In proclaiming the great truths that the silence of centuries has
been broken; that the voice of God has again been heard from heaven;
that Jesus Christ His Son has manifested Himself in these latter
days; that Angels from the courts of glory have ministered to man on
earth in the present age; that a sacred record has been brought forth
from the ground disclosing the history of a hemisphere; and bearing
the same truths as those recorded in the Bible; that a Prophet, Seer
and Revelator has been raised up to bring in the last dispensation;
that Apostles and other inspired servants of God now minister among
them; that the Church of Christ with all its former organization,
ordinances, gifts, signs and spiritual power has been reorganized on
earth; and that communications may be had with Deity by men and women
of faith now, as at any period in the world's history, the servants
of God are met with the assertion that the day of revelation has long
since passed, and that they must of necessity be either impostors or
deluded, because there is to be no more scripture, prophecy, miracles,
angelic ministrations, visions or actual communication from heaven to
earth. This popular error is fostered and propagated by the ministers
of various so-called Christian denominations, and is accepted by the
masses of the people as a settled and foregone conclusion.
On what ground is such an irrational position assumed? Is not the
Almighty declared in scripture to be unchangeable? Has not His work
on earth always been conducted by men divinely chosen, appointed and
inspired? Is there not as much need of divine revelation to settle
religious feuds and doctrinal differences in the 19th century, as at
any previous period? Would not the word of the Lord be of much more
value to mankind than the varied opinions of uninspired men, no matter
how great be their human learning? Ought {243} not the inhabitants of
the earth to be not only willing, but eager to receive a message from
the eternal worlds?
"Ah!" exclaims the objector, "but there were to be no more Prophets
after Christ. He finished the divine plan and completed the revelation
of God to the earth. He warned His disciples against false prophets
and false Christs, and said if it were possible they would deceive the
very elect." Does not the very fact Christ said there would be false
prophets, convey the idea that there would be true Prophets also?
If there were to be no more true Prophets, it would have been easy
for the Savior to plainly say so, and thus there would be no place
left for deceivers. But He declared emphatically: "Wherefore, behold
I send unto you Prophets and wise men and scribes, and some of them
ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them ye shall scourge in your
synagogues and persecute them from city to city." (Matt. XXIII; 34.)
Were not Prophets established in the Church of Christ as members of
His body? Read I Cor. XII; 28: "And God hath set some in the Church;
first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly, Teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of
tongues." Did not Christ promise His disciples that after He went away
the Comforter should come? And was not one of the offices of that
spirit to show them "things to come?" (John XVI; 13.) Was not the gift
of prophecy bestowed upon members of the Church of Christ as one of the
manifestations of the Holy Spirit? (I Cor. XII; 10.) And can anybody
possess the true testimony of Jesus without that spirit? The angel
that appeared to John the Apostle said: "The testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy." (Rev. XIX; 10.) Paul prayed for the Ephesians:
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give
unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."
(Eph. I; 17.) If revelation and prophecy ceased with Christ, what about
the New Testament, all written after His death and resurrection, by men
now believed to be inspired? Did not the Apostle John behold a glorious
vision and receive a grand revelation, when banished to the Island of
Patmos?
Here again the objection will be raised: "But that revelation was the
last communication from heaven, and its closing chapter forbids any
further revelation." That is also a popular error promulgated by men
professing to be ministers of Christ, and finding themselves destitute
of divine power and inspiration. Here is the passage they quote: "For I
testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of {244}
this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto
him the plagues that are written in this book." (Rev. XXII; 18.) It
is astonishing how plain and simple language can be wrested from its
evident meaning to suit the purpose of sophistry. There is not a word
in that text which conveys the remotest intimation that revelation
and prophecy were to cease, or that God would no more speak to man.
It is a prohibition against the addition by man of anything to that
which God reveals. The next verse forbids the taking away of anything
from the "book of this prophecy." That is, the Book of Revelation.
These commands have reference to that one book, and that only. The
compilers of the New Testament have placed it last in the collection of
scriptural books, and the strained, unnatural and absurd application
which has been made of the words we have quoted have been attached to
the whole volume of the Bible. It is all wrong and ridiculous. The
idea that the Almighty placed a seal upon His own mouth when He simply
forbade men to add to what He said, is certainly most remarkable for
sane people to entertain. If that singular notion were correct, then
both the angel who gave the revelation, and John, who received it,
violated the heavenly injunction, for we read that the angel gave to
John a mission in figurative manner, which he thus explained: "Thou
must prophecy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and
kings." (Rev. X; 11.) It is well known that the Epistles of St. John
were written after he received the revelation on Patmos.
While the true Church of Christ remained on earth the spirit of
revelation and prophecy also remained. When that spirit departed
there was but a dead form left. Only by the restoration of divine
communication with man could the Church of Christ be re-established
on earth. Only by raising up a Prophet to commence the latter-day
dispensation could our Heavenly Father maintain His invariable method
from the beginning of the world. And instead of men, professing to be
His servants, opposing and fighting against divine revelation, they
ought to hail with gladness the re-opening of the heavens and shout for
joy that the rays of the Millennial morning have burst upon the world.
It is passing strange that persons familiar with the prophetic writings
in the Bible, could hold the opinion that there would be no revelation
in the latter days. The Bible teems with prophecies of the latter-day
glory, when the mightiest miracles ever wrought by divine power should
be displayed; {245} when God should set up an "ensign for the nations,"
"assemble the outcasts of Israel," gather together "the dispersed of
Judah from the four corners of the earth," and not only repeat the
wonders of the Mosiac journey from Egypt to Canaan, but display His
power to such an extent that it will no more be said, "The Lord liveth
that brought the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but the
Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the House of
Israel from the north country and from all countries whither I have
driven them." (See Isaiah XI; 6-16; Jer. XXIII; 3-8; Zech. X; 6-11.)
Not only is the Lord to gather Israel and Judah, "with a mighty hand
and a stretched out arm," but He is to bring "His elect together from
the four quarters of the earth." They are to go up in the tops of the
mountains, where the House of the Lord is to be reared, from which His
law is to go forth, and where His people shall learn of His ways and
walk in His paths. When He has rebuked the nations, cleansed the earth
from its iniquity, so that the meek shall inherit it, He is to pour
out His spirit upon all flesh, with the result not only that His sons
and His daughters shall prophesy and see visions, but "they shall all
be taught of God," until "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of
God as the waters cover the great deep." (Joel II; 28-32; Isaiah XI; 9;
Micah IV; 1-7; Isaiah XXXV; Isaiah LIV; 13.)
That there was to be a new and final dispensation after the great
apostacy from primitive Christianity foretold by the Apostles, is
evident from the statement of Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians.
He says: "Having made known unto us the mystery of His will according
to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself, that in the
dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one
all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth,
even in Him." (Eph. I; 9, 10.) How could this, the greatest of all
dispensations, be ushered in without a Prophet and without revelation
from God? Did the Almighty ever commence a dispensation since the world
began without a Prophet to declare His word, and without revealing
His will? The Apostle Peter calls this great dispensation "the times
of restitution of all things spoken of by all the Holy Prophets since
the world began," in which Jesus Christ is to come in glory. (Acts
III; 20, 2l.) If all things are to be restored in that great gathering
dispensation, then Prophets must be restored, revelation, angelic
visitations, gifts, signs, miracles and all the manifestations of
former times must also be restored. {246} For, the consummation of
all things is to be accomplished, and the earth be prepared for the
presence of its rightful ruler, its Redeemer and King.
Be it known to all people that the Lord, in His infinite mercy, has
once more opened the heavens and revealed Himself to man. The last
dispensation has been commenced. The voice of Christ has again been
heard. Angels have come down from heaven to earth. Prophets, Apostles
and other inspired men declare the word and will of the Lord. A sacred
record of the ancient people of a vast continent has been brought out
of the ground and, united with the Jewish Bible, bears witness that God
is the same yesterday, today and forever, and that by faith mankind in
all ages may learn of Him and have communion with Him. The Gospel of
Jesus Christ is being preached in all the world as a witness to all
nations, baptism is administered by divine authority for the remission
of sins, the Holy Ghost is conferred as of old, by the laying on of
hands of men clothed with the Holy Melchisedek Priesthood, the unity of
the faith is enjoyed, the sick are healed, prophecies are uttered, the
gift of tongues and interpretation is attainable, and by visions and
dreams and the witness of the Comforter, God is testifying to those who
receive His word, that He has commenced a great latter-day work spoken
of by His Holy Prophets.
The man chosen of God to commence the work of the last dispensation
was Joseph Smith, who was slain at Carthage, Illinois, for the word of
God and the testimony of Jesus. No Prophet who ever lived on earth,
except the Son of God Himself, accomplished a greater work, brought
forth more truth or received greater revelations from on high than
he. Having finished the grand mission required of him by the Lord,
he sealed his testimony with his blood, and stands with the martyrs
who will be crowned in the presence of God and the Lamb as Kings and
Priests unto them forever. The truth of this testimony has been sealed
upon the hearts of many thousands of people, who rejoice in the certain
knowledge that they are accepted of God. And this knowledge may be
obtained by every soul who shall believe in Christ, repent of sin, be
baptized for the remission of sin, and receive the laying on of hands
for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, oh reader! Come unto the
light, obey the Gospel and be saved! This is the only way of eternal
life and everlasting happiness in the Father's presence.
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