Another remark, in passing, respecting anointing. The law of the Lord

is that the sick should be anointed with oil. We know of no commandment

that they should take the oil internally, and through the anointing the

Spirit of the Lord will be conducted to the whole system and renovate

it and make it whole, and there is no need of taking it internally.

Then again some potter around with a spoon as if they were afraid that

a drop too much might be used. Never mind the spoon. Pour on oil from

the vessel in which it was consecrated, and don't be too careful in

using it. Aaron was anointed with oil, according to David, until it

ran down upon his beard on the skirts of his garments, and we have no

account of his complaining about it. We do not make this reference in

order to have the Elders too lavish in the use of oil, but we do think

more than a drop or two should be used, and it should not be used as if

they were afraid of it.

We have not made these remarks for the purpose of binding up the Elders

in their feelings when administering in the ordinances we have named,

but to the end that they may learn their duty in respect of these

things, and have greater liberty of the Spirit in the administrations,

which can only come by having a consciousness of the ability to do them

properly and well.

{492}

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

BY ELDER ORSON F. WHITNEY, IN MILLENNIUM STAR, 1882.

The Gospel of Christ is the science of salvation. Like any other

genuine science, it is based upon eternal truth, and is the compiled,

epitomized result of experience, profound research and intelligent

reflection. It is the condensed product of divine wisdom, the _summum

bonum_ of celestial knowledge, the key to all heavenly mysteries, and

the only way that leadeth unto everlasting life. It embraces all truth,

whether known or unknown. It incorporates all intelligence, both past

and prospective. No righteous principle will ever be revealed, no truth

can possibly be discovered, either in time or in eternity, that does

not in some manner, directly or indirectly, pertain to the Gospel of

Jesus Christ. It is the way of salvation in this life; it is the means

of exaltation in the life to come. It can never be dispensed with, for

it will never cease to be necessary. It is a medium of never-ending

exaltation and advancement. It encompasses all virtue, and precludes

all vice. Error cannot invade its dominions, nor truth transcend its

boundaries. Eternal life, because it includes all other gifts, is

called the greatest gift of God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, because it

comprehends all principles of progression, is the only means by which

eternal life may be attained and perpetuated.

The principles which compose the Gospel--not merely the first

principles, but all that have been or will ever be revealed--are

self-existent and everlasting in their nature. They have existed from

all eternity, and will endure through all the eternities to come, for

they are absolute, essential, uncreated truths, without beginning of

days or end of years, the same yesterday, today and forever. Concerning

the time, place and method of their compilation--if we may with

propriety assume such an event ever to have occurred--the legislative

process of appropriation, arrangement and systemization, whereby

these self-existent laws were rendered subservient to the designs of

Deity, and made applicable to and operative in {493} the salvation and

exaltation of human souls and worlds, it is not man's present province

to inquire. Such a question would necessarily involve the consideration

of the beginning of God's limitless creations, the beginning of things

which to us have no beginning, a subject so vast and incalculably

comprehensive as to be beyond the conception of any intellect of

inferior capacity to that Master mind which designed and organized the

heavens and the earths, and numbered by and known unto whom, alone,

are all the creations which His mighty hand hath made. It should,

therefore, suffice us to know that the Gospel in its present form is

of inconceivable antiquity; that ages on ages before the foundations

of this earth were laid, ere the morning stars sang together and all

the sons of God shouted for joy, at the hour of its nativity, this

everlasting scheme has been adopted by the heavenly powers as the

means of its predestined sanctification; and moreover that through the

application and operations of this same unchangeable, puissant plan,

millions on millions of worlds, with all their countless hosts of human

and other inhabitants, had been redeemed and glorified prior to the

period when this little planet, our mother earth, was numbered among

the creations of God.

Nothing could be more at variance with all correct ideas concerning the

character and attributes of the great Creator, than to suppose the plan

of life and salvation to be the peculiar property of any one planet, of

any one people or of any particular period of human history. The simple

fact of there being but one such plan in existence--a point which is

not conceded as self-evident, is susceptible of the plainest possible

proof--should be sufficient to refute all such attenuated notions. For,

with this fact once admitted, and a moment's reflection being given to

the bewildering myriads of worlds which the Creator has called into

existence, the numberless multitudes of His creatures which people

them, and the almost universally acknowledged love, providence, care,

protection and solicitude which the eternal parent continually evinces

for the humblest of His offspring and all the workmanship of His hands,

where is the soul so narrow and so bigoted, not to say irreverent and

profane, that would dare to deliberately ascribe to such being--a

being so wise, powerful, impartial, merciful and magnanimous as God is

known and recognized to be--so unwise, weak, petty, puny, unjust and

unmerciful a policy as the one we have in reference! And yet, strange

to say, there are millions of souls who have held, and other millions

who still hold--unless we marvelously misinterpret them {494}--opinions

of this very character. There are many doubtless who would declare,

without giving the matter a second thought, that the foregoing

arguments in support of the scope and antiquity of the Gospel were

nothing more nor less than stupid nonsense and blasphemous presumption,

and in the same breath would asseverate the truth and consistency

of the petty theory which we denounce--and we maintain with good

reason--as false and flimsy in every particular, wholly unfounded in

reason or in revelation, and altogether unworthy of belief. There are

those who, not content with the supposition that the Gospel is solely

the property of this planet, are as resolutely of the opinion that it

dates its origin from that momentous period in the history of the world

when the Son of God came down to perform His mighty mission, in the

midst of the children of men, and that previous to that memorable epoch

there had been no such plan known, in any age, by any portion of the

human family. Consequently their position, if they have any, must be

that the all-wise Legislator who framed the only code of laws whereby

eternal life is made obtainable, allowed four thousand years to pass

away, taking with them into endless torment, multitudes of His begotten

sons and daughters, many of them among the most righteous men and women

that have ever walked the earth, before He placed within the reach

of fallen humanity the only way possible for men to be saved. Such a

theory might have done for the dark ages, or at the present time may

suit the narrow views of such as "know not God nor the things of God,"

but to all whose understandings have been quickened and enlightened by

the high-soaring, deep-searching Spirit of Truth, such absurd notions

are not overfraught with sense and consistency.

The idea which seems to prevail that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that

marvel of all that is wise, just, comprehensive and powerful, was

devised for the redemption of a solitary world, or for the benefit of

one, to the exclusion of another portion of its inhabitants, is on a

par with the ancient but long since exploded hypothesis that the sun,

moon and stars were only temporary luminaries, hung up in the midst of

the firmament, for the purpose of lighting this little earth through

its mortal probation, and which, like so many lamps, whose "occupation

would be gone," having survived the necessity of their invention,

would be extinguished and put away forever, as soon as the earth

had completed its temporal career. But happily the light of divine

truth, beaming through the atmosphere of science, has dispelled that

senseless delusion. {495} Furthermore, it is now known, thanks be to

God for reopening the long closed oracles of eternity, that not only

are there other worlds than this, but like this, those other worlds

are inhabited, peopled by beings similar to the occupants of earth,

the population of one planet differing only from those of others in

the various degrees of perfection which they have severally attained

through the principles of the Gospel of unceasing progression. By

those who have bowed in humility before the fountain of all truth and

intelligence, and taken a fresh draught of the renovating waters of

life, it is now understood that that God who never spoke or wrought in

vain, or created anything to subserve a puerile purpose, instituted

the plan of salvation for the temporal and spiritual regeneration,

not only of His offspring upon this planet, but likewise of those

upon multitudes of similar planets, which have been or will yet be

brought forth, redeemed and celestialized by the application of its

wonder-making power. It is now definitely known that the Everlasting

Gospel did not originate on this earth at all, nor for the first

time appear in the midst of mankind when John the Baptist came forth

proclaiming its initiatory principles in the wilderness of Judea.

However strange it may have appeared to the bigoted and benighted

Jews, who for centuries, through unbelief and hardness of heart, had

been deprived of its gifts and blessings, it was not by any means "a

new thing under the sun." Its introduction in those days was simply

a restoration of the Gospel, and that highly favored period was but

one among many such dispensations, and neither the first nor the last

which the descendants of Adam were destined to receive. It was simply

the dispensation of the meridian of time, during which the sacrificial

Lamb, "slain from the foundation of the world," descended from

celestial glory to pay the penalty of man's original sin, and by the

retroactive and proactive virtue of His atonement, make it possible,

through obedience to His Gospel, for all men in all ages to be saved.

Is it a thing so strange and unaccountable to the Christian world, that

such men as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and other ancient worthies who

walked and talked with God, as friend to friend, and were clothed upon

with the fullness of the authority of His Holy Priesthood, should have

been vouch-safed the precious privilege of yielding obedience to the

Gospel of Jesus Christ--"the only name given under heaven whereby man

can be saved?" Were Peter, James, John, Paul and others who happened

to be living upon the earth when the Savior came and were permitted

to partake of the blessings {496} which flow from obedience to the

principles of eternal life, more worthy of that privilege than their

predecessors, the more ancient patriarchs and prophets of God? Such

an idea is repugnant to reason, and utterly unentitled to credence or

respect. Let those continue to cherish such thoughts who persist in

rejecting the genuine faith and perpetuate the narrowness of their

minds by shutting out the soul expanding influences of the gift of

the Holy Ghost. For our own part we prefer to know otherwise, to

rejoice in the conviction obtained through compliance with the Gospel

of the Son of God, that this same everlasting, unchangeable plan of

redemption, without which no man can be elevated to the presence of

his Maker, was known to the human family at various times during the

intervening ages between the creation and the coming of Christ, and in

every instance was revealed and established for the identical purposes

which induced its institution in the days of the Savior, and for which

it has again, for the last time, been brought back to earth in this

the dispensation of the fullness of times. It is true that the Holy

Bible, which all Christians profess to believe, and which so far as

correctly translated, the Latter-day Saints actually do believe, though

plainly foretelling the Gospel's restoration in the latter days, is

more or less silent upon the subject of the dispensations preceding

the meridian of time. But it is also true that that good old book

is silent upon a great many other important points, thanks to the

interpolations, erasions, alterations and rejections of uninspired

translators, commentators and compilers, to whose unauthorized, blind

and blundering administrations in the premises, are largely due the

endless divisions, discords and differences, which have raked and rent

asunder the religious world for centuries. But independent of the

taciturnity of the Scriptures, and aside from the incontrovertible

evidence furnished by modern revelation, we respectfully submit to the

consideration of all candid, unbiased believers in God and the Gospel

of Salvation, whether the views we maintain, compared with the opinions

we oppose, are not more consistent with reason, more harmonious with

the Spirit of Holy Writ, and more perfectly in unison with all advanced

ideas respecting the wisdom, power, justice, mercy and magnanimity of

Almighty God?

From the foregoing observations concerning the character, origin,

object, powers and possibilities of the great science of salvation,

the inquiring mind would naturally be led to the consideration of the

question, What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? or, in other words--since

the impracticability of completely {497} answering so comprehensive

an interrogation has already been shown--what are its initiatory

principles? At the risk of wearying some of our veteran readers,

already conversant with the subject, but with a sincere desire to

benefit them, as well as others who are less fortunate with respect

to the information involved, we here propose to present a brief

digest of what are familiarly known to the Latter-day Saints as the

first principles of the Gospel; the code of laws which constitute the

beginning of salvation's endless system; the preface, as it were, to

the book of everlasting progression; the four primitive archways by

which the path of eternal progress is attained, and through which the

souls of all men must pass in order to reach the celestial presence

of their Maker. These four principles, it will be seen, are serial

and progressive in their nature, each one naturally leading into

its successor, paving the way before and preparing the soul for its

reception.

FAITH.

The Holy Bible informs us that without faith it is impossible to

please God. Such a declaration even from a source less sacred, need

occasion no surprise whatever; for without faith it is impossible to

do anything. From the smallest act to the mightiest achievement, all

things are the effects of faith. It is the cause of every consequence,

the power by which all things possible are performed. Nothing was

ever accomplished either in heaven or on earth that was not preceded

and accompanied by the exercise of faith. The insect creeps, the bird

flies, the fish swims, by faith; the flowers spring, the grasses grow,

the trees bloom and bear, by faith; the infant prattles, the man toils,

the God creates, upholds, redeems and glorifies His workmanship, by

faith. It is the main-spring of life, the motive power of creation,

the active principle of the entire universe. Hence it is necessarily

the first principle of the Gospel, the initial element of salvation,

the basic principle or foundation law upon which all other laws and

principles rest. The soul that would attain salvation must first

believe salvation possible. He must believe in God as the Giver of

salvation. He must believe in Christ, as its Author and Mediator. He

must believe in the Gospel, as the medium through which salvation is

secured, and in the divine authority of the individual who as a servant

of God administers the ordinances of the Gospel in His behalf. Having

exercised faith to the extent thus indicated, he is in a position to

undertake the succeeding {498} venture, to ascend the next step higher

upon the grand stairway leading to eternal life.

REPENTANCE.

Sin cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. It is so entirely opposed, so

essentially antagonistic to the spirit of righteousness, that the two

cannot possibly dwell together. God does not look upon sin with the

least degree of allowance. Consequently the soul which aspires to His

presence, which expects to behold His face and be able to endure His

glory, must be previously cleansed and purified from all sin. Now, no

soul was ever successful in getting rid of its sins that did not first

sincerely repent of them. No fault was ever corrected that was not

first discovered and confessed; no habit was ever reformed that had not

first been freely acknowledged; and no sin can in any wise be remitted

until its perpetration has been truly repented of, and its perpetrator

is resolutely resolved against its repetition. It is useless for any

accountable being to say that he is without sin. The Scriptures declare

that all men are sinful and that no man can truthfully claim exemption

from the universal imputation. Little children (under eight years) are

not responsible for their acts, and being sinless and therefore unable

to repent, are redeemed by the blood of Christ from the foundation of

the world. But all accountable souls, to whom the Gospel of salvation

is sent, must repent of and forsake their evil ways, habits, deeds

and desires, if they wish to make any headway in the pursuit of the

precious prize of everlasting exaltation.

BAPTISM BY IMMERSION.

Baptism is symbolical of the burial and resurrection of Christ, and as

an ordinance of the Gospel was instituted for the remission of sins.

The only proper mode of its administration is by immersion, whereby

the two events above mentioned may be illustrated. "We are buried

with Him by baptism into death," says Paul, "that like as Christ was

raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also

should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together

(buried in water) in the likeness of His death, we shall be also (by

coming forth out of the water) in the likeness of His resurrection."

Even as Christ, by descending into death, put off the mortality in

which He was clothed, and rose triumphant to a higher sphere of action,

so we by going down {499} into the liquid grave, put away the sins

and follies of the flesh, and are brought forth to "a life divinely

new." Hence it is that baptism is also called a birth, and Christ, in

declaring to Nicodemus that a man must be "born of the water and of

the spirit," plainly signified emergence from the womb of the waters

as a prerequisite to His entrance into the Kingdom of God. He not

only pointed this out as the way in which others should walk, but by

submitting to baptism himself, He set the example of "fulfilling all

righteousness," and was greeted from the heavens, as the result of His

obedience, by the voice of God, declaring: "This is my beloved Son in

whom I am well pleased." Nevertheless, water of itself cannot wash

away sins. Not even immersion, though in strict accordance with the

method prescribed, could have the slightest effect upon the soul of

the penitent sinner, unless performed by a person holding authority

from on High. God recognizes no administrations but those of His chosen

and commissioned servants, clothed upon with the power of the Holy

Priesthood, as was John the Baptist; "called of God as was Aaron," and

sent forth by the voice of divine revelation to open wide the portals

of eternal life to all who are willing to walk in that straight and

narrow way which, on account of worldly pride and perversity, but few

souls are able to find. But all repentant believers, who are baptized

in the proper manner and by the proper authority, are acceptable in the

sight of high heaven, and can confidently rely upon the promise made by

Peter to the believing portion of the Pentecostal multitude: "Repent

and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the

remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the

GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST."

The Spirit of God, in certain measure, is universally distributed. It

is the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. By it

and through it all things live, move and have their being. It

"Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, Glows in the stars, and

blossoms in the trees, Lives through all life, extends through all

extent, Spreads undivided, operates unspent."

But the Gift of the Holy Ghost--bestowed by the "laying on of hands"

upon every faithful, penitent, baptized believer in the true Church

of Christ--is a special endowment for {500} special purposes. It may

possibly be a superior quality, or it may be only an increased quantity

of that universal essence which pervades all animated nature throughout

the illimitable realms of space. But be that as it may, it is certain

that this Gift, this Comforter, this Spirit of Truth, which sustains

the soul, enlightens the mind, leads into all truth, and enables the

spirit of man to comprehend the otherwise incomprehensible things of

God, is an important addition to the original possession and like it is

susceptible of further increase, cultivation and development. Through

obedience and righteousness it may be made to grow and expand, until

sin is entirely banished, until the eye is made single to the glory of

God, and the whole body is filled with life and light. By disobedience

and unrighteousness it will readily decrease and diminish until the

light of the soul is utterly extinguished, and darkness, despair

and spiritual death ensue. A fullness of God's Holy Spirit should,

therefore, be the grand object of human existence, for by it alone

can the soul of man be eternally exalted and glorified. Still there

are various kinds of "fullness," even as there are different degrees

of glory, corresponding to the various merits and capacities of those

who rise in the resurrection. The fullness which each soul obtains

will be of that particular glory--either Celestial, Terrestrial or

Telestial--by which its body is quickened from the grave. The "fullness

of the Father" constitutes Celestial exaltation, and this, though not

a thing to be suddenly attained, should be the soul-absorbing aim and

ambition of every son and daughter of God. We should begin to acquire

it now, for all may rest assured that the dispensation of these

eternal awards will be strictly in accordance with and regulated by

the deeds done in the body. Christ, our Savior, it appears, acquired

and possessed a fullness while on earth. But pure and spotless though

He was, He did not receive that fullness at first, but afterwards

received it. By constantly growing in grace and godliness, living from

day to day by every word that proceeded forth from the mouth of God, He

gradually became entitled to the steadily increasing possession of the

Holy Spirit, till finally "it pleased the Father that in Him should all

fullness dwell." We all have it in our power to do and become likewise.

He is our great Guide and Exemplar. As He was pure, we must be pure;

as He was obedient, we must likewise be; as He became perfect and was

found free from all fault or blemish before the throne of God, even

so we must become, if we expect to be conformed to His image, inherit

His celestial glory, possess a fullness of His {501} Spirit, become

heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, and have an eternal

residence in those heavenly mansions prepared for the righteous and the

faithful before the foundation of the world.

That the Gospel of Jesus Christ is necessarily one and unchangeable,

and with the foregoing as its first or initiatory principles, a perfect

and therefore exclusive system of salvation is a proposition which,

however unpopular, is susceptible, as previously asserted, of the

plainest possible proof. The Holy Scriptures abound in evidences of

this fact, and reason amply supports revelation in confirmation of its

truth. The Apostle Peter, the highest authority of his times, after

the ascension of the Savior, declares (Acts 4: 4) that "there is none

other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."

This passage alone is sufficient to prove the unity of Christ as the

Savior of the world and likewise to substantiate the fact that even

if there could be another Gospel possessing efficacy as a medium of

salvation, it also would have to be a Gospel of Jesus Christ, since He

is the sole author of salvation to all the inhabitants of the earth.

But Paul, another Apostle, in the fourth chapter of his epistle to the

Ephesians, testifies of "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one Spirit,"

and plainly demonstrates that one of the principal objects of the

Gospel, by means of its inspired Priesthood and spiritual gifts, is the

bringing of its believers to a "unity of the faith," previous to their

being made perfect in Christ; and this, too, corresponds beautifully

with the pathetic prayer of the Savior himself (John xvii.), that His

disciples might be made "perfect in one," and become one with Him even

as He was already one with His Father in heaven.

Paul also, in another place, denouncing the apostasy of the Galatian

churches (Galatians i, 8, 9), and the efforts of certain persons to

institute "another Gospel" and pervert the true Gospel of Christ,

employs the following forcible language: "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!" and in order to render

his meaning still more plain, unmistakable and emphatic, he repeats

the injunction as follows: "If any man preach any other Gospel unto

you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." These inspired

utterances are too obvious and intelligible to be misunderstood by any

honest-hearted reader of the Holy Scriptures. They show as plainly

as words can possibly show that the Gospel of Christ is one, and

unchangeable in its nature, the same yesterday, today and forever;

that its object is the temporal and eternal union of its converts,

and that it was designed for the {502} benefit and blessing of all

humanity, especially for such as would believe and faithfully obey its

principles. And why should it be otherwise? God is not the author of

strife and confusion. He is essentially a lover and promoter of union,

and looks with no favor upon those who evince a contrary disposition.

He would be the last to encourage, either by thought, word or action,

anything having the slightest tendency towards discord, disunion and

division. Peace and union are among the prevailing characteristics

of His nature, and order, system and eternal harmony are widely

manifest in all His wondrous workmanship. We cannot conceive of such

a Being, whose avowed purpose is the bringing of His offspring to a

oneness of profession and practice, engaging in the institution or

promotion of any cause whose inclination would be directly inimical

to the attainment of His fondest desires, and laying aside the basic

principles of His union-loving, harmony-enhancing nature, to inaugurate

strife and contention on earth, and engender difference and disputation

among His children upon that greatest and most vitally important of all

questions, the eternal salvation of their souls. And would not such

consequences ensue, were He to reveal to the human family more than one

method of attaining salvation?

The present religious aspect of the Christian world, with its

heterogeneous multiplicity of jarring, contending sects, all differing,

disputing and dividing among themselves, yet each one claiming to be

the true Church of Christ should be a sufficient answer. For if puny

man, by apostatizing from truth and concocting such a vast variety of

ways and means for worshiping his Maker, can create such a pandemonium

of doctrinal discord as that which ecclesiastical Christendom--to say

nothing of heathendom--displays, then what might not the Almighty

accomplish in the same direction, were it not in diametrical opposition

to His principles to descend to the perpetration of such folly and

wickedness, and thereby defeat the fulfillment of His most cherished

designs, besides dooming unnumbered myriads of His begotten offspring

to spiritual death and destruction!

We might continue this argument _ad infinitum_ from a biblical point

of view, but without going further into that divine record in quest

of proofs which are scattered as thickly as summer sunbeams over its

sacred pages, let us now survey the subject from another standpoint and

see whether reason alone will not bear out the belief that "this Gospel

of the Kingdom," which was to be and now is being "preached in all the

world for a witness unto all nations," {503} before the coming of "the

end," is the one and only system of salvation that has ever been or

ever will be revealed from heaven for the redemption and exaltation of

the human family.

It is to be presumed that there are but few, if any, sincere believers

in God or in any form of religion, bearing the name of the Gospel

of Jesus Christ, who would willingly assert that the letter could

be anything else than a perfect plan of salvation. The Almighty,

as a perfect being, is necessarily perfect in all His ways and

works, and any system or science devised by Him for the temporal or

spiritual regeneration of our race, would consequently be faultless

in construction, consummate in operation and thoroughly capable of

fulfilling every requirement of its existence. These facts being

admitted, we must immediately concede the unity and exclusiveness of

the Gospel of Christ. How so? it might be asked. For the following

reasons: A perfect Gospel is of necessity an exclusive Gospel, for of

any two such systems, which for argument's sake, we will say might be

revealed, one of them must as a matter of course be inferior. No two

things can be created exactly alike, and therefore, speaking in the

strictest sense of the term, no such thing as equality can possibly

exist. But even if it could, in the present instance, what would be the

use of two Gospels made exactly alike for precisely the same purpose?

The Creator is a wise economist, but such an act would be superfluous

and extravagant in the highest degree. But they could not be exactly

alike. One of them, as explained, would have to be inferior, for only

one of the twain could be perfect, and hence completely competent to

fulfill the exact measure of their mutual formation. The superior

Gospel would be the creation of God, and it alone; for the inferior

one, being imperfect and therefore defective in its organization and

capacity, could not possibly proceed from Him, since there is no such

thing as imperfection extant in all His handiwork. It is true, His

creature, man, is at present very imperfect, but not so originally.

God made man upright, says Solomon, "but they have sought out many

inventions." On the morning of creation, he, with all the rest of the

Creator's great workmanship, was made perfect and pronounced "very

good," but he afterward fell into transgression, which is always the

downward path, and through his own sins and follies has steadily

degenerated to his present fallen condition. Now it is only by means

of a perfect Gospel that he can be regenerated {504} and raised to the

high and perfect position from which he fell, and such a one is the

Gospel of Jesus Christ, the subject we are now considering.

A perfect Gospel comprehending all truth, all intelligence, all

principles of progression, is necessarily sole and exclusive in its

nature. It actually precludes, not only the necessity, but likewise

the possibility of the existence of any other Gospel having genuine

efficacy and saving virtue. For being complete and perfect in all its

parts, all inclusive, all absorbent, all powerful, all sufficient in

character and capability, as the greater, it would certainly comprehend

the less, and not only deprive it, if existing, of any room or occasion

to operate, but if not existing, would leave no extra, unusual material

for its construction. So that whichever alternative is chosen, by such

as may be disposed to question the validity of our position, it is

clearly the case that any other Gospel, besides the only one that ever

did, ever will, or in the very nature of things ever can exist, would

either be superfluous or impossible; and to accuse the all-wise Creator

of committing either folly, would be an insult to His intelligence

and a profanation of His character. Mankind may invent, as mankind

has already invented, systems upon systems of so-called religion, and

falsely call them, to his greater condemnation, by the sacred name

of Him who died that all men might live, and some of these man-made

methods of worship, or rather idolatry, though all are imperfect and

defective, like their clay creators, may be exceedingly plausible and

popular with their professors, nor yet entirely devoid of grains and

particles of truth. Nevertheless they are all illegal and unauthorized

of God, who will utterly refuse to recognize the usurped authority,

unlawful establishment and unhallowed administrations, or to accept

of the fruits of any faith or form of worship, whatsoever, aside

from those of the everlasting, unchangeable Gospel of His Son Jesus

Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ! That sole and exclusive system

of salvation, that perfect and perpetual science of progression,

that marvelous and mysterious plan, so plain, so simple, and withal

so powerful; so admirably adapted to the needs and capacity of every

soul, from the highest to the humblest intelligence ever tabernacled

in mortal flesh, and so amply capable of subserving the far-reaching

purposes of Omnipotent Creator, as to be the all essential method of

salvation in this life, and the indispensable medium of unceasing

exaltation in the life to come!

It is a matter of easy comprehension in the ordinary affairs of life,

why obedience to any natural law must of necessity {505} precede the

attainment of its legitimate result. The accountant at his desk knows

perfectly well that in order to obtain the sum of a column of figures

he must first employ one of the fundamental rules of the science of

mathematics; the chemist in his laboratory is equally aware that the

blending of certain elements, in accordance with established rules of

the science with which he is operating, is absolutely essential to

the formation of the compound which he desires; the student at school

who aspires to honors and efficiency in the course he is pursuing, is

fully as well satisfied that faithful application and a certain line

of deportment is indispensable to insure him a successful examination,

with its subsequent reward or recognition of merit; the alien desiring

citizenship, when once informed of the fact, seldom, if ever, hesitates

to question the advisability of "taking out his papers," or going

through certain forms of law, in order that he may be qualified to

exercise the rights and privileges of a member of the commonwealth;

and it is self-evident that the traveler, who wishes to arrive with

all possible speed and security at his destination, must previously

select and intently pursue the shortest, safest and most feasible route

leading in the right direction. These facts are patent to the poorest

comprehension.

Why is it, then, that so many, to whom the above illustrations are

so simple and self-evident, fail to see the analogy which exists

with reference to the great Gospel or science of salvation, and the

obedience to its laws, principles and requirements so imperatively

essential to admission into an eternal inheritance in the Celestial

Kingdom of God? Why is it that so many millions, notwithstanding

the plainest and most pointed declarations of inspired Scripture,

the examples and testimonies of the Savior and holy men of old,

corroborated by the God-given human reason, profanely and recklessly

insist on asserting that compliance with the sacred and everlasting

laws and ordinances of salvation is no longer necessary to accomplish

the very object of their institution, and vainly imagine or assume

to suppose that it is possible to reach the presence of their Maker

without putting into practice the immutable principles upon which all

celestial promises are predicated, and responding fully and faithfully

to the requirements invariably made of those who become possessed

of this inestimable privilege? Why is it that the accountant cannot

see that eternal life is the sum of all existence, and that all who

would obtain it must add together faith and good works, unceasingly,

employing all rules, both fundamental {506} and superstructive, of

salvation's endless science, in order to solve the otherwise insoluble

problem of this life and acquire the grand total of life everlasting in

the world to come? Why is it that the chemist cannot perceive that the

all-containing compound of eternal happiness is only to be produced by

the careful and judicious mixture of the elements of eternal salvation

while man yet lingers in the laboratory of his mortal probation?

How can the student in the precious school of earthly experience,

who fails to improve his time and learn well the lessons assigned

to him in this intermediate department of God's great University,

hope to pass a successful examination at His Judgment Seat, to merit

or attain possession of the "greatest gift of God," and be blessed

with the opportunities of entering upon a higher course of studies

in a never ending future of education and experience, if he does not

win and present a properly signed and attested certificate of good

conduct while here, and of complete and thorough preparation for the

ineffable and interminable hereafter? Why does the alien of the world,

who professes to seek Citizenship in the Celestial Commonwealth,

foolishly doubt the necessity of taking the oath of naturalization,

renouncing all foreign allegiance, responsibilities and relationship,

and conforming to the plain and positive regulations by means of which

alone he can even so much as enter into the Gates of the Golden City,

to say nothing of exercising and enjoying the rights, privileges and

possessions accorded to its humble, faithful, obedient and law-abiding

inhabitants? Or why should the traveler of time, the pilgrim to a

promised paradise, as he journeys through this weary wilderness,

entertain the expectation that he can avoid the pitfalls, snares and

dangers which beset his pathway at every step, and arrive with safety

and all possible expedition to the flowery outskirts of the dark and

dreary desert, where the arms of a loving and sympathetic Savior are

waiting open and ready to receive him, if he does not pursue the

straight, narrow and only practicable route tending in the proper

direction?--in the direction of Him who explored the waste, pioneered

and opened up the way, brushing and clearing it with His own bleeding

hands and feet, of many of its sharpest rocks and crudest thorns and

brambles, planting innumerable guideposts and danger signals along the

line of the perilous probation, thereby making it not only possible,

but comparatively easy for all men to follow in His footsteps, to

inherit bowers of eternal bliss and gardens of unspeakable glory

beyond, but solemnly and repeatedly asseverating, both before and after

{507} the close of his brave and remarkable career, that there is none

other way under the whole heaven whereby the same pilgrimage can be

accomplished and the devoutedly wished for consummation attained.

Some will doubtless contend that the cases above mentioned, though

capable of parabolical comparison, are not practically analogous in

their nature; that the ordinary process employed by the accountant,

the chemist, the student, the alien and the traveler, are matters

of plain and practical fact, self-evident truths, susceptible of

the easiest elucidation, and do not therefore demand, for their

acceptance, the exercise of that faith or far-reaching credulity, so

indispensably pre-requisite to the investigation of the Gospel, and

the acknowledgment of implicit obedience to its principles as the sole

alternative to the sacrifice of all hopes of celestial exaltation. In

reply to this argument, since to all who would put it forth it would

be waste of time and trouble to quote Scripture, we desire to propound

two questions. By what means have the so-called self-evident truths

of modern science, art, invention, philosophy, etc.--now, but not

always, so easily explained and understood--become the plainly proved

and firmly established facts that we find them at the present time?

Does not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the perfect and perpetual plan of

salvation, purposely made simple and comprehensible--as great things

invariably are--in order that even the wayfaring man, though a fool,

might not needfully err therein--does it not exhibit upon its face

ample and indubitable evidences of the power and efficacy which it

claims, and has been proven by unnumbered millions to possess? To the

first question we unhesitatingly assert, without fear of successful

contradiction, that every truth now known to mortal man has at some

period in its history been more or less the subject of his doubt and

conjecture, if not of his open and avowed hostility and unbelief,

and that without any exception their adoption, establishment and

development on earth have been directly due to the exercise of what

some people are pleased to confound with the term credulity, but

which we prefer to designate by the more dignified and appropriate

title of faith, all-powerful faith, a principle whose necessity

as the foundation or mainspring of all action and success, is as

self-evident as any other fact under heaven, and without which, as a

necessary consequence, no truth whatever could have been brought forth,

proven and perpetuated in the mind and memory of man. The exercise of

faith, the humility and willingness to make experiments, the honesty

and courage to proclaim results, {508} the fortitude and patience

to endure the taunts, the sneers, the threats and even persecutive

violence of the ignorant, unprincipled, selfish, skeptical, unthinking

and depraved--the latter incited by Satan, the resister and would-be

destroyer of right, and the former pushed on and inspired by Almighty

God, the great leader of the vanguard in the eternal march of human

progress;--these and these alone are the invincible agencies which have

converted popular opinion and transformed the once "crazy notions,"

"impossible theories," "wild speculations" and "manifest absurdities"

of "crack-brained" genius and philosophy, into the since time-honored

maxims, venerable proverbs, world-accepted facts and self-evident

propositions, and the many marvelous artistic triumphs and scientific

achievements now so popular and prevalent in the world, and of which

the world that formerly despised and persecuted their incipiency, with

its customary conceit and inconsistency, is at present so vainglorious

and proud. Faith and good works, those inseparable, Siamese twins of

Gospel efficacy, have done all that ever has been or ever will be

done, in heaven or on earth, for the benefit and blessing of humanity,

while blind, bigoted unbelief and cold-hearted skepticism, though

always the loudest to boast of the world's advancement, especially

if it advances in wickedness, have as invariably been the persistent

opposers and stumbling-blocks in the way of all righteous progress

and development. As to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, every principle

of which, on fair and honest investigation, will be found abundantly

capable of demonstrating its own power and saving virtue, we dare and

do maintain, from ample observation and individual experience, that it

requires far more credulity to disbelieve the validity of its claim to

being "the power of God unto salvation," than faith for its acceptance

and acknowledgment as the one and only medium through which the souls

of men and the planet upon which they dwell can be saved, sanctified

and celestialized forevermore.

Hear it, ye nations and inhabitants of the earth! Hear it and give

heed, while yet the Gospel trump is sounding through the streets of

your cities, and its receding echoes are ringing and reverberating

from your hills and highways! Hear it and heed it, while the lingering

twilight of hope keeps back the fast descending night of despair;

while the "swift messengers" of salvation are still going forth,

and the acceptance of their warning message will avail. Despise

not the humble testimonies of those unlettered oracles of God, for

every word they deliver is rife with the fate of men and nations,

and simultaneous {509} with their utterance on earth, the busy pens

of recording angels are enrolling them upon the archives of eternal

judgment. Remember that from humblest and apparently weakest causes,

have ofttimes sprung the highest, wisest and mightiest results, and

if the Gospel is plain and simple in construction, and its advocates

and adherents among the poorest and most illiterate of men, that the

Almighty has purposely made them so, that the faith of the proud world

might be tested, that its population, high and low, rich and poor,

learned and unlearned, might be left without excuse for its rejection,

and that to God, not man, might redound all honor and glory for the

triumph which His omnipotent truth is destined to achieve. Put away

all prejudice and narrow pre-conceptions, close your ears against the

voice of misrepresentation and calumny, shake off the cloak and coil

of cowardice, smother the selfish promptings of worldly interest, and

while you sacrifice the paltry things of earth, remember that you

are laying up eternal treasures in heaven. "Choose ye this day whom

ye will serve!" The line of demarkation is being drawn, the times of

separating, sifting and sorting are at hand, and the worshipers of God

and Mammom henceforth must cease to mingle and commune. The night of

doubt is ended. The day of decision has dawned. Truth and Error have

taken the field, their hostile hosts are already in battle array,

and the trumpets of both sides are sounding loudly for volunteers,

summoning the earth's inhabitants to the Armogeddon of Almighty God.

On which side will you fight? Which cause are you willing to be found

defending to the death? Be wise in choice. Be instant in decision! But

above all things be not dazzled and deceived.

"Truth, crushed to earth, will rise again,

The eternal years of God are hers;

But error, wounded, writhes with pain,

And dies amid his worshipers."

{510}

THE MISUSE OF POWER.

BY ELDER ORSON F. WHITNEY, IN MILLENNIAL STAR, 1882.

The severest test to which human virtue may possibly be subjected

is the possession of unlimited power. Man may be ruled and wronged,

persecuted and trampled upon, and the vitality and sweetness of

his character will survive the tyranny of his oppressors, and like

the shamrock of Ireland, which is said to take root and flourish

when trodden under foot, gain strength and endurance from the very

means employed for its destruction. But give him his own way, remove

all restraints and barriers between him and the gratification of

his selfish desires, and he is a strong man indeed who completely

withstands the temptation.

The term power may imply lofty and influential position, boundless

wealth, or intellectual eminence, or it may embrace in its definition

all sources of dominion together; but whether considered singly or

collectively, it can make no material difference. The rule finds

general application. History is replete with examples of individuals

and communities, kings and kingdoms, chiefs and armies, priests and

churches, presidents and peoples, illustrative of the almost inevitable

misfortune which results from investing mankind with extraordinary

power and authority. Heroes have risen and fallen, dynasties have

flourished and decayed, races have bloomed and withered, empires have

been founded and destroyed; and in nearly every instance, either

directly or indirectly, their downfall and destruction have been due

to an improper use of the gifts and powers they were permitted to

exercise. The opportunities afforded for the indulgence of pride and

selfishness, the unbridled facilities presented for the gratification

of passion, and the perpetration of every species of wickedness, with

the thousand and one historical proofs of the proneness even of the

greatest and most virtuous to succumb to these allurements of vice,

to say nothing of the incumbent labors and responsibilities, are

sufficient, it would seem, to make the tenure of earthly authority, or

the possession of vast wealth, among the most undesirable attainments.

{511} Let it not be inferred that we regard such things as essentially

evil, or consider all aims and efforts in their direction as

necessarily debasing in their tendency. Far from it. It is not wealth,

but the inordinate love of it, that is "the root of all evil;" it is

not the possession, but the perversion of power, that is the bane of

man's happiness and prosperity. It is no more of an evil to hold power

than to possess wealth, and no more of a sin to possess wealth than to

enjoy any other blessing which flows from the Giver of all good; for

as long as heaven has gifts to bestow, there must needs be those who

will receive them and those who are best entitled to be the recipients

are those who endeavor to deserve them and are qualified to use them

in wisdom and righteousness, for the glory of God and the welfare of

their fellow men. It is not the honest aim for, nor the proper exercise

of these advantages, that are deserving subjects of deprecation and

disparagement, but it is the misuse of power, the prostitution of

wealth, the neglect or abuse of any of the blessings of life, and the

unhallowed methods employed in their acquisition, that are and ever

will be, legitimate objects of denunciation and discouragement. So

far from its being wrong to aim for superiority and excellence in any

righteous direction, it is exactly the reverse. Our Father in heaven

expects it of us. He demands that His children advance unceasingly

towards power, wealth and intelligence illimitable. His motto is upward

and onward, His course is one eternal round of progression, and His

constant exhortation is, to follow in His footsteps; and as long as we

have in view the exaltation that He has attained and confine ourselves

strictly to the methods which He has ordained for its accomplishment,

there is no danger of our being too ambitious or of making an improper

use of the powers He will eventually bestow. But it is here in this

weak mortal state, where our eyes are dazzled by the tinsel of earthly

vanities, where our ears are enchanted by the dulcet but delusive notes

of fame, and our feet are so apt to be seduced from the paths of virtue

by the gilded snares of vice; it is here that there is an ever present

danger of misusing the gifts and blessings we are privileged to enjoy,

and it is this continuous and extreme liability that should render

the acquisition of earthly power and wealth, to the great majority of

mankind, exceedingly undesirable. All men who hold position do not

abuse its privileges, and the man who serves God humbly and faithfully

never will, for the moment he yielded to the temptation so to do, that

moment would he cease to serve the Lord; but there are many, alas! who

sadly misuse {512} the functions of their office, and prostitute every

power and privilege to the gratification of self and the injury and

embarrassment of their fellow men. It is dangerous to put some men into

power. They swell up and become so distended with the ideas of their

greatness and importance, that we are forcibly reminded of so many

inflated toy balloons, which the slightest prick of a pin would burst

and ruin forever. A very small office and a very little authority is

sufficient to intoxicate some men and render them entirely unfit for

duty.

The Prophet Joseph, in the course of a prophecy uttered in March, 1839,

speaks as follows:

"We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and

disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little

brief authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to

exercise unrighteous dominion;" and in two preceding paragraphs

of the same, these words occur: "The rights of the priesthood are

inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and the powers of

heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles

of righteousness. That they may be conferred upon us, it is

true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our

pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control, or dominion, or

compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree

of unrighteousness, behold the heavens withdraw themselves, the

Spirit of the Lord is grieved and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the

Priesthood or the authority of that man."

It is a certain indication of a weak mind when it can be overturned by

a brief draught of authority. Like a ship which spreads sail, but lacks

the necessary tonnage to hold it level with the sea, the individual who

hoists his pride on high and is devoid of the indispensable ballast of

common sense, will speedily run on to ruin and oblivion. Solomon never

said a wiser thing than that "Pride goeth beside destruction; and an

haughty spirit before a fall." But the truly great man is never so

affected. Too broad and deep and sensible to be dazzled by terrestrial

splendor and too intent upon his purpose to be swayed or directed by

the flattery of the fawning multitude, instead of being elevated, he is

more apt to be humbled by promotion to power, or if he ever feels its

influence, it is like new wine refreshing a giant, not like a seltzer

draught overcoming a dwarf.

Some men evidently deem it their duty to be ambitious for distinction,

on the principle, we suppose, that if the mountain will not come to

Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain. While this may be measurably

true with regard to worldly matters, it is not so respecting the things

of the Kingdom of God. No Latter-day Saint need aim for power or

position in the Church of Jesus Christ. If he be destined to {513} hold

office in the Priesthood, or to occupy any post of honor within the

gift of that Priesthood, he can afford to wait in patience for it to

come to him, for come it will, in the due time of the Lord, Mahomet's

mountain to the contrary notwithstanding; but if he is not destined for

the position to which he aspires, despite his most strenuous efforts

he will be the victim of disappointment; or if permitted to reach the

height of the ambition, it will be but to fall therefrom when his folly

and his weakness shall have been made fully manifest. It is madness to

rush needlessly into peril. Duty and necessity are the only motives

which should impel any one into an encounter with temptation. The only

assurance of complete victory over sin, after bravely meeting and

conquering the temptations that can be safely met and resisted, is in

avoiding all others which God never intended us to meet, and which as

a consequence, we would find it impossible to overcome. A little done

well brings a much higher blessing than a great deal undertaken and

unworthily performed. Let him who lusts after wealth and aspires to

earthly honors beyond the station in which it has pleased the Almighty

to place him, ponder this well in his heart. Let him ask himself if he

is qualified to make a wise use of the things he covets, if he is able

to bear up under the heavy responsibilities they entail, and strong

enough to resist successfully the temptations which would assail him

on every hand; and if he is satisfied of this, let him recollect that

God selects for His rulers those who have been humble and faithful

in subordinate capacities, and that it is far more admirable to wait

for, than to openly invite recognition and promotion. By the faithful

discharge of the duties of his humbler calling, let him prove himself

worthy of the honors of a higher, and having attained the summit of his

hopes, the possession of the power, the wealth and the intelligence he

craved, let him carefully exercise those gifts in the fear of the Lord

and the love of his fellowmen, lest he prove recreant to his trust,

turn traitor to his God and be hurled from his exaltation like Lucifer

from Heaven.

{514}

HAPPINESS FOR THE SORROWFUL.

BY APOSTLE ORSON PRATT, IN MILLENNIAL STAR, 1866.

Who is the happy man? Is it the king upon his throne? Is it the mighty

emperor who sways the destiny of millions? Does happiness consist in

ruling, in judging, in politics, in thrones, in palaces, in earthly

grandeur? Does it consist in the honor which man renders to his

fellowman? Is it found in high titles, such as Right Honorable Lord

Bishop, his Holiness--the Pope, his Majesty--the King, or Emperor, his

Lordship, etc., etc.? Does happiness seek the mansions of the rich,

the splendid habitations and beautiful parks of the noblemen? Does

happiness seek the companionship of the learned, and select its abode

in academies, colleges and universities? Has the philosopher, the

astronomer, the chemist, the optician, the mathematician, the learned

in any science, sought out its desirable dwelling place? Tell me, ye

swarming millions of bygone generations, who among you were happy? Tell

me, O sons of earth, has happiness been found by mortals? Whither shall

I go for an answer? Let creation speak; let the earth open her mouth

and testify. Listen! What sounds are those I hear? Can it be the low

murmurings of distant thunder? It cannot be! It proceeds as if from the

bowels of the earth! But hark! Did I not hear words, articulated in a

deep, low, mournful sound? Has the earth, indeed, a language? Can she

also express her sorrows? But, listen again! She sighs! She mourns!

She exclaims: "Woe, woe is me, the mother of men! I am pained! I am

weary because of the wickedness of my children! When shall I rest,

and be cleansed from the filthiness which has gone out of me? When

will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a

season abide upon my face?" Who could listen to this sorrowful, painful

lamentation, this earnest, solemn, appeal to the Creator, and not be

moved? Who could reflect upon the bitterness and anguish of our great

common mother, and not weep over the untold miseries she has endured

for six thousand years? Who so dead to sympathy, that he could not join

with an intensity of desire' unutterable, for the emancipation {515} of

the groaning captive? Oh, let the chains of old earth be burst asunder;

let her arise and shake her very foundations; let her put on the

strength and power of her Omnipotent Creator; let her gather the mighty

waters into one place; let her unite the islands and the continents

into one land, into an eternal bond of union; let the everlasting

mountains bow their lofty heads; let the sanctifying fire of the Lord

cleanse corruption from her face; let the redeemed captive smile as at

the creation's morn, and be blessed with the presence of her Creator,

and be crowned with rest--everlasting rest.

But is there no rest for man? Must he seek, and seek in vain for

happiness? Where, Oh, where can the sacred gem be found? Is man forever

doomed to sorrow, lamentation, and ghastly death? Or is there hope?

Shall the sons of mortality appeal to the earth for aid? No, verily no;

she herself has need of aid. Whence, then, shall they look for help?

From heaven! From the high and lofty One who sits upon the throne! From

the Creator, the Redeemer, the great fountain and eternal source of

happiness. To Him, O ye sons of sorrow, direct your cry; to Him lift up

the voice of supplication and fervent prayer; to Him bow your stubborn

hearts, and wills, and yield yourselves to the voice of inspiration, to

the counsel of His messengers; obey the heavenly, angelic message of

the restored Gospel, and you shall be filled with the Holy Ghost--the

Comforter, and be born again into a kingdom of happiness. Let all

who seek for happiness, know assuredly, that this is the only road

that leads to her peaceful abode. Peace is being taken from among the

nations. She has sought out a resting place among the mountains of

Israel, in the new found world. There, and there only will the weary be

at rest, and the sons of sorrow find an heavenly balm for every wound.

There the great Physician will heal the soul, and the body, too. There

the heavens will converse with the sons of earth, and pour down the

rich treasures of wisdom to feast the hungry, longing soul. There the

Lord has commanded the blessing, even life forever more. There, in the

Lord's mountain, will He take away the veil that is over all flesh, and

wipe away the tears of the sorrowful, and impart a fullness of life and

everlasting joy.

{516}

THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW WAY.

DOCTRINES THE SAVIOR TAUGHT.

BY ELDER EPHRAIM H. NYE.

In the meridian of time, the Savior came and dwelt among the children

of men. He was born in a stable and cradled in a manger. The days and

years of His childhood and youth were spent with His parents in the

ordinary walks and vocations of life. Many wonderful things occurred in

relation to His conception and birth: Angelic choirs from the heavens

descended, chanting glad tidings of great joy, peace on earth, good

will toward men. Herod's cunning plans were baffled; his boundless

rage, his cruel edict, the death of the innocents; Joseph's heavenly

warning to flee to Egypt with the young child, his journey and return,

his stay in Galilee that the Scriptures might be fulfilled; all these

dropped out of the public mind, and, as the years rolled by, were

forgotten and lost, except by his relatives and friends.

As He sojourned among men during the years of His youth and early

manhood, there was little in His life to attract the attention of His

fellows until he unostentatiously walked down into the waters of the

river Jordan, and there was baptized by John; and though the Holy Ghost

was seen to rest upon Him in the form of a dove, as He walked out

of the water, and a voice from heaven was heard to say, "This is My

beloved Son in whom I am well pleased;" yet men did not recognize in

Him the Son of God.

Though He preached the gospel of repentance and baptism for the

remission of sins, chose and ordained twelve Apostles and sent them

forth to preach, and went forth healing all manner of sickness and

dire disease, causing the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to

walk and leap for joy, teaching as no other man had taught, healing

as no other man had healed, rebuking as no other man had ever dared

rebuke men for the sins they daily committed, yet they rejected Him and

condemned Him to a cruel death, and though He rose again (which fact

was noised abroad so that all the inhabitants of {517} Jerusalem were

cognizant of it), still they could not see in Him the Savior of the

world.

On the great day of Pentecost, when there were gathered together devout

men of all the surrounding nations, "suddenly there came a sound from

heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where

they were sitting, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as

of fire, and it sat upon each of them (the Disciples) and they were all

filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as

the Spirit gave them utterance."

The people of the multitude were all amazed, for they heard of the

wonderful works of God, each in his own tongue. Peter, standing up with

the eleven, lifted up his voice and said unto them: "Ye men of Judea,

and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken

to my words." Then, repeating the words of the Prophet Joel, he showed

to them that Christ should come, and briefly sketched the history of

His life, recounting His wonderful works and noble deeds, showed forth

to the people that they had by cruel hands put Him to death, thus

crucifying the Lord of Glory; that in fulfillment of the Prophet's

words, God had raised Him from the dead; that on the third day He had

been seen by the Apostles and many others with whom He had conversed,

"whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of

God exalted, and having received "of the Father the promise of the Holy

Ghost, He hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear." "Therefore,

let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same

Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ."

"Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said

unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what

shall we do?" Not until this moment did they believe in Jesus of

Nazareth as the Savior of the world. Though all His wonderful works had

been performed in their midst, yet not until the story of His life, His

terrible death, His glorious resurrection, and the wonderful outpouring

of the Holy Ghost now manifested before their eyes, did faith spring

up in their hearts, and a desire to be partakers of the heavenly gift,

causing them to plead with the Apostles, "What shall we do?"

FAITH AND WORKS.

Faith is the main-spring of all action, a mighty moving power. By it

Noah, Abraham and Moses performed their {518} wonderful works; the

children of Israel passed through the Red Sea, the walls of Jericho

fell, the harlot Rahab perished not; Gideon, Barak, David and others of

the prophets subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises

and stopped the mouths of lions.

The Apostle Paul understood the wonderful power of faith when he said

(Heb. xi, 6), "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." This verse is self-explanatory. If

we did not believe that God lives and will reward those who diligently

seek Him, we should not seek Him at all. The third verse reads,

"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word

of God." So then, not only could the wonderful works before recounted

be performed by the old worthies, but even worlds could be framed when

necessary through faith.

But will faith alone accomplish the salvation of the soul of men.

As opinions differ, and he who risks his soul's salvation upon the

uncertainties of men's opinions, has but a vain hope of being led

aright; let the Scriptures answer the question. James 2nd ch. 14-26.

This declaration of the great Apostle seems to set at rest for all time

the theory that faith alone is sufficient to save mankind. In closing

his speech, he very forcibly states that, "As the body without the

spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Shall we not say,

then, that works are necessary, and if so, what are those works?

REPENTANCE.

Again let the Scriptures tell the tale. Math. 3, 2d, "In those days

came John the Baptist--saying 'Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is

at hand.'" Jesus came preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God (Mark

i, 15) "and saying, the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at

hand; repent ye and believe the Gospel." (Mark vi, 12.) "And they (the

Apostles) went out, and preached that men should repent." Jesus was

evidently determined that there should be no mistake upon this matter

when he said (Luke xiii, 3-5): "I tell you Nay; but except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish. Of those eighteen upon whom the tower

of Siloam fell and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above

all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you Nay; but except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish." The word of the Lord to Israel in the

days of Ezekiel was equally positive (Ezek. xviii, 30), "Therefore

{519} I will judge you, O House of Israel, every one according to his

ways, saith the Lord God. Repent and turn yourselves from all your

transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin." Nor does it appear

that conditions had at all changed in the days of the Apostle Paul,

for we find him declaring in the most emphatic terms (Acts xvii, 30),

"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth

all men everywhere to repent." This, then, is the first grand step of

preparatory work in securing salvation in the Kingdom of God.

But the question may arise in the mind of our reader, Wherein have

I sinned? In what have I done wrong? I have complied with all the

requirements of the decalogue, I have lived according to the golden

rule, doing unto others as I would be done by. What have I to repent

of? Have you not been guilty of following after and believing in

man-made systems of religion and of worshiping in churches erected for

the purpose of making merchandise of the souls of men? Look abroad upon

the face of the earth, search in all the Christian world for the true

Church of Christ as organized and recognized by Him, where do you find

it? Like the shipwrecked mariner whose weary eye scans the vast horizon

with a lingering hope that a friendly sail will come to his relief,

till his heart grows faint and dies within him, so it is with many an

honest soul seeking the way to eternal life, anon as he listens to

the various creeds and examines the doctrines of the different sects,

he discovers discrepancies everywhere. No one has a perfect form of

worship; all have dwindled in unbelief; they have departed from the

faith of the ancients; they have turned away from the true and living

God, as the Apostle Paul said (2nd Tim. iv, 3), "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. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.

Preaching for doctrine the precepts of men."

Churches have been erected whose spires rise in every town and city,

village and hamlet over all the land, in which men preach for hire and

divine for money; thus making merchandise of the souls of men, having,

as Isaiah says, "Transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken

the everlasting covenant," and "it shall be as with the people, so

with the priest," and as Jesus said in Luke, "Can the blind lead the

blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?" We answer {520} by

saying, as the Apostles of old said: "Repent and be baptized, every

one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins."

(Acts ii, 38.) Yes, for the fruits of repentance are a broken heart and

a contrite spirit; and it is provided that such an one should walk in

the footsteps of Jesus, down into the water, and, like Him, be buried

beneath the liquid wave.

BAPTISM.

This was the first act that Jesus did preparatory to His ministerial

labors, and the very last command He gave to His Apostles prior to His

ascension into heaven (Matt, xxviii, 19-20), "Go ye therefore and teach

all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I

have commanded you." And what had He just commanded them?--to baptise

all nations. The next witness testifies a little stronger (Mark xvi,

15-16), "And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the

Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be

saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Oh, what an opportunity to secure eternal life, what a glorious

promise, and this, too, from the Author of our salvation! Many say that

they believe on Him, that they have faith in Him, and yet persistently

refuse to accept the conditions that He has offered for their salvation.

Surely no one will have the audacity to assert that He who gave His

life and shed His blood that we may obtain eternal life, has not

the right to establish the conditions upon which we may secure the

benefits of that atoning blood. His promise is plain, and in language

unmistakable, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." Let

us not forget that the declaration is equally positive that, "He that

believeth not shall be damned." Nor is John the Beloved less explicit

in his statement of what the Savior said to Nicodemus (John iii, 5),

"Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born

of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God."

Here is a declaration from the Great Master Himself, that ought to be

a sufficient answer to all who fondly imagine that they can find some

other way.

Again, there are those who believe that if they live a life of honor

and integrity among men, and serve God according to the best light they

have, that they will be entitled to an inheritance in the Kingdom of

God. To all such, let the Scriptures once more declare the fact (Acts

x, 1-6 and 48), "There {521} was a man in Caesarea called Cornelius,

a centurion of the band called the Italian Band, a devout man and one

that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people

and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision, evidently about the ninth

hour of the day, an angel of God coming in to him and saying unto

him--Cornelius; and when he looked on him he was afraid and said, What

is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come

up for a memorial before God; and now send men to Joppa and call for

one Simon whose surname is Peter; he lodgeth with one Simon, a tanner,

whose house is by the seaside. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to

do." Ah! Cornelius, you God-fearing, alms-giving, prayerful man, there

is something that you have not done! Though your faith has reached

unto heaven, and your prayers have been heard and your alms-giving

considered by the Almighty, yet there is something for you to do of

such great importance that the windows of heaven were opened and an

angel sent forth unto you as a messenger, to notify you of the fact.

What is it, Cornelius? He sent for Peter, as he was commanded, and when

Peter came, saw his faith, and that of his household, heard their words

and that they believed on the Lord Jesus, "he commanded them to be

baptized." This is the door into the Kingdom of God.

OBJECT OF BAPTISM.

Now there is a great diversity of opinion among men as to the grand

object for which baptism was instituted; some believing that it should

be performed in the presence of a great number of people as a testimony

to them that the humble penitent has put on Christ; others, again,

claiming that it is an "outward and visible sign of an inward and

spiritual grace," and still others, that it was intended as a witness

before men of a "change of heart." Not a word can be found in the

Scriptures to support any of these positions, but, on the other hand,

evidence abounds in the sacred record to prove that the ordinance of

baptism was for the purpose of "washing away" or "for the remission of

sins." Let us take the testimony of Mark i, 4, "John did baptize in the

wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of

sins;" of Luke iii, 3, "And he came into all the country about Jordan,

preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;" Acts

ii, 38, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every

one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins."

Also Acts xxii, 16, "And now why tarriest thou? Arise {522} and be

baptized and wash away thy sins." Here the grand question arises: of

what does sin consist? Is it not the violation of law or the breaking

of a command, and is not the sin of omission as great as the sin of

commission? Surely the commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep

it holy," is just as binding as the one that precedes it, "Thou shalt

not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," yet the failure to obey

the one would be a sin of omission, while to break the other would be

a sin of commission. And are not the commandments issued by the Savior

and His Apostles as much the commands of God as those uttered on Mount

Sinai? And, if so, a failure to comply when "God commands all men

everywhere to repent," as in Acts xvii, 30, or where Peter commanded

them to "repent and be baptized for the remission of sins," as in Acts

ii, 38, brings us under the condemnation of a broken law and adjudges

us as sinners before God.

Having now discovered the door of the straight and narrow way that

leads to eternal life, which door is baptism, and the object of

which is the remission or washing away of our sins, it now becomes

particularly interesting to decide who are proper candidates for

baptism.

SUBJECTS FIT FOR BAPTISM.

Among the various sects and creeds of modern Christendom, many believe

in the practice of baptizing little children. We unhesitatingly say

that no foundation or justification for such a practice can be found

in the Scriptures. It has been shown beyond question, according to

the Scriptures, that baptism is for the remission of sins. Sin is the

breaking of a law or command of God. The child, until it comes to the

years of understanding, is not able to comprehend law or understand the

binding nature of a command; hence it is irresponsible. For where there

is no comprehension there is no law; and where there is no law there

can be no sin; and where there is no sin, baptism is uncalled for and

out of place and is in direct violation of the commands of our Savior.

For if by baptism one child who dies in its infancy may be ushered

into the arms of Jesus, and for the lack of baptism another child

dying in its infancy is forbidden His sacred presence, then is it not

strange that He did not mention this important and essential ordinance

of baptism when He said, as in Mark x, 13-16, "And they brought young

children to Him that He should touch them and His disciples rebuked

those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased

{523} and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto Me,

and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God. Verily I say

unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little

child, he shall not enter therein. And He took them up in His arms, put

His hands upon them and blessed them."

The testimony of St. Luke is almost identical. It reads as follows

(Luke xviii, 15-17): "And they brought unto Him also infants, that He

should touch them, but when His disciples saw it they rebuked them.

But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Suffer little children to

come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God.

Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God

as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein." Clearly, then,

baptism was never intended for little children, for baptism having

been instituted for the purpose of washing away sins, sins already

committed, and the child not having committed any, the ordinance would

not apply. But what is more important, he that believes in and declares

it necessary for the little child to be baptized, and baptizes it, is

committing a most grievous sin in the sight of God; but it is not true,

as claimed by many Christians, that the little infant that dies without

baptism is shut out from the presence of God, that hell is paved with

little unbaptized children, and they are erecting a barrier to those

little infants in the form of the ordinance of baptism and "forbidding"

all such to come unto Christ, thus breaking one of His most emphatic

commands, uttered when "He was much displeased" at what the disciples

were doing, and said, "Forbid them not, but suffer them to come unto

Me."

The little child is pure and innocent because it can commit no sin

until it comes to the years of accountability. Sin, then, conceives

in its heart, and as it grows in years Satan tempts it and it becomes

sinful and wicked, and the means provided by the Almighty to cleanse it

and make it again as pure and as innocent as it was in the beginning

of its mortal career, is the sacred ordinance of baptism. And thus may

the repentant sinner become like the example that Jesus set before

them, as shown by Matt, xviii, 2-4, "And Jesus called a little child

unto Him and set him in the midst of them and said, Verily I say unto

you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall

not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall

humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the

kingdom of heaven." Thus the little child is given to us as a pattern

of purity, a sample of innocence, by {524} the Savior Himself; and the

bare theory of baptizing such little innocents to wash away their sins

becomes revolting to the human mind when considered under the light of

reason, and the practice of it is an abomination in the sight of God.

Therefore, little children are not eligible for baptism.

This declaration stands out in bold relief when viewed in the light

of the following passages, which plainly prove that all candidates

for the Kingdom of God must be capable of being taught (Matt, xxviii,

13-20): "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in

the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching

them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." All

must have sufficient mental development to be capable of _believing_

the doctrines taught, as shown by the Savior's commandment, and Mark

xvi, 16, "He that _believeth_ and is baptized shall be saved, and he

that _believeth_ not shall be damned." "But when they believed Philip

preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of

Jesus Christ they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts viii, 12).

"And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the

Eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

and Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest,

and he answered and said, I _believe_ that Jesus Christ is the Son of

God." (Acts viii, 36-37.)

A knowledge of the divine truths of revealed religion when once

impressed upon the heart, causes faith to spring forth in the soul, and

with admiration we reflect upon the life of Him whose wondrous love was

manifested toward us when He offered His life as a sacrifice for our

sins. By comparison we realize our own unworthiness; that our feet have

strayed from the path of right and that we are steeped in iniquity.

With this conviction comes a resolution to turn, if possible, from our

wicked ways and walk in newness of life. This brings repentance, a

forsaking of sin, a reverence for Almighty God and an earnest desire to

search after and serve Him in spirit and in truth. We resolve to tread

the path in which our Savior walked, down into the waters of baptism,

thus following Him through the door into the Kingdom of God, that where

He is we may be also.

Sufficient mental capacity to be taught, to believe, to repent, and to

voluntarily offer one's self for obedience to the succeeding principle

of the Gospel, is a prerequisite to the ordinance of baptism. Little

children have not this capacity, consequently there is no law of God

requiring them to be baptized; {525} and all man-made systems to the

contrary will be null and void in the day of judgment.

MODE OF BAPTISM.

There are so many conflicting opinions on this question. The orthodox

Christian churches having departed from the faith of the Apostles, and

built up churches to themselves, for the purpose of making merchandise

of the souls of men, have instituted the practice of sprinkling or

pouring, and call it baptism, to support which not one word can be

found in the Holy Writ. The whole tenor of the Scriptures from the time

that John the Baptist came preaching the baptism of repentance for the

remission of sins, on through all the writings of the New Testament,

conclusively prove the fact that baptism by immersion was the mode

taught and practiced by Jesus and His Apostles. Jesus, when He was

baptized, "Went up straightway out of the water." When Philip baptized

the Eunuch "They went down into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch,

and he baptized him, and when they were come up out of the water," etc.

All this clearly indicates immersion, or why _go down into_ or _come

up out of_ the water? Paul says to the Romans, vi, 4: "Therefore, we

are buried with Him by baptism into death," 5th, "For if we have been

planted together in the likeness of his death," certainly there is

nothing in a sprinkling or a pouring that represents either a burial or

a planting, but each of these passages point in unmistakable terms to

a baptism by immersion. The Apostle Paul again makes this clear in his

Epistle to the Colossians, ii, 12: "Buried with Him in baptism." When

John baptized in the wilderness, "There went out unto him all the land

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

river of Jordan, confessing their sins." (Mark i, 5.)

All the evidence contained in the sacred Scriptures points unmistakably

to the fact that immersion was the only mode of baptism practiced by

the Apostles and early Christians. Profane history gives conclusive

evidence of this fact. Speaking of baptism of the first century, Dr.

Mosheim says, "In this century baptism was administered in convenient

places within the public assemblies, and by immersing the candidate

wholly in water." (Mosheim's Church History [Murdock], Third Edition,

Vol. 1, p. 87.) Of the second century, the same great author says:

"Twice a year, namely, at Easter and Whitsuntide, * * * baptism was

administered by the Bishop or by the Presbyters (Elders) acting by his

command and authority. {526} The candidates for it were immersed wholly

in water with the invocation of the sacred Trinity, according to the

Savior's precept."

Indeed, the first deviation from baptizing by immersion occurs in

a case recorded by Eusebius, as happening in the third century.

He alludes to it in these detracting terms: "He (Novatian) fell

into a grievous distemper, and it being supposed that he would die

immediately, he received baptism (being sprinkled with water) on the

bed where he lay (if that can be termed baptism), neither when he had

escaped that sickness, did he afterwards receive the other things which

the canon of the church enjoined should be received." (Ecclesiastical

History, Eusebius, p. 113.) Even down to the close of the thirteenth

century baptism by immersion was the rule, and sprinkling and pouring

the exception. Yet the innovation thus made in the third century has

worked its insidious way among the various divisions of Christianity

until today a convert can have any kind of baptism he may desire; thus

have they departed from the faith of the Apostles and are teaching

for religion the commandments of men, having "Transgressed the laws,

changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant," in fulfilment

of the words of the prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah xxiv, 5.)

GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.

The next step in the regular order of initiation into the fold of

Christ is to secure the birth of the Spirit, or the baptism of the Holy

Ghost; this being essential to enable us to pursue an acceptable course

in the service of the Lord, that the Holy Ghost may be with us as an

abiding gift, as a light to our feet and a lamp to our pathway through

life. The Lord in His wonderful plan for the salvation of the souls of

men has provided a way for the humble and penitent baptized believer

to secure this blessed gift. (Mark i, 8.) "I indeed have baptized you

with water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." (Acts i,

5.) "For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with

the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Behold the promise fulfilled.

(Acts ii, 2-4.) "And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of

a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were

sitting, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire,

and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy

Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them

utterance." But this precious gift was not to be given until after

Jesus was glorified, as shown by {527} the following (John vii, 39),

"* * * For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was

not yet glorified." On that great Pentecostal day the Holy Ghost was

given and a glorious manifestation of heavenly light appeared sitting

upon each of the Apostles who had accompanied the Savior in all His

travels and had witnessed His wonderful works, and by His divine favor

had been made partakers of His holy ministry. They now received the

promised blessing in rich abundance, and a way was provided by which

they might transmit it to others by the imposition of hands, as shown

by the following (Acts viii, 17): "Then laid they their hands on them

and they received the Holy Ghost." Evidently the Holy Ghost came not as

the result of the baptism, nor in answer to the prayer of the Apostles,

but by the laying on of their hands, clearly showing that this was the

mode the Lord had provided by which the Holy Ghost should be conferred

upon baptized believers. This again is clearly set forth in Acts xix,

5-6, "When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord

Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came

on them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied."

THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.

We have now pointed out the path that leads to eternal life--the

straight and narrow way, and carefully noted the inscriptions along

the line, down into the water through the door into the Kingdom of

God. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance of all sins, baptism

by immersion for the remission of sins, gift of the Holy Ghost by the

laying on of hands; this is the course marked out by the Father to

prepare His children to receive the benefits of the atoning blood of

Jesus Christ.

Earthly things are typical of heavenly things as set forth in the

following (1 John v, 7-8): "For there are three that bear record in

heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are

one; and there are three that bear witness in the earth, the Spirit,

the water and the blood, and these three agree in one." By the water we

keep the commandment, by the Spirit are we justified, and by the blood

are we sanctified; and thus we become saints. He who has fully repented

of his sins and been baptized for the remission thereof, and received

the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, may then partake of the

emblems of the Savior's flesh and blood; and in that sacred ordinance

eat and drink to his soul, {528} the benefits of that atoning blood.

And such have the promise of the Savior that they shall never hunger

nor thirst. There is no other way provided on earth by which mankind

can secure the benefits of the atoning blood of Christ.

AUTHORITY.

Upon this question hinges the validity of all the acts of men. Every

officer of our government must be elected or appointed according to

the mode established by the Constitution of the United States, or his

acts fall to the ground as null and void. The decisions of a court

involving the validity of titles to land or other great interests would

be void if it could be shown that the judge rendering the decisions

had not been elected or appointed legally. Every deed issued by a

sheriff at a sheriff's sale of real estate would be void if it could

be shown that the sheriff was a usurper and not legally authorized

to officiate in the duties of the office. All naturalization papers

issued by a judge, if it could be shown that he had never been elected

or appointed according to the constitutional requirements, would by a

legal tribunal be declared worthless and the holder deprived of his

citizenship. In fact, the question of authority to act in any office of

the affairs of human life is so clearly understood by all persons of

ordinary intelligence that time would seem to be wasted in discussing

it; but not so in questions involving the future of the human soul.

In these sacred and vastly more important matters upon which hang all

our hopes of eternal life, the average man seems willing to trust to

the opinions of a minister of some one of the orthodox sects or to the

wild vagaries of an upstart who cries, "Lo, here is Christ, or "Lo,

He is there," without for a single moment raising the question, Where

is his authority to officiate in the sacred ordinances of the Gospel

of Christ, or to initiate men into the Kingdom of God? The average

merchant in conducting his regular business, when waited upon by one

claiming to be an agent of a manufacturer, places his order with that

agent fully expecting to receive the goods. As the time rolls on the

goods come according to the sample shown and the order given. This fact

alone is proof to the merchant that the agent was in touch with his

principal and was a duly authorized agent. But if the goods come not,

it is strong presumptive evidence that the agent was a fraud and was

not authorized by the manufacturer to take orders for goods. If this

test be applied to the ministers of the various sects of the Christian

world, it will at once be found that they are self-appointed {529}

agents, not in touch with the principal whom they claim to represent,

as their patrons receive not the goods. In other words, the signs

promised by the Savior are lacking and do not follow the believer,

which alone is sufficient evidence that the so-called ministers were

never sent of God.

Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every

creature, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that

believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that

believe; in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with

new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly

thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and

they shall recover." (Mark xvi, 15-18.) The promised blessings fail,

the signs do not follow, they receive not the goods. The grand secret

of it all is, God has not sent the agents through whom they seek these

blessings; they hold no authority to officiate in the ordinances of

His house; as agents they are not in touch with their principal. These

ministers are self-appointed teachers of man-made systems of religion.

They are teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.

From the time the Christian Fathers fell by persecution and death,

down to the time the Emperor Constantine made the Christian faith

universal through the Roman provinces in 323 A.D., the forms of the

Christian religion were constantly undergoing a change. At that time

there were incorporated in the Christian church heathen rites, which

with the innovations added, down through the ages to the present time,

stamps that church today as one entirely separate and apart from the

original apostolic church. Without Apostles and Prophets through whom

they might obtain the word of God, the church has steadily drifted

from its moorings into the broad sea of men's opinions, until it is

split and divided into hundreds of different sects and creeds, no one

of which can today present an organization that even resembles the

form of the Church of Christ. The most important features have been

eliminated. Signs and wonders and miraculous gifts, together with the

fruits of the Spirit, set forth by the Apostle Paul in I Cor. xii, have

disappeared, and but the empty and powerless form is found among the

children of men. The shadow alone remains, the substance has departed.

And why? Because mankind have departed from the faith of the ancients.

The rights, powers and privileges of the apostolic priesthood have long

since been withdrawn from man, and all who officiate in religious rites

do so without authority from the living God.

If we examine and see how the servants of God were called {530} to

the ministry in other ages, we can discover a guide to direct us in

obtaining authority in this age. From out of the midst of the burning

bush the Lord called Moses (Ex. iii), and when he (Moses) was about to

be succeeded by Joshua as leader, he conferred upon Joshua authority by

the laying on of his hands. (See Deut. xxxiv, 9.) "And Joshua, the son

of Nun, was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands

upon him." Jesus, when He entered upon His ministry, called twelve

men and ordained them; "And He ordained twelve men that they should

be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach." (Mark iii,

14.) Again He said, "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and

ordained you." (John xv, 16.) Jesus said in His prayer unto His Father,

"As thou hast sent Me into the world even so have I sent them into the

world." (John xvii, 18.)