The influence of the Holy Spirit may be felt by men and women who have

not complied with all these rules of the Gospel. The Spirit of the Lord

leads people to have faith, to live good lives, and to perform many

good works, but it will never manifest to any one that his life is

fully approved of the Lord without obeying these ordinances or rules of

His church. People should not think themselves saved because they have

felt the influence of the Holy Ghost prompting them to do right. If

they do not obey its promptings by keeping the commandments of Christ,

that Spirit will not remain with them. The Lord says,

"My spirit shall not always strive with man." (Genesis 6: 3).

Jesus said to His disciples,

"I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter;

that he may abide with you forever." (John 14: 16).

This promise of a Comforter to abide with them forever was on condition

of obedience, as may be learned by reading what follows in the same

chapter of John's Gospel.

Jesus further promised that the Holy Ghost would lead His disciples

into all truth:

"When he, the 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."

(John 16: 13).

In order to be guided into all truth, and to receive the other

blessings conferred by the Holy Spirit, we must obey these first

principles of truth that have been mentioned. Unless we do this we

never can make further progress.

RULES HEREIN EXPLAINED.

In the foregoing the first principles of the Gospel of Christ have been

briefly explained, namely.

1. Faith in God and in His Son Jesus Christ.

2. Repentance.

{332} 3. Baptism by Immersion, for the Remission of Sins.

4. Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

That this is the order in which these principles were taught by the

Savior and His disciples, is evident from the writings of the New

Testament.

John the Baptist first called upon those who believed his word to

repent of their sins; and he refused to baptize those who did not show

fruits of repentance. (Matthew 3: 2-8). He also promised that after

their baptism of water they should receive the baptism of the Holy

Ghost. (Matthew 3: 11).

To those who believed his words, spoken on the day of Pentecost, the

Apostle Peter said,

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus

Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of

the Holy Ghost." (Act 2: 38).

The people of Samaria who believed Philip's preaching "were baptized,

both men and women." (Acts 8: 12). Afterwards Peter and John were sent

to them that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

"Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy

Ghost" (Acts 8: 17).

These four rules must be obeyed in order to gain admission into

Christ's church. They are the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

These doctrines were taught by the Savior and His disciples, as

recorded in the Bible. There is no other way of entering the Church

of Christ. Anyone who teaches that there is some other way is under

condemnation. St. Paul says:

Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel

unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be

accursed." (Galatians 1: 8).

St. John, in speaking of the doctrine of Christ, says:

"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive

him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that

biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (II John 10,

11).

All the doctrines taught by Jesus and His disciples are believed and

taught to-day by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and

all the blessings and gifts that characterized the primitive church are

enjoyed by the Latter-day Saints.

{333}

Footnotes:

1. For further information upon this subject see tract No. 5, entitled

"A Prophet of Latter Days."

THE ANGEL WITH THE GOSPEL.

BY ELDER ORSON PRATT, IN MILLENNIAL STAR, 1866.

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the

everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and

to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with

a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his

judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven and earth, and

the sea, and the fountains of waters."--_Rev_. 14: 6-7.

Has the angel, seen in John's vision on Patmos, yet come? Or will

he hereafter come? The Latter-day Saints are diligently and boldly

declaring to the nations that the angel has come, that he has appeared

unto chosen witnesses, that he has committed the everlasting Gospel to

them, commanding them to preach it to all people, to cry with a loud

voice that the hour of God's judgment is come, to call upon all to

fear God, and give glory to Him, and worship Him, etc. There are some

who have heard this solemn testimony of the servants of God, who are

in doubt upon this all important subject. They suppose that the angel

himself was to preach this Gospel to all mankind, and that the angel

himself was to cry with a loud voice, etc. And because all people have

not heard the angel speak, and have not heard the everlasting Gospel

from his own mouth, and have not heard him cry with a loud voice, they

suppose he has not come and denounce the Saints as false witnesses.

But let unbelievers candidly investigate the words of the text, and

see if they are justified in drawing this hasty conclusion. By a

careless glance at the passage, one might suppose that the heavenly

messenger himself was to do all the work of preaching; but the words

evidently do not warrant such a construction. The angel was to fly

having the everlasting Gospel; but that he was to preach the same to

all people, is not mentioned in the text; neither is it, in that place,

declared that he should publish with a loud voice, to all nations, any

proclamation. When he left the heavenly worlds and came to earth, and

committed the message he was intrusted with, into the hands of chosen

vessels, commanding them to preach it, he had fulfilled his part of

the sacred mission, so far as the introduction of the heavenly message

among them was concerned.

{334} The words, "To Preach Unto Them That Dwell on the Earth,"

could be fulfilled by other agents, under the angel's authority and

direction; and the same agency which does the preaching is also

commissioned to say, "With a Loud Voice, Fear God, and Give Glory

to Him for the Hour of His Judgment Is Come." If the passage had

definitely said that the angel who brings the Gospel should likewise

preach it, with a loud voice, there would have been some slight

foundation for apparent objections to the Saints' testimony, but even

then the objections would be only apparent, for this great dispensation

is not yet ended, and there could be no evidence brought that the angel

would not, near the close of the dispensation, actually publish with a

loud voice to all people, the very hour of God's judgment, in all its

fierceness and terror, so that all people would hear His voice. But

such a wonderful and miraculous proclamation in the heavens would not

preclude the angel from sending agents just prior to prepare a people

for so great an event.

When we look at the angel's mission, by the aid of reason, the

conviction at once forces itself upon the mind that he will authorize

missionaries to carry the Gospel to all nations; otherwise how

could believing penitent souls obey the Gospel ordinances? Is it

reasonable to suppose that the angel would travel around on the earth,

and baptize, and confirm by the laying on of hands for the baptism

of the Holy Ghost, and minister the sacrament, and attend to all

church ordinances? It is not only reasonable, but certain, that the

everlasting Kingdom of God will be established on the earth, through

the reception of the Gospel that the angel brings; if so, there must

be officers called and ordained, such as Apostles, Prophets, etc.,

etc., to minister ordinances; otherwise, the everlasting Gospel, though

proclaimed in the heavens by a mighty angel, would be of no use.

Reason, therefore, would testify at once, that the angel at first only

brings the Gospel, and directs other inspired agents to minister in its

numerous ordinances, to build up the Kingdom, to publish with a loud

voice the solemn testimony, that the hour--the terrible hour of God's

judgment is come.

Let no one suppose that because the angel has begun the fulfillment of

John's vision, that he has fully accomplished all things in relation

to it. Hear what new revelation says upon the subject. "And now,

verily, saith the Lord, that these things might be known among you, O

inhabitants of the earth, I have sent forth mine angel flying through

the {335} midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel, who hath

appeared unto some, and hath committed it unto man who shall appear

unto many that dwell on the earth; and this Gospel shall be preached

unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people, and the servants

of God shall go forth saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory

to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made

heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters, calling

upon the name of the Lord day and night, saying, O, that Thou wouldst

rend the heavens, that Thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might

flow down at Thy presence. And it shall be answered upon their heads,

for the presence of the Lord shall be as the melting fire that burneth,

and as the fire which causeth the waters to boil," etc. (_Doc. and Cov.

sec. 108: par. 7_.)

This same angel is yet to appear unto many; his mission therefore is

not fully completed. Another grand event connected with his mission is

to be fulfilled, when the seven angels sound their trumpets, in the

morning of the seventh thousand years; then all people, both in heaven

and on earth, will hear. But we will quote the word of the Lord: "And

another trump shall sound, which is the fifth trump, which is the fifth

angel who committeth the everlasting Gospel--flying through the midst

of heaven, unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people; and this

shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven

and in earth, and that are under the earth; for every ear shall hear it

and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they

shall hear the sound of the trump, saying, fear God, and give glory to

Him who sitteth upon the throne forever and ever; for the hour of his

judgment is come. And again another angel shall sound his trump, which

is the sixth angel, saying, she is fallen who made all nations drink of

the wine of the wrath of her fornication; she is fallen, is fallen!"

(_Doc. and Cov. sec. 7: par. 31-32_.)

Thus we have traced the great mission of the angel, from the time that

he flies with the everlasting Gospel, and commits it to man, until the

grand closing up scene of this wicked world, by the sounding of the

seven trumpets. In this last drama the angel of the Gospel will figure

as the fifth in the series. In that awful day, our friend, Mr. William

Brook, of Bradford, who has written to us, asking questions upon this

sublime subject, will have no more supposed reason to complain, because

the angel has not complied with all his suppositions in regard to his

mission. Whether in heaven, {336} on earth, under the earth, or among

the hosts of hell, every ear will hear the sound of the trump, and

every knee bow, and confess to the glory of God, and acknowledge the

power, authority and majesty of Him who sits upon the throne, and of

His holy angels who go forth at His bidding.

Because God has given the keys of the everlasting Gospel to the

fifth angel, let no one suppose that he alone will act in the great

latter-day dispensation. Other angels have their missions to perform,

and will assist in the wonderful work. We again quote from the

revelations given to that great Prophet Joseph Smith, taken from his

inspired key to John's vision on Patmos. The Prophet inquires as

follows:

"What are we to understand by the four angels spoken of in the seventh

chapter and first verse of the Revelation?" He answers: "We are to

understand that they are four angels sent forth from God, to whom is

given power over the four parts of the earth, to save life and to

destroy; these are they who have the everlasting Gospel, to commit

to every nation, kindred, tongue and people; having power to shut up

the heavens, to seal up unto life, or to cast down to the regions of

darkness." (_Pearl of Great Price, p. 34_.)

From the Revelation of John and from the inspired writings of other

holy men, it seems that all the powers of heaven are exerted to

assist in the magnificent preparations for the coming of the King of

Kings and Lord of Lords, to assume His rightful authority over this

creation. Shall the heavens above be aroused to the highest degree

of expectation, and the earth still continue to slumber in midnight

darkness? No! verily no! In the great preparation there must be a union

between the heavens and earth. The sons of earth must be awakened from

the deep slumbers of ages. Tidings from the great courts above must be

sent forth by swift messengers, to the nations; the voice of heavenly

truth must penetrate the darkest corners of the habitable globe;

ancient dynasties and powerful governments must be overthrown; thrones

and kingdoms and empires must be cast down; and revolution must succeed

revolution, until every ear shall hear and every heart be penetrated

with the solemn warning voice, until all shall know that the great day

of the Lord is at hand. Swiftly moving messengers from celestial abodes

will freely converse with the sons of God on earth; and every angel and

every servant of God will know his place, and understand what part he

is to perform in the grand preparation for the eternal union of Saints

on earth with the Saints of all ages from heaven.

{337}

THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH ON DOCTRINE.

EXTRACTS FROM A SERMON DELIVERED AT NAUVOO, JUNE 27, 1839, TAKEN FROM

THE HISTORICAL RECORD.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God, through the testimony of the

servants of God; that testimony is always attended by the spirit of

prophecy and revelation.

Repentance is a thing which cannot be trifled with every day. Daily

transgression and daily repentance is not that which is pleasing in the

sight of God.

Baptism is a holy ordinance preparatory to the reception of the Holy

Ghost; it is the channel and key by which the Holy Ghost will be

administered.

The gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands cannot be received

through the medium of any other principle than the principle of

righteousness, for if the proposals are not complied with, it is of no

use, but withdraws.

Tongues were given for the purpose of preaching among those whose

language is not understood, as on the Day of Pentecost, etc.; and it

is not necessary for tongues to be taught to the Church particularly,

for any man that has the Holy Ghost can speak of the things of God in

his own tongue as well as to speak in another; for faith comes not by

signs, but by hearing the word of God.

The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment are

necessary to preach among the first principles of the Gospel of Jesus

Christ.

The doctrine of election. St. Paul exhorts us to make our calling and

election sure. This is that sealing power spoken of by Paul in other

places (_Eph. 1: 13, 14_): "In whom ye also trusted, that after ye

heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, in whom also,

after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise

which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the

purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory," that we may be

sealed up unto the day of redemption. This principle ought (in its

proper place) to be taught for God hath not revealed {338} anything to

Joseph but what He will make known unto the twelve, and even the least

Saint may know all things as fast as he is able to bear them, for the

day must come when no man need say to his neighbor, know ye the Lord;

for all shall know him (who remain) from the least to the greatest.

How is this to be done? It is to be done by this sealing power, and

the other comforter spoken of, which will be manifest by revelation.

There are two comforters spoken of. One is the Holy Ghost, the same as

given on the day of Pentecost, and that all Saints receive after faith,

repentance and baptism. This first comforter or Holy Ghost has no other

effect than pure intelligence. It is more powerful in expanding the

mind, enlightening the understanding, and storing the intellect with

present knowledge, of a man who is of the literal seed of Abraham, than

one that is a Gentile, though it may not have half as much visible

effect upon the body; for as the Holy Ghost falls upon one of the

literal seed of Abraham, it is calm and serene; and his whole soul and

body are only exercised by the pure spirit of intelligence; while the

effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile is to purge out the old blood

and make him actually of the seed of Abraham. That man that has none

of the blood of Abraham (naturally) must have a new creation by the

Holy Ghost. In such a case there may be more of a powerful effect upon

the body, and visible to the eye, than upon an Israelite, while the

Israelite at first might be far before the Gentile in pure intelligence.

The other comforter spoken of is a subject of great interest, and

perhaps understood by few of this generation. After a person has faith

in Christ, repents of his sins and is baptized for the remission of his

sins, and receives the Holy Ghost (by the laying on of hands), which

is the first comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before

God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and living by every

word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him: Son, thou shalt be

exalted, etc. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that

the man is determined to serve Him at all hazards, then he will find

his calling and his election made sure; then it will be his privilege

to receive the other comforter, which the Lord has promised the Saints,

as recorded in the testimony of St. John (_John 16: 12-27_): "And I

will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that

he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the

world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him;

but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you; I will

not leave you comfortless, {339} I will come to you. He that hath my

commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that

loveth me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will

manifest myself to him. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my

Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with

him."

Now what is this comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord

Jesus Christ Himself; and this is the sum and substance of the whole

matter: that when any man obtains this last comforter, he will have the

personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time

to time, and even He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will

take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be

opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may

have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; and

this is the state and place the ancient Saints arrived at when they had

such glorious visions--Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle Of Patmos,

St. Paul in the three Heavens, and all the Saints who held communion

with the general assembly and Church of the First Born.

The spirit of revelation is in connection with these blessings. A

person may profit by noticing the first intimations of the spirit of

revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing from

you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas, that by noticing it,

you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon; that is, those things

that were presented unto your minds by the spirit of God, will come to

pass; and thus by learning the spirit of God and understanding it, you

may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in

Jesus Christ.

An evangelist is a Patriarch, even the oldest man of the blood of

Joseph or of the seed of Abraham. Wherever the Church of Christ is

established in the earth, there should be a patriarch for the benefit

of the posterity of the Saints, as it was with Jacob in giving his

patriarchal blessings unto his sons.

{340}

THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS AND THE WORLD.

BY WILLIAM A. MORTON. (_Copyright by the Author_.)

"Let us dream no dreams and tell no lies, but go on our way,

wherever it may lead us, with our eyes open and our heads erect.

If death ends all, we cannot meet it better. If not, let us enter,

whatever be the next scene, like honest men, with no sophistry in

our mouths and no masks on our faces."--Sir James F. Stephen.

I.--THE GODHEAD.

The World:--We understand, Latter-day Saints, that you are delighted

when an opportunity presents itself which enables you to explain to the

world the faith you believe in?

Latter-day Saints:--That is true. We are always ready to give, to every

one that asks of us, a reason for the hope that is within us; for, like

the Apostle Paul, "we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it

is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

The World:--You testify most positively that you know that Joseph Smith

was a Prophet of God; that the Church of which you are members was

established by Divine revelation. You claim that it is the only Church

on earth which teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness?

Latter-day Saints:--That is our position exactly. We testify that

God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son appeared to the boy, Joseph

Smith, in the year 1820. We further testify that the angel which John

the Revelator prophesied would "fly in the midst of heaven, having

the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth,

and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with

a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his

judgment has come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the

sea, and the fountains of water;" (Revelation 14: 6-7) came to Joseph

Smith, and delivered to him a record containing the fulness of the

Gospel of the Son of God. We claim that the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints is, indeed, the true Church of Christ; that it was

established and named by Him; that it has the same officers, holding

the same Divine authority, as the primitive Church, namely, "Apostles,

{341} Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, etc." (Eph. 4: 11.) We

profess to be teaching the very same Gospel that was taught by Christ

and His Apostles. We contend that there is but one true Gospel. Jesus

said, "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto

life, and few there be that find it." (Matt. 7: 14.) Paul taught:

"There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope

of your calling: one Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Eph. 4: 4, 5.) He

further said: "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." (Gal. 1: 8.)

The World:--Well, we have decided to follow the admonition of the

Apostle Paul--"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (I.

Thes. 5: 21)--and if you have no objection, we would like to put you on

trial and judge you, according to the law and the testimony, that we

may learn whether the doctrines which you teach are of God or whether

you speak of yourselves.

Latter-day Saints:--We are quite willing to be put on trial, and to be

judged as you have proposed, according to the law and the testimony;

for, as the Prophet Isaiah said, if we speak not according to the law

and the testimony there is no light in us. (Isaiah 8: 20.) We have many

witnesses who are ready and willing to testify in our behalf, men whose

testimony cannot be questioned. They are not men who have followed

cunningly devised fables, but who were eye-witnesses of the things of

which they will speak. If it please the court, we are ready; let the

trial begin.

The World:--The first offence with which you are charged is that of

teaching that the Godhead is composed of three separate and physically

distinct Persons. This, as you must know, is contrary to the teaching

of all the churches, especially the Church of England. That church

teaches that the Godhead is composed of three Persons, namely, Father,

Son, and Holy Ghost, and that these three are one in substance, equal

in power and glory. Here is an extract from the Book of Common Prayer:

"And the Catholick Faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity,

and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons: nor dividing the

substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son:

and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the

Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the Glory equal, the Majesty

co-eternal. * * * The Father eternal, the Son eternal: and the Holy

Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals: but one eternal.

* * * So the {342} Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy Ghost

is God. And yet they are not three Gods: but one God." (Book of Common

Prayer, pp. 21, 22.)

Latter-day Saints:--We are aware that that is the teaching of the

Church of England, but it is not in harmony with the teaching of Christ

and His disciples. We have a witness named John who was intimately

acquainted with the Son of God, whom we consider a most competent

authority to speak on this matter. He is ready to be examined.

The World:--We will be pleased to hear his testimony.

TESTIMONY OF JOHN.

The World:--What is your name?

John:--My name is John, sometimes called the Baptist.

The World:--We understand that you are a disciple of the Lord Jesus

Christ?

John:--I am.

The World:--Were you personally acquainted with the Messiah?

John:--I was. I am His cousin. I was associated with Him during His

ministry.

The World:--Is it true that you were sent before His face to prepare

His way?

John:--It is. The Lord sent an angel to my father, as he prayed in the

temple in Jerusalem, who promised him a son who would go before the

face of the Lord and make His paths straight. I am that son.

The World:--Were you called of God to do that work?

John:--I was. When the angel appeared to my father, he said unto him,

"Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth

shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. * * * And

many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn

the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the

wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

I also cite to you the testimony of John as recorded in his Gospel,

which reads as follows: "There was a man _sent from God_ whose name was

John." (John 1: 6.)

The World:--What was the nature of your mission?

John:--I was sent to preach repentance and water baptism. I preached in

the wilderness of Judaea, saying unto the people, "Repent ye: for the

kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 3: 1, 2.)

{343} The World:--Were you able to bring many people unto repentance?

John:--Yes, a great many. Mark has made the following record concerning

my missionary labors: "And there went out unto him all the land of

Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the

river Jordan, confessing their sins." (Mark 1: 5.)

The World:--Have you ever heard the voice of God?

John:--I have, on several occasions.

The World:--Mention one of them.

John:--He spoke to me when I did not know that Jesus, my cousin, was

His Only Begotten Son. He said to me, "Upon whom thou shalt see the

Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth

with the Holy Ghost." (John 1: 33, 34.)

The World:--Did you baptize Jesus Christ?

John:--I did.

The World:--What took place at His baptism?

John:--That which is recorded in Matthew 3: 16-17: "Jesus when he was

baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens

were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like

a dove, and lighting upon him: and there came a voice from heaven,

saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

The World:--Then, John, according to your testimony, the three

Personages who constitute the Godhead are not one in substance, but are

separate and distinct?

John:--They are certainly separate and distinct Personages. When Jesus

came up out of the water, after His baptism, and while He stood on the

bank of the river, the Spirit of God descended like a dove and lighted

upon Him, and at the same time the voice of the Father was heard from

heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

These things I both saw and heard: I saw Jesus on the bank of the

river; I saw the Spirit of God descend from heaven like a dove and rest

upon Christ; I heard the voice of God out of heaven bear testimony that

Jesus was His beloved Son.

The World (to the Latter-day Saints):--The testimony of the witness

John is certainly very clear and convincing. Have you any other

witnesses to prove that the Godhead consists of three separate Persons?

Latter-day Saints:--We have several. Here is the Apostle Peter.

The World:--We will listen to his testimony.

{344}

PETER'S EVIDENCE.

The World:--Your name is Simon Peter?

Peter:--It is.

The World:--Are you also one of Christ's disciples?

Peter:--I am one of His Apostles.

The World:--Prior to your call to the ministry what was your occupation?

Peter:--I was a fisherman.

The World:--How did you receive your call to the ministry?

Peter:--I was called by Christ Himself.

The World:--Is there a record of your ordination?

Peter:--There is. You will find it recorded in the Gospel according to

Saint Mark, as follows: "And lie ordained twelve, that they should be

with him, and that he might send them forth to preach." (Mark 3: 14.) I

am one of the Twelve.

The World:--Do you believe that God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son,

and the Holy Ghost are three Persons in one substance?

Peter:--I do not.

The World:--Can you furnish evidence that they are separate Personages?

Peter:--I can.

The World:--We will listen to your evidence.

Peter:--On one occasion Jesus took James and John and me up into a

high mountain apart by ourselves, and there He was transfigured before

us. His face shone as the sun and His raiment became as white as snow.

We beheld two heavenly messengers come to Jesus and talk with Him.

They were Moses and Elias. They spoke to Him of His death which He

should accomplish at Jerusalem. We were very much astonished at the

things which we saw, and as soon as Moses and Elias had departed I

went to Jesus and said to Him, "Master, it is good for us to be here:

let us make three tabernacles: one for thee, and one for Moses, and

one for Elias." (Luke 9: 33.) While I was speaking a cloud came and

overshadowed us, and there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, "This

is my beloved Son: hear him." (Luke 9: 34, 35.)

The World:--Was there a record made of what took place on the occasion

of which you speak?

Peter:--There was. It is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and

Luke. (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9.) I {345} also made a record of it in

my second general epistle, as follows: "For he received from God the

Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the

excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him

in the holy mount." (II. Peter 1: 17, 18.) Jesus, in speaking to us on

one occasion, said: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the

world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." (John 16: 28.)

Now, surely you would not have me interpret Jesus' saying as meaning

that He had come from Himself and was going to return to Himself? I was

with the Savior during that awful night in the Garden of Gethsemane

when in the anguish of His soul He prayed, "Abba, Father, all things

are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not

what I will, but what thou wilt." (Mark 14: 36.) I did not understand

Jesus on that occasion to be praying to Himself.

The World:--The witness is excused.

The Latter-day Saints:--Here are James and John, who will corroborate

the testimony of Peter.

The World:--James, you have heard the testimony of the Apostle Peter,

what have you to say concerning it?

James:--I corroborate it in every particular. I was also on the mount

and heard the voice of God bear testimony that Jesus was His Only

Begotten Son.

The World:--The witness is excused.

The World:--John, you have listened to the testimony of your fellow

Apostles, what have you to say concerning it?

John:--It gives me pleasure to corroborate it. They have spoken the

truth, and nothing but the truth. I also heard the voice of the Father

saying, "This is my beloved Son, hear ye him."

The World:--That is all. (To the Latter-day Saints):--Have you any more

witnesses?

The Latter-day Saints:--We have one more, a man who laid down his life

for the truth's sake; his name is Stephen.

Stephen's testimony.

The World:--What is your name?

Stephen:--My name is Stephen.

The World:--What position did you hold in the Christian Church?

Stephen:--I was one of the seven men who were set apart by the Apostles

to look after the temporal needs of the widows in the church. (Acts 6.)

{346} The World:--Did you also proclaim publicly the Gospel, and bear

testimony to the divinity of Jesus?

Stephen:--I did.

The World:--How was your testimony received by the people?

Stephen:--They denounced me as a blasphemer. On one occasion when I was

preaching to them they gnashed on me with their teeth. (Acts 7: 54.)

The World:--What happened at that time?

Stephen:--The Lord filled me with the Holy Ghost and opened the heavens

to me.

The World:--What did you behold when the heavens were opened?

Stephen:--I beheld God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.

(Acts 7: 55.)

The World:--You say that you saw God, and Jesus standing on His right

hand. Then, God and Jesus must be two separate Beings?

Stephen:--Certainly. Jesus was not standing at His own right hand.

The World:--You bore testimony to what you saw?

Stephen:--I did.

The World:--How did the people receive your testimony?

Stephen:--It cost me my life. They stoned me to death. (Acts 7: 59, 60.)

The World:--That is all.

Latter-day Saints:--It is not necessary to call any more witnesses. We

have proved, most conclusively, that God the Father, Jesus Christ the

Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct Personages.

John proved that, when he testified that he saw Jesus standing on the

bank of the Jordan; then he beheld the Spirit of God descend from

heaven like a dove and rest upon the Messiah, and at the same time

he heard the voice of God testify that Jesus was His Only Begotten

Son. Peter testified that when James and John and himself were on the

mount with Jesus they heard the voice of God testify that Jesus was

His Beloved Son. James and John corroborated his testimony. Stephen

testified that he, being filled with the Holy Ghost, had the heavens

opened to him, and he saw God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of

His Father.

The World:--The evidence which you have produced is, indeed,

incontrovertible. It is, to be sure, contrary to the teachings which

we have received in the churches and from our fathers. But we now call

to mind the words of the {347} Prophet Jeremiah, "O Lord, my strength

and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles

shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely

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

profit." (Jeremiah 16: 19.)

II.--THE PERSONALITY OF GOD.

The World (to the Latter-day Saints):--It is true, then, as we have

been told, that you believe and teach that God the Father is a personal

Being, possessing a definite form, with bodily parts and spiritual

passions?

Latter-day Saints:--Such is our belief and teaching.

The World:--This also is contrary to the teachings of almost every

church in Christendom. The Church of England, in the first of the

"Articles of Religion," published in its Prayer Book, says: "There

is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body, parts or

passions; of infinite power, wisdom and goodness."

Latter-day Saints:--We believe in the God of the Bible, in the God of

Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob; the God of all the holy Prophets,

and the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have witnesses

whose testimonies cannot be impeached. They are men who can testify

from actual experience, men who saw God, and who conversed with Him

face to face, and whose testimonies should, therefore, be worthy of all

acceptation.

The World:--We will be pleased to listen to your witnesses. Let the

first witness be called.

Latter-day Saints:--The first witness who will testify in our behalf is

Abraham, "the father of the faithful and the friend of God."

Abraham's testimony.

The World:--What is your name?

Abraham:--My name is Abraham. I was at first called Abram, but the Lord

changed my name to Abraham. (Genesis 17: 5.)

The World:--Have you ever had a revelation from God?

Abraham:--I have had many.

The World:--Relate one.

Abraham:--When my wife and I were residing with my parents in Haran the

Lord spoke to me, saying, "Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from

thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew

then: and I will {348} make of thee a great nation, and I will bless

thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will

bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in

thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12: 1-3.)

The World:--You were, of course, obedient to the Lord?

Abraham:--I was. I took my wife, Lot, my brother's son, and all those

who believed what the Lord had said to me, and, with our substance, we

set out for the land of Canaan. While we were camped in the plain of

Moreh the Lord appeared unto me and said, "Unto thy seed will I give

this land." (Genesis 12: 7).

The World:--Were you visited by the Lord on any other occasion?

Abraham:--I was. I was ninety-nine years old at the time. We were

living in the plains of Mamre. The Lord appeared to me there and said,

"I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect. And I

will make my covenant between me and thee, and I will multiply thee

exceedingly. * * * As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and

thou shalt be a father of many nations. * * * And I will make thee

exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall

come out of thee." (Genesis 17: 1-6.) I am testifying of things which I

have seen with my own eyes; I saw the Lord and talked with Him face to

face, as one man talks with another.

The World:--We have no further questions to ask the witness.

Latter-day Saints:--We have another witness who is prepared to give as

strong and as irrefutable evidence as the previous one. His name is

Moses.

The World:--We will listen to his testimony.

TESTIMONY OF MOSES.

The World:--Your name is Moses?

Moses:--It is.

The World:--Where were you born?

Moses:--I was born in Egypt, of Hebrew parents.

The World:--It is true that at the time of your birth Pharaoh made a

decree that all the male children of the Hebrews were to be thrown into

the river Nile?

Moses:--It is.

The World:--How did you escape the fate of the others?

Moses:--My mother made a little ark of bulrushes, daubed it with slime

and pitch, and placing me in it she took it down {349} and left it on

the flags by the river's brink. In a short time Pharaoh's daughter came

down to the river. Seeing the ark, she requested her maid to fetch it.

On removing the cover, she beheld me in tears. Her heart was touched,

and she decided to keep me as her own child. My sister Miriam, who was

in hiding near by, came forward and proffered to get a nurse for the

baby. The king's daughter gave her permission to do so, so she went and

brought my mother. When my mother arrived, Pharaoh's daughter said to

her, "Take this child away and nurse it for me, and I will give thee

thy wages." (Exodus 2: 9.) So my mother had the pleasure of raising her

own child, and was well paid for doing so. When I was grown I was taken

to the court of Pharaoh, and adopted by his daughter. I was treated as

though I were her own son and was taught in all the learning of the

Egyptians.

The World:--You did not take very well to Egyptian court life?

Moses:--I did not; I would much rather have been with my own people. I

finally ran away from Pharaoh and went to Midian, where I fell in love

with and married Zipporah, a daughter of Jethro, a priest of Midian.

(Exodus 2: 21.)

The World:--What occupation did you follow?

Moses:--I was a sheep-herder; I tended the flocks of my father-in-law.

The World:--We have been told that on one occasion while you were

herding the sheep you had a heavenly manifestation; is the report true?

Moses:--It is. While I was tending the sheep one day I beheld a burning

bush. I went over to see the strange sight, and as I approached the

bush God called unto me out of the midst of the bush and said, "Moses,

Moses." And I said, "Here am I." And He said, "Draw not nigh hither;

put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou

standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father,

the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (Exodus

3: 4-6.) On hearing that, I hid my face; for I was afraid to look upon

God. Then the Lord said unto me, "I have surely seen the afflictions

of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason

of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows. * * * Go, and gather

the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your

fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto

me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to

you in Egypt and I have said, I {350} will bring you up out of the

affliction of Egypt. * * * unto a land flowing with milk and honey."

(Exodus 3.)

The World:--Did you do as the Lord commanded you?

Moses:--I did, and the Lord, in His infinite mercy, and by many signs

and wonders, brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt into their

own land.

The World:--Have you ever seen God?

Moses:--I have. On one occasion I talked with Him face to face. I was

in the tabernacle at the time. A cloudy pillar descended and stood at

the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with me. And all the

people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the

people rose up and worshiped, every man in his tent door. And the Lord

spake unto me face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. (Exodus

33: 9-12.) Later He hid me in the cleft of a rock, and as He passed by,

in His glory, I beheld His back parts. (Exodus 33: 22-23.)

The World:--Did any of your associates ever see God?

Moses:--Yes, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel

and myself saw Him on one occasion. (Exodus 24: 9, 10.)

The World:--Is it true that you spent forty days and forty nights with

the Lord on Mount Sinai?

Moses:--It is. It was on that occasion that He gave me two tables of

stone on which He had written with His own finger the ten commandments

for the children of Israel.

The World:--Moses, we recognize you as one who is fully competent to

speak on this important matter. You have seen the Lord a number of

times; you have talked with Him face to face; you have been with Him

for forty days and forty nights at one time; now, we would like you to

describe to us, just as plainly as you can, the true and the living God.

Moses:--I tell you in plainness and in all truth, that God is just

like a perfect man. If you could see God today you would see Him just

as Abraham saw Him, just as I saw Him, in the form of man, for man was

made in the image of God. (Genesis 1: 27.)

The World:--Thank you; that is all.

Latter-day Saints (to the World):--Surely the testimony of these two

witnesses ought to be enough to convince you that the God whom we

worship--a God with body, parts and passions--is, indeed, the true God,

the God of the Bible. But these are not all our witnesses. We have

others, whose testimony we desire you to hear.

{351} The World:--Let them come forward.

Latter-day Saints:--Thomas, the World desires to hear your testimony.

TESTIMONY OF THOMAS.

The World:--Were you acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ when He was

on the earth?

Thomas:--I was.

The World:--What position did you hold in the Church of Christ?

Thomas:--I was an Apostle.

The World:--Did you see the Savior after His resurrection?

Thomas:--I did. I at first considered the news too good to be true.

When the other Apostles told me that they had seen the risen Lord, I

said, "Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my

finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I

will not believe."

The World:--Did Christ show Himself to you after that?

Thomas:--He did. Eight days later I was with the Apostles in a house

in Jerusalem when the Savior appeared in our midst. As soon as He

entered the room He said, "Peace be unto you." Then turning to me, He

said, "Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach

hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless,

but believing." (John 20: 26, 27.) I recognized Him at once, and I

exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!"

The World:--You saw the print of the nails in His hands, and the mark

of the spear in His side?

Thomas:--I did.

The World:--Then, He must have appeared to you in the same body in

which He was crucified?

Thomas:--He did, in the very same body of flesh and bones, but

quickened by Spirit. (Luke 24: 39.)

The World:--Did you see Him after that!

Thomas:--I did, a number of times. One evening Simon Peter, Nathaniel

of Cana, the sons of Zebedee, two other disciples and I went out

fishing. We fished the entire night, but caught nothing. As we were

returning in the morning, we saw a "man," as we supposed, standing on

the shore. He asked us if we had any meat, and we answered that we

had not. He told us to cast our net on the right side of the ship. We

did so, and to our astonishment we caught one hundred and fifty-three

fishes. John was the first to recognize the "man" on the shore, and

as soon as he saw who He was, he {352} exclaimed, "It is the Lord!"

On hearing that, Peter jumped into the sea and swam to the shore. We

were delighted to meet our beloved Redeemer once again. The Lord had

prepared a fire of coals, and had some fish cooked. He invited us to

come and dine with Him, which we did, and ate heartily of bread and

fish. That was the third time that Jesus showed Himself to us after His

resurrection. (John 21.)

The World:--Were you present at the ascension of Christ?

Thomas:--I was.

The World:--Tell us what took place on that occasion.

Thomas:--Just before His ascension He said to us, "Ye shall receive

power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be

witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1: 8.) As soon as He

had finished speaking He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out

of our sight. As we stood gazing after Him, two men dressed in white

apparel appeared, and, addressing us, said, "Ye men of Galilee, why

stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from

you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go

into heaven." (Acts 1st chap.)

The World:--That is all, Thomas.

Latter-day Saints (to the World):--We have proved by the last witness,

an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, that Christ arose from the grave

in the same body which was nailed to the cross, but immortalized; in

that body He appeared to His disciples; in that same body He made a

fire of coals on the shore and prepared food, which He ate with His

disciples; in that same body He ascended into heaven; in that same body

He shall come again to the earth.

The World:--What evidence have you that Christ shall come again in His

crucified body?

Latter-day Saints:--We have the testimony of the Prophet Zechariah.

The World:--We will hear what he has to say.

TESTIMONY OF ZECHARIAH.

The World:--Your name is Zechariah?

Zechariah:--It is.

The World:--Were you a Prophet in Israel?

Zechariah:--I was so honored of the Lord.

The World:--Did you prophesy concerning the second coming of Christ?

{353} Zechariah:--I did. I prophesied and said, "And his feet shall

stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem

on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof

toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great

valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and

half of it toward the south." (Zechariah 14: 4.) "And one shall say

unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer,

Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." (Zechariah

13: 6.)

The World:--We will excuse the witness.

Latter-day Saints:--We have another witness whose testimony we would

like you to hear; his name is Paul.

The World:--We will be pleased to listen to his testimony.

TESTIMONY OF PAUL.

The World:--Your name is Paul?

Paul:--It is.

The World:--Are you an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Paul:--I am.

The World:--Have you ever seen Christ?

Paul:--I have. (I Cor. 15: 8.)

The World:--What is your testimony concerning Christ?

Paul:--It is the same as that of Thomas and the rest of the

Apostles--that He has a body of flesh and bones.

The World:--What is your testimony concerning God, the Father of Christ?

Paul:--I testify that as Christ is so is His Father. I wrote to the

Hebrew saints on this matter, as follows: "Who being the brightness

of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all

things by the word of His power, when He had Himself purged our sins,

sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Heb. 1: 3.) Christ

said on one occasion: "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father."

The World:--We have no further questions to ask the witness.

Latter-day Saints:--We now respectfully ask you to listen to the

testimony of the young prophet, Joseph Smith.

The World:--We have heard a great deal concerning that young man. It

has been reported that he declared he had seen God the Father and His

Son Jesus Christ.

Latter-day Saints:--Such, indeed, was his testimony, and tens of

thousands of us have received testimonies from the Lord that he spoke

the truth.

{354} The World:--We will hear him for ourselves.

TESTIMONY OF JOSEPH SMITH.

The World:--Your name is Joseph Smith, Jr.?

Joseph Smith:--It is.

The World:--Are you the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints?

Joseph Smith:--I was simply an humble instrument in the hands of the

Lord in re-establishing, according to the revelations of God, the

Church of Christ upon the earth.

The World:--So, you profess to have received revelations from God?

Joseph Smith:--I do. More than that: I have seen God and His Son Jesus

Christ, and have talked with them.

The World:--We are desirous of hearing from your own lips your

testimony concerning this matter.

Joseph Smith:--Realizing that I, as well as all other men, shall

have to stand some day before the judgment bar of God to be judged

according to my works, my testimony in this case shall be the truth,

and the truth only, God being my witness. I was born in the year of

our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five, on the twenty-third day

of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor county, state of Vermont.

My father, Joseph Smith, Senior, left the state of Vermont, and moved

to Palmyra, Ontario (now Wayne) county, in the state of New York, when

I was in my tenth year, or thereabouts. In about four years after my

father's arrival in Palmyra, he moved with his family into Manchester,

in the same county of Ontario. His family consisted of eleven souls,

namely--my father, Joseph Smith; my mother, Lucy Smith (whose name,

previous to her marriage, was Mack, daughter of Solomon Mack); my

brothers, Alvin (who died November 19th, 1824, in the 27th year of

his age), Hyrum, myself, Samuel Harrison, William, Don Carlos; and my

sisters, Sophronia, Catherine, and Lucy. Some time in the second year

after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we lived

an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the

Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region

of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by

it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious

parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people,

some crying, "Lo, here?" and others, "Lo, there!" Some were contending

for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, {355} and some for

the Baptist. For notwithstanding the great love which the converts to

these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and

the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active

in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious

feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to

call it, let them join what sect they pleased--yet when the converts

began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen

that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts

were more pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad

feeling ensued; priest contending against priest, and convert against

convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever

had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about

opinions. I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father's family

was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that

church, namely--my mother Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison;

and my sister Sophronia. During this time of great excitement, my mind

was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my

feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from

all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often

as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat

partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with

them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different

denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and

so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion

who was right and who wrong. My mind at times was greatly excited, the

cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most

decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of

either reason or sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make

the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists

and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to

establish their own tenets and disprove all others. In the midst of

this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself,

What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they

all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how

shall I know it? While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties

caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day

reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which

reads: "_If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to

all men liberally, and upbraideth_ {356} _not, and it shall be given

him_." Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the

heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter

with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it

again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I

did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom

than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion

of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so

differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by

an appeal to the Bible. At length I came to the conclusion that I must

either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James

directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to

"ask of God," concluding that if He gave wisdom to them that lacked

wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture. So,

in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to

the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful,

clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was

the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst

all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go,

having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and

began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done

so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely

overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind

my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around

me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden

destruction. But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver

me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the

very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself

to destruction--not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some

actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I

had never before felt in any being--just at this moment of great alarm,

I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness

of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no

sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held

me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose

brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the

air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing

to the other--"_This is my beloved Son, hear him_!" My object in going

to enquire of the Lord was to know {357} which of all the sects was

right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I

get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the

personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects

was right--and which I should join. I was answered that I must join

none of them, for they were all wrong; and the personage who addressed

me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that

those professors were all corrupt; that "they draw near to me with

their lips, but their hearts are far from me; they teach for doctrine

the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the

power thereof." He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many

other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time.

When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking

up into heaven. Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to

be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active

in the beforementioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him

on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of

the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior;

he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt,

saying, it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as

visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased

with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them. I

soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great

deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion and was the

cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I

was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age,

and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence

in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to

excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution;

and this was common among all the sects--all united to persecute me.

It caused me serious reflection then, and often has since, how very

strange it was that an obscure boy, of a little over fourteen years

of age, and one, too, who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a

scanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be thought a character

of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of

the most popular sects of the day, and in a manner to create in them

a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling. But strange or

not, so it was, and it was often the cause of great sorrow to myself.

However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have

thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made {358} his

defence before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he

had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but

few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was

mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy

the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and

all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and

though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would

know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light, and heard a

voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think

or believe otherwise. So it was with me. I had actually seen a light,

and in the midst of that light I saw two personages, and they did

in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for

saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were

persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me

falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me

for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision, and who am I that

I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I

have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that

God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it, at least I

knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.

The World:--Then, according to your testimony, God the Father, and

Jesus Christ are two distinct Personages?

Joseph Smith:--That is my testimony. "The Father has a body of flesh

and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also: but the Holy Ghost has

not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of spirit. Were it

not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us."

The World:--So that if we were to see God now, we would see Him in the

form of man?

Joseph Smith:--You would. "If the veil was rent today, and the Great

God, who holds this world in its orbit, who upholds all worlds and all

things by His power, was to make Himself visible--I say, If you were to

see Him today, you would see Him like a man in form--like yourselves in

all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in

the very fashion, image, and likeness of God, and received instruction

from, and walked, talked, and conversed with Him, as one man talks and

communes with another."

The World:--The witness is excused.

Latter-day Saints:--This closes our case. You have heard the

testimonies of Abraham, Moses, Thomas, Zechariah, Paul, {359} and

Joseph Smith. The testimonies of these servants of the Lord are similar

in every respect. You cannot reject the testimony of Joseph Smith

without rejecting the testimonies of the others. We pray you, give heed

to these things; for "this is life eternal: to know the living and true

God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent."

III.--FAITH AND WORKS.

The World:--What are the first principles and ordinances of your

religion?

Latter-day Saints:--The first principles and ordinances of our religion

are these: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance;

third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying

on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The World:--Do you believe that good works must accompany faith in

order for men to obtain salvation?

Latter-day Saints:--We do. We maintain that belief alone is not

sufficient to bring salvation to any man. "Faith without works is

dead." Faith is the first principle of the Gospel of Christ: it is the

foundation upon which every other principle and ordinance rests. You

remember, the Apostle Paul said, "But without faith it is impossible to

please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that

he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11: 6.)

The World:--Well, we have been taught that all a person has to do in

order to be saved is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the

Gospel which Paul and Silas preached to the Philippian jailor and his

household. When the jailor asked Paul and his companion what he should

do to be saved, they answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and

thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16: 30, 31.)

Latter-day Saints:--No, that is only part of the Gospel which Paul

and Silas preached to the jailor and his house. They did not stop at

belief, as the majority of preachers do in these days. But here is the

Apostle Paul; he can speak for himself.

TESTIMONY OF PAUL.

The World:--Paul, when the Philippian jailor asked you and Silas what

he should do to be saved, what did you tell him?

Paul:--We told him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and he would be

saved, and also his house. (Acts 16: 31.)

The World:--We thought so. Now, if the jailor and his {360} household

had simply to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to gain

salvation, why should other people have to do more?

Paul:--But we did not tell the jailor and his household that that was

all they had to do. We taught them other doctrines besides belief in

Christ; we taught them the ordinance of baptism. Here is what the

record says: "Then he (the jailor) called for a light, and sprang in,

and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought

them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said,

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy

house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that

were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and

washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his straightway."

(Acts 16: 29-33.)

The World:--You have spoken truly, Paul. We see that, according to the

record, after you had told the jailor to believe on the Lord Jesus

Christ, you taught him and his household other commandments of the

Lord, among them baptism. One more question: Did you preach to the

people that Jesus Christ was the author of eternal salvation?

Paul:--I did.

The World:--And Jesus Christ, the author of eternal salvation, taught

this doctrine, that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only

begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but

have eternal life?"

Paul:--He did. But you have quoted only _part_ of what I said and only

_part_ of what Christ said. I did not tell the people that Christ had

become the author of eternal salvation to all those who would simply

believe in Him. Here is what I said: "Though he were a Son, yet learned

he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect,

he became the author of eternal salvation _unto all them that obey

him_." (Heb. 5: 8, 9.) Jesus did not tell the people that they would

have eternal life by simply believing in Him. This is what He said:

"Not every one that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the

Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is

in heaven." (Matt 7: 21.) Now, it would appear from this that there

were people in the days of the Savior who believed, as thousands of

people believe today, that they could get into the Kingdom of God by

simply believing in Christ, and calling Him Lord, Lord. And in order

to disabuse their minds of that erroneous belief. Jesus made use of

the words which I have just quoted. Now, do you think that I, or any

other servant of the Lord, would {361} preach salvation through belief

alone when Christ had condemned such doctrine? On one occasion He said:

"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will

shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house,

and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood

arose the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake

it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth

not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the

earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it

fell; and the ruin of that house was great." (Luke 6: 46-49.) Here is

a Gospel not only of believing, but of _doing_: a Gospel, not of faith

alone, but of _faith and works_.

The World:--We dare not dispute what you have said; were we to do so,

we would be disputing the words of Christ. Permit us, however, to ask

you another question.

Paul:--Certainly.

The World:--Isn't it a fact that Christ, when He was upon the cross,

and just as He was about to give up the ghost, said, "It is finished"?

Paul:--That is true.

The World:--Did Christ not mean that He had done all that was necessary

for man's salvation? that He had paid the price of man's redemption,

and that there was nothing left for mankind to do?

Paul:--Part of what you have said is, indeed, true: Christ atoned for

our sins on Calvary's cross; He died that we might live, and that He

might present us, pure and spotless, to the Father. But when He said,

"It is finished," He did not mean that from that time henceforth and

forever mankind would have nothing whatever to do but to believe in

Him, and by that simple assent of their minds obtain eternal life and

an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of His Father. He meant that

His sufferings were at an end; He meant that He had drunk the bitter

cup to the dregs; He meant that He had done the will of the Father, and

had thus become, as I told the Hebrew Saints, the author of eternal

salvation to all those who would obey Him. After Christ had risen from

the dead He tarried for forty days with His disciples, during which

time He taught them many things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. In

giving them their commission, He said to them, "Go ye, therefore, and

teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of

the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things

whatsoever I have {362} commanded you." (Matt. 28: 19-20.) So you see,

Christ did not tell His Apostles to tell the people that all they had

to do was to believe in Him: they were to teach them to observe all

things whatsoever He had commanded them.

The World:--Did you write an epistle to the Ephesians?

Paul:--I did.

The World:--Here is an extract from it to which we desire to call your

attention: "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of

yourselves, it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should

boast." (Eph. 2: 8, 9.) Did you write that?

Paul:--I did.

The World:--What did you mean by writing in this way to the Ephesians?

Paul:--Merely this, and nothing more: the Ephesians, as well as many

others, thought to justify themselves by the works of the law--by

circumcision, for instance. They did not understand that the law

had been fulfilled in Christ, and so they wanted to continue in the

practice of dead works. These I condemned, but I never spoke one word

against the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the contrary,

I exhorted the people to perform good works. This is what I wrote to

the Ephesians: "Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth,

the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free."

(Ephesians 6: 8.) I wrote practically the same thing to Titus. Here

is an extract from my letter to him: "This is a faithful saying, and

these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have

believed in God might be careful to maintain good works." (Titus 3: 8.)

Surely you do not think that I would write to the Ephesians one time

condemning good works, and write afterwards to them and also to Titus

commending good works? The works that I condemned were dead works, such

as circumcision; but God forbid that I should advise anyone against

keeping all the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said that

he who would break one of the least of His commandments, and teach men

to do so, the same would be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The World:--That is all, Paul.

Latter-day Saints:--Perhaps you would like to hear the testimony of the

Apostles John and James?

The World:--Certainly, if they can give us any additional light on the

subject.

Latter-day Saints:--John, we would be pleased to have {363} you tell

The World whether you consider good works essential to salvation.

JOHN'S TESTIMONY.

John:--I am more than pleased to speak on this important matter. As an

Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I taught the people to do the will of

God as it had been laid down by the Savior.

The World:--It is recorded in the Gospel which bears your name that

Christ said, "God so loved the world that he gave his only Begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have

everlasting life?"

John:--That is correct.

The World:--Did you not infer from that that all a man had to do in

order to be saved was to believe in Christ?

John:--I did not; for Christ, just a little while before, had said to

Nicodemus, who knew that Jesus was a Teacher sent of God: "Except a

man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of

God." (John 3: 5.) There is something more than belief in those words.

The World:--Did you not teach the people that the blood of Jesus Christ

would cleanse them from all sin?

John:--I did; but it was on the condition that they walked as Christ

walked. This is what I said: "If we walk in the light, as he is in the

light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus

Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (I John 1: 7.) After Christ

had taught us the principles of the Gospel, He said to us: "If ye know

these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (John 13: 17.) Again He

said to us: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me

the works that I do shall he do also." (John 14: 12.) The Lord gave me

a vision when I was on the Isle of Patmos: "and I saw the dead, small

and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another

book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged

out of those things which were written in the books, according to their

works." (Rev. 20: 12.) In the face of all these things, how could I

believe that belief alone in Christ was all that was necessary for

salvation?

The World:--The witness is excused.

TESTIMONY OF JAMES.

The World:--James, were you commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ to

preach His Gospel?

James:--I was.

{364} The World:--Did you not teach the people that all that was

necessary in order to attain to salvation was belief in the Lord Jesus

Christ?

James:--How dare I teach such doctrine when the Lord had instructed us

to teach them to observe all things whatsoever He had commanded us?

The World:--Then, you believe that in order for a man to procure

salvation he must have works with his faith?

James:--I do most assuredly. I taught the people that faith without

works is dead. Surely you have read my epistle, wherein I said: "What

doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have

not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and

destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace,

be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things

which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if

it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast

faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I

will shew thee my faith by my works. * * * But wilt thou know, O vain

man, that faith without works is dead? * * * For as the body without

the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:

14-18, 20, 26.)

The World:--This is certainly strange doctrine to us. We have been

taught from childhood that all we had to do to be saved was to believe

in the Lord Jesus Christ.

James:--You say that that is what the preachers have taught you?

The World:--It is. The only gospel that we have been taught is the

gospel of Belief Alone. We have never been taught that we had to do

anything towards our salvation.

James:--You have been deceived by false teachers, whom Paul prophesied

would rise up in the last days. Here is the prophecy: "For the time

will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own

lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and

they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned into

fables." (II Timothy 4: 3, 4.)

The World:--Paul truly prophesied as you have said; but do you think

his prophecy applies to the preachers of the present time?

James:--I would prefer that you answer that question yourselves. I

believe that I can make this matter very plain to you. Supposing a man

were to come to you at the present time and tell you that good works

were not at all essential to {365} salvation, that all you had to do to

be saved was to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; and after he had gone

out three Apostles of the Lord Jesus should come in and tell you that

belief alone would not save you, that you would have to couple works

with your faith, which of these men would you believe?

The World:--That scarcely needs an answer: we would, of course, believe

the Apostles.

James:--I thought as much. Well, Paul, John and I have told you, just

as plainly as it is possible for us to do, that belief alone will not

save you: that you must have works as well as faith. And as you have

told me that you believe our words, I would advise you, if you do not

wish to deceive yourselves, to be doers of the word, as well as hearers

of it.

The World:--Thank you, James. That is all.

Latter-day Saints:--The words of the Apostles are very plain, indeed;

James told us that what the spirit is to the body so works are to

faith; and that as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith

without works is dead also. We would advise you to accept the teachings

of Christ and of His inspired Apostles.

The World:--In the face of all these Scriptures, we cannot see how our

preachers can teach that good works are not essential to salvation.

Latter-day Saints:--We are not at all surprised at their doing so. If

the Scriptures are to be fulfilled, we must expect to see men arise

speaking perverse things, and drawing away disciples after them. It

has been clearly proven that Christ and His Apostles taught that men

would have to couple good works with their faith if they expected to

get salvation. Now, any doctrine contrary to the teaching of Christ and

His Apostles is the doctrine of men. But as it was in the days of the

Savior, so it is today. Christ said of the people in His day: "This

people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with

their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship

me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matt. 15: 8, 9.)

The World:--We are very thankful to you for calling our attention

to these plain and precious truths, and the next time that we are

visited by our ministers we will request them to tell us who gave them

authority to preach that good works are not essential to salvation,

when the Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles taught that they are. For

our ministers have most assuredly taught us that the Lord would not

accept of any good works that we might do.

Latter-day Saints:--Then He has changed since the days {366} of the

early Apostles. Do you not remember what happened to Cornelius?

Cornelius was not like the people of the present day, for he believed

in having good works with his faith; and instead of the Lord being

displeased with him for performing good works, He sent an angel from

heaven to tell him that his prayers and his alms had come up for a

memorial before God. (Acts 10: 4.) Now, if all the ministers in the

world told you that good works are not essential to salvation, all you

would have to do would be to turn to this Scripture, and there you

could show them how the Lord had so approved of a man's good works

that He sent an angel from heaven to tell him that He had accepted of

them, and to tell him of other things which were necessary for him

to do. And, if that were not sufficient, you could refer them to the

writings of the Apostle Peter, who said: "And besides this, giving

all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and

to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience

godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly

kindness charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make

you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of

our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and

cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his

old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your

calling and election sure: for if ye do these things ye shall never

fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into

the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (II Peter

1: 5-11.)

IV.--REPENTANCE.

The World:--You say, Faith in God and in His Son Jesus Christ is the

first principle of the Gospel, and the second is Repentance?

Latter-day Saints:--Yes, the second principle of the Gospel is

repentance.

The World:--What do you understand the term repentance to mean?

Latter-day Saints:--Repentance is a deep, sincere, heartfelt sorrow

for sin, producing a reformation of life. It is, in a word, ceasing to

do evil and learning to do well. Here is the Apostle Paul, who will be

pleased to speak upon this important subject.

TESTIMONY OF PAUL.

Paul:--I speak from experience concerning this most essential {367}

principle of the Gospel of Christ. I was, as you all know, a most

unrelenting persecutor of the Saints. I had even gone so far as

to assent to the death of the faithful Stephen. I was on my way

to Damascus, with letters from the high priest, authorizing me to

bring bound to Jerusalem all those whom I found professing faith in

Jesus Christ. I verily believed that I was doing God service. As I

neared Damascus, the Lord checked me in my evil course and called

me to repentance. He declared that by persecuting His saints I was

persecuting Him, and told me to desist from my ungodly work. On

hearing the word of the Lord, my soul was rilled with remorse, and I

immediately turned round and, by a life consecrated to Christ and His

cause, sought to atone for my past offences.

The World:--Was it the Lord, then, who led you to repentance?

Paul:--It was, for repentance is one of the most precious gifts of God

to men. Through the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ that choice gift

has been purchased for poor, fallen humanity. But, I would have you

understand, that God is jealous of all His gifts. He does not bestow

them where they would not be appreciated. Repentance, like every other

gift of God, has been promised to men on certain conditions.

The World:--Please tell us what these conditions are.

Paul:--One of the conditions is that men will manifest a desire to

cease from sin, and to work righteousness in the sight of God. The

Lord, speaking through Isaiah the prophet, made a promise unto the

children of men that if they would seek Him they would find Him, and

that if they would forsake their evil ways and thoughts and turn unto

Him, He would pardon their transgressions. I quote from the writings of

the prophet: "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him

while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous

man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have

mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah

55: 6, 7.) Thus we see that the gift of repentance is promised men

on condition that they seek the Lord and forsake their evil ways and

thoughts. The Lord has assured us that He has no pleasure whatever in

the death of a sinner. Speaking to the house of Israel by the mouth

of the Prophet Ezekiel, He said: "Say unto them, as I live, saith the

Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the

wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil

ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" "Again, when I say unto

{368} the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and

do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge,

given again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without

committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. None of

his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath

done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live." (Ezek.

33: 11, 14-16.) But, behold, a greater than Ezekiel has testified to

the same thing. Here are the words of Jesus Christ, the Author of

eternal salvation: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to

repentance." (Luke 5: 32.) "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be

in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and

nine just persons, which need no repentance." (Luke 15: 7.)

The World:--Thank you, Paul, for your testimony.

Latter-day Saints:--We have another witness who was called by the Lord

to preach repentance to the people of his generation.

The World:--We are ready to listen to his testimony.

TESTIMONY OF NOAH.

The World:--What is your name?

Noah:--My name is Noah.

The World:--Were you called by the Lord to preach repentance unto the

people in your day?

Noah:--I was. The Lord beheld that the wickedness of the children

of men was great upon the earth. They had entirely turned away from

the holy commandments which had been delivered unto them. They took

pleasure in all manner of wickedness and abominations. They were,

as are millions of the human family at the present time, "lovers of

pleasure more than lovers of God." The Lord saw that the imaginations

of their hearts were evil continually, and that they would surely

perish if they did not turn from their wicked, reprobate ways.

Therefore, He called me to be a preacher of righteousness, and

commissioned me to go forth and cry repentance unto that wicked and

perverse generation. I was commanded to build an ark, into which I was

to take all those who would hearken unto my words and turn unto the

Lord. I was obedient unto the heavenly commandment, and went forth

among the people, crying repentance unto them, and warning them to

flee from the wrath to come. I preached not alone by precept, but by

my works also. I immediately set to work to construct the ark, and

during the one hundred {369} and twenty years while the ark was being

prepared, I cried aloud and spared not. O, how my soul was grieved when

I beheld the hardness of the hearts of the people, for I knew that God

would not be mocked, that He would not strive with them forever, but

that He would surely destroy them if they did not repent of their sins.

The World:--What success did you meet with, Noah, in your preaching?

Noah:--Practically none. My words seemed to them as idle tales. They

spurned the message which I brought them from their merciful Creator.

They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they married and were

given in marriage up till the very day that I and my family--eight

souls in all--entered the ark, and the Lord shut the door. Even now, I

fancy I can hear their scoffs and scorns, their mockings and derisions,

as we bade them a last farewell till we would meet them at the judgment

bar of God. Then was the word of the Lord fulfilled, and His righteous

judgments were poured out upon those wicked people and they perished

from the earth. (Gen. 6: 7.) And now, in closing my testimony, I

will say to you, that God has not changed: He is the same yesterday,

today and forever; He does not look upon sin with the least degree of

allowance, and just as sure as God is God, so sure will His judgments

come upon the inhabitants of the earth in these latter-days if they do

not repent and turn from their transgressions. "Except ye repent, ye

shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13: 3.)

The World:--That is all, Noah.

Latter-day Saints:--We now most respectfully ask you to listen to the

testimony of another servant of the Lord.

ABRAHAM'S TESTIMONY.

The World:--What is your name?

Abraham:--My name is Abraham.

The World:--Are you prepared to give testimony concerning the matter

which is before us?

Abraham:--I am.

The World:--We will listen to your testimony.

Abraham:--It grieves me to have to report that the inhabitants of the

cities of Sodom and Gomorrah failed to profit by the sad fate which

befell the people in the days of Noah. With the history of the past

before them, showing clearly God's hatred of sin, they added day by

day to the cup of their iniquities. Their abominations at last became

unbearable to the Lord, and He decreed that He would destroy them from

{370} the face of the earth. I shall never forget the day that the Lord

came to me in Mamre and informed me of His intention of destroying the

cities of the plains and the inhabitants thereof. My soul was filled

with sorrow, nevertheless I knew that all the judgments of the Lord

were just. I besought Him to grant me favor in His sight, which He

did. I asked Him if He would spare the city of Sodom provided fifty

righteous souls were found there. He promised me that He would spare

the city if it contained fifty righteous inhabitants. But alas! that

number could not be found. I plead with the Lord again and again, and

He finally consented to turn away His judgments from Sodom if ten

God-fearing persons were found in the city. But ten such persons could

not be found, and the Lord in His anger destroyed the inhabitants of

those wicked cities and thus blotted out their iniquity from before His

face. (Gen. 18: 19.) And as He spared not the cities of the plains,

neither will He spare any other city or nation that forgets God. As

Noah said, so say I, Woe unto the inhabitants of the earth if they do

not repent. Behold, ere they are aware, the Spirit of God will cease to

strive with them, and they shall, by their ungodly deeds, bring upon

themselves swift destruction.

The World:--We have listened with interest to your testimony, Abraham.

You are excused.

Latter-day Saints:--We will now introduce a witness who will show you

the great blessings which came to the people of Nineveh when they

turned from their evil ways and began to work righteousness in the

sight of the Lord.

TESTIMONY OF JONAH.

The World:--What is your name?

Jonah:--My name is Jonah.

The World:--Were you called by the Lord to preach repentance?

Jonah:--I was. The word of the Lord came to me on one occasion, saying:

"Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their

wickedness is come up before me." (Jonah 1: 2.)

The World:--Did you do as the Lord commanded you?

Jonah:--I did not. I went down to Joppa, and there took ship for

Tarshish. The Lord punished me for my disobedience, and then He said

unto me the second time, "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and

preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." (Jonah 3: 2.) So I did

as the Lord commanded me. As I entered the city I began to cry aloud,

"Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the {371} people

of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth,

from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto

the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe

from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he

caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree

of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor

flock, taste any thing; let them not feed, nor drink water: but let

man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God:

yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence

that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and

turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their

works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the

evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not."

(Jonah 3: 5-10.)

Latter-day Saints:--The next witness whose evidence we desire you to

hear is John, the forerunner of Christ.

TESTIMONY OF JOHN.

The World:--Your name is John?

John:--It is.

The World:--Were you called by the Lord to preach repentance to the

people of your generation?

John:--I was. I was sent before the Lord to prepare His way. I called

upon the people to repent of their sins, for the Kingdom of Heaven was

at hand. (Matt. 3: 1, 2.)

The World:--Were you able to bring many to repentance?

John:--Yes, many people of Judaea and Jerusalem, upon hearing the

proclamation, repented, came forward and confessed their sins, and were

baptized in the river Jordan. (Mark 1: 5.)

The World:--Are we to understand that confession of sins is essential?

John:--Such has been the teaching of the servants of the Lord in every

dispensation. Without confession of sins repentance is incomplete.

Here are the words of the inspired teachers: "He that covereth his

sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall

have mercy." (Prov. 28: 13.) "If we say that we have no sin we deceive

ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He

is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from

all unrighteousness." (I John 1: 8, 9.) But confession should be

accompanied with a promise and determination to sin no more. To confess

his sins before God will not {372} benefit a man unless his confession

is accompanied with a determination to sin no more. He must covenant

with the Lord that he is willing to forsake sin, and that in future he

will, with His Divine assistance, yield to no evil, but will shun the

very appearance of it, and keep himself unspotted from the world. God

cannot be deceived, and He will not pardon those who merely confess

their sins, and still make no effort to forsake them.

The World:--Repentance is, therefore, conditional?

John:--It is. Men must be willing to confess their sins and to forsake

them. They must also be willing to forgive others. In fact, Christ told

the people that His Father would not forgive them their trespasses if

they in their hearts failed to forgive those who trespassed against

them. These are His words: "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your

Heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their

trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt.

6: 14, 15.) And this forgiveness must be without limit. On one occasion

Peter asked the Lord, "How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I

forgive him, till seven times?" The Master answered, "I say not unto

thee, until seven times; but until seventy times seven." On another

occasion He taught the disciples, saying, "If thy brother trespass

against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him. And if he

trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day

turn again to thee saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him." (Luke

17: 3, 4.) Nowhere are repentance, confession and forgiveness more

beautifully portrayed than in Christ's parable of the prodigal son.

After having wasted his substance in riotous living, and being brought

down so low that he had to satisfy his hunger with swine's food, the

prodigal at last came to himself. He thought of his father's home in

which he had spent so many happy years, of the good things of the earth

with which the tables had always been laden, of the hired servants who

waited upon the family. The spirit of repentance entered his heart, and

springing to his feet he exclaimed, "I will arise and go to my father,

and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before

thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy

hired servants. * * * But when he was yet a great way off, his father

saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed

him. * * * And the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best

robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his

feet: and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it; {373} and let us

eat, and be merry: for this my sen was dead, and is alive again; he

was lost, and is found." (Luke 15: 18-20, 21-24.) In this parable is

clearly exhibited the love and mercy of God. Verily, he that cometh to

Him shall in nowise be cast out.

The World:--We will excuse the witness.