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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e523f99 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #50536 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/50536) diff --git a/old/50536-h.zip b/old/50536-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index bb9dee5..0000000 --- a/old/50536-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50536-h/50536-h.htm b/old/50536-h/50536-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 83fad1a..0000000 --- a/old/50536-h/50536-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7189 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> -<html> -<head> - -<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> - -<title> -The Project Gutenberg E-text of Gospel Themes, by Orson F. Whitney -</title> -<link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg"> -<style TYPE="text/css"> -body { color: Black; background: White; margin-right: 10%; margin-left: 10%; - font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify } - -h1 { text-align: center } - -h2 { text-align: center; padding-top: 15%; } - -h3 { text-align: center } - -h4 { text-align: center } - -p.chapterHeading { margin-right: 20%; margin-left: 20%} - -img {display: block; margin-left: auto; - margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 1%; margin-right: auto; } - -.pagenum { position: absolute; left: 1%; font-size: 95%; text-align: left; text-indent: 0; - font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-variant: normal; } - -.centered {text-align: center} - -.right {text-align: right} - -sup { font-size: 60%} - -.sidenote { right: 0%; font-size: 80%; text-align: right; text-indent: 0%; width: 17%; - float: right; clear: right; padding-right: 0%; padding-left: 1%; padding-top: 1%; - padding-bottom: 1%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-variant: normal; } -</style> - -</head> - -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Gospel Themes, by Orson F. Whitney - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Gospel Themes - A Treatise on Salient Features of 'Mormonism' - -Author: Orson F. Whitney - -Release Date: November 22, 2015 [EBook #50536] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOSPEL THEMES *** - - - - -Produced by Allie Bowen, Mormon Texts Project Intern -(http://mormontextsproject.org) - - - - - - -</pre> - -<h1>Gospel Themes<br><br> - -<small><small>A Treatise on Salient Features of "MORMONISM"<br><br></small></small></h1> - -<p class="centered">Written for, and Dedicated to, <br> -the High Priests, Seventies and <br> -Elders of the Church of Jesus<br> -Christ of Latter-day Saints<br><br></p> - -<p class="centered">By ELDER ORSON F. WHITNEY<br> -Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles<br><br></p> - - -<p class="centered"> -SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH <br>1914</p> - - -<h2>PREFACE AND DEDICATION.</h2> - -<p>This little book was written and compiled at the request of the General -Priesthood Committee, under the sanction of the First Presidency of the -Church, for the use and benefit of the Priesthood Classes, throughout -the Stakes and Wards of Zion.</p> - -<p>The treatise, "Gospel Themes," represents the best effort I could -make under the circumstances in which that effort was put forth. -Many interruptions occurred, consequent upon the performance of -other duties, and I had no opportunity to submit the manuscript to a -committee of revision, prior to publication; the usual course with -works of this character. I was barely able to get it ready for the -printer within the time allotted for its preparation. But I tried to be -accurate, and am not aware that I made any mistakes.</p> - -<p>While lacking the help of a revisory committee, I received, and hereby -gratefully acknowledge, valuable suggestions from Elders David O. McKay -and Edward H. Anderson, members of the Priesthood Committee, and from -others whom I consulted. Moreover, Brother Anderson was with me in -proof-reading the work, and in engineering it through the press.</p> - -<p>My aim has been, not to give exhaustive treatment to any subject, but -to throw in sight certain themes, and dwell briefly upon points of -doctrine, prophecy, history, and illustration, that I thought would be -helpful to the brethren of the Priesthood—those who are studying the -Gospel at home, and those who are preaching it abroad. To both classes -this volume is affectionately dedicated.</p> - -<p class="right">THE AUTHOR. </p> - -<p>Salt Lake City, Christmas, 1913.</p> - -<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> - -<p class="centered"> THE STORY OF GOD. </p> -<p><a href="#Story1"> -Chapter 1.—A Divine Plan for Human Progress -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Story2"> -Chapter 2.—Eternal Nature of Gospel Principles -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Story3"> -Chapter 3.—The Fall and Redemption -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Story4"> -Chapter 4.—The Gods in Council -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Story5"> -Chapter 5.—Creation of the Earth -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Story6"> -Chapter 6.—Elect of Elohim -</a></p> - -<p class="centered">THE WAY OF SALVATION.</p> - -<p><a href="#Way1"> -Chapter 1.—The Law of Obedience -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Way2"> -Chapter 2.—Faith -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Way3"> -Chapter 3.—Faith (Continued) -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Way4"> -Chapter 4.—Repentance -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Way5"> -Chapter 5.—Water and Spirit Birth -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Way6"> -Chapter 6.—Purpose and Effects of Baptism -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Way7"> -Chapter 7.—Mode and Meaning of Baptism -</a></p> - -<p class="centered">PRIESTHOOD AND CHURCH GOVERNMENT.</p> - -<p><a href="#Church1"> -Chapter 1.—Divine Authority -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Church2"> -Chapter 2.—Divine Authority (Continued) -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Church3"> -Chapter 3.—The Church Organization -</a></p> - -<p class="centered">THE GOSPEL DISPENSATIONS.</p> - -<p><a href="#Gospel1"> -Chapter 1.—Introductory -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Gospel2"> -Chapter 2.—The Adamic Period -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Gospel3"> -Chapter 3.—Enoch and Zion -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Gospel4"> -Chapter 4.—Noah and the Deluge -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Gospel5"> -Chapter 5.—Abraham -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Gospel6"> -Chapter 6.—Moses and Aaron -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Gospel7"> -Chapter 7.—The Lamb of God -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Gospel8"> -Chapter 8.—Dawn of the Last Dispensation -</a></p> - -<p class="centered">DISPERSION AND GATHERING OF ISRAEL.</p> - -<p><a href="#Israel1"> -Chapter 1.—A Chosen People -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Israel2"> -Chapter 2.—Israel's Mission -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Israel3"> -Chapter 3.—To the Ends of the Earth -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Israel4"> -Chapter 4.—The Call of the Shepherd -</a></p> -<p><a href="#Israel5"> -Chapter 5.—The Author to the Reader -</a></p> - -<p class="centered">GOSPEL THEMES.</p> - - -<h2>The Story of God.</h2> -<a name="Story1"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> - -<p class="centered"> A Divine Plan for Human Progress.</p> - -<p><b>The Gospel Defined.</b>—The English word "Gospel" comes from the -Anglo-Saxon "Godspell," or God-story—the story of God. It derives its -significance from that great central idea of the Christian faith—the -coming of God as the Son of God to redeem and save mankind. The joyful -intelligence of the advent of the world's Redeemer, proclaimed by the -angels to the shepherds on the Judean hills (Luke 2:10), furnishes -another name for the gospel—"good tidings," or, as it is otherwise -rendered, "glad tidings of great joy."</p> - -<p><b>God the Savior.</b>—"God himself shall come down among the children of -men, and shall redeem his people, and because he dwelleth in flesh -he shall be called the Son of God" (Mosiah 15:1,2). prediction by -Abinadi the prophet, centuries before the birth of the Savior, had been -preceded by a This similar prophecy from King Benjamin, another Nephite -seer (Mosiah 3:5). The fulfilment of these foretellings is recorded in -the opening verses of the gospel according to St. John, where reference -is made to "the Word" that was in the beginning "with God"—the Word -that "was God," and was "made flesh" and dwelt among men. In him, as -Paul affirms, "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. -2:9).</p> - -<p><b>Foundation and Superstructure.</b>—When we speak of the gospel, therefore, -we should bear in mind that the term means something more than faith, -repentance, baptism, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy -Ghost, and other rituals and requirements in the Church of Christ. -We must not isolate "the laws and ordinances of the gospel" from the -basic principles upon which they rest—the mighty foundation stones of -sacrifice and redemption, without which all this sacred legislation -would be aimless and of no effect. Nor can the basic principles which -make operative those laws and ordinances be dissociated from the idea -of eternal progression, the great and paramount purpose for which the -gospel code was framed, the gospel in its fulness instituted.</p> - -<p><b>Fulness of the Gospel.</b>—The phrase, "fulness of the gospel," should -be understood in a relative sense, as pertaining to the revealed will -of God. There can be no absolute fulness, with man, until all things -are made known to him. The fulness of the gospel as delivered to -the Nephites and other ancient peoples, and told of in the inspired -records that have come down to us, differed from, in that it was not -so complete as is the fulness of the gospel which the Latter-day -Saints enjoy. Truth is always the same; it never contradicts itself; -but more of its principles have been revealed in modern times than at -any previous period. Never before, upon this earth, has there been -such a gospel fulness as that delivered to the Prophet Joseph Smith. -And the end is not yet; for, as he himself said in one of his latest -recorded utterances: "Those things which never have been revealed from -the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise -and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this the -dispensation of the fulness of times" (D&C 128:18).</p> - -<p>It may help the reader to understand how there can be more than one -"fulness of the gospel" by bearing in mind what has been made known -concerning the final judgment, or the various awards of glory to be -meted out to redeemed souls after the resurrection. Their glory shall -be that by which their bodies are quickened, and whether quickened by -a portion of the celestial, the terrestrial, or the telestial glory, -they shall "receive of the same, even a fulness" (D&C 88:28-31). But -one fulness can differ from another, even as differ the glories, and -even as capacities differ—the power to receive and contain. The -absolute fulness of the gospel can only come to a people prepared to -receive and make a wise use of it. Until the Latter-day Saints are in -that condition, they must be content with a comparative fulness, or -all that they can contain of the divine wisdom. Paul the apostle was -contemplating this subject when he wrote: "For we know in part, and we -prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that -which is in part shall be done away" (1 Cor. 13:9,10).</p> - -<p><b>Gospel Features.</b>—The gospel, in its fullest sense, signifies -everything connected with the redemptive career of that glorious -and divine Being known among men as Jesus of Nazareth, but who was -and is no other than Jehovah, the God of Israel (D&C 110:1-4), who -"came unto his own" and was rejected by them, was crucified at their -instigation, and died to redeem the world. The accounts given by -Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are properly termed "gospels," because -they are narratives of the personal ministry of our Lord; but they -are only parts of the complete God-story. The Savior's life, death, -resurrection and ascension, with the conditions prescribed by him upon -which fallen man might profit further from his sacrifice for human -redemption,—these are all gospel features, but not the gospel in its -entirety. The full "story" of the Redeemer and Savior—the God who -died that man might live—involves events both past and future, events -premortal and post-mortal, scenes in which he was chosen to play his -mighty part in the great tragedy of human experience, and scenes yet to -come in which he will make another and a more glorious appearing upon -the stage of time, enacting the illustrious role of King of kings and -reigning over the earth a thousand years.</p> - -<p><b>Salvation and Exaltation.</b>—Paul defines the Gospel of Christ as "the -power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16). He might have gone further, -had he so desired, or had it been timely, and shown that the Gospel -of Christ is the power of God unto exaltation—a plan devised by -Omnipotent Wisdom whereby man, the child of God, may advance from stage -to stage of soul development, until eventually he becomes like unto -his Heavenly Parent, inheriting eternal thrones and dominions, and -receiving "a fulness of joy."</p> - -<p>This is exaltation. It is more than salvation, being an extension of -that idea or condition—salvation "added upon;" just as salvation -is an extension of, or an addition to, redemption. A soul may be -redeemed—that is, raised from the dead, and yet condemned at the -final judgment for evil deeds done in the body. Likewise may a soul be -redeemed and saved, and yet come short of the glory that constitutes -exaltation. To redeem, save, and glorify, is the threefold purpose of -the Gospel of Jesus Christ.</p> - -<p><b>Origin and Antiquity of the Gospel.</b>—The gospel originated in the -heavens, before this earth was organized, and was revealed to man, out -of eternity, at the very beginning of time. It was the means by which -Adam, our great ancestor, after his expulsion from Eden, regained the -divine presence from which he had been banished. It is the means by -which his posterity, such as are obedient to the gospel's requirements, -have been or will yet be able to follow him into the heavenly kingdom. -The same ladder that Adam climbed, until beyond the reach of the fatal -consequences of his transgression, the whole human race, inheriting -from him the effects of the fall, must likewise climb, or they will -never see the face of God in eternal glory.</p> - -<p><b>The Paramount Purpose.</b>—Let us keep in mind, however, that the gospel, -even in a limited sense, is more than a means of escape from impending -ills. It is the way of progress, the path to perfection, and as such -was devised by the wisdom of the Gods, before this world rolled into -existence. The origin of the gospel, and the grand purpose for which it -was instituted, are briefly yet clearly outlined by the Prophet Joseph -Smith in the following language:</p> - -<p><b>Eternal Progression.</b>—"The first principles of man are self-existent -with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and -glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws -whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The -relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance -in knowledge. He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker -intelligences, that they may be exalted with himself, so that they may -have one glory upon another."—("Times and Seasons," August 15, 1844; -"Improvement Era," January, 1909.)</p> - -<p><b>Power and Benevolence of Deity.</b>—Here are pointed out both the power -and the benevolence of Deity. Our Father in heaven is no monopolist. -While omnipotent and all-possessing, he is likewise altruistic and -philanthropic. Instead of keeping to himself the glory that he found -himself possessed of, he used his superior intelligence "to institute -laws" whereby the lesser spirits surrounding him might advance toward -the lofty plane that he occupies. He proposed to lift them to his own -spiritual stature and share with them the empire of the universe.</p> - -<p><b>Plato's View.</b>—Our prophet's simple yet sublime setting forth of the -divine power and benevolence, as exemplified in the establishment of a -plan for man's eternal progress, is far more pointed and specific than -the presentment made by Plato, the Greek philosopher, of a doctrine -somewhat similar. Plato, as quoted by Emerson, says: "Let us declare -the cause which led the Supreme Ordainer to produce and compose the -universe. He was good; and he who is good has no kind of envy. Exempt -from envy, he wished that all things should be as much as possible -like himself. Whosoever, taught by wise men, shall admit this as the -prime cause of the origin and foundation of the world, will be in the -truth."—("Representative Men," Lecture II.)</p> - -<p><b>Man's Destiny.</b>—There is a fitness, a propriety, in man's becoming -like his Maker—God's child, fashioned in his image and endowed with -divine attributes, developing to the fulness of the parental stature, -as taught by Joseph; but how the same can be predicated of "all -things"—beasts, fish, fowl, trees, plants, etc., as Plato implies, is -not so clear. That the lower animals, as well as man, in fact all forms -of life, animate and inanimate, are to be perpetuated and glorified, is -a plain inference from the teachings of the prophet (D&C 77:2-4) but -undoubtedly all will retain their identity, in their respective orders -and spheres. No creature of God's, except man, is destined to become -like God, in the fullest and highest sense. "As much as possible" is a -saving clause, however, and Plato, therefore, is not committed to any -contradictory proposition.</p> - -<a name="Story2"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Eternal Nature of Gospel Principles.</p> - -<p><b>Gospel Code and Fundamentals.</b>—The gospel, as a code or System of -laws and ordinances, is a creation, a work of God; but like all -other creations it was organized out of materials already existing. -"Intelligence or the light of truth was not created or made, neither -indeed can be (D&C 93:29). Truth, "eternal, unchanged, evermore"—such -is the gospel in its fundamental principles. These were never created. -God did not make them; he "instituted" them, recognizing their worth, -their utility, their adaptability to the purposes which he had in view. -He saw that these principles were ennobling and exalting in their -nature and tendency, and he therefore created a plan embodying them as -the most effectual means for man's promotion.</p> - -<p><b>Faith.</b>—Take, for instance, faith—the first principle. Can you -conceive of its creation as a principle? I cannot: but I can grasp the -idea of its existence as a law, as an essential force, its adoption -by divine wisdom, and its adaptation to the purposes of Deity. I -can conceive of its bestowal upon man as an endowment from God, its -assimilation, cultivation, growth and increase, as illustrated in the -Book of Mormon, where it is compared to a seed germinating in the soul -(Alma 32:28). But I cannot think of it, in its essential, fundamental -nature, as having been called into existence. Faith is a gift from God, -both as a law and a manifestation of spiritual power: but it is not a -creation—not as a basic principle. The gospel code containing this -law, however, may readily be conceived as the work of a divine Creator -and Law-giver.</p> - -<p><b>Repentance.</b>—What is true of faith in this respect, is true also of -repentance. God did not create repentance as a principle; it already -existed as an essential to progress; but he made it obligatory upon -sinful man, if he would be saved and put upon the road to perfection, -to practice this principle—to turn away from evil and "sin no more."</p> - -<p><b>Baptism.</b>—As for baptism, the idea of washing in order to be come clean -is plain enough for a child's comprehension. It is this idea that -underlies the baptismal ordinance. God did not create the fact that -washing maketh clean—that is fundamental; but he instituted baptism -for the remission of sins and made it a part of the gospel plan, -because no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of heaven.</p> - -<p><b>Holy Ghost.</b>—Divine Wisdom did not create the Holy Ghost: he is -eternal, without beginning or end—he is God. Nor did it decree light -necessary to illumination; that is a self-evident, self-existent truth. -But Divine Wisdom instituted the laying on of hands for the gift -(giving) of the Holy Ghost, and included it in the great progressive -plan, because, without the illumination that comes from the Spirit of -the Lord, man cannot be "led into all truth."</p> - -<p>Thus we might go on, taking up other features of the gospel, and in -each one pointing out some underlying principle upon which this law or -that ordinance has been based. The same philosophy will apply to them -all. These fundamental principles are not creations—they are eternal -truths, applied or adapted to ends foreseen and predestined by the -all-wise Ordainer and Giver.</p> - -<p>The gospel was instituted for the advancement of God's children, -who had probably progressed as far as they could in the spirit at -that time, before they were given bodies; and it was made effective -for their further progress by the Atonement of Christ, offsetting -the fall of Adam, and nullifying the deadly effects of the original -transgression.</p> - -<p><b>The Fall.</b>—Right here let me suggest that Adam's transgression, while -technically a sin, because of the broken law, should be stressed as -the means whereby those spirits obtained their bodies, rather than -as an act of moral turpitude. In law, crimes are of two general -classes—malum per se and malum prohibitum. Malum per se means "an evil -in itself"—an act essentially wrong; while malum prohibitum signifies -"that which is wrong because forbidden by law." Adam's transgression -was malum prohibitum, and the consequent descent from an immortal to a -mortal condition was "THE FALL."</p> - -<p><b>A Prearranged Plan.</b>—It is evident from the revelations of God, -particularly in modern times, that everything connected with man's -mortal pilgrimage was understood and arranged before that pilgrimage -began. Not alone was the gospel instituted: an executor was appointed -to put it into effect. In other words, the machinery was constructed, -and the power then turned on. The fall being foreseen, the redemption -was ordained. Eternal progress and everlasting glory were the objects -in view, and over the glad prospect, in spite of the pain and sorrow -that must necessarily intervene, "the Morning Stars sang together, and -all the Sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7).</p> - -<a name="Story3"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> - -<p class="centered">The Fall and Redemption.</p> - -<p><b>Essentials to Progress.</b>—The story of God embraces the fall as well -as the redemption of man. Both these mighty vicissitudes are steps in -the march of human progress. The fall was just as necessary as the -redemption, in order to make operative and effective the laws and -ordinances of the gospel. In other words, the fall prepared the way for -the redemption. How could redemption have been, had there been nothing -to redeem? Of what use were a gospel of salvation where nothing needed -to be saved?</p> - -<p><b>Innocent Ignorance.</b>—Had the spirits of men, "all innocent in the -beginning," remained where they were and just as they were, they would -have had no need to exercise faith unto salvation. They would have -had no need to repent or to be baptized, having no evil practices to -turn away from, and no uncleanness to be washed away. But they would -have remained ignorant as well as innocent, and without any further -progression. The following passage from the Book of Mormon illustrates -this point:</p> - -<p>"And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not have -fallen; but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all -things which were created must have remained in the same state which -they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever -and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore, they -would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they -knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all -things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam -fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Ne. -2:22-25).</p> - -<p>This passage, of course, refers directly to Adam's condition in the -Garden of Eden, and not to the spirit life preceding that period of -innocent ignorance. But the fact remains that man, in the spirit life, -needed experience in mortality, in order to become wiser, as much as he -needed a body for purposes of progression and eternal increase.</p> - -<p><b>Adam Not Deceived.</b>—When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, -it was the woman who was beguiled by Satan and induced to go contrary -to the divine command. The man was not deceived. Adam was but telling -the truth when he answered the Lord, "The woman whom thou gavest to be -with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:12). Those -who satirize Father Adam for this reply, imputing to him an unworthy -motive, a desire to evade responsibility and "hide behind the woman in -the case," take but a superficial view of the subject. Adam was not -trying to evade the issue: he was simply stating the fact. The Lord -wanted the truth, and no fable would suffice, however polite, in the -opinion of shallow wits or would-be chivalrous wisacres, it might have -been to invent one, in order to shield the fair transgressor.</p> - -<p><b>A Deliberate Transgression.</b>—Adam, after Eve had transgressed, did -likewise in order to carry out a divine command previously given—the -command to multiply and replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28). Eve, by her -act, had separated herself from her husband, and made it impossible, -unless he followed her and also became mortal, to carry out God's -original behest. This was Adam's motive. He was facing a dilemma. He -must make choice between two divine commands, and doubtless felt that -he could not consistently do otherwise than as he did. He disobeyed in -order to obey, retrieving, so far as he possibly could, the situation -resulting from Eve's disobedience. He did it wittingly, deliberately, -undeceived as to the consequences, realizing that in no other way -could he carry out God's first command and become the progenitor of -the human race. Adam and Eve, with their eyes open, rejoiced over -what had befallen them, recognizing it as part of a preordained plan -to people the earth with their posterity, and afford to a world of -waiting spirits the opportunity, long anticipated, of taking earthly -tabernacles and starting out upon their great pilgrimage to perfection.</p> - -<p><b>Adam and Eve Rejoice.</b>—"And in that day Adam blessed God and was -filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, -saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my -eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the -flesh I shall see God.</p> - -<p>"And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were -it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never -should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the -eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient."—("Pearl of Great -Price," Book of Moses, 5:10,11.)</p> - -<p>"Adam fell that man might be, and man is that he might have joy." -But there would be no joy, no progress, no eternal life for fallen -man—only pain, sorrow, and everlasting banishment from God's presence, -had Christ not died to nullify the ill effects of Adam's act, and lift -man up from his fallen condition.</p> - -<p><b>Human Standards and Divine Dispensations.</b>—Why, it may be asked, did -God place Adam and Eve in so seemingly contradictory a position? Why -were they forbidden to do what they had manifestly come to do, and -which had to be done in order to carry out the divine purpose? For that -is the problem in a nutshell, as it appears to human eyes. I can only -answer in the words of Nephi: "All things have been done in the wisdom -of him who knoweth all things." Man cannot sit in judgment upon his -Maker, nor measure by human standards divine dispensations. The God who -gives life, and takes it, without committing murder, can command today -and countermand tomorrow, and yet remain consistent and unchangeable. -In a world where faith is necessary to progress, and where premature -knowledge would prevent progress by swallowing up faith, by destroying -the opportunity for its exercise, man must not expect to know all -things. That calamities and sacrifices bring forth blessings, is -apparent to observation and experience; but the deep why and wherefore -of it all remains a mystery. Adam's fall and Christ's atonement were -fearful calamities, from the human point of view; but wonderful -benefits and advantages accrued therefrom. Just why such sacrifices -have to be made, however, in order that such blessings may come, is too -profound a problem for the finite mind to solve.</p> - -<p><b>Spiritual and Temporal Death.</b>—The fall brought man into the -world—into this state of mortality; but it also brought death, with -all its sad concomitants. Not such a death as the righteous now -contemplate, and such as both righteous and unrighteous must undergo, -as a change preparatory to resurrection. There was no resurrection when -Adam fell—not upon this planet—nothing but death, resting like a pall -over the prospective human race. Adam and Eve, after the fall, were -spiritually dead, and were doomed to the temporal death as well—the -dissolution of the body—and they had entailed this fate upon their -posterity. Hell had triumphed over man's, or rather woman's, weakness. -Life was dead, death reigned, and demons held high carnival.</p> - -<p><b>The World in Pawn.</b>—Adam's transgression had put the world in pawn. -The name of the pawnbroker was death, and his claim was twofold. Death -held all things in his grasp, and there was no help for it this side -of heaven. No part of what had been pledged could be used as the means -of redemption. Adam could not redeem himself, great and mighty as he -was—in the spirit; for he was no other than Michael the archangel, -leader of the hosts of heaven. But this puissant Michael was now -a weak, frail, mortal man, under the penalty of a broken law, and -powerless to repair the injury that had been wrought. He and the race -that was to spring from him were utterly lost, unless the Almighty One -would intervene, and do for them what they could not do for themselves. -If man could have redeemed himself, it would have been required of -him; but because self-redemption was impossible, a Redeemer had to be -provided.</p> - -<p><b>The Redemption.</b>—Redemption must come, if at all, through some Being -high enough and powerful enough to make an infinite atonement, one -fully covering the far-reaching effects of the original transgression. -The scales of eternal justice, unbalanced by Adam's act, had to be -repoised, and right's equilibrium restored. Who could do this? Who -could retrieve the situation, bring good out of evil, mould failure -into success, and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? Where was the -Moses for such an exodus? Where the deliverance from this worse than -Egyptian bondage—a bondage of which Egypt's slavery was but typical?</p> - -<p>The life of a God was the price of the world's freedom, and that price -was paid by the God of Israel, who descended from his glorious throne, -made himself mortal, an exile of eternity, walked in the dust of his -own footstool, and by submitting to death, broke the bands of death, -and made it possible for man to live again, and go on to the goal of -endless glory. He was the Lamb "without spot or blemish," typified by -the lamb of the Passover, and preordained for sacrifice, to "take away -the sins of the world." He gave himself as an offering, as a ransom for -human redemption, and by the shedding of his own blood, paid the debt -of the universe, took the world out of pawn, and became the Author of -Salvation for all mankind.</p> - - -<a name="Story4"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> - -<p class="centered">The Gods in Council.</p> - -<p><b>Fore-ordination.</b>—The parts played by Adam and Eve in this sublime -tragedy were doubtless cast at the same time that the pre-eminent -role was assigned to the Redeemer and Savior. Likewise, is it just -as reasonable to infer that other great ones were forechosen for -service in the cause of humanity. It is more than an inference; it is -a revealed fact. What other meaning can be attached to the word of the -Lord to Jeremiah (1:5): "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; -and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I -ordained thee a prophet unto the nations"? If this be true of Jeremiah, -why not true of other prophets, both ancient and modern? Joseph Smith -is on record as saying that men who have such callings to minister to -the inhabitants of the world, were "ordained to that very purpose in -the grand council of heaven before this world was" ("Compendium," p. -285).</p> - -<p><b>Two Plans Proposed.</b>—In that same Grand Council—the "congregation -of the mighty" (Ps. 1:5)—there were two candidates, if we may so -designate them, for the redeemership. One was like unto the Father, -desiring for the pure love of God's children to uplift them, and at the -same time glorify the Great Head, by the sacrifice that he proposed -to make. The other was proud, self-willed, and bent upon personal -aggrandizement, regardless of consequences. The former stood for -freedom—man's agency—and the rewarding of all souls according to -their works. The latter proposed coercion, so that not one soul should -be lost; thinking, perhaps, that his demanded compensation for proposed -service might be made in that way all the more abundant.</p> - -<p><b>Lucifer Rebels.</b>—The first was chosen; the second rebelled, and was -cast out, with a third of those then populating the spirit world. That -third, following Lucifer, who became Satan, were doomed with him to -wander up and down the earth, as fallen spirits, tempting and trying -the children of men—those who, as a reward for keeping their first -estate, where they "walked by sight," were given a second estate—the -privilege of taking tabernacles, and "walking by faith" through the -shadowed experiences of mortality.</p> - -<p>Upon this subject the Prophet Joseph says: "The contention in heaven -was: Jesus said there would be certain souls that would not be saved; -and the devil said he could save them all, and laid his plans before -the grand council, who gave their vote in favor of Jesus Christ. So the -devil rose up in rebellion against God, and was cast down with all who -put up their heads for him" ("Compendium," page 285).</p> - -<p><b>Advantage of Having a Body.</b>—Our prophet likewise affirms: "At the -first organization in heaven we were all present, and saw the Savior -chosen and appointed, and the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned -it. We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure -before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness -consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his -punishment. He is pleased when he can obtain the tabernacle of man, -and when cast out by the Savior he asked to go into the herd of swine, -showing that he would prefer a swine's body to having none. All beings -who have bodies have power over those who have not" (Ibid, page 288).</p> - -<p><b>Testimony of Moses.</b>—The following passages from our sacred writings -will here find place:</p> - -<p>"And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou -hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which -was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here -am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that -one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me -thine honor.</p> - -<p>"But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the -beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be -thine forever.</p> - -<p>"Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to -destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and -also, that I should give unto him mine own power: by the power of mine -Only Begotten I caused that he should be cast down;</p> - -<p>"And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to -deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as -many as would not hearken unto my voice." (Moses 4:1-4.)</p> - -<p><b>Testimony of Abraham.</b>—Still more comprehensive are the appended -paragraphs of a similar glorious revelation:</p> - -<p>"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were -organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of -the noble and great ones;</p> - -<p>"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst -of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among -those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said -unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou -wast born.</p> - -<p>"And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said -unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space -there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth -whereon these may dwell;</p> - -<p>"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things -whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;</p> - -<p>"And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon: and they who -keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom -with those who keep their first estate: and they who keep their second -estate shall have glory added upon their heads forever and ever.</p> - -<p>"And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the -Son of man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am -I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.</p> - -<p>"And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate: and, at that -day, many followed after him." (Book of Abr. 3:22-28.)</p> - -<p><b>Truth Speaks for Itself.</b>—What a sublime presentation! What a wealth of -doctrine! What a wonderful scope of prophecy! The whole divine scheme -for human progress revealed at a glance! Surely the Book of Abraham, -whose authenticity has recently been assailed by Christian scholars, -and defended by "Mormon" writers and speakers, can stand upon its own -merits in refutation of any argument brought against it as a divine -record. Who but God could reveal such principles as this marvelous -book contains? Who but one inspired of heaven could teach them in so -pure a spirit and in such majestic terms? Truth—eternal truth—speaks -for itself: it is not dependent upon books or translators. These are -but some of the means used in making it known to the world. It is not -limited to time and place. Whether in the catacombs of Egypt, or in the -mounds of America, whether spoken anciently or modernly,</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"Truth is truth, where'er 'tis found,<br> - On Christian or on heathen ground."</p> - -</blockquote> - -<p><b>"Mormon" Philosophy.</b>—Note the sound philosophy of this revelation—the -divine proposition to "make an earth," not out of nothing—an absurdity -put forth by Christian theologians in their teachings relative to the -creation—but out of "materials" already in existence, eternal spirit -and eternal matter, as never-ending as space and duration. Then ask -yourself, reader, if the "Mormon" doctrine, set forth in the Book of -Abraham, is not the only logical, scientific, common-sense presentation -possible or conceivable in the premises.</p> - -<p>Note also that it was the design to "make an earth;" the inference -being that this was not the only earth that had been created, nor would -it be the last.</p> - -<p>"And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the -beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens -and the earth" (Abr. 4:1).</p> - -<a name="Story5"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Creation of the Earth.</p> - -<p><b>Two Creations.</b>—There were two creations—the first spiritual, the -second temporal. This truth is taught inferentially in the first and -second chapters of Genesis, King James's Translation; but more plainly -and pointedly in the Book of Moses, a reproduction of the Book of -Genesis, revised and amplified by the spirit of revelation in Joseph -the Seer. Here is the modern rendering of the passages bearing directly -upon this point:</p> - -<p><b>As Related in the Book of Moses.</b>—"And now, behold, I say unto you, -that these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth, when -they were created, in the day that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and -the earth.</p> - -<p>"And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every -herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all -things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally -upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it -to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created -all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in -heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, -neither in the water, neither in the air;</p> - -<p>"But I, the Lord God, spake, and there went up a mist from the earth, -and watered the whole face of the ground.</p> - -<p>"And I, the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and -breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living -soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, -all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and -made according to my word." (Moses 3:4-7.)</p> - -<p><b>Adam's Incarnation.</b>—In the Book of Abraham the incarnation of Adam is -thus described:</p> - -<p>"And the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his -spirit (that is, the man's spirit) and put it into him; and breathed -into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul" -(Abr. 5:7).</p> - -<p><b>Plurality of Worlds.</b>—Regarding this earth and other creations, the -Lord said to Moses:</p> - -<p>"And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for -mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only -Begotten.</p> - -<p>"And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many.</p> - -<p>"But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, -give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed -away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and -innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for -they are mine and I know them."</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens they are many, -and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, -for they are mine.</p> - -<p>"And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof, even so -shall another come; and there is no end to my works; neither to my -words.</p> - -<p>"For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the -immortality and eternal life of man."—Moses 1:33-39.</p> - -<p><b>Purposes of Earth Life.</b>—God's purpose, primarily, in placing man -upon the earth, is to give him a body, a mortal tabernacle, which is -rendered immortal through death and the resurrection. The spirit and -the body constitute the soul. It is the soul that is redeemed from the -grave (D&C 88:15,16). It is the soul that goes on to perfection. Man is -here also for experience, that he may advance from stage to stage of -growth and development, approximating nearer and nearer to the divine -ideal voiced by the Savior: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your -Father which is in heaven is perfect."—Matthew 5:48.</p> - -<p><b>Man on Probation.</b>—There is still another purpose in man's mortal -existence, and it is referred to in the Book of Abraham, where the -Creator, after announcing to "those who were with him" the proposed -making of an earth "whereon these may dwell," says: "And we will prove -them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord -their God shall command." Thus we are shown that man while here is on -probation, that he may demonstrate his worthiness to inherit the great -things held in reserve for the righteous.</p> - - -<a name="Story6"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Elect of Elohim.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> In solemn council sat the Gods;<br> - From Kolob's height supreme,<br> - Celestial light blazed forth afar<br> - O'er countless kokaubeam;<br> - And faintest tinge, the fiery fringe<br> - Of that resplendent day,<br> - 'Lumined the dark abysmal realm<br> - Where earth in chaos lay.</p> - -<p> Silence. That awful hour was one<br> - When thought doth most avail;<br> - Of worlds unborn the destiny<br> - Hung trembling in the scale.<br> - Silence self-spelled, and there arose,<br> - Those kings and priests among,<br> - A power sublime, than whom appeared<br> - None nobler 'mid the throng.</p> - -<p> A stature mingling strength with grace,<br> - Of meek though God-like mien;<br> - The glory of whose countenance<br> - Outshone the noonday sheen.<br> - Whiter his hair than ocean spray,<br> - Or frost of Alpine hill.<br> - He spake;—attention grew more grave,<br> - The stillness e'en more still.</p> - -<p> "Father!"—the voice like music fell,<br> - Clear as the murmuring flow<br> - Of mountain streamlet trickling down<br> - From heights of virgin snow.<br> - "Father," it said, "since one must die,<br> - Thy children to redeem,<br> - From spheres all formless now and void,<br> - Where pulsing life shall teem:</p> - -<p> "And mighty Michael foremost fall,<br> - That mortal man may be;<br> - And chosen Savior yet must send,<br> - Lo, here am I—send me!<br> - I ask, I seek no recompense,<br> - Save that which then were mine;<br> - Mine be the willing sacrifice,<br> - The endless glory Thine!</p> - -<p> "Give me to lead to this lorn world,<br> - When wandered from the fold,<br> - Twelve legions of the noble ones<br> - That now thy face behold;<br> - Tried souls, 'mid untried spirits found,<br> - That captained these may be,<br> - And crowned the dispensations all<br> - With powers of Deity.</p> - -<p> "Who blameless bide the spirit state<br> - Shall clothe in mortal clay,<br> - The stepping-stone to glories all,<br> - If man will God obey,<br> - Believing where he cannot see,<br> - Till he again shall know,<br> - And answer give, reward receive,<br> - For all deeds done below.</p> - -<p> "The love that hath redeemed all worlds<br> - All worlds must still redeem;<br> - But mercy cannot justice rob—<br> - Or where were Elohim?<br> - Freedom—man's faith, man's work, God's grace—<br> - Must span the great gulf o'er;<br> - Life, death, the guerdon or the doom,<br> - Rejoice we or deplore."</p> - -<p> Still rang that voice, when sudden rose<br> - Aloft a towering form,<br> - Proudly erect as lowering peak<br> - 'Lumed by the gathering storm;<br> - A presence bright and beautiful,<br> - With eye of flashing fire,<br> - A lip whose haughty curl bespoke<br> - A sense of inward ire:</p> - -<p> "Send me!"—coiled 'neath his courtly smile<br> - A scarce concealed disdain—<br> - "And none shall hence, from heaven to earth,<br> - That shall not rise again;<br> - My saving plan exception scorns.<br> - Man's will?—Nay, mine alone.<br> - As recompense, I claim the right<br> - To sit on yonder throne!</p> - -<p> "Ceased Lucifer. The breathless hush<br> - Resumed and denser grew.<br> - All eyes were turned; the general gaze<br> - One common Magnet drew.<br> - A moment there was solemn pause—<br> - Listened Eternity,<br> - While rolled from lips Omnipotent<br> - The Father's firm decree:</p> - -<p> "Jehovah, thou my Messenger!<br> - Son Ahman, thee I send;<br> - And one shall go thy face before,<br> - While twelve thy steps attend;<br> - And many more on that far shore,<br> - The pathway shall prepare,<br> - That I, the First, the last may come,<br> - And earth my glory share.</p> - -<p> "After and ere thy going down,<br> - An army shall descend—<br> - The host of God, and house of him<br> - Whom I have named my friend.<br> - Through him, upon Idumea,<br> - Shall come, all life to leaven,<br> - The guileless ones, the sovereign Sons,<br> - Throned on the heights of heaven.</p> - -<p> "Go forth, thou Chosen of the Gods,<br> - Whose strength shall in thee dwell!<br> - Go down betime and rescue earth,<br> - Dethroning death and hell,<br> - On thee alone man's fate depends,<br> - The fate of beings all.<br> - Thou shalt not fail, though thou art free—<br> - Free, but too great to fall.</p> - -<p> "By arm divine, both mine and thine,<br> - The lost thou shalt restore,<br> - And man, redeemed, with God shall be,<br> - As God forevermore.<br> - Return, and to the parent fold<br> - This wandering planet bring,<br> - And Earth shall hail thee Conqueror,<br> - And Heaven proclaim thee King."</p> - -<p> 'Twas done. From congregation vast<br> - Tumultuous murmurs rose;<br> - Waves of conflicting sound, as when<br> - Two meeting seas oppose;<br> - 'Twas finished. But the Heavens wept;<br> - And still their annals tell<br> - How one was Choice of Elohim,<br> - O'er one who fighting fell.</p> - -<p>("Elias," Canto III, Part One.)</p> - -</blockquote> - - - -<h2>The Way of Salvation.</h2> -<a name="Way1"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> - -<p class="centered">The Law of Obedience.</p> - -<p><b>Man Helpless.</b>—When Adam and Eve had transgressed the divine command -by partaking of the forbidden fruit, it was as if the human race had -fallen into a pit, from which they were powerless, by any act of -their own, to emerge. They could not climb out, for they did not know -how to climb; and even had they known, there was no means by which -to climb. Human endeavor, unassisted, could accomplish nothing in -the way of deliverance. Man in his mortal condition needed spiritual -enlightenment, having forgotten all that he had previously known. In -other words, he needed a ladder, that he might climb out of the pit, -and that ladder was furnished in the revelation, of the Gospel of -Christ. Without it there is no salvation, no exaltation. The Tower of -Babel symbolizes the situation: All man's efforts to reach heaven, -without divine assistance, must end in confusion and failure.</p> - -<p><b>Redemption by Grace.</b>—The gospel ladder rests upon the rock of Christ's -atonement—an act of grace, a free gift from God to all mankind—the -wicked as well as the righteous. All profit by it, for, as the result -of that atonement, all are brought forth from the grave. And this is -eminently just: Adam's posterity were consigned to death for no deed of -their own doing. It is fitting, therefore, that their redemption should -come unconditionally.</p> - -<p><b>Salvation by Obedience.</b>—But redemption is not salvation, nor salvation -exaltation, as already explained. Men must "work out their salvation" -(Phillipians 2:12), and gain exaltation by continuous upward striving. -Salvation and exaltation, while depending primarily upon the grace -of God, are also the fruits of man's acceptance of the gospel, and -his steadfast adherence thereto, until it shall have done for him its -perfect work. There are degrees of glory—"many mansions" in the great -house of God, and the highest are reserved for those who render to the -Master of the house the fulness of their obedience.</p> - -<p>"Salvation means a man's being placed beyond the power of all his -enemies. * * * Until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved. * -* * To get salvation we must not only do some things, but everything -which God has commanded" ("Joseph Smith's Teachings," pp. 146-150).</p> - -<p><b>Heaven's First Law.</b>—"Order is heaven's first law," says human wisdom. -"Not so," says divine inspiration, "obedience is heaven's first law, -and order follows as the result." <sup>[A]</sup> Without obedience, spiritual -growth, eternal progress, is impossible. Says Joseph the prophet: -"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation of -this world, upon which all blessings are predicated; and when we obtain -any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is -predicated" (D&amp;C 130:20,21).</p> - -<p><b>Illustrations of Obedience.</b>—That obedience is required from those -who become and remain members of the Church of Christ, should not -surprise any intelligent student of political science, nor even -a casual observer of the everyday life of men and nations. All -governments demand from their people obedience to the laws enacted -for the general welfare. Without such obedience, there would be no -peace, no protection. This is readily conceded by most men as to human -governments; but some people think it strange that divine government -should be administered upon like principles, and for similar, though -higher, ends.</p> - -<p>A friend of mine once said to me: "Why do I need to belong to a church, -to subscribe to a creed, or to undergo any ordinance, in order to be -saved? I have always been truthful, honest, virtuous, benevolent—why -will this not suffice to make my peace with God and pave my way to -heaven?"</p> - -<p><b>Aliens and Naturalization.</b>—I answered on this wise: "Let me use a -comparison to illustrate the point. Suppose you were an alien, born in -Great Britain, in Scandinavia, or in some other foreign land, and you -came to America desiring to become a citizen of the United States. When -told that you must take out citizenship papers, forswear allegiance to -every foreign power, and honor and uphold the Constitution and laws of -this Republic, suppose you were to reply: `Why, what is the need of all -that? I am a good man, I have always done right, and am clean, moral, -and upright in conduct and conversation—why is that not sufficient to -entitle me to vote, to hold office, pre-empt land, and enjoy all the -rights and privileges of an American freeman?' Do you think such a plea -would avail? No, you do not. You see its inconsistency as quickly as -would the government unto whom it might be made. You would not expect -to become a citizen of the United States upon your own terms. Why, -then, should you hope for admittance into God's kingdom upon any other -conditions than those which the King himself has laid down?"</p> - -<p><b>Man's Proper Attitude.</b>—Truthfulness, honesty, virtue, and benevolence -are precious possessions, inestimable treasures. They enrich the soul -under all conditions, outside or inside the kingdom of God; but they -are not valuable enough to purchase a passport into that kingdom. We -must not count upon our personal qualities, however admirable and -commendable, to gain us admission into the divine presence. Man's -proper attitude, as a seeker for salvation, is one of humility, not of -self-righteousness. When the Pharisee and the Publican prayed in the -Temple at Jerusalem, the former thanking the Lord that he was better -than other men, and the latter meekly murmuring: "God be merciful to -me, a sinner," the Savior, pointing to the Publican, said: That man is -justified, rather than the other, "for every one that exalteth himself -shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke -18:13,14).</p> - -<p><b>Obedience Better Than Sacrifice.</b>—"Obedience is better than sacrifice." -So said obedient Samuel to disobedient Saul. Adam's obedience in -offering sacrifice without knowing why, simply because the Lord had -commanded him (Moses 5:6) Abraham's obedience in offering Isaac—for -the same reason—was far more precious in the sight of heaven than the -sacrifice itself. In Abraham's case the will was taken for the deed, -and the Father of the Faithful was blessed as abundantly as if the -sacrifice had been consummated.</p> - -<p><b>Dead Letter and Living Oracle.</b>—Suppose, however, that Abraham had -not obeyed the Lord's second command, "Lay not thy hand upon the -lad." In that event he would have been in transgression, and could -not have been blessed any more than if he had disobeyed in the first -instance. In the face of that second command, he could not have pleaded -consistently that he was under obligation to obey the first. "My word -is my law," saith the Lord, and his latest word, even though it seem to -contradict an earlier behest from the same source, must always be given -precedence. The choice in such a case is between the dead letter and -the living oracle.</p> - -<p><b>All Blessings Come by Obedience.</b>—It is the rod of power which smites -the rock of divine providence, causing it to flow with the waters of -human weal.</p> - -<p><b>The Justice of God.</b>—When the Savior uttered his exhortation: "Be ye -therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," -and added, "For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the -good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45), -he did not mean that the Lord makes no distinction between the two -classes; but meant that he is just to both—just even to the unjust, -upon whom he sends his rain and sunshine, causing their orchards to -bloom and their vineyards to bear equally with those of the righteous. -Nevertheless, all who receive such blessings must merit them. If the -unjust (unjust here) had not kept their first estate, thereby showing -some degree of obedience to divine law, they would not have been given -a second estate, where the sunlight and the rains could reach them. In -this second estate, however, further obedience is requisite, in order -that greater benefits may follow.</p> - -<p><b>Blessings Bestowed by Law.</b>—God's blessings are temporal as well as -spiritual, and their bestowal is regulated by law. A bad man may be -a good farmer or a good artisan, and reap reward for obedience to -the law of industry in the exercise of his vocation. But there are -greater blessings than those which come from the workshop and the -harvest field; and they can be had only by obedience to the higher laws -governing their distribution. One cannot become a member of the Church -of Christ by being an expert tiller of the soil. It requires more than -the skill of a mechanic to get into the kingdom of heaven. There is but -one way into that kingdom—a way pointed out by the finger of God—and -any person who tries to get in by picking the lock or by climbing over -the wall, will be treated as a trespasser, as a would-be thief and -robber.</p> - -<p><b>What Must Man Do for Himself?</b>—What particular acts of obedience are -required of man, in order that God, who redeemed him, may likewise save -and exalt him? What must he do for himself, that he may profit fully -by the great things done in his behalf? How shall this alien become -naturalized? The ladder having been let down into the pit, how shall -the fallen avail himself of the divine assistance offered?</p> - -<p>The answer is plain: He must climb, if he would get out. While there -was no ladder, he could not, and all his intelligence and skill were -unavailing. But now, if he will use his God-given powers and the means -provided, he may climb from earth to heaven, round by round. If he -refuses to climb, who but himself is responsible for his remaining in -the pit?</p> - -<p><b>The Most Important Personage.</b>—This gospel code—this way into the -kingdom—what is it? What does it consist of? What are the divine laws -of naturalization? What requirements are made of those who would be -identified with the Church of Christ—who would be saved in this world -and in the world to come? The man who can answer, to the spiritually -unenlightened, such questions as these, is easily the most important -personage of his generation. Such a man was the Apostle Peter, and such -another was the Prophet Joseph Smith.</p> - -<p><b>The Pentecostal Proclamation.</b>—When Peter, on the day of Pentecost, -preached "Christ and him crucified," and the conscience-stricken -multitude cried out: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" a question -was propounded which the most learned philosophers of that age could -not answer. Caesar, sitting upon the throne of the world, would have -been mystified had the question been put to him: What shall men do to -be saved? Not so Peter, the Galilean fisherman. He knew what men must -do, and he straightway told them what to do:</p> - -<p>"Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus -Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the -Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).</p> - -<p>[Footnote A: An idea advanced by President George Q. Cannon.]</p> - - -<a name="Way2"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Faith.</p> - -<p><b>The First Requirement.</b>—Faith, however, not repentance, is the first -requirement. The probable reason why Peter omitted to mention faith -at that time, was because he perceived that the multitude already -had faith, already believed what he had told them of the crucified -Redeemer. Had it been otherwise, they would not have been "pricked in -their heart." and would not have anxiously inquired, "What shall we -do?" Belief was the first requirement made by the Savior, through his -chosen twelve, when he sent them "into all the world" to "preach the -gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:16). He declared salvation dependent -on faith and works: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, -and he that believeth not shall be damned." For faith is shown by works -(James 2:18), and each is dead without the other.</p> - -<p><b>The Foundation of All Righteousness.</b>—Faith, according to the Doctrine -and Covenants, is "the first principle in revealed religion, and the -foundation of all righteousness." There are few things more lucid in -our literature than the Lectures on Faith which form the fore part of -that sacred volume—one of the four doctrinal standards of the Church; -the other three being the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Pearl -of Great Price. Beginning with the text, "Now faith is the substance -[assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. -11:1), the lecturer goes on to say:</p> - -<p><b>The Moving Cause of All Action.</b>—"If men were duly to consider -themselves, and turn their thoughts and reflections to the operations -of their own minds, they would readily discover that it is faith, and -faith only, which is the moving cause of all action in them; that -without it both mind and body would be in a state of inactivity, and -all their exertions would cease, both physical and mental."</p> - -<p>"Were this class to go back and reflect upon the history of their -lives, from the period of their first recollection, and ask themselves -what principle excited them to action, or what gave them energy and -activity in all their lawful avocations, callings, and pursuits, what -would be the answer? Would it not be that it was the assurance which -they had of the existence of things which they had not seen as yet? -Was it not the hope which you had in consequence of your belief in the -existence of unseen things, which stimulated you to action and exertion -in order to obtain them? Are you not dependent on your faith, or -belief, for the acquisition of all knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence? -Would you exert yourselves to obtain wisdom and intelligence, unless -you did believe that you could obtain them? Would you have ever sown, -if you had not believed that you would reap? Would you ever planted, -if you had not believed that you would gather? Would you have ever -asked, unless you had believed that you would receive? Would you have -ever sought, unless you had believed that you would have found? Or, -would have been opened unto you? In a word, is there anything that you -would have done, either physical or mental, if you had not previously -believed? Are not all your exertions of every kind, dependent on your -faith? Or, may we not ask, what have you, or what do you possess which -you have not obtained by reason of your faith? Your food, your raiment, -your lodgings, are they not all by reason of your faith? Reflect, and -ask yourselves if these things are not so. Turn your thoughts on your -own minds, and see if faith is not the moving cause of all action in -yourselves; and, if the moving cause in you, is it not in all other -intelligent beings?" * * * *</p> - -<p><b>A Principle of Power.</b>—"As we receive by faith all temporal blessings -that we do receive, so we in like manner receive by faith all spiritual -blessings that we do receive. But faith is not only the principle of -action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven -or on earth. Thus says the author of the epistle to the Heb. 11:3: -`Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word -of God; so that things which are seen were not made of things which do -appear.'</p> - -<p>"Had it not been for the principle of faith the worlds would never have -been framed, neither would man have been formed of the dust. It is the -principle by which Jehovah works, and through which he exercises power -over all temporal as well as eternal things. Take this principle or -attribute—for it is an attribute—from the Deity, and he would cease -to exist.</p> - -<p>"Who cannot see, that if God framed the worlds by faith, that it is -by faith that he exercises power over them, and that faith is the -principle of power? And if the principle of power, must be so in man as -well as in the Deity? This is the testimony of all the sacred writers, -and the lesson which they have been endeavoring to teach to man. * * * *</p> - -<p>"It was by faith that the worlds were framed. God spake, chaos heard, -and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in him. So -with man also; he spake by faith in the name of God and the sun stood -still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lions' mouths -were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies -their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this -by reason of the faith which was in him.</p> - -<p>"Had it not been for the faith which was in men, they might have spoken -to the sun, the moon, the mountains, prisons, the human heart, fire, -armies, the sword, or to death, in vain!</p> - -<p>"Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power, -dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they -remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and -without power there could be no creation nor existence!"</p> - -<p><b>A Negative Opinion.</b>—A Christian minister (a Unitarian) once tried to -convince me that faith was anything but an admirable quality. He called -it contemptible, declaring that it consisted simply of a willingness to -believe anything, however improbable or absurd: it was mere credulity, -nothing more. When I spoke of faith as a spiritual force, he said I -was attaching to the term a significance that it had never borne, and -for which there was no warrant. I reminded him of the Savior's words -in Matt. 17:19,20: "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye -shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it -shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Whereupon he -answered flippantly: "Oh, it takes picks and shovels to move mountains."</p> - -<p><b>The Positive View.</b>—I presume he would have conceded, had I pursued -the subject further, that there are other ways of removing mountains. -I fancy he would have admitted the power of the earthquake in the -premises; though he might not have agreed with me that all intelligent -action, human or divine, is the result of faith, and that whether -mountains are moved with pick-axes or with earthquakes, by man or -by his Maker, it is faith that precedes the action and renders it -possible. This professed minister of Christ, who denied what Christ had -taught, overlooked the fact that the smallest as well as the greatest -acts of our lives spring from the exercise of faith.</p> - -<p><b>Faith Fundamental.</b>—God made faith the first principle of the gospel, -because that is its proper place. It is the bottom round in the ladder -of salvation, the first step in the stairway to perfection. "All things -are possible to them that believe."</p> - -<p><b>"As a Grain of Mustard Seed."</b>—When the Savior spoke of the faith -that "removes mountains," he was not measuring, either satirically or -hyperbolically, the quantity of the faith by the size of the mustard -seed. He probably meant that if man would obey the divine law given -for his government, as faithfully as the mustard seed obeys the divine -law given for its government, he would have infinitely more power than -he now possesses. How difficult it seems for man, "the noblest work -of God," to live in obedience to the highest principles revealed from -heaven for his guidance. Yet the earth, we are told, "abideth the law -of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and -transgresseth not the law" (D&C 88:25).</p> - -<p><b>Faith and Credulity.</b>—Faith, in its incipient stages, may resemble at -times mere credulity. The untutored savage who was told by one of the -early settlers of New England that if he planted grass seed it would -produce gunpowder, believed it, not yet having learned that the white -man would lie. He therefore parted with his valuable furs, in exchange -for some of the seed, showing that he had faith in the settler's word. -But it did not bring the desired result. Faith, to be effectual, -must be based upon truth, and though higher than reason, must have a -reasonable foundation. The spirit of truth must inspire it. This was -not the case with the poor, misguided Indian; he trusted in a falsehood -and was deceived. But some good came of it. He ascertained the falsity -of the settler's statement. His faith induced him to plant the seed, -and though it did not produce gunpowder—that being contrary to its -nature—it produced a growth of grass-and a wiser Indian.</p> - - -<a name="Way3"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Faith, Continued.</p> - -<p><b>Faith Founded on Evidence.</b>—The second of the Lectures on Faith is a -discussion of the object upon which faith should rest; that object -being God, the evidences of whose existence, as the foundation of all -rational belief, are abundantly shown. Lecture Third contains these -paragraphs, pertinent to the point now raised:</p> - -<p><b>Essentials for a Perfect Faith.</b>—"Three things are necessary in order -that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto -life and salvation.</p> - -<p>"First, the idea that he actually exists.</p> - -<p>"Second, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes.</p> - -<p>"Third, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he [man] is -pursuing is according to his [God's] will. For without an acquaintance -with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being -must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding it -can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness, unto the -praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."</p> - -<p><b>Possibilities of Faith.</b>—Had the Indian's faith been properly -founded—had it been a perfect faith, intelligent, rational, -heaven-inspired, he could have produced gunpowder or any other -commodity from the all-containing elements around him; and that, -too, without planting a seed or employing an ordinary process of -manufacture. The turning of water into wine, the miraculous feeding of -the multitude, the walking upon the waves, the healing of the sick, -the raising of the dead, and other wonderful works wrought by the -Savior, the apostles, and the ancient prophets—what were they but -manifestations of an all-powerful faith, to possess which is to have -the power to remove mountains—without picks and shovels, my skeptical -Unitarian to the contrary notwithstanding. Such a faith is not mere -credulity; it is a divine energy, operating upon natural laws and by -natural processes—natural, though unknown to "the natural man," and -termed by him supernatural.</p> - -<p><b>The Universal Mainspring.</b>—Faith is the beating heart of the -universe—the incentive, the impulse, to all action, the mainspring -of all achievement. Nothing was ever accomplished, small or great, -commonplace or miraculous, that was not backed up by confidence in -some power, human or superhuman, that impelled and pushed forward the -enterprise.</p> - -<p><b>An Impelling Force.</b>—It was not doubt that drove Columbus across the -sea; it was faith—the impelling force of the Spirit of the Lord (1 -Ne. 13:12). It was not doubt that nerved the arm and fired the soul of -Washington, inducing him and his ragged regiments to fight on through -heat, frost, and hunger of seven long years, to win their country's -freedom. It was not doubt that inspired Hamilton, Jefferson, Franklin, -and the other patriot fathers, to lay broad and deep the foundations of -this mighty republic. It is not doubt that has caused nations to rise -and flourish, and raised up great men in all ages and in all climes, -to teach, toil, and sacrifice for the benefit of mankind. It is faith -that does such things. Doubt undoes, or hinders, what faith achieves. -The men and women who have moved this world were men and women who -believed, who were earnest and sincere, even if in part mistaken.</p> - -<p><b>Mahomet and Islam.</b>—Carlyle portrays vividly the wondrous transition -from weakness to strength that came over the descendants of Ishmael, -when they became a believing nation, abandoning idolatry, and accepting -Allah as their god, with Mahomet as his prophet:</p> - -<p>"To the Arab nation it was as a birth from darkness into light; -Arabia first became alive by means of it. A poor shepherd people -roaming unnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world; a -hero-prophet was sent down to them with a word they could believe; see, -the unnoticed becomes world-notable, the small has become world-great; -within one century afterwards Arabia is at Granada on this hand, at -Delhi on that—glancing in valor and splendor and the light of genius, -Arabia shines through long ages over a great section of the world. -Belief is great, life-giving. The history of a nation becomes fruitful, -soul-elevating, great, so soon as it believes. These Arabs, the man -Mahomet, and that one century—is it not as if a spark had fallen, one -spark, on a world of what seemed black, unnoticeable sand; but lo, -the sand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to -Granada! I said, the great man was always as lightning out of heaven; -the rest of men waited for him like fuel, and then they too would -flame."—("Heroes and Hero Worship," Lecture II.)</p> - -<p><b>Achievements of Christendom.</b>—Who can doubt that this same philosophy -applies to Christendom and its marvelous achievements, all down the -centuries? Is it not faith in the divine Nazarene that has caused -Christian nations to thrive, that has enabled Christianity, in spite of -its errors, to flourish, to survive the wreck of empires and weather -the storms of time? Was not Christ indeed as "lightning out of heaven," -sent down to kindle and illumine the world, and has not the world been -warmer and brighter for his coming? Is it not the faith of any nation, -its trust in and reliance upon some power deemed by it divine, that -constitutes its main strength?</p> - -<p><b>Faith Must Be Genuine.</b>—But faith must be genuine. Pretense and -formalism will not avail. Hypocrisy is the worst form of unbelief. -Honest idolatry is infinitely preferable to dishonest worship. Better -burn incense to Diana, believing it to be right, than bow down to -Christ in hollow-hearted insincerity. Mighty Rome did not fall, until -she had ceased to worship sincerely the gods enshrined within her -Pantheon. Glorious Greece did not succumb, until she had proved false -to her ancient faith, until her believers had become doubters, until -skeptical philosophy had supplanted religious enthusiasm, and the -worship of freedom, grace, and beauty had degenerated to unbridled -license and groveling sensuality. No nation ever crumbled to ruin until -false to itself, false to the true principles of success, the basic one -of which is to believe.</p> - -<p><b>The Articles of Faith.</b>—What should Latter-day Saints believe? I can -think of no better answer to this question than is contained in the -Articles of Faith, formulated by the Prophet Joseph Smith soon after -the Church of Christ was organized in this dispensation:</p> - -<p>"1. We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, -and in the Holy Ghost.</p> - -<p>"2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not -for Adam's transgression.</p> - -<p>"3. We believe that through the atonement of Christ all men may be -saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.</p> - -<p>"4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel -are:—First, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, -baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of -hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.</p> - -<p>"5. We believe that a man must be called of God by prophecy, and by the -laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel -and administer in the ordinances thereof.</p> - -<p>"6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive -church, viz.: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.</p> - -<p>"7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, -healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.</p> - -<p>"8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is -translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word -of God.</p> - -<p>"9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, -and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things -pertaining to the kingdom of God.</p> - -<p>"10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the -restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this -continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth: and that -the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisaical glory.</p> - -<p>"11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the -dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, -let them worship how, where, or what they may.</p> - -<p>"12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and -magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.</p> - -<p>"13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, -and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the -admonition of Paul, We believe all things, we hope all things, we have -endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there -is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we -seek after these things."</p> - - -<a name="Way4"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Repentance.</p> - -<p><b>The First Fruit of Faith.</b>—The first fruit of faith is repentance. -Repentance follows faith as naturally as kindness follows love, as -obedience springs from reverence, as a desire to be congenial with, -succeeds admiration for, one whose example is deemed worthy of -emulation. God commands all men everywhere to repent. A desire to -please him and become acceptable in his sight, leads the soul of faith -of repentance.</p> - -<p><b>A Gift from God.</b>—No repentance is possible, however, without the -Spirit of the Lord, which "giveth light to every man that cometh into -the world" (D&C 84:45-47). This is what makes repentance, no less than -faith, a gift from God. When his Spirit ceases to strive with men, they -no longer desire to repent, and are delivered over to the buffetings -of Satan. They deliver themselves over to those buffetings. They make -their choice between the spirit of good and the spirit of evil, both of -which are in the world, influencing the spirit of man, and they receive -their wages from the master whom they list to obey.</p> - -<p><b>The Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost.</b>—A distinction should be drawn -between the Spirit "that enlighteneth every man," and the Holy Ghost, -whose gifts are given to members of the Church of Christ. The former -is an influence, proceeding from the Divine Presence; the latter a -personage, one of the Godhead, concerning whom the Prophet Joseph says: -"The Father has a body of flesh and bones, as tangible as man's; the -Son also; but the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so -the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us" (D&C 130:22).</p> - -<p>The Prophet says further upon this subject: "There is a difference -between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius -received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the -convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the gospel, but he -could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, until after he was -baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the -Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God would have left -him."—("Joseph Smith's Teachings," p.69.)</p> - -<p><b>Real Repentance.</b>—Repentance is not that superficial sorrow felt by a -criminal when caught in the act of wrong-doing—a sorrow not for sin, -but for sin's detection, for being taken in transgression. Chagrin -is not repentance. Mortification and shame, alone, bring no change -of heart toward right living or right feeling. Repentance involves -remorse; but even remorse is not all there is to repentance. In its -highest meaning and fullest measure, repentance is equivalent to -reformation—a resolve to "sin no more," backed by conduct consistent -with such a determination. "Repentance is a thing that cannot be -trifled with every day. Daily transgression and daily repentance is -not that which is pleasing in the sight of God" ("Joseph Smith's -Teachings," p. 136). "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his -sins. Behold, he will confess them and forsake them" (D&C 58:43). This -is a real, genuine repentance. All who truly repent can be forgiven. -These, and these alone, are ready for the cleansing process—baptism -for the remission of sins. Without repentance, there is no forgiveness, -and consequently no remission of sins.</p> - -<p><b>Damnation No Part of the Gospel.</b>—Damnation is no part of the gospel. -Damnation or condemnation is simply the sad alternative, the inevitable -consequence of rejecting the means of escape. When men hear the gospel -and refuse to obey it, the come under condemnation. This cannot be -helped. God would save them, but they will not be saved. They are free -agents, and they damn themselves. Says Joseph the prophet: "When God -offers knowledge or a gift to a man, and he refuses to receive it, -he will be damned." Not because God wishes to damn him, but because -damnation is inevitable when one rejects the offer of salvation.</p> - -<p><b>Sin, a Wilful Transgression of Law.</b>—A man sins when he goes contrary -to light and knowledge—that is, contrary to the light and knowledge -that has come to him. One may blunder in ignorance, and suffer painful -consequences; but one does not sin unless one knows better than to do -the thing in which the sin consists.</p> - -<p><b>Carlyle on Repentance.</b>—"Of all acts," says Carlyle, "is not, for a -man, repentance the most divine? The deadliest sin, I say, were that -same supercilious consciousness of no sin;—that is death; the heart so -conscious is divorced from sincerity, humility and fact; is dead: it is -'pure' as dead dry sand is pure."—"Heroes and Hero-Worship," Lecture -II.</p> - -<p><b>Condemnation Measured by Culpability.</b>—They who refuse to repent will -be damned; they damn themselves by that refusal. But damnation is not -necessarily permanent, and like salvation or exaltation, it exists in -degrees. The degree of condemnation is according to the measure of -culpability in those condemned. Even the damned, who repent, can be -saved.</p> - -<p><b>Some Souls Incapable of Repentance.</b>—Some sinners cannot repent. Their -sins are of such a heinous character as to preclude it. The spirit of -repentance cannot lay hold upon them. T heir conduct has so grieved -it, that it is completely withdrawn. Consequently they cannot repent, -and that is what makes their case hopeless. If they could repent, they -could be forgiven; but not being able to repent, the pardoning power -cannot reach them. There would be no unpardonable sin if all sinners -were capable of repentance. Those who cannot repent, who have committed -the sin unpardonable, are called sons of perdition.</p> - -<p><b>A Hint from Shakespeare.</b>—Apropos of the inability to repent, -Shakespeare gives a philosophic hint in his tragedy of "Hamlet." -Claudius, brother to the king of Denmark, has murdered the king -in order to obtain his crown and queen. But remorse gnaws at the -murderer's conscience—not a godly remorse, leading to repentance, -but the terror that guilty souls feel at the prospect of judgment and -retribution. Claudius kneels to pray, but can only pray with his lips, -his heart being far from God. It is therefore no prayer at all. "The -soul's sincere desire" is lacking.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below;<br> - Words without thoughts never to heaven go."</p> - -</blockquote> - -<p>So says the murderous monarch, as he rises from his knees. Prior to -his ineffectual attempt to supplicate the Throne of Grace, he thus -soliloquizes:</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> "My fault is past. But O what form of prayer<br> - Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?'<br> - That cannot be, since I am still possessed<br> - Of those effects for which I did the murder,<br> - My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.<br> - May one be pardoned and retain the offense?<br> - * * * * * *<br> - "Try what repentance can: what can it not?<br> - Yet what can it when one can not repent?"<br> - ("Hamlet," Act. III, Scene III.)</p> - -</blockquote> - -<p>The unpardonable sin involves utter recreancy to divine light and -power previously possessed. It is the sin against the Holy Ghost; but -one must first receive the Holy Ghost before he is capable of sinning -against it. Such a sin can be committed only by men who have been -equipped with every qualification for celestial glory.</p> - -<p><b>The Sons of Perdition.</b>—"Thus saith the Lord, concerning all those who -know my power, and have been made partakers there of, and suffered -themselves, through the power of the devil, to be overcome, and to deny -the truth and defy my power—</p> - -<p>"They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had -been better for them never to have been born,</p> - -<p>"For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with -the devil and his angels in eternity;</p> - -<p>"Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor -in the world to come,</p> - -<p>"Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having -denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father—having crucified him unto -themselves, and put him to an open shame.</p> - -<p>"They are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, -with the devil and his angels,</p> - -<p>"And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;</p> - -<p>"Wherefore, he saves all except them." (D.&C. 76:31-37,44.)</p> - -<p><b>The Saved and Glorified.</b>—But the saved are rewarded according to their -works. The glorified differ like the sun, moon, and stars, typifying, -respectively, celestial, terrestrial, and telestial conditions. They -who cannot abide any of these conditions, "are not meet for a kingdom -of glory," and the utterly disobedient, who will to abide in sin, are -fated to "remain filthy still" (D&C 88:22-35).</p> - -<p><b>The Celestial Glory.</b>—The inheritors of celestial exaltation, the -highest degree of glory, are they who render to the Great Giver the -fulness of their obedience, manifesting a willingness to lay all upon -the altar at his bidding. In short, "to do all things whatsoever the -Lord their God shall command them" (Abr. 3:25).</p> - -<p>"They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his -name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in -the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he -has given,</p> - -<p>"That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed -from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of -hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power.</p> - -<p>"And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of -promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and -true.</p> - -<p>"They are they who are the Church of the first born.</p> - -<p>"They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—</p> - -<p>"They are they who are Priests and Kings, who have received of his -fulness, and of his glory,</p> - -<p>"And are Priests of the Most High, after the order to Melchizedek, -which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the -Only Begotten Son;</p> - -<p>"Wherefore, as it is written, they are Gods, even the sons of God—</p> - -<p>"Wherefore all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things -present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's and -Christ is God's. * * *</p> - -<p>"These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ for ever and -ever.</p> - -<p>"These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the -clouds of heaven, to reign on the earth over his people.</p> - -<p>"These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.</p> - -<p>"These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just. * -* *</p> - -<p>"These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the -sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of -the firmament is written of as being typical."—(D.&C. 76:51-59, 62-65, -70.)</p> - -<p><b>The Terrestrial Glory.</b>—They who receive not the gospel here, but -receive it hereafter; they who die without law; also "honorable men of -the earth, blinded by the craftiness of men;"—</p> - -<p>"These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness;</p> - -<p>"These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the -fulness of the Father;</p> - -<p>"Wherefore they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and -differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.</p> - -<p>"These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; -wherefore they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.—(D.& -C. 76:76-79.)</p> - -<p><b>The Telestial World.</b>—Concerning the inhabitants of the telestial -world, it is written:</p> - -<p>"These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the -testimony of Jesus.</p> - -<p>"These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit.</p> - -<p>"These are they who are thrust down to hell.</p> - -<p>"These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil, until the -last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have -finished his work.</p> - -<p>"These are they who receive not of his fulness in the eternal world, -but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial:</p> - -<p>"And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels -who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be -ministering spirits for them, for they shall be heirs of salvation. * * -*</p> - -<p>"These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers and -whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.</p> - -<p>"These are they who suffer the wrath of God on the earth.</p> - -<p>"These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.</p> - -<p>"These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of -Almighty God, until the fulness of times when Christ shall have subdued -all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work. * * *</p> - -<p>"And they shall be servants of the Most High, but where God and Christ -dwell they cannot come, worlds without end." (D.&C. 76:82-88, 103-106, -112.)</p> - -<p>"And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is -one.</p> - -<p>"And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon -is one.</p> - -<p>"And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars -is one, for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so -differs one from another in glory in the telestial world." (D.&C. -76:96-98; 1 Cor. 15:40,41.)</p> - -<p><b>A Nautical Illustration.</b>—Thirty years ago I was crossing the Atlantic -on an ocean liner. I was a first cabin passenger, and besides myself -there were forty or fifty others in that part of the vessel. The second -cabin had about twice as many passengers, and in the steerage were -several hundred more. I found that the first cabin berths—secured by a -fortunate few—were not only the best furnished, but the most favorably -situated for comfort, convenience, and safety. The food was of the -choicest, every possible courtesy was shown to the passengers, and they -had the full freedom of the ship. They might go down into the second -cabin, or lower down, into the steerage, at will, and return without -hindrance or question. They had paid for these privileges, and were -therefore entitled to them. The captain and other officers were their -associates.</p> - -<p>It was different in the second cabin. There the food was not so good, -the berths were not so comfortable, and the privileges were fewer. -The passengers there might descend into the steerage, but were not -permitted upon the upper deck. In the steerage, conditions were even -less favorable. The food was still poorer, and the restrictions yet -more rigid. The occupants of that section were not allowed even in the -second cabin. Having paid only for steerage accommodations, these were -all they could consistently claim.</p> - -<p>Viewing the situation, I said to myself, What a striking analogy of -the final destiny of the human race, as set forth in the revelations -of God! All men rewarded according to their works, and saved according -to their merits in the eternal mansions of the Father! And I then and -there resolved anew that I would be a first cabin passenger on the good -ship Zion, over the ocean of life, into the haven of celestial glory.</p> - -<p><b>Men's Desires a Basis of Judgment.</b>—At a date subsequent to February -16, 1832, when Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received that wonderful -vision, portraying the celestial, terrestrial and telestial glories, -the heavens were again opened to the Prophet, who thus describes what -he saw:</p> - -<p>"I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether -in the body or out I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the -gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like -unto circling flames of fire; also the blazing throne of God, whereon -was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that -kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold. I saw -Fathers Adam and Abraham, and my father and mother, my brother, Alvin, -that has long since slept, and marveled how it was that he had obtained -an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life -before the Lord had set His hand to gather Israel the second time, and -had not been baptized for the remission of sins.</p> - -<p>"Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying—</p> - -<p>"All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have -received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the -celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without -a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, -shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men -according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.</p> - -<p>"And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the -years of accountability, are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven." -(History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 380.)</p> - -<p><b>Grades of Celestial Glory.</b>—The Prophet also taught that there are -grades of glory, even in the celestial kingdom; his exact language -being: "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees" (D&C -131:1).</p> - - -<a name="Way5"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Water and Spirit Birth.</p> - -<p><b>The Initial Ceremony.</b>—As faith is the first principle of the gospel -of Christ, so baptism is the initial ceremony. Baptism is twofold, -corresponding to the soul, its subject, which is both spiritual and -temporal. It signifies for that soul rebirth and illumination.</p> - -<p>"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."</p> - -<p>"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into -the kingdom of God" (John 3:3,5).</p> - -<p>So said the King of that kingdom, the only One empowered to prescribe -conditions upon which men might become his subjects, or his fellow -citizens, in that heavenly common-wealth where he shines first and -foremost among the sons of God.</p> - -<p><b>Jesus to Nicodemus.</b>—Jesus, when he uttered those words, was speaking -to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee, and, as some suppose, -a member of the Sanhedrim. Favorably inclined toward the unpopular -Nazarene, yet too politic to be seen associating with him openly, -Nicodemus came to him by night, avowing a belief that he was "a teacher -come from God." In response to this confession of faith, Jesus taught -Nicodemus the doctrine embodied in the lines I have quoted.</p> - -<p><b>A Subject of Controversy.</b>—"Except a man be born of water and of the -Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Probably no theme -connected with the gospel of Christ has caused more controversy than -this positive and important declaration, the meaning of which, however -plain to Christians anciently, has been a matter of uncertainty to -their successors all down the centuries. From the days of the early -Greek fathers of the Christian Church, to the days of St. Augustine, -the great theologian of the Western or Roman Catholic division of that -church; from his time to the time of Luther and Calvin, and thence on -into the present age, men have disputed over the significance of those -sacred words, over the mystical birth of water and of spirit, declared -by the world's Redeemer to be the doorway to his Church, the portal of -admittance into his kingdom.</p> - -<p><b>What is Baptism?</b>—Over the general meaning of the phrase, "born of -water and of the Spirit," there may have been no serious contention. In -all or most of the Christian denominations, Catholic and Protestant, -that phrase means baptism, the ordinance whereby a person is initiated -into the Church. But what does baptism mean? That is the problem. The -significance, form, purpose, and effects of the ordinance, and whether -or not it is necessary to salvation—these questions have furnished -the backbone of the controversy. And yet they are questions easily -answered, problems readily solved, if we take the Holy Spirit for our -guide, and wrest not the Scriptures.</p> - -<p><b>The Savior's Example.</b>—The New Testament teaches plainly the necessity -of baptism. The words of Jesus, already quoted, may be reinforced by -the following passages:</p> - -<p>"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of -him.</p> - -<p>"But John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and -comest thou to me?</p> - -<p>"And Jesus, answering, said unto him: Suffer it to be so now, for thus -it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him." -(Matthew 3:13-15.)</p> - -<p><b>A Universal Requirement.</b>—If it was becoming in the Son of God to be -baptized, it is becoming in all who follow in his footsteps and hope -to be with him hereafter. They must be baptized with the baptism that -he was baptized with—not only the baptism of suffering, through which -"the captain of our salvation" was "made perfect," but the baptism of -water and of spirit, received by him at the River Jordan, nineteen -centuries ago.</p> - -<p><b>King and Subject.</b>—Can you conceive of a kingdom in which the king -is required to obey the laws ordained for its government, while his -subjects are not required to obey them? Far more likely, is it not, -that the king, rather than the subject, would be exempt from such -obedience? But the laws of God's kingdom are just and impartial, -bearing with equal pressure upon all. "The Son doeth nothing but what -he hath seen the Father do;" nor does he require of us what he himself -is not willing to render. "Follow me," is the watchward of his mission, -and it applies to baptism as much as to anything.</p> - -<p><b>To Fulfil All Righteousness.</b>—True, baptism is "for the remission -of sins" (Mark 1:4; Acts 2:38) and Jesus "grew up without sin unto -salvation." Hence, there was no sin in him to remit. Why, then, was he -baptized? John saw this point when Jesus presented himself for baptism: -"I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" While we -cannot impute sin to the sinless, and say that Jesus was baptized, like -an ordinary man, for the remission of his sins, we can and should take -him at his word, that it was becoming in him, and is becoming in us, to -be baptized, in order "to fulfil all righteousness."</p> - -<p><b>Necessity of Baptism Not Obviated by Christ's Baptism.</b>—Some hold that -Jesus was baptized vicariously for original sin, the sin of the world, -resulting from the transgression of Adam. That load of guilt, it is -argued, had to be remitted, and hence the Savior, who had taken the -burden upon him, was baptized that it might be washed away. I cannot -vouch for the correctness of that view; but this I know: The baptism -of Jesus did not obviate the necessity of baptism, any more than his -suffering of the pangs of every man, woman and child (2 Ne.9:21, 22), -did away with human suffering. Men still suffer, notwithstanding that -infinite atonement—necessary, in order that the resurrection might -pass upon all men. And they must still be baptized for the remission -of their own sins, notwithstanding the baptism of "the Lamb of God, -which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Christ plainly -taught, after his own baptism, the necessity of baptism as a universal -requirement, obligatory upon all capable of faith and repentance.</p> - -<p><b>Little Children Exempt.</b>—The only class exempt are infants, or children -young enough to be without sin. Obviously they cannot repent, and are -therefore not fit subjects for baptism. Jesus said: "Suffer the little -children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the -kingdom of heaven." Again: "Except ye humble yourselves and become as -this little child, ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven." -This shows not only that little children are sinless, but that they -are types of the innocence and purity required of men and women, who, -because not sinless, must be baptized and have their sins remitted, -before they can enter into that kingdom where no sin, no uncleanness, -can come. For this cause—that men and women must "become as little -children" before entering there—baptism, the doorway, is compared to a -birth, the entry of an infant into life. For this reason also, converts -to Christ in ancient times were referred to as "new-born babes." Peter -so styled them (2:2); and the first principles of the gospel, those -easiest to comprehend, to mentally digest, were termed both by him and -by Paul, "the milk of the word," in contradistinction to "the meat of -the word"—advanced principles and mysteries (1 Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:12-14; -1 Cor. 3:2). The effect of baptism is to make men childlike, not in -ignorance, nor in physical weakness, but in innocence and humility.</p> - -<p><b>Mormon to Moroni.</b>—Upon this theme Mormon writes thus to his son -Moroni, voicing the word of the Lord:</p> - -<p>"Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. -Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous, but sinners -to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; -wherefore little children are whole, for they are not capable of -committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, -that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done -away in me.</p> - -<p>"And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto -me; wherefore my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before -God, that ye should baptize little children.</p> - -<p>"Behold, I say unto you, that this thing shall ye teach, repentance and -baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; -yea, teach parents that they must repent, and be baptized, and humble -themselves as their little children. * * *</p> - -<p>"Little children cannot repent; wherefore it is awful wickedness to -deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are alive in him -because of his mercy. * * * The power of redemption cometh on all them -that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is -under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth -nothing." (Moroni 8:8-10, 19, 22.)</p> - -<p><b>Children Become Accountable.</b>—As children advance in years, however, -they become accountable, and then, like adults, they must yield -obedience to the requirements of the gospel. The Lord explained this -matter to Adam in these words:</p> - -<p>"Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin -to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, -that they may know to prize the good.</p> - -<p>"And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are -agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and -commandment.</p> - -<p>"Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must -repent, or they can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God, for no -unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the -language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only -Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who -shall come in the meridian of time.</p> - -<p>"Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely -unto your children, saying:</p> - -<p>"That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth -death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water and blood, -and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, -even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and -of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only -Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words -of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, -even immortal glory;</p> - -<p>"For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are -justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified." (Moses 6:55-60.)</p> - -<p><b>Early Christian Views.</b>—The earliest Christians did not doubt the -necessity of baptism. On the contrary, they strongly insisted upon it, -as indispensable to a saved condition. During the Patristic age—that -of the early fathers, following the apostles—the conviction that -no soul could be saved without baptism was so firm that it led to -pedobaptism—the baptism of infants, and to other innovations upon -the primitive faith. It was seen that infants could not believe in -Christ, nor repent of sins that they had not committed; but it was -held that the church, or those who stood sponsor for the little ones, -could believe for them, and they were baptized for original sin, the -sin of Adam, which they were supposed to have inherited. Peter's words -in promising the Holy Ghost: "For the promise is unto you and to your -children" (Acts 2:39), were construed to sustain infant baptism. It was -even assumed that the Savior authorized it in saying, "Suffer little -children to come unto me," the inference being that they could come -unto him only by baptism.</p> - -<p><b>Pedobaptism.</b>—Holders of these ideas have never explained why infant -baptism did not become prevalent until two or three centuries after -Christ, and why such eminent Christians of the fourth century as -Gregory, of Nazianzum, the son of a bishop; Basil the Great, of -Cappadocia; Chrysostom of Antioch, and Augustine of Numidia—whose -mothers were the most pious of Christians—were not baptized until -they were over thirty years of age. Paul's affirmation that "children -are holy" (1 Cor. 7:14), the Savior's declaration, "Of such is the -kingdom of heaven," and Mormon's words to Moroni, already cited, are -a sufficient answer to the assumption that children under the age of -accountability have need to be baptized. Those who introduced the -practice of baptizing infants for original sin, overlooked the fact -that Christ atoned for original guilt, and that men are accountable for -their own sins and not for Adam's transgression.</p> - -<p><b>Other Innovations.</b>—One innovation led to another, though the next -related to adults. What was to become of martyrs, who had shed their -blood in defense of the church, or for its sake, but had never -confessed Christ nor been baptized? Were they to be damned? Oh, no; -for their benefit another doctrine was introduced; they were held to -have been baptized in their own blood. Finally, out of deference to -the claims of a far more numerous class—worthy men and women, many of -whom had lived and died before the Christian Church was founded, while -others, though living contemporaneously with it, were never reached -by its missionaries—the idea gradually obtained that baptism was not -essential to salvation. All of which might have been obviated, and the -Church spared much ridicule and skepticism—the result of its ramblings -and inconsistencies—had it kept the key to the situation—namely, -baptism for the dead.</p> - -<p><b>Gradual Growth of a Heresy.</b>—The idea that baptism is nonessential did -not become fixed and popular until many centuries after the apostles -fell asleep. Saint Augustine, who figured in the latter part of the -fourth and the first half of the fifth century after Christ, and -who advanced the notion that water baptism was "the outward sign of -an inward grace," the external emblem of internal sanctification, -held, nevertheless, that no soul could be saved without it—not even -infants; though their condemnation, resulting from non-baptism, would -be of the mildest character. Augustine's concept of baptism, with some -modifications, is the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, and of the -orthodox Protestant churches, at the present time. Luther held baptism -to be essential to salvation; Calvin and Zwingli did not; and there, -in the sixteenth century, it appears, began the schism of opinion -concerning it that divides Christendom today.</p> - -<p><b>Baptism for the Dead.</b>—That baptism is required from all capable of -exercising faith and manifesting repentance is shown by the fact that -provision is made in the gospel for the baptism of those who pass away -without being baptized for themselves. In the spirit world, where the -gospel is preached and the powers of the priesthood are exercised, -faith and repentance are possible—but baptism is not, it being an -outward ordinance, having to do with a temporal element—water—and -therefore to be administered in a temporal world. Since it is the soul -that is baptized, not the spirit alone, baptism is impracticable in the -world of spirits.</p> - -<p><b>Spirits in Prison.</b>—Peter's testimony concerning Christ's preaching -to "the spirits in prison" during the interval between his death and -resurrection—spirits disobedient in the days of Noah, swept off by the -deluge, and immured in eternal dungeons to await a day of deliverance; -the apostle's figurative use of the ark and flood as symbols of -baptism, that "doth also now save us;" and his further statement that -"for this cause was the gospel also preached to them that are dead, -that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live -according to God in the spirit," are too well known to need dwelling -upon (1 Pet.3:18-21;4:6).</p> - -<p><b>Vicarious Baptism During and After Paul's Time.</b>—That baptism for -the dead was practiced in the Church of Christ during Paul's time is -evident from his oft-quoted words: "Else what shall they do which are -baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then -baptized for the dead?" (1 Cor. 15:29). That the practice continued -after Paul's time, among some of the Christians of Asia, we learn from -Epiphanius, a writer of the fourth century. It was forbidden by the -Council of Carthage, A. D. 397.</p> - -<p>Vicarious work, when authorized of God, is acceptable to him. This -should not startle the Christian mind, when it is remembered that -the whole fabric of Christianity rests upon the vicarious work done -by Jesus Christ for the redemption and salvation of those who were -powerless to redeem and save themselves. Men cannot answer by proxy -for the deeds done in the body, but there have always been ceremonies -in the Church of Christ that one person might perform for another. The -priest who ministers in behalf of the people is a type of the Great -Mediator, "our only access unto God."</p> - -<p>If baptism had not been essential to salvation, Christ would not have -told Nicodemus what he did; the apostles would not have been sent to -"baptize all nations;" Peter, Paul, and other servants of God, would -not have commanded Jews and Gentiles to be baptized, nor would they -have emphasized the necessity of baptism in their writings. Moreover, -they would not have troubled themselves about baptism for the dead, had -it not been necessary for man's eternal welfare.</p> - - -<a name="Way6"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Purpose and Effects of Baptism.</p> - -<p><b>For the Remission of Sins.</b>—Baptism is the divinely instituted process -by which sins, when truly repented of, are remitted; that is, forgiven -and washed away. All men have sinned; and in order to bring them back -into his pure presence, where nothing sinful can come, it is necessary -that they first be cleansed from sin. Water baptism is the beginning of -the cleansing process.</p> - -<p><b>Means and Accessories.</b>—Water, of itself, cannot, of course, wash away -sin. It was not water that cleansed Naaman of his leprosy. It was his -obedience to the prophet who directed him to go and dip seven times in -the Jordan. Had he dipped but once, or but six times, his leprosy would -still have clung to him. But he did as he was told—dipped seven times, -and his faith, shown by his obedience, worked the cure, bringing down -the power of God for that purpose. The water was the medium through -which the power operated. Likewise, when Christ anointed the eyes of -the blind man, causing him to see, it was faith—the power of God—that -wrought the miracle; but the clay used was an accessory, as consecrated -oil was (James 5:14,15) and is still, in the healing ordinance of the -Church.</p> - -<p><b>Water and Spirit.</b>—Baptism cleanses and illumines the soul, and -the water and the spirit are divinely appointed means by which the -cleansing and the illumination come. And they are indispensable -in the process. The sick may be healed without the use of oil, -without even the laying on of hands; for it is faith that heals, not -instrumentalities employed; but no sinner can be baptized, without the -Water and the Spirit. By baptism we are as effectually freed from sin, -and our moral status changed, as by death, burial and resurrection we -are liberated from mortality and ushered into a new existence. Hence -baptism is termed "the washing of regeneration." Regeneration means new -birth.</p> - -<p><b>Two fold Nature of Baptism.</b>—Baptism, as already explained, is -twofold, corresponding to the soul of man. The body or fleshly part is -represented by the water, and the spirit by the Holy Ghost. The water -and the spirit are both essential in baptism, because, as previously -stated, it is not the body alone, nor the spirit alone, that is -baptized, but the soul, body and spirit in one.</p> - -<p>The body, I say, is represented by the water. Science tells us that -most of the human body is water. Hamlet's plaintive wish that his "too, -too, solid flesh would melt—thaw and resolve itself into a dew," was -not so very extravagant, therefore, from a scientific viewpoint.</p> - -<p>Spirit baptism illumines the soul, making manifest the things of God. -"Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart -of man, the great things which God hath prepared for them that love -him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit -searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:9,10). -Thus Paul explains the office of the Holy Ghost, in one of its most -important functions. The Savior had reference to the same subject when -he promised to his disciples "the Spirit of Truth," to reveal things -past, explain the present, and show things to come. The importance of -this mighty Agent, and the part played by it in baptism, was plainly -pointed out by Jesus, when he said: "Except a man be born again, he can -not see the kingdom of God."</p> - -<p><b>The Atoning Blood of Christ.</b>—But there are three factors, not merely -two, in the process of the soul's regeneration—the spirit, the water, -and the blood. By these three man is born into the world, and by these -three he is "born again" into the kingdom of God. Ordinarily but two -of them are mentioned in connection with baptism, for only two are -actually used in baptism; but without the third, the atoning blood of -Christ, there would be no baptism for salvation. If his blood had not -been shed, there would be no redemption from the fall; the banishment -of Adam and Eve and their posterity would have been perpetual, and the -grave's victory eternal. There would be no baptism, no remission of -sins, no resurrection, but for the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of -God. Hence John the apostle says: "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth -us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).</p> - -<p><b>The Mediator.</b>—The water and the spirit, representing, respectively, -earth and heaven, are made effectual by the blood. Man and God are thus -reconciled; Christ being the Mediator and Reconciler. There are three -that bear record in heaven—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. -There are three that bear witness on earth—the spirit, the water, and -the blood. Each group corresponds to the other; each three agree in -one. Hence, when a soul is baptized, it must be by water and by spirit, -made effectual by blood, and in the name of the Father, the Son, and -the Holy Ghost.</p> - -<p><b>Three in One.</b>—Spirit, water, and blood-the three elements of -baptism—were combined in the person of Jesus when he was baptized -by John in the Jordan. Standing upon the river's brink, his sacred -form dripping with the waters from which he had just emerged, he was -crowned with the Holy Ghost, descending upon him from above. Yet it was -necessary that his blood should be shed, that the Spirit might come -unto his disciples. Not until the Mediator had hung between heaven and -earth, did the Holy Ghost, as the witness of his consummated sacrifice, -appear upon the scene. Not till then were the apostles endued with -power from on high. Not till then did the Spirit of God move upon the -waters of this world, coming, as in the first instance, that there -might be a creation, a new birth, a regeneration for the human race.</p> - -<p><b>The Fathers Understood.</b>—The Greek fathers of the Christian Church held -correct ideas concerning baptism. This is shown in the terms used by -them to describe it—"initiation," from its introductory character; -"regeneration," from its being regarded as a new birth; "the great -circumcision," because it was held to have superseded the circumcision -of the Mosaic law; "illumination," and "the gift of the Lord," with -reference to the Holy Ghost. Other synonyms for the sacred ceremonial -were "consecration" and "consummation." Those baptized were understood -to have consecrated their lives to God, and to have consummated or -completed their preparation for communion with the Church of Christ. -Only to such as had been baptized was the Sacrament of the Lord's -Supper administered.</p> - -<p><b>Early Greek Christians.</b>—The Greek Christians of the early centuries, -like the Saints of New Testament times, baptized for the remission of -sins. They have been censured by modern critics for magnifying the -importance of water baptism, and at the same time insisting on the -purely ethical or spiritual nature of the rite; for confounding the -sign with the thing signified, the action of the water with the action -of the Spirit, in the process of regeneration. But they were not any -more insistent upon these points than the apostles themselves.</p> - -<p><b>Augustine's Theory.</b>—St. Augustine is complimented by the same critics -for formulating the first strict scientific theory of the nature and -effects of baptism. He drew a sharp distinction between what he called -"the outward sign"—water baptism—and the inward change of heart -resulting from the operation of the Holy Ghost. Yet even he is charged -with laying too much stress upon the value of "the outward sign," which -he held to be essential to salvation.</p> - -<p>Protestant theologians have been commended for keeping the "sign" in -due subordination to "the thing signified," for justifying themselves -by faith, and ignoring to a great extent outward ordinances.</p> - -<p>But the Greek Christians, whatever their defects, were nearer right -than St. Augustine; and the Catholic St. Augustine was nearer right -than the Protestant theologians who followed him. Baptism, as taught in -the New Testament, is not the mere "outward sign of an inward grace." -The action of the water and the action of the Spirit are not to be -separated in any analysis of the nature and effects of baptism. Both -are essential in the soul-cleansing, soul-enlightening, process, modern -critics to the contrary notwithstanding.</p> - - -<a name="Way7"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Mode and Meaning of Baptism.</p> - -<p><b>Use of the Figurative.</b>—When Jesus told Nicodemus that a man must be -born again—born of water and of the Spirit—he virtually declared the -meaning of the ordinance and prescribed the mode of its administration. -Our Savior was not a mere rhetorician, ornamenting his speech for the -mere sake of ornament. A true son of the Orient, naturally given to -the use of figurative language, he was not a flourisher of phrases, -a flaunter of vain show. His parables are poems, but they teach the -truth in plainness to the wise; and because he recognized, as all great -teachers do, the power of poetic symbolism to illustrate and impress -the truth, he used it as a medium of instruction. But symbols are -not arbitrarily invented by those who use them. They are already in -existence, awaiting recognition. Poetic genius recognizes and applies -them—that is all. God has built his universe upon symbols. In every -department of creation the lesser symbolizes the greater and leads up -to its comprehension.</p> - -<p><b>Like Suggests Like.</b>—What said the Lord to Moses? "All things have -their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of -me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; -things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the -earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under -the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me" (Moses -6:63).</p> - -<p>Man is a symbol of God, and is destined to become God; Earth is typical -of heaven, and will yet be converted into a heaven. "If two things -exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things -above them" (Abraham 3:16). Plato grasped the idea: "All things are in -a scale, and begin where we will, ascend and ascend, and what we call -results are beginnings."</p> - -<p><b>The Resurrection Foreshadowed.</b>—It was to prepare the way before a -greater and higher principle, that Christ taught and exemplified -the principle of baptism. That greater and higher principle was the -resurrection, a doctrine difficult for even the apostles to comprehend, -and one that he repeatedly impressed upon them, both before and after -he arose from the dead. Hence he compared baptism to a birth—the -entry, and the only one, into mortal life; and this pointed forward to -the resurrection—the entry, and the only one, into immortal glory. -Men should therefore be prepared for something suggestive of a birth, -of a resurrection, in the ordinance prescribed by him as the means of -admittance into his kingdom. That suggestion is fully realized in the -true form of the baptismal ordinance—immersion.</p> - -<p><b>Why the Savior was Baptized.</b>—Baptism was made universal, and became -the doorway to the Church of Christ, the kingdom of God on earth, -because it symbolizes the resurrection, which is also universal, and -without which no man can enter into the heavenly Church and Kingdom.</p> - -<p>Here we touch, I think, the real reason, or at least one of the -principal reasons, why Jesus was baptized. He was the Exemplar of -the Resurrection—the first to rise from the grave: and as baptism -represents the resurrection, it was fitting and appropriate that he -should also undergo that sacred ordinance.</p> - -<p><b>Immersion.</b>—"Born of water" means to come out of the water, and coming -out of the water, presupposes going into the water. This is why we are -baptized by immersion, which means sinking, dipping, burying, plunging. -Immersion is the only mode of baptism that symbolizes a birth. Jesus -was baptized by immersion. He must have gone down into the water, for -when he was baptized he "went up straightway out of the water" (Matt. -3:16). When Philip baptized the Eunuch, "they went down both into the -water." John baptized "in Anon, near to Salim, because there was much -water there," a proof presumptive of baptism by immersion, that being -the only mode requiring "much water" for its performance.</p> - -<p><b>Paul's Concept.</b>—Paul compared baptism to burial and resurrection: -"Buried with him [Christ] in baptism," wrote he to the Colossians -(2:12), "wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the -operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Again—this time -to the Romans: "Know ye not that so many of us as are baptized into -Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried -with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from -the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in -newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness -of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" -(Rom. 6:3-5).</p> - -<p>Note also Paul's words to the Corinthians, already quoted: "Else what -shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at -all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" In other words, why use -the symbol of the resurrection, if there be no resurrection—if the -symbol does not symbolize?</p> - -<p>Paul discovered, by symbolical reasoning, or had it revealed to him -more directly, that the children of Israel, "our fathers," were all -baptized in passing through the Red Sea, on their way to Canaan (1 Cor. -1:2): an idea which suggests that the Brother of Jared and his colony -may have been baptized in like manner, for they underwent a similar -experience in passing through ocean deeps on the way to their promised -land (Ether 6:6).</p> - -<p><b>The New Testament Mode.</b>—That immersion was the mode instituted by John -the Baptist and perpetuated by the apostles, is a plain and reasonable -inference from the teachings of the New Testament. But, in addition, -we have the statements of philologists, archeologists, and historians, -who declare that baptism, in the early ages of Christianity, was a -dipping or submersion in water. The English word "baptize" comes from -a Greek word meaning to immerse. Monumental remains in Asia, Africa, -and Europe show that immersion was the act of baptism. The many ancient -baptisteries now remaining on those continents were built and used for -the purpose of immersion.</p> - -<p><b>The Mode Changed.</b>—The Christian churches of the Orient—Greek, -Russian, Armenian, Nestorian, Coptic, and others, have always practiced -immersion, and allow nothing else for baptism. The western churches -preserved this form of the ordinance for thirteen centuries, and then -gradually introduced pouring or sprinkling.</p> - -<p><b>Clinic Baptism.</b>—Baptisms of this kind were exceptional in the early -ages of the Christian Church. They were called clinic baptisms, because -administered, as a rule, to the sick, who could not be taken from their -beds to be immersed: but they were rare, and were regarded only as -quasi baptisms. The first recorded case of clinic baptism is mentioned -by Eusebius as having occurred in the third century.</p> - -<p><b>Immersion Made Optional.</b>—Baptism by immersion was practiced regularly -in the Roman Catholic church, until the year 1311, when the Council of -Ravenna authorized a change, leaving it optional with the officiating -minister to baptize either by immersion or by sprinkling. Even infants -were baptized by immersion, until about the end of the thirteenth -century, when sprinkling came into common use.</p> - -<p><b>Luther and Calvin Disagree.</b>—Luther sided with the immersionists, and -sought, against the tendency of the times, to restore immersion; but -Calvin held that the mode of baptism was of no consequence. Even he -admitted, however, that the word "baptism" signifies immersion; and he -said: "It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient -Church."</p> - -<p><b>Methods in Various Churches.</b>—Pouring is the present practice in the -Roman Catholic church; sprinkling in the Church of England, and in the -Methodist church. A choice of modes is permitted by the Presbyterians, -though sprinkling is the regular form. The Baptists, as their name -implies, are strong advocates of immersion. The Quakers repudiate -baptism altogether.</p> - -<p>It was the custom in early ages to immerse the candidate three -times—once for each name in the Godhead; but heretics took advantage -of this practice to argue against the unity of the Trinity, and the -three-fold immersion was abolished.</p> - -<p><b>Authorized Practice.</b>—The practice of the Church of Jesus Christ of -Latter-day Saints in baptism is indicated by the following passages -from the Book of Mormon:</p> - -<p>"Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your -words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye -baptize them: behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in -my name ye shall baptize them.</p> - -<p>"And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them -by name, saying,</p> - -<p>"Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name -of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.</p> - -<p>"And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out -of the water.</p> - -<p>"And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name, for behold, verily -I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are -one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I -are one.</p> - -<p>"And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. And -there shall be no disputations among you, as there hath hitherto been; -neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of -my doctrine, as there hath hitherto been;</p> - -<p>"For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of -contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of -contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, -one with another." (III Nephi 11:23-29.)</p> - -<p><b>Modern Revelation.</b>—The Latter-day Saints derive their knowledge -of baptism not mainly from the Bible, nor from the Book of Mormon, -nor from any other ancient record of God's dealings with man. That -knowledge came directly to Joseph Smith. Through him was restored -that which was lost. He brushed aside the cobwebs and dust concealing -the precious jewel of Truth, and by new revelation brought back the -knowledge of the "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" of the ancients.</p> - -<p>It was the fifteenth of May, 1829. Joseph Smith, with his scribe, -Oliver Cowdery, at the little town of Harmony, Susquehanna county, -Pennsylvania, was translating the plates of the Book of Mormon. Coming -upon a passage referring to baptism for the remission of sins—a -doctrine well-nigh obsolete in Christendom—they inquired of the Lord -concerning it, retiring into a grove for that purpose. While they were -praying, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and -laying his hands upon their heads, spoke these words:</p> - -<p>"Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the -Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, -and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the -remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, -until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in -righteousness" (D&C 13).</p> - -<p><b>Restoration of the Priesthood.</b>—The heavenly messenger told the two -young men that he was John the Baptist, and that he acted under the -direction of the Apostles Peter, James and John, who held the keys -of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which should in due time be conferred -upon them. The Aaronic Priesthood gave them authority to baptize with -water, but the Melchizedek Priesthood, which was greater, would give -them authority to baptize with the Holy Ghost. Agreeable to the angel's -direction, Joseph and Oliver immersed each other in water, for the -remission of their sins. Subsequently they received, under the hands -of Peter, James and John, the higher priesthood, and were themselves -ordained apostles and baptized with the Holy Ghost. They in turn -baptized others, and this was the beginning of divinely-authorized -baptismal work in this dispensation.</p> - -<p><b>The Church Law.</b>—The standing law to the Church upon this subject is as -follows:</p> - -<p>"Inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes -which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of -repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism -and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when -eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents;</p> - -<p>"For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her -stakes which are organized;</p> - -<p>"And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins -when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands." (D.& -C.68:25-27.)</p> - -<p><b>The Laying On of Hands.</b>—The laying on of hands is the -divinely-authorized method of administering spirit baptism, in -other words, imparting the Holy Ghost. It is plainly taught in the -Scriptures. For instance:</p> - -<p>"Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."</p> - -<p>"And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostle's hands the -Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,</p> - -<p>"Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he -may receive the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:17-19.)</p> - -<p>The laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost was an ordinance -in the Christian church for centuries. The ordinance remained with the -church much longer than did the Holy Ghost. Cyprian mentions it in the -third century; Augustine in the fourth. Gradually, however, it began -to be neglected, until finally some of the sects repudiated it, while -others, retaining the "form of godliness," denied "the power thereof."</p> - -<p>So much stress having been laid upon immersion, as the proper mode of -baptism, one might be led to inquire, Why are we not immersed in the -Spirit, as well as in the water? I answer: How know you that we are -not? To which the reply may be: We see the water, and are put under it -by the priest: but when we are confirmed or baptized with the Spirit, -the elders lay their hands upon our heads and say, "Receive ye the Holy -Ghost." There is no immersion about that; we are not dipped or plunged: -the Spirit is poured upon us.</p> - -<p>Be not too sure that there is no immersion about it. The fact that you -do not see it is no conclusive argument against the proposition. We see -the water because it is a temporal element: but spiritual things are -discerned by the Spirit. As to the pouring process—may not enough of -an element be poured upon a person to bury him therein? Or must that in -which a person is buried necessarily come from beneath? It was not so -in the days of Noah, when it rained forty days and forty nights that -the earth might be buried in water. As much water came from above as -from beneath at that time.</p> - -<p>John the Baptist, when proclaiming the Christ, said: "There cometh One -mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy -to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water; but -he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost" (Mark 1:7,8). More than one -baptism is here mentioned, but it is baptism in each case; and baptism -signifies immersion. The candidate for baptism cannot well be dipped -or plunged in the Spirit, since the Spirit is above, while the water -is beneath; but he may be covered by or "clothed upon" with the Holy -Ghost, nevertheless. The essential point in baptism is not the dipping -or plunging, but the burying and bringing forth.</p> - -<p><b>Baptism, a Symbol of Creation.</b>—Baptism symbolizes creation. Earth, -created for Adam and his seed, was baptized—"born again"—for Noah -and his posterity. Baptized with water in that day, it will yet be -baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. The laying on of hands and -the descent of the Spirit from above, may possibly typify the glorious -baptism that earth will yet undergo, when the Spirit is poured out -upon her from on high, and she is covered therewith as completely as -with water in the days of Noah. "I will pour out my Spirit upon all -flesh," said the Lord by the Prophet Joel (2:28). When that prophecy is -fulfilled, earth will receive her spirit baptism, and in due time be -ready for her baptism of fire.</p> - -<p><b>Fire and the Holy Ghost.</b>—God "dwells in eternal fire" ("Joseph Smith's -Teachings," p. 82), where no mortal could approach him unconsumed. -But mortals may receive the Holy Ghost with safety. Again: the -inhabitants of the telestial world receive the Holy Spirit through the -ministrations of the terrestrial; "but where God and Christ dwell they -cannot come, worlds without end." By her fiery baptism, earth will be -consumed; her mortal elements will melt with fervent heat, and the -purified remains, immortal and in a state of resurrection, will be -converted into a celestial sphere, a glorified abode for the righteous.</p> - -<p><b>Baptism Symbolizes Birth.</b>—Every resurrection is a birth, and every -birth implies a previous burial. No seed germinates till it dies, or -appears to die, and is buried. The farmer plants that there may be a -springing forth of new life from the germ of the old. Every seed sown -in the likeness of Christ's death shall be in the likeness of his -resurrection; that is, if it be a good seed, properly buried in good -ground.</p> - -<p>Every birth, I say, implies a previous burial. This is true of time in -its relations to eternity. Coming into this life involves departure -out of a previous life, and burial in this life implies birth into -the next. The sun, setting upon the western hemisphere, rises upon -the eastern; and sets upon the eastern to rise upon the western. The -setting and rising of the sun; sleep followed by waking; winter with -its icy fetters and shroud of snow, succeeded by spring in garments of -green, with its bright flowers, singing birds, and laughing streams; -all these suggest burial, and resurrection—and consequently baptism.</p> - -<p><b>Born of God.</b>—To be "born of God" literally means to come forth from -God. "Born of woman" has a like significance. We have a Father and a -Mother in heaven, in whose image man was created, male and female. We -came forth from them—were begotten and born of them in the spirit, -as much so as we were afterwards begotten and born in the flesh; and -we must be begotten and born again, in the similitude of those other -begettings and births, or we cannot regain the presence of our eternal -Father and Mother.</p> - -<p><b>"Children of My Begetting."</b>—Baptism signifies the creation of souls -for the kingdom of God. The priest who immerses, or the elder who -confirms, is the spiritual progenitor of the person baptized. "Children -of my begetting," Paul terms those receiving the gospel through his -instrumentality. To baptize is to perform, in a spiritual way, the -functions of fatherhood. Motherhood is the sacred symbol of the -baptismal font. Hence, baptism must be by divine authority—must have -the sanction of heaven upon it. There must first be a marriage, a union -between heavenly powers and earthly agents; otherwise the baptism will -be unlawful, the birth illegitimate, the act of begetting a crime! -Baptisms, like marriages, performed without divine authority, will have -no effect when men are dead.</p> - -<p><b>Suggestive Symbolism.</b>—The significance of baptism is suggested by the -very career of that Divine Being whose descent from heaven to earth, -and whose ascent from earth into heaven, is the sum and substance of -the Gospel story. His experience from the time he left his celestial -throne, to the time he returned thither, was it not a descending below, -and a rising above, all things? Did he not lay down his life and take -it up again, as the Father had done before him? Is it not just possible -that baptism was instituted to symbolize this mighty birth, this mortal -burial, with its immortal resurrection?</p> - -<p>When the Gods sat in council to consider the creation and redemption -of this planet, what was their great thought and the theme of their -deliberations? Was it not a going down and a coming back—not only -on their part, for creative and redemptive purposes, but also on the -part of their offspring, for purposes of experience and progression? -What wonder, then, if in the gospel plan, whereby the spirits of men -and women might accomplish this foreordained descent into, and ascent -out of, the world, there should be an ordinance symbolical of the vast -vicissitude?</p> - -<p>Moreover, in the symbolism of the scriptures this world is represented -by water. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, -and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the -face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the -waters." Here, at the very dawn of creation, are the two principles -or elements—spirit and water—with which baptisms are performed—one -creative, the other creatable; one representing heaven, the other, -earth. Note the reference in Daniel (7) to beasts, representing earthly -governments, coming up from the sea. Note the Savior's parable, -likening the kingdom of heaven to a net cast into the sea; the sea -symbolizing the world, the fishes, the souls drawn out of the world. -Note also Revelation (13) where a beast representing anti-Christ, -rises out of the sea: and (17) where a woman, the Mother of Harlots, -representing a great city reigning over the kings of the earth, is -described as "sitting upon many waters"—the waters signifying "peoples -and multitudes and nations and tongues."</p> - -<p><b>Much of the body of this world</b>—the physical frame of a spiritual -creation—is water, even parts of it that seem solid. Science so -affirms, and who can gainsay it? Walt Whitman, that eccentric poetic -genius, speaks of "the slumbering and liquid trees." Thales, the -founder of Greek philosophy, started out with the proposition: "All -things are water." He ascribed to water the powers of creation, -supposing that he had found in it the primal element, or great first -cause. He omitted the real creative principle—the Spirit of God, -which in the beginning "moved upon the face of the waters," or as -Milton says, "dove-like sat brooding on the vast abyss." Thales being a -physicist, took no account of the spiritual. Geology asserts that the -earth was once submerged in water. The scriptures also declare it, and -without reference to the deluge. "Let the dry land appear!"—the very -words suggest baptism, birth, creation—the emergence of a primitive -planet from the womb of the waters. Water, symbolically if not -literally, represents the temporal part of creation, including the body -or mortal part of man.</p> - -<p>Is not baptism, therefore, in its two-fold character and significance, -suggestive of the soul's passing out from this watery world, into the -spirit world, and thence, by resurrection, into eternal glory? It is -only a suggestion, but it seems to emphasize, for me, the reason why -the doorway to the Church and Kingdom of God is a double doorway, a -dual birth, a baptism of Water and of the Spirit?</p> - - - -<h2>Priesthood and Church Government.</h2> -<a name="Church1"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Divine Authority.</p> - -<p><b>"Priest" Defined.</b>—The English word "Priest" is generally derived from -the New Testament term "presbyter" (Elder), which means "to preside." -Aristotle's definition of "Priest" is, "presiding over things relating -to the gods." Similar to this is Paul's understanding of the term, -as expressed in Heb. 5:1: "Every high priest taken from among men -is constituted on the behalf of men, with respect to their concerns -with God, that he may present both gifts and sacrifices for sins." In -Arabic, the word denotes to prophesy, to foretell, as a soothsayer, -also to act as a mediator or middle person in any business. In the -earliest families of the race of Shem, the offices of priest and -prophet were united, so that the word originally meant both. The Hebrew -idiom kept one part of the idea, and the Arabic another. The primary -meaning of the Hebrew word is regarded to be the rendering of honorable -and dignified service, like that of ministers of state to their -sovereign.</p> - -<p><b>Meaning of "Priesthood."</b>—"Priesthood" is the office or character of -a priest. The term also denotes the execution of that office, and -signifies a class of priests, or the order of men set apart for sacred -offices—priests collectively.</p> - -<p>So much for human wisdom, and what it has gleaned upon this subject -from the literary fields of the past.</p> - -<p>To the Latter-day Saints, who owe most of their knowledge concerning it -to modern revelation, "Priesthood" means divine authority, conferred -upon men chosen of God to officiate in his name and in his stead. It -also signifies the men bearing that authority, the possession of which -constitutes them legal representatives of the Almighty. "No man taketh -this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." -(Hebrews 5:4.)</p> - -<p><b>Necessity for a Priesthood.</b>—The necessity for a priesthood is as -obvious as the necessity for a gospel. The laws of God, like the laws -of man, require officers and a government to administer them. God -cannot be everywhere in person. He is omnipresent by his Spirit, his -power, his authority, and his influence. But in person, being in the -form of man, he is subject to certain limitations, imposed by eternal -law and the very nature of things. There are some things that even -the Omnipotent cannot do. I speak it with all reverence, and for a -good purpose—the teaching of the truth in plainness. For instance, -he cannot make something out of nothing, though many pious people -ascribe to him that power—the power to perform the impossible and -absurd. He cannot be in two or more places, at precisely one and the -same time—not in person. Therefore, to carry on his work throughout -the universe, he must have agents to represent him, and this is the -fundamental fact underlying the necessity for a Priesthood and a Church -organization.</p> - -<p><b>President Smith's Definition.</b>—When we speak of Priesthood we mean -God's authority, and the men holding that authority, to administer the -laws and ordinances of the gospel. Let me cite here some remarks made -by President Joseph F. Smith, at a general conference of the Church. -Said he:</p> - -<p>"What is Priesthood? It is nothing more nor less than the power of God -delegated to man, by which man can act in the earth for the salvation -of the human family, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy -Ghost; and act legitimately in assuming that authority—an authority -that has been given in this day in which we live, by ministering angels -and spirits from above, direct from the presence of Almighty God, who -have come to the earth and administered the priesthood to the children -of men. * * * It is the same power and priesthood that was committed -to the disciples of Christ while he was upon the earth; that whatever -should be bound on earth should be bound in heaven, and whatever should -be loosed on earth should be loosed in heaven."</p> - -<p><b>The Principle of Representation.</b>—Inherent in the Priesthood is the -principle of representation. Priesthood, as President Smith affirms, -is the delegated authority of God, and so plenary and far-reaching are -its powers, that when those holding that authority are in the line of -their duty, and have the spirit of their calling, their official acts -and utterances are as valid as if God himself were personally present, -doing and saying what his servants do and say for him.</p> - -<p><b>A Soul-Searching Admonition.</b>—A tremendous power for frail mortal man -to wield! Yes; and to guard against its abuse, the exercise of this -divine prerogative by weak human beings is hedged about with certain -conditions and limitations, as indicated by the following inspired -admonition from the lips of Joseph the Seer:</p> - -<p>"Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they -not chosen?</p> - -<p>"Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, -and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one -lesson—</p> - -<p>"That the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the -powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor -handled only upon the principles of righteousness.</p> - -<p>"That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake -to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to -exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the -children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens -withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is -withdrawn, Amen to the Priesthood, or the authority of that man.</p> - -<p>"Behold! ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the -pricks; to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.</p> - -<p>"We have learned, by sad experience, that it is the nature and -disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, -as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous -dominion.</p> - -<p>"Hence many are called, but few are chosen.</p> - -<p>"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the -Priesthood, only by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness, and -meekness, and by love unfeigned;</p> - -<p>"By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul -without hypocrisy, and without guile.</p> - -<p>"Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, -and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom -thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;</p> - -<p>"That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of -death;</p> - -<p>"Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the -household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly, -then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God, and the -doctrine of the Priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from -heaven.</p> - -<p>"The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy sceptre an -unchanging sceptre of righteousness and truth, and thy dominion shall -be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow -unto thee for ever and ever."—(D. and C. 121:34-46.)</p> - -<p><b>An Echo from Eternity.</b>—Can anyone, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, -doubt the heavenly origin of such wise and sublime instructions? Are -they not virtually an echo from the heights of eternity, where the Gods -sat in council before the foundation of the world, and decreed freedom, -not tyranny; persuasion, not compulsion; charity, not intolerance, to -be the platform upon which the servants of God should stand?</p> - -<p>"Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to -destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and -also that I should give unto him mine own power, by the power of mine -Only Begotten I caused that he should be cast down." (Moses 4:3.)</p> - -<p><b>A Gold and Silver Shield.</b>—But there is another side to the question. -It is a gold and silver shield that we are contemplating. If those -bearing the priesthood are careful to confine themselves to the lawful -and legitimate exercise of the sacred powers conferred upon them, -acting as men of God should act, and doing no other things than those -commanded by divine revelation or inspired by the Holy Spirit; what -then? In that event the responsibility shifts to other shoulders, and -just how weighty the responsibility is, the Savior himself tells in the -following prophetic parable:</p> - -<p><b>How God Will Judge the World.</b>—"When the Son of Man shall come in his -glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the -throne of his glory:</p> - -<p>"And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate -them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:</p> - -<p>"And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the -left.</p> - -<p>"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed -of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation -of the world:</p> - -<p>"For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave -me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:</p> - -<p>"Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in -prison, and ye came unto me.</p> - -<p>"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an -hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?</p> - -<p>"When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed -thee?</p> - -<p>"Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?</p> - -<p>"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto -you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my -brethren, ye have done it unto me.</p> - -<p>"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye -cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:</p> - -<p>"For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye -gave me no drink:</p> - -<p>"I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: -sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.</p> - -<p>"Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an -hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, -and did not minister unto thee?</p> - -<p>"Then shall he answer them, saying. Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as -ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.</p> - -<p>"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous -into life eternal." (Matthew 25:31-46.)</p> - -<p>This, then, is one of the moral standards by which men and nations -will be judged: How have you treated my servants whom I sent unto you? -Happy the man or the nation who can truthfully reply to the Just and -Righteous One in that day: Lord, I rendered unto thy servants the same -respect and obedience that I would have shown unto thee, hadst thou -been present in person.</p> - -<p><b>Warning and Exhortation.</b>—The Savior's solemn warning to the world may -well be supplemented by his servant Joseph's impressive exhortation -to the Priesthood and the Church in general. He was addressing the -apostles and some of the seventies, prior to their mission to Europe, -in the summer of 1839:</p> - -<p>"O ye Twelve! and all Saints! profit by this important key—that in all -your trials, troubles, temptations, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments -and death, see to it, that you do not betray Heaven; that you do not -betray Jesus Christ; that you do not betray the brethren; that you -do not betray the revelations of God, whether in the Bible, Book of -Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants, or any other that ever was or ever -will be given and revealed unto man in this world or that which is -to come. Yea, in all your kicking and flounderings, see to it that -you do not this thing, lest innocent blood be found upon your skirts, -and you go down to hell. All other sins are not to be compared to -sinning against the Holy Ghost, and proving a traitor to the brethren." -(History of the Church," Vol. III, p. 385.)</p> - -<p>Such warnings give added weight to an ancient admonition that comes -sounding through the centuries: "Touch not mine anointed; do my -prophets no harm."</p> - -<p><b>Agents of the Almighty.</b>—What it means to bear the Priesthood and to -officiate therein, is made clear to the comprehension by considering -men clothed upon with divine authority as agents of God, sent forth to -transact business in his name and in his interest. What kind of men -ought they to be, and what is required of them by Him who sent them -forth? Such a question can have but one consistent answer: They should -be men who will represent him truly and faithfully. They should reflect -his intelligence, his goodness, his benevolence, and as diligent, -upright agents of the One who commissioned and empowered them to carry -on his work, follow closely the instructions that he has given, doing -conscientiously and thoroughly what they sincerely believe he would do -were he present in his own proper person. Such men should live so near -to the Lord, that when the letter—the revealed word—falls short, the -Spirit that inspired it, resting upon them as a continual benediction, -can readily give "line upon line" of revelation, flash upon flash of -inspiration, to illumine and make plain the path they are to tread. -This is what it means to be an agent of the Almighty, a representative -of God.</p> - -<p>"And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, -shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind -of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the -Lord, and the power of God unto salvation."—(D. and C. 68:4.)</p> - - -<a name="Church2"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Divine Authority, Continued.</p> - -<p><b>A Twofold Power.</b>—In an article on Priesthood, prepared by the Prophet -Joseph Smith, and read at a conference of the Church in Nauvoo, -Illinois, October, 1840, the following sentences occur:</p> - -<p>"There are two Priesthoods spoken of in the scripture, viz., the -Melchizedek and the Aaronic or Levitical. Although there are two -Priesthoods, yet the Melchizedek Priesthood comprehends the Aaronic -or Levitical Priesthood, and is the grand head, and holds the highest -authority which pertains to the Priesthood, and the keys of the -kingdom of God, in all ages of the world to the latest posterity on -the earth, and is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, -the plan of salvation, and every important matter is revealed from -heaven."—("History of the Church," Vol. IV, p. 207.)</p> - -<p><b>Spiritual and Temporal.</b>—Why there are two priesthoods, or, more -properly speaking, two grand divisions of the Priesthood, is because -the Church of Christ has to do with temporal as well as with spiritual -things. All things, however, are spiritual unto God. The laws and -commandments that emanate from him are of that character. He gives no -temporal commandment. All his laws are spiritual. As eternity includes -time, so the spiritual includes the temporal.</p> - -<p><b>A Divided Jurisdiction.</b>—The Melchizedek Priesthood has general -authority and jurisdiction over all things, spiritual and temporal: -while the Aaronic or lesser Priesthood, which is an appendage to the -higher power, has a limited jurisdiction, its special calling being to -administer in temporal things.</p> - -<p>"The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has -power and authority over all the offices in the church in all ages of -the world, to administer in spiritual things.</p> - -<p>"The second priesthood is called the priesthood of Aaron, because it -was conferred upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations.</p> - -<p>"Why it is called the lesser priesthood, is because it is an appendage -to the greater or the Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power in -administering outward ordinances.</p> - -<p>"The power and authority of the Higher or Melchizedek Priest hood, is -to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church. * * *</p> - -<p>"The power and authority of the Lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is -to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer -in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel—the baptism of -repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and -commandments."—(D. and C. 107:8, 13, 14, 18-20.)</p> - -<p><b>The Government of God.</b>—The Government of God, with its two great -wings of authority, corresponds to the duality of the soul: and the -saving of souls, here and hereafter, is the grand purpose for which -this government, the Church of Christ, was organized. The necessity -for a church,—which some people question, just as some question the -necessity for a civil government, or a government of any sort,—ought -to be apparent at a glance. It is as plain as that twice two make four. -Two men, united, are more capable than one man, the powers possessed -by them being equal. Individuals, working separately, however good -their intentions, can never accomplish as much as a community of men -and women, imbued with a common purpose, and pushing forward the -same enterprise. The difference between a single shot and a whole -volley, between one rifleman and a regiment, may serve as a sufficient -illustration.</p> - -<p><b>The Priesthood and the Soul.</b>—As the spirit and the body constitute -the soul, so the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods constitute the -government of the Church. As through the medium of the mortal body, -with its various members and organs, the tangible things of this life -are grasped and utilized, while things pertaining to a higher state of -existence are perceived, comprehended, and made practical, by means -of the spiritual faculties; so, by this twain of powers, differing in -their prerogatives, yet allied, interwoven, and harmonious in their -mutual workings, is carried on, in this world and in all worlds, -the great cause of truth and righteousness, for the salvation and -never-ending progress of God's children.</p> - -<p>Furthermore, to continue the analogy, it is the spirit, or higher part -of man, that controls, directs, and supplies the motive power for the -body, being the vital mainspring of that wondrous piece of machinery, -whose functions are forwarded by the animation resulting from union and -normal operation. Even so is it the Melchizedek Priesthood, holding the -right of presidency, which controls, influences, and directs the entire -body of the Church, delegating, however, a portion of its authority -to the Lesser Priesthood, that it likewise may possess and wield its -legitimate powers, and execute fully the purposes for which it was -designed.</p> - -<p><b>The Channel of Revelation.</b>—Speaking of the eternity of the Priesthood, -the Prophet Joseph says:</p> - -<p>"Its institution was prior to the foundation of this earth, or the -morning stars sang together, or the Sons of God shouted for joy,' and -is the highest and holiest Priesthood, and is after the order of the -Son of God, and all other priesthoods are only parts, ramifications, -powers and blessings belonging to the same, and are held, controlled, -and directed by it. It is the channel through which the Almighty -commenced revealing his glory at the beginning of the creation of this -earth, and through which he has continued to reveal himself to the -children of men to the present time, and through which he will make -known his purposes to the end of time."—("History of the Church," Vol. -IV, p. 207.)</p> - -<p><b>Adam's Position.</b>—In another place, the Prophet thus continues:</p> - -<p>"The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First -Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He -obtained it in the creation, before the world was formed [that is, -in the spiritual creation, before the temporal world was formed]. He -had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the -Archangel, spoken of in the scriptures."—("History of the Church," -Vol. III, pp. 385, 386.)</p> - -<p><b>Noah Next to Adam.</b>—"Then to Noah, who is Gabriel; he stands next in -authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this -office, and was the father of all living in his day, and to him was -given the dominion. These men held keys first on earth, and then in -heaven."—(Ibid, p. 386.)</p> - -<p><b>An Everlasting Principle.</b>—"The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, -and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without -beginning of days or end of years. The keys have to be brought from -heaven whenever the gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, -it is by Adam's authority.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p><b>Succession and Descent.</b>—"The Savior, Moses, and Elias gave the keys to -Peter, James and John, on the mount, when they were transfigured before -Him. * * * How have we come at the Priesthood in the last days? It came -down, down, in regular succession. Peter, James and John had it given -to them, and they gave it to others. Christ is the Great High Priest: -Adam next."—(Ibid, 386-388.)</p> - -<p><b>Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.</b>—Peter, James and John—not as mortal -men, but as ministering angels, sent from heaven for the purpose—gave -the Melchizedek Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery; and -prior to the coming of that Priesthood, they received the Aaronic -Priesthood from John the Baptist, also acting as an angel. The exact -date of the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood is not given in -the Church records, but the event must have taken place between May 15, -1829, when the Aaronic Priesthood was conferred upon Joseph and Oliver, -and April 6, 1830, the date of the Church's organization, when they -were sustained, respectively, as the First and Second Elders thereof.</p> - -<p><b>Spirits Foreordained.</b>—In view of the fact that these ordinations were -subsequent to the Prophet's vision, in the spring of 1820, when the -Father and the Son appeared to him, some have found it difficult to -interpret the divine declaration, that no man without the Melchizedek -Priesthood "can see the face of God, even the Father, and live." (D&C -84:19-22.) But the problem is easy of solution, in the light of the -Prophet's teachings. Did he not give the key to it when he said that -certain men, called to minister to the inhabitants of this world, were -ordained to that very purpose before the world was? (Compendium, p. -285.) I have already cited the examples of Abraham and Jeremiah, who -were "chosen" and "ordained" before they were born. That Joseph Smith -was likewise preordained, seems to me a necessary inference, in view of -the facts presented. For if no man without the Melchizedek Priesthood -can see the face of God the Father and live, and Joseph Smith, nine -years before he received either of the Priesthoods from those heavenly -messengers, looked upon the faces of both the Father and the Son and -survived, it indicates, in accordance with his own statement and the -examples given, that certain spirits are ordained to certain callings -before they tabernacle in the flesh, and that he himself held the -Melchizedek Priesthood when he saw the face of God at the opening of -the last gospel dispensation.</p> - -<p>An ordination in the flesh, after an ordination in the spirit, seems -perfectly consistent; for the body was not present when the spirit was -ordained, and it is the soul, spirit and body, that God is dealing -with and acting through, in this stage of existence. That supplemental -ordinations are sometimes in order, is evident from the fact that -Joseph and Oliver ordained each other, after they had been ordained by -the angel, or angels; and that, too, by divine commandment.—("Pearl of -Great Price,"—"Writings of Joseph Smith," 2:71.)</p> - -<p><b>Natural and Spiritual Eyes.</b>—There is another interpretation, which -holds that the necessity for the Melchizedek Priesthood, in the case of -those who look upon the countenance of Deity, applies only to such as -behold him with the natural eye, and that it has no reference to those -who see God by means of the spiritual vision. Joseph's experience, when -he beheld the Father and the Son, was probably a parallel to that of -Moses, when he saw God face to face, and testified as follows:</p> - -<p>"Mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual -eyes; for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have -withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me, and I -beheld his face; for I was transfigured before him."—(Moses 1:11.)</p> - -<p>That this was the way in which Joseph saw God, is virtually affirmed in -the following passage:</p> - -<p>"We, Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon, being in the Spirit, * * * -by the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened, and our understandings -were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God * * * -whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision."—(D. -and C. 76:11, 12, 14.)</p> - -<p>In other words, Joseph and Sidney saw God (Jesus Christ) with their -spiritual eyes (the eyes of their spirits), reinforced by the -all-revealing Spirit of God.</p> - -<p><b>Qualifications for the Priesthood.</b>—The qualifications required in -those whom the Lord ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood are thus -outlined in the Book of Mormon:</p> - -<p>"My brethren," [it is the Prophet Alma who is speaking]. "I would that -ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy -order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto -the people.</p> - -<p>"And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a -manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look -forward to his Son for redemption.</p> - -<p>"And this is the manner after which they were ordained: being called -and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the -foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good -works: in the first place being left to choose good or evil: therefore -they having chosen good, and exercising exceeding great faith, are -called with a holy calling, * * * while others would reject the Spirit -of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of -their minds, while, if it had not been for this, they might had as -great privilege as their brethren.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"Now they were ordained after this manner: Being called with a holy -calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the -High Priesthood of the holy order, which calling and ordinance and High -Priesthood is without beginning or end:</p> - -<p>"Thus they become High Priests for ever, after the order of the Son, -the Only Begotten of the Father. * * * *</p> - -<p>"Now as I said concerning the holy order of this High Priesthood: -there were many who were ordained and became High Priests of God: and -it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their -righteousness before God."—(Alma 13:1-10.)</p> - - -<a name="Church3"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> - -<p class="centered">The Church Organization.</p> - -<p><b>An Incomparable System.</b>—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day -Saints is conceded to be an almost perfect system, even by men -outside its pale. Such a one has said of it: "It is the most perfect -organization in existence, except the German army." The eulogy involves -an anticlimax—as if one were to affirm: The sun is the brightest -luminary in the heavens—except the moon. The German army represents, -perhaps, the quintessence of human military wisdom: but like the moon, -it borrows its brilliance. The case is different with the Church -of God. Like the sun, it shines with original light, with divine -intelligence, of which it is the product. Between it and any creation -of man's, no comparison is possible.</p> - -<p><b>A Counterpart of the Church in Heaven.</b>—The Church of Christ on earth -is a counterpart, so far as conditions will permit, of the Church of -Christ in heaven. How it came hither was indicated by Joseph the Seer -while giving direction for the organization of the various councils -and quorums of the Priesthood. Thus: "And it is according to the -vision, showing the order of the seventy, that they should have seven -presidents to preside over them."—(D. and C. 107:93.) Mark the words, -"It is according to the vision." Evidently the Prophet organized the -Priesthood after some model that he had seen in vision: and what more -probable than that this model was the Church of the First Born, as -it exists in all its perfection in the celestial worlds? While the -Church on earth is not yet as perfect as it will one day be, it is -approximating toward that perfection, and is destined to attain it. It -is doubtful that the Church, in any former dispensation, had so perfect -an organization as it possesses at the present time. This admirable and -wonderful scheme of spiritual-temporal government was revealed from -above and established here below, that the will of God might be done on -earth even as it is done in heaven.</p> - -<p><b>The Original Offices.</b>—The original offices of the Church of Jesus -Christ of Latter-day Saints were elder, priest, teacher, and deacon; -all, except elder, callings in the Aaronic Priesthood. Other offices, -pertaining to the Priesthood of Melchizedek, were evolved as fast as -they became necessary. For instance, the first bishops were ordained -in 1831, nearly a year after the Church was organized. There was no -First Presidency until 1832, and no stake organization until 1834. -The twelve apostles were not chosen until 1835, nor the first quorums -of seventy. But all these offices and callings were inherent in the -Priesthood, conferred upon Joseph Smith before the Church had any -organization at all. They who find fault with the Church,—as some who -have left it do,—on the ground that the Lord organized it with elders, -priests, teachers and deacons, and that men have added such titles and -dignities as high priest, president, patriarch, etc., would be no more -inconsistent were they to criticize a human being for not remaining -a child, for growing up to manhood or womanhood and fulfiling their -measure of creation.</p> - -<p><b>First Lesser, then Greater.</b>—As already shown, the first priesthood -that came to earth in this dispensation was the Aaronic Priesthood, -conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, May 15, 1829. According -to the critical wiseacre, that should have ended the matter: there -should have been no further ordination, no organization of the Church, -no further development in the work of the Lord. But there was to be, -nevertheless. As in the case of John the Baptist, who ordained Joseph -and Oliver, it is the mission of the Lesser Priesthood to go before -the Greater, preparing the way. In due time came the Melchizedek -Priesthood, conferred by Peter, James and John, and under this dual -authorization the Church was organized, on the sixth of April, 1830. It -has had a marvelous history, and a wonderful growth. Never so strong, -or so well equipped, as now, its future is rife with glorious promise.</p> - -<p><b>Epitome of Church Government.</b>—The Aaronic Priesthood administers in -all outward ordinances, such as baptism, the sacrament of the Lord's -supper, etc. The higher ordinances, such as confirmations, sealings, -adoptions, and other ceremonies of the Temple, must be administered by -the Priesthood of Melchizedek.</p> - -<p>The offices of the Aaronic Priesthood, graded upward, are deacon, -teacher and priest, and the presidency of that priesthood is the -bishopric. The bishop has charge of the Church property, and he -receives and disburses the tithes, fast offerings, and other revenues, -under the direction of the higher authorities. There is a presiding -bishopric, who have general charge of the funds provided for the -support of the poor, for the building of temples, and for other -purposes. They also have in custody the general financial records of -the Church. A bishop must either be a lineal descendant of Aaron, in -which event he can act without counselors, or he must be a high priest -after the order of Melchizedek, having as his counselors two other -high priests of that order. Under the jurisdiction of the presiding -bishopric, in temporal matters, are the bishoprics of the wards. The -ward is a division of the stake, as the stake is a division of the -Church.</p> - -<p>A stake, in territorial extent, often corresponds to a county, though -in populous districts there may be several stakes in one county. There -are four stakes in Salt Lake City. Each stake has a presidency of three -and a high council of twelve, and these have jurisdiction over all -members and organizations in the stake, including the ward bishoprics. -The ward bishopric constitutes a court for the trial of members who -transgress the Church laws and regulations. From the decision of the -bishop's court either party in the case may appeal to the high council; -and from a decision of the high council an appeal may be taken to the -First Presidency, who review the evidence, and if any injustice has -been done, they remand the case for a new trial. If a President of the -Church were tried, it would have to be before "the common council of -the Church," assisted by "twelve counselors of the high priesthood." -The extreme penalty imposed by any Church tribunal is excommunication.</p> - -<p>The Melchizedek Priesthood comprises, in an ascending scale, the -offices of elder, seventy, and high priest. There are also the callings -of patriarch, apostle, and president, who must all be high priests -after this order. Each specific body of high priests, seventies, -elders, priests, teachers, or deacons, is called a quorum, but most of -the general priesthood organizations are termed councils.</p> - -<p>The Council of the First Presidency is composed of three, one of them -the President, and the other two his first and second counselors. These -three high priests preside over the entire Church. The President is -prophet, seer and revelator, and likewise trustee-in-trust for the -Church, holding the legal title to its property.</p> - -<p>Next in authority to the First Presidency is the council of the twelve -apostles, whose special mission is to preach the gospel, or cause it to -be preached, in all nations. The apostles have the right to regulate -and set in order the Church throughout the world, but they act under -the direction of the First Presidency, and exercise presidential power -only in the absence of the higher council. The death of the President -of the Church dissolves the First Presidency, rendering necessary a -new organization of that council. It is the privilege of the apostles -to nominate the President of the Church, who then chooses his two -counselors.</p> - -<p>Next to the twelve apostles stands the presiding patriarch; it is his -duty to bless the Church, to give individual blessings to its members, -and comfort them with spiritual ministrations. He also assists the -apostles in visiting the stakes, attending conferences, and performing -other duties as required.</p> - -<p>Presiding over the great body of the seventies, are seven presidents, -known as the first council of the seventy. They are next in authority -to the council of the twelve. These seven, with the senior presidents -of the first sixty-three quorums of seventy, form a council equal in -authority to either of the two higher councils: but they can exercise -authority to the extent of presiding over the Church, only in the -absence of the First Presidency and the twelve apostles.</p> - -<p>Next comes the presiding bishopric, already mentioned, composed of -three high priests, having jurisdiction over the temporalities of -the Church. The First Presidency, the twelve apostles, the presiding -patriarch, the first council of the seventy, and the presiding -bishopric, constitute the general authorities. The names of all general -officers, from the President down, are submitted to the general -conference, held twice a year, to be voted upon by the members of -the Church. They are also presented at the stake conferences, held -quarterly, to be voted upon, with the stake officers, in like manner.</p> - -<p>Under the presidency and high council of each stake, are one or more -patriarchs, whose ministry, so far as blessings are concerned, is -similar to that of the presiding patriarch. They minister, however, -only in their own stakes. Each stake has a quorum of high priests, -indefinite in number, presided over by three of its members. The -high priesthood holds the inherent right of presidency, and it is -from the high priests that presidencies are selected, such as the -First Presidency, the council of the twelve, a stake presidency, or a -bishopric. While the seventies, as an entire body, are presided over -by their first council, they are divided into quorums of seventy, -each quorum having seven presidents of its own. The special duty of -the seventies is to assist the apostles in preaching the gospel, and -they labor under the direction of the twelve. Unlike the high priests, -elders, and lesser priesthood, the seventies are independent of the -jurisdiction of the stake presidency, as quorums, though not as -individual members. They are the "minute men" of the Church, subject to -sudden calls into the mission field. A stake has one or more quorums -of elders, each composed of ninety-six members, three of whom preside. -Each ward should have one or more quorums of priests (forty-eight), -teachers (twenty-four), and deacons (twelve), each with a presidency of -three. A ward bishopric presides in a general way over all the quorums -of the Aaronic Priesthood in the ward, and over all Church members, as -individuals, residing therein. The bishop of the ward is ex-officio -president of the priests' quorum.</p> - -<p>The elder's office is the lowest in the Melchizedek Priesthood proper. -The duties of an elder are similar to those of a seventy, though they -are exercised more at home than abroad. Next under the office of elder, -is that of priest, the high est office in the Aaronic Priesthood, -excepting the bishop, who, however, is a priest, and officiates as such -when sitting as a judge, but as a high priest, in presiding over his -ward. The priest may preach, baptize, and administer the sacrament, -but has not the right to lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. -That is a function of the Melchizedek Priesthood, to be exercised only -by the elders and those above them. The teacher is a peace-maker. It -is his duty to settle difficulties arising between Church members in -his district, or, if he cannot settle them, to report them to the -bishop under whose jurisdiction he labors. A ward is divided into -districts, and in each district two or more teachers labor regularly. -It is incumbent upon them to visit from house to house, to see that no -iniquity shall exist among the members, that they attend their meetings -faithfully, and do all things required by the laws and regulations of -the Church. The teachers report monthly, or as often as required, to -the bishopric. The deacons have charge of the ward property, and are to -assist the teachers, as the teachers assist the priests, when necessary.</p> - -<p>There are at present sixty-five stakes of Zion, all located in the -region of the Rocky Mountains. Two of these stakes are in Canada, -and until recently there was another in Mexico. The stakes organized -in Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, were abandoned when the Saints -were compelled to flee from their former homes. In addition to the -sixty-five stakes, there are twenty-one outside missions, comprising -most of the countries of the globe. There is also a central bureau of -information, at Salt Lake City, the headquarters of the Church. The -Latter-day Saints, in all the world, number about half a million.</p> - -<p>All the organizations named are strictly within the place of the -Priesthood: but in addition there are auxiliary organizations, such -as Relief Societies, Sabbath Schools, Young Men's and Young Ladies' -Mutual Improvement Associations, Primary Associations, and Religion -Classes. The Relief Societies, which form a vast net-work over all the -stakes, wards, and most of the missions, are women's organizations, -for the care and comfort of the sick and the needy. The Deseret Sunday -School Union has a membership of over 150,000. The Mutual Improvement -Associations are what their name implies: the sexes meet separately, -except in monthly conjoint sessions, and study systematically religion, -history, philosophy, and the arts and sciences. The Primaries are for -the training of children too young for membership in the Mutuals; and -the Religion Classes are for special instruction to the youth of both -sexes. Church schools exist in many of the stakes, the most notable -being the Brigham Young University of Provo, the Brigham Young College -of Logan, and the Latter-day Saints University of Salt Lake City. Old -folks' committees, for the entertainment of the aged, regardless of -sect or creed, are another institution of the Church, and are found in -most of the stakes and wards throughout Zion.</p> - -<p>For further information on Priesthood and Church government, the reader -is referred to D&C 20,68,84,107,112, and 114 of the Doctrine and -Covenants; also to the "History of the Church," Volume III, page 385: -and Volume IV, page 207.</p> - - - -<h2>The Gospel Dispensations</h2> -<a name="Gospel1"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Introductory</p> - -<p><b>One Plan of Salvation.</b>—As there is but one Savior, so is there but one -plan of salvation. There never was, and there never can be, another -"I marvel," wrote Paul to the back-sliding Galatians, "that ye are so -soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto -another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble -you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel -from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have -preached unto you, let him be accursed."—(Galatians 1:6-8.)</p> - -<p><b>For All Men.</b>—The Gospel of Christ is not of any one place, nor of -any one period. Neither is it for the salvation of any class, to the -exclusion of other classes. It is for all men, and was made plain -and simple, that it might appeal to all. At the same time, it is the -mightiest, the sublimest, and the most profound system of philosophy -that the world has ever known. It is not a child of earth, nor a -product of human wisdom. It came out of eternity, from the very bosom -of God, and has been upon the earth at different times and places. It -is the Everlasting Gospel, the same yesterday, today, and forever, and -all true principles of religion, science, or philosophy, now popular in -the world, are but parts of it—broken off fragments of this grand Rock -of Ages. Or, to change the figure, they are as pools of water, caught -in the clefts and hollows of time, when the great flood of Truth, in -one or more of its visitations, swept by on its way back to the eternal -ocean.</p> - -<p><b>All Truth Divine.</b>—Every religion in existence that has benefited its -believers, must have possessed at some period a portion of divine -truth; and that truth is what perpetuated it, not the errors associated -therewith. These are as cobwebs and dust, the accumulated rubbish of -false tradition, in which the precious jewel is wholly or in part -concealed. Yes, every religion, Christian or Pagan, that has proved a -real blessing to its votaries, is as a cistern holding within it waters -once wholesome and pure,—waters that fell originally from heaven, -in one of those grand spiritual showers, called dispensations of the -gospel, when the flood gates of eternity were lifted, that the world -might be refreshed.</p> - -<p><b>The Arab and the Caliph.</b>—But spiritual waters, like the waters of -earth, will lose their sweetness and purity, if separated too far -and too long from their fountain-head. They will become stagnant and -unwholesome, like the water carried for many days by the poor Arab in -his leathern bottle, from the sparkling spring in the desert to the -distant palace of the Caliph, who magnanimously rewarded the giver, not -for the rank draught presented for his acceptance, but for the goodness -of his motive, the sincerity of his soul.</p> - -<p><b>God's Word Apportioned.</b>—How every tribe and nation receives its -portion of the divine word, is thus told in the Nephite record:</p> - -<p>"O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I -might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake -the earth, and cry repentance unto every people:</p> - -<p>"Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, -repentance, and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and -come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the -face of the earth.</p> - -<p>"But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be -content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.</p> - -<p>"I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, -for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether -it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto -men, according to their wills; whether they be unto salvation or unto -destruction.</p> - -<p>"Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; or he -that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good -and evil, to him it is given according to his desires; whether he -desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience.</p> - -<p>"Now seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to -perform the work to which I have been called?</p> - -<p>"Why should I desire that I was an angel, that I could speak unto all -the ends of the earth?</p> - -<p>"For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation -and tongue, to teach his word; yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit -that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in -wisdom, according to that which is just and true."—(Alma 29:1-8.)</p> - -<p><b>An Oft-Restored Religion.</b>—The Gospel of Christ did not make its first -appearance upon this planet at the time of the Savior's crucifixion. -While it seemed a new thing to that generation—for they were -"astonished at the doctrine" of the Nazarene, who taught them the -return of good for evil as a better rule of conduct than the Mosaic law -of retaliation—in reality it was older than all the ages, older than -the earth itself. It might have said, with its divine Author: "Before -Abraham was I am"—with reference to the mortal life of Abraham. -Originating in the heavens, before this world was created, the gospel, -prior to its preaching in the meridian of time, had been revealed to -man in a series of dispensations, beginning with Adam and extending -down to that day. The ancient apostles of our Lord preached a restored -gospel, just as much as do the apostles, seventies, and elders of the -Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.</p> - -<p><b>"Dispensation" Defined.</b>—It is time to ask, and to more fully answer -the question, What is meant by the term "dispensation"? To dispense -is to deal out or distribute, as when the sacrament of the Lord's -Supper is dispensed to a congregation. "Dispensation of Providence" -is a phrase used to describe some dealing of God with man, either for -joy or sorrow to the object of the visitation. In theology the term -"Dispensation" signifies the method or scheme by which God has at -different times developed his purposes and revealed himself to man. -It also denotes a period marked by some particular development of the -divine purpose and revelation, such as the Mosaic dispensation, lasting -from Moses to Christ: or the Christian dispensation, ending in a -universal apostasy which rendered necessary the latter-day restoration -of the gospel and the Priesthood.</p> - -<p><b>Seven Periods.</b>—It is held by many that there are seven gospel -dispensations, seven distinct periods, during which the plan of -salvation, restored from heaven to earth, has been administered to the -children of men; the intervals of spiritual darkness between those -periods of light resulting from the world's unworthiness. Revelation, -so far as I am aware, is silent as to the number of the dispensations; -but I am among those who incline to the belief that seven is -correct; a belief probably founded, in part, upon the scriptural or -symbolical character of that number, and upon the Prophet Joseph's -teaching relative to the seven periods, answering to the seven seals -of the mystical book seen by John the Revelator in his vision on -Patmos.—(Rev. 5 and 6.)</p> - -<p><b>The Apocalyptic Book.</b>—Section Seventy-Seven of the Doctrine and -Covenants is a key to John's revelation, consisting of a series of -questions and answers; those germane to this subject being as follows:</p> - -<p>"What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed -on the back with seven seals?"</p> - -<p>"We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, -and works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this -earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its -temporal existence."</p> - -<p>"What are we to understand by the seven seals with which it was sealed?"</p> - -<p>"We are to understand that the first seal contains the things of the -first thousand years, and the second also of the second thousand years, -and so on until the seventh."</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"What are we to understand by the sounding of the trumpets, mentioned -in the 8th chapter of Revelations?"</p> - -<p>"We are to understand that as God made the world in six days, and on -the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also -formed man out of the dust of the earth; even so, in the beginning of -the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and -complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem -all things, except that which he hath not put into his power, when -he shall have sealed all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of -the seven angels, are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the -beginning of the seventh thousand years;—the preparing of the way -before the time of his coming."</p> - -<p>Whether or not these seven periods are looked upon as gospel -dispensation, it is interesting to consider them as covering the same -ground, paralleling, or extending through, the same mighty stretch of -duration, and dealing with events, epochs, personages and principles -connected with those dispensations.</p> - -<p><b>The World's Real History.</b>—Concerning "the book which John saw," the -Prophet says in effect that it represents the real history of the -world—what the eye of God has seen, what the recording angel has -written. The seven thousand years, corresponding to the seven seals, -are as seven great days, during which Mother Earth will fulfil her -mortal mission or probation, laboring six days, and resting upon the -seventh, her period of sanctification. We are not to understand, -however, that these seven thousand years include the time during which -the earth was in process of creation and of preparation for man. The -phrase "temporal existence" shows that the reckoning began, not before, -but after, time had been decreed.</p> - -<p><b>Earth Obedient to Law.</b>—That this planet is indeed upon probation, and -capable of obeying law, is plainly taught in modern revelation:</p> - -<p>"And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a -celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and -transgresseth not the law.</p> - -<p>"Wherefore it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, -it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is -quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it."—(D. and C. 88:25-26.)</p> - -<p><b>The Sea of Glass.</b>—The key to the Apocalypse, already quoted, begins -with this question concerning earth's glorious future: "What is the -sea of glass spoken of by John, 4th chapter, and 6th verse, of the -Revelation?" And the answer is: "It is the earth, in its sanctified, -immortal, and eternal state."</p> - -<p><b>One Day as a Thousand Years.</b>—That the seven thousand years are indeed -as seven great days, is virtually set forth in the Book of Abraham, -where the patriarch, who was deeply learned in astronomy, and taught -that science to the Egyptians, tells of a mighty governing planet -nearest to the throne of God—a planet named Kolob, revolving once in a -thousand years. (Abr. 3.) It is evident that such a day figured in the -warning given to Adam: "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt -surely die" (Gen. 2:17) for Adam, having eaten of the forbidden fruit, -lived on to the age of 930 years. In the Book of Abraham (5:13), it is -explained that the day in question was "after the time of Kolob; for as -yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning."</p> - -<p><b>The Saturday Evening of Time.</b>—According to received chronology, four -thousand years, or four of the seven great days given to this planet -as the period of its temporal continuance, had passed before Christ -came, while nearly two thousand years have gone by since. So that the -sixth day is now drawing to a close, and we stand at the present moment -in the Saturday evening of human history. Morning will break upon the -Millennium, the thousand years of peace, the Sabbath of the world.</p> - -<p><b>Dispensations Inter-Related.</b>—Whatever their number, or the names -by which they may be properly known, it is certain that the gospel -dispensations are inter-related. They are as the links of a mighty -chain, representing God's dealings with man, and extending from the -dawn of creation down to and beyond the present time.</p> - -<p><b>Symbolical and Prophetic.</b>—Those dispensations are likewise symbolical -and prophetic in character, pointing forward and finding their -culmination, their prospective and complete fulfilment, in the great -and final dispensation that is destined to bring about "the restitution -of all things." This is "Mormonism's" mission upon earth—"Mormonism," -a nick-name for the Everlasting Gospel, brought back once more for the -purpose of completing the Lord's work as pertaining to this planet, -binding in one the dispensations, and merging them into the last and -greatest of all—the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.</p> - - -<a name="Gospel2"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> - -<p class="centered">The Adamic Period</p> - -<p><b>Adam Holds the Keys.</b>—The Prophet Joseph Smith treats thus the theme of -the Gospel dispensations:</p> - -<p>"Commencing with Adam, who was the first man, * * * the first and -father of all, not only by progeny, but the first to hold the spiritual -blessings, to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the -salvation of his posterity unto the end, and to whom Christ was first -revealed, and through whom Christ has been revealed from heaven, and -will continue to be revealed from henceforth;—Adam holds the keys of -the dispensation of the fulness of times; i.e., the dispensation of all -the times have been and will be revealed through him from the beginning -to Christ, and from Christ to the end of all the dispensations that are -to be revealed."—("History of the Church," Vol. IV, pp. 207, 208.)</p> - -<p><b>"All Things in Christ."</b>—Having cited Paul (Ephesians 1:9,10), as -showing how God "purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the -fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, -both which are in heaven and which are on earth," the Prophet goes on -to say:</p> - -<p>"Now the purpose of himself, in the winding up scene of the last -dispensation, is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should -be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations.</p> - -<p>"And again, God purposed in himself that there should not be an -eternal fulness until every dispensation should be fulfiled and -gathered together in one, and that all things whatsoever that should be -gathered together in one in those dispensations unto the same fulness -and eternal glory, should be in Christ Jesus; therefore he set the -ordinances to be the same forever and ever, and set Adam to watch over -them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal -them.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"This, then, is the nature of the Priesthood: every man holding the -presidency of his dispensation, and one man holding the presidency of -them all, even Adam; and Adam receiving his presidency and authority -from the Lord, but cannot receive a fulness until Christ shall present -the kingdom to the Father, which shall be at the end of the last -dispensation."—(Ibid, pp. 208-209.)</p> - -<p><b>Distinctive Features.</b>—Each dispensation stands for some particular -development of God's work. Each period possess certain distinguishing -characteristics, to point out which, rather than to give an exhaustive -narration of events and happenings, is the aim of the present article. -In the Adamic dispensation, or the period during which Adam lived upon -the earth, in addition to the Creation and the Fall, already treated in -previous chapters, we find the following distinctive features:</p> - -<p>(1) The institution of the law of sacrifice, foreshadowing the -Atonement that was to be made by the Lamb of God.</p> - -<p>(2) The introduction and first promulgation of the Gospel, as a means -of redeeming mankind from the effects of the Fall.</p> - -<p>(3) The original exercise of the evangelical power and authority by -Father Adam, the patriarch of the human family.</p> - -<p><b>Sacrifice Instituted.</b>—Respecting the law of sacrifice, it is written:</p> - -<p>"And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name of the Lord, and they -heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, -speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from -his presence.</p> - -<p>"And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord -their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an -offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of -the Lord.</p> - -<p>"And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: -Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I -know not, save the Lord commanded me.</p> - -<p>"And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the -sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace -and truth.</p> - -<p>"Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, -and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son for -evermore."—(Moses 5:4-8.)</p> - -<p><b>Revelation Necessary.</b>—Adam knew all about the law of sacrifice—knew -all about it in the spirit; for he was one of those who had sat in -the eternal councils, where the plan of salvation was framed, and the -choice made of a Redeemer and Savior. He helped to form that plan, and -to choose the One who would put it into effect. Adam knew all about -the Lamb of God, slain in theory from the foundation of the world, and -yet to be slain literally upon the earth, an event symbolized by the -sacrifice that he was in the very act of offering, perhaps, when the -angel accosted him. But he had forgotten it all, so great is the change -that comes over the spirit in passing from pre-mortal into mortal -conditions. Hence the necessity of such a visitation, to enlighten -him. Hence, also, the necessity of revelation by the Holy Ghost, the -Comforter, bringing things past to remembrance, showing things to come.</p> - -<p><b>The Gospel's Introduction.</b>—The introduction of the Gospel is thus -narrated:</p> - -<p>"And the Lord God called upon men by the Holy Ghost everywhere and -commanded them that they should repent."—(Moses 5:14.)</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And he called upon our father Adam by his own voice, saying: I am God; -I made the world, and men before they were in the flesh.</p> - -<p>"And he also said unto him: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken -unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and -be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, -who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name -which shall be given under heaven whereby salvation shall come unto the -children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; asking -all things in His name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given -you.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto -all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the -meridian of time.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, -that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of -the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the -water, and was brought forth out of the water.</p> - -<p>"And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, -and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner -man.</p> - -<p>"And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with -fire, and with the Holy Ghost."—(Moses 6:51, 52, 62, 64-66.)</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being -declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his -own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost.</p> - -<p>"And thus all things were confirmed unto Adam, by an holy ordinance, -and the Gospel preached, and a decree sent forth, that it should be in -the world, until the end thereof; and thus it was. Amen."—(Moses 5:58, -59.)</p> - -<p><b>Adam as Patriarch.</b>—Concerning Adam's patriarchal ministry, we are thus -enlightened by Joseph the Seer:</p> - -<p>"I saw Adam in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman. He called together -his children and blessed them with a patriarchal blessing. The Lord -appeared in their midst, and he (Adam) blessed them all and foretold -what should befall them to the latest generation."—("History of the -Church," Vol. III, p. 388.)</p> - -<p><b>Patriarchal Order and Descent.</b>—Respecting the patriarchal order, the -Lord says:</p> - -<p>"The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from -father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the -chosen seed, to whom the promises were made.</p> - -<p>"This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by -lineage in the following manner:</p> - -<p>"From Adam to Seth, who was ordained by Adam at the age of 69 years, -and was blessed by him three years previous to his (Adam's) death, and -received the promise of God by his father, that his posterity should be -the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be preserved unto the end -of the earth.</p> - -<p>"Because he (Seth) was a perfect man, and his likeness was the express -likeness of his father's, insomuch that he seemed to be like unto his -father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by his -age.</p> - -<p>"Enos was ordained at the age of 134 years and four months by the hand -of Adam.</p> - -<p>"God called upon Cainan in the wilderness, in the fortieth year of his -age, and he met Adam in journeying to the place Shedolamak. He was 87 -years old when he received his ordination.</p> - -<p>"Mahalaleel was 496 years and seven days old when he was ordained by -the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.</p> - -<p>"Jared was 200 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, -who also blessed him.</p> - -<p>"Enoch was 25 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, -and he was 65 and Adam blessed him.</p> - -<p>"And he saw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face -continually; and he walked with God 365 years, making him 430 years old -when he was translated.</p> - -<p>"Methuselah was 100 years old when he was ordained under the hand of -Adam.</p> - -<p>"Lamech was 32 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Seth.</p> - -<p>"Noah was 10 years old when he was ordained under the hand of -Methuselah.</p> - -<p>"Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, -Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all High -Priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into -the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and the re bestowed upon them his last -blessing.</p> - -<p>"And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, -and called him Michael, the Prince, the Archangel.</p> - -<p>"And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him, I have -set thee to be at the head—a multitude of nations shall come of thee, -and thou art a prince over them for ever.</p> - -<p>"And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation, and not -withstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, -predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest -generation."—(D. and C. 107:40-56.)</p> - -<p><b>The Ancient of Days.</b>—Here is given, by the Prophet, a glimpse of the -glorious sequel:</p> - -<p>"Daniel, in his seventh chapter, speaks of the Ancient of Days; he -means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael; he will call his -children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the -coming of the Son of Man. He (Adam) is the father of the human family, -and presides over the spirits of all men, and all that have had the -keys must stand before him in this grand council. This may take place -before some of us leave this stage of action. The Son of Man stands -before him, and there is given him glory and dominion. Adam delivers up -his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding -the keys of the universe, but retains his standing as head of the human -family."—("History of the Church," Vol. III, p. 386.)</p> - -<p><b>Place of the Council.</b>—The place of the council mentioned in the -foregoing paragraph, is thus pointed out by the finger of the Lord:</p> - -<p>"Revelation to Joseph the Seer, given near Wight's Ferry, at a place -called Spring Hill, Davis County, Missouri, May 19th, 1838, wherein -Spring Hill is named by the Lord,</p> - -<p>"Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said he, it is the place where Adam shall -come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken -of by Daniel the prophet."—(D. and C. 116.)</p> - -<p><b>Adam-ondi-Ahman.</b>—At that very spot, Spring Hill, Davis County, -Missouri, in the year 1838, the Latter-day Saints, by direction of the -Prophet, began to build a city, naming it Adam-ondi-Ahman, afterwards -abbreviated to Diahman. While engaged in making the survey, some of the -brethren came upon the ruins of an ancient altar, which the Prophet, on -beholding, declared to be the identical altar upon which Adam offered -sacrifices after he was expelled from Eden. The Garden of Eden, Joseph -said, was in Jackson County, Missouri, from which part the Saints had -been driven, as if to typify reminiscently the original expulsion. In -both instances, the tree of disobedience bore the same bitter fruit. In -Jackson County the New Jerusalem is to be built, and a people prepared -for the glorious coming of the Lord. That America is the Old World, -not the New, science now affirms; but the fact was first proclaimed by -revelation, whose other name, in this case, is Joseph Smith the Prophet.</p> - -<p><b>Cain and Abel.</b>—Adam's offering of sacrifice was acceptable to the -Lord, being in accordance with the divine command, and because it -truly symbolized the Lamb of God, who was to come. Abel, Adam's son, -offered a similar sacrifice—"the firstlings of his flock and of the -fat thereof, and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering" -(Gen. 4:4). But Cain, Abel's eldest brother, who had also been taught -the law of sacrifice, took it upon himself to deviate from the divine -instruction, and instead of a lamb, he "brought of the fruit of the -ground," an offering in no way typical of the Savior. Hence, his -offering was rejected. The Prophet Joseph, commenting upon these facts, -says: "God will not acknowledge that which He has not called, ordained, -and chosen." He quotes Paul (Heb. 11:4): "By faith Abel offered unto -God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness -that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being -dead, yet speaketh"—and then asks:</p> - -<p>"How doth he yet speak? Why, he magnified the priesthood which was -conferred upon him, and died a righteous man, and therefore has become -an angel of God by receiving his body from the dead, holding still the -keys of his dispensation; and was sent down from heaven unto Paul to -minister consoling words, and to commit unto him a knowledge of the -mysteries of godliness."</p> - -<p>* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"The power, glory and blessings of the priesthood could not continue -with those who received ordination only as their righteousness -continued; for Cain also being authorized to offer sacrifice, but -not offering it in righteousness, was cursed. It signifies, then, -that the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed; -otherwise their priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a -blessing."—("History of the Church," Vol. IV, pp. 208, 209.)</p> - -<p><b>Inter-Relation Shown.</b>—It was after the episode of Cain and Abel, -including the murder of the latter by the former, that Adam called the -righteous residue of his posterity into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, -and there gave them his farewell benediction, foretelling what should -befall the human race down to the end of time. That great patriarchal -blessing, considered in connection with Adam's coming as the Ancient -of Days, to call his children before him in a grand council upon the -precise spot where he uttered his wonderful world-covering prediction, -clearly shows the relationship between the First Dispensation and the -Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.</p> - - -<a name="Gospel3"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Enoch and Zion</p> - -<p><b>"The Seventh from Adam."</b>—Enoch was contemporaneous with Adam, and was -ordained and blessed by him (D&C 107:48). The period in which Enoch -figured was prolific of wonderful events, but the two standing out most -prominently are:</p> - -<p>(1) The successful practice of the law of consecration, resulting in -the founding of Zion, the City of Holiness, which was taken into heaven -by translation.</p> - -<p>(2) Enoch's vision of the future—past Noah and the deluge, past Christ -and the crucifixion, down even to the last days, when the coming of the -Lord in his glory would usher in the millennial reign of rest.</p> - -<p><b>What Enoch Beheld.</b>—Some of the sweetest and sublimest passages in -the writings of Moses, as reproduced by Joseph the Prophet, are those -in which he tells the story of Enoch and his city, and portrays the -marvelous events made visible to the eye of the ancient Seer. Here are -some of the more notable passages:</p> - -<p>"And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart -and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among -them.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the -inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of -time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold -mine abode forever.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of -the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it -that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the -mountains?</p> - -<p>"And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing -thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?</p> - -<p>"And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, -yea millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the -number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and -yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; -thou art merciful and kind forever;</p> - -<p>"And thou hast taken Zion to thine own bosom, from all thy creations, -from all eternity to all eternity; and nought but peace, justice, and -truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy -face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep?</p> - -<p>"The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these * * * * which thine eyes are -upon shall perish in the floods; and behold, I will shut them up; a -prison have I prepared for them.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And Enoch also saw Noah, and his family; that the posterity of all the -sons of Noah should be saved with a temporal salvation.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And behold, Enoch saw the days of the coming of the Son of Man, even -in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted -up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through -faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me.</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard -a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of -men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. -When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone -forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and -righteousness for a season abide upon my face?</p> - -<p>"And when Enoch heard the earth mourn, he wept, and cried unto the -Lord, saying: O Lord, wilt thou not have compassion upon the earth? -Wilt thou not bless the children of Noah?</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the -last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath -which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah:</p> - -<p>"And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that -day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover -the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great -tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I -preserve;</p> - -<p>"And righteousness will I send down out of heaven, and truth will I -send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; -his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of -all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth -as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of -the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my -people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my -coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, -a New Jerusalem.</p> - -<p>"And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet -them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see -us; and we will fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;</p> - -<p>"And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come -forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of -a thousand years the earth shall rest.</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of -Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the -space of a thousand years."—(Moses 7:18-64.)</p> - -<p>A fuller account of Enoch's ministry as prophet, seer, and preacher of -righteousness, may be found in that chapter of the Book of Moses from -which the foregoing paragraphs are taken.</p> - -<p><b>A Terrestrial Ministry.</b>—"Now this Enoch," says the Prophet Joseph, -"God reserved unto himself, that he should not die at that time, and -appointed unto him a ministry unto terrestrial bodies, of whom there -has been but little revealed. He is reserved also unto the presidency -of a dispensation. * * * He appeared unto Jude, as Abel did unto Paul -(Jude 14,15). * * * Paul was also acquainted with this character, and -received instructions from him: "By faith Enoch was translated, that -he should not see death, and was not found, because God had translated -him" (Heb. 11:5).</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"Now the doctrine of translation is a power which belongs to this -Priesthood. There are many things which belong to the powers of the -Priesthood and the keys thereof, that have been kept hid from before -the foundation of the world; they are hid from the wise and prudent to -be revealed in the last times.</p> - -<p>"Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine -whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and -into an eternal fulness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of -habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for -such characters, he held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many -planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as -those who are resurrected from the dead."—("History of the Church," -Vol. IV, pp. 209, 210.)</p> - -<p><b>Enoch's City to Return.</b>—Enoch's city, according to this teaching, is -now in terrestrial glory, awaiting its return to earth, when the season -is ripe, and preparations are complete for its reception. The change -wrought upon its inhabitants by translation not being equivalent to -resurrection, they will have to undergo a further change, to prepare -them for celestial glory. Doubtless their case is similar to that of -the Saints mentioned by Paul, who will not "sleep" in death, but be -changed "in the twinkling of an eye" to complete immortality, at the -time of the coming of the Son of God.—(I Cor. 15:51, 52.)</p> - -<p><b>Zion Above and Zion Beneath.</b>—The Zion of Enoch was undoubtedly a -foreshadowing of the Zion of the last days, with which it will blend, -and the following glorious picture then be realized:</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> "The Lord hath brought again Zion:<br> - The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel,<br> - According to the election of grace,<br> - Which was brought to pass by the faith<br> - And covenant of their fathers.<br> - The Lord hath redeemed his people,<br> - And Satan is bound and time is no longer:<br> - The Lord hath gathered all things in one:<br> - The Lord hath brought down Zion from above.<br> - The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath.<br> - The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength:<br> - And truth is established in her bowels:<br> - And the heavens have smiled upon her:<br> - And she is clothed with the glory of her God:<br> - For he stands in the midst of his people:<br> - Glory, and honor, and power, and might,<br> - Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of mercy,<br> - Justice, grace and truth, and peace,<br> - For ever and ever. Amen."—(D. and C. 84:99-102.)</p> - -</blockquote> - - -<a name="Gospel4"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Noah and the Deluge</p> - -<p><b>The Son of Lamech.</b>—Noah was the son of Lamech, who was a grandson -of Enoch, and after him "the next great grand patriarch who held the -keys of the priesthood." Lamech was ordained under the hand of Seth, -the third son of Adam, who received from his father a blessing similar -to the one afterwards pronounced upon Abraham, to the effect that -his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord. Seth seems to have -succeeded to the position held by Abel, whom Cain slew (Gen. 4:25). He -is described as "a perfect man," the express likeness of his father. -Noah's patriarchal ordination came from Methuselah, the father of -Lamech. Noah was but ten years old when his grandfather thus blessed -and ordained him.—(D. and C. 107: 42, 43, 48, 51, 52.)</p> - -<p>"And Noah was four hundred and fifty years old, and begat Japheth; and -forty-two years afterward he begat Shem of her who was the mother of -Japheth; and when he was five hundred years old he begat Ham.</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass that Noah prophesied, and taught the things of -God, even as it was in the beginning.</p> - -<p>"And the Lord said unto Noah: My Spirit shall not always strive with -man, for he shall know that all flesh shall die; yet his days shall be -an hundred and twenty years; and if men do not repent, I will send in -the floods upon them.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And the Lord ordained Noah after his own order, and commanded him that -he should go forth and declare his gospel unto the children of men, -even as it was given unto Enoch.</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass that Noah called upon the children of men that -they should repent, but they hearkened not unto his words;</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And God saw that the wickedness of men had become great in the earth; -and every man was lifted up in the imagination of the thoughts of his -heart, being only evil continually.</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass that Noah continued his preaching unto the people, -saying: Hearken, and give heed unto my words;</p> - -<p>"Believe and repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus -Christ, the Son of God, even as our fathers, and ye shall receive the -Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things made manifest; and if ye do not -this, the floods will come in upon you; nevertheless they hearkened not.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And God said unto Noah: The end of all flesh is come before me, for -the earth is filled with violence, and behold I will destroy all flesh -from off the earth."—(Moses 8:12, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22-24, 30.)</p> - -<p><b>End of the World Foreshadowed.</b>—Noah's period was prophetic of the -end of the world. This is apparent from the words of the Savior, when -prophesying over Jerusalem, and foretelling the end of the Jewish -commonwealth, an event also typical of the final destruction of the -wicked. Speaking of the social conditions that prevailed while Noah was -preaching the Gospel and delivering his warning message, Jesus said:</p> - -<p>"As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.</p> - -<p>"For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and -drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe -entered into the ark.</p> - -<p>"And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall -also the coming of the Son of Man be."—(Matt. 24:3 7-39.)</p> - -<p><b>Earth's Baptism of Fire.</b>—The deluge that destroyed the wicked "with -the earth" (that is, with water, representing the earth) and which God -covenanted with Noah never to repeat, is to be paralleled by another -deluge, in which the wicked will be consumed by fire from heaven; and -as unexpectedly as came the watery flood in which our planet was once -immersed, will come the fiery baptism that is destined to cleanse it -from all unrighteousness and prepare it for celestial glory.</p> - -<p><b>A Second Adam.</b>—Noah, who is Gabriel, and stands next to Adam, or -Michael, in the priesthood, typifies the great patriarch, in that -through him and his immediate family—eight souls in all—Earth was -repeopled after the flood. Hence Noah is sometimes called "the second -Adam."</p> - -<p><b>Japheth, Shem and Ham.</b>—Noah's eldest son, Japheth, peopled Europe; -Shem, Asia; and Ham, Africa. Noah's blessing upon Shem and Japheth, and -his curse upon Ham, through Canaan, Ham's son, are thus recorded in the -Hebrew scriptures:</p> - -<p>"And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto -his brethren.</p> - -<p>"And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his -servant.</p> - -<p>"God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; -and Canaan shall be his servant."—(Gen. 9:25-27.)</p> - -<p><b>Noah's Curse Upon Canaan.</b>—Part of the curse that fell upon Canaan was -"a blackness," which came upon all his posterity, causing them to be -"despised among all people" (Moses 7:8)—a blackness similar to that -which had been placed upon the "seed of Cain" (Moses 7:22). The curse -also deprived the Canaanites of the priesthood.—(Abraham 1:26.)</p> - -<p>Just why a whole race had to be punished for a sin committed by one of -its ancestors, is a mystery almost as great as that of the vicarious -atonement, demanded by eternal justice for Adam's transgression. We -may be sure, however, that right was vindicated in both cases, and -revelation will eventually make the matter plain. Every effect has -a cause. Canaan was not cursed, nor his posterity deprived of the -priesthood, for nothing. It must be that the spirits taking those dark -bodies, and passing through the experiences ordained for them, have -done something to merit their fate. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that -shall he also reap." This principle applies to the spirit life, no less -than to the mortal life.</p> - -<p><b>Shem's and Japheth's Blessing.</b>—From Shem came Abraham, the Father of -the Faithful; and from Japheth sprang the Gentiles, the founders of -the most civilized and enlightened nations of modern times, including -Great Britain and the United States of America. Let me add, here, that -the term "Gentile" is not an opprobrious epithet, as some suppose. It -comes from "Gentilis," signifying "of a nation," and is used in sacred -history to designate the people that were not of Israel. Ham, through -Canaan, was the progenitor of the negro race, long held in slavery in -this and in other Gentile countries. The Ethiopian also served the -Semite, just as Noah had predicted.</p> - -<p><b>The Tents of Shem</b>.—How Japheth has "dwelt in the tents of Shem," -is partly shown by the history of Palestine, which has long been -dominated by the Gentiles, particularly the Turks, who still possess -it. Japheth's remarkable blessing has also been realized in the history -of our own country, America, the land of Joseph, which the Gentiles -now inhabit, and where, according to the Book of Mormon, they are to -assist in gathering Israel and building the New Jerusalem. It is their -privilege to share, if they will, in all the blessings promised to the -chosen people. The Gentiles who receive the gospel, and are faithful -to its requirements, shall be as the seed of Abraham (Abraham 2:9-11). -"The tents of Shem" may be interpreted to mean the lands of Israel, -the homes of the people of God, who are lineally descended from Shem, -through Abraham.</p> - -<p><b>Another Parallel.</b>—"As it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also -at the coming of the Son of Man." For this, his own rendering of Matt. -24:41, the Prophet Joseph finds another fulfilment thus:</p> - -<p>"He [Jehovah] continued to him [Noah] the keys, the covenants, the -power and the glory with which he blessed Adam at the beginning; and -the offering of sacrifice, which also shall be continued at the last -time; for all the ordinances and duties that ever have been required by -the Priesthood, under the directions and commandments of the Almighty -in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensation; -therefore, all things had under the authority of the Priesthood at any -former period, shall be had again, bringing to pass the restoration -spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets."—("History of the -Church," Vol. IV, pp. 210, 211.)</p> - - -<a name="Gospel5"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Abraham</p> - -<p><b>The House of Israel.</b>—The Abrahamic period was signalized by the -founding of the house of Israel, of which Abraham is the earthly head; -Christ, or Jehovah, the God of Israel, being its heavenly head. This -house was established upon the earth that the Savior of the world might -have a fitting lineage through which to come, and that the Lord might -have a worthy people through whom to promote his wise and benevolent -purposes toward the whole human family. The Israelitish subject is -reserved for fuller treatment in future pages. I shall merely point out -here some of the greater events for which the dispensation of Abraham -is distinguished.</p> - -<p><b>The Law of Tithing</b>—Melchizedek.—In connection with the career of the -Hebrew patriarch, the first mention is made in the Bible of the law of -tithing, and also of the high priest, Melchizedek, to whom Abraham gave -tithes:</p> - -<p>"And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine; and he -was the priest of the most high God.</p> - -<p>"And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, -which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him -tithes of all."—(Gen. 14:18-20.)</p> - -<p>Paul refers to the same event in the following language:</p> - -<p>"For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who -met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;</p> - -<p>"To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by -interpretation king of righteousness, and after that also king of -Salem, which is king of peace;</p> - -<p>"Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither -beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; -abideth a priest continually.</p> - -<p>"Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch -Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils."—(Heb. 7:1-4.)</p> - -<p><b>The Priesthood Renamed.</b>—So great was he that the Priesthood was -renamed for him. Before his time, it was called The Priesthood after -the Order of the Son of God. Its present name, the Melchizedek -Priesthood, was bestowed, as we are informed, for reverential reasons, -to avoid a too frequent repetition of the name of Deity.—(D. and C. -107:1-4.)</p> - -<p><b>Abraham's Test.</b>—The offering of Isaac, Abraham's son of promise, -symbolized the offering, by the Eternal Father, of his Only Begotten -Son, for the redemption and salvation of mankind. This crucial trial of -Abraham's faith is thus related by the sacred historian:</p> - -<p>"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, -and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Behold, here I am.</p> - -<p>"And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, -and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt -offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.</p> - -<p>"And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and -took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the -wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went into the place of -which God had told him.</p> - -<p>"Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place -afar off.</p> - -<p>"And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I -and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.</p> - -<p>"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon -Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they -went both of them together.</p> - -<p>"And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he -said, Here am I, my son, And he said, Behold the fire and the wood; but -where is the lamb for a burnt offering?</p> - -<p>"And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt -offering; so they went both of them together.</p> - -<p>"And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham -built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his -son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.</p> - -<p>"And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his -son.</p> - -<p>"And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, -Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.</p> - -<p>"And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any -thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast -not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.</p> - -<p>"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him -a ram caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took -the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his -son."—(Gen. 22:1-13.)</p> - -<p><b>Jehovah's Promise to His Friend.</b>—Then followed the Lord's promise to -the tried and proven Father of the Faithful:</p> - -<p>"In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy -seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea -shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;</p> - -<p>"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Ibid, -17, 18).</p> - -<p>How that promise was fulfiled, will be shown in the concluding part of -this volume.</p> - - -<a name="Gospel6"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Moses and Aaron</p> - -<p>"The sons of Moses, and also the sons of Aaron shall offer an -acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house -shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated -spot, as I [the Lord] have appointed;</p> - -<p>"And the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall be filled with the glory of -the Lord, upon Mount Zion in the Lord's house, whose sons are ye; and -also many whom I have called and sent forth to build up my church;</p> - -<p>"For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of -which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified -by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies;</p> - -<p>"They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, -and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God."—(D. and C. -84:31-34.)</p> - -<p><b>Israel and the Exodus.</b>—The principal events of the Mosaic dispensation -were the exodus from Egypt and the establishment of Israel as an -independent nation, under the leadership of their great prophet and -lawgiver, Moses. Both these events foreshadowed greater ones, namely: -the world's deliverance from the bondage of sin and death, and the -establishment upon earth of the Kingdom that shall stand forever.</p> - -<p><b>The Passover.</b>—The exodus was commemorated by the Feast of the -Passover, instituted to perpetuate in the minds and hearts of the -children of Israel their deliverance from slavery, and at the same time -to foreshow the mightier redemption of which that exodus was typical. -The Passover was kept as follows: On the night before the departure -out of Egypt, each Israelitish household, obedient to God's command -through Moses, took a lamb "without blemish," and slew it, sprinkling -the blood upon the posts and lintels of their doors. It was promised -that the Angel of Death, who had been sent to afflict the cruel nation -for its oppression of the Lord's people, by slaying the first-born of -every Egyptian household, would pass over every Israelitish dwelling -upon which this blood was sprinkled. Not a bone of the lamb was to be -broken, nor a fragment of it left to decay; for it was intended to -symbolize the Lamb of God, whose body was not to see corruption (Ps. -16:10). Neither was any bone of him to be broken.</p> - -<p><b>Symbolism Realized.</b>—In a most remarkable manner was this symbolism -realized; for when the Roman soldiers came to Calvary to remove the -three bodies from the crosses erected there, they put an end to both -the malefactors by breaking their legs; but finding Jesus already -dead, this additional indignity was not put upon him. Pierced with -five wounds, yet not a bone of him broken, the Lamb of God answered -to the prophetic likeness of the paschal lamb, and was laid away in -the rocky tomb, from which he came forth upon the third day, his -perfectly preserved body—the tabernacle of the Holy One—glorified in -immortality.</p> - -<p><b>The Paschal Ceremony.</b>—In the ceremonial of the Passover, the flesh -of the lamb was roasted, and partaken of with bitter herbs and with -unleavened bread, or bread hastily prepared; the former typifying the -bitterness of the bondage that was about to end, and the latter the -haste attendant upon the departure out of Egypt. To emphasize this fact -still further, the members of the family, while partaking of the feast, -then and thereafter, were clad as if for a journey.—(Exodus 12.)</p> - -<p><b>Shadow and Substance.</b>—This sacred memorial, a reminder to God's -people of what he had done, and would yet do, was observed in Israel, -by divine appointment, until the coming of Christ. The night before -he was sacrificed, he, the great Paschal Lamb, after partaking of the -ancient feast with his disciples, instituted in its stead the Lord's -Supper, commanding them to observe it thenceforth. The Supper and the -Passover were both designed to commemorate the Savior's atonement; but -in the Passover the pointing was forward, to an event yet to come, -while in the Supper the indication is backward, to an event that has -already taken place. It was about the same hour of the day when the -paschal lamb was offered in the temple at Jerusalem, that Christ died -on Calvary, the substance and the shadow thus corresponding.</p> - -<p><b>The Great Deliverer.</b>—The lamb of the Passover symbolized the Lamb of -God, the universal Deliverer, and Moses, who led the Lord's people out -of Egypt, was also a type of the world's Redeemer. Jesus, whose mission -the career of Moses foreshadowed, is repeatedly described in the sacred -writings as "like unto Moses;" and Moses, the type of Christ, was -reputedly "the meekest of men."</p> - -<p><b>How Moses Obtained the Priesthood.</b>—Moses was of the tribe of Levi, and -son-in-law to Jethro, from whom he received the Priesthood.</p> - -<p>"And Jethro received it under the hand of Caleb;</p> - -<p>"And Caleb received it under the hand of Elihu;</p> - -<p>"And Elihu under the hand of Jeremy;</p> - -<p>"And Jeremy under the hand of Gad;</p> - -<p>"And Gad under the hand of Esaias;</p> - -<p>"And Esaias also lived in the days of Abraham, and was blessed of him—</p> - -<p>"Which Abraham received the Priesthood from Melchizedek, who received -it through the lineage of his fathers, even till Noah;</p> - -<p>"And from Noah till Enoch, through the lineage of their fathers;</p> - -<p>"And from Enoch to Abel, who was slain by the conspiracy of his -brother, who received the Priesthood by the commandments of God, by the -hand of his father Adam, who was the first man."—(D. and C. 84:7-16.)</p> - -<p><b>Jethro, Priest of Midian.</b>—An account of the relations between Moses -and his father-in-law, Jethro the Midianite, may be found in the -second, third and eighteenth chapters of Exodus. The Midianites were -descendants of Ishmael, son of Abraham.</p> - -<p><b>The Call of Aaron.</b>—Moses, having received the Melchizedek Priesthood, -organized, by divine direction, the Lesser Priesthood, with Aaron, -his brother, at its head. It was in the wilderness of Sinai, fourteen -hundred and ninety-one years before the coming of the Savior. The -children of Israel, in their exodus from Egypt, after the miraculous -passage of the Red Sea, whose retiring waters had rolled over the heads -of their enemies, were encamped at the foot of the famous eminence, -ever since a sacred way-mark in the history of the Hebrew nation.</p> - -<p>The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, "in the sight of all the people," -and from the midst of thunders, lightnings and thick clouds, which -caused the mountain to quake and obscured his glorious presence from -the gaze of the unsanctified multitude, he summoned Moses up into the -top of the Mount, and delivered unto him, among other charges, the -following:</p> - -<p>"Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from -among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the -priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazer and Ithamar, -Aaron's sons.</p> - -<p>"And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and -for beauty.</p> - -<p>"And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; -and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that -they may minister unto me in the priest's office."—(Exodus 28:1-3.)</p> - -<p><b>The Ten Commandments—Sacred Patterns.</b>—The Lord also gave to Moses the -Ten Commandments, which He had previously spoken in the hearing of all -Israel, with other parts of the Law, afterwards embodied by the prophet -in his famous code. Also the pattern of the Ark or Sanctuary, the -symbol of the covenant that God had made with his people; and of the -Tabernacle or holy tent where the Ark was deposited, where the priests -offered sacrifice and made atonement for the sins of the nation, and -where the Lord communicated by angels or by Urim and Thummim with -those chosen to represent him in that sacred capacity. He instructed -him minutely as to the fashioning of the priestly robes, the materials -to be used in them, and the persons who should make them, likewise -prescribing the manner in which these things should all be consecrated -to his service.</p> - -<p><b>Elders in Israel.</b>—It seems that there were more elders than one in -Israel, at the time Aaron and his sons were called to minister in the -priest's office; a fact shown by the following reference to an event -somewhat earlier than the one in question:</p> - -<p>"Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the -elders of Israel:</p> - -<p>"And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it -were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of -heaven in his clearness.</p> - -<p>"And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand; -also they saw God, and did eat and drink."—(Exodus 24:9-11.)</p> - -<p>I assume, of course, that the title "elder" had the same significance -then that it has now—that it was an office in the Melchizedek -Priesthood. If this be correct, and I see no reason why it should be -doubted, then there were at least "seventy elders" in Israel at that -time. Nay, more, for these seventy were "of the elders of Israel," -one of whom, of course, was Moses, who had doubtless ordained the -others. It is even probable that Aaron and his sons likewise held the -Melchizedek Priesthood when they were called to act as priests; for -they were among those who "saw God," which they could not have done, -with safety, had they held only the Aaronic Priesthood. Aaron's call to -preside over the priests, was probably similar to a call that might now -be made upon a high priest to officiate as presiding bishop.</p> - -<p><b>The Golden Calf.</b>—How were Aaron and his sons, on the eve of their -setting apart to these sacred honors, conducting themselves, during the -absence of their leader? Forty days and nights had passed since Moses, -accompanied by faithful Joshua, went up into the Mount to commune -with the Almighty. Alarmed at his protracted stay, unable to account -for it, and no doubt apprehensive as to their own safety without -super-natural guidance, the people, not yet free from taint of contact -with idolatrous Egypt, and forgetful of the covenant they had made with -God on the day the Ten Commandments were thundered from the mountain -top, "gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him: Up, -make us gods which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man -that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become -of him."—(Exodus 32:1.)</p> - -<p>Obedient to their wishes, and perhaps fearful of consequences if he -refused, Aaron took of their golden earrings and made for them a molten -calf, after the Egyptian god Apis, and having finished it, and built -an altar before it, he proclaimed: "These be thy gods, O Israel, which -have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." He also announced "a -feast to the Lord" in its honor on the morrow.</p> - -<p><b>"Who's on the Lord's Side?"</b>—In this sensuous and blasphemous worship -the Israelites were engaged, when Moses came down from the Mount. The -shouts of revelry had reached his ears far up the height, insomuch that -Joshua, who was still with him, suggested "a noise of war in the camp." -Moses, however, recognized the sound of singing. He had been warned -by the Lord of what was taking place, and on coming nearer the whole -revolting truth burst upon him. The golden god on high—the people, -chosen Israel, feasting and dancing before it in their nakedness! Such -was the soul-sickening spectacle presented to his gaze. In his hands he -held the "tables of the testimony"—the divine decalogue, written by -the finger of God. Before his eyes was being violated the very first -of those ten commandments. His righteous anger knew no bounds. Casting -from him the stone tablets, which shattered as they fell, he burst like -a storm upon the guilt-stricken idolators. Demolishing their idol, -grinding it to powder, and scattering it to the winds and waters, he -called for all who were "on the Lord's side" to rally round him.</p> - -<p><b>Expiation for Idolatry.</b>—The sons of Levi responded to a man. Moses, -directed by the Lord, commanded them to take their swords and go in -and out from gate to gate, and slay every man his son, brother and -neighbor; that they might consecrate themselves before the Lord, and -make atonement for the great sin that had been committed. The stern -behest was obeyed, and there fell that day in Israel about three -thousand male souls.</p> - -<p><b>Organization and Consecration.</b>—The expiation complete, Moses proceeded -to organize the priesthood, as he had been directed, and also to -construct the tabernacle and the ark according to the pattern that God -had shown him. The garments of the priests and the appurtenances of the -sanctuary were fashioned to conform with the divine instruction, and -Aaron and his sons, the ark, the tabernacle, and everything connected -with the sacred ceremonial, were then sanctified and dedicated, with -solemn and impressive ceremonies, to the service of the God of Israel.</p> - -<p><b>The Levites.</b>—Prior to the false worship of Apis, the Lord had chosen -unto himself the firstborn males of every household in Israel, as a -parallel act to the destruction of the firstborn throughout the land -of Egypt, and had sanctified and set them apart for some peculiar -purpose. He now altered his original design, and taking the tribe of -Levi, instead, made of them the sacerdotal class of the nation. This -selection was no doubt a recognition and a reward for the zeal they had -displayed in wiping out the stain of idolatry from Israel.</p> - -<p>"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, -and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto -him."</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are -wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel."</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, -instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children -of Israel; therefore the Levites shall be mine;</p> - -<p>"Because all the firstborn are mine, for on the day that I smote -all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the -firstborn in Israel, both man and beast; mine they shall be; I am the -Lord."</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord), instead of -all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the -Levites, instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children -of Israel."</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and three -score and thirteen, of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which -are more than the Levites:</p> - -<p>"Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel -of the sanctuary shalt thou take them; the shekel is twenty gerahs.</p> - -<p>"And thou shalt give the money wherewith the odd number of them is to -be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.</p> - -<p>"And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above -them that were redeemed by the Levites.</p> - -<p>"And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron, and -to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded -Moses."—(Numbers 3.)</p> - -<p>Thus were the Levites given as "a gift for the Lord," to have charge -of the tabernacle and the sanctuary—though not to officiate there as -did the priests—and to "do the service of the congregation." So that -Aaron, who was now high priest, or bishop over the lesser priesthood, -had under him, not only his sons, in the priests' quorum, but also -a great body of Levites (were they not as teachers and deacons?) to -officiate in the minor quorums. Hence the origin of the term Levitical, -as applied to this priesthood.</p> - -<p><b>Slain for Offering Strange Fire.</b>—Soon after this organization and -selection, Nadab and Abihu were slain by the Lord for "offering strange -fire" before him, or officiating when he "commanded them not," and -Eleazer, Aaron's third son, then took the senior's place. He was made -"chief over the chief of the Levites," having oversight of those who -had charge of the sanctuary. Thus, while Eleazer presided over the -Levites, Aaron presided over both priests and Levites; Moses, by virtue -of his superior calling, retaining the controlling power or presidency -over the whole.</p> - -<p><b>The Law and the Testimony.</b>—Eleven months and twenty days the -Israelites had sojourned in Sinai. During this period they had -celebrated their second Passover, or feast of unleavened bread. Two -other annual feasts they were commanded to keep, namely the feast -of Pentecost, or the promulgation of the law, and the feast of -Tabernacles, or tents, commemorating their sojourn in the wilderness. -The laws of Moses were now promulged and codified; the tables of the -testimony, having been renewed, were placed, with other sacred relics, -in the ark for safe keeping; and the sublime system of heaven-revealed -religion was set in motion.</p> - -<p><b>On to Canaan!</b>—The civil and military wings of this nomadic power, -springing as if by magic from an unorganized rabble, without laws, -institutions, or prescribed method of worship, into a compact and -powerful nation, were now in full equipment and discipline. "On to -Canaan!" was the national cry. And so, on the twentieth day of their -second year, or about May 20, 1490 B. C., the Camp of Israel struck -their tents, and guided by the cloud and pillar of God, which had been -with them since the memorable night when the fetters of two centuries -were stricken off and the power of Egypt submerged, they began their -march through the Sinaitic desert toward the wilderness of Paran.</p> - -<p><b>A Nation on the March.</b>—The order of this remarkable procession was -as follows: Foremost, rose aloft the standard of Judah, the future -kingly power of the tribes, and following them were the tribes and -armies of Issachar and Zebulon. Then came the sons of Gershon and -Merari (first and third sons of Levi), bearing the components of the -Tabernacle, which it was their duty to set up and take down, as the -camp rested or resumed its journey. The standard of Reuben was next -advanced, and immediately in his rear marched Simeon and Gad. Then the -Ark of God appeared, borne in the center of the moving host, on the -shoulders of the sons of Kohath. The half tribes of Joseph—Ephraim -and Manasseh—went next, the standard of Ephraim being their rallying -center, and also for the sons and daughters of Benjamin. Then set -forward the standard of Dan; his tribe and the tribes of Asher and -Naphtali bringing up the rear.</p> - -<p><b>The Camps of Israel.</b>—This mighty host, comprising an army of over -half a million, and a total population of nearly three million souls, -was divided into four camps, of three tribes each, exclusive of the -Levites; Joseph being twice numbered, in Ephraim and Manasseh, to -make up, in the tribal count, for the absence of the sacred class -from secular enumeration. When the cloud rested, indicating their -stopping place, the tents were set surrounding the Tabernacle of -the Congregation; the camp of Judah on the east, that of Reuben -on the south, Ephraim on the west, and Dan upon the north. The -Levites encompassed the tabernacle immediately about, to prevent the -unsanctified from approaching too near and purposely or inadvertently -defiling it—an offense punishable by death. When the ark set forward, -Moses exclaimed: "Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; -and let them that hate thee flee before thee!" When it rested, he said: -"Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel!"</p> - -<p><b>The Two Leaders.</b>—Thus it was that Moses and Aaron became the leaders -of Israel, representing, respectively, the two priesthoods that -administer the government of God; the lesser priesthood, "confirmed -upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations," and the -greater priesthood, "which is after the holiest order of God."</p> - -<p><b>Power of the Greater Priesthood.</b>—"And this greater priesthood -administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the -kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God;</p> - -<p>"Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is -manifest;</p> - -<p>"And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the -priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the -flesh;</p> - -<p>"For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and -live.</p> - -<p>"Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the -wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they -might behold the face of God;</p> - -<p>"But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence, -therefore the Lord in his wrath (for his anger was kindled against -them) swore that they should not enter into his rest, while in the -wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory.</p> - -<p>"Therefore he took Moses out of their midst, and the holy priesthood -also.—(D. & C. 84:19-25.)</p> - -<p><b>From Moses Until John.</b>—"And the lesser priesthood continued, which -priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the -preparatory gospel;</p> - -<p>"Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the -remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord -in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the -children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with -the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb:</p> - -<p>"For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was -ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto -this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight -the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them -for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power.—(Ibid, -26-28.)</p> - - -<a name="Gospel7"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> - -<p class="centered">The Lamb of God</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> A stranger Star that came from far<br> - To fling its silver ray<br> - Where, cradled in a lowly cave,<br> - A lowlier Infant lay;<br> - And led by soft sidereal light,<br> - The Orient sages bring<br> - Rare gifts of gold and frankincense,<br> - To greet the homeless King.</p> - -<p> O wondrous grace! Will Gods go down<br> - Thus low that men may rise?<br> - Imprisoned here the Mighty One,<br> - Who reigned in yonder skies?<br> - Hark to that chime!—What tongue sublime<br> - Now tells the hour of noon?<br> - O dying world, art welcoming<br> - Life's life—Light's sun and moon?</p> - -<p> Proclaim him, prophet harbinger!<br> - Make plain the Mightier's way,<br> - Thou sharer of his martyrdom!<br> - Elias? Yea and Nay.<br> - The crescent Moon, that knew the Sun<br> - Ere Stars had learned to shine;<br> - The waning Moon, that bathed in blood<br> - Ere sank the Sun divine.</p> - -<p> "Glory to God, good will to man!—<br> - Peace, peace!" triumphal tone.<br> - Why peace? Is discord then no more?<br> - Are Earth and Heaven as one?<br> - Peace to the soul that serveth him,<br> - The Monarch manger-born;<br> - There, ruler of unnumbered realms;<br> - Here, throneless and forlorn.</p> - -<p> He wandered through the faithless world,<br> - A Prince in shepherd guise;<br> - He called his scattered flock, but few<br> - The Voice did recognize;<br> - For minds upborne by hollow pride,<br> - Or dimmed by sordid lust,<br> - Ne'er look for kings in beggar's garb,<br> - For diamonds in the dust.</p> - -<p> Wept he above a city doomed,<br> - Her temple, walls, and towers,<br> - O'er palaces where recreant priests<br> - Usurped unhallowed powers.<br> - "I am the Way, the Life, the Light!<br> - "Alas! 'twas heeded not.<br> - Ignored—nay, mocked; God scorned by man!<br> - And spurned the truth he taught.</p> - -<p> O bane of damning unbelief!<br> - When, when till now, so rife?<br> - Thou stumbling stone, thou barrier 'thwart<br> - The gates of endless life!<br> - O love of self, and Mammon's lust,<br> - Twin portals to despair,<br> - Where bigotry, the blinded bat,<br> - Flaps through the midnight air!</p> - -<p> Through these, gloom-wrapt Gethsemane!<br> - Thy glens of guilty shade<br> - Grieved o'er the sinless Son of God,<br> - By gold-bought kiss betrayed;<br> - Beheld him unresisting dragged,<br> - Forsaken, friendless, lone,<br> - To halls where dark-browed hatred sat<br> - On judgment's lofty throne.</p> - -<p> As sheep before his shearers, dumb,<br> - Those patient lips were mute;<br> - The clamorous charge of taunting tongues<br> - He deigned not to dispute.<br> - They smote with cruel palm a face<br> - Which felt yet bore the sting;<br> - Then crowned with thorns his quivering brow,<br> - And, mocking, hailed him "King!</p> - -<p> "Transfixt he hung—O crime of crimes!—<br> - The God whom worlds adore.<br> - "Father forgive them!" Drained the dregs;<br> - Immanuel—no more.<br> - No more where thunders shook the earth,<br> - Where lightnings tore the gloom,<br> - Saw that unconquered Spirit spurn<br> - The shackles of the tomb.</p> - -<p> Far-flaming light, a sword of might,<br> - A falchion from its sheath,<br> - It cleft the realms of darkness, and<br> - Dissolved the bands of Death;<br> - Hell's dungeons burst, wide open swung<br> - The everlasting bars,<br> - Whereby the ransomed soul shall win<br> - Those Heights beyond the Stars.<br> - —("Elias," Canto Three, Part One.)</p> - -</blockquote> - -<p><b>The Consummation.</b>—It was finished!—not the work of the Lord, -nor the revelation of his word and will to man; but the -sacrifice, the immolation of the Spotless One, whose acceptable -offering, the ransom of a lost creation, made it possible -for redeemed humanity, by faith and good works, to lay hold -upon eternal life, the greatest gift that Divinity can bestow.</p> - -<p> <b> Commission of the Twelve Apostles.</b>—"Go ye into all the world, - and preach the gospel to every creature.</p> - -<p> "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that - believeth not shall be damned.</p> - -<p> "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name - shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;</p> - -<p> "They shall take up serpents: and if they drink any deadly thing, - it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, - and they shall recover."—(Mark 16:15-18.)</p> - -<p> "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.</p> - -<p> "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the - name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.</p> - -<p> "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded - you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of - the world. Amen."—(Matt. 28:18-20.)</p> - -<p> Such was the commission given by the Savior to the chosen - Twelve, after his resurrection, and prior to his ascension into - heaven.</p> - -<p> <b> Knowledge and Belief.</b>—The Twelve Apostles were the special - witnesses of the risen Redeemer. They knew that he had risen, - for they had seen and heard him. They had even been permitted - to feel of him, that they might know beyond all question that - he was indeed the Resurrection and the Life. This was - their privilege, but not the privilege of all men. The world - at large was required to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, - that salvation might come to them; they were to believe what - the apostles told them regarding his resurrection, and the - principles he had taught. They were to receive in faith from - his servants the message he had commanded them to deliver.</p> - -<p> <b> The Case of Thomas.</b>—Thomas, one of the Twelve, believed because - he had seen (John 20:29) and as a special witness, he - had the right to see, in order that he might know, not merely - believe, whereof he and his brethren testified. "But blessed - are they," said the Savior, "who have believed and have not - seen." Why? For the reason, no doubt, that this life was - instituted for the exercise of faith. Mortal man must "walk - by faith." "The just shall live by faith," reaching after God, - as a flower after the sunlight. Exercise of faith brings - spiritual development—a factor, and the most important one, - in man's eternal progress. Knowledge swallows up faith, removing - the opportunity for its exercise, thus hindering the process - of advancement. Therefore, until faith shall have done - its perfect work, it is better to believe than to know. - Premature knowledge is fatal to joy, and fetters progress.</p> - -<p> <b> A Message Simple and Sublime.</b>—Obedient to their Lord's behest, - the apostles and their fellow laborers, having been endued - with power from on high (Acts 2), went forth to preach - the gospel to every creature. "Christ and him crucified," was - the slogan they sounded; faith, repentance, baptism, and the - gift of the Holy Ghost, the principles they proclaimed. A - simple message, plain enough for a child to comprehend. And - behold in this one proof of its divinity! Christ died for all - men, and his gospel is for all men, not merely for a clique, - a cult, a school, or a coterie, learned or otherwise. It - had to be plain, that the common people might understand it, - that the poor and lowly, as well as the high and mighty, might - be attracted to it, and be saved by it. It is at once simple - and sublime, capable of making men godlike, and of lifting - them to the highest heaven, if they will receive it and live - it "as a little child."</p> - -<p> <b> On Both Hemispheres.</b>—The plan of salvation was proclaimed, - and the Church of Christ organized, on both hemispheres; the - risen Savior, after confirming the faith of his Jewish - disciples, visiting the Nephites for a similar purpose, and - departing thence to pay like visits to other branches of the - house of Israel, whose whereabouts were as unknown to the - descendants of Lehi as was the existence of the latter to their - brethren in and around Jerusalem.—(III Ne. 15, 16.)</p> - -<p> <b> Unto His Own.</b>—Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world, - but not to every people in the world are vouchsafed his personal - ministrations. The God of Israel "came unto his own"—that is, - unto the house of Israel, and through Israel he ministers - for the salvation of mankind. That is why he appeared - to the Jews, to the Nephites, and to the "other sheep" not - of those folds; while the Gentiles were visited by the Holy - Ghost, which the Son of God had promised to his disciples, - and which came, first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles, - after he had re-ascended into heaven.</p> - -<p> <b> The Lord's Supper.</b>—Both in Judea and in the Land Bountiful, - the Savior instituted, among those who had received his gospel, - the Lord's Supper, superseding the Passover, as a memorial - of his sacrifice, once prospective, now retrospective, once - a prophecy, and now a fulfilment. It was while eating the - Passover, just before his crucifixion, that Jesus instituted - the Supper. Concerning this incident the New Testament says:</p> - -<p> "As they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and brake - it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this - is my body.</p> - -<p> "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, - saying, Drink ye all of it;</p> - -<p> "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for - many for the remission of sins."—(Matthew 26:26-28.)</p> - -<p> The institution of the Sacrament among the Nephites, unlike - its institution among the Jews, was after the Redeemer's - resurrection. It is thus described in the Book of Mormon:</p> - -<p> "And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that - they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.</p> - -<p> "And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the - multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth.</p> - -<p> "And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took - of the bread, and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto - the disciples, and commanded that they should eat.</p> - -<p> "And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that - they should give unto the multitude.</p> - -<p> "And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto - the disciples, behold there shall one be ordained among - you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread, - and bless it, and give it unto the people of my church, unto - all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.</p> - -<p> "And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, - even as I have broken bread, and blessed it, and gave it unto - you.</p> - -<p> "And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have - shewn unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father, - that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember - me, ye shall have my Spirit to be with you."—(III Ne. 18:1-7.)</p> - -<p> <b> "The Real Presence."</b>—Uninspired "private interpretation" has - maintained, and still maintains, that when Jesus said, "Eat, - this is my body; drink, this is my blood," he intended his - words to be taken literally; and from this has sprung the - doctrine of transubstantiation, with its twin heresy, - consubstantiation, the former a Roman Catholic, the latter an - unorthodox Protestant, tenet relating to the Eucharist. Men and - women have been condemned as heretics, and put to death, in - ages past, for denying "the real presence"—the actual flesh - and blood of Christ—in the elements of the Lord's Supper.</p> - -<p> <b> Figurative, not Literal.</b>—But no Latter-day Saint need go astray - as pertaining to this matter; for the Spirit that inspired - the writing of the Scriptures is present in the Church of - Christ to interpret them; and by that Spirit, the source of - all divine revelation, we know that the language of Jesus, - when he instituted the Lord's Supper at Jerusalem, was not - literal, but figurative. When he said, of the bread and wine, - This is my body and my blood, he simply meant, These are - the emblems of my body and my blood.</p> - -<p> <b> To Illustrate.</b>—In elucidation of this subject, I have known - the following comparison to be used. Suppose one were to go - into an art gallery, and the attendant in charge, pointing - to a statue of Julius Caesar, should remark, This is Caesar; - or, indicating a portrait of George Washington, should say, - That is Washington; would the visitor be apt to conclude that - Caesar and Washington were actually there before him? Would - he be under any obligation to think so, even if a priest - were to tell him it was true? Instead of that, would he not - infer, and would it not be his right and duty to maintain, if - need be, that the statue and the painting were merely - representations of those august personages? Then why strain the - simple metaphor, "This is my body," in an ineffectual attempt - to make it mean more or less than the Savior intended it should - mean?</p> - -<p> <b> Water Instead of Wine.</b>—In ancient days wine was used in the - Sacrament, though some of the early Christians used water - instead. The Savior authorized the use of wine, both among the - Jews and among the Nephites. But the Latter-day Saints have - been commanded of God not to use wine under present conditions; - water is used instead.</p> - -<p> "It mattereth not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, - when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it - with an eye single to my glory; remembering unto the Father - my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was - shed for the remission of your sins;</p> - -<p> "Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not - purchase wine, neither strong drink, of your enemies;</p> - -<p> "Wherefore, you shall partake of none, except it is made new - among you; yea, in this my Father's kingdom which shall be - built up on the earth.</p> - -<p> "Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore, marvel not, for the - hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with - you on the earth."—(D. and C. 27:2-5.)</p> - -<p> Meanwhile the use of water, and the disuse of wine, must - continue, until the change predicted in this revelation shall - have been divinely ordered; for that is the law governing the - Latter-day Saints in this matter—not the law given to other - peoples in former dispensations.</p> - -<p><b> Signs of the Second Coming.</b>—Jesus prophesied to the Nephites, - as he had prophesied to the Jews, concerning the last days - and the signs of his second coming. Those who would be wise - upon this subject, or who desire to refresh their memories - in relation thereto, should read the twenty-fourth chapter - of Matthew, especially Joseph Smith's rendering, as it appears - in the Pearl of Great Price. Read also the fifteenth, sixteenth, - twentieth, and twenty-first chapters of Third Nephi.</p> - -<p> <b> Consecration.</b>—The Savior having ascended into heaven, his - servants, bearing the priesthood, and filled with the Holy Ghost, - carried forward the mighty work he had inaugurated. The - Gospel was preached, and the Church built up, as he had - commanded, upon both hemispheres. Among Jews and among Nephites - was introduced and practiced the law of consecration, the - permanent establishment of which, in the days of Enoch, had - resulted so gloriously. The Jewish record tells us:</p> - -<p> "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and - of one soul; neither said any of them that ought of the - things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things - common. * * *</p> - -<p> "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as - were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought - the prices of the things that were sold,</p> - -<p> "And laid them down at the apostles' feet; and distribution - was made unto every man according as he had need."—(Acts 4: - 32, 34, 35).</p> - -<p> The Book of Mormon thus testifies:</p> - -<p> "And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people - were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the - land, both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions - and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly - one with another;</p> - -<p> "And they had all things common among them, therefore they were - not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made - free, and partakers of the heavenly gift."—(IV Ne. 1:2, 3.)</p> - -<p><b> The Apostasy.</b>—Then came the universal apostasy—a departure - from the pure, primitive faith, as general and as worldwide - as the known promulgation of its principles; and the Gospel - and the Priesthood were taken back to heaven, to await the - decreed time of their final restoration. This apostasy, - foretold by Paul and other apostles, is represented symbolically - in the Revelation of St. John, the twelfth and thirteenth - chapters of which are particularly pertinent in this connection.</p> - - -<a name="Gospel8"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Dawn of the Last Dispensation</p> - -<p class="centered"> THE MESSENGER OF MORN.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> Wake, slumbering world! Vain dreamer, dream no more!<br> - The shadows lift, and o'er night's dusky beach<br> - Ripple the white waves of morn. Awake! Arise!</p> - -<p> Ocean of dispensations—rivers, rills,<br> - Roll to your source! End, to thine origin!<br> - And Israel, to the rock whence ye were hewn!<br> - For He that scattered, gathereth his flock,<br> - His ancient flock, and plants their pilgrim feet<br> - On Joseph's mountain top and Judah's plains;<br> - Recalls the Children of the Covenant<br> - From long dispersion o'er the Gentile world,<br> - Mingling their spirits with the mystic sea<br> - Which sent them forth as freshening showers to save<br> - The parched and withered wastes of unbelief.<br> - Japheth! thy planet pales, it sinks, it sets;<br> - Henceforth 't is Jacob's star must rise and reign.</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p> Time, mighty daughter of Eternity!<br> - Mother of centuries—seventy, seven-crowned!<br> - Assemble now thy children at thy side,<br> - And ere thou diest teach them to be one.<br> - Link to its link rebind the broken chain<br> - Of dispensations, glories, keys, and powers,<br> - From Adam's fall unto Messiah's reign;<br> - A thousand years of rest, a day with God,<br> - While Shiloh reigns and Kolob once revolves!</p> - -<p> Six days thou, Earth, hast labored; and the seventh,<br> - Thy Sabbath, comes apace!—Night's sceptre wanes,<br> - And in the East the silvery Messenger<br> - Gives silent token of the golden dawn.</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p> A living Prophet unto dying Time,<br> - Heralding the Dispensation of the End,<br> - When Christ once more his vineyard comes to prune,<br> - When potent weak confound the puny strong,<br> - Threshing the nations by the Spirit's power,<br> - Rending the kingdoms with a word of flame;<br> - That here the Father's work may crown the Son's,<br> - And Earth be joined a holy bride to Heaven,<br> - A queen 'mid queens, crowned, throned, and glorified.</p> - -<p> Wherefore a Noble of the Skies came down,<br> - In strength divine, a stirring role to play<br> - In Time's tense tragedy, whose acts are seven.</p> - -<p> His part to fell the false, replant the true,<br> - To clear away the debris of the past,<br> - The ashes of its dead and dying creeds,<br> - And kindle newly on earth's ancient shrine<br> - The Light that points to Life unerringly;<br> - Crowning what has been with what now must be,<br> - A mighty still bespeaking Mightier.</p> - -<p> Earth rose from wintry sleep, baptized and cleansed,<br> - And on her tranquil brow, that seemed to feel<br> - The holy and confirming hand of Heaven,<br> - The warm light in a wealth of glory streamed;</p> - -<p> Nature's great floor green-carpeting anew<br> - For some glad change, some joyful happening,<br> - Told in the countless carolling of birds,<br> - Gilding the foliage, brightening the flowers,<br> - Mirroring mingled hues of earth and sky.</p> - -<p> Glad happening, in sooth, for ne'er before,<br> - Since burst the heavens when Judah's star-lit hills<br> - Heard angel choristers peal joy's refrain<br> - Above the mangered Babe of Bethlehem,<br> - Had earth such scene beheld, as now within<br> - The bosom of a sylvan solitude,<br> - Hard by the borders of a humble home,<br> - Upon that fair and fateful morn was played.</p> - -<p> Players, immortal Twain, and mortal one,<br> - Standing but fourteen steps upon life's stair;<br> - Boy and yet man, thinker of thoughts profound,<br> - Boy and yet man, dreamer of lofty dreams.<br> - Not solemn, save betimes, when hovered near<br> - Some winged inspiration from far worlds,<br> - Some great idea's all-subduing spell;<br> - Not melancholy—mirthful, loving life,<br> - And brimming o'er with health and wholesome glee.<br> - A stalwart spirit in a sturdy frame,<br> - Maturing unto future mightiness.</p> - -<p> Bowing to God, yet bending to no creed,<br> - Adoring not a loveless deity,<br> - That saved or damned regardless of desert,<br> - Ne'er reckoning the good or evil done;<br> - Loving and worshiping the God of love,<br> - The gracious God of reason and of right,<br> - Long-suffering and just and merciful,<br> - Meting to every work fit recompense,<br> - Yet giving more, far more, than merit's claim;<br> - Bowing to Him, but not to man-made gods,<br> - And shunning shameful strife where peace should dwell,<br> - He holds aloof from those degenerate sects,<br> - Bewildering Babel of conflicting creeds,<br> - And pondering the apostolic line,<br> - "Let any lacking wisdom, wisdom ask,"<br> - In childlike faith, godlike humility,<br> - Resolves to prove the promise by the test.</p> - -<p> What pen can paint the marvel that befell?<br> - What tongue the wondrous miracle portray?<br> - Than theirs, the Vision's own, what voice proclaim<br> - Whose dual presence dimmed the noonday beam,<br> - Communing with him there, as friend with friend,<br> - And giving to that prayer reply of peace?</p> - -<p> Tell how, as Moses on the unknown Mount,<br> - From whom in rage fled baffled Lucifer,<br> - Who fain had guised him as the Son of God,<br> - And won the worship of that prophet pure;—<br> - Tell how with gloom he strove ere glory dawned,<br> - And black despair met bright deliverance.<br> - Tell how, in heart of that sweet solitude,<br> - Within the silent grove, sequestered shade,<br> - While spirit hosts unseen spectators stood,<br> - Watching the simple scene's sublimity,<br> - Eternity high converse held with Time.</p> - -<p> Time, parent of the hovering centuries,<br> - Mother of dispensations, travailing,<br> - And bringing forth her last and mightiest child;<br> - Heaven's awful Sire, through him both Sire and Son,<br> - There blazoning the beginning of the End.</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p> "'Twas from below!" Thus Bigotry in rage.<br> - "Nay, from above," Faith's simple, firm reply.<br> - "No vision is there now—the time is past."<br> - "But I have seen," affirms the youthful Seer.<br> - "God is a mystery, unknowable."<br> - "God is a man—I saw Him, talked with Him."<br> - "Man?" "Ay, of holiness—Exalted Man."</p> - -<p> A strife of words, of warring tongues, now waged,<br> - And weapons vied with words the truth to slay;<br> - Nor truth alone, but her brave oracle,<br> - A boy, by men, by neighborhoods, oppressed.<br> - The wrangling sects forgave—well nigh forgot<br> - Their former feuds and fears and jealousies;<br> - And, joining hands, as Pilate Herod joined,<br> - One guilty day when God stood man-condemned,</p> - -<p> In friendly reconcilement's cordial clasp,<br> - They doomed to death and hell "this heresy."<br> - None sought, from "Satan's wile," a soul's reclaim,<br> - But all were bent his humble name to blast;<br> - And pious, would-be murder led the van<br> - Of common hatred and hostility.</p> - -<p> But Truth, thou mother of the living thought,<br> - The deathless word, the everduring deed!<br> - What puny hand thy giant arm can stay?<br> - When crushed, or backward held, thine hour beyond?<br> - Can bigot frown or tyrant fetter quell<br> - Thy high revolt, O light omnipotent!<br> - When God would speak with man, who tells him nay?<br> - Can hell prevent, when heaven and earth would join?</p> - -<p> Still through his soul the solemn warning rang;<br> - Still from his mouth the startling message flamed:<br> - "No church the Christ's! None, therefore, can I join.<br> - All sects and creeds have wandered from the way.<br> - Priestcraft, in lieu of Priesthood, sits enthroned,<br> - Dead forms deny the power of godliness.<br> - Men worship with their lips, their hearts afar.<br> - None serve acceptably in sight of heaven.<br> - Wherefore a work of wonder shall be wrought,<br> - And perish all the wisdom of the wise."<br> - —("Elias," Canto V.)</p> - -</blockquote> - -<p><b>A Decreed Consummation.</b>—The Gospel dispensation introduced by the -Prophet Joseph Smith was rendered necessary by the apostasy of the -Christian world from the ancient Faith, as delivered to the Saints in -the Meridian of Time. Nevertheless, according to the foreknowledge -of God, and in consonance with his all-wise purposes, this great, -all-comprehending dispensation had been preordained from the beginning, -as the "winding up scene," or final development, in the divine plan, -having for its object the salvation of the sons and daughters of Adam.</p> - -<p>"It is necessary, in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness -of times; which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole -and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, -and keys, and powers, and glories, should take place and be revealed -from the days of Adam even to the present time; and not only this, -but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation -of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall -be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this the dispensation of the -fulness of times."—(D. and C. 128:18.)</p> - -<p><b>Joseph Smith's Work.</b>—So wrote the Prophet, in the month of September, -1842, less than two years prior to his martyrdom. He had looked upon -the face of God, as did Enoch, Moses, and other seers, in times -of old. He had communed with angels, and received the Everlasting -Gospel, as taught in the Book of Mormon, as well as in the Bible and -in other ancient records of God's dealings with man. Empowered by the -Priesthood, he had organized, after the heavenly pattern, the Church -of Christ, the forerunner of the Kingdom never to be thrown down nor -given to another people. He had gazed upon the glories of eternity, -and portrayed in burning eloquence the final destiny of the human -race, setting forth at the same time the conditions of salvation -and exaltation in worlds to come. He had preached, and caused to be -promulgated, in the two greatest nations of modern times, the United -States and Great Britain, the Gospel message, for the gathering of -Israel, the redemption of Zion, the building of the New Jerusalem, and -the preparation of a people to greet the coming of the Lord. "Blessed -are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." So declared the Savior -of mankind. "Zion is the pure in heart," said Joseph Smith—"every man -seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye -single to the glory of God." He had written concerning the ultimate -goal of all righteous endeavor:</p> - -<p>"This is why Adam blessed his posterity; he wanted to bring them into -the presence of God. * * * Moses sought to bring the children of Israel -into the presence of God, through the power of the Priesthood, but -he could not. In the first ages of the world they tried to establish -the same thing; and there were Eliases raised up who tried to restore -these very glories, but did not obtain them; but they prophesied of a -day when this glory would be revealed. Paul spoke of the dispensation -of the fulness of times, when God would gather together all things in -one, etc.; and those men to whom these keys have been given, will have -to be there; and they without us cannot be made perfect. * * * All -these authoritative characters will come down and join hand in hand in -bringing about this work."—("History of the Church," Vol. III, pp. -388, 389.)</p> - -<p><b>Keys Committed.</b>—Already, when the Prophet wrote those words, had this -phase of the Latter-day work begun; he having received, under the hands -of heavenly messengers, the keys held by them as presiding authorities -over past dispensations. The following record of visions manifested to -Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, in the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836, -tells its own wonderful story:</p> - -<p>"The vail was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding -were opened.</p> - -<p>"We saw the Lord standing upon the breast work of the pulpit, before -us, and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold in color like -amber.</p> - -<p>"His eyes were as a flame of fire, the hair of his head was white like -the pure snow, his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun, -and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the -voice of Jehovah, saying—</p> - -<p>"I am the first and the last, I am he who liveth, I am he who was -slain, I am your advocate with the Father.</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us, -and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the -gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading -of the ten tribes from the land of the north.</p> - -<p>"After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the -gospel of Abraham, saying, that in us, and our seed, all generations -after us should be blessed.</p> - -<p>"After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst -upon us, for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without -tasting death, stood before us, and said—</p> - -<p>"Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of -Malachi, testifying that he (Elijah) should be sent before the great -and dreadful day of the Lord come,</p> - -<p>"To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to -the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse.</p> - -<p>"Therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, -and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is -near, even at the doors."—(D. and C. 110:1-4, 11-16.)</p> - -<p><b>Elijah's Mission.</b>—"Why send Elijah?" asks the Prophet, and he answers -his own question thus: "Because he holds the keys of the authority -to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood; and without -the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in -righteousness." In the same connection he informs us that "Elijah was -the last prophet who held the keys of the Priesthood."—("History of -the Church," Vol. IV, p. 211.)</p> - -<p><b>Salvation for the Dead.</b>—The mission of Elijah—the turning of the -hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children -to the fathers, to the end that past and present might be bound -together, and the dead as well as the living saved and glorified, was -the all-engrossing thought in the mind of the Prophet, as his last -day on earth drew near. From his place of retirement, during a period -of trouble and persecution, he wrote thus to the Saints upon this -all-important theme:</p> - -<p>"Verily thus saith the Lord, let the work of my temple, and all the -works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease."</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"When any of you are baptized for your dead, let there be a recorder, -and let him be eye witness of your baptisms: let him hear with his -ears, that he may testify of the truth, saith the Lord.</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"You may think this order of things to be very particular, but let me -tell you, that it is only to answer the will of God, by conforming -to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained and prepared -before the foundation of the world, for the salvation of the dead who -should die without a knowledge of the gospel.</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"Whatsoever you record on earth, shall be recorded in heaven; and -whatsoever you do not record on earth, shall not be recorded in heaven; -for out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own -works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their -own propria persona, or by means of their own agents.</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"To be immersed in the water and come forth out of the water, is in the -likeness of the resurrection of the dead, in coming forth out of their -graves; hence this ordinance was instituted to form a relationship with -the ordinance of baptism for the dead, being in likeness of the dead.</p> - -<p>"Consequently the baptismal font was instituted as a simile of the -grave, and was commanded to be in a place underneath where the living -are wont to assemble.</p> - -<p class="centered"> * * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"And now, in relation to the baptism for the dead, * * * I will give -you a quotation from one of the prophets, who had his eye fixed on -the restoration of the Priesthood, the glories to be revealed in -the last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all -subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, viz., the baptism for the -dead; for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th, 'Behold, I -will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and -dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to -the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I -come and smite the earth with a curse.'</p> -<p> -"I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it is -sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is sufficient to -know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse, unless -there is a welding link of some kind or other, between the fathers -and the children, upon some subject or other, and behold what is that -subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be -made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect."—(D. and C. -127, 128.)</p> - -<p><b>A Gathering Dispensation.</b>—The mission of the Everlasting Gospel in -the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times is the gathering together of -all things in Christ—things in heaven, and things upon the earth; the -consummation decreed concerning the sanctification and glorification of -this planet. It is distinctively the day of gathering—the spiritual -harvest—time of all the ages.</p> - -<p><b>The Ensign Lifted.</b>—The founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of -Latter-day Saints lifted the Ensign for the gathering of scattered -Israel, a step preliminary to the mightier achievements that are to -follow; and it devolved upon Joseph Smith, a lineal descendant of -Joseph of old, to raise the standard and begin the work, particularly -that portion of it affecting the fortunes of the children of Ephraim. -For thus saith the Lord:</p> - -<p>"I AM A FATHER UNTO ISRAEL, AND EPHRAIM IS MY FIRST BORN."</p> - - - -<h2>Dispersion and Gathering of Israel.</h2> -<a name="Israel1"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> - -<p class="centered">A Chosen People.</p> - -<p><b>History and Destiny.</b>—"He that scattered Israel will gather him, and -keep him as a shepherd doth his flock." In these words of Jeremiah the -Prophet, are summarized the past and future, the history and destiny, -of God's chosen people; a people from whom the Latter-day Saints claim -lineal descent.</p> - -<p><b>"Prince of God."</b>—The name "Israel" means "Prince of God," and is first -used in the Scriptures as the surname of Jacob, grandson of Abraham, -and father of the twelve patriarchs, from whom sprang the twelve tribes -of Israel. Returning from Padan-Aram, whither he had fled from the -jealous wrath of his brother Esau, Jacob came to the ford Jabbok, where -"there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." We are -left to infer that Jacob believed this "man" to be God; for he "called -the name of the place Peniel," saying, "I have seen God face to face."</p> - -<p>"Let me go," demanded the heavenly visitant, "for the day breaketh."</p> - -<p>"I will not let thee go," said Jacob, "except thou bless me."</p> - -<p>The "man" then blessed him, and changed his name from Jacob to Israel, -"for," said he, "as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and -hast prevailed."—(Genesis 32:28.)</p> - -<p><b>Jacob's Blessing Confirmed.</b>—Subsequently the name Israel was confirmed -upon Jacob at Bethel, where the Lord appeared to him and blessed him, -promising that a nation and a company of nations should be of him, and -that kings should come out of his loins."—(Gen. 35:10, 11.)</p> - -<p><b>The Father of the Faithful.</b>—But while this was the origin of the -name Israel, as applied to Jacob, it was not the origin of the race -of which he was the titular head. It was the four wives of Jacob, -with their twelve sons, that did "build the house of Israel;" but the -foundation of that house had already been laid by Abraham, the Father -of the Faithful Jehovah's promises to Jacob and to his father Isaac, -concerning their posterity, were virtually repetitions of promises that -had been made to their great ancestor. Those promises are couched in -the following language of scripture:</p> - -<p>"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and -from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will -shew thee:</p> - -<p>"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and -make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:</p> - -<p>"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth -thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."—(Gen. -12:1-3.)</p> - -<p><b>Definition of "Hebrew."</b>—Abraham, or, as he was then called, Abram, -was a dweller in Ur of the Chaldees, a city of Mesopotamia, which -means "between the rivers." One of these rivers was the Tigris, and -the other the Euphrates. Abram had to cross the Euphrates in order to -reach Canaan, the land that the Lord showed him. Because he came from -beyond the Euphrates, he was called by the Canaanites a "Hebrew," which -signifies "one from beyond the river." Some of the Jews, however, hold -that the name Hebrew comes from Heber, or Eber, one of the ancestors of -Abraham.</p> - -<p><b>God's Promise to Abraham.</b>—Mesopotamia was the fountainhead of idolatry -in Western Asia. On that account, and because the Lord wished to raise -up a people who would worship him, and him only, Abram was required to -separate himself from his idolatrous surroundings. After his removal -from Chaldea to Canaan, and the trial of his faith in the offering of -Isaac, the Lord gave to him this promise:</p> - -<p>"In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy -seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea -shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies:</p> - -<p>"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."—(Gen. -22:17, 18.)</p> - -<p><b>Why was Abraham Blessed?</b>—It will be observed that the blessing -formerly pronounced,—"In thee shall all families of the earth be -blessed,"—is here expanded to: "In thy seed shall all the nations -of the earth be blessed." Before showing how this great promise was -fulfiled, let us inquire into the cause or causes why it was made. Why -was Abraham, with his seed, chosen for such a mission? What had he -done to deserve it? For he must have done something: God rewards men -according to their works, and not even an Abraham would have received -from him an honor that was unmerited.</p> - -<p>Some may suppose that the sacrifice involved in the offering of Isaac -was the sole and sufficient reason; and it is proverbially true that -"sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." But this promise -was made to Abraham before he had offered Isaac, and was repeated and -enlarged after the offering had been made. Others may hold that it was -Abraham's fidelity to God among the idolatrous inhabitants of Chaldea, -and his obedience to the divine behest to leave his country and kindred -and migrate to another land, that caused him to be chosen. "Because -thou hast obeyed my voice," is a reason assigned by the Almighty for -his promise. Such acts were undoubtedly to Abraham's credit; but how -could they be placed to the credit of his posterity?—not merely Isaac -and Jacob, but the millions that were to "come of them." "In thee and -in thy seed shall all the families or nations of the earth be blessed." -His posterity, as well as himself, must have deserved well of the Lord -in this connection.</p> - -<p><b>The Problem Solved.</b>—The patriarch himself helps us to a solution of -the problem. In the Book of Abraham it is written:</p> - -<p>"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were -organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of -the noble and great ones;</p> - -<p>"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst -of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among -those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said -unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them: thou wast chosen before thou -wast born."—(Abraham 3:22, 23.)</p> - -<p><b>Noble and Great.</b>—Here, then, is given the reason, the main reason, why -Abraham was chosen; the time, also, when the divine choice was made. He -was chosen before he was born, and it was because of his nobility and -greatness—manifested, of course, by obedience, the only principle upon -which blessings can come to anyone.</p> - -<p><b>Pre-Mortal Judgment.</b>—The intelligences shown unto Abraham were the -pre-existent spirits of the human race, waiting for an earth to be -made, that they might pass through a mortal probation; a step necessary -to their further progress and development. They were to be rewarded -according to their works—not only after this life, but in this life, -at its very beginning. For rewards and punishments are not all deferred -until the final judgment at the end of the world. There is a judgment -passed upon the spirits of men before they are permitted to tabernacle -in mortality. "Did this man sin, or his parents, that he was born -blind?"—asked the disciples of the Savior, who had probably taught -them the principle involved in the question—namely, the possibility of -sinning in a former state of existence.</p> - -<p><b>Sowing and Reaping.</b>—"Whatsoever a man soweth," in this world or in any -other, "that shall he also reap." Justice was not done away in Christ, -who taught it, with emphasis, even while inculcating charity and mercy. -"Vengeance is mine," saith the Lord, "I will repay." We are required -to forgive all men, for our own sakes, since hatred retards spiritual -growth; but all men must answer, just the same, for the deeds done in -the body or out of it; justice and mercy each claiming its own. The -principle of sowing and reaping is plainly taught in other passages of -the Book of Abraham:</p> - -<p>"And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said -unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space -there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth -whereon these may dwell;</p> - -<p>"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things -whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;</p> - -<p>"And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they -who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same -kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their -second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and -ever."—(Abraham 3:24-26.)</p> - -<p><b>First and Second Estates.</b>—The "first estate," as already explained, -means the pre-existence, in which the spirits of men "walked by sight;" -while the "second estate" signifies life on earth, where these same -spirits—"added upon" by being given mortal bodies, with opportunities -for development, are required to "walk by faith," with their knowledge -of the past temporarily obscured; a greater test of integrity, and one -that results, to those who overcome, in a far more glorious reward than -any previously bestowed.</p> - -<p><b>Reward and Punishment.</b>—In my opening theme, "The Story of God," it -was shown how Lucifer and his legions rebelled over the choice of the -Christ, and were cast down. Failing to keep their first estate, they -could not be "added upon." This was their punishment—that they should -not have bodies, by means of which spirits become souls, capable of -eternal progression. All the rest—two-thirds of the population of the -spirit world—were given bodies as a reward for keeping their first -estate, and were promised a glorious resurrection after death, as a -further reward, if they succeeded in keeping their second estate.</p> - -<p><b>All Not Alike.</b>—All who kept the first estate were added upon; but not -all alike. The rewards were not the same in every case, though they -were undoubtedly just and appropriate. Some of those "intelligences" -were more deserving than others; some nobler and greater than others; -and because of their superior merit and larger capacity, they were -made "rulers" over the rest. And Abraham, "thou art one of them: thou -wast chosen before thou wast born"—chosen to bear the priesthood, -the divine right to rule, and to stand at the head of a dispensation, -ministering in holy things for the salvation of mankind.</p> - -<p>Such is "Mormonism's" presentation, in part, of the Abrahamic or -Israelitish problem.</p> - -<p><b>Original Excellence.</b>—What had given Abraham his superior standing in -the heavens? Had he always been noble and great? Was it an original or -an acquired excellence, or both? That there is such a thing as original -excellence, with different degrees of intelligence among pre-existent -spirits, appears from the teachings in this very Book of Abraham—not -only the passages cited, but others, in which the Lord is represented -as saying:</p> - -<p>"If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the -other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent -than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have -no end; they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal. * * -* These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more -intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent -than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they -all."—(Abraham 3:18, 19.)</p> - -<p><b>"I Know Abraham."</b>—Was it not Abraham's worthy conduct in a previous -life that caused the Lord to say of him while in the flesh: "I know -him, that he will command his children and his household after him, -and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; -that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of -him?"—(Gen. 18:19.) Who can doubt that the Father of the Faithful was -one of the choice spirits whom Alma had in mind when he said concerning -the priests whom "the Lord God ordained":</p> - -<p>"And this is the manner after which they were ordained; being called -and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the -foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good -works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore, -they, having chosen good, and exercised exceeding great faith, are -called with a holy calling."—(Alma 13:3.)</p> - -<p><b>The Foreknowledge of God.</b>—The authors and compilers of "The -Compendium," Elders Franklin D. Richards and James A. Little, -commenting upon these words of Alma, relative to the priests thus -ordained, have this to say: "Their calling and preparation from the -foundation of the world, was evidently based on their faith and good -works previous to their being called, and not on the possibilities of -their future good conduct." In other words, the foreknowledge of God -has history as well as prophecy for a foundation.</p> - -<p><b>Abraham Not Alone.</b>—Abraham was not the only priest called and prepared -in that manner. There were "many of the noble and great ones." Israel -was "a kingdom of priests," "a holy nation," and as such must have -been called and prepared even as was Abraham. We have seen that -Jehovah, the God of Israel, "the great High Priest of our profession," -was fore-ordained to be the Savior; and that his servant Jeremiah, -before being formed in the flesh, was known to God in the spirit, and -sanctified and ordained "a prophet unto the nations." Undoubtedly the -same could be said of others, and Paul doubtless had them in mind when -he wrote: "For whom he did fore-know, he also did predestinate, to be -conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born -among many brethren."—(Romans 8:29.)</p> - -<p><b>Princes and Servants.</b>—If the name Israel means "prince of God," when -applied to Jacob, may it not mean princes of God, when applied to his -posterity? Jacob was told that kings should come out of his loins. And -have they not come?—princes and priests and kings, the nobility of -heaven, though not always recognized and honored upon the earth. The -greatest among them was not recognized even by "his own;" for when he -came unto them, they "received him not." The wise Solomon was never -wiser than when he said: "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes -walking as servants upon the earth" (Ecc. 10:7). Even the God of -heaven, the mighty. Prince of Peace, walked unknown, unhonored, by his -own servants, in the dust of his own footstool.</p> - -<p><b>Degrees of Greatness.</b>—There are degrees of greatness in heaven as upon -earth, choice spirits and choicer. But all God's servants are noble. No -position in the Church of Christ is insignificant. David was right in -saying: "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to -dwell in the tents of wickedness." It is greater, infinitely greater, -to hold the humblest office in the priesthood, than to reign, an alien -from God, over all the kingdoms of the world.</p> - -<p><b>Israel's Pre-existence.</b>—In view of what the prophets have spoken, are -we not justified in believing that the house of Israel was chosen in -the heavens for the mission it had to perform, and is still performing, -upon the earth? What other inference can be drawn from these words of -Moses:</p> - -<p>"Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: * * *</p> - -<p>"When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he -separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according -to the number of the children of Israel.—(Deut. 32:7-8.)</p> - -<p>The period here mentioned, when the sons of Adam were separated, -and the nations received their inheritance, evidently antedated by -many generations the times of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Those events -were probably much earlier, and certainly no later, than the days of -Japheth, Shem, and Ham, by whose families the nations were "divided -in the earth after the flood" (Gen. 10:32). It looks very much as if -Moses, when he wrote those words, had in mind, not a temporal Israel, -unborn at the early period indicated, but a spiritual Israel, according -to whose numbers, known in the heavens before they had taken bodies -upon the earth, the boundaries of "the people" were determined.</p> - - -<a name="Israel2"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> - -<p class="centered">Israel's Mission.</p> - -<p><b>Privileges and Requirements.</b>—It was intended that the children -of Israel should have "room to dwell;" and it was of the utmost -consequence that they should have. They were to be the oracles of God, -the custodians and dispensers of heavenly wisdom. Upon them devolved -the high duty of keeping alive on faith's altar the fire of divine -truth. They were not to worship idols, as did the heathen nations -around them, but were to worship the true God, the invisible Jehovah, -"walking by faith," where others, less worthy, "walked by sight," -believing only when they could see. The children of Israel were not -to intermarry with other nations, lest they might worship their gods, -practice their vices, and pollute the noble lineage through which was -to come, in due time, the Savior of the world. The Lamb of God, when he -came, was "without spot or blemish," physically as well as spiritually; -a condition partly due, no doubt, to the choice parentage and ancestry -that had been provided for him.</p> - -<p><b>Christ the Seed of Abraham.</b>—This brings us again to the divine promise -given to Abraham: "In thee and in thy seed shall all the nations of -the earth be blessed." Undoubtedly that promise was fulfiled in the -coming of the Son of God as the Redeemer and Savior. In the body he was -a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and in more ways than one he -has been a blessing to all nations.</p> - -<p><b>The Gem and Its Setting.</b>—In treating this great theme, however, it is -not enough to consider that such a personage as Jesus of Nazareth lived -and labored and died. We must not separate the gem from its setting. -We must not isolate the central fact of the Savior's personal ministry -from the related facts that went before and followed after. Christ came -to save the world; but the house of Israel prepared the way for his -coming, gave him a proper lineage through which to come, and after his -crucifixion carried on the work he had inaugurated. This is especially -true of the patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, and others bearing -the Priesthood; but it is also true, in a general way, of the whole -house of Israel.</p> - -<p><b>The Salt of the Earth.</b>—While there is but one Savior in a universal -sense, and in the sense of the atonement and the resurrection, that -Savior has many assistants, sent to play subordinate parts in the -great drama of salvation. Did not Jesus tell his disciples that they -were "the salt of the earth"—the saving or preserving element among -men? And did he not warn them against allowing "the salt" to "lose its -savor"—its power to save and preserve? For how could they save others, -if their own feet were not firmly planted upon the Rock of Salvation?</p> - -<p><b>Followers of the Lamb.</b>—John of Patmos saw a Lamb standing upon the -Mount Zion, "and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having -his Father's name written in their foreheads" (Rev. 14:1). And he -heard a voice from heaven saying, "These are they which follow the -Lamb whithersoever he goeth." Then they follow him in the work of -salvation, not only in this world, but also in the spirit world, where -he ministered while his body was lying in the tomb.</p> - -<p>Who are these 144,000? They are not the whole house of Israel, which -numbers millions; but they are "of all the tribes of the children of -Israel," twelve thousand of every tribe. The Prophet Joseph says: They -"are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer -the Everlasting Gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every -nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given -power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to -the Church of the First Born" (D&C 77:11). They are not the entire army -of the Lord, but might well be termed the flower of that army, the -body-guard of the great Captain of Salvation.</p> - -<p><b>Keystone and Arch.</b>—Christ is the keystone of an arch, and that arch -is, or is in, the house of Israel; a circlet of gold upon the forearm -of Omnipotence, a setting of satellite gems, from the midst of which -the supreme jewel, the Signet of Salvation, sends forth its lustre.</p> - -<p><b>Overruling Providence.</b>—Under Jesus Christ, the Savior, the great house -of which he is the spiritual head also has a mission of salvation. -And, strangely enough, the children of Israel have accomplished that -mission, not only when obedient to God, but while disobedient and -suffering the consequent calamities that came upon them. A notable -instance of the power of overruling Providence, bringing order out of -chaos, light out of darkness, success and victory from seeming failure -and defeat.</p> - -<p><b>Calamity and Compensation.</b>—The compensations of calamity—a theme -treated philosophically by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in one of his noblest -essays—are apparent in some of the mightiest events of human history. -For instance, to Adam it was said: "The day that thou eatest thereof -thou shalt surely die." He ate, and death came into the world; a -terrible calamity, but not without its compensation; for the fall of -man proved to be the means of peopling the earth, according to a divine -plan, ordained before the creation of the world. Christ's martyrdom, -the preordained means of man's salvation, was an overwhelming calamity -to his terror-stricken disciples, who were disconsolate until they -looked upon it in its true light, acknowledging God's hand in the awful -tragedy. Even so, Israel's dispersion, that dire calamity under which -the chosen people have suffered for ages, and from which they are just -beginning to emerge, has been overruled for good, and made the means of -fulfiling the Lord's purpose and promise in the blessing of all nations.</p> - -<p><b>Moses Predicts the Dispersion.</b>—Prophecies of this calamity were made -as early as the time of Moses, fifteen hundred years before the coming -of the Savior. The twelve tribes, the most notable of whom were Judah -and Joseph—the latter represented in Ephraim and Manasseh—had been -in Egypt for several centuries when Moses led them out of bondage and -brought them to the borders of Canaan, the land which the Lord had -given to their forefathers when he promised to make of them "a great -nation." The leader of Israel told his people, who were about to -possess themselves of the land of Canaan, that so long as they served -Jehovah and kept his commandments, they should be prospered and remain -an independent nation; but if they forsook Jehovah and served other -gods, He would scatter them among all people, from one end of the earth -even unto the other.—(Deut. 28:64.)</p> - -<p><b>A Martyred Nation.</b>—They were commanded, as Adam and Eve had been, -not to do a certain thing, and a punishment was to come upon them if -they disobeyed; and yet it must have been foreseen, as in the case of -our first parents, that they would disobey, and the transgression was -overruled for good. The dispersion of Israel, like the fall of Adam, -like the crucifixion of Christ, seems to have been part of a mighty -plan for the progress and salvation of the human race. Adam fell that -man might be; Christ died to burst the bands of death; and Israel was -scattered among all nations, that the gospel of the Redeemer, which was -to follow, might make its way more readily among those nations. As in -the fall, as in the crucifixion, and in every instance where some great -service has been rendered to humanity, there was sacrifice, suffering, -martyrdom, in order that blessings might come. The history of the house -of Israel is the history of a martyred nation, suffering for the good -of other nations—whatever may be said of transgressions that justified -God in bringing upon his chosen people the calamities that were -doubtless among the "offenses" that "must needs come."</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p>"'Tis sorrow builds the shining ladder up,<br> - Whose golden rounds are our calamities."</p> - -</blockquote> - - -<a name="Israel3"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> - -<p class="centered">To the Ends of the Earth.</p> - -<p><b>A Decadent Empire.</b>—Joshua, succeeding Moses as the leader of Israel, -conquered the land of Canaan and divided it among the twelve tribes. -Then followed the reigns of the Judges, during which period Israel -began to depart from God, and to invite, by rebellious conduct, the -national calamity that had been predicted. The glories of the monarchy -founded by Saul, David and Solomon being past, the curse, long -suspended, fell, and the Israelitish empire hastened to its decay.</p> - -<p><b>Ahijah's Prophecy.</b>—In the reign of Rehoboam, the successor to Solomon, -ten of the twelve tribes revolted, and choosing Jeroboam to be their -ruler, set up the kingdom of Israel (in the north), distinct from the -kingdom of Judah (in the south), over which Rehoboam continued to -reign. During the days of Jeroboam, who had made idolatry the state -religion of the northern kingdom, the dispersion of Israel was again -predicted; the prophet Ahijah then voicing the word of the Lord to his -disobedient people:</p> - -<p>"The Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and -he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their -fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river."—(I Kgs. 14:15.)</p> - -<p><b>Amos and Hosea.</b>—Another prophet who foretold the dispersion was Amos, -who said that Israel should "surely go into captivity," and be "sifted -among all nations" (7:11, 17; 9:9). Still another was Hosea, who, -substituting rhetorically the past for the future, said: "Ephraim, he -hath mixed himself among the people" (7:8).</p> - -<p><b>Beginning of the Scattering.</b>—In the year 721 B. C., soon after the -time of Hosea's prophecy, and while a monarch of the same name was -reigning over the kingdom of Israel, the Assyrians, under Shalmaneser, -came against that kingdom and began to destroy it. In a series of -deportations they carried away the ten tribes (Ephraim and all) into -captivity.</p> - -<p><b>The Lost Tribes.</b>—These are the famous "lost tribes," concerning -whom very little is known. Josephus, the Jewish historian, who wrote -during the first century after Christ, says that the ten tribes were -then beyond the Euphrates, the "river" referred to by Ahijah in his -prophecy. Esdras, in the Apocrypha, declares that those tribes went a -journey of a year and a half into the north country.</p> - -<p><b>The Cairns of Scandinavia.</b>—Missionaries of the Church of Jesus -Christ of Latter-day Saints, returning from Scandinavia, have told of -rude monuments—cairns or piles of stones—in that northern region, -concerning which tradition says that they were erected many centuries -ago by a migrating people. Whether or not these were the tribes of -the Assyrian captivity, it is interesting to reflect that it was an -Israelitish custom to raise such monuments in commemorating events, -especially the migratory movements of the nation.</p> - -<p><b>Other Ancient Monuments.</b>—If it be objected that monuments erected by -the Ten Tribes, 721 B. C., could not have lasted down to this day, how -will the objector account for the perfectly preserved monuments of -Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, and other ancient empires, whose remains have -been uncovered by modern archaeology? Such a theory will not stagger -the faith of the Latter-day Saints, when they recollect that the ruins -of Adam's altar are still to be seen in the State of Missouri, where -they were identified by the Prophet Joseph Smith, A. D. 1838.</p> - -<p><b>To Return from the North.</b>—At all events, it is from "the north -country" that the ten tribes are to return, according to ancient and -modern prophecy; and it is also a fact that from Scandinavia and the -nations of Northern Europe has come much of the blood of Israel—the -blood of Ephraim now within the pale of the Church of Jesus Christ of -Latter-day Saints.</p> - -<p><b>Are the Ten Tribes Intact?</b>—A much mooted question among our people, -particularly since the discovery of the North Pole, where theorists -have insisted upon locating the ten tribes, is whether or not those -tribes have lost their identity. The fact that no such people were -found at the pole by Peary and other explorers, shatters the exact -location theory; but does it dispose of the main issue—the supposed -existence of the ten tribes as a distinct people, somewhere "in the -land of the north?" Such a supposition might be well founded, and yet -much of the blood of Ephraim be among certain northern nations. Some -of the pilgrims might easily have "mixed" with peoples encountered on -the way, while journeying to their ultimate destination. Beyond this -suggestion, I have no theory to advance. A tradition of the Church has -assigned to John the Revelator the mission of leading the ten tribes -from the land of the north.—(D. and C. 77:14.)</p> - -<p><b>The Babylonian Captivity.</b>—After the predictions of Amos, Hosea, and -others, in relation to the kingdom of Israel, came the prophecies of -Isaiah and Jeremiah, foretelling the fate of the kingdom of Judah. -This kingdom, about 585 B. C., was destroyed by the Babylonians under -Nebuchadnezzar, and the Jews were carried into captivity.</p> - -<p><b>Lehi and His Colony.</b>—Just before that disaster, Lehi and his colony -left Jerusalem, and crossed over to this land—America—which, by them -and by Mulek's colony that came later, was peopled with the descendants -of Joseph and of Judah, both of whom are represented, in a degenerate -state, by the American Indians.</p> - -<p><b>Israelitish Characteristics.</b>—Look at the features of the Indian. Are -they not Jewish? Quite as strikingly so as that many of his customs -and traditions are Israelitish. Who, than the savage Lamanite, better -understands the Mosaic law of retaliation—"an eye for an eye and a -tooth for a tooth"? Nor does he care whose eye or whose tooth it is, -whether that of the person who injured him, or one of the latter's -tribe or nation. He is too much of an Israelite to object to proxies -and substitutes.</p> - -<p><b>Jerusalem Rebuilt.</b>—The Babylonian captivity lasted seventy years. -Some of the Jews, under the permissive edict of Cyrus, then returned -and rebuilt their city and temple. Only a remnant came back, however, -a colony of fifty thousand, led by Zerubbabel and Joshua. The rest -remained in their scattered condition. The Jews who rebuilt Jerusalem -were those to whose descendants Christ came, and predicted, after -their rejection of him, that their "house" should be "left unto them -desolate" (Matt. 23:37, 38).</p> - -<p><b>Twelve Tribes Scattered.</b>—Before the Savior's time, however, the -prophets Ezekiel and Zachariah,—the former in exile among the -Babylonians, the latter at Jerusalem after the restoration by -Cyrus,—had added their predictions to those already uttered relating -to the dispersion of Israel. That the fated nation was pretty well -dispersed in the days of the apostles, is evident from the Epistle of -James, who addresses himself "to the twelve tribes which are scattered -abroad."</p> - -<p><b>Dispersion by Titus.</b>—But there were to be other acts of dispersion. -One of the most notable occurred in the year 70 A. D., when Titus -the Roman came against Jerusalem, besieged and captured it, and sold -the inhabitants, such as had survived the horrors of the siege, into -slavery, or scattered them through different parts of the empire. To -follow the fortunes of this branch of the house of Israel, in all their -subsequent wanderings and scatterings, would fill volumes.</p> - -<p><b>The Blood that Believes.</b>—Next, let us consider the question: In -what way did these calamities upon Israel prove a blessing to the -human race? How, by the dispersion of the children of Abraham, was -the promise to the patriarch fulfiled, that in him and in his seed -should all the nations of the earth be blessed? I answer, that by this -dispersion the blood of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the blood of faith, -the blood that believes—with choice spirits, answering to that blood, -and selected for that purpose, were sent into those nations where the -Gospel was afterwards preached; spirits capable of recognizing the -truth, and brave enough to embrace it regardless of consequences; -thus setting an example to others and influencing them in the same -direction. Manifestly this was of far more importance than the carrying -by the captive Israelites of their laws and traditions into those -nations; though this would also help to prepare the way for greater -blessings to follow.</p> - -<p><b>Spread of Christianity.</b>—And such things told in after years. One of -the marvels of history is the rapid spread of Christianity in the days -of the apostles, who, unlettered as most of them were, and in the midst -of the fiercest persecution, planted the gospel standard in all the -principal cities of the Roman Empire, spreading the tidings of Christ -crucified, from India on the East to Britain on the West, and from -Scythia on the North to Ethiopia on the South; all within the short -space of fifty years.</p> - -<p><b>"Mormonism's" Growth.</b>—A similar marvel is the spread of -"Mormonism"—ancient Christianity restored—through the Gentile nations -of modern times, a work yet in its infancy. Villages and congregations -converted at a sweep, as in Lancashire and Herefordshire, England; -in America the gospel preached to white men and red, and the Church -established in the tops of the Rocky Mountains, with nearly half a -million souls for a nucleus, and others continually coming from the -various nations of the earth. And then—the extraordinary attention -attracted by the Latter-day Saints—altogether out of proportion to -their numbers; for after all, they are only a handful, compared with -the hundreds of millions of earth's inhabitants. What more strikingly -fulfils the prophetic picture drawn by the Savior: "Ye are as a city -set upon a hill, which can not be hid."</p> - -<p>How could such things be, had not Divine Wisdom prepared the way by -sending the blood of Israel, with spirits answering to that blood, -among all nations, prior to pouring out upon them the spirit of the -gospel and of the gathering?</p> - -<p><b>Many Nations Sprinkled.</b>—Others before Abraham had shown their faith -by their works; but this does not invalidate his claim to the title, -"Father of the Faithful." Neither does it prove that the believing -blood, even in the veins of the Gentiles, is not Abraham's blood, -with which God has "sprinkled many nations." The Latter-day Saints -themselves are of a mixed lineage—Gentile and Israelitish; most of -them having descended from Ephraim, who "mixed himself among the -people."</p> - -<p><b>The Centurion's Faith.</b>—Was not the blood of Abraham in the veins of -the Roman centurion, whose faith caused even the Savior to marvel? The -centurion's daughter was sick nigh unto death, and her father said to -Jesus: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter beneath my roof, -but speak the word and my daughter shall live." "Be it according to thy -faith," was the reply, and straightway she was healed. This incident -caused the Son of God to say: "Such faith I have not found in Israel." -Moreover, it formed the basis of a prediction, that many should come -from the East and from the West, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and -Jacob in the kingdom of God, while the children of the kingdom, such -as were degenerate,—salt that had lost its savor,—would be cast into -outer darkness.</p> - -<p><b>Other Gentile Believers.</b>—Other cases in point are those of Cornelius -and the woman of Samaria—Gentiles, in whose veins was the blood that -believes, "the salt of the earth," sprinkled over the world for its -preservation. The Moabite maiden, Ruth, who was numbered among the -ancestors of Jesus Christ, is another example of the same kind. They -are of Abraham who do the works of Abraham.</p> - -<p><b>According to Their Faith.</b>—God works among men according to their -faith. Jehovah, as Jesus, came unto his own, and his own received -him not. He could not do many mighty works among the Jews, "because -of their unbelief," at which he marveled, as much, no doubt, as he -marveled over the faith of some of the Gentiles. And so, leaving the -latter to be converted by the Holy Ghost, he who had been sent to the -lost sheep of Israel, turned from Judah unto Joseph, from the Jews unto -the Nephites, whose faith was greater, and among whom, in consequence, -more if not mightier miracles were performed.</p> - -<p><b>The "Other Sheep."</b>—From the Nephites, the Savior went to "other -sheep," not of the Nephite fold, nor of the Jewish fold, but still of -the house of Israel, and therefore entitled to his personal ministry. -These may have been "the lost tribes," or they may have been other -scattered sheep, unknown to man, but known unto God, "keeping watch -above his own," in the mystical and remote regions whither his -judgments had driven them.</p> - - -<a name="Israel4"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> - -<p class="centered">The Call of the Shepherd.</p> - -<p class="centered">"Come out of her, my people."—(Rev. 18:4.)</p> - -<p><b>All in Christ.</b>—The Savior's personal visits to the various branches -of the house of Israel were preliminary to a general gathering of -the sheep into one fold, with himself as the Shepherd over all. The -prophets who predicted the dispersion, likewise foretold the return -of God's people to their own lands, after "the times of the Gentiles" -should be fulfiled. It was to be in the latter days, when God has -purposed to "gather together in one all things in Christ." The most -notable prophecies pertaining to the gathering of Israel are here -presented:</p> - -<p><b>Moses.</b>—"The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion -upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither -the Lord thy God hath scattered thee."—(Deut. 30:3.)</p> - -<p><b>David.</b>—"Gather my Saints together unto me; those that have made a -covenant with me by sacrifice."—(Psalms 50:5.)</p> - -<p><b>Isaiah.</b>—"And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain -of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, -and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto -it.</p> - -<p>"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to -the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and -he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for -out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from -Jerusalem."—(Isaiah 2:2, 3.)</p> - -<p>"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his -hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which -shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from -Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the -islands of the sea.</p> - -<p>"And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the -outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the -four corners of the earth.</p> - -<p>"The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah -shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex -Ephraim.</p> - -<p>"But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines to ward the -west."—(Ibid, 11:11-14.)</p> - -<p>"And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which -shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that -he came up out of the land of Egypt."—(Ibid, 11:16.)</p> - -<p>"Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and -gather thee from the west;</p> - -<p>"I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; -bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the -earth."—(Ibid, 43:5, 6.)</p> - -<p>"And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness -of thy rising.</p> - -<p>"Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves -together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy -daughters shall be nursed at thy side."—(Ibid, 60:3, 4.)</p> - -<p><b>The Ensign.</b>—According to the faith of the Latter-day Saints, the -"ensign" referred to by Isaiah was set up, when the Church of Christ -was organized on the sixth of April, 1830. Thus far, however, only a -portion of the half tribe of Ephraim has been gathered out from the -nations.</p> - -<p><b>Shoulders of the Philistines.</b>—"The shoulders of the Philistines" are -understood to be the steamships, railroads, and other facilities of the -Gentiles, whereby the gathering Saints have been and are being carried -westward to American shores and into the tops of the Rocky Mountains.</p> - -<p><b>The Highway.</b>—"And there shall be a highway," etc. This part of -Isaiah's prophecy seems to have reference to the tribes that were -carried into captivity by the Assyrians, and in connection with whose -return a miracle is promised similar to the dividing of the waters of -the Red Sea, in the days of Moses, that Israel might go over dry shod.</p> - -<p><b>Jeremiah.</b>—"Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am -married unto you; and I will take you one of a city, and two of a -family, and I will bring you to Zion;</p> - -<p>"And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed -you with knowledge and understanding."—(Jeremiah 3:14, 15.)</p> - -<p>"Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no -more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel -out of the land of Egypt;</p> - -<p>"But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from land -of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them; and I -will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.</p> - -<p>"Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall -fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt -them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of -the rocks.</p> - -<p>"For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hid from my face.</p> - -<p>"The Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and -shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things -wherein there is no profit."—(Ibid, 16:14-17, 19.)</p> - -<p>"Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from -the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the -woman with child and her that travaileth with child together; a great -company shall return thither.</p> - -<p>"They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead -them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight -way, wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and -Ephraim is my firstborn.</p> - -<p>"Here the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles -afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep -him, as a shepherd doth his flock."—(Ibid, 31:8-10.)</p> - -<p><b>One of a City.</b>—Jeremiah's prediction concerning "one of a city and -two of a family" has been literally fulfiled in the experience of -many Latter-day Saints, turned out of doors by their own parents or -guardians, despised and persecuted by former friends and associates, -because they dared to be "one of a city," or "two of a family," in -espousing so unpopular a cause.</p> - -<p><b>A Stanza on Freedom.</b>—A few lines from an American poet—James Russell -Lowell—seem appropriate here. The poem from which they are taken is -entitled "Stanzas on Freedom:"</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p> "They are slaves who fear to speak<br> - For the fallen and the weak;<br> - They are slaves who will not choose<br> - Hatred, scoffing, and abuse,<br> - Rather than in silence shrink<br> - From the truth they needs must think;<br> - They are slaves who dare not be<br> - In the right, with two or three."</p> - -</blockquote> - -<p><b>A Marvel and a Wonder.</b>—Wonderful as has been the work of the -gathering, thus far, judging from the words of Jeremiah, it is destined -to be more marvelous still.</p> - -<p><b>Ezekiel.</b>—"As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is -among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and -will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in -the cloudy and dark day.</p> - -<p>"And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the -countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon -the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places -of the country.</p> - -<p>"I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of -Israel shall their fold be."—(Ezekiel 34:12-14.)</p> - -<p><b>The Christ.</b>—"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in -all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end -come."—(Matthew 24:14.)</p> - -<p>"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they -shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of -heaven to the other."—(Ibid, 24:31.)</p> - -<p><b>John the Revelator.</b>—"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of -heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell -on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and -people."—(Rev. 14:6.)</p> - -<p>"* * * And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, -my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive -not of her plagues."—(Ibid, 18:4.)</p> - -<p><b>Enoch.</b>—One of the most ancient prophecies on the gathering, is that -recorded in the Book of Moses—a portion of the Lord's word to Enoch -concerning the latter days:</p> - -<p>"And righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a -flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, -unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may -gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; -for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New -Jerusalem.</p> - -<p>"And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet -them there * * * and there shall be mine abode."—(Moses 7:62-64.)</p> - -<p><b>Keys of the Gathering Restored.</b>—Moses held the keys of Israel's -gathering, and he committed them to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, -in the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836. (D. and C. 110:11.) The record -says: "Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the -gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading -of the ten tribes from the land of the North."</p> - -<p><b>Query.</b>—Why this explicit reference to the ten tribes, following a -general allusion to "the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the -earth," if the ten tribes are no longer a distinct people?</p> - -<p><b>Joseph Smith.</b>—"And they who are in the north countries shall come in -remembrance before the Lord, and their prophets shall hear his voice, -and shall no longer stay themselves, and they shall smite the rocks, -and the ice shall flow down at their presence.</p> - -<p>"And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep.</p> - -<p>"Their enemies shall become a prey unto them,</p> - -<p>"And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living -water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land.</p> - -<p>"And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of -Ephraim my servants.</p> - -<p>"And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their -presence.</p> - -<p>"And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in -Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of -Ephraim:</p> - -<p>"And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy.</p> - -<p>"Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes -of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his -fellows.</p> - -<p>"And they also of the tribe of Judah, after their pain, shall be -sanctified in holiness before the Lord to dwell in his presence, day -and night, for ever and ever."—(D. and C. 133:26-35.)</p> - -<p><b>Book of Mormon Predictions.</b>—The Book of Mormon contains many -predictions of the gathering of Israel; the more notable being those -of Ether the Jaredite, and of first, second, and third Nephi. We learn -from them that the City of Zion, New Jerusalem, to which, as well as -to Old Jerusalem, the children of Israel will gather, is to be built -upon this continent; the precise place, as pointed out by the Prophet -Joseph, being Jackson County, Missouri. There, in the summer of 1831, -a site for the New Jerusalem was consecrated. There shall yet stand -the City of God, the central point for the gathering of the tribes -of Israel, all except Judah, which tribe, with its fellows, are to -reinhabit the land of Palestine. Until Zion is redeemed and the city -built at the place appointed, the gathering will continue unto the -Stakes of Zion.</p> - -<p><b>Jesus to the Nephites.</b>—"Verily, I say unto you, I give unto you a -sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to -take place, that I shall gather in from their long dispersion, my -people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my -Zion."—(III Nephi 21:1.)</p> - -<p>"Therefore, when these works, and the works which shall be wrought -among you hereafter, shall come forth from the Gentiles, unto your -seed, which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity:</p> - -<p>"For thus it behoveth the Father that it should come forth from the -Gentiles, that he may shew forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this -cause, that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that -they may repent and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and know -of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my -people, O house of Israel;</p> - -<p>"And when these things come to pass, that thy seed shall begin to know -these things, it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the -work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfiling of the -covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of -Israel.</p> - -<p>"And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall -shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them shall they -see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.</p> - -<p>"For in that day, for my sake, shall the Father work a work, which -shall be a great and marvelous work among them; and there shall be -among them who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it -unto them.</p> - -<p>"But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they -shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I -will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than -the cunning of the devil.</p> - -<p>"Therefore it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not believe in -my words, who am Jesus Christ, whom the Father shall cause him to -bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he -shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as -Moses said,) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the -covenant.</p> - -<p>"And my people who are a remnant of Jacob, shall be among the Gentiles, -yea, in the midst of them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, -as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he go through both -treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.</p> - -<p class="centered">* * * * * * * * * * *</p> - -<p>"But if they will repent, and hearken unto my words, and harden not -their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall -come in unto the covenant, and be numbered among this the remnant of -Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance.</p> - -<p>"And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also, as -many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, -which shall be called the New Jerusalem;</p> - -<p>"And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who -are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem.</p> - -<p>"And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also -will be in the midst;</p> - -<p>"And then shall the work of the Father commence at that day, even when -this gospel shall be preached among the remnant of this people. Verily -I say unto you, at that day shall the work of the Father commence among -all the dispersed of my people; yea, even the tribes which have been -lost, which the Father hath led away out of Jerusalem.</p> - -<p>"Yea, the work shall commence among all the dispersed of my people, -with the Father, to prepare the way whereby they come unto me, that -they may call on the Father in my name;</p> - -<p>"Yea, and then shall the work commence, with the Father, among all -nations, in preparing the way whereby his people may be gathered home -to the land of their inheritance."—(III Nephi 21:5-12, 22-28.)</p> - - -<a name="Israel5"></a> -<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> - -<p class="centered">The Author to the Reader.</p> - -<p>And now, a word to the brethren—particularly the young brethren—who -will read this book. I have endeavored to impress upon you the -relationship that you bear to heaven and to earth, the duty that -you owe to God and to your fellow men. You are among the chosen -spirits that constitute the house of Israel. You are of the seed of -Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and consequently lawful heirs to all the -promises made to your great progenitors. You are of Ephraim, most of -you—Ephraim, "the first born," the first branch of the Israelitish -tree to bear the fruits of faith and obedience in modern days; the -first to receive the Gospel, and to officiate as its ministers in the -Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. Your lineage is noble—I care -not how obscure your earthly origin, how meager your possessions, how -limited your opportunities for education and advancement. You are of a -royal race, and your conduct should be royal to comport with it.</p> - -<p>This does not mean that you should be proud and arrogant. Pride and -arrogance are no proofs of gentility; they betoken the upstart; -they are the badges of the base-born. Faith and humility must be -your watchwords, and the insignia of your mission, as saviors of -mankind. Much is required of you, for much has been committed to -you. As children of Abraham, you must do the works of Abraham, and -keep yourselves unspotted from the sins and follies of a sordid, -pleasure-loving, money-worshiping generation. You must not bow down -to the gods of the Gentiles, nor pander to the lusts of the flesh. It -is not given unto you to live after the manner of the world. Whenever -tempted to intermarry with those not of your faith, and to wander away -from the fold, think of the great purpose for which you were placed -upon the earth; remember that you are children of the covenant, and -that these are the days of the gathering, not the scattering, of the -blood of Israel.</p> - -<p>The same general obligations now resting upon you, rested up on your -ancestors; and neglect and disobedience brought upon them all the -calamities that befell them as a nation. The salt, sent to preserve, -lost its savor, and was therefore cast out and trodden under foot of -men. Invite not a repetition of those evils. What was done in the green -tree, must not be done in the dry. There is no time, no necessity, -for another dispersion of Israel. It would be as inappropriate and -superfluous as the flooding of soil already soaked by the waters of -irrigation, or the sowing of a field already "white unto the harvest," -waiting for the reaper's sickle. No good could come of it—nothing but -waste and destruction. The children of the covenant have been called -home, and the blood that believes must now flow back to its fountain.</p> - -<p>"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the -Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit -whence ye are digged.</p> - -<p>"Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I -called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.</p> - -<p>"For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste -places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert -like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, -thanksgiving, and the voice of melody."—(Isaiah 51:1-3.)</p> - -<p>The night of dispersion is past; the day of gathering has dawned. -The tempests that broke above the heads of our ancestors have spent -their fury, and the clouds have parted and rolled away. The barren -ground, refreshed by the fearful visitation, is clothed with verdure -and covered with flowers. The freshening and revivifying rains, having -fulfiled their mission, must now return to the ocean whence they came. -This is the meaning, the symbolism, of the dispersion and gathering of -Israel. - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Gospel Themes, by Orson F. 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Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - - - -</pre> - -</body> -</html> - diff --git a/old/50536-h/images/cover.jpg b/old/50536-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index e968928..0000000 --- a/old/50536-h/images/cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/50536.txt b/old/50536.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6871739..0000000 --- a/old/50536.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7036 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Gospel Themes, by Orson F. Whitney - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Gospel Themes - A Treatise on Salient Features of 'Mormonism' - -Author: Orson F. Whitney - -Release Date: November 22, 2015 [EBook #50536] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOSPEL THEMES *** - - - - -Produced by Allie Bowen, Mormon Texts Project Intern -(http://mormontextsproject.org) - - - - - - -Gospel Themes - -A Treatise on Salient Features of "MORMONISM" - - -Written for, and Dedicated to, -the High Priests, Seventies and -Elders of the Church of Jesus -Christ of Latter-day Saints - - -By ELDER ORSON F. WHITNEY - -Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles - - -SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -1914 - - - -PREFACE AND DEDICATION. - -This little book was written and compiled at the request of the General -Priesthood Committee, under the sanction of the First Presidency of the -Church, for the use and benefit of the Priesthood Classes, throughout -the Stakes and Wards of Zion. - -The treatise, "Gospel Themes," represents the best effort I could -make under the circumstances in which that effort was put forth. -Many interruptions occurred, consequent upon the performance of -other duties, and I had no opportunity to submit the manuscript to a -committee of revision, prior to publication; the usual course with -works of this character. I was barely able to get it ready for the -printer within the time allotted for its preparation. But I tried to be -accurate, and am not aware that I made any mistakes. - -While lacking the help of a revisory committee, I received, and hereby -gratefully acknowledge, valuable suggestions from Elders David O. McKay -and Edward H. Anderson, members of the Priesthood Committee, and from -others whom I consulted. Moreover, Brother Anderson was with me in -proof-reading the work, and in engineering it through the press. - -My aim has been, not to give exhaustive treatment to any subject, but -to throw in sight certain themes, and dwell briefly upon points of -doctrine, prophecy, history, and illustration, that I thought would be -helpful to the brethren of the Priesthood--those who are studying the -Gospel at home, and those who are preaching it abroad. To both classes -this volume is affectionately dedicated. - - THE AUTHOR. - -Salt Lake City, Christmas, 1913. - - - -CONTENTS. - -THE STORY OF GOD. - -Chapter 1.--A Divine Plan for Human Progress - -Chapter 2.--Eternal Nature of Gospel Principles - -Chapter 3.--The Fall and Redemption - -Chapter 4.--The Gods in Council - -Chapter 5.--Creation of the Earth - -Chapter 6.--Elect of Elohim - -THE WAY OF SALVATION. - -Chapter 1.--The Law of Obedience - -Chapter 2.--Faith - -Chapter 3.--Faith (Continued) - -Chapter 4.--Repentance - -Chapter 5.--Water and Spirit Birth - -Chapter 6.--Purpose and Effects of Baptism - -Chapter 7.--Mode and Cleaning of Baptism - -PRIESTHOOD AND CHURCH GOVERNMENT. - -Chapter 1.--Divine Authority - -Chapter 2.--Divine Authority (Continued) - -Chapter 3.--The Church Organization - -THE GOSPEL DISPENSATIONS. - -Chapter 1.--Introductory - -Chapter 2.--The Adamic Period - -Chapter 3.--Enoch and Zion - -Chapter 4.--Noah and the Deluge - -Chapter 5.--Abraham - -Chapter 6.--Moses and Aaron - -Chapter 7.--The Lamb of God - -Chapter 8.--Dawn of the Last Dispensation - -DISPERSION AND GATHERING OF ISRAEL. - -Chapter 1.--A Chosen People - -Chapter 2.--Israel's Mission - -Chapter 3.--To the Ends of the Earth - -Chapter 4.--The Call of the Shepherd - -Chapter 5.--The Author to the Reader - - - -GOSPEL THEMES. - - - -The Story of God. - -CHAPTER I. - -A Divine Plan for Human Progress. - -The Gospel Defined.--The English word "Gospel" comes from the -Anglo-Saxon "Godspell," or God-story--the story of God. It derives its -significance from that great central idea of the Christian faith--the -coming of God as the Son of God to redeem and save mankind. The joyful -intelligence of the advent of the world's Redeemer, proclaimed by the -angels to the shepherds on the Judean hills (Luke 2:10), furnishes -another name for the gospel--"good tidings," or, as it is otherwise -rendered, "glad tidings of great joy." - -God the Savior.--"God himself shall come down among the children of -men, and shall redeem his people, and because he dwelleth in flesh -he shall be called the Son of God" (Mosiah 15:1,2). prediction by -Abinadi the prophet, centuries before the birth of the Savior, had been -preceded by a This similar prophecy from King Benjamin, another Nephite -seer (Mosiah 3:5). The fulfilment of these foretellings is recorded in -the opening verses of the gospel according to St. John, where reference -is made to "the Word" that was in the beginning "with God"--the Word -that "was God," and was "made flesh" and dwelt among men. In him, as -Paul affirms, "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. -2:9). - -Foundation and Superstructure.--When we speak of the gospel, therefore, -we should bear in mind that the term means something more than faith, -repentance, baptism, the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy -Ghost, and other rituals and requirements in the Church of Christ. -We must not isolate "the laws and ordinances of the gospel" from the -basic principles upon which they rest--the mighty foundation stones of -sacrifice and redemption, without which all this sacred legislation -would be aimless and of no effect. Nor can the basic principles which -make operative those laws and ordinances be dissociated from the idea -of eternal progression, the great and paramount purpose for which the -gospel code was framed, the gospel in its fulness instituted. - -Fulness of the Gospel.--The phrase, "fulness of the gospel," should -be understood in a relative sense, as pertaining to the revealed will -of God. There can be no absolute fulness, with man, until all things -are made known to him. The fulness of the gospel as delivered to -the Nephites and other ancient peoples, and told of in the inspired -records that have come down to us, differed from, in that it was not -so complete as is the fulness of the gospel which the Latter-day -Saints enjoy. Truth is always the same; it never contradicts itself; -but more of its principles have been revealed in modern times than at -any previous period. Never before, upon this earth, has there been -such a gospel fulness as that delivered to the Prophet Joseph Smith. -And the end is not yet; for, as he himself said in one of his latest -recorded utterances: "Those things which never have been revealed from -the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise -and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this the -dispensation of the fulness of times" (D&C 128:18). - -It may help the reader to understand how there can be more than one -"fulness of the gospel" by bearing in mind what has been made known -concerning the final judgment, or the various awards of glory to be -meted out to redeemed souls after the resurrection. Their glory shall -be that by which their bodies are quickened, and whether quickened by -a portion of the celestial, the terrestrial, or the telestial glory, -they shall "receive of the same, even a fulness" (D&C 88:28-31). But -one fulness can differ from another, even as differ the glories, and -even as capacities differ--the power to receive and contain. The -absolute fulness of the gospel can only come to a people prepared to -receive and make a wise use of it. Until the Latter-day Saints are in -that condition, they must be content with a comparative fulness, or -all that they can contain of the divine wisdom. Paul the apostle was -contemplating this subject when he wrote: "For we know in part, and we -prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that -which is in part shall be done away" (1 Cor. 13:9,10). - -Gospel Features.--The gospel, in its fullest sense, signifies -everything connected with the redemptive career of that glorious -and divine Being known among men as Jesus of Nazareth, but who was -and is no other than Jehovah, the God of Israel (D&C 110:1-4), who -"came unto his own" and was rejected by them, was crucified at their -instigation, and died to redeem the world. The accounts given by -Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are properly termed "gospels," because -they are narratives of the personal ministry of our Lord; but they -are only parts of the complete God-story. The Savior's life, death, -resurrection and ascension, with the conditions prescribed by him upon -which fallen man might profit further from his sacrifice for human -redemption,--these are all gospel features, but not the gospel in its -entirety. The full "story" of the Redeemer and Savior--the God who -died that man might live--involves events both past and future, events -premortal and post-mortal, scenes in which he was chosen to play his -mighty part in the great tragedy of human experience, and scenes yet to -come in which he will make another and a more glorious appearing upon -the stage of time, enacting the illustrious role of King of kings and -reigning over the earth a thousand years. - -Salvation and Exaltation.--Paul defines the Gospel of Christ as "the -power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16). He might have gone further, -had he so desired, or had it been timely, and shown that the Gospel -of Christ is the power of God unto exaltation--a plan devised by -Omnipotent Wisdom whereby man, the child of God, may advance from stage -to stage of soul development, until eventually he becomes like unto -his Heavenly Parent, inheriting eternal thrones and dominions, and -receiving "a fulness of joy." - -This is exaltation. It is more than salvation, being an extension of -that idea or condition--salvation "added upon;" just as salvation -is an extension of, or an addition to, redemption. A soul may be -redeemed--that is, raised from the dead, and yet condemned at the -final judgment for evil deeds done in the body. Likewise may a soul be -redeemed and saved, and yet come short of the glory that constitutes -exaltation. To redeem, save, and glorify, is the threefold purpose of -the Gospel of Jesus Christ. - -Origin and Antiquity of the Gospel.--The gospel originated in the -heavens, before this earth was organized, and was revealed to man, out -of eternity, at the very beginning of time. It was the means by which -Adam, our great ancestor, after his expulsion from Eden, regained the -divine presence from which he had been banished. It is the means by -which his posterity, such as are obedient to the gospel's requirements, -have been or will yet be able to follow him into the heavenly kingdom. -The same ladder that Adam climbed, until beyond the reach of the fatal -consequences of his transgression, the whole human race, inheriting -from him the effects of the fall, must likewise climb, or they will -never see the face of God in eternal glory. - -The Paramount Purpose.--Let us keep in mind, however, that the gospel, -even in a limited sense, is more than a means of escape from impending -ills. It is the way of progress, the path to perfection, and as such -was devised by the wisdom of the Gods, before this world rolled into -existence. The origin of the gospel, and the grand purpose for which it -was instituted, are briefly yet clearly outlined by the Prophet Joseph -Smith in the following language: - -Eternal Progression.--"The first principles of man are self-existent -with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and -glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws -whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The -relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance -in knowledge. He has power to institute laws to instruct the weaker -intelligences, that they may be exalted with himself, so that they may -have one glory upon another."--("Times and Seasons," August 15, 1844; -"Improvement Era," January, 1909.) - -Power and Benevolence of Deity.--Here are pointed out both the power -and the benevolence of Deity. Our Father in heaven is no monopolist. -While omnipotent and all-possessing, he is likewise altruistic and -philanthropic. Instead of keeping to himself the glory that he found -himself possessed of, he used his superior intelligence "to institute -laws" whereby the lesser spirits surrounding him might advance toward -the lofty plane that he occupies. He proposed to lift them to his own -spiritual stature and share with them the empire of the universe. - -Plato's View.--Our prophet's simple yet sublime setting forth of the -divine power and benevolence, as exemplified in the establishment of a -plan for man's eternal progress, is far more pointed and specific than -the presentment made by Plato, the Greek philosopher, of a doctrine -somewhat similar. Plato, as quoted by Emerson, says: "Let us declare -the cause which led the Supreme Ordainer to produce and compose the -universe. He was good; and he who is good has no kind of envy. Exempt -from envy, he wished that all things should be as much as possible -like himself. Whosoever, taught by wise men, shall admit this as the -prime cause of the origin and foundation of the world, will be in the -truth."--("Representative Men," Lecture II.) - -Man's Destiny.--There is a fitness, a propriety, in man's becoming -like his Maker--God's child, fashioned in his image and endowed with -divine attributes, developing to the fulness of the parental stature, -as taught by Joseph; but how the same can be predicated of "all -things"--beasts, fish, fowl, trees, plants, etc., as Plato implies, is -not so clear. That the lower animals, as well as man, in fact all forms -of life, animate and inanimate, are to be perpetuated and glorified, is -a plain inference from the teachings of the prophet (D&C 77:2-4) but -undoubtedly all will retain their identity, in their respective orders -and spheres. No creature of God's, except man, is destined to become -like God, in the fullest and highest sense. "As much as possible" is a -saving clause, however, and Plato, therefore, is not committed to any -contradictory proposition. - - - -CHAPTER II. - -Eternal Nature of Gospel Principles. - -Gospel Code and Fundamentals.--The gospel, as a code or System of -laws and ordinances, is a creation, a work of God; but like all -other creations it was organized out of materials already existing. -"Intelligence or the light of truth was not created or made, neither -indeed can be" (D&C 93:29). Truth, "eternal, unchanged, evermore"--such -is the gospel in its fundamental principles. These were never created. -God did not make them; he "instituted" them, recognizing their worth, -their utility, their adaptability to the purposes which he had in view. -He saw that these principles were ennobling and exalting in their -nature and tendency, and he therefore created a plan embodying them as -the most effectual means for man's promotion. - -Faith.--Take, for instance, faith--the first principle. Can you -conceive of its creation as a principle? I cannot: but I can grasp the -idea of its existence as a law, as an essential force, its adoption -by divine wisdom, and its adaptation to the purposes of Deity. I -can conceive of its bestowal upon man as an endowment from God, its -assimilation, cultivation, growth and increase, as illustrated in the -Book of Mormon, where it is compared to a seed germinating in the soul -(Alma 32:28). But I cannot think of it, in its essential, fundamental -nature, as having been called into existence. Faith is a gift from God, -both as a law and a manifestation of spiritual power: but it is not a -creation--not as a basic principle. The gospel code containing this -law, however, may readily be conceived as the work of a divine Creator -and Law-giver. - -Repentance.--What is true of faith in this respect, is true also of -repentance. God did not create repentance as a principle; it already -existed as an essential to progress; but he made it obligatory upon -sinful man, if he would be saved and put upon the road to perfection, -to practice this principle--to turn away from evil and "sin no more." - -Baptism.--As for baptism, the idea of washing in order to be come clean -is plain enough for a child's comprehension. It is this idea that -underlies the baptismal ordinance. God did not create the fact that -washing maketh clean--that is fundamental; but he instituted baptism -for the remission of sins and made it a part of the gospel plan, -because no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of heaven. - -Holy Ghost.--Divine Wisdom did not create the Holy Ghost: he is -eternal, without beginning or end--he is God. Nor did it decree light -necessary to illumination; that is a self-evident, self-existent truth. -But Divine Wisdom instituted the laying on of hands for the gift -(giving) of the Holy Ghost, and included it in the great progressive -plan, because, without the illumination that comes from the Spirit of -the Lord, man cannot be "led into all truth." - -Thus we might go on, taking up other features of the gospel, and in -each one pointing out some underlying principle upon which this law or -that ordinance has been based. The same philosophy will apply to them -all. These fundamental principles are not creations--they are eternal -truths, applied or adapted to ends foreseen and predestined by the -all-wise Ordainer and Giver. - -The gospel was instituted for the advancement of God's children, -who had probably progressed as far as they could in the spirit at -that time, before they were given bodies; and it was made effective -for their further progress by the Atonement of Christ, offsetting -the fall of Adam, and nullifying the deadly effects of the original -transgression. - -The Fall.--Right here let me suggest that Adam's transgression, while -technically a sin, because of the broken law, should be stressed as -the means whereby those spirits obtained their bodies, rather than -as an act of moral turpitude. In law, crimes are of two general -classes--malum per se and malum prohibitum. Malum per se means "an evil -in itself"--an act essentially wrong; while malum prohibitum signifies -"that which is wrong because forbidden by law." Adam's transgression -was malum prohibitum, and the consequent descent from an immortal to a -mortal condition was "THE FALL." - -A Prearranged Plan.--It is evident from the revelations of God, -particularly in modern times, that everything connected with man's -mortal pilgrimage was understood and arranged before that pilgrimage -began. Not alone was the gospel instituted: an executor was appointed -to put it into effect. In other words, the machinery was constructed, -and the power then turned on. The fall being foreseen, the redemption -was ordained. Eternal progress and everlasting glory were the objects -in view, and over the glad prospect, in spite of the pain and sorrow -that must necessarily intervene, "the Morning Stars sang together, and -all the Sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). - - - -CHAPTER III. - -The Fall and Redemption. - -Essentials to Progress.--The story of God embraces the fall as well -as the redemption of man. Both these mighty vicissitudes are steps in -the march of human progress. The fall was just as necessary as the -redemption, in order to make operative and effective the laws and -ordinances of the gospel. In other words, the fall prepared the way for -the redemption. How could redemption have been, had there been nothing -to redeem? Of what use were a gospel of salvation where nothing needed -to be saved? - -Innocent Ignorance.--Had the spirits of men, "all innocent in the -beginning," remained where they were and just as they were, they would -have had no need to exercise faith unto salvation. They would have -had no need to repent or to be baptized, having no evil practices to -turn away from, and no uncleanness to be washed away. But they would -have remained ignorant as well as innocent, and without any further -progression. The following passage from the Book of Mormon illustrates -this point: - -"And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not have -fallen; but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all -things which were created must have remained in the same state which -they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever -and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore, they -would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they -knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all -things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam -fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Ne. -2:22-25). - -This passage, of course, refers directly to Adam's condition in the -Garden of Eden, and not to the spirit life preceding that period of -innocent ignorance. But the fact remains that man, in the spirit life, -needed experience in mortality, in order to become wiser, as much as he -needed a body for purposes of progression and eternal increase. - -Adam Not Deceived.--When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, -it was the woman who was beguiled by Satan and induced to go contrary -to the divine command. The man was not deceived. Adam was but telling -the truth when he answered the Lord, "The woman whom thou gavest to be -with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:12). Those -who satirize Father Adam for this reply, imputing to him an unworthy -motive, a desire to evade responsibility and "hide behind the woman in -the case," take but a superficial view of the subject. Adam was not -trying to evade the issue: he was simply stating the fact. The Lord -wanted the truth, and no fable would suffice, however polite, in the -opinion of shallow wits or would-be chivalrous wisacres, it might have -been to invent one, in order to shield the fair transgressor. - -A Deliberate Transgression.--Adam, after Eve had transgressed, did -likewise in order to carry out a divine command previously given--the -command to multiply and replenish the earth (Gen. 1:28). Eve, by her -act, had separated herself from her husband, and made it impossible, -unless he followed her and also became mortal, to carry out God's -original behest. This was Adam's motive. He was facing a dilemma. He -must make choice between two divine commands, and doubtless felt that -he could not consistently do otherwise than as he did. He disobeyed in -order to obey, retrieving, so far as he possibly could, the situation -resulting from Eve's disobedience. He did it wittingly, deliberately, -undeceived as to the consequences, realizing that in no other way -could he carry out God's first command and become the progenitor of -the human race. Adam and Eve, with their eyes open, rejoiced over -what had befallen them, recognizing it as part of a preordained plan -to people the earth with their posterity, and afford to a world of -waiting spirits the opportunity, long anticipated, of taking earthly -tabernacles and starting out upon their great pilgrimage to perfection. - -Adam and Eve Rejoice.--"And in that day Adam blessed God and was -filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, -saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my -eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the -flesh I shall see God. - -"And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were -it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never -should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the -eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient."--("Pearl of Great -Price," Book of Moses, 5:10,11.) - -"Adam fell that man might be, and man is that he might have joy." -But there would be no joy, no progress, no eternal life for fallen -man--only pain, sorrow, and everlasting banishment from God's presence, -had Christ not died to nullify the ill effects of Adam's act, and lift -man up from his fallen condition. - -Human Standards and Divine Dispensations.--Why, it may be asked, did -God place Adam and Eve in so seemingly contradictory a position? Why -were they forbidden to do what they had manifestly come to do, and -which had to be done in order to carry out the divine purpose? For that -is the problem in a nutshell, as it appears to human eyes. I can only -answer in the words of Nephi: "All things have been done in the wisdom -of him who knoweth all things." Man cannot sit in judgment upon his -Maker, nor measure by human standards divine dispensations. The God who -gives life, and takes it, without committing murder, can command today -and countermand tomorrow, and yet remain consistent and unchangeable. -In a world where faith is necessary to progress, and where premature -knowledge would prevent progress by swallowing up faith, by destroying -the opportunity for its exercise, man must not expect to know all -things. That calamities and sacrifices bring forth blessings, is -apparent to observation and experience; but the deep why and wherefore -of it all remains a mystery. Adam's fall and Christ's atonement were -fearful calamities, from the human point of view; but wonderful -benefits and advantages accrued therefrom. Just why such sacrifices -have to be made, however, in order that such blessings may come, is too -profound a problem for the finite mind to solve. - -Spiritual and Temporal Death.--The fall brought man into the -world--into this state of mortality; but it also brought death, with -all its sad concomitants. Not such a death as the righteous now -contemplate, and such as both righteous and unrighteous must undergo, -as a change preparatory to resurrection. There was no resurrection when -Adam fell--not upon this planet--nothing but death, resting like a pall -over the prospective human race. Adam and Eve, after the fall, were -spiritually dead, and were doomed to the temporal death as well--the -dissolution of the body--and they had entailed this fate upon their -posterity. Hell had triumphed over man's, or rather woman's, weakness. -Life was dead, death reigned, and demons held high carnival. - -The World in Pawn.--Adam's transgression had put the world in pawn. -The name of the pawnbroker was death, and his claim was twofold. Death -held all things in his grasp, and there was no help for it this side -of heaven. No part of what had been pledged could be used as the means -of redemption. Adam could not redeem himself, great and mighty as he -was--in the spirit; for he was no other than Michael the archangel, -leader of the hosts of heaven. But this puissant Michael was now -a weak, frail, mortal man, under the penalty of a broken law, and -powerless to repair the injury that had been wrought. He and the race -that was to spring from him were utterly lost, unless the Almighty One -would intervene, and do for them what they could not do for themselves. -If man could have redeemed himself, it would have been required of -him; but because self-redemption was impossible, a Redeemer had to be -provided. - -The Redemption.--Redemption must come, if at all, through some Being -high enough and powerful enough to make an infinite atonement, one -fully covering the far-reaching effects of the original transgression. -The scales of eternal justice, unbalanced by Adam's act, had to be -repoised, and right's equilibrium restored. Who could do this? Who -could retrieve the situation, bring good out of evil, mould failure -into success, and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? Where was the -Moses for such an exodus? Where the deliverance from this worse than -Egyptian bondage--a bondage of which Egypt's slavery was but typical? - -The life of a God was the price of the world's freedom, and that price -was paid by the God of Israel, who descended from his glorious throne, -made himself mortal, an exile of eternity, walked in the dust of his -own footstool, and by submitting to death, broke the bands of death, -and made it possible for man to live again, and go on to the goal of -endless glory. He was the Lamb "without spot or blemish," typified by -the lamb of the Passover, and preordained for sacrifice, to "take away -the sins of the world." He gave himself as an offering, as a ransom for -human redemption, and by the shedding of his own blood, paid the debt -of the universe, took the world out of pawn, and became the Author of -Salvation for all mankind. - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -The Gods in Council. - -Fore-ordination.--The parts played by Adam and Eve in this sublime -tragedy were doubtless cast at the same time that the pre-eminent -role was assigned to the Redeemer and Savior. Likewise, is it just -as reasonable to infer that other great ones were forechosen for -service in the cause of humanity. It is more than an inference; it is -a revealed fact. What other meaning can be attached to the word of the -Lord to Jeremiah (1:5): "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; -and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I -ordained thee a prophet unto the nations"? If this be true of Jeremiah, -why not true of other prophets, both ancient and modern? Joseph Smith -is on record as saying that men who have such callings to minister to -the inhabitants of the world, were "ordained to that very purpose in -the grand council of heaven before this world was" ("Compendium," p. -285). - -Two Plans Proposed.--In that same Grand Council--the "congregation -of the mighty" (Ps. 1:5)--there were two candidates, if we may so -designate them, for the redeemership. One was like unto the Father, -desiring for the pure love of God's children to uplift them, and at the -same time glorify the Great Head, by the sacrifice that he proposed -to make. The other was proud, self-willed, and bent upon personal -aggrandizement, regardless of consequences. The former stood for -freedom--man's agency--and the rewarding of all souls according to -their works. The latter proposed coercion, so that not one soul should -be lost; thinking, perhaps, that his demanded compensation for proposed -service might be made in that way all the more abundant. - -Lucifer Rebels.--The first was chosen; the second rebelled, and was -cast out, with a third of those then populating the spirit world. That -third, following Lucifer, who became Satan, were doomed with him to -wander up and down the earth, as fallen spirits, tempting and trying -the children of men--those who, as a reward for keeping their first -estate, where they "walked by sight," were given a second estate--the -privilege of taking tabernacles, and "walking by faith" through the -shadowed experiences of mortality. - -Upon this subject the Prophet Joseph says: "The contention in heaven -was: Jesus said there would be certain souls that would not be saved; -and the devil said he could save them all, and laid his plans before -the grand council, who gave their vote in favor of Jesus Christ. So the -devil rose up in rebellion against God, and was cast down with all who -put up their heads for him" ("Compendium," page 285). - -Advantage of Having a Body.--Our prophet likewise affirms: "At the -first organization in heaven we were all present, and saw the Savior -chosen and appointed, and the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned -it. We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure -before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness -consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his -punishment. He is pleased when he can obtain the tabernacle of man, -and when cast out by the Savior he asked to go into the herd of swine, -showing that he would prefer a swine's body to having none. All beings -who have bodies have power over those who have not" (Ibid, page 288). - -Testimony of Moses.--The following passages from our sacred writings -will here find place: - -"And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou -hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which -was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying--Behold, here -am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that -one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me -thine honor. - -"But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the -beginning, said unto me--Father, thy will be done, and the glory be -thine forever. - -"Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to -destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and -also, that I should give unto him mine own power: by the power of mine -Only Begotten I caused that he should be cast down; - -"And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to -deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as -many as would not hearken unto my voice." (Moses 4:1-4.) - -Testimony of Abraham.--Still more comprehensive are the appended -paragraphs of a similar glorious revelation: - -"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were -organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of -the noble and great ones; - -"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst -of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among -those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said -unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou -wast born. - - "And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said -unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space -there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth -whereon these may dwell; - -"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things -whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; - -"And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon: and they who -keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom -with those who keep their first estate: and they who keep their second -estate shall have glory added upon their heads forever and ever. - -"And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the -Son of man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am -I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first. - -"And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate: and, at that -day, many followed after him." (Book of Abr. 3:22-28.) - -Truth Speaks for Itself.--What a sublime presentation! What a wealth of -doctrine! What a wonderful scope of prophecy! The whole divine scheme -for human progress revealed at a glance! Surely the Book of Abraham, -whose authenticity has recently been assailed by Christian scholars, -and defended by "Mormon" writers and speakers, can stand upon its own -merits in refutation of any argument brought against it as a divine -record. Who but God could reveal such principles as this marvelous -book contains? Who but one inspired of heaven could teach them in so -pure a spirit and in such majestic terms? Truth--eternal truth--speaks -for itself: it is not dependent upon books or translators. These are -but some of the means used in making it known to the world. It is not -limited to time and place. Whether in the catacombs of Egypt, or in the -mounds of America, whether spoken anciently or modernly, - - "Truth is truth, where'er 'tis found, - On Christian or on heathen ground." - -"Mormon" Philosophy.--Note the sound philosophy of this revelation--the -divine proposition to "make an earth," not out of nothing--an absurdity -put forth by Christian theologians in their teachings relative to the -creation--but out of "materials" already in existence, eternal spirit -and eternal matter, as never-ending as space and duration. Then ask -yourself, reader, if the "Mormon" doctrine, set forth in the Book of -Abraham, is not the only logical, scientific, common-sense presentation -possible or conceivable in the premises. - -Note also that it was the design to "make an earth;" the inference -being that this was not the only earth that had been created, nor would -it be the last. - -"And then the Lord said: Let us go down. And they went down at the -beginning, and they, that is the Gods, organized and formed the heavens -and the earth" (Abr. 4:1). - - - -CHAPTER V. - -Creation of the Earth. - -Two Creations.--There were two creations--the first spiritual, the -second temporal. This truth is taught inferentially in the first and -second chapters of Genesis, King James's Translation; but more plainly -and pointedly in the Book of Moses, a reproduction of the Book of -Genesis, revised and amplified by the spirit of revelation in Joseph -the Seer. Here is the modern rendering of the passages bearing directly -upon this point: - -As Related in the Book of Moses.--"And now, behold, I say unto you, -that these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth, when -they were created, in the day that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and -the earth. - -"And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every -herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all -things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally -upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it -to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created -all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in -heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, -neither in the water, neither in the air; - -"But I, the Lord God, spake, and there went up a mist from the earth, -and watered the whole face of the ground. - -"And I, the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and -breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living -soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, -all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and -made according to my word." (Moses 3:4-7.) - -Adam's Incarnation.--In the Book of Abraham the incarnation of Adam is -thus described: - -"And the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his -spirit (that is, the man's spirit) and put it into him; and breathed -into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul" -(Abr. 5:7). - -Plurality of Worlds.--Regarding this earth and other creations, the -Lord said to Moses: - -"And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for -mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only -Begotten. - -"And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many. - -"But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, -give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed -away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and -innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for -they are mine and I know them." - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens they are many, -and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, -for they are mine. - -"And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof, even so -shall another come; and there is no end to my works; neither to my -words. - -"For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the -immortality and eternal life of man."--Moses 1:33-39. - -Purposes of Earth Life.--God's purpose, primarily, in placing man -upon the earth, is to give him a body, a mortal tabernacle, which is -rendered immortal through death and the resurrection. The spirit and -the body constitute the soul. It is the soul that is redeemed from the -grave (D&C 88:15,16). It is the soul that goes on to perfection. Man is -here also for experience, that he may advance from stage to stage of -growth and development, approximating nearer and nearer to the divine -ideal voiced by the Savior: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your -Father which is in heaven is perfect."--Matthew 5:48. - -Man on Probation.--There is still another purpose in man's mortal -existence, and it is referred to in the Book of Abraham, where the -Creator, after announcing to "those who were with him" the proposed -making of an earth "whereon these may dwell," says: "And we will prove -them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord -their God shall command." Thus we are shown that man while here is on -probation, that he may demonstrate his worthiness to inherit the great -things held in reserve for the righteous. - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -Elect of Elohim. - - In solemn council sat the Gods; - From Kolob's height supreme, - Celestial light blazed forth afar - O'er countless kokaubeam; - And faintest tinge, the fiery fringe - Of that resplendent day, - 'Lumined the dark abysmal realm - Where earth in chaos lay. - - Silence. That awful hour was one - When thought doth most avail; - Of worlds unborn the destiny - Hung trembling in the scale. - Silence self-spelled, and there arose, - Those kings and priests among, - A power sublime, than whom appeared - None nobler 'mid the throng. - - A stature mingling strength with grace, - Of meek though God-like mien; - The glory of whose countenance - Outshone the noonday sheen. - Whiter his hair than ocean spray, - Or frost of Alpine hill. - He spake;--attention grew more grave, - The stillness e'en more still. - - "Father!"--the voice like music fell, - Clear as the murmuring flow - Of mountain streamlet trickling down - From heights of virgin snow. - "Father," it said, "since one must die, - Thy children to redeem, - From spheres all formless now and void, - Where pulsing life shall teem: - - "And mighty Michael foremost fall, - That mortal man may be; - And chosen Savior yet must send, - Lo, here am I--send me! - I ask, I seek no recompense, - Save that which then were mine; - Mine be the willing sacrifice, - The endless glory Thine! - - "Give me to lead to this lorn world, - When wandered from the fold, - Twelve legions of the noble ones - That now thy face behold; - Tried souls, 'mid untried spirits found, - That captained these may be, - And crowned the dispensations all - With powers of Deity. - - "Who blameless bide the spirit state - Shall clothe in mortal clay, - The stepping-stone to glories all, - If man will God obey, - Believing where he cannot see, - Till he again shall know, - And answer give, reward receive, - For all deeds done below. - - "The love that hath redeemed all worlds - All worlds must still redeem; - But mercy cannot justice rob-- - Or where were Elohim? - Freedom--man's faith, man's work, God's grace-- - Must span the great gulf o'er; - Life, death, the guerdon or the doom, - Rejoice we or deplore." - - Still rang that voice, when sudden rose - Aloft a towering form, - Proudly erect as lowering peak - 'Lumed by the gathering storm; - A presence bright and beautiful, - With eye of flashing fire, - A lip whose haughty curl bespoke - A sense of inward ire: - - "Send me!"--coiled 'neath his courtly smile - A scarce concealed disdain-- - "And none shall hence, from heaven to earth, - That shall not rise again; - My saving plan exception scorns. - Man's will?--Nay, mine alone. - As recompense, I claim the right - To sit on yonder throne! - - "Ceased Lucifer. The breathless hush - Resumed and denser grew. - All eyes were turned; the general gaze - One common Magnet drew. - A moment there was solemn pause-- - Listened Eternity, - While rolled from lips Omnipotent - The Father's firm decree: - - "Jehovah, thou my Messenger! - Son Ahman, thee I send; - And one shall go thy face before, - While twelve thy steps attend; - And many more on that far shore, - The pathway shall prepare, - That I, the First, the last may come, - And earth my glory share. - - "After and ere thy going down, - An army shall descend-- - The host of God, and house of him - Whom I have named my friend. - Through him, upon Idumea, - Shall come, all life to leaven, - The guileless ones, the sovereign Sons, - Throned on the heights of heaven. - - "Go forth, thou Chosen of the Gods, - Whose strength shall in thee dwell! - Go down betime and rescue earth, - Dethroning death and hell, - On thee alone man's fate depends, - The fate of beings all. - Thou shalt not fail, though thou art free-- - Free, but too great to fall. - - "By arm divine, both mine and thine, - The lost thou shalt restore, - And man, redeemed, with God shall be, - As God forevermore. - Return, and to the parent fold - This wandering planet bring, - And Earth shall hail thee Conqueror, - And Heaven proclaim thee King." - - 'Twas done. From congregation vast - Tumultuous murmurs rose; - Waves of conflicting sound, as when - Two meeting seas oppose; - 'Twas finished. But the Heavens wept; - And still their annals tell - How one was Choice of Elohim, - O'er one who fighting fell. - - ("Elias," Canto III, Part One.) - - - -The Way of Salvation. - -CHAPTER I. - -The Law of Obedience. - -Man Helpless.--When Adam and Eve had transgressed the divine command -by partaking of the forbidden fruit, it was as if the human race had -fallen into a pit, from which they were powerless, by any act of -their own, to emerge. They could not climb out, for they did not know -how to climb; and even had they known, there was no means by which -to climb. Human endeavor, unassisted, could accomplish nothing in -the way of deliverance. Man in his mortal condition needed spiritual -enlightenment, having forgotten all that he had previously known. In -other words, he needed a ladder, that he might climb out of the pit, -and that ladder was furnished in the revelation, of the Gospel of -Christ. Without it there is no salvation, no exaltation. The Tower of -Babel symbolizes the situation: All man's efforts to reach heaven, -without divine assistance, must end in confusion and failure. - -Redemption by Grace.--The gospel ladder rests upon the rock of Christ's -atonement--an act of grace, a free gift from God to all mankind--the -wicked as well as the righteous. All profit by it, for, as the result -of that atonement, all are brought forth from the grave. And this is -eminently just: Adam's posterity were consigned to death for no deed of -their own doing. It is fitting, therefore, that their redemption should -come unconditionally. - -Salvation by Obedience.--But redemption is not salvation, nor salvation -exaltation, as already explained. Men must "work out their salvation" -(Phillipians 2:12), and gain exaltation by continuous upward striving. -Salvation and exaltation, while depending primarily upon the grace -of God, are also the fruits of man's acceptance of the gospel, and -his steadfast adherence thereto, until it shall have done for him its -perfect work. There are degrees of glory--"many mansions" in the great -house of God, and the highest are reserved for those who render to the -Master of the house the fulness of their obedience. - -"Salvation means a man's being placed beyond the power of all his -enemies. * * * Until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved. * -* * To get salvation we must not only do some things, but everything -which God has commanded" ("Joseph Smith's Teachings," pp. 146-150). - -Heaven's First Law.--"Order is heaven's first law," says human wisdom. -"Not so," says divine inspiration, "obedience is heaven's first law, -and order follows as the result." [A] Without obedience, spiritual -growth, eternal progress, is impossible. Says Joseph the prophet: -"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation of -this world, upon which all blessings are predicated; and when we obtain -any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is -predicated" (D&C 130:20,21). - -Illustrations of Obedience.--That obedience is required from those -who become and remain members of the Church of Christ, should not -surprise any intelligent student of political science, nor even -a casual observer of the everyday life of men and nations. All -governments demand from their people obedience to the laws enacted -for the general welfare. Without such obedience, there would be no -peace, no protection. This is readily conceded by most men as to human -governments; but some people think it strange that divine government -should be administered upon like principles, and for similar, though -higher, ends. - -A friend of mine once said to me: "Why do I need to belong to a church, -to subscribe to a creed, or to undergo any ordinance, in order to be -saved? I have always been truthful, honest, virtuous, benevolent--why -will this not suffice to make my peace with God and pave my way to -heaven?" - -Aliens and Naturalization.--I answered on this wise: "Let me use a -comparison to illustrate the point. Suppose you were an alien, born in -Great Britain, in Scandinavia, or in some other foreign land, and you -came to America desiring to become a citizen of the United States. When -told that you must take out citizenship papers, forswear allegiance to -every foreign power, and honor and uphold the Constitution and laws of -this Republic, suppose you were to reply: `Why, what is the need of all -that? I am a good man, I have always done right, and am clean, moral, -and upright in conduct and conversation--why is that not sufficient to -entitle me to vote, to hold office, pre-empt land, and enjoy all the -rights and privileges of an American freeman?' Do you think such a plea -would avail? No, you do not. You see its inconsistency as quickly as -would the government unto whom it might be made. You would not expect -to become a citizen of the United States upon your own terms. Why, -then, should you hope for admittance into God's kingdom upon any other -conditions than those which the King himself has laid down?" - -Man's Proper Attitude.--Truthfulness, honesty, virtue, and benevolence -are precious possessions, inestimable treasures. They enrich the soul -under all conditions, outside or inside the kingdom of God; but they -are not valuable enough to purchase a passport into that kingdom. We -must not count upon our personal qualities, however admirable and -commendable, to gain us admission into the divine presence. Man's -proper attitude, as a seeker for salvation, is one of humility, not of -self-righteousness. When the Pharisee and the Publican prayed in the -Temple at Jerusalem, the former thanking the Lord that he was better -than other men, and the latter meekly murmuring: "God be merciful to -me, a sinner," the Savior, pointing to the Publican, said: That man is -justified, rather than the other, "for every one that exalteth himself -shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke -18:13,14). - -Obedience Better Than Sacrifice.--"Obedience is better than sacrifice." -So said obedient Samuel to disobedient Saul. Adam's obedience in -offering sacrifice without knowing why, simply because the Lord had -commanded him (Moses 5:6) Abraham's obedience in offering Isaac--for -the same reason--was far more precious in the sight of heaven than the -sacrifice itself. In Abraham's case the will was taken for the deed, -and the Father of the Faithful was blessed as abundantly as if the -sacrifice had been consummated. - -Dead Letter and Living Oracle.--Suppose, however, that Abraham had -not obeyed the Lord's second command, "Lay not thy hand upon the -lad." In that event he would have been in transgression, and could -not have been blessed any more than if he had disobeyed in the first -instance. In the face of that second command, he could not have pleaded -consistently that he was under obligation to obey the first. "My word -is my law," saith the Lord, and his latest word, even though it seem to -contradict an earlier behest from the same source, must always be given -precedence. The choice in such a case is between the dead letter and -the living oracle. - -All Blessings Come by Obedience.--It is the rod of power which smites -the rock of divine providence, causing it to flow with the waters of -human weal. - -The Justice of God.--When the Savior uttered his exhortation: "Be ye -therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," -and added, "For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the -good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45), -he did not mean that the Lord makes no distinction between the two -classes; but meant that he is just to both--just even to the unjust, -upon whom he sends his rain and sunshine, causing their orchards to -bloom and their vineyards to bear equally with those of the righteous. -Nevertheless, all who receive such blessings must merit them. If the -unjust (unjust here) had not kept their first estate, thereby showing -some degree of obedience to divine law, they would not have been given -a second estate, where the sunlight and the rains could reach them. In -this second estate, however, further obedience is requisite, in order -that greater benefits may follow. - -Blessings Bestowed by Law.--God's blessings are temporal as well as -spiritual, and their bestowal is regulated by law. A bad man may be -a good farmer or a good artisan, and reap reward for obedience to -the law of industry in the exercise of his vocation. But there are -greater blessings than those which come from the workshop and the -harvest field; and they can be had only by obedience to the higher laws -governing their distribution. One cannot become a member of the Church -of Christ by being an expert tiller of the soil. It requires more than -the skill of a mechanic to get into the kingdom of heaven. There is but -one way into that kingdom--a way pointed out by the finger of God--and -any person who tries to get in by picking the lock or by climbing over -the wall, will be treated as a trespasser, as a would-be thief and -robber. - -What Must Man Do for Himself?--What particular acts of obedience are -required of man, in order that God, who redeemed him, may likewise save -and exalt him? What must he do for himself, that he may profit fully -by the great things done in his behalf? How shall this alien become -naturalized? The ladder having been let down into the pit, how shall -the fallen avail himself of the divine assistance offered? - -The answer is plain: He must climb, if he would get out. While there -was no ladder, he could not, and all his intelligence and skill were -unavailing. But now, if he will use his God-given powers and the means -provided, he may climb from earth to heaven, round by round. If he -refuses to climb, who but himself is responsible for his remaining in -the pit? - -The Most Important Personage.--This gospel code--this way into the -kingdom--what is it? What does it consist of? What are the divine laws -of naturalization? What requirements are made of those who would be -identified with the Church of Christ--who would be saved in this world -and in the world to come? The man who can answer, to the spiritually -unenlightened, such questions as these, is easily the most important -personage of his generation. Such a man was the Apostle Peter, and such -another was the Prophet Joseph Smith. - -The Pentecostal Proclamation.--When Peter, on the day of Pentecost, -preached "Christ and him crucified," and the conscience-stricken -multitude cried out: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" a question -was propounded which the most learned philosophers of that age could -not answer. Caesar, sitting upon the throne of the world, would have -been mystified had the question been put to him: What shall men do to -be saved? Not so Peter, the Galilean fisherman. He knew what men must -do, and he straightway told them what to do: - -"Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus -Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the -Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). - -[Footnote A: An idea advanced by President George Q. Cannon.] - - - -CHAPTER II. - -Faith. - -The First Requirement.--Faith, however, not repentance, is the first -requirement. The probable reason why Peter omitted to mention faith -at that time, was because he perceived that the multitude already -had faith, already believed what he had told them of the crucified -Redeemer. Had it been otherwise, they would not have been "pricked in -their heart." and would not have anxiously inquired, "What shall we -do?" Belief was the first requirement made by the Savior, through his -chosen twelve, when he sent them "into all the world" to "preach the -gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:16). He declared salvation dependent -on faith and works: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, -and he that believeth not shall be damned." For faith is shown by works -(James 2:18), and each is dead without the other. - -The Foundation of All Righteousness.--Faith, according to the Doctrine -and Covenants, is "the first principle in revealed religion, and the -foundation of all righteousness." There are few things more lucid in -our literature than the Lectures on Faith which form the fore part of -that sacred volume--one of the four doctrinal standards of the Church; -the other three being the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Pearl -of Great Price. Beginning with the text, "Now faith is the substance -[assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. -11:1), the lecturer goes on to say: - -The Moving Cause of All Action.--"If men were duly to consider -themselves, and turn their thoughts and reflections to the operations -of their own minds, they would readily discover that it is faith, and -faith only, which is the moving cause of all action in them; that -without it both mind and body would be in a state of inactivity, and -all their exertions would cease, both physical and mental." - -"Were this class to go back and reflect upon the history of their -lives, from the period of their first recollection, and ask themselves -what principle excited them to action, or what gave them energy and -activity in all their lawful avocations, callings, and pursuits, what -would be the answer? Would it not be that it was the assurance which -they had of the existence of things which they had not seen as yet? -Was it not the hope which you had in consequence of your belief in the -existence of unseen things, which stimulated you to action and exertion -in order to obtain them? Are you not dependent on your faith, or -belief, for the acquisition of all knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence? -Would you exert yourselves to obtain wisdom and intelligence, unless -you did believe that you could obtain them? Would you have ever sown, -if you had not believed that you would reap? Would you ever planted, -if you had not believed that you would gather? Would you have ever -asked, unless you had believed that you would receive? Would you have -ever sought, unless you had believed that you would have found? Or, -would have been opened unto you? In a word, is there anything that you -would have done, either physical or mental, if you had not previously -believed? Are not all your exertions of every kind, dependent on your -faith? Or, may we not ask, what have you, or what do you possess which -you have not obtained by reason of your faith? Your food, your raiment, -your lodgings, are they not all by reason of your faith? Reflect, and -ask yourselves if these things are not so. Turn your thoughts on your -own minds, and see if faith is not the moving cause of all action in -yourselves; and, if the moving cause in you, is it not in all other -intelligent beings?" * * * * - -A Principle of Power.--"As we receive by faith all temporal blessings -that we do receive, so we in like manner receive by faith all spiritual -blessings that we do receive. But faith is not only the principle of -action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven -or on earth. Thus says the author of the epistle to the Heb. 11:3: -`Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word -of God; so that things which are seen were not made of things which do -appear.' - -"Had it not been for the principle of faith the worlds would never have -been framed, neither would man have been formed of the dust. It is the -principle by which Jehovah works, and through which he exercises power -over all temporal as well as eternal things. Take this principle or -attribute--for it is an attribute--from the Deity, and he would cease -to exist. - -"Who cannot see, that if God framed the worlds by faith, that it is -by faith that he exercises power over them, and that faith is the -principle of power? And if the principle of power, must be so in man as -well as in the Deity? This is the testimony of all the sacred writers, -and the lesson which they have been endeavoring to teach to man. * * * * - -"It was by faith that the worlds were framed. God spake, chaos heard, -and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in him. So -with man also; he spake by faith in the name of God and the sun stood -still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lions' mouths -were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies -their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this -by reason of the faith which was in him. - -"Had it not been for the faith which was in men, they might have spoken -to the sun, the moon, the mountains, prisons, the human heart, fire, -armies, the sword, or to death, in vain! - -"Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power, -dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they -remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and -without power there could be no creation nor existence!" - -A Negative Opinion.--A Christian minister (a Unitarian) once tried to -convince me that faith was anything but an admirable quality. He called -it contemptible, declaring that it consisted simply of a willingness to -believe anything, however improbable or absurd: it was mere credulity, -nothing more. When I spoke of faith as a spiritual force, he said I -was attaching to the term a significance that it had never borne, and -for which there was no warrant. I reminded him of the Savior's words -in Matt. 17:19,20: "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye -shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it -shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Whereupon he -answered flippantly: "Oh, it takes picks and shovels to move mountains." - -The Positive View.--I presume he would have conceded, had I pursued -the subject further, that there are other ways of removing mountains. -I fancy he would have admitted the power of the earthquake in the -premises; though he might not have agreed with me that all intelligent -action, human or divine, is the result of faith, and that whether -mountains are moved with pick-axes or with earthquakes, by man or -by his Maker, it is faith that precedes the action and renders it -possible. This professed minister of Christ, who denied what Christ had -taught, overlooked the fact that the smallest as well as the greatest -acts of our lives spring from the exercise of faith. - -Faith Fundamental.--God made faith the first principle of the gospel, -because that is its proper place. It is the bottom round in the ladder -of salvation, the first step in the stairway to perfection. "All things -are possible to them that believe." - -"As a Grain of Mustard Seed."--When the Savior spoke of the faith -that "removes mountains," he was not measuring, either satirically or -hyperbolically, the quantity of the faith by the size of the mustard -seed. He probably meant that if man would obey the divine law given -for his government, as faithfully as the mustard seed obeys the divine -law given for its government, he would have infinitely more power than -he now possesses. How difficult it seems for man, "the noblest work -of God," to live in obedience to the highest principles revealed from -heaven for his guidance. Yet the earth, we are told, "abideth the law -of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and -transgresseth not the law" (D&C 88:25). - -Faith and Credulity.--Faith, in its incipient stages, may resemble at -times mere credulity. The untutored savage who was told by one of the -early settlers of New England that if he planted grass seed it would -produce gunpowder, believed it, not yet having learned that the white -man would lie. He therefore parted with his valuable furs, in exchange -for some of the seed, showing that he had faith in the settler's word. -But it did not bring the desired result. Faith, to be effectual, -must be based upon truth, and though higher than reason, must have a -reasonable foundation. The spirit of truth must inspire it. This was -not the case with the poor, misguided Indian; he trusted in a falsehood -and was deceived. But some good came of it. He ascertained the falsity -of the settler's statement. His faith induced him to plant the seed, -and though it did not produce gunpowder--that being contrary to its -nature--it produced a growth of grass-and a wiser Indian. - - - -CHAPTER III. - -Faith, Continued. - -Faith Founded on Evidence.--The second of the Lectures on Faith is a -discussion of the object upon which faith should rest; that object -being God, the evidences of whose existence, as the foundation of all -rational belief, are abundantly shown. Lecture Third contains these -paragraphs, pertinent to the point now raised: - -Essentials for a Perfect Faith.--"Three things are necessary in order -that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto -life and salvation. - -"First, the idea that he actually exists. - -"Second, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes. - -"Third, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he [man] is -pursuing is according to his [God's] will. For without an acquaintance -with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being -must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding it -can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness, unto the -praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." - -Possibilities of Faith.--Had the Indian's faith been properly -founded--had it been a perfect faith, intelligent, rational, -heaven-inspired, he could have produced gunpowder or any other -commodity from the all-containing elements around him; and that, -too, without planting a seed or employing an ordinary process of -manufacture. The turning of water into wine, the miraculous feeding of -the multitude, the walking upon the waves, the healing of the sick, -the raising of the dead, and other wonderful works wrought by the -Savior, the apostles, and the ancient prophets--what were they but -manifestations of an all-powerful faith, to possess which is to have -the power to remove mountains--without picks and shovels, my skeptical -Unitarian to the contrary notwithstanding. Such a faith is not mere -credulity; it is a divine energy, operating upon natural laws and by -natural processes--natural, though unknown to "the natural man," and -termed by him supernatural. - -The Universal Mainspring.--Faith is the beating heart of the -universe--the incentive, the impulse, to all action, the mainspring -of all achievement. Nothing was ever accomplished, small or great, -commonplace or miraculous, that was not backed up by confidence in -some power, human or superhuman, that impelled and pushed forward the -enterprise. - -An Impelling Force.--It was not doubt that drove Columbus across the -sea; it was faith--the impelling force of the Spirit of the Lord (1 -Ne. 13:12). It was not doubt that nerved the arm and fired the soul of -Washington, inducing him and his ragged regiments to fight on through -heat, frost, and hunger of seven long years, to win their country's -freedom. It was not doubt that inspired Hamilton, Jefferson, Franklin, -and the other patriot fathers, to lay broad and deep the foundations of -this mighty republic. It is not doubt that has caused nations to rise -and flourish, and raised up great men in all ages and in all climes, -to teach, toil, and sacrifice for the benefit of mankind. It is faith -that does such things. Doubt undoes, or hinders, what faith achieves. -The men and women who have moved this world were men and women who -believed, who were earnest and sincere, even if in part mistaken. - -Mahomet and Islam.--Carlyle portrays vividly the wondrous transition -from weakness to strength that came over the descendants of Ishmael, -when they became a believing nation, abandoning idolatry, and accepting -Allah as their god, with Mahomet as his prophet: - -"To the Arab nation it was as a birth from darkness into light; -Arabia first became alive by means of it. A poor shepherd people -roaming unnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world; a -hero-prophet was sent down to them with a word they could believe; see, -the unnoticed becomes world-notable, the small has become world-great; -within one century afterwards Arabia is at Granada on this hand, at -Delhi on that--glancing in valor and splendor and the light of genius, -Arabia shines through long ages over a great section of the world. -Belief is great, life-giving. The history of a nation becomes fruitful, -soul-elevating, great, so soon as it believes. These Arabs, the man -Mahomet, and that one century--is it not as if a spark had fallen, one -spark, on a world of what seemed black, unnoticeable sand; but lo, -the sand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to -Granada! I said, the great man was always as lightning out of heaven; -the rest of men waited for him like fuel, and then they too would -flame."--("Heroes and Hero Worship," Lecture II.) - -Achievements of Christendom.--Who can doubt that this same philosophy -applies to Christendom and its marvelous achievements, all down the -centuries? Is it not faith in the divine Nazarene that has caused -Christian nations to thrive, that has enabled Christianity, in spite of -its errors, to flourish, to survive the wreck of empires and weather -the storms of time? Was not Christ indeed as "lightning out of heaven," -sent down to kindle and illumine the world, and has not the world been -warmer and brighter for his coming? Is it not the faith of any nation, -its trust in and reliance upon some power deemed by it divine, that -constitutes its main strength? - -Faith Must Be Genuine.--But faith must be genuine. Pretense and -formalism will not avail. Hypocrisy is the worst form of unbelief. -Honest idolatry is infinitely preferable to dishonest worship. Better -burn incense to Diana, believing it to be right, than bow down to -Christ in hollow-hearted insincerity. Mighty Rome did not fall, until -she had ceased to worship sincerely the gods enshrined within her -Pantheon. Glorious Greece did not succumb, until she had proved false -to her ancient faith, until her believers had become doubters, until -skeptical philosophy had supplanted religious enthusiasm, and the -worship of freedom, grace, and beauty had degenerated to unbridled -license and groveling sensuality. No nation ever crumbled to ruin until -false to itself, false to the true principles of success, the basic one -of which is to believe. - -The Articles of Faith.--What should Latter-day Saints believe? I can -think of no better answer to this question than is contained in the -Articles of Faith, formulated by the Prophet Joseph Smith soon after -the Church of Christ was organized in this dispensation: - -"1. We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, -and in the Holy Ghost. - -"2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not -for Adam's transgression. - -"3. We believe that through the atonement of Christ all men may be -saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. - -"4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel -are:--First, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, -baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of -hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. - -"5. We believe that a man must be called of God by prophecy, and by the -laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel -and administer in the ordinances thereof. - -"6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive -church, viz.: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc. - -"7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, -healing, interpretation of tongues, etc. - -"8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is -translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word -of God. - -"9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, -and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things -pertaining to the kingdom of God. - -"10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the -restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this -continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth: and that -the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisaical glory. - -"11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the -dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, -let them worship how, where, or what they may. - -"12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and -magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law. - -"13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, -and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the -admonition of Paul, We believe all things, we hope all things, we have -endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there -is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we -seek after these things." - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -Repentance. - -The First Fruit of Faith.--The first fruit of faith is repentance. -Repentance follows faith as naturally as kindness follows love, as -obedience springs from reverence, as a desire to be congenial with, -succeeds admiration for, one whose example is deemed worthy of -emulation. God commands all men everywhere to repent. A desire to -please him and become acceptable in his sight, leads the soul of faith -of repentance. - -A Gift from God.--No repentance is possible, however, without the -Spirit of the Lord, which "giveth light to every man that cometh into -the world" (D&C 84:45-47). This is what makes repentance, no less than -faith, a gift from God. When his Spirit ceases to strive with men, they -no longer desire to repent, and are delivered over to the buffetings -of Satan. They deliver themselves over to those buffetings. They make -their choice between the spirit of good and the spirit of evil, both of -which are in the world, influencing the spirit of man, and they receive -their wages from the master whom they list to obey. - -The Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost.--A distinction should be drawn -between the Spirit "that enlighteneth every man," and the Holy Ghost, -whose gifts are given to members of the Church of Christ. The former -is an influence, proceeding from the Divine Presence; the latter a -personage, one of the Godhead, concerning whom the Prophet Joseph says: -"The Father has a body of flesh and bones, as tangible as man's; the -Son also; but the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so -the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us" (D&C 130:22). - -The Prophet says further upon this subject: "There is a difference -between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius -received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the -convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the gospel, but he -could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, until after he was -baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the -Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God would have left -him."--("Joseph Smith's Teachings," p. 69.) - -Real Repentance.--Repentance is not that superficial sorrow felt by a -criminal when caught in the act of wrong-doing--a sorrow not for sin, -but for sin's detection, for being taken in transgression. Chagrin -is not repentance. Mortification and shame, alone, bring no change -of heart toward right living or right feeling. Repentance involves -remorse; but even remorse is not all there is to repentance. In its -highest meaning and fullest measure, repentance is equivalent to -reformation--a resolve to "sin no more," backed by conduct consistent -with such a determination. "Repentance is a thing that cannot be -trifled with every day. Daily transgression and daily repentance is -not that which is pleasing in the sight of God" ("Joseph Smith's -Teachings," p. 136). "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his -sins. Behold, he will confess them and forsake them" (D&C 58:43). This -is a real, genuine repentance. All who truly repent can be forgiven. -These, and these alone, are ready for the cleansing process--baptism -for the remission of sins. Without repentance, there is no forgiveness, -and consequently no remission of sins. - -Damnation No Part of the Gospel.--Damnation is no part of the gospel. -Damnation or condemnation is simply the sad alternative, the inevitable -consequence of rejecting the means of escape. When men hear the gospel -and refuse to obey it, the come under condemnation. This cannot be -helped. God would save them, but they will not be saved. They are free -agents, and they damn themselves. Says Joseph the prophet: "When God -offers knowledge or a gift to a man, and he refuses to receive it, -he will be damned." Not because God wishes to damn him, but because -damnation is inevitable when one rejects the offer of salvation. - -Sin, a Wilful Transgression of Law.--A man sins when he goes contrary -to light and knowledge--that is, contrary to the light and knowledge -that has come to him. One may blunder in ignorance, and suffer painful -consequences; but one does not sin unless one knows better than to do -the thing in which the sin consists. - -Carlyle on Repentance.--"Of all acts," says Carlyle, "is not, for a -man, repentance the most divine? The deadliest sin, I say, were that -same supercilious consciousness of no sin;--that is death; the heart so -conscious is divorced from sincerity, humility and fact; is dead: it is -'pure' as dead dry sand is pure."--"Heroes and Hero-Worship," Lecture -II. - -Condemnation Measured by Culpability.--They who refuse to repent will -be damned; they damn themselves by that refusal. But damnation is not -necessarily permanent, and like salvation or exaltation, it exists in -degrees. The degree of condemnation is according to the measure of -culpability in those condemned. Even the damned, who repent, can be -saved. - -Some Souls Incapable of Repentance.--Some sinners cannot repent. Their -sins are of such a heinous character as to preclude it. The spirit of -repentance cannot lay hold upon them. T heir conduct has so grieved -it, that it is completely withdrawn. Consequently they cannot repent, -and that is what makes their case hopeless. If they could repent, they -could be forgiven; but not being able to repent, the pardoning power -cannot reach them. There would be no unpardonable sin if all sinners -were capable of repentance. Those who cannot repent, who have committed -the sin unpardonable, are called sons of perdition. - -A Hint from Shakespeare.--Apropos of the inability to repent, -Shakespeare gives a philosophic hint in his tragedy of "Hamlet." -Claudius, brother to the king of Denmark, has murdered the king -in order to obtain his crown and queen. But remorse gnaws at the -murderer's conscience--not a godly remorse, leading to repentance, -but the terror that guilty souls feel at the prospect of judgment and -retribution. Claudius kneels to pray, but can only pray with his lips, -his heart being far from God. It is therefore no prayer at all. "The -soul's sincere desire" is lacking. - - "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below; - Words without thoughts never to heaven go." - -So says the murderous monarch, as he rises from his knees. Prior to -his ineffectual attempt to supplicate the Throne of Grace, he thus -soliloquizes: - - "My fault is past. But O what form of prayer - Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?' - That cannot be, since I am still possessed - Of those effects for which I did the murder, - My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. - May one be pardoned and retain the offense? - * * * * * * - "Try what repentance can: what can it not? - Yet what can it when one can not repent?" - ("Hamlet," Act. III, Scene III.) - -The unpardonable sin involves utter recreancy to divine light and -power previously possessed. It is the sin against the Holy Ghost; but -one must first receive the Holy Ghost before he is capable of sinning -against it. Such a sin can be committed only by men who have been -equipped with every qualification for celestial glory. - -The Sons of Perdition.--"Thus saith the Lord, concerning all those who -know my power, and have been made partakers there of, and suffered -themselves, through the power of the devil, to be overcome, and to deny -the truth and defy my power-- - -"They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had -been better for them never to have been born, - -"For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with -the devil and his angels in eternity; - -"Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor -in the world to come, - -"Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having -denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father--having crucified him unto -themselves, and put him to an open shame. - -"They are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, -with the devil and his angels, - -"And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power; - -"Wherefore, he saves all except them." (D.&C. 76:31-37,44.) - -The Saved and Glorified.--But the saved are rewarded according to their -works. The glorified differ like the sun, moon, and stars, typifying, -respectively, celestial, terrestrial, and telestial conditions. They -who cannot abide any of these conditions, "are not meet for a kingdom -of glory," and the utterly disobedient, who will to abide in sin, are -fated to "remain filthy still" (D&C 88:22-35). - -The Celestial Glory.--The inheritors of celestial exaltation, the -highest degree of glory, are they who render to the Great Giver the -fulness of their obedience, manifesting a willingness to lay all upon -the altar at his bidding. In short, "to do all things whatsoever the -Lord their God shall command them" (Abr. 3:25). - -"They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his -name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in -the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he -has given, - -"That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed -from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of -hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power. - -"And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of -promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and -true. - -"They are they who are the Church of the first born. - -"They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things-- - -"They are they who are Priests and Kings, who have received of his -fulness, and of his glory, - -"And are Priests of the Most High, after the order to Melchizedek, -which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the -Only Begotten Son; - -"Wherefore, as it is written, they are Gods, even the sons of God-- - -"Wherefore all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things -present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's and -Christ is God's. * * * - -"These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ for ever and -ever. - -"These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the -clouds of heaven, to reign on the earth over his people. - -"These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection. - -"These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just. * -* * - -"These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the -sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of -the firmament is written of as being typical."--(D.&C. 76:51-59, 62-65, -70.) - -The Terrestrial Glory.--They who receive not the gospel here, but -receive it hereafter; they who die without law; also "honorable men of -the earth, blinded by the craftiness of men;"-- - -"These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness; - -"These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the -fulness of the Father; - -"Wherefore they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and -differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun. - -"These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; -wherefore they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God." (D.& -C. 76:76-79.) - -The Telestial World.--Concerning the inhabitants of the telestial -world, it is written: - -"These are they who received not the gospel of Christ, neither the -testimony of Jesus. - -"These are they who deny not the Holy Spirit. - -"These are they who are thrust down to hell. - -"These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil, until the -last resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb, shall have -finished his work. - -"These are they who receive not of his fulness in the eternal world, -but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial: - -"And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels -who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be -ministering spirits for them, for they shall be heirs of salvation. * * -* - -"These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers and -whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. - -"These are they who suffer the wrath of God on the earth. - -"These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. - -"These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of -Almighty God, until the fulness of times when Christ shall have subdued -all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work. * * * - -"And they shall be servants of the Most High, but where God and Christ -dwell they cannot come, worlds without end." (D.&C. 76:82-88, 103-106, -112.) - -"And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is -one. - -"And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon -is one. - -"And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars -is one, for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so -differs one from another in glory in the telestial world." (D.&C. -76:96-98; 1 Cor. 15:40,41.) - -A Nautical Illustration.--Thirty years ago I was crossing the Atlantic -on an ocean liner. I was a first cabin passenger, and besides myself -there were forty or fifty others in that part of the vessel. The second -cabin had about twice as many passengers, and in the steerage were -several hundred more. I found that the first cabin berths--secured by a -fortunate few--were not only the best furnished, but the most favorably -situated for comfort, convenience, and safety. The food was of the -choicest, every possible courtesy was shown to the passengers, and they -had the full freedom of the ship. They might go down into the second -cabin, or lower down, into the steerage, at will, and return without -hindrance or question. They had paid for these privileges, and were -therefore entitled to them. The captain and other officers were their -associates. - -It was different in the second cabin. There the food was not so good, -the berths were not so comfortable, and the privileges were fewer. -The passengers there might descend into the steerage, but were not -permitted upon the upper deck. In the steerage, conditions were even -less favorable. The food was still poorer, and the restrictions yet -more rigid. The occupants of that section were not allowed even in the -second cabin. Having paid only for steerage accommodations, these were -all they could consistently claim. - -Viewing the situation, I said to myself, What a striking analogy of -the final destiny of the human race, as set forth in the revelations -of God! All men rewarded according to their works, and saved according -to their merits in the eternal mansions of the Father! And I then and -there resolved anew that I would be a first cabin passenger on the good -ship Zion, over the ocean of life, into the haven of celestial glory. - -Men's Desires a Basis of Judgment.--At a date subsequent to February -16, 1832, when Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received that wonderful -vision, portraying the celestial, terrestrial and telestial glories, -the heavens were again opened to the Prophet, who thus describes what -he saw: - -"I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether -in the body or out I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the -gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like -unto circling flames of fire; also the blazing throne of God, whereon -was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that -kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold. I saw -Fathers Adam and Abraham, and my father and mother, my brother, Alvin, -that has long since slept, and marveled how it was that he had obtained -an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life -before the Lord had set His hand to gather Israel the second time, and -had not been baptized for the remission of sins. - -"Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying-- - -"All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have -received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the -celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without -a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, -shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men -according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts. - -"And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the -years of accountability, are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven." -(History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 380.) - -Grades of Celestial Glory.--The Prophet also taught that there are -grades of glory, even in the celestial kingdom; his exact language -being: "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees" (D&C -131:1). - - - -CHAPTER V. - -Water and Spirit Birth. - -The Initial Ceremony.--As faith is the first principle of the gospel -of Christ, so baptism is the initial ceremony. Baptism is twofold, -corresponding to the soul, its subject, which is both spiritual and -temporal. It signifies for that soul rebirth and illumination. - -"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." - -"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into -the kingdom of God" (John 3:3,5). - -So said the King of that kingdom, the only One empowered to prescribe -conditions upon which men might become his subjects, or his fellow -citizens, in that heavenly common-wealth where he shines first and -foremost among the sons of God. - -Jesus to Nicodemus.--Jesus, when he uttered those words, was speaking -to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee, and, as some suppose, -a member of the Sanhedrim. Favorably inclined toward the unpopular -Nazarene, yet too politic to be seen associating with him openly, -Nicodemus came to him by night, avowing a belief that he was "a teacher -come from God." In response to this confession of faith, Jesus taught -Nicodemus the doctrine embodied in the lines I have quoted. - -A Subject of Controversy.--"Except a man be born of water and of the -Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Probably no theme -connected with the gospel of Christ has caused more controversy than -this positive and important declaration, the meaning of which, however -plain to Christians anciently, has been a matter of uncertainty to -their successors all down the centuries. From the days of the early -Greek fathers of the Christian Church, to the days of St. Augustine, -the great theologian of the Western or Roman Catholic division of that -church; from his time to the time of Luther and Calvin, and thence on -into the present age, men have disputed over the significance of those -sacred words, over the mystical birth of water and of spirit, declared -by the world's Redeemer to be the doorway to his Church, the portal of -admittance into his kingdom. - -What is Baptism?--Over the general meaning of the phrase, "born of -water and of the Spirit," there may have been no serious contention. In -all or most of the Christian denominations, Catholic and Protestant, -that phrase means baptism, the ordinance whereby a person is initiated -into the Church. But what does baptism mean? That is the problem. The -significance, form, purpose, and effects of the ordinance, and whether -or not it is necessary to salvation--these questions have furnished -the backbone of the controversy. And yet they are questions easily -answered, problems readily solved, if we take the Holy Spirit for our -guide, and wrest not the Scriptures. - -The Savior's Example.--The New Testament teaches plainly the necessity -of baptism. The words of Jesus, already quoted, may be reinforced by -the following passages: - -"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of -him. - -"But John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and -comest thou to me? - -"And Jesus, answering, said unto him: Suffer it to be so now, for thus -it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him." -(Matthew 3:13-15.) - -A Universal Requirement.--If it was becoming in the Son of God to be -baptized, it is becoming in all who follow in his footsteps and hope -to be with him hereafter. They must be baptized with the baptism that -he was baptized with--not only the baptism of suffering, through which -"the captain of our salvation" was "made perfect," but the baptism of -water and of spirit, received by him at the River Jordan, nineteen -centuries ago. - -King and Subject.--Can you conceive of a kingdom in which the king -is required to obey the laws ordained for its government, while his -subjects are not required to obey them? Far more likely, is it not, -that the king, rather than the subject, would be exempt from such -obedience? But the laws of God's kingdom are just and impartial, -bearing with equal pressure upon all. "The Son doeth nothing but what -he hath seen the Father do;" nor does he require of us what he himself -is not willing to render. "Follow me," is the watchward of his mission, -and it applies to baptism as much as to anything. - -To Fulfil All Righteousness.--True, baptism is "for the remission -of sins" (Mark 1:4; Acts 2:38) and Jesus "grew up without sin unto -salvation." Hence, there was no sin in him to remit. Why, then, was he -baptized? John saw this point when Jesus presented himself for baptism: -"I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" While we -cannot impute sin to the sinless, and say that Jesus was baptized, like -an ordinary man, for the remission of his sins, we can and should take -him at his word, that it was becoming in him, and is becoming in us, to -be baptized, in order "to fulfil all righteousness." - -Necessity of Baptism Not Obviated by Christ's Baptism.--Some hold that -Jesus was baptized vicariously for original sin, the sin of the world, -resulting from the transgression of Adam. That load of guilt, it is -argued, had to be remitted, and hence the Savior, who had taken the -burden upon him, was baptized that it might be washed away. I cannot -vouch for the correctness of that view; but this I know: The baptism -of Jesus did not obviate the necessity of baptism, any more than his -suffering of the pangs of every man, woman and child (2 Ne.9:21, 22), -did away with human suffering. Men still suffer, notwithstanding that -infinite atonement--necessary, in order that the resurrection might -pass upon all men. And they must still be baptized for the remission -of their own sins, notwithstanding the baptism of "the Lamb of God, -which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Christ plainly -taught, after his own baptism, the necessity of baptism as a universal -requirement, obligatory upon all capable of faith and repentance. - -Little Children Exempt.--The only class exempt are infants, or children -young enough to be without sin. Obviously they cannot repent, and are -therefore not fit subjects for baptism. Jesus said: "Suffer the little -children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the -kingdom of heaven." Again: "Except ye humble yourselves and become as -this little child, ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven." -This shows not only that little children are sinless, but that they -are types of the innocence and purity required of men and women, who, -because not sinless, must be baptized and have their sins remitted, -before they can enter into that kingdom where no sin, no uncleanness, -can come. For this cause--that men and women must "become as little -children" before entering there--baptism, the doorway, is compared to a -birth, the entry of an infant into life. For this reason also, converts -to Christ in ancient times were referred to as "new-born babes." Peter -so styled them (2:2); and the first principles of the gospel, those -easiest to comprehend, to mentally digest, were termed both by him and -by Paul, "the milk of the word," in contradistinction to "the meat of -the word"--advanced principles and mysteries (1 Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:12-14; -1 Cor. 3:2). The effect of baptism is to make men childlike, not in -ignorance, nor in physical weakness, but in innocence and humility. - -Mormon to Moroni.--Upon this theme Mormon writes thus to his son -Moroni, voicing the word of the Lord: - -"Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. -Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous, but sinners -to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; -wherefore little children are whole, for they are not capable of -committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, -that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done -away in me. - -"And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto -me; wherefore my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before -God, that ye should baptize little children. - -"Behold, I say unto you, that this thing shall ye teach, repentance and -baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; -yea, teach parents that they must repent, and be baptized, and humble -themselves as their little children. * * * - -"Little children cannot repent; wherefore it is awful wickedness to -deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are alive in him -because of his mercy. * * * The power of redemption cometh on all them -that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is -under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth -nothing." (Moroni 8:8-10, 19, 22.) - -Children Become Accountable.--As children advance in years, however, -they become accountable, and then, like adults, they must yield -obedience to the requirements of the gospel. The Lord explained this -matter to Adam in these words: - -"Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin -to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, -that they may know to prize the good. - -"And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are -agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and -commandment. - -"Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must -repent, or they can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God, for no -unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the -language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only -Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who -shall come in the meridian of time. - -"Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely -unto your children, saying: - -"That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth -death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water and blood, -and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, -even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and -of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only -Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words -of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, -even immortal glory; - -"For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are -justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified." (Moses 6:55-60.) - -Early Christian Views.--The earliest Christians did not doubt the -necessity of baptism. On the contrary, they strongly insisted upon it, -as indispensable to a saved condition. During the Patristic age--that -of the early fathers, following the apostles--the conviction that -no soul could be saved without baptism was so firm that it led to -pedobaptism--the baptism of infants, and to other innovations upon -the primitive faith. It was seen that infants could not believe in -Christ, nor repent of sins that they had not committed; but it was -held that the church, or those who stood sponsor for the little ones, -could believe for them, and they were baptized for original sin, the -sin of Adam, which they were supposed to have inherited. Peter's words -in promising the Holy Ghost: "For the promise is unto you and to your -children" (Acts 2:39), were construed to sustain infant baptism. It was -even assumed that the Savior authorized it in saying, "Suffer little -children to come unto me," the inference being that they could come -unto him only by baptism. - -Pedobaptism.--Holders of these ideas have never explained why infant -baptism did not become prevalent until two or three centuries after -Christ, and why such eminent Christians of the fourth century as -Gregory, of Nazianzum, the son of a bishop; Basil the Great, of -Cappadocia; Chrysostom of Antioch, and Augustine of Numidia--whose -mothers were the most pious of Christians--were not baptized until -they were over thirty years of age. Paul's affirmation that "children -are holy" (1 Cor. 7:14), the Savior's declaration, "Of such is the -kingdom of heaven," and Mormon's words to Moroni, already cited, are -a sufficient answer to the assumption that children under the age of -accountability have need to be baptized. Those who introduced the -practice of baptizing infants for original sin, overlooked the fact -that Christ atoned for original guilt, and that men are accountable for -their own sins and not for Adam's transgression. - -Other Innovations.--One innovation led to another, though the next -related to adults. What was to become of martyrs, who had shed their -blood in defense of the church, or for its sake, but had never -confessed Christ nor been baptized? Were they to be damned? Oh, no; -for their benefit another doctrine was introduced; they were held to -have been baptized in their own blood. Finally, out of deference to -the claims of a far more numerous class--worthy men and women, many of -whom had lived and died before the Christian Church was founded, while -others, though living contemporaneously with it, were never reached -by its missionaries--the idea gradually obtained that baptism was not -essential to salvation. All of which might have been obviated, and the -Church spared much ridicule and skepticism--the result of its ramblings -and inconsistencies--had it kept the key to the situation--namely, -baptism for the dead. - -Gradual Growth of a Heresy.--The idea that baptism is nonessential did -not become fixed and popular until many centuries after the apostles -fell asleep. Saint Augustine, who figured in the latter part of the -fourth and the first half of the fifth century after Christ, and -who advanced the notion that water baptism was "the outward sign of -an inward grace," the external emblem of internal sanctification, -held, nevertheless, that no soul could be saved without it--not even -infants; though their condemnation, resulting from non-baptism, would -be of the mildest character. Augustine's concept of baptism, with some -modifications, is the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, and of the -orthodox Protestant churches, at the present time. Luther held baptism -to be essential to salvation; Calvin and Zwingli did not; and there, -in the sixteenth century, it appears, began the schism of opinion -concerning it that divides Christendom today. - -Baptism for the Dead.--That baptism is required from all capable of -exercising faith and manifesting repentance is shown by the fact that -provision is made in the gospel for the baptism of those who pass away -without being baptized for themselves. In the spirit world, where the -gospel is preached and the powers of the priesthood are exercised, -faith and repentance are possible--but baptism is not, it being an -outward ordinance, having to do with a temporal element--water--and -therefore to be administered in a temporal world. Since it is the soul -that is baptized, not the spirit alone, baptism is impracticable in the -world of spirits. - -Spirits in Prison.--Peter's testimony concerning Christ's preaching -to "the spirits in prison" during the interval between his death and -resurrection--spirits disobedient in the days of Noah, swept off by the -deluge, and immured in eternal dungeons to await a day of deliverance; -the apostle's figurative use of the ark and flood as symbols of -baptism, that "doth also now save us;" and his further statement that -"for this cause was the gospel also preached to them that are dead, -that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live -according to God in the spirit," are too well known to need dwelling -upon (1 Pet.3:18-21;4:6). - -Vicarious Baptism During and After Paul's Time.--That baptism for -the dead was practiced in the Church of Christ during Paul's time is -evident from his oft-quoted words: "Else what shall they do which are -baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then -baptized for the dead?" (1 Cor. 15:29). That the practice continued -after Paul's time, among some of the Christians of Asia, we learn from -Epiphanius, a writer of the fourth century. It was forbidden by the -Council of Carthage, A. D. 397. - -Vicarious work, when authorized of God, is acceptable to him. This -should not startle the Christian mind, when it is remembered that -the whole fabric of Christianity rests upon the vicarious work done -by Jesus Christ for the redemption and salvation of those who were -powerless to redeem and save themselves. Men cannot answer by proxy -for the deeds done in the body, but there have always been ceremonies -in the Church of Christ that one person might perform for another. The -priest who ministers in behalf of the people is a type of the Great -Mediator, "our only access unto God." - -If baptism had not been essential to salvation, Christ would not have -told Nicodemus what he did; the apostles would not have been sent to -"baptize all nations;" Peter, Paul, and other servants of God, would -not have commanded Jews and Gentiles to be baptized, nor would they -have emphasized the necessity of baptism in their writings. Moreover, -they would not have troubled themselves about baptism for the dead, had -it not been necessary for man's eternal welfare. - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -Purpose and Effects of Baptism. - -For the Remission of Sins.--Baptism is the divinely instituted process -by which sins, when truly repented of, are remitted; that is, forgiven -and washed away. All men have sinned; and in order to bring them back -into his pure presence, where nothing sinful can come, it is necessary -that they first be cleansed from sin. Water baptism is the beginning of -the cleansing process. - -Means and Accessories.--Water, of itself, cannot, of course, wash away -sin. It was not water that cleansed Naaman of his leprosy. It was his -obedience to the prophet who directed him to go and dip seven times in -the Jordan. Had he dipped but once, or but six times, his leprosy would -still have clung to him. But he did as he was told--dipped seven times, -and his faith, shown by his obedience, worked the cure, bringing down -the power of God for that purpose. The water was the medium through -which the power operated. Likewise, when Christ anointed the eyes of -the blind man, causing him to see, it was faith--the power of God--that -wrought the miracle; but the clay used was an accessory, as consecrated -oil was (James 5:14,15) and is still, in the healing ordinance of the -Church. - -Water and Spirit.--Baptism cleanses and illumines the soul, and -the water and the spirit are divinely appointed means by which the -cleansing and the illumination come. And they are indispensable -in the process. The sick may be healed without the use of oil, -without even the laying on of hands; for it is faith that heals, not -instrumentalities employed; but no sinner can be baptized, without the -Water and the Spirit. By baptism we are as effectually freed from sin, -and our moral status changed, as by death, burial and resurrection we -are liberated from mortality and ushered into a new existence. Hence -baptism is termed "the washing of regeneration." Regeneration means new -birth. - -Two fold Nature of Baptism.--Baptism, as already explained, is -twofold, corresponding to the soul of man. The body or fleshly part is -represented by the water, and the spirit by the Holy Ghost. The water -and the spirit are both essential in baptism, because, as previously -stated, it is not the body alone, nor the spirit alone, that is -baptized, but the soul, body and spirit in one. - -The body, I say, is represented by the water. Science tells us that -most of the human body is water. Hamlet's plaintive wish that his "too, -too, solid flesh would melt--thaw and resolve itself into a dew," was -not so very extravagant, therefore, from a scientific viewpoint. - -Spirit baptism illumines the soul, making manifest the things of God. -"Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart -of man, the great things which God hath prepared for them that love -him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit -searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:9,10). -Thus Paul explains the office of the Holy Ghost, in one of its most -important functions. The Savior had reference to the same subject when -he promised to his disciples "the Spirit of Truth," to reveal things -past, explain the present, and show things to come. The importance of -this mighty Agent, and the part played by it in baptism, was plainly -pointed out by Jesus, when he said: "Except a man be born again, he can -not see the kingdom of God." - -The Atoning Blood of Christ.--But there are three factors, not merely -two, in the process of the soul's regeneration--the spirit, the water, -and the blood. By these three man is born into the world, and by these -three he is "born again" into the kingdom of God. Ordinarily but two -of them are mentioned in connection with baptism, for only two are -actually used in baptism; but without the third, the atoning blood of -Christ, there would be no baptism for salvation. If his blood had not -been shed, there would be no redemption from the fall; the banishment -of Adam and Eve and their posterity would have been perpetual, and the -grave's victory eternal. There would be no baptism, no remission of -sins, no resurrection, but for the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of -God. Hence John the apostle says: "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth -us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). - -The Mediator.--The water and the spirit, representing, respectively, -earth and heaven, are made effectual by the blood. Man and God are thus -reconciled; Christ being the Mediator and Reconciler. There are three -that bear record in heaven--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. -There are three that bear witness on earth--the spirit, the water, and -the blood. Each group corresponds to the other; each three agree in -one. Hence, when a soul is baptized, it must be by water and by spirit, -made effectual by blood, and in the name of the Father, the Son, and -the Holy Ghost. - -Three in One.--Spirit, water, and blood-the three elements of -baptism--were combined in the person of Jesus when he was baptized -by John in the Jordan. Standing upon the river's brink, his sacred -form dripping with the waters from which he had just emerged, he was -crowned with the Holy Ghost, descending upon him from above. Yet it was -necessary that his blood should be shed, that the Spirit might come -unto his disciples. Not until the Mediator had hung between heaven and -earth, did the Holy Ghost, as the witness of his consummated sacrifice, -appear upon the scene. Not till then were the apostles endued with -power from on high. Not till then did the Spirit of God move upon the -waters of this world, coming, as in the first instance, that there -might be a creation, a new birth, a regeneration for the human race. - -The Fathers Understood.--The Greek fathers of the Christian Church held -correct ideas concerning baptism. This is shown in the terms used by -them to describe it--"initiation," from its introductory character; -"regeneration," from its being regarded as a new birth; "the great -circumcision," because it was held to have superseded the circumcision -of the Mosaic law; "illumination," and "the gift of the Lord," with -reference to the Holy Ghost. Other synonyms for the sacred ceremonial -were "consecration" and "consummation." Those baptized were understood -to have consecrated their lives to God, and to have consummated or -completed their preparation for communion with the Church of Christ. -Only to such as had been baptized was the Sacrament of the Lord's -Supper administered. - -Early Greek Christians.--The Greek Christians of the early centuries, -like the Saints of New Testament times, baptized for the remission of -sins. They have been censured by modern critics for magnifying the -importance of water baptism, and at the same time insisting on the -purely ethical or spiritual nature of the rite; for confounding the -sign with the thing signified, the action of the water with the action -of the Spirit, in the process of regeneration. But they were not any -more insistent upon these points than the apostles themselves. - -Augustine's Theory.--St. Augustine is complimented by the same critics -for formulating the first strict scientific theory of the nature and -effects of baptism. He drew a sharp distinction between what he called -"the outward sign"--water baptism--and the inward change of heart -resulting from the operation of the Holy Ghost. Yet even he is charged -with laying too much stress upon the value of "the outward sign," which -he held to be essential to salvation. - -Protestant theologians have been commended for keeping the "sign" in -due subordination to "the thing signified," for justifying themselves -by faith, and ignoring to a great extent outward ordinances. - -But the Greek Christians, whatever their defects, were nearer right -than St. Augustine; and the Catholic St. Augustine was nearer right -than the Protestant theologians who followed him. Baptism, as taught in -the New Testament, is not the mere "outward sign of an inward grace." -The action of the water and the action of the Spirit are not to be -separated in any analysis of the nature and effects of baptism. Both -are essential in the soul-cleansing, soul-enlightening, process, modern -critics to the contrary notwithstanding. - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -Mode and Meaning of Baptism. - -Use of the Figurative.--When Jesus told Nicodemus that a man must be -born again--born of water and of the Spirit--he virtually declared the -meaning of the ordinance and prescribed the mode of its administration. -Our Savior was not a mere rhetorician, ornamenting his speech for the -mere sake of ornament. A true son of the Orient, naturally given to -the use of figurative language, he was not a flourisher of phrases, -a flaunter of vain show. His parables are poems, but they teach the -truth in plainness to the wise; and because he recognized, as all great -teachers do, the power of poetic symbolism to illustrate and impress -the truth, he used it as a medium of instruction. But symbols are -not arbitrarily invented by those who use them. They are already in -existence, awaiting recognition. Poetic genius recognizes and applies -them--that is all. God has built his universe upon symbols. In every -department of creation the lesser symbolizes the greater and leads up -to its comprehension. - -Like Suggests Like.--What said the Lord to Moses? "All things have -their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of -me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; -things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the -earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under -the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me" (Moses -6:63). - -Man is a symbol of God, and is destined to become God; Earth is typical -of heaven, and will yet be converted into a heaven. "If two things -exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things -above them" (Abraham 3:16). Plato grasped the idea: "All things are in -a scale, and begin where we will, ascend and ascend, and what we call -results are beginnings." - -The Resurrection Foreshadowed.--It was to prepare the way before a -greater and higher principle, that Christ taught and exemplified -the principle of baptism. That greater and higher principle was the -resurrection, a doctrine difficult for even the apostles to comprehend, -and one that he repeatedly impressed upon them, both before and after -he arose from the dead. Hence he compared baptism to a birth--the -entry, and the only one, into mortal life; and this pointed forward to -the resurrection--the entry, and the only one, into immortal glory. -Men should therefore be prepared for something suggestive of a birth, -of a resurrection, in the ordinance prescribed by him as the means of -admittance into his kingdom. That suggestion is fully realized in the -true form of the baptismal ordinance--immersion. - -Why the Savior was Baptized.--Baptism was made universal, and became -the doorway to the Church of Christ, the kingdom of God on earth, -because it symbolizes the resurrection, which is also universal, and -without which no man can enter into the heavenly Church and Kingdom. - -Here we touch, I think, the real reason, or at least one of the -principal reasons, why Jesus was baptized. He was the Exemplar of -the Resurrection--the first to rise from the grave: and as baptism -represents the resurrection, it was fitting and appropriate that he -should also undergo that sacred ordinance. - -Immersion.--"Born of water" means to come out of the water, and coming -out of the water, presupposes going into the water. This is why we are -baptized by immersion, which means sinking, dipping, burying, plunging. -Immersion is the only mode of baptism that symbolizes a birth. Jesus -was baptized by immersion. He must have gone down into the water, for -when he was baptized he "went up straightway out of the water" (Matt. -3:16). When Philip baptized the Eunuch, "they went down both into the -water." John baptized "in Anon, near to Salim, because there was much -water there," a proof presumptive of baptism by immersion, that being -the only mode requiring "much water" for its performance. - -Paul's Concept.--Paul compared baptism to burial and resurrection: -"Buried with him [Christ] in baptism," wrote he to the Colossians -(2:12), "wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the -operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Again--this time -to the Romans: "Know ye not that so many of us as are baptized into -Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried -with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from -the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in -newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness -of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" -(Rom. 6:3-5). - -Note also Paul's words to the Corinthians, already quoted: "Else what -shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at -all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" In other words, why use -the symbol of the resurrection, if there be no resurrection--if the -symbol does not symbolize? - -Paul discovered, by symbolical reasoning, or had it revealed to him -more directly, that the children of Israel, "our fathers," were all -baptized in passing through the Red Sea, on their way to Canaan (1 Cor. -1:2): an idea which suggests that the Brother of Jared and his colony -may have been baptized in like manner, for they underwent a similar -experience in passing through ocean deeps on the way to their promised -land (Ether 6:6). - -The New Testament Mode.--That immersion was the mode instituted by John -the Baptist and perpetuated by the apostles, is a plain and reasonable -inference from the teachings of the New Testament. But, in addition, -we have the statements of philologists, archeologists, and historians, -who declare that baptism, in the early ages of Christianity, was a -dipping or submersion in water. The English word "baptize" comes from -a Greek word meaning to immerse. Monumental remains in Asia, Africa, -and Europe show that immersion was the act of baptism. The many ancient -baptisteries now remaining on those continents were built and used for -the purpose of immersion. - -The Mode Changed.--The Christian churches of the Orient--Greek, -Russian, Armenian, Nestorian, Coptic, and others, have always practiced -immersion, and allow nothing else for baptism. The western churches -preserved this form of the ordinance for thirteen centuries, and then -gradually introduced pouring or sprinkling. - -Clinic Baptism.--Baptisms of this kind were exceptional in the early -ages of the Christian Church. They were called clinic baptisms, because -administered, as a rule, to the sick, who could not be taken from their -beds to be immersed: but they were rare, and were regarded only as -quasi baptisms. The first recorded case of clinic baptism is mentioned -by Eusebius as having occurred in the third century. - -Immersion Made Optional.--Baptism by immersion was practiced regularly -in the Roman Catholic church, until the year 1311, when the Council of -Ravenna authorized a change, leaving it optional with the officiating -minister to baptize either by immersion or by sprinkling. Even infants -were baptized by immersion, until about the end of the thirteenth -century, when sprinkling came into common use. - -Luther and Calvin Disagree.--Luther sided with the immersionists, and -sought, against the tendency of the times, to restore immersion; but -Calvin held that the mode of baptism was of no consequence. Even he -admitted, however, that the word "baptism" signifies immersion; and he -said: "It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient -Church." - -Methods in Various Churches.--Pouring is the present practice in the -Roman Catholic church; sprinkling in the Church of England, and in the -Methodist church. A choice of modes is permitted by the Presbyterians, -though sprinkling is the regular form. The Baptists, as their name -implies, are strong advocates of immersion. The Quakers repudiate -baptism altogether. - -It was the custom in early ages to immerse the candidate three -times--once for each name in the Godhead; but heretics took advantage -of this practice to argue against the unity of the Trinity, and the -three-fold immersion was abolished. - -Authorized Practice.--The practice of the Church of Jesus Christ of -Latter-day Saints in baptism is indicated by the following passages -from the Book of Mormon: - -"Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your -words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye -baptize them: behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in -my name ye shall baptize them. - -"And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them -by name, saying, - -"Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name -of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. - -"And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out -of the water. - -"And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name, for behold, verily -I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are -one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I -are one. - -"And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. And -there shall be no disputations among you, as there hath hitherto been; -neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of -my doctrine, as there hath hitherto been; - -"For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of -contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of -contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, -one with another." (III Nephi 11:23-29.) - -Modern Revelation.--The Latter-day Saints derive their knowledge -of baptism not mainly from the Bible, nor from the Book of Mormon, -nor from any other ancient record of God's dealings with man. That -knowledge came directly to Joseph Smith. Through him was restored -that which was lost. He brushed aside the cobwebs and dust concealing -the precious jewel of Truth, and by new revelation brought back the -knowledge of the "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" of the ancients. - -It was the fifteenth of May, 1829. Joseph Smith, with his scribe, -Oliver Cowdery, at the little town of Harmony, Susquehanna county, -Pennsylvania, was translating the plates of the Book of Mormon. Coming -upon a passage referring to baptism for the remission of sins--a -doctrine well-nigh obsolete in Christendom--they inquired of the Lord -concerning it, retiring into a grove for that purpose. While they were -praying, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and -laying his hands upon their heads, spoke these words: - -"Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the -Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, -and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the -remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, -until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in -righteousness" (D&C 13). - -Restoration of the Priesthood.--The heavenly messenger told the two -young men that he was John the Baptist, and that he acted under the -direction of the Apostles Peter, James and John, who held the keys -of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which should in due time be conferred -upon them. The Aaronic Priesthood gave them authority to baptize with -water, but the Melchizedek Priesthood, which was greater, would give -them authority to baptize with the Holy Ghost. Agreeable to the angel's -direction, Joseph and Oliver immersed each other in water, for the -remission of their sins. Subsequently they received, under the hands -of Peter, James and John, the higher priesthood, and were themselves -ordained apostles and baptized with the Holy Ghost. They in turn -baptized others, and this was the beginning of divinely-authorized -baptismal work in this dispensation. - -The Church Law.--The standing law to the Church upon this subject is as -follows: - -"Inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes -which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of -repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism -and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when -eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents; - -"For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her -stakes which are organized; - -"And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins -when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands." (D.& -C.68:25-27.) - -The Laying On of Hands.--The laying on of hands is the -divinely-authorized method of administering spirit baptism, in -other words, imparting the Holy Ghost. It is plainly taught in the -Scriptures. For instance: - -"Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." - -"And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostle's hands the -Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, - -"Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he -may receive the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:17-19.) - -The laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost was an ordinance -in the Christian church for centuries. The ordinance remained with the -church much longer than did the Holy Ghost. Cyprian mentions it in the -third century; Augustine in the fourth. Gradually, however, it began -to be neglected, until finally some of the sects repudiated it, while -others, retaining the "form of godliness," denied "the power thereof." - -So much stress having been laid upon immersion, as the proper mode of -baptism, one might be led to inquire, Why are we not immersed in the -Spirit, as well as in the water? I answer: How know you that we are -not? To which the reply may be: We see the water, and are put under it -by the priest: but when we are confirmed or baptized with the Spirit, -the elders lay their hands upon our heads and say, "Receive ye the Holy -Ghost." There is no immersion about that; we are not dipped or plunged: -the Spirit is poured upon us. - -Be not too sure that there is no immersion about it. The fact that you -do not see it is no conclusive argument against the proposition. We see -the water because it is a temporal element: but spiritual things are -discerned by the Spirit. As to the pouring process--may not enough of -an element be poured upon a person to bury him therein? Or must that in -which a person is buried necessarily come from beneath? It was not so -in the days of Noah, when it rained forty days and forty nights that -the earth might be buried in water. As much water came from above as -from beneath at that time. - -John the Baptist, when proclaiming the Christ, said: "There cometh One -mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy -to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water; but -he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost" (Mark 1:7,8). More than one -baptism is here mentioned, but it is baptism in each case; and baptism -signifies immersion. The candidate for baptism cannot well be dipped -or plunged in the Spirit, since the Spirit is above, while the water -is beneath; but he may be covered by or "clothed upon" with the Holy -Ghost, nevertheless. The essential point in baptism is not the dipping -or plunging, but the burying and bringing forth. - -Baptism, a Symbol of Creation.--Baptism symbolizes creation. Earth, -created for Adam and his seed, was baptized--"born again"--for Noah -and his posterity. Baptized with water in that day, it will yet be -baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire. The laying on of hands and -the descent of the Spirit from above, may possibly typify the glorious -baptism that earth will yet undergo, when the Spirit is poured out -upon her from on high, and she is covered therewith as completely as -with water in the days of Noah. "I will pour out my Spirit upon all -flesh," said the Lord by the Prophet Joel (2:28). When that prophecy is -fulfilled, earth will receive her spirit baptism, and in due time be -ready for her baptism of fire. - -Fire and the Holy Ghost.--God "dwells in eternal fire" ("Joseph Smith's -Teachings," p. 82), where no mortal could approach him unconsumed. -But mortals may receive the Holy Ghost with safety. Again: the -inhabitants of the telestial world receive the Holy Spirit through the -ministrations of the terrestrial; "but where God and Christ dwell they -cannot come, worlds without end." By her fiery baptism, earth will be -consumed; her mortal elements will melt with fervent heat, and the -purified remains, immortal and in a state of resurrection, will be -converted into a celestial sphere, a glorified abode for the righteous. - -Baptism Symbolizes Birth.--Every resurrection is a birth, and every -birth implies a previous burial. No seed germinates till it dies, or -appears to die, and is buried. The farmer plants that there may be a -springing forth of new life from the germ of the old. Every seed sown -in the likeness of Christ's death shall be in the likeness of his -resurrection; that is, if it be a good seed, properly buried in good -ground. - -Every birth, I say, implies a previous burial. This is true of time in -its relations to eternity. Coming into this life involves departure -out of a previous life, and burial in this life implies birth into -the next. The sun, setting upon the western hemisphere, rises upon -the eastern; and sets upon the eastern to rise upon the western. The -setting and rising of the sun; sleep followed by waking; winter with -its icy fetters and shroud of snow, succeeded by spring in garments of -green, with its bright flowers, singing birds, and laughing streams; -all these suggest burial, and resurrection--and consequently baptism. - -Born of God.--To be "born of God" literally means to come forth from -God. "Born of woman" has a like significance. We have a Father and a -Mother in heaven, in whose image man was created, male and female. We -came forth from them--were begotten and born of them in the spirit, -as much so as we were afterwards begotten and born in the flesh; and -we must be begotten and born again, in the similitude of those other -begettings and births, or we cannot regain the presence of our eternal -Father and Mother. - -"Children of My Begetting."--Baptism signifies the creation of souls -for the kingdom of God. The priest who immerses, or the elder who -confirms, is the spiritual progenitor of the person baptized. "Children -of my begetting," Paul terms those receiving the gospel through his -instrumentality. To baptize is to perform, in a spiritual way, the -functions of fatherhood. Motherhood is the sacred symbol of the -baptismal font. Hence, baptism must be by divine authority--must have -the sanction of heaven upon it. There must first be a marriage, a union -between heavenly powers and earthly agents; otherwise the baptism will -be unlawful, the birth illegitimate, the act of begetting a crime! -Baptisms, like marriages, performed without divine authority, will have -no effect when men are dead. - -Suggestive Symbolism.--The significance of baptism is suggested by the -very career of that Divine Being whose descent from heaven to earth, -and whose ascent from earth into heaven, is the sum and substance of -the Gospel story. His experience from the time he left his celestial -throne, to the time he returned thither, was it not a descending below, -and a rising above, all things? Did he not lay down his life and take -it up again, as the Father had done before him? Is it not just possible -that baptism was instituted to symbolize this mighty birth, this mortal -burial, with its immortal resurrection? - -When the Gods sat in council to consider the creation and redemption -of this planet, what was their great thought and the theme of their -deliberations? Was it not a going down and a coming back--not only -on their part, for creative and redemptive purposes, but also on the -part of their offspring, for purposes of experience and progression? -What wonder, then, if in the gospel plan, whereby the spirits of men -and women might accomplish this foreordained descent into, and ascent -out of, the world, there should be an ordinance symbolical of the vast -vicissitude? - -Moreover, in the symbolism of the scriptures this world is represented -by water. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, -and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the -face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the -waters." Here, at the very dawn of creation, are the two principles -or elements--spirit and water--with which baptisms are performed--one -creative, the other creatable; one representing heaven, the other, -earth. Note the reference in Daniel (7) to beasts, representing earthly -governments, coming up from the sea. Note the Savior's parable, -likening the kingdom of heaven to a net cast into the sea; the sea -symbolizing the world, the fishes, the souls drawn out of the world. -Note also Revelation (13) where a beast representing anti-Christ, -rises out of the sea: and (17) where a woman, the Mother of Harlots, -representing a great city reigning over the kings of the earth, is -described as "sitting upon many waters"--the waters signifying "peoples -and multitudes and nations and tongues." - -Much of the body of this world--the physical frame of a spiritual -creation--is water, even parts of it that seem solid. Science so -affirms, and who can gainsay it? Walt Whitman, that eccentric poetic -genius, speaks of "the slumbering and liquid trees." Thales, the -founder of Greek philosophy, started out with the proposition: "All -things are water." He ascribed to water the powers of creation, -supposing that he had found in it the primal element, or great first -cause. He omitted the real creative principle--the Spirit of God, -which in the beginning "moved upon the face of the waters," or as -Milton says, "dove-like sat brooding on the vast abyss." Thales being a -physicist, took no account of the spiritual. Geology asserts that the -earth was once submerged in water. The scriptures also declare it, and -without reference to the deluge. "Let the dry land appear!"--the very -words suggest baptism, birth, creation--the emergence of a primitive -planet from the womb of the waters. Water, symbolically if not -literally, represents the temporal part of creation, including the body -or mortal part of man. - -Is not baptism, therefore, in its two-fold character and significance, -suggestive of the soul's passing out from this watery world, into the -spirit world, and thence, by resurrection, into eternal glory? It is -only a suggestion, but it seems to emphasize, for me, the reason why -the doorway to the Church and Kingdom of God is a double doorway, a -dual birth, a baptism of Water and of the Spirit? - - - -Priesthood and Church Government. - -CHAPTER I. - -Divine Authority. - -"Priest" Defined.--The English word "Priest" is generally derived from -the New Testament term "presbyter" (Elder), which means "to preside." -Aristotle's definition of "Priest" is, "presiding over things relating -to the gods." Similar to this is Paul's understanding of the term, -as expressed in Heb. 5:1: "Every high priest taken from among men -is constituted on the behalf of men, with respect to their concerns -with God, that he may present both gifts and sacrifices for sins." In -Arabic, the word denotes to prophesy, to foretell, as a soothsayer, -also to act as a mediator or middle person in any business. In the -earliest families of the race of Shem, the offices of priest and -prophet were united, so that the word originally meant both. The Hebrew -idiom kept one part of the idea, and the Arabic another. The primary -meaning of the Hebrew word is regarded to be the rendering of honorable -and dignified service, like that of ministers of state to their -sovereign. - -Meaning of "Priesthood."--"Priesthood" is the office or character of -a priest. The term also denotes the execution of that office, and -signifies a class of priests, or the order of men set apart for sacred -offices--priests collectively. - -So much for human wisdom, and what it has gleaned upon this subject -from the literary fields of the past. - -To the Latter-day Saints, who owe most of their knowledge concerning it -to modern revelation, "Priesthood" means divine authority, conferred -upon men chosen of God to officiate in his name and in his stead. It -also signifies the men bearing that authority, the possession of which -constitutes them legal representatives of the Almighty. "No man taketh -this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." -(Hebrews 5:4.) - -Necessity for a Priesthood.--The necessity for a priesthood is as -obvious as the necessity for a gospel. The laws of God, like the laws -of man, require officers and a government to administer them. God -cannot be everywhere in person. He is omnipresent by his Spirit, his -power, his authority, and his influence. But in person, being in the -form of man, he is subject to certain limitations, imposed by eternal -law and the very nature of things. There are some things that even -the Omnipotent cannot do. I speak it with all reverence, and for a -good purpose--the teaching of the truth in plainness. For instance, -he cannot make something out of nothing, though many pious people -ascribe to him that power--the power to perform the impossible and -absurd. He cannot be in two or more places, at precisely one and the -same time--not in person. Therefore, to carry on his work throughout -the universe, he must have agents to represent him, and this is the -fundamental fact underlying the necessity for a Priesthood and a Church -organization. - -President Smith's Definition.--When we speak of Priesthood we mean -God's authority, and the men holding that authority, to administer the -laws and ordinances of the gospel. Let me cite here some remarks made -by President Joseph F. Smith, at a general conference of the Church. -Said he: - -"What is Priesthood? It is nothing more nor less than the power of God -delegated to man, by which man can act in the earth for the salvation -of the human family, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy -Ghost; and act legitimately in assuming that authority--an authority -that has been given in this day in which we live, by ministering angels -and spirits from above, direct from the presence of Almighty God, who -have come to the earth and administered the priesthood to the children -of men. * * * It is the same power and priesthood that was committed -to the disciples of Christ while he was upon the earth; that whatever -should be bound on earth should be bound in heaven, and whatever should -be loosed on earth should be loosed in heaven." - -The Principle of Representation.--Inherent in the Priesthood is the -principle of representation. Priesthood, as President Smith affirms, -is the delegated authority of God, and so plenary and far-reaching are -its powers, that when those holding that authority are in the line of -their duty, and have the spirit of their calling, their official acts -and utterances are as valid as if God himself were personally present, -doing and saying what his servants do and say for him. - -A Soul-Searching Admonition.--A tremendous power for frail mortal man -to wield! Yes; and to guard against its abuse, the exercise of this -divine prerogative by weak human beings is hedged about with certain -conditions and limitations, as indicated by the following inspired -admonition from the lips of Joseph the Seer: - -"Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they -not chosen? - -"Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, -and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one -lesson-- - -"That the rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the -powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor -handled only upon the principles of righteousness. - -"That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake -to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to -exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the -children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens -withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is -withdrawn, Amen to the Priesthood, or the authority of that man. - -"Behold! ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the -pricks; to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. - -"We have learned, by sad experience, that it is the nature and -disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, -as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous -dominion. - -"Hence many are called, but few are chosen. - -"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the -Priesthood, only by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness, and -meekness, and by love unfeigned; - -"By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul -without hypocrisy, and without guile. - -"Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, -and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom -thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; - -"That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of -death; - -"Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the -household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly, -then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God, and the -doctrine of the Priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from -heaven. - -"The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy sceptre an -unchanging sceptre of righteousness and truth, and thy dominion shall -be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow -unto thee for ever and ever."--(D. and C. 121:34-46.) - -An Echo from Eternity.--Can anyone, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, -doubt the heavenly origin of such wise and sublime instructions? Are -they not virtually an echo from the heights of eternity, where the Gods -sat in council before the foundation of the world, and decreed freedom, -not tyranny; persuasion, not compulsion; charity, not intolerance, to -be the platform upon which the servants of God should stand? - -"Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to -destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and -also that I should give unto him mine own power, by the power of mine -Only Begotten I caused that he should be cast down." (Moses 4:3.) - -A Gold and Silver Shield.--But there is another side to the question. -It is a gold and silver shield that we are contemplating. If those -bearing the priesthood are careful to confine themselves to the lawful -and legitimate exercise of the sacred powers conferred upon them, -acting as men of God should act, and doing no other things than those -commanded by divine revelation or inspired by the Holy Spirit; what -then? In that event the responsibility shifts to other shoulders, and -just how weighty the responsibility is, the Savior himself tells in the -following prophetic parable: - -How God Will Judge the World.--"When the Son of Man shall come in his -glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the -throne of his glory: - -"And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate -them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: - -"And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the -left. - -"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed -of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation -of the world: - -"For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave -me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: - -"Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in -prison, and ye came unto me. - -"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an -hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? - -"When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed -thee? - -"Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? - -"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto -you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my -brethren, ye have done it unto me. - -"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye -cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: - -"For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye -gave me no drink: - -"I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: -sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. - -"Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an -hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, -and did not minister unto thee? - -"Then shall he answer them, saying. Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as -ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. - -"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous -into life eternal." (Matthew 25:31-46.) - -This, then, is one of the moral standards by which men and nations -will be judged: How have you treated my servants whom I sent unto you? -Happy the man or the nation who can truthfully reply to the Just and -Righteous One in that day: Lord, I rendered unto thy servants the same -respect and obedience that I would have shown unto thee, hadst thou -been present in person. - -Warning and Exhortation.--The Savior's solemn warning to the world may -well be supplemented by his servant Joseph's impressive exhortation -to the Priesthood and the Church in general. He was addressing the -apostles and some of the seventies, prior to their mission to Europe, -in the summer of 1839: - -"O ye Twelve! and all Saints! profit by this important key--that in all -your trials, troubles, temptations, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments -and death, see to it, that you do not betray Heaven; that you do not -betray Jesus Christ; that you do not betray the brethren; that you -do not betray the revelations of God, whether in the Bible, Book of -Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants, or any other that ever was or ever -will be given and revealed unto man in this world or that which is -to come. Yea, in all your kicking and flounderings, see to it that -you do not this thing, lest innocent blood be found upon your skirts, -and you go down to hell. All other sins are not to be compared to -sinning against the Holy Ghost, and proving a traitor to the brethren." -("History of the Church," Vol. III, p. 385.) - -Such warnings give added weight to an ancient admonition that comes -sounding through the centuries: "Touch not mine anointed; do my -prophets no harm." - -Agents of the Almighty.--What it means to bear the Priesthood and to -officiate therein, is made clear to the comprehension by considering -men clothed upon with divine authority as agents of God, sent forth to -transact business in his name and in his interest. What kind of men -ought they to be, and what is required of them by Him who sent them -forth? Such a question can have but one consistent answer: They should -be men who will represent him truly and faithfully. They should reflect -his intelligence, his goodness, his benevolence, and as diligent, -upright agents of the One who commissioned and empowered them to carry -on his work, follow closely the instructions that he has given, doing -conscientiously and thoroughly what they sincerely believe he would do -were he present in his own proper person. Such men should live so near -to the Lord, that when the letter--the revealed word--falls short, the -Spirit that inspired it, resting upon them as a continual benediction, -can readily give "line upon line" of revelation, flash upon flash of -inspiration, to illumine and make plain the path they are to tread. -This is what it means to be an agent of the Almighty, a representative -of God. - -"And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, -shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind -of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the -Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." (D. and C. 68:4.) - - - -CHAPTER II. - -Divine Authority, Continued. - -A Twofold Power.--In an article on Priesthood, prepared by the Prophet -Joseph Smith, and read at a conference of the Church in Nauvoo, -Illinois, October, 1840, the following sentences occur: - -"There are two Priesthoods spoken of in the scripture, viz., the -Melchizedek and the Aaronic or Levitical. Although there are two -Priesthoods, yet the Melchizedek Priesthood comprehends the Aaronic -or Levitical Priesthood, and is the grand head, and holds the highest -authority which pertains to the Priesthood, and the keys of the -kingdom of God, in all ages of the world to the latest posterity on -the earth, and is the channel through which all knowledge, doctrine, -the plan of salvation, and every important matter is revealed from -heaven."--("History of the Church," Vol. IV, p. 207.) - -Spiritual and Temporal.--Why there are two priesthoods, or, more -properly speaking, two grand divisions of the Priesthood, is because -the Church of Christ has to do with temporal as well as with spiritual -things. All things, however, are spiritual unto God. The laws and -commandments that emanate from him are of that character. He gives no -temporal commandment. All his laws are spiritual. As eternity includes -time, so the spiritual includes the temporal. - -A Divided Jurisdiction.--The Melchizedek Priesthood has general -authority and jurisdiction over all things, spiritual and temporal: -while the Aaronic or lesser Priesthood, which is an appendage to the -higher power, has a limited jurisdiction, its special calling being to -administer in temporal things. - -"The Melchizedek Priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has -power and authority over all the offices in the church in all ages of -the world, to administer in spiritual things. - -"The second priesthood is called the priesthood of Aaron, because it -was conferred upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations. - -"Why it is called the lesser priesthood, is because it is an appendage -to the greater or the Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power in -administering outward ordinances. - -"The power and authority of the Higher or Melchizedek Priest hood, is -to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church. * * * - -"The power and authority of the Lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is -to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer -in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel--the baptism of -repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and -commandments."--(D. and C. 107:8, 13, 14, 18-20.) - -The Government of God.--The Government of God, with its two great -wings of authority, corresponds to the duality of the soul: and the -saving of souls, here and hereafter, is the grand purpose for which -this government, the Church of Christ, was organized. The necessity -for a church,--which some people question, just as some question the -necessity for a civil government, or a government of any sort,--ought -to be apparent at a glance. It is as plain as that twice two make four. -Two men, united, are more capable than one man, the powers possessed -by them being equal. Individuals, working separately, however good -their intentions, can never accomplish as much as a community of men -and women, imbued with a common purpose, and pushing forward the -same enterprise. The difference between a single shot and a whole -volley, between one rifleman and a regiment, may serve as a sufficient -illustration. - -The Priesthood and the Soul.--As the spirit and the body constitute -the soul, so the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods constitute the -government of the Church. As through the medium of the mortal body, -with its various members and organs, the tangible things of this life -are grasped and utilized, while things pertaining to a higher state of -existence are perceived, comprehended, and made practical, by means -of the spiritual faculties; so, by this twain of powers, differing in -their prerogatives, yet allied, interwoven, and harmonious in their -mutual workings, is carried on, in this world and in all worlds, -the great cause of truth and righteousness, for the salvation and -never-ending progress of God's children. - -Furthermore, to continue the analogy, it is the spirit, or higher part -of man, that controls, directs, and supplies the motive power for the -body, being the vital mainspring of that wondrous piece of machinery, -whose functions are forwarded by the animation resulting from union and -normal operation. Even so is it the Melchizedek Priesthood, holding the -right of presidency, which controls, influences, and directs the entire -body of the Church, delegating, however, a portion of its authority -to the Lesser Priesthood, that it likewise may possess and wield its -legitimate powers, and execute fully the purposes for which it was -designed. - -The Channel of Revelation.--Speaking of the eternity of the Priesthood, -the Prophet Joseph says: - -"Its institution was prior to the foundation of this earth, or the -morning stars sang together, or the Sons of God shouted for joy,' and -is the highest and holiest Priesthood, and is after the order of the -Son of God, and all other priesthoods are only parts, ramifications, -powers and blessings belonging to the same, and are held, controlled, -and directed by it. It is the channel through which the Almighty -commenced revealing his glory at the beginning of the creation of this -earth, and through which he has continued to reveal himself to the -children of men to the present time, and through which he will make -known his purposes to the end of time."--("History of the Church," Vol. -IV, p. 207.) - -Adam's Position.--In another place, the Prophet thus continues: - -"The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First -Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He -obtained it in the creation, before the world was formed [that is, -in the spiritual creation, before the temporal world was formed]. He -had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the -Archangel, spoken of in the scriptures."--("History of the Church," -Vol. III, pp. 385, 386.) - -Noah Next to Adam.--"Then to Noah, who is Gabriel; he stands next in -authority to Adam in the Priesthood; he was called of God to this -office, and was the father of all living in his day, and to him was -given the dominion. These men held keys first on earth, and then in -heaven."--(Ibid, p. 386.) - -An Everlasting Principle.--"The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, -and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without -beginning of days or end of years. The keys have to be brought from -heaven whenever the gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, -it is by Adam's authority. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -Succession and Descent.--"The Savior, Moses, and Elias gave the keys to -Peter, James and John, on the mount, when they were transfigured before -Him. * * * How have we come at the Priesthood in the last days? It came -down, down, in regular succession. Peter, James and John had it given -to them, and they gave it to others. Christ is the Great High Priest: -Adam next."--(Ibid, 386-388.) - -Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.--Peter, James and John--not as mortal -men, but as ministering angels, sent from heaven for the purpose--gave -the Melchizedek Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery; and -prior to the coming of that Priesthood, they received the Aaronic -Priesthood from John the Baptist, also acting as an angel. The exact -date of the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood is not given in -the Church records, but the event must have taken place between May 15, -1829, when the Aaronic Priesthood was conferred upon Joseph and Oliver, -and April 6, 1830, the date of the Church's organization, when they -were sustained, respectively, as the First and Second Elders thereof. - -Spirits Foreordained.--In view of the fact that these ordinations were -subsequent to the Prophet's vision, in the spring of 1820, when the -Father and the Son appeared to him, some have found it difficult to -interpret the divine declaration, that no man without the Melchizedek -Priesthood "can see the face of God, even the Father, and live." (D&C -84:19-22.) But the problem is easy of solution, in the light of the -Prophet's teachings. Did he not give the key to it when he said that -certain men, called to minister to the inhabitants of this world, were -ordained to that very purpose before the world was? (Compendium, p. -285.) I have already cited the examples of Abraham and Jeremiah, who -were "chosen" and "ordained" before they were born. That Joseph Smith -was likewise preordained, seems to me a necessary inference, in view of -the facts presented. For if no man without the Melchizedek Priesthood -can see the face of God the Father and live, and Joseph Smith, nine -years before he received either of the Priesthoods from those heavenly -messengers, looked upon the faces of both the Father and the Son and -survived, it indicates, in accordance with his own statement and the -examples given, that certain spirits are ordained to certain callings -before they tabernacle in the flesh, and that he himself held the -Melchizedek Priesthood when he saw the face of God at the opening of -the last gospel dispensation. - -An ordination in the flesh, after an ordination in the spirit, seems -perfectly consistent; for the body was not present when the spirit was -ordained, and it is the soul, spirit and body, that God is dealing -with and acting through, in this stage of existence. That supplemental -ordinations are sometimes in order, is evident from the fact that -Joseph and Oliver ordained each other, after they had been ordained by -the angel, or angels; and that, too, by divine commandment.--("Pearl of -Great Price,"--"Writings of Joseph Smith," 2:71.) - -Natural and Spiritual Eyes.--There is another interpretation, which -holds that the necessity for the Melchizedek Priesthood, in the case of -those who look upon the countenance of Deity, applies only to such as -behold him with the natural eye, and that it has no reference to those -who see God by means of the spiritual vision. Joseph's experience, when -he beheld the Father and the Son, was probably a parallel to that of -Moses, when he saw God face to face, and testified as follows: - -"Mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual -eyes; for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have -withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me, and I -beheld his face; for I was transfigured before him."--(Moses 1:11.) - -That this was the way in which Joseph saw God, is virtually affirmed in -the following passage: - -"We, Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon, being in the Spirit, * * * -by the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened, and our understandings -were enlightened, so as to see and understand the things of God * * * -whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the heavenly vision."--(D. -and C. 76:11, 12, 14.) - -In other words, Joseph and Sidney saw God (Jesus Christ) with their -spiritual eyes (the eyes of their spirits), reinforced by the -all-revealing Spirit of God. - -Qualifications for the Priesthood.--The qualifications required in -those whom the Lord ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood are thus -outlined in the Book of Mormon: - -"My brethren," [it is the Prophet Alma who is speaking]. "I would that -ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy -order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto -the people. - -"And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a -manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look -forward to his Son for redemption. - -"And this is the manner after which they were ordained: being called -and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the -foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good -works: in the first place being left to choose good or evil: therefore -they having chosen good, and exercising exceeding great faith, are -called with a holy calling, * * * while others would reject the Spirit -of God on account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of -their minds, while, if it had not been for this, they might had as -great privilege as their brethren. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"Now they were ordained after this manner: Being called with a holy -calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the -High Priesthood of the holy order, which calling and ordinance and High -Priesthood is without beginning or end: - -"Thus they become High Priests for ever, after the order of the Son, -the Only Begotten of the Father. * * * * - -"Now as I said concerning the holy order of this High Priesthood: -there were many who were ordained and became High Priests of God: and -it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their -righteousness before God."--(Alma 13:1-10.) - - - -CHAPTER III. - -The Church Organization. - -An Incomparable System.--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day -Saints is conceded to be an almost perfect system, even by men -outside its pale. Such a one has said of it: "It is the most perfect -organization in existence, except the German army." The eulogy involves -an anticlimax--as if one were to affirm: The sun is the brightest -luminary in the heavens--except the moon. The German army represents, -perhaps, the quintessence of human military wisdom: but like the moon, -it borrows its brilliance. The case is different with the Church -of God. Like the sun, it shines with original light, with divine -intelligence, of which it is the product. Between it and any creation -of man's, no comparison is possible. - -A Counterpart of the Church in Heaven.--The Church of Christ on earth -is a counterpart, so far as conditions will permit, of the Church of -Christ in heaven. How it came hither was indicated by Joseph the Seer -while giving direction for the organization of the various councils -and quorums of the Priesthood. Thus: "And it is according to the -vision, showing the order of the seventy, that they should have seven -presidents to preside over them."--(D. and C. 107:93.) Mark the words, -"It is according to the vision." Evidently the Prophet organized the -Priesthood after some model that he had seen in vision: and what more -probable than that this model was the Church of the First Born, as -it exists in all its perfection in the celestial worlds? While the -Church on earth is not yet as perfect as it will one day be, it is -approximating toward that perfection, and is destined to attain it. It -is doubtful that the Church, in any former dispensation, had so perfect -an organization as it possesses at the present time. This admirable and -wonderful scheme of spiritual-temporal government was revealed from -above and established here below, that the will of God might be done on -earth even as it is done in heaven. - -The Original Offices.--The original offices of the Church of Jesus -Christ of Latter-day Saints were elder, priest, teacher, and deacon; -all, except elder, callings in the Aaronic Priesthood. Other offices, -pertaining to the Priesthood of Melchizedek, were evolved as fast as -they became necessary. For instance, the first bishops were ordained -in 1831, nearly a year after the Church was organized. There was no -First Presidency until 1832, and no stake organization until 1834. -The twelve apostles were not chosen until 1835, nor the first quorums -of seventy. But all these offices and callings were inherent in the -Priesthood, conferred upon Joseph Smith before the Church had any -organization at all. They who find fault with the Church,--as some who -have left it do,--on the ground that the Lord organized it with elders, -priests, teachers and deacons, and that men have added such titles and -dignities as high priest, president, patriarch, etc., would be no more -inconsistent were they to criticize a human being for not remaining -a child, for growing up to manhood or womanhood and fulfiling their -measure of creation. - -First Lesser, then Greater.--As already shown, the first priesthood -that came to earth in this dispensation was the Aaronic Priesthood, -conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, May 15, 1829. According -to the critical wiseacre, that should have ended the matter: there -should have been no further ordination, no organization of the Church, -no further development in the work of the Lord. But there was to be, -nevertheless. As in the case of John the Baptist, who ordained Joseph -and Oliver, it is the mission of the Lesser Priesthood to go before -the Greater, preparing the way. In due time came the Melchizedek -Priesthood, conferred by Peter, James and John, and under this dual -authorization the Church was organized, on the sixth of April, 1830. It -has had a marvelous history, and a wonderful growth. Never so strong, -or so well equipped, as now, its future is rife with glorious promise. - -Epitome of Church Government.--The Aaronic Priesthood administers in -all outward ordinances, such as baptism, the sacrament of the Lord's -supper, etc. The higher ordinances, such as confirmations, sealings, -adoptions, and other ceremonies of the Temple, must be administered by -the Priesthood of Melchizedek. - -The offices of the Aaronic Priesthood, graded upward, are deacon, -teacher and priest, and the presidency of that priesthood is the -bishopric. The bishop has charge of the Church property, and he -receives and disburses the tithes, fast offerings, and other revenues, -under the direction of the higher authorities. There is a presiding -bishopric, who have general charge of the funds provided for the -support of the poor, for the building of temples, and for other -purposes. They also have in custody the general financial records of -the Church. A bishop must either be a lineal descendant of Aaron, in -which event he can act without counselors, or he must be a high priest -after the order of Melchizedek, having as his counselors two other -high priests of that order. Under the jurisdiction of the presiding -bishopric, in temporal matters, are the bishoprics of the wards. The -ward is a division of the stake, as the stake is a division of the -Church. - -A stake, in territorial extent, often corresponds to a county, though -in populous districts there may be several stakes in one county. There -are four stakes in Salt Lake City. Each stake has a presidency of three -and a high council of twelve, and these have jurisdiction over all -members and organizations in the stake, including the ward bishoprics. -The ward bishopric constitutes a court for the trial of members who -transgress the Church laws and regulations. From the decision of the -bishop's court either party in the case may appeal to the high council; -and from a decision of the high council an appeal may be taken to the -First Presidency, who review the evidence, and if any injustice has -been done, they remand the case for a new trial. If a President of the -Church were tried, it would have to be before "the common council of -the Church," assisted by "twelve counselors of the high priesthood." -The extreme penalty imposed by any Church tribunal is excommunication. - -The Melchizedek Priesthood comprises, in an ascending scale, the -offices of elder, seventy, and high priest. There are also the callings -of patriarch, apostle, and president, who must all be high priests -after this order. Each specific body of high priests, seventies, -elders, priests, teachers, or deacons, is called a quorum, but most of -the general priesthood organizations are termed councils. - -The Council of the First Presidency is composed of three, one of them -the President, and the other two his first and second counselors. These -three high priests preside over the entire Church. The President is -prophet, seer and revelator, and likewise trustee-in-trust for the -Church, holding the legal title to its property. - -Next in authority to the First Presidency is the council of the twelve -apostles, whose special mission is to preach the gospel, or cause it to -be preached, in all nations. The apostles have the right to regulate -and set in order the Church throughout the world, but they act under -the direction of the First Presidency, and exercise presidential power -only in the absence of the higher council. The death of the President -of the Church dissolves the First Presidency, rendering necessary a -new organization of that council. It is the privilege of the apostles -to nominate the President of the Church, who then chooses his two -counselors. - -Next to the twelve apostles stands the presiding patriarch; it is his -duty to bless the Church, to give individual blessings to its members, -and comfort them with spiritual ministrations. He also assists the -apostles in visiting the stakes, attending conferences, and performing -other duties as required. - -Presiding over the great body of the seventies, are seven presidents, -known as the first council of the seventy. They are next in authority -to the council of the twelve. These seven, with the senior presidents -of the first sixty-three quorums of seventy, form a council equal in -authority to either of the two higher councils: but they can exercise -authority to the extent of presiding over the Church, only in the -absence of the First Presidency and the twelve apostles. - -Next comes the presiding bishopric, already mentioned, composed of -three high priests, having jurisdiction over the temporalities of -the Church. The First Presidency, the twelve apostles, the presiding -patriarch, the first council of the seventy, and the presiding -bishopric, constitute the general authorities. The names of all general -officers, from the President down, are submitted to the general -conference, held twice a year, to be voted upon by the members of -the Church. They are also presented at the stake conferences, held -quarterly, to be voted upon, with the stake officers, in like manner. - -Under the presidency and high council of each stake, are one or more -patriarchs, whose ministry, so far as blessings are concerned, is -similar to that of the presiding patriarch. They minister, however, -only in their own stakes. Each stake has a quorum of high priests, -indefinite in number, presided over by three of its members. The -high priesthood holds the inherent right of presidency, and it is -from the high priests that presidencies are selected, such as the -First Presidency, the council of the twelve, a stake presidency, or a -bishopric. While the seventies, as an entire body, are presided over -by their first council, they are divided into quorums of seventy, -each quorum having seven presidents of its own. The special duty of -the seventies is to assist the apostles in preaching the gospel, and -they labor under the direction of the twelve. Unlike the high priests, -elders, and lesser priesthood, the seventies are independent of the -jurisdiction of the stake presidency, as quorums, though not as -individual members. They are the "minute men" of the Church, subject to -sudden calls into the mission field. A stake has one or more quorums -of elders, each composed of ninety-six members, three of whom preside. -Each ward should have one or more quorums of priests (forty-eight), -teachers (twenty-four), and deacons (twelve), each with a presidency of -three. A ward bishopric presides in a general way over all the quorums -of the Aaronic Priesthood in the ward, and over all Church members, as -individuals, residing therein. The bishop of the ward is ex-officio -president of the priests' quorum. - -The elder's office is the lowest in the Melchizedek Priesthood proper. -The duties of an elder are similar to those of a seventy, though they -are exercised more at home than abroad. Next under the office of elder, -is that of priest, the high est office in the Aaronic Priesthood, -excepting the bishop, who, however, is a priest, and officiates as such -when sitting as a judge, but as a high priest, in presiding over his -ward. The priest may preach, baptize, and administer the sacrament, -but has not the right to lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. -That is a function of the Melchizedek Priesthood, to be exercised only -by the elders and those above them. The teacher is a peace-maker. It -is his duty to settle difficulties arising between Church members in -his district, or, if he cannot settle them, to report them to the -bishop under whose jurisdiction he labors. A ward is divided into -districts, and in each district two or more teachers labor regularly. -It is incumbent upon them to visit from house to house, to see that no -iniquity shall exist among the members, that they attend their meetings -faithfully, and do all things required by the laws and regulations of -the Church. The teachers report monthly, or as often as required, to -the bishopric. The deacons have charge of the ward property, and are to -assist the teachers, as the teachers assist the priests, when necessary. - -There are at present sixty-five stakes of Zion, all located in the -region of the Rocky Mountains. Two of these stakes are in Canada, -and until recently there was another in Mexico. The stakes organized -in Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, were abandoned when the Saints -were compelled to flee from their former homes. In addition to the -sixty-five stakes, there are twenty-one outside missions, comprising -most of the countries of the globe. There is also a central bureau of -information, at Salt Lake City, the headquarters of the Church. The -Latter-day Saints, in all the world, number about half a million. - -All the organizations named are strictly within the place of the -Priesthood: but in addition there are auxiliary organizations, such -as Relief Societies, Sabbath Schools, Young Men's and Young Ladies' -Mutual Improvement Associations, Primary Associations, and Religion -Classes. The Relief Societies, which form a vast net-work over all the -stakes, wards, and most of the missions, are women's organizations, -for the care and comfort of the sick and the needy. The Deseret Sunday -School Union has a membership of over 150,000. The Mutual Improvement -Associations are what their name implies: the sexes meet separately, -except in monthly conjoint sessions, and study systematically religion, -history, philosophy, and the arts and sciences. The Primaries are for -the training of children too young for membership in the Mutuals; and -the Religion Classes are for special instruction to the youth of both -sexes. Church schools exist in many of the stakes, the most notable -being the Brigham Young University of Provo, the Brigham Young College -of Logan, and the Latter-day Saints University of Salt Lake City. Old -folks' committees, for the entertainment of the aged, regardless of -sect or creed, are another institution of the Church, and are found in -most of the stakes and wards throughout Zion. - -For further information on Priesthood and Church government, the reader -is referred to D&C 20,68,84,107,112, and 114 of the Doctrine and -Covenants; also to the "History of the Church," Volume III, page 385: -and Volume IV, page 207. - - - -The Gospel Dispensations - -CHAPTER I. - -Introductory - -One Plan of Salvation.--As there is but one Savior, so is there but one -plan of salvation. There never was, and there never can be, another -"I marvel," wrote Paul to the back-sliding Galatians, "that ye are so -soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto -another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble -you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel -from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have -preached unto you, let him be accursed."--(Galatians 1:6-8.) - -For All Men.--The Gospel of Christ is not of any one place, nor of -any one period. Neither is it for the salvation of any class, to the -exclusion of other classes. It is for all men, and was made plain -and simple, that it might appeal to all. At the same time, it is the -mightiest, the sublimest, and the most profound system of philosophy -that the world has ever known. It is not a child of earth, nor a -product of human wisdom. It came out of eternity, from the very bosom -of God, and has been upon the earth at different times and places. It -is the Everlasting Gospel, the same yesterday, today, and forever, and -all true principles of religion, science, or philosophy, now popular in -the world, are but parts of it--broken off fragments of this grand Rock -of Ages. Or, to change the figure, they are as pools of water, caught -in the clefts and hollows of time, when the great flood of Truth, in -one or more of its visitations, swept by on its way back to the eternal -ocean. - -All Truth Divine.--Every religion in existence that has benefited its -believers, must have possessed at some period a portion of divine -truth; and that truth is what perpetuated it, not the errors associated -therewith. These are as cobwebs and dust, the accumulated rubbish of -false tradition, in which the precious jewel is wholly or in part -concealed. Yes, every religion, Christian or Pagan, that has proved a -real blessing to its votaries, is as a cistern holding within it waters -once wholesome and pure,--waters that fell originally from heaven, -in one of those grand spiritual showers, called dispensations of the -gospel, when the flood gates of eternity were lifted, that the world -might be refreshed. - -The Arab and the Caliph.--But spiritual waters, like the waters of -earth, will lose their sweetness and purity, if separated too far -and too long from their fountain-head. They will become stagnant and -unwholesome, like the water carried for many days by the poor Arab in -his leathern bottle, from the sparkling spring in the desert to the -distant palace of the Caliph, who magnanimously rewarded the giver, not -for the rank draught presented for his acceptance, but for the goodness -of his motive, the sincerity of his soul. - -God's Word Apportioned.--How every tribe and nation receives its -portion of the divine word, is thus told in the Nephite record: - -"O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I -might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake -the earth, and cry repentance unto every people: - -"Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, -repentance, and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and -come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the -face of the earth. - -"But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be -content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me. - -"I ought not to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, -for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether -it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he allotteth unto -men, according to their wills; whether they be unto salvation or unto -destruction. - -"Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; or he -that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good -and evil, to him it is given according to his desires; whether he -desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience. - -"Now seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more than to -perform the work to which I have been called? - -"Why should I desire that I was an angel, that I could speak unto all -the ends of the earth? - -"For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation -and tongue, to teach his word; yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit -that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in -wisdom, according to that which is just and true."--(Alma 29:1-8.) - -An Oft-Restored Religion.--The Gospel of Christ did not make its first -appearance upon this planet at the time of the Savior's crucifixion. -While it seemed a new thing to that generation--for they were -"astonished at the doctrine" of the Nazarene, who taught them the -return of good for evil as a better rule of conduct than the Mosaic law -of retaliation--in reality it was older than all the ages, older than -the earth itself. It might have said, with its divine Author: "Before -Abraham was I am"--with reference to the mortal life of Abraham. -Originating in the heavens, before this world was created, the gospel, -prior to its preaching in the meridian of time, had been revealed to -man in a series of dispensations, beginning with Adam and extending -down to that day. The ancient apostles of our Lord preached a restored -gospel, just as much as do the apostles, seventies, and elders of the -Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. - -"Dispensation" Defined.--It is time to ask, and to more fully answer -the question, What is meant by the term "dispensation"? To dispense -is to deal out or distribute, as when the sacrament of the Lord's -Supper is dispensed to a congregation. "Dispensation of Providence" -is a phrase used to describe some dealing of God with man, either for -joy or sorrow to the object of the visitation. In theology the term -"Dispensation" signifies the method or scheme by which God has at -different times developed his purposes and revealed himself to man. -It also denotes a period marked by some particular development of the -divine purpose and revelation, such as the Mosaic dispensation, lasting -from Moses to Christ: or the Christian dispensation, ending in a -universal apostasy which rendered necessary the latter-day restoration -of the gospel and the Priesthood. - -Seven Periods.--It is held by many that there are seven gospel -dispensations, seven distinct periods, during which the plan of -salvation, restored from heaven to earth, has been administered to the -children of men; the intervals of spiritual darkness between those -periods of light resulting from the world's unworthiness. Revelation, -so far as I am aware, is silent as to the number of the dispensations; -but I am among those who incline to the belief that seven is -correct; a belief probably founded, in part, upon the scriptural or -symbolical character of that number, and upon the Prophet Joseph's -teaching relative to the seven periods, answering to the seven seals -of the mystical book seen by John the Revelator in his vision on -Patmos.--(Rev. 5 and 6.) - -The Apocalyptic Book.--Section Seventy-Seven of the Doctrine and -Covenants is a key to John's revelation, consisting of a series of -questions and answers; those germane to this subject being as follows: - -"What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed -on the back with seven seals?" - -"We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, -and works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this -earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its -temporal existence." - -"What are we to understand by the seven seals with which it was sealed?" - -"We are to understand that the first seal contains the things of the -first thousand years, and the second also of the second thousand years, -and so on until the seventh." - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"What are we to understand by the sounding of the trumpets, mentioned -in the 8th chapter of Revelations?" - -"We are to understand that as God made the world in six days, and on -the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also -formed man out of the dust of the earth; even so, in the beginning of -the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and -complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem -all things, except that which he hath not put into his power, when -he shall have sealed all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of -the seven angels, are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the -beginning of the seventh thousand years;--the preparing of the way -before the time of his coming." - -Whether or not these seven periods are looked upon as gospel -dispensation, it is interesting to consider them as covering the same -ground, paralleling, or extending through, the same mighty stretch of -duration, and dealing with events, epochs, personages and principles -connected with those dispensations. - -The World's Real History.--Concerning "the book which John saw," the -Prophet says in effect that it represents the real history of the -world--what the eye of God has seen, what the recording angel has -written. The seven thousand years, corresponding to the seven seals, -are as seven great days, during which Mother Earth will fulfil her -mortal mission or probation, laboring six days, and resting upon the -seventh, her period of sanctification. We are not to understand, -however, that these seven thousand years include the time during which -the earth was in process of creation and of preparation for man. The -phrase "temporal existence" shows that the reckoning began, not before, -but after, time had been decreed. - -Earth Obedient to Law.--That this planet is indeed upon probation, and -capable of obeying law, is plainly taught in modern revelation: - -"And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a -celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and -transgresseth not the law. - -"Wherefore it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, -it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is -quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it."--(D. and C. 88:25-26.) - -The Sea of Glass.--The key to the Apocalypse, already quoted, begins -with this question concerning earth's glorious future: "What is the -sea of glass spoken of by John, 4th chapter, and 6th verse, of the -Revelation?" And the answer is: "It is the earth, in its sanctified, -immortal, and eternal state." - -One Day as a Thousand Years.--That the seven thousand years are indeed -as seven great days, is virtually set forth in the Book of Abraham, -where the patriarch, who was deeply learned in astronomy, and taught -that science to the Egyptians, tells of a mighty governing planet -nearest to the throne of God--a planet named Kolob, revolving once in a -thousand years. (Abr. 3.) It is evident that such a day figured in the -warning given to Adam: "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt -surely die" (Gen. 2:17) for Adam, having eaten of the forbidden fruit, -lived on to the age of 930 years. In the Book of Abraham (5:13), it is -explained that the day in question was "after the time of Kolob; for as -yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning." - -The Saturday Evening of Time.--According to received chronology, four -thousand years, or four of the seven great days given to this planet -as the period of its temporal continuance, had passed before Christ -came, while nearly two thousand years have gone by since. So that the -sixth day is now drawing to a close, and we stand at the present moment -in the Saturday evening of human history. Morning will break upon the -Millennium, the thousand years of peace, the Sabbath of the world. - -Dispensations Inter-Related.--Whatever their number, or the names -by which they may be properly known, it is certain that the gospel -dispensations are inter-related. They are as the links of a mighty -chain, representing God's dealings with man, and extending from the -dawn of creation down to and beyond the present time. - -Symbolical and Prophetic.--Those dispensations are likewise symbolical -and prophetic in character, pointing forward and finding their -culmination, their prospective and complete fulfilment, in the great -and final dispensation that is destined to bring about "the restitution -of all things." This is "Mormonism's" mission upon earth--"Mormonism," -a nick-name for the Everlasting Gospel, brought back once more for the -purpose of completing the Lord's work as pertaining to this planet, -binding in one the dispensations, and merging them into the last and -greatest of all--the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. - - - -CHAPTER II. - -The Adamic Period - -Adam Holds the Keys.--The Prophet Joseph Smith treats thus the theme of -the Gospel dispensations: - -"Commencing with Adam, who was the first man, * * * the first and -father of all, not only by progeny, but the first to hold the spiritual -blessings, to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the -salvation of his posterity unto the end, and to whom Christ was first -revealed, and through whom Christ has been revealed from heaven, and -will continue to be revealed from henceforth;--Adam holds the keys of -the dispensation of the fulness of times; i.e., the dispensation of all -the times have been and will be revealed through him from the beginning -to Christ, and from Christ to the end of all the dispensations that are -to be revealed."--("History of the Church," Vol. IV, pp. 207, 208.) - -"All Things in Christ."--Having cited Paul (Ephesians 1:9,10), as -showing how God "purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the -fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, -both which are in heaven and which are on earth," the Prophet goes on -to say: - -"Now the purpose of himself, in the winding up scene of the last -dispensation, is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should -be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations. - -"And again, God purposed in himself that there should not be an -eternal fulness until every dispensation should be fulfiled and -gathered together in one, and that all things whatsoever that should be -gathered together in one in those dispensations unto the same fulness -and eternal glory, should be in Christ Jesus; therefore he set the -ordinances to be the same forever and ever, and set Adam to watch over -them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal -them. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"This, then, is the nature of the Priesthood: every man holding the -presidency of his dispensation, and one man holding the presidency of -them all, even Adam; and Adam receiving his presidency and authority -from the Lord, but cannot receive a fulness until Christ shall present -the kingdom to the Father, which shall be at the end of the last -dispensation."--(Ibid, pp. 208-209.) - -Distinctive Features.--Each dispensation stands for some particular -development of God's work. Each period possess certain distinguishing -characteristics, to point out which, rather than to give an exhaustive -narration of events and happenings, is the aim of the present article. -In the Adamic dispensation, or the period during which Adam lived upon -the earth, in addition to the Creation and the Fall, already treated in -previous chapters, we find the following distinctive features: - -(1) The institution of the law of sacrifice, foreshadowing the -Atonement that was to be made by the Lamb of God. - -(2) The introduction and first promulgation of the Gospel, as a means -of redeeming mankind from the effects of the Fall. - -(3) The original exercise of the evangelical power and authority by -Father Adam, the patriarch of the human family. - -Sacrifice Instituted.--Respecting the law of sacrifice, it is written: - -"And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name of the Lord, and they -heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, -speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from -his presence. - -"And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord -their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an -offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of -the Lord. - -"And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: -Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I -know not, save the Lord commanded me. - -"And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the -sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace -and truth. - -"Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, -and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son for -evermore."--(Moses 5:4-8.) - -Revelation Necessary.--Adam knew all about the law of sacrifice--knew -all about it in the spirit; for he was one of those who had sat in -the eternal councils, where the plan of salvation was framed, and the -choice made of a Redeemer and Savior. He helped to form that plan, and -to choose the One who would put it into effect. Adam knew all about -the Lamb of God, slain in theory from the foundation of the world, and -yet to be slain literally upon the earth, an event symbolized by the -sacrifice that he was in the very act of offering, perhaps, when the -angel accosted him. But he had forgotten it all, so great is the change -that comes over the spirit in passing from pre-mortal into mortal -conditions. Hence the necessity of such a visitation, to enlighten -him. Hence, also, the necessity of revelation by the Holy Ghost, the -Comforter, bringing things past to remembrance, showing things to come. - -The Gospel's Introduction.--The introduction of the Gospel is thus -narrated: - -"And the Lord God called upon men by the Holy Ghost everywhere and -commanded them that they should repent."--(Moses 5:14.) - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And he called upon our father Adam by his own voice, saying: I am God; -I made the world, and men before they were in the flesh. - -"And he also said unto him: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken -unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and -be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, -who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name -which shall be given under heaven whereby salvation shall come unto the -children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; asking -all things in His name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given -you. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto -all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the -meridian of time. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, -that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of -the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the -water, and was brought forth out of the water. - -"And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, -and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner -man. - -"And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with -fire, and with the Holy Ghost."--(Moses 6:51, 52, 62, 64-66.) - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being -declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his -own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost. - -"And thus all things were confirmed unto Adam, by an holy ordinance, -and the Gospel preached, and a decree sent forth, that it should be in -the world, until the end thereof; and thus it was. Amen."--(Moses 5:58, -59.) - -Adam as Patriarch.--Concerning Adam's patriarchal ministry, we are thus -enlightened by Joseph the Seer: - -"I saw Adam in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman. He called together -his children and blessed them with a patriarchal blessing. The Lord -appeared in their midst, and he (Adam) blessed them all and foretold -what should befall them to the latest generation."--("History of the -Church," Vol. III, p. 388.) - -Patriarchal Order and Descent.--Respecting the patriarchal order, the -Lord says: - -"The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from -father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the -chosen seed, to whom the promises were made. - -"This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by -lineage in the following manner: - -"From Adam to Seth, who was ordained by Adam at the age of 69 years, -and was blessed by him three years previous to his (Adam's) death, and -received the promise of God by his father, that his posterity should be -the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be preserved unto the end -of the earth. - -"Because he (Seth) was a perfect man, and his likeness was the express -likeness of his father's, insomuch that he seemed to be like unto his -father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by his -age. - -"Enos was ordained at the age of 134 years and four months by the hand -of Adam. - -"God called upon Cainan in the wilderness, in the fortieth year of his -age, and he met Adam in journeying to the place Shedolamak. He was 87 -years old when he received his ordination. - -"Mahalaleel was 496 years and seven days old when he was ordained by -the hand of Adam, who also blessed him. - -"Jared was 200 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, -who also blessed him. - -"Enoch was 25 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, -and he was 65 and Adam blessed him. - -"And he saw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face -continually; and he walked with God 365 years, making him 430 years old -when he was translated. - -"Methuselah was 100 years old when he was ordained under the hand of -Adam. - -"Lamech was 32 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Seth. - -"Noah was 10 years old when he was ordained under the hand of -Methuselah. - -"Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, -Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all High -Priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into -the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and the re bestowed upon them his last -blessing. - -"And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, -and called him Michael, the Prince, the Archangel. - -"And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him, I have -set thee to be at the head--a multitude of nations shall come of thee, -and thou art a prince over them for ever. - -"And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation, and not -withstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, -predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest -generation."--(D. and C. 107:40-56.) - -The Ancient of Days.--Here is given, by the Prophet, a glimpse of the -glorious sequel: - -"Daniel, in his seventh chapter, speaks of the Ancient of Days; he -means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael; he will call his -children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the -coming of the Son of Man. He (Adam) is the father of the human family, -and presides over the spirits of all men, and all that have had the -keys must stand before him in this grand council. This may take place -before some of us leave this stage of action. The Son of Man stands -before him, and there is given him glory and dominion. Adam delivers up -his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding -the keys of the universe, but retains his standing as head of the human -family."--("History of the Church," Vol. III, p. 386.) - -Place of the Council.--The place of the council mentioned in the -foregoing paragraph, is thus pointed out by the finger of the Lord: - -"Revelation to Joseph the Seer, given near Wight's Ferry, at a place -called Spring Hill, Davis County, Missouri, May 19th, 1838, wherein -Spring Hill is named by the Lord, - -"Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said he, it is the place where Adam shall -come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken -of by Daniel the prophet."--(D. and C. 116.) - -Adam-ondi-Ahman.--At that very spot, Spring Hill, Davis County, -Missouri, in the year 1838, the Latter-day Saints, by direction of the -Prophet, began to build a city, naming it Adam-ondi-Ahman, afterwards -abbreviated to Diahman. While engaged in making the survey, some of the -brethren came upon the ruins of an ancient altar, which the Prophet, on -beholding, declared to be the identical altar upon which Adam offered -sacrifices after he was expelled from Eden. The Garden of Eden, Joseph -said, was in Jackson County, Missouri, from which part the Saints had -been driven, as if to typify reminiscently the original expulsion. In -both instances, the tree of disobedience bore the same bitter fruit. In -Jackson County the New Jerusalem is to be built, and a people prepared -for the glorious coming of the Lord. That America is the Old World, -not the New, science now affirms; but the fact was first proclaimed by -revelation, whose other name, in this case, is Joseph Smith the Prophet. - -Cain and Abel.--Adam's offering of sacrifice was acceptable to the -Lord, being in accordance with the divine command, and because it -truly symbolized the Lamb of God, who was to come. Abel, Adam's son, -offered a similar sacrifice--"the firstlings of his flock and of the -fat thereof, and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering" -(Gen. 4:4). But Cain, Abel's eldest brother, who had also been taught -the law of sacrifice, took it upon himself to deviate from the divine -instruction, and instead of a lamb, he "brought of the fruit of the -ground," an offering in no way typical of the Savior. Hence, his -offering was rejected. The Prophet Joseph, commenting upon these facts, -says: "God will not acknowledge that which He has not called, ordained, -and chosen." He quotes Paul (Heb. 11:4): "By faith Abel offered unto -God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness -that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being -dead, yet speaketh"--and then asks: - -"How doth he yet speak? Why, he magnified the priesthood which was -conferred upon him, and died a righteous man, and therefore has become -an angel of God by receiving his body from the dead, holding still the -keys of his dispensation; and was sent down from heaven unto Paul to -minister consoling words, and to commit unto him a knowledge of the -mysteries of godliness." - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"The power, glory and blessings of the priesthood could not continue -with those who received ordination only as their righteousness -continued; for Cain also being authorized to offer sacrifice, but -not offering it in righteousness, was cursed. It signifies, then, -that the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed; -otherwise their priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a -blessing."--("History of the Church," Vol. IV, pp. 208, 209.) - -Inter-Relation Shown.--It was after the episode of Cain and Abel, -including the murder of the latter by the former, that Adam called the -righteous residue of his posterity into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, -and there gave them his farewell benediction, foretelling what should -befall the human race down to the end of time. That great patriarchal -blessing, considered in connection with Adam's coming as the Ancient -of Days, to call his children before him in a grand council upon the -precise spot where he uttered his wonderful world-covering prediction, -clearly shows the relationship between the First Dispensation and the -Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. - - - -CHAPTER III. - -Enoch and Zion - -"The Seventh from Adam."--Enoch was contemporaneous with Adam, and was -ordained and blessed by him (D&C 107:48). The period in which Enoch -figured was prolific of wonderful events, but the two standing out most -prominently are: - -(1) The successful practice of the law of consecration, resulting in -the founding of Zion, the City of Holiness, which was taken into heaven -by translation. - -(2) Enoch's vision of the future--past Noah and the deluge, past Christ -and the crucifixion, down even to the last days, when the coming of the -Lord in his glory would usher in the millennial reign of rest. - -What Enoch Beheld.--Some of the sweetest and sublimest passages in -the writings of Moses, as reproduced by Joseph the Prophet, are those -in which he tells the story of Enoch and his city, and portrays the -marvelous events made visible to the eye of the ancient Seer. Here are -some of the more notable passages: - -"And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart -and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among -them. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the -inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of -time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold -mine abode forever. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of -the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it -that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the -mountains? - -"And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing -thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity? - -"And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, -yea millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the -number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and -yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; -thou art merciful and kind forever; - -"And thou hast taken Zion to thine own bosom, from all thy creations, -from all eternity to all eternity; and nought but peace, justice, and -truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy -face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep? - -"The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these * * * * which thine eyes are -upon shall perish in the floods; and behold, I will shut them up; a -prison have I prepared for them. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And Enoch also saw Noah, and his family; that the posterity of all the -sons of Noah should be saved with a temporal salvation. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And behold, Enoch saw the days of the coming of the Son of Man, even -in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted -up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through -faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me. - -"And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard -a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of -men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. -When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone -forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and -righteousness for a season abide upon my face? - -"And when Enoch heard the earth mourn, he wept, and cried unto the -Lord, saying: O Lord, wilt thou not have compassion upon the earth? -Wilt thou not bless the children of Noah? - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the -last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath -which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah: - -"And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that -day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover -the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great -tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I -preserve; - -"And righteousness will I send down out of heaven, and truth will I -send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; -his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of -all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth -as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of -the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my -people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my -coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, -a New Jerusalem. - -"And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet -them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see -us; and we will fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other; - -"And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come -forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of -a thousand years the earth shall rest. - -"And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of -Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the -space of a thousand years."--(Moses 7:18-64.) - -A fuller account of Enoch's ministry as prophet, seer, and preacher of -righteousness, may be found in that chapter of the Book of Moses from -which the foregoing paragraphs are taken. - -A Terrestrial Ministry.--"Now this Enoch," says the Prophet Joseph, -"God reserved unto himself, that he should not die at that time, and -appointed unto him a ministry unto terrestrial bodies, of whom there -has been but little revealed. He is reserved also unto the presidency -of a dispensation. * * * He appeared unto Jude, as Abel did unto Paul -(Jude 14,15). * * * Paul was also acquainted with this character, and -received instructions from him: "By faith Enoch was translated, that -he should not see death, and was not found, because God had translated -him" (Heb. 11:5). - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"Now the doctrine of translation is a power which belongs to this -Priesthood. There are many things which belong to the powers of the -Priesthood and the keys thereof, that have been kept hid from before -the foundation of the world; they are hid from the wise and prudent to -be revealed in the last times. - -"Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine -whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and -into an eternal fulness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of -habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for -such characters, he held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many -planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as -those who are resurrected from the dead."--("History of the Church," -Vol. IV, pp. 209, 210.) - -Enoch's City to Return.--Enoch's city, according to this teaching, is -now in terrestrial glory, awaiting its return to earth, when the season -is ripe, and preparations are complete for its reception. The change -wrought upon its inhabitants by translation not being equivalent to -resurrection, they will have to undergo a further change, to prepare -them for celestial glory. Doubtless their case is similar to that of -the Saints mentioned by Paul, who will not "sleep" in death, but be -changed "in the twinkling of an eye" to complete immortality, at the -time of the coming of the Son of God.--(I Cor. 15:51, 52.) - -Zion Above and Zion Beneath.--The Zion of Enoch was undoubtedly a -foreshadowing of the Zion of the last days, with which it will blend, -and the following glorious picture then be realized: - - "The Lord hath brought again Zion: - The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel, - According to the election of grace, - Which was brought to pass by the faith - And covenant of their fathers. - The Lord hath redeemed his people, - And Satan is bound and time is no longer: - The Lord hath gathered all things in one: - The Lord hath brought down Zion from above. - The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath. - The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength: - And truth is established in her bowels: - And the heavens have smiled upon her: - And she is clothed with the glory of her God: - For he stands in the midst of his people: - Glory, and honor, and power, and might, - Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of mercy, - Justice, grace and truth, and peace, - For ever and ever. Amen."--(D. and C. 84:99-102.) - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -Noah and the Deluge - -The Son of Lamech.--Noah was the son of Lamech, who was a grandson -of Enoch, and after him "the next great grand patriarch who held the -keys of the priesthood." Lamech was ordained under the hand of Seth, -the third son of Adam, who received from his father a blessing similar -to the one afterwards pronounced upon Abraham, to the effect that -his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord. Seth seems to have -succeeded to the position held by Abel, whom Cain slew (Gen. 4:25). He -is described as "a perfect man," the express likeness of his father. -Noah's patriarchal ordination came from Methuselah, the father of -Lamech. Noah was but ten years old when his grandfather thus blessed -and ordained him.--(D. and C. 107: 42, 43, 48, 51, 52.) - -"And Noah was four hundred and fifty years old, and begat Japheth; and -forty-two years afterward he begat Shem of her who was the mother of -Japheth; and when he was five hundred years old he begat Ham. - -"And it came to pass that Noah prophesied, and taught the things of -God, even as it was in the beginning. - -"And the Lord said unto Noah: My Spirit shall not always strive with -man, for he shall know that all flesh shall die; yet his days shall be -an hundred and twenty years; and if men do not repent, I will send in -the floods upon them. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And the Lord ordained Noah after his own order, and commanded him that -he should go forth and declare his gospel unto the children of men, -even as it was given unto Enoch. - -"And it came to pass that Noah called upon the children of men that -they should repent, but they hearkened not unto his words; - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And God saw that the wickedness of men had become great in the earth; -and every man was lifted up in the imagination of the thoughts of his -heart, being only evil continually. - -"And it came to pass that Noah continued his preaching unto the people, -saying: Hearken, and give heed unto my words; - -"Believe and repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus -Christ, the Son of God, even as our fathers, and ye shall receive the -Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things made manifest; and if ye do not -this, the floods will come in upon you; nevertheless they hearkened not. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And God said unto Noah: The end of all flesh is come before me, for -the earth is filled with violence, and behold I will destroy all flesh -from off the earth."--(Moses 8:12, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22-24, 30.) - -End of the World Foreshadowed.--Noah's period was prophetic of the -end of the world. This is apparent from the words of the Savior, when -prophesying over Jerusalem, and foretelling the end of the Jewish -commonwealth, an event also typical of the final destruction of the -wicked. Speaking of the social conditions that prevailed while Noah was -preaching the Gospel and delivering his warning message, Jesus said: - -"As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. - -"For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and -drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe -entered into the ark. - -"And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall -also the coming of the Son of Man be."--(Matt. 24:3 7-39.) - -Earth's Baptism of Fire.--The deluge that destroyed the wicked "with -the earth" (that is, with water, representing the earth) and which God -covenanted with Noah never to repeat, is to be paralleled by another -deluge, in which the wicked will be consumed by fire from heaven; and -as unexpectedly as came the watery flood in which our planet was once -immersed, will come the fiery baptism that is destined to cleanse it -from all unrighteousness and prepare it for celestial glory. - -A Second Adam.--Noah, who is Gabriel, and stands next to Adam, or -Michael, in the priesthood, typifies the great patriarch, in that -through him and his immediate family--eight souls in all--Earth was -repeopled after the flood. Hence Noah is sometimes called "the second -Adam." - -Japheth, Shem and Ham.--Noah's eldest son, Japheth, peopled Europe; -Shem, Asia; and Ham, Africa. Noah's blessing upon Shem and Japheth, and -his curse upon Ham, through Canaan, Ham's son, are thus recorded in the -Hebrew scriptures: - -"And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto -his brethren. - -"And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his -servant. - -"God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; -and Canaan shall be his servant."--(Gen. 9:25-27.) - -Noah's Curse Upon Canaan.--Part of the curse that fell upon Canaan was -"a blackness," which came upon all his posterity, causing them to be -"despised among all people" (Moses 7:8)--a blackness similar to that -which had been placed upon the "seed of Cain" (Moses 7:22). The curse -also deprived the Canaanites of the priesthood.--(Abraham 1:26.) - -Just why a whole race had to be punished for a sin committed by one of -its ancestors, is a mystery almost as great as that of the vicarious -atonement, demanded by eternal justice for Adam's transgression. We -may be sure, however, that right was vindicated in both cases, and -revelation will eventually make the matter plain. Every effect has -a cause. Canaan was not cursed, nor his posterity deprived of the -priesthood, for nothing. It must be that the spirits taking those dark -bodies, and passing through the experiences ordained for them, have -done something to merit their fate. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that -shall he also reap." This principle applies to the spirit life, no less -than to the mortal life. - -Shem's and Japheth's Blessing.--From Shem came Abraham, the Father of -the Faithful; and from Japheth sprang the Gentiles, the founders of -the most civilized and enlightened nations of modern times, including -Great Britain and the United States of America. Let me add, here, that -the term "Gentile" is not an opprobrious epithet, as some suppose. It -comes from "Gentilis," signifying "of a nation," and is used in sacred -history to designate the people that were not of Israel. Ham, through -Canaan, was the progenitor of the negro race, long held in slavery in -this and in other Gentile countries. The Ethiopian also served the -Semite, just as Noah had predicted. - -The Tents of Shem.--How Japheth has "dwelt in the tents of Shem," -is partly shown by the history of Palestine, which has long been -dominated by the Gentiles, particularly the Turks, who still possess -it. Japheth's remarkable blessing has also been realized in the history -of our own country, America, the land of Joseph, which the Gentiles -now inhabit, and where, according to the Book of Mormon, they are to -assist in gathering Israel and building the New Jerusalem. It is their -privilege to share, if they will, in all the blessings promised to the -chosen people. The Gentiles who receive the gospel, and are faithful -to its requirements, shall be as the seed of Abraham (Abraham 2:9-11). -"The tents of Shem" may be interpreted to mean the lands of Israel, -the homes of the people of God, who are lineally descended from Shem, -through Abraham. - -Another Parallel.--"As it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also -at the coming of the Son of Man." For this, his own rendering of Matt. -24:41, the Prophet Joseph finds another fulfilment thus: - -"He [Jehovah] continued to him [Noah] the keys, the covenants, the -power and the glory with which he blessed Adam at the beginning; and -the offering of sacrifice, which also shall be continued at the last -time; for all the ordinances and duties that ever have been required by -the Priesthood, under the directions and commandments of the Almighty -in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensation; -therefore, all things had under the authority of the Priesthood at any -former period, shall be had again, bringing to pass the restoration -spoken of by the mouth of all the holy prophets."--("History of the -Church," Vol. IV, pp. 210, 211.) - - - -CHAPTER V. - -Abraham - -The House of Israel.--The Abrahamic period was signalized by the -founding of the house of Israel, of which Abraham is the earthly head; -Christ, or Jehovah, the God of Israel, being its heavenly head. This -house was established upon the earth that the Savior of the world might -have a fitting lineage through which to come, and that the Lord might -have a worthy people through whom to promote his wise and benevolent -purposes toward the whole human family. The Israelitish subject is -reserved for fuller treatment in future pages. I shall merely point out -here some of the greater events for which the dispensation of Abraham -is distinguished. - -The Law of Tithing--Melchizedek.--In connection with the career of the -Hebrew patriarch, the first mention is made in the Bible of the law of -tithing, and also of the high priest, Melchizedek, to whom Abraham gave -tithes: - -"And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine; and he -was the priest of the most high God. - -"And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, -which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him -tithes of all."--(Gen. 14:18-20.) - -Paul refers to the same event in the following language: - -"For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who -met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; - -"To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by -interpretation king of righteousness, and after that also king of -Salem, which is king of peace; - -"Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither -beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; -abideth a priest continually. - -"Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch -Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils."--(Heb. 7:1-4.) - -The Priesthood Renamed.--So great was he that the Priesthood was -renamed for him. Before his time, it was called The Priesthood after -the Order of the Son of God. Its present name, the Melchizedek -Priesthood, was bestowed, as we are informed, for reverential reasons, -to avoid a too frequent repetition of the name of Deity.--(D. and C. -107:1-4.) - -Abraham's Test.--The offering of Isaac, Abraham's son of promise, -symbolized the offering, by the Eternal Father, of his Only Begotten -Son, for the redemption and salvation of mankind. This crucial trial of -Abraham's faith is thus related by the sacred historian: - -"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, -and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Behold, here I am. - -"And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, -and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt -offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. - -"And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and -took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the -wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went into the place of -which God had told him. - -"Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place -afar off. - -"And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I -and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. - -"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon -Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they -went both of them together. - -"And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he -said, Here am I, my son, And he said, Behold the fire and the wood; but -where is the lamb for a burnt offering? - -"And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt -offering; so they went both of them together. - -"And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham -built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his -son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. - -"And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his -son. - -"And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, -Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. - -"And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any -thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast -not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. - -"And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him -a ram caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took -the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his -son."--(Gen. 22:1-13.) - -Jehovah's Promise to His Friend.--Then followed the Lord's promise to -the tried and proven Father of the Faithful: - -"In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy -seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea -shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; - -"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Ibid, -17, 18). - -How that promise was fulfiled, will be shown in the concluding part of -this volume. - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -Moses and Aaron - -"The sons of Moses, and also the sons of Aaron shall offer an -acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house -shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated -spot, as I [the Lord] have appointed; - -"And the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall be filled with the glory of -the Lord, upon Mount Zion in the Lord's house, whose sons are ye; and -also many whom I have called and sent forth to build up my church; - -"For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of -which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified -by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies; - -"They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, -and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God."--(D. and C. -84:31-34.) - -Israel and the Exodus.--The principal events of the Mosaic dispensation -were the exodus from Egypt and the establishment of Israel as an -independent nation, under the leadership of their great prophet and -lawgiver, Moses. Both these events foreshadowed greater ones, namely: -the world's deliverance from the bondage of sin and death, and the -establishment upon earth of the Kingdom that shall stand forever. - -The Passover.--The exodus was commemorated by the Feast of the -Passover, instituted to perpetuate in the minds and hearts of the -children of Israel their deliverance from slavery, and at the same time -to foreshow the mightier redemption of which that exodus was typical. -The Passover was kept as follows: On the night before the departure -out of Egypt, each Israelitish household, obedient to God's command -through Moses, took a lamb "without blemish," and slew it, sprinkling -the blood upon the posts and lintels of their doors. It was promised -that the Angel of Death, who had been sent to afflict the cruel nation -for its oppression of the Lord's people, by slaying the first-born of -every Egyptian household, would pass over every Israelitish dwelling -upon which this blood was sprinkled. Not a bone of the lamb was to be -broken, nor a fragment of it left to decay; for it was intended to -symbolize the Lamb of God, whose body was not to see corruption (Ps. -16:10). Neither was any bone of him to be broken. - -Symbolism Realized.--In a most remarkable manner was this symbolism -realized; for when the Roman soldiers came to Calvary to remove the -three bodies from the crosses erected there, they put an end to both -the malefactors by breaking their legs; but finding Jesus already -dead, this additional indignity was not put upon him. Pierced with -five wounds, yet not a bone of him broken, the Lamb of God answered -to the prophetic likeness of the paschal lamb, and was laid away in -the rocky tomb, from which he came forth upon the third day, his -perfectly preserved body--the tabernacle of the Holy One--glorified in -immortality. - -The Paschal Ceremony.--In the ceremonial of the Passover, the flesh -of the lamb was roasted, and partaken of with bitter herbs and with -unleavened bread, or bread hastily prepared; the former typifying the -bitterness of the bondage that was about to end, and the latter the -haste attendant upon the departure out of Egypt. To emphasize this fact -still further, the members of the family, while partaking of the feast, -then and thereafter, were clad as if for a journey.--(Exodus 12.) - -Shadow and Substance.--This sacred memorial, a reminder to God's -people of what he had done, and would yet do, was observed in Israel, -by divine appointment, until the coming of Christ. The night before -he was sacrificed, he, the great Paschal Lamb, after partaking of the -ancient feast with his disciples, instituted in its stead the Lord's -Supper, commanding them to observe it thenceforth. The Supper and the -Passover were both designed to commemorate the Savior's atonement; but -in the Passover the pointing was forward, to an event yet to come, -while in the Supper the indication is backward, to an event that has -already taken place. It was about the same hour of the day when the -paschal lamb was offered in the temple at Jerusalem, that Christ died -on Calvary, the substance and the shadow thus corresponding. - -The Great Deliverer.--The lamb of the Passover symbolized the Lamb of -God, the universal Deliverer, and Moses, who led the Lord's people out -of Egypt, was also a type of the world's Redeemer. Jesus, whose mission -the career of Moses foreshadowed, is repeatedly described in the sacred -writings as "like unto Moses;" and Moses, the type of Christ, was -reputedly "the meekest of men." - -How Moses Obtained the Priesthood.--Moses was of the tribe of Levi, and -son-in-law to Jethro, from whom he received the Priesthood. - -"And Jethro received it under the hand of Caleb; - -"And Caleb received it under the hand of Elihu; - -"And Elihu under the hand of Jeremy; - -"And Jeremy under the hand of Gad; - -"And Gad under the hand of Esaias; - -"And Esaias also lived in the days of Abraham, and was blessed of him-- - -"Which Abraham received the Priesthood from Melchizedek, who received -it through the lineage of his fathers, even till Noah; - -"And from Noah till Enoch, through the lineage of their fathers; - -"And from Enoch to Abel, who was slain by the conspiracy of his -brother, who received the Priesthood by the commandments of God, by the -hand of his father Adam, who was the first man."--(D. and C. 84:7-16.) - -Jethro, Priest of Midian.--An account of the relations between Moses -and his father-in-law, Jethro the Midianite, may be found in the -second, third and eighteenth chapters of Exodus. The Midianites were -descendants of Ishmael, son of Abraham. - -The Call of Aaron.--Moses, having received the Melchizedek Priesthood, -organized, by divine direction, the Lesser Priesthood, with Aaron, -his brother, at its head. It was in the wilderness of Sinai, fourteen -hundred and ninety-one years before the coming of the Savior. The -children of Israel, in their exodus from Egypt, after the miraculous -passage of the Red Sea, whose retiring waters had rolled over the heads -of their enemies, were encamped at the foot of the famous eminence, -ever since a sacred way-mark in the history of the Hebrew nation. - -The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, "in the sight of all the people," -and from the midst of thunders, lightnings and thick clouds, which -caused the mountain to quake and obscured his glorious presence from -the gaze of the unsanctified multitude, he summoned Moses up into the -top of the Mount, and delivered unto him, among other charges, the -following: - -"Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from -among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the -priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazer and Ithamar, -Aaron's sons. - -"And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and -for beauty. - -"And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; -and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that -they may minister unto me in the priest's office."--(Exodus 28:1-3.) - -The Ten Commandments--Sacred Patterns.--The Lord also gave to Moses the -Ten Commandments, which He had previously spoken in the hearing of all -Israel, with other parts of the Law, afterwards embodied by the prophet -in his famous code. Also the pattern of the Ark or Sanctuary, the -symbol of the covenant that God had made with his people; and of the -Tabernacle or holy tent where the Ark was deposited, where the priests -offered sacrifice and made atonement for the sins of the nation, and -where the Lord communicated by angels or by Urim and Thummim with -those chosen to represent him in that sacred capacity. He instructed -him minutely as to the fashioning of the priestly robes, the materials -to be used in them, and the persons who should make them, likewise -prescribing the manner in which these things should all be consecrated -to his service. - -Elders in Israel.--It seems that there were more elders than one in -Israel, at the time Aaron and his sons were called to minister in the -priest's office; a fact shown by the following reference to an event -somewhat earlier than the one in question: - -"Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the -elders of Israel: - -"And they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it -were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of -heaven in his clearness. - -"And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand; -also they saw God, and did eat and drink."--(Exodus 24:9-11.) - -I assume, of course, that the title "elder" had the same significance -then that it has now--that it was an office in the Melchizedek -Priesthood. If this be correct, and I see no reason why it should be -doubted, then there were at least "seventy elders" in Israel at that -time. Nay, more, for these seventy were "of the elders of Israel," -one of whom, of course, was Moses, who had doubtless ordained the -others. It is even probable that Aaron and his sons likewise held the -Melchizedek Priesthood when they were called to act as priests; for -they were among those who "saw God," which they could not have done, -with safety, had they held only the Aaronic Priesthood. Aaron's call to -preside over the priests, was probably similar to a call that might now -be made upon a high priest to officiate as presiding bishop. - -The Golden Calf.--How were Aaron and his sons, on the eve of their -setting apart to these sacred honors, conducting themselves, during the -absence of their leader? Forty days and nights had passed since Moses, -accompanied by faithful Joshua, went up into the Mount to commune -with the Almighty. Alarmed at his protracted stay, unable to account -for it, and no doubt apprehensive as to their own safety without -super-natural guidance, the people, not yet free from taint of contact -with idolatrous Egypt, and forgetful of the covenant they had made with -God on the day the Ten Commandments were thundered from the mountain -top, "gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him: Up, -make us gods which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man -that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become -of him."--(Exodus 32:1.) - -Obedient to their wishes, and perhaps fearful of consequences if he -refused, Aaron took of their golden earrings and made for them a molten -calf, after the Egyptian god Apis, and having finished it, and built -an altar before it, he proclaimed: "These be thy gods, O Israel, which -have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." He also announced "a -feast to the Lord" in its honor on the morrow. - -"Who's on the Lord's Side?"--In this sensuous and blasphemous worship -the Israelites were engaged, when Moses came down from the Mount. The -shouts of revelry had reached his ears far up the height, insomuch that -Joshua, who was still with him, suggested "a noise of war in the camp." -Moses, however, recognized the sound of singing. He had been warned -by the Lord of what was taking place, and on coming nearer the whole -revolting truth burst upon him. The golden god on high--the people, -chosen Israel, feasting and dancing before it in their nakedness! Such -was the soul-sickening spectacle presented to his gaze. In his hands he -held the "tables of the testimony"--the divine decalogue, written by -the finger of God. Before his eyes was being violated the very first -of those ten commandments. His righteous anger knew no bounds. Casting -from him the stone tablets, which shattered as they fell, he burst like -a storm upon the guilt-stricken idolators. Demolishing their idol, -grinding it to powder, and scattering it to the winds and waters, he -called for all who were "on the Lord's side" to rally round him. - -Expiation for Idolatry.--The sons of Levi responded to a man. Moses, -directed by the Lord, commanded them to take their swords and go in -and out from gate to gate, and slay every man his son, brother and -neighbor; that they might consecrate themselves before the Lord, and -make atonement for the great sin that had been committed. The stern -behest was obeyed, and there fell that day in Israel about three -thousand male souls. - -Organization and Consecration.--The expiation complete, Moses proceeded -to organize the priesthood, as he had been directed, and also to -construct the tabernacle and the ark according to the pattern that God -had shown him. The garments of the priests and the appurtenances of the -sanctuary were fashioned to conform with the divine instruction, and -Aaron and his sons, the ark, the tabernacle, and everything connected -with the sacred ceremonial, were then sanctified and dedicated, with -solemn and impressive ceremonies, to the service of the God of Israel. - -The Levites.--Prior to the false worship of Apis, the Lord had chosen -unto himself the firstborn males of every household in Israel, as a -parallel act to the destruction of the firstborn throughout the land -of Egypt, and had sanctified and set them apart for some peculiar -purpose. He now altered his original design, and taking the tribe of -Levi, instead, made of them the sacerdotal class of the nation. This -selection was no doubt a recognition and a reward for the zeal they had -displayed in wiping out the stain of idolatry from Israel. - -"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, -and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto -him." - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are -wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel." - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, -instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children -of Israel; therefore the Levites shall be mine; - -"Because all the firstborn are mine, for on the day that I smote -all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the -firstborn in Israel, both man and beast; mine they shall be; I am the -Lord." - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord), instead of -all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the -Levites, instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children -of Israel." - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and three -score and thirteen, of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which -are more than the Levites: - -"Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel -of the sanctuary shalt thou take them; the shekel is twenty gerahs. - -"And thou shalt give the money wherewith the odd number of them is to -be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons. - -"And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above -them that were redeemed by the Levites. - -"And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron, and -to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded -Moses."--(Numbers 3.) - -Thus were the Levites given as "a gift for the Lord," to have charge -of the tabernacle and the sanctuary--though not to officiate there as -did the priests--and to "do the service of the congregation." So that -Aaron, who was now high priest, or bishop over the lesser priesthood, -had under him, not only his sons, in the priests' quorum, but also -a great body of Levites (were they not as teachers and deacons?) to -officiate in the minor quorums. Hence the origin of the term Levitical, -as applied to this priesthood. - -Slain for Offering Strange Fire.--Soon after this organization and -selection, Nadab and Abihu were slain by the Lord for "offering strange -fire" before him, or officiating when he "commanded them not," and -Eleazer, Aaron's third son, then took the senior's place. He was made -"chief over the chief of the Levites," having oversight of those who -had charge of the sanctuary. Thus, while Eleazer presided over the -Levites, Aaron presided over both priests and Levites; Moses, by virtue -of his superior calling, retaining the controlling power or presidency -over the whole. - -The Law and the Testimony.--Eleven months and twenty days the -Israelites had sojourned in Sinai. During this period they had -celebrated their second Passover, or feast of unleavened bread. Two -other annual feasts they were commanded to keep, namely the feast -of Pentecost, or the promulgation of the law, and the feast of -Tabernacles, or tents, commemorating their sojourn in the wilderness. -The laws of Moses were now promulged and codified; the tables of the -testimony, having been renewed, were placed, with other sacred relics, -in the ark for safe keeping; and the sublime system of heaven-revealed -religion was set in motion. - -On to Canaan!--The civil and military wings of this nomadic power, -springing as if by magic from an unorganized rabble, without laws, -institutions, or prescribed method of worship, into a compact and -powerful nation, were now in full equipment and discipline. "On to -Canaan!" was the national cry. And so, on the twentieth day of their -second year, or about May 20, 1490 B. C., the Camp of Israel struck -their tents, and guided by the cloud and pillar of God, which had been -with them since the memorable night when the fetters of two centuries -were stricken off and the power of Egypt submerged, they began their -march through the Sinaitic desert toward the wilderness of Paran. - -A Nation on the March.--The order of this remarkable procession was -as follows: Foremost, rose aloft the standard of Judah, the future -kingly power of the tribes, and following them were the tribes and -armies of Issachar and Zebulon. Then came the sons of Gershon and -Merari (first and third sons of Levi), bearing the components of the -Tabernacle, which it was their duty to set up and take down, as the -camp rested or resumed its journey. The standard of Reuben was next -advanced, and immediately in his rear marched Simeon and Gad. Then the -Ark of God appeared, borne in the center of the moving host, on the -shoulders of the sons of Kohath. The half tribes of Joseph--Ephraim -and Manasseh--went next, the standard of Ephraim being their rallying -center, and also for the sons and daughters of Benjamin. Then set -forward the standard of Dan; his tribe and the tribes of Asher and -Naphtali bringing up the rear. - -The Camps of Israel.--This mighty host, comprising an army of over -half a million, and a total population of nearly three million souls, -was divided into four camps, of three tribes each, exclusive of the -Levites; Joseph being twice numbered, in Ephraim and Manasseh, to -make up, in the tribal count, for the absence of the sacred class -from secular enumeration. When the cloud rested, indicating their -stopping place, the tents were set surrounding the Tabernacle of -the Congregation; the camp of Judah on the east, that of Reuben -on the south, Ephraim on the west, and Dan upon the north. The -Levites encompassed the tabernacle immediately about, to prevent the -unsanctified from approaching too near and purposely or inadvertently -defiling it--an offense punishable by death. When the ark set forward, -Moses exclaimed: "Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; -and let them that hate thee flee before thee!" When it rested, he said: -"Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel!" - -The Two Leaders.--Thus it was that Moses and Aaron became the leaders -of Israel, representing, respectively, the two priesthoods that -administer the government of God; the lesser priesthood, "confirmed -upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations," and the -greater priesthood, "which is after the holiest order of God." - -Power of the Greater Priesthood.--"And this greater priesthood -administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the -kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God; - -"Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is -manifest; - -"And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the -priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the -flesh; - -"For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and -live. - -"Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the -wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they -might behold the face of God; - -"But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence, -therefore the Lord in his wrath (for his anger was kindled against -them) swore that they should not enter into his rest, while in the -wilderness, which rest is the fulness of his glory. - -"Therefore he took Moses out of their midst, and the holy priesthood -also."--(D. & C. 84:19-25.) - -From Moses Until John.--"And the lesser priesthood continued, which -priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the -preparatory gospel; - -"Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the -remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord -in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the -children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with -the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb: - -"For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was -ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto -this power, to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight -the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them -for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power."--(Ibid, -26-28.) - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -The Lamb of God - - A stranger Star that came from far - To fling its silver ray - Where, cradled in a lowly cave, - A lowlier Infant lay; - And led by soft sidereal light, - The Orient sages bring - Rare gifts of gold and frankincense, - To greet the homeless King. - - O wondrous grace! Will Gods go down - Thus low that men may rise? - Imprisoned here the Mighty One, - Who reigned in yonder skies? - Hark to that chime!--What tongue sublime - Now tells the hour of noon? - O dying world, art welcoming - Life's life--Light's sun and moon? - Proclaim him, prophet harbinger! - Make plain the Mightier's way, - Thou sharer of his martyrdom! - Elias? Yea and Nay. - The crescent Moon, that knew the Sun - Ere Stars had learned to shine; - The waning Moon, that bathed in blood - Ere sank the Sun divine. - "Glory to God, good will to man!-- - Peace, peace!" triumphal tone. - Why peace? Is discord then no more? - Are Earth and Heaven as one? - Peace to the soul that serveth him, - The Monarch manger-born; - There, ruler of unnumbered realms; - Here, throneless and forlorn. - He wandered through the faithless world, - A Prince in shepherd guise; - He called his scattered flock, but few - The Voice did recognize; - For minds upborne by hollow pride, - Or dimmed by sordid lust, - Ne'er look for kings in beggar's garb, - For diamonds in the dust. - Wept he above a city doomed, - Her temple, walls, and towers, - O'er palaces where recreant priests - Usurped unhallowed powers. - "I am the Way, the Life, the Light!" - Alas! 'twas heeded not. - Ignored--nay, mocked; God scorned by man! - And spurned the truth he taught. - O bane of damning unbelief! - When, when till now, so rife? - Thou stumbling stone, thou barrier 'thwart - The gates of endless life! - O love of self, and Mammon's lust, - Twin portals to despair, - Where bigotry, the blinded bat, - Flaps through the midnight air! - Through these, gloom-wrapt Gethsemane! - Thy glens of guilty shade - Grieved o'er the sinless Son of God, - By gold-bought kiss betrayed; - Beheld him unresisting dragged, - Forsaken, friendless, lone, - To halls where dark-browed hatred sat - On judgment's lofty throne. - As sheep before his shearers, dumb, - Those patient lips were mute; - The clamorous charge of taunting tongues - He deigned not to dispute. - They smote with cruel palm a face - Which felt yet bore the sting; - Then crowned with thorns his quivering brow, - And, mocking, hailed him "King!" - Transfixt he hung--O crime of crimes!-- - The God whom worlds adore. - "Father forgive them!" Drained the dregs; - Immanuel--no more. - No more where thunders shook the earth, - Where lightnings tore the gloom, - Saw that unconquered Spirit spurn - The shackles of the tomb. - Far-flaming light, a sword of might, - A falchion from its sheath, - It cleft the realms of darkness, and - Dissolved the bands of Death; - Hell's dungeons burst, wide open swung - The everlasting bars, - Whereby the ransomed soul shall win - Those Heights beyond the Stars. - --("Elias," Canto Three, Part One.) - -The Consummation.--It was finished!--not the work of the Lord, nor -the revelation of his word and will to man; but the sacrifice, the -immolation of the Spotless One, whose acceptable offering, the ransom -of a lost creation, made it possible for redeemed humanity, by faith -and good works, to lay hold upon eternal life, the greatest gift that -Divinity can bestow. - -Commission of the Twelve Apostles.--"Go ye into all the world, and -preach the gospel to every creature. - -"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that -believeth not shall be damned. - -And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they -cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; - -"They shall take up serpents: and if they drink any deadly thing, it -shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall -recover."--(Mark 16:15-18.) - -"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. - -"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of -the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. - -"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded -you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. -Amen."--(Matt. 28:18-20.) - -Such was the commission given by the Savior to the chosen Twelve, after -his resurrection, and prior to his ascension into heaven. - -Knowledge and Belief.--The Twelve Apostles were the special witnesses -of the risen Redeemer. They knew that he had risen, for they had seen -and heard him. They had even been permitted to feel of him, that they -might know beyond all question that he was indeed the Resurrection and -the Life. This was their privilege, but not the privilege of all men. -The world at large was required to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, -that salvation might come to them; they were to believe what the -apostles told them regarding his resurrection, and the principles he -had taught. They were to receive in faith from his servants the message -he had commanded them to deliver. - -The Case of Thomas.--Thomas, one of the Twelve, believed because he -had seen (John 20:29) and as a special witness, he had the right to -see, in order that he might know, not merely believe, whereof he and -his brethren testified. "But blessed are they," said the Savior, "who -have believed and have not seen." Why? For the reason, no doubt, that -this life was instituted for the exercise of faith. Mortal man must -"walk by faith." "The just shall live by faith," reaching after God, -as a flower after the sunlight. Exercise of faith brings spiritual -development--a factor, and the most important one, in man's eternal -progress. Knowledge swallows up faith, removing the opportunity for its -exercise, thus hindering the process of advancement. Therefore, until -faith shall have done its perfect work, it is better to believe than to -know. Premature knowledge is fatal to joy, and fetters progress. - -A Message Simple and Sublime.--Obedient to their Lord's behest, the -apostles and their fellow laborers, having been endued with power from -on high (Acts 2), went forth to preach the gospel to every creature. -"Christ and him crucified," was the slogan they sounded; faith, -repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, the principles -they proclaimed. A simple message, plain enough for a child to -comprehend. And behold in this one proof of its divinity! Christ died -for all men, and his gospel is for all men, not merely for a clique, a -cult, a school, or a coterie, learned or otherwise. It had to be plain, -that the common people might understand it, that the poor and lowly, as -well as the high and mighty, might be attracted to it, and be saved by -it. It is at once simple and sublime, capable of making men godlike, -and of lifting them to the highest heaven, if they will receive it and -live it "as a little child." - -On Both Hemispheres.--The plan of salvation was proclaimed, and the -Church of Christ organized, on both hemispheres; the risen Savior, -after confirming the faith of his Jewish disciples, visiting the -Nephites for a similar purpose, and departing thence to pay like visits -to other branches of the house of Israel, whose whereabouts were as -unknown to the descendants of Lehi as was the existence of the latter -to their brethren in and around Jerusalem.--(III Ne. 15, 16.) - -Unto His Own.--Jesus Christ is the Savior of the whole world, but not -to every people in the world are vouchsafed his personal ministrations. -The God of Israel "came unto his own"--that is, unto the house of -Israel, and through Israel he ministers for the salvation of mankind. -That is why he appeared to the Jews, to the Nephites, and to the "other -sheep" not of those folds; while the Gentiles were visited by the -Holy Ghost, which the Son of God had promised to his disciples, and -which came, first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles, after he had -re-ascended into heaven. - -The Lord's Supper.--Both in Judea and in the Land Bountiful, the -Savior instituted, among those who had received his gospel, the Lord's -Supper, superseding the Passover, as a memorial of his sacrifice, once -prospective, now retrospective, once a prophecy, and now a fulfilment. -It was while eating the Passover, just before his crucifixion, that -Jesus instituted the Supper. Concerning this incident the New Testament -says: - -"As they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and brake it, -and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. - -"And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, -Drink ye all of it; - -"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for -the remission of sins."--(Matthew 26:26-28.) - -The institution of the Sacrament among the Nephites, unlike its -institution among the Jews, was after the Redeemer's resurrection. It -is thus described in the Book of Mormon: - -"And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they -should bring forth some bread and wine unto him. - -"And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the -multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth. - -"And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the -bread, and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples, and -commanded that they should eat. - -"And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should -give unto the multitude. - -"And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the -disciples, behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him -will I give power that he shall break bread, and bless it, and give it -unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be -baptized in my name. - -"And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I -have broken bread, and blessed it, and gave it unto you. - -"And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shewn -unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father, that ye do -always remember me. And if ye do always remember me, ye shall have my -Spirit to be with you."--(III Ne. 18:1-7.) - -"The Real Presence."--Uninspired "private interpretation" has -maintained, and still maintains, that when Jesus said, "Eat, this is -my body; drink, this is my blood," he intended his words to be taken -literally; and from this has sprung the doctrine of transubstantiation, -with its twin heresy, consubstantiation, the former a Roman Catholic, -the latter an unorthodox Protestant, tenet relating to the Eucharist. -Men and women have been condemned as heretics, and put to death, in -ages past, for denying "the real presence"--the actual flesh and blood -of Christ--in the elements of the Lord's Supper. - -Figurative, not Literal.--But no Latter-day Saint need go astray as -pertaining to this matter; for the Spirit that inspired the writing -of the Scriptures is present in the Church of Christ to interpret -them; and by that Spirit, the source of all divine revelation, we know -that the language of Jesus, when he instituted the Lord's Supper at -Jerusalem, was not literal, but figurative. When he said, of the bread -and wine, This is my body and my blood, he simply meant, These are the -emblems of my body and my blood. - -To Illustrate.--In elucidation of this subject, I have known the -following comparison to be used. Suppose one were to go into an art -gallery, and the attendant in charge, pointing to a statue of Julius -Caesar, should remark, This is Caesar; or, indicating a portrait of -George Washington, should say, That is Washington; would the visitor be -apt to conclude that Caesar and Washington were actually there before -him? Would he be under any obligation to think so, even if a priest -were to tell him it was true? Instead of that, would he not infer, and -would it not be his right and duty to maintain, if need be, that the -statue and the painting were merely representations of those august -personages? Then why strain the simple metaphor, "This is my body," in -an ineffectual attempt to make it mean more or less than the Savior -intended it should mean? - -Water Instead of Wine.--In ancient days wine was used in the Sacrament, -though some of the early Christians used water instead. The Savior -authorized the use of wine, both among the Jews and among the Nephites. -But the Latter-day Saints have been commanded of God not to use wine -under present conditions; water is used instead. - -"It mattereth not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, when ye -partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single -to my glory; remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down -for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins; - -"Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not purchase -wine, neither strong drink, of your enemies; - -"Wherefore, you shall partake of none, except it is made new among you; -yea, in this my Father's kingdom which shall be built up on the earth. - -"Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore, marvel not, for the hour -cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the -earth."--(D. and C. 27:2-5.) - -Meanwhile the use of water, and the disuse of wine, must continue, -until the change predicted in this revelation shall have been divinely -ordered; for that is the law governing the Latter-day Saints in this -matter--not the law given to other peoples in former dispensations. - -Signs of the Second Coming.--Jesus prophesied to the Nephites, as he -had prophesied to the Jews, concerning the last days and the signs of -his second coming. Those who would be wise upon this subject, or who -desire to refresh their memories in relation thereto, should read the -twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, especially Joseph Smith's rendering, -as it appears in the Pearl of Great Price. Read also the fifteenth, -sixteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first chapters of Third Nephi. - -Consecration.--The Savior having ascended into heaven, his servants, -bearing the priesthood, and filled with the Holy Ghost, carried -forward the mighty work he had inaugurated. The Gospel was preached, -and the Church built up, as he had commanded, upon both hemispheres. -Among Jews and among Nephites was introduced and practiced the law of -consecration, the permanent establishment of which, in the days of -Enoch, had resulted so gloriously. The Jewish record tells us: - -"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of -one soul; neither said any of them that ought of the things which he -possessed was his own; but they had all things common. * * * - -"Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were -possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the -things that were sold, - -"And laid them down at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made -unto every man according as he had need."--(Acts 4: 32, 34, 35). - -The Book of Mormon thus testifies: - -"And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people were all -converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land, both Nephites -and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and disputations among -them, and every man did deal justly one with another; - -"And they had all things common among them, therefore they were -not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and -partakers of the heavenly gift."--(IV Ne. 1:2, 3.) - -The Apostasy.--Then came the universal apostasy--a departure from -the pure, primitive faith, as general and as worldwide as the known -promulgation of its principles; and the Gospel and the Priesthood -were taken back to heaven, to await the decreed time of their final -restoration. This apostasy, foretold by Paul and other apostles, is -represented symbolically in the Revelation of St. John, the twelfth -and thirteenth chapters of which are particularly pertinent in this -connection. - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -Dawn of the Last Dispensation - -THE MESSENGER OF MORN. - - - Wake, slumbering world! Vain dreamer, dream no more! - The shadows lift, and o'er night's dusky beach - Ripple the white waves of morn. Awake! Arise! - - Ocean of dispensations--rivers, rills, - Roll to your source! End, to thine origin! - And Israel, to the rock whence ye were hewn! - For He that scattered, gathereth his flock, - His ancient flock, and plants their pilgrim feet - On Joseph's mountain top and Judah's plains; - Recalls the Children of the Covenant - From long dispersion o'er the Gentile world, - Mingling their spirits with the mystic sea - Which sent them forth as freshening showers to save - The parched and withered wastes of unbelief. - Japheth! thy planet pales, it sinks, it sets; - Henceforth 't is Jacob's star must rise and reign. - - * * * * * * * * * - - Time, mighty daughter of Eternity! - Mother of centuries--seventy, seven-crowned! - Assemble now thy children at thy side, - And ere thou diest teach them to be one. - Link to its link rebind the broken chain - Of dispensations, glories, keys, and powers, - From Adam's fall unto Messiah's reign; - A thousand years of rest, a day with God, - While Shiloh reigns and Kolob once revolves! - - Six days thou, Earth, hast labored; and the seventh, - Thy Sabbath, comes apace!--Night's sceptre wanes, - And in the East the silvery Messenger - Gives silent token of the golden dawn. - - * * * * * * * * * - - A living Prophet unto dying Time, - Heralding the Dispensation of the End, - When Christ once more his vineyard comes to prune, - When potent weak confound the puny strong, - Threshing the nations by the Spirit's power, - Rending the kingdoms with a word of flame; - That here the Father's work may crown the Son's, - And Earth be joined a holy bride to Heaven, - A queen 'mid queens, crowned, throned, and glorified. - - Wherefore a Noble of the Skies came down, - In strength divine, a stirring role to play - In Time's tense tragedy, whose acts are seven. - - His part to fell the false, replant the true, - To clear away the debris of the past, - The ashes of its dead and dying creeds, - And kindle newly on earth's ancient shrine - The Light that points to Life unerringly; - Crowning what has been with what now must be, - A mighty still bespeaking Mightier. - - Earth rose from wintry sleep, baptized and cleansed, - And on her tranquil brow, that seemed to feel - The holy and confirming hand of Heaven, - The warm light in a wealth of glory streamed; - - Nature's great floor green-carpeting anew - For some glad change, some joyful happening, - Told in the countless carolling of birds, - Gilding the foliage, brightening the flowers, - Mirroring mingled hues of earth and sky. - - Glad happening, in sooth, for ne'er before, - Since burst the heavens when Judah's star-lit hills - Heard angel choristers peal joy's refrain - Above the mangered Babe of Bethlehem, - Had earth such scene beheld, as now within - The bosom of a sylvan solitude, - Hard by the borders of a humble home, - Upon that fair and fateful morn was played. - - Players, immortal Twain, and mortal one, - Standing but fourteen steps upon life's stair; - Boy and yet man, thinker of thoughts profound, - Boy and yet man, dreamer of lofty dreams. - Not solemn, save betimes, when hovered near - Some winged inspiration from far worlds, - Some great idea's all-subduing spell; - Not melancholy--mirthful, loving life, - And brimming o'er with health and wholesome glee. - A stalwart spirit in a sturdy frame, - Maturing unto future mightiness. - - Bowing to God, yet bending to no creed, - Adoring not a loveless deity, - That saved or damned regardless of desert, - Ne'er reckoning the good or evil done; - Loving and worshiping the God of love, - The gracious God of reason and of right, - Long-suffering and just and merciful, - Meting to every work fit recompense, - Yet giving more, far more, than merit's claim; - Bowing to Him, but not to man-made gods, - And shunning shameful strife where peace should dwell, - He holds aloof from those degenerate sects, - Bewildering Babel of conflicting creeds, - And pondering the apostolic line, - "Let any lacking wisdom, wisdom ask," - In childlike faith, godlike humility, - Resolves to prove the promise by the test. - - What pen can paint the marvel that befell? - What tongue the wondrous miracle portray? - Than theirs, the Vision's own, what voice proclaim - Whose dual presence dimmed the noonday beam, - Communing with him there, as friend with friend, - And giving to that prayer reply of peace? - - Tell how, as Moses on the unknown Mount, - From whom in rage fled baffled Lucifer, - Who fain had guised him as the Son of God, - And won the worship of that prophet pure;-- - Tell how with gloom he strove ere glory dawned, - And black despair met bright deliverance. - Tell how, in heart of that sweet solitude, - Within the silent grove, sequestered shade, - While spirit hosts unseen spectators stood, - Watching the simple scene's sublimity, - Eternity high converse held with Time. - - Time, parent of the hovering centuries, - Mother of dispensations, travailing, - And bringing forth her last and mightiest child; - Heaven's awful Sire, through him both Sire and Son, - There blazoning the beginning of the End. - - * * * * * * * * * - - "'Twas from below!" Thus Bigotry in rage. - "Nay, from above," Faith's simple, firm reply. - "No vision is there now--the time is past." - "But I have seen," affirms the youthful Seer. - "God is a mystery, unknowable." - "God is a man--I saw Him, talked with Him." - "Man?" "Ay, of holiness--Exalted Man." - - A strife of words, of warring tongues, now waged, - And weapons vied with words the truth to slay; - Nor truth alone, but her brave oracle, - A boy, by men, by neighborhoods, oppressed. - The wrangling sects forgave--well nigh forgot - Their former feuds and fears and jealousies; - And, joining hands, as Pilate Herod joined, - One guilty day when God stood man-condemned, - - In friendly reconcilement's cordial clasp, - They doomed to death and hell "this heresy." - None sought, from "Satan's wile," a soul's reclaim, - But all were bent his humble name to blast; - And pious, would-be murder led the van - Of common hatred and hostility. - - But Truth, thou mother of the living thought, - The deathless word, the everduring deed! - What puny hand thy giant arm can stay? - When crushed, or backward held, thine hour beyond? - Can bigot frown or tyrant fetter quell - Thy high revolt, O light omnipotent! - When God would speak with man, who tells him nay? - Can hell prevent, when heaven and earth would join? - - Still through his soul the solemn warning rang; - Still from his mouth the startling message flamed: - "No church the Christ's! None, therefore, can I join. - All sects and creeds have wandered from the way. - Priestcraft, in lieu of Priesthood, sits enthroned, - Dead forms deny the power of godliness. - Men worship with their lips, their hearts afar. - None serve acceptably in sight of heaven. - Wherefore a work of wonder shall be wrought, - And perish all the wisdom of the wise." - --("Elias," Canto V.) - -A Decreed Consummation.--The Gospel dispensation introduced by the -Prophet Joseph Smith was rendered necessary by the apostasy of the -Christian world from the ancient Faith, as delivered to the Saints in -the Meridian of Time. Nevertheless, according to the foreknowledge -of God, and in consonance with his all-wise purposes, this great, -all-comprehending dispensation had been preordained from the beginning, -as the "winding up scene," or final development, in the divine plan, -having for its object the salvation of the sons and daughters of Adam. - -"It is necessary, in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness -of times; which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole -and complete and perfect union, and welding together of dispensations, -and keys, and powers, and glories, should take place and be revealed -from the days of Adam even to the present time; and not only this, -but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation -of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent, shall -be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this the dispensation of the -fulness of times."--(D. and C. 128:18.) - -Joseph Smith's Work.--So wrote the Prophet, in the month of September, -1842, less than two years prior to his martyrdom. He had looked upon -the face of God, as did Enoch, Moses, and other seers, in times -of old. He had communed with angels, and received the Everlasting -Gospel, as taught in the Book of Mormon, as well as in the Bible and -in other ancient records of God's dealings with man. Empowered by the -Priesthood, he had organized, after the heavenly pattern, the Church -of Christ, the forerunner of the Kingdom never to be thrown down nor -given to another people. He had gazed upon the glories of eternity, -and portrayed in burning eloquence the final destiny of the human -race, setting forth at the same time the conditions of salvation -and exaltation in worlds to come. He had preached, and caused to be -promulgated, in the two greatest nations of modern times, the United -States and Great Britain, the Gospel message, for the gathering of -Israel, the redemption of Zion, the building of the New Jerusalem, and -the preparation of a people to greet the coming of the Lord. "Blessed -are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." So declared the Savior -of mankind. "Zion is the pure in heart," said Joseph Smith--"every man -seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye -single to the glory of God." He had written concerning the ultimate -goal of all righteous endeavor: - -"This is why Adam blessed his posterity; he wanted to bring them into -the presence of God. * * * Moses sought to bring the children of Israel -into the presence of God, through the power of the Priesthood, but -he could not. In the first ages of the world they tried to establish -the same thing; and there were Eliases raised up who tried to restore -these very glories, but did not obtain them; but they prophesied of a -day when this glory would be revealed. Paul spoke of the dispensation -of the fulness of times, when God would gather together all things in -one, etc.; and those men to whom these keys have been given, will have -to be there; and they without us cannot be made perfect. * * * All -these authoritative characters will come down and join hand in hand in -bringing about this work."--("History of the Church," Vol. III, pp. -388, 389.) - -Keys Committed.--Already, when the Prophet wrote those words, had this -phase of the Latter-day work begun; he having received, under the hands -of heavenly messengers, the keys held by them as presiding authorities -over past dispensations. The following record of visions manifested to -Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, in the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836, -tells its own wonderful story: - -"The vail was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our understanding -were opened. - -"We saw the Lord standing upon the breast work of the pulpit, before -us, and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold in color like -amber. - -"His eyes were as a flame of fire, the hair of his head was white like -the pure snow, his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun, -and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the -voice of Jehovah, saying-- - -"I am the first and the last, I am he who liveth, I am he who was -slain, I am your advocate with the Father. - - * * * * * * * * * * * - -"After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us, -and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the -gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading -of the ten tribes from the land of the north. - -"After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the -gospel of Abraham, saying, that in us, and our seed, all generations -after us should be blessed. - -"After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst -upon us, for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without -tasting death, stood before us, and said-- - -"Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of -Malachi, testifying that he (Elijah) should be sent before the great -and dreadful day of the Lord come, - -"To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to -the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. - -"Therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, -and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is -near, even at the doors."--(D. and C. 110:1-4, 11-16.) - -Elijah's Mission.--"Why send Elijah?" asks the Prophet, and he answers -his own question thus: "Because he holds the keys of the authority -to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood; and without -the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in -righteousness." In the same connection he informs us that "Elijah was -the last prophet who held the keys of the Priesthood."--("History of -the Church," Vol. IV, p. 211.) - -Salvation for the Dead.--The mission of Elijah--the turning of the -hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children -to the fathers, to the end that past and present might be bound -together, and the dead as well as the living saved and glorified, was -the all-engrossing thought in the mind of the Prophet, as his last -day on earth drew near. From his place of retirement, during a period -of trouble and persecution, he wrote thus to the Saints upon this -all-important theme: - -"Verily thus saith the Lord, let the work of my temple, and all the -works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease." - - * * * * * * * * * * * - -"When any of you are baptized for your dead, let there be a recorder, -and let him be eye witness of your baptisms: let him hear with his -ears, that he may testify of the truth, saith the Lord. - - * * * * * * * * * * * - -"You may think this order of things to be very particular, but let me -tell you, that it is only to answer the will of God, by conforming -to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained and prepared -before the foundation of the world, for the salvation of the dead who -should die without a knowledge of the gospel. - - * * * * * * * * * * * - -"Whatsoever you record on earth, shall be recorded in heaven; and -whatsoever you do not record on earth, shall not be recorded in heaven; -for out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own -works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their -own propria persona, or by means of their own agents. - - * * * * * * * * * * * - -"To be immersed in the water and come forth out of the water, is in the -likeness of the resurrection of the dead, in coming forth out of their -graves; hence this ordinance was instituted to form a relationship with -the ordinance of baptism for the dead, being in likeness of the dead. - -"Consequently the baptismal font was instituted as a simile of the -grave, and was commanded to be in a place underneath where the living -are wont to assemble. - - * * * * * * * * * * * - -"And now, in relation to the baptism for the dead, * * * I will give -you a quotation from one of the prophets, who had his eye fixed on -the restoration of the Priesthood, the glories to be revealed in -the last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all -subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, viz., the baptism for the -dead; for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5th and 6th, 'Behold, I -will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and -dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to -the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I -come and smite the earth with a curse.' - - -"I might have rendered a plainer translation to this, but it is -sufficiently plain to suit my purpose as it stands. It is sufficient to -know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse, unless -there is a welding link of some kind or other, between the fathers -and the children, upon some subject or other, and behold what is that -subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be -made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect."--(D. and C. -127, 128.) - -A Gathering Dispensation.--The mission of the Everlasting Gospel in -the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times is the gathering together of -all things in Christ--things in heaven, and things upon the earth; the -consummation decreed concerning the sanctification and glorification of -this planet. It is distinctively the day of gathering--the spiritual -harvest--time of all the ages. - -The Ensign Lifted.--The founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of -Latter-day Saints lifted the Ensign for the gathering of scattered -Israel, a step preliminary to the mightier achievements that are to -follow; and it devolved upon Joseph Smith, a lineal descendant of -Joseph of old, to raise the standard and begin the work, particularly -that portion of it affecting the fortunes of the children of Ephraim. -For thus saith the Lord: - -"I AM A FATHER UNTO ISRAEL, AND EPHRAIM IS MY FIRST BORN." - - - -Dispersion and Gathering of Israel. - -CHAPTER I. - -A Chosen People. - -History and Destiny.--"He that scattered Israel will gather him, and -keep him as a shepherd doth his flock." In these words of Jeremiah the -Prophet, are summarized the past and future, the history and destiny, -of God's chosen people; a people from whom the Latter-day Saints claim -lineal descent. - -"Prince of God."--The name "Israel" means "Prince of God," and is first -used in the Scriptures as the surname of Jacob, grandson of Abraham, -and father of the twelve patriarchs, from whom sprang the twelve tribes -of Israel. Returning from Padan-Aram, whither he had fled from the -jealous wrath of his brother Esau, Jacob came to the ford Jabbok, where -"there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." We are -left to infer that Jacob believed this "man" to be God; for he "called -the name of the place Peniel," saying, "I have seen God face to face." - -"Let me go," demanded the heavenly visitant, "for the day breaketh." - -"I will not let thee go," said Jacob, "except thou bless me." - -The "man" then blessed him, and changed his name from Jacob to Israel, -"for," said he, "as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and -hast prevailed."--(Genesis 32:28.) - -Jacob's Blessing Confirmed.--Subsequently the name Israel was confirmed -upon Jacob at Bethel, where the Lord appeared to him and blessed him, -promising that a nation and a company of nations should be of him, and -that kings should come out of his loins."--(Gen. 35:10, 11.) - -The Father of the Faithful.--But while this was the origin of the -name Israel, as applied to Jacob, it was not the origin of the race -of which he was the titular head. It was the four wives of Jacob, -with their twelve sons, that did "build the house of Israel;" but the -foundation of that house had already been laid by Abraham, the Father -of the Faithful Jehovah's promises to Jacob and to his father Isaac, -concerning their posterity, were virtually repetitions of promises that -had been made to their great ancestor. Those promises are couched in -the following language of scripture: - -"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and -from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will -shew thee: - -"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and -make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: - -"And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth -thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."--(Gen. -12:1-3.) - -Definition of "Hebrew."--Abraham, or, as he was then called, Abram, -was a dweller in Ur of the Chaldees, a city of Mesopotamia, which -means "between the rivers." One of these rivers was the Tigris, and -the other the Euphrates. Abram had to cross the Euphrates in order to -reach Canaan, the land that the Lord showed him. Because he came from -beyond the Euphrates, he was called by the Canaanites a "Hebrew," which -signifies "one from beyond the river." Some of the Jews, however, hold -that the name Hebrew comes from Heber, or Eber, one of the ancestors of -Abraham. - -God's Promise to Abraham.--Mesopotamia was the fountainhead of idolatry -in Western Asia. On that account, and because the Lord wished to raise -up a people who would worship him, and him only, Abram was required to -separate himself from his idolatrous surroundings. After his removal -from Chaldea to Canaan, and the trial of his faith in the offering of -Isaac, the Lord gave to him this promise: - -"In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy -seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea -shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies: - -"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."--(Gen. -22:17, 18.) - -Why was Abraham Blessed?--It will be observed that the blessing -formerly pronounced,--"In thee shall all families of the earth be -blessed,"--is here expanded to: "In thy seed shall all the nations -of the earth be blessed." Before showing how this great promise was -fulfiled, let us inquire into the cause or causes why it was made. Why -was Abraham, with his seed, chosen for such a mission? What had he -done to deserve it? For he must have done something: God rewards men -according to their works, and not even an Abraham would have received -from him an honor that was unmerited. - -Some may suppose that the sacrifice involved in the offering of Isaac -was the sole and sufficient reason; and it is proverbially true that -"sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." But this promise -was made to Abraham before he had offered Isaac, and was repeated and -enlarged after the offering had been made. Others may hold that it was -Abraham's fidelity to God among the idolatrous inhabitants of Chaldea, -and his obedience to the divine behest to leave his country and kindred -and migrate to another land, that caused him to be chosen. "Because -thou hast obeyed my voice," is a reason assigned by the Almighty for -his promise. Such acts were undoubtedly to Abraham's credit; but how -could they be placed to the credit of his posterity?--not merely Isaac -and Jacob, but the millions that were to "come of them." "In thee and -in thy seed shall all the families or nations of the earth be blessed." -His posterity, as well as himself, must have deserved well of the Lord -in this connection. - -The Problem Solved.--The patriarch himself helps us to a solution of -the problem. In the Book of Abraham it is written: - -"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were -organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of -the noble and great ones; - -"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst -of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among -those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said -unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them: thou wast chosen before thou -wast born."--(Abraham 3:22, 23.) - -Noble and Great.--Here, then, is given the reason, the main reason, why -Abraham was chosen; the time, also, when the divine choice was made. He -was chosen before he was born, and it was because of his nobility and -greatness--manifested, of course, by obedience, the only principle upon -which blessings can come to anyone. - -Pre-Mortal Judgment.--The intelligences shown unto Abraham were the -pre-existent spirits of the human race, waiting for an earth to be -made, that they might pass through a mortal probation; a step necessary -to their further progress and development. They were to be rewarded -according to their works--not only after this life, but in this life, -at its very beginning. For rewards and punishments are not all deferred -until the final judgment at the end of the world. There is a judgment -passed upon the spirits of men before they are permitted to tabernacle -in mortality. "Did this man sin, or his parents, that he was born -blind?"--asked the disciples of the Savior, who had probably taught -them the principle involved in the question--namely, the possibility of -sinning in a former state of existence. - -Sowing and Reaping.--"Whatsoever a man soweth," in this world or in any -other, "that shall he also reap." Justice was not done away in Christ, -who taught it, with emphasis, even while inculcating charity and mercy. -"Vengeance is mine," saith the Lord, "I will repay." We are required -to forgive all men, for our own sakes, since hatred retards spiritual -growth; but all men must answer, just the same, for the deeds done in -the body or out of it; justice and mercy each claiming its own. The -principle of sowing and reaping is plainly taught in other passages of -the Book of Abraham: - -"And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said -unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space -there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth -whereon these may dwell; - -"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things -whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; - -"And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they -who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same -kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their -second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and -ever."--(Abraham 3:24-26.) - -First and Second Estates.--The "first estate," as already explained, -means the pre-existence, in which the spirits of men "walked by sight;" -while the "second estate" signifies life on earth, where these same -spirits--"added upon" by being given mortal bodies, with opportunities -for development, are required to "walk by faith," with their knowledge -of the past temporarily obscured; a greater test of integrity, and one -that results, to those who overcome, in a far more glorious reward than -any previously bestowed. - -Reward and Punishment.--In my opening theme, "The Story of God," it -was shown how Lucifer and his legions rebelled over the choice of the -Christ, and were cast down. Failing to keep their first estate, they -could not be "added upon." This was their punishment--that they should -not have bodies, by means of which spirits become souls, capable of -eternal progression. All the rest--two-thirds of the population of the -spirit world--were given bodies as a reward for keeping their first -estate, and were promised a glorious resurrection after death, as a -further reward, if they succeeded in keeping their second estate. - -All Not Alike.--All who kept the first estate were added upon; but not -all alike. The rewards were not the same in every case, though they -were undoubtedly just and appropriate. Some of those "intelligences" -were more deserving than others; some nobler and greater than others; -and because of their superior merit and larger capacity, they were -made "rulers" over the rest. And Abraham, "thou art one of them: thou -wast chosen before thou wast born"--chosen to bear the priesthood, -the divine right to rule, and to stand at the head of a dispensation, -ministering in holy things for the salvation of mankind. - -Such is "Mormonism's" presentation, in part, of the Abrahamic or -Israelitish problem. - -Original Excellence.--What had given Abraham his superior standing in -the heavens? Had he always been noble and great? Was it an original or -an acquired excellence, or both? That there is such a thing as original -excellence, with different degrees of intelligence among pre-existent -spirits, appears from the teachings in this very Book of Abraham--not -only the passages cited, but others, in which the Lord is represented -as saying: - -"If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the -other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent -than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have -no end; they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal. * * -* These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more -intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent -than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they -all."--(Abraham 3:18, 19.) - -"I Know Abraham."--Was it not Abraham's worthy conduct in a previous -life that caused the Lord to say of him while in the flesh: "I know -him, that he will command his children and his household after him, -and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; -that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of -him?"--(Gen. 18:19.) Who can doubt that the Father of the Faithful was -one of the choice spirits whom Alma had in mind when he said concerning -the priests whom "the Lord God ordained": - -"And this is the manner after which they were ordained; being called -and prepared from the foundation of the world, according to the -foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good -works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore, -they, having chosen good, and exercised exceeding great faith, are -called with a holy calling."--(Alma 13:3.) - -The Foreknowledge of God.--The authors and compilers of "The -Compendium," Elders Franklin D. Richards and James A. Little, -commenting upon these words of Alma, relative to the priests thus -ordained, have this to say: "Their calling and preparation from the -foundation of the world, was evidently based on their faith and good -works previous to their being called, and not on the possibilities of -their future good conduct." In other words, the foreknowledge of God -has history as well as prophecy for a foundation. - -Abraham Not Alone.--Abraham was not the only priest called and prepared -in that manner. There were "many of the noble and great ones." Israel -was "a kingdom of priests," "a holy nation," and as such must have -been called and prepared even as was Abraham. We have seen that -Jehovah, the God of Israel, "the great High Priest of our profession," -was fore-ordained to be the Savior; and that his servant Jeremiah, -before being formed in the flesh, was known to God in the spirit, and -sanctified and ordained "a prophet unto the nations." Undoubtedly the -same could be said of others, and Paul doubtless had them in mind when -he wrote: "For whom he did fore-know, he also did predestinate, to be -conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born -among many brethren."--(Romans 8:29.) - -Princes and Servants.--If the name Israel means "prince of God," when -applied to Jacob, may it not mean princes of God, when applied to his -posterity? Jacob was told that kings should come out of his loins. And -have they not come?--princes and priests and kings, the nobility of -heaven, though not always recognized and honored upon the earth. The -greatest among them was not recognized even by "his own;" for when he -came unto them, they "received him not." The wise Solomon was never -wiser than when he said: "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes -walking as servants upon the earth" (Ecc. 10:7). Even the God of -heaven, the mighty. Prince of Peace, walked unknown, unhonored, by his -own servants, in the dust of his own footstool. - -Degrees of Greatness.--There are degrees of greatness in heaven as upon -earth, choice spirits and choicer. But all God's servants are noble. No -position in the Church of Christ is insignificant. David was right in -saying: "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to -dwell in the tents of wickedness." It is greater, infinitely greater, -to hold the humblest office in the priesthood, than to reign, an alien -from God, over all the kingdoms of the world. - -Israel's Pre-existence.--In view of what the prophets have spoken, are -we not justified in believing that the house of Israel was chosen in -the heavens for the mission it had to perform, and is still performing, -upon the earth? What other inference can be drawn from these words of -Moses: - -"Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: * * * - -"When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he -separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according -to the number of the children of Israel."--(Deut. 32:7-8.) - -The period here mentioned, when the sons of Adam were separated, -and the nations received their inheritance, evidently antedated by -many generations the times of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Those events -were probably much earlier, and certainly no later, than the days of -Japheth, Shem, and Ham, by whose families the nations were "divided -in the earth after the flood" (Gen. 10:32). It looks very much as if -Moses, when he wrote those words, had in mind, not a temporal Israel, -unborn at the early period indicated, but a spiritual Israel, according -to whose numbers, known in the heavens before they had taken bodies -upon the earth, the boundaries of "the people" were determined. - - - -CHAPTER II. - -Israel's Mission. - -Privileges and Requirements.--It was intended that the children -of Israel should have "room to dwell;" and it was of the utmost -consequence that they should have. They were to be the oracles of God, -the custodians and dispensers of heavenly wisdom. Upon them devolved -the high duty of keeping alive on faith's altar the fire of divine -truth. They were not to worship idols, as did the heathen nations -around them, but were to worship the true God, the invisible Jehovah, -"walking by faith," where others, less worthy, "walked by sight," -believing only when they could see. The children of Israel were not -to intermarry with other nations, lest they might worship their gods, -practice their vices, and pollute the noble lineage through which was -to come, in due time, the Savior of the world. The Lamb of God, when he -came, was "without spot or blemish," physically as well as spiritually; -a condition partly due, no doubt, to the choice parentage and ancestry -that had been provided for him. - -Christ the Seed of Abraham.--This brings us again to the divine promise -given to Abraham: "In thee and in thy seed shall all the nations of -the earth be blessed." Undoubtedly that promise was fulfiled in the -coming of the Son of God as the Redeemer and Savior. In the body he was -a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and in more ways than one he -has been a blessing to all nations. - -The Gem and Its Setting.--In treating this great theme, however, it is -not enough to consider that such a personage as Jesus of Nazareth lived -and labored and died. We must not separate the gem from its setting. -We must not isolate the central fact of the Savior's personal ministry -from the related facts that went before and followed after. Christ came -to save the world; but the house of Israel prepared the way for his -coming, gave him a proper lineage through which to come, and after his -crucifixion carried on the work he had inaugurated. This is especially -true of the patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, and others bearing -the Priesthood; but it is also true, in a general way, of the whole -house of Israel. - -The Salt of the Earth.--While there is but one Savior in a universal -sense, and in the sense of the atonement and the resurrection, that -Savior has many assistants, sent to play subordinate parts in the -great drama of salvation. Did not Jesus tell his disciples that they -were "the salt of the earth"--the saving or preserving element among -men? And did he not warn them against allowing "the salt" to "lose its -savor"--its power to save and preserve? For how could they save others, -if their own feet were not firmly planted upon the Rock of Salvation? - -Followers of the Lamb.--John of Patmos saw a Lamb standing upon the -Mount Zion, "and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having -his Father's name written in their foreheads" (Rev. 14:1). And he -heard a voice from heaven saying, "These are they which follow the -Lamb whithersoever he goeth." Then they follow him in the work of -salvation, not only in this world, but also in the spirit world, where -he ministered while his body was lying in the tomb. - -Who are these 144,000? They are not the whole house of Israel, which -numbers millions; but they are "of all the tribes of the children of -Israel," twelve thousand of every tribe. The Prophet Joseph says: They -"are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer -the Everlasting Gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every -nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given -power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to -the Church of the First Born" (D&C 77:11). They are not the entire army -of the Lord, but might well be termed the flower of that army, the -body-guard of the great Captain of Salvation. - -Keystone and Arch.--Christ is the keystone of an arch, and that arch -is, or is in, the house of Israel; a circlet of gold upon the forearm -of Omnipotence, a setting of satellite gems, from the midst of which -the supreme jewel, the Signet of Salvation, sends forth its lustre. - -Overruling Providence.--Under Jesus Christ, the Savior, the great house -of which he is the spiritual head also has a mission of salvation. -And, strangely enough, the children of Israel have accomplished that -mission, not only when obedient to God, but while disobedient and -suffering the consequent calamities that came upon them. A notable -instance of the power of overruling Providence, bringing order out of -chaos, light out of darkness, success and victory from seeming failure -and defeat. - -Calamity and Compensation.--The compensations of calamity--a theme -treated philosophically by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in one of his noblest -essays--are apparent in some of the mightiest events of human history. -For instance, to Adam it was said: "The day that thou eatest thereof -thou shalt surely die." He ate, and death came into the world; a -terrible calamity, but not without its compensation; for the fall of -man proved to be the means of peopling the earth, according to a divine -plan, ordained before the creation of the world. Christ's martyrdom, -the preordained means of man's salvation, was an overwhelming calamity -to his terror-stricken disciples, who were disconsolate until they -looked upon it in its true light, acknowledging God's hand in the awful -tragedy. Even so, Israel's dispersion, that dire calamity under which -the chosen people have suffered for ages, and from which they are just -beginning to emerge, has been overruled for good, and made the means of -fulfiling the Lord's purpose and promise in the blessing of all nations. - -Moses Predicts the Dispersion.--Prophecies of this calamity were made -as early as the time of Moses, fifteen hundred years before the coming -of the Savior. The twelve tribes, the most notable of whom were Judah -and Joseph--the latter represented in Ephraim and Manasseh--had been -in Egypt for several centuries when Moses led them out of bondage and -brought them to the borders of Canaan, the land which the Lord had -given to their forefathers when he promised to make of them "a great -nation." The leader of Israel told his people, who were about to -possess themselves of the land of Canaan, that so long as they served -Jehovah and kept his commandments, they should be prospered and remain -an independent nation; but if they forsook Jehovah and served other -gods, He would scatter them among all people, from one end of the earth -even unto the other.--(Deut. 28:64.) - -A Martyred Nation.--They were commanded, as Adam and Eve had been, -not to do a certain thing, and a punishment was to come upon them if -they disobeyed; and yet it must have been foreseen, as in the case of -our first parents, that they would disobey, and the transgression was -overruled for good. The dispersion of Israel, like the fall of Adam, -like the crucifixion of Christ, seems to have been part of a mighty -plan for the progress and salvation of the human race. Adam fell that -man might be; Christ died to burst the bands of death; and Israel was -scattered among all nations, that the gospel of the Redeemer, which was -to follow, might make its way more readily among those nations. As in -the fall, as in the crucifixion, and in every instance where some great -service has been rendered to humanity, there was sacrifice, suffering, -martyrdom, in order that blessings might come. The history of the house -of Israel is the history of a martyred nation, suffering for the good -of other nations--whatever may be said of transgressions that justified -God in bringing upon his chosen people the calamities that were -doubtless among the "offenses" that "must needs come." - - "'Tis sorrow builds the shining ladder up, - Whose golden rounds are our calamities." - - - -CHAPTER III. - -To the Ends of the Earth. - -A Decadent Empire.--Joshua, succeeding Moses as the leader of Israel, -conquered the land of Canaan and divided it among the twelve tribes. -Then followed the reigns of the Judges, during which period Israel -began to depart from God, and to invite, by rebellious conduct, the -national calamity that had been predicted. The glories of the monarchy -founded by Saul, David and Solomon being past, the curse, long -suspended, fell, and the Israelitish empire hastened to its decay. - -Ahijah's Prophecy.--In the reign of Rehoboam, the successor to Solomon, -ten of the twelve tribes revolted, and choosing Jeroboam to be their -ruler, set up the kingdom of Israel (in the north), distinct from the -kingdom of Judah (in the south), over which Rehoboam continued to -reign. During the days of Jeroboam, who had made idolatry the state -religion of the northern kingdom, the dispersion of Israel was again -predicted; the prophet Ahijah then voicing the word of the Lord to his -disobedient people: - -"The Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and -he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their -fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river."--(I Kgs. 14:15.) - -Amos and Hosea.--Another prophet who foretold the dispersion was Amos, -who said that Israel should "surely go into captivity," and be "sifted -among all nations" (7:11, 17; 9:9). Still another was Hosea, who, -substituting rhetorically the past for the future, said: "Ephraim, he -hath mixed himself among the people" (7:8). - -Beginning of the Scattering.--In the year 721 B. C., soon after the -time of Hosea's prophecy, and while a monarch of the same name was -reigning over the kingdom of Israel, the Assyrians, under Shalmaneser, -came against that kingdom and began to destroy it. In a series of -deportations they carried away the ten tribes (Ephraim and all) into -captivity. - -The Lost Tribes.--These are the famous "lost tribes," concerning -whom very little is known. Josephus, the Jewish historian, who wrote -during the first century after Christ, says that the ten tribes were -then beyond the Euphrates, the "river" referred to by Ahijah in his -prophecy. Esdras, in the Apocrypha, declares that those tribes went a -journey of a year and a half into the north country. - -The Cairns of Scandinavia.--Missionaries of the Church of Jesus -Christ of Latter-day Saints, returning from Scandinavia, have told of -rude monuments--cairns or piles of stones--in that northern region, -concerning which tradition says that they were erected many centuries -ago by a migrating people. Whether or not these were the tribes of -the Assyrian captivity, it is interesting to reflect that it was an -Israelitish custom to raise such monuments in commemorating events, -especially the migratory movements of the nation. - -Other Ancient Monuments.--If it be objected that monuments erected by -the Ten Tribes, 721 B. C., could not have lasted down to this day, how -will the objector account for the perfectly preserved monuments of -Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, and other ancient empires, whose remains have -been uncovered by modern archaeology? Such a theory will not stagger -the faith of the Latter-day Saints, when they recollect that the ruins -of Adam's altar are still to be seen in the State of Missouri, where -they were identified by the Prophet Joseph Smith, A. D. 1838. - -To Return from the North.--At all events, it is from "the north -country" that the ten tribes are to return, according to ancient and -modern prophecy; and it is also a fact that from Scandinavia and the -nations of Northern Europe has come much of the blood of Israel--the -blood of Ephraim now within the pale of the Church of Jesus Christ of -Latter-day Saints. - -Are the Ten Tribes Intact?--A much mooted question among our people, -particularly since the discovery of the North Pole, where theorists -have insisted upon locating the ten tribes, is whether or not those -tribes have lost their identity. The fact that no such people were -found at the pole by Peary and other explorers, shatters the exact -location theory; but does it dispose of the main issue--the supposed -existence of the ten tribes as a distinct people, somewhere "in the -land of the north?" Such a supposition might be well founded, and yet -much of the blood of Ephraim be among certain northern nations. Some -of the pilgrims might easily have "mixed" with peoples encountered on -the way, while journeying to their ultimate destination. Beyond this -suggestion, I have no theory to advance. A tradition of the Church has -assigned to John the Revelator the mission of leading the ten tribes -from the land of the north.--(D. and C. 77:14.) - -The Babylonian Captivity.--After the predictions of Amos, Hosea, and -others, in relation to the kingdom of Israel, came the prophecies of -Isaiah and Jeremiah, foretelling the fate of the kingdom of Judah. -This kingdom, about 585 B. C., was destroyed by the Babylonians under -Nebuchadnezzar, and the Jews were carried into captivity. - -Lehi and His Colony.--Just before that disaster, Lehi and his colony -left Jerusalem, and crossed over to this land--America--which, by them -and by Mulek's colony that came later, was peopled with the descendants -of Joseph and of Judah, both of whom are represented, in a degenerate -state, by the American Indians. - -Israelitish Characteristics.--Look at the features of the Indian. Are -they not Jewish? Quite as strikingly so as that many of his customs -and traditions are Israelitish. Who, than the savage Lamanite, better -understands the Mosaic law of retaliation--"an eye for an eye and a -tooth for a tooth"? Nor does he care whose eye or whose tooth it is, -whether that of the person who injured him, or one of the latter's -tribe or nation. He is too much of an Israelite to object to proxies -and substitutes. - -Jerusalem Rebuilt.--The Babylonian captivity lasted seventy years. -Some of the Jews, under the permissive edict of Cyrus, then returned -and rebuilt their city and temple. Only a remnant came back, however, -a colony of fifty thousand, led by Zerubbabel and Joshua. The rest -remained in their scattered condition. The Jews who rebuilt Jerusalem -were those to whose descendants Christ came, and predicted, after -their rejection of him, that their "house" should be "left unto them -desolate" (Matt. 23:37, 38). - -Twelve Tribes Scattered.--Before the Savior's time, however, the -prophets Ezekiel and Zachariah,--the former in exile among the -Babylonians, the latter at Jerusalem after the restoration by -Cyrus,--had added their predictions to those already uttered relating -to the dispersion of Israel. That the fated nation was pretty well -dispersed in the days of the apostles, is evident from the Epistle of -James, who addresses himself "to the twelve tribes which are scattered -abroad." - -Dispersion by Titus.--But there were to be other acts of dispersion. -One of the most notable occurred in the year 70 A. D., when Titus -the Roman came against Jerusalem, besieged and captured it, and sold -the inhabitants, such as had survived the horrors of the siege, into -slavery, or scattered them through different parts of the empire. To -follow the fortunes of this branch of the house of Israel, in all their -subsequent wanderings and scatterings, would fill volumes. - -The Blood that Believes.--Next, let us consider the question: In -what way did these calamities upon Israel prove a blessing to the -human race? How, by the dispersion of the children of Abraham, was -the promise to the patriarch fulfiled, that in him and in his seed -should all the nations of the earth be blessed? I answer, that by this -dispersion the blood of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--the blood of faith, -the blood that believes--with choice spirits, answering to that blood, -and selected for that purpose, were sent into those nations where the -Gospel was afterwards preached; spirits capable of recognizing the -truth, and brave enough to embrace it regardless of consequences; -thus setting an example to others and influencing them in the same -direction. Manifestly this was of far more importance than the carrying -by the captive Israelites of their laws and traditions into those -nations; though this would also help to prepare the way for greater -blessings to follow. - -Spread of Christianity.--And such things told in after years. One of -the marvels of history is the rapid spread of Christianity in the days -of the apostles, who, unlettered as most of them were, and in the midst -of the fiercest persecution, planted the gospel standard in all the -principal cities of the Roman Empire, spreading the tidings of Christ -crucified, from India on the East to Britain on the West, and from -Scythia on the North to Ethiopia on the South; all within the short -space of fifty years. - -"Mormonism's" Growth.--A similar marvel is the spread of -"Mormonism"--ancient Christianity restored--through the Gentile nations -of modern times, a work yet in its infancy. Villages and congregations -converted at a sweep, as in Lancashire and Herefordshire, England; -in America the gospel preached to white men and red, and the Church -established in the tops of the Rocky Mountains, with nearly half a -million souls for a nucleus, and others continually coming from the -various nations of the earth. And then--the extraordinary attention -attracted by the Latter-day Saints--altogether out of proportion to -their numbers; for after all, they are only a handful, compared with -the hundreds of millions of earth's inhabitants. What more strikingly -fulfils the prophetic picture drawn by the Savior: "Ye are as a city -set upon a hill, which can not be hid." - -How could such things be, had not Divine Wisdom prepared the way by -sending the blood of Israel, with spirits answering to that blood, -among all nations, prior to pouring out upon them the spirit of the -gospel and of the gathering? - -Many Nations Sprinkled.--Others before Abraham had shown their faith -by their works; but this does not invalidate his claim to the title, -"Father of the Faithful." Neither does it prove that the believing -blood, even in the veins of the Gentiles, is not Abraham's blood, -with which God has "sprinkled many nations." The Latter-day Saints -themselves are of a mixed lineage--Gentile and Israelitish; most of -them having descended from Ephraim, who "mixed himself among the -people." - -The Centurion's Faith.--Was not the blood of Abraham in the veins of -the Roman centurion, whose faith caused even the Savior to marvel? The -centurion's daughter was sick nigh unto death, and her father said to -Jesus: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter beneath my roof, -but speak the word and my daughter shall live." "Be it according to thy -faith," was the reply, and straightway she was healed. This incident -caused the Son of God to say: "Such faith I have not found in Israel." -Moreover, it formed the basis of a prediction, that many should come -from the East and from the West, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and -Jacob in the kingdom of God, while the children of the kingdom, such -as were degenerate,--salt that had lost its savor,--would be cast into -outer darkness. - -Other Gentile Believers.--Other cases in point are those of Cornelius -and the woman of Samaria--Gentiles, in whose veins was the blood that -believes, "the salt of the earth," sprinkled over the world for its -preservation. The Moabite maiden, Ruth, who was numbered among the -ancestors of Jesus Christ, is another example of the same kind. They -are of Abraham who do the works of Abraham. - -According to Their Faith.--God works among men according to their -faith. Jehovah, as Jesus, came unto his own, and his own received -him not. He could not do many mighty works among the Jews, "because -of their unbelief," at which he marveled, as much, no doubt, as he -marveled over the faith of some of the Gentiles. And so, leaving the -latter to be converted by the Holy Ghost, he who had been sent to the -lost sheep of Israel, turned from Judah unto Joseph, from the Jews unto -the Nephites, whose faith was greater, and among whom, in consequence, -more if not mightier miracles were performed. - -The "Other Sheep."--From the Nephites, the Savior went to "other -sheep," not of the Nephite fold, nor of the Jewish fold, but still of -the house of Israel, and therefore entitled to his personal ministry. -These may have been "the lost tribes," or they may have been other -scattered sheep, unknown to man, but known unto God, "keeping watch -above his own," in the mystical and remote regions whither his -judgments had driven them. - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -The Call of the Shepherd. - -"Come out of her, my people."--(Rev. 18:4.) - -All in Christ.--The Savior's personal visits to the various branches -of the house of Israel were preliminary to a general gathering of -the sheep into one fold, with himself as the Shepherd over all. The -prophets who predicted the dispersion, likewise foretold the return -of God's people to their own lands, after "the times of the Gentiles" -should be fulfiled. It was to be in the latter days, when God has -purposed to "gather together in one all things in Christ." The most -notable prophecies pertaining to the gathering of Israel are here -presented: - -Moses.--"The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion -upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither -the Lord thy God hath scattered thee."--(Deut. 30:3.) - -David.--"Gather my Saints together unto me; those that have made a -covenant with me by sacrifice."--(Psalms 50:5.) - -Isaiah.--"And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain -of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, -and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto -it. - -"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to -the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and -he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for -out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from -Jerusalem."--(Isaiah 2:2, 3.) - -"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his -hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which -shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from -Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the -islands of the sea. - -"And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the -outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the -four corners of the earth. - -"The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah -shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex -Ephraim. - -"But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines to ward the -west."--(Ibid, 11:11-14.) - -"And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which -shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that -he came up out of the land of Egypt."--(Ibid, 11:16.) - -"Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and -gather thee from the west; - -"I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back; -bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the -earth."--(Ibid, 43:5, 6.) - -"And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness -of thy rising. - -"Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves -together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy -daughters shall be nursed at thy side."--(Ibid, 60:3, 4.) - -The Ensign.--According to the faith of the Latter-day Saints, the -"ensign" referred to by Isaiah was set up, when the Church of Christ -was organized on the sixth of April, 1830. Thus far, however, only a -portion of the half tribe of Ephraim has been gathered out from the -nations. - -Shoulders of the Philistines.--"The shoulders of the Philistines" are -understood to be the steamships, railroads, and other facilities of the -Gentiles, whereby the gathering Saints have been and are being carried -westward to American shores and into the tops of the Rocky Mountains. - -The Highway.--"And there shall be a highway," etc. This part of -Isaiah's prophecy seems to have reference to the tribes that were -carried into captivity by the Assyrians, and in connection with whose -return a miracle is promised similar to the dividing of the waters of -the Red Sea, in the days of Moses, that Israel might go over dry shod. - -Jeremiah.--"Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am -married unto you; and I will take you one of a city, and two of a -family, and I will bring you to Zion; - -"And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed -you with knowledge and understanding."--(Jeremiah 3:14, 15.) - -"Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no -more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel -out of the land of Egypt; - -"But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from land -of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them; and I -will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. - -"Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall -fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt -them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of -the rocks. - -"For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hid from my face. - -"The Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and -shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things -wherein there is no profit."--(Ibid, 16:14-17, 19.) - -"Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from -the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the -woman with child and her that travaileth with child together; a great -company shall return thither. - -"They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead -them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight -way, wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and -Ephraim is my firstborn. - -"Here the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles -afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep -him, as a shepherd doth his flock."--(Ibid, 31:8-10.) - -One of a City.--Jeremiah's prediction concerning "one of a city and -two of a family" has been literally fulfiled in the experience of -many Latter-day Saints, turned out of doors by their own parents or -guardians, despised and persecuted by former friends and associates, -because they dared to be "one of a city," or "two of a family," in -espousing so unpopular a cause. - -A Stanza on Freedom.--A few lines from an American poet--James Russell -Lowell--seem appropriate here. The poem from which they are taken is -entitled "Stanzas on Freedom:" - - "They are slaves who fear to speak - For the fallen and the weak; - They are slaves who will not choose - Hatred, scoffing, and abuse, - Rather than in silence shrink - From the truth they needs must think; - They are slaves who dare not be - In the right, with two or three." - -A Marvel and a Wonder.--Wonderful as has been the work of the -gathering, thus far, judging from the words of Jeremiah, it is destined -to be more marvelous still. - -Ezekiel.--"As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is -among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and -will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in -the cloudy and dark day. - -"And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the -countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon -the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places -of the country. - -"I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of -Israel shall their fold be."--(Ezekiel 34:12-14.) - -The Christ.--"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in -all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end -come."--(Matthew 24:14.) - -"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they -shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of -heaven to the other."--(Ibid, 24:31.) - -John the Revelator.--"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of -heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell -on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and -people."--(Rev. 14:6.) - -"* * * And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, -my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive -not of her plagues."--(Ibid, 18:4.) - -Enoch.--One of the most ancient prophecies on the gathering, is that -recorded in the Book of Moses--a portion of the Lord's word to Enoch -concerning the latter days: - -"And righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a -flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, -unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may -gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; -for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New -Jerusalem. - -"And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet -them there * * * and there shall be mine abode."--(Moses 7:62-64.) - -Keys of the Gathering Restored.--Moses held the keys of Israel's -gathering, and he committed them to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, -in the Kirtland Temple, April 3, 1836. (D. and C. 110:11.) The record -says: "Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the -gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading -of the ten tribes from the land of the North." - -Query.--Why this explicit reference to the ten tribes, following a -general allusion to "the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the -earth," if the ten tribes are no longer a distinct people? - -Joseph Smith.--"And they who are in the north countries shall come in -remembrance before the Lord, and their prophets shall hear his voice, -and shall no longer stay themselves, and they shall smite the rocks, -and the ice shall flow down at their presence. - -"And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep. - -"Their enemies shall become a prey unto them, - -"And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living -water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land. - -"And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of -Ephraim my servants. - -"And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their -presence. - -"And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in -Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of -Ephraim: - -"And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy. - -"Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes -of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his -fellows. - -"And they also of the tribe of Judah, after their pain, shall be -sanctified in holiness before the Lord to dwell in his presence, day -and night, for ever and ever."--(D. and C. 133:26-35.) - -Book of Mormon Predictions.--The Book of Mormon contains many -predictions of the gathering of Israel; the more notable being those -of Ether the Jaredite, and of first, second, and third Nephi. We learn -from them that the City of Zion, New Jerusalem, to which, as well as -to Old Jerusalem, the children of Israel will gather, is to be built -upon this continent; the precise place, as pointed out by the Prophet -Joseph, being Jackson County, Missouri. There, in the summer of 1831, -a site for the New Jerusalem was consecrated. There shall yet stand -the City of God, the central point for the gathering of the tribes -of Israel, all except Judah, which tribe, with its fellows, are to -reinhabit the land of Palestine. Until Zion is redeemed and the city -built at the place appointed, the gathering will continue unto the -Stakes of Zion. - -Jesus to the Nephites.--"Verily, I say unto you, I give unto you a -sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to -take place, that I shall gather in from their long dispersion, my -people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my -Zion."--(III Nephi 21:1.) - -"Therefore, when these works, and the works which shall be wrought -among you hereafter, shall come forth from the Gentiles, unto your -seed, which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity: - -"For thus it behoveth the Father that it should come forth from the -Gentiles, that he may shew forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this -cause, that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that -they may repent and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and know -of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my -people, O house of Israel; - -"And when these things come to pass, that thy seed shall begin to know -these things, it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the -work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfiling of the -covenant which he hath made unto the people who are of the house of -Israel. - -"And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall -shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them shall they -see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. - -"For in that day, for my sake, shall the Father work a work, which -shall be a great and marvelous work among them; and there shall be -among them who will not believe it, although a man shall declare it -unto them. - -"But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they -shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I -will heal him, for I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than -the cunning of the devil. - -"Therefore it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not believe in -my words, who am Jesus Christ, whom the Father shall cause him to -bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he -shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as -Moses said,) they shall be cut off from among my people who are of the -covenant. - -"And my people who are a remnant of Jacob, shall be among the Gentiles, -yea, in the midst of them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, -as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he go through both -treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. - -* * * * * * * * * * * - -"But if they will repent, and hearken unto my words, and harden not -their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall -come in unto the covenant, and be numbered among this the remnant of -Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance. - -"And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also, as -many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, -which shall be called the New Jerusalem; - -"And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who -are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem. - -"And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also -will be in the midst; - -"And then shall the work of the Father commence at that day, even when -this gospel shall be preached among the remnant of this people. Verily -I say unto you, at that day shall the work of the Father commence among -all the dispersed of my people; yea, even the tribes which have been -lost, which the Father hath led away out of Jerusalem. - -"Yea, the work shall commence among all the dispersed of my people, -with the Father, to prepare the way whereby they come unto me, that -they may call on the Father in my name; - -"Yea, and then shall the work commence, with the Father, among all -nations, in preparing the way whereby his people may be gathered home -to the land of their inheritance."--(III Nephi 21:5-12, 22-28.) - - - -CHAPTER V. - -The Author to the Reader. - -And now, a word to the brethren--particularly the young brethren--who -will read this book. I have endeavored to impress upon you the -relationship that you bear to heaven and to earth, the duty that -you owe to God and to your fellow men. You are among the chosen -spirits that constitute the house of Israel. You are of the seed of -Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and consequently lawful heirs to all the -promises made to your great progenitors. You are of Ephraim, most of -you--Ephraim, "the first born," the first branch of the Israelitish -tree to bear the fruits of faith and obedience in modern days; the -first to receive the Gospel, and to officiate as its ministers in the -Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. Your lineage is noble--I care -not how obscure your earthly origin, how meager your possessions, how -limited your opportunities for education and advancement. You are of a -royal race, and your conduct should be royal to comport with it. - -This does not mean that you should be proud and arrogant. Pride and -arrogance are no proofs of gentility; they betoken the upstart; -they are the badges of the base-born. Faith and humility must be -your watchwords, and the insignia of your mission, as saviors of -mankind. Much is required of you, for much has been committed to -you. As children of Abraham, you must do the works of Abraham, and -keep yourselves unspotted from the sins and follies of a sordid, -pleasure-loving, money-worshiping generation. You must not bow down -to the gods of the Gentiles, nor pander to the lusts of the flesh. It -is not given unto you to live after the manner of the world. Whenever -tempted to intermarry with those not of your faith, and to wander away -from the fold, think of the great purpose for which you were placed -upon the earth; remember that you are children of the covenant, and -that these are the days of the gathering, not the scattering, of the -blood of Israel. - -The same general obligations now resting upon you, rested up on your -ancestors; and neglect and disobedience brought upon them all the -calamities that befell them as a nation. The salt, sent to preserve, -lost its savor, and was therefore cast out and trodden under foot of -men. Invite not a repetition of those evils. What was done in the green -tree, must not be done in the dry. There is no time, no necessity, -for another dispersion of Israel. It would be as inappropriate and -superfluous as the flooding of soil already soaked by the waters of -irrigation, or the sowing of a field already "white unto the harvest," -waiting for the reaper's sickle. No good could come of it--nothing but -waste and destruction. The children of the covenant have been called -home, and the blood that believes must now flow back to its fountain. - -"Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the -Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit -whence ye are digged. - -"Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I -called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. - -"For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste -places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert -like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, -thanksgiving, and the voice of melody."--(Isaiah 51:1-3.) - -The night of dispersion is past; the day of gathering has dawned. -The tempests that broke above the heads of our ancestors have spent -their fury, and the clouds have parted and rolled away. The barren -ground, refreshed by the fearful visitation, is clothed with verdure -and covered with flowers. The freshening and revivifying rains, having -fulfiled their mission, must now return to the ocean whence they came. -This is the meaning, the symbolism, of the dispersion and gathering of -Israel. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Gospel Themes, by Orson F. Whitney - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GOSPEL THEMES *** - -***** This file should be named 50536.txt or 50536.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/5/3/50536/ - -Produced by Allie Bowen, Mormon Texts Project Intern -(http://mormontextsproject.org) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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