Restoration of the Gospel--Ministration of an Angel--Divine Knowledge
and Divine Authority--Keys of Former Dispensations Revealed--Rebuilding
of the Church of Christ--The Signs Following--Coming of
Elijah--Dispensation of the Fullness of Times--Triumph of the Truth.
Having shown the universal apostasy from the Church established by
Christ and His Apostles, we now turn with pleasure from the dark
picture of error, strife, confusion and priestcraft, painted in sombre
hues during a long succession of centuries, to a more cheering and
truly delightful subject.
The same inspired apostles who foretold the general departure from
the "way of truth," also predicted the restoration of the gospel, the
ushering in of a later and final dispensation, and the ultimate triumph
of God's kingdom upon the whole face of the earth. After seeing the
dominion of the mother of abominations extending to all the kingdoms
of the world, John, the beloved, beheld her entire destruction. This
was preceded in the vision by the coming of an angel from heaven with
the everlasting gospel for every nation, kindred, tongue and people,
and the cry from heaven, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not
partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues."
We are able to state, with the most positive assurance, that the angel
with the gospel has come, and that the voice from heaven has been
uttered as a warning to all nations; that the gospel will be preached
and the warning will be sounded, by divine authority, to every tribe,
and nation, and tongue. Joseph Smith was the chosen instrument in the
hands of God to receive the glad message and direct its promulgation to
all the world. Angels do not travel and preach to mankind in person;
when they bring tidings from on high they deliver the heavenly mandates
to a chosen man who, in turn, makes them known to his fellows.
But though the ministry of angels is not general, all people may know
thereof of a surety by obedience to the commandments revealed, which
is followed by a divine witness of their truth and of the fact of the
manifestation. Thus, while Joseph Smith was selected to receive direct
divine communications, every one who in faith obeys them, obtains a
satisfactory testimony that the message is true and that the messenger
was authorized to declare it.
But receiving the gospel, whether by angelic ministrations or
otherwise, is one thing, and obtaining authority to preach it and
administer its ordinances is another. Knowledge, light and revelation
may be enjoyed, and yet the favored recipient of these blessings may
be without any authority to perform any official act in the name of
the Lord. Joseph Smith not only received the ministrations of the
angel bearing the everlasting gospel, but also obtained the right to
officiate in all its ordinances, rites, ceremonies and endowments. He
did not receive this authority from man. As we have already shown, it
had departed from the earth centuries before. No amount of learning
would bring it. No college, prelate, potentate or priest could confer
it. All the wealth of the world could not purchase it. It does not come
by the will of man.
How did Joseph Smith gain it? Holy men of old, who held the keys of
this power in former dispensations, came to earth as ministering
spirits and ordained him to the same offices which they held in
mortality. First came John the Baptist, who was beheaded for the
truth's sake, bearing the keys of the Aaronic or lesser Priesthood, and
ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the authority thereof, with
the right to preach the gospel of repentance and administer baptism for
the remission of sins. But as John did not hold the power when on earth
to confer the Holy Ghost, he did not presume to bestow it upon others.
Next came Peter, James and John with the keys of the Apostleship, of
the holy Melchisedek Priesthood and of the dispensation of the fullness
of times, which they conferred upon Joseph and Oliver, giving them
authority to ordain others to this ministry and to confirm baptized
believers by the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
The lesser Priesthood holds the power of the ministration of angels
and authority to administer in temporal things. The greater Priesthood
holds the power of communion with the Highest and of attending to all
things, spiritual and temporal; for the salvation and exaltation of
man till he reaches the actual presence of the Eternal God, and shines
forth in the fullness of the attributes of his Almighty Father.
Thus power was restored to rebuild the Church of Christ, to preach the
true gospel; to baptize penitent believers for the remission of sins;
to bestow upon them the Holy Ghost, bearing witness of the Father and
the Son and of acceptance with them; to appoint and ordain all the
various ministers necessary for the publishing of the truth to all
nations, the work of the ministry, the perfecting of the Saints and the
edifying and government of "the body of Christ."
So the Church was set up in these latter times. Humble believers
received the word with gladness, and obeying it, obtained from God the
witness of its truth. The signs promised to believers followed them.
They spoke in other tongues, prophesied, saw visions, dreamed divine
dreams and enjoyed all the gifts of the Church as did the saints of
old. The sick were healed by the laying on of hands, devils were cast
out, the deaf heard, the eyes of the blind were opened, the lame leaped
for joy, the tongue of the dumb was loosed, the heavens were opened to
human view, and the Holy Ghost, as on the day of pentecost, rested down
in power upon the Saints of the new dispensation.
Then they _knew_ for themselves. Doubt had fled, the darkness was
dispersed, Satan trembled, priestcraft raged, and while the tidings
of the restored gospel caused joy in heaven and praise on earth, the
powers of evil in and out of the flesh conspired to fight the truth,
make war upon believers and persecute the servants of God unto death.
But the Lord strengthened the hands of His people and poured out light
and knowledge from on high. The hidden things of ages were brought
forth. Revelation after revelation was multiplied to the Church.
Then came Elijah the Prophet, bearing the keys of the turning of the
hearts of the fathers to the children and of the children to the
fathers, that the link of the broken chain of the Priesthood through
the ages might be welded together, and the spirit world be known to
men in the flesh. Next came Moses, the man of God with the keys of the
gathering of Israel, that the remnants might be brought in from their
long dispersion and inherit the lands promised to their forefathers.
And Raphael and Gabriel and other holy messengers also appeared, each
in their order, bearing the keys of their respective ministries when
living as men upon the earth, that all the powers needful for the
establishment of the great and last dispensation of the fullness of
times might be centered upon the head of the man chosen to open it to
the world, and that he might bestow them upon others called and chosen
by the spirit of revelation.
Glory to God in the highest! The straight and narrow way is opened.
The silence of ages is broken. Jehovah speaks from out the bosom
of eternity. Angels again come down from the abodes of bliss.
Communication is restored between man and his Maker. The Holy Ghost
again comforts, reveals and bears witness. The sacred gifts are once
more enjoyed. All earth shall hear the glad tidings. Every soul shall
be warned. And though Joseph, the chosen seer, and many of his brethren
have become martyrs for the truth's sake, and the bosom of mother earth
is stained red with the blood of the persecuted Saints, the Church
re-established, the Priesthood restored, the truths now revealed shall
never, be taken from earth again, but they shall spread and increase
and prevail and triumph, until darkness and evil, and sin and Satan
shall give way, and this planet, ransomed and redeemed shall be crowned
with the glory and presence of its rightful King, Jesus the anointed,
the sinless Son of the omnipotent God.