PLAIN TALK TO PARENTS.

PARAGRAPHS TAKEN FROM THE WRITINGS OF APOSTLE ORSON PRATT, IN _THE

SEER_, 1853.

Let that man who intends to become a husband, seek first the kingdom of

God and its righteousness, and learn to govern himself, according to

the law of God; for he that cannot govern himself cannot govern others.

Let him dedicate his property, his talents, his time, and even his life

to the service of God, holding all things at His disposal, to do with

the same, according as He shall direct through the counsel that He has

ordained. In selecting a companion, let him look not wholly at the

beauty of the countenance, or the splendor of the apparel, or the great

fortune, or the artful smiles, or the affected modesty of females; for

all these, without the genuine virtues, are like the dew-drops which

glitter for a moment in the sun and dazzle the eye, but soon vanish

away. But let him look for a kind, amiable disposition; for unaffected

modesty; for industrious habits; for sterling virtue; for honesty,

integrity, and truthfulness; for cleanliness in person, in apparel,

in cooking, and in every kind of domestic labor; for cheerfulness,

patience, and stability of character; and above all, for genuine

religion to control and govern her every thought and deed.

You should remember that harsh expressions against your wife, used in

the hearing of others, will more deeply wound her feelings than if she

alone heard them. Reproofs that are timely and otherwise good, may lose

their good effect by being administered in the wrong spirit; indeed,

they will most probably increase the evils which they are intended to

remedy. Do not find fault with every trifling error that you may see,

for this will discourage your family, and they will begin to think that

it is impossible to please you; and, after a while, they will become

indifferent as to whether they please you or not. How unhappy and

extremely wretched is that family where {454} nothing pleases--where

scolding has become almost as natural as breathing.

Let each mother commence with her children when young, not only to

teach and instruct them, but to chasten and bring them into the most

perfect subjection; for then is the time that they are the most

easily conquered, and their tender minds are the most susceptible of

influences and government. Many mothers from carelessness, neglect

their children, and only attempt to govern them at long intervals,

when they most generally find their efforts of no lasting benefit;

for the children having been accustomed to having their own way, do

not easily yield; and if peradventure they do yield, it is only for

the time being, until the mother relaxes again into carelessness when

they return again to their accustomed habits; and thus by habit they

become more and more confirmed in disobedience, waxing worse and worse,

until the mother becomes discouraged and relinquishes all discipline,

and complains that she cannot make her children mind. The fault is not

so much in the children, as in the carelessness and neglect of the

mother when the children were young. It is she that must answer, in a

degree, for the evil habits and disobedience of the children. She is

more directly responsible than the father; for it cannot be expected

that the father can always find time, apart from the laborious duties

required of him, to correct and manage his little children who are

at home with their mother. * * * Some mothers, though not careless,

and though they feel the greatest anxiety for the welfare of their

children, yet, through a mistaken notion of love for them, forbear

to punish them when they need punishment; or if they undertake to

conquer them, their tenderness and pity are so great that they prevail

over the judgment, and the children are left unconquered, and become

more determined to resist all future efforts of their mothers, until,

at length, they conclude that their children have a more stubborn

disposition than others, and that it is impossible to subject them

to obedience. In this case, as in that of neglect, the fault is the

mother's. The stubbornness of the children, for the most part, is

the effect of the mother's indulgence, arising from her mistaken

idea of love. By that which she calls love, she ruins her children.

Children between one and two years of age are capable of being made to

understand many things; then is the time to begin with them. How often

we see children of that age manifest much anger. Frequently by crying

through anger, they that are otherwise healthy, injure themselves. It

is far better in such instances, for a mother to correct her child

in a gentle manner, though {455} with decision and firmness, until

she conquers it, and causes it to cease crying, than to suffer that

habit to increase. When the child by gentle punishment has learned

this one lesson from its mother, it is much more easily conquered and

brought into subjection in other things, until finally, by a little

perseverance on the part of the mother, it learns to be obedient to her

voice in all things; and obedience becomes confirmed into a permanent

habit. Such a child trained by a negligent or over-indulgent mother,

might have become confirmed in habits of stubbornness and disobedience.

It is not so much in the original constitution of children as in their

training, that causes such wide differences in their disposition. It

cannot be denied that there is a difference in the constitution of

children even from their birth; but this difference is mostly owing to

the proper or improper conduct of parents, as before stated; therefore,

even for this difference, parents are more or less responsible. If

parents, through their own evil conduct, entail hereditary dispositions

upon their children, which are calculated to ruin them, unless properly

curtailed and overcome, they should realize, that for that evil they

must render an account. If parents have been guilty in entailing

upon their offspring unhappy dispositions, let them repent, by using

all diligence to save them from the evil consequences which will

naturally result by giving way to those dispositions. The greater the

derangement, the greater must be the remedy; and the more skillful

and thorough should be its application, until that which is sown in

evil is overcome and completely subdued. In this way parents may save

themselves and their children, but otherwise there is condemnation.

Therefore we repeat again, let mothers begin to discipline their

children when young.

Do not correct children in anger. An angry parent is not as well

prepared to judge of the amount of punishment which should be inflicted

upon a child, as one that is more cool and exercised with reflection,

reason and judgment. Let your children see that you punish them, not

to gratify an angry disposition, but to reform them for their good,

and it will have a salutary influence. They will not look upon you as

a tyrant, swayed to and fro by turbulent and furious passions; but

they will regard you as one that seeks their welfare, and that you

only chasten them because you love them, and wish them to do well. Be

deliberate and calm in your counsels and reproofs, but at the same

time, use earnestness and decision. Let your children know that your

words must be respected and obeyed.

Never deceive your children by threatenings or promises. Be careful not

to threaten them with a punishment which you {456} have no intention

of inflicting, for this will cause them to lose confidence in your

word; besides, it will cause them to contract the habit of lying. When

they perceive that their parents do not fulfill their threatenings or

promises, they will consider that there is no harm in forfeiting their

word. Think not that your precepts concerning truthfulness will have

much weight upon the minds of your children, when they are contradicted

by your examples. Be careful to fulfill your word in all things in

righteousness and your children will not only learn to be truthful

from your example, but they will fear to disobey your word, knowing

that you never fail to punish or reward according to your threatenings

and promises. Let your laws, penalties and rewards be founded upon

the principles of justice and mercy, and adapted to the capacities of

your children; for this is the way that our heavenly Father governs

His children, giving to some a Celestial, to others a Terrestrial, and

to others still a Telestial law, with penalties and promises annexed

according to the conditions, circumstances and capacities of the

individuals to be governed. Seek for wisdom, and pattern after the

heavenly order of government.

Do not be so stern and rigid in your family government as to render

yourself an object of fear and dread. There are parents who only render

themselves conspicuous in the attribute of justice, while mercy and

love are scarcely known in their families. Justice should be tempered

with mercy, and love should be the great moving principle, interweaving

itself in all your family administrations. When justice alone sits upon

the throne, your children approach you with dread, or peradventure hide

themselves from your presence and long for your absence that they may

be relieved from their fear. At the sound of your approaching footsteps

they flee as from an enemy, and tremble at your voice, and shrink from

the gaze of your countenance, as though they expected some terrible

punishment to be inflicted upon them. Be familiar with your children

that they may delight themselves in your society, and look upon you as

a kind and tender parent whom they delight to obey. Obedience inspired

by love, and obedience inspired by fear, are entirely different in

their nature. The former will be permanent and enduring, while the

latter only waits to have the object of fear removed, and it vanishes

like a dream. Govern children as parents, and not as tyrants; for they

will be parents in their turn and will be very likely to adopt that

form of government in which they have been educated. If you have been

tyrants, they may be influenced to {457} pattern after your example.

If you are fretful and continually scolding, they will be very apt

to be scolds too. If you are loving, kind and merciful, these benign

influences will be very certain to infuse themselves in to their order

of family government; and thus good and evil influences frequently

extend themselves down for many generations and ages. How great, then,

are responsibilities of parents to their children! And how fearful the

consequences of bad examples! Let love, therefore, predominate and

control you, and your children will be sure to discover it, and will

love you in return.

Let each mother teach her children to honor and love their father,

and to respect his teachings and counsels. How frequently it is the

case when fathers undertake to correct their children, mothers will

interfere in the presence of the children. This has a very evil

tendency in many respects. First, it destroys the oneness of feeling

which should exist between husband and wife; secondly, it weakens

the confidence of the children in the father, and emboldens them to

disobedience; thirdly, it creates strife and discord; and lastly, it

is rebelling against the order of family government established by

divine wisdom. If the mother supposes the father too severe, let her

not mention this in the presence of the children, but she can express

her feelings to him while alone by themselves, and thus the children

will not see any division between them. For husbands and wives to be

disagreed, and to contend, and quarrel, is a great evil; and to do

these things in the presence of their children is a still greater evil.

Therefore, if husband and wife will quarrel and destroy their own

happiness, let them have pity upon their children, and not destroy them

by their pernicious examples.

{458}

MY REASONS FOR LEAVING THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND JOINING THE CHURCH OF

JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.

(R. M. BRYCE THOMAS, LONDON, ENG.)

Previous to my visiting Salt Lake City, Utah, in the months of July

and August, 1896, I knew nothing of the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints beyond the fact that it was commonly known as the

Mormon Church.

During my stay of nearly a month in Salt Lake City I heard from those

quite unconnected with their Church that the so-called Mormons, but

whom I shall hereafter designate as "the Latter-day Saints," were the

most peace-loving and quiet of people, honest, thrifty, well behaved

and good citizens, and exceedingly kind to their poor, who were so well

looked after that public begging was not known among them.

I found that this people possessed a beautiful Temple and a very

fine Tabernacle, with grounds prettily laid out and well cared for;

their houses, too, were neat and picturesque, with nice gardens

attached to them, while they could boast of a Tabernacle Choir of

about 600 men and women, the best that I have ever heard. Everything

to do with this people appeared to be most excellently managed and

looked after, while their missionaries were preaching the Gospel in

most parts of the world, having gone out altogether at their own

cost, and at a very great sacrifice of self in all cases. The Church

organization of the Saints, too, appeared to be complete and effective,

and it became evident to me that they were a very interesting and

extraordinary people, and I therefore decided to secure some of their

books, especially the Book of Mormon, in order to learn more of their

character and doctrines.

This I did, and after I had read some of their publications a light

seemed to dawn upon me, and I commenced to wonder if we were living

in the times of the great apostasy which had been predicted in so

many parts of the inspired scriptures. {459} I quote a few references

to these predictions in the note below,[A] but these are by no means

all. My mind expanded still more when I had carefully read through

the Book of Mormon, a book which I found to be replete with divine

truths and elevating principles, and which bore the very strongest

testimony to the truths contained in the Bible, both in the Old and

in the New Testament; a book, too, which made plain and easy of

understanding so many parts of the Bible that appear at present to be

vague, or regarding which the numerous sects of Christendom have set

themselves against each other in argument and dispute. In that book

(Book of Mormon) it was clearly stated that the great apostate church

would be upon the earth when the book itself would come to light. In

Revelation St. John spoke of the apostate church of the latter days as

"Babylon,"[B] and as "Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots

and abominations of the earth,"[C] and he added that this apostate

church was to rule peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues,[D] which

would make it almost if not quite universal.

[Footnote A: Isaiah 24: 1-5; Matthew 24: 4-31; Acts 20: 29, 30; II

Thess. 2: 3, 8, 9, 10; I Timothy 4: 1-3; II Timothy 3: 1-5; II Timothy

4: 3, 4; Revelation, chapters 1, 2, and 3; Revelation 17: 2-5.]

[Footnote B: Rev. 14: 8.]

[Footnote C: Rev. 17: 5.]

[Footnote D: Rev. 17: 15.]

Now the question which concerned me was whether the Church of England,

of which I was a member, was a portion of that church to which the

Bible predictions in respect to the great apostasy referred, or whether

the church of Rome or some other Christian church, was the only one

alluded to. That it was a Christian church to which the texts in the

Bible referred is not, I think, likely to be denied by any one; and

indeed we know that even in as early days as those in which John the

Revelator himself lived, he discovered the commencement of apostasy in

the seven truest churches of Christians among those then existing.[E]

The other branches of the then Christian church would appear to have

gone altogether wrong, for these seven were, it seems, the only ones

worth divine mention, and they too were becoming so corrupt even in

those early days that God threatened them with complete rejection.

[Footnote E: Rev. chaps. 2, 3.]

In order to enable me to arrive at a just and proper conclusion, it was

necessary for me to turn to the Bible as my guide, and to ascertain

therefrom what constituted the primitive Church of Christ, and what

were the exact doctrines and ordinances as laid down by Him and as

taught and practiced by His Apostles. Having ascertained these facts, I

had then {460} to compare them with the constitution of the Church of

England and with the doctrines and ordinances as taught and practiced

by her. It appeared to me to be quite evident that if the primitive

church as planted by Jesus Christ and built up by His Apostles and

servants, with all its organization and powers, had not been maintained

in its completeness and perfection, or if any of Christ's doctrines

had been altered, or His ordinances changed in any one respect without

due authority, this could only have come about through false teachers

arising in the church, as St. Paul had predicted would be the case

after his days.[A] I felt that I should then be compelled to admit

that the Church of England had fallen into error, and that therefore

the texts in the scriptures regarding the latter day apostasy could

not but refer to her as well as to the other churches of Christendom

which were teaching and practicing a gospel not in accordance with that

found in the Bible. And further that the following inspired prophecy of

Isaiah pointed to her equally as much as to the other churches: "The

earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have

transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting

covenant,"[B] (or in other words apostatized). One of the Latter-day

Saints has very appropriately written the following words in this

connection: "It is contrary to scripture and to reason to suppose

that Christ would set up two or more discordant religious systems to

distract mankind, and cause strife and contention. God cannot create

confusion. His mind is one, the minds of men are various, so that when

we see various opposing religions in Christendom, it is conclusive

evidence that men have been engaged in their invention, and that they

have established but very imperfect imitations of the true church of

Christ."[C]

[Footnote A: II Tim. 4: 3, 4.]

[Footnote B: Isaiah 24: 5.]

[Footnote C: See Mormon Doctrine, 6th leaf.]

The true church must always conform to the pattern of the primitive

church of Jesus Christ and His Apostles in every respect, unless there

is clear and undisputable authority in the scriptures for a divergence

in any particular, and I have not been able to find any such authority

in any portion of the New Testament. So that if the Church of England

(for that is the only church with which I am concerned at present) is

dissimilar in her organization or in her doctrines and ordinances from

the primitive church, she can be but a very imperfect imitation of that

church at best.

Well, on turning to the Bible I found that the church which {461} Jesus

Christ planted on earth consisted of "First apostles, secondarily

prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of

healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."[A] Elders, too,

were ordained in all churches.[B] Then again evangelists and pastors

are mentioned.[C] We further read why all these inspired apostles,

prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers were absolutely necessary

in the church, namely, "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work

of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."[D] St. Paul

in writing to the Corinthians very clearly described the church of

Christ, and he showed that not one of its members could be dispensed

with without thoroughly disorganizing the body. He was then specially

speaking of the various gifts of the Holy Spirit of God, which were

considered so essential to the maintenance of the true church of

Christ, and it will be seen that He practically forbade any one of the

members of the church (Christ's body) to say of those miraculous gifts

"We have no need of thee."[E]

[Footnote A: I Cor. 12: 28.]

[Footnote B: Acts 14: 23.]

[Footnote C: Eph. 4: 11.]

[Footnote D: Eph. 4: 12.]

[Footnote E: I Cor. 12: 21-28.]

Now I vainly look for a church of this pattern in the Church of

England or in any of the other churches in Christendom, except in

that of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I can find no apostles, no

prophets, no workers of miracles, no discerners of spirits, no gifts

and no interpretations of tongues; but I find popes, cardinals and

archbishops. By what authority then was the organization of Christ's

church altered, and her most important members lopped off? For I have

already made mention of the reasons given by St. Paul why inspired

apostles, prophets, and the wonderful gifts of the Holy Spirit, were

absolutely necessary in the church of Jesus Christ as founded by Him.

And I fail to discover any good reason why the church should now be

able to get on without them any more than it found itself able to get

on without them in former times. On the contrary, I am clearly of

opinion that they must be just as essential now as in days of old, and

that to their absence must be attributed all the discord, ill-feeling,

and confusion that reign supreme in and between the very numerous sects

in Christendom, all of which profess themselves to be members of the

true church of Jesus Christ. All these different sects or churches, if

I may so call them, are admittedly without the miraculous gifts of the

Holy Spirit spoken of by St. Paul, for they do not teach nor do they

appear {462} to allow that gifts of prophecy and miracles are actually

necessary in these days. Indeed, they apparently consider that these

gifts are not needed at all; the very thing which St. Paul forbids them

to do when he says that, in respect to the Spirit's wonderful gifts,

no member of Christ's church must say, "We have no need of thee."[A]

So that prophets and workers of miracles have altogether ceased to

be, although I can find no authority whatever in the Bible for their

ceasing to exist. Inasmuch as they were necessary "for the perfecting

of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the

body of Christ,"[B] how can saints now be perfected or the work of

the ministry be efficiently and satisfactorily performed, or the body

of Christ (the true church) be edified in these days? The Bible shows

us that it was always through prophets that God revealed His will,

commands, and instructions to His church under all the changing and

trying circumstances through which she has had to pass since the world

commenced. And it seems to me to be altogether opposed to scripture

and to reason to conclude that in these admittedly evil days it is

unnecessary for Him to intimate His will and commands, and to instruct

His people in exactly the same way, in order that His church may

continue to be guided through the great difficulties and trials that

must beset her. For the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles I

prefer to go direct to the Bible and be guided thereby, than to go

to any of the churches of Christendom which teach doctrines not in

accordance therewith. For instance, Jesus Himself said that miraculous

signs should follow believers,[C] but the churches do not teach this

doctrine. Then again St. Paul, writing under the inspiration of the

Holy Ghost, recorded that apostles and prophets were necessary in the

church, not only for his days, but "till we all come in the unity of

the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect

man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that

we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried

about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning

craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."[D] How different this

appears to be from the teachings of the various churches and sects in

Christendom! In this passage of scripture which I have just quoted,

St. Paul not only tells us how long apostles and prophets would be

necessary in the church of Jesus Christ, but also how the church would

be affected if prophecy ceased. {463} As inspired by God, he distinctly

asserts that apostles and prophets would be required till we attain to

perfect men, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

I think it will be admitted that we have not reached this perfection as

yet. Again, St. Paul showed that if we had no apostles and prophets,

the church would be tossed to and fro, and carried about with every

kind of doctrine, etc. What do we see in the churches of Christendom

but this very result, when we contemplate the numerous discordant

and opposing religious denominations and sects, all teaching divers

doctrines and ordinances? Thus it seems evident to me that a church,

devoid of inspired prophets and the miraculous gifts of the Holy

Spirit, all of which played so very important a part, in the opinion

of the apostles of Christ, in the primitive church, cannot possibly

be anything but in error. This view is strengthened by the words of

St. Peter, who tells us that the Spirit would continue to manifest His

marvelous powers in the true church while the world lasted, if the

people would submit themselves to the ordinances of the gospel, and

obey God's commandments. He was preaching on the day of Pentecost, just

after the Holy Ghost had fallen upon the assembled disciples, and had

sat upon each of them in the form of cloven tongues like as of fire,[A]

and he called upon all his hearers to repent, and to be baptized for

the remission of their sins, and he promised them the gift of the Holy

Ghost. Then he went on to say that this promise was not for those

people only, but unto them and their children, and also to all who were

afar off, even as many as the Lord our God should call.[B]

[Footnote A: Cor. 12: 21.]

[Footnote B: Eph. 4: 12.]

[Footnote C: Mark 16: 17, 18.]

[Footnote D: Eph. 4: 13, 14.]

[Footnote A: Acts 2: 3.]

[Footnote B: Acts 2: 38, 39.]

Now in view of all this that I have culled from the scriptures, I

cannot understand how any one has authority to say that in these days

we have no need for inspired Prophets, and for those wonderful gifts of

the Spirit, without which, we are told by the New Testament writers, we

cannot reach to the perfected man, and to the measure of the stature of

the fulness of Christ.

It appears therefore quite evident to me that if I in all humility and

sincerity accept the teachings of God, as made clear in the Bible, it

becomes impossible for me to admit, or to flatter myself as a member of

the Church of England, that any church of professing Christians on the

earth, which denies the urgent need of inspired prophets and apostles,

and the glorious and miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, can be the

{464} church which Jesus Christ founded and His Apostles built up in

the first days of Christianity. In fact it seems to me that where there

is not sufficient faith to obtain new revelation and the ministry of

angels, all of which are promised under the true Gospel, there cannot

possibly be the true church of Christ. The scripture also, which is

given for our instruction, tells us "Where there is no vision the

people perish."[A]

[Footnote A: Prov. 29: 18.]

It is also logical to suppose that a church which denies the need of

the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit cannot well have that Spirit

guiding it, for the whole history of the primitive church shows us that

wherever the Holy Spirit was poured down upon any one and especially

on the apostles and prophets and the other ministers of Christ, He

manifested Himself in prophesyings, healings, tongues and other ways.

God no doubt speaks to all His children throughout the world in some

measure by His Spirit, the still small voice of conscience, but the

Holy Spirit in His full and wonderful manifestations, that spirit of

knowledge, and wisdom, and of revelation, is only to be found where

there is the true church of Christ. Again, Jesus Himself tells us

that "When that spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all

truth, for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall

hear that shall he speak, and _he will show you things to come_."[B]

This is the gift of prophecy. Do we see anything of this kind in the

Church of England, or in the church of Rome, or in any of the numerous

denominations of Christians anywhere--church and denominations which by

their dissensions and different teachings go far to distract mankind

and confound the earnest seekers after truth? It is when this spirit of

prophecy, of healings, and of tongues is wanting that people are led by

the teachings of men, darkness overspreads the world, errors begin to

multiply, heresies to spring up, and nothing but a form of godliness

remains while its powers are denied.

[Footnote B: John 16: 13.]

Again, where the Holy Spirit manifests Himself there must of necessity

be unity and peace, for He is a Spirit of Unity, and Jesus Himself

prayed that all His children might be one, even as He and His Father in

Heaven were one.[C]

[Footnote C: John 17: 11, 20 to 23.]

Peter Young, an English writer, records the following comment on this

prayer: "Our Lord seems to have a vision, if we may venture so to

speak, of His church as one body, penetrated with the Divine Spirit,

radiant with the brightness of His presence, its members living

together in faith and love, the {465} kingdom of heaven upon earth,

exhibiting such a spectacle of love and holiness, that the world

might be led to acknowledge that they were the special objects of the

Father's love." We can thus see what it is that Jesus earnestly desired

and prayed for. There were no divisions and dissensions, but all were

to be of one faith and doctrines as taught by Him, and one in all love

and holiness of life; and a perusal of a part of the 16th chapter of

St. John's Gospel will show that, just previous to His uttering this

desire of His heart, Christ had promised His disciples to send them the

Comforter to guide them into all truth, for, said He, "He shall receive

of mine and shall show it unto you."[A] Now does it seem possible to

suppose that this Spirit of Unity, this Comforter, whom Jesus Christ

was to send in order to show His followers how to grow like Him, and to

to guide them into all truth, can be guiding the numerous contending

discordant churches of Christendom, who exhibit toward each other

bitterness and hatred, which not so many years ago culminated even

in the shedding of human blood! The Church of England, with which I

am at present concerned, is split up into Ritualistic, High, Broad,

and Low Church, all at variance more or less in their ceremonies and

ordinances, and in their very teachings. Surely it would rather seem

as if the church were moved upon by a spirit of discord, confusion,

and evil passions than a spirit of unity, peace, and love; for if this

glorious Spirit whom Jesus sent down after His ascension into heaven,

were really permeating the church, we could not but clearly discern His

presence in His wonderful manifestations as of old, and in the unity

of faith, that the word of God leads us to expect would always prevail

till the end of time, when we all should reach perfection, even to the

measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,[B] and so long, too,

as there remained any on earth whom the Lord our God should call.[C]

Why then has the Spirit now ceased to manifest His presence? Well,

it appears to me that the reason may be found in the fact that both

teachers and people have drifted into error, and have set up ordinances

and doctrines which do not resemble those of Christ's primitive church,

or have rejected some of those formerly practiced and taught by that

church. What! some ask, do you mean to say that the Church of England

is practicing and teaching erroneous doctrines and ordinances? If so we

should like to know wherein the errors lie. Yes, I reply, such seems to

be the case, and I shall now proceed to point out the errors.

[Footnote A: John 16: 7-14.]

[Footnote B: Eph. 4: 13.]

[Footnote C: Acts 2: 39.]

{466} In the primitive church existed the ordinance of anointing

the sick with oil and praying over them with mighty faith. Is this

practiced now in the Church of England, and if not, why not? If

the faith of the early Christians (and very strong faith, such as

honors God, was required) existed in these days, would not the church

continue to use this same wonderful power for good as of old? It is

however cried down now, and this ordinance is altogether rejected and

considered too ridiculous for these enlightened days, though perhaps

good enough for those poor creatures who lived in the benighted past.

Where also is the ordinance of laying on hands for the reception of

the Holy Ghost with all His gracious gifts? This was evidently a most

important and necessary ordinance in the teachings of the Apostles of

the primitive church, and invariably followed that of baptism. And the

New Testament is replete with instances of the wonderful way in which

the Holy Spirit used to manifest Himself among those converts, who had

obeyed the teachings of the Apostles, and had humbly and faithfully

submitted themselves to both these ordinances. He still manifests

Himself in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as very

many can testify; but such manifestations are not taught or looked for

in the Church of England, even in the ordinance of confirmation, and

therefore they could not occur for want of faith if for no other reason.

Next I will take the ordinance of baptism. Is there any similarity

between that practiced in the early church of the days of the Apostles

and that practiced in the Church of England at the present day? None

that I can see. In the first place, the form of baptism is not the

same. Baptism by immersion is that to which the Lord Jesus submitted

Himself in order to fulfill all righteousness,[A] and to become

obedient in all things, and thus it behooves us to become obedient

also. He was baptized by immersion as an example to us, and this is the

baptism taught and practiced by His Apostles and servants.[B] It was

not until the third century, after very many and gross errors had crept

into the church, as I shall presently try to show, that the form of

baptism was altered, the first case being that of a man named Novatian,

who, being very ill, was baptized in bed by infusion or pouring of

water.[C] Schaff says that even down to the close of the thirteenth

century baptism {467} by immersion was the rule, and sprinkling or

pouring the exception.[D] There are many other respectable authorities

who show clearly that baptism in the early church was by immersing the

whole body in water, and I name some in the note below.[E] Baptism is

a word derived from the Greek "bapto," meaning to immerse, and there

is no doubt in my mind that this is the meaning intended wherever the

word is used in the New Testament. Calvin says, "The word baptize

signifies to immerse, and the rite of immersion was observed by the

ancient church," while John Wesley says, "Buried with him--alluding

to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion." Jeremy Taylor

writes, "The custom of the ancient churches was not sprinkling, but

immersion, in pursuance of the sense of the word in the commandment,

and the example of our blessed Savior." We are taught that baptism is

meant to symbolize a death, a burial, and a resurrection,[F] and also

a birth.[G] Immersion does this, but sprinkling does not, therefore

baptism by sprinkling is erroneous. Then again, the Bible teaches us

that baptism had for its object the remission of sins, and that that

ordinance invariably followed upon faith and repentance. But the Church

of England does not appear to baptize for the remission of sins at all,

the ordinance being considered as only an outward sign of an inward

grace, something which appears to me to be altogether different from

the idea of baptism as taught and practiced in the primitive church

of Christ.[H] That church laid down that when a person had faith (and

we are told that faith comes by hearing), and had fully and truly

repented of his sins, he was to undergo the ordinance of baptism for

the remission of those sins,[I] and that then he would receive the

Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands by authorized men.[J] The

Church of England, which claims to be led in her doctrines by the

very same Spirit that guided the primitive church in the days of the

Apostles, teaches quite another law of baptism, and even demands the

baptism of innocent little infants in arms, who can exercise no faith

or repentance, and who have no individual sins to repent of. Is not

this a transgression of the law in this respect? The primitive church

and the Church of England cannot both be right, and therefore the same

Spirit cannot have permeated {468} both, for, unless we admit this, we

must admit that the same Spirit dictates two distinctly opposite laws

of baptism unto salvation.

[Footnote A: Matt. 3: 15.]

[Footnote B: Romans 6: 3, 4, 5.]

[Footnote C: Eusebius Eccl. Hist., Book vi: Ch. 43. See also Cyprian's

Epistles, Letter 76.]

[Footnote D: Schaff, an eminent Swiss theologian.]

[Footnote E: Mosheim's Eccl. Hist., vol. I, page 120. Bossuet, a

celebrated French Bishop. Bishop Jeremy Taylor. Robinson, the great

Biblical scholar and philologist. Calvin. John Wesley.]

[Footnote F: Romans 6: 3, 4, 5.]

[Footnote G: John 3: 5.]

[Footnote H: Mosheim's Church History, 3rd Ed., vol. I, pp. 87 and 137.]

[Footnote I: Mark 1: 4. Luke 3: 3. Acts 12: 16.]

[Footnote J: Acts 2: 38.]

This leads me to the question of infant baptism. Dr. Neander, a great

German scholar, tells us that Christ did not ordain infant baptism, and

that not till so late a period as Irenaeus does any trace of infant

baptism appear. This was in the third century. Curcellaeus writes

that baptism of infants in the first two centuries after Christ was

altogether unknown. Bishop Jeremy Taylor says, "Christ blessed infants

and so dismissed them, but baptized them not, therefore infants are

not to be baptized." Martin Luther says, "It cannot be proved by the

sacred scriptures that infant baptism was instituted by Christ, or

begun by the first Christians after the Apostles." Tertullian, one of

the Latin Fathers, wrote, "Let them therefore come when they are grown

up, when they can understand, when they are taught whither they are

to come. Let them become Christians when they can know Christ. Why

should this innocent age hasten to the remission of sins? * * * * If

persons understood the importance of baptism they will rather fear the

consequent obligation than the delay."

The Church of England, of which I was a member, baptizes infants in

arms, who, as I have already said, cannot have faith, nor can they

repent, and indeed they have no sins to repent of. I have been told

that there is the taint within them of the original sin of Adam, but

it seems to me that an infant is perfect in Jesus Christ. No one

but Adam committed the original sin for which, in God's righteous

justice, the sentence was death, and this death passed upon all Adam's

descendants. But God, whose very attributes are justice and mercy,

made a way for Adam's posterity to escape from the consequences of a

sin that not one of them was guilty of. So, in order that His justice

should not be cruel, our good Father in Heaven sent His only begotten

Son Jesus Christ to the earth to atone for all sins, not only for our

own individual sins, but for the sins of our common father Adam. Thus

the world was relieved of the curse passed upon Adam; for "as by one

man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one

shall many be made righteous."[A] The salvation is just as universal

as the punishment; and we have nothing to do ourselves to obtain this

salvation from the consequences of Adam's transgression, for which

we were in no way responsible. Christ's atonement fully met God's

righteous justice, and justice having been satisfied, {469} mercy was

able to step in between it and ourselves and to claim her own. For our

own individual sins we are of course responsible. We shall reap as we

sow, and we shall be judged according to our works, whether they be

good or bad, but we shall not be judged for Adam's sin. This is, I

think, evident from the scriptures quoted in the foot note.[B]

[Footnote A: Read carefully Rom. 5: 12-19.]

[Footnote B: II Cor. 5: 10. Rom. 2: 6. Gal. 6: 7. Eph. 6: 8. Col. 3:

24, 25. Rev. 22: 12. Matt. 16: 27.]

Children, then, up to the age at which they can clearly distinguish

between right and wrong, and can receive the commandments and laws of

God, are without sin, for sin is the transgression of the law, known

to be God's law. Thus little children have no sins to be repented of

and to be remitted, and therefore do not need baptism. Baptism is an

ordinance by which we witness to God, that we have repented of our

past misdeeds and have taken upon ourselves the name of Christ; that

we intend, by being buried with Him in the waters of baptism, and by

rising again from that watery grave, to die unto sin, and to rise again

to a new life of holiness and good works, in thankful remembrance of

Christ's great love in saving us from the dreadful consequences of

our own wicked acts. Baptism cannot therefore be necessary until we

raise our wills against God and disobey what we clearly know to be His

righteous commandments. To say that an infant requires baptism appears

to be not only unscriptural but equivalent to denying the tender

mercies of Christ. Little children are perfect in Him, and thus He was

able to say, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them

not, for of such is the kingdom of God."[C]

[Footnote C: Matt. 19: 14. Mark 10: 14. Luke 18: 16.]

Thus I have tried to show how, in my opinion, the Church of England

has turned aside from the early church teachings, and has transgressed

this law of baptism, which the Bible instructs us has for its object

the remission of sins;[D] has changed the ordinance by substituting

sprinkling for immersion, and has broken the everlasting covenant by

practically denying the all-sufficiency of Christ's atonement, in

holding that an innocent infant cannot belong to Christ's fold unless

it is baptized into it; forgetting that it is only after we have

arrived at years of discretion and understanding that we wander away

from Christ's fold, and that we are required to pass through the waters

of baptism in order to get our sins washed away, and to re-enter that

fold. The prophecy of Isaiah, which I have already quoted,[E] thus

seems to be applicable to the Church of {470} England in respect to

this subject of baptism, if in respect to no other ordinance.

[Footnote D: Mark 1: 4. Luke 3: 3. Acts 2: 38. Acts 22: 16.]

[Footnote E: Isaiah 24: 5.]

The next ordinance that I would draw attention to is that of baptism

for the dead. This has been altogether done away in the Church of

England, though it was extensively practiced in the primitive Church.

St. Paul in writing to the Corinthians says: "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?" [A] This baptism for the dead is one

of the most glorious subjects belonging to the everlasting Gospel,

because, in order to prove good our title to the kingdom of heaven, we

who have sinned are told that we must have the three great witnesses to

adoption: namely, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood.[B] We know by

scripture that the Gospel is preached to the dead,[C] and the reason is

that the dead are to be judged as men in the flesh, and live according

to God in the spirit.[D] Hence the necessity of baptism for those of

them who had not during this life been baptized by immersion for the

remission of their sins. The dead rely upon us who are living for the

performance on their behalf of this ordinance. This is the work that

children must do for their progenitors, and on learning this, the

hearts of the children are turned to their fathers, and the fathers in

the spirit world, learning that they are dependent upon the action of

their posterity for the performance of this ordinance of salvation,

turn their hearts to their children, or in other words look to them for

the necessary performance. This was the work predicted in the scripture

by the Prophet Malachi, "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet

before the coming of the great and terrible 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."[E]

[Footnote A: I Cor. 15: 29.]

[Footnote B: John 5: 8.]

[Footnote C: I Peter 3: 19, 20, 21.]

[Footnote D: I Peter 4: 6.]

[Footnote E: Mal. 4: 5, 6.]

This baptism for the dead was an old doctrine taught in the primitive

church, and it is evident that St. Paul spoke of a baptism which a

living person receives in place of a dead one.[F] This vicarious

baptism for the dead was practiced among the early Christians for

some two or three centuries after Christ, and Epiphanius, a writer of

the fourth century, speaks of this ordinance when referring to the

Marcionites, a sect of Christians to whom he was opposed.[G] The view

that St. Paul spoke of a baptism that a living man receives {471} in

place of a dead one, is upheld by many respectable authorities, among

them Erasmus, Scaliger, Grotius, Calixtus, Meyer, and De Wette.[A] Then

again if we look at the proceeding of the Council of Carthage held A.

D. 379, it will be seen that baptism for the dead was being practiced

among some at least of the Christians as late as that year, for the

council's sixth canon forbids any longer the administration of baptism

and holy communion for the dead.[B]

[Footnote F: Biblical Literature (Kitto).]

[Footnote G: Heresies 23: 7.]

[Footnote A: Roberts' Outlines of Eccle. Hist. Note 3 to sec. 10 of

part 4.]

[Footnote B: Roberts' Gospel (1893) p. 290.]

The beauty of this doctrine is that it very clearly indicates

that there cannot be a never-ending punishment for those who die

unconverted, as taught in the churches of Christendom. On the contrary,

after they have been judged according to their works in the body, and

have undergone such punishment as the perfectly righteous God adjudges,

there will be a salvation for all, except the sons of perdition; and

eventually Jesus Christ will present to His Father His completed

work of redemption. Else what are the meanings of such texts as the

following? "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and

_now_ is when the dead shall hear the voice of God: and they that hear

shall live."[C] "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will

hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of

the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to

bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness

out of the prison house."[D] Isaiah also, after he had described the

judgments that would attend the coming in glory of Jesus Christ, and

the punishments that should overtake the ungodly, wrote as follows:

"And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the

host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth

upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are

gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many

days shall they be visited."[E]

[Footnote C: John 5: 25.]

[Footnote D: Isaiah 42: 6, 7.]

[Footnote E: Isaiah 24: 21, 22.]

Thus the Gospel has to be preached to the spirit world, and those who

then hear it in its purity for the first time, as it was preached in

the first days of the church of Christ, will look anxiously to their

living descendants to perform for them the outward ordinances of

baptism, or the birth of water, without which one of the three earthly

witnesses to {472} adoption into God's kingdom (water) will be wanting

in their case. For one of the requisite ordinances of the Gospel will

not have been complied with by them while on earth, namely, baptism by

immersion for the remission of their sins.

That this doctrine of baptism for the dead, which of itself is clear

evidence of the loving, merciful, and long suffering character of our

Heavenly Father, was forbidden at the Council of Carthage, is scarcely

to be wondered at when we study the history of the church and the

character of her ministers in the fourth century. For it was a time

when the priesthood was steeped in iniquity, and the church dreadfully

tainted with Arianism and Pelagianism, while the corrupt doctrines of

the Nestorians and Eutychians infected both the priests and the people

of the Christian world. Indeed, when we look into the early history

of the mother church of Rome from the third century, we can see how,

even in those early times, the church had become practically a motley

mass of heathens. From A.D. 66 to A.D. 312 the primitive church was

repeatedly under general persecutions, which almost destroyed it, and

during this time many who had professed Christianity apostatized. At

the same time gross errors began to creep into the church, particularly

the teachings of the gnostics, who formed abominable tenets by mixing

heathen philosophy with the Gospel of Christ. In the fourth century,

however, with the accession of Constantine to the imperial throne

of Rome in A.D. 323, all persecutions ceased, and peace was assured

to the church, and even more than peace, for Constantine favored

the Christian cause, and did what he could to suppress the pagan

religion. The ministers of the Christian church were honored in every

way, and wealth and position conferred upon them, so that it is not

a matter of wonder that thousands of converts immediately afterwards

joined the church and Christianity soon became the national religion.

All this, however, instead of being fortunate for the church was

disastrous to the purity of Christ's religion. In the fourth century

lordly bishops, archdeacons, canonical singers, etc., were introduced;

candles were lighted by day; incense burnt; abstinence from marriage

was esteemed a high degree of sanctity; prayers were made to departed

saints; pretended relics were held in high estimation; images of

Christ and of saints were set up; the clergy commenced to officiate in

canonical robes which they held to be sacred; prayers were made for

the mitigation of torments to the damned; pilgrimages were started to

certain shrines; and a monkish retirement from fellowship with mankind

{473} was considered a devotion. By the end of the sixth century the

doctrines of the church were deeply infected with Pelagianism (the

Pelagians denied the necessity of Christ's righteousness for our

justification or of His Spirit's influence to regenerate the heart),

and discipline had become corrupt, remiss, and partial, while the

principal concern of the leading clergy was who should be the greatest.

Then followed the notion of purgatory, and the worship of the Virgin

Mary and of the martyrs, while Gregory the Great, bishop of Rome, added

new canons of mass, his canticles and antiphons and many new ordinances

concerning litanies, processions, lent oblations for the dead,

pontifical robes, consecrations, and relics. About the year A. D. 606

or 608, Phocas, a monster of cruelty and treachery, who had murdered

his worthy master Mauritius and family, became emperor of the East,

and Boniface III, the bishop of Rome, by fulsome flatteries, obtained

his imperial appointment to be the universal bishop of the Christian

church,[A] and thus became the so-called vicar of Christ on earth.

[Footnote A: The above has been taken from a short view of the

Geography and History of Nations by the Rev. John Brown.]

In the face of this condition of the church, it is not a matter for

astonishment that the pure and unadulterated Gospel became lost to

the world, and that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, which the

primitive church so freely enjoyed, were no longer to be seen.

Later on, in A. D. 1517, Zuinglius in Switzerland, and Luther in

Germany, shocked with the blasphemous manner in which papal pardons

of, and indulgences in, sin were exposed for sale, openly declared

their detestation of them. The result was the rebellion against the

Romish church, commonly known as the Reformation, which brought in

its train persecutions, massacres, wars, blasphemies, scandals, and

the prohibition of certain books. That the reformers in separating

themselves from the Church of Rome did immense good, there can be

no question; and this good has been going on ever since in the way

of preparing men's hearts to accept the simple truths of the pure

Gospel of Jesus Christ. But they could not have brought out of

that church what I believe it could not possibly have possessed at

the time, having lost it through the infidelity which has been so

clearly described by Wesley, and also in the second homily of the

Church of England;--namely, divine authority to administer in the

holy ordinances, and to {474} confer the Holy Ghost by the laying on

of hands. For, as I have before said, the Holy Ghost had for some

centuries ceased to manifest His presence as in the first days Christ's

church, while the Bible very distinctly shows us that where God's

Spirit has been given to His church and people, He has invariably

manifested Himself in many miraculous ways. Thus it seems to me that

these reformers, good men as they were, had not the authority to

introduce into the world a gospel that had been practically lost, the

only gospel on earth at the time being one in a very mutilated and

changed form indeed. The true Gospel, with its organization and all

its mighty powers of prophecy, healing, and other miracles, could

not be brought again to the earth except by the hand of an angel of

God. That this was to be the case we read in the writing of John

the Revelator,[A] where it is distinctly shown that the Gospel once

delivered to the saints was to be taken away from the earth. Otherwise

there would apparently have been no object in the Gospel being sent

again from heaven in the last days, when the hour of His judgment

would come, with the object that it might be preached, not to a few

people only, but to them that dwell on the earth; to every nation, and

kindred, and tongue, and people. No one is excepted, for in God's plan

of life and salvation for mankind all on the earth are to hear and

receive or reject this pure Gospel. Direct communication from heaven to

earth had ceased for many centuries, resulting in the numerous schisms,

the various doctrines, and the many unhappy dissensions and quarrels

which have broken up the church and led so greatly to the increase

of that atheism and materialism which are now everywhere apparent in

the world. The result of the falling away, of which the churches of

Christendom have been guilty so long, is appalling, and God's judgments

in wars, pestilence, and famines, have been continued, in order to warn

and to bring men to repentance and to draw them back to the true faith.

[Footnote A: Rev. 14: 6.]

The remarks of John Wesley will give some idea of the dreadful

condition into which the churches of Christendom had fallen. He said

that the reason why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost were no

longer to be seen was because the love of many had waxed cold, and

Christians had turned heathens again, and had only a dead form left.[B]

[Footnote B: Wesley's Works, vol. 7, sermon 89, pp. 26, 27.]

Read also what the Church of England herself admits in her homily

against perils of idolatry:

{475} "Laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, all ages, sects, and

degrees, have been drowned in abominable idolatry most detested by God,

and damnable to man, for eight hundred years or more."[A] Such being

the case, how can anyone suppose for a moment that divine authority

could possibly have been conferred on the priesthood by the laying on

of hands of men who, in this homily, are included among idolaters. On

the contrary, it would be more probable that this fallen condition of

the church would have closed the heaven to all direct communication

with the earth. And this seems to have occurred, for, for centuries

past, prophecy has ceased, God no longer calls men directly by His

voice as He did Moses, Samuel, and Paul; angels do not now deliver

heavenly messages to men, and miracles and signs are no longer made

manifest through the power of God as of old. And what is the result? It

is, so it seems to me, that, for lack of the spirit of revelation and

prophecy, which alone could declare God's will to His church, and which

could predict with certainty coming events, and so warn the church of

impending dangers and guide her into all truth, the ministers of the

churches of Christendom have been thrown back upon their own ingenuity

to teach men the fear of the Lord by human precepts. Thus is fulfilled

Isaiah's prophecy regarding the latter days of the earth, "Forasmuch

as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do

honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear

toward me is taught by the precept of men," etc.[B] It is evidently

altogether due to the precepts of men that there are so many and

different doctrines taught, and that so much uncertainty and doubt,

coupled with dissensions, disputes, and ill will, are rampant in the

churches of Christendom, instead of unity, love, brotherly kindness,

sympathy, and peace. The Church of England, too, is divided against

herself, and has split up into High, Broad, and Low church, all more

or less in discord, and each teaching doctrines with which the rest

have no sympathy; some teachers urging the necessity of confession,

and of prayer for the dead, while others view all such doctrines as

"popish," and as emanating from the evil one; some believe in the

doctrine of transubstantiation, while others altogether reject it; and

some again consider it necessary to introduce into their worship much

pomp and ceremony, with genuflections and incense, while others will

permit of only {476} the simplest forms of worship possible, viewing

with distaste the gorgeous displays and robes used by the ritualistic

members of the church.

[Footnote A: Church of England homily against perils of idolatry.]

[Footnote B: Isaiah 29: 13.]

In the midst of all this confusion one could only ask, Which is right

and which is wrong? or are they all wrong together? I looked for the

fruits of the spirit in the different parts of the church, but found

the laws transgressed and the ordinances changed, and I could see only

dissension in place of unity, and disputes instead of peace. Thus it

became impossible for me to continue to give my adherence and support

to any branch of the church in which I had been brought up. It was

difficult to break away from all old associations and from a church in

which I had long reposed the fullest faith and confidence, but it was

impossible for me to continue one of the members, as soon as it had

become quite patent to my mind that she was advocating and teaching

a perverted gospel; and when I clearly saw that she was in error in

denying the necessity of Apostles and Prophets, and the miraculous

gifts of the Holy Spirit, as essential portions and adjuncts of the

church of Christ on earth in these days.

While pondering over these matters the meaning of the following

prophetic words of Jeremiah became clear to me, words, be it

remembered, which the Gentiles were to say in the latter days of the

earth, at the time when God had commenced to take in hand His work

of gathering together the dispersed children of Israel: "Surely our

fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no

profit."[A] This prophecy is being fulfilled, for thousands of converts

have already said these words in their hearts, if not actually with

the lips, and I among them, and thousands yet will say them before the

end comes. In this connection another scripture has greatly impressed

itself upon my mind, namely, the words addressed by St. Paul to the

Galatians, when warning them against some who had perverted the Gospel

of Christ even in those early days of the church. He said, "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. As we said

before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you

than that ye have received, let him be accursed."[B]

[Footnote A: Jer. 16: 19.]

[Footnote B: Gal. 1: 8, 9.]

Thus I lost all confidence in the Church of England, and as I fully

realized that I had a soul to be saved, regarding which I was naturally

anxious, and as I was at the same {477} time well assured in my mind

that there could not possibly be more than one true plan of life and

salvation, and that one the pure Gospel as had been taught by Jesus

Christ and His Apostles, I turned about to find a church that taught

that Gospel, as laid down in its simplicity in the good old book. A

church organized as was the primitive church, with Apostles, Prophets,

etc., which the inspired writers of old taught as being absolutely

necessary, and a church which enjoyed the promised gifts and powers of

the Holy Spirit. Such a church I found among the Latter-day Saints, one

similar in all ways to the primitive church, with her divine authority,

and the marvelous manifestations of the Holy Spirit as promised by

Messiah to all true believers, manifestations to which thousands of

good, earnest Christian men and women can bear the most direct and

truthful testimony.

On studying the history of this church, I was greatly struck with

the wonderful faith displayed by the Latter-day Saints, during the

dreadful persecutions through which they have had to pass, and the

trials, and hopes, and sufferings which they have had to endure; with

the beautiful spirit which manifested itself in the martyrs, and

with the marvelous manner in which God sustained the Saints in their

ejection from the circle of all civilization, and throughout their

march of fifteen hundred miles through the wilderness into the wilds

of the Rocky Mountains, to a place of which they had absolutely no

previous knowledge, but to which He led them in safety. The truth, for

which this people suffered, and even accepted martyrdom, now floats

over the world, and converts are multiplying rapidly. No one who will

read the whole history of the Latter-day Saints with a truly honest

and unprejudiced heart, and look upon the blessings of prosperity

which they at present enjoy, can for a moment doubt that they are

members of a church which is under the direct guidance of God through

new revelation. The only religion as taught in the Bible [but which

churches that profess to believe in that Bible seem to deny] is the

faith of visions, miracles, angels, revelations, and prophets. The

ancient saints believed such a religion, as all their teachings very

clearly show us, and looked for and expected to enjoy immediate

intercourse with God and angels. The Latter-day Saints believe in

such a religion too, and are greatly blessed with such intercourse so

long as they are faithful and live up to their glorious privileges,

and endure as seeing Him who is invisible. Thus they are in direct

enjoyment of that pure Gospel which was to be brought down again to

earth by the hands of an angel as seen by St. John in his vision in

the {478} Isle of Patmos.[A] This vision had reference to the bringing

again to earth of the Gospel long after the days of our Lord, for St.

John saw it many years after Christ had died, risen from the grave,

and ascended into heaven, that is to say long after Jesus had Himself

brought the Gospel to the earth; and this restoration of the true

Gospel to every nation and kindred and tongue and people would not

have been necessary if the Gospel in its perfection had not been lost.

St. John also clearly tells us that this restoration was to be in the

last days of this world, for he writes that the angel, in bringing

down this Gospel, would point out that the hour of God's judgment had

come, and he adds that another angel would immediately follow saying,

"Babylon is fallen."[B] Thus he refers clearly to the last days of this

probationary time on earth, and there are many things which indicate

to believers that we are living in these latter days, when the hour

of God's judgment has come, and when we may expect soon to see Christ

making His promised appearance in glory. We ought not therefore to be

astonished to find that God, in His mercy and goodness towards the

children of men, has at last sent that very Gospel to the earth as He

had revealed His purpose to St. John the Revelator.

[Footnote A: Rev. 14: 6.]

[Footnote B: Rev. 14: 7, 8.]

This Gospel would naturally have to be committed to some chosen human

being, for it is always through some selected one of His creatures

that God has sent to the people of the earth His warnings, reproofs,

instructions, threatenings for evil, and promises for righteousness,

and why should He not have chosen young Joseph Smith to receive the

restored Gospel as well as any other individual? He at least is the

only one who claims to have received it as it was to come from the

hands of an angel, and I am quite sure that any one who will read with

a fair and unprejudiced mind the teachings of Joseph Smith cannot but

conclude that he must have been inspired. Especially will this appear

when they consider the fact that all the great and marvelous work which

he performed before his martyrdom was accomplished while he was still

a young man, and that he, like the Apostles of old, had never enjoyed

the privileges of education or experience. I think, too, that those

who will, with honest hearts, ponder over the present dark condition

of the world, where anarchism, materialism, and atheism are spreading

themselves as a pall over the earth, and hiding the light as a cloud

hides the sun, will admit that it is quite time that the pure Gospel

of Jesus Christ should again be restored to the earth, especially when

they compare {479} the true doctrines and ordinances of that Gospel

with the varied and contradictory doctrines and ordinances of the

numerous churches and sects of Christendom, so patent in the present

day. The history and the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints ought to forcibly impress any and all earnest

inquiring souls, who study them without bias, and I would strongly

recommend to the attention of such persons a book called "A New Witness

for God," by Elder B. H. Roberts.[A] There are other publications of

the Latter-day Saints, too, which explain their teachings much more

fully and lucidly than I have been able to do in this short exposition

of my reasons for leaving the Church of England and joining their

church. I shall be glad to lend these books to or to procure new ones

for, those of my relatives or friends who may desire, in their anxiety

for their souls welfare, to investigate the doctrines further. I can

only say that there is that now within me which enables me to add that

I know that the establishment of this church is of divine origin, and

that it will extend its borders and stand forever.

[Footnote A: "A new Witness for God," by Elder B. H. Roberts.]

Before concluding, I would wish to add a few lines pointing out

the manner in which the pure Gospel has been brought again to the

earth, and to refer to a few texts in scripture which appear to me

to bear directly on the establishment of this great work that has

been accomplished On the earth in these latter days. I do not purpose

lengthening out my remarks by giving a history of the youth of Joseph

Smith and the revelations enjoyed by him, inasmuch as there are several

books and pamphlets which deal fully with these matters. I will content

myself with saying that an angel of God, Moroni by name, appeared to

Joseph Smith and showed him a place up in a hill called "Cumorah," in

which he would discover certain plates of gold with inscriptions upon

them. Joseph Smith went to the hill and found these plates, but did

not remove them, as the angel Moroni again appeared and told him that

it was not yet time to do so; but on the 22nd of September, 1827, the

angel again met Joseph Smith at the hill of Cumorah, and delivered

into his hands all the plates, and a curious instrument called the

Urim and Thummim,[A] which was also found in the stone box together

with the plates. Joseph Smith subsequently {480} translated through

this instrument such portions of the plates as were not sealed,

and this translation is now known as the Book of Mormon. This book

contains the history of a colony of Israelites of the tribe of Joseph

(Ephraim), who left Jerusalem 600 years B.C., and came to America,

and who afterwards multiplied very rapidly, and grew into two great

nations called the Nephites and the Lamanites. The latter, after many

years of warfare, eventually exterminated the former, owing to the fact

that the Nephites had departed from the commandments of God, but the

Lamanites had themselves become, even before they had destroyed the

Nephites, a dark and benighted people under a curse from God on account

of their gross iniquities and infidelity.[B] This destruction of the

Nephites took place about 400 years after Christ, so that the Book of

Mormon gives the history of the tribe of Joseph (Ephraim) for just

1,000 years, written from time to time by their prophets and seers.

It also contains the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all its simplicity and

purity, and makes plain some portions of the Bible which, owing to the

originals having been lost, and to the numerous translations made from

time to time, are now interpreted in different ways by the different

denominations in Christendom. Thus it is that the Gospel, as it was in

the days of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, and before its doctrines had

been tampered with by man, has again been brought to the inhabitants

of the earth, as shown in the vision of John the Revelator.[C] The

scriptures, too, speak of a sealed book [D] which would be delivered to

one "that is not learned," and of a nation which should speak out of

the ground with a voice as of one that had a familiar spirit.[E] We who

have read the Old and New Testaments seem to be quite familiar with

the teachings contained in the Book of Mormon, and the voice speaks

to us as one that hath a familiar spirit. Daniel clearly pointed to

the setting up of God's Kingdom in the last days, when he made known

and interpreted the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar regarding the image

which the king had seen in his sleep. For he explained that a stone,

cut out of the mountain without hands, would destroy the iron and clay

feet of the said image,[F] and he further interpreted this stone as

being a kingdom, which God would set up on the earth in the days of the

ten kings, which kingdom should never be destroyed, but which should

break and consume all the {481} other kingdoms, and would itself stand

forever.[G] This kingdom God has now set up upon the earth, for these

are the days of the kings referred to, and it will and must grow,

and do what God said it would do, for Daniel was inspired when he

interpreted the dream, and so he was able to add, "The dream is certain

and the interpretation thereof sure."[H]

[Footnote A: This instrument consists of two transparent stones,

clear as crystal, set in the two rims of a bow, and was always used

in ancient times by persons called seers, and through it, they

received revelations of things past and to come. See also Glossary of

Antiquities, etc., at pp. 386 and 387 of Helps to the Study of the

Bible.--Oxford press.]

[Footnote B: These Lamanites are the American Indians, and belong to

the tribe of Ephraim, and are therefore Israelites.]

[Footnote C: Rev. 14: 6.]

[Footnote D: Isaiah 29:11.]

[Footnote E: Isaiah 29: 4.]

[Footnote F: Daniel 2: 34, 35, 45.]

[Footnote G: Daniel certainly speaks of the latter days, for the ten

kings he alludes to represent the ten toes of the image which were

to come after the falling to pieces of the fourth kingdom, or Roman

Empire. Christ was on the earth during the time of the kings mentioned

by Daniel as representing the ten toes of the image, so this kingdom,

which God was to set up, and which was to grow and stand for ever, was

a kingdom subsequent to the days of Christ upon earth--Read carefully

Daniel 2: 31 to 45.]

[Footnote H: Daniel 2: end of verse 45.]

God moves, we are told, in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform,

and so when He brings to pass His strange act,[C] all are solemnly

warned not to make a mock of His wonderful work "lest your bands

be made strong,"[D] (band means affliction and troubles, a metaphor

taken from the fetters or bands put upon prisoners). We should always

remember that God's course is usually very different from that which

the wisdom of the world would mark out for Him, and that He, by His

acts, destroys the wisdom of the wise, and brings to nothing the

understanding of the prudent.[E] So we should be very careful indeed

before we reject that which we do not understand, or which does not

exactly fit in with our views of what things ought to be. The voice of

the ancient prophets and seers of the tribe of Ephraim (the Lamanites

or American Indians) has now at last spoken out of the dust,[F] in

the discovery of their writings on the plates of gold, which had been

buried in the hill Cumorah, and they testify to Christ and His pure

Gospel plan of life and salvation. They also inform us that Christ

visited the Nephites after His resurrection in Jerusalem and His

ascension into heaven, and thus were fulfilled His words to the Jews

that He had other sheep which were not of that fold with which He then

was, and that they also were to hear His voice.[G] Some of the prophets

of the Bible speak of Ephraim also, and I think that their words have

been fulfilled in the discovery of the Book of Mormon as written on

the plates of gold. For instance the prophet Hosea, speaking under

divine inspiration, says, "I have written to him the great things of

my law, but they were counted as a strange thing."[H] Here is a clear

statement that God's laws were given in writing to the {482} tribe of

Ephraim, and that they would be considered a strange thing. There is

also a prophecy of Ezekiel, referring clearly to the latter days, when

the time of the gathering together of Israel was to arrive, and when

they were soon to become one nation again under one king. He speaks

therein of the stick of Judah (the Bible) and the stick of Ephraim

(Book of Mormon), being joined together and made one stick.[A] It

should be understood that ancient writings used to be rolled on sticks,

and that they are consequently frequently termed sticks in the Bible.

It was when this Book of Mormon (so called because the last of the

ancient prophets of the Nephites named Mormon compiled it, 400 years

after Christ, from the writings of the former prophets and leaders

of the people), was to be discovered engraved on plates, and was to

be translated; that it and the Bible were to become one in their

testimony. And it seems evident to me that some passages in the Bible,

not very easy to understand, are now made plain by the Book of Mormon.

Thus truth has sprung out of the earth, and righteousness has looked

down from heaven.[B]

[Footnote C: Isaiah 28: 21.]

[Footnote D: Isaiah 28: 22.]

[Footnote E: I Cor. 1: 19.]

[Footnote F: Isaiah 29: 4.]

[Footnote G: John 10: 16.]

[Footnote H: Hosea 8: 12.]

[Footnote A: Ezek. 37: 15 to 28.]

[Footnote B: Psalm 85: 11.]

If more evidence is necessary to show that the Book of Mormon is of

divine origin, one has only to read its account of the destruction and

burial of old cities, and to compare these with the great discoveries

made on the continent of America by travelers and antiquarians,

that have excited the curiosity and wonder of the world.[C] These

discoveries, I need scarcely add, were made long after the Book of

Mormon had been translated and published to the world, and relate

to the destroyed cities spoken of therein. There can, I consider,

be no doubt whatever that the Book of Mormon is equally as much of

divine origin as is the Bible, and I believe that all unprejudiced

minds, after a careful study of it, will readily arrive at the same

conclusion. Does any one suppose for a moment that an individual,

not divinely inspired, could possibly sit down and write the Old and

New Testaments exactly as they are, in full harmony with each other

and dealing so minutely, as they do, with all matters necessary for

the salvation, justification, and sanctification of mankind? Neither

is it possible for an uninspired person, however good, earnest, and

God-fearing such person may be, to write such a book as the Book of

Mormon. I bear this testimony that that book came from God (just as I

know that the Bible did), and that, in this last dispensation of time,

He has committed to the Prophet Joseph Smith the pure Gospel, {483}

as it once had been delivered to the saints in the primitive church,

and that Christ's kingdom, the same kingdom as that of which Daniel

wrote,[A] has been set up upon the earth for the last time.

[Footnote C: Spencer's Letters, Letter 7: p. 81.]

[Footnote A: Daniel 2: 44.]

I think I have now sufficiently explained my reasons for leaving the

Church of England and joining what I know to be the only true church

of Christ on earth. I willingly admit that in the Church of England,

and also in the other churches and sects of Christendom, there are

thousands of good, earnest souls seeking after God, and living up

to what they believe to be the truth, and God is always faithful

to remember all such, and to lift them up. Indeed Christ will, I

believe, eventually redeem mankind (except the few sons of perdition

who commit the unpardonable sin), but I would add that there is but

one plan of life and salvation that will exalt us into the highest or

celestial kingdom of the Father, and that plan includes true faith

and repentance, followed (as taught by Christ and His Apostles) by

baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and by the laying on

of hands of those in authority from God, for the reception of the Holy

Ghost. I need scarcely add that we have after this to "work out our own

salvation with fear and trembling," as St. Paul wisely warns us,[B]

and also to "purify ourselves even as God is pure,"[C] and further to

remember Christ's own words, "But he that endureth to the end shall be

saved."[D]

[Footnote B: Philippians 2: 12.]

[Footnote C: I John 3: 3.]

[Footnote D: Matt. 10: 22.]

The Bible teaches us that there are different degrees of glory

hereafter, and also different resurrections (see notes below)[E] and

we should therefore all strive to be among those who will take part

in the first resurrection, and be exalted into the highest or the

celestial glory, which is much greater than the terrestrial one, as

much so as the terrestrial glory is greater than the telestial. God's

plan is plain, and is recorded in the Bible, so that all can run and

read, therefore there cannot possibly be any excuse for those who have

the opportunity placed before them of enquiring into and studying the

Gospel for themselves, if they fail so to do.

[Footnote E: John 14: 2. I Cor. 15: 22, 23; I Cor. 15: 40 to 44; II

Cor. 12: 2; I Thess. 4: 16, 17; Rev. 20: 5, 6.]

I have written this article, if I may so term these explanatory

remarks, for the information of my family, and of those who may in any

way be interested in me, because I have been asked many questions on

the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and

some have doubtless wondered {484} what there was in that church which

could have influenced me to desert the Church of England and throw in

my lot with the Saints. To all such I would reply in all humility, that

the teachings of the Latter-day Saints, and their ordinances, are in

all respects thoroughly scriptural, and strictly in accordance with

those of the primitive church established by Jesus Christ Himself,

while the Church of England does not appear to me to be correct or

scriptural in many of her teachings and ordinances. I have taken the

Bible, and the Bible alone, as my guide, and I most assuredly would

not have become a Latter-day Saint had I not found the doctrines and

practices of this people to accord with those of the New Testament,

or had I found the church to be wanting in any of these principles

which the Bible tells us are absolutely necessary to make up the true

Church of Jesus Christ on earth. What some of these essentials are I

have already endeavored to show, to the best of my ability, in these

pages, and I am convinced that without them there can be no true

Church of Christ anywhere, otherwise I altogether fail to see the use

of our taking the word of God, as the Bible admittedly is, as a guide

to the truth. If we admit that God's word is inspired, then it is not

within the authority of any mortal man to alter any part of it, or to

spiritualize or explain away any of the many plain commandments that

are in the book. There is but one Gospel for our salvation, with its

ordinances, its commandments, and its marvelous and powerful gifts,

very clearly laid down in the Bible, and no church, which does not

practice and teach the same plan of life and salvation, can possibly

be right. Indeed, we know that in the very early days of the Christian

church, when false teachers had commenced to pervert the true Gospel,

and to teach a gospel which contained some errors, St. Paul denounced

them in his letter to the Galatian Christians in the strongest terms

of condemnation, saying: "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."[A] This ought to be to us a very great warning,

coming as it does from the pen of an inspired writer and apostle, and

we would do well, believe me, to take it to heart and consider it.

[Footnote A: Galatians 1: 8.]

In conclusion I would advise those who may read these pages to think

well over their contents, and to ask God to show them how far there is

His truth in the doctrines and ordinances of the Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints, doctrines {485} and ordinances which I have

tried to show are in strict accordance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Himself. The Apostle James tells us that God will always give wisdom to

all that ask Him for it in true and in faithful prayer, for he writes

as follows: "If any of you lack wisdom, let Him ask of God, that giveth

to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him;

but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is

like the wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not

that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord."[A] This

scripture shows us that we should pray in the fullest confidence that

God is only waiting to be gracious to us, and that He does not make a

promise that He cannot or will not perform, but His ears will ever be

open to true and faithful prayer; and we know that He is always more

ready to hear than we are to pray, and to give us more than we are at

any time deserving of.

[Footnote A: James 1: 5, 6, 7.]

_"I will give unto you one of the keys of the mysteries of the

Kingdom. It is an eternal principle that has existed with God from

all eternity: That man who rises up to condemn others, finding

fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way while he

himself is righteous, then know assuredly that that man is in the

high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent will apostatize as

God lives."_

--_Joseph Smith_.

{486}