apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, elders, bishops,
priests and deacons. The purpose of these several offices is declared
to be "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ." (Eph. 4:12).
Every office so established is necessary to the development of
the Church, which has been aptly compared to a perfect body with
its several members, each adapted to particular function and all
coordinated for the common good. In an organization planned and
established through Divine wisdom, there are neither superfluities
nor parts wanting. Eye, ear, hand, and foot, each is essential to the
symmetry and physical perfection of the body; in the Church no one in
authority can rightly say to his fellow: "I have no need of thee." (See
1 Cor. 12:12-21).
The Primitive Church was of comparatively short duration. The world
fell into spiritual darkness, and a restoration of power and commission
from the Heavens became necessary to the reestablishment of the Church
with its ancient blessings and privileges. The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints proclaims the imperative need of "the same
organization that existed in the Primitive Church," and solemnly avers
that through the ministration of heavenly beings the Church of Jesus
Christ is restored to earth, for the salvation of mankind both living
and dead.
-- 29 --
WHEN DARKNESS COVERED THE EARTH
The Long Night of Apostasy
WE accept as fact the belief common to Christendom that the Church
of Christ was established under our Lord's personal direction and
that during the early period of apostolic administration the Church
was blessed with rapid growth and marvelous development. A question
of profound importance confronts us: Has the Church of Jesus Christ
maintained an organized existence upon the earth from the apostolic age
to the present?
We affirm that with the passing of the apostolic period the Church
drifted into a condition of apostasy, whereby succession in the Holy
Priesthood was broken; and that the Church as an earthly organization
operating under Divine direction and having authority to officiate in
spiritual ordinances ceased to exist among men. [1]
We affirm that this great apostasy, whereby the world was enshrouded
in spiritual darkness, was foretold by the Savior Himself while He
lived as a Man among men, and by His prophets both before and after the
period of His life in mortality.
The apostolic ministry continued in the Primitive Church for about
sixty years after the death of Christ, or nearly to the end of the
first century of the Christian Era. For some time thereafter the Church
existed as a unified body, officered by men duly invested by ordination
in the Holy Priesthood, though, even during the lifetime of some of the
Apostles, the leaven of apostasy and disintegration had been working.
Indeed, hardly had the Gospel seed been sown before the enemy of all
righteousness had started assiduously to sow tares in the field; and
so intimate was the growth of the two that any forcible attempt to
extirpate the tares would have imperiled the wheat. The evidences
of spiritual decline were observed with anguish by the Apostles
who, however, recognized the fulfilment of earlier prophecy in the
declension, and added their own inspired testimony to the effect that
even a greater falling away was imminent.
The apostasy progressed rapidly, in consequence of a cooperation
of disrupting forces without and within the Church. The dreadful
persecution to which the early Christians were subjected drove great
numbers of Christians to renounce their allegiance to Christianity,
thus causing a widespread apostasy from the Church. But far more
destructive was the contagion of evil that spread within the body,
manifesting its effects mainly in the following developments:
(1) The corrupting of the simple principles of the Gospel of Christ by
admixture with the so-called philosophical systems of the times.
(2) Unauthorized additions to the rites of the Church, and the
introduction of vital changes in essential ordinances.
(3) Unauthorized changes in Church organization and government.
The result of the degeneracy so produced was to bring about an actual
apostasy of the entire Church.
The Apostasy Predicted
Isaiah beheld in vision the condition of mankind during the darkness
of the spiritual night; and he pictures the earth as languishing in
desolation: "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof;
because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken
the everlasting covenant." (Isa. 24:1-6).
That the general transgression meant something more than a violation of
Mosaic statutes is evident from the fact that nowhere in Scripture is
the Law of Moses called an "everlasting covenant," but to the contrary,
the covenant of the Gospel is clearly differentiated from the Law.
The prophet Amos foresaw the time of famine and thirst, the day of
futile search for the Word of God. "Behold, the days come, saith the
Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they
shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they
shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find
it." (Amos 8:11-12).
Christ specifically warned the disciples against the impending
departure from the truth: "Take heed that no man deceive you" said He,
"For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive
many." (Matt. 24:4, 5). And further: "Then if any man shall say unto
you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall
arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the
very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say
unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in
the secret chambers; believe it not." (Verses 23-26).
The Apostles bore warning testimony to the same awful certainty. Paul
admonished the elders at Ephesus to be on their guard against the
wolves that would invade the fold, and against false teachers who would
assert themselves "speaking perverse things to draw away disciples
after them." (See Acts 20:28-30). The same Apostle thus wrote to
Timothy: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times
some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,
and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron." (1 Tim. 4:1, 2; see also 2 Tim.
4:1-4; and 2 Thess. 2:3, 4).
Peter prophesied, in language so plain that all may comprehend, of the
heresies that would be preached as doctrine: "But there were false
prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying
the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way
of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2 Peter 2:1, 2).
John the Revelator expressly predicted the restoration of the Gospel
(Rev. 14:6, 7); and such restoration would be impossible had not the
Gospel been taken from the earth. Book of Mormon Scriptures foretold in
plainness the great falling away and the subsequent restoration of the
Gospel of Christ. (See 1 Nephi 13: 5-9; 3 Nephi 16:7).
The Apostasy Affirmed
The apostate condition of Christendom has been recognized and affirmed
by high ecclesiastical authority. Let a single citation suffice. The
Church of England thus proclaims the fact of degeneracy, as set forth
in her "Homily against Peril of Idolatry," published about the middle
of the sixteenth century and retained to this day as an official
declaration:
"So that laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, all ages, sects,
and degrees of men, women, and children of whole Christendom--an
horrible and most dreadful thing to think--have been at once drowned in
abominable idolatry; of all other vices most detested of God, and most
damnable to man; and that by the space of eight hundred years and more."
By revelation through Joseph Smith the prophet the Lord thus confirmed
the predictions of His ancient servants with respect to the apostasy
of mankind: "For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have
broken mine everlasting covenant. They seek not the Lord to establish
his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the
image of his own God, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and
whose substance is that of an idol." (D&C 1:15, 16).
The universal apostasy has been succeeded by the restoration of the
Gospel, of which blessed truth the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints bears testimony to the world.
Footnotes
1. See the author's "The Great Apostasy," 170 pp., _The Deseret News_,
Salt Lake City, Utah.
-- 30 --
THE MORNING BREAKS, THE SHADOWS FLEE
Light of the Gospel Again Shines
WE believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive
Church, viz.: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc.
(Articles of Faith, No. 6).
As one of the signs whereby men may know when the Lord's coming is
near, Christ specified this feature of the latter times: "And this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness
unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matt. 24:14). As this
follows in immediate sequence to our Lord's prediction of the general
apostasy, incident to which false prophets would arise, iniquity
abound, and love for the truth wax cold, an actual restoration of the
Gospel had to occur, or the Savior's words recorded in the 24th chapter
of Matthew would be inconsistent and their fulfilment impossible.
The Revelator John was shown the scenes of the days immediately before
the latter-day advent of the Christ. In recording the vision as then
already past he wrote:
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to
every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud
voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is
come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the
fountains of waters." (Rev. 14:6, 7).
If an angel was to come to earth, bringing the Gospel, the fact is
plain that the Gospel could not be at that time upon the earth. The
Gospel, which the angel would bring, was to be preached "to every
nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people"; and this in strict and
logical consistency with the Lord's personal prophecy quoted above,
that one of the distinguishing signs of the last days was that the
Gospel of the kingdom, "this Gospel," that is to say, the Gospel that
He had proclaimed, would be "preached in all the world for a witness
unto all nations."
But, many have asked, had we not the Gospel? The Holy Bible, which
is the scriptural repository of the Gospel record has been among men
from the time of its earliest compilation; why then the necessity of a
restoration? Yes, we had the Bible; but the Gospel is something other
and greater than a book.
The Holy Scriptures, invaluable and sacred though they be, profess
to be only the letter of the Gospel. Is it reasonable to assume that
the mere possession of a Bible, or even a perfect memorization of its
contents, could give to man the authority to administer the ordinances
prescribed therein? It is quite as plausible to say that if one owns a
copy of the statutes of his state or nation and learns therefrom the
duties of sheriff, judge, governor or president, the knowledge thus
acquired would be authority for him to administer in the respective
offices. Statutes are not self-operative.
The Holy Scriptures define and prescribe certain administrative
ordinances, such as water baptism and the laying on of hands for the
bestowal of the Holy Ghost, which ordinances, unless the Lord Christ
spoke fable and falsehood, are indispensable to individual salvation.
But the right and authority to administer those essential and saving
ordinances cannot be arrogated to one's self by ever so intensive a
study of the scriptural record.
The angel seen by the Revelator, in vision of the then distant future,
was to bring to earth not the bare record and letter of requirement as
to baptism and other rites, for this the world already would have, in
part at least; but he was to restore to earth the Divine commission,
the actual appointment and authority to officiate in those sacred and
saving ordinances, in short the power of the Holy Priesthood, which the
world would not at that time possess.
We affirm that on the 15th of May, 1829, a heavenly messenger appeared
on the earth in light and glory, and, laying his hands upon the heads
of Joseph Smith and an associate in the ministry, Oliver Cowdery,
conferred upon them the Lesser or Aaronic Priesthood, saying:
"Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the
Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels,
and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the
remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth,
until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in
righteousness." (D&C, Sec. 13).
The personage who thus appeared and officiated as an angel of light
announced himself as John, known of old as the Baptist, and stated that
he acted under instructions from the Apostles Peter, James, and John,
who held the presidency of the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood in the
earlier Gospel dispensation. Later, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery
were visited by the presiding Apostles of old, Peter, James and John,
who ordained them to the Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek,
which comprises the fulness of authority operative in the Church of
Jesus Christ.
In accordance with this high commission the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints has been established; and presents to the world today
"the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, viz.:
apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc."
Come ye and share the priceless blessings of the restored Gospel, for
verily, the darkness of the long night of apostasy has been dispelled,
and the spiritual light of heaven again illumines the earth.
"The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lo! Zion's standard is unfurled.
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world."
-- 31 --
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
Ushering in of the Last Dispensation
THE inauguration of the last or current dispensation of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, which is verily the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times,
was in this wise.
In the year 1820 there lived at Manchester, N. Y., Joseph Smith Jr.
then in his fifteenth year, the third son in a respected and pious
family. At the time of which we speak great excitement with much
sectarian rivalry was manifest in religious matters, and the boy Joseph
was seriously concerned as to which of the contending sects was the
true Church of Christ; for it was plain that all could not be right.
Let us read the account written by himself.
"During this time of great excitement, my mind was called up to serious
reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and
often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties,
though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would
permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the
Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so
great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations,
that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted
with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right
and who was wrong.
"My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great
and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists
and Methodists, and used all the powers of either reason or sophistry
to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were
in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn
were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and
disprove all others. In the midst of this war of words and tumult of
opinions, I often said to myself, What is to be done? Who of all these
parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them
be right, which is it, and how shall I know it? While I was laboring
under the extreme difficulties caused by the contest of these parties
of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first
chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.
"Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart
of man than this did at this time to mine. . . . At length I came to
the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or
else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came
to the determination to ask of God, concluding that if He gave wisdom
to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid,
I might venture. . . . After I had retired to the place where I had
previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself
alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to
God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some
power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence
over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness
gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed
to sudden destruction.
"But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of
the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very
moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to
destruction--not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual
being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had
never before felt in any being--just at this moment of great alarm, I
saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the
sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
"It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the
enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two
Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing
above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and
said, pointing to the other--This is my beloved Son, hear Him!
"My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the
sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore,
did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked
the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects
was right--and which I should join.
"I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong;
and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an
abomination in His sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that
'they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from
me; they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form
of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."' (See Pearl of Great
Price, pp. 83-85).
Thus ended the long night of spiritual darkness in which man had groped
for centuries. Thus was begun the dispensation of which the ancient
prophets had spoken, in preparation for the coming of the Christ to
reign on earth as Lord and King.
This glorious and unprecedented manifestation of the Father and the
Son to a mortal was followed in later years by visitations of angelic
personages through whom the Holy Priesthood was again restored to
earth, and under whose direction the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints was established in April, 1830. Joseph Smith was a
prophet of the living God. His testimony is before the world. The
saving ordinances of the Gospel are again administered under Divine
authority, and the means of salvation are offered freely to all mankind.
-- 32 --
A GOD OF MIRACLES
Wonders Wrought by Devils
WE believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions,
healing, interpretation of tongues, etc. (Articles of Faith, No. 7).
The personal ministry of Jesus Christ in the flesh was characterized
by many mighty works--signs, wonders, miracles, as they are
severally called. The Apostles who labored to build up the Church
after the Master's departure attested the divinity of their calling
and priesthood by manifestations of power surpassing the ordinary
attributes of mortals. Thus, these holy men were endowed with the
ennobling gifts of the Spirit, which have been inherent in the Church
of Christ in all ages.
Multitudes have been troubled by the disquieting query as to why the
gifts of prophecy, visions, revelation, healing, and the power to speak
in diverse tongues are not apparent in the sectarian churches of modern
times, and have found partial satisfaction in the assumption, unfounded
and unscriptural though it be, that all such gifts and graces ceased
with the passing of apostolic days and are not required as testimonies
of the Spirit in a more enlightened age. That these spiritual gifts did
cease as the apostasy of the Primitive Church progressed is doubtless
true; but that the cause of the cessation was anything else than
transgression by which the apostasy was brought about is unsupported by
Scripture.
In His parting commission to the Apostles, the Resurrected Christ gave
this combined command and promise:
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth
not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In
my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it
shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall
recover." (Mark 16:15-18).
It is evident that the several gifts of the Spirit are the products
of faith in God and obedience to His commandments. That these
manifestations are brought about through the power of the Holy
Priesthood and are characteristic thereof is set forth in Paul's
teachings: "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles,
secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts
of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." (1 Cor.
12:28).
Mormon, a prophet who ministered on the American continent in the
latter part of the fourth century, solemnly declared that miracles will
not cease in the Church so long as there shall be a man upon the earth
to be saved: "For it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is
by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore if these
things have ceased, wo be unto the children of men, for it is because
of unbelief, and all is vain." (Moroni 7:37).
Mark his inspired words addressed to those "who deny the revelations of
God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations,
nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and
the interpretation of tongues."
"Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things, knoweth not the
gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does
not understand them. For do we not read that God is the same yesterday,
today, and for ever; and in him there is no variableness neither
shadow of changing? And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a
god who doth vary, and in him there is shadow of changing, then have
ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
But behold, I will shew unto you a God of miracles, even the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that
same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in
them are." (Moroni 9:7-11).