cloud which is composed of myriads of separate\nand isolated spherules of water so minute as to be invisible, on a\nsummer's afternoon changes its aspect and form, disappearing from\nthe sky, and being replaced in succeeding hours by other clouds of a\ndifferent aspect and shape, so the universe, which is a cloud of suns\nand worlds, changes in the immensity of time its form and fashion,\nand that which is temporary with us is only an example of countless\ncombinations of a like kind, which in ancient times have, one after\nanother, vanished away. In periods yet to come the endless succession\nof metamorphoses will still go on, a series of universes to which there\nis no end.\"--\"Intellectual development of Europe,\" Vol. II., p. 336.\n\n18. Doc. and Cov., Sec. cxxx: 9, 10.\n\n19. This account of how Mr. Chandler came into possession of the\nmummies is of course given by himself; and for its accuracy the Prophet\nJoseph is in no way responsible.\n\n20. History of Joseph, _Millennial Star,_ Vol. xv., p. 296.\n\n21. History Joseph Smith, _Millennial Star,_ Vol. xv., p. 550.\n\n22. See Exodus xxviii: 30; Lev. viii: 8; Num. xxvii: 21; Deut, xxxiii:\n8; I. Sam. xxviii: 6; Ezra ii: 63; Neh. vii: 65.\n\n23. Pearl of Great Price, p. 58, 59. 1888 Edition.\n\n24. Reynolds' \"Book of Abraham, a Divine and Ancient Record,\" p. 30.\n\n25. Book of Abraham, circular disc, plate 2. See also Elder George\nReynolds' \"Book of Abraham, a Divine and Ancient Record,\" p. 30.\n\n26. Intellectual Development, Vol. II. p. 255.\n\n27. Intellectual Development, Vol. II. p. 263.\n\n28. Intellectual Development, Vol. I. p. III.\n\n29. Intellectual Development, Vol. I. p. 116-117.\n\n30. Genesis xii.\n\n31. Antiquities of the Jews, Bk. I. ch. viii.\n\n32. Monumental History of Egypt, Vol. I. p. 37.\n\n33. Josephus in another place repeats his assertion that the Greeks\nlearned their knowledge of celestial things of the Egyptians by\nsaying: \"But then for those that first introduced philosophy, and the\nconsideration of things celestial and divine among them [the Greeks]\nsuch as Pherecydes, the Syrian, and Pythagoras and Thales, all with one\nconsent agree, that they learned what they knew of the Egyptians and\nChaldeans, and wrote but little.\" Josephus against Apion, Bk. I.\n\n34. \"Book of Abraham,\" Pearl of Great Price, p. 61.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXX.\n\nEVIDENCE OF DIVINE INSPIRATION IN JOSEPH SMITH DERIVED FROM THE\nPROPHET'S TEACHING IN REGARD TO THE EXTENT OF THE UNIVERSE, MAN'S PLACE\nIN IT AND HIS DOCTRINE RESPECTING THE GODS--CONCLUDED.\n\nWe are to turn now from the contemplation of the universe to consider\nman's place in it, and the doctrine in relation to the Gods as taught\nby Joseph Smith.\n\nWhether man be viewed from the standpoint of his relationship to\nother animals, the beauty and majesty of his physical organism, the\nsuperiority of his intellectual endowments, or the sublimity of his\nspiritual aspirations, something will be found in each that argues for\nhim a special place in the universe. It is true that many animals in\ntheir physical organism are stronger than man; some are swifter; others\nkeener of sight or smell, and still others are of more acute hearing;\nbut in none is there found that combination which renders man superior\nto them all. Which of the animals, however strong, or fierce, has he\nnot subdued? Some yield their strength, and others their speed to serve\nhim; others still please him with their beauty, or yield a useful\nproduct for his comfort; while all pay him homage by yielding to his\nsway.\n\nNor has man been content with obtaining dominion over the animal\ncreation alone. Gradually he is mastering the elements and extending\nhis dominion over all the earth. The winds and ocean currents have\nlong been his servants; the lightning bears his messages; the element\nof fire is made to serve him in a thousand ways; steam propels his\nchariot; distance he well nigh annihilates; he weighs the earth in\nhis balances; measures the distances of the sun and the stars, tells\nthe substances of which they are composed and the mathematical laws\nby which they are governed. As one thus even partially reviews man's\nachievements and considers the mastery he has obtained alike over the\nanimal creation and the forces of nature--with the poet he exclaims:\n\"What a piece of work is man! how noble in reason! how infinite in\nfaculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action, how\nlike an angel! in apprehension, how like a God! the beauty of the\nworld! the paragon of animals!\"\n\nWell might the Psalmist say--addressing himself to God: \"What is man\nthat thou art mindful of him? And the Son of man that thou visitest\nhim? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast\ncrowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over\nthe works of thy hands, thou hast put all things under his feet.\" [1]\n\nThese favors granted to man by the Creator, no less than his\nsuperiority to all other creatures of earth, proclaim for him a special\nplace in the universe; and according to the teachings of Joseph Smith,\nboth the superiority of his endowments and the special favors that he\nenjoys, arise out of his relationship to the Deity.\n\nThe prophet taught that the spirits of men before they tabernacled in\nbodies of flesh and bone on this earth had an existence with God in\nanother world; that God is the Father of their spirits, Jesus Christ\nbeing the firstborn. [2] That existence was a tangible one; it involved\nthe realities of life in the heavenly kingdom or family. Each spirit\nthere was as much an entity as each man is in this present life.\nEach spirit there had its agency as each man has it here; and was at\nliberty to take that course it elected to pursue. [3] \"At the first\norganization in heaven,\" says the prophet, \"we were all present, and\nsaw the Savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made, and\nwe sanctioned it.\"\n\nSome spirits went so far in the exercise of their agency as to rebell\nagainst God. Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, did so, and drew away\nwith him one-third of the hosts of heaven, and they became the devil\nand his angels. [4] This is not only the teaching of Joseph Smith, but\nalso of the Bible. [5]\n\nOne thing, however, Joseph Smith taught which, as far as I know, the\nBible does not teach, viz, that these spirits in their pre-existent\nestate attained unto a variety of degrees of intelligence and nobility\nof character. In the Book of Abraham, quoted in my last chapter, it is\nwritten: \"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences\nthat were organized before the world was: and among all these there\nwere many of the noble and great ones; and God saw these souls that\nthey were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said, These\nI will make my rulers, for he stood among those that were spirits, and\nhe said unto me, Abraham, thou art one of them, thou wast chosen before\nthou wast born.\" [6]\n\nHow beautiful is this doctrine! how reasonable! how many problems it\nexplains! What light it throws upon the life and character of man!\nNotwithstanding the great influence of parentage and environment upon\ncharacter, we may understand now how it is that in spite of indifferent\nparentage and vicious environments some characters arise that are\ntruly virtuous and great, and that purely by the strength of that\nintelligence and nobility to which their spirits had attained in the\nheavenly kingdom before they took bodies upon earth. Their grandeur of\nsoul could not all be suppressed by environment in this life, however\ninauspicious for their development. As the sun struggles through clouds\nand mists that at times obscure his brightness, so these spirits,\nstirred by their innate nobility, breaking through all disadvantages\nattendant upon ignoble birth and iron fortune, rise to their native\nheights of true greatness.\n\nIf a wider survey be taken of mankind, and those advantages and\ndisadvantages under which whole generations, nations and races of men\nhave lived be taken into account; if the fact of their pre-existence\nbe considered in connection with that other fact that the spirits of\nmen before coming to this earth were of unequal intelligence and of\nevery degree of nobility; if it be remembered that in that pre-existent\nstate all spirits had a free agency, and that they there manifested\nall degrees of fidelity to truth and righteousness, from those who\nwere valiant for the right to those who were utterly untrue to it\nand rebelled against God; if it be further remembered that doubtless\nin this earth-life these spirits are rewarded for their faithfulness\nand diligence in that pre-existent state--if all this, I say, be\nconsidered, much that has perplexed many noble minds in their effort to\nreconcile the varied circumstances under which men have lived with the\njustice and mercy of God, will disappear.\n\nThe doctrine of the pre-existence of spirits, as also their\nrelationship to Deity, is beyond all doubt a scriptural doctrine; but\nit seems to have been reserved for the Prophet Joseph Smith to give\nclearness and force to it. The fatherhood of God, and its necessary\ncorollary, the brotherhood of man, are trite phrases much in fashion in\nthese modern days; but it is questionable if they have conveyed to the\nminds of men any definite ideas of the actual relationship of father\nand son existing between man and Deity. In the mouths of sectarians\nthe phrases under discussion have always been employed to express some\nmystic or indefinite relationship not clearly explained or explainable.\nIt was reserved, I repeat, for the great modern prophet to give these\nphrases reality. He declared the relationship to be as real as that\nexisting between any father and son on earth; that man's spirit was\nactually the offspring of Deity--\"A spark struck from his own eternal\nblaze.\" With him the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man were\nnot mere abstractions more or less beautiful, but a reality. The words\ntaught by the Savior of men to his disciples as the proper mode of\naddress to Deity--\"Our Father, who art in heaven\"--are not meaningless\nverbiage, but express the true relationship of man and God.\n\nInspired by these teachings a disciple at Nauvoo, fifty years ago,\ncomposed and the Saints still sing the following invocation to the\nHeavenly Father and Mother:\n\nO my Father, thou that dwellest\n\nIn the high and glorious place!\n\nWhen shall I regain thy presence,\n\nAnd again behold thy face?\n\nIn thy holy habitation,\n\nDid my spirit once reside:\n\nIn my first primeval childhood,\n\nWas I nurtured near thy side.\n\nFor a wise and glorious purpose\n\nThou hast placed me here on earth,\n\nAnd withheld the recollection\n\nOf my former friends and birth;\n\nYet oft-times a secret something\n\nWhispered, \"You're a stranger here;\"\n\nAnd I felt that had wandered\n\nFrom a more exalted sphere.\n\nI had learned to call thee Father,\n\nThrough thy Spirit from on high;\n\nBut, until the Key of Knowledge\n\nWas restored, I knew not why.\n\nIn the heavens are parents single?\n\nNo; the thought makes reason stare!\n\nTruth is reason; truth eternal\n\nTells me, I've a mother there.\n\nWhen I leave this frail existence,\n\nWhen I lay this mortal by,\n\nFather, Mother, may I meet you\n\nIn your royal court on high?\n\nThen, at length, when I've completed\n\nAll you sent me forth to do,\n\nWith your mutual approbation\n\nLet me come and dwell with you. [7]\n\nThe pre-existence of man's spirit and its relationship to Deity having\nbeen disposed of, I must now refer to the prophet's teaching on the\nsubject of man's future existence and the possibilities which lie\nbefore him in the course of the eternities.\n\nJoseph Smith taught the literal resurrection of the body, and its\nimmortality. He declared that the same sociability which exists\namong us here will exist among us in that future life, only it will\nbe coupled with eternal glory which now we do not enjoy. [8] On one\noccasion he said: \"I will tell you what I want. If tomorrow I shall be\ncalled to lie in yonder tomb, in the morning of the resurrection let\nme strike hands with my father and cry, 'My father,' and he will say,\n'My son, my son!' * * * Would you think it strange if I related what I\nhave seen in vision in relation to this interesting theme? Those who\nhave died in Jesus Christ may expect to enter into all that fruition of\njoy, when they come forth, which they possessed or anticipated here. So\nplain was the vision that I actually saw men before they had ascended\nfrom the tomb, as though they were getting up slowly. They took each\nother by the hand, and said to each other: 'My father, my son, my\nmother, my daughter, my brother, my sister.' And when the voice calls\nfor the dead to arise, suppose I am laid by the side of my father, what\nwould be the first joy of my heart? To meet my father, my mother, my\nbrother, my sister; and when they are by my side, I embrace them and\nthey me. * * * The expectation of seeing my friends in the morning of\nthe resurrection cheers my soul and makes me bear up against the evils\nof life. It is like their taking a long journey, and on their return we\nmeet them with increased joy.\" [9]\n\nThe prophet also taught that the relationships formed in this life were\nintended to be eternal, not excluding that of husband and wife, with\nall its enduring affections. He taught that the marriage covenant which\nbinds man and woman as husband and wife should be made for eternity,\nand not until \"death doth them part.\" To be made for eternity, however,\nthe marriage covenant must be entered into with that object in view,\nand sealed and ratified by God's authority on earth--even by the holy\npriesthood, that authority which binds on earth and in heaven, in time\nand in eternity; which also looses on earth and in heaven--in time and\nin eternity. Otherwise such covenants are of no efficacy, virtue or\nforce in and after the resurrection from the dead. The house of God\nis a house of order, and it is useless to hope that covenants made\nuntil death shall overtake the contracting parties will endure in\neternity; or that covenants entered into for eternity, unless sealed\nby the authority of God, will be of binding force in and after the\nresurrection from the dead.\n\nI wish to be perfectly understood here. Let it be remembered that the\nProphet Joseph Smith taught that man, that is, his spirit, is the\noffspring of Deity; not in any mystical sense, but actually; that man\nhas not only a Father in heaven, but a Mother also. And when I say\nthat the prophet taught that the resurrection is a reality, that the\nrelationship of husband and wife is intended to be eternal, together\nwith all its endearing affections, I mean all that in its most literal\nsense. I mean that in the life to come man will build and inhabit, eat\ndrink, associate and be happy with his friends; and that the power of\nendless increase will contribute to the power and dominion of those who\nattain by their righteousness unto these privileges.\n\nWhat a revelation is here! As I have remarked elsewhere, [10] instead\nof the God-given power of pro-creation being one of the chief things\nthat is to pass away, it is one of the chief means of man's exaltation\nand glory in that great eternity, which like an endless vista stretches\nout before him! Through it man attains to the glory of the endless\nincrease of eternal lives, and the right of presiding as priest and\npatriarch, king and lord over his ever increasing posterity. Instead of\nthe commandment, \"Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth,\"\nbeing an unrighteous law, it is one by means of which the race of\nthe Gods is perpetuated, and is as holy and pure as the commandment,\n\"Repent and be baptized.\" Through that law, in connection with an\nobservance of all the other laws of the gospel, man will yet attain\nunto the power of the Godhead, and like his Father--God--his chief\nglory will be to bring to pass the eternal life and happiness of his\nposterity.\n\nIf anyone shall say that such views of the life to come are too\nmaterialistic; that they smack too much of earth and its enjoyments, my\nanswer is, that if it be inquired what thing has contributed most to\nman's civilization and refinement, to his happiness and dignity, his\ntrue importance, elevation and honor in life, it will be found that the\ndomestic relations in marriage, the ties of family, of parentage, with\nits joys, responsibilities, and affections will be selected as the one\nthing before all others. And those relations and associations which\nhave contributed so much to man's true progress and refinement in this\nworld may be trusted not to degrade him in the life that is to come. On\nthe contrary, with all the affections chastened, with all the qualities\nof the mind improved, and the attributes of the soul strengthened, we\nmay reasonably hope that what has done so much for man in this life\nwill contribute still more abundantly to his happiness, his exaltation\nand glory in the life which is to come.\n\nOne other point I must not omit to mention. I know how like sacrilege\nit sounds in modern ears to speak of man becoming a God. Yet why should\nit be so considered? Man is the offspring of Deity, he is of the same\nrace and has within him--undeveloped, it is true--the faculties and\nattributes of his Father. He has also before him an eternity of time\nin which to develop both the faculties of the mind and the attributes\nof the soul--why should it be accounted a strange thing that at last\nthe child shall arrive at the same exaltation and partake of the same\nintelligence and glory with his Father? If Jesus Christ, \"being in the\nform of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God,\" [11] why\nshould it be considered blasphemous to teach that man by faith and\nrighteousness in following the counsels of God, shall at last become\nlike him, and share his power and glory, being a God, even a son of God?\n\nI grant you the height from our present position looks tremendous;\nyet it is not impossible of attainment, since we have eternity in\nwhich to work. Stand by the cradle of a new-born babe and contemplate\nit. Within that little body of organized pulp--with eyes incapable\nof distinguishing objects; legs unable to bear the weight of its\nbody--without the power of locomotion; hands over whose movements it\nhas no control; ears that hear but cannot distinguish sounds; a tongue\nthat cannot speak--yet within that helpless little tabernacle, what\npowers lie dormant! Within that germ in the cradle are latent powers\nwhich only require time for their unfolding to astonish the world. From\nit may come the man of profound learning who shall add something by\nhis own wisdom to the sum-total of human knowledge. Perhaps from that\ngerm will come a profound historian, a poet or eloquent orator to sway\nthe reason and passions of men, and guide them to better and purer\nthings than they have yet known. Or a statesman may be there in embryo;\na man whose wisdom shall guide the destiny of the state or perhaps\nwith God-like power rule the world! If from such a germ as this in the\ncradle may come such an unfolding of power as we see in the highest and\nnoblest manhood, may it not be, that taking that highest and noblest\nmanhood as the germ, that from it may come, under the guiding hand\nof our Father in heaven, a still more wonderful unfolding, until the\ngerm of the highest and noblest manhood shall develop into a God? The\ndistance between the noblest man and the position of God is greater,\nperhaps, than that between the infant in the cradle and the highest\ndevelopment of manhood; but if so, there is a longer time--eternity--in\nwhich to arrive at the result; and God and heavenly influences instead\nof human parents and earthly means to bring to pass the necessary\ndevelopment.\n\nThis doctrine makes very clear some of the sayings of the scripture,\n\"Now are we the sons of God,\" said the Apostle John, \"and it doth not\nyet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he [Christ] shall\nappear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is; and every\nman who hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.\"\n[12] We can see now some meaning in the exhortation of Jesus--\"Be ye\ntherefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.\"\n[13] \"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,\neven as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.\"\n[14]\n\nAll these sayings give us reason to believe that man may become as\nChrist and God are; that he may walk in their footsteps, become like\nthem and inherit the same glory with them. The Prophet Joseph Smith\ncorrected the idea that God that now is was always God: \"We have\nimagined,\" said he, \"and supposed that God was God from all eternity,\nI will refute that idea, and will take away the vail so that you can\nsee. * * * It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a\ncertainty the character of God and to know that we may converse with\nhim as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like\nus; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth the\nsame as Jesus Christ himself did. * * * The scriptures inform us that\nJesus said: 'As the Father hath power in himself, even so hath the Son\npower'--to do what? Why, what the Father did. The answer is obvious--in\na manner, to lay down his body and take it up again. Jesus, what are\nyou going to do? To lay down my life, as my Father did, and take it up\nagain. Do you believe it? If you do not believe it, you do not believe\nthe Bible.\" [15] * * * God himself was once as we are now, and is an\nexalted Man and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. That is the great\nsecret. If the vail was rent today and the great God who holds the\nworld in its orbit, and upholds all worlds and all things by his power,\nwas to make himself visible--I say were you to see him today, you would\nsee him like a man in form--like yourselves, in all the person, image\nand very form as a man, for Adam was created in the very fashion,\nimage and likeness of God, and received instruction from and walked\nand talked, and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with\nanother.\"\n\n\"* * * Here, then, is eternal life--to know that only wise and true\nGod and you have got to learn how to become Gods yourselves, and to\nbe kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before\nyou--namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a\nsmall capacity to a great one, from grace to grace, from exaltation to\nexaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are\nable to dwell in everlasting burnings and to sit in glory, as do those\nwho sit enthroned in everlasting power.\" [16]\n\nBut if God the Father was not always God, but came to his present\nexalted position by degrees of progress as indicated in the teachings\nof the prophet, how has there been a God from all eternity? The answer\nis that there has been and there now exists an endless line of Gods,\nstretching back into the eternities, that had no beginning and will\nhave no end. Their existence runs parallel with endless duration, and\ntheir dominions are as limitless as boundless space. These truths led\none of the disciples of the prophet to write:\n\n  If you could hie to Kolob,\n    In th' twinkling of an eye,\n  And then continue onward,\n    With that some speed to fly,\n\n  D'ye think that you could ever,\n    Through all eternity,\n  Find out the generation\n    Where Gods began to be?\n\n  Or see the grand beginning,\n    Where space did not extend?\n  Or view the last creation,\n    Where Gods and matter end?\n\n  Methinks the Spirit whispers--\n    \"No man has found 'pure space,'\n  Nor seen the outside curtains\n    Where nothing has a place.\n\n  \"The works of God continue,\n    And worlds and lives abound;\n  Improvement and progression\n    Have one eternal round.\"\n\nThese conceptions of man's origin and future development and glory\ninvolve the idea of a plurality of Gods--a doctrine somewhat startling,\nperhaps, to modern ears, since men in our times have been taught to\nlook upon it as sacrilege to speak or think of more than one God. But\nsince modern Christianity finds itself so far separated from other\ntruths of the gospel, may it not find itself wrong in this? What means\nthat expression in Genesis where, speaking of the creation of man, God\nis represented as saying: \"Let _us_ make man in _our_ image, after\n_our_ likeness?\" [17] Is it not a fair inference that he addressed\nhimself to other Gods who were present? In the account of the creation\ngiven in the Book of Abraham the plural is used throughout--\"And the\nGods prepared the earth to bring forth the living creatures.\" \"And the\nGods took counsel among themselves and said, 'Let us go down and form\nman in our image, after our likeness,'\" etc.\n\nPassing by many other expressions in the Old Testament that convey the\nidea of the existence of a plurality of Gods, I take up the preface\nto the gospel according to St. John: \"In the beginning was the Word,\nand the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the\nbeginning with God.\" It is generally conceded that the \"Word\" here\nspoken of as being with God in the beginning is Jesus Christ. If any\ndoubt existed that Jesus is referred to, it would be dispelled by the\nfourteenth verse of the same chapter, in which the preface occurs: \"And\nthe Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory,\nthe glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and\ntruth.\"\n\nHere, then, at least is an account of two Gods--one of which dwelt\nwith the other in the beginning, and one--the Word--afterwards came to\nthe earth, was made flesh and dwelt on earth with men and was known as\nJesus of Nazareth.\n\nWhen Jesus--the Word--was baptized in Jordan, as he came out of the\nwater, the heavens opened, the Spirit of God descended upon him, and\nlo, a voice from heaven said: \"This is my beloved Son in whom I am well\npleased.\" [18] Here there appears on the scene again two Gods--the\n\"Word\" and doubtless the God with whom the \"Word\" had dwelt in the\nbeginning. In other words here was God the Father, and God the Son,\nboth present, yet both distinct and separate--two Gods. [19]\n\nIn the greeting to the seven churches of Asia, which John embodies\nin his preface to the Apocalypse he says: \"Grace be unto you * * *\nfrom Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness. * * * Unto him that\nloved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made\nus kings and priests _unto God and his Father;_ to him be glory and\ndominion forever and ever. Amen.\" [20] I call special attention to the\nwords written above in _italics--\"unto God and his Father,\"_ which can\nonly mean God and the Father of God, which certainly conveys the idea\nof a plurality of Gods. [21]\n\nI have not space here to consider such expressions--with which the\nscriptures abound--as \"The Lord God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords;\"\n[22] \"The Lord, God of Gods, the Lord, God of Gods, he knoweth, and\nIsrael he shall know if it be in rebellion,\" etc. [23] \"O give thanks\nto the God of Gods * * * O give thanks to the Lord of Lords.\" [24] \"And\nshall speak marvelous things against the God of Gods.\" [25] \"The Lamb\nshall overcome them: for he is Lord of Lords and king of kings.\" [26]\n\nSuch expressions I know would be worthless as evidence in the matter\nunder discussion if found in the mouths of heathen kings and prophets\nwho are sometimes represented as speaking in the Bible; but the\nexpressions here carefully selected are found on the lips of Moses, of\nthe children of Israel, David, Daniel, and the Apostle John; and coming\nas they do from recognized and divinely authorized servants of God,\nthey are important as not only upholding but proclaiming the idea of a\nplurality of Gods.\n\n\"I and my Father are one,\" said Jesus on one occasion. \"Then the Jews\ntook up stones again to stone him.\"\n\n_Jesus_--\"Many good works have I showed you from my Father, for which\nof those works do ye stone me?\"\n\n_The Jews_--\"For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and\nbecause that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.\"\n\n_Jesus_--\"Is it not written in your law, I said ye are Gods? If he\n[that is, God who gave the law] called them Gods unto whom the word of\nGod came, _and the scripture cannot be broken;_ say ye of him, whom\nthe Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, thou blasphemest;\nbecause I said I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father\nbelieve me not.\" [27]\n\nLet it be observed that in the above conversation when Jesus was\naccused of making himself God, he did not deny the charge; but on the\ncontrary, called their attention to the fact that God in the law he had\ngiven to Israel had said to some of them--\"ye are Gods.\" And further,\nJesus argued, if those unto whom the word of God came were called Gods\nin the Jewish law, and the scripture wherein the fact was declared\ncould not be broken, that is, the truth denied or gainsaid--why should\nthe Jews complain when he, too, that is Christ, who had been especially\nsanctified by God the Father, called himself the Son of God?\n\nOn another occasion Jesus said to the Pharisees: \"What think ye of\nChrist? whose son is he?\"\n\n_Pharisees_--\"The son of David.\"\n\n_Jesus_--\"How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying--The Lord\nsaid unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thy foes thy\nfootstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?\" [28]\n\nThe Pharisees could make him no answer, nor dared they question him\nfurther. All that concerns me in the passage is to note that one God is\nrepresented as saying to another--\"Sit thou upon my right hand until I\nmake thy foes thy footstool--and that clearly proves the existence of\nmore than one God.\"\n\nNo higher authority than this can be cited in support of any\ntheological doctrine. These conversations of Jesus with the Jews so\ncompletely prove that Jesus himself taught the existence of a plurality\nof Gods, that there can be no questioning it.\n\nI shall be told, however, that Paul expressly says: \"There is none\nother God but one.\" That statement taken alone would seem conclusive;\nbut considered in connection with its context, which explains it, it\nwill be found in harmony with all the passages here produced to prove\na plurality of Gods. The single statement quoted above is immediately\nfollowed by these words: \"For though there be that are called Gods,\nwhether in heaven or in earth (as there be Gods many, and Lords many);\nbut to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and\nwe in him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we\nby him.\" [29]\n\nFrom this it appears that there be many that are called Gods both in\nheaven and in earth. Had the reference to many Gods and many Lords\nbeen confined to these that are called such in the earth, the force of\nthe passage might have been broken somewhat by the probability that\nreference was made to the false gods of the heathens; but when we\nare told that \"there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in\nearth,\" by which I understand that there are those that are called Gods\nboth in heaven and in earth, Christians will not claim that the many\nGods spoken of as being in heaven are false Gods.\n\nBut still the apostle teaches that to us there is but one God, the\nFather; and one Lord, Jesus Christ. So also taught the prophet Joseph.\n[30] He taught that there was but one God to whom it was proper for us\nto pay divine honors in worship--God, the Father--the Father of Jesus\nChrist, and of whom the Holy Ghost is the witness. And these three, in\nthe teachings of the great modern prophet, as in the teachings of the\nJewish scriptures, constitute one Godhead, or Grand Presidency to whom\nalone man owes allegiance to be expressed in divine worship. But this\ndoes not strike out of existence the many other Gods and Lords that\nlive and have dominion in other universes and worlds, any more than it\nstrikes out of existence other kings and emperors of this world, when\nwe say that to the British subject there is but one sovereign to whom\nhe owes allegiance.\n\nIf the phrase \"Grand Presidency\" be substituted for Godhead; and\n\"President\" for God, we shall have a nomenclature that will better\nconvey correct ideas to the mind respecting the Gods than that now\nin common use. How, then, would the teaching of the Prophet Joseph\nrespecting the Gods rise to meet the conceptions of the extent and\ngrandeur of the universe, both as now known to our scientists and\nas revealed through the prophet himself! An infinitude of worlds\nand systems of worlds rising one above the other in ever-increasing\nsplendor in limitless space and eternal duration, would have, as a\nconcomitant, an endless line of exalted men, to preside over and within\nthem as Priests, Kings, Patriarchs, Gods! Nor is there confusion,\ndisorder, or strife in their vast dominions; for they all govern upon\nthe same righteous principle that characterizes the government of God\nthe Father. The Gods have attained unto the excellence that Jesus\nprayed for in behalf of his apostles and those who might believe on\ntheir word, when he said: \"Holy Father, keep through thine own name\nthose whom thou hast given me, _that they may be one as we are._ * * *\nNeither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe\non me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father,\nart in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; * * * and\nthe glory which thou givest me, I have given them; that they may be one\neven as we are one.\" [31]\n\nIf that prayer does not contemplate the apostles and those who believe\non their words becoming like God the Father and Jesus Christ; sharing\ntheir glory and their power; becoming one with them as they are now one\nwith each other, hence becoming as they are--Gods!--then the language\nis without meaning, and is hollow mockery, the meaningless verbiage of\none who knew not what he was saying. But Jesus knew for what he was\npraying; and he knew that he was not asking in behalf of his apostles\nand those who would believe on their words the unattainable. He was but\nasking for them that glory and excellence and exaltation to which many\nhad already attained in other worlds.\n\nI say the Gods had attained unto that excellence of oneness that Jesus\nprayed his disciples might possess, and since the Gods have attained\nunto it, and all govern their worlds and systems of worlds by the\nsame spirit and upon the same principles, there is a unity in their\ngovernment that makes it one even as they are one. Let worlds and\nsystems of worlds, galaxies of systems and universes extend as they may\nthroughout limitless space, Joseph Smith has revealed the existence of\na government which while characterized by unity is still co-extensive\nwith them. Let duration, as to the past, be without beginning--yet\nJoseph Smith has revealed the great truth that in the beginningless\nduration there has existed always an endless succession of exalted\nmen, called Gods. Let duration, as to the future be without end,--let\nthe end of time be as remote as the beginning of time, which it is,\nfor neither exists--yet Joseph Smith has revealed the great truth that\nin that endless future, new worlds, systems of worlds and universes\nwill be created from the exhaustless store of eternal matter, and\nmade the habitation of the ever increasing posterity of the Gods. Let\nno one fear--there is room for all this multiplying and increasing\nin limitless space. Let no one fear--there is material for all these\nworlds and systems of worlds in the exhaustless store of eternal matter\ndistributed throughout limitless space. Let no one fear--there is time\nenough in endless duration to accomplish all that God has decreed\nthrough his prophet pertaining to the perfecting and exalting of our\nrace.\n\nNor will this exaltation of man detract from the majesty and exaltation\nof the Gods. Joseph Smith's doctrine does not degrade Deity, it merely\npoints out the future exaltation of man. The glory of God does not\nconsist in his being alone in his greatness, but in sharing that\ngreatness and his intelligence and glory with others. It is a case\nwhere the more is given the richer he becomes who gives, because he\nis constantly widening the circle of his own power and dominion.\nAs the glory of earthly parents is increased by having beautiful,\nintelligent children, capable of attaining to the same intelligence,\ndevelopment and standing as the parents, so the glory of the heavenly\nparent--God--is added unto by having sons who shall attain unto the\nsame honor and exaltation as himself, and who shall be worthy of\nsharing his power and glory and everlasting dominion.\n\nWhat glory is here! What honor! What exaltation! What thrones,\nprincipalities, kingdoms, dominions, powers! What incentive to right\nliving! What encouragement to struggle against weaknesses and make war\nfor righteousness against the flesh, the world and the devil! Well may\nthe Apostle say--when speaking of this doctrine--\"_And every man that\nhath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he [Christ] is pure_.\"\n[32]\n\nThis is the doctrine of the great modern prophet Joseph Smith--the\ntestimony of the New Witness for God. And in the sublimity of\nthe doctrine; in the grandeur of it; in the noble aspirations a\ncontemplation of it inspires in the soul of man, may be seen the\nevidence of divine inspiration in him who re-announced it to the world.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. Psalm viii.\n\n2. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xciii.\n\n3. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xciii: 29-31.\n\n4. Doc. and Cov. Sec. xxix: 36-38, also Pearl of Great Price p. 14.\n(1888 Edition.)\n\n5. See Rev. xii: 7-12. II. Peter ii: 4. Jude vi.\n\n6. Pearl of Great Price p. 62.\n\n7. The hymn was composed by Eliza R. Snow Smith, wife of the prophet.\n\n8. Doc. and Cov. sec. lxxxviii. 26-34; see also sec. lxxvi. and cxxx.\n\n9. History of Joseph Smith, _Millennial Star,_ vol. xxi., p. 6.\n\n10. Outlines of Ecclesiastical History, p. 435.\n\n11. Phillippians ii. 6.\n\n12. I. Epist. John iii. 2, 3.\n\n13. Matt. v. 48.\n\n14. Rev. iii. 21.\n\n15. The argument here made by the prophet is very much strengthened by\nthe following passage: \"The Son can do nothing of himself, but what\nhe seeth the Father do: for what things soever he (the Father) doeth,\nthese also doeth the Son likewise.\" St. John v. 19.\n\n16. From a discourse preached by Joseph Smith at Nauvoo, April 7th,\n1844. _Millennial Star,_ vol xxiii, pp. 245-248.\n\n17. Gen. i. 26.\n\n18. Matt. iii. 16, 17.\n\n19. The prophet Joseph, referring to this matter, says: \"I wish to\ndeclare I have always, and in all congregations when I have preached\non the subject of the Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods. It\nhas been preached by the elders for fifteen years. I have always\ndeclared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and\ndistinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was\na distinct personage and a spirit; and these three constitute three\ndistinct personages and three Gods. If this is in accordance with the\nNew Testament, lo, and behold! We have three Gods anyhow, and they are\nplural; and who can contradict it?\" _Millennial Star,_ vol. xxiv. p.\n108.\n\n20. Rev. i. 1-6.\n\n21. Commenting on this text the prophet said: \"If Jesus Christ was the\nSon of God, and John discovered that God, the Father of Jesus Christ,\nhad a Father, you may suppose that _he_ had a Father also. Where was\nthere ever a son without a father? And where was there ever a father\nwithout first being a son? Whenever did a tree or anything spring into\nexistence without a progenitor? And everything comes in this way. Paul\nsays that that which is earthly is in the likeness of that which is\nheavenly. Hence, if Jesus had a Father, can we not believe that _he_\nhad a Father also? I despise the idea of being scared to death at such\na doctrine, for the Bible is full of it.\" _Millennial Star,_ vol xxiv.,\np. 109.\n\n22. Deut, x. 17.\n\n23. Josh. xxii. 22.\n\n24. Psalms cxxxvi. 2, 3.\n\n25. Dan. xi. 36.\n\n26. Rev. xvii. 14.\n\n27. John x. 30-37.\n\n28. Matt. xxii. 41, 45. Also Psalms cx. I.\n\n29. I. Cor. viii. 4, 6.\n\n30. On the passage under consideration the prophet remarked: \"Paul\nsays there are Gods many and Lords many--I want to set it forth in\na plain and simple manner--but to us there is but one God--that is,\n_pertaining_ to us; and he is in all and through all. But if Joseph\nSmith says there are Gods many and Lords many, they cry, 'Away with him!\nCrucify him! Crucify him!' * * * Paul, if Joseph Smith is a blasphemer,\nyou are. I say there are Gods many, and Lords many, but to us only one;\nand we are to be in subjection to that one.\" _Millennial Star,_ vol.\nxxiv. p. 108.\n\n31. St. John, xvii.\n\n32. \"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that\nwe should be called the Sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us\nnot, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the Sons of God; and\nit doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall\nappear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every\nman that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.\"\nFirst Epistle of John, iii: 1-4.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXI.\n\nTHE EVIDENCE OF MARTYRDOM.\n\nThe highest evidence that one man can give another of friendship is\nthat he sacrifices his life for him. \"Greater love hath no man than\nthis,\" said Jesus, \"that a man lay down his life for his friends.\"\n[1] When a man does that he gives all that he has, and hence can give\nno more. The highest evidence of sincerity that a man can give his\nfellow-men--the highest proof that he has spoken the truth in any given\ncase--is that he perseveres in it unto death, and seals his testimony\nwith his blood. When he does that he affixes the broadest possible seal\nto that of which he testified, and henceforth the truth so testified of\nmust be in force in all the world.\n\nSo important did such a testimony become in the estimation of Paul that\nhe said: \"_Where_ a testament is there must also of necessity be the\ndeath of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead:\notherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.\" [2]\nIn the light of this principle, and when the importance of the great\ntestimony which he bore to the world is taken into account, it is not\nto be wondered at that Joseph Smith was called upon to affix the broad\nseal of martyrdom to his life's work. Something of incompleteness in\nhis work would likely have been complained of had this been lacking;\nbut now, not so; his character of prophet was rounded out to complete\nfullness by his falling a martyr under the murderous fire of a mob at\nCarthage, in the State of Illinois.\n\nThe circumstances attendant upon the prophet's death, briefly told,\nare as follows: The extreme bitterness of his enemies culminated in\nthe spring and early summer of 1844, in a charge against himself as\nmayor of Nauvoo, and some members of the City Council, of riot in\nsuppressing in their official capacity a scurrilous and libelous paper\nknown as the _Nauvoo Expositor._ A warrant for the arrest of Joseph\nSmith and the City Council was issued by a Mr. Morrison, justice of\nthe peace, at Carthage, and made returnable to the justice at Carthage\n\"or some other justice of the peace.\" Mr. Smith and the City Council\nbeing assured that it was unsafe for them to go to Carthage, insisted\nupon being taken before \"some other justice of the peace,\" as provided\nin the warrant. To this the constable refused to assent, whereupon\nthe parties under arrest applied for a writ of _habeas corpus_ made\nreturnable before the municipal court of Nauvoo. A hearing was granted\nand the case dismissed. Subsequently, however, at the instance of Judge\nThomas, the circuit judge of the judicial district which included\nNauvoo, Joseph and the City Council submitted to a new trial on the\nsame charge before Squire D. H. Wells, a justice of the peace, and were\nagain acquitted. But the course pursued by the mayor and City Council\nwas declared to be resistance to the law by the prophet's enemies, and\nwas made use of to influence the public mind against the saints.\n\nMobs assembled about Carthage and the work of violence was inaugurated\nby kidnapping, whipping and otherwise abusing the saints living in\nthe outlying districts of Nauvoo. For protection the people thus\nassailed fled to Nauvoo, and this was heralded abroad as the massing\nof the Mormon forces. The Governor of the State--Thomas Ford--was kept\ninformed of all that was transpiring in Nauvoo by the city authorities,\nand in answer to the question, \"What course shall we pursue in the\nevent of an armed mob coming against the city,\" he replied that Joseph\nSmith was Lieutenant-General of the Nauvoo Legion, and it was his duty\nto protect the city and surrounding country, and issued orders to that\neffect. Thus declared, qualified and directed to act by the Governor\nof the State, the Nauvoo Legion was called together and measures were\ntaken for the defense of the city; and as the mob forces grew bolder\nevery day, Nauvoo was at last placed under martial law.\n\nMeantime the mob forces were active in making misrepresentations to\nthe Governor, until finally in his perplexity he resolved on visiting\nthe scenes of the disturbances, and for that purpose went to Carthage.\nHere he was met by a delegation from Nauvoo--Elder John Taylor [3] and\nDr. John M. Bernhisel [4]--to represent the mayor and City Council.\nThey presented to him a full statement of the case and submitted all\nthe documents. The Governor was of the opinion that in order to prove\nto the people that the saints were willing to submit to the law, it\nwould be best for Joseph Smith and all concerned in the destruction\nof the _Expositor_ to come to Carthage for examination. Elder Taylor\ncalled the Governor's attention to the fact that they had already\nbeen examined before two competent courts and acquitted; that they\nhad fulfilled the law in every particular, and that their enemies had\nmurderous designs and were only making use of this matter to get Joseph\nSmith into their power. The Governor, however, insisted that the proper\nthing for the prophet to do was to come to Carthage.\n\nElder John Taylor then stated that in consequence of the excitement\nprevailing, it would be extremely unsafe for Joseph Smith and his\nfriends to come to Carthage; that they had men and arms to defend\nthemselves, but if their forces and those of the enemy should be\nbrought into close proximity the most probable result would be a\ncollision. In reply to this the Governor \"strenuously advised us,\"\nsays Elder Taylor, \"not to bring our arms, _and pledged his faith as\nGovernor, and the faith of the State, that we should be protected, and\nthat he would guarantee our perfect safety._\"\n\nAs soon as the delegation returned from Carthage a meeting of the\nprophet and a few of his friends was called and the demands of the\nGovernor considered. It was finally determined that it would be unsafe\nfor the Prophet Joseph to go to Carthage, and he himself felt inspired\nto go west. He crossed the Mississippi that night, and expected to\ncontinue his journey as soon as arrangements could be perfected.\n\nSome of the prophet's \"friends,\" when they learned of his determination\nto leave Nauvoo and seek an asylum for the church in the west, accused\nhim of taking the part of the unfaithful shepherd, who, when the wolves\nwere about to come upon the flock, was taking to flight. They entreated\nhim to return and give himself up, trusting to the pledges of the\nGovernor for a fair trial. Influenced by these entreaties and stung by\nthe charge of cowardice from those who should have known better and\naided his flight, the prophet said: \"If my life is of no value to my\nfriends, it is of none to myself,\" And against his own better judgment,\nand with the conviction in his soul that he would be killed he resolved\nto return. He besought his brother Hyrum to leave him, but nothing\ncould induce Hyrum to forsake the prophet. Having stood by him through\nwell nigh all the storms of his career, it was not in Hyrum Smith's\nnature to forsake the prophet in the darkest hour of his life.\n\nArriving at Nauvoo, the prophet promptly sent a message to Governor\nFord that he would be at Carthage next day. Early next morning the\nprophet and a company of his friends set out for Carthage. _En route_\nthey met Captain Dunn, an officer of the militia of the state, with\na requisition from the Governor for the state arms in possession of\nthe people of Nauvoo. He earnestly entreated the prophet to return to\nNauvoo with him, thinking doubtless that his task would be easier of\naccomplishment if the prophet was present, and Joseph Smith complied\nwith the request. It was on the occasion of meeting Captain Dunn's\ncompany, some four or five miles out of Carthage, that Joseph uttered\nthese prophetic words: _\"I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but\nI am calm as a summer's morning. I have a conscience void of offense\ntoward God and toward all men. I shall die innocent, and it shall yet\nbe said of me, 'he was murdered in cold blood.'\"_\n\nHyrum Smith that morning before leaving Nauvoo, and in spite of an\nassumed cheerfulness, also left evidence that the fate awaiting his\nbrother and himself at Carthage had been foreshadowed in his mind. He\nread a passage in the Book of Mormon, near the close of the twelfth\nchapter of Ether:\n\n\"And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give\nunto the Gentiles grace that they might have charity, and it came to\npass that the Lord said unto me, if they have not charity it mattereth\nnot unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore thy garments shall\nbe made clean, and because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be\nmade strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have\nprepared in the mansions of my Father. _And now I bid farewell unto the\nGentiles, yea, and also to my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet\nbefore the judgment seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my\ngarments are not spotted with your blood_.\"\n\nOn this passage he turned down the leaf, and there it is to this day, a\nsilent witness that he, too, knew that he was \"going like a lamb to the\nslaughter!\"\n\nThe state arms secured as per the requisition of Governor Ford, the\nprophet and his friends, attended by Captain Dunn's company of militia,\nset out again for Carthage, where they arrived about midnight. One\nmilitia company encamped on the public square--the Carthage Greys--were\naroused by the passing cavalcade, and gave vent to ominous threats and\na volley of imprecations.\n\nThe next morning Joseph Smith and a number of the Nauvoo City Council\nappeared before a justice of the peace in Carthage, and were bound over\nto appear before the circuit court at its next session on a charge\nof riot. No sooner, however, was this matter so adjusted than Joseph\nand Hyrum Smith were arrested on a charge of treason against the\nstate at the instance of Henry O. Norton and Augustine Spencer--men\nof no character, and whose words were utterly unreliable. They were\narbitrarily thrust into prison, where they were at last completely at\nthe mercy of their enemies. The friends of the prophet protested to the\nGovernor against such treatment, but to no purpose. Governor Ford was\nsorry that the thing had occurred--he did not believe the charge, but\nthought the best thing to do would be to let the law take its course.\n\nThe day following, the 26th of June, there was a long interview between\nthe prophet and the governor in the prison. All the difficulties that\nhad arisen in Nauvoo were related by Joseph and the action of himself\nand associates explained and defended. In concluding the conversation\nthe prophet said: \"Governor Ford, I ask for nothing but what is\nlegal; I have a right to expect protection at least from you; for\nindependent of law, you have pledged your faith and that of the state\nfor my protection, and I wish to go to Nauvoo.\" \"And you shall have\nprotection, General Smith,\" replied the Governor. \"I did not make this\npromise without consulting my officers, who all pledged their honor to\nits fulfillment. I do not know that I shall go tomorrow to Nauvoo, but\nif I do, I will take you along.\"\n\nThe next day--the ever memorable 27th of June-the Governor broke the\npromise he had made to Joseph Smith the day previous, viz: that if\nhe went to Nauvoo he would take him along. He disbanded the militia\nexcept a small company he detailed to accompany him to Nauvoo, and\nthe Carthage Greys, a company composed of the very worst enemies the\nprophet and his friends had--these he left to guard the prisoners! It\nwas the public boast of the disbanded militia that they would only\ngo a short distance from the town and then after the Governor left\nfor Nauvoo they would return and kill the prophet. When this fact was\nstated to the Governor by Dan Jones, one of the Elders of the Church,\nwho heard the boasts, Governor Ford replied, that Jones was over\nanxious for the safety of his friends.\n\nThe events of that day proved that the boasts of the prophet's enemies\nwere not idle. About five o'clock in the afternoon the prison was\nsuddenly surrounded by an armed mob, of from one hundred and fifty\nto two hundred persons. They forced the prison doors and ruthlessly\nmurdered the brothers Smith. Hyrum was shot first and fell, calmly\nsaying, \"I am a dead man!\" For a moment the prophet bent over the\nprostrate form of Hyrum, and said, \"Oh! my poor, dear brother Hyrum!\"\nThen instantly rising to his feet he stepped to the half-open door,\nthrough which the mob was firing their guns, and discharged at them a\npistol left in his hands that morning by Cyrus Wheelock, one of the\nbrethren who had visited him in prison. He then turned from the door\nand attempted to leap from the window; as he did so he was shot and\nfell to the ground, exclaiming, _\"Oh Lord, my God!\"_ Instant terror\nseized his murderers and they fled.\n\nBy the side of the well-curb just under the window from which he had\nhalf leaped, half fallen--the sands of the young prophet's life ebbed\naway, and another soul was added to the number under the altar \"that\nwere slain for the word of God and the testimony which they held.\"\n\nJoseph Smith was innocent of any crime; his death was the direct result\nof that bitter and relentless persecution which had followed him from\nthe time the Lord first appeared to him and made him a prophet to the\nnations; and in his death, so tragic, and so pitiful, he affixed a\nbroad seal to the message he bore to the world--a seal that makes his\ntestimony of binding force--\"For where a testament is, there must of\nnecessity be the death of the testator; for a testament is of force\nafter men are dead!\" Not in vain fell the prophet! Not in vain did his\nblood make crimson the soil of the great state of Illinois! It was\nfitting that the prophet of the great Dispensation of the Fullness of\nTimes should complete his great work by sealing his testimony with his\nblood, that his martyr-cry _\"Oh Lord, my God!\"_ might mingle with the\nmartyr-cries of so many of the prophets who, like him, were sent to\nbear witness for God.\n\nMy task draws to a close--and yet I take my leave of it with regret\nrather than joy; for I have learned to love the holy theme; and now\nthat I must think of it as a task completed, instead of having it the\nsweet companion of my daily thought, and care, and joy, brings more\nof sadness than of gladness, and I part with it as I would with some\ndear friend whose affections and interests and very life had become\ninterlocked with my own. Moreover, I know that this book goes out into\na world that has little sympathy with it, and harsh treatment may await\nit as harsh treatment was meted out to God's New Witness, of whom this\nvolume is a vindication, in that it bears testimony to the divinity of\nhis mission. But whatever the character of the reception accorded this\nbook, harsh treatment or cold neglect, the author is confident that the\ntime will come when the world will listen with respectful attention to\nthe message delivered by Joseph Smith.\n\nAnd now let me say in conclusion--it is a fact; the world did need a\nNew Witness for God; the church of Christ was destroyed; there was an\napostasy from the Christian religion so complete and universal as to\nmake necessary a new dispensation thereof; the ancient prophets of God\ndid foretell the coming forth in the last days of a new dispensation\nof the gospel--which was to be preached to all the world; God has sent\nforth his angel with that new dispensation of the gospel; God did\nraise up a New Witness for himself and divinely commissioned him to\npreach the gospel, administer its ordinances and speak in his name, and\nhas given to the world abundant evidence of the divine authority and\ninspiration of that Witness--THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH.\n\nTHE END.\n\nFootnotes\n\n1. John xv: 13.\n\n2. Heb. ix: 16, 17.\n\n3. John Taylor subsequently became the President of the Church,\nsucceeding Brigham Young in 1877.\n\n4. Dr. Bernhisel afterwards was Utah's Delegate in Congress for a\nnumber of terms.\n\n\n\nTHE WORKS OF B. H. ROBERTS.\n\nA NEW WITNESS FOR GOD.\n\nA work of 486 pages, treating of the divinity of the mission of the\nProphet Joseph Smith. The Committee appointed by the First Presidency\nto read the manuscript of this work before it was published--viz.\nElders Franklin D. Richards, George Reynolds and John Jaques--say in\ntheir report:\n\n\"Your committee, to whom you referred the consideration of Elder B.\nH. Roberts's new work entitled \"A New Witness for God,\" respectfully\nrepresent, that they have read it with great care and believe it to\nbe a valuable addition to our church literature. They find nothing\ntherein calling for adverse criticism but to the contrary find that\nit is orthodox and consistent with our teachings. There is harmony in\nits chapters which gives much strength to its arguments, all of which\npoint directly to the evidences, first of the need of a New Witness\nfor God, and next that Joseph the Prophet was that witness. The truths\nare emphasized on lines of reasoning different from those common to\nour elders which carries to the work a freshness and an interest\nthat will, we think, attract students and develop in our youth and\nothers an increased love for the study of the great Latter-day work.\nBrother Roberts' work collates and condenses a large amount of useful\nand important information historical and theological which is often\nnot readily accessible to the Elders and members of the Church, but\nwhich tends to broaden their views and enlarge and enlighten their\nunderstanding of various vital matters connected with the gospel of\nour Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.\" Full coth $1.75, Full leather gilt\n$2.75, post-paid. Geo. Q Cannon & Sons Co., Salt Lake City, Utah.\n\nSUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH.\n\nA pamphlet of 125 pages, uniform in type and page with the \"New\nWitness\" and the author's \"Outlines of Ecclesiastical History.\" It\nwas written to refute the false claims of the so called \"Re-organized\nChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,\" or the \"Josephite\nChurch.\" It is a work with which every Elder and member of the Church\nshould be familiar. Price, paper cover 30 cts; full cloth 55 cts; full\nleather 75 cts. Deseret News Company, Salt Lake City, publishers.\n\nOUTLINES OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.\n\nA work now so well known that it is only necessary to say that a second\nedition is just issued by Cannon & Sons Company, Salt Lake City. The\nbook is especially dedicated to the seventies, but is valuable to all\nstudents of this department of knowledge, and will be of great service\nto all quorums of the priesthood, the Mutual Improvement Associations\nand advanced theological classes in Sunday Schools. Full cloth $1.75.\nFull leather gilt, $2.75, post paid. Cannon & Sons Company, publishers,\nSalt Lake City, Utah.\n\nTHE GOSPEL.\n\nAn exposition of the first principles thereof. The second edition\nof this book, revised and enlarged, is now out, to which the author\nhas added a supplement on the subject of \"Man's Relationship to\nDeity.\" \"The Gospel\" by Elder B. H. Roberts answers more questions\narising among young missionaries in the space devoted to the\nexposition of the first principles, than any work yet published among\nus.\"--_Contributor._ Cannon & Sons Co., publishers.\n\nLIFE OF JOHN TAYLOR.\n\nThird President of the Church of Jesus Christ, in the Dispensation\nof the Fullness of Times, is a handsome volume of four hundred and\nsixty-eight pages, and containing ten illustrations finely executed,\nand the portrait of President John Taylor as the frontispiece. These\nare all well executed, and the steel engraving of the subject of the\nwork is a striking and pleasing likeness.\n\n_Deseret News:_--\"The literary ability displayed in the book is to be\nhighly commended. The volume is from the pen of Elder B. H. Roberts,\nand he has treated his theme in an able manner. The interest of the\nreaders is maintained throughout. The life of President Taylor abounded\nwith incidents of uncommon import. They are presented in forcible and\npleasing style. The language is simple yet eloquent, and not overloaded\nwith rhetoric.\" Price, full cloth, $2.50; half leather, $3.00; full\nleather, $4.00; Morrocco, extra gilt, $5.00.\n\nANNOUNCEMENT.\n\nTHE MISSOURI PERSECUTIONS AND THE RISE AND FALL OF NAUVOO.\n\n--This book will doubtless be published during the next year. It will\nbe a reproduction in book form of a series of articles, by Elder\nRoberts, published some years ago in the _Contributor._ The articles\nwill be carefully revised and enlarged, and will relate in greater\ndetail the story of those stirring times than any other publication\namong us. It is the intention to have the work beautifully illustrated.\nThe author visited all the places in Missouri and Illinois where the\nChurch located and therefore adds the charm of description of places,\nto the narration of events that transpired.\n\nTHE BOOK OF MORMON AS A WITNESS FOR GOD\n\nis also in course of preparation and will be a companion volume to\nthe work now issued under the title of \"A New Witness for God.\"\nIncidentally the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon will be\nthoroughly considered.\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Note\n\nSome obvious printer's errors in the original, including numerous\nwords with missing, substituted, or extra letters, have been\ncorrected as seemed appropriate.","title":"A New Witness for God (Volume 1 of 3)","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":145124}