Cornell Univerelty Library 
 BX8637 .P91 
 
 Series of pamphlets / by Orson Pratt, on 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 029 474 685 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tile Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029474685 
 

[/ j^r7i ^ 
 
 // // 
 
SERIES OF PAMPHLETS,^ 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTtES OP THE OHUBOH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTEIl-DAT 8AIHT9, 
 
 PORTRAIT. 
 
 TO WHIOn IS APPENDED 
 
 A DISCUSSION 
 
 HELD IN BOLTON, BETWEEN ELDEK WILLIAM OIDSON, TRESIDENT OF THE SAINTS IN 
 THE MANCHESTEE CONFEKENCE, AND THE EEV. MK. WOODMAN. 
 
 A DISCUSSION 
 
 HELD IN FRAMCE, BETWEEN ELDER JOHN TAYLOR, ONE OP THE TWELVE APOSTLES, 
 AND THREE REVEREND GENTLEMEN OP DIFFERENT ORDERS, CONTAINING A FAC- 
 SIMILE OP WRITINGS ENGRAVED ON SIX METALLIC PLATES, TAKEN OUT OF AN 
 ANCIENT MODMD IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, IN THE YEAR 1843. 
 
 LIVERPOOL : 
 
 PRINTED BY R. JAMES, 39, SOUTH CASTLE STREET, 
 1851. 
 
■^-^irrinrr 
 
 hA']\S'^f 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 • FIRST SERIES. 
 
 Divine Adthobity, or the question, Was Joseph Smith sent of God ? No. 1 
 
 Kingdom of God — Part I „ 2 
 
 Ditto „ 11 , 3 
 
 Ditto „III „ i 
 
 Ditto „ IV , 5 
 
 Remarkable Visions „ 6 
 
 New Jebusaieji, or the Fulfilment of Modern Prophecy „ 7 
 
 SEOOND SERIES. 
 
 PAOG 
 
 DIVINE ATJTHENTICITy OF THR BOOK OF MORMON— 
 
 Introduction No. 1 1 
 
 To Expect more Eevelatlon is not TJnscriptural „ ... 2 
 
 To Expect more Revelation is not Unreasonable „ g 
 
 Moke Revelation is Indispensably Necessary 
 
 First, For the Calling of Officers in the Church 
 
 Secondly, To Point out the Duties of the Officers of the Church 
 
 Thirdly, To Comfort, Reprove, and Teach the Church 
 
 Fourthly, To Unfold to the Church the Future , 
 
 The'Bible alone an Insufficient Guide ,. 
 
 Evidences of the Book of Mormon and Bible Compared 
 
 The Book of Mormon confirmed by Miracles 
 
 Prophetic Evidence in Favour of the Book of Mormon 
 
 THIRD SERIES. 
 
 REPLY to a Pamphlet printed at Glasgow vpith the " Approbation of Clergymen of dif- 
 
 Jerent Denominations,'' entitled " Remarks on Mornumism." 
 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM, or a Reply to the Rev. T. W. P. Taylder's 
 
 Pamphlet, entitled " The Materialism of the Mormons, or Latter-day Saints, Examined 
 
 and Exposed." 
 
 No. 2 . 
 
 .. 17 
 
 „ •■• 
 
 ... 17 
 
 j» ■ 
 
 .. 22 
 
 II ••• 
 
 ... 25 
 
 »i 
 
 .. 29 
 
 No. 3 ... 
 
 ... 33 
 
 „ * : 
 
 .. 49 
 
 „ S ... 
 
 ... 6S 
 
 ,. 6 ., 
 
 .. 81 
 
IV. CONTENTS. 
 
 GREAT FIRST CAUSE, or the Self-Moving Forces of the Universe. 
 
 ELDER GIBSON'S DISCUSSION. 
 
 The questions discussed — 
 
 1. — What is God? Is he an Immaterial Being, possessing neither Passions nor any 
 
 Properties of Matter ? 
 2. — The Godhead. Are the Father and Son two distinct and separate Persons; as 
 
 much BO as any father and son are on Earth ? 
 3. — The true nature of the Signs promised to follow Faith. — (Mark xvi. 17, 18.) Are 
 the terms there used, such as tongues, devils, serpents, &c., to be understood 'in the 
 literal sense ? 
 ELDER TAYLOR'S DISCUSSION. 
 The Subjects discussed — 
 
 1. — The late Joseph Smith. His Public and pretended -Religious Career. 
 2. — The Book of Mormon. Is it a Revelation from God ? 
 3 — Are the Ministers of that people sent of God by direct appointment ? 
 4. — The Validity of the Faith and Calling of Mr. Taylor's opponents. 
 Fac-Simile of Plates with Engraved Characters taken out of an Ancient Mound in Illinois, 
 in 1843. 
 
No 1. 
 
 DIVINE AUTHORITY, 
 
 OH THE QUESTION, 
 
 WAS JOSEPH SMITH SENT OF GOD? 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE or THE TWUVE APOSTLES OP THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OP L\TTEB-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 A few days since, Mrs. Pratt and myself, together with some others, were kindly 
 invited to take tea with a very respectable gentleman of this town (Liverpool), who, 
 though not connected with our church, yet was, with his family, sincerely enquiring 
 after the truth. They seemed to be fully convinced in relation to the most important fea- 
 tures of our doctrine, and were desirous of extending their investigations still further. 
 "We hope that thei^researches may happily result in a full conviction of the truth, and 
 that they may obtain that certainty, so much to be desired, as to the divine authority 
 of the great and irfiportant message now revealed from heaven — a message which 
 must assuredly prove a savor of life or death to the generation now living. This mes- 
 sage is beginiiing to awake the attention of the honest, virtuous, and upright among 
 all classes of society. They seem to be aroused from the slumber of ages. 
 
 A message of simple truth, when sent from God — when published by divine autho- 
 rity, through divinely inspired men, penetrates the mind like a sharp two-edged 
 sword, and cuts asunder the deeply- rooted prejudices, the iron-bound sinews of ancient 
 error and tradition, made sacred by age and rendered popular by human wisdom. It 
 severs with undeviating exactness between truth and falsehood — between the doctrine 
 of Christ and the doctrines of men ; it levels with the most perfect ease every argu- 
 nient that human leariiing mayartay against it. Opinions, creeds invented by unin- 
 spired men, and doctrines origiiiated in schools of divinity, all vanish like the morning 
 dew — all sink into insignificance when compared with a message direct from heaven. 
 Such a message shines upon the understanding like the splendors of the noon-day 
 sun ; it whispers in the ears of mortals, saying, " This is the way, walk ye in it." Cer- 
 tainty and assm'ance ai"e its constant compamons ; it is entirely unlike all plans or sys- 
 tems ever invented by human authority, it has no alliance, connexion, or fellowship 
 with any of them ; it speaks with divine authority, and all nations, without an excep- 
 tion, are required to obey. He that receives the message and endures to the end will 
 be saved ; he that rejects it will be damned. It matters not what his former righte- 
 ousness may have been — ^none can be excused. 
 
 As a specimen of the anxious enquiry which now pervades the minds of many in 
 relation to this church, we publish the following extract from a, letter, which was 
 kindly read to us during our afore-mentioned visit, by the gentleman who received it 
 from his friend in London. We were struck with the apparent candor, the sound 
 Judgment, and the correct conclusions of the author of the letter, and earnestly soli- 
 dted the privilege of publishing it. Permission was granted on condition that we 
 would withhold names. We here present it to our readers, and shall endeavour, in 
 the same spirit of candor, to answer the all-important inquiries contained in it. 
 
 July IBth. 
 
 My dear Sir, — I have been expecting, time after time, to be able to return you the 
 " Letters" you so kindly left with me. As I informod you in my last, I cursorily read 
 
 through the Letters, and then handed the book to Mr. -. With him it is at the present 
 
 time. The impression made thereby on his mind is very remarkable, and he requests me 
 to inform you, that if you will allow him, he means to keep the book, if you will please to 
 let him know the price thereof. He and I goncur in our view of Mormonism at present. 
 1)0 you inquire what that view is ? I will then proceed to state it. We consider that the 
 proofs which Mormonism gives of the apostaoy are, withost question, clear and demonstra- 
 tive; we entirely concur also in the personal appearance and reign of our Lord I wo are 
 persuaded that all the preachers and teachers of the day are without authority — that their 
 
 A 
 
Ji DIVINE AUTHOKITY. 
 
 teachings and interpretations are uncertain as to the truth — that the translations of the 
 scripture, being done witliout inspiration, are also uncertain. All is uncertain I melan- 
 choly thought ! a deplorable picture but u true one I — the different teachers doing the 
 best they can 1 — all jarring — all contending ! The result — division, multiplied division I 
 And they have a right if they think proper to divide from an authority merely Human. Bat 
 their multiplied division is a multiplied proof that they are wrong — that they are without 
 that SPiBiT who guides into truth, ai\d truth is one I 
 
 My dear sir, the " Saints" have made out a strong and irrefragable case to show that 
 "authority to teach" is nowhere, if not with them; but the proposition that <Aey Aai;e 
 aathority to teach, interpret, iSfC., is one that at present does not create a conviction in Mr. 
 — or my mind. We admit that it is very reasonable to suppose that, under such circum- 
 stances, God would raise up and send one invested with authority. Whether Joseph Smith 
 was such an one is the all important question. I also admit, that so far as 1 am acquainted 
 with his history, there is something very remarkable about him ; perhaps I should be fullj 
 convinced if I were more fully read in writings relating to him. 1 wish I lived near to 
 jou, and then I would read more fully on the subject; I confess my mind is much con- 
 cerned to arrive at a clear conclusion upon the point. 
 
 Mr. • — — wishes yon, if you will be so good, to select a few books that you think clearly 
 prove the divine mission of Joseph Smith, and send them in a parcel to him with the 
 prices ; he will feel much obliged, and will send you a post-office order for the amount ; he 
 believes your selection will be a judicious one. I have heard Mr. Banks twice since I saw 
 you, and other individual teachers also. There is much in their public services 1 approve. 
 1 am struck with the simplicity of their celebration of the ordinances. * * One result of 
 my conversation with you and Banks, and perusing the Letters, is, that I can be no longer 
 connected with any sect. So far as I see, I can without difficulty confound in argument — 
 plain scriptural argument — any into whose company I am at any time thrown. The Me- 
 thodist system, I am convinced is the worst, because its pretensions are highest. I stand, 
 therefore, fully alone. 1 declare 1 should be glad to be convinced that Mormonism is 
 what it professes to be ; I would join it to-day if my mind could be convinced that its elders 
 had authority to baptize me for the remission of- sins, and to lay hands on me for the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost. These sacred ordinances I would obey gladly, if I knew men having au- 
 thority to administer them. To have these ordinances administered without divine authority 
 is mere child's play. Thus you see my position. A Methodist leader, an old friend, said 
 to me the other day, " Are you connected with the Church of Christ now? — I hear you 
 are not with us now." 1 answered, '■ Where is the Church of Christ ?" He replied it is 
 found among the different sects. I then inquired, "Are you in the Church of Christ? for 
 if you are, you must be a member of all the sects." This rather puzzled him. I then asked 
 him "Shew me the sect that resembled the church at the beginning ; does any one of them, 
 or do they all put together resemble the church at the beginning?" He said certainly not. 
 I enquired why not ? He was shrewd enough to be silent and to see that his own mouth 
 must condemn his sect and all the sects. Observe, in the absence of the spirit, men must 
 do as well as they can. This I am trying to do, only I confess that I am poor, and blind, and 
 naked, bereft of the glory of the certainty of the authority and truth of the Church of Christ. 
 The sects, however, are satisfied, though " poor, blind, and naked," to boast of increase o£ 
 goods, chapels, rich friends, preachers, he., &c. So much for my present views and stand- 
 ing. I suppose by this time you have acted on your convictions, and are joined to the 
 Saints ; in all honesty you ought, I confess. The moment a conviction that divine autho- 
 rity and certainty of teaching is with them, that moment will I join them, * ♦ « 
 
 Farewell. My respectful regards to Mrs. , and ever believe me, my dear sir, yours 
 
 T«ry truly, . 
 
 First. — The author of the above letter has carefully examined the present state of 
 the world, and declares himself fully convinced of the avyful apostacy which now so 
 universally prevails. He unhesitatingly admits that all authority to teaoh — to admi- 
 nister ordinances — to build up the church of Christ, has entirely ceased from the 
 earth — that " all is un,certain." He also admits that " it is very reasonable to suppose 
 that tinder such circumstances, God would raise up and send one invested with autho- 
 rity. Whether Joseph Smith was such an one is the all-important question." Yes, 
 indeed, it is an important question, and one that involves the fate of the present gene- 
 ration. If Joseph Smith was not sent of God, this church cannot be the church of 
 God, and the tens of thousands who have been baptized into this ohiirch are yet in 
 their sins, and no better off than the millions that have gone before them. The form, 
 without the power and authority, is no better than the hundreds of human forms that 
 have no resemblance to the ancient pattern ; indeed, it is more dangerous, because better 
 
DIVINE AUTHOEITY. .3 
 
 calculated to deceive. Other churches do not profess to have inspired apostles, pro- 
 phets, prophetesses, evangelists, &c., hence -we know, if the Nevsr Testament be true, 
 that they cannot be the church of God. But the Latter-day Saints profess to have 
 all these officers and gifts among them, and profess to have authority to administer 
 in every form, ordinance, and blessing of the ancient church ; hence we know, thai: 
 ao far as the ofiBces, doctrines, ordinances, and ceremonies are evidence, this church 
 <!an exhibit a perfect pattern. In these things, then, both ancient and modem Saints 
 are exactly alike. By the New Testament then we cannot be condemned. 
 
 If the Latter-day Saints are not what they profess to be, one thing is certain, that 
 no one ever will be able to confute their doctrine by the scriptures ; however imper- 
 fect the people may be, th^ir doctrine is infallible. Can this be said of any othec 
 people who have existed on the eastern hemisphere during the last 1700 years ? No. 
 Their doctrines have been a heterogenous mixture of truth and error, that would not 
 stand the test one moment when measured by a pattern of inspiration ; some disparity 
 could be seen and pointed out — some deviation either in the organization or in the 
 ordinances of the gospel could be shown to exist. And now after so many centuries 
 have elapsed, and when human wisdom has been exerted to its utmost strength, and 
 the most exalted and gigantic talents displayed to lay a stable foundation whereon to 
 build, we awake Sad behold all an empty bubble — a vain show — a phantom of man's 
 -creation, with scarcely a vestige of the ancient /orm, to say nothing of the power. In 
 the midst of all this thick darkness, a young, illiterate, obscure, and inexperienced 
 man announces a message from heaven, before which darkness flees away ; human dog- 
 mas are overturned j the traditions of ages are uprooted ; all forms of church govern- 
 ment tremble Uke an aspen leaf at its approach, and the mighty fabric of popular sec- 
 tarianism is convulsed and shaken to its very foundation. How happens all this ? If 
 -Joseph Smith were an impostor, whence his superior wisdom ? What power inspired 
 his mind in laying the foundation of a church according to the ancient order ? Hovir 
 oould an impostor so far surpass the combined wisdom of seventeen centuries as to 
 originate a system diverse from every other system under heaven, and yet harmonise 
 with the system of Jesus and his apostles in every particular ? What ! an impostoir 
 discover the gross darkness of ages, and publish a doctrine perfect in every respect, 
 .against which not one scriptural argument can be adduced ! The idea is preposterous! 
 The purity and infallibility of the doctrine of this great modern prophet is a pre- 
 rSumptive evidence of no small moment in favour of his divine mission. 
 
 We do not pretend that a perfect doctrine is an infallible evidence in favour of the 
 divine authority of the one who teaches it. We can conceive it possible, though nob 
 probable, for a man to teach a doctrine unmixed with error, and yet be without autho- 
 ,rity to administer its ordinances. Swedenborg, Irving, and many others, taught, 
 doctrines in some respects true, in other respects false ; hence their authority should 
 te rejected, even though they should perform miracles. We have no examples on ths 
 records of history, of a doctrine perfect in every respect, being taught by any person 
 or persons, unless they were inspired with divine authority. T£ Joseph Smith taught 
 A doctrine in any respect false, he should be rejected as an impostor, though he should, 
 like the magicians of Egypt, turn rivers of water into blood, or create fro^ in abun- 
 dance, or even raise the dead like the witch of Endor. On the other hand, u he taught 
 a true and perfect doctrine, he might be sent of God, though he himself should per- 
 form no miracle, like John the Baptist, or the prophet Noah, or many other prophets 
 •f the Old Testament. 
 
 In ancient times, many great prophets were sent of God, and we have no record of 
 their doing miracles, yet their respective messages were of infinite importance, and 
 ooiild not be rejected vnthout condemnation. Where is there a man, no matter how 
 great his attainments, that can show Mr. Smith's doctrine to be false? Did the an- 
 cient Saints teach baptism to the penitent beUever for the remission of sins? So did 
 Mr. . S. Did they teach the laying on of hands for the gifts of the Holy Spirit-?' S» 
 did Mr. S. Did the, Former-day Saints teach that apostles, prophets, evangelists, 
 . pastors, teachers, deacons, bishops, elders, &c., all inspired of God, were necessary 
 in the church ? So did Mr. S. Did the ancient Saints teach that dreams, visions, 
 new revelations, ministering of angels, healings, tongues, interpretations, and all 
 other spiritual gifts were necessary in the church ? So did this modem prophet. 
 
 A2 
 
4 DIVINE AUTltORITT. 
 
 .Inhere, then, is the discrepancy between the aricieiit knd modern teaching? No- 
 wiiere. The teaching of the one is as jierfect as the other ; and we again kssert that 
 tKs perfect coinfcideiiee in teaching, in every point, is a strong prfestimptive evidenc* 
 that Mr. Smith was sent of God. 
 
 Second. — In wliat manner does Joseph Smith declare that a dispensation of the 
 gospel was committed tmto him ? He testifies that an angel of God, whose name 
 ■was Moroni, appeared unto' him ; that this angel was formerly an ancient pro jhet 
 among a remnant of the tribe of Joseph on the continent of America. He testifies 
 Qiat Moroni revealed unto bim wlier'e Tie deposited the sacred records of his nation 
 ' some fourteen hundred years ago ; that these records contained the " everlasting gos- 
 pel" as it was anciently taught and recorded by this branch of Israel. He gave Mr. 
 Smith power to reveal the contents of those records to the nations of the earth. Now 
 how does tliis testimony of Joseph Smith agree With the hoolc of John's prophecy 
 given on the Isle of Patmos ? Jdhn testifies that iyhen the dispensation of the gospel 
 is again committed to the nations, it shall be through the medium of an angel from 
 heaven. J. Smith testifies that a dispensation of the gospel for all nations has beek 
 committed to him hy an angel. The one uttered the prediction ; the othfer testifies its 
 fulfilment. Though Mr. Smith had taught a perfect doctrine, yet if he had testified 
 that his doctrine was not restored' by an angel, all woiild at once have known him iJb 
 be an impostor. How came Mr. Smith, if an impostor, to not Only discover a perfect 
 • doctrine, but to also (iisoover the precise medium through which that doctrine should 
 be restored to the earth ? Did Svf'edenborg, Irving, Wesley, or any other persons, 
 not only teach a pure system, but at the same time did they declare that it was com- 
 mitted to them by an angel itom heaven? If not, however pur^ and holy their 
 teaching, they were not divinely authorised to administer in' ordinances. If Mr. Smith 
 had professed to have accidentally discovered those records, and that he was inspired 
 to reveal their contents through the Urim and Thummim ; or if Be had professed to 
 have received a message of the gospel through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or 
 the Urim and Thuihmim, or in any other way but that of the ministering of an angel,, 
 we should, without further enquiry, have known him to be without authority. How 
 came Mr. Smith, if a deceiver, to think of all this ? Did Martin Luther, Wesley, Whit- 
 field, Swedenborg, or Irving, think of this? Whence his superior intellect— his depth 
 of understanding— his extensive foresight — ^that he should so far surpaiss all former im- 
 postors for l7O0 years ? John testifies that when the everlasting gospel is restored to 
 the earth it shall be by an angel. Mr. Smith testifies that it was restored by an angel, 
 and in no other way. This is another presumptive evidence that he was sent of &od. 
 Third. — A revelation and restoration to the earth of the everlasting gospelUhtoxig'h 
 the angel Moroni would be of no benefit to the nations, unless some one shoiild JE/e 
 ordained with a,uihority to preach it and administer its ordfnkhces. Moroni might 
 reveal a book containing a beautiful and glorious system of solvation, but ho one coiild 
 obey even its first principles without a legally authorised adUiinistraltpr, ordained' to 
 preach, ba.ptize, lay on hands for the gifts of the Holy Ghost, &c. Did Moroni or- 
 dain Mr. Smith to the apostleship, and command him to administer ordinances ? No 
 he did not. But why not confer authority by ordination, as well as reveal the ever- 
 lasting gospel ? Because in all probability he ha,d not the right so to do. All angel* 
 have not the same authority — they do not all hold the same keys. Moroni was a pro- 
 phet, but we have no account of his holding the office of an apostle; arid if not, he 
 he had no right to ordain Mr. Smith to an office which he himself never possessed 
 tie no dou))t went as far as he was authorised, and that was to reveal the " stick of 
 Ephraim"—:the record of his fathers containing the " everlasting gospel." How then 
 did Mr. Smith obtain the office of 'an apostle, if Moroni had no authority to ordain 
 him to such office? Mr. Smith testifies thatPetSr, James, and Jolm came to him in 
 the capacity of ministering angels, ^nd by the layilig on of hands ordaiiied him an apos- 
 tle, and commanded him to preach, baptize, lay on' hands for the pft of the Holy 
 Ghost, and administer all other ordinances of the gospel as they themselves did in an- 
 cient days. Did Swedenborg— did Irving's apostles— or did any other impostors durl 
 ing the long age of darkness— profess that the dpostleship was conferred upon them 
 by those who held iltast— by any angel who h61d thfe office himself? No ! and there- 
 fore they are not apostles, but deceivers. If Mr. Smith had pretended that he r«- 
 
DIVINE AUT,HOIUTY. 5 
 
 ceiled the apostleship by the revelation of the Holy Ghost, without an ordinatioii 
 under the hands of an apostle, we should at once know that his pretensions were vain,^ 
 and that he was a deceiver. If an impostor, how came Mr. Smith to discover this ?' 
 Why did he not,. like the Irvingites, assume the apostleship without an apostle to or- 
 ^n him ? How came he to possess so much more wisdom than Irving, as to discover 
 that he, could not be an apostle wdthoijt being ordained under the hands of an apostle ? 
 If Mr. Smith be a false apostle, it must be confessed that he has exhibited far more 
 ji^dgment than all the false apostles who have preceded him, learned and talented as 
 they were. Isnot thi? another presumptive evidence of Joseph Smith's divine miasionf 
 Such a correctness upon matters of so great a moment, and upon subjects on which 
 mijlions have heretofore erred, indicates something more than human — it indicates the 
 inspiration of thp Almighty. The jpurity of Mr. Smith's doctrine — the perfect ooineur 
 d&cioe of his testimony with that of John's, in relation to the manner of the restoration 
 «f the everlasting gospel to the earth, and the consistency of his testimony in relation, 
 tpi'the manner pfth?, restoration of the apostleship, are strong presuinptive evidences 
 tlf^t beautifully harmonise vfitti^nd strengthen each other ; the evidence is therefore 
 JMJcumulative, and increases with every ado&tional condition or circumstance in a mul- 
 tiplied ratio, and seems almost irresistibly to force conviction upon the mind. 
 
 Fourth.— Joseph Smith not only professes, through the medium of ingels, to have 
 received a dispensation of tlie gospel, and the power and autiioqty of the apostleship, 
 but he also professes to ha>;e received, through revelation and commdindment from 
 <i^d, a dispensation for the' gathering of the Saints from all nations. Now the doo- 
 tripe of the gathering of the Saints in the last days must either be false or true ; if 
 fs^lsej then J. Smith must be an impostor. It matters not how correct he may have, 
 been in all pthe;: points of his system, if this one point — the doctrine of the gathering 
 be false, he must be a deceiver. Why ? Because he professes to have received this' 
 dpctrine by direct j-eweiaiioji and commandment. On the other hand, if the doctrine' 
 of the gathering of the Saints be a true doctrine and scriptural, this will, be another 
 presumptive evidence that Mr. Smith was sent of God. 
 
 Now. » dqctrine may be true and not be scriptural ; as for example, Newton's 
 4pctrine or law of univers^, gravitation is a true doctrine, but not a scriptv,ral one ; 
 tliat .is, it can neither be proved nor disproved by the scriptures. So, Noah's doo- 
 teine of gathering into an ark — Lot's doctrine of fleeing out of Sodom — Christ's doc- 
 trine tp depart out of Jerusalem and flee to the mountains to escape destruction, were 
 a|t;ierue; but neither of them could be proved or disproved by any scripture given to 
 am of the former jgropjiets. So likev^e Mr. Smith's doctrine of the gathering of the 
 Saints in the last days might, be true, even though there should he no former scripture 
 tjiat predif^d sijchian eyent ; but in this case such a doctrine would be no evidence 
 ti),at Mr. Smith, who a,dvpcated' it, was sent of ifiod ; but if such a doctrine can be 
 w^ved to be a scriptural doctrine, that is, if the gathering of .the Saints was predicted' 
 in ancient scriptures as an event to take place in a certain age, in a certain way^ anil 
 through certa^ means, and Mr. Smith comes in that age, prmessing to have a message^ 
 to, gather thpoiaihts, in such way, and by such means as the scriptures have foretold, 
 ■aien the exact an^ perfect agrieement between the professed message of Mr. Smith, 
 apd the scriptural' prqmctions relating to such a message or work, would be a pre- 
 sumptive evidence of great weight in favor of his divine mission. 
 
 The doctrine of the gathering of the people of God, including Israel, is, one so 
 dearly predicted by the inspired, writers, that it seems almost superfluous to refer to 
 Ijie numerous passages relating to it. The dispensation in which the people of God 
 •were to be gatiier^d in one, is called by the apostle Paul, "the dispensation of tha! 
 fulness of tinies;" wjiich he represents as being an evmt then in the future. John,' 
 nearly one hundred years after thp birth of our Saviour, saw the wonderful events and 
 iceneries of unborn generations displayed in majestic and awful grandeur before hinu. 
 He saw the churches pf Asia, then under his own personal watch-care, lukewarm, cor« 
 rupted, and about ready to 'be moved, out of tiieir place. He saw the universal apos- 
 tasy that was soon to succeed and hold dominion for ages over all kindreds and tffia- 
 goes, under the name of the B^otiier of Harlots— the great Babylon that should mato 
 all nations drunk with her wickedness. He saw that after the nations had been thus 
 o.Terwhelmed in. thick darkness fo^ ages, witiioutthe church of God,' without apos« 
 
V DIVINE AUTHORITY. 
 
 ^Ifis, without prophets, without the ministering of angels, without one cheering mes- 
 sage from heaven, that there would be one more proclamation of mercy made to all 
 people — one more dispensation of glad tidings from the heavens, to be ushered in by 
 an angel restoring the everlasting gospel, which was to receive a universal proclama^ 
 •tipn to all the inhabitants of the earth, followed with a loud cry, that " the hour of God's 
 judgment is come." He saw the universal proclamation of this warning message im- 
 jnediately followed by another angel, proclaiming the complete overthrow and down- 
 fall of Babylon. Between the interval of the flying of these two ang:els, he " heard 
 another voice from heaven, saying, Come out o/ her, my people, that ye be not 
 partakers of heir sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues ; for her sins have 
 leached imto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." Remember, that 
 ■this voice, commanding the people to come out of Babylon, was to be a " voice from 
 lieaven." It was not to be a cunningly devised plan of uninspired man, brought about 
 ly human ingenuity, but it was to be a voice from heaven — a message sent from God 
 ~—^ new revelation, commanding the Saints to come out of Babylon previous to its 
 downfall. How came Mr. Smith if an impostor, to get, not only all the other parti- 
 culars which we have mentioned, perfectly exact, but also to discover that there must 
 le a gathering of the Saints out of Babylon, and that that work must immediately 
 foUow the introductmn of the gospel by an angel ? Why did he not say, my doctrine 
 as true, and if you Wm embrace it, you can be saved, and still remain where you are?/ 
 It matters not how correct his doctrine might have been in all other points, if he had 
 told his disciples to remain among the corrupt nations, and not gather together — ^this 
 alone would have exposed the cloven foot, and proved him to be a deceiver. Sweden- 
 fcorg, Wesley, Irving, and a numerous host of others, during the last seventeen him- 
 dred years, have entirely neglected the gathering, which proves that they were without 
 authority — ^that a dispensation of the gospel was never committed to them — ^that the 
 Toice from heaven to come out of Babylon had never saluted their ears. Previous to 
 ■the restoration of the gosptl by an angel, God had no people in Babylon, and there- 
 ipre he could not call 'them out. An unauthorised, uninspu-ed priesthood, preaching a 
 perverted gospel, never could raise up a people of God in Babylon ; for they themselves 
 are Babylon, and all their converts or children a,re begotten after their o^wn likeness 
 •with Babylonish inscriptions upon their foreheads. It is only when the gospel, apos- 
 ■Ueship, and power are again restored in the way and manner predicted, that a people 
 <rf God can be raised up among the nations. It is then, and not till then, that the 
 "voice is heard from heaven, calling that people out from among the nations. Mr. Smith 
 did not forget this. It is marvellously strange, indeed, that he should be an impostoK, - 
 and yet embrace in his system every particular that was to characterise the great dis- 
 pensation of the latter times. It matters not how diverse the points of his doctrine 
 "were to the popular doctrines current among the great modern systems of religion. 
 He seems to have introduced his system ■without paying the least regard as to what- 
 ■would be popular or unpopular — as to whether it would suit the learned or the un- 
 leaimed — as to whether it would suit the temporal circumstances of man or not. 
 He did not stop to make the inquiry whether the gathering of the Saints would be 
 «ongenial to the feelings of those who occupied splendid mansions, upon fine farms, 
 surrounded -with every luxury of life. He did not stop to consider any of those things, 
 hut spoke as one having authority ; saying, " thus saith the Lord," upon every point' 
 of doctrine which he promulgated. Now, for a young man, inexperienced and iUite- 
 late, to profess to give the word of the Lord upon suqects of so great a moment— to 
 leveal doctrines which were directly opposed, not only to his o-wn traditions, but to the 
 ■teachings and doctrines of the most popular, numerous, and powerfiil sects of the day, 
 fflid at the same time have those doctrines exactly accord, not only with the ancient 
 gospel, but -with every minute prediction relative to the dispensation of the last days, 
 38 an evidence that carries truth upon the face of it, and leaves a deep and lasting 
 impression upon every reflecting mind, and we can hardly refrain from k^enting in 
 our hearts, that surely 'he, rtmat home been sent of God. 
 
 IMth. — What else besides the " everlasting gospel " does the Book of Mormon pro- 
 fess to contain ? It professes to contain a brief but faithful history of a small brandji, 
 qf flie tribe of Joseph, and the revelations given to them both before and after Christ, 
 ■written by a succession of prophets who were the literal descefldarits 6f Joseph; hence 
 
DIVINE AUTHORITY. 7 
 
 it professes to be, in the full sense of the word, the vjritings or records of the iribe of 
 Joseph. It contains numerous and pointed predictions, showing expressly that the 
 age in which their records should, by the power of Gofl, be revealed to the nations, 
 should also be the day in which Israel should be gathei-ed ; and that their records, in 
 conjunction with the records of the Jews, should be the powerftil instruments in the 
 hands of the servants of God in bringing about that great woi-k. Now,' how does 
 this accord with the word" of the Lord to Ezetiel upon the same subject? Ezel<iel 
 was commanded to wi-ite ,upon two sticks, one for Judah and the other for Joseph ; 
 after which he was commanded to join them together into one, And when the chil- 
 dren of Israel should make enquiry what these two united -vvritings of Judah and Jo- 
 seph meant, he was to say unto them, that the Lord God would join the writings of 
 Joseph with those of Judah ; immediately after which he would take the children of 
 Israel from among the heathen, whither they were gone, and would gather them on 
 every side, and bnng them into their ovyn land : and that he would make them one 
 nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel ; and that one king should be king to 
 them all ; and that they should no more be two nations or kingdoms. Ezekiel testi- • 
 fies that the writings of Joseph should be joined T\'ith the writings of Judah. Mr. 
 Smith presents thtB generation with a book, consisting of several hundred pages, pro- 
 fessing to be the sacred writings of the inspired prophets of the tribe of Joseph, wbti 
 anciently inhabited the great western hemisphere. Ezekiel testifies that Israel should 
 be gathered, never again to be scattered, immediately after the union of these two 
 records. The professed record of Joseph, brought to light by Mr. Smith, testifies 
 in the most positive language, that this is the age in which Israel shall be gathered 
 through the instrumentality of the word and power of (jod, contained in the two re- 
 cords. Ezekiel uttered the prediction. Mr. Smith presents a professed fulfilment. 
 This is another presumptive evidence in favour of the divine authority of his mission ; 
 for if the gathering of Israel had not been included in the mission of Mr. Smith, as 
 an important part of the great work of the last dispensation, all would have had good 
 reason for rejecting him without further inquiry. The ministering of an angel — the 
 restoration of the gospel — the conferring of the apostleship — the setting up of 
 the kingdom of God — the gathering of the Saints — the revelation of the record 
 of Joseph, and its union with the Jewish record— and the restoration of all the 
 house of Israel to their own lands, are the wonderful events to be fulfilled in the great 
 " dispensation of the fulness of times." Whatever person or persons are divinely com- 
 missioned to usher in that dispensation, must have the keys of authority to perform 
 every work pertaining thereunto. If Joseph Smith had included all these remarkable 
 events in his mission, excepting one ; then that one exception would be sufficient to 
 prove him to be acting without authority. But where, we ask, is there one excep- 
 tion ? What particular event or circumstance pertaining to the dispensation, of which 
 he professed to hold the keys, has he excluded from his system ? Did John predict 
 the restoration of the gospel by an angel ? It is included in Mr. Smith's system. Did 
 John predict that the Saints should receive a message from heaven, commanding them 
 to come out of Babylon ? It also is included in the system of Joseph Smith, and tha 
 Saints are now obeying it. Did Ezekiel predict the final gathering of Israel as an 
 immediate result of the union of the two records of Joseph and Judah ? Mr. Smith 
 also includes this in his system. The two records ai-e already united in their testimony, 
 and will soon accomplish the purpose for which they were sent forth. What then is 
 lacking ? Is there any of the prophets, or inspired vixiters of ancient times, who have 
 pointed out some other way for the latter day dispensation to be brought about ? Can 
 any man show that the gospel will not be restored by an angel, or that the Saints 
 will not be called out of Babylon by a message from heaven ? or that the record of 
 the tribe of Joseph will not be joined with the Jewish record — the Bible ? or that Israel 
 will not be gathered to their own lands through the instrumentality of more revela- 
 tion? or that the kingdom of God will riot be set up in the latter days to break in 
 pieces all other kingdoms ? or that apostles and prophets will not be restored to the 
 earth as in ancient times? If all these things are possible, probable, and scriptural — 
 if all these events must come to pass in their time, and in the manner predicted — can 
 any one show that this is not the time ? that the Book of Mormon is not the record of 
 Josephj about which Ezekiel prophesied ? Can any one show any cause why Joseph 
 
P mvjNE ,Ai}THoaiTy. 
 
 • SBiitb, should ^ofc receive the ministering of an angel ? why he should not he ordailie. 
 an apostle, or prpphet, or receive revelations and commandments from God ? If the 
 gospel is to be restored by an angel, it must be restored at the first to some person. 
 Why not that person be Mr. Smith ? If the records of tvco different tribes 3.re to b^ 
 joinedinone, why not the Book of Mormon smd the Bible he the two records? and 
 why not Mr. Smith be the instrument in the hands of God in fulfilling this prophecy ? 
 ^f these things are not the fulfilment of those ancient predictions, will the generation 
 tiat lives when they do come to pass be any more believing than they are at present 
 in this work? Will they be any more ready to receive new revelations, visions, anr 
 gels, or ancient sacred records than they are now ? When God sets up his kingdom, 
 .wiB. mankind be any more willing to receive the apostles, prophets, and inspired 
 •qffioers of that kingdom, than they are now? Qne thing is certain; if th« 
 angel has not come — if the gospel is not restored — if the records of Joseph 
 are not revealed— then there is no kingdom of God on the earth, no authority to 
 preach or ^administer ordinances among men ; all is gross darkness-^all is uncertainty 
 ' —and, our' only alternative is to wait till the voice of the angel is heard, till the great 
 work of the last dispensation is ushered in. But will we then receive it? Will not 
 our prejudices be as;great then as they are now against Mr. Smith ? Are there any quar- 
 lifieations that Mr. Smith' should possess that he did not possess ? Were there^any 
 doctrines which he advocated adverse to scriptural doctrine ? Were there any prinei^ 
 pies connected with his system inconsistent with the prophecies. If then perfeetioh 
 characterises every doctrine embraced in the great scheme of this modern prophet, 
 who can say that he was not sent of God? Who dare oppose so great and perfect. a 
 ^system, vidthout the least shadow of evidence to prove its falsity ? Who so lost to 
 every sense of reason and sound judgment, as not to perceive an overwhelming evi- 
 dence flowing in from every quarter to establish the divine mission of Joseph Smith ? 
 Who that has examined his mission or system impartially, can bring even one evidence 
 against it ? Are we not boimd then to yield, at least, our faith on the side of, evi- 
 dence ? What excuse then can the learned, and great, and wise of the earth, render 
 for opposing a work of so great iniportance with nought but ridicule, and slander^ 
 and vile reproaches ? Let mem bring ,forth their strong reasonings, or else let them 
 , heai', and say it is tkuth. 
 
 Sixth. — The perfect, agreemeijt between the prediction of Isaiah (chap, xxix.) and 
 Mr. Smith's account of the finding and translation of the Book of Mormon, is another 
 collateral proof that he was divinely commissioned. Mr. Smith testifies that the plates 
 from which that book was translated were taken out of the ground, from where they 
 were originally deposited by the prophet Moroni ; that the box containing them was 
 coijiposed of stone, so constructed as to exclude, in a great degree, the moisture of the 
 soil ; that with the plates he discovered a Urim and Thummim, through the aid of 
 which he afterwards was enabled to translate the book into the English language^ 
 Soon after obtaining the plates, a quantity of the characters were correctly transcribed, 
 and sent to some of the most learned individuals in the United States, to see if they could 
 translate them. Among the rest, they were presented to Professor Anthon, of New 
 , York, city. But no man was found able to read them by his own learning or wisdom. 
 Mr. Smith, though an unlearned man, testifies that he was commanded to translate 
 them, through the insph-ation of the Holy Ghogt, by>the aid of the Urim and Thuin- 
 , mim, and that the Book of Mormon is that translation. Now, Isaiah says to Israel, 
 "Thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and tby speech shaU 
 , be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out 
 of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust." 
 
 Who cannot perceive the perfect harmony between Isaiah's prediction . and Mr. 
 Smith's testimony ? Isaiah, as if to impress it upon the minds of, those who should 
 live in f\iture gensrations, gives no less than four repetitions of the same predicr 
 .tion in the same passage, informing us, in the most definite language, that after Isra^ 
 .should be brought down, they should speak in a very fa,miliar manner " out of tliws 
 ground," and "whisper low out of the dust." Mr. Smith has been an instrament 
 in the hands of God of fulfilling this prediction to the very letter. He has "taken 
 ".out of the ground " the ancient history of one half of ojir globe — the sacred records 
 of a great nation of larael— the writings of a remnant of the tribe of Joseph^ who 
 
DIVINE AUTHORITY. J* 
 
 once flourished as a powerful and great nation on the western hemisphere. Tlies 
 mouldering ruins of their ancient forts, and towers, and cities, proclaim their foimer 
 ^eatness, in mournful contrast with their present sad condition. They have been 
 brought down like all the rest of Israel ; but the words of their ancient prophets 
 •' speak out of the ground," and " whisper out of the dust " to the ears of the present 
 generation, revealing in a very " familiar " manner the history of ancient America, 
 which befoi;e was entirely unknown to the nations. IsaiaJi says, that Israel should 
 "speak out of the ground." Mr. Smith says that he obtained the writings of Joseph 
 from " out of the ground."' Now, if Mr. Smith had professed that Ihe hjwi got his 
 book as Swedenborg obtained his, pr as the Shakers obtained theirs; that is, if he 
 had pprofessqdtoh^ve obtained this book to usher in this la£t dispensation in any pth^ 
 way but," put of the ground," we should have had reason to suppose him a deceiver, 
 like Swedenborg and thousands of others. Agiiin, Isaiah says that " the vision of all 
 is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that 
 is learned, saying, Kead this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot ; for it is sealed : 
 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Bead this, 1 pray thee : 
 and he saith, I, am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said. Forasmuch as this peoplflf 
 ^raw near pe with theiAnouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have i-emoved 
 their heart far from me, and their fear toward jne is taught by the precepts of men: 
 Therefore, behold, I will proceed tq clp a marvelous work among this people, even a 
 Kjaryellous work a,nd a wonder ; for the wisdom of their, wise men shall perish, and 
 the understanding of their prudent men sljall be hid." All this was fulfilled befope 
 Mr. Smith was awai'e that it had been go clearly predicted by Isaiah. He sent the 
 " WORDS of a book " which he found, as before stated, to Professor Anthon. But it 
 was a sealed writing to the learned professor — the aboriginal language of ancient 
 America could not be deciphered by him. He was as much puzzled as the wise men 
 of Babylon were to interpret the unknown writing upon the wall. Human wisdom 
 and learning, in this case, were altogether insufficient. It required another Daiiiel, 
 who was fpund in the person of Mr. Smith. What a marvellpus work ! What a 
 wonder ! , How the wisdom of the wise and learned was made to perish by the gift 
 of interpretation given to the unlearned ! If the Book of Mormon is what it pror 
 fesses to be — a sacred record — then it must be the very bopk mentioned in Isaiah's 
 
 grediction ; for the prephet Nephi, one of the writers of. the Book of Mormon, yfbo 
 ved upwards of 2400 years ago, informs us that their writings should be brought to 
 light in the last days,, in fulfilment of Isaiah's prediction ; he also delivers a prophecy 
 in relation to the same book, and predicts many events in connexion therewith, which 
 are not mentioned by Isaiah. We here give an extract from his prediction, as also 
 his quotations from Isaiah : 
 
 Behold, ill th& last days, or in the days of the Gentiles; yea, behold all. the nations of the 
 Gentiles, and also the Jews, both those who shall come upon this Jand, and those who shall 
 be upon other lands ; yea, even upon all the lands of the earth : behold, they will be drank 
 with iniqiiity, and all manner of abominationa ; and when that day shall come, they shall be 
 itisited of the Loud of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise^ 
 and with storm and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire ; and all.the nations 
 that fight against Zion, and that distress ber,. shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it 
 Bhallbe unto them even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth,'.bat 
 he awaketh and his soul is empty ; ,or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth, and behold 
 he drinketh, but he awaketh, and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite : yea, even 
 so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against monnt Zion: for behold, all 
 ye that. do iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry, yea, ye shall 
 be drunken, but not with wine ; ye shall stagger, but not with strong drink : for behold, 
 the Lord hath poured oat upon yon, the spirit, of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed 
 your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets, and your rulers, and the seers hath he co- 
 vered because of your iniquity, 
 
 And it shall come to pass, that theXord God shall bring forth unto yon the words of a 
 liook, and they shall be the words of them who have slumbered. And behold the book 
 shall be sealed : and in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the 
 world to the ending, thereof. "Wherefore, .because of the things which are sealed up, the 
 tlongg which are sealed shall not. be deliv^r^d in the day of ttie wickedness and abpfoi^- 
 tapns of the people. 'Wlheiefoie t^e bogk. shall be kept from- them. But the book «h^U.b^ 
 
10 DIVINE AUTHORITY. 
 
 flelivered unto a man, and he shall deliver the words of the boolc, which are the words of 
 those who have slumbered in the dust ; and he shall deliver these words nnto another ; 
 but the words which are sealed, he shall not deliver, neither shall he. deliver the book^ 
 lor the book shall be sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed 
 shall be kept in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth ; 
 for, behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world nnto the end thereof. 
 And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed, shall be read upon the 
 house-tops ; and they shall be read by the power of Christ ; and all things sTiall be revealed 
 nnto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which 
 ever will be, even unto the end of the earth. Wherefore at that day when the book shall 
 be delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of 
 the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it, save it be that three witnesses shall behold 
 it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall 
 testify to the truth of the book, and the things therein. And there is none other which 
 shall view it, save it be a few, according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word 
 nnto the children of men ; for the Lord God hath said, that the words of the faithful should 
 speak as if it were from the dead. Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth 
 the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him good, will 
 he establish his word ; and wo be unto him that rejecteth the word of God. 
 
 But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto him to whom he shall 
 deliver the book, take these words which are not sealed, and deliver them to another, that 
 he may show them unto the learned, saying : read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall 
 say, bring hither the book, and I will read them : and now, because of the glory of the 
 world, and to get gain, will they say this, and not for the glory of God. And the man 
 shall say, I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed. Then shall the learned say, I cannot 
 read it. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again the book 
 and the words thereof, to him that is not learned ; and the man that is not learned shall 
 say, 1 am not learned. Then shall the Lord God say unto him, the learned shall not read 
 them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore, thou 
 shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee. Touch not the things which are sealed, 
 for I will bring them forth in mine own due time ; for I will show unto the children of 
 men that I am able to do mine own work. Wherefore, when thou hast read the words 
 which I have commanded thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised unto 
 thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up unto me, that 1 may preserve 
 tile words which thou hast not read, until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom to reveal all 
 things nnto the children of men. For behold, I am God ; and I am a God of miracles ; 
 and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever ; and I 
 work not among the children of men, save it be according to their faith. 
 
 And again it shall come to pass, that the Lord shall say unto him that shall read the 
 words that shall be delivered him, forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their 
 mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and 
 their fears towards me is taught by the precepts of men, therefore, I will proceed to do 
 a marvellous work among this people; yea, a marvellous work and a wonder; for the 
 wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent 
 shall be hid. ♦ * « * * « j^.^^ j„ 
 
 that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book ; and the eyes of the blind shall see out 
 of obscurity and out of darkness; and the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be 
 in the Lord ; and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. For assu- 
 redly as the Lord liveth, they shall see that the terrible one is brought to nought, and the 
 scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off ; and they that make a man 
 an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside 
 the just for a thing of nought. Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, 
 concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face 
 now wax pale. But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of 
 him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the 
 God of Israel. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that 
 murmured shall learn doctrine. 
 
 Here it will at once be perceived that the Book of Mormon is actually the book 
 predicted by Isaiah, or else it must be an imposture. The book mentioned by Isaiah 
 was to have every characteristic which Seems to accompany the Book of Mormon. Did 
 Isaiah predict that the " deaf should hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the 
 blind see out of obscilrity, and out of darkness ?" It has been fulfilled by the coming 
 forth of the Book of Mormon. Did Isaiah say that in the day his predicted book 
 
DIVINE AUTHORITY. 11 
 
 should s^eak out of the ground, then those who " erred in spirit should come to un- 
 derstanding, and they that murmured should learn doctrine ?" It has been ftilfilled 
 to the very letter through the instrumentality of the Book of Mormon. Tens of thou- 
 sands of honest men, who erred in spirit because of the doctrines and precepts of men, 
 have come to understanding. Many points of doctrine which had been in contro- 
 versy for ages are made perfectly plain in the Book of Mormon ; hence those who 
 have murmured because of the darkness and obscurity thrown over the scTiptures by 
 human wisdom and learning, have "learned doctrine?" Did Isaiah prophesy that 
 ■when the predicted book should make its appearance, that then " the house of Jacob" 
 should no longer be made ashamed, neither should the face of Jacob any more wax 
 pale ?" The Book of Mormon has come, declaring that the time is at hand for the 
 gathering of the house of Jacob, no more to be scattered. Did Isaiah predict that in 
 the day of the revelation of a certain book, " the terrible one should be brotight to 
 nought, the scorner be consumed, and all that watch for iniquity be cut off;" and 
 finally, that " all the nations who should fight against Mount Zion, should pass away 
 as the dx'eam of a night vision, and be destroyed by earthquake and the flame of d&- 
 vouring fire ?" The B^ok of Mormon comes testiiyingwthat the hour of these judg- 
 ments IS at hand. And finally, there is no circumstance mentioned by Isaiah, con- 
 nected with the revelation and translation of the book he mentions, but what is con- 
 nected with the Book of Mormon. If Joseph Smith was an impostor, and wished to 
 palm himself off upon the world as the great prophet who was to usher in the prepa- 
 ratory dispensation for the coming of the Lord, how came he to discover all these 
 minute particulars contained in Isaiah's prophecy, so as to so exactly and perfectly 
 incorporate in his great scheme of imposture each and every one of them ? If this 
 illiterate youth was a deceiver, he has far outstretched all the learned divines or 
 impostors of the last eighteen hundred years — he has made his great and extended 
 scheme to harmonize in every particular, not only with the ancient gospel but with 
 the ancient prophecies, and this, too, so perfectly, that no one can detect the delu- 
 sion. Reader, does not such a scheme savour very strongly of the truth ? Does 
 it not require a greater effort of mind to disbeUeve such a scheme than it does to 
 believe it? If such a scheme can not be credited, where is there a scheme or 
 system in the whole world that can be credited ? Can you find a scheme more 
 perfect than the one introduced by Mr. Smith ? Can you find one equal to it in 
 perfection ? Can you find one that contains the one-twentieth part of the truth 
 ■which his system contains ? If, then, you doubt the authority of Mr. Smith, how 
 much more ought you to doubt the authority of every other man now on the earth ? 
 If Mr. Smith's perfect scheme should be rejected, surely all other schemes or doctrines 
 which can be shown to be ten times more imperfect, should also be rejected. If any 
 are to be received, surely that one should be received which seems to contain all tte 
 elements of a true doctrine, and in which there cannot be detected the least evidence 
 of imposture. To invent a scheme apparently every way suited to the last dispensa- 
 iaon or preparatory work for the second advent of our Lord — to have that scheme 
 agree in every minute particular with the endless circumstances and numberless events 
 predicted by the ancient prophets, bespeaks a wisdom far superior to that of man : it 
 bespeaks the wisdom of God. This endless train of circumstances — all harmonizing 
 — aJl combining — all concentrating as it were into one focus — carries with it such 
 irresistible evidence of truth that it is almost impossible for the carefiil investigator to 
 to reject the divinity of Joseph Smith's mission. Like investigating the works of na- 
 ture, the more he examines the more he perceives the wisdom of the Deity enstamped 
 upon every sentence. 
 
 Seventh. — According to the Book of Mormon, all of the great western con- 
 tinent, with all the valleys, hills, and mountains, riches, and resources pertaining 
 lihereunto, was given to the remnant of Joseph, as their "land of promise." The 
 Almighty sealed this covenant and promise by an oath, saying, that the land should 
 be given unto them for ever. The western world, inclucung both North and South 
 America, is the " land of promise," to the remnant of Joseph, in the same sense 
 Uiat the land of Palestine is' a promised land unto the twelve tribes of IsraeL 
 jNow this testimony of the Book of Mormon agrees most perfectly with the prophetic 
 blessing placed upon the head of Joseph by the patriarch Jacob ; who, just previous- 
 
12 DIVINE AUTHORITY. 
 
 to his deat;h, called together his sqns and,predieted upon each what should befalthem. 
 «• their tribes 'f in theJast days/' The blessing upon the tribe of Joseph is as fol- 
 lo;ysrs: — (Gen. xlix, chap.) "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even A (fruitful ibough by, a 
 ■wpW, whose branches run over the w^U: tbe archers have sorely grieved him, and 
 shot at him, and hated him ; but feis bow a,bode in strength, and the arms of his 
 hands were made strpng by the han,ds of tl^ie mighty God of Jacob ; (from thence is 
 the shepherd,"the stqne of Israel :) even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee ; 
 and by the Almighty, who shall bless, thee with blessings of bqaven above, blessings 
 of the deep that lieth, under, blessings of the breast and of the womb : the blessings of 
 Hiy father have prevaiied apove the blessings of my progenitors, unto the ut/iff^pst 
 bonn<fpf the everlasting Mils: they shaU b^e on the head of Joseph, and on the crown 
 <rf the head of him that was separate frpn;i his btetljren." In thepreceding chapt^, 
 whesn blessing the two sons of Joseph, he says, " let them grow into a multitude in 
 the midst of the earth." And again, "his seed shall become a njultitude of natipns." 
 From these predictions it will be perceived that Jacob prevailed with God, and ob- 
 tained a greater blessing in behalf of the tribe of Joseph tbaji what Abraham and 
 Isaac, his progenitors, had obtained. While the blessing, of Jacob's progenitors was 
 limited to the land of Palestine, Joseph had confirmed' upon him a blessing, or country 
 above, or far greater than Palestine — a cpuntry at a distance, represented by " the 
 utmost bounds of "the everlasting hills." Spme of the "branches" of the " fruitful 
 bough" of Joseph were to spre?id faj: abroad froin, the, parent tree — ^they were to "nm 
 over the wall " of the mighty, ocean — they were to " become a multitude of nations in 
 the midst of the earth." There, among the "everlasting lulls," they were to be 
 " made strong by the hands of the mighty Gpd of Jacob." It was to be there among 
 the " multitude of nations" of the posterity of Joseph, that the " Shepherd— tjie, stone 
 of Israel" was to establish a tingdpm, which should break in pieces aH other. lqjjg<r 
 doms, and " fill the whole earth." 
 
 In America there is " a multitude of nations," called by us " Indians." lliese Ih-; 
 dians evidently sprang from the same source as is indicated by their color, features, 
 customs, dialects, traditions, &c. ; that they are of Israeljtish origin is aisp evident 
 from their.religious cerempnips, their langpage, their traditipns, .anq, the discovery pf 
 Hebrew inscriptions, &c. If America is not the land given to a branch of Jos^h, 
 where, or in what part of the globe shall that tribe receive the fulfilment of Jacotf^i 
 prediction? where, if not in America, has a land beenpeppled by a multitude of the 
 n^ions of Joseph? Can a multitude of the nations of Joseph fe found in Europe^ 
 Asia, or Africa, or in any of the a(^oining islands ? If not, then Ame;i^qa seems tfi 
 be the only place where tbat great prediction could receive its accomplishment. The 
 Book of Mormon testifies ithat America is " the land of Joseph," given tp them bj 
 prpmise. Is not this an additional evidence that Jffr. Smith was sent of Qocl ? It 
 Mr. Smith was an impostor, hio^ came help discover that the tribe of Joseph was to 
 be favoured so mupji above allthe other trj.bes of Israel? Perhaps it may be replfe^Jj 
 th^t it was easy to discover that from the scriptures ; but, we ask, why did not Swfii 
 denborg, Wesley, Irving, or some pf the other impostors of forpier times, make this 
 scriptural discovery, an,d ineorpoi;ate it in their pretended dispensations ? It would 
 be, at first, thought far more natural to suppose the American Indians to be the tji 
 lost tribes of Israel j indeed, thjs ,is the opipipn of many of the learned at the present 
 day. Why did not this modern prophet, if a, deceiver, form his deceptive schewii 
 mp^e in accordance with the opinions of the learned ? or wliy should he choose areiitt 
 n^t of the tribe of Joseph to people ,anoi«sat Amejfjca? Out of the twelve tribe? of 
 Jsrael, why did he select only a branch of one tribe to people that vast continent ? All 
 cfia, now perceive, why the^ppk pfMorjjion should profess to be the history of a rem- 
 nant of one tribe, instead of being the liistpry of the ten tribes. AUcansee, why Amp^ 
 rica should be represented as a promised land to Josephs instead of being given tn 
 Keuben, Simeon, or any of the other tribes. All can now see, though it -vyas nob 
 seen at the first, that if the Bopk of iMpnnon was different frpm what it now is ; that 
 is, if It professed to opntain a history of the ten lost ,tribe? ; or if it had given ^ 
 great western ppnt;inent tp any other jepple, or to any atiyei tribe than that of JosepI^ 
 that it would have proved itself false — it wpyld ^lot haye beeii the book or recorj 
 ,w}}ich the prophets predioted.shojijd come forth tp usher in .the great wprk of thelas* 
 
DIVINE AUTHORITY. 13 
 
 days. An' impostor would be bbliged to take into consideration all these minute eir- 
 cdmstances, maiiy of which are in direct opposition to the established traditions of th» 
 day ;' yet noiie of them could be neglected without proving fatal to his scheme. But 
 Mr. Smith with all the accuracy of a profound mathematiciaA, has combined all the 
 minute elements of both doctrine and prophecy in his grand and wonderful schelne — 
 nothing is -frariting. Whatever department of his system is examined it will be found 
 iJivulnerable. What an invaluable amount of evidence to establish the divine mission 
 ofjoieph Smith ! 
 
 Eighth. — In the Boot of Morinon are given the names and locations of numerous 
 cities of great magnitude, Which once flotn^hSd' among the ancient nations of Ame- 
 rica. The northern portions of South America, and also Central America, were the 
 most densely populated. Splendid edifices, palaces, towers, fort^, and cities, were- 
 reared in all directions. A careful reader of that interesting book, can trace the rela- 
 tive bearings and distances of many of these cities from each other ; and if Acquainted 
 with the present geographical features of the country, he can, by the descriptions given 
 in that book, determine, very nearly, the precise sfot of grouiad they once occupied. 
 Now since that invaluable book' made its appearance in print, it is a remarkable feet, 
 that the mouldering ruiSs of many splendid edifices and towers, and magnificent cities 
 of treat exteiit, have been discovered by Catherwood and Stephens in the interior 
 wilds of Central Ailierioa, in the vert^ region where the ancient cities described in the 
 Book 6f Mornion were said to exist. Here, then, is a certain and indisputable evidence 
 tiiat tMs illiterate youth — ^thetranslator of the Book of Mormon, was inspired of God. 
 Mr. Smith's translation describes the region of country were great and populous citigi 
 anciently existed, together with their relative bearings and approximate distances from 
 each other. Years after, Messrs. Catherwood arid Stephens discover the ruins of 
 forty-four of these very cities and in the very place described. What, but the power 
 of God, could have revealed beforehand this unknowii fact, demonstrated years after 
 by actual discovery ? 
 
 Ninth. — The fulfilment of a vast number of prophecies delivered by Mr. Smith is 
 another infallible evidence of his divine niission. Out of the riiany hundreds of ful- 
 filled predictions uttered by him, we Select the following as examples. 
 
 1. Soon after Mr. Smith found the plates, he commenced translating them. He 
 had not proceeded far before he discovered from his own translation of the prophecy 
 <jf Nephi, as Ijefore quoted, that "thkeb witnesses," besides himself, should behold 
 ihe book by the power of God, and should know and testify of its truth. Some length 
 of time after this, or in the month of June, A.b. 1829, the Lord gave a revelation^ 
 through Mr. Smith, to Oliver CoWdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, promising 
 ,them that, if they would exercise faith, they should have a view of the plates, and als6 
 iif the tJrim and Thummim. This prediction was afterwards fulfilled ; and these three 
 pel-sons send forth their written testimony, in connexion with the Book of Mormon, t<y 
 all nations, kindi-eds, tongues and people, declaring that an angel of God descended 
 from heaven, and took the plates and exhibited them before their eyes ; and that at the 
 same time, the voice of the Lord from the heavens testified to them of the truth con- 
 tained in Sir. Smith's translation of these records. Now an impostor might indCed 
 predict the raising of " three witnesses," but he could never call down an angel 
 from heaven, in the presence of these witnesses," to fulfil his prediction. 
 
 2. Before the " Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints " had any existence 
 upon the earth, the prophecy of Moroni was translated and printed in the Book of 
 Mormon. It is expressly predicted in this prophecy, that in the day that that book 
 should be revealed, " the blood of the Saints should cry unto the Lord from the 
 gfound," because of the wickedness of the p'eople, and that the " time should soon come 
 when," because of the cries and mourning of " widows and oirphans," whose husbands 
 and fathers shovdd be slain by wicked hands, " the Lord should avenge the blood of 
 his Saints." And again, in August, 1831, the word of the Lord caine to Mi\ Smith, 
 saying that " the Saints should be scourged ft-om city to city, and from synagogue to 
 synagogue," and that but " few " of those then in the church should " stand to de- 
 ceive an inheritance." — (See Book of Doctrine and Covenants, page 151.) The blood 
 of many hundreds of Saints who have been slain and mai-tyred in this church, is an 
 incontrovertible evidence of the truth of the prediction. Surely Mr. Smith musthavs 
 been a prophet of God to have foreseen not only the rise of the church of the Saints, 
 
14 DIVINE AUTHOEITy, 
 
 but that their blood should cry aloud from the ground for Tengeance upon the nation 
 who should perpetrate these bloody deeds. No human foresight could hiave seen the 
 bloody sceneries that were to take place after the rise of the church. All natural ap- 
 pearances in the United States were against the fulfilment of this dreadful prediction. 
 Every religious society throughout the whole country was strongly guarded aga.inst 
 persecution arid religious intolerance by the strong arm of the civil law. The glorious 
 constitution of that great and free people proclaimed religious freedom to every soa 
 and daughter of Columbia's soil : yet, in the midst of that boasted land of freedom and 
 religious rights, where universal peace seemed to have selected her quiet dwelling-place, 
 the voice of a great prophet is heard predicting the rise of the Latter-day Church, and 
 the bloody persecutions that should follow her " from city to city, and from synagogue 
 to synagogue." Never were there any prophecies more literally and palpably fulfilled 
 since the creation of the earth. If the foretelling of future events that could not pos- 
 sibly have fceen foreseen by human wisdom — events, too, that to all outward appearances 
 were very unlikely to come to pass : if the predicting of such events and their subse- 
 quent fulfilment constitutes a true prophet, then Joseph Smith must have been a true 
 prophet, and, if a true prophet, he must have been sent of God. 
 
 Tenth. — There are many thousands of living witnesses who testify that God has re- 
 vealed unto them the truth of the Book 6f Mormon, by dreams, by visions, by the re- 
 velations of the Holy Ghost, by the ministering of angels, and by his own voice. Now, 
 if Mr. Smith is an impostor, all these witnesses must be impostors also. Perhaps it 
 may be said, that these witnesses are not impostors, but are deceived themselves. But, 
 we ask, can any man testify that he knows a false doctrine to be true, and still not be 
 an impostor ? Men frequently are deceived when they testify their opinions, but neyec 
 deceived when they testify they have a knowledge. Such must either be impostors, 
 or else their doctrine must be true. Now, would it not be marvellously strange in- 
 deed, if even three or four men, who were entirely disconnected, being strangers to 
 each other, should all undertake to deceive mankind by testifying that an angel of God 
 had descended before them, or that an heavenly vision had been shovm to them, or 
 that God had in some other marvellous way manifested to them the divine authenticity 
 of the Book of Mormon? If the testimony of three or four impostors would appear 
 marvellous, how infinitely more marvellous would appear the testimony of tens of thou- 
 sands of impostors in different countries, widely separated from each other, and who 
 never saw each others faces, and yet aU endeavouring to palm upon the world the 
 same great imposition ! If many thousand? of witnesses do testify boldly, with words 
 of soberness, that God has revealed to them that this is his church or kingdom that 
 was to be set up in the last days, then we have an overwhelming flood of collateral 
 evidences to estabUsh the divine mission of Joseph Smith. 
 
 Eleventh. — The miracles wrought by Joseph Smith are evidences of no small 
 moment to establish his divine authority. In the name of the Lord he cast out 
 devils, healed the sick, spoke with new tongues, interpreted ancient languages, and 
 predicted future events. Many of these miracles were wrought before numerous 
 multitudes of both believers and unbeUevers, and upon persons not connected with 
 our church. And again, the numerous miracles virought through the instrumentality 
 «f thousands of the officers and members of this church, are additional evidences that 
 the man who was instrumental in founding the church must have been sent qfi God. 
 The thousands of sick that have been miraculously healed in all parts of the worl^ 
 where this gospel is preached, give forth a strong and almost irresistible testimony 
 that Mr. Smith's authority is "from heaven." Although the great majority of 
 mankind consider miracles to be an infallible evidence in favor of the divine au- 
 thority of the one who performs them, yet we do most distinctly dissent from this 
 idea. If miracles be admitted as an infallible evidence, then all that have ever 
 wrought miracles must have been sent of God. The magicians of Egypt wrought 
 some splendid miracles before that nation ; they created serpents and frogs and 
 turned rivers of water into blood. If miraculous evidence is infallible, the Egy,p- 
 tians were bound to receive the contradictory messages of both Moses and tiSie 
 magicians as of divine authority. According to this idea, the witch of Endoi" 
 must have established her divine mission beyond all controversy by calling forth 
 a dead man from the grave in the presence of Saul, lung of Israel. A certain wicked 
 power described by John (Eev. xiii. chap.) was to do " great wonders" and " miracles " 
 
DIVINE AUTHORITT, 15 
 
 and cause "fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men." If 
 miracles are infallible evidences, surely no one should reject the divine authority of 
 John's beast. Again (in Rev. xvi. chap.) John " saw three unclean spirits like frogs," 
 which he expressly says, are the semsxa of devils woRKisa mikacles, which go 
 Jbrth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gattier them to the battle 
 of the great day of Ood Almighty." The learned divines and clergy of the nine- 
 teenth century boldly declare that " miracles are an im-allible evidence of the divine 
 mission of the one who performs them." If so, who can blame " th§ kings of the 
 eai'th," and these learned divines, and all their followers for embracing the message of 
 these divinely inspired devils ? For, according to their arguments, they should in no 
 wise reject them, for they prove their mission by evidences which they say are infallible. 
 We shall expect in a fewyears, to see an innumerable host of sectarian ministers as 
 well as kings, taking up their line of march for the great valley of " Armageddon," 
 near Jerusalem, and thus prove by their works that they do really believe in the in- 
 fallibility of miraculous evidence. Devils can work miracles as well as God, and 
 as they have already persuaded the religious world that miracles are infallible eviden- 
 ces of divine authority, they will not have much difficulty among the followers of mo- 
 dem Christianity in establishing the divinity of then* mission. But the " Latter-day 
 Saints" do not believe in the mfallibility of miraculous evidence. We believe the 
 miraculous gifts are absolutely necessary in the chm-ch of Christ, without wliich it 
 cannot exist on the earth. Miracles, iwien taken in connexion with a pure, holy, and 
 perfect doctrine, reasonable and scriptural, is a very strong caUateral evidence in fa- 
 vour of that doctrine, and of the divine authority of those who preach it. But ab- 
 stract miracles alone, unconnected with other evidences, instead of being infallible 
 proofs are no proofs at all : they are as liliely to be false as true. So baptism " for 
 the remission of sins" is essential in the church of Christ, and when taken in connex- 
 ion with all other points of doctrine embraced in the gospel, is a presumptive evidence 
 fot the divine authority of the person who preaches it. But baptism " for the remis- 
 sion of sins," unconnected with other parts of the doctrine of Christ, would be no 
 evidence either for or against the divine authority of any man. The many thousands 
 of miracles wrought in this chm'ch, being connected as they are with an infallible 
 doctrine, and with a vast number of other proofs, have carried an almost uresistible 
 conviction to the minds of vast multitudes, who have, in consequence, yielded obedi- 
 ence to the message, and become in theu- turn the happy recipients of the same power 
 of God, by which they themselves can also heal the ack and work by faith in the narn« 
 of the Lord ; thus demonstrating to themselves the truth of the Saviour's promise, 
 viz. : — that certain nuraculous " signs should follow them that believe." — (See Mark, 
 chap, xvi.) 
 
 There is one thing connected vyith Joseph Smith's message which will at once prove 
 him to be an impostor or else a true prophet. It is a certain promise contained in a 
 revelation which was given through him to the apostles of this church in the year 
 1832. It reads as follows : — " Go ye into all the world, and whatsoever place ye 
 cannot go into, ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world 
 unto every creature. And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto 
 you for you are mine apostles, even God's high priests ; ye are they whom 
 my Father hath given me — ye are my friends; therefore, as _I said unto mme apos- 
 tles, I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and 
 is baptised by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost. And 
 these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall do many won- 
 derful works ; in my name tJiey shall cast out devils ; in my name they shall heal th» 
 sick ; in my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the 
 deaf ; , and the tongue of the dumb shafl speak ; and if any man shall administer poi- 
 son unto them, it shall not hm't them ; and the poison of the serpent shall not havu 
 power to harm them. * * * Verily, verily, I say unto you, they who 
 believe not on your words, and are not baptized in water in my name, for the remis- 
 sion of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned, and shall 
 not come into my Father's kingdom, where my Father and I am. And this revela- 
 tion unto you, and commandment, is in force from this very hour upon all the world." 
 (Doctrine and Covenants, page 86.) Here, then, this great modem prophet has 
 presented himself before the whole world with a bold unequivocal promise to every 
 
16 DIVINE AUTHORITY. 
 
 soul who wotild bftlieve oft Ws message— a promise, too, 'that no impostor would dare 
 to inake with the most distant hope of success. An impostor might indeed make 
 such a promise to his followers, but they never would realize a fulfilment of it. If 
 these miraculoWs signs have not followed according to the above proiJiise, then the 
 tens of thousands who have cdnlplifed with the conditions would know Joseph Smith 
 to be an impostor, and with one accord would turn away,' and that would be the end 
 of the imposition. But the vei^ fact that vast multitudes are annually being added 
 to the church, and pontittue therein year after year, is a demonstrative evidence that 
 th6 promise is fillfllled^-that the Holy Ghost is given, and the miraculous signs also. 
 Dare any other societies in all the world make such a promise unto the believers in 
 their respective systems ? No, they dare not ; they know full well that it would be 
 the speedy downfall and utter overthrow of their vain, unauthorized, and powerless 
 r^%lons. O, what a wide and marked diiference between the religion of Joseph 
 Smith and that of Protestant and Catholic religion — between his authority and that 
 <tf seotaiian divines ! The one promises all the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost 
 to his followers, the other is as powerless as the dry stubble prepared for the burning. 
 While the' followers of this great prophet cast out devils, speak with new tongues, heal 
 the sick, open the eyes of the blind, cause the lame to walk, obtain heavenly visidns, 
 and converse with angels, the followers of those unauthorized, deluded, and crafty 
 sects not only deny these great and glorious gifts, or impute them in these days to the 
 power of the devil, but they grasp the sword, and fire-armS, and deadly weapons, to 
 kiU off the Saints, and drive them froni the face of what they call civilized society. 
 While the one class are suffering martyrdom by scores for their testimony, the other 
 class ai-e rolling in all the luxuries and splendours of Great Babylon, with fat salaries 
 of from ten to twenty and twenty-seven thousand pounds sterling per annum. 
 
 As we have briefly examined into the nature of the evidences in favour of Joseph 
 Smith's divine missitm, it may be well at the close of this nmnber to give a short 
 summary of the proofs and arguments contained in the foregoing. 
 
 1. Joseph Smith's doctrine is reasonable, scriptiiral, perfect, and infallible in all its 
 precepts, commands, ordinances, promises, blessings, and gifts. In his organization of 
 the church, no officer mentioned in the New Testament organization is omitted. In- 
 ■spired apostles and prophets are considered as necessary as pastors, teachers, or any 
 other officer. 
 
 2. Joseph Smith's account of the restoration of the gospel by an angfel^— of his 
 taking out of the ground the sacred records of the tribe of Jostiph of their subse- 
 quent translation by the gift of God — and of the great western continent's bein? 
 given to a remnant of Joseph, where they have grown into a multitude of nations, are 
 all events clearly predicted by the ancient Jewish apostles and prophets, together with 
 the'minute circumstances connected therewith. The times and Seasons in which these 
 events should tralispire, and the purposes which they should accomplish are also all 
 plainly foretold. J oseph Smith presents the world with the fulfilment at the predicted 
 time — ^in the predicted manner— and for the predicted purpose as anciently speeified. 
 
 3. Joseph Smith infeorporStes in his mission the gathering of the Saints out of 
 Babylon, and every other predicted event that was to characterize the great prepara. 
 toiy dispensation for the second advent of out Lord. 
 
 4. The revelation in the Book of Mormon, pointing out the location of many an- 
 cient cities, the ruins of which were subsequiSntly discovered by Catherwood and Ste- 
 phens— the direct and palpable fulfilment of many of the prophecies of Joseph Sifiith 
 -which no human sagacity could have foreseen, all natural appearances and circum- 
 stances being entirely against then: expected fulfilment— the raising np of numerous 
 other witnesses who also testify to the ininistering of angels and the manifestations of 
 the power of God confirmatory of this message— the performance of many splendid 
 miracles by Mr. Smith and his followers, and the bold unequivdoal promise of the mi 
 raculous gifts to all who should believe and embrace this messagei are all evidences 
 such as no impostor ever has given, or ever can give. They are evidences such as will 
 pi-ove the salvation of every creature that receives the message, and the damnatioh of 
 every soul that rejects it. 
 
 15, Wilton Street, Liverpool, Septeniber SOth, 1848. 
 
 K. JAMES, rmHiER, 39, soriH castle stbeet, litebpool. 
 
[No. 
 
 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 BY OKSON PRATT, 
 
 OWE or THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE GHUBCH OP JESUS CHRIST OP LiTTER-DAY SAINTS. 
 
 The kingdom of God is an order of government established by divine authority. 
 It is the only legal goverament that can exist in any part of the universe. All other 
 governments are illegal and unauthorized. God, having made all beings and worlds, 
 has the supreme right to govern them by his own laws, and by officers of his own 
 appointment. AnJ^ people attempting to govern themselves by laws of their own 
 making, and by officers of their own appointment, are in direct rebellion against the 
 kingdom of God. The antediluvians were overthrown by a flood, because they re- 
 jected the government of the Almighty, and instituted their own governments in its 
 stead. Noah and his family were the only loyal and obedient subjects to the legal 
 power : they alone were saved. The universal desolation and utter abolishment of all 
 the unauthorized man-made governments of the old world, should have been an 
 everlasting warning to all future generations to avoid the same rebellion, and to 
 establish no governments on the earth of human origin. But, alas? the pos- 
 terity of Noah soon revolted from the only legal, rightful power, and set up for 
 themselves forms of governments of their own inventions. The rebellion Soon became 
 so general, that all the inhabitants of the earth, except Melchizedek, Abi-aham, Lot, 
 and a very few others, engaged themselves in it, supporting and upholding kings and 
 other officers in their usurped authority, and suifering themselves to be governed by 
 human laws, instead of revealed laws from God. From that time until the present, 
 empires, kingdoms, principalites, republics, and numerous other corrupt, illegal, unau- 
 thorized powers, have multiplied themselves in the four quarters of the globe. At 
 various times, during the last four thousand years, God has asserted his rights, and 
 endeavoured to establish his own authority, his own laws, and his own government 
 among the children of men. But so great was the opposition manifested by those 
 illegal, rebellious powers, that his government while on earth was exceedingly limited 
 in numbers. The vast majority of mankind made war against it — overcame, killed,. 
 and destroyed its officers and loyal subjects, until not a vestige of it was left remain- 
 ing on the earth. For seventeen hundred years the nations upon the eastern hemis- 
 phere have been entirely destitute of the " kingdom of God, — entirely destitute of' 
 a true and legal government — entirely destitute of officers legally authorized to rule- 
 and govern. All the emperors, kings, princes, presidents, lords, nobles, and rulers, 
 during that long night of darkness, have acted without authority. Not one of them 
 was called or anointed a king or prince by the God of heaven — not one of them re- 
 ceived his office or appointment by him — ^not one of them has received revelations or 
 laws from him — not one of them has received any communication whatsoever from 
 the rightful sovereign, the Great King. Their authority is all assumed — it originated 
 in man. Their laws are not from the Great Lawgiver, but the production of their 
 Gwn false governments. Their very foundations were laid in rebellion, and the whole 
 superstructure, from first to last, is a heterogeneous mass of discordant elements, in 
 direct opposition to the kingdom of God, which is the only true government wtdch 
 should be recognized on earth or in heaven. 
 
 The kingdom of God is a theocracy. And as it is the only form of government 
 which will redeem and save mankind, it is necessary that every soul should be rightly 
 and thoroughly instructed in regard to its nature and general characteristics. The 
 beauty, glory, power, wisdom, and order of the kingdom of God may be more fully 
 understood by a careful examination of the following subjects. 
 
Z THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 First. — The, nature and character of the King. 
 
 Second. — The character and requisite qualifications of. the subordinate officers. 
 
 Third. — Tlie nature and character of the laws of adoption, or the invariable 
 rule by which aliens are admitted into the kingdom as citizens. 
 
 Fourtn. — The nature and character of the laws given for the government of all 
 adopted citizens. 
 
 Fifth. — The character, disposition, and qualifications necessary for every citizen 
 to possess. 
 
 Sixth. — The rights, privileges, and blessings enjoyed by the subjects in this life. 
 
 Seventh. — The rights, privileges, and blessings promised to the faithful, obedient 
 subjects in a future life. ' 
 
 i)ear reader, your future well-being in all time to come, depends upon yom- rightly 
 understanding these seven subjects. Read, therefore, with serious attention, and your 
 mind shall be opened to see things that you never saw before ; things too of infinita 
 importance, without which you can in no wise be saved. Let us begin by examining-r- 
 
 Pirst. — The nature and character of the King. God is the King. In him exists 
 all legal authority. He alone has the right of originating a system of government on 
 the earth. He claims this right by virtue of his having made man and the earth h« 
 inhabits. Man, thei-efpre, is indebted to God for his own formation and for the for- 
 mation of the planet on which he dwells. He also claims the right of establishing his 
 government among men, by virtue of his superior wisdom and power. If God had 
 sufficient wisdom and power to construct such a beautiful world as this, with all the 
 infihite varieties of vegetables and animals appended to it ; if he could form such an 
 intricate and complicated piece of machinery as the human tabernacle as a dwelling- 
 place for the human spirit, then we must admit that his wisdom and power are im- 
 measurably greater than that of man, and hence he is qualified to reign as ting. An 
 order of government, established by such an all- wise, powerful being, must be good 
 and pei'fect, and must be calculated to promote the permanent peace, happiness, and 
 well-being of all his subjects. The great King is a very amiable being, full of bene- 
 volence and goodness, and never turns any pei'son away empty, that comes re- 
 questing a favor which be sees would be for his benefit. 
 
 The King occasionally visited his subjects in ancient times, and once tarried with 
 them for several years; hut he received such cruel abuse from many of the people 
 fliat he left them, and went to some other part of his dominions. Where the King 
 is gone the people cannot tell. They have not heard one word from him for upwards 
 of seventeen hundred years. He has been absent so long, that some of the people 
 have doubted even his existence. They have argued that if he did exist, that some 
 one would very likely have heard something from him in the course of so many cen- 
 turies. Many millions however have some idea that he exists, and are tonstantiy send- 
 ing all kinds of petitions to him ; but for some reason he sends no word back. No 
 messengers are dispatched to the petitioners to give them any counsel upon any sub- 
 ject. It has become a very popular thing to send daily petitions to the King, and to 
 appropriate one day out of seven for the especial purpose of sending in their petitions. 
 The same petitions -are frequently sent a great number of times. It is very unpopular 
 however for any one to expect tlie King to make any reply to any petition sent in. 
 Any one pretending to have received a reply would be counted a base impostor ; for, 
 say they, the King has spoken to no one for the last seventeen hundred years ; no one 
 has heard from him since he conversed with his servant John on the isle of Patmos. 
 The King conversed very freely with his subjects in the early and middle ages ; and 
 some think it very strange that he has been silent so long. They have expended mil- 
 lions in building many costly and magnificent chm-ches in honour of his name ; but 
 yet he has not deigned to grace one of them with a visit, neither has he condescended 
 to send any tidings to them by a messenger or otherwise. He h^ not informed them 
 whether he wa& pleased or displeased with their splendid edifices. His profound 
 silence for so many centuries has caused many to thmk, that he was, for some reason, 
 very angry with the pepple ; yet tliey could not see why he should be angry when the 
 J)eople were doih^ so much toliohor hini — when they were expending millions to 'hire 
 learned men to preach and write in such an eloquent manner about him. 
 
 Reader, can you tell why the King should be so distent ? Why he holds no com- 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 3 
 
 inunication with any of the people ? Why he has not sent one sentence of consola- 
 tion or counsel to them ? Why he has suffered some fifteen thousand millions of the 
 human race to fall into their graves, in the latter ages, without condescending to speak 
 one word to any of them ? There must be some cause for all this. There^ust be 
 something wrong. The King never formerly served his people in this manner ; and 
 when he went away, he left word that if any of his people lacked wisdom or IcnoW- 
 ledge on any subject, they should send in their petition to him, and he would libe- 
 rally send them the requisite information. 
 
 I will now tell you the reason why the King has kept silence so long. It is because 
 he has had no subjects to converse with ; all have turned away from him and advo- 
 cated other governments as being the rightful and legal authority. They killed off, 
 and utterly destroyed, every true subject of his kingdom, and left not a vestige of it 
 upon the earth ; and, to add to their guilt and wickedness, they have introduced idola- 
 try in its worst forms, and utterly tui'ned away from the true and living God. They 
 have introduced a " Ood without body, parts or passions." They have had the 
 audacity to call this newly-invented god by the same name as the God of the ancient 
 Saints, although there is not the least resemblance between them. Indeed there could 
 be no resemblance bAween them ; for a bodiless god, without " parts or passions" 
 could resemble nothing in heaven, on earth, or in hell. This imaginary modern god 
 has become exceedingly popular. It is to him that a va^t number of churches have 
 been erected. It is not to the true and living God that they send forth petitions, but 
 it is to this imaginary being. No wonder that they have received no communication 
 from him ! no wonder that he has not honoured them with a visit. As he has no 
 " PARTS," he could neither be felt nor seen if he should visit them. Such a being 
 could not speak, for he has no " parts" to speak with. 
 
 There have been various species of idolatry in different ages of the world. The 
 sun, moon, stars, beasts, crocodiles, ft'ightful serpents, images of wood, of stone, and 
 of hrass, have been erected into gods, and worshipped by innumerable multitudes. 
 But the system of idolatry, invented by modern Christianity, far surpasses in absurdity 
 anything that we have ever heard of. One of the celebrated worshippers of this 
 newly-discovered god, in his " Physical Theory of another Life," says, " A disem- 
 bodied spirit, or, we would rather say, an unembodied spirit, or sheer mind, is kowbere. 
 Place is a relation belonging to extension ; and extension is a property of matter ; but 
 that which is wholly abstracted from matter .and in speaking of which we deny that it 
 has any property in common therewith, can in itself be subject to none of its con- 
 ditions ; and we might as well say of a pure spirit that it is hard, heavy, or red, or 
 that it is a cubic foot in dimensions, as say that it is here or there. It is only in a po- 
 pular and improper sense that any such affirmation is made concerning the Infinite 
 Spirit, or that we speak of God as everywhere present. God is in every place in a 
 sense, altogether incomprehensible by finite minds, inasmuch as his relation to space 
 and extension is peculiar to infinitude. Using the terms as we use them of ourselves, 
 God is not here or there, any more than he exists now and then." This species of 
 idolatry, according to the foregoing quotations, approaches so near to Atheism, that 
 no one can tell the difference. Reader, cian you see the difference ? A god " Without 
 a body !" A god " without parts !" A god that cannot be " here or there !" A 
 god that is " nowhere !" A god that cannot exist " now and then !" A god that 
 exists in no time ! A god that has no extension — no " parts"— no conceivable rela- 
 tion to time or space ! O, blush for modern Christianity ! — a pious name for Atheism ! 
 Some, perhaps, may think that I have not sufficient charity. But why should I have 
 diarity for a god that has no "parts" — no relation to space? Let him first have 
 charity for himself But this woidd be impossible ; for he is a god " without pas- 
 sions." He can have no charity nor love for himself nor any one else. There is no 
 danger of offending him ; for a passionless god is not capable of anger. One of the 
 persons of this imaginary god is said to have been crucified. But this must be a sad 
 mistake ; for it would be impossible to crucify a portion of something that had no 
 "parts." The reason, then, why the people have not received any word from the 
 Great King, is because they have petitioned the wrong god. Would you expect her 
 majesty, the c[ueen of England, to answer your petition if it were directed to some 
 African prince ? Would you expect the God of heaven to answer a petition that was 
 
4 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 addressed to a Hindoo god ? If, then, your petitions ai-e addressed to the bodiless, 
 passionless god of modern Christianity, you must not be surprised if the true God ddes 
 not pay any attention to them. You need not expect that the true God will make any 
 reply to jjptitions offered to any other being. 
 
 The true God exists both in time and in space, and has as much relation to them as 
 man or any other being. He has extension, and form, and dimensions, as well as man. 
 He occupies space ; lias a body, parts, and passions ; can go from place to place — can 
 eat, drink, and talk, as well as man. Man resembles him in the features and form of 
 his body, and he does not differ materially in size. When he has been seen among 
 men, he has been pronounced, even by the wicked, as one of their own species. So 
 much did he look like man, that some supposed him to be the carpenter's son. Like 
 man, he had a Father ; and he was the " the express image of the person of the Fa- 
 ther." The two persons were as much alike in form, in size, and in every other 
 respect as fathers and sons are of the human race ; indeed, the human race are " his 
 offspring," made in his likeness and image, not after his moral image, but after the 
 image of his person. There is no such thing as moral image. Such an image can- 
 not exist. Morality is a property of some being or substance. A property without a 
 substance or being to which it appertains is inconceivable. A property can never havs 
 figure, shape, or image of any kind. Hence, a moral image never had an existence 
 except in the brains of modern idolators. 
 
 The Godhead consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is 
 a material being The substance of which he is composed is wholly material. It is a 
 substance widely different in some respects from the various substances with which we 
 ai-e more immediately acquainted. In other respects it is precisely like all other ma- 
 terials. The substance of his person occupies space the same as other matter. It has 
 solidity, length, breadth, and thickness, like all other matter. The elementary mate- 
 rials of his body are not susceptible of occupying, at the same time, the same identical 
 space with other matter. The substance of his person, like other matter, cannot be 
 in two places at the same instant. It also requu'es time for him to transport himself 
 from place to place. It matters not how great the velocity of his movements, time is 
 an essential ingredient to all motion, whether rapid or slow. It differs from other 
 matter in the superiority of its powers, being intelligent, all- wise, and possessing the 
 power of self-motion to a far greater extent than the coarser materials of natiffe. 
 " God is a spirit." But that does not make him an immaterial being— a being that 
 has no properties in common with matter. The expression, " an immaterial being"' 
 is a contradiction in terms. Immateriality is only another name for nothing, It is 
 the negative of all existence. A '■' spirit" is as much m,aiter as oxygen or hydrogen. 
 It has many properties in common with all other matter. Chemists have discovered , 
 between fifty and sixty kinds of matter ; and each kind has some properties in com- 
 mon with all other matter, and some properties peculiar to itself which the others do 
 not inherit. Now,' no chemist, in classifying his substances, would presume to say — 
 This substance is material, but that one is immaterial, because it differs in some res- 
 ]iects from the first. He would call them all material, though they in some respects 
 differed widely. So the substance called spirit is material, though, it differs in a - 
 remarkable degree from other substances.. It is only the addition of another ele- 
 ment of a more powerful nature than any yet discovered. He is not a being . 
 "without parte," as modern idolaters teach; for every whole is made up of parts. - 
 The whole person of the Father consists of innumerable parts ; and each part is 
 so situated as to bear certain relations of distance to every other part. There 
 must also be, to a certain degree, a freedom of motion among these parts, which is an 
 essential condition to the movement of his limbs, without which he could only move 
 as a whole. 
 
 All the foregoing statements in relation to the person of the Fatheif, ai-e equally 
 applicable to the person of the Son. 
 
 The Holy Spirit being one part of the Godhead, is also a material substance, of, 
 the same nature and properties in many respects, as the spirits of the Father and 
 Son. It exists in vast immeasurable quantities in connexion with all material 
 worlds. This is called God in the scriptures, as well as the Father and Son. 
 God the Father and God the Son cannot be everywhere present ; indeed they can 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 5 
 
 not be even in, two places at the same instant : but God the Holy Spirit is omni- 
 present — it extends through all space, intermingUng with all other matter, yet no 
 one atom of the Holy Spirit can be in two places at the same instant, which in all 
 cases is an absolute impossibility. It must exist in inexhaustible quantities, which 
 is the only possible way for any substance to /be omnipresent. All the innumerable 
 phenomena of universal nature are produced In their origin by the actual presenc* 
 of this intelligent, all-wise, and all-powerful material substance called the HoIt 
 Spirit. It is the most active matter in the universe, producing all its operations ac- 
 cording to fixed and definite laws enacted by itself, in conjunction with the Father 
 and Son. What are called the laws of nature are nothing more nor less than the 
 fixed method by which this spiritual matter operates. Each atom of the Holy Spirit 
 is intelligent, and like all other matter has solidity, form, and size, and occupies space. 
 Two atoms of this spirit cannot occupy the same space at the same time, neither can 
 one atom, as before stated, occupy two separate spaces at the same time. In all thes* 
 respects it does not differ in the least from all other matter. Its distinguishing cha- 
 racteristics from other matter are its almighty powers and infinite wisdom, and many 
 other glorious attributes which other materials do not possess. If several of the atoms 
 of this Spirit should unite themselves together into the form of a person, then thin 
 person of the Holy Spirit would be subject to the same necessity as the other two per- 
 sons of the Godhead, that is, it could not be everywhere present. No finite number 
 of atoms can be omnipresent; an infinite number of atoms is requisite to b« 
 everywhere in infinite space. Two persons receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, 
 do not each receive at the same time the same identical particles, though they 
 each receive a substance exactly similar in kind. It would be as impossible for 
 each to receive the same identical atoms at the same instant, as it would be 
 be for two men at the same time to di'ink the same identical pint of water. It b these 
 three all-powerful substances that stand at the head of all legal government. All 
 governments, not established by these three, will be ere long overthrown. They hold 
 the supreme authority and power in heaven, and in the heaven of heavens, and through- 
 out the wide expance of universal nature. All principalities, powers, and kingdoms, 
 whether in heaven or on earth, must yield to be instructed and controlled by the su- 
 preme power, or they cannot stand. 
 
 Second, — The character and requisite qualifications of the subordinate officers 
 in the kingdom of God are now to be considered. As the persons of the Father and 
 Son cannot be everywhere present, it is therefore impossible for them to attend in 
 person to all the multiplied affairs of government among intelligent beings ; there- 
 fore, God, in establishing a government among such beings, has always called persons 
 of their own number to officiate in his name. The character of these persons, pre- 
 viously to then- calling and appointment, has generally been that of honesty and sin- 
 cerity ; otherwise they have not differed materially from other men. 
 
 The various officers, called of God to administer the affairs of his government, art 
 apostles, prophets, bishops, evangelists, elders, pastors, teachers, and deacons. God 
 has only one way of calling these different officers, and that is by new revelation. 
 No person was ever authorized to act in the name of the Lord, unless called by new re- 
 velation. Paul says (Heb. v. 4), " No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is 
 called of God as was Aaron." Among the vast number of national governments now upon 
 the earth, where is there one that even professes to be the kingdom of God, or that 
 its officers were called of God as was Aaron ? Human authority and human calUng 
 are the only powers which any nation professes to have. But there are certain petty 
 governments, called churches, organized within these national governments, which 
 claim divine authority, and consider their officers authorized to act in the name of the 
 Lord. But the great question is, have any of them been called as Aaron was ? By 
 new revelation Aaron was called. By new revelation the duties of his calling were 
 made known. Have any of the Boman Catholic or Protestant officers been called by 
 new revilation ? Has God said one word to any of them ? Do they not, with vei^ 
 few exceptions, declare that " There is no later revelation than the New Testament f " 
 If the revelations contained in the New Testament are the last ones given, then th« 
 persons to whom they were given, were the last ones called of God. When new reve- 
 lation ceases to be given, officers cease to be called of God. When the calling of 
 
6 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 officers cease, the kingdom of God ceases to be perpetuated upon the earth. Nothing 
 is more cerfaiin than that the chureh of God ceased to exist on the earth when new 
 revelation ceased to be given. All the modern christian churches, who deny new re- 
 velation, have no more authority to preach, baptize, or administer any other ordinance 
 of the gospel than the idolatrous Hindoos have ; indeed all their administrations are 
 worse than in vain — they are a solemn mockei'y in the sight of God. It is a grievous 
 sin in the sight of God for any man to presume to baptize, unless God has authorized 
 him by new revelation to baptize in his name. Saul, the king of Israel, lost his king- 
 dom because he assumed the authority that did not belong to him. (1 Sam. xiii. 8 — 15.) 
 Another king of Israel was smote vnth leprosy until the day of his death, because he 
 attempted to adnunister an ordinance without being called and authorized! (2 Chron. 
 xxvi. 16 — 22.) So all the baptisms and sacraments administered by modern christian 
 fhurches who have done away new revelation, are an abomination in the sight of God. 
 All persons who sh^U suffer themselves to be baf)tized, or partake of these ordinances 
 through the administration of these illegal unauthorized persons, after having been 
 duly warned of the evil thereof, will bring themselves under great condemnation be- 
 fore God, and unless they repent of that sin they can in nowise be saved. The twelve 
 apostles were called by new revelation, but that did not authorize Paul, Barnabas, 
 Timothy, nor any other person. Each one had to receive a separate call by new re- 
 velation for himself. No one could lawfully act under a commission given to some 
 other person. All the commissions recorded in the New Testament were given to in- 
 dividuals then living, and not to any individuals who should live in some future age. 
 If any persons would have authority, let them obtain a new commission from Godj 
 as his servants always did in ancient times, and if they officiate without such new 
 commission, then know assuredly that they are impostors. 
 
 The subordinate officers in the kingdom of God must not only be called of God, 
 but qualified to act in their respective offices. The first qualification absolutely neces- 
 sary for every officer in the kingdom is, the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the most 
 important qualification of all others. No man, without this qualification, can attain 
 to an office in the kingdom of God; it matters not how great his other attainments 
 are ; though he has studied the scriptures from a child, and committed them all to 
 memory — ^though he has carefully learned the original languages in which they 
 were written — though he has made himself master of all sciences — grasped with a 
 comprehensive mind all the arguments set forth in theological works, yet none of these 
 attainments will qualify him for even the least office in the kingdom of God. The 
 unleai-ned youth, who had not the knowledge of the English alphabet, if he were called 
 of God, and qualified by the gift of the Holy Spirit, would have more power and au- 
 thoi'ity, and could do more towards saving men, than all the theologians and doctors 
 of divinity that the world affiards, unless they also were called of God, and endowed 
 with the gift of the Holy Ghost. No other qualifications whatsoever can he substitu- 
 ted in the stead of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the great distinguishing cha- 
 racteristic between the officers of the kingdom of God and impostors. Every officer 
 lent of God has a qualification that no impostor ever had or ever can have. 
 
 The first officer's placed in the kingdom of God are apostles. Let us inquire how 
 in ancient times this office was conferred on man. Jesus said to his ancient apostles 
 (John XV. 16) " Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that 
 ye should go and bring forth fruit." Paul informs us (Heb. iii. 1.) that Jesus him- 
 self^was an apostle. Holding the office himself, he had the most perfect right to con- 
 fer the same calling upon others; hence he first chose them, and then " ordained" 
 them ; after this he sent them forth to preach (Matthew x) " and commanded them 
 saying. Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans, enter 
 ye not : but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; And as ye go, preach 
 saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the 
 dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give." Although fliese apostles 
 were chosen, ordained, and sent forth on a particular mission to the cities of Israel 
 with power to work mighty miracles, yet there was an essential qualification which 
 they had not yet received. They had received power sufficient to qualify them to 
 preach that the " kingdom of heaven was at hand." But they had not yet received 
 power sufficient to fully organize and build up that kingdom on the earth. They 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 7 
 
 lacked one very important qualification, without which they could never establish the 
 kiBgdom which they had alreadypredicted" was at hand." What was this further qualifi- 
 cation which these apostles had not yet received ? It was the gift of the Holy Ghost, or 
 the other Comforter which Jesus promised them. It is very remarkable that these 
 apostles should have such great power, and yet not have the Holy Ghost. But hear 
 what the scripture saith, (John vii. 37, 38, 39), " In the last day, that great day of 
 the feast, Jesus stood, and cried, saying. If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and 
 drink. He that belie veth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow 
 rivers of Jiving water. (But this spake he of the Spirit which they that beUeve on 
 him should receive : for the Holy Ohost was not yet given ; because that Jesus was 
 not yet glorified)." Mark the expression, " the Holy Ohost was not yet given." 
 This agrees with another saying of Jesus to his apostles (John xvi. 7). " Neverthe- 
 less, I tell you the tmth ; it is expedient for yoit that I go away ; for if I go not 
 away, the Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I depart 1 will send him unto you." 
 Jesus calls this Comforter the Holy Ghost (John xiv. 26.) After the resurrection of 
 Jesus, and as he was about to be taken up into heaven, he said to his apostles (Luke- 
 xxiv. 49), " Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you," (alluding to thw 
 Comforter or the Holy Ghost, which he promised several days before should be sent 
 unto them from the Father after his glorification) ; " but," said he, " tarry ye in tht 
 city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Thus you .see, 
 dear reader, that these apostles had power to " heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise 
 the dead, and cast out devils," although the Holy Ghost was not yet given to them. 
 A certain power was yet lacking. Jesus had commanded them saying, " Go ye into 
 all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." But he would not suffer them 
 to commence this mission until the promise of the Father — the Holy Ghost — was 
 given them. They already had power to work mighty miracles, but had not the 
 power to build up the kingdom of God. This power they were to tarry for in Jera- 
 saleni, and when they should receive it, they were then to commence the duties of their 
 mission, first, in the city of Jerusalem, and afterwards extend their labours to all na- 
 tions. The power to work miracles is entil'ely a different thing from the power to 
 build up the kingdom of God : the latter power, however, always includes the forniei', 
 but the former power does not always include the latter. 
 
 We now ask. Where is there a man among all the churches of modern times, -kUo 
 has been called to the office of an apostle by new revelation f Where is there a man 
 among all the millions of modern christians who has been ordained to the office of an 
 apostle, under the hands of an apostle, as the Twelve were ancietatly ? Where is there 
 a man to be found among all the Catholics or Protestants who has been endowed A\'ith 
 even the power of working miracles, to say nothing of the still greater power commu- 
 nicated in the gift of the Holy Ghost ? If the apostles in ancient days could not build. 
 up the kingdom of God, without being endowed with these two degrees of power, 
 sturely no one since their day could be authorized to build the church of God with 
 ■any less qualification. 
 
 . One of the important duties required of an apostle is to'ADMiNiSTER the Spntir. 
 In. 2 Cor. iii. 6, we read that both Paul and Timothy were made " able ministers of 
 the Spirit." The ordinance through which the Spirit is ministered, is the laying on 
 OP HANDS. (Acts viii. and xix. Heb. vi.) To the apostles were entrusted three very- 
 important ministrations for the salvation of man : — 
 
 Fu-st The ministration of the word. 
 
 Second. — The ministration of the baptism of water. 
 
 And Third. — The ministration of the baptism of the Spirit. 
 
 While Jesus was. with his apostles in person, they had power to minister die word 
 and water, but not the Spirit, for they themselves had not yet been baptized with the 
 Spirit: and they could not administer that wl^ich they were not in possession of? It 
 was necessary that they should first receive the gift themselves, before they could con- 
 fer it upon others. Hence we can perceive the propiiety of Jesus commanding th^ 
 to wait " at Jerusalem until they should be endued with power from on high ; " for 
 without this additional power they could neither save themselves nor others. Many 
 persons have flattered themselves, that they can be saved without the assistance of a 
 minister sent of God. But this is a vain delusive hope; for Jesus hath expi-essly 
 
tj THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 said, "Except a man be bom of water and of tie Spirit, he cannot enter the king- 
 dom of God." Now as no man can be saved out of the kingdom, it is necessary that 
 he should be " born " into the Idngdom ; and this would be impossible without an ad- 
 ministrator sent of God ; for the birth or baptism of water, and the birth or baptism 
 of the Spirit, require some one legally authorized to officiate in behalf of the candidate. 
 
 Reader, have you ever received the Holy Ghost through the laying on of the hands 
 of one sent of God? If not, you are not yet born of the Spirit. You are not'yet a 
 child of the kingdom., Know assuredly, that unless you find some man who has been 
 sent by the command of God as was Aafbn, and get him to remit your sins through 
 your faith, repentance, and baptism, and have him to minister to you the Holy Ghost, 
 as did the ancient apostles^-you need not flatter yourself that you can be saved. Do 
 not deceive yourself upon' this all-important subject. Do not suffer any man to bap- 
 tize or minister unto' you, unless God has spoken unto him by the voice of his ser- 
 vants, and authorized him to minister in his name. Do you inquire how you are to 
 know an authorized man of God from one who has no authority ? I will tell you how 
 to discern the difference. A true servant of God will never teach a false doctrine. 
 He will never deny new revelation. He never will tell you that the canon of scrip- 
 ture is full, or that the New Testament is the last revelation ever intended to be given 
 to man. He never will tell you that miraculous gifts are no longer necessary in the 
 church of God. He never will tell you that inspired apostles, prophets, and other of- 
 ficers are not requisite in the church now. He never will tell you that the " minis- 
 tration of the spirit," by "the laying on of hands," is. done away by God's appoint- 
 ment. But he will tell you that if you will receive his message, and he baptized by 
 one having authority, that your " sins shall be remitted," and that you shall be filled 
 with the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands ; and that you shall know, by the 
 teachings thereof, that his doctrine is true and of God. In this respect he will differ 
 irom all impostors ; for an impostor never had power to " minister the spirit." An 
 impostor dare not promise you that you shall be filled with the Holy Ghost by the 
 laying on of his hands, for he knows that such a pi-omise would not be fulfilled — he 
 knows that you would detect him to be a false teacher by complying with his condi- 
 tions, and failing to receive his promise. An impostor, knowing that he has no power 
 to give the Holy Ghost as the ancient apostles had, will endeavour to persuade you 
 that such power is not necessary now. He knows very well, that if he cannot get the 
 people to believe that such power is not necessary in these days, that his own unau- 
 thorized pretensions wiU be at once detected. 
 
 An impostor, like Simon Magus, may deceive ignorant people by witchcraft and 
 sorcery, but he can never deceive them by pretending to give the Holy Ghost through 
 prayer and laying on of hands. This is a power that none but a true minister of God 
 possesses ; it cannot be counterfeited by the devil. The devil can counterfeit the mi- 
 racles of Christ, but he cannot counterfeit the gift of the Holy Ghost. None but the 
 lawful ministers of Christ can minister the spirit. This, then, is an infallible sign by 
 which to distinguish true apostles from false ones. But does this infallible sign exist 
 either among the Papists or Protestants ? Can any of their ministers give the Holy 
 Ghost by the laying on of hands ? If not, they are not the church of God, and their mi- 
 nisters are unauthorized— all their ministrations are illegal and an abomination in 
 the sight of God — salvation is not among them. Not one person among all these 
 societies has been legally baptized. Eeader, are you a member of any of these 
 societies ? if so, haste to withdraw yourself from them, that you partake not of their 
 plagues, /o»* the hour of their jadgment is ciime. If you would be saved, seek after 
 the apostles and prophets of the kingdom of God, and receive their ministrations 
 and you shall be filled with the Holy (ihost, and obtain eternal life. ' 
 
 15, Wilton Street, Liverpool, October 3lst, 1818. 
 
 B. 7AMES, FBINIISB, 39, SOUTH CASTLE STEBBT, LtTEBPOOL, 
 
[No. 3. 
 
 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 PAET II. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT. 
 
 •DE OF THE TWELTE APOSTLES OF THE OHUBCH OF JESUS CnBIST OF LATTER-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 In our examinations of the Kingdom of God, in Part I, we gave the nature and 
 tliaracter of the King ; and also the qualifications of the subordinate officers. We 
 irfiall now proceed to examine, 
 
 Third. — The natltre and character of the laws of adoption, or the invariable 
 rule by which aliens are admitted into the kingdom as citizens. 
 
 Whenever the kingdom of God exists on the earth, sJl mankind are required, first, 
 to become legal citizens thereof; and afterwards, to obey strictly all its laws unto the 
 end of their days. To become a legal citizen in the kingdom is of infinite impr- 
 tanee ; for salvation is only to be obtained in the kingdom of God. All other king- 
 doms or governments will be broken to pieces and destroyed, while the kingdom of 
 God will endm'e for ever. 
 
 During the first century of the christian era, the servants of God preached and ad- 
 ministered the law of adoption both to Jew and Gentile in all the world. But the 
 nations soon made war upon them, and overcame and kiUed them, and destroyed the 
 kingdom from the earth ; since which time the law of adoption has not been admin- 
 istered until of late. The nations, remaining so long without the kingdom among 
 them, became quite ignorant of its laws and characteristics ; hence a vast number of 
 opinions arose, and thick darkness overwhelmed all people. 
 
 The unchangeable law of adoption, however, is very clearly revealed in the New 
 Testament, and may be easily understood and obeyed, when there are officers sent of 
 God to administer it. This law was preached in great plainness to a very numerous 
 multitude on the day of Pentecost. It was preached, too, by men who were filled 
 with the Holy Ghost, and who had been commanded to commence then- first procla- 
 mation in Jerusalem. The multitude to whom it was preached consisted of Jews who 
 had come from all the surrounding nations to keep the great feast of Pentecost. 
 They were not in the kingdom of God ; but were all sinners in an unconverted state. 
 They believed in the existence of God, and looked for a Messiah to come ; but as for 
 this Jesus of Nazareth, whom their nation had just crucified, they had no faith in him, 
 but considered him as one of the greatest of impostors. Peter, with the rest of the 
 disciples, commenced teaching them, proving from the scriptures of the Old Testament 
 that Jesus was both Lord and Christ. So great were the evidences, and so power- 
 fully did they affect the minds of that multitude, that they were pricked in their heai-ts, 
 that is, they believed that Jesus was the Christ, and that their natisn was under great 
 condemnation for crucifying him, and they knew not what the consequences would be ; 
 they were filled with alarm, and enquired of the apostles in the anguish of their souls, 
 saying, " Men and brethren, what shall we do ? Then Peter said unto them. Re- 
 pent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ /or the remission 
 of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, 
 and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God 
 shall call." " Then they that gladly received his word were baptized : and the same 
 day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." (Acts ii, 37—39 — 41 .) 
 Here, reader, you will see the law of adoption as it was preached by the apostles at the 
 commencement of their great mission to all nations. Here you have the example of 
 three thousand sinners all complying with the law and becoming citizens in the king, 
 dom of God in one day. When they came together in the morning they were all ua- 
 
2 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 converted sinners, but before the day had passed, they were converted and made Saints. 
 In the morning they were subjects of the kingdom of darkness, but in the evening they 
 were citizens of the kingdom of God. Whatever the law was that wrought so great 
 a change upon them in so short a time, the same law when administered by like au- 
 thority, will produce like effects in all future ages. 
 
 It will be perceived that the great congregation of sinners to whom the apostles 
 addressed themselves, were required — 
 
 First, — To believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, 
 Secondly, — To repent of their sins, 
 
 And, thirdly, — To be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. 
 
 And they were promised that, after attending to these three things, they should re- 
 ceive, first, A EEMissioN OF THEm SINS, and, secondly, the gift of the Holy 
 Ghost. But are these all the rules necessary to be complied with in order to become 
 legal heirs of the kingdom ? No ; there is one more condition which the sacred his- 
 torian has neglected to mention in his history of the conversion of these three thou- 
 sand ; but as he has mentioned it in other parts of his history, in connexion with the 
 conversion of others, we are not left in ignorance of it. It is the LAllNa ON op THE 
 HANDS of the ministers of Christ for the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Faith, repentance, baptism, and laying on of hands, are the four rules of adoption. 
 Remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, are the two blessings of adoption 
 which are inseparably connected with obedience to the rules. Both the rules and 
 the blessings of adoption are the same in all ages and dispensations of the gospel. ' No 
 man or woman ever entered into the chm-ch or kingdom of God on this earth, and be- 
 came a legal citizen thereof, without complying strictly with these rules. Indeed, it is 
 the only door or entrance into the kingdom. Any persons attempting to get into the 
 kingdom in any other way are called " thieves and robbers," and will be punished as 
 such. Let the reader not be startled when I tell him that something Hke fifteen 
 thousand millions of the human race have gone down to their graves without comply- 
 ing with these rules. Do not be angry nor prejudiced when I candidly inform you that 
 no man nor woman on the great eastern hemisphere, dm'ing the long period of more 
 than seventeen hundred years, has been legally adopted into the kingdom of God. 
 No person among them, from the second to the nineteenth century of the chi-istian 
 era has obeyed the gospel, or has been born into the kingdom. All have been aliens 
 and sti'angers, and such a thing as the Idngdom of God has not been known among 
 them. Before we close our investigations relative to the kingdom of God, we shall 
 demonstrate by the most incontrovertible evidence what we have now asserted. 
 
 Faith being the first rule of adoption, we shall now proceed to show what faith is, and 
 how it is obtained. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews says (Heb. xi. 1). "Faith 
 is the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." 
 Faith, in a more extended sense, is the assurance of the mind in relation to what has 
 been, what is, or what will be. This faith or assurance of the mind is obtained only 
 through evidence. It is not a knowledge of things, but the belief o{ things of which 
 the mind has no certain knowledge. All belief is founded on evidence. A true faith 
 is founded on true evidence; a false faith on false evidence. And in no case can a 
 man have faith, either true or false, unless it is the result of true or false evidence. 
 The greater the evidence, the greater will be the faith resulting from that evidence. 
 Hence there are various degrees of faith, both true and false ; as for instance, when 
 Europeans first discovered America, and came back and reported the same to the na- 
 tions of the Old World, they had a certain degree of faith in their testimony. When 
 the discovery was confirmed by the additional testimony of numerous other witnesses 
 the faith of the nations was greatly increased : as evidences multiplied, faith was made 
 perfect ; so that in process of time, millions who never saw America, beJ/eved there 
 was such a place without the least shadow of a doubt. Those who visited America 
 obtained a perfect knowledge of its existence through the evidence of their senses. 
 
 We will now relate an example of false faith: — When the American Indians first 
 saw the powerful effects of gunpowder, they were anxious to procure large quan- 
 tities of it. They were told by Europeans, that if gunpowder were sown in the 
 earth, it would sprout up and grow, and yield an abundant harvest. The ignorant 
 •»atives believing this false evidence, piu'chased, at high prices, large quantities of the 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 3 
 
 supposed seed, and carefully sowed the same ; but the result, like the result of all other 
 false faiths, was disappointment. A person ignorant of geometrical reasoning may 
 stiU have faith in many_ geometrical propositions : he believes the propositions on the 
 testimony of geometricians, who declare that they have demonstrated to their own 
 minds the truth of them ; every additional geometrician who testifies to their truth 
 increases his faith, yet he cannot know them to be true until he has put them to the 
 test of geometrical reasoning for himself. 
 
 If a native of New Zealand were told by some person that light travels with a velo- 
 city of 192,000 miles every second, he would consider the statement incredible, if not 
 impossible. If several respectable witnesses should tell him that it had been demon- 
 strated, it might, perhaps, beget a very small degree of faith in his mind ; if, still fur- 
 ther, some of the steps of the demonstration were opened to his mind, and some of the 
 phenomena resulting from the velocity of %ht were made known, his faith would be- 
 come stronger ; and pm-suing the investigation of the evidences, he would, at length, 
 demonstrate the fact to his own mind, and his faith would be swallowed up in know- 
 ledge. 
 
 When Copernicus assei-ted that the earth revolved in an orbit around the sun with 
 a velocity of nineteiR miles every second, his statements were considered visionary ; 
 but other evidences of a satisfactory nature being adduced, mankind began to exercise 
 faith in the Copernican theory. As the evidences increased, their faith increased ; 
 and when the evidences became demonstrative, faith became knowledge. 
 
 On the riiorning of the day of Pentecost, the large multitude of the Jews who were 
 assembled, considered Jesus an impostor, but after hearing the evidence of the Old 
 Testament prophets, combined with the evidence of the apostles who stood as living 
 ■witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus, three thousand of them believed that he was the 
 Son of God ; the faith of these three thousand was founded wholly upon the evidences 
 then set before them. The faith they had in this fact, was not different from faith in 
 any other fact. The faith that Jesus is the Son of God, is the same as the faith that 
 Solomon is the Son of David ; foith in both of these facts comes by evidence, and in 
 no other way. Devils, as well as man, believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Devils' 
 faith is the result of evidence the same as men's ; in this respect, the fsuth of devil's 
 and human beings is alike. But abstract faith alone can benefit no being. Devils 
 believe that Christ is the Son of God, and tremble. Sinners may believe the same, 
 and yet be damned. Saints may have the same faith, and yet, Judas like, become 
 the sons of perdition ; the angels of heaven may have strong faith, and yet be tlirust 
 down to hell : so that faith alone will save neither devils, angels, nor men. Faith is 
 essential to salvation ; without faith no one can be saved ; no one can even repent 
 ■without first having faith. If a man does not believe in the existence of God, he vi ill 
 not believe in his revealed laws ; neither will he believe that it is sinful to disregard 
 those laws ; he will not believe himself to be a sinner ; neither will he believe that he 
 will be punished in a future state for transgi-essing laws which he does not believe ema- 
 nated from God. Faith must, therefore, precede repentance. Before mankind can 
 properly repent, there ai-e several things necessary to be believed: they must 
 believe not only in the existence of God, but in the revealed laws of God ; that is, in 
 the laws he has given against doing evil. If they believe in those laws, and compare 
 their own conduct with them, they will perceive that in many instances they have 
 transgressed them, and are, therefore, under the penalty of the same. They must be- 
 lieve that God would be just in executing the penalty of his own law, and that the law 
 could not be sustained, or made honourable, unless justice should be satisfied. What 
 effect, for instance, would the laws of England have, if the penalties were never to be 
 inflicted ? Stealing, robbing, murdering, and the most savage acts of wickedness, 
 would sweep through the land, depopulating whole cities and towns ; this fair island 
 would soon be transformed into one wide scene of desolation and ruin. So if the pe- 
 nalties affixed to the law of God should not be executed, order, peace, and happiness, 
 would vanish from all worlds, and naught but the most feai-ful anarchy, and the most 
 direfid confusion, would devastate the widely extended universe. Before sinners can 
 repent acceptably before God, they must also believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of 
 God, has voluntarily suffered the penalty of the law of his Father in behalf of man. 
 If there had been no innocent being to suffer in the stead of man, then man, having 
 
4 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 once broken the law, must himself have suffered its penalty, or else God would hav« 
 ceased to be a God of Justice. Man, having once become guilty, could not atone for his 
 own sins, and escape the punishment of the law, though he should ever afterwards 
 strictly keep the law ; for " By the works of the law" or, by obedience to the law, 
 " NO FLESH CAN BE JUSTIFIED." If a sinner, after having once transgressed the law, 
 could purchase forgiveness by ever afterwards keeping the law, then there would hava 
 been no need of the atonement made by Christ. If the demands of justice could hav« 
 been satisfied, and pardon granted, through repentance and good works, then the suf- 
 ferings and death of Christ would have been entirely unneoessai-y. But if Christ 
 had not suffered on our behalf, om- faith, repentance, baptisms, and every other work, 
 would have been utterly useless and in vain. Works, independently of Christ, would 
 not atone even for the least sin. 
 
 Every man must perceive that before sinners can repent, they must believe, first, in 
 the existence of God : secondly, in his revealed law ; and thirdly, in the sufferings of 
 the Son of God, as the only possible way by which justice could be satisfied and mercy- 
 be granted to sinful man. Faith, as before stated, in any or either of these things, 
 comes only through evidence. The three thousand sinners on the day of Pentecost 
 never would have enquired so earnestly of the apostles to know what they should do, 
 if they had not believed these three things. 
 
 After the apostles had, through evidence, established /ai7A in the hearts of shiners, 
 they next taught them repentance, which we shall now proceed to explain. True 
 and genuine repentance is, to cease to do evil and learivto do well, confessing past 
 sins, with a fixed determination to sin no more. It woul^be of no use for a sinner t* 
 confess his sins to God, unless he were determined to forsake them ; it would be of n» 
 benefit to him to feel sorry that he had done wrong, unless he intended to do wrong 
 no more : it would be folly for him to confess before God that he had injured his fet 
 low man, unless he were determined to do all in his power to make restitution. Re- 
 pentance, then, is not only a confession of sins, with a sorrowful contrite heart, but a 
 fixed settled purpose to refrain from every evil way. 
 
 The next step to be taken by the believing penitent sinner is to be baptized or im- 
 mersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, 
 •' FOB THE REMISSION OP SINS," by a man authorLsed of God to administer the ordi- 
 nance. There are three very important items in connexion with baptism which aH 
 persons should well understand before they .suffer themselves to receive the ordinance. 
 First, they should be well assm-ed that the administrator has authority from God t* 
 baptize them. Second, they should satisfy themselves as to the correct mode of bap- 
 tism. Third, they should understand the object for which baptism is administered. 
 
 It is evident that no one has a right to administer baptism unless he has been caUed 
 of God, and authorized by new revelation to administer that ordinance, as we have 
 very plainly shown in Part First of this treatise. If the believing penitent sinner 
 were to receive baptism at the hands of one who was not called and authorized, it 
 would be a curse to him instead of a blessing — it would be a solemn mockery in the 
 sight of God, bringing oomdemnation and darkness upon the mind. 
 
 Second: /mmcrsiore is the only mode of baptism sanctioned by the Lord. Johk 
 the forerunner of Christ, baptized numerous multitudes " in the river of Jordan.^' 
 (Mark i. 5.) After Jesus was baptized, " he went up straightway out of the water." 
 Matthew iii. 16.) John also baptized " in JEnon, near to Sahm, because there was 
 MnCH WATER there." (John iii. 23) When Philip baptized the eunuch, " they went 
 down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch ; and he baptized him. And 
 when they were come up out of the viater, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Phi- 
 lip." (Acts viii. 38, 39.) If sprinkhng and pom-ing were baptism, John must have 
 been very foolish to have sought out places where there was " much water," and then 
 put himself and the candidate to so much inconvenience by going down into the water, 
 and getting their garments disagreeably wet. If a few drops, or a gill of wateii, 
 sprinkled or poured upon them were sufficient, why did they go where there was much 
 watsr ? Why render their wearing apparel uncomfortable by going into the water ? 
 Why did the jailor and his household put themselves to the trouble of going out of their 
 house in the darkness of night to be baptized ? (Acts xvi.) The jaalor, about midnight 
 brought Paul and Silas out of the jail into his house, where they preached the word 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 5 
 
 of the Lord to him, « and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same 
 hour of the night, and washed their stripes ; and was baptized, he, and all his, straight- 
 way. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and 
 rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." Here it will be perceived, that they 
 went out of the house in the middle of the night to attend to baptism. If spruikling 
 or pouring were baptism, how much more convenient it would have been to have had it 
 attended to in the house where he had a good light just previously procured, instead 
 of going out at that late unseasonable hour. The Roman and Oolossiau saints were 
 *' BUltlED with Christ in baptism." (Rom. vi. 4. Col. ii. 12.) Spriultling or pom'ing 
 is not a burial, but immersion is. Jesus said to Nicodemus, (John iii. 5.) « Except a 
 man bo born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." 
 Sprinkling does not represent a birth, but immersion does. Coming out of the ele- 
 ment of water into a new element is a fair representation of a bii-th. As in the natu- 
 ral birth, the tabernacle of the infant is filled, quickened, and animated by the human 
 spirit, so in the spiritual birth, the spirits of men are filled, quickened, and animated 
 1^ the Holy Spirit. As the blood of the infant, derived from the mothei-, is tli« 
 medium of the natural life, or the means by which the union of body and spu-it is per- 
 petuated ; so the blood of Christ, which was shed for us, is the medium of the spu-itual 
 life, or the means by which our union with the Holy Spirit is maintained. As the 
 embryo is immersed in the fluid element in the womb, and by this means derives from 
 its mother the blood so essential to the natural life ; so a man must be immersed in 
 the fluid element of water, in order to derive the benefit of Christ's blood so essen- 
 tial to spiritual life. As the embryo must first he immersed in water before it can 
 receive the quickening of the human spu-it, so a man must^r-st be immersed in water 
 iiefore he has the promise of the quickening or life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. 
 As the infant is born, or comes forth from the watery element into a new kingdom or 
 ■world of existence, so a man in baptism comes forth from the liquid element of water 
 into the kingdom of God's dear Son, which is a new state of existence. Jesus, in 
 the above text, sets forth the birth of the water first, and afterwards the birth of 
 th^ spirit. 
 
 It is very evident from the whole tenor of scripture, that immersion is the only me- 
 tiiod of baptism. Several historians inform us, that the early christians " immersed 
 the whole body in water," and that sprinlding was not introduced into the church 
 until the third or fourth century. 
 
 Every believing penitent sinner should make himself well acquainted with the object 
 of baptism. This ordinance was instituted "for the remission of sins." John went 
 " into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the re- 
 mission of sins." (Luke iii. 3.) After the ascension of Christ into heaven, the apos- 
 tles conmienced then' great mission to aJl nations, by preaching to several thousand 
 Jews, on the day of Pentecost, baptism "for the remission of sins." (Acts ii. 38.) 
 Ananias said to Saul of Tarsus, " Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, 
 calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts xxii. 16.) Baptism is not, as many false 
 teachers now affirm, " an outward sign of an inward grace," but it is an ordinance 
 whereby a believing penitent sinner obtains a forgiveness of all past sins. By being 
 buried m the watery grave, the old man, as Paul says, is put off with all of his deeds ; 
 by rising from the liquid element, we put on the new man, become new creatiures, and 
 sliould hencefbith walk in newness of life. Again Paul says, " He that is dead is freed 
 from sin." If sinners would be freed from sin, let them be " baptized into his (Christ's) 
 death :" and thus, by being dead with him, they become free from sin, that is, aU 
 th^ former sins are remitted. (See Bom. vi.) 
 
 The great msgorily of religious people in modern times, consider baptism as non- 
 essential to salvation. But we ask, is it essential that the repenting sinner should be 
 fca'given ? If so, then it is just in the same degree essential that ne should he bap- 
 tised, for that is the condition of forgiveness ; hence baptism is essential to salvatioq, 
 as much so as faith or repentance. He that neglects baptism, neglects one of the con- 
 ditions of salvation. "He that believeth and is bajptized, shall be saved. He th^ 
 b^lieveth not, (and consequently is not baptized), shall be damned." Jesus never in- 
 corporated anything that was non-essentisS into tiie plan of salvation. But men should 
 live by every word which proceedeth from bis mouth- " He that saitb, I know him. 
 
6 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 
 ii. 4.) Again, Jesus says, " If a man love me, he will keep my words." "He that 
 loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings." The commandments, words, and sayings 
 of Jesus, must be kept as well as believed, in order to obtain salvation. _ Unless bap- 
 tism were essential to salvation, Jesus never would have commanded his apostles to 
 " Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghost." A man may be a very good man, in many respects, yet if 
 he rejects baptism, he rejects his salvation. As for instance, Cornelius was "a devout 
 man, and one that feared God with all his house ; he gave much alms to the people, 
 and prayed to God always." An angel came in to him, and said, " Cornelius, thy 
 prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." " Send men to 
 Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter ; who shall tell thee words whereby 
 thou and all thy house shall be saved." (Acts x. and xi.) When Peter had come, 
 while he was speaking the word of the Lord to this man, and to his household, the 
 Holy Ghost fell upon them, and they spake with tongues, and magnified God. And 
 Peter " commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." 
 
 What would have been the result if they had refused to obey this commandment, 
 and had counted baptism non-essential, like many modern chm'ches ? It is evident 
 that not one of them could have been saved. Why ? Because the angel said that 
 Peter should " tell them words whereby they should be saved." If they had rejected 
 baptism, they would have rejected the " ivords" of Peter, which the angel said should 
 save them. No one can be saved who rejects baptism. It matters not how righteous 
 he may have been ; though he, like Cornelius, may have given " much alms," and 
 prayed much, and feared God and worked righteousness for years ; yea more, though 
 he may have attained to greater blessings than the present sectarian churches now 
 even believe, to say nothing of the enjoyment; though he may have seen a vision of 
 angels, and spoken with tongues by the power of the'Holy Ghost ; yet, with all this 
 righteousness and great power, he can in nowise be saved if he reject baptism. Hence, 
 faith, repentance, and baptism, are three essential conditions preceding remission of 
 sins. Each are equally important. These are three of the rules of adoption by which 
 strangers and aUens may become legal citizens in the church or kingdom of God. 
 
 Since the fourth century of the christian era, infant sprinkling has been practised 
 by a numerous multitude of false teachers. By age and long standing this great per- 
 version of the Apostolic doctrine has become exceedingly popular, until many millions 
 at the present day are carried away with the wicked delusion. The apostles were 
 commanded to teach first, and then baptize ; but infants are incapable of being taught 
 and therefore are not subjects of baptism. Jesus commanded the apostles to preach 
 the gospel in all the world, and said, "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." 
 Infants cannot believe the preaching of the apostles, therefore they should not be bap- 
 tized. Peter commanded the thousands on the day of Pentecost to repent first, and 
 then be baptized " for the remission of sins." But infants are incapable of repent- 
 ance, and therefore it is a sin in the sight of God to baptize them, " Sin is the' trans- 
 gression of a law." Infants have transgressed no law, and therefore they are without 
 sin. Baptism b FOR the remission of sms, but infants have no sins to be remitted, 
 therefore they need no baptism. But even if infants had sins, (as some false teachers 
 assert), they could not be remitted by baptism alone. Faith and rep&ntanee would 
 '■■ be equally as necessary for the infant as baptism. Either of these three conditions 
 alone, or any two of them, would not bring remission : all must be voluntarily attended 
 to by the candidate. But the infant cannot voluntarily attend to either, therefore the 
 sprinkling or immersion of infants does not bring the blessings promised to the peni- 
 tent beUever, but it brings a cm-se both upon the parents and the administrator. It 
 is a sin of which millions must repent if they ever enter into the kingdom of God. 
 
 Infant baptism is no whei'e alluded to in the scriptures : some have supposed be- 
 cause whole households were baptized, that possibly there might have been some in- 
 fants among them; but how many thousands of households thei-e are that have no in- 
 fants. The author of this treatise has himself baptized many whole households, but 
 among them there were no infants, nor any persons incapable of believing and re- 
 pentmg. The scriptures inform us that the jailor and his household, and Cornelius 
 and his household, believed and rejoiced in the Lord before they were baptized ; 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 7 
 
 hence there were no infants among them. Some again have supposed that the bap- 
 tism of infants comes in lieu of circumcision ; but this is only a wildvague conjecture of 
 impostures to deceive the ignorant ; for there is not the least allusion to any such 
 thing in the scriptures. Baptism has no more connexion with circumcision than it 
 has with the blowing of rams' horns for the demolishing of the walls of Jericho. 
 There is no similarity between the two. Circumcision is a ceremony performed only 
 on male infants at eight days old, whereas baptism is a burial in water of both male 
 and female adults, who are capable of first believing and then repenting. 
 
 After the sinner has complied with the rules of adoption, so that all his former 
 transgressions are forgiven, he should next seek after the gift of the Holy Ghost. God 
 has ordained a certain ordinance through which he bestows this gift. He has autho- 
 rized his servants to administer the Holy Spirit by the laying on of their hands in his 
 name. For example : " Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached 
 Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which 
 PhUip spake." " 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." " Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had 
 received the word qf God, they sent unto them Peter and John : who, when they 
 were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost : (for as 
 yet he was fallen upon none of them : only they were baptized in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy 
 Ghost. And when Simon (the sorcerer) saw that through laying on of the apostles 
 hands the Holy Ohost was given, he offered them money, saying. Give me also this 
 power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." (Acts viii.) 
 Here we have the most positive evidence to establish the divine authority of this ordi- 
 nance. That laying on of hands is an ordinance necessary to be attended to, is 
 clearly seen from the fact, that no man or woman, among all the multitudes of bap- 
 tized Delievers in Samaria, received the Holy Ghost until this institution was complied 
 with. After Paul had rebaptized the Ephesians, " he laid his hands upon them, and 
 the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied," 
 (Acts xix.) Among the principles of the doctrine of Christ which the Hebrew 
 church had received, Paul mentions faith, repentance, " the doctrine of baptisms, and 
 of laying on of hands." (Hebrews vi.) 
 
 That the Galatian chm-ch had received the Spuit by an administrator is evident 
 from the following question put to them by Paul. " He therefore that ministeeeth 
 to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the 
 law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Gal. iii. 5.) 
 
 Paul informs the Corinthian chui'ch, that both he and Timothy were made '• ablt 
 ministers," " not of the lettei-," or word merely, " but of the Spirit." 
 
 Though Saul of Tarsus believed in Christ, and had been repenting, praying, and 
 fasting for about three days, he could not obtain a forgiveness of his sins nor the gift 
 of the Holy Ghost, without a servant of God sent to minister to him both the water 
 and the Spirit. Hear what Ananias says to Saul : " The Lord, even Jesus, that 
 appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest 
 receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." (Acts ix.) Mark well the 
 saying ; Ananias was sent that Saul " might be filled with the Holy Ghost." Why 
 not fill him with the Holy Ghost through his faith, repentance, prayers, and fasting ? 
 Because the Lord had authorized servants in his kingdom to minister, not the vjord 
 and water merely, but also the Spirit. 
 
 We have now set forth the whole law of adoption, and the only law by which any 
 man or woman can ever become a legal citizen of the church or kingdom of God when 
 established on the earth. By obedience to these rules mankind become the sons and 
 daughters of God. By neglect of any or either of these rules they can never enter the 
 kingdom. There is no other way or plan under the whole heavens that will save men. 
 Many try to excuse themselves from obeying this plan by referring to the words of Jesus 
 to the thief on the cross, " To day thou shalt be with me in paradise." But we have 
 no evidence to believe the thief was taken into heaven or into the celestial kingdom 
 of God ; for Jesus himself said three days after, " Touch me not, for I have not yet 
 ascended to my Father." Some have supposed that Jesus went directly into all th>; 
 
S THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 fulness of the Father's glory, and the thief with him. But the scriptures expres^y 
 contradict this supposition. Peter says, in the third chapter of his nrst epistle, tliat 
 " Christ Slso hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might hring 
 us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit : by which also 
 he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient, 
 when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the aric was 
 pi-eparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved b^ water." From this we 
 learn, that instead of Jesus going directly from the cross mto his kingdom, he went 
 to a certain " prison " where he found some " disobedient " " spirits " shut up, who 
 had been there over two thousand years, or ever since Noah's flood. Jesus preached 
 to them. Did the tbief go with him ? " To day thou shalt be with me in paradise." 
 If Jesus went to preach in prison that day, the thief must have gone with him ; 
 hence paradise must mean a place of departed spirits, without respect to its beinj 
 either a good or a bad place. 
 
 Christ, spejlking of his own mission by the mouth of Isaiah, says, " He hath sent me 
 to bind up the broken hearted, to procMm liberty to the captives, and the opening of 
 the prison to them that are bound." This agrees with Peter, as already quoted. 
 Forasmuch, therefore, as the thief had never, to our knowledge, been bom of the 
 water and the spirit, he could not, according to the words of the Saviour to Nicodemus, 
 " enter into the kingdom of God ;" but he in all probability went that day with Jesus 
 to the old antediluvian prison among the disobedient spirits, where he had the privi- 
 lege of being preached to ; that he and all the rest of the prisoners " might be judged 
 according to men in the flesh." (1 Peter vi. 6.) 
 
 If the third " article of religion," believed by the chui'ch of England, be true, 
 then the thief must have gone down into hell. This article reads thus : — 
 
 '•'III. 0/ the going down of Christ into Hell. — As Christ died for us, and was 
 I)uried, so also is it to be believed that he went down into Hell." 
 
 If the thief went down into " prison," let every other unbaptized person beware, 
 lest he go there too. 
 
 Since the apostles fell asleep, the simplicity and purity of the ancient gospel has been 
 :i\vfully perverted ; its ordinances have been changed, especially the ordinance of 
 baptism ; while the ordinance of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy 
 Gho.st, hiis been almost universally done away. No churches, either among the 
 Papists or Protestants, have taught all the first principles of the gospel in then- proper 
 order. By this we know they are not the church of God. God is not with them. 
 Their sins are not forgiven them. The Holy Ghost is not given to them. And they 
 cannot be saved in the fulness of the glory of the Father's kingdom — neither they 
 nor their fathers for many generations past. All have gone astray — far astray, from 
 the ancient gospel. The church of Christ never existed on the earth without in- 
 .•■pired apostles and prophets in it, who administered all the laws and ordinances of the 
 gospel without any variation from the true and perfect pattern. But the apostate 
 churches now on the earth, have neither inspired apostles, nor prophets, nor any other 
 inspired officers among them, neither do they considei- them necessary; and yet with- 
 out inspiration or revelation — without immersion for remission of sins, or the ordi- 
 nance for the gift of the Spirit, — they have the bold hnpudence to call themselves 
 Cln-istian Churches. But they have nothing to do with Christ, neither has Christ 
 anything to do with them, only to pour out upon them the plagues written. He has 
 not spoken to any of them for many centuries, neither will he speak to them, only in 
 his -CTTath, and in the fierceness of his anger, when he riseth up to overthrow, to root 
 up, and to destroy them utterly from the earth. 
 
 13, Wilton Street, Liverpool, November 30, 1848. 
 
 JS, JAMES) PKI>!ieE> 39, SOUIH CASILE SIKEET. 
 
[No. 4. 
 
 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 PART III. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 OirE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES OT THE CH0KCH OF JESDS CHRIST OF LATTEIt-DAI SAINTS. 
 
 Three impoi-tant subjects relative to the kingdom of God have been already investi- 
 gated in Parts I and II. We shall now proceed to the examination of the 
 
 Fourth, — namely, The nature and character of the laws given for the govern- 
 ment of all adopted citizens. 
 
 ^ Alter having complied with the rules of adoption, mankind are considered the legal 
 citizens of God's kingdom ; and as such, they are reqm'red to obey strictly all the laws, 
 ordinances, statutes, commands, counsels, smd words of the Great King ; and in all 
 things show themselves the faithful, honest, and loyal subjects of his government. That 
 the citizens of the kiiigdom niay be able to render strict obedience to its laws, they 
 should make themselves thoroughly acquainted with thein, and thus obey iinderstand- 
 ingly. Persons ignorant of the laws of the kingdom ai-e liable to be deceived. They 
 may suppose themselves obeying the law, when, in fact, they are only complying with 
 some vain and foolish tradition of men. They are va. constant danger of transgressing 
 lavvs of which they ai'e ignorant, and of neglecting to observe others that are (if im- 
 portance. 
 
 Millions of modern christians say they take the Bible as their ■■' I'ule of taitli and 
 practice," — that the Bible is their law. Biit we ask, what part of the Bible is the law 
 of God unto man in this age ? Is the history of the creation a law unto any one ? 
 Is the history of the building of the ark, or of the tower of Babel, or of Solomon's 
 temple, a law or " rule of faith and practice " for the Saints now ? Is the history of 
 Abraham's ti'avels — of the doings of Moses and Aaron — of Israel's wanderings in the 
 wilderness — of the wars of Israel under the reign of their judges and kings — a law 
 unto succeeding generations ? Is the history of Jesus and the ajjostles a law bhiding 
 upon tlie Saints of latter days ? Must we bel)aptized in Joriian because John bap- 
 tized there ? Must we ride upon an ass-eolt into Jerusalem becavtse Jesus did ? Must 
 we scourge the people out of the Jewish temple because Jesus thought it necessary to 
 do so ? Must wii build up churches in Rome, in Corinth, in Galatia, or in any other 
 jilace, because the New Testament gives the history of .such events ? Is the history 
 of any of the events recorded in either the Old or the New Te^taments a law unto 
 any man now living ? No, it is not. The historical parts of tlie Bible, then, are not 
 intended to govern the actions of modern christians. 
 
 Let us now inquire if all the laws, ordinances, and commands in the Bible art- in- 
 tended as our rule of faith and pi-actice — as a law nov/ binding upon us ? God com- 
 manded Adam that he should not eat of the tree in the midst of the garden of Eden. 
 Is this a law unto modern christians ? No. (Jod commanded jS oah that he should 
 buUd an ark of certain dimensions, and bf a certain kind of wood : that he should tal<e 
 into the ark a cei'tain number of beasts and fowls. Are these commands bindhig upon 
 christians now ? Surely not. God commanded Abraham to leave the land of Chal- 
 dea and go into a land wherein he was a stranger. Must modern christians obey this 
 command? Abraham was commanded to offer up his son Isaac. Is this a law of 
 God's kingdom noxv f God commanded the Israelites to leave Egypt — to walk 
 thi'ough the Red Sea — to pitch their tents in a cei'tain way — to travel in a cei'tain 
 order — to build a tabernacle after a cei'tain pattern which he gave them — to oiler 
 vai'idus animals and fowls as sacrifices. Are these commands, laws, or ordinances the 
 Saints' " rule of faith and practice " in these days ? They ai-e not. God comilianded 
 the tribes of Israel to slay both men, women, and children — old and young. Must 
 the Saints in all ages be governed by that command ? No. God eommandtd Israel 
 
2 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 to encompass the walls of Jericho a certain number of times, blowing upon ram s 
 horns. Is this a law or command to be observed now ? Verily, no. Jesus com- 
 manded Peter to go and catch a fish in order to pay taxes. Is this command in force 
 yet ? Jesus commanded the apostles to tarry in Jerusalem a certain time, until they 
 ■were qualified to preach. Must all other Saints wait in Jerusalem for a hke qualifi- 
 cation ■; An angel of the Lord commanded Philip to go into the south country ; 
 another angel commanded Cornelius to send for Peter ; an angel commanded Joseph, 
 the husband of Mary, to flee into Egypt, and, after tarrying there a certain time, an 
 angel commanded him to return again to the land of Israel. Will any one pretend to 
 say that any of these commands are to be observed now ? There are many thousands 
 of laws, commands, ordinances, and sayings, like the foregoing, both in the Old and 
 New Testaments, that modern Saints cannot obey ; indeed, it would be the height of 
 delusion, and a great sin, to undertake to obey them now. Could any man remain 
 guiltless and kill little infant children now, because such a command was given to 
 Israel ? No, he could not. The most of the commands and ordinances of the Bible 
 were limited in their application, and were never intended to be binding upon future 
 generations. X»ianj were limited to single individuals, and they only were required to 
 obey them ; and when once obeyed, they were no longer bin(Ung upon those indivi- 
 duals nor any ona else. Other laws in the Bible were given to govern all Israel for 
 many generations ; yet these also were limited to Israel, and were never intended to 
 govr-n Gentile chi'istians. Most of the commands and laws in the Bible were given 
 according to circumstances : as the circumstances were constantly changing, so the 
 commands and laws were constantly changing to suit circumstances. 
 
 The moral law, however, never changes : it remains the same throughout all dis- 
 pensations and ages. The Lord commanded Israel, saying. " Thou shalt not kill — 
 thou shalt not steal — thou shalt not commit adultery," &c. These laws, -with many 
 others, never were intended to be done away, but wherever the kingdom of God is 
 established, these laws exist in full force as rules of faith and practice. Many of the 
 laws of Moses and the prophets, and of Jesus and the apo.stles, were moral in their 
 natm-e, and never were intended to cease. The moral law, or law of righteousness, 
 has been revealed anew in different generations and to numerous individuals. Once 
 revealing this law did not seem sufficient, hence it was revealed afresh, and over and 
 over again, in successive generations. Each inspired writer received new revelations 
 upon this great unchangeable law ; and, in addition to this, each in his turn revealed 
 thousands of commands, laws, and ordinances suited to the conditions and circum- 
 stances of the people, which never were binding upon any but the individuals who 
 received them, and to whom they were given. 
 
 Connected vidth the moral law, or the law which is intended to regulate the moral 
 actions of men, there are certain ordinances which are intended as standing ordmances 
 in the kingdom, such, for example, as the sacrament of the Lord's supper — the laying 
 on Oi luuiu., lii Jio name of the Lord for the healing of the sick — and the anointing 
 with oil for the same purpose. It might appear to some as superfluous for the Lord 
 to reveal through successive prophets and inspired men the same things which he had 
 previously revealed to former ages ; but when we reflect upon the iniportance of being 
 governed by righteous laws, and upon the frailty of man and his liability to forget 
 Crod and his laws, we need not be surprised at this. It is certain that inspired men, 
 in different ages, have revealed the same things anew, and have illustrated them in a 
 great variety of ways, so as to impress the importance of them on the minds of men ; 
 as foj. oA,«ii;' , ' . .. often mankind have been commanded through inspired men to 
 worship no other god but the true and living God ! How often have they been com- 
 manded through inspired men to keep the Sabbath day holy ? Many of the laws given 
 to Moses were often repeated again in the inspired writings of future presets. 
 Modern christians suppose that the Bible contains sufficient revelation to save man. 
 They ai-gue " that the law of righteousness is clearly revealed in that book, and that 
 more revelation would be superfluous." If," say they, " the Bible contains the gospel, 
 why snouia auotrier revelation of the gospel be given ?" It is said, " if another gospel 
 be revealed it must be false ; if the same gospel be revealed it is useless, for we already 
 have it in ancient revelations." They further argue, " that if mankmd in ancient 
 (lays could be saved by what was revealed to them, the same revelations will save man- 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 3 
 
 Mnd in these days," hence they suppose there is no need of any more. This objection 
 urged by modem divines against new revelation being given in these days, might have 
 been urged with the same propriety five thousand years ago ; as, for examples, the 
 antediluvian world might have used this argument against Noah's new revelations. 
 They might have said that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, had sufficient revelation to 
 save Mt only his spirit but his body also; and that Enoch knew of Christ, and pro- 
 
 Shesied that he " snould come with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment," 
 !0. : and that if, through the vast number of revelations he had received, he could be 
 translated, body and spirit, into the abodes of immortality, why not we be saved by 
 the same revelations without any new ones ? Why, they might have said, do you, 
 Noah, pretend to give new revelations, when your great grandfather Enoch had reve- 
 lations enough to translate him ? Cannot we be saved, as well as he, if we take Enoch's 
 revelations as our " rule of faith and practice ? " But, says the new-revelation-deniers 
 of modern times, " Enoch's revelation said nothing about the flood and the ark, it was 
 therefore necessary that more revelation should be given to warn the people of these 
 events. " Very well. May there not also be some judgments to escape, and important 
 events to happen in our age, of which the ancient prophets have said nothing ? And 
 win not new revelafion be equally as necessary to make known these unknown events 
 that may happen in our day, as it was in Noah's day ? After Matthew had been in- 
 spired to write the gospel, why was it necessary that Mark, Luke, and John should be 
 inspired to write the same gospel? According to the arguments of the false 
 teaichers of modern times, if the last three evangelists revealed a different gospel from 
 Matthew, it would be false, and if they revealed the same it would be useless, there 
 being no necessity for the same thing to be revealed over again. If the revelation of 
 the gospel by Matthew were sufficient to save men, why, according to their logic, 
 should any further revelation be given ? Why should Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, 
 James, and Jude give new revelation, after Matthew had given sufficient to save him- 
 self and others ? But, says the false teacher, it was necessary, that by the mouth of 
 two or three witnesses every word should be established, and once being established, 
 there was no fm-ther need of revelation. In reply, we say, if two ov three witnesses 
 were sufficient, why did he give eight writers instead of two or three ? We see no 
 more impropriety in sending eight hundred inspired men, or eight thousand to writo 
 more revelation, than in sending eight. 
 
 Besides these eight inspired writers of the first century, vast numbers of others 
 received revelations during that period, such as the prophet Agabus, the four daugh- 
 ters of Philip, and the numerous prophets among the Corinthians and other churches. 
 Surely the Lord was not very particular to confine the spirit of revelation to two or 
 three witnesses ; neither was he very careftd not to have the same things incorporated 
 in the revelations of different men. 
 
 The inspired writings of the first century, though given at different times, and 
 through different men, reveal the same gospel, teach the same law of righteousness, 
 and declare the same ordinances ; yet no one pretends to deny the usefulness of either 
 or any of these inspired writings, because the same gospel, law, and ordinances had 
 previously been revealed in some other writing. Each of these inspired writings are 
 considered valuable, because they contain, not a different gospel or law, but different 
 items of revelation which were once adapted to the different circumstances of indivi- 
 duals and churches to whom they were given. These ever varying items of revela- 
 tion are valuable, not as a law or rule for the church in these days, but as matters of 
 history. The revelation to Saul of Tarsus to " arise and go into Damascus " — ^the 
 revelation to Ananias to " arise and go into the street that is called Straight, and 
 enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul" — the revelation to the prophets 
 in the church at Antiooh to " set apart Barnabas and Saul to the work of the min- 
 istry " — the revelation to Saul to "make haste, and get quickly out of Jerusalem" 
 tor the Jews would not receive his testimony, and numerous other like revelations, are 
 -mluable as matters of history only ; for no one wiU have the absurdity to say that such 
 revelations are binding upon any one else excepting the persons that received them. 
 The history of God's revelations, ever varying to suit circumstances, is an encourage- 
 ment for the Saints in the luneteenth century to seek after new revelations, like the 
 ancients, wWch shall be adapted to the ever-varying and innumerable circumstances 
 
4 THE KINGDOM QF GOD. 
 
 •with which they may be surrounded. It will do no good to read the history of th« 
 ajogel sending Philip into the south country to preach, unless ministers can be sent by 
 revelation in these days into the right counti^ or field of labour. It will be of no aa- 
 yantage tp read the history of the revelations given through the prophets of Antioch, 
 arelating to the calling and mmistry of Paul and Barnabas, unless there are prophets 
 and revelations in these days to call men to the ministry in tJ^e same way. The his- 
 tory of other men's revelations, callings, and missions, would be of no more advantage 
 to us than the history of a good dinner would be to a hungry man, or the history of 
 the mira.cul<)us deliverance of the three Hebrew children from the fiery furnace wduld 
 be to a man perishing in the flames. Callings and missions in the nineteenth century 
 require new revelations as much as in the first century. The history of others' cat- 
 lings, missions, and duties, under certain cu'cumstances, gives no knowledge of our 
 ■calSngs, mis^ons, and du,ties under different circumstances. As well might we say to 
 a hungry man that he has no need to eat in these days, as to say to thfe Saints they 
 ihave no neeij of new revelation in these days. If a hungry man be told to read the 
 history of the loaves and fishes on which others feasted, and be satisfied therewith, his 
 appetite would be greatly increased, and he would desii-e to eat for himself; so if the 
 i^m,t who is hungering and thirsting after righteousness be told to read the history 
 of the innumevable revelations given to the ancient Sdnts, varied to suit their circum- 
 stances, and be satisfied therewith, it will greatly increase his desire to receive revela^ 
 tion for himself suited tp his ovvn circumstances. 
 
 " Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." This cannot mean 
 «very word which God has spoken in different ages ; for it would be impossible to live 
 by all the words of God spoken to Noah — ^to Abraham — to Moses — ^to the prophets 
 and to the apostles. Thousands of words which God has given could be obeyed only 
 by the very mdividuals to whom they wei-e given. No other person could obey thein. 
 Man is to live by every word of Qod contained in those general laws which are given 
 for the government of his kingdom in all ages ; ^nd he is also to live by every word 
 which shall be given to him £is an individual. In the latter ease his circumstances may 
 be such as to require vast numbers of new revelations suited to his condition. Thesp 
 revekitions, no doubt, would greatly differ from any that wei-e ever before given to man, 
 or from any that would ever erftenvards be given. No two individuals, churches, nations, 
 «r generations, are in the same condition ; not even one individual is in the same cir- 
 cumstances in any two successive periods of his life. Consequently there is no period, 
 nor year, nor genei-ation, nor age wherein new revelations are not needed among the 
 people of God. The nature and character of the laws given for the government of 
 adopted citizens, then, are not only those vvhich are binding on man in every age, but 
 those new revelations which ai"e given directly to the citizens from year to year during 
 their own lives. When new revelations or laws are given for the benefit of a chtjrch 
 or people, they are generally commvfnicated through the prophets or other inspired offi'- 
 cers of the church. When they are given to suit the circumstances of an individual, 
 they are sometimes communicated through an inspired ofBoer, as in the cases of Samuel » 
 revehition to Saul — of Nathan's to David, and numerous other instances that mighi be 
 named ; and sometimes they are given directly to the individual himself, as in the cage 
 of the revelation tp CprneUus, to Philip, tP the shepherds, to the wise men of the east, 
 to Anna, to Simeon, and to great numbers of others mentioned in sacred history. 
 
 It m^y be thought by spm^ that a doctrine of continued revelation is a dangerous 
 4octrine, calculated to deceive and mislead vveak-minded persons to believe in anything 
 and every thing pretending to be revelations. But let such persons reflect that Gq3 is 
 the author of such doctrine ; and it is not at all likely that he would establish c<:)jj- 
 tii^tfed revelation among his people if it were a dangerous doptrine. Can the wisest 
 of our readei-s point out a people of God in any age of the world to whom he did not giy^ 
 continued revelations ? Has God ever sjcknov^ledge^ anypeople or churchas his own fhait 
 did not receive new revelations for their own benefit ? the danger, then, is all onthie 
 other side. The man who does not bplieye in continued revelation among ihe peppfe 
 of God, is already deceived aijd has not the religion of the Bible. By rejecting new 
 revelation, he rejects one pf the great fundamental principles by which the people of 
 God in ail agesi are clearly distinguished from every other people. But the reader 
 may as]£, is there not danger of being deceived by false revelatipn ? We reply, ye^'; 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 5 
 
 but shall we reject the true coin, because there is danger of being deceived with the 
 spurious ? Shall we reject all vegetable food because some vegetables are poisonous? 
 Shall we reject the gift of the Hojy Sjjuit, because there are many false spuits abroad 
 among men ? Shall we reject the doctrine of salvation through Christ, because there 
 haye been many false christs ? Shall we reject new revelations from God, because 
 there have been many false ones ? 
 
 liyeiT faithful upright person in the church or fcingdoni of God enjoys the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost, which is a sure preventative against all deception. The Holy Spirit 
 Imows all things, and never deceives any one. Jesus said (see John xiv, xv, and xvi, 
 chapters), " Tl^e comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in 
 my name, he shall teach you all lyings, and bring all things to your remembrance, 
 whatsoever I have said unto you." " Hfowbeit, when he the Spirit of truth is come, 
 Tiewill guide you into alltruih : for he shall not speak of himself ; but whaWever he 
 shall hear, that shall he speak ; and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify 
 me : for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto yon. All things that the 
 Father hath are mine ; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it 
 unto you." Perhaps some may suppose that this comforter which is called the Hofy 
 GJiost, was only to be given to the apostles ; but Peter said to thousands on the day 
 of Pentecost, that if they would repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, they 
 should " receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; " and then to shew them that the pro- 
 mise of this gift was not limited to a few thousand persons, he says, in the next Sen- 
 tence, " For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, 
 even as many as the Lord our God shall call." This passage evidently proves that the 
 promise of the Holy Ghost, was a promise universal in its extent, embracing all man- 
 kind who would comply with the conditions of repentance and baptism. If, then, all 
 mankind can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, where is the danger of their being de- 
 ceived by false revelations ? No where, if they are faithful enough to retain the 
 Spirit. " He shall teach you all things." " He shall guide you into all truth." Qh! 
 Tiow easy it is with this Spirit to detect false revelations, and to be guided into the 
 truth of all new ones ! The Spirit knows its own revelations and can testify of theqi. 
 Hence, says John, in one of his epistles dh-ected to the saints generally, " The anoint- 
 ing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man 
 teach you ; but as the same anointing teaaheth you of all things, and is truth, and 
 is no lie ; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." (1 John, ii. chap.) 
 This " anointing " evidently means the promised Spirit which all the churches of tlie 
 saints enjoyed. All the saints were taught by this Spirit in all things. By this 
 Spirit they could detect false apostles, false prophets, false teachers, false spirits, fiilse 
 doctrines, aiid false Revelations withput the least difficulty. 
 
 Paul said, that " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the 
 heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God 
 iiath revealed them unto us hy his Spirit ; for the Spirit se,archeth all things, yea, 
 Hie; deep things of God. Now vve have received not the spirit of the world, but the 
 Spu:it which is pf God? that we might know the things that are freely given to 
 MS of God." " But the natural man receiveth not the things ofthe Spirit of God : for 
 they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spkitually 
 discei-ned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things." (1 Cor. ii. chap.) Thus we 
 parceive Aat the " fiatural man cannot know the things of the Spirit ;" therefore be 
 is liable to be deceived, and to embrace false revelations, and believe a lie and be damned, 
 because without the Spirit he is unable to judge whether a revelation is from God or 
 from some other source. Not so wijh the spiritual man ; he judgeth all things, and 
 decides by the spirit betjyeen error and truth. Neither the eye, the ear, nor the heaijt 
 of a natui-al man has pefceived, the things in reserve for the righteous ; but the spirit- 
 ual man has a knowledge of them by revelation. " God hath revealed them unto «fs 
 *y his Spirit." The Saints find out « the deep things of God " by the Spirit. Tl^e 
 faithful Saints or the elect cannot be deceived ; for the Holy Ghost dwells in them^ 
 a spirit of constant revelation, teachmg them all things; guiding them into aU tnM; 
 shewing them things to come; takmg of the thSn^ ofthe Father and shewing U^ 
 same unto them by heavenly visions and dreams, aiid revealing the deep things of ^od 
 such as no natural man cojild ever see, hear, think of, or know, for they ai;e only 
 
6 THE KINGDOM OF GOD, 
 
 ■spiritually discerned. Thus there is no possibility of a p»son's ever bdng deceiveij 
 who follows the teachings and revelations of the Holy G-host. 
 
 The revelations ^ven by the Holy Ghost ; by the voice of the Lord ; by the mi- 
 nistry of angels ; by visions and dreams, and by the inspired officers of the kingdom, 
 are the kind of laws ordained for the government of the Saints. By such laws they 
 have been governed in every age and dispensation. All churches who have not faith 
 to obtain revelations and laws by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, are not_ the 
 diurches of God. Though they may pretend to great piety ; profess to be christians ; 
 make long prayers ; preach eloquept sermons ; and meet together every Sabbath day 
 under the ptetence of worshipping God, yet if they have not faith to obtain new 
 revelations, and visions, and the ministry of angels, they are not the_ church of God, 
 and are deceiving themselves and others with a false and delusive religion ; a religion 
 by which they wiU perish, as the scripture saith, " Where there is no vision the 
 people perish." (Proverbs, xxix. 18.) 
 
 la all human governments there is a necessity for new laws to be given, and some- 
 times in great abundance. No one will be so wild as to say that the laws given one 
 thousand years ago to England, to France, and to the various nations of the earth, 
 have been strictly applicable to the infinite variety of circumstances in which they 
 have since been placed. Every one knows that all governments would soon fall into 
 the most inextricable confusion should new laws cease to be given only for the short 
 period of fifty years. Every town, city, and district, of any extent, pay out their 
 thousands annually for the support of a law-making department. If new circumstances 
 In all human governments are constantly calling for new laws, why not new cir- 
 cmnstances in God's government also require new laws? It may, perhaps, be argued 
 that human laws are imperfect, and therefore new ones are given ; but that God's 
 laws being perfect, no new ones are necessary. In reply to this, we observe that in 
 human governments new laws are not generally given because of the imperfections 
 of the old ones, but because new conditions require it. New laws are not often given 
 instead of the old ones, but in addition to them; both old and new remaining infu9 
 force. The want of new laws would be equally as necessary though human laws were 
 ever so perfect. So in the kingdom of God, the perfection of the old laws does not in 
 the least obviate the necessity of new ones as new circumstances arise. 
 
 In all human governments every law is made by the legal law-making department, 
 OT else it is of no force, and the people are not bound by it. So in the kingdom of 
 God, all laws must come from the Great Law-giver, or else they are of no force, and 
 the people are under no obUgations to obey them. If any body of unauthorized 
 men on this island, were to write out a code of laws for the government of the 
 kingdom of Great Britain, who would be so lost to all reason and common sense as to 
 suppose such laws were legal and valid ? Yet there are millions who consider themn 
 selves under obligations to believe and obey the uninspired writings in the " Thirty- 
 nine Articles" of the Church of England, and in the various creeds, cateehism.s, con- 
 fessions of faith, and disciplines of other sects, as though they had actually come afresh 
 from God. The vast variety of creeds and articles of faith now in the world, shews 
 clearly that mankind consider that they have need of more rules and laws besides those 
 g^ven in ancient days. The necessity of more has appeared so obvious, that they have 
 concluded to have more at all hazards. To obtain more, from the Great King, they 
 suppose is entirely out of the question. The only way, in their estimation, is to usurp 
 the place of God,and give laws to the people as he anciently did. To obtain laws from 
 the legal Law-giver in these days, they assert is the highest blasphemy, but to usurp 
 authority and give laws and articles of faith in God's stead, they consider is all right. 
 The archbbhops, bishops, and whole clergy of the Church of England, vrith the king 
 at their head, thinking that the Lord had given all the rules, laws, and articles of faith 
 in the Bible which he ever intended to give, and seeing the great necessity there was 
 for more, concluded that wherein the Lord failed in supplying the present wants of 
 iheir church they would make it up out of the superabundance of their own wisdom. 
 The first rich display of their fruitful imaginations was to invent an entu-e new 
 Mnd of god, which no former generation ever thought of. A description of this 
 god they have given in their first article of Religion : he is there represented to ba 
 " without body, parts, or passions." Such is the first effort of this great body rf 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 7 
 
 learned divines in helping the Lord malte articles of faith. When the Lord 
 made articles of religion in old times, he had not the assistance of such learned 
 men ; perhaps that may be the reason that this bodilesa, passionless god of modem 
 times was not then discovered ! Oh ! what darkness the world would have been in 
 relative to this god without "parts," if these modern divines had suffered the God of 
 Israel to give articles of religion as he did in ancient days ! Had it not been for this 
 learned body, the world never would have knovm that the whole of any thing 
 could exist without " parts .'" — they never would have known the diiference between 
 this newly invented god and the God of Israel, who said to Moses, " thou shalt see 
 wy back parts." Exodus xxxii. 23. Let the Church of England hush all their 
 fears, for their god can neither see, hear, nor speak ; they never need be afraid that 
 he will give them new revelations, or laws, or articles of religion, or inter fere in any 
 •way with their church matters. The God of Israel makes his own laws and articles 
 of religion for his own church in all ages ; but this modern god, havitig no tongue, 
 nor mouth, nor any other "parts," has left this work entirely to his Eight Reverend 
 Worshippers. 
 
 Fifth. — The character, disposition, and qualifications necessary for every citi- 
 sen to possess. » 
 
 After being adopted into the kingdom of God it is necessary that every citizen 
 should cultivate such a character and disposition as shall be most pleasing to their 
 Bang. Whenever the King shall give them advice or counsel upnn any subject, they 
 should, without any hesitation, adhere strictly to that advice or counsel. It is a great 
 thing to find out the will of God, but it is still greater to do it. God requires the 
 most perfect obedience on the part of his subjects. We may not always discern the 
 end or result of doing as we are commanded ; but this is no excuse for disobedience. 
 Abraham did not know the useful result the Lord had in view in commanding him to 
 offer up his son Isaac ; if he had followed the dictates of his own natural feelings 
 or affections, he never would have attempted to comply with this command ; it was 
 enough for him to understand that God required such a sacrifice, without waiting to 
 he inioriried of the reason why he required it. This should be the disposition and cha- 
 racter of every child of God, to go with all his heart and do whatever the Lord re- 
 quires, though he may be utterly in the dark as to the purpose which God may wish 
 to accomplish by giving such commandment. Does a skilful general reveal to all his 
 soldiers all his purposes and designs in regard to the enemy ? No, he only reveals 
 unto them what he wishes-them to do, while the result of their obedience is oftentimes 
 entirely hidden from their view. If soldiers were never to obey until they understood 
 die useful results to be accomplished, they would not be very loyal to their ofiicers. 
 How many there are among mankind that would be delighted to obtain a revelation 
 of God's will concerning themselves, if they could be persuaded that he would not 
 reveal any thing contrary to their wishes. They would be very sorry to get a revela- 
 tion " til sell all that they had and give to the poor," as Jesus told the young man 
 in ancient days. They would not like to hear " a voice from heaven" commanding 
 them to come out of Babylon, or to leave their native land, their fine farms and splen- 
 did mansions, and go into a strange country as Abraham did : they would prefer to 
 receive no revelations at all, rather than be directed to make such sacrifices. But 
 not so with good faithful citizens of the kingdom of God ; they wish to be guided by 
 new revelation day by day, and year by year : they delight to do every thing that the 
 Lord reveals to them, believing that it will be for their future happiness and well-being. 
 
 It is not every one that crieth Lord. Lord, that shall enter into the kingdom of 
 heaven, but it is he that doeth the will of the Father. Justification, sanctification, 
 purification, and glorification, are all obtained through the atonement of Jesus Christ 
 By doing the will of the Father, as made manifest by the revelation of his word. Jesug 
 prays to the Father thus, — " Sanctify them thruugh thy truth ; thy word is truth." 
 Beader, do you desire to be justified from all your sins ? if so, obey the law of justifi- 
 cation as revealed from heaven, and your sins shall all be blotted out. Do you desire 
 to be sanctified and purified from all unrighteous and unholy desires ? if so, seek 
 to obtain the word of the Lord by new revelation, and after you have obtained it, 
 either directly to yourself, or through others, be sure and obey it, and you shall be 
 Bude pure and dean ; but remember that after the word of the Lord has come unto 
 
8 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 you and Ks will is revealed, and you refuse to obey, your situation TviW l>e much worse- 
 tJian tl^ose to wtioin the Lord has never spoken. " He that knoweih his master's wiil," 
 through the medium of ne\v revelation, "and doeth it not, the same shall be b&tten- 
 ■with many stripes ; but lie that knoweth it not," that is, has never been favoured with 
 a message or revelation from his master, and doeth things worthy of stripes, shall only 
 b&,'beaten with few stripps." 
 
 Wheii tlie children of the kingdom pray, let them be careful not to use vain repeti- 
 tions as the Church of England do in their " Litany," for they repeat the same thing 
 over again on every Sunday, tifeiinesday, and Friday : the same things are asked for 
 some fifty or sixty times on each of these days ; so that in fifty years each member of 
 that church repeg,ts the same petition something like four hundred thousand times. 
 The faithful Saints will avoid all such wicked mockery, for it is very displeasing to the 
 true God to have such " vain repetitions" constantly sounding in his ears year after 
 year. 'W'here is there a sensible man in all the world that would not be disgusted with 
 his own children, or with any other persons, who should constantly annoy him by 
 asking for the same thing fifty times a day, for three days every week, and follow it up 
 year after year ? Such persons would be counted sis insane, or unfit for the society of 
 rational beings. How much more, then, will the true God be disgusted, and abhor , 
 such nonsense ? Any being, except a bodiless, passionless nonentity, would treat siich 
 worshippers with contempt, and consider them a nuisance in all civilized society. 
 
 When the Saints pi'ay, they should endeavour to find out what they want mosfc,| 
 and then calmly, simply,, and honestly ask for it, with an expectation of receiving it; 
 for, says our Saviour, " If my words abide in you, and ye abide in me, ye shall ask 
 what ye will, and it shall be given unto you." Do iiot think that you will be heard 
 for much speaking^ or for vain repetltiohs. If you fail in receiving anything that 
 would be for your benefit, or any thing that is promised, you may know that there is 
 some cause for it : perhaps you may not have been as faitluul as you ought; the faidt, 
 if any, must be in yourself ; for God's profflis,es are sure. l*herefore seek to find oiit 
 the reason why your prayer is not answered, and remove the cause, and then ask 
 again, and if all is right on your part, you will receive an answer. Seek not to ex- 
 press your desires before the Lord in great swelling words, to be praised of men for 
 your eloquence, neither convert your voice into some unnatural tone ; but endeavour 
 to speak to the Lord with the same degree of sincerity and confidence that a child has 
 in asking its parents for food. When you desire any pai'ticular blessing, do not let 
 your mind be wandering upon hundreds of other blessings which are foreign from the 
 one which ydu more earnestly desire, lest your faith become divided, and you fail of 
 receiving any answer. If a great multitude of things are asked for in the same prayer, 
 the Saints are sometimes apt afterwards to forget some things which they have prayed 
 for, and consequently do not look with earnest expectation for the answer, and be- 
 cause of this the blessing is withheld. 
 
 The great secret in obtaining favors from God, is to fdrm, modify, and cultivate 
 such characters and dispositions as will coirespond in every respect with the teachings 
 of the word and spirit of Christ. Condescend to men of low estate. Despise not the 
 poor becauseof his poverty; and when you prepare a feast, imdte in "tlie poor, the 
 halt, tlie maimed, and blind; for they cannot recompense you again in this life, 'but 
 you shall receive your recompense at the resurrection of the just." Feed the hungry 
 -— clOjthe the naked — administer to the widow and the fatherless ui their afflictions — 
 visit the sjck.^ Let yom- love abound unto all men : endeavour to reclaim men from 
 th^ error of their ways by telling them the plain unvarnished truth in meekness and 
 with sobrietjf, remembering that you yourselves were once in gross darkness, because 
 of the traditions and false religions with which you were sui'rounded ; therefore have 
 compassion upon the millions of deluded beings who have deceived themselves with 
 the ponm and. vain show of modern Christianity.^ Be upright and honest before all 
 men. Practice virtue and holiness coatinuaily. Such should be the dtepdsition aiid 
 character of all the children of God, in order to quahfy themselves for usefulness in 
 this world, and to inherit eternal life in the world to come. 
 
 15, Wilton Street, Liverpool, Jan. lith, 1849. 
 
 R, MMBS, PKINTEB, 39, SOOTH CASTLE STRBBT. 
 
No 5. 
 
 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 PART It. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT. 
 
 OWE OP THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHKIST OP LATTEK-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 In the preceding pabts of this treatise, we have already illustrated prv'E important 
 subjects relative to the kingdom of God. The next to be considered in the order of 
 our arrangement is the 
 
 Sixth, — ^Namely, The rights, privileges, and blessings enjoyed by the subjects in 
 tliis life. 
 
 _ The faithful subjects of the kingdom of God are entitled by promise to certain 
 rights and privileges which are not granted to the citizens of any other kingdom. 
 All the children of the kingdom have the right of offering up daily petitions to the 
 King. This inestimable right or privilege is one with which the citizens of other 
 governments are not favoured. It is not only granted as a privilege, but it is alsO' 
 enjoined as a duty upon all the inhabitants of the kingdom, to plainly make known 
 all their wants, and represent all their grievances or wrongs which they may have- 
 endured from the citizens of. other governments. Those petitions offered in righte- 
 ousness, are always favourably received ; and the blessings asked for in faith, if cal. 
 culated to benefit the petitioner, are never withheld. 
 
 The blessings promised to the children of the kingdom in this life, are wisdom, 
 knowledge, joy, healings, miracles, tongues, interpretations, revelations, visions, dreams, 
 the ministi7 of angels, prophesyings, power to cast out devils, power against deadly 
 poisons, and in fine, all the other gifts of the Holy Ghost as recorded in the scriptures 
 of truth. 
 
 Many thousands of sincere honest inquirers have been exceedingly anxious to know 
 ■whether they were really in the kingdom of God or not. This is an inquiry of infi- 
 nite importance, and one upon which none should rest satisfied short of a certain, 
 knowledge. For the benefit of such inquirers, we here give them an infallible sign. 
 by which they may always know the kingdom of God from all other kingdoms. 
 Wherever the miraculous .gifts of the Holy Ghost are enjoyed, there the kingdom of 
 God exists : wherever these gifts are not enjoyed, there the kingdom does not exist. 
 
 That believers might be distinguished from unbelievers throughout all the world, 
 Jesus promised certain signs to the former. He said unto them, " These sighs 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 hm-t them ; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mark xvi. 17, 
 18, 19.) This promise has been supposed by many to have been limited to the apos- 
 tles or to the official members of the Church of Christ ; but it will be perceived from 
 the context, that Jesus made this promise to every creature throughout all the world 
 who would believe the gospel. In the 15th verse. He commanded the apostles to "go 
 into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." In the 16th verse. He 
 promised salvation to every baptized believer, and damnation to every unbeliever. Ihi 
 the three following verses. He promises miraculous signs to the believer. The pro- 
 mise of miraculous signs was as unlimited in its nature as the promise of salvation. . 
 Where the one ceases, the other ceases also. Miraculous signs are a part of the g.os^- 
 pelplan, as much as the remission of sins or the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 The gospel plan embraces certain commands or ordinances to be believed and 
 cbeyed, and certain blessings to be received. To limit the blessings of the gospel, 
 
 A 
 
2 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 to the first age of Christianity, is to limit the gospel to that age ; for all the blessings, 
 including the signs, were to be received wherever the gospel was received. 
 
 Nsthin^'oan be more erroneous than to suppose that these signs were merely given 
 -to establish the truth of Christianity, and that when that was once established, they 
 ■were no longer needed. The signs are as nrnch included in the system of Christianity, 
 4is any pther blessing that can be named. If the signs have ceased, true Christianity, 
 •of which the signs are a component part, has ceased. If signs have established the 
 system of Christianity, why should they, as a part of the very system itself cease as 
 imnecessary, while the other part of the system remains ? Why not the whoh system 
 cease, as well as a. part? Why tell the world that Christianity was established by 
 miraculous signs, and then declare, that as soon as it was established, nearly all of its 
 Blessings ceased ? If it be established, the whole system, signs and all, should continue 
 as full tovci, as lon^ as there is a soul on the earth to be saved. 
 
 • If so great a portion of the gospel blessiirgs were intended to cease as unTiecessary, 
 is it not exceedingly strange that no intimation should be given in the scriptures to 
 -that effect ? When the commands, ordinances, and blessings of thfe system of Christi- 
 ati'fty have been once established in the eartli, have we not every reason to believe, 
 -without the least shadow of a doubt, that they are intended to continue, unless some- 
 thing to the contrary is intimated in the word of God ? After 3'esns had promised 
 miraculous signs to the believers in all the world, would he withhold the promised 
 .blessings from them in any part of the world, or in any age, -without giving some rea- 
 iSOn for not fulfilling his promise ? Every believer in all the world, and in every age, 
 ^should seek after the miraculous signs with as much cOnftdence and assurance as he 
 ■Would seek after any other promised blessing, until Jesus intimates in his worfl that 
 lie no longer intends bestowing them according to promise. Until our Loi-d declares 
 "that he will no longer bestow the promised signs upon believers, every chui-ch who 
 are not in possession of these signs, may know that they are not true believers. If 
 ti'ue believers fail in receiving the promised signs, they have no reason to suppose that 
 tliey will receive the promised salvation. Modern Christians who- do not enjoy the 
 «igns of believers, cannot expect to enjoy the salvation of believers. 
 
 One of two things is certainly true, either modern Christians who do not enjoy the 
 itiiraculous signs, are not true believers, or else Jesus fails on his part to fulfil his pro- 
 mise. If they are not true believers, they will fail of salvation ; if Jesus fails on his 
 part to fulfil one promise, what confidence have they to suppose that he will fulfil the 
 others ? If true believers learn that Jesus withholds one promise without rendering 
 .any reason for so doing, what certai^ity have they that he will hot also withhold every 
 other promise ? They can have no certainty at all. Nothing sm-e upon which to 
 build their hopes of salvation. If one promise fails, all may fail. If the words of Je^ 
 sus are not fulfilled in one thing, this is calculated to destroy all confidence in the rest 
 of his sayings. Therefore, if they really are true believers, Jesus has refused tij fulfil 
 Ws promise, and give them the signs of true believers, and consequently they may ex^ 
 pect that he will refuse to give them a glorious resurrection and an inheritance iii his 
 presence. 
 
 It may be argited that Jesus has nowhere in his word limited the promise of a glo- 
 rious resurrection, and of salvation to the believers who should live in the first age of 
 Christianity, and therefore, these promises may be claimed iii all successive age's. So, 
 aikewise, it may be argued that, as Jesus has nowhere in his word limited the miracii- 
 dous signs to the believers of the first age of Christianity, therefore they may be claimed 
 i)y believers in all subsequetit ages, as long as the earth shoiild stand.' 
 
 Jesus promised both the salvation and the signs : both were promised to every crea- 
 ture in all the world who should believe the gospel: both, so far as we can disoova: 
 from the word of God, were intended for beUevers of all future generatioiis. Mbderh 
 '(believers assert that they have not obtained' the promised signs. Why, then, do they 
 assei-t that they shall obtain the promised salvation ? Why suppose 'that Jesus will 
 fulfil one promise, when he fails to fulfil the other ? To illustrate this subject, we 
 offer the following parable : — 
 
 A certain Tcing, great and powerf\il, reigned over a numerous and happy people. 
 His territories wA-e situated in the most beautiful and delightful portions of the earth. 
 The laud aboUiideii 'with the' most valuable 'treaslires, such as were unknown in 'arij 
 
THE KINGDOU OF GOD. 3 
 
 -other coitntr^. Nothii^ could exeeied the order, peace, jaospedtjt An4 happutees 
 diiSFused throughout all his dominions. 
 
 4>t.a certain, timethe king sent forth ambassadors among.aU nations, ,to invite th^ 
 to .become subjects of his government, and in due time to emig;rate .to lug happy 
 otnt^try. These ambassadors were invested with pQwer to l^ally ^ad,miiuster the oath 
 <xf allegiance,. and all other laws and ordinances which the king h<idi, established for 
 the purpose of adopting, citizens into his own^government. Ana<the king said untD 
 them, Jle that receiveth .you and becomes an adopted citizen, shall, when he emigrate^- 
 feceive an inheritance in my, dominions : but he that ig not adopted shall in nowise, 
 enter into my kingdom. These signs or tokens shall accompany the adopted citizens: 
 in my name they shall carry a costly medal, enstamped with the .great seal of tmiy au> 
 tiiOrity ; they sliall wear upon one of their fing^s ^.choice jewel nviq, my own domin- 
 ions; they shall have a white stone upon which shall be^eugrav.ed, in unknown cha- 
 racters, a new name known only to themselvesi All these signs or tokens shall 
 accompany them. ^ 
 
 The ambassadors went forth as they were du-ected, and many .thousands uijall parts 
 
 cf :the world received the ordinances of adoption; and the signs or tokens of.thehr 
 
 legal citizenship were abundantly manifested. When the adopted citizens receirefl 
 
 'the promised signs, they were greatly confirmed, and believed .with much assurance 
 
 that, they should, after emigration, receive the promised inheritance. 
 
 In process .of time a great persecution arose. Many of these adopted citizens were 
 pnt.to death. Many others began, through carelessness, to.loseithe precious signs and 
 ' tokens of their citizenship. At length persecution began to abate, and the pi-odama- 
 rtion of the king was received more favourably. Many, on account of its iyicreaging 
 popularity,. assumed the authority to administer the oath of allegiance and the ordi- 
 .nauces of adoption, without either seeing or hearing from the king. For fear, the 
 people iwauld question their authority, they flattered them with the idea that the lung 
 WQuld no longer call ambassadors by revealing any new comviissiDns, and that ths 
 'whole work of commissioning, and authorizing was left entirely to their ;Own wisdom. 
 But it was soon found that,the signs and tokens of citizenship were no longer granted, 
 .although many petitioned the king very earnestly to senfl them, but their petitions 
 'were unheeded. The treason of this was, because no one was authorized from the 
 /king, to. administer the oath of allegiance and adopt citizens. legally. Therefore the 
 king would not.give the tokens of citizenship. But these unauthorize^i usurpers,, vvho, 
 had already made the people believe that it was unnecessary to. receive a.commijssion 
 !bj any new revelation, next actually persuaded thepeople to believe that the signs and 
 itpkens of citizenship were also unnecessary. Popularity .and age soon established 
 these false traditions, insomuch that the, people aljnost universallyrbelieved, in direqt 
 -opppsition to the promise of the king, that- the signs of citizenship were unnecessary.; 
 
 They continued to emigrate in great numbers as was supposed to .the promised 
 'land, ^here it was expected they would receive the. promised inheritanca But as it 
 was absurd, according, to their traditions, to expect any communication from that 
 Ijknd, they could not tell whether theemigrantswerepermitted to. enter into the king- 
 'dom and.reoeive their inheritance or not. Now the, king was veBy_apgiiy ,with those 
 who had usurped authority, and had administered thplaws of adoptdon- without being 
 sent. He was also very angry with the people who had. suffered themselves to beso 
 .grossly imposed uppn, as to suppose Jthat any could be sent without, some communi- 
 cation from him. He, (therefore, witheld from them the promised signs and also the 
 pramised inheritance, for none of them had been legally . adqpted. Though they 
 obtained none of the tokens or signs, yet they vainly flattered themselves that they 
 should get the inheritance. But as many as werejfpund who had beemdegeived, and 
 had not the promised signs of citizenship, were taken and bound as enemies andi 
 .:diens, and cast into .their own place; and great misery prev^ed- among them — 
 ■weepiijg, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. _ _ . 
 
 •,And,-after a loijg time had passed away, the king, sent forth from his dorainifjps 
 one tnigjity an4 strong,, clothed with great power ; and many other messengers were 
 called and sent even accprdipg, to the first pattern. And they were commanded'to 
 rq unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, ajad to call upon. a}l .men to coap» 
 orth and be legally adopted, and take the oath of allegiance from such as were 
 
 A.2 
 
 I 
 
4 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 authorized to administer it, and from their hands to receive the ordinances of adoption. 
 And the king agiun renewed his promise, and said that the signs and toliens of citizen-t- 
 ship should again be enjoyed, and such should receive the promised inheritance. 
 
 Now these messengers went forth according to the commandments of the king, 
 and those who received them were blessed with the signs, and had much assurance. 
 Now these unauthorized usurpers who pretended to be the servants of the king, and 
 -tiiose whom they had deceived, when they saw the signs and tokens of citizenship' 
 again made manifest, were exceedingly angry, and sent forth all manner of wicked 
 accusations and lies against the kings messengers, and those who had received themj 
 and by these wicked means the people were stirred up to greatly persecute them, 
 destroying many, and driving others from place to place, and from city to city. At 
 length they were driven forth a great distance from among the nations ; and there 
 they were nourished until they became exceedingly strong : the king himself greatly 
 strengthened them by ad(htional tokens of his goodness. 
 
 The king's messengers, notwithstanding the cruelties- which they received from 
 Ihe people, continued to go from nation to nation, and the signs and tokens of citizen- 
 ship began to shine forth with greater brilliancy, which enraged the pretended 
 <3tizens who had not these tokens still more ; and they gathered together in multi* 
 tudes upon all the face of the earth to fight against those who had the signs of citi- 
 zenship. In process of time, after passing through many tribulations, the lawful 
 heirs went out from among the nations with power and great glory, and gathered 
 themselves in one. And it came to pass that they built a great city unto Uie king, 
 and he came with all the mighty ones of his dominions, and dwelt among them ; and 
 those who had fought against his messengers perished ; and all the earth came under- 
 the dominion of the great king. 
 
 Let us now examine the use or benefit of these miraculous signs. Jesus said,. 
 " These signs shall follow them that believe." If they were to be of no particular' 
 use or benefit to the believer, it is not reasonable to suppose that Jesus would have 
 promised them. Modem Christendom asserts that these signs were given, not so- 
 much for the benefit of believers, as for the convincing of unbelievers. The servants 
 of God, it is said, wrought signs and wonders to establish the divine authenticity of 
 their calling and message. Signs followed, they assert, that all people might know 
 believers from unbelievers — ^the true church from every other church. 
 
 If these signs, as modern divines suppose, were given for these purposes, then we 
 ask. Why should they be done away in succeeding ages, when there were millions of 
 unbelievers upon the earth ? How are people to determine at the present day which 
 among all the modem churches is the Church of Christ ? How shall they know 
 believers from unbelievers ? or the ministers of Christ from deceivers or impostors ?' 
 We can distinguish them now, says modern Christendom, by the word of God. But 
 the word of God says, " signs shall follow them that believe." And as, they deny- 
 signs in these days, the word of God would at once condemn them all as unbelievers. 
 Not any of the Papists or Protestant sects can prove, by the word of God, to the 
 unbelieving world, that they are the true church — that their ministry is authorized of 
 Crod, and that they are true believers in Christ. The word of God condemns them, 
 all, because they have not the signs which Jesus said should follow the believers. ' > 
 
 The Protestants denounce the Catholics as the Mother of Harlots — the most 
 ■wicked and corrupt power on the earth. The Catholics denounce the Protestants as- 
 heretics and apostates from the true church. The word of God denounces them both 
 ^ unbelievers, because they lack the signs. The infidel world denoimces the word 
 of God, because miraculous signs follow neither Catholics nor Protestants, who pre- 
 tend to be believers. The sincere inquirer is almost distracted, because he is iij 
 great doubt whether to believe in Catholics, Protestants, Infidelity, or the Word of 
 <Jod. If signs then were given to distinguish the ministers of Christ from impos- 
 tors, surely the present generation need them if ever they were needed. 
 
 In the midst of all these conflicting opinions, the humble servant of God come?- 
 forth and boldly declares that no church can be the true church, unless they ob^ 
 the words of Christ, and enjoy the signs of believers. He testifies with authority 
 that all the promises of Jesus will be fulfilled while there is one believer upon the face 
 of the earth to be perfected and saved. He testifies that all who deny that signs 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. $ 
 
 ■vnH follow them that helieve, are unhelierers, who, according to the words of Christ 
 'must be damned. 
 
 It is very evident however, that these ^gns were not given merely for the pmixise 
 of convincmg imbelievers. " In my name," says Jesus, " they shall east out deinhj* 
 Although this power might, in certain cases convince the unbeUeving worjd, yet it 
 is by no means to be supposed that. this was the prindpal deagn. Devus and unclean 
 spirits f]^equently took possession of the human tabernacle, tormenting individuaJs 
 in various ways. Jesus promised believers that they, in his name, should cast them 
 out. Now one object which JesuS had in view in granting this power, was to benefit 
 the one possessed. Another object was to confirm the believer, that they by having 
 power over the devil in tills life, might be more fully assured that they diouM obtain 
 a complete victory and final triimi^ over him in the world to come. That person 
 tvho cannot obtain power in the name of Jesus to cast out devils in this life, has g^eat 
 reason to fear lest the devil shall obtain power over him in the next life. What as* 
 surance has any one that he shall obtain a complete salvation from the power of the 
 ^evil, when his spirit shall leave the body, if be cannot claim the promise of Jesus, and 
 cast him out whUe his spirit dweUs in the body ? One of the purposes then which 
 Jesus had in viewln' bestowing this blessing, was that believers might learn to prevail 
 against the devil before they should enter the invisible world of spirits. And another 
 purpose, as we have already named, was to deliver the unhappy demoniac from his mi. 
 .eerable and wretched condition, and set him free from the grasp of this awful monster. 
 
 Now both of these purposes are just as essential for the good of mankind in this 
 age as in the first age of Christianity. It would be equally as essential for a man who 
 is possessed of devils in this age to be liberated, as it was in any former age. And it 
 would also be equally as essential that a believer should learn to command the devil 
 in'the name of Jesus, that he might obtain a complete victory ov«r him in all things* 
 as it was for ancient believers. Therefore, as there is no Scripture to do away this 
 promise, noi- any reason to prove it unnecessary, it must be intended for believers of 
 all ages until the devil is bound. 
 
 •' They shall speak in new tongues." The benefit of this miraculous sign is obvi- 
 ous to every one. If a servant of God were under the necessity of acquiring in the 
 -ordinary way a knowledge of languages, a large portion of his time would be unpro- 
 .fitably occupied. While he was spending years to learn the language of a people suf- 
 ficiently accurate to preach the glad tidings of salvation unto them, thousands would 
 J)e perishing for the want of the knowledge. If he could be endowed immediately by 
 the power of the Holy Ghost to speak in any language necessary, how much laborious 
 -Study would be avoided ; how much time would be saved that could be occupied more 
 usefully in the spread of the gospel ; how much more accurately would principles be 
 expressed, when, not only the ideas, but the language itself is given by the Holy 
 ©host. " How vastly superior is God's plan of qualifying his servants to preach in 
 ■different languages and tongues, to the plans adopted by modem divines ! The ser- 
 vant of God is qualified in a moment, as it were, to preach by the inspiration of the 
 Holy Spirit in the language of any people to whom he may be sent ; while modem 
 -divines will throw away years in acquiring the knowledge of a language ; and when 
 they have acquired it, they cannot preach in it by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost^ 
 hut are still dependent upon their own learning and wisdom. 
 
 In one day the unlearned fishermen of Galilee acquired a more eztenave qnalifica- 
 :4ion for preaching in the different languages of the earth, than all the various grades 
 and ranks of clergymen who have disgraced the name of Christianity on the eastern 
 liemisphere for the last seventeen centuries. The gift of tongues was not confined ft> 
 .ite ministers of Christ alone, but it' was bestowed liberally upon the private members 
 of the church. Indeed, it was one of the signs promised to believers throughout ^ 
 -Ihe world. As soo» as Paul baptized the Ephesians, he laid his hands upon them xod. 
 they received the Holy Ghost, and immediately spake with tongues and projpheaed. 
 :<8ee Acts xix. 6.) When the household of Cornelius received tha Holy Spirit, thqr 
 iOSo spake with tongues and glorifiad God. (Sea Acts x. 46.) Tha Corinthian churott 
 ^we^e abundantly blessed with this gift. (See 1 Cor. xii., liii., and xir. chapters.)- 
 
 That the prindpal use of this gift was to preach the gospel to people of difforeot 
 '. tongues and languages we presume no one will deny. And that there was anoUtee 
 
6 THE KINODOU OF GOD. 
 
 benefit derived through the medium of this gift is also evident. The members of the - 
 tJrurch'weTe'cCAifi^iiled' a^d strengtheined iii^tiieir fkiih \if the ei^oyibent'of thi» gift. 
 Jesus had promised this miraculous sign, among many others, to believers } if th^had 
 '^ifeite* to ifefeeive thotlessiiigs^ they frOiild have had reason to donbt-whether they 
 ■yrere true believCTs; but ' When tWy received newtongues^ togfether with all othft: 
 -{n!%&iiieid'blelBing^s,thgy were no 'longer in doubt, but wer& assured, notoidyofthe 
 i-"<*)!(th Of the doetrinei'but that' they themselves were accepted of God. 
 
 Th^'ben^ts to be derived fromthis^^ft are' as essential in this age, as in the £766 
 il^e^Of Christianity. It is as necessary that people of different languages should heBir 
 thegosp^ now, as in early ages. It is also 'as important that believers'shoidd becOil- 
 ^.firmed by thii gift nOw, as it ever was. Therefore; as there is no scripture to'lindt 
 'ihis'gifbto the early- Christians, and no reason why believers should not enjoy ifnovfr, 
 *1iire'are'oompeled to admit that this promise of Je^s i^ in full force yet, . and tbafe 
 •"■Whertevferaild wherever we fitad a church' of true believers in Christ, there we' shall 
 idso'fiiid thesigbs of believers. Andas the gift of tongiles is not among thea'posta.fe 
 '■(AurtheS now on the earth, we are compelled by the word of God to consider' tb^ 
 laB unbelieviers. ]kdeed, they cannot be BeKevers ; fbr if they were they could apejic 
 ' *ith newtongTies; as Jesus promised. 
 
 "The^ shall' take up serpSiUg, or if tkey drink, amy deadly thtngt if shdll-'r^t 
 
 "Jtit/rtthemi." This promise of our Great Redeemer- was also msede to every creatose 
 
 ifi' all' the world' who' should believe the gospel. The use of this miraculousi gift Was 
 
 to preserve life,' in ease any behever should'accidentaUJ' be' bitteH'by a poisonou&iser- 
 
 ^j^t as Paul was ; {see Acts xxviii. ;)or sfaoUld unintentionally sv»allow a deadly poi- 
 
 '80n,'as-'th'e sons of the prophets did ; (see 2 Kings iv). Jesus promised that-it should'not 
 
 hurt 'tbm. When the iBraielites' Were bittien by- poiSoUous Serpents, they were hea^ 
 
 'tty^ simply looking at a brazen serpent which the Lord' commanded Moses to raise tip 
 
 ■ iil the wildlemess ; so the believers in Christ can prevafl against ■deadly poisons by sifia- 
 
 '=^y loddo'g to him in faith ; for Jesus' cannot -fail to fulfil his promise' to the behever. 
 
 " TK^shall lay hands on the siek, aHd they shall recoiier." This also is one'of 
 
 the signs of believers. Sickness is a very prevalent calamity among the inhabitantsi'Of ' 
 
 our' frntea world. A&y medical discoveries that will benefit the sick, are con^dered 
 
 •■df inestiiflable value. Medicines are valued' in proportion to theb usefidness. Some 
 
 Bledieittes' are useful' intone disease; but of no benefit in any other; some will conqoter 
 
 H'diseSse, but^ at'the same time, will leave a lasting injury uponthe- human constitu- 
 
 ^tion. Others'have a more salutary effect; and are beneiSoial' in numerous diseases;. 
 
 ''JiUch, when their beneficial tendencies arethorOughly imderstood, are genially priiged 
 
 ' ia preference to those of an iufbritn; quality. 
 
 'One' of the most simple< and harmless prescriptions for the- sick, and one which<is 
 
 a ewtain cure for diseases and' jdagues of every dfeseription — is that prescribed 'by-'OBe 
 
 'df the most 'Odebrated physieiafas that ever' fived' among men. • The prescriptloatis - 
 
 Sdttiply this— «^HEY SHALL LAYHitNDS UPON THE SICK, AND Tmfi'Z 
 
 -SHAiiL RECOVER." ' There is nO disease so vident in its'nature— so deadlyiitt 
 
 'its O^eratiotis, but What this remedy, when properly attended' toj Will efleot a- contiftete 
 
 'cure,' Without ;in the least injiiring the human system like many other preseripfSMB- 
 
 This remedy isinfihitely 'superior tO' all othersj'first'becanse''of its univa^sal appUoi!(JQn 
 
 '.to' all diseases, plagues, a'nd pestilences; secottdly, beeauseiof the certidtity Wi^'^^Mh. 
 
 it removes pain and every cause of disease;' th^dly,'beca'use ofthe exf^editaousif^ 
 
 '{tumediate reUef which it affords thepatient; fomtMyj beeause it does- riot prosfa-ate 
 
 siije'bUttian -systemi and injure the' constitution like many other poweriill preseri|i- 
 
 '*t!lO!ns,' Whieh frequently-terminate in the Worst of consequences; fifthly, beeaUse'^t 
 
 "cap' be' obt&ined' without' money, or price, being within' tfae-reaiGh of tiieffoonasiw^ 
 
 '^te^^ibe'riefa'; sixthly, because it does not require' yeasrs of ^'laiboribus-study toaiequ^'a 
 
 -'finoWWdge of the^ature of the diseaso'ciJ^oPthenature oft'its treatment' liko'mi»i: 
 
 ^'<J*te»'ttieories ; and seventhly, because it can beiobtaiiied in ie^ pairts of 'th&WOi'kl 
 
 ■<tt'her^'tMebeMeVers'^e to be fbund. 
 
 ''Anothe^ {>reseripUon'of equal"^idue, and' producing like effects is- given by anolfter 
 "Celelbrated'a^thoil- iU these WOrds^—^Isany sick' among yott ? let'hiin'c^ forthe^x 
 '<dgrs"'of'-the''''diur&h,c'iiud I^'lbemprayover him,; anna^g him='With-oitjin' tfae-'^nffiBe 
 ^dftlie Lotdj! laad'th^prayjer'o^'f&iti^^a]! save &e sLtHs, andilieLordahaU<raiae^itn 
 
•JfHE IpNGPqJH OF GOD. 7 
 
 lip ; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." James v. 14, 15. 
 The prayer of faith accompanied hy the ordinances is the most universal, powerful^ 
 and effective remedy of any that has ever yet been discovered. 
 
 The great Physician, who has unfolded to the nations this infinitely valuable antt 
 all powerful remedy, has been jealous of his own glory, and has so prepared it that it 
 can never be administered with the least effect only in his name by one that is autho-- 
 lized, that is by a true believer. This is an effectual preventative against all quacks- 
 and impostors who may undertake in his name to counterfeit the genuine ; for in all 
 cases, stich will fail like the seven sons of Sceva. Acts xix. 13, 14, 15, 16. 
 
 The apostate churches for many centuries past have been destitute of this promised 
 blessing of our Saviout. They have endeavoured to blind the eyes of mankind, by- 
 telling them that this blessing was not needed after the first age of Christianity. This- 
 false tradition, invented by a set of wicked impostors to hide their own imbeUef and 
 ■want of authority, has been handed down by successive false teachers, until the present 
 day ; and what is still more strange, there are millions of poor ignorant fanatics, who have 
 been led away with the fatal delusion. It has been the study of the wicked impostors of 
 modem times to persuade the people that the promised signs of the gospel are not 
 needed now. In tjjjs thing there is great policy : for as they have so far apostatized 
 as to be entirely destitute of the blessing themselves, if they could not succeed in de- 
 lilding their follbwei:s to siTppose that miraculous signs are not needed in these dayj, 
 all people would at once discover, that they were not believers, but impostors, actings 
 without authority, having a form of godliness, but destitute of its promised powers, 
 pretending to be believers without the signs of believers. 
 
 If their deluded followers should, by any means, get the scales of priestcraft off 
 from their eyes sufficiently to believe the promise of Jesus in preference to the tradi- 
 tionary impositions of their false, rotten -hearted, and corrupt ministers, away would 
 go the popularity of long-established institutions, and down would tumble, with a 
 tremendous crash, the long-loved salai-ies of a hireling priesthood, and they would 
 stand forth as monuments of shame and disgrace before all men. To save themselves 
 from this open disgrace, they have used all their cunning and ingenuity to deceive the 
 people into the belief that the gift of healing, and the other promised signs of Jesus, 
 are unnecessary now. 
 
 But are there any sick in these days ? if so, would it not be just as beneficial for the- 
 dck to be relieved in these days as at any former time ? Would it not confirm and 
 establish believers to lay hands on the sick, and see them healed in these days, as much 
 as it did ancient believers ? If then, it would confinn believers and benefit the sick 
 the same now as anciently, we have no reason to limit it to the early christians. Hence, 
 both scripture and reason show that the promised signs are as ijnlimited as the pro- 
 mised salvation. 
 
 The affliction of devils, — ^the confusion of tongues, — deadly poisons, — and sickness, 
 are all curses which have been introduced into the world by the wickedness of man. 
 The blessings of the Gospel are bestowed to counteract these curses. Therefore, as 
 long as these curses exist, the promised signs are needed to counteract their e^val con- 
 sequences. If Jesus had not intended, that the blessings should be as extensive and 
 unlimited in point of time as the curses, he would have intimated something to that 
 effect in his word. But when he makes a universal promise of certain powers, to en- 
 able every believer in thfe Gospel throughout the world to overcome certain curses, 
 entailed upon man, because of wickedness, it would be the rankest kind of infidelity not 
 to believe the promised blessings necessary, as long as the curses abound among men. 
 
 If these signs are necessary, why have they not existed among the churches for the- 
 last seventeen centuries ? Because no true believers have existed among them during- 
 that time ; for Jesus says, they shall follow the true believer ; hence, if there had be?a 
 any true believers, the signs would have been among them. But the very fact that 
 the signs have ceased' during that time, prove that true believers have ceased also.. 
 This, is a sad picture of mankind, but it is none the less true. We say, let the pro- 
 mise of our blessed Bedeemer be true, though it prove every man a liar or a hypocrite. 
 The fault cannot be in Jesus, therefore it must be in man. The promises of Christ 
 are as tlncihangeable as his own nature, and can never fail ; but man is as change- 
 I able as *he wind, and is very apt to fail in almost every respect. 
 
8 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 Since the great apostacy, sincerity has characterized millions of professed christians, 
 but none of them have obeyed the ancient Gospel, because no one was authorized to 
 Jegally administer its ordinances to them ; therefore, notwithstanding their since- 
 rity, they could not obey the Gospel for the want of a legal administrator ; hence, 
 they could have no legal claitn on the Gospel blessings. And, for this reason, they 
 could not become legal or adopted beUevere ; therefore, they could have no legal claim 
 ■<>n the signs promised to believers; and this is one reason why the sincere, honest- 
 hearted, professed Christians of modern times have not enjoyed these great blessings 
 promised by our Saviom'. 'Neither can they enjoy the pi'omised salvation in all its 
 fulness, but must be rewarded according to their works, and the opportunities they 
 have enjoyed, in some of the mansions or kingdoms inferior in glory to the kingdom, 
 possessed by the ancient saints, who obeyed the law and enjoyed the promised blessings. , 
 And all who will not now repent, as the authority is once more restored to the earth, 
 and come forth out of the corrupt apostate churches, and be legally adopted into the) 
 chm-ch of Christ, and earnestly seek after the blessings and miraculous gifts of the Gos- 
 pel, shall be thrust down to hell, saith the Lord God of Hosts ; for now they have n<^ 
 excuse for their belief; therefore, if they will not now repent, they shall be damned. 
 This is the word of the Lord to priests and people of all churches, and of all nations. 
 
 We will now give a few examples to show the principle upon which the sick were 
 , generally healed. This was accomplished through faith in Jesus Christ. If the sick 
 were eapaple of exercising faith, then faith was required of them in order to obtain the 
 blessing. The woman who had the issue of blood for twelve years said, " If I may 
 touch but- his clothes, I shall be whole." Jesus turned to her and said, "Daughter, 
 thy/aitA hath made the whole." (Mark v.) When Jesus went over into the land^of 
 Gennesareth, and passed through their villages, cities, and countries, so great was 
 their faith in him, that they brought their sick and laid them " in the streets, and be- 
 sought him that they might touch, if it were but the border of his garment : and as 
 many as touched him were made whole." (Mark vi.) Blind Bartimeus cried unto 
 the Lord for mercy. "And Jesus said unto him, go thy way; thy faith hath made 
 the whole." (Mark x.) When Jesus touched the eyes of two blind men that came 
 into the house where he was, he said unto them, " according to your faith be it imlo 
 jou." (Matthew ix. 29.) A certain cripple " heard Paul speak ; who steadfastly be- 
 holding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, 
 .stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked." (Acts xiv. 9. 10.) 
 
 Maay other examples might be given to show that the power of healing was mani- 
 fested through /aitA. Sometimes the faith of others was exercised in behalf of the 
 sick, as examples: A woman of Canaan sought a blessing for her daughter, who 
 was greviously vexed with a devil. " Jesus answered, and said unto her, O woman, 
 great is thy faith : be it unto thee, even as thou wilt." (Matthew xv.) A centurion 
 exercised faith in behalf of his servant, who was sick of the palsy. " And Jesus sajd 
 unto him. Go thy way ; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his 
 ^servant was healed in the self-same hour." (Matthew viii.) A certain man whose 
 son had been tormented of the devil from a child, says to Jesus, " If thou canst do 
 .anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said unto him. If thou canst 
 believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of 
 the child cried out, and said with tears. Lord, I believe : help thou mine unbelief." 
 ..(Mark ix.) The devil was rebuked, and his son was liberated. Jairus, whose daugh- 
 -ter lay at the point of death, came to Jesus, and fell down before him, and requested 
 "lum to go and lay his hands upon her, that she might be healed. While on the way 
 ,to his house, one met them saying, " Thy daughter is dead ; why troublest thou the 
 'Master any further ? As soon as Jesus heai-d the word that was spoken, he said unto 
 the ruler of the synagogue. Be not afraid, only believe." (Mark v.) And Jesus re- 
 stored his daughter to life again. Many other instances are recorded whei'e friends 
 exercised faith in behalf of the afflicted. 
 
 Therefore, it may be considered as a general law, that the sick and afflicted were 
 healed, either through their own faith, or the faith of some of theu: friends. Theue 
 may be some rare instances where the blessing is bestowed through the faith alone of 
 "the administrator. 
 
 It is the general opinion of modem churches that the prmcipal object of miracles 
 
I'HE KINGDOM OF GOD. 9 
 
 was to do away unbelief. But when Jesus went into his own counti^, among his old 
 acquaintances, he marvelled because of their unbelief. (See Mark vi. 5.) " And 
 he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." (Matthew xiii.) 
 But according to the ideas of the false teachers of modern times, he should have 
 iperformed ^eater works there, than anywhere else. As they consider signs to be for 
 the convincmgof the unbeliever ; therefore the greater the unbelief, the greater should 
 be the signs. When he found his own countrymen so very unbelieving, he should, 
 according to modern notions concerning the object of signs, have performed far more 
 splendid and magnificent miracles there, than he did in any other region where their 
 unbelief was not so great. But the facts of the case were directly the reverse. The 
 greater the wickedness and unbelief of a people, the less were the mighty works 
 performed among them. So among the christian churches, as their unbelief increased, 
 the mighty works decreased. And when the people became hardened in apostacy and 
 unbelief, all mighty works ceased, and the salvation ceased also. 
 
 Thus it will be seen, that the signs and blessings of the Gospel are enjoyed only by 
 faith. The greater the faith, the greater will be the manifestations of the miracmous 
 power of God. The miracles will decrease as faith decreases ; and cease when faith 
 ceases. The mifaffulous signs bestowed upon believers in this life, are blessings far 
 inferior to the blessings of a glorious resurrection and eternal life. But he that has 
 not faith sufficient to obtain the miraculous signs, or smaller blessings, how can he 
 obtain faith sufficient to receive the greater blessings ? If the smaller blessings are 
 withheld for the want of faith, will not the greater blessings be withheld for a like 
 reason ? If a person has not means enough to buy himself a coat, how can he expect 
 to purchase a splendid habitation ? So likewise, if a person has not faith enough to 
 •obtain the miraculous signs promised, how can he expect to obtain a glorious mansion 
 in the kingdom of God ? If his faith is so weak that it will not procure for him the 
 smaller blessings, he. may be much more assured that the same weak faith will not 
 procure for him the greater blessings. 
 
 Jesus said, as we have already quoted, that " All things are possible to him that 
 ielieveth." Jesus also said, " Have faith in God. For verily, I say unto you, that 
 'Whosoever shall say unto this mountain. Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the 
 sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith 
 shall come to pass ; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore, I say unto you : 
 "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall 
 have them." (Mark xi. 22, 23, 24.) This promise was not confined to the apostles 
 and early saints ; for the term, " whosoever^' embraces all mankind who shall have 
 iaith in every age throughout the world. Who can read these precious promises of 
 bur Saviour, without perceiving in the plainest light, the awful apostate condition of 
 1ihe churches? They are without faith, — ^without any confidence in God. They 
 .despise those who are sincerely seeking after the ancient faith. Both from the pulpit 
 and from the press they boldly avow their infidelity in the above promises, and say all 
 manner of evil against those who do believe them. They will greatly praise up the 
 faith of the ancient saints, and build synagogues and chapels to their memory ; but 
 for any person to teach that the same faith is necessary now, is, in then: estimation, 
 the highest blasphemy. O ye hypoci-ites ! Why do you profess to be the followers 
 flf Christ, and yet deny his promises ? O ye blind guides! Why do you deceive the 
 people vnith a form of Godlmess, and yet deny the promised powers ? Why do you 
 make void the promises of Jesus through your unbelief and wicked traditions ? Why 
 ■^o you, through great swelling words of man's wisdom, pervert the truthj and deny 
 Ihe inspiration of the Holy Ghost and the gift of revelation and prophecy ? Why 
 •^o you preach for hire, and through coveteousness make merchan<£se of the people, 
 while the poor and the needy are crying for bread ? O ye wicked and corrupt teach- 
 ers ! Ye hirelings ! Why do you, through yom* mock piety and cunning craftiness, 
 not only close the gates of heaven upon yourselves, but hedge up the way of others 
 who would know tiie truth and be saved? How can you escape the vengeance of 
 <etemal fire ? How long will the Lord sufier you to practice your deceptionsi and 
 wickedness ? The hour of your judgment is nigh l Howl, ye apostate churches, for the 
 jniseries which shall come upon you ! The (ky of fierce vengeance is at h»id, and 
 ye shall utterly perish from the earth ! — 
 
10 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 The church of Christ is called the body of Christ. " JTqw ye are the body of 
 Christ, and members in particular." (f Cor. xii. 27.) We shall he?e give thehames 
 of "the different members, composing the varioiis parts of the body or church of 
 Christ. " God hath set some in the church, first, aposttes; secondarily, pro/>ftete ; 
 thirdly, teachers ; after that miracles ; then gifts of hfetKng, helps, governments, 
 <&ersities of tonguei." (Verse 28.) These members of the body were joined 
 together upon one common principle which I have already explained in Part II. of 
 this treatise. They were all introduced into the church through faith, repentance^ and 
 the ordinances. Paul says, " By one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we 
 be Jews or Grentiles, whether we be bond or free ; and have been all made to driak 
 
 ' into one spirit." (Verse 13.) 
 
 This one body into which all the members are baptized, is quickened and animated 
 in all its parts by one spirit. The operations of the spirit in different parts of the- 
 body are various. " To one,'' says Paul, "is given by the Spirit the word of wis- 
 dom ; to another, the word of knbwledge by the same Spirit ; to another, faith by tl» 
 same Spirit ; to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit ; to anijther, .the 
 working of miracles ; to another, prophecy ; to another, discerning of ^irits ; to- 
 another, divers kinds of tongues ; to another, the interpretation Of tongues ; lut all 
 these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he 
 ■will." (Verses, 8, 9, 10, 11.) Paul has here, so clearly described the church of 
 Christ, that none need be at a loss when they have found it. Every faithful member 
 of the body of Christ possesses some gift of the Spirit. Every church now on the 
 earth caii compare themselves with this scriptural pattern ; if they do not resemble the^ 
 pattern, they may know at once that they are not the body or church of Christ. If 
 they have no apostles nor prophets — no officers that can receive the word of wisdom, 
 and the word of knowledge by the inspiration of the Spirit — if they have no member 
 possessing the gift of healing — -no worker of miracles — no beholder of visions or dis- 
 cemer of spirits — ^no speaker in tongues — no interpreter of tongues — if they have 
 none of these members of the body of Christ, then they have nothing that resembles 
 the pattern, and, therefore, they bannot possibly be the church of Christ. 
 
 The body of Christ is wholly made up or constituted of the above named members. 
 To do away the least member there mentioned would produce a schism in the body, 
 and it would be imperfect like the human body, with one of its members lacking. 
 
 '■ The body, or church, like the human body, would become more and more impejii^ 
 and mutilated in proportion to the usefulness and number of the above members that 
 are done away. And when all the members or parts of the body vanish^ it ceases to 
 , exist on the earth. It is an admitted fact that the greater part, if not all of the 
 members described by Paul are done away, and considered unnecessary at the presaib 
 day. And as the body or church is nothing, separate and apart from its members j 
 therefore, where they cease, the body must cease also. 
 
 There are many parts of the human body that are essential to its existence, aid 
 without which, the body must inevitably perish ; such for examples, as the mouth — 
 the heart — the lungs^-the stomach — the liver — ^the bowels, and many others too nu- 
 merous to mention. Deprive' the body of either of these essential parts, and all other 
 
 ' parts will perish also. Two of the most .prominent parts or members of the body ef 
 
 ' Christ are, "First, apostles ; secondly, prophets." These maybe considered the eyes, 
 and riioiilh-piece of the body. Take these away, and the body is left in total dark- 
 ness without eyes to see with, or a mouth through which to receive the nourishm^t 
 essential to its existence. If, therefore, only these two members were to cease, all the- 
 Other members would speedily perish, and the church of Christ would cease to es^st 
 among men. The apostate churches have had neither of these members for upwaxds- 
 of seventeen centuries, therefore, during that time, they have had no eyes nor moiithi 
 through which they could receive light and nourishment. 
 
 If the mouth and eyes of the human body were to be destroyed, the human jsp&it 
 woxild take its flight, and the body would soon become a mass of touted eoirupfion, 
 sending forth a most offensive stench,' engendering pestilence and disease, atid aifefet- 
 ing the health of aU who should come ■Within its Nauseous influence. Such would Tbe 
 the fatal consequences attending' the church should they so far depart from Ood as to 
 lose inspured apofstles' and prophets, the first two essential and most important mem-^ 
 
THK KINGDOM OF GOD. It 
 
 bers which Gpd placed in the body. If these members were taken away, the Holj" 
 ■' Spirit, which is the life of the church, would take its flight, even as the human spirit 
 flees from the mortal body, when its essential parts are destroyed. When the Holy 
 'Spirit takes its departure, the body, or church, is left in a lifeless state ; all the mira- 
 culous operations of the Spirit cease. 
 
 In ancient times, afiier apostles and prophets ceased, the other members of the body 
 ' began immediately to die for want of nourishment ; the member possessing the gift 
 'of healing — ^the worker of miracles — ^die speaker with tongues — the interpreter of 
 {.tongues, and all other members, withered away and died, leaving a mass of putrid 
 corruption whose nauseous stench and abominable filthiness have spread forth a deadly 
 malaria among all nations. 
 
 It is in vain for the apostate churches to endeavor to prove themselves to be thfr 
 body of Christ, by pretending that they have one or two of the members still in exis- 
 tence ; for Paul enquires, " If they were all one member, where were the body f" 
 (Verse 19.) If every part of our bodies were destroyed, except hands and feet, they 
 could in no wise constitute a living body ; so, likewise, if every member of the church 
 were done away, except professedteachers, and some two or three other pretended mem- 
 bers of different functions, these could no more constitute a living church, than hands, 
 
 - and arms, and feetf and legSj could constitute a living man. The Holy Spirit would 
 "no more dwell in these pretended fragments of the chiuch, which are falsely said to 
 
 - Still remain, than the human spirit would dwell in the hands, feet, or legs, after the- 
 reat, of the body was gone. 
 
 Header, would it not be marvellously strange to behold hands, feet, and legs mov- 
 ■ing, acting, and performing their accustomed functions after aU the rest of the body 
 ' was destroyed ? Yet this would not be any more strange, than it is to see teachers 
 I and some few other pretended members, endeavoring to move, and act, and perform cer- 
 tain other functions, after nine-tenths of the most important and vital members of the- 
 church have been done away for centuries. ■ As well might you undertake to retain 
 life in an isolated human hand, as to retain life in teachers for centuries after apostles, 
 > prophets, workers of miracles^ &c., have ceased. 
 
 Faul says, " The eye cannot say to the hand^ I have no need of thee ; nor a^ain, 
 
 ,'fte head to the feet, I haive no need of you." (Verse 21.) But in direct opposition 
 
 to this instruction, the apostate teachers of modern times say to the worker of mira- 
 
 deS, I have no need of thee. And their pastors say to the speaker with tongues, and 
 
 -'the interpreter of tongues, we hawe no need of you in the body. It matters not how 
 
 feeble, or how much inferior in -use some members are, when compared with others, 
 
 : yet none can be dispensed with. " Nay," says Paul, " much more, those members of 
 
 ' the body, which seems to ha more feeble, are necessary." (Verse 22.) If the speaker 
 
 ' with tongues, or the interpreter of tonguta, is considered a more feeble member, and 
 
 not as useful as the prophets or a^stles ; yet Paid says expressly, that such " are_ ne- 
 
 ' eeasary." Therefore, for a teacher or pastor to say that they are not necessary, is t» 
 
 come out in direct opposition to the sdriptures. 
 
 ' How superlatively ridiculous it would be for the hands and feet to rise up in rebel- 
 lion against the eyes— the mouth' — the heart— the lungs — ^the bowels — the breast — 
 the neck, and say, we have no need of you : we can get along without your assistance; 
 r.you are all useless appendages to us, hands and feet : we can feel and walk-with- 
 ' out your help. And yet as a parallel to this, the teachers and pastors of our day ha»B 
 '. arisen up in rebellion to Paul's words, and have said to apostles—prophets — ^the healer 
 of the ack — ^the worker of miracles -^-the beholder or discemer of spirits — ^the speaker 
 ' *ith tongues — the interprets of tongues — ^we have no need of you : we can get along 
 V^Kfithout your assistance, you are all unnecessary parts- bf the body: you are perfectly 
 -^igeless to us pastors and-teachers : we can perform all the functions of our office 
 'Without your aid. Such has been the state of the apostate churches for the last seven- 
 teen hundred years. And such is the awful darkness that now reigns in their midst. 
 
 It is in and through the body, or church of Christ that the Spirit manifests itself: 
 
 « The manifestation 'of the Spirit is given to «very man to profit withal." _ (Verse 7.) 
 
 [It is, therefore^ by these manifestations ^that evoy man in the church is profited. 
 
 ^^ere is as much necessity for these various mai^estations now as an<aently. ' Paul 
 
 t'jiKBtions in this cha|)ter<. nme different g^ts or manifestations of the Spirit. All 
 
12 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 churches which have not these miraculous manifestations have not the Holy Spirit 5 
 and without the Spirit they are none of Christ's. 
 
 The distinguishing characteristics between true and false churches are so evident 
 that none need be mistaken. The one enjoys the Holy Spirit with all its gifts, as set 
 -forth in the word of God.; the others profess to enjoy the Spirit, but have none of the 
 . gifts and operations ascribed to it. The only way by which we discover that the 
 Jiuman body is animated by the human spirit, is by its operations ; so likevrise, the 
 method by which we determme that a church enjoys the" Holy Spirit is by its diversity 
 of operations or manifestations. If these cease, we have every reason to believe that 
 that the Holy Spirit has departed also. ' 
 
 Among all nations, and in all ages of the world, whenever the Holy Spirit has been 
 given, it has exhibited itself in supernatural gifts. These gifts were given, not only 
 for the benefit of the church in this life, but to prepare them for still greater blessings 
 in the world to come. It is altogether a mistaken idea to suppose that these gins 
 were merely given fgr the convincing of unbelievers. Paul says expressly, that the 
 ^fts which were given by our Lord after his ascension were intended for other pur- 
 poses. " When he (Christ) ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave 
 gifts unto men." (Eph. iv. 8.) "And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and 
 some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers." (Verse 11.) These, together with 
 numerous other gifts, were given, not merely to establish the truth of Ohristianify, 
 "but as Paul says, " For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for 
 the edifying of the body of Christ : till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of 
 the knowledge of the Son of God, xmto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature 
 of the fulness of Christ : that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, 
 and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning 
 craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive ; but speaking the truth in love, may 
 grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ : from whom the whole 
 body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, accord- 
 ing to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, 
 unto the edifying of itself in love." (Verses 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.) 
 
 By these declarations we discover the objects which the Lord has in view, by giving 
 gifts unto men. One object is declared to be "for the perfecting of the Saints. ' 
 It is very evident from tjhe whole tenor of scripture, that unless tiie Saints are per- 
 fected they can never enjoy a perfect salvation. The only plan which Jesus has de- 
 vised for the accomplishment of this great object, is through the medium of the spi- 
 ritual gifts. "When the supernatural gifts of the Spirit cease, the Saints cease to be 
 perfected, therefore they can have no hopes of obtaining a perfect salvation. To do 
 away from the church, apostles, prophets, and other gifts, is to do away the great plan 
 !whieh heaven has devised for the perfection and final salvation of the righteous. 
 
 The author of the epistle to the Hebrews urges upon the Saints the necessity of 
 *' going on unto perfection," (see chap. vi. 1), but this would be impossible for those 
 ■churches who have no apostles, prophets, and other gifts which Jesus gave after hks 
 ascension. Such churches could not "go on unto perTeetion," for they have lost, and 
 oontinue to do away the veiy gifts which were intended to accomplish that object, " 
 
 Has Jesus anywhere iu; his. word told us that his plan of perfecting the Saints 
 should cease, and that mankind would introduce a better one ? If not, why thea 
 should we not prefer ' our Saviour's plan in preference to all others ? "Why do away 
 Ihe powers and gifts of the Holy Ghost, which were intended, not merely for the 
 convincing of unbelievers, but for the perfecting of believers ? In every nation and 
 age, where believers exist, there the pfts must exist to perfect them, otherwise they 
 -would be altogether unprepared for the reception of the still greater powers and glo- 
 ries of the eternal world. If there were no unbelievers on the earth, still there would 
 be the same necessity for the miraculous gifts that there was among early Christians ; 
 for if the whole world were beUevers in Christ they could not possibly be perfected 
 without these gifts, and hence they could not enter into -the fulness of his glory. > - ' 
 
 It is, therefore, directly in opposition to the word of God for the apostate churches 
 to declare that " the object of miraculous gifts was merely to establ^ the Christina 
 .religion, and that after that object was accomplished they were no longer necessaiyf 
 .and therefore ceased." The word of God declares Uiey were "for the perfecting of 
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 13 
 
 the taints ;" and, therefore, wherever there are laintt, there the gifts are needed, not. 
 merely to establish the truth by supernatural evidence, but to perfect those who 
 already believe. 
 
 Another great object which the Lord has in view, in sending gifts unto men, is 
 " the work of the miniatry." Without these gifts the " work of the ministry" never 
 ewuld be carried on ;-^without inspired apostles and prophets the gifts of revelation 
 and prophecy cease, and where these cease the work of the ministry ceases. The- 
 apostate churches have no more authority for taking away the gifts of apostles and 
 prophets, than they have for taking away me gifts of pastors and teachers. There is 
 precisely the same evidence for doing away the whole of the gifts, as there is for doing 
 away a part and pretending to retain the others. " The work of the ministry " is 
 dearly manifested in the scriptures. It is required to preach the gospel to all nations 
 in the different tongues and languages of the earth. The ministry is required to 
 receive revelations for the benefit of themselves and all the saints, reproving by reve- 
 lation those who need reproof; comforting those who need comfort ; forewarning the 
 church of approaching judgments ; pointing out by the spirit of revelation a way of 
 escape; revealing doctrine and principle m relation to things both temporal and 
 8{riritual, and unfoldfiig all things necessary for the perfection and eternal exaltation 
 « the righteous. Besides this, the ministry are to lay on hands for the gift of the 
 Holy Grhost, and for the healing of the sick, and administer all other ordinances of 
 the church. Therefore, without the supernatural powers and gifts of the Holy Spirit 
 the " work of the ministry" would cease, and when that ceases men cease to be saved. 
 
 Paul declares, as we have already quoted, that the gifts were given "for the edi- 
 fying of the body of Christ." But the various bodies or apostate churches declare 
 boldly, that the gifts are no longer necessary in this age of learning and refinement. 
 Now, say they, we can be edified by learned divines who have become eminently quali- 
 fied by a long course of study in our great theological institutions. Now, they ex- 
 claim, we have a glorious substitute in the stead of the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 
 In the first age of Christianity — ^in the days of ignorance and darkness, the gifts of 
 the spirit were given to edify the church ; but now, we have become so learned and 
 enlightened, we need some better plan than the one devised in that day of ignorance ; 
 then they knew no better than to be edified through the gifts of the Spirit, but now 
 ■we have sought out a plan far superior ; then they had nothing but knowledge and 
 certainty, and were all of one mind, but now we are blessed with the opinions and 
 commentaries of uninspired men, all differing and contradicting one another, dividing 
 us in our sentiments and doctrines. Oh, how great is the wisdom of our modern 
 divines ! How immensely superior are opinion and guess-work to certainty and know- 
 ledge ! Then they had nothing but direct revelation — the spirit of prophecy, visions, 
 and the ministry of angels to guide them into the truth, but now we have advanced 
 to the high and exalted privilege of being taught by men who despise new revelation 
 and the gifts of the Spirit, and favour us with their superior opinions, and creeds, and 
 articles of religion. Great is the plan devised by human wisdom, for the edifying of 
 the church ; God's plan can be dispensed with now as unnecessary. This is the language 
 of modern Christendom if we ai-e to judge from their opposition to the gifts which 
 Paul says, were given for the " edifying of the body of Christ. 
 
 That no one need be mistaken, and suppose the gifts in the future ages of the 
 church to be unnecessary, Paul says expressly, that they shall continue for the purposes 
 •which he specifies, " Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge 
 of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fm- 
 jiess of Christ." This puts the subject beyond all doubt and controversy ; all can see 
 that the gifts were intended as long as there was a church of the saints that needed 
 perfecting and edifying. If the modern churches of Christendom have not attained 
 to the unity of the faith and knowledge-^to all the perfection and fulness of Christ, 
 they certainly need the giftS' until they shall arrive at that state. The period when: 
 the saints shall attain to the perfection and fulness of Christ is very clearly and 
 definitely unfolded by the apostle in his first epistle to the Corinthians. " Charity 
 never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be 
 tongues, they shall cease ; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish av?ay. For 
 •we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come,. 
 
14 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 then that Tchich is in p^ shiill begone away." (ziii., 8, 9, 10.) "For now we 8ee_ 
 through a glass darkly ; but then face to face : now I know in part ; but then I shall, 
 know even as also I am known," Verse 12. 
 
 Thus it will be seen that the gifts were, not to cease until " that which is perfect is 
 come " — ^until we see the Lord face to face^— until we know as we are known. Then^ 
 tongues will cease, and the heavenly glorified throng will all spe^ the same language., 
 Then prophesying in part will be done away ; for the knowledge of the future will be 
 ifully understood. Then knowledge in part shall vanish away, and the saints will 
 know in full. Then the day of perfection will come, and all the saints shall enjoy the 
 fijilness of Christ, and see him no longer through a glass darkly, but face to face. 
 Until thiit day Bf glory and perfection shall arrive, all the spiritual gifts will be indis*, 
 pensably necessary, without which the saints can never attain to that great salvatioa- 
 promised. 
 
 Another object for which the miraculous gifts are given unto ^en, is to keep them 
 irom delusion. They are ,given that the saints " henceforth be no more children, 
 tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of. 
 men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie m wait to deceive." The very reason 
 •why the apostate churches have for the last seventeen centuries been carried about by 
 the doctrines, creeds, and traditions oJF uninspired men who have craftily deceived 
 them, — is because they lacked the gifts which Paul says were given as an effectual 
 preventative against such winds of doctrine. All churclies which have not the, gifts,; 
 are already deceived and deluded. If it were possible, these popular and learned im- 
 postors would deceive the very elect ; but this is impossible, for the elect enjoy the 
 .gifts which will detect with the most unerring certainty every imposition, however 
 plausible and popular it may be. 
 
 The Papist and Protestant churches of modern times, notwithstanding the great- 
 ness of their numbers and their exceedingly great popularity ,^-are impositions, under 
 the pious name of Christianity, of the most glaring and dangerous kind. 
 
 Their cunning, learned, arch^impostors, have midtiplied their followers to millions, 
 ■and flooded all Europe and America with their pernicious doctrines. Thousands of. 
 the honest and unwary are annually led away by these fatal delusions under the false- 
 and vain suppositions that they are embracing Christianity. Instead, however, 
 •of embracing the Christian religion of the New Testament, th^ have only 
 embraced some traditional forms that bear but a faint resemblance to it,, 
 while its miraculous powers, gifts, and blessings are entirely unknown among 
 them, and, indeed, are considered as altogether unnecessary. Oh, apostate. 
 'Christianity! Oh, modern Christendom! Thou, that corruptest all nations with; thine, 
 abominations, and makest merchandise of the souls of men! Oh! that thou didst 
 but know the day of thy visitation, — the hour of God's judgments, — and wouldst awake 
 from the awful slumber of ages! But alas ! Thine eyes are closed, no more to be; 
 -opened, until they are lifted up in torment, in the midst of lamentations, and woes, 
 .and miseries, and hopeless despair. 
 
 Seventh. — The rights, privileges, andblesaings, promised to the faithful obedteint. 
 subjects in a future life. 
 
 Eternal life is the greatest of all the gifis of God. It b a blessing pi'omised to all 
 rthe faithful subjects of his kingdom. The hopes of a future life of happiness 
 thafwill never end, serve to comfort and cheer them through aU the sorrows and 
 tribulations of the present life. We shall endeavour to point out the nature of 
 that eternal life, promised to the children of the kingdom. " This is life eternal,- 
 that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast 
 sent." (John xvii. 3.) It is not enough merely to have a knowledge of the exis- 
 tence of the Father and Son ; but to know them aright is to understand their 
 character, — their attributes, — ^their glory; — and the natwe of the laws which th»f ; 
 have ordained for the government of ajl happy, glorified, and intelligent beings. ', 
 Such knowledge, when once obtained, is eternal life Etei-nal life is not merely 
 to believe on the testimony of others in the existence and attributes of God, but it 
 is to obtain something more than a belief; it is. to obtain a certain knowledge. ■ 
 Such knowledge can only be obtained by direct and immediate revelation. " No man 
 Jtnoweth the Son, but the Father j neither knoweth any man the Father, save the 
 
(The kingdom of god. 15 
 
 ■Son, and he to whomsoever the Son wUl beteai. him." (Matthew si. 27.) All 
 men can believe in the existence of God on the testimony of others ; but no man can 
 know God only by revelation. 
 
 Hear this, ye that deny new revelation, and, fear and tremble for yourselves; for 
 Tou can in nowise inherit eternal life, without knowing "the only- true God, and 
 ■JeSus Chi:ist whom he hath sent;" and you can in nowise know them without yon 
 receive a neW revelation. Peter did riot obtain his knowledge that Jesus was the 
 Christ, only by a new revelation. Jesus said to Peter, " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar- 
 jtiiria : for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in . 
 heaven." (Iktatthew xvi. 17.) No man can know God unless " the Son KEVEAI* 
 him." Hence, we can perceive, that eternal life can only be enjoyed by a people who 
 believe in, and receive new revelation. All others are in uncertainty and doubt, like 
 the apostate churches, who do not believe in any later revelations than the New Testa- 
 Bjent, which plainly proves, that they have not attained to the knowledge of God, and 
 therefore, eternal life is not among them. 
 
 But the children of' the kingdom have a knowledge of both the Father and the 
 •Son through the mejlium of new revelation ; therefore, eternal life is with them. 
 Tlieir happiness anfjoy in eternal life will increase as their knowledge of the glory, 
 power, wisdom, and goodness of God increases ; and this knowledge will increase 
 only through the medium of new revelation. Hence the whole system of salvation 
 and eternal life, and the increa.se of knowledge and happiness, are founded upon con- 
 tinued revelation to the children of the kingdom throughout all ages in this world, 
 and in all worlds to coine. 
 
 We have ii^ this treatise briefly touched upon some of the most important subjects 
 <!onneoted with the kingdom of God. We shall now proceed to give a summary 
 statement of some of the leiiding argumwits contained in the foregoing. 
 
 1. — We have endeavoured to point out the nature and character of the great Su- 
 preme governing Power of the universe, consisting of the Father the Son, and the 
 Holy Ghost. The person of the Father consisting of a most glorious substance, 
 ■called Spirit, which we have shown must have extension and parts, and consequently 
 must be raatei'ial. Without these qualities no substance could exist. 
 
 The Son is in the express image of the Father, and is also a material being. The 
 ■same material body that was crucified and laid in the tomb, ai'ose again. The same 
 ileSh — the same bones were reanimated by the same material spirit. This glorious 
 ■compound of flesh, and bones, and spirit — all material, ascended into heaven to dwell 
 in the presence of the glorious personage of the Father, of whose express image and 
 lilceriess he was the most perfect pattern. Thei-efore, from the description given of 
 Jesus we are u-resistibly led to the conclusion, that both he and the Father must ap- 
 peair, so far as it relates to form and size, very much like maq. If then, both of these 
 glorious personages are about the size of man, they must, liUe man, occupy a finite 
 space of but a few cubic feet in dimension : and, according to the admitted truths of 
 pnilosophj', no substance can be in two or more places at the same time, therefore 
 neither the Father nor Son can, consistently with those truths, be in two places at once. 
 Revealed truths never will contradict any other truths. The revealed truths con- 
 tained in the bible, inform us that God is everywhere, sustaining and upholding all 
 "things, and ^hat in him we live, and move, and have our being. How can these im- 
 portant truths of divine revelation be reconciled with other admitted truths of 
 3)hilosophy which are equally certain ? They can be reconciled in no way only by 
 admitting the omnipresence of the Holy, Spirit. This all-powerful substance extends 
 throughout the material universe, uniting and mingling with all other matter in a 
 greater or less degree, not absolutely filling all space, for then there would be no 
 room for other matter, but like the rays of light or heat, existing in difterent degrees 
 of deiisity in different pai-ts of space. By it all things are governed in the most per- 
 fect order and wisdom, according to the will of the Father and the Son. This view 
 -o? the subject does not necessarily do away a personal Spirit, acting in conjunction 
 ■with the other two persons of the Godhead ; for myriads of personal Spirits could be 
 torjanized out of ihe inexhaustible quantities which exist, and still an abundance would 
 
16 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 
 
 be left to govern and control the various, departments of the universe where tttese 
 personages could not always be present. 
 
 2 We have clearly shown that apostles, prophets, and all other officers of the 
 
 kingdom of God, must be called and ordained by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost ; 
 and that without new revelation these officers never could be qualified to perform thfe 
 various duties of their calling. ' Wa have also proved that the officers of the king- 
 dom have the authority to administer the word, the water, and the Spirit, according 
 to certain conditions, and through certain ordinances in the name of Jesus. 
 
 3. — We have pointed out the great scriptural plan of salvation, and the conditions 
 to be complied with on the part of man. These conditions are, faith, a humble' re- 
 pentance, an immersion in water for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit 
 through the laying on of hands, and a strict observance of every other requirement 
 of heaven, even unto the end. 
 
 4. — We have proved from the dealings of God with his people in all ages, that 
 continued revelation is absolutely necessary for the well-being of the church, and for 
 its existence among men ; — ^that new circumstances are constantly requiring new infor- 
 mation from heaven, adapted to these circumstances ; and that the church in one aga 
 never could learn its whole duty from revelations given to the church in a former age. 
 
 6. — ^We have urged the Saints to cultivate such a disposition and character as 
 would best correspond with the word and spirit of Christ. 
 
 6. — We have clearly shown from the word of God that all the supernatural gifts- 
 of the Spirit, the miraculous signs promised to believers, and every blessing promised, 
 imder the gospel dispensation, are all necessary in the church now, and should be 
 earnestly sought after by all the faithful Saints ; — and that no church have any reason 
 or scripture by which they can possibly suppose themselves to be the church of Christ, 
 unless they believe in and enjoy those miraculous powers. 
 
 7. — The word of God, promises to all who faithfully adhere to the laws and ordi- 
 nances of the Idngdom— a paradise of rest — a glorious resurrection— an eternal life of 
 happiness — and an everlasting inheritance upon the new earth, where they shall reign 
 as kings and priests for ever and ever. These are the subjects which we have endea- 
 vored to elucidate in this small treatise. They are subjects with which every man 
 throughout the world should be well acquainted, however imperfect they may have 
 been set forth in the foregoing pages, they are none the less important. 
 
 The Almighty has decreed to rend and break in pieces all earthly governments — 
 to .cast down their thrones — to turn and overturn, and break up the nations — ^to send 
 forth his messengers, and make a way for the establishment of the everlasting king- 
 dom to which all others must yield, or be prostrated never more to rise. Awake- 
 then, O ye nations, for with you, the Lord hath a controversy ! His kingdom is now 
 for the last time organized upon the earth — all nations are invited to become citizens 
 — it is the only government of safety or refuge upon all the earth — it hath its seat in 
 the everlasting mountains — its dreadful majesty shall strike terror to the hearts of longs 
 in the day of his power ! Awake, for troublous times are at hand ! Nations shall no- 
 longer sit at ease ! The troubled elements shall foment, and rage, and dash with tre- 
 mendous fury ! A voice is heard unto the ends of the earth ! A sound of terror and' 
 dismay! A sound of nations rushing to battle — ^fierce and dreadful is the contest- 
 mighty kingdoms and empires melt away ! The destroyer has gone forth — the pestilence 
 that walketh in darkness. The plagues of the last days are at hand, and who shall be 
 able to escape ? None but the righteous, — none but the upi-ight in heart — none but. 
 the children of the kingdom. They shall be gathered out from among the nations — 
 they shall stand in holy places, and not be moved ! But among the wicked, men shall 
 lift up their voices, and curse God because of his sore judgments, and die. And there 
 shall be a voice of mourning and lamentation unto the ends of the earth ; for the cup 
 of the indignation of the Almighty shall be pom-ed out without mixture of mercy, 
 because they would not receive his messengers, but hai'dened their hearts against the 
 ■warning proclamation — against the gospel of the kingdom — and against the great 
 preparatory work for the universal reign of the King of kings and Lord of lords. 
 15, Wilton Street, Liverpool, July lith, 1849. 
 
 B. JAMES, PEINTEB, 39, SOUTH CASTLE STREET, UVEKPOOL. 
 
No. 6 
 
 REMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE OP THE TWELVE APOSTLES OP THE CHDRCH OF JESUS CHRIST OP UTTEB-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 VisjojMs OF Joseph Smith— Discoveet op Gold Plates, filled -inrn 
 Egyptian Chabaoteks and Hiebogltphics— Theik Tbanslation into the 
 English LANq^pAOE by the aid op the Ukim and Thommim— The SacbeI) 
 HisTOEY op Ancient Ameeica, noV cleaely eevealed fbom the eaeliest 
 AGES apteb the Flood, to the beginning op the Fifth Centuet op the 
 Chbistian Era— a Sketch of the Rise, Faith, and Docibine op the 
 . Chuecii op Jesus Christ op Latteb-day Saints. 
 
 Me. Joseph Smith, jun., who made the following important discovery, was born in 
 the town of Sharon, Windsor county, Vermont, on the 23rd of December, A.D., 
 1805. When ten years old, his parents with their family, moved to Palmyra, New" 
 York, in the vicinity of which he resided for about eleven years, the latter part in the 
 town of Manchester. He was a farmer by occupation. His advantages for ac- 
 quiring scientific knowledge were exceedingly small, bemg limited to a slight ac- 
 quaintance with two or three of the common branches of learning. He could 
 read without much difficulty, and write a very imperfect hand ; and had a very 
 limited understanding of this elementary rules of arithmetic. These were his highest 
 and only attainments ; while the rest of those branches, so universally taught in th« 
 common schools throughout the United States, were entirely unknown to him. — 
 When somewhei-e about fourteen or fifteen years old, he began seriously to reflect 
 upon the necessity of being prepared for a future state of existence ; but how, or in 
 what .way to prepare himself, was a question, as yet, undetermined in his own mind : 
 he perceived that it was a question of infinite importance, and that the salvation of his 
 soul depended upon a correct understanding of the same. He saw, that if he under- 
 stood not the 'vvay, it would be impossible to walk in it, except by chance ; and the 
 thought of resting his hopes of eternal life upon chance or uncertainties, was more 
 than he, could endure. If he went to the religious denominations to seek informal 
 tipi), each one pointed to his particular tenets, saying — " This is the way, walk ye in 
 itj" Tyhile at the same time, the doctrines of each were, in many respects, in direct 
 opposition to one another. It also occurred to his mind, that God was not the author 
 of but one doctrine, and, therefore, could not acknowledge but one denomination as 
 his church ; and that such denomination must be a people who believe and teach that 
 one doctrine (whatever it may be,) and build upon the same. He then reflected upon 
 the immense number of doctrines now in the worll?' which had given rise to many 
 hundreds of diflferent denominations. The great question to be decided in his 
 niind, was — if any one of these denominations be the Church of Christ, which one is 
 it ? TJntiJ he could become satisfied in relation to this question, he could not rest con- 
 tented. To trust to the decisions of fallible man, and build his hopes upon the same, 
 without any certainty and knowledge of his own, would not satisfy the anxious desires 
 that pervaded his ^breast. To decide without any poative and definite evidence oa 
 which he could rely, upon a subject involving the future welfare of his soul, was re- 
 
2 REMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 Tolting to his feelings. The only alternative that seemed left to him was, to read the 
 scriptures, and endeavour to follovir their directions. He accordingly commenced pe- 
 rusing the sacred pages of the Bible with sincerity, believing the things that he read. 
 His mind soon caught hold of the following passage — " 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." — James i. 5. From this promise he learned that it wa's the privilege of 
 all men to ask God for wisdom, with' the sure and certain expectation of receiving li- 
 berally, without being upbraided for so doing. This was cheering information to him, 
 tidings that gave him great joy. It was like a light shining forth in a dark place, to 
 guide him to the path in which he should walk. He now saw that if he inquired of 
 God, there was not only a possibility but a probability, yea more, a certainty, that he 
 should obtain a knowledge which of all the doctrines was the doctrine of Christ, and 
 which of all the churches was the Church of Christ. He, therefore, retired to a se- 
 cret place, in a grove, but a short distance from his father's house, and knelt down and 
 began to call upon the Lord. At first, he was severely tempted by the powers of dark- 
 . ness, which endeavoured to overcome him, but he continued to seek for deliverance, 
 until darkness gave way from his mind, and he was enabled to pray in fervency of the 
 spirit, and in faith ; and while thus pouring out his soul, anxiously desiring an 
 answer from God, hei saw a very bright and glorious light in the heavens above, 
 which at first seemed to be at a considerable distance. He continued praying, while 
 the light appeared to be gradually descending towards him ; and, as it drew nearer, 
 it increased in brightness and magnitude, so that by the time that it reached the tops 
 of the trees, the whole wilderness, for some distance around, was illuminated in a most 
 glorious and brilliant manner. He expected to have seen the leaves and boughs of the 
 trees consumed, as soon as the light came in contact with them ; but perceiving that 
 it did not produce that effect, he was encouraged with the hopes of being able to en- 
 dure its presence. It continued descending slowly until it rested upon the earth, and 
 he was enveloped in the midst of it. When it first came upon him, it produced a pe- 
 . culiar sensation throughout his whole .system ; and, immediately, his mind was caught 
 away from the natural objects with which he was surrounded, and he was enwrapped 
 in a heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each 
 other in their features or likeness. He was informed that his sins were forgiven. He 
 was also informed upon the subjects which had for some time previously agitated his 
 mind, namely, that all religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines ; 
 and, consequently, that none of them was acknowledged of God as his church anti- 
 kingdom. And he was expressly commanded to go not after them ; and he received 
 , a promise that the true, doctrine — the fulness of the gospel — should, at some future 
 time, be made known to him ; after which, the vision withdrew, leaving his niind in a 
 state of calmness and peace indescribable. Some time after having received this 
 glorious manifestation, being young, he was again entangled in the vanities of the 
 world, of which he afterwards sincerely and truly repented. 
 
 And it pleased God. on the evening of the 21st of September, A.D., 1823, to again 
 hear his prayers. For he had retired to rest as usual, only that his mind' was drawn 
 out in fervent prayer, and his soul was filled with the most earnest desire " to com- 
 mune with some kind messenger who could communicate to him the desu-ed informa- 
 tion of his acceptance with God," and also unfold the principles of the doctrine of 
 Christ, according to the promise which he had received in the former vision, while he 
 thus continued to pour out his desires before the Father of all good, endeavouring to 
 exercise faith in his precious promises, " on a sudden, a light like that of day, only of a 
 purer and far more glorious appearance and brightness, burst into the room. Indeed^ 
 the fii'st sight was as though the house was filled with consuming fire. This sudden 
 appearance of a light so bright, as must naturally be expected, occasioned a shock or 
 sensation visible to the extremities of the body. It wasj however,' followed with a 
 calmness and serenity of mind, and an overwhelniung rapture of joy, that surpassed 
 understanding, and, in a moment, a personage stood before hina." 
 
 Notwithstanding the brightness of the. light which previously illuniinated libe 
 room, '• yet there seemed to be an additional glory surrounding oi" accompanying 
 this personage, which shone with an increased degree of brilUancy, of which he was 
 
REMARKABLE VISIONS. 3 
 
 in the midst ; and though his countenance was as lightning, yet it was of a pleasing, 
 innocent, and glorious appearance ; so much so, that every fear was banished from iSfa 
 heart, and nothing but calmness pervaded the soul." 
 
 " The stature of this personage was a little above the common size of men in this 
 age ; his garment was perfectly white, and had the appearance of being without 
 seam." 
 
 This glorious being declared himself to be an angel of God, sent forth by com- 
 mandment, to communicate to him that his sins were forgiven, and that his prayers 
 were heard ; and also to bring the joyful tidings, that the covenant which God made 
 with ancient Israel, concerning their posterity, was at hand to be fulfilled — that the 
 great preparatory work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to com- 
 mence — that the time was at hand for the gospel, in its falness, to be preached in 
 power unto all nations, that a people might be prepared with faith and righteousneac 
 ■for the Millennial reign of universal peace and joy. 
 
 He was informed that he was called and chosen to be an instrument in the hands 
 of God, to bring about some of his marvellous purposes in this glorious dispensation. 
 It was also madejBanifest to him, that the " American Indians" were a remnant of 
 Israel ; that when they first emigrated to Ameriqa, they were an enlightened people, 
 possessing a knowledge of the true God, enjoying his favour and peculiar blessings 
 from his hand ; that the prophets and inspu-ed writers among them, were required to 
 keep a sacred history of the most important events transpiring among them, which 
 history was handed down ,for many generations, till at length they fell into great 
 wickedness. The greatest part of them were destroyed, and the records (by com- 
 mandment of God to one of the last prophets among them,) were safely deposited to 
 preserve them from the hands of the wicked who sought to destroy them. He was 
 informed that these records contained many sacred revelations pertaining to the gos- 
 pel of the kingdom, as well as prophecies relating to the great events of the last days ; 
 and that to fulfil his promises to the ancients, who wrote the records, and to accom- 
 plish his purposes, in the restitution of their children, &c., they were to come forth 
 to the knowledge of the people. If faithAil he was to be the instrument who should 
 be thus highly favoured m bringing these sacred things to light ; at the same time 
 being expressly informed, that it must be done with an eye single to the glory of 
 God, that no one could be entrusted with those sacred writings, who should endea- 
 vour to aggrandize himself, by converting sacred things to unrighteous and specula- 
 tive purposes. After giving him many instructions concerning things past and to 
 come, which would be foreign to our purpose to mention here, he disappeared, and 
 the light and glory of God withdrew, leaving his mind in perfect peace, while a calm- 
 ness and serenity indescribable pervaded the soul. But before morning, the vision 
 was twice renewed, instructing him further and still further concerning the great 
 work of God about to be performed on the earth. In the morning he went out to his 
 work as usual, but soon the vision was renewed — the angel again appeared, and 
 having been informed by the previous visions of the night, concerning the 
 place where those records were deposited, he was instructed to go immediately and 
 view them. 
 
 Accordingly he repaired to the plaee, a brief description of which shall he given in 
 the words of a gentleman named OUver Cowdery, who has visited the spot. 
 
 " As you pass on the mail-road from Palmyra, Wayne county, to Canandaigua, 
 Ontario county. New York, before arriving at the little village of Manchester, say 
 from three to four, or about four miles from Palmyra, you pass a large hill on the 
 east side of the road. Why I say large, is because it is as large, perhaps, as any in 
 that country. 
 
 "The north end rises quite suddenly until it assumes a level vsith the more south- 
 erly extremity, and, I think I may say, an elevation higher than at the south, a short 
 distance, say half or three-fourths of a mile. As you pass towards Canandaigua it 
 lessens gradually, until the surface assumes its common level, or is broken by other 
 smaller hills or ridges, water-courses and ravines. I think I am justified in saying 
 that this is the highest hill for some distance round, and I am certain that its appear- 
 :ance, as it rises so suddenly from a plain on the north, must attract the notice of the 
 
4 REMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 traveller as he passes by."—" The north end, (which has been described as rising- 
 suddenly from the plain,) forms a promontory without timber, but covered with 
 grass. As you pass to the South you soon come to scatterii^ timber, the surface hav- 
 ing been cleared by art or wind ; and a short distance further left, you are surrounded 
 with the common forest of the country. It is necessary to observe, that even the part 
 deared, was only occupied 'for pasturage ; its steep ascent and narrow summit not 
 admitting the plough of the husbandman with any degree of ease or profit. It was 
 at tiie second mentioned place, where the record was found to be deposited, on the west 
 side of the hill, not far froin the top down its side ; and when myself visited the place 
 in the year 1830, there were several trees standing — enough to cause a shade in sum- 
 mer, but not so much as to prevent the surface being covered with grass, which was 
 also the case when the record was first found. 
 
 " How far below the surface these records were" anciently " placed, I am unable 
 to say; but from the fact that they had been some fourteen hundred years buried, 
 and that too, on the side of a -hOl so steep, one is ready to conclude that they were 
 some feet below, as the earth would naturally wear, more or less, in that length of 
 time. But being placed toward the top of the hill, the ground would not remove 
 as much as at two-thirds, perhaps. Another cu-cumstanee would prevent a wearing 
 <rfthe earth; in all .probability, as soon as timber had time to grow, tlie hill was 
 .covered, and the roots of the same would liold the surface. However, on this point, 
 I shall leave every man to draw his own cdnelvision, and form his own speculation." 
 But, suffice to say, '' a hole of su&cient depth was dug. At the bottom of this was 
 laid a stone of suitable size, the upper surface being smooth. At each edge, was 
 rplaced a large quantity of cement, and into this cement, at the four edges of this 
 stCHie, were placed erect four otliers ; their bottom edges resting in the cement, at 
 the outer edges of the first stone. The four last named, when placed erect, formed a 
 box ; the corners, or where the edges of the four came in contact, were also cemented 
 so 'firmly, that the moisture from without was^ prevented from entering. It is to be 
 .observed, also, that the inner surfaces of the fpur erect or side stones werfe smooth. 
 This box was sufficiently large to admit a breastplate, such as was used by th?, anci- 
 ents to defend the chest, .&c., from the arrows and weapons of their enemy. From 
 the bottom of the box, or from the breastplate, arose three small pillars composed of 
 the same description of cement used on the edges) and upon these three pillars were 
 placed the records." — " This box, containing the records, was covered with anothar 
 stoi\e,'the bottom sm-face being flat, and the upper crowning." When it was first visited 
 fBf Mr. Smith, onthe'momingof the22d of September, 1823, "apartof the crowTiing 
 stone was visible above the surface, while the ed.ges were concealed by the soil and 
 grass." From which circumstance, it may be seen, " that however deep this box 
 ;might have been placed at first, thetime had been sufficient to wear the earth, so that 
 It was easily discovered, when once directed, and yet not enough to make a perceiva- 
 ;ble difference, to the passer by." — " After arriving at the repository, a little exertion 
 in removing the soil froin the edges of the top of the box, and a light lever, brought 
 to his natural vision its contents." While viewing and contemplating this sacred 
 treasure with wonder and astonishment, behold ! the angel of the Lord, v^ho hayd 
 previously visited- him, again stood in his presence, andlus soul was ao-ain enlight- 
 ened as it was the evening before, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and the 
 heavens were opened, and the glory oif the Lord shone round about and rested 
 upon him. , While he thus stood gazing and admiring, the angel said, " Look !" 
 Jbid as he thus spake, he beheld the Prince of Darkness, surrounded by his innu- 
 merahle train of associates. All this passed before hun, and the heavenly messen- 
 geir-said, « All tliis is shown, the good and the etil, the holy and impure, the glory 
 of God, and the power of darkness, that ,you may know hereafter the two powers, 
 and never be influenced or overcome by the wicked one. Behold, whatsoevM- 
 eaticeth and ^eadeth to good and to do godd is of God, and whatsoever doth not- 
 is of ^at, wicked one. It is he that fiUeth the hearts of men -with evil, to walk in 
 darkness and blaspheme God; and you may learn from henceforth that his ways 
 are to destructipii, but the way of holiness is i peace and rest. You cannot at this 
 time obtain this record, for ihe commandment of God is strict, and if ever these 
 
REMARKABLE VISIONS. 5 
 
 -sawed things are obtained, they must be by prayer and faithfulness in obeying the 
 Lord. They are not deposited here for the sake of accumulating gain and weajtb^ 
 for the glory of this world ; they were sealed by the prayer of faith, ai>d because 
 •of the knowledge -which they ^contain ; they are of no worth among the childem 
 of men only for their knowle(%e. On them is contained the fulness of the gospel olj 
 Jesus Christ, as it was given to his people on this land; and whsn it shall be 
 brought forth by the power of God, it shall be carried to the Gentiles, of whom nianjr 
 will receive it, and aitpr wiU the seed of Israel be brought into the fold of their Re- 
 deemer by obeying it also. Those who kept the commandments of the Lord on thijs 
 land desired this at his hand, and through the prayer of faith obtained the promise^ 
 that if their descendants should transgress and fall away, that a record should be kept, 
 and in the last days come to their children. These things are sacred and must be kept 
 so, for the promise of the Lord concerning them must be fulfilled. No man can ob- 
 tain them if his heart is impure, because they contain that which is sacred." * * « 
 " By them will the Lord work ^ great and marvellous work ; the wisdom of the -wise 
 shall become as nought, and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid, and be- 
 cause the power of God shall be displayed, those who profess to know the truth buj; 
 walk in deceit shftU tremble with anger ; but with signs and with wonders, with gifts 
 a,nd with healings, with the manifestations of the power of God, and with the Holy 
 Ghost, shall the hearts of the faithful be comforted. You have now beheld the power 
 ■of God manifested and the power of Satan ; you see that thei:e is nothing desirable in 
 the w6rks of darkness ; that they cannot bring happiness ; that those who are over- 
 come therewith are miserable; while, on the other hand, the righteous are blessed with 
 4 place in the kingdom of God, where jpy unspeakable sufToirads them. There they 
 rest beyond the power of the enemy of mith, where no evil can disturb them. The 
 glory of God crowns them, and they continually feast upon his goodness and en- 
 joy his siiiiles.. Behold, nptvTithstanding you have seen this great displ,ay of power, 
 by which you may ever be able to detect the evil one, yet I give unto you another 
 sign, and when it comes to pass then know that the Lord is God, and that ne will fulfil 
 hia purposes, and that, the knowledge which this record coijtains will go to every na- 
 tion, and kindrfe'd, and tbngue, arid people under the whole heaven. This is the 
 sign:, when these things begin to be kno-wn, that is, when it is known that the Lord 
 has shown you these things, the workers of iniquity wiU seek your overthrow. They 
 will cu'culate falsehoods to destroy your reputation, and also will ^eek to take your life ; 
 but remeinber' this, if you are faithful and shall hereafter continue to keep the com- 
 mandments of the Lord, you shall be preserved to bring these things forth ; for iix 
 due time he will give you a commandment to come and take them. When they ar^ 
 interpreted, the Lord -will give the holy priesthood to some, and they[shall begin to pro- 
 ^aim this gospel and baptize by water, and after that they shall have" power to give the 
 Holy Ghost by the laying on of their hands. Then will persecution rage more and 
 niore ; for the iniquities of men shall be revealed, and those who are not built upon 
 the Rock will seek to overthrow the church ; but it will increase the more opposed, 
 and spread father and father, increasing in knowledge till they shall be sanctified, and 
 recdve an inheritance where the glory, of God will rest upon them ; and when this 
 takes place, and all things are prepared, the ten tribes of Israel will be revealed in the 
 north country, whither they have been for a long season; and when this is fulfilled 
 will be brought to pass that saying of the prophet, — 'And the Redeemer shall come 
 -to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.' But» 
 notwithstanding the ^ivorkers of iniquity shall seek your destructioij, the arm of the 
 Lord will be extended, and you yvill be borne off conqueror if you keep all his com- 
 mandments. Your name ^aU be known among the nations, for the work which the 
 Lord will perform by yoilr hands shall cause the righteous to rejoice and the wicked 
 to rage ; with the one it shall be had in honour, and -with the other in reproach ; yeb 
 ■with these it shall be a terror, because of the great. and' marvellous work which -sfiall 
 follow the coming forth of this fulpess of the gospel. Now, gb thy way, rememlierii^ 
 what the Lord hath done for thee, and be diligent in keeping his cpmmandments,-ari4 
 he vyill deliver thee froni temptations and all the arts arid devices of the wicked-onei 
 Forget not to pray, that thy mind may become strong, that when he shall manifesB 
 
6 KKMARKABLE, VJSI01K8. 
 
 unto thee thou; mayest have power to escape the evil and obtain these precious things. " 
 
 We here remark that the above quotation is an extract [from a letter written by 
 Elder Oliver Cowdery, which was published in one of the numbers of the " Latter- 
 day Saints' Messenger and Advocate." 
 
 Although many more instructions were given by the mouth of the angel to Mr. 
 Smith, which we do not write in this paniphletj yet the most important items are 
 contained in the foregoing relation. During the period of the four following years, 
 he frequently received instructions from the mouth of the heavenly messenger. And 
 on the morning of the 22d of September, a.d. 1827, the angel of the Lord delivered 
 the records into his hands. 
 
 These records were engraved on plates, which had the appearance of gold. Each 
 plate was not far from seven by eight inches in width and length, being not quite as 
 thick as common tin. They were filled on both sides with engravings in Egyptian 
 diaracters, and bound together in a volume as the leaves of a book, and festened at 
 (me edge with three rings running through the whole. This volume was something 
 near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters or letters 
 upon the unsealed part were small and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhi- 
 bited many marks of antiquity in its construction, as well as much skill in the art of 
 engraving. With the records was found " a curious instrument, called by the ancients 
 the Urim and Thummim, which consisted of two transparent stones, clear as crystal, 
 set in the twp rims of a bow. This was in use in ancient times by persons called 
 seers. It was an instrument, by the use of which they received revelation of things 
 distant, or of things past or future." 
 
 In the mean time the inhabitants of that vicinity, having been informed that Mr. 
 Smith had seen heavenly visions, and that he had discovered sacred records, began to 
 ridicule and mock at those things. And after having obtained those sacred things, 
 while proceeding home through the vsTlderness and fidds, he was waylaid by two ruffi- 
 ans, who had secreted themselves for the purpose ,of robbing him of the records. 
 One of them struck him with a club before he perceived them ; but being a strong 
 man and large in stature, with great exertion he cleared himself from them and ran 
 towards home, being closely pursued untU he came near his father's house, when his 
 pursuers, for fear of being detected, turned and fled the other way. 
 
 Soon the news of Ijis discoveries spread abroad throughout all those parts. False 
 reports, misrepresentations, and base slanders, flew as if upon the wings of the wind 
 in every directioil. The house was frequently beset by mobs and evil designing per- 
 sons. Several times he was shot at and very narrowly escaped. Every device was 
 used to get the plates away from him. And being continually in danger of his life 
 from a gang of abandoned wretches, he at length concluded to leave the place and go 
 to Pennsylvania ; and, accordingly, packed up his goods, putting the plates into a bar- 
 rel of beans, and proceeded upon his journey. He had not gone far before he was 
 overtaken by an officer with a search-warrant, who flattered himself with the idea 
 that he should surely obtain the plates ; after searching very diligently, he was sadly 
 disappointed at not finding them. Mr. Smith then drove on, but before he got to hie 
 journey's end he was again oveitaken by an officer on the same business, and after 
 ransacking the wagon very carefully, he went his way as much chagrined as ^.firstj 
 at not being able to discover the object of his research. Without any further molesta- 
 tation^he pursued his journey until he came into the northern part of Peimsylvania, 
 near the Susquehanah river, in which part his father-in-law resided. 
 
 Having provided himself with a home, he commenced translating the record, by the 
 gift and power of God, through the means of the Urim and Thummim ; and being 
 a. poor writer, he was under the necessity of employing a scribe, to write the trans- 
 lation as it came from his mouth. 
 
 In the mean time a few of the original characters were accurately transcribed 
 and translated by Mr. Smith, which, with the translation, were taken by a gentle- 
 man by the name of Martin Harris to the city of New York, where they were pre- 
 sented to a learned gentleman of the name of Anthon, who professed to be exten- 
 sively acquainted with many languages, both ancient and modem. He examined 
 
RBMAEKABLE VISIONS, 7 
 
 them ; but was unable to decipher them correctly ; but he presumed that if the ori- 
 ginal records could be brought, he could assist in translating them. 
 
 But to return. Mr. Smith continued the work of translation, as his pecuniary cir- 
 mimstances would permit, until he finished the unsealed part of the records. The part' 
 translated is entitled the " Book of Mormon," which contains nearly as much reading' 
 afi the Old Testament. 
 
 In this important and most interesting book, we can read the history of ancient 
 America, from its early settlement by a colony who came from the tower of Babel at 
 the confusion of languages, to the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian era. 
 By these records we are informed, that America, in ancient times, has been inhabited 
 by two distinct races of people. The first, or more ancient race, came directly 
 from the gi-eat tower, being called Jaredites. The second race came directly from 
 the city of Jerusalem, about six hundred years before Christ, being Israelites, princi- 
 pally the descendants of Joseph. The first nation, or Jaredites, were destroyed about 
 the time that the Israelites came from Jerusalem, who succeeded them in the inherit-' 
 ance of the country. The principal nation of the second race, fell in battle towards 
 the close of the fourth century. The remaining remnant, having dwindled into an 
 uncivilized state»still continue to inhabit the land, although divided into a " multituds 
 (rf nations," and are called by Europeans the " American Indians." 
 
 We learn from this very ancient history, that at the confusion of languages, when 
 the Lord scattered the people upon all the face of the eai-th, the Jaredites, being a 
 righteous people, obtained favour in the sight of the Lord, and were not confounded. 
 And because of their righteousness, the Lord raii'aculously led them from the tower 
 to the great ocean, where they were commanded to build vessels, in which they were 
 marvellously brought aoi'oss the great deep to the shores of North America. 
 
 And the Lord Uod promised to give them America, which was a very choice land 
 in his sight, for an inheritance. And He swore unto them in his wrath, that whoso 
 should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and for ever, should serve 
 him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath 
 ahpuld come upon them, and they were fully ripened in inauity. Moreover, he pro- 
 mised to make them a great and powerful nation, so that tliere should be no greater 
 nation upon all the face of the earth. 
 
 Accordingly, in proctes of time, they became a very numerous and powerful people, 
 occupying pnncipally North America ; building large cities in all quarters of the 
 land ; being a civilized and enlightened nation. Agriculture and machinery were 
 carried on to a great extent. Commercial and manufacturing business flourished on 
 eriery hand ; yet, in consequence of wickedness they were often visited with terribki 
 judgments. Many prophets were raised up among them from generation to genera- 
 tion, who testified against the wickedness of the people, and prophesied of judgments 
 and calamites which awaited them if they did not repent, &c. Sometimes they were 
 visited by pestilence and' plagues, and sometimes by famine and war, until at length 
 (having occupied the land some fifteen or sixteen hundred years) their wickedness be- 
 came so great, that the Lord threatened, by the mouth of his prophets, to utterly de- 
 stroy them froin the face of the land. But they gaVe no heed to these Wrnings ; 
 therefore the word of the Lord was fulfilled, and they were entirely destroyed ; leav- 
 ing their houses, theii- cities, and their land desolate ; and their saa-ed records also, 
 vrhich were kept on gold .plates, were left by one of their last prophets, whose namo 
 was Ether, in such a situation that they were discovered by the remnant of Joseph, 
 who soon afterwards were brought from Jerusalem to inherit the land. 
 
 This remnant of Joseph were also led in a miraculous manner from Jerusalem, in 
 the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah. They were first led to the 
 eastern bordfers of the Red Sea ; then they journeyed for some time along the bor- 
 ders thereof, nearly in a south-east direction ; after which they altered their course 
 nearly eastward, until they came to the great waters, where, by thie command of 
 God, they built a vessel, in which they were safely brought across the great Pacific 
 Ocean, and landed upon the western coast of South America. 
 
 In the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, at the time the Jews were carried 
 away captive into Babylon, another remnant were brought out of Jerusalem; som« 
 
8 REMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 of whom were descendants of Judah. They landed in North America ; soon after 
 which they emigrated into the northern parts of South America, at which place 
 they were discovered by the remnant of Joseph, something like ftur hundred years 
 after. 
 
 From these ancient records, we learn that this remnant of Joseph soon after they 
 landed, separated themselves into two distinct nations. This division was caused ty 
 a. certain portion of them being greatly persecuted, because of their righteousnes, by 
 the remainder. The persecuted nation emigrated to the northern parts of South 
 America, leaving the wicked nation in possession of the middle and southern parts of 
 the same. The former were called Nephites, being led by a prophet whose name was 
 Nephi. The latter were called Lamanites, being led by a very wicked man whose 
 name was Laman. The Nephites had in then- possession a copy of the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, viz., the five books of Moses and the prophecies of the holy prophets, down to 
 Jeremiah, in whose days they left Jerusalem. These Scriptuies were engraved on 
 plates of brass in the Egyptian language. They themselves also made plates soon 
 after their landing, on which they began to engrave their own history, prophecies, 
 visions, and revelations. All these sacred records were kept by' holy and righteous 
 men, who were inspired by the Holy Ghost, and were carefully preserved and handed 
 down from generation to generation. 
 
 And the Lord gave unto them the whole continent for a land of promise, and he 
 pi'omised that they and their children after them should inherit it, on condition of 
 their obedience to his commandments ; but if they were disobedient they should be 
 cut off from his presence. And the Nephites began to prosper in the land , ac- 
 cording to their righteousness, and they multiplied and spread forth to the east, and 
 west, and north ; building large villages, cities, synagogues, and temples, together 
 with forts, towers and fortifications, to defend themselves against their enemies. They 
 cultivated the earth, and raised various kinds of grain in abundance. They also raised 
 numerous flocks of domestic animals, and became a very wealthy people : having in abun- 
 dance gold, silver, copper, tin, iron, &c. Arts and sciences flourished to a great ex- 
 tent. Various kinds of machinery were in use. Cloths of various kinds were manu- 
 factured ; swords, cymeters, axes, and varioxis implements of war were made, together 
 with head-shields, arra-shields, and breastplates, to defend themselves in battle with 
 their enemies. And in the days of their righteousness they were a civilised, enlight- 
 ened, and happy people. 
 
 , But, on the other hand, the Lamanites, because of the hardness of their hearts, 
 brought down many judgments upon their own heads ; nevertheless they were not de- 
 stroyed as a nation ; but the Lord God sent forth a curse upon them, and they be- 
 came a dark, loathsome, and filthy people. Before their rebellion they were white 
 and exceedingly fair, Uke the Nephites; but the Lord God cursed them in their 
 complexions, and they \/eve changed to a dark colour; and they became a wild, 
 savage, and ferocious people; being great enemies to the Nephites, whom they 
 sought by every means to destory, and many times came against them with 
 their numerous hosts to battle, but were repulsed by the Nephites and driven back to 
 their own possessions, not, however, generally speaking, without great loss on both 
 sides; for tens of thousands were very frequently slain, after which they were piled 
 together in great heaps upon the face of the ground, and covered with a shallow 
 covering of earth, which will satisfactorily account for those ancient mounds, filled 
 with human bobes, so numerous at the present day, both in North and South America. 
 
 The second colony, which left Jerusalem eleven yeai-s after the remnant of Joseph 
 Jeft that city, landed in North America, and emigrated from thence to the northern 
 parts of South America ; and about four hundred years after, they were discovered by 
 the Nephites, as vve statgd in the foregoing, 
 
 They were called the" people of Zarahemla, They had been perplexed witi 
 many wars among themselves, and having brought no records with, them, their 
 language had become corrupted, and they denied the beirig of God ; and at the time 
 they were discovered by the Nephites, they were vei-y numerous, and only in a partial 
 state of civilization ; but the Nephites united with them and taught them the Holy 
 Scriptures, and they were restored to civilization and became one nation with them. 
 
REMARKABLE VISIONS. 9 
 
 And in process of time, the Nephites began to build ships near the Isthmus of Darien 
 and launch them forth into the western ocean, in which great numbers sailed a great 
 distance to the northward, and began to colonize North America. Other colonies 
 emigi'ated by land, and in a few centuries the whole continent became peopled. 
 North America, at that time, was almost entirely destitute of .timber, it having been 
 cut off by the more ancient race, who came from the great tower at the confusion of 
 languages ; but the Nephites became very skilful in building houses of cement ; also 
 much timber was carried by the way of shipping from South to North America. 
 They also planted groves and began to raise timber, that in time their wants might 
 be supplied. Large cities were built in various parts of the continent, both among 
 the Lamanites and Nephites. The law of Moses was observed by the latter. Nu- 
 merous prophets were raised up from time to time throughout their generations. 
 Many records, both historical and prophetical, which were of great size, were kept 
 among them ; some on plates of gold and other metals, and some on other materials. 
 The sacred records, also, of the more ancient race who had been destroyed, were found 
 by them. These were engraved on plates of gold. They translated them into their 
 own language by the gift and power of God, through the means of the Urim and 
 Thummim. , They 56ntained an historical account from the creation dovm to the 
 Tower of Babel, arid from that time down until they were destroyed, comprising a 
 period of about thu-ty-four hundred, or thirty-five hundred years. They also con- 
 tained many prophecies, great and marvellous, reaching forward to the final end and 
 consumatiou of all things, and the creation of a new heaven and new earth. 
 
 The prophets also among the Nephites prophesied of great things. They opened 
 the secrets of futurity — saw the coming of Messiah in the flesh — prophesied of the 
 blessings to come upon their descendants in the latter times — made known the his- 
 tory of unborn generations — unfolded the grand events of ages to come — viewed the 
 power, glory, and majesty of Messiah's second advent — beheld the establishment of 
 the kihdom of peace — gaaed upon the glories of the day of righteousness — saw crea- 
 tion redeemed from the curse, and all the righteous filled with songs of eveii'lasting 
 
 joy- 
 
 The Nephites knew of the birth and crucifixion of Christ by cei-tain celestial and 
 terrestrial phenomena, which, at those times, were shown forth in fulfilment of the 
 predictions of many of their prOphets. Notwithstanding the many blessings they had 
 received, they had fallen into great wickedness, and had cast out the saints and the 
 prophets, and Stoned and killed them. Therefore, at the time of the crucifixion of 
 Christ, they were visited in great judgment. Thick darkness covered the whole con- 
 tinent. The earth was tembly convulsed. The rooks were rent_into broken frag- 
 ments, and afterwards found in seams and cracks upon all the face of the land. 
 Mountains were Sunk into valleys, and valleys raised into mountains. The highways 
 and level roads were broken up and spoiled. Many cities were laid in rums. Others 
 were buried up in the depths of the earth, and mountains occupied their place ; whila 
 others were sunk, and waters came up in their stead, and others still were burned by 
 fire from heaven. 
 
 Thus, the predictions of their prophets were fulfilled upon their heads. Thus the 
 more wicked part, both of the Nephites and Lamanites were destroyed. Thus, the 
 Almighty executed vengeance and ftiry upon them, that the blood of the saints and 
 prophets might no longer cry from the ground against them. 
 
 Those who survived these terrible' judgments, were favoured with the personal 
 ministry of Christ. For after He arose from the dead, finished his ministry at 
 Jesusalem, and ascended to heaven, be descended in the pi-esence of the Nephites, 
 who were assembled round about their temple in the northern parts of South 
 America. He exhibited to them his wounded hands, side, and>feet ; commanded 
 the law of Moses to be abolished ; introduced and established the Gospel in its 
 stead ; chose twelve dis6iples from amoAg them to administer the same ; instituted 
 the sacrament J prayed for and blessed their little children; healed their sick, blind, 
 lame, deaf, and those who were afflicted in any way ; raised a man from the dead ; 
 showed forth his power in their midst; expounded the Scriptures, which had been 
 given from the beginning down to that time ; and taade known unto them all things 
 
10 KEMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 which should take place down until He should come in his glory, and from that time 
 down to the end, when all people, nations, and languages, should stand before Grod 
 •to be judged, and the heaven and the earth should pass away, and there should 
 be a new heaven and a new earth. These teachings of Jesus were engraved 
 upon plates, some of which are contained in the Book of Mormon ; but ' thfr 
 greater part are not revealed in that book, but hereafter are to be made manifest 
 to the saints. 
 
 After Jesus had finished ministering unto them, he ascended into heaven ; and the 
 twelve disciples whom he had chosen, went forth upon all the face of the land, preach- 
 ing the gospel ; baptizing those who repented for the remission of sins, after which, 
 they laid their hands upon them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. Mighty 
 miracles were wrote by them, and also by many of the church. The Nephites aiia 
 and Lamanites were all Converted un^o the Lord, both in South and North America ; 
 and they dwelt in righteousness above three hundred years ; but towards the close of 
 the fourth century of the Christian era, they had so far apostatized from God, that 
 he suffered great judgments to fall upon them. The Lamanites at that time dwelt in- 
 South America, and the Nephites in North America. 
 
 A great and terrible war commenced between them, which lasted for many years, 
 and resulted in the complete overthrow and destruction of the Nephites. This war 
 commenced at the Isthmus of Darien, and was very destructive to both nations for 
 many years. At length, the Nephites were driven before their enejnies, a great 
 distance to the north and north-east; and having gathered their whole nation 
 together, both men, women, and children, they encamped on and round about the 
 hill Cumorah, where the records were found, which is in the State of New York, 
 about two hundred miles west of the city of Albany. Here they were met by the 
 numerous hosts of the Lamanites, and were slain, hevni dovsm, and slaughtered, 
 both male and female — the aged, middle aged, and children. Hundreds of thou- 
 sands were slain on both sides ; and the nation of the Nephites were destroyed, 
 excepting a few who had deserted over to the Lamanites, and a few who escaped 
 into the south country, and a few who fell wounded, and were left by the Lamanites 
 on the field of battle for dead, among whom were Mormon and his son Moroni, who 
 were righteous men. 
 
 Mormon had made an abridgement from the records of his forefathers upon plates, 
 which abridgment he entitled the "Book of Mormon ; and, (being commanded 
 of God,) he hid up in the hill Cumorah, all the sacred records of his forefathers 
 which were in his possession, except the abridgment called the " Book of Mormon," 
 which he gave to his son Moroni to finish. Moroni survived his nation a few years, 
 and continued the writings, in which he informs us that the Lamanites hunted those 
 few Nephites who escaped the great and tremendous battle of Cumorah, until they 
 were all destroyed, excepting those who were mingled with the Lamanites, and that 
 he was left alone, and kept himself hid, for they sought to destroy every Nephite who 
 would not deny the Christ. He furthermore states, that the Lamanites were at war 
 one with another, and that the whole face of the land was one continual scene of 
 murdering, robbing, and plundering. He continued the history until the four hun- 
 dred and twentieth year of the Christian era, when (by the commandment of, God) 
 he hid up the records in the hill Cumorah, where they remained concealed until ijy 
 the ministry of an angel they were discovered to Mr. Smith, who, by the gift and 
 power of God, translated them into the English language by the means of the TJrim 
 and Thummim, as stated in the foregoing. 
 
 After the book was translated, the Lord raised up witnesses to bear testimony to 
 the nations of its truth, who, at the close of the volume send forth then: testimony, 
 which reads as follows : — 
 
 TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES. 
 
 " Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work 
 rfiall come, that we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have 
 seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and 
 
REMARKABLE VISIONS. 11 
 
 also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came from the 
 tower of which hath been spoken ; and we also know that they have been translated by 
 the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it nnto ns ; wherefore we know 
 of a surety that the work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the engravings 
 vhich are upon the plates; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, and 
 not of man. And we declare, with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down 
 from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates 
 and the engravings thereon ; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true, and it 
 is marvellous in our eyes ; nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we 
 shouldbear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we 
 bear testimony of these things. And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall 
 rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment 
 seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And the honour be to 
 the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen. 
 
 * OLIVER COWDERY, 
 
 DAVID WHITMER, 
 MARTIN HARRIS." 
 
 AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES. 
 
 "Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work 
 shall cdme, that Joseph Smith, Jun,, the translator of this work, has shown unto us the 
 plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold ; and as many of the 
 leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw th« 
 engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work and of curious work- 
 manship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown 
 unto us, for we have seen and ' hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got 
 the plates of which we have spoken. And we gives our names unto the world, to witness 
 unto the world that which we have seen ; and we lie not, God bearing witness of it, 
 
 CHRISTIAN WHITMER, 
 JACOB WHITMER, 
 PETER ■WHITMER, Jun., 
 JOHN WHITMER, 
 HIRAM PAGE, 
 JOSEPH SMITH, Seh., 
 HYRtJM SMITH, 
 SAMUEL H. SMITH." 
 
 Also, in the year 1829, Mr. Smith and Mr. powdery, having learned the cofl-ect 
 qiode of baptism from the teachings of the Saviour to the ancient NepMtes, as 
 recorded in the "Book of Mormon," had a desire to be baptized; but knowing that 
 no one had authority to administer that sacred ordinance in any denomination, they 
 ■were at a loss to know how the authority was to be restored, and while calling upon 
 the Lord with a desire to be informed on the subject, a holy angel appeared and 
 stood before them, and laid his hands upon their heads and ordained them,, and com- 
 tuanded them to baptize each other, which they accordingly did. 
 
12 REMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 In the year 1830, a large edition of the " Book of Mormon" first appeared in print. 
 And, as some began to peruse its sacred pages, the spirit of the Lord bore record to 
 them that it was true ; and they were obedient to its requirements, by coming forth^ 
 humbly repenting before the Lords and being immersed in water, for the remission, of 
 sins, after which, by the commandment of Grod, hands were laid upon them in the 
 name of the Lord, for the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 And on the sixth of Aprfl, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and 
 thirty, the " Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints" was organized in the town 
 of Fayette, Seneca County, State of New Yorlc, North America. Some few were called 
 and oi'dained by thespirit of revelationand prophecy, and began to preach and bear tes- 
 timony, .as the spirit gave them utterance ; and, although they were the weak things of 
 the earth, yet they were strengthened by the Holy Ghost, and gave forth their testi- 
 mony in great power, by which means many were brought to repentance, and came 
 forward with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and were immersed in water confess- 
 ing their sins, and were filled with the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands ; and 
 saw visions and prophesied. Devils were cast out, and the sick were healed by the 
 prayer of faith, and the laying on of hands. Thus was the word confirmed unto the 
 faithful by the signs following. Thus the Lord raised up witnesses to bear testimony 
 o£ his name, and lay the foundation of his kingdom in the last days. And thus the 
 hearts of the saints were comforted and filled with great joy. In the foregoing, we 
 have related the most important facts concerning the visions and the ministry of the 
 angel to Mr. Smith ; the discovery of the records ; their translation into the English 
 language, and the witnesses raised up to bear testimony of the same. 
 
 We have also stated when and by whom they were written ; that they contain the 
 history of nearly one-half of the globe, from the earliest ages after the flood, until the 
 beginning of the fifth centm-y of the Christia,n era ; that this history is interspersed 
 with many important prophecies, which unfold the great events of the last days, and 
 fjiat in it also is recorded the gospel in its fulness and plainness as it was revealed hy 
 the personal ministry of Christ to the ancient Nephites. We have also given an ac- 
 count of the restoration of the authority in these days to administer in the ordinances 
 of the gospel ; and of the time of the organization of the church ; and of the blessings 
 poured out upon the same while yet in its infancy. 
 
 We now proceeed to give a sketch of the faith and doctrine of this Church. 
 
 Fu-st, — We beheve in God, the Eternal Father, and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in 
 the Holy Ghost, who bears record of them, the same throughout all ages and for ever. 
 
 We believe that all mankind, by the trangression of their first parents, and not by 
 their own sins, were brought under the curse and penalty of that trangression; which 
 consigned them to an eternal banishment from the presence of God, and their bodies 
 to an endless sleep in the dust, never more to rise, and their spirits to endless misery 
 under the power of Satan ; and that, in this awful condition, they were utterly lost tod 
 fallen, and had no power of their own to extricate themselves therefrom. 
 
 We believe that through the sufferings, death, and atonement of Jesus Christ, all 
 mankind, without one exception, are to be completely and fully redeemed, both body 
 and spirit, firom the endless .banishment and curse to which they were consigned by 
 Adam's trangression ; and that this universal salvation and redemption of the whole 
 human family from the endless penalty of the original sin, is effected without any 
 conditions whatsoever on their part : tha,t is, that they are not required to believe, 
 or repent, or be baptized, or do anything else, in order to be redeemed from that 
 penalty; for whether they believe or disbelieve, whether they repent or remain 
 impenitent, whether , they are baptized or unbaptized, whether they keep the com- 
 inandments or break them, whether they .are righteous or unrighteous, it will 
 make no difference in relation to their redemption, both soul and body, from the 
 penalty of Adam's transgression. The most righteous man that ever lived on the 
 earth, and the most wicked wretch of the whole human family, were both placed 
 under the same curse without any trangression or agency of their own, and 
 they both alike will be redeemed from that curse, without any agency or con- 
 ditions on their part. Paul says — ^Rom. v. 18 — " Therefore, as by the offence of one, 
 judgment came upon ALL men to condemnation ; even so, by the righteousness of one. 
 
REMARKABLE VISIONS. 13 
 
 the free gift came upon ALL men unto the justification of life." This is the reason 
 why ALL men are redeemed from the ^ave This isthe reason Hoi, the spirits of all 
 men are restored to their bodies. This is the reason that all men are redeem- 
 ed from their first banishment and restored into the presence of God. And this is 
 the reason that the Saviour said, John jdi. 32, "If I be lifted up from the earth I 
 will draw all men unto me." After this full, complete, and universal redemption, 
 restoration, and salvation of the whole of Adam's race, through the atonement of Je- 
 sus Christ, without faith, repentance, baptism, or any other works, then, all and every 
 one of them will enjoy eternal life and happiness, never more to be banished from the 
 preswice of God ir th&f themselves have committed no sin ; for the penalty of the 
 original siA can have no more power over them at all, for Jesus hath destroyed its 
 power, and; broken the bands of the first death, and obtained the victory over the 
 grave, and delivered all its captives, and restored them from their first banishment 
 into the presence of his Father ; hence eternal life will then be theirs, iP they them- 
 selves are not found transgressors of some law. 
 
 ^e believe that all mankind, in their infant state, are incapable of knowing good 
 
 amd «vil, and of obeying or disobeying a law ; and that, therefore, there is no law 
 
 given to them, and that where there is no law there is no transgression ; hence they are 
 
 innocent, and if they should all dieiin their infant state, they would enjoy eternal life, 
 
 . not beiqg transgressors themselves, neither. accountable for Adam's sin. 
 
 We believe that all iniankind, in consequence of the fall, after they grow up from 
 tiheir infant state.and come to the years of understanding, know good and evil, and 
 are capable of obeying or disobeying a law, and that a law is given against doing evil, 
 and that the penalty afiixed is a second banishment from the presence of God, both 
 body and ^■pait, after they have been redeemed from the first haTmhment and. 
 ' restored into his presence. 
 
 We beUeve that the penalty of this second law can have no effect upon persons who 
 , have not had the privilege, in this life, of becoming acquainted therewith ; for al- 
 though the light that is in them teaches them good and evil, yet that light does ngt 
 teach them .the law against doifig evil, nor the penalty thereof. And although they 
 have done thmgs worthy of many stripes, yet the law cannot be brought to bear 
 , gainst them and its penalty be inflicted, because they can plead ignorance thereof. 
 "'Kierefore they will be judged, not hy the revealed law which they have been igno- 
 rant of,'but by the law of their conscience, the penalty thereof being a few stripes. 
 
 We believe that all who have done evil, havilug a knowledge of the, law, or after- 
 wards in this life coming to the knowledge thereof, are under its penalty, which is not 
 inflicted in this world but in the world to come. Therefore such in this world are 
 prisoners, shut up under the sentence of the law, awaiting with awful fear for the 
 time of judgment, when the ,penalty shall beii^cted, consigning them to a aeeond 
 hanishment from the presence of their Redeemer, who had redeemed them from the 
 penalty of the pmsT law. But, enquires the sinner, is there no way for my escape ? 
 Is my case hopeless? Can I not devise some way by which I can extricate myself 
 from the penalty of this second law and escape this second banishment ? The an- 
 swer is, — if thou canst hide thyself from the all-searching eye of an Omnipresent God, 
 tiiat he shall not find thee, or if thou canst pi-evail withhim to deny justice its claim, 
 or if thou canst clothe thyself with power, and contend with the Almighty, -and pre- 
 vent- him from executing the sentence of the law, then, thou canst escape. If thou 
 canst cause repentance, or baptism in water, or any of thine own works, to atone for 
 the least of thy transgressions, then thou canst deliver thyself from the awful penalty 
 that a,waits thee. But, he assured, 6 sinner, that thou canst not devise any way of 
 thine own to escape, nor do anything that will oione for thy sins. Tha:efore, thy 
 case is hopeless, unless God hath devised some way for thy deliverance ; but do not 
 let despair seize upon.thee: for .though thou tart under.the sentence of a broken law, 
 and hast no power to atone for thy sins, apd redeem thyself therefrom, yet, there .is 
 hope in thy case ; for he who gave the law has devised a way for thy deli\reraiM2e- 
 That same Jesus, who hatkatoned for the original sin, .and will redeem all mankind 
 from the pemdty thereof, hath also atoned for, thy sins, and oflferetb salvation and d«- 
 . liveraoce to thee, qn certain conditions. to be complied with on thy part. 
 
l4 REMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 We believe that the first condition to be complied -with on the part of sinners is, to 
 believe in God, and in the sufferings and death of his Son Jesus Christ, to atone for 
 the sins of the whole world, and in his resurrection and ascension on high, to appear 
 in the presence of his Father, to make intercession for the children of men, and in the 
 Holy Ghost, which is given to all who obey the gospel. 
 
 That the second condition is, to repent, that is, all who believe, according to the 
 first condition, are required to come hiraibly before God, and confess their sins with 
 a broken heart and contrite spirit, and to turn away from them, and cease from aU 
 their evil deeds, aud make restitution to all they have in any way injured, as far as it 
 is in their power. 
 
 That the third condition is, to be baptised by immersion in water, in the name 
 of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for remission of sins ; and that this ordinance 
 is to be administered by one who is called and authorized of Jesus Chrbt to baptize, 
 otherwise it is illegal, and of no advantage, and not accepted by him ; and that it is 
 to be administered only to those persons who believe and repent according to the two 
 preceding conditions. 
 
 And that the fourth condition is, to receive the laying on of hands in the name of 
 Jesus Christ, for the gift of the Holy Ghost ; and that this ordinance is to be admi- 
 nistered by the apostles or elders, whom the Lord Jesus hath called and authorized 
 ,to lay on hands, otherwise, it is of no advantage, being illegal in the sight of God ; 
 and that it is to be administered only to those persons who believe, repent, and are 
 baptized into this church, according to the three preceding conditions. These are the 
 first conditions of the gospel. AU who comply with them receive forgiveness of sins, 
 and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Through these conditions, they become 
 the adopted sons and daughters of God. Through this process, they are born again, 
 first of water, and then of the spirit, and become children of the kingdom — theirs of 
 God — saints of the most High — the church of the first bom — the elect people, and 
 heirs to a celestial inheritance eternal in the presence of God. After complying with 
 these principles, their names are enrolled in the book of the names of the righteous. 
 
 They are then required to be humble, to be meek and lowly in heart, to watch 
 and pray, to deal justly: and inasmuch as they have the riches of this world, to 
 feed the himgry and clothe the naked, according to the dictates of wisdom and 
 jHTidence ; to comfort the afflicted, to bind up the broken-hearted, and to do all the 
 good that is in their power; and besides all these things, they are required to meet 
 together as often as circumstances will admit, and partake of bread and wine, in 
 remembrance of the broken body and shed blood of the Lord Jesus ; and, in short, 
 to continue faithful to the end in all the duties enjoined upon them by the word and 
 spirit of Christ. 
 
 " It is the duty and privilege of the saints thus organized upon the everlasting 
 gospel, to believe in and enjoy all the gifts, powers, and blessings which flow from the 
 Holy Spirit. Such, for instance, as the gifts of revelation, prophecy, visions, the 
 ministry of angels, healing the sick by the laying on of hands in the name of Jesiis, 
 the working of miraqles, and, in short, all the gifts as mentioned in Scripture, or as 
 enjoyed by the ancient saints." We believe that inspired aposties and prophets, to- 
 gether with all the officers as mentioned in the New Testament, are necessary to be in 
 the Church in these days. 
 
 We believe that there has been a general and awful apostacy from the religion of 
 the New Testament, so that aU the known world have been left for centuries with- 
 out the Church of Christ among them ; without a priesthood authorised of God to 
 administer ordinances ; that every one of the churches has perverted the gospel ; 
 some in one way and some in another. For instance, almost every church has done 
 away " immersion for remission of sins." Those few who have practised it for 
 remission of sins, inave done away the ordinance of the " laying on of hands^' 
 upon baptized believers for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Again, the few who have 
 practised the last ordinance have perverted the first, or have done aWay the ancient 
 gifts, powers, and blessings which flow from the Holy Spirit, or have said to inspired 
 apostles and prophets, we have no need of you in the body in these days. Those 
 few, again, who have believed in, and contended for the miraculotis gifts and 
 
KEMARKABLE VISIONS. 15 
 
 powers of the Holy, Spirit, have perverted the ordinances or done them away. 
 Thus, all the churches preach false doctrines and pervert the gospel, and instead of 
 having authority from God to administer its ordinances, they are under the curse <Jf 
 God for perverting it. Paul says. Gal. i. 8, " 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." 
 
 ,_ We believe that there are a few sincere, honest, and humble persons who are striv- 
 ing to do according to the best of their understanding ; but, in many respects, they 
 err in doctrine because of false teachers and the precepts of men, and that they wiU 
 receive the fulness of the gospel with gladness as soon as they hear it. 
 
 The gospel in the " Book of Mormon," is the same as that in the New Testament, 
 and is revealed in great plainness, so that no one that I'eads it can misunderstand its 
 principles. It has been revealed by the angel, to be preached as a witness to all 
 nations, first to the Gentiles, and then to the jews, then cometh the downfall of Ba- 
 bylon. Thus fulfilling the vision of John, which he beheld on the Isle of Patmos, 
 Rev. xiv. 6, 7, 8, " And I saw," says John, " another angel fly in the midst of hea- 
 ven, having the everlasting glory to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, 
 and to every nation^nd 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. And there followed another angel saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, 
 that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her 
 fornication." 
 
 Many revelations and prophecies have been given to thb church since its rise, 
 which have been printed and sent forth to the world. These also contain the gospel 
 in gi-eat plainness, and instructions of infinite impoi-tance to the Saints. They also 
 unfold the great events that await this generation ; the terrible judgments to b« 
 poured forth upon the wicked, and the blessings and glories to be given to the righ- 
 teous. We believe that God will continue to give revelations by visions, by the minis- 
 try of angels, and by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, until the saints are g^ded 
 into all tenth, that is, until they come in possession of all the ti-uth there is in exist- 
 ence, and are made perfect in knowledge. So long, therefore, as they are ignorant 
 of anything past, present, or to come, so long, we believe, they will enjoy the gift of 
 revelation. And when in their immortal and perfect state — when they enjoy " ths 
 measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" — when they are made perfect in one, 
 and become like then- Saviour, then they will be in possession of all knowledge, wis- 
 dom, and intelligence ; then all things will be theirs, whether principalities or powers, 
 thrones or dominions ; and, in short, then they will be filled with all the fulness of 
 God. And what more can they learn ? What more can they know ? What mor« 
 can they enjoy ? Then they will no longer need revelation. 
 
 We believe that wherever the people enjoy the religion of the Kew Testament, 
 there they enjoy visions, revelations, the ministry of angels, &c. And that wherever 
 these blessings cease to be enjoyed, there they also cease to enjoy the religion of th« 
 New Testament. 
 
 We believe that God has raised up this church, in order to prepare a people for 
 his second coming in the clouds of heaven, in power, and great glory ; and that thea 
 the saints who are asleep in their graves will be raised, and reign with him on earth 
 a thousand years. 
 
 We believe that great and terrible judgments await the nations of the wicked, and, 
 that after the message of the Book of Mormon has been sufficiently sounded in their 
 ears, if they reject it, they will be overthrown and wasted away until the earth shall no 
 longer be encumbered with them. New and unheard of plagues will sweep through 
 the nations, baffling the skill of the most experienced and learned physicians, depo- 
 pulating whole cities and towns, and carrying off millions of wretched beings in every 
 quarter of our globe. Nations, no longer restrained by the Spirit of God which wiH 
 cease striving in them, will rise against nations till itie whole earth, comparativdy 
 speaking, shall be filled with blood and carnage. Thrones and empires shall be cast 
 down— new governments will be erected but to meet with the same fate. Peace shaH 
 
it) REMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 be taken from among the nations, and it shall happen as vith the Papists so with the 
 Protestants, as with their ministers so with the people whom they have deceived — 
 they shall all fall into the ditch and perish together because they reject the voice of 
 the Lord from the heavens,,and the voice of his servants whom he hath sent io testify 
 against their wickedness, and prepare the way of the Lord for his second conuijg. 
 
 But the righteous shall escape, for the Lord shall gather them from all nations unta 
 a land of peace, and his arms shall be stretched out over them, and his glory shall be 
 -upon them for a defence, and " they shall be the only people under heaven that shall 
 not be at war one with another," for thus hath the Lord spoken. 
 
 We believe that in this generation a house of the Lord shfjl be built by the saints 
 upon Mount Zion, and a cloud of glory shall rest upon it by day and the shining of a 
 flaming fire by night, and that the face, of the Lord will be unveiled, and the pure in 
 heart shall see him and live. O Zion, how glprious are thy habitations, and how 
 blessed are thy children ! Many people shall come unto thee to be taught in the 
 ways of the Lord and instructed in his paths; for out of thee shall proceed forth a 
 perfect law which shall establish righteousness in the e^ith. 
 
 We believe that the ten tribes, of Israel, with the dispersed of Judah shall soon he- 
 restored to their own lands, according to the covenants which God inade with their 
 ancient fathei-s, and that when this great work of restitution shall take place, the- 
 power of God shall be made manifest in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds far 
 exceeding anything that took place in their exodus from Egypt. Jerusalem will be 
 •rebuilt, together .with a glorious temiple, and the Lord shall visit them also, as well as 
 his saints in Zion. In that day, the name of the Lord shall become great unto the 
 ends of the earth, and all nations shall serve and obey him, for the wicked shall have 
 ; perished out of the earth. 
 
 We believe that all persons who wish to escape the judgments of great Babylon,, 
 must come out from among both the Papists and Protestants, for they are the whore 
 of all the earth, and have made the nations drunk with their abominations, and are- 
 to be burned by fire ; therefore, wo imt,o that man or woman that shall stand in con- 
 nexion with them, for the hour of their judgment is at hand. 
 
 And we now bear testimony to all, both small and great, that the Lord of Hostsi 
 hath sent us with a message of glad tidings — ^the everlasting gospel, to cry repentance 
 to the nations, and prepare the way of his second coming. Therefore repent, O ye 
 nations, both Gentiles and Jews, and cease from all your evil deeds, and come forth 
 with broken hearts and contrite spirits,, and be baptized in water,, in the name of the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, /or remission o/^ins, and ye shall receive the gift of 
 the Holy Spirit, by the laying on of the hands of the Apostles or Elders of this 
 church ; and signs shall follow them that beUeve, and if they continue faithful to the 
 end they shall be saved. But wo unto them who hearken not to . the message which 
 God has now sent, for the day of vengeance and burning is at, hand, and they sh41 
 not escape. Therefore, eemembek, reader, and perish not ! 
 
 15, Wilton Street, Liverpool, December Uth, 1848. 
 
 B. J.iMES, PKINTEB, 39, SOUTH CASTLE STBEET, LIVEBFOOL. 
 
[No. 7. 
 
 NEW JERUSALEM; 
 
 OB, 
 
 CI)e jfulfilmtttt of iiflotitrn ^ropfterp* 
 
 BY ORSON FKATT, 
 
 ONE OP THE TWELVE APOSTLES OP THE CHfBCH OP JESDS CHRIST OP LATTEK-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 About five weeks ago, we received the following letter of inquiry. The writer, 
 as will be seen, manifests a sincere desire to be enUghtened upon a subject which we 
 consider to be of vast importance to the present and all futui-e generations. ' We 
 are happy to see a spirit of inquii^ occasionally manifested by our fellow-men, and 
 should be still more rejoiced could we behold this same spirit more generally dif- 
 iiised: for then we should have some hopes in their behalf. But alas! the nations 
 are in a deep sleep ! They are drunken with the abominations of gjreat Babylon ! 
 Their cup of wickedness is nearly full ! It will soon overflow ! Then shall the day 
 of their visitation come — a day of sorrow and mourning — a day of great distress — 
 a day of peril and war ! The hosts of the mighty shall fall ! The strength of the 
 nations shall cease, and their glory shall pass away ! Their young men shall perish 
 in battle, and those in high places shafl be brought low ! Thrones shall be cast 
 down, and the Ancient of Days shall sit, and the body of the fourth beast (or Baby- 
 lon) shall be given to the devouring flame, and then shall the remnant of the 
 heathen know that the Lord is God, for they shall see and hear of his judgments, 
 which he shall execute upon' the corrupt powers of the earth under the name of 
 modern Christianity, scripturally called '• Babylon the Great" — " the whore of all 
 the earth," with whom the nations for centuries have committed fornication, and 
 have drank out of her filthy cup.* Babylon! thou hast decked thyself ynth 
 costly ornaments ! Thou has clothed thyself with the most gaudy apparel ! Thy 
 seminaries of learning, and thy theological institutions have been multiplied far and 
 wide. Thy priests are polished with all the refinements of a profound and extensive 
 education. Thy costly and magnificent churches have been erected in great numbers 
 throughout all thy borders. The merchants of the earth have made themselv^ rich 
 through the abundance of thy luxuries. The learned — the great — ^the mighty — the 
 kings of the earth, have glorified themselves in thy grand and superb palaces. Thou 
 hast indeed enrobed thyself in the royal splendors of a queen. Thine external ap- 
 pearance has excited the admiration of all nations. But internally thou art rotten 
 ■with the filth of thy whoredoms. Thou hast presented thy golden cup to the lips of 
 all people : they have drank the poisonous draught, and are reeling to and fro under 
 its deadly influence. Thy priests and thy great men have heaped up treasures as the 
 dust. Thou hast trampled upon the necks of the poor, and thou showest no pity to 
 the distressed. While the hungry are crying for bread, thy priests are drawing from 
 the half-famished labourer their thousands per, annum, to support themselves in 
 priestly splendor and affluence. Thou hast gathered the tares of the earth, and 
 bound them in bundles, and made then: bands strong, that they may be ready for. the 
 burning. O Babylon, thy cup is nearly full ! Thine hour is close at hand ! Thou 
 ahalt fall and not rise again ! : 
 
 Awake! O ye honorable among the nations! ye who desire Iighteousness^ but 
 know not where to find it ! AwaJie from a deep sleep, and hear the voice- of a 
 
 A 
 
Z NEW JERUSALEM. 
 
 humble servant of God; for the day-star has dawned upon a benighted world ; but 
 its light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. Come, then, to 
 the light that your path may be illuminated. He that walketh in darkness knoweth 
 not whither he goeth, nor the dangers which await his footsteps. He that cometh 
 to the light shall be guided in the straight path wherein he shall not stumble. That 
 light which was from the beginning is again made manifest, and the , power thereof, 
 that those who receive it may have eternal life, and those who receive it not, may 
 have the light which they are in possession of taken from them. 
 
 The keys of authority and power are once more committed unto the sons of men 
 upon the earth ; and they are sent forth by divine revelation to gather out the good 
 and virtuous from among all nations, that they may be taught in all things pertain- 
 ing to the kingdom of God, and be prepared for the revelation of the powers of 
 heaven. 
 
 Woe unto the nations in that day that the righteous are gathered out of their 
 midst, for they shall be as Sodom and Gomorrha, and shall speedily be consumed in 
 their wickedness, for their sins cry aloud to the heavens for vengeance. 
 
 But we are aware that this great division between the wicked and the righteous js 
 unlocked for by the slumbering nations. So great are the powers of darkness which 
 now prevail that even many who desire to know the truth, do not, at first, because of 
 the imperfection of their visual powers, clearly discern its bright and effulgent rays. 
 
 The author of the following letter apparently is of that number who is longing 
 after the truth, but knows not where to find it. He has read our w;orks extensively, 
 and most cordially acquiesces with our theological views ; but he finds some supposed 
 discrepancies between the predictions recorded in the Book of Covenants, and the 
 subsequent history of our church. Instead of rejecting the work, however, upon 
 these slight evidences, he has, as every honest man should do, endeavoured to make 
 further inquiries, and, if possible, arrive at some cei-tainty upon a message purporting 
 to be of so great a moment. We here give the letter of our correspondent in full. 
 
 Reverend Sir, — Permit me for a few moments to call your attention to a few remarks 
 that I have to make to you, which I do with the greatest deference imaginable, hoping 
 that you will give your candid and serious attention to the few problems that I submit for 
 your philosophical mind to elucidate ; in fact, from what 1 have learned of your deport- 
 ment, 1 have no reason to hesitate. Without expatiating upon prefatory remarks, 1 will 
 enter upon the subject at issue, believing that truth will prevail. 
 
 For a number of years my mind has been seriously affected with religious impressions, 
 4t)d my anxiety respecting a future state has been ineffably great ; I have searched around 
 me for the effulgent light of saving truth ; but, alas ! I am obliged tp succumb for the 
 present; and unless some bright meteor should start from its orbit and enlighten m; 
 'dreary path, I mast sink into unutterable despondency. 
 
 1 IDuring my researches after truth, I have read a great number of your worts both theo- 
 logical and apocalyptical. In your theological tenets I most cordially acquiesce, and yomr 
 scriptural plan of salvation I regard as most admirable. But in perusing the apocalyptical 
 -section of it, there appears to my fitiite mind a many discrepancies which 1 cannot reconcile 
 ■with Infinite Wisdom, and consequently remain a stumbling block. 
 
 Now, being conscious of your ability, and believing you to be the most eifieient person ia 
 this country, induces me thus to appeal to you, and I hope and trust, that you will give 
 me your elaborate and matured views upon these revealed portions which I select for your 
 •exposition. In the first place permit me to call your attention to the Book of Boctrine 
 and Covenants — (see par. 7, last clause.) "Search the^e commandments, for they are true 
 and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled " ! ! .' 
 
 Sir, after i-eading the latter clause, 1 am led to believe that all the prophecies and pro- 
 mises contained therein shall decidedly come to pass; but when I read section after sec- 
 tion until I get through the book, many of the revelations, when compared with the sub- 
 sequent history of the church, appear to have totally failed in their accomplishment, and 
 'exhibit Joseph Smith to my mind only as an enthiisiast. If you can dispel this illusion, if it 
 asian illusion, I shall ever feel grateful towards you. It is not my intention to give yoa 
 the.whole of the dissentaneous matter, which I think have failed in this particular; but 
 select a few, as the aggregate would be superfluous and prolix. 
 
 Firstly, sec. 4, par. Ist, ?• A revelation of Jesus Christ unto his servant Joseph Snlith, 
 Jan., and six Elders, as they united their hearts and lifted their voices on high, yes, the 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 3 
 
 word of the Lord concerning his church established in the last days, for the restoration o£ 
 his people, as he has spolten by the month of his prophets, and for the gathering of bis 
 saints to stand upon Mount Zion, which shall be the city new Jerusalem,' which city shall 
 ie BUILT, beginning at the temple lot, which is appointed by the finger of the Lord in the 
 WE3TEKN BOUNDABiES of the STATE OF MissouBi ; and dedicated by the hand of Joseph 
 Smith, jun. and others, with whom the Lord was well pleased." 
 
 Par. 2nd, " Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the aty New Jerusalem shall be built 
 by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, wMci 
 temple shall be reared in this generation ; for Terily this generation shall not all pass away, 
 mntil an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud sliall rest upon it, which cloud shall 
 be even the glory of the Lord which shall fill the house." 
 
 Sec. 16, par. 13. "And it shall come to pass among the wiclted, that every man that 
 Tvill not take his sword against his neighbour must needs flee unto Zion for safety. And 
 there shall be gathered unto it, out of every nation under heaven ; and it shall be the only 
 people that shall not be at war one with another. And it shall be said among the wicked 
 let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible : wherefore 
 we cannot stand." 
 
 Sec. 27, par. 1. " Hearken, O ye Elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, who 
 have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land which is 
 the land of MissouBi, which is the land which I have appointed, and consecrated for the 
 gathering of, the Saints; wherefore, this is the land of promise, aud the place for the city 
 of Zion. And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom, here is wisdom. 
 Behold the place which is now called Independence, is the centre place and a spot for the 
 temple is lying westward upon a lot which is not far from the court-house : wherefore, 
 it is wisdom that the land should be purchased by the Saints, and also every tract lying 
 irestward, even unto the line running directly between Jew and Gentile: and also, every 
 tract bordering by the prairies, inasmuch as my disciples are enabled to buy lands. Be- 
 hold, this is wisdom, that they may obtain it for an everlasting inheritance." 
 
 Without extracting any more, for the present, I think a few references will sufficej if 
 you will have the kindness to notice them, viz.: — Sec. 28, par. 2nd, sec. 36, par. 3rd, sec. 
 101, pars. 2, 3, 4, sec. 103, par. 1, &c. ' 
 
 Now all these passages, according to my judgment, have a peculiar reference to the 
 State of Missouri^ and its' future magnificence and perpetuity. But 1 find, if 1 mistake not, 
 that in the year 1838, the Saints were expelled from this promised land of Zion, this place 
 of refuge appointed (as its so said) by the immutable Jehovah, while his scourge should 
 desolate the kingdoms of the world, and mete unto tlie inhabitants that retribution which 
 shall be commensurate with their works 
 
 Now when you place the prophecies and promises, and the subsequent incidents of your 
 church, in a juxtaposition, their heterogenousDi3S3 appears obvious to u sagacious mind, 
 and bears upon its characteristic features the appearance of a vain assumption. 
 , Again, after the Saints were banished from this State, they found au asylum in Illinois, 
 and the place of their location was called Nauvoo. It seems to me, that as the Lord's 
 eommandments'could not be completed in the State of Missouri, its future magnificence 
 and destiny was transferred to Illinois, upon whose soil should be gathered the Saints of 
 the Lord out of every nation, tongue, and people, to' possess it for ever aud ever. 
 
 I should not wish to offer any remark that should be at all calculated to do violetice to 
 your feelings, but only to give expression to a few of my thoughts while musing upon this 
 subject, in order that you might have the opportunity of refuting and dispelling them, so that 
 my mind might be free, and my soul open to become obedient to the mandates of heaven. 
 
 If yon should feel inclined to give your recognition to the foregoing remarks, and re- 
 ipond through your invaluable periodical, I should everfeel grateful towards you, as I have 
 pther matter to lay before you before I cease my correspondence. 
 
 With feelings of profound deference and gratitude, I remain your humble servant, 
 
 A LAVUAtr. 
 
 NEW JERUSALEM, 
 
 Under this head we design to unfold some of the great purposes of Jehovah, re- 
 lating to this earth, and in so doing we hope to remove some of the ohjectioris of 
 our correspondent. The New Jerusalem is the subject connected with those^pur- 
 poses which shall engage a good share of our attention in this article. . It is a sub- 
 'ject that will not admit of a philosophic elucidation. All that is known concerning 
 the New Jertisalem is what is \ revealed in the rerelations. of God, both of ancient 
 
 A 2 
 
i NBW JERUSALEM. 
 
 and modem date. The. vioat andent prophecy which the Ssdnts are now in pos- 
 session of relating to the New Jerusalem was one delivered hy Enoch, the seventh 
 from Adam. This ancient prophecy was revealed anew to Joseph Smith in December, 
 A. D. 1830. There are many great and important events predicted in this wonderful 
 revelation, among which the gathering of the Saints, and the great preparatory wort 
 for the coming of Christ are olealrly foretold. We make the foUowmg, extract : — 
 
 " And the Lord said unt9 Enoch, As I live, even so -vyill I come in the last days — 
 in'the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto 
 you, concemiag the childjceiiof Noah; and the day shall come that the earth shall 
 rest ; but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall 
 cover the earth ; and the heavens shall shake, and -.also the earth ; and great tribtila- 
 tion shall be among the. children of men, but my people will I preserve ; and righteous- 
 ness will I send down out of heaven, and truth will I send forth out of the earth to 
 bear testimony of mine only begotten, — his resurrection from the dead, yea, and also 
 the resurrection of all men ; and righteousness and truth vrill I cause to sweep the 
 earth as with a flood, to gather out mine own elect from the four quarters of the earth 
 unto a place which I shall prepare — a holy city, that my people may gird up their 
 loins,~ and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my taber- 
 nacle ; and it shall be caUed Zion — a New Jebbsalem." 
 
 From this extract, we learn the important fact that a holy city called ZioN or New 
 JbbusaIiEM, is to be built up on this earth preparatory to Christ's Second Advent ; 
 that it is to he built by the elect of God under his direction ; that righteousness is to 
 be sent down from heaven, and truth sent forth out of the earth for the purpose <tf 
 gathering the people of God from among all nations. But this revelation does not 
 tell in what part of the earth the New Jerusalem should be located. 
 
 The Book of Mormon, which the- Lord has brought out of the earth, informs tis 
 that this holy city is to be built upon the continent of America, but it does not inform 
 us upon what part of that vast country it should be biult. 
 
 The most ancient prophecy in that book, concerning this city, was delivered, by 
 Ether, who lived about six hundred years befoi-e Christ ; he was of the nation of .the 
 Jaredites, whom the Lord brought from the great tower, at the time he confounded 
 the language and scattered the people abroad upon alf the face of the earth, as recor- 
 ded in Genesis xi. 9- Ether was raised up among a great and powerful nation at a 
 time when wickedness prevailed among them to an alarming degree. He predicted 
 many g^reat and marvellous events ; his nation, however, rejected his testimony, and 
 he lived to behold their utter destruction. We here give the follovnng short extract; 
 
 " And now I, Moroni, proceed to finish my record concerning the destruction of the 
 people of whom I have been writing. For behold, they rejected all the words of 
 fether ; for he truly told them of all things, from the beginning of man ; and that after 
 the waters had receded from oif the face of this land, it became a choice land above 
 all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord ; wherefore the Lord would have that 
 that all men should serve him who dwell upon the face thereof; and that 
 it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and 
 the holy sanctuary of the Lord. Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake 
 concenung a New Jerusalem upon this land : and he.spalce also concerning the house 
 of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come ; after it should be de- 
 stroyed, it should be built up again a holy city unto the Lord ; wherefore it could 
 not be a New Jerusalem, for it had been in a time of old, but it should 
 be built up ag^, and become a holy city of the Lord;, and. itf should, be built 
 unto the house of Israel; and that a New Jerusalem should be built up npoa 
 this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a 
 type ; for as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died 
 there; wherefore the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land 
 of Jerusalem, that he might he mercifiil unto the seed of Joseph, that they should 
 perish not, even as he was merciful imto the father of Joseph, that he should perish 
 mot; wherrfore the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; 
 and it shall be a land of their inheritance ; and they sluUl build up a holy city unt* 
 the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old ; and they shall no more be confounded, until 
 the ead come^ when ^e «arth shall pass away. And there- shall b^a new heaven 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 5 
 
 and a new earth ; and they shall be like unto the old, save the old have passed awaji 
 and all thines have become new. And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and 
 blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through 
 the blood of the Lamb ; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant 
 of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel. And then also cometh th6 
 Jerusalem of old; and the inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been 
 washed in the blood of the Lamb: and they are they who were scattered and 
 gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, dnd 
 are partakers of the iiilfilling of the covenant which God made with their father 
 Abraham. And when these things come, bringeth to pass the Scripture which saithy 
 " there are they who were first, who shall be last ; and there are they who were last* 
 whd shall be first." 
 
 The next person of whom we have any knowledge, who, in the order of time, has 
 said anything on the subject of the New Jerusalem, was our Lord Jesus Christ in his 
 personal ministry to the Nephites, after his crucifixion. Jesus, speaking to the rem- 
 nant of the tribe of Joseph, then inhabiting ancient America, says : 
 
 " Behold, this peogje will I establish in this land, unto the iulfilling of the covenant 
 which I made with your father Jacob ; and it shall be a Nnw JebusaIiEM. And the 
 powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people ; yea, even I vrill be in the midst 
 of you." Jesus informed the Nephites of all things which should befall them down 
 to the great and last day. He told them of the blessings that awaited their posterity 
 in the latter times, when the Gentiles should find their records and should bring forth 
 the same unto them. He predicted the destruction and entire overthrow of the Gen^ 
 tiles, who should reject their records — ^the Book of Mormon after it should be brought 
 forth out of the earth by his power. He left a promise to the Gentiles on condition 
 that they should repent of then- sins and embrace the message contained in the recordr 
 of Joseph. This promise reads as follows : — 
 
 " But if they" (the Gentiles) " will repent" (in the day the Book of Mormon is 
 brought forth unto 'them) " and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts^ 
 I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant* 
 and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this 
 land for their inheritance ; and they shall assist my people the remnant of Jacob, and 
 also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may biuld a city, which 
 shall be called the New Jerusalem j and then shall they assist my people that th^ 
 may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the Nbv 
 Jebusalem. Ahd then shall the power of heaven come down among them : and I 
 also will be in the midst." 
 
 The next writer to which we will refer is John. This apostle, while on the Isle of 
 Patmos, saw Jesus, who commanded him to write to the church of Fhiladelphui, as 
 follows : — 
 
 " Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall 
 ffo^no more out ; and I will write upon mm the name of my God, and the name of 
 Sie city of my God, whioh'ia New JerusaIiEU, which cometh down out of heaven 
 from my God ; and / viill write upon him my new name." 
 
 This great apostle looked forward in the visions of Giod, and saw this same <»tf 
 descending from God out of heaven upon the new earth.^See Bev. zzit 2.) 
 
 In all the ancient revelations which we have as yet quoted, we have found none whs 
 liave pointed out the precise spot for the location of this city. We learn pomtivefy 
 from the Book of Mormon that it is to be built on the great western continent, but 
 whether in North or South America that invaluable book does not tell us. 
 
 In September;' 1830, Joseph Smitii, that great prophet and seer of the last ds^ 
 after having a few months previously organized the church of Christy consisting on^ 
 of six meimbers, — recdved a revelation, from -which I make the following extract :^ 
 
 " Behold, I say unto you, that it is not revealed, and no man knowew ' where lilw 
 city shall be built, but it shall be g^veh herkifter. Behold, I say unto yon, that ih 
 shall be on the borders by th6 Lamamtes."^(Doc. and Cov., sec. li. par.'S.) 
 
 By this revelation the few members of the Churchy then in existence, leamed th» 
 important fact, that the dty was to be built somewhere in the western boundaries cf 
 the United St&he», seme fifteen hundred miles west of the State of Ncfw York, where 
 
6 NEW JERUSALEM. 
 
 the revelation was then given. But as to the particular spot they were still held' in 
 ignor^ce. During the same month the Lord informed the few Saints who had 
 received the Book of Mormon as the word of the Lord, that he had made a certain 
 decree concerning his elect. The revelation was given in the presence of six' elders. 
 The Lord said unto them : — 
 
 " Ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect, for mine elect hear my. 
 voice and harden not their hearts ; wherefore, uie decree hath gone forth from the 
 Father, that they shall beigathered in unto one place upon' the face of this land, to 
 prepare their hearts, and be prepared in ail things against the day when tribulation 
 and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked ; for the hour is nigh and the day soon 
 at hand when the earth is ripe ; and all the proud, and they that do wickedly, shall 
 be as stubble, and I will burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that wickedness shall 
 not be upon the earth." < 
 
 In December, 1830, the Lord gave commandment unto the Saints in the State of 
 New York, to remove to the State of Ohio. — (Sec. Iviii, par. 2.) Shortly after this 
 the church commenced fulfilling this requirement, and within the short space of a few 
 months, the majority of them were comfortably situated in the northern portions o£ 
 Ohio. In February, 1831, the Saints were commanded to ask the Lord, and he would 
 in due time reveal unto them the place where the New Jerusalem should be built, 
 and where the Saints should eventually be gathered in one. — (Sec. xiii, par. 3, 10, 
 17,18.) 
 
 On the 7th of March, ISSl, the Saints were commanded to gather up their riches 
 with one heart and one mind, to purchase an inheritance which the Lord should 
 point out to them. In this revelation there were many predictions of a very impor- 
 tant nature revealed. The inheritance, which was to be pointed out to them, and 
 which they were to purchase, was to be the place of the New Jerusalem or Zion. — 
 (Sec, XV., par. 12, 13, 14 ; also sec. kiv. par. 2.) 
 
 In June following the Lord commanded between twenty and thirty of the elders 
 to journey westward two by two, preaching the word and building up branches of 
 the church wherever the people would receive their testimony. These elders were 
 to take different routes, and meet together in the capacity of a conference in the 
 western parts of Missouri. In this revelation the Lord said, that inasmuch as 
 his elders were faithful, the land of their inheritance should be made known imto 
 them ; and also informed them that it was then in possession of their enemies. — . 
 (Sec. Ixvi, par. 1, 2, 9.) 
 
 In. this same month a small branch of the church, called the Colesville branch, 
 who had emigrated from the States of New York to Ohio, where they had been for 
 a few weeks, were commanded to remove to the western borders of Missouri, neac 
 the Lamanites. — (Sec. Ixviii, par. 2, 3.) 
 
 Joseph Smith and several of the elders arrived at Independence, Jackson county, 
 Missotiri, about the middle of July. Soon after their arrival, a revelation' was given 
 pointing out Independence as the central place for the city, and the place for iha 
 temple a short distance west of the court house. — (Sec. xxvii, par. 1.) 
 
 In this same revelation, the Saints were informed that it was wisdom to pvurchasa 
 the land throughout the country, that they might obtain it for an everlasting inherit- 
 ance. Sidney Gilbert was appointed by revelation as an agent for the church, t/a 
 receive money to buy land for the benefit of the Saints. Edward Partridge, who haid 
 previously been ordained a bishop with the assistance of his two counsellors, was com- 
 manded to divide to the Saints their inheritances according to then: families. The 
 bishop and the agent were also commanded to make preparations for the Colesville 
 Saints, then on their way from the state of Ohio, that they might, upon thier arriya^ 
 be planted in their inheritances. — (See the whole of section xxvii.) 
 
 The follovring. week the Colesville Saints arrived; and immediately upon their 
 arrival, or on the 1st day of Augnst, 1832, the word of the Lord came unto Joseph 
 the Prophet, saymg, — " Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to my wotd, 
 and leani of .me what I will concerning you, and also concerning this land unto which 
 I have sent you : for verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my cdmmand- 
 ments, vi^ether in life or:death ; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the, reward of 
 the game is greater in the khgdom of heaven. Ye cannot behold with your 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 7 
 
 natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things 
 which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation. 
 For after much tribulation cometh the blessings- Wherefore, the day cometh that ye 
 shall be crowned with much glory ; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand. Kemem- 
 ber this, which I tell you before, that you may lay it to heart, and receive that which 
 shall follow." — (See section xviii., pars. 1, 2, 3.) 
 
 Here it will be seen that immediately upon the arrival of a few of the Saints upon 
 that choice land where the New Jerusalem is to be built, they were informed that the 
 great glory and blessings to be received upon that land were not to be enjoyed until 
 after they should pass through much tribulation. At this time, so far as outward 
 circumstances were manifested, there was not the least appearance of any tribulation. 
 They were about to be located in one of the most beautiful and delightful countries 
 in the world. It was a country, whose richness and fertility of soil far surpassed any- 
 thing which they had ever before seen. It was a country abounding with springs and 
 rivulets of the purest kind of water, whose crystal streams flowed in luxuriant abun- 
 dance in almost every grove and prairie. A great variety of the most excellent timber 
 bordered upon the rivers and watercourses. These shady and delightful groves were 
 from one to three miles in width, extending many miles in length, while the rich 
 rolling prairies, covered with a gorgeous profusion of wild flowers of every varied 
 hue, lay spread around among the intervening groves. Their grassy surfaces, extend- 
 ing for miles, presented the delightful appearance of a sea of meadows. It was a new 
 country ; but a few inhabitants had as yet formed settlements within its borders. 
 These consisted principally of emigrants from the Southern States. The most of this 
 ohoise land could be purchased of the United States government for about five shil- 
 lings per acre. 
 
 It was here, then, in a country thinly inhabited, and that too by a people who were 
 apparently friendly, that the Lord spake by the mouth of Joseph the Seer, and pre- 
 dicted " much tribulation" upon the Saints, before they could inherit the promised 
 blessings. 
 
 The Saints, being inexperienced, could not, at that time, comprehend the nature of 
 the tribulations with which they were to be visited. It was with them, as it was with 
 the ancient apostles ; their eyes were not opened to comprehend clearly the wordof 
 the Lord. Jesus, at several different times, intimated to his disciples, concerning his death, 
 burial, and resurrection ; but so great were their anxieties that he should be crowned 
 king over Israel, and that they should be immediately exalted to high and important 
 stations in his government, that they did not understand his sayings until they came 
 to pass ; so with the elders and saints in that glorious country, they saw from the 
 revelations that a great and splendid city was to be built, and that the powers of hea-« 
 ven were to come down and dwell with the Saints; and now that they had learned the 
 very spot where these great events should happen, and that they were the highly 
 favoured people who were the first to receive then: inheritance by revelation in the 
 goodly land, they were exceedingly anxious to enter du-ectly, or as soon as possible, 
 into the enjoyment «f the promised blessings. Therefore, when the Lord told them 
 that much tribulation awaited them, they did not seem to understand it, or lay it to 
 heart. So eager and intent were they to build the city and enjoy the glory, that the 
 predicted tribulations seem to have almostpassedawayfrom their remembrance. They 
 had their eye fixed upon the future glory of Zion, but not on the tribulations which 
 W6!re so precede her exaltation. 
 
 The Lord, as if to prepare them to stand steadfast when their tribulations should, 
 come, said unto them, '' Bemember this, which I tell you before, that you may lay it 
 to heart, and receive that which shall follow."— (Par. 3.) It is well that the Lord 
 did not reveal before hand all the horrible suffering which they were to receive from 
 the hands of their wicked enemies ; for it would have been more than they could havfr 
 well endured. Many, no doubt, through their weakness and inexperience, would have 
 shrunk back from the trial, and perhaps might through fear, have left the country,, 
 and thus the designs and purposes of God in relation to certain things would have 
 been frustrated. But the Lord foretold enough to encourage and strengthen them 
 when it was fulfilled, and yet not enough to frighten them away from the land. In this 
 thing, then, we can behold the great wisdom of God. 
 
8 NEW JERUSALEM. 
 
 After informing the eldfers of the great tribulations which should befall the Saints, 
 and the glory that should follow, the Lord continues to instruct them upon the great- 
 ness of the work to be performed upon that land. He says — (par. 3.) 
 
 " Behold, verily I say unto you, for this cause I have sent you that you might be 
 obedient, and that your hearts might be prepared to bear testimony of the things 
 which are to come ; and also that you might be hononred of laying the foundation, 
 and of bearing record of the land upon which the Zion of God shall stand ; and also 
 that a feast of fat things might be prepared for the poor ; yea, a feast of fat thingsi' 
 of wine on the lees well refined, that the earth may know that the mouths of the 
 prophets shall not fail ; yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto 
 which all nations shall be invited. Firstly, the rich and the leai-ned, the wise and the 
 noble ; and after that cometh the day of my power : then shall the poor, the lame, 
 and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of 
 the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come. Behold, I the Lord have 
 spoken it." 
 
 From this paragraph it will be seen that the elders were sent to that land for 
 several purposes. 
 
 First, that they might show their obedience to the commandments by performing 
 the mission giving them while in the state of Ohio. Second, that they might be pre- 
 pared to bear testimony of the things which were then in, the future pertaining to that 
 land. Third, that they might be honoured in laying the foundation, and of bearing 
 record, as eye witnesses, of the choice " land upon which the Zion of God should 
 stand." And fourth, that a feast of fat things, or a supper of the house of the Lord, 
 might be well prepared, unto which all nations were to be invited previous to the 
 coming of the bridegroom. O how blessed will be those servants who have kept the 
 faith, who were thus highly honoured with so glorious and important a mission! 
 The future generations of Zion, and all the nations of the righteous, shall call them 
 blessed ! They shall sit in the councils of the Holy One of Zion in the day of his 
 power and glory ! 
 
 lu the seventh paragraph of this revelation, it will be perceived' that a law was 
 established, that all the Saints who should come to that land, should lay their money 
 before the Bishop of the church, that lands might be purchased, and both poor and 
 rich receive an inheritance. 
 
 An epistle was commanded to be sent to all the churches in the east, requiring them 
 to appoint an agent to receive subscriptions to purchase land in Zion. And lest the 
 churches should be negligent and slothful upon this subject, the Lord told them that 
 it was his will that the disciples should " purchase the whole region of country, as 
 soon as time would permit." " Behold here," saith the Lord, " is wisdom. Let them 
 do this, lest they receive none inheritance save it be by the shedding of blood." (See 
 paragraph 10 and 11.) 
 
 It would appear from this, that unless the " whole region " should be purchased by 
 the Saints they were to receive " none inheritance " there ; and at the^same time an 
 intimation was given, that unless the Saints were faithful and es^editious to do this,' 
 there would be a " shedding of blood." Thus we can perceive, that the Lord saw 
 not as man sees : he saw that the inhabitants of the country, who were then appa^ 
 rently friendly, would become the enemies of the Saints, and shed their bloody and 
 di'ive them from all their inheritances. 
 
 That the Saints might be forewarned, and be on their guard against giinng-any 
 provocation, the Lord said unto them, 
 
 "Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeththe laws of God, hath- 
 no need to break the laws of the land ; wherefore, be subject to the powers that be,- 
 until he reigns whose right it is to reign, and subdues all enemies under his feet. (Para- 
 graph 5.) 
 
 In the 13th paragraph, Sidney Rigdon was commanded to consecrate and dedicate 
 the land and spot of the temple unto the Lord. 
 
 On the second day of August, the foundation of the first house for the^ Colesville 
 Saints, was laid in Kaw township, twelve miles west of Independence. This foun- 
 dation was laid by twelve men, in honour of the twelve tribes of Israel. At the same 
 time the land of Zion was consecrated and dedicated unto the Lord by prayer. 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 9 
 
 The next day the temple lot was dedicated unto the Lord, in the presence of 
 dghteen men. 
 
 On August 4th the first conference was held in the land of' Zion. 
 
 August 7th the first funeral was attended, and on the same day another revelation 
 was given through Joseph the prophet, making known still further the duties of the 
 Saints. (See Section xix.) 
 
 After receiving several other revelations, Mr. Smith returned to the churches in the 
 east. Towards the last of August, he received another revelation in Kirtland, Ohio, 
 on the great importance of speedily gathering up money to purchase the land in 
 Jackson county. "We make the following extract : — 
 
 " And now, behold this is the will of the Lord your Grod concerning his Saints, that 
 they should assemble themselves together unto the land of Zion, not in haste, lest 
 there should be confusion, which bringeth pestilence Behold, the land of Zion, I, 
 the Lordi hold it in mine own hands ; nevertheless, I, the Lord, render unto Caesar 
 the things which are Caesar's : wherefore I, the Lord, will that ye should purchase 
 the lands, that you may have advantage of the world, that you may have claim on the 
 world, that they may not be stii-red up unto anger; for Satan putteth it into their 
 hearts to anger against you, and to the shedding of blood ; wherefore the land of Zion 
 shall not be obtained but by purchase or by blood, otherwise there is none in- 
 heritance for you. And if by purchase, behold you are blessed ; and if by blood, as 
 you are forbidden to shed blood, lo, your enemies are upon you, and ye shall be 
 scourged from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue, and but few shall stand 
 to receive an inheritance." (Section xx. paragraph 8.) 
 
 This remarkable prophecy, in conjunction with those to which we have before re- 
 ferred, was givenj as we have ah'eady remarked, at a time when no human sagacity 
 could have foreseen such events. No man, unless he were a prophet, could have so 
 clearly portrayed the subsequent history of the church. Had it not been for these 
 and other predictions of a like nature, no one would for a moment have supposed, that 
 the people of that boasted land of freedom, would shed the blood of the Saints, and 
 drive them from the lands which they had piurehased, and persecute them from city 
 to city, and from synagogue to synagogue. All other denominations had been 
 tolerated for many years, and no such scenes of persecution had been known in the 
 United States since their constitution was formed. Religious freedom was the boast 
 of the whole nation. Yet in the midst of such universal freedom and religious liberty, 
 the voice of a great prophet is heard, declaring the word of the Lord, and predicting 
 events that no one looked for — events, that to all human appearance, were very 
 unlikely to come to pass — events that have since been fulfilling to the letter, as both 
 America and Great Britain well know. 
 
 On the nth of September, another revelation was given, from which we make the 
 following extract : — 
 
 " Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind ; and the wUling and 
 ■obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days ; and the rebellious 
 shall be cut off out of the land of Zion, and shall be sent away, and shall not inherit 
 the land ; for, verily, I say that the rebellious are not of the blood of Ephraim, where- 
 fore they shall be plucked out." (Section xxi. par. 7.) 
 
 Here it is again expressly foretdld that the rebellious, or those Saints who should 
 transgress the law of God, were to be cut off out of the land — were to be sent away, 
 and not inherit the land — were to be plucked out. Thus we see that the Lord did 
 not intend to suffer a carelessness, or negligence, or wickedness on the part of his 
 Saints who dwelt upon that holy and consecrated land. He had determined as he had 
 expressly told them a few weeks previously that he would be obeyed. "Verily I say 
 unto you, my lawshall.be kept on this land." (Section xviii., paragraph 4.) There^ 
 was no alternative only for the Saints to keep the law of God, or else be " plucked 
 out " of the land, and " be sent away." 
 
 In November, 1831, among the numerous revelations given about those days, the 
 Lord spake the following to the prophet Joseph in the State of Ohio, concerning the 
 Saints on the land of Zion in Missouri. 
 
 « Now, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with the Inhabitants of Zion, for there are 
 idlers among them; and theu* children are also growing up in wickedness;- they also 
 
10 NEW JERUSALEM. 
 
 seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness. These 
 things ought not to be, and must be done away from among them : wherefore let my 
 servant Oliver Cowdery, carry these , sayings unto the land of Zion. And a com- 
 mandment I give unto them, that he that observeth not his prayers before the Lord 
 in the season thereof, let him be had in remembrance before the judge of my people. 
 These things are true and faithful ; wherefore transgress them not, neither take 
 therefrom. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega, and I come quickly, Amen." (Section 
 xxii., paragraph 4.) 
 
 In the following April, Joseph the seer again visited the land of Zion, and received 
 the word of the Lord in their behalf, and more fully organized them according to the 
 laws of God, after which he returned to his home among the eastern churches. 
 
 On the 22nd and 23rd of September, 1832, a revelation was given, informing the- 
 Saints that a temple should be built upon the consecrated .spot in Jackson country 
 before the generation then living should all pass away, and a cloud of glory should 
 rest upon it. (See Section iv., paragraphs 1.2. In this revelation which was given 
 in Ohio, through the prophet, the Saints were sharply reproved, and a judgment pre- 
 dicted upon Zion. The Lord spake thus : — 
 
 " And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because 
 you have treated Ughtly the things you have received, which vanity and unbelief hath 
 brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon 
 the children of Zion, even all : and they shall remain under this condemnation until 
 they I'epent, and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the 
 former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according 
 to that which I have caused to be written, that they may bring forth fruit meet for 
 then- Father's kingdom, otherwise there remaineth a scourge and a judgment to be 
 poured out upon the childi-en of Zion ; for shall the children of the kingdom pollute 
 my holy land ? Verily, I say unto you, nay." 
 
 " Verily, I say unto all those to whom the kingdom has been given, from you it 
 must be preached unto them, that they shall repent of their former evil works, for 
 they are to be upbraided for their evil hearts of unbelief : and your brethren in Zion, 
 for their rebellion against you at the time I sent you." (See paragraphs 8 and 12.) 
 
 The children of Zion had not hearkened diligently to the warnings which the pro- 
 phet Joseph delivered a few months previously, or at the time he visited them ; where- 
 fore the Lord was displeased with them as manifested in the above revelation. 
 
 The inhabitants of Zion were faithfully warnedof the judgments which awaited them, 
 not only by direct revelation, but by letters. We make the following extracts from a 
 letter written in Ohio, by Joseph Smith, and sent as a warning to the children of 
 Zion in Missom'i. 
 
 " Kirtland, Ohio, January llth, 1833. 
 
 " Brother William W. Phelps, — I send you the olive leaf which we have plucked 
 from the tree of paradise— the Lord's message of peace to us ; (meaning by this, a 
 lengthy revelation which he sent in company with the letter, given December 6th, 
 1832. See Section vi.,) for though our brethren in Zion indulge in feelings towards 
 us, which are not according to the requirements of the new covenant ; yet we have 
 the satisfaction of knowing that the Lord approves of us, and has accepted us, and 
 estabKshed his name in Kirtland for the salvation of the nations ; for the Lord will 
 have a place, froin whence his word wdll go forth in these last days, in purity ; for i£ 
 Zion will not purify herself, so as to. be approved of in all things, in his sight, he vyill 
 seek another people ; for his work will go on until Israel is gathered, and they who 
 wiU not hear his voice, must expect to feel his wrath. Let me say unto you, seek to 
 purify yourselves, and also all the inhabitants of Zion, lest the Lord's anger be kindled 
 to fierceness. Repent, repent, is the voice of God to Zion ; and yet, strange as it may 
 appear, yet it is true, mankind will persist in self-justification until all then- iniquity- 
 is exposed, and their character past being redeemed, and that which is treasured up in 
 their hearts be exposed to the gaze of all mankind. I say to you, (and what I say to 
 you I say to all,) hear the warning voice of God, lest Zion fall, and the Lord swear 
 in his wrath the inhabitants of Zion shall not enter into my rest. The brethren in 
 Ku-tland pray for you xmeeasingly, for knovving the terrors of the Lord, they exeatlv 
 fear for you." * * ' * * ° * * * *' ° *r 
 
KEW JERUSALEM. 11 
 
 " Our hearts are greatly grieved at the spiiit which is breathed, both in your 
 letter, and that of brother (}»***** ; the very spirit which is wasting the strength 
 of Zion like a pestilence ; and if it is not detected and driven from you, it^-ill ripen 
 Zion for the threatened judgments of God. Remember God sees the secret springs 
 of human action, and knows the hearts of all living." * * * « All we can say by 
 way of conclusion, is, if the fountain of our tears are not dried up, we will still weep 
 for Zion. This from your brother who trembles for Zion, and for the wrath of heaven 
 which awaits her if she repent not." 
 
 P.S. I am not in the habit of crying peace, when there is no peace, and knowing 
 the threatened judgment of God ; I say, "Woe unto them who are at ease in Zion ; 
 fearfulness will speedily lay hold of the hypocrite." * * * « We wish you to ren- 
 der the (evening and morning) Star as interesting as possible, by setting forth the 
 rise, progress, and faith of the church, as well as the doctrine ; for if you do not render 
 it more interesting than at present, it wU] fall, and the church sidfer a great loss 
 thereby." 
 
 Joseph Smith, Jud. 
 
 That the inhabitaq^ of Zion, in Jackson county, Missouri, were plainly and in the 
 most definite terms forewarned of the judgments of heaven vvhich would speedily over- 
 take them, may be seen from the following letter, written by a council of twelve High 
 Priests, in the state of Ohio, and sent to them. 
 
 Kirtland Mills, Oeauga County, Ohio, January l-ith, 1833. 
 
 From a conference of twelve High Priests, to the bishop, his council, and the inha- 
 bitants of Zion. 
 
 Orson Hyde and Hyrum Smith being appointed by the said conference, to write 
 tWs epistle in obedience to the commandment given the 22nd and 23rd of September 
 last, which says, " But verily I say unto all those to whom the kingdom has been given, 
 from you it must be preached unto them, that they shall repent of their former evil 
 works, for they are to be upbraided for their evil hearts of unbelief: and your breth- 
 ren in Zion, for their rebellion against you at the time I sent you." 
 
 Brother Joseph, and certain others, have written to you on this all-important sub- 
 ject, but you have never been apprized of these things, by the uniled voice of a con- 
 ference of those high priests that were present at the time this commandment was 
 given. 
 
 We therefore, Orson and Hyrum, the committee appointed by said conference to 
 write this epistle, having received the prayers of said conference that we might be 
 enabled to write the mind and will of God upon this subject, now take up our pen 
 to address you in the name of the conference, relying upon the arm of the great head 
 of the church. 
 
 , In the commandment above alluded to, the children of Zion were all, yea, even every 
 one, under condemnation, and were to remain in that state until they repented and 
 remembered' the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former command- 
 ments, which the Lord had given them, not only to say but to do them, and, bring 
 forth fruit meet for the Father's kingdom ; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and 
 a judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion ; for shall the children of the 
 kingdom pollute the holy land ? I say unto you, nay ! 
 
 The answei^s received from those letters, which have been sent to you upon this 
 subject, have failed to bring to us that satisfactory confession and acknowledgment, 
 which the spirit, of our Master requires; we, therefore, feeling a deep interest for 
 Zion, and knovtring the judgments of God that will come upon her except she repent, 
 resort to these last and most effectual means in our power, to bring her to a sense of 
 her standing before the Most High. 
 
 At the time Joseph, Sidney aiid Newel left Zion, all matters of hardness and mis- 
 understanding were settled and buried, (as they supposed) anfl you gave them the 
 Land of fellowship ; but, afterwards, you brought up all these things again, in a sen- 
 sorious spirit, accusing Brother Joseph in rather an indirect way of seeking after 
 monarchial power and authority. This came to us in Brother Carroll's letter of June 
 2nd. We are sensible that this is not the thing Brother Joseph is seeking after, but 
 to magnify the high office and calling whereunto he has been called and appointed \)j 
 
12 NEW JERUSALEM. 
 
 the command of God and the united voice of this church. It might not b» amLss 
 for you to call to mind the circumstances of the Nephites and the children of Israel 
 rising up jkgainst their prophets, ' and accusing them of seeking after kingly power, 
 &c., and see what befel them and take warning before it is too late. 
 
 Brother Gilbert's letter of December 10th, has been received and read attentively v 
 and the low, dark, and blind insinuations, which were in it, were not received by us 
 from the fountain of light, though his claims and pretensions to holiness were great. 
 We are not unwilling to be chastened or rebuked for our faults, but we want to re-' 
 ceive it in language that we can understand, as Nathan said to David, " Thou art the 
 man." We are aware that brother G. is doing much, and a multitude of business on 
 hand ; but let him purge out all the old leaven, and do his business in the spirit of the 
 Lord, and then the Lord will bless him, otherwise the frown of the Lord will remaiii' 
 upon him. There is manifestly an uneasiness in Brother Gilbert, and a fearfiilness 
 that God will not provide for his saints in these last days, and these fears lead him on 
 to coveteousness. This ought not so to be: but let him do just as the Lord has com- 
 manded him, and the Lord will open his coffers, and his wants will be liberally sup» 
 plied. But if this uneasy, covetous disposition be cherished by him, the Lord will 
 bring him to poverty, shame, and disgrace. 
 
 Brother Phelp's letter is also received of December 16th, and carefully read, and^ 
 it betrays a lightness of spirit that ill becomes a man placed in the important and re- 
 sponsible station that he is placed in. If you have fat beef and potatoes, eat them in 
 singleness of heart, and boast not yourselves in these things. Think not, brethren, 
 that we make a man an offender for a word ; this is not the case ; but we want to see 
 a spirit in Zion, by which the Lord will build it up ; that is the plain, solemn, and 
 pure spirit in Christ. Brother Phelp's requested in his last letter that Brother Joseph 
 should come to Zion ; but we say that Brother Joseph will not settle in Zion until she 
 repent and purify herself, and abide by the new covenant, and remember the command- 
 ments that have been given her, to do them as well as say them. 
 
 You may think it strange that we manifest no cheerfulness of heart upon the recep- 
 tion of your letter ; you may think that our minds are prejudiced so much that we care 
 see no good that cqpnes from you ; but rest assured, brethren,that this is not the case. 
 
 We have the best of feelings, and feelings of the greatest anxiety for the welfare of 
 Zion ; we feel more Uke weeping over Zion than we do like rejoicing over her, for w« 
 know the judgments of God hang over her, and will fall upon her except she repent,; 
 and purify herself before the Lord, and put away from her every foul spirit. We 
 now say to Zion, this once, in the name of the Lord, repent! repent ! awake, awake, 
 put on thy beautiful garments, before you are made to feel the chastening rod of him^ 
 whose anger is kindled against you. Let not Satan tempt you to think we want to 
 make you bow to us to domineer over you, for God knows this is not the case ; our 
 eyes are watered with tears, and our hearts are poured out to God in prayer for you, 
 that he will spare you, and turn away his anger from you. 
 
 There are many things'in the last letters from Brothers G. and P. that are good 
 and we esteem them much. The idea of having "certain ones appointed to regtdate 
 Zion and travelling elders, has nothing to do with this part of the matter ;" it is some- 
 thing we highly approbate, and you will doubtless know before this reaches you, why 
 WiUiam E. M'Lellin opposed you in this move. We fear there was somethibgiin 
 Brother Gilbert, when he returned to this place from New York, last fall, in relation 
 to his Brother William that was not right ; for Brother Gilbert was asked two ot 
 three times about his Brother William, but gave evasive answers, andatthesamv 
 time he knew that William was in Cleveland; but the Lord has taken him. We 
 merely mention this, that all may take warning to work in the light, for God will 
 bring every secret thing to light. 
 
 We now close our epistle by saying unto you, the Lord has commanded us to purify 
 ourselves, to wash our hands and our feet, that he may testify to his Father and OOT 
 Father — to his God and our God, that we are clean from the blood of this generatbn, 
 and before we could wash our hands and our.feet* we were constrained to write this 
 letter. Therefore, with the feelings of inexpressible anxiety for your welfare, we say 
 again, repent, repent, or Zion must suffer, fCr the scourge and judgment must conn 
 lipon her. 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 13 
 
 Let die bishop read this to the elders, that they may warn the members of the 
 scouTKe that is comiiig, except they repent. Tell them to read the Book of Mormon 
 and obey it ; read the commandments that are printed and obey them : yea^ humble 
 yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that peradventure he may turn away his 
 anger from you. Tell them that they have not come up to Zion to sit down in idle- 
 ness, neglecting the things of God, but they are to be diligent and f^thfiil in obey- 
 ing the new covenant. 
 
 There is one clause in Brpther Joseph's letter which you may not understand ; 
 that is this, " if the people of Zion did not repent, the Lord would seek another place 
 and another people. Zion is the place .where the temple will be built, and the people 
 gathered, but all people upon that holy land being under condemnation, the Lord 
 will cut off if they repent not, and bring another race upon it that will serve him. 
 The Lord will seek another place to bring forth and prepare his word to go forth to 
 the nations, and as we said before so say we again, Brother Joseph vrill not settle in 
 Zion, except she repent and serve God, and obey the new covenant. With this ex- 
 planation the conference sanctions Brother Joseph's letter. 
 
 Brethren, the conference meets again this evening to hear this letter read, and if it 
 meets their minds, w«.have all agreed to kneel down before the Lord and cry unto 
 him with all our hearts that this epistle, and brother Joseph's, and the revelationsr' 
 .also, may have their desired effect, and accomplish the thing whereunto they are sent, 
 and that they may stimulate you to cleanse Zion, that she mourn not. Therefore, 
 when you get this, know ye that a conference of twelve High Priests have cried unto 
 .the Lord for you, and are still crying, saying, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not 
 thy heritage to reproach. We now fed that our garments are clean from you and 
 all men, when we bave washed our feet and hands according to the commandmei^ts. 
 
 We have written plain at this time, but we believe not harsh. Plainness is what 
 the Lord requires, and we should not feel ourselves clear, unless we had done so ; and 
 if the things we have told you be not attended to, you will not long have occasion to 
 say, or to think rather, that we may be wrong in what we have stated. Tour 
 unworthy brethren are determined to pray unto the Lord for Zion as long as we 
 can shed the sympathetic tear, or feel any spirit to supplicate a throne of grace in her 
 behalf. 
 
 The school of the prophets will commence, if the Lord wUl, in two or three days. 
 It is a general time of health with us. The cause of God seems to be rapidly ad- 
 vancing in the eastern country ; the gifts are beginning to break forth so as to 
 astonish the world, and even believers marvel at the power and goodness of God. 
 Thanks be rendered to his holy name for what he is doing. We are your unworthy 
 brethren in the Lord, and may the Lord help us to all do his will, that we may at 
 last be saved in his kingdom. 
 
 Orson Hyde. 
 Htrom Smith. 
 
 After the inhabitants of Zion had received these numerous and pointed prophetic 
 warnings, some of them began to repent ; and in the month of March, 1833, the 
 word of the Lord came unto Joseph the Seer, saying, — 
 
 " Behold I say unto you, that your brethren in Zion begin to repent, and ths 
 angels rejoice over them ; nevertheless, I am not well pleased vnth many things ; and 
 I am not well pleased with my servant William E. M'Lellin, neither with my servant 
 Sidney Gilbert 5 and the bishop also, and others have many things to repent of j but 
 verily I say unto you, that I, the Lord, will contend with Zion, and plead with her 
 strong ones, and chasten . her until she overcomes and is clean before me ; for she 
 .shall not be removed out of her place. I, the Lord, have spoken it. — Amen." (Sec- 
 tion Ixxxv, par. 8.) 
 
 Notwithstanding the repentance manifested on the part of some, there were others 
 with whom the Lord was not well pleased ; hence they were still threatened with 
 chastisements. In the month of August, 1833, the word of the Lord came agaia 
 unto his servant Joseph, in the town of Kirtland, in the northern part of Ohio. This 
 revelation seems to have been given in order to prepare the minds of the Saints, that 
 Jtlwy might know how to act in relatios to -their enemies who were shortly to fall 
 
14 NEW JKRUSALEM. 
 
 upon them, as wolves upon their defenceless prey. (See the whole of Section Ixxxvi.) 
 In this revelation the Lord said, 
 
 " Whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name's sake, shall find it agiain, 
 even life eternal ; therefore be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my 
 heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you wUl abide in 
 ■ray covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy ; for if you will not 
 abide in my covenant, ye are not worthy of me ; therefore renounce war, and pro- 
 claim peace, and seek dihgently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, 
 and the hearts of the fathers to the children; and again the hearts of the Jews unt» 
 the prophets, and the prophets unto the Jews, lest I come and smite the whole earth 
 with a curse, and all flesh be consumed before me." (Par. 3.) 
 
 From this extract it will be seen, that the Lord decreed to try and prove the 
 Saints in all things, even unto death. How could this decree be fulfilled unless he 
 suifered their enemies to persecute them unto death ? 
 
 In the month of November, 1833, our enemies in Jackson County — ^sectarian 
 priests and people, — professors of reUgion and non-professors, arose en masse against 
 men, women and children of the Saints, and expelled them from the county. Some 
 of the Saints were shot, some were tied up and whipped until their bowels gushed out ; 
 many perished by exposure to hunger and cold, being driven from their own firesides 
 and from all their hard earnings. Over two hundred of their houses were burned, 
 their fences and crops destroyed, their cattle and horses plundered ; their household 
 furniture, beds, bedding, goods, chattels, &c., were either destroyed or robbed from 
 them, and they were driven across the Missouri river into a county north, where the 
 most of them found a temporary shelter from the inclemency of the weather. For 
 the particulars concerning this dreadful persecution, and the horrid cruelties inflicted 
 upon the Saints, see P. P. Pratt's history of the Missouri persecutions, and also 
 many of the periodicals published by the Saints soon afterwards. 
 
 Here then was the commencement of our tribulations . as foretold by the word of 
 the Lord, months and years before it came to pass. We ask our readers to reflect 
 for a few moments upon the vast number of prophetic warnings which we have 
 already quoted, and then again reflect upon their literal and speedy fulfilment. Is it 
 possible for any honest man, free from bigotry and prejudice, to read these important 
 prophecies and their exact fulfilment, without being- irresistibly convinced that Joseph 
 Smith was a great prophet of God ? 
 
 When the Saints first located upon that land, did not the Lord, by the mouth of 
 Joseph, foretel that they should have " much tribulation" before they should inherit 
 the great blessings promised on that land ? Did he not foretel that theii' enemies 
 should be stirred up to bloodshed agfiinst them ? Did he not foretel, that unless 
 they did as he commanded they " should be plucked up out of the land and sent 
 away ':" Did he not tell them over and over again that a " a scourge and a judg- 
 ment" awaited them ? Did he not tell them that he would cAas^en them, and con- 
 tend with them, and plead with them until they overcame and were made clean ? 
 Did he not decree that he would try them and prove them in all things even unto 
 death ? Did be not say that if they would not do as he commanded, they should be 
 " persecuted from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue, and but few" of 
 those who were then on that choice land "should stand to receive an inheritance ?" 
 Was not letter after letter, as well as revelations sent to them, telling them . if they 
 did not repent, that great judgments awaited them ? With all these thrilling fear- 
 ful warning!!, the children of Zion only manifested a partial repentance, and th» 
 predicted scourges and judgments came, and the Saints were ma<ie to feel to their 
 sorrow and great distress that the word of the Lord had not been spoken in vain. ; 
 
 When the Saints were driven from their houses and lay in the open prairies, and 
 in the cold dreary wilderness, a remarkable phenomenon appeared in the heavens, 
 which was seen by many millions for thousands of miles over our globe, viz., th» 
 Meteokio Shower, or shooting stars, which created quite a panic among the per- 
 secutors of the Saints who were then in the act of driving, plundering and destroy>- 
 ing them and their property. This was one of the great signs in the heavens,,mani- 
 fested in the last days. Many others, still more marvellous, are yet to appear. 
 
 After the Saints had procured comfortable homes in Clay.,.Cauntyj th^ were 
 
NEW JERUSALEM, 15 
 
 agaip menaced by mobs and forced to leave and form a settlement in a new portion 
 of the state, where they remained until the year 1838, when then they were driven 
 by their merciless persecutors into the State of Illinois, and founded the city called 
 Nauvoo, upon the eastern bank of the Mississippi. 
 
 That our readers may form some idea of these cold-blooded persecutions, we here 
 insert a memorial of the city council of the city of Nauvoo to the Congress of the 
 United States. 
 
 AMERICAN EXnjBs' MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS. 
 
 To the Honorable Senators and Representatives of the United States of America, in 
 Congress Assembled, 
 
 We, the uudersigned members of the city council of the city of Kauvoo, citizen < 
 of Hancock county, Illinois, and exiles from the State of Missouri, being in council 
 •assembled, unanimously, and respectfully, for ourselves and in behalf of many thou- 
 -sands of other exiles, memorialize the honorable Senators and Representatives of our 
 nation upon the subject of the unparalleled persecutions and cruelties inflicted upon 
 us and upon our constituents, by the constituted authoritities of the State of Mis- 
 souri, and likewise u|)on the subject of the present unfortunate circumstances in 
 •which we are placed in the land of our exile. As a history of the Missouri outrages 
 has been extensively published, both in this country and in Europe, it is deemed un- 
 necessai-y to partioulaiize all of the wrongs and grievances inflicted upon us in this 
 memorial; as there is an abundance of well-attested documents to which vour 
 honorable body can at any time refer ; hence we only embody the following important 
 items for your consideration : — 
 
 First. Your memorialists, as free-born citizens of this great Republic, relying with 
 the utmost confidence upon the sacred " Articles of the Constitution " by which the 
 several States are bound together, and considering ourselves entitled to all the privi- 
 leges and immunities of free citizens in what State soever we desii-ed to locate our- 
 selves, commenced a settlement in the county of Jackson, on the western frontiers of 
 the State of Missouri in the summer of 1831. There we purchased lands from go- 
 vernment ; erected several hundred houses ; made extensive improvements ; and 
 shortly the wild and lonely prairies and stately forests were converted into well-culti- 
 vated and fruitful fields. There we expected to spend our days in the enjoyment of 
 all the rights and liberties bequeathed to us by the sufferings and blood of our noble 
 ancestors. But alas ! our expectations were vain. Two years had scarcely elapsed 
 before we were unlawftdly and unconstitutionally assailed by an organized mob, con- 
 sisting of the highest officers in the county, both civil and, military, who boldly and 
 openly avowed their determination, in a written circular, to drive us from said county. 
 As a specimen of their treasonable and cruel designs, your honourable body are rf^ 
 .ferredto said circular, of which the following is but a short extract, namely, ' We, 
 the undersigned citizens of Jackson county, believing that an important crisis is at 
 hand as regards our civil society, in consequence of a pretended religious sect of pex>- 
 ple that have settled and are still settling in our comity, styling themselves Mormons, 
 and intending, as we do, to rid our society, • peaceably,' if we can — ' forcibly" if we 
 must ; and believing, as we do, that the arm of the civil law does not afford us a gua- 
 rantee, or at least a suflnoient one, against the evils which are now inflicted upon us, 
 and seem to be increasing by the said religious sect, deem it expedient and of the 
 highest importance to form ourselves into a company for the better and easier accom- 
 plishment of our purpose. This document was closed in the following words : — 
 •* We therefore agree, after timely warning and receiving an adequate compensation 
 .for what little property they cannot take with them, they refuse to leave us in peace 
 .as they found us, we agree to use such means as may be sufficient to remove them, 
 and to that end we each pledge to each other our bodily powers, our lives, fortunes, 
 and sacred honors.' 
 
 To this unconstitutional document were attached the names of nearly every offi- 
 cer in the county, together wilh the names of hundreds of others. It was by this 
 band of murderers Uiat your memorialists, in the year 1833, were plundered of their 
 property, and robbed of their peaceable homes. It was by them their fields were 
 .laid 'vraste, their houses burned, and their men, women, and children, to the nwn- 
 
IS NEW JERUSALBH. 
 
 ber of about twelve hundred persons, .banished "as exiles from the county, while 
 others were cruelly murdered by their hands. 
 
 Second. After our expulsion from Jackson county we settled in Clay county, on 
 the opposite side of the Missouri river, where we purchased lands both from the old 
 settlers and from the land office ; but soon we were again violently threatened by 
 ,mobs, and obliged to leave our homes and seek out a new location. 
 
 Third. Our next settlement was in Caldwell county, where we pm-chased the 
 most of the lands in said county, besides a part of the lands in Davis and Carroll 
 uounties. These counties were almost entirely in a wild and vmcultivated state, 
 but by the persevering industry of our citizens, large and eitensive farms were 
 opened in every du'ection, well stocked with numerous flocks and herds. We also 
 4^mmenced settlements in several other counties of the State, and onca more confi- 
 dently hoped to enjoy the hard earned fruits of our labour unmolested ; but our 
 hopes were soon blasted. The cruel and murderous spirit which first began ta 
 manifest itself in the constituted authorities and inhabitants of Jackson county, and 
 afterwai'ds in Clay and the surrounding counties, receiving no check either from 
 the civil or miUtary power of the State, had, in the mean time, taken courage, and 
 boldly and fearlessly spread its contaminating and treasonable influence into every 
 department of the government of said State. Lieutenant Governor Boggs, a resi- 
 dent of Jackson county, who acted a conspicuous part in our expulsion from said 
 county, instead of being tried for treason and rebellion against the constitution, 
 .and suffering the just penalty of his crimes, was actually elected Governor and 
 pliiafed in the executive chair. Thus the inhabitants of the State were greatly en- 
 couraged to renew with redoubled fury their unlawful attack upon our defenceless 
 :iettleraents. Men, women, and children were driven in every direction before their 
 merciless persecutojjs. Robbed of their possessions, their property, their provisions, 
 and their all ; cast forth upon the bleak snowy prairies, houseless and unprotected, 
 many sunk down and expu-ed under their acutflulated sufferings, while others, 
 after enduring hunger and the severities of the season, suffering all but death, 
 arrived in Caldwell county, to which place they were driven fi-om all the surround- 
 ing counties only to witness a still more heart-rending scene. In vain had we- 
 appealed to the constituted authorities of Missouri for protection and redress of our 
 ibrmer grievances : in vain we now stretched out our hands, and appealed, as th& 
 •citizens of this gi-eat EepubUc, to the sympathies — to the justice and magnanimity 
 of those in power ; in vain we implpred, again and again, at the feet of Governor 
 Boggs, our former persecutor, aid and protection against the ravages and murders 
 now" inflicted upon our defenceless and unoffending citizensi . The cry of American 
 citizens, already twice driven and deprived of Uberty, could not penetrate their 
 adamantine hearts. The Governor, instead of sending us aid, issued a proclamation 
 for our J3XTEUMINATI0N and banishment ; ordered out the forces of the State, 
 placed them under the command of General Clarke, who, to execute these extermi- 
 nating oi*ders, marched several thousand troops into our settlements in Caldwell 
 county, where, unrestrained by fear of law or justice, and urged on by the highest 
 .authority of the State, they laid waste our fields of corn, shot dovra our cattle and 
 hogs for sport, burned our dwellings, inhumanly butchei-ed some eighteen or twenty 
 defenceless citizens, dragged from their hiding places little children, and, placing 
 the muzzles of their guns to their heads, shot them with the most horrid oaths and 
 imprecations. An aged hero and patriot of the revolution, who served under General 
 Washington, while in the act of pleading for quarters, was cruelly murdered and 
 hewed in pieces with an old corn-cutter ; and in addition to all these savage acts of' 
 barbarity, they forcibly dragged virtuous and inoffensive females from their dwellings, 
 hound them upon benches used for public worship, where they, in great numbers,, 
 ravished them in a most brutal manner. Some fifty or sixty of the citizens were 
 thrust into prisons and dungeons, where, bound in chains, they were fed on human 
 flesh, while their families and some fifteen thousand others, were, at the point of the 
 bayonet, forcibly expelled, from the State. In the mean time, to pay the expenses of 
 these horrid outrages, they confiscated our property and robbed us of all our pos- 
 sessions. Before our final expulsion, with a faint and lingering hope we petitioned 
 .the Sat« Legblature,, tjien in se^sipn. UnwiUmg to believe: that i American citizens. 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 17 
 
 could appeal in vain for a restoration of liberty, ci-uelly wrested from them by cruel 
 tyrants. But in the language of our noble ancestors " our repeated {Petitions were 
 only answered by repeated injuries." The Liegislatnre, instead of heai-ing the cries of 
 iojOOO suffering, bleeding, unoffending citizens, sanctioned and sealed the unconsti- 
 tutional acts of the Governor and his ttoops, by appropriating 200,000 dollars to 
 defray the expenses of exterminating us irom the State. 
 
 No friendly arm waa stretched out to protect us. The last ray of hope for redress 
 in that State was now entirely extinguished. We saw no other alternative but to 
 bow down our neclcs, and wear the cruel yoke of oppression, and quietly and sub- 
 missively suffer ourselves to be banished as exiles from our possessions, our property, 
 and our sacred homes ; or otherwise, see our wives and children coldly mui-dered arid 
 butchered by tyrants in power. 
 
 , Fomth. Our next permanent settlement was in the land of our exile, the State of 
 Illinois, in the spring of 1839. But even here we are not secure from om- relentless 
 persecutor, the State of Missouri. Not satisfied in having drenched her soil in the 
 blood of innocence, and expelling us from her borders, she pursues her unfortunate 
 victims into banishment, seizing upon and kidnapping them in their defenceless 
 moments, dragging tHIm across the Mis^ssippi i-iver upon their inhospitaible shores, 
 where they are tortm-ed, whipped, immm-ed in dungeons, and hung by the neck 
 without any legal process whatever. We have memorialized the former executive 
 of this state. Governor Carlin, upon these lawless outrages committed upon our 
 citizens, but he rendered us no protection. Missouri, receiving no check in her mur- 
 derous career, continues her depredations, again and again kidnapping our citizens, 
 and robbing us of our property ; while others, who fortunately survived the execu- 
 tion of her bloody edicts, are again and again demanded by the executive of that state, 
 on pretence of some crime, said to have been committed by them during the extermi. 
 nating expedition against om* people. As an instance, General Joseph Smith, 
 one of your memorialists, has been three times demanded, tried, and Jicquitted by the 
 coiu'ts of this state, upon investigation under wi'its of Habeas Corpus, once by the 
 United States coui-t for the district of Hindis, again by the Cu-cuit court of the State 
 of Illinois, and lastly, by the municipal com't of the city of Nauvoo, when at the 
 same time a nulle prosequi had been entered by the courts of Missom-i, upon all 
 the cases of that State against Joseph Smith and others. Thus the said Joseph 
 Smith has been several times tried for the same alleged offence, put in jeopardy of 
 life and limb, contrary to the fifth article of the amendments to the Constitution of 
 these United States ; and thus we have been continually harassed and robbed of our 
 money to defray the expenses of those vexatious prosecutions. And what at the 
 present time seems to be still more alai-raing, is the hostility manifested by some of 
 the authorities and citizens of this State. Conventions have been called ; inflamma- 
 tory speeches made ; and many milawful and unconstitutional resolutions adopted, to 
 deprive us of om* rights, ovu- liberties, and the peaceable enjoyment of our possessions. 
 Fi'om the present hostile aspect, and from bitter experience in the State of Missouri, 
 it is greatly feared that the barbai'ous scenes acted in that State will be reacted in 
 this. If Missouri goes unpunished, others will be greatly encouraged to follow her 
 murderous examples. The afflictions of your memorialists have already been over- 
 whelming, too n^uch for humanity, too much for American citizens to endm^e with- 
 out complaint. We have groaned under the iron hand of tyranny and oppression 
 these many yeai-s. We have been robbed of om- property to the amount of about two 
 millions of doUai-s. We have been hunted as the wild beasts of the forest. We have 
 seenoui- aged fathers who fought in the Revoltition, and our innocent children, alike 
 slaughtered by our persecutors. We have seen the fair daughters of American citi- 
 zens insulted and abused in the most inhuman manner, and finally we have seen fifteen 
 thousand souls, men,i women, and children, driven by force of arms, during the 
 severities of winter, from their sacred homes and fire-sides, to a land of strangersi 
 penniless and unprotected. Under all these afHicting circumstances, we implorhnglj' 
 stretch forth our hands towards the highest councils of our nation, and humbly ap- 
 peal to the illustrious Senators and Representatives of a great and fiee people for re- 
 dress and protection. 
 
 H«ar, hew the petitioning voice of many thousands of American citizens who 
 
 * 
 
18 NEW JERUSALEM, 
 
 now groan in exile on Columbia's free soil. Hear, O hear the weeping and bitter 
 lamentations of widows and orphans^ whose husbands and fathers have been cruelly 
 martyred in the land where the proud eagle exultingly floats. Let it not be recorded 
 in the archives of the nations, that Columbia's exiles sought protection and redress at 
 your hands, but sought it in vain. It is in your power to save us, ova wives, and 
 our children, from a repetition of the blood-thirsty scenes of Missouri, and thus 
 greatly relieve the fears of a persecuted and injured people, and your petitioners will 
 ever pray." 
 
 The names of the members of the city council, as petitioners, are omitted for want 
 of room. 
 
 The foregoing memorial was presented to Congi'ess in the spring of 1844, making 
 the third time that those horrid scenes of murder have been laid before them since 
 the beginning of our exile, but all to no purpose. Our petitions are unheeded or' 
 treated with contempt. And thousands of American citizens must linger out a life 
 (rf wretched exile, deprived of the use of their own lands, and of the sacred rights of 
 American Liberty. 
 
 From the year 1839 to 18'46 the Saints dwelt in Nauvoo and vicinity. During 
 the latter part of their residence in that country, they were much persecuted by mobs, 
 who destroyed much property and many live^ of the Saints, among whom Joseph, 
 the prophet, and his brother Hyrum fell as martyrs. The persecutions at length be- 
 came so violent, that the Saints were forced to leave their comfortable homes in the 
 cold dreary months of February and March, and seek refuge in the wild desolat* 
 prairies of Iowa, which were mostly uninhabited. 
 
 Having received nothing but one continued series of persecutions since the rise of 
 the church, the Saints were determined to seek out a location far distant from the 
 inhuman, blood-thirsty savages, who dwelt in the United States under the pious 
 name of Chrbtians. They accordingly sent nearly 200 men to explore the great in- 
 terior of North America, who, being directed by the Spirit of God, found a suitable 
 location in the Great ISasin of Upper California, near the southern shore of the 
 Great Salt Lake. In this retired place the Saints^ began to gather by thousands. 
 This settlement is upwards of one thousand miles from the extreme western fron- 
 tiers of the United States. It is separated from Western California, or the gold 
 regions, not only by large and extensive deserts, but by the high and lofty range 
 of the Siera Nevada ; while on the east the snow-capped ridge of the Rocky 
 Mountains, forms a natural boundary between it and the immense plains, bordering, 
 like a vast ocean, upon their eastern base. This is now one of the most wild, ro- 
 mantic and retired countries on the great western hemisphere. It is there that the 
 Saints hope to rest for a season from the fury of the oppressor, and strengthen 
 themselves in the Lord. It is there that they intend gathering from the various 
 nations of the earth, until the Lord, by revelation or his providence, shall direct 
 otherwise. 
 
 But where is the spot where the city of Zion or the New Jerusalem shall stand ? 
 We answer, in Jackson County, State of Missouri, on the western frontiers of the 
 United States. It is there that the city of Zion shall be built. AU the other cities 
 that thave been built by the gathering of the Saints are called, not Zion, but 
 ." Stakes" of Zion.* 
 
 The term " Zion" in the scriptures is frequently applied to the people of God 
 who should live on the earth in the last days. Isaiah, when beholding the great 
 events which were to precede the coming of die "Lord God with a strong hand," 
 commands the people of God in the following language : — O Zion, that bringest 
 good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain."'\' It will at once be admitted 
 that a city, called Zion, could not fulfil this prophetic command of Isaiah, therefore 
 he must nave addressed this prediction to a people instead of a city. 'The people, 
 called Zion, who were to bring good tidings, were required to « Get up into the 
 high mountain." This prophecy the Saints are now fulfilling: they are moving 
 by thousands from various parts of the globe into the " high places of the earth," 
 
 * See Section Ixxxir. par, 1. Section ciii. par, 1. Section xcviU, par. 4. 
 \ baiah xl. 9. 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 19 
 
 among the Rocky Mountainsj where they are forming a prosperous settlement, ele- 
 vated over four thousand feet above the level of the sea. This prediction of Isaiah 
 never has been fulfilled in former days : indeed it is a prediction to be fulfilled imme- 
 diately before the great day of the coming of the Lord God, as will be seen by the 
 context. " Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule 
 for him ; behold his rewai-d is with him and his work before him. He shall feed his 
 flock like a shepherd ; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his 
 bosom, and shsul gently lead those that are with young."* 
 
 It may appear strange unto many, that the Saints should go out from the midst of 
 the United States, and settle in the interior wilds of North America, in a country un- 
 inhabited except by roving tribes of Indians. But it will be reoUected that the church 
 were forced to do this, or else see their wives and children butchered by Gentile chris- 
 tians. But all this has been done that the Book of Mormon might be fulfilled. In 
 that sacred book Jesus utters the following prediction : — 
 
 " Wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the Gentiles, (meaning the people 
 of the United States who should disbelieve in the Book of Mormon,) for notwith- 
 standing they have come forth upon the face of this land, and have scattered my peo- 
 ple, who are of the ffiuse of Israel, (meaning the Indians ;) and my people who ara 
 of the house of Israel, have been cast out from among them, and nave been 
 trodden under feet by them ; and because of the mercies of the Father unto the 
 Gentiles, and also the judgments of the Father upon my people who are of the houss 
 of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto you, that after all this, and I have caused my people 
 who are of the house of Israel, to be smitten, and. to be afflicted, and to be slain, and 
 to be cast out from among them, and to become hated by them, and to become a hiss 
 and a bye- word among them. And thus commandeth the Father that I should say 
 unto you, at that day when the Gentiles (the people of the United States) shall sin 
 against my gospel (contained in the Book of Mormon,) and shall be lifted up in tha 
 pride of tJieir heai'ts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, 
 and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all 
 manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret 
 abominations ; and if they should do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my 
 gospel (meaning the Book of Mormon,) behold, saith the Father, / will bring the 
 fiilness of my gospel from among them ; and then will I remember my covenant 
 which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel (meaning the Indians,) and I 
 ■will bring my gospel unto them ; and I vyill show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the 
 Gentiles shall not nave power over you, but I will remember my covenant unto you O 
 house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the knowledge of the fulness of my gospel."t 
 
 It will be recollected that this prediction was in print in the Book of Mormon 
 before the church of the Saints was organized, and about sixteen years afterwards it 
 began to be fulfilled. The Lord began to bring the fulness of his gospel from among 
 that persecuting nation of Gentiles, in the year 1846. Then the children of Zibn 
 began by thousands to depart out of their midst, carrying with them the fulness of the 
 gospel, which includes the keys, authority, powers, and blessings of the everk^ting 
 priesthood. Since that time, Zion, has located herself according to the prediction of 
 Isaiah "in the high mountain," (4,300 feet above the sea level ;) and the fulness of 
 the gospel with its heavenly powers and blessings, is now in the midst of many power- 
 ful tribes or nations of Israel or Indians ; and thus has the prophecy of Jesus been in 
 part fulfilled. The remainder of this great prophecy will soon come to pass, and then 
 many of the Indian nations will become a civilized and christian people, after which 
 the Indians, who are the remnant of Joseph will buUd the city called the New Jeru- 
 salem or Zion, being assisted by the Gentfie Saints. 
 
 If the Gentile Saints had built up the city of Zion in Jackson county, Missouri, 
 before the gospel had been taken from among that nation, and before many of th« 
 Indian nations became converted, it would have falsified the prediction of Jesus in th» 
 Book of Mormon. J 
 
 The converted remnants of Joseph are to be the principal actors in the great wwrk 
 
 * Isaiah zl. 10, 11, f Book of Mormon, second English editioD, page 166. 
 
 J Ibid., page 479. 
 
20 NEW JERUSALEM. 
 
 of the building up of the city of Zion ; after which the Indian nations will be gather- 
 ed in one to the city of Zion and the surrounding country ; then the powers of-heaven 
 will be revealed, and Jesus will descend in his glory and dwell in the midst of Zion. 
 This is what is predicted in the Book of Mormon, and it will not take place in any 
 other way. 
 
 Not only the Book of Mormon predicts the building up of Zion, before the coming 
 of the Lord, but many of the Jewish prophets. The Psalmbt says, « When the 
 Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory."* He appears in his glory 
 * to declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem, when the 
 people are gathered together, and the kingdoms to serve the Lord " (verses 21, 22.) 
 When the Lord arises, and has mercy upon Zion, and shows favour unto her (see 
 verse 1 3), then " the heathen shall fear die name of the Lord, and all the kings of the 
 earth his glory." (verse 15.) 
 
 " The Redeemer shall come to Zion and unto them that turn from transgression in 
 Jacob, saith the Lord."t Zion must first be built, and Jacob must in some measure 
 be turned from transgression before the Redeemer comes to Zion. Paul says, " blind- 
 ness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in ; and so 
 all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, " there shall come out of Sionthe Deliverer, 
 and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob : for this is my covenant unto them when 
 I shall take away their sins."J Now unless Zion be built up by a part of Israel, who 
 shall turn from transgression, these prophecies never could be fulfilled. Isaiah says, 
 " the Redeemer shall come to Zion." Paul says, "the Deliverer shall come out of 
 Zion." Isaiah says that he shall come to those who "turn from transgression in 
 Jacob." Paul says, he shall " come out of Zion to turn away ungodliness from 
 Jacob." Both of these writers speak of these events as still in the futui-e. Now, how 
 could " the Deliverer come out of Zion " unless he first " come to Zion ':" and how 
 could he come to Zion unless he first built up Zion ? and how could he build up Zion 
 unless he gave commandments and revelations to his saints, designating the time when, 
 the place where, and the pattern after which he would have it built? 
 
 If the building up of the city of Zion must assuredly take place before the Lord 
 appeai-s in his glory, then thex-e must assuredly be more revelation given to accomplish 
 so important a work. No uninspired man would know when to commence such a 
 work; neither would he know the place where the Most High would have such a 
 city ; neither wpuld he know any thmg of the order of 9,rchitecture which would be 
 the most pleasing in, the sight of Jehovah ; neither wpuld he know any thing of the 
 size or pattern of the sanctuary and tabernacle which, according to the scriptures, 
 must be built in Zion. An uninspired man would be in total ignorance in regard to 
 every thing connected with this preparatory city for the coming of the Lord. Hence 
 the great necessity for more revelation and inspired prophets in the last days. 
 
 Unless Zion be built up, there can be no salvation for Israel, for the Lord say;s, 
 " I will place salvation in Zion for Isrjiel my glory ."§ The Psalmist, when contem- 
 plating this great work, exclaims, " Oh, that the salvation of Tsrael were come out of 
 Zion ! when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice 
 and Israel shall be glad."|| Therefore, Israel may look in vain for restoration and sal- 
 vation only from Zion. It is in Zion that the kingdom of God will exist in its glory 
 and beauty ; it is in Zion that salvation and the keys of authority for the deliverance 
 of the Saints and of Tsrael will be placed. " Saviours shall come up on mount Zion 
 to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lords."!]" 
 
 Because Zion, in ancient times ejdsted at Jerusalem, in Palestine, many have 
 supposed that the Zion of the last days, so frequently the subject of prophecy, will 
 also exist at Jerusalem. But when we compare the events which are to transpire 
 at Jerusalem, with those which will take place in Zion, we are constrained to believe 
 them to be two different places and cities, separated from each other, and inhabited 
 by people in circumstances qmte different from each other. It is very evident from 
 the scriptural prophecies, that a large portion of the Jews who assemble at Jeru- 
 salem, before the coming of Christ, will be unbelievers in the true Messiah, whom 
 
 * Psalm oil. 16. + Isaiah \ix. 20. + Romans xi. 25, 26, 27. § Isaiah xlri. 13. 
 II Psalm xiT. 7. If Obadiah 21. 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 21 
 
 xheir fathers crucified. They will gather with the expectation that the Messiah is yet 
 to come in great glory with the clouds of hearen, as predicted by Daniel the prophet. 
 Both the Jews and the Christians believe alike in the glory and power of the Messiah 
 'which is to come : they both expect him to come as a great kiijg to rdgn over Israel 
 in gpreat splendor, and that " all people, nations, and languages, that escape his ven- 
 geance, " will serve him," and that Israel at that time will be delivered from all thdr 
 enemies, and become the head among the nations ; but the Jews do not believe tiiat 
 this glorious personage will be Jesus of Nazareth ; whereas the Christians believe that 
 the cracified Messiah will be the great king who will come and reigit in gloi^, ainong 
 Israel. The Jews and Christians only differ as to the personage, arid not in relation 
 to the grand events which that personage is to perform. A portion of the Jevridi 
 nation will sinoerely remain in error in regard to the jj«»!»o«a^8 until he descends with 
 all his saints, and stands his feet upon the mount of Olives, and destroys the assembled 
 nations who will, at that tome, be in the very act of taldng Jerusalem. After this grand 
 and powerful deliverance of their na;ti6n, they will look more attentive^ upon this 
 mighty deliverer, and what will be their astonishment when they behold his wounded 
 side and hands ! Some of them, not once mistrusting that he is the poor degpiacid 
 Kazarene whom theur fathers put to death, will " say unto him, What are these 
 wounds in thine hands ? Then he shall answer. Those with which I was wounded 
 in the house of my friends."* " They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, 
 and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bit- 
 terness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first bom. In that day shall there 
 be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of I^adadrimmon, in the vftUey 
 of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart ; the family of the h0:U9e 
 of David apart, and their wives apart ; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and 
 their wives apart ; the family of the house of Levi apart, and t^eir wives apart ; the 
 family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart ; all the families, every family apart, and 
 their wives apart."T This mourning will not be the mourning of despair, but of love 
 and affection which they will have for Jesus when they recognize him by the wounds 
 of his hands and side, and reflect upon their own iniquities in so long rejecting ,hil|it 
 and the cruelty of iiheir fathers in putting him to death. That it is not the movQ^tt- 
 iug of despair is evident from the fact, that he then " wUl pour upon the house of 
 David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and mpplicatio^s." 
 (Verse io.) This mourning is compared to the mourning once manifested in the 
 valley of Megiddon. Josiah, king of Israel, having been slain in that valley, ," all 
 Jndtui and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. And Jeremiah lamented for Josiall : and 
 all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations .to 
 this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel."$ The mourning and lamentations 
 of the Jews, because their fathers put to death their king, will be, in some respects, of 
 a similar nature. 
 
 Notwithstanding the stubbornness of the Jews in rejecting Jeans of Nazareth imtil 
 the very time of his coming, yet, upon their sincM-e repentance, he will have mer?y 
 upon them. They will be brought down very humble, because of the sore judgments 
 and great calamities which will befal them immediately before the coming of the Mes- 
 siah ; for all nations will come against them to battle, and will succeed in taking one 
 half of their city, and half of the Jews will become captives or prisoners, — rtheir hputiiet 
 will be rifled, and their women ravished ;§ in the midst of these overwhelming cala- 
 mities, the Jews will humble themselves exceedingly, and will call upon the God of 
 their fathers to deliver them, and they will "be willing to say, "blessed is he, that, Qometh 
 in the name of the Lord ';" th?y will be humble enough to receive any deliverer that 
 will come in his name, and extricate them from their sore troubles. At length a deli- 
 rerer comes, which they afterwards find to their astonishment, is the very Jesus that 
 was crucified : then come their great mourning and repentance, immediately after 
 which they will embrace the gospel or the ordinance of baptism "for remission .of 
 their sins." This is evident from the fact, that after Zechariah has describai thar 
 mourning, he proceeds, in the next verse, to say, that " In that day there shall be a 
 
 * Zechariah xia. 6. f Zechariah xii. 10, 11, 12, 13,14. t 2 Cjiroq, xx?;.T..|84, 25. 
 
 § Zechariah xiv. 2. 
 
22 , NEW JERUSALEM. 
 
 ibuntain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, /or s«» 
 <ind imcleanness."* This fotmtain is described in the fourteenth chapter. "And it 
 shall be in that day, that living waters shpH go out from Jerusalem, half of them 
 -towards the former sea, and half of them towards the hinder sea : in summer and in 
 "winter shall it be."'l" This same fountain will break out from under the threshold of 
 the temple, on its eastern side ; and but a short distance from its source, eastward, it 
 becomes a river of considerable magnitude, that cannot be forded. J As this fountain 
 is opened to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness, it will no doubt bs 
 the water in which they will be baptized for remission of sins. " Then shall Jerusa- 
 lem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more."§ 
 
 We shall now point out some of the pecuUarities which will distinguish Zion from 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 1. — Zion is called a " wilderness," but " Jerusalem aDBSOLATiON."|| 
 
 2. — Zion is to be called " Sought odt," •' A city not forsaken,"^ Jerusalem was 
 not sought out, but was a city inhabited before Israel came out of Egypt. Jerusalem 
 has also been forsahen for many generations. 
 
 3. — The light of Zion is to come, and the glory of the Lord is to arise upon her, 
 before wickedness is destroyed from among the nations ; whereas Jerusalem is not to 
 become holy, and the glory of God is not to arise upon her, until the Lord comes and 
 ■destroys wickedness, and converts the Jews. That great darkness will reign among 
 the nations, while Zion wiU be in the light, is clearly predicted by Isaiah, who ad- 
 ^esses her in the following beautiful and prophetic language, " Arise, shine ; for thy 
 light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, the dark- 
 ness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people : but the Lord shall arise 
 upon thee, and his glory shaU be seen upon thee."** The nature of the light and 
 glory which will be seen upon Zion, is described as follows : — " And the Lord will 
 <a:eate upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a ehud 
 and smoke by day, and the shining of a fiaiminy fire by night."'M' When the Lord 
 builds up Zion, and she begins to shine, Isaiah says, " The Gentiles shall come to thy 
 light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and 
 see : all they gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from 
 far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow 
 together, and thme heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance 
 <£ the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto. 
 thee."J J Zion will be distinguished from Jerusalem by her people being all righteous, 
 as Isaiah says, " Thy people shall be all righteous ; they shall inherit the land for ever, 
 the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified."§§ 
 
 4. — Zion is to "get up into a high moimtain," before the coming of the Lord, while 
 Jerusalem is required to do no such thing. 
 
 6. — " The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion,"BII 
 but the Jews will not be redeemed from their sins and uncleanness until after they 
 have rebuilt their city and temple. The first are redeemed before they return to Zion, 
 the latter are redeemed after the Messiah comes. 
 
 6. — ^When the redeemed return to Zion, everlasting joy shall be upon their head; 
 they shall obtain gladness and joy ; and sorrow and MOmunwa shall flee away," but 
 Jerusalem is to have much sorrow and mourning after the Jews return. 
 
 • 7. — " The Lord shall comfort Zion : he will comfort all her waste places ; and he 
 ■wiU make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; 
 joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody,"^^ 
 but Jerusalem is not called a wilderness, neither a desert. 
 
 8. — " Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in tihe city of our God, in the 
 mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is 
 Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king. God is known 
 in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo! the kings were assembled, they passed bj 
 
 * Zechariah xiii. 1. t Zechariah xiv. 8. J See Ezekiel xlvii. 1 — 12. Also Joel iii. 18. 
 
 § ^oel iii. 17. || Isaiah Lsir. 10. Tf Isaiah Ixii. 12. ** Isaiah Ix. 1 — 2. 
 
 •H- Isaiah W. 6. jt Isaiah !»• 4— 5- §§ Isiuah Ix.' 21. Il|| Isaiah li. 11.. 
 
 f 7 Isaiah li. 3. 
 
NEW JERUSALEM. 23 
 
 together. They saw it, and so they marvelled, they were troubled, and hasted away. 
 Tear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail." * ' The glory 
 of Zion is to strike terror to the heart of kings, insomuch that when they pass by 
 and see it, they will haste away, but no such terror and fear will seize upon them when 
 they come up to Jerusalem and commence taking it, rifling the houses and ravishing^ 
 the woman, consequently, the cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of the flaming 
 fire by night, will be for a defence unto Zion, that the kings of the nations will not 
 dare wage war against it, but Jerusalem will not have any such glorious appendage 
 to strike terror to the nations, and to cause their kings to haste away with great fear, 
 like a woman in travail. 
 
 9. — " There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the- 
 holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her ; she 
 shall not be moved : God shall help her, and that eight early. The heathen raged^ 
 the kingdoms were moved : he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of 
 hosts is with us." 1" The city of God or Zion is to be helped riffht^earlt/, notwith- 
 standing the raging of the heathen; but Jerusalem will not be helped and delivered 
 until the Lord comes with all his saints. 
 
 10. — " The mighty^God, even the Lord hath spoken, and called the earth from the, 
 rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beau- 
 ty, God hath shined. Our God shall come and shall not keep silence : a fire shall do- 
 TOUT before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to 
 the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my 
 saints together unto me ; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." J 
 Zion is represented as " the perfection of beauty," and God will shine out of it before 
 he comes, and the saints, (not Jews) are to be gathered unto the Lord ; for this pur- 
 pose a proclamation of gathering is to be given both to the heavens and to the e^h. 
 All these things are very different from what is to transpire at Jerusalem. 
 
 11. — •" give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good : for his mercy endureth for 
 ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand 
 of the enemy ; and gathered them out of the lands from the east, and from the west, 
 from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness, in a solitary- 
 way, they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty their soul fainted in them. 
 Then they cried unto uie Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their 
 distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of 
 habitation." " He tumeth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into 
 water-springs, and there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a citj 
 for habitation, and sow the fields, and plant vineyards which may yield fruits of increase. 
 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffered not their cat- 
 tle to decrease." § These events cannot have reference to the gathering of the Jews, 
 for they will not wander in a solitary way in the wilderness, being hungry and thirsty, 
 and being led by the Lord to a place where they can prepare a city for habitation. 
 This, tharefore, has reference to another people, and to another place separate from 
 Jerusalem. The people who are to " wander in the wilderness in a solitary way," are 
 to be the " redeemed of the Lord," gathered from the east, west, north, and soutli. 
 The Lord himself is to lead them, and perform miracles in causing springs of water 
 to break out in the desert, and in the wilderness, and from the dry ground, for the 
 benefit of lus redeemed. " The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for 
 them, the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." || The Jews will not be thus 
 led when returning to Jerusalem. 
 
 12. — Even the house of Israel, or the ten tribes, will not return to Jerusalem and 
 permanently inherit the land imtil the house of Judah have been gathered, and well 
 scourgied by the nations who will gather against them. But, instead of going to 
 Jerusalem to be scourged and chastened with the Jews, they will first come to 
 Zion. " For thus saith the Lord, Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among 
 the chief of the nations ; publish ye, and praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, 
 the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather 
 
 ♦ Psalm xlviii. 1—6. t Psalm xlvi. 4—7. J Psalm 1. 1—6. § Psalm ovii. 1—8, 31—39. 
 H laaiah xnr. 1—7 ^zliii. 18, 19, 20. 
 
24 MEW JERUSALEM. 
 
 them from the coasts of the earth, and with thenl the blind and the lame, the woman, 
 with chUd, and her that travelleth with fihild togethei^, a great company shall return 
 thither. They shall coihe with weeping, and with suppUcations will Head them. I 
 will cause them to walk By the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall 
 ijot'stumble : for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my fcst-born. Hear the 
 word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, aJid say, he that 
 scat&reth Israel wiU gather himj and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock. For 
 the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was 
 stronger than he. Therefore, they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and 
 riiall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, 
 and fbr the young of the flock, and of the herd ; and their soul shall be as a watered 
 garden ; and they shall not sorrow any more at all." * 
 
 Here it will be seen that the house of Israel will be in a very different condition 
 froin the Jews. The ten tribes will beUeve in Christ, so much so, that he will lead 
 them, while on their return from the north country, and they will come and " sing 
 in the height of Zion," and " they will not sorrow any more at all:" whereas th» 
 Jews will have no siich favom-s shown unto them on their return from the nations, 
 but will have great distress and sorrow, and mourning, after they get back to Jerusa^ 
 lem. The ten tribes are redieemed from their aMctions before the Jews, consequently 
 they first come to Zion among the redeemed saints, and partake with them in aU 
 the glory of Zion, until the Jews and Jerusalem shall also be redeemed, when they 
 shall return to Jerusalem, and receive their inheritance in the land of Palestine, ac- 
 oorditi]g to the divisions of that land in Ezekiel's prophecy,' and become one nation with 
 the J6w3, "in the land upon the mbuntjms of Israel." t 
 
 Both Zion and Jerusalem will remain on the earth during the Millennial reign of 
 Christ ; both will be preserved when the present heaven and earth pass away : both 
 will come down out of heaven upon the new eatth ; and both will have place upon th« 
 new earth for ever and ever^^the eternal abode of the righteous. 
 
 The Psalmist says, " The Lord hath chosen Zion ; he hath dfesired it for his habita- 
 tion. This is my rest for evek." * The city of Zion, therefore must remainfor ever 
 as the Lord's rest, and will he caught up into heaven and preserved while the earth 
 passes away. 
 
 The same is true of old Jeinisalem also. Jei'emiah says, concerning the 'city after 
 it is rebuilt by the gatiiering of the Jews. "It shall not be plucked up, nor throw* 
 down ANT MOKE EOB EVER." § Consequently it also will be taken up into heaven, 
 and be preserved while all things sire bdhg made new. John saw both of these cities 
 descend upon the New Earth. He saw the New Jerusalem descend first, and after- 
 wards was carried away in the spirit to a high mountain, and saw that great city, the 
 holy Jerusalem, defend. 11 Hence this earth renewed will be the eternal inheritance 
 of the Saints, and the Old and New Jerusalems will for ever remain upon it, as the 
 eternal abode of glorified immortal beings. 
 
 * Jeremiah xxxi. 7 — 14. i Se? EzeUel xxxvii. 21, 22, 25 — also xlvii. chapter. 
 
 I Psalm cxxxii. 13, 14. § Jerenuah xxxi. 40. |) Revelation xxi, 2 — 10. 
 
 15, Wilton Sireei, Ziverpool, October, 1, 1849. 
 
 B, tmSB, rSINXEB, 39, SQVIB CASILE SIS££I, LlTJSSf ool, 
 
[No. 1. 
 DIYINE AUTHENTICITY 
 
 OF IHS 
 
 BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE or THE TWELVE iPOSTLES OF THE CHnBCH OT JESUS CHRIST OF LliTTEK-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 Introduction.— t3 expect moee Kevklation is not TJnsceipttteai.— To 
 EXPECT MOKE Revelation is not Unkeasonable. 
 
 INTEODUCTION. 
 
 Tee Book of Mormon claims to be a divinely inspired record, written by a suocessioii 
 of prophets who inhabited Ancient America, li professes to be revealed to the pre- 
 sent generation for the salvation of all who will receive it, and for the overthrow and 
 damnation of all nations who reject it. 
 
 This book must be either true ox false. If true, it is one of the most important 
 messages ever sent from God to man, affecting both the temporal and eternal inte- 
 rests of every people under heaven to the same extent and in the same degree that the 
 message of Noah affected the inhabitants of the old world. If false, it is one of the 
 most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmedupon the world, calcu- 
 lated to deceive and ruin millions- who vnll sincerely receive it as the word of God, 
 and will suppose themselves securely built upon the rock of truth until they are plunged, 
 with then- families into hopeless despair. . 
 
 The nature of the message in the Book of Mormon is such, that if true, no one can 
 possibly be saved and reject it; if false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it. 
 Therefore, every soul in all the world is equally interested in ascertaining its truth or 
 falsity. In a matter of such infinite importance no person should rest satisfied with, 
 the conjectures or opinions of others : he should use every exertion himself to become 
 acquainted with the nature of the message : he should carefully examine the evidences 
 on winch it is offered to the world : he should, with all patience and perseverance, 
 seek to acquire a certain knowledge as to whether it be of God or not. Withoufc 
 such an investigation in the most careful, candid, and impartial manner, he cannot 
 safely judge without greatly hazarding his future and eternal welfare. 
 
 If, after a rigid examination, it be found an impoation, it should be extensively- 
 published to tiie world as such ; the evidences and arguments on which the imposture 
 was detected, should be clearly and logically stated, that those who have been sincerely 
 yet unfortunately deceived, may perceive the nature of the deception, and be reclaimed, 
 and that those who continue to publish the delusion, may be exposed and silenced, not 
 by physical force, neither by persecutions, bare assertions, nor ridicule, but by strong 
 and powerful arguments — ^by evidences adduced from scripture and reason. Such, 
 and such only, should be the weapons employed to detect and overthrow false doc- 
 trines — to reclaun mankind from theu: errors— to expose religious enthusiasm— ai^d 
 to put to silence base and wicked impostors. 
 
 But on the other hand, if investigation should prove the Book of Mormon true and 
 of divine origin, then the importance of the message is so great,_ and the consequences 
 of receiving or rejecting it so overwhelming, that the American and English _na- 
 .tions— to \wiom it is now sent, and in whose language it is now published, (being the 
 
2 TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT CNSCRIPTURAL. 
 
 first in these latter times who have been so highly favored as to receive a preparatory 
 message for the second advent of the Son of God,) — should speedily repent of all l^ir 
 ajis, and renounce all the wicked traditions of their fathers, as they are imperatively 
 commanded to do in the message : they should utterly reject both the Popish and 
 Protestant ministry, together with all the churches which have been built up by them 
 or that have sprung from them, as being entirely destitute of authority : they should 
 turn away from aU the priestcrafts and abominations practised by these apostate 
 churches, (falsely called Christian,) and bring forth fruits meet for repentance in all 
 things : they should be immersed in water by one having authority, and reoave a 
 a remission of theur sins, and be filled with the Hply Spirit, After thus being bap- 
 tized into the kii)gd{)m of God, they should seek to translate the Book of Mormon 
 into every written language of the earth, and to send it forth by milUons of copies to 
 every Jiation, and not cease their exertions until all people have heard the glad tidings. 
 Every synagogue, church, and place of public worship should be thrown open to the 
 servants «f God. Pr^dents, governors, and Fulers,-^-kings, lords, aind nobles,, and: all 
 in authority, should set the -example before the mass of the people, by-receiving vrith all 
 meekness and humility this great revelation of modern times. Every periodical 
 tbfoughout their dominions should devote itS' columns to diss^eminating, ta/c and near, 
 among all classes, ths evidences, arguments, and reasons which establish the divine 
 authenticity of so great and important a work. These are some of the present duties 
 of both the United States and Great Britain, if this message be true. 
 
 The great majority of the world, however, reject the Book of Mormon without the 
 least examination as to its claims. They have heard there was such a book, but they 
 know nothing of its contents, only that it claims to be a divine revekttion. Th^ at 
 once reject it as an ituposture. Is this method pf jud^ng justifiable ? Has Ctod ever 
 authorised his creatures to judge, without investigs^tien, a matter that professes to 
 involve their eternal salvation ? Has he eiver informed the world that they have enovigh 
 revelation, or that he will never give them any more ? All who have read the Bible 
 know that he has given no intimations of the kind. He has given no grounds what-' 
 eyer fbr supposing that ther? is to be no more revelation. Why, then, should the world 
 be so presumptuous as to reject a professed revelation as false without investigation 'i 
 This method of judgp^ig is not only unjustifiable, but fearful in its consequepces. A* 
 long as there is a possibiUty that man may receive inore, he is in danger of losing his 
 salvation, by rejecting indiscriminatdy all that comes. By this rash ^d unjustifiajbie 
 method of judging, he is not oply in danger, but he is sure to lose his salvation if God 
 4iould condescend to give more. 
 
 The conduct of milUons in relation tp the Book of Moriuon goes to show that th^y 
 -would reject all true revelation as well as false ones : they are detemdned to reject, at 
 aU hazards, without the least inquiry, every thing ujider the name of -new revdation. 
 T%ey seem to be absolutely -certain, as their conduct abundantly indicates, that God 
 wll never favor man with another copimunicalioq of his will cpneerning thepi. 
 
 To expose this ppp^Jlar, though fatal error, invented by priestcraft in the early-ages of 
 the apostacy, and transferred to sucpeeding generations, will be the object lof the present 
 ■series of pamphlets. In the first, it will be Shown that to expect more revfilKiiiO'it is 
 Tteither xinscriptc?ai, nor ijnbeasonaele, and in those which foUow, it will be fiir- 
 ther shown, that the doctrine of continued^ revelation in the church of God, 13 one 
 that rests upon the mostijyfiiWfe^ testimony, beipg necessary for the salvation of maq, 
 connected with which, the divine AUTHENTiciry of the jboos of mormon wm, bk 
 
 PEWNSTBATED. 
 
 TO IXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNSCRIPTUKAL. 
 
 1.— Kit could be proven from scripture that God had reyealed tp man all -that he 
 ever intended to reveal, then a professed revelation would not req^h-e investigation ; 
 for it would be known a^t once, tha,t every thing of tije kind was an inmosition. It 
 -worild be folly in 4be extreme jo enquire whether a professed new rwlatipnwere 
 true or fii$e ; for if God had declared in hjs word that no more was to be given, all 
 i»Titings or books purporting to be a new revelation ctwld not be otherwise than- 
 false. 
 
TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNSCRIPTUEAL. 8 
 
 2. — TS the books in the English translations of the Old and New Testaments he the 
 OBplyones which are to be received as divine revelation, then why do we not find some 
 intimations in those boolts to that effect ? If God saw that man had enough, why did 
 he not tell him so ? His mind would then have been relieved from all dubiety on the 
 subject. Then, aU nations and generations would have known that the canon of scrip- 
 ture was complete and full : then, there would not have been the least possible chance 
 «f palming upon the world any more : then, it would have been known that all possible 
 communications between God and man were, from thenceforth, cut off — that the 
 heavens were to be sealed up, and the mouth of the Deity to be closed in a deep, pro- 
 found, and perpetual silence throughout all future generations. 
 
 3. — If God never intended to speak to man after the first century of the Christian 
 era, it certainly would have been a great blessing to the human family, and saved 
 many millions of them from delusion to have told them of so impoi-tant a matter. 
 But as God has failed to give any such notice, learned divines have concluded 
 to give the notice themselves : hence they have invented " Articles of Faith," in 
 'Ivhich their followers are required to reject, under the penalty of excommunication, 
 all books professing to be of divine origin, except those named in their " Ai-ticles," or 
 those few which hutftan wisdom has selected and compiled into a Bible. This is as 
 much as to say, that the Bible contains all that God ever has given or ever will give 
 tmto man, and you must not receive any more ; and thus the whole Protestant world 
 are circumscribed and limited, and bound down by their " Articles of Faith," — their 
 « Creeds," — and their " Disciplines." It matters not how important a message may 
 be sent, nor how great its accompanying evidences, they are positively forbidden ta 
 receive it, because it does not happen to be bound up with the rest of the boolcs of 
 the Bible. 
 
 4. — The learned and popular false teachers of modem times who have so presump- 
 tuously rejected all revelation except the few books of the Bible named in their " Ar- 
 ticles," have endeavoured to make their deluded followers believe that it was contrary 
 to scripture for any more books to be added to the Bible, or for God to give any addi- 
 tional revelation to man. As their strongest proof upon the subject they quote the 
 following text, spoken to John on the Isle of Patmos, when in the act of finishing his 
 manuscript. "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy 
 of .this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the 
 plagues that are written in this book ; and if any man shall take away from the words 
 of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and 
 out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Rev. xxii. 
 18, 19.) Here, it is supposed, is proof, that the Bible is for ever closed, and that the 
 suidition of any other revelation is forbidden under the penalty of great plagues. But 
 every man who has read this text, knows that there is not the least intimation given 
 •in it about the Bible's being closed. Such a book as the Bible did not then exist in 
 its compiled state. The gathering together of the few scattered manuscripts which 
 compose what is now termed the Bible, was the work of uninspired man which took 
 place centuries after John finished his manusci'ipt. Among the vast number of pro- 
 iessedly inspired manuscripts, scattered through the world, man, poor, weak, ignorant 
 man, assumed the authority to select a few, which, according to his frail judgment, 
 he believed or conjectured were of God, but the balance not agreeing, perhaps, with 
 'his peculiar notions of divine inspiration, were rejected as spurious. The few, selected 
 from the abundance, were finally arranged into one volume, divided into chapter and 
 verse, and named the Bible. Afterwards a set of cunning wicked impostors, under 
 the name of Protestant ministers, make their appearance, who finding themselves 
 entirely destitute of the spirit of prophecy, of visions; of revelations, and of every 
 oth^ power and gift which always characterised the ministers of Christ, have en- 
 deavoured to invent some cunning, crafty arguments, to hide from the people their 
 powerless, apostate condition, and make their deluded followers think that they ai« 
 really genijine ministers of Christ. The best scheme to carry out their corrupt paip- 
 moses and deceive the people, is, in their estimation, to tell them that God did not 
 intend to reveal anything more — ^that the Bible contains all — ^that the caution not to 
 add to the words of John's prophecy, means not to add to the Bible. _ Thus the caor- 
 gdi^a of the common people oecome quieted, and they sincerely begui to thinjj: that 
 
 A.3 
 
4 TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT ' CNSCRIPTURAL. 
 
 the Bible contains all the sacred books ever given to man, and they at length become - - 
 willing to subscribe to a set of cunningly devised " Articles of Faith," requiring them"* 
 to renounce all others as spurious. 
 
 5. — How do the Protestant world know that the compilers of the Bible, in hunting 
 up the sacred manuscripts which were widely scattered over the world, one in one 
 place and another in another, — ^found all that were of divine origin ? How do they 
 know that the compilers of the Bible found even the one hundredth part of the manu- 
 scripts that were sacred ? And as the compilers rejected many that they did find how 
 do they know but what some of the i-ejected books were equally sacred with those 
 received into the collection ? Would not the prophecy of Enoch with which the Apos- 
 tle Jude was familiar, and from which he makes a quotation relative to the second 
 coming of Christ, — be as sacred as any other prophecy of the Bible ? Would not the 
 book of Iddo the seer — the book of Nathan the prophet — ^together with some twelve 
 or fifteen other books and epistles, written by inspired prophets, seers, and apostles, 
 and referred to in scripture, be as worthy of a place in the Bible as any that 
 human wisdom have already compiled ? Would it have been any more a violation of 
 the caution not to add to the words of John's prophecy, for the compilers to have 
 added the book of G-ad the seer, with the collection called the Bible, than it was for 
 them to add to the volume the book of Ezekiel — the book of Solomon's Songs — ^the 
 book of Matthew — the book of James, or any other book of the collection ? If the 
 book of John's prophecy mean the Bible, as these false teachers assert, and if the 
 Bible mean a collection of all the sacred books written by inspired men, and if the 
 •adding and diminishing to the words of John's prophecy mean adding and diminish- 
 ing to the Bible, then the whole Protestant world are under the curse for diminishing 
 many sacred books from the Bible which are certainly referred to as being written by 
 inspired men, but which they in their "Articles of Paith" absolutely exclude and dimi- 
 nish from the Bible by prohibiting their deluded followers from receiving only such as 
 happens to be compiled. Should any of these sacred manuscripts hereafter be found, 
 the " Articles" and " Creeds" of men prohibit their reception. If they had happened to 
 have been found by the compilers of the Bible, they would have been sacred, but to be 
 found afterwards renders them false. For men a few centm-ies ago to hunt up a few 
 scattered manuscripts, and compile them into a Bible, was considered a very laudable 
 undertaking, but for any man to find a sacred book since that time is considered the 
 highest blasphemy. 
 
 6.^ — If the caution about adding and diminishing means that there is to be no more 
 revelation after the caution is given, then all books purporting to be a revelation, and 
 given after such caution, must be false. Now such caution was given as early as the 
 days of Moses. " Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall 
 ye diminish ought ft-om it." (Deut. iv. 2.) The caution in John's book must mean 
 the same thing as the caution in the book of Moses ; if the one means that there is to 
 be no more revelation, the other means the same. Therefore, according to the argu- 
 ments of modern divines, all the Old and New Testaments which have been added 
 since Moses gave the caution must be false, and conseqviently, they and all their foU 
 lowers must be under the curse for believing in and advocating sixty-two other books 
 as divine revelation, which they know were all given after the caution by Moses. 
 Thus it will be seen, that if their application of these texts be correct, they are under 
 a double curse ; first, they are cursed in John's revelations for diminishing some fifteen 
 or twenty books from the compilation of the Bible ; and, secondly, they are cursed in 
 Deuteronomy for receiving sixty-two books which were added after the caution was 
 given by Moses. If modern divines, rather than subject themselves to a double curSe 
 should be wUling to give up their perverted applications of these texts, then what 
 becomes of their scriptm-al arguments agamst receiving more revelation ? There is 
 certainly no other application of these passages that forbids additional revelation. 
 
 7. — To add to the words of the book of John's prophecy, means nothing more nor 
 less than to add words or sentences of our own to his book, so as to alter the meaning, 
 and to publish su»h additions as the words of John. For Isaiah to have added to tb» 
 words of the books of Moses, so as to alter their meaning, and to have represented 
 Moses as the author of these altered writings, would have subjected him to u, curse. 
 But to receive, as he did, a separate and independent revelation was ne laore adding 
 
TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNSCUIPTUllAL. 5 
 
 > to the words of Moses, than a deed conveying an estate in America would be adding 
 to the laws of England. If ten thousand new revelations were to be given, it would 
 be no more adding to the words of John's book than a message of the president of the 
 United States would be adding to the words of a proclamation by Queen Victoria». 
 No revelations given from God need any alterations, additions, or diminutions, by the 
 wisdom of man. If they need altering, God alone has the right to alter them, or to 
 add to them, as he did in the case of a revelation which he gave to Jeremiah, which 
 -was burned by the long of Judah, but afterwards Jeremiah was commanded to wTite 
 all the words again, " and there were added besides unto them many like words." 
 (Jer. xxxvi. 32). God has never prohibited himself from given revelation as often as 
 he pleases, neither has he prohibited himself fi-om adding or diminishing words in 
 case he sees it necessary. But woe unto that man who pretends to give a revelation,, 
 and is a deceiver, who adds, or diminishes, or alters a revelation which God has given ; 
 such cannot escape the threatened judgments of the Almighty. 
 
 8. — We have now shown by the most conclusive arguments that the passages con- 
 cerning, adding, and diminishing, so often referred to by the new-revelation denier,. 
 — does not contain the most distant intimation that the day of revelation is gone by. 
 , They never would Isiive resorted to such a perverted application of these passages if 
 they had any better evidence in the scriptures to sustain themselves. The very fact 
 that they so often pervert these p^issages from their evident meaning, shows most con- 
 clusively the weakness of th^ir pgs^t|ion. No other passages are susceptible of being 
 so grossly misapplied. It is.und^ijfthis shallow covering that they endeavom- to hide 
 their apostacy and deceive njsinif iijfl. 
 
 9. — In their zeal to oppose ey^ry thing under the name of new revelation, some of 
 the more ignorant have assumed that when Christ was lifted upon the cross, and cried, 
 ." it is finished," it put an end to all further revelation. If this assumption be correct, 
 then ail the books of the New Testament, written years after, must be false. If Christ 
 .finished the work of revelation, when he exclaimed, " it is finished," then the apostles 
 must have been base impostors for pretending to receive revelation scores of years 
 .after this exclamation. All, therefore, who reject new revelation upon these 
 grounds, are required by their own application of this saying, to reject all the writings 
 of the New Testament : thus, in their heated zeal to oppose new revelation, they not 
 unft-equently destroy the very books which they profess to believe. 
 
 10. — A saying of Paul to Timothy is sometimes referred to by the enemies of new 
 revelation, and applied in the most deceptive manner, in order to strengthen the- 
 world in the fatal delusion, that God will no more speak with man : it reads as fol- 
 lows, — " From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make 
 thee wise unto salvation." (2 Timothy iii. 15.) The objector to new revelation 
 argues, from this passage, that the scriptures with which Timothy was acquainted 
 in his childhood, were abundantly sufficient to make him wise unto salvation, and 
 ■consequently there was no need of any more. If this conclusion be con-ect, it would 
 do away with all the scriptures of the New Testament ; for Timothy when a child : 
 was only acquainted with the scriptures of the Old Testament, the scriptures of the ■ 
 New Testament not being yet written. Thus, again, the enemy of new revelation in. 
 his fanatical zeal to close up the volume of inspiration, has done away the very scrip- 
 tures which he pretends so firmly, to believe. 
 
 11. — ^Modern false teachers, in order to sustain their impositions, sometimes quote 
 the following : — " All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doc- 
 teine, forjeproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God 
 may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Tim. iii., 16, 17.) 
 They assert that this passage means that " enough." scripture has been given to perfect 
 the man of God — that " enough" has been given to thoroughly furnish him unto aU 
 
 food works ; but the word ENOUGH is not found in the passage : it reads, " ALL 
 CRIPTUKE is given, &c." The righteous man has no authority from this 
 passage to assume that he has enough, but he should continue to seek for " line 
 upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little ;" and if he gives 
 heed unto " all scripture" which God may condescend to reveal, it will perfect him, 
 and thoroughly fm-nish him unto all good works. This passage, therefore, leaves the 
 man of God to be perfected by " all scripture" which God has given by inspiration. 
 
6 TO EXPECT MOKE REVELATION IS NOT UNSCKIPTURAL. 
 
 in ea*ly ages, or which he may give in latter times. He is not limited to any paarticular 
 number of books which uninspired man has happened to find and compile into a 
 Bible. Indeed, if the assertions of these false teachers be true, then there are several 
 books of the New Testament which must be rejected ; for if the man of God had 
 enough scripture at the time Paul wrote his epistle to Timothy, then the book of 
 Revelations given on Patmos some years after, together with the book of John's 
 Gospel, and several of the epistles, must be excluded from the Bible. 
 
 12. — ^Well educated and learned divines have been so utterly at a loss to find any scrip- 
 ture to sustain them in denying immediate revelation, that they have not hesitated 1» 
 pervert, in the most glaring manner, not only the foregoing passages, but some few others 
 of a similar nature which they have culled from the Bible, and which they, and all persons 
 with the least reflection, know have not the most distant bearing upon the subject. 
 They tell their flocks that no more revelation is to be expected, because St. Paul, in 
 addressing the elders of the church at Ephesus, says, " I kept back nothing that waa 
 profitable unto you. I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." 
 (Acts XX., 20, 27.) " All the counsel of God" having been unparted by St. Paul t» 
 the Ephesians, it is presumed that all further revelation was unnecessary. If this 
 presumption be correct, it would, like the former presumptions, not only cut off froni 
 'the Bible several of the epistles, but the book, of John's Gospel, and the great 
 revelation given on Patmos, all of which were certainly written yeai-s after Paul 
 declared " all the counsel of God " to the eldeis of Ephesus. Paul, no doubt, had 
 previously declared all the counsels which God had manifested to him in relation to 
 their welfare, but this did not prohibit the Lor^ from revealing aftervi'ards other 
 counsels as the future cu-cumstances of the Ephesians might require. Indeed, 
 notwithstanding this saying of Paul, the Lord did, a long time after, give further 
 . revelations and counsels to this same church, through His servant John, on Patmosr. 
 (See Rev. ii., 1 — 8.) 
 
 13. — It has been furthermore presumed that revelation would cease when the 
 "seventy weeks" mentioned in Daniel had passed away. The Angel Gabriel said to 
 Daniel, " Understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are 
 determined upon thy people and upon the Holy City, to finish the transgression^ 
 and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in 
 everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to annoint flie 
 Most Holy." (Daniel ix., 23, 24.) Here the enemies of new revelation assert, thai 
 as soon as the Messiah came, and was annointed, and the seventy weeks had elapsed, 
 "the vision and prophecy were sealed up." But we ask, what vision and prophecy 
 were sealed up ? They reply, that all new revelation by vision and prophecy was then 
 to come to an end. If this wild conjecture be correct, then all the visions, and 
 prophecies, and revelations, and books of the New Testament, given from fifty to a 
 hundred years after the seventy weeks had ended, must be false. The vision and 
 prophecy which God had given to Daniel, and which the angel commanded him to 
 consider, no doubt were the ones which were to be sealed up, or to have their 
 fulfilment at the time therein specified. But to suppose that God was to give no 
 more visions and prophecies after that time is contradicted by the fact that abundance 
 of heavenly manifestations were given during the whole of the first century of the 
 Christian era, all of which new-revelation deniers must exclude from the Bible, or 
 give up their perverted application of this text. 
 
 14. — Another passage is often quoted by objectors to new revelation, — namely, tBe 
 declaration of Paul in relation to the cessation of some of the spiritual gifts. He 
 says, " Charity never faileth ; bat whether there he prophecies, they shall fml; 
 ■whether there be tongues, they shall cease ; whether there be knowledge, it shall 
 vanish away." (1 Corinthians, xiii., 8.) Modern ministers will read to thdt 
 followers this passage, and very gravely tell them that the time when propheci^ were 
 to fail arrived upwards of seventeen centuries ago ; but they are very careful not to 
 read the two following verses, lest their hearers should find out the true meaning 
 of the passage, and learn the very time when this event should happen. Paulj as 
 if fearful that false teachers would take the advantage of his saying, and imdertakfc 
 to do away prophesymg and tongues trom the church, says, in the next sentence, 
 " For we know in pai-t, and we prophesy in part ; but when that which is perfect 
 
TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS KOT UNSCRIFTURAI.. 7 
 
 is come, then that which is ia part shall be done away." These g^, then, whi^ 
 were only given in part, were to cease and to be done away as unnecessary, niofe 
 seventeen centuries ago, as false teachers assert, but " when that which is p^etit 
 is come." In the 12th verse he describes the condition of the church, when that 
 titne shall come. He says, " Now, we see through a glass darkly ; but then^ 
 face to face : now, I know in part ; but then shall I know even as also I aiii 
 known." Here we learn that the time when these gifts are to cease is not to be here 
 in this world, but in the next state of existence, where the church shall no longed 
 " see through a glass dai-kly, but see the Lord face to face," and " know as they 
 are known:" then "that which is perfect" will have come; then "tongues witt 
 cease;" then "prophecy in part," and " knowledge in part" will be done away 5 
 till then, all these gifts are necessary. Therrfore these sayings of the apostle, 
 instead of favoming the gtonndless deceptions of new-revelation deiuers, are 
 evidences of the most positive kind in favour of continued revelation. 
 ;*" 16. — The church in its militant and imperfect state, compared with its triumphant» 
 immortal, and perfect state, is, in the 11th verse, represented by the two very 
 different states of childhood and manhood. " When," says St. Paul, " I was a 
 child, I spalce as a jhild ; I understood as a child ; I thought as a child ; bat when 
 I became a man, I put away childish things." In the various stages of educatiob 
 from childhood to manhood, certain indispensable rules, and diagrams, and scientific 
 iristruments are employed for the use and benefit of the pupil, that he may acquire a 
 (Correct knowledge of the sciences, and be perfected in his studies. When the 
 principles have been once acquired, and the student has been perfected in every 
 branch of education, he can dispense with many of his maps, charts, globes, boofc^ 
 diagrams, &c., as being, like childish things, no longer necessary ; they were useftd 
 before his education was perfected in imparting the desired knowledge, but, haviii{) 
 fulfilled their purposes, he no longer needs their assistance. For instance, the 
 chemist, before sufficient experiments have been made, cannot predict in full the 
 result of the union of several different elements. It is true, that from formtSr 
 imperfect experiments he may know in part, and prophesy in part, what wUl be the 
 nature and properties of the resulting compound. But when he has, through the 
 medium of a good chemical apparatus, determined, by a perfect experiment, aU the 
 ■ results, laws, and proportions of the combination of the elements under consideration^ 
 knowledge in part, in relation to the results, is done away, and he knows in full; he 
 no longer prophesies in parthow these elements will act, and what will be the natin* 
 and propOTties of the compound, for his knowledge is pratfect concerning it ; he no 
 longer needs to give an imperfect prediction concerning that which he has fully seenj 
 and known, and comprehended ; he no longer looks tmroiigh a glass darkly, as he 
 formerly did, but he sees the principle as he is seen, having learned it through an 
 ^cperiment; he can now do a*ay the apparatus, and stfll retain the knowledge 
 that he formerly gained by it. So it is with the ckvcecb. in relation to spiritual giAsi. 
 While in this state of existence it is rtepresentfid as a child ; prophecy, reveM6iii(, 
 tongues, and other spiritual gifts, are iJiB instruments of education. The child or 
 church can no more be pei^ctfed in its education without the aid of tijese gfite a 
 instruments, than the chemist could in his researches if he were deprived of the 
 necessary apparaltus for experiments. As the chemist needs his lalboratory fd* 
 experiments, as long as there rema;inS any undiscovered fruths in relation to the 
 elements and compounds of oUr globes ; so does the church need the great laboratoty 
 of Ritual knowiedlge-^namely, Revelation and pr(^hecy,as long as it knows only in part.. 
 Without ti!iis hfeavelily tireasure, the child can never progress to p^fecfion— can never 
 become "a perfect mflm ill' Christ Jesus""-ca)n never "see as it is seen," and "know 
 as it is kBow!n"-^can never atijain "to the measure of the stature of the fulneES 
 of Christ"— ean never dwell in that perfect state of socifety where they see the Lord 
 face to face— where ftilness of knowledge, glb'ry, and happtoess pervades every so«ll 
 As a human being, when a child. Speaks as a cMld, iMidwstaJidS as a child, aiid thMks 
 as a child; so does the chtirdi in Wfe: state of esdstSnee know oaty in part: but at 
 the child, when it becomes a main, ptfts aw4y childish thidgs ; so vnll the church put 
 away such childiih iMc^s as « pitophtey in putt," "knowlec^ in part," and SM^ig 4ft 
 ftirt, when it grows «^ liupaugli tii&Kid of these things, to a pafect msai in (mrisAi 
 
5 TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNSCRIPTURAL. 
 
 Jesus : that which is in'pait' will be done away or immerged into the greater fulness 
 of knowledge which there reigns. Perfection will then swallow up imperfection ; 
 the healiiig, power will then be done away, for no sickness will be there; tongues 
 and interpretations will' then cease, for one pure language alone will be spoken ; the! 
 casting out of devils and power against deadly poisons will not then be needed, for in 
 Eeaven circumstances will render them unnecessary. 
 
 16.— But charity, which is the pure love of God, never faileth ; it will sit enthroned 
 in the midst of the glorified throng, clothed in all the glory and splendour of its 
 native heaven. As charity, then, never fails, we can say, with the Apostle Paul; 
 *' FoUow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy ;" 
 for all these things, with faith and hope, should be the companions of charity in this 
 world, though circumstances will require some of them to part, "when that which is 
 perfect is come ;" but while travellmg in this world of imperfection, let them be 
 friends. And as God has joined them together in happy wedlock during this state of 
 existence, let no man put them asunder. That habitation that will not admit them 
 all as occupants, cannot retain either singly. Faith, Hope, and Charity, wiU not 
 abide where their dear friend Immediate Revelation is rejected. Though Christendom 
 may pass bills of divorcement, and try to separate them, yet they will not be separated. 
 Wherever they are unitedly received, they impart salvation and eternal life ; wherever 
 either is rejected, death — eternal death — is sure to be the result. 
 
 17. — ^New-revelation deniers, to sustain their false position, sometimes refer to the 
 saying of our Savioui-, " For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." 
 <(Matthew xi., 13.) Prom this they draw the conclusion that John was to be the 
 last prophet of the human race with which our world were to be favoured ; and to 
 strengthen this conclusion they connect this saying with the following prediction of 
 Zechariah : " And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts, that T wiU 
 cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered ; 
 and also I will cause the prophets and the tinclean spirit to pass out of the land. And 
 it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mothec 
 that begat him shall say unto him : Thou shalt not five ; for thou speakest lies in the 
 name of the Lord ; and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him 
 through when he prophesieth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the 
 prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision when he hath prophesied; 
 neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive." (Zechariah xiii., 2, 3, 4.) 
 It is said that the prophets were until John, after which the Lord caused the 
 prophets to pass out of the land, as no longer necessary. If this conclusion be 
 correct, then the " book of John's prophecy," revealed some sixty-five years after John 
 the Baptist's death, must be false, u there were to be no more prophets after John, 
 then Paul must have been entirely mistaken when he says to the Bphesians, that God, 
 " by revelation, made knovra unto me the mystery which in other ages was not made 
 known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and PB,0- 
 PHBTS." (Bph. iii., 3, 5.) If Paul's word be credited, instead of the words of the 
 felse teachers of latter times, then there must have been prophets comiected with the 
 apostles after the days of John, and prophets, too, who received greater mysteries by 
 revelation than the prophets of other ages. . This agrees with another saying of Paul, 
 that « God hath set some in the church, — first, apostles ; secondarily, PROPHETS ; 
 thirdly, teachers," &c. (1 Corinthians, xii., 28.) In accordance with this, we read 
 «f certain prophets in the Christian church at Antioch, to whom the Holy Ghost 
 spake and gave directions concerning the calling and missions of Paul and Barnabas; 
 ^See Acts xiu,) After the days of John the Baptist, we read of Agabus the prophet, 
 who prophesied of a great famine which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar ; 
 and also the four daughters of Philip the Evangelist, who prophesied of the perse- 
 cutions which awaited Paul at Jerusalem. (See Acts.) To reject prophets from 
 lihe Christian church wovild be one of the greatest perversions of God's word. 
 
 18.— The prediction of Zechariah to which we nave referred has not yet had its 
 fulfilment; for " the idols" and the "imclean spirit", there spoken of have not yet 
 passed awajr out of the land ; they are not yet « no more remembered," as is said in 
 this prediction. That the prqphets which the Lord should cause to pass away were 
 jto be false prophets, and not true ones, is evident from their being connected with 
 
TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE, 9 
 
 the idols and unclean spirit which were all to pass away together. These prophets 
 are, no doubt, the same characters which are spoken of in another place of- his 
 prophecy, " For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those 
 that he cut off; neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor 
 feed that that standeth still ; but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws 
 in pieces. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock ! — the sword shall be upon 
 his arm, and upon his right eye ; his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye 
 shall be utterly darkened." (Zechariah xi., 16, 17.) When the Lord cuts off the 
 the names of the idols out of the land, he will then cause the sword to be upon " the 
 arm" and upon " the right eye" of the " idol shepherd ;" or, in other words, the 
 prophets and unclean spirit, who tear, and devour, and destroy the flock, and eat the 
 fat thereof, he will, in very deed, cause them "to pass away out of the land." This 
 destruction of idol shepherds, false prophets, &c., will take place at the time, or a 
 little after, the Saviour's second coming. " In that day," says Zechariah, " the Lord 
 shall be king over all the earth," and " there shall be one Lord and his name one," 
 the names of the idols having passed away, being no more remembered. This will be 
 after he comes vpith all his saints and stands upon the Mount of Olives, as is predicted 
 in this same conneetionf Therefore these passages have not the most distant allusioii 
 to the doing away of prophets from the Christian church, as many reverend false 
 teachers assert. None but the most ignorant and unreflecting could ever be deceived 
 by such barefaced and glaring perversions of those passages by modern divines. 
 Were it not to cover up their apostacy, ministers of modern Christendom never would 
 have resorted to such wilful and awfully wicked perversions of God's word — perver- 
 sions, too, which, if admitted, would destroy many of the very books of the Bible 
 which they pretend to believe. 
 
 19. — ^As the foregoing are the only passages referred to by those who reject new 
 revelation, we conclude that there are no others that have, in their estimation, any 
 bearing upon the subject ; and as we have clearly shown that these passages contain 
 not the sUghtest intimation that God has revealed all that he ever intended to give to 
 man. Therefore the proposition containing the subject matter of these paragraphs 
 is fiilly established, and it can be asserted, with the greatest assurance, and without 
 fear of contradiction, that it is not unieriptural to expect more revelation. 
 
 TO EXPECT MOKE REVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE. 
 
 1. — In the foregoing we have shown that in so far as the enemies of new revelation 
 have undertaken to prove their position by scripture, they have utterly failed. We 
 shall now proceed to examine the reasons offered by the world for rejecting new reve- 
 lation. If it can be demonstrated that the giving of more revelation would be unrea- 
 sonable, then all professed revelation should be rejected at once without investigation, 
 for it could not be otherwise than false. 
 
 2. — It is said that God revealed enough to save man in ancient days, and it is concluded 
 that the revelations which saved the ancients, will save men in all fiiture generations, 
 and, therefore, it is argued that it is unreasonable to expect any more. Now we most 
 freely admit that God revealed enough to save man in ancient times, but that these 
 were sufficient for futiu*e generations, we deny. No one will for a moment dispute 
 but that the revelations given to Abel were sufficient to save him ; but to argue tJiat 
 Abel's revelations were sufficient for all future generations, would be the very height 
 of absurdity. The revealed will of God to Abel, though sufficient to save him, was 
 altogether insufficient to guide Noah and his family ; nothing short of a new revelation 
 could unfold to him the awful judgment that awaited the world by a universal deluge : 
 nothing short of a new revelation could point out to him a way of escape. But new 
 revelation was as vmpopular to the antediluvians as it is now to the apostate churches 
 of the nineteenth century. They, without doubt, considered Noah an impostor for 
 offering to them a new revelation, when Abel and Enoch had enough to save them. 
 Li vain did Noah urge upon them the necessity of believing in his message ; in vain did 
 he portray the awM consequences of rejecting it; they considered the revelations of 
 their formthers all-sufficient without any additional ones ; and thus the whole world, 
 except eight persons, were carried away with the fatal delusion that new revelation 
 
10 TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE, 
 
 was nnnecessar}-, and the whole mass of deluded fanatics perished together as a fear- 
 ful wai-ning to all the enemies of new revelation who should live after them. 
 
 3. — Lot, though a righteous man, could not have been saved from the shower of 
 fire and brimstone about to be poured upon the cities of the plain, had he not beKeved 
 in new revelation, pointing out to him his only com-se of safety. In vain did he plead 
 with his kindred to believe in new revelation, and depart out of Sodom to escape the 
 threatened judgment; he seemed to them as one that moclted. They doubtles? 
 thought, like modern divines, that the old revelations that saved their fathers would 
 also save them ; they persisted in their strong delusions until overwhelmed by a shower 
 of fire ; and as it was with these cities of the plain, so shall it also be with the multi- 
 tude of all nations who are enemies to new revelation in the daj's of the coming of the 
 Son of man : they shall become as stubble in the midst of the devouring flame, and 
 shall, like Sodom and Gomorrba, be punished with the vengeance of eternal fire. 
 
 4. — When Jesus offered to the Jews a new revelation they immediately appealed 
 to the old ones, saying, " We have Moses and the prophets, but as for this man Christ , 
 Jesus, we know not whence he is," The devil had put it into their hearts to suppose 
 that the revelations of their forefathers were sufficient, and for any person to offer 
 them a new one was considered an imposition; they continued to reject every thing 
 of the kind, until they, brought upon themselves and their beloved city swift destruo*. 
 tion. 
 
 5. — The apostate Gentile churches of the present centm-y are following in the same 
 dangerous path. The cunning arch impostors of modern times, under the name of 
 Popish and Protestant ministers, have persuaded millions of their deluded votaiies to 
 reject every thing under the name of new revelation, and to receive only such ancient 
 books as they have named in their " Articles of Religion." If this wicked imposition 
 had only deceived here and there a few, there would be some hopes of mankind ; but 
 alas! the delusion is as popular as it was in the days of Noah., Learned and unlearned 
 ^-rulers and ruled — philosophers and the ignorant — the great and the small— rthe 
 high and the low, and in fine, all nations and: people, have fallen into this whh-lpool 
 of delusion— this vortex of destruction, that has swallowed up nations and generalaws 
 of ancient times, and left a sad but fearful warning to those who should live ini afteiJ 
 ages. , . 
 
 6. — Nothing can be more erroneous than to suppose that the revelations given to 
 one individual, people, or genex'ation, are sufficient to fully develope the duties of ano- 
 ther individual, people, or generation. That there are many duties which are common 
 to all mankind in every generation, is a truth that no one can dispute. It is equally 
 clear that there are many duties which are limited in their nature, and only required 
 of such as God may name or designate under existing circumstances. Those general 
 laws which are universal in their applieation, though revealed ever so often, are always 
 the same ; they are as unchangeable as the great Law Giver in whom they originated; 
 while those individual or circumstantial laws which are limited to the individuals foi! 
 whom they are given, are changeable in their nature. New circumstances require 
 pew laws which must continue to change in order to suit the condition of the people^ 
 No man, either in ancient or modern times, has ever yet learned his whole duty from the 
 general laws which God has revealed. Without new revelation adapted to the pecu- 
 liar condition of himself as an individual, and varied at sundry times, according to 
 the change of circumstances, he will for ever remain ignorant of a part of his duty. 
 
 7. — As the present generation are so universally in error, in supposing that the 
 ancient revelations are sufficient for all present purposes, we shall point out still fur- 
 ther the absurdity of this supposition, by shewing the distinction between general and 
 circumstantial laws, as revealed to govern the actions of men, and by pointing out ^e 
 absolute necessity of continued revelation, growing out of the nature of the varied 
 circumstances in which man is placed. General laws, . given to regulate the actions 
 of all men, are those which prohibit them from doing that which in its very nature is 
 evil ; and which enjoin upon them to do that which m its very nature is good. Or- 
 eitmsfamtial laws are those which prohibit man from doing that which in its nature 
 is not evU, but which, if done, circumstances would render evil ; and which eqoia 
 jipon him to do that which in its nature is neither good nor evil, but whieli, if done> 
 circumstances would render good. 
 
TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE* 11 
 
 8. — The first class of laws are termed general because of their universal adaptation 
 "to the conditions of all men in all generations and ages, and imder every dispensation 
 of God to man. There are many things which are naturally evil, and no change of 
 drcumstances can render them otherwise than evil : they ai-e recognised as evil by all 
 men, whether in a civilised or savage state r there is but one law of conscience in 
 regard to them, independent of all revealed law. That which tends to unjustly injure 
 another in his person or character is naturally an evil : the law of conscience tells all 
 men that it is evil : the revealed law of God coincides with that of conscience, and 
 proclaims it an evil, and forbids mankind under a heavy penalty to unjustly injure 
 one another. To bear false witness against a neighbour is an evil in its very 
 nature. It is not the revealed law of God which makes it an evil, but it is clearly 
 perceived to be an evil where the revealed law is unknown. To tsJiie the advantage 
 of a good man and cheat him out of his property — to rob, or steal, or wantonly waste, 
 or destroy it — is an evil, recognised by the consciences of all men : it is not necessary 
 for the revealed law to proclaim these things as evil in order that man may perceive 
 them as such ; for the savage, as well as the sage, readily perceives, by the aid of his 
 conscience alone, that the inherent nature of these things is vicious. To murder or 
 shed innocent blood is distinguished by all men to be a great evil : there is something 
 in the nature of the act that proclaims loudly that it is one of the greatest of evils. 
 If God had never revealed it an evil in written words, yet mankind would be none the 
 less assured of its evil nature. The object of the revealed law is, not merely to show 
 that these acts are evil and vicious, but to show the penalty and consequences of such 
 acts ; — to show that judgment and misery must necessarily result from a vicious 
 course of life. We have now given a few items of evil that are in their nature evil, 
 and against which God has enacted gm&ral laws to govern men in all ages. 
 
 9. — We shall next point out some things which in their very nature are good, and 
 ■which the consciences of all men, at once perceive to be good. To show pity to the 
 poor — to feed the hungiy and clothe the naked — to administer relief to the sick and 
 afflicted — to do unto our neighboui's that which we, in Uke circumstances, would cobt 
 sider they ought to do for us — and in fine, to love them, and seek to benefit them, 
 and make them happy, ai-e things which are inherently good : it is not a command to 
 do these things which renders them good : they were good before any revealed law 
 enjoined manlund to do them ; they were good independent of all revealed law ; they 
 were good from the beginning in their very nature ; and man is so constituted that 
 he cannot look upon them otherwise than as being inherently good. These are the 
 virtuous acts which the revealed law has enjoined upon men to perform. It is not 
 the object of the revealed law, merely to point out that these acts are good and virtu. 
 ous, for this was abeady understood, but the object was to enjoin upon man the 
 importance of doing good, — to make known to him the reward which should be 
 received for evei-y virtuous act, and the happy results which should follow a virtuous 
 course of life. We have now given a few items of good that are in and of themselves 
 naturally good, concerning which God has enacted general laws to govern man in 
 every age and dispensation. 
 
 10. — These items of good and evil, together with all others of like nature, are the 
 principal items embodied in a code of laws which are intended to be general in theic 
 application. Those who violate them, though they are not acquainted with the re- 
 vealed law concerning them, yet they will be judged by the law of their consciences 
 so far as they were able to perceive the nature of right and wrong, but not being 
 acquainted with the penalty annexed to these laws, they wiU only be punished with a 
 few stripes ; while those who have, not only the law of conscience, but also the re- 
 Tealed law, and shall violate its sacred commands, will be beaten with many stripes. 
 
 11. — Tliere are many things which are not naturally evil, but which become evil 
 taroumstantially ; for instance, God having finished this creation in six days, rested on 
 the seventh, and from this circumstance, he ordained the sabbath as a day of rest, and 
 commanded' mat man snould not aoour on that day. Now a man unacquainted with 
 this revealed law, would be as likely to labour on the sabbath as on any other day: 
 there woula oe notmngi n ne nature of this act, nor in the nature of aiiyehing cori- 
 jnected with it, that would indicate to him that he was doing an evil. Those things, 
 which are naturally evil are the only ones which are perceptible to the conscience as 
 
12 TO EXPECT MORE KEVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE. 
 
 such, without the light of revelation ; and consequently, God will neither judge, con- 
 demn, nor punish a man who has ignorantly transgressed and done an evil which his 
 conscience could not possibly detect as such, an^l unto whom he has never sent the 
 revealed law. To labour on the sabbath day, therefore, is only an evil, because it is 
 forbidden ; there is nothing in the nature of it that is evil : not so with stealing, 
 bearing false witness, committing adultery, murdering, and such like crimes ; they 
 are all evils by nature, though they were not forbidden ; for the conscience of the 
 savage, as well as the civilised man, regards them as such. 
 
 12. — Incorporated in the code of general laws, concerning good and evil, are many 
 other laws of a circumstantial nature which are also binding upon all people to whom 
 they are sent with proper authority; such, for instance, as the law of baptism—the 
 laying on of hands in confirmation, in ordination, and in healing the sick — ^the anoint- 
 ing of the sick with oil in the name of the Lord with prayer — the Lord's supper, and 
 the keeping of the sabbath day holy. These are duties revealed in ancient times to 
 be perpetuated among all people to whom they should be sent with divine authority. 
 But these general laws of good and evil, including all the annexed ordinances and 
 institutions, intended to be perpetuated, unfold but a very small portion of the indivi- 
 dual duties of man, arising from the circumstances with which he is surrounded. In- 
 deed, no code of laws which were intended to be generally applicable could, from their 
 nature, possibly unfold the vast variety of constantly changing duties required even of 
 one man. Much more impossible would it be for such a code to make manifest the 
 multifarious duties of some fifteen thousand millions of the human race who have 
 lived since the days of the apostles. 
 
 13. — We shall now point out a few specimens of revelation which were not intended 
 to be perpetuated, being confined to a very limited period of time, and only intended 
 for the benefit of those for whom they were given ; these may be termed peculiar or 
 circv/mstantial revelations, and are as necessary to fulfil the piu^oses of God for the 
 well being of man, as those of a higher order or of a more general natmre. Circum- 
 stances required a peouUar revelation to be given to Koah in relation to building aa 
 ark. The peculiarity of this revelation will be seen from the fact, that Noah was 
 required to do a work altogether different from what had been required of any man 
 anterior to his day. If the objector should say, that this revelation to Noah, having 
 reference to temporal salvation, was of minor importance, compared with those great 
 revelations on moral subjects, and should conclude that it was not a matter of much 
 consequence whether such a revelation was given or not. We reply, that the aU-wise- 
 Creator who knows what is for the good of man, does not give revelation npon< 
 subjects of no importance : but every thing connected with revelation, is of great imi- 
 portance, and intended not only for the temporal, but for the eternal good of man. 
 For man to reject a command of God in relation to temporal things, or tempoi'al sal- 
 vation, would have a serious bearing upon his future state, and deprive him of future 
 salvation. Therefore -all things which God commands a person to do, however unim- 
 portant they may appear to finite creatures, are nevertheless of infinite importance, and 
 will most assuredly influence his eternal destiny. 
 
 14. — Peculiar revelations were given to Abraham : he was commanded to depart 
 out of Chaldea, his native country, and go to a land wherein he was a stranger. 
 This command was not general, but individual, in its application. Abraham and his 
 household seem to be the only persons required to obey it. Here, then, was a duty 
 which they never could have learned firom any general laws : new revelation alone 
 could make it manifest. If we read the short history of Abraham's life, we find a 
 great variety of duties made known to him which he must for ever have remained ia 
 ignorance of, had it not been for new revelation. At one time he was commanded 
 to circumcise all the males of his household ; at another, to walk through the land 
 of Canaan, in the length of it and in the breadth of it ; at another, to lift up his 
 eyes eastward, westward, northward, and southward, with a promise that all the land 
 over which he travelled, and which his eyes beheld, should be given to him and his 
 posterity for an everlasting possession ; at another time he was commanded to offer 
 as a sacrifice different kinds of animals and fowls ; at another, to offer his only son 
 Isaac as a burnt offering upon a mountain ; at another, to stay his hand, and not 
 destroy the child. Now, all these were duties which could not be learned from 
 
TO EXPECT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE. 13 
 
 imcient I'evelation, from the fact that no other people had been previously commanded 
 to do these things. They were duties that dould not be incorporated in a system of 
 laws that were mtended to be general in then- application, and for this very reason 
 Abraham considered new revelation indispensably necessary; it was the only possible 
 way to learn the whole of his duty. O ! how different were the feelings and views 
 of this good old patriarch from those entertained by modern enemies to new revela- 
 tion ! The one saw the impossibility of learning the whole will of God from previous 
 revelation ; the others consider that a few ancient books called the Bible reveal the 
 whole will of God to all nations and generations for the last seventeen centuries. 
 O ! the impenetrable darkness of apostate Christianity ! It is heart-sickening to 
 every man of God ! Who among the saints of ancient times could have supposed 
 that a race of people would arise pi'ofessing to believe in the revelations of old time, 
 but considering that all new ones were entirely unnecessary ? The worshippers of 
 Baal were far more consistent than apostate Christendom ; for they had a faint hope 
 that Baal would hear and answer them ; but modem divines have no expectation that 
 their God will say anything to them or to their followers. Baal's followers cried 
 from morning until evening for him to give unto them a mu-aculous manifestation, 
 in the presence of Elijah ; but to even expect a supernatural manifestation or reve- 
 lation now is considered, by modern religionists, as the greatest absurdity. Baal's 
 worshippers, therefore, with all their absurdities, approached nearer the religion of 
 heaven, in some of their expectations, than those who falsely call themselves 
 Christians. 
 
 15. — The history of the people of God, from the earliest ages, shows that continued 
 revelation was the only way that they could possibly leam all their duties, or God's 
 will concerning themselves. They never once thought that the revelations given to 
 previous generations were sufficient to guide them into every duty. A doctrine which 
 I'ejects new revelation is a new doctrine, invented by the devil and his agents during 
 ■the second centm'y after Christ ; it is a doctrine in direct opposition to the one 
 believed in and enjoyed by the saints in all ages. Now, to subvert and do away a 
 doctrine four thousand years old, and introduce a new one in its stead, can only be 
 done by divine authority. But have the propagators of this new doctrine, at any 
 period since its invention, established its authority either by scripture, reason, miracles, 
 or any other way ? If not, how dare they to break in upon the long-established order 
 of God, and invent a new doctrise, excluding all further revelation ? How dare 
 they to promulgate a doctrine so entirely different from what the ancient saints ever 
 believed or thought of ? How dai'e they assume and teach that God vnll no more 
 speak with man, when he never had failed, in any instance, to converse with his 
 saints in evei-y previous generation ? How dare they call themselves the people of 
 God, and yet reject the great, fundamental, and infinitely important doctrine of 
 «ohtinii£d revelation, which always distinguished the people of God from every other 
 people ? None but the most blind and determined enemies to new revelation could 
 for a moment believe the Bible, and at the same time believe that the ancient saints 
 and the apostate churches of Christendom were both the people of God : the one claSs 
 believed in a doctrine of continued revelation, established not only by several thousand 
 years' experience, but by a continued series of miracles during that long period qf 
 time ;■ while the other class have entu-ely excluded this heavenly doctrine ii-om their 
 midst, and, as a substitute, have invented, through the aid of uninspired men, 
 " Articles of Religion," « Creeds," « Disciplines," « Commentaries," &c. Who, 
 then, with a knowledge of these two systems of religion, so widely different and 
 opposed to each other, would have the hardihood or wicked presumption to call the 
 latter Christians or the Church of God ? 
 
 16. — As the doctrine, then, of continued revelation is one that was always believed 
 by the saints, it ought not to be requu-ed of any man to prove the necessity of ths 
 continuation of such a dfxstrine. If it were a new doctrine never before introduced 
 into the world, it would become necessary to establish its divine origin ; but, inasmuch 
 as it is only a continuation of an old doctrine, established thousands of years ago, and 
 which has never ceased to be believed and enjoyed by the saints, it would be th« 
 greatest presumption to call it in question at this late period; and hence it would 
 -geera almost supei-fluous t» iwdertake t* pr«ve the necessity of its continuance. 
 
14 TO EXPEdT MORE REVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE, 
 
 Instead of being: required to do this, all people have the right to call upon all the new- 
 revelation deniers of the last seventeen centuries to bring forward their strong- 
 reasonings and testimonies for breaking in upon the long-established order of heaven, 
 and introducing a new doctrine so entirely different from the old. If they wish their 
 new doctrine to be believed, let them demonstrate it to be of divine origin, or else- 
 all people will be justified in rejecting it, and in still cleaving to the old. When 
 Jesus came and did away the old law of Moses, and introduced a new system of 
 religion, he established the divine origin of the" new by the most incontrovertible 
 testimony ; the most splendid miracles were wrought both by himself and his followers. 
 Now, if the new-revelation deniers will bring as much testimony as Jesus and his 
 followers did to estaWish their new doctrine, then they may, with some little propriety^ 
 call upon mankind to believe in it ; but as yet they have given the world no evidence 
 whatever only their own conjectures. We are called upon to reject a doctrine much 
 older than the law of Moses, and of far greater importance, and to receive in its stead 
 the doctrines of uninspired men, excluding all new communications from heaven ; and 
 as yet not one testimony has been offered the world in confirmation of this newly- 
 invented religion. How strange that any one should ever have been deceived with 
 such absurdities! How incomprehensibly more strange that millions should still 
 cling to the awful delusion ! 
 
 17. — When a doctrine has been originated by divine authority, and has been 
 believed and enjoyed by the people of God, without an exception, in all ages, it is not 
 unreasonable to expect the continuance of such doctrine among the saints in all future 
 ages, unless some cause can be shown for its discontinuance : for instance, the doctrine 
 fif Faith, Repentance, and Remission of Sins, was originated and taught by divine 
 authority immediately after the fall, and, like the doctrine of continual revelation, was 
 embraced and enjoyed by every people of God until the apostles fell asleep. Now, if 
 a people had arisen in the second century of the Christian era who excluded from - 
 their religion any of these principles, would not such a newly-invented religion have 
 been considered as a gross imposition, and all its originators as the basest of" 
 impostors ? At least, would not the inventors of such a religion have been required 
 to show some authority or cause for thus discontinuing a doctrine which even 
 they themselves continued to admit was necessary in all previous ages ? If Faith, 
 Repentance, Remission of Sins, and Continued Revelation, were necessary for four 
 thousand years, what reason can be shown that any one of these heavenly principles- 
 should ever afterwards become unnecessary ? If the second century were chosen as 
 the memorable period for the discontinuance of an essential and long-established 
 principle of religion, and for the introduction of a new religion diverse from what 
 the people of God ever before enjoyed, then, indeed, it must be a period of great 
 importance in the history of man. But the great and infinit'ely important question 
 is, how shall mankind know that this sudden and unexpected change in the religion of' 
 heaven was produced by divine authority ? Have its propagators ever established its 
 divine authenticity in any way ? If not, then they must be the vilest and most 
 dangerpus impostors that ever disgraced our earthj deceiving, not a few only, but thar 
 thousands of millions, and corrupting all nations with their abominable and soul- 
 destroying apostacy. 
 
 18. — A doctrine or principle established by divine authority will require divine an- 
 Buthority to do it away. That which is established by a Superior Power cannot be 
 abolished by an inferior power. This may be beautifully illustrated by the kingdoms,, 
 governments, and powers of the earth. Each has its law-making department : this 
 power is sometimes invested in a legislative body, and sometimes in the king, queen, 
 or emperor. Whenever any of the.se departments enacts laws for the welfare of the- 
 people, they are considered to be in force and binding upon all citizens until the law- 
 ■making department shall repeal them, and notify the people of such repeal. Private- 
 ■^ritizens or inferior councils could never repeal that which was enacted and ordained 
 ■by higher powers. If the king ordained the law, then none but the king can repeal 
 it. ' if the people should undertake to abrogate or do away the law, it would be 
 opasidered an act of rebellion against the government. So if the king should ordain 
 (je-i'tain rights or privileges to be enjoyed by his subjects, no inferior power would have 
 aright to disannul such legal grants — none would have a right to say that the privi* 
 
TO EXPECT MORE KEVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE. 15 
 
 leges, ordained by the king in behalf of his subjects, were done away. The power 
 that ord^ns rights arid privileges, can alone disannul them. The subjects- 
 have no right to suppose that any law or privilege is done away, unless the 
 law-making department has notified the people to that eflfeot. So it is with 
 the kingdom of God. God is the King ; he is the legal Law-Giver to all the children, 
 of the kingdom ; he has ordained eei-tain rights and privileges to be enjoyed by them 
 all ; he has given to them all the right of petition, with a sure and certain promise- 
 that he will hear and answer. These I'ights and privileges were enjoyed for about 
 ibm' thousand years by all the subjects of his government ; they petitioned the Kingy 
 to show them by revelation many great and glorious thirds, which he, according to 
 his promise, granted. Among the promised rights and blessings, granted by thereat 
 and unchangeable Law-Giver, may be enumerated, the privilege of conversing with him 
 and with his angels, and to receive knowledge by visions, by dreams, by the revela- 
 tions of the Holy Spirit, and by prophecy. After having enjoyed those chartered' 
 rights for many thousand years, the people all at once assumed the authority to dis- 
 annul them, arid thus came out in open rebellion against the government of the Al- 
 mighty. Oh, what a fearful responsibility rests upon those who have thus dared to 
 repeal and disannul that which God had estabUshed! 
 
 19. — ^What would be the consequences, if a portion of the inhabitants of Great 
 Britain were to rise up against some of the dearest and most precious rights which 
 hsd been granted by the law-making department, and which had been enjoyed by the 
 subjects for many generations ? Would they not be considered in a state of rebellion ? 
 Would they not be taken and tried before the proper tribunals, and condemned and 
 punished, as guilty bf treason? How much sorer punishment, then, must the 
 woi'ld of Christendom receive ! For their crime is of much greater magnitude. They " 
 haye not rebelled against the governments of the earth, but against the go'vernmejiit 
 of H^v^n ; they have repealed, disannulled, and rebelled ag^nst some of the most 
 sacred rights granted by the King of kings. If such a rebellion against the laws of 
 earthly governments will subject 3ie person to death, what must be the punishment of 
 -Ehosp who rebel against heavenly governments ! Oh, Christendom ! what hast thou 
 done ? Thou hitat closed the door of Heaven upon thyself, and upon the nations of the 
 earth ! Thou hast made the windows of Heaven as brass that cannot easily be pene- 
 trated! Thou hast rejected the key of revelation, and thus cut cff all communica- 
 tions frpm the heavenly worlds ! Thou hast repealed and made vod the chartered 
 privileges, and most saci-ed rights, ordained of God, for the comforting, teaching, and 
 perfecting of his Saints ! Thou hast veiled the heavens in darkness, and shrouded the 
 earth wi3> liie Mack mantle of eiTor ! Oh, Christendom, what wilt thou do ! And 
 whither wilt thou hide thyself in the day of thy visitation— in the day of the fierce an- 
 ger of the Almighty ! The mountains 'and rocks will not cover thy shame, nor hide 
 thy guilt from tiie eye of Him who searcheth all things ! Bepent, then, of thy great 
 ■wickedness, oh, thou destroyer of souls ! no longer lift thy voice against the glorious 
 gift of revelation ; no longer, deny the ohartei-ed rights of the people of God ; bo 
 fonger rebel against the ministry of angels, and the enjoyments of the gifts of vision 
 and propbeqy ; no longer seek to repeal that whioh Heaven has ordained, and which 
 the chSldren of God enjoyed for four thousand yeai-s. Remember that divine gifts 
 and divine laws can only be repealed by divine autiiority. 
 
 20 iWe are told by the ministers of Christendom, that God has repealed th© gift 
 
 of reveljition, as no longer necessary. But they have utterly failed up to this day 
 to point out the revelation that contains this repeal. The Old Testament does not 
 contain it— the New TeStamant.dpes not contain it. As the repeal act is not found 
 in the Bible, where shall it be ifound ? This is a question of great importance ! If 
 there be such an Act of Repeal^ it must be somewhere, or how could these minist^s 
 have Itnown it ? We call upon Christendom to bring forwasd out of their sacred ardU- 
 ves the REPEAL LAW. Let us seai-ch it ;— let us see what God has said about the 
 world's having revelation enough. Let us see what time the Repeal was passed, when 
 it came in force, — ^how long it is to continue in force, — and whether there is any proba- 
 bility of a restoration of the former privileges ! None can consider this call for wie re- 
 peal law unreasonable. If God has ordained such a law it is reasonable that we should 
 know it. T)i» ministers say they know it. Why not let the people .see the kw that they 
 
16 TO EXPECT MOKE EEVELATION IS NOT UNREASONABLE. 
 
 may know it also ? Why keep them in the dark — if such a kw exist, bring it forward. 
 You cannot say that it is a law of not much importance ; for isurejy, if God has passed 
 a law repealing the gift of revelation — the gift of prophecy — ^the ^il of visions and 
 dreams by the spirit — ^the ministry of angels — and all other miraculous gifts, which had 
 teen enjoyed by every people of God among all nations, and in all generations for four 
 thousand years — if he has swept away all these long-established and most glorious 
 ■privileges from the church by a repeal law, then it must be one of the most important 
 laws that have ever been communicated to man ; it is a law that every one should be 
 familiar with ; and none should be prohibited from reading or perusing it. 
 
 21. — When God repealed the law of Moses he did not keep it to himself, but he 
 told the people plainly, not only of the repeal act,\mt also of the new acts which were 
 introduced in its stead. The law of Moses required a man to give a writing of di- 
 vorcement if he wished to put away his wife ; but Jesus repealed that law, and gave 
 s. new one in its stead. The law of Moses required the people to "perform unto the 
 Lord their oaths; " but Jesus repealed this law, a,nd commanded the people to "swear 
 not at all." The law of Moses required " an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth ; " 
 but Jesus repealed this law also, and commanded the people " not to resist evil." 
 Here, then, we have the repeal law, abolishing that of Moses, and the new law intro- 
 duced in its stead : both are revealed in perfect plainness : there is no dubiety or un- 
 certainty as to what is repealed or as to what takes ft place. If it be considered 
 necessary to reveal to mankind that certain privileges, granted by the law of Moses, 
 ■were repealed ; how much more necessary is it, that mankind should know of the 
 repeal of blessings and privileges far greater and vastly superior to those of the law 
 of Moses ! Would God take such particular care to notify man of the repeal of Mo- 
 ses' law, and yet leave him in entire ignorance with regard to the repeal of the gift 
 of revelation, visions, prophecy, &c. ? The law of Moses " was added because of trans- 
 gression," and given " because of the hardness of their hearts ; " Paul calls it a " law 
 of carnal commandments ; " therefore mankind could, ^th propriety, look for its re- 
 peal. But no one for a moment could have supposed that the Lord would repeal and 
 do away such great and glorious gifts as ministers now declare to be unnecessary. 
 But what seems still more strange, is, that he should repeal privileges, granted, not 
 only in the Mosaic dispensation, and in the ages preceding it, but also in the Gospel 
 dispensation, even down to the close of the first century, and yet give us no informa- 
 tion of such repeal. 
 
 22. — But the ministers of apostate Christendom assert that God has repealed those 
 precious gifts, and we now call upon them to tell us how they know it.. Has God 
 revealed it to them ? No, say they ; God reveals nothing in this age. Did you learn 
 it from ancient revelations ? If so, we call upon you in the name of the Lord, as you 
 value your own sovd's salvation, and that of others, to show us the revelation, that we 
 may know it also. If you do not do this, it will be considered that you do not Imow 
 any such thing, but that you have come to the people, like the prophets of Ahab, -with. 
 a lie in your mouths to deceive, devour, and destroy. O ye ministers of modern 
 Christendom — ^ye enemies of new revelation ! how can ye escape the damnation of 
 hell ! How many millions of good honest-hearted people you have deceived by your 
 cunning ci-aftiness, and lying hypocracies ! How many millions would have called 
 upon God, in faith, for revelations, prophecies, visions, and the ministry of angels, and 
 received these precious blessings, had it not been for the wicked, most abominable, and 
 soul-destroying lies, which you have instilled into their ears by telling them that these 
 things were repealed and done away! Repent, therefore, of this great wickedness, 
 and be baptized for the remission, of yom- sms, and you shall receive the Holy Ghost, 
 which shall give you visions and revelations, and shall show you things to come ; and 
 except you do this, the wrath and indignation of that Being against whom you. have 
 lied, shall speedily overtake you, and you shall perish out of the earth. Kepenx, 
 
 THEEEFOKE, QUICKIiT, THAT TOU MAT EIND MeECT. 
 lis, Wilion street, Liverpool, October 15th, 1850. 
 
 HTBRP«9I.: PMNTED BT B. JAMES, 89, SOUTH CASIiK SIREET. 
 
[No. 2. 
 
 DIYINE AUTHENTlCITr 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BOOK OF MORMON 
 
 • BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE OP THE TWEITE APOSTLES OP THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF UTTER-DAY SAINTS. 
 
 MOKE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLr NECESSAEY. 
 
 1. — In the former number it has been shewn, that to expect more revelatiort is 
 neither imscriptural nor unreasonable ; hence, there is as gi-eat a probability that more 
 ■will be given in our day, as in any former age. The object of this number is to shew 
 that more revelation is indispensably necessary, 
 
 FlKST, FOR THE CaI/LING OP OFFICERS IN THE ChURCH. 
 
 2. — Whenever God has called and authorized men to perform a work in any age 
 or dispensation, it has been done by revelations, and not by mere impressions, or some 
 undeiinable internal feelings, which leave the mind in uncertainty and doubt. No'ah 
 was called by the word of the Lord to be a preacher of righteousness, and to build an 
 seek. Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, were called by revelation to perform 
 a great variety of duties Moses and Aaron were called to the priest's office by the 
 word of the Great Jehovah. Seventy elders of Israel were called by revelation to 
 assist Moses. Joshua was appointed by the word of the Lord through Moses to be 
 his successor in leading Israel. The successors of Aaron were appointed to the priest- 
 hood by revelation. The Judges of Israel were called by visions, by angels, and by 
 the inspiration of the Spirit. Samuel was called by the voice of the Lord. And 
 finally, all their officers, wise men, and prophets, down to the days of Malachi, were 
 called by new revelation. 
 
 3. — The calling of officers under the christian dispensation continued the same. 
 John, the' forerunner of Christ, was called by the spirit of prophecy, as manifested 
 " through the angol Gabriel and his father Zaeharias. Jesus was called by his Father, 
 and appointed a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec : He is termed by St. 
 Paul, " the Apostle and High Priest of our profession." Jesus, being an apostle, 
 called others to the same office, and said unto them, "ye have not ehosen me but I 
 have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit." (John 
 XV.) When Judas fell through transgression, the apostles did not appoint another to 
 take his bishoprick through a mere impression, but they called upon the Lord to shovr 
 whom he had chosen ; aiid "the lot fell upon Matthias." (Acts i. 15-26.) The se- 
 venty disciples were called by the word of the Lord. Paul and Barnabas were both 
 apostles, (see Acts xiv. 14.) and were set apart to the work of the ministry by nevy. 
 revelation through the inspired prophets and teachers, which were in the church at 
 Antioch. (Acts xiii. 1-4.) That the elders of the church at Bphesus were called by 
 Tevelation, is evident by the following language of Paul to them, " Take heed there- 
 
 B 
 
18 MORE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 
 
 fore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made 
 you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath pui-chased with his own 
 blood." (Acts XX. 28.) Timothy, the first bishop of Ephesus, was appointed by pro- 
 phecy and by the laying on of hands. (1 Tim. iv. 14.) Titus, the first bishop of the 
 Gretians, was appointed by the Apostle Paul " to ordain elders in every city ; " these 
 elders were to be ordained after the manner, and in the way that Paul had appointed 
 Titus. (Titus i. 6.) And we have already seen that a spirit of prophecy was neces- 
 sary to ordain a bishop ; and as Bishop Titus was to ordain elders in every city after 
 the pattern that he himself had been ordained, he must, to have carried out his in- 
 structions, have enjoyed the spirit of prophecy. If the elders of Ephesus were made 
 overseers of the church by the revelation of the Holy Ghost, it is reasonable to infer, 
 that revelation was necessary to the appointment of elders in all other cities. Paul 
 says, " As God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so 
 let him walk, and so ordain I in all churches." (1 Cor. vii. 17.) Paul did not pre- 
 sume to ordain in all churches, only such as were called of the Lord, and he ordained 
 them according to that calling ; and such callings could only be made known by 
 revelation. 
 
 4. — When mankind through their apostacy lost the spirit of prophecy and revela- 
 tion, they also lost the other supernatural gifts of the spirit, such as healing, mu-acles, 
 tongues, interpretations of tongues, &c. These gifts ceased, not all at once, but by 
 d^rees, until the spirit had entirely withdrawn, leaving only a powerless form. The 
 necessity of revelations, visions, prophesyings, ministry of angels, and miraculous gifts, 
 was never denied until mankind found themselves destitute of these promised bles- 
 sings ; when it was pretended that they were only designed for the first christians; the 
 people began by degrees to beUeve this wicked pretension, until, at length, they boldly 
 denied the necessity of every miraculous power. Millions in every succeeding gene- 
 ration have continued to walk in the footsteps of the early apostates, fulfilling in every 
 respect the prediction of Paul, that " in the last days perilous times should come ; for 
 men should be lovers of their own selves, covetous, &c. ; " " having a form of godli- 
 ness, but denying the power thereof. "(2 Tim. iii. 1 — 5.) Notwithstanding the uni- 
 versality of this apostacy, yet the numerous religious bodies which enter into its com- 
 position, have had the daring presumption to still call themselves christians, or the 
 church of Christ. But if they were the church of Christ, then the miraculous powers 
 and gifts of Christ would be shown forth among them, and their ministers, as for- 
 merly, would be called by revelation. The church of Christ cannot exist on the earth 
 without an authorized ministry. This ministry cannot be called and authorized with- 
 out new revelation. " No man taketh this honor unlo himself," (that is the honor of 
 the ministry) " but he that is called of God as was Aaron." (Heb. v. iv.) 
 
 5. — ^Without new revelation every office in the church would necessarily become 
 vacant. It is true, that those who held office at the time revelation ceased, would 
 still, during their natural life, continue to retain it, unless through transgression they 
 should be legally deprived of it. If revelation ceased at the close of the first century, 
 it is not at all likely that any of the officers, then holding authority, would be alive 
 a century afterwards ; and as they would have no authority to ordain others with- 
 out new revelation, when they died, the authority upon the earth would neoessa^ 
 rily become extinct. How overwhelming the thought ! Yet there is no conclu- 
 sion more certain. If all offices became vacant there could be no additions to the 
 diuroh by baptism ; for it would be a great sin for private membei-s to assume the 
 authority to baptize ; hence, as soon as those who had been baptized by authoiity were 
 defi.d, the world would be entirely destitute of both the officers and private members 
 of the church of Christ. But when officers and members both cease, what is left ? 
 nothing at all. Hence, without continued revelation, the church could no more con- 
 tinue i;s existence on the earth, than a body could live without the spirit. Therefore, 
 if r jveliilioa ceased with the Apostles, as tlie " Articles " and " Creeds " of men 
 ddclare, every vestige of authority, as well as the church itself, must have become ex- 
 tinct from the earth, as early at least as the third century ; since which time the earth 
 has been cursed with priestcraft and apostacy, and with every species of wickedness. 
 
 6. — Since the church with its authority and power has been caught away from the 
 earth, the great " mother of harlots " with all her descendants has blasphemously as- 
 
MORE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 19 
 
 samed the authority of administering some of the sacred ordinances of the gospel. 
 They have blasphemed the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by using it 
 without authority in their ministrations. They have dbhonored the name of Christ, 
 "by calling their powerless, apostate, filthy, and most abominable churches, the church 
 of Christ. The whole Komuh, Greek, and Protestant ministry, from the Pope down 
 through every grade of office, are as destitute of authority from God, as the (^vil aiid 
 his angels. The Almighty abhors all their wicked pretensions, as he does the very 
 ' -gates of hell. 
 
 7 ^The great apostacy of the Christian church commenced in the first century, 
 
 while there were yet inspired apostles and prophets in their midst ; hence Paul, just 
 previously to his martyrdom, enumerates a great number who had " made ship\yredk; 
 of their faith," and " turned aside unto vain jangling ; " teaching " that the resurrec- 
 tion was already past," giving " heed to fables and endless genealogies," " doting 
 about questions and strifes of words, whereof came envyings, railings, evil surmi»> 
 ings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, sup- 
 posing that gain is godliness." This apostacy had become so general that Paul de- 
 clares to Timothy, " that aU they which are in Asia be turned away from me ; " and 
 again, he says, " At my first answer, no man stood with me, but aU men forsook me ; " 
 he further states, that " there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers," " teach- 
 ing things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." These apostates, no douht^ 
 pretended to be very righteous ; for, says the Apostle, " they profess that they know 
 •God ; but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every 
 good work reprobate." Near the close of the first century, the apostacy had become 
 ^o universal that only seven churches throughout all Asia, Africa, and Europe, weae 
 considered worthy of being either reproved or blessed by the voice of revelation : and 
 even these seven were so corrupted ''by the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, and of Ba^- 
 laam, by the fornications and adulteries of Jezebel, and by losing their "first love," 
 and becoming " neither cold nor hot," that the Almighty considered them, with a very 
 few exceptions, as " dead," and threatened to " sp ue them out of his mouth " — ^to cast 
 •them " into great tribulation," and " kill their children with death " — ^to " fight against 
 them with wie sword of his mouth" — and to "remove the candlestick" or church 
 "out of its place." * 
 
 8.^— That this apostacy, which bad become so formidable, while yet inspired apostles 
 •were in their midst, was to greatly increase, instead of decreasing, is evident from the 
 predictions of scripture. Paul prophesies that " the day of Christ shall not come, except 
 there come a falling away first; " that " evil men and seducers shall wax worse and 
 ■worse, deceiving and being deceived." As a reason for the strict charge which he ga\« 
 to Timothy, he predicts, that " the time will come when they will not endure sound 
 doctrine ; but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers, having 
 itching ears ; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned 
 unto wbles." The predictions concerning the apostacy were not expressed in a vague 
 uncertain form of language, but in the clearest and most forcible terms. " Now the 
 Spirit speaketh expressly," says Paul, " that in the latter times some shall depart from 
 •Uie faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking Ues in hy- 
 pocricy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron." Peter prophesies that " theue 
 ■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; and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make 
 merchandise of you." (2 Peter ii. 1, 2, 3.) These "fables," " doctrines of devils," 
 and " damnable heresies " which false teachers should introduce into the world, were 
 to constitute the religion of future ages, rendering the state of society fearful in the 
 «xtreme. Paul gives a prophetic description of the religion of latter times as fol- 
 lows : — " This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come ; for men 
 shall be lovers (rf their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient 
 to parents, imthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accu- 
 sers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, 
 lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God ; having a form of godliness, })ut denying 
 the power thereof, from such turn away. For of thb sort are they which creep inttj 
 
 B 2 
 
''20 UORB REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 
 
 . "houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers Ihsts ; ever 
 
 learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes atld 
 
 , Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth : men of corrupt minds, 
 
 reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly 
 
 shall be made manifest unto all men, as their's also was " (2 Tim. iii. 1 — 9.) 
 
 9. — It seems from the' foregoing predictions, that the religion of the latter-days 
 . -was to be most awfully corrupt ; that its teachers, instead' of bring sent by revelation 
 from God, were to be heaped together by the people. These man-made, teaches 
 Tvere to turn away the ears of the people from the truth, or from sound doctrine, and 
 in its stead were to teach " fables," " doctrines of devils, " damnable heresie?," 
 " spealdng lies in hypocrisy ;" they were to come " with feigned words, or " with 
 great swelling words of vanity," to "make merchandise of the people ;" they were to 
 have " a form of Godliness," liut'" the power" they were to deny : they were to mest 
 with great success in deceiving mankind ; for " many were to follow their pernicious 
 "ways." The people were to delight in these powerless, devilish, hypocritical, lying, 
 damnable heresies, while the way of truth was to be evil spoken of ; and " because 
 they received not the love of the truth," God was to " send them strong delusions, 
 * that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the 
 . truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Such was to be the religion of the 
 , latter ages, as prophetically described by the ancient apostles ; and such is the religion 
 ', of the Papal, Greek, and Protestant churches of the nineteenth century. The pre- 
 dictions were uttered eighteen centuries ago, and modern Christendom exhibits a most 
 perfect fulfilment. Instead of having apostles, prophets, and other inspired men in 
 the church now, receiving visions, dreams, revelations, ministry of angels, and pro- 
 phecies for the calling of officers, and for the government of the church, — they haye 
 a wicked, corrupt, uninspired pope, or uninspired archbishops, bishops, clergymen, 
 ' &c., who have a gi'eat vai'iety of corrupt forms of Godliness, but utterly deny the 
 gift of revelation, and every other miraculous power which always chai'acterised 
 Christ's church. These man-made, powerless, hypocritical, false teachers, " make 
 merchandise of the people," by preaching for large salaries, amounting in many in- 
 stances to tens of thousands of pounds sterling annually. They and their deluded 
 followers are reprobate concerning the faith once deliverecf to the Saints. The faith 
 which once quenched the violence of fire, stopped the moutlis of Hons, divided waters, 
 and controlled the powers of nature, is discarded as unnecessary. The faith that 
 inspired men with the gift of revelation — that opened the heavens and laid hold 
 cm mysteries that were not lawful to be uttered — that unfolded the visions of the past 
 and future — and that called down tlie angels of lieaven to eat and drink with men 
 <xi earth — is denied as being attainable in this age. The sound doctrine taught by 
 the apostles which put mankind in the possession of these glorious gifts and powers 
 cannot now be endured. The doctrines, commands, fables, traditions, and creeds, 
 of uninspire<i men, are now substituted in the place of du'ect inspiration from God. 
 " They are ever Itaraing, but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth;" 
 Guess work, coeijecture, opinion, and, perhaps, in some instances, a belief in regard 
 to the truth, are all that they attain to, while a knowledge they do not obtain, be- 
 cause they deny nenv revelation the only means of obtaining it. This great multitude 
 of false teacViers who have found their way into all nations, deceiving millions, " resist 
 the truth," contend against the miraculous powers of the gospel, and reject inspired 
 men, as " Jannes and Jambres'' — the magicians, did Moses ; but " their foUv shall 
 ' be made mimifest unto all men, as their's also was ;" yea, all nations shall see the 
 righteous judgments which shall speedily be executed upon them, for they shall, like- 
 Phariioh's host, perish quickly from the earth. 
 
 10. — If the revelations contained in the si.^ty-si.v books of the Old and New Testa- 
 ments, are the only ones to be received, it would be impossible for any man since the 
 apostacy, to prove from those books that he was called of Ood, The Bible contains 
 the record of the callings and commis-sions of many who lived during the first four 
 thousand years ! but it says not one word about the callings and commissions of those 
 who have lived during the last seventeen centuries. Some who have seen the dilem- 
 1 ma in which they are placed by rejecting new revelation, have endeavoured to extricate 
 . Jhemselves fiwn it, by pretending that the old owninissions given to the apostles are 
 
MORE REVELATION IS INDISMKSABLY NECESSARY. 21 ■ 
 
 sidficient for all present purposes. But this places them in another dilemma equally 
 as great ; for how can any man learn whether the commiision given to the apostles is ' 
 applicable to himself or not ? Without new revelation he could never know. Surely 
 the apostolic commission does not authorise all mankind who should live in futiii-e, 
 ages ; and if it authorise a part only, then it certainly would require new revelation 
 to specify which part. Therefore, if we were to admit so absurd an idea, there still 
 WDuld be an equal necessity for new revelation. But commissions or callings given 
 to one man never did, nor never can, authorise another. Mankind have no more 
 aiithority to preach, baptize, and administer the ordinances of the gospel, by virtue of 
 the apostolic commission, than they have to ascend the throne of Great Britain by vir- 
 tue of the commission given to king David. 
 
 ' H. — As the Church of England and other protestants do not profess to have re- 
 ceived any new commission by revelation, but on the contrary, require their followers 
 to reject everything of the kind, it may be asked, how did they get their authority ? 
 It will be repliedjithat they i-eceived it from Wickliffe, Cranmer, Luther, Calvin, and 
 various other dissenters from the Papal chm'ch. But where did those dissenters get 
 their's from ? They answer, from the Koman Catholics. But the Catholics excom- 
 municated them as heretfcs ; and surely if they had power to impart authority, they 
 h»d power to take it away. Therefore, if the Romish church had any authority, the 
 piotestants, being excommunicated, can hold none from that source. But i f the 
 Cathohcshold authority, they must be the true church, and consequently the protest 
 tants must be .apostates ; but on the other hand, if the Cathohcs are not the true 
 church, they can have no authority themselves, and therefore could not impart any to 
 otliers. ' 
 
 : 12. — Now the Church of England states in one of her homilies, " that laity and 
 elerqy, learned and unlearned, men and women, and children of all ages, sects, 
 and degrees, of WHOLE CHRISTENDOM, have been at once buried in THE 
 MOST ABOMINABLE IDOLATRY, (a most dreadful thing to think,) and that 
 for the SPACE or eioiit hdndeed years ok more." * Wesley in his 94th sermon 
 states the same in substance ; he says, " The real cause why the extraordinary gifts 
 oS the Holy Ghost were no longer to be found in the christian church, was, because 
 the christians were turned heathens again, and had only a dead form left." If 
 then, the " whole of Christendom," without one exception, have been " buried in the 
 most abominable idolati-y for upwards of eight hundred years," as the Church of 
 England declares, and if they, because they are destitute of the gifts, are not even now 
 christians, but heathens as Wesley asserts, we ask where the authority was during ' 
 this eight hundred years, and where is it now ? Surely God would hot recognise 
 "the most abominable idolaters," as holding authority ; if so, the authority of the worr 
 shippers of Juggernaut must be as valid as that of idolatrous Christendom. But the 
 idolatry of " the whole of Christendom " must have been more corrupt, according to 
 the Church of England, than that of other idolaters ; for they call it " the most abo- 
 mmffble idolatry," and most positively declare that there was no exception of either 
 clergy or laity — of either man, woman, or child — all were buried in it. This bemg" 
 the case, (and we feel no disposition to dispute it), there could have been no possible 
 channel on the 'whole earth through which authority could have been transferred from, 
 the apostles to our day. Therefore, as Wesley says, all Christendom are, sm'e enough, 
 "'heathens," having no more authority nor power than the idolatrous pagans. I^ 
 then, the" whole of Christendom" have been without authority and power " for eight 
 hundred years and upwards," we ask, when was the authority restored? how was it 
 restored ? and to what man or people was it restored? It could not have been restored 
 to the Papal chm-ches, for they do not profess that any such restoration has been made 
 tothem ! it could nofchavei been restored to the Church of England and other protec- 
 tants, for they do not admit of any later revelation than the New Testament ; conse- 
 quently their own admissions prove most clearly that the whole of Christendom are 
 ■without an authorised ministry ; therefore it is indispensably necessary that more reve- 
 lation should be given to restore the authority to the earth and call men to the minis.; ' 
 ti^ again, as in ancient days. 
 
 } * Homily on the Perils of Idolatry. ' 
 
22 MORE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 
 
 13. — More revelation is not only necessary to restore an authorised ministry, that 
 the church may again have place on the earth, but it is indispensably necessary. 
 
 Secondly, to Point out the Duties op the Ofbiobbs op the Church. 
 
 To call men to the ministry would be of very little use, unless the persons called could 
 have a perfect knowledge of the duties of their calling: Noah was called to preach" 
 repentance and righteousness to the antediluvians, but vpithout fiirther revelations, he' 
 never could have learned the will of God relative to the preservation of himself and • 
 family, and the different kinds of beasts, fowls, and creeping things, both clean and 
 unclean, of all flesh ; he never could have learned what amount of food of different 
 kinds, and fresh water would be sufficient to sustain such a congregated host of living 
 bangs for the space of one hundred and fifty days, during which time the flood wa» 
 to prevail. Jacob, though called of God, without further revelation, never could have 
 learned what should befall the posterity of his sons in the last days, so as to have deli- 
 vered a prophetic blessing upon the head of each according ^to the mind of God. 
 Moses, though called by the voice of Jehovah, without further revelation, never could 
 have delivered Israel from bondage, and led them forty years in the vsoldemess. 
 Aaron, though called of God to the priestly office, and in possession of the written law^. 
 never could have sat upon the judgment-seat, and decided between man and man^. 
 according to the mind of God, without the " breastplate of judgment," containing 
 the "Urhn and Thummim," through which he could inquire of God and receive cor- 
 rect information relative to every case which should come before him. All the ser- 
 vants of God, down to the days of Malachi, were not only called by the Almighty, 
 hut directed in all their multifarious duties to the end of their days by immediate 
 revelation. 
 
 14. — In the christian dispensation it was the same. Every officer, after having 
 been called, was instructed and guided by continued revelation in the various duties 
 of his calling. John, the forerunner of Christ, was first called, and then was enabled' 
 flurough the inspiration of the Spirit, to tell the Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, sol- 
 diers, and all the people, what they should do, as they came enquiring of him. Evea> 
 Jesus himself, though he was sent by his Father, and came forth from God, did not 
 presume to teach of himself, or perform anything pertaining to the work of the mi- 
 nistry, without first obtaining a revelation from the Father to direct him. He say^ 
 " I have not spoken of myself ; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a command- 
 ment what I should say, and what I should speak." " Whatsoever I speak there, 
 fore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." (John xii. 49, 50). Again, he 
 says, " The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself,, but the Father that 
 dwelleth in me, he doeth the work," " and as the Father gave me commandment, even 
 so I do." (John xiv. 10, 31). He further states, " I can of my own self do nothing : as 
 I hear I judge, and my judgment b just, because I speak not mine own will, but the 
 will ofthe Father which hath sent me." (John v. 30). Nowif the great and gloripns 
 Redeemer of the world could not do anything of himself pertaining to the ministry, 
 but was dependant altogether upon the Father to give him revelation and command- 
 ment what to do, and what to speak, how much more necessary is it for poor, weafc^ 
 and fallible man, after having been called of God, to be directed in all things pertain- 
 ing to the duties of his calling by continued revelation. And yet, strange to say, the 
 whole of Christendom have been without this essential qualification for centuries, and 
 halve still dared to act as ministers in the name of the Lord. Oh, the wickedness of 
 apostate Christendom ! Truly did the apostle behold her " full of names of blasphemy/' 
 making all nations drunk vrith her wickedness ! 
 
 16; — The example that Jesus set, not to act nor speak in the duties of his calling,, 
 unless by new revelation, was followed by the apostles. All the' teachings which they. * 
 had heard from the mouth of the Saviour while he was present with them, were not- ' 
 jofficient to qualify them for their duties in his absence. As soon as he left tham, he > 
 began to give them commandments and revelations through the Holy Ghost. (See' 
 Acts i. 2). And -without continued revelations, they, like their Lord and Master, 
 oould do nothing. It mattered not how much human wisttom or learning they 
 might have acquired, nor how many revelations had previously been given ; such; 
 
MORE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 23 
 
 things would in no wise qualify them for the ministry ; it required constant revelation. 
 St. Paul says, « The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God ; now we 
 have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we 
 might know the things that are freely given to us of God ; which things also we 
 speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost 
 toacheth." (1 Cor. ii. 11, 12, 13). Prom these passages we learn, &"st, that no man 
 can know the things of God only by revelation, and secondly, that no man can teach 
 them acceptably only in the words " vvhich the Holy Ghost teacheth." Revelation, 
 then, is necessary to call and authorise the ministry, to reveal their duties, to manifest 
 the things of God to them, and to give them utterance, " not in the words which 
 man's wisdom teacheth," but in the words inspired and taught by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 16. — If human wisdom and learning could qualify any one for the ministry, Paul 
 certainly could have claimed a higher qualification than the rest of the apostles ; he 
 was learned ; he was eloquent ; he was eminently prepared so far as the wisdom of 
 man was available to move in the higher spheres of life, and to speak with honor and 
 dignity in the presence of vast assemblies ; he could, through human wisdom alone, 
 have pathetically portrayed the death and sufferings of Christ, reasoned upon the be- 
 neiits to be derived from the atonement, urged the importance of obeying the require- 
 ments of the gospel, and With all the thunders of his eloquence described the misery 
 and wretchedness of the disobedient — yet he informs us, that he did not declare the 
 thjflgs of God in the " words which man's wisdom teacheth." The words of man's 
 wisdom are foolishness in the sight of God ; — they are inadequate to convey properly 
 the things revealed by the Spirit. The Spirit not only gives the ideas, but in a mea- 
 sure clothes them in suitable and proper words. This is the spirit of revelation, so 
 abundantly enjoyed by the Saints of all ages, that so enriched their minds with hea- 
 venly knowledge, aind qualified them to speak as the oracles of God, uttering words 
 taught by the Holy Ghost. This is the spirit of revelation, rejected and done away 
 in the "Articles" and " Creeds" of modern Christendom, and in its place are substi- 
 tuted "the words which man's wisdom teacheth." This is the spirit of revelation, 
 so necessary to unfold to 'the minister of Christ, those duties which he never could 
 learn from ancient revelation, nor from the wisdom and writings of uninspired men. 
 
 17. — Without this spirit of revelation Joshua never could have known the mind of 
 the Lord in relation to taking the city of Jericho ; he. never could have known that 
 it was the will of God that all Israel should mai-ch around its walls for seven days, 
 blowing upon rams' horns. If Israel had been left to their own wisdom, it never 
 would have entered their hearts to subdue a city by such simple expedients. Indeed, 
 it was only necessary on that one occasion ; and that one occasion required a new 
 revelation to manifest the mind and vrill of God. In subduing another city or nation, 
 the Lord might have altogether a different plan, so that the rule followed in one 
 instance, might never be applicable in another ; hence the necessity of continued reve- 
 lation; for no servant of God or leader in Israel could possibly learn the mind of God 
 without it. " God's ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts." 
 Therefore, the wisdom of man, unaided by immediate revelation, cannot perform ac- 
 ceptably before God any work, either in directing the movements of an army, or iii 
 preaching the gospel of peace, or in ruling his own household, or in managing the 
 affairs of a nation. When Israel went to battle, they first enquired of God, and then 
 proceeded according to his du'eetion : when they anointed kings to sit upon the throne, 
 they did it by revelation : when a city was to be warned of approaching judgment, a Lot, 
 or a Jonah, or some inspired man was sent by revelation to do it : when Israel turned 
 aside from the law of God, multitudes of prophets were, not only sent by revelation to 
 rCT)rove them, but the message which they were to deliver, was given by revelation also : 
 \i*en the Lord saw that Philip had warned the people of Samaria sufiicieiitly, he did 
 not leave him to the Tague conjectures of his own mind where he should go next^. but 
 «ent an angel who spake unto him, saymg, " Arise, and go towards the soutihi unto 
 the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert." (Acts viii.26.) 
 If Philip had been left to his own wisdom, he never could have learned whether his 
 niission was done in Samaria or not ; and even if he had learned this, the desert coun- 
 try off to the south, would have been the last place that human wisdom would ha*e 
 guided him. But after Philip had reached this lonely solitary desert, he still needed 
 
24 MORE KKVEtATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 
 
 reyektion to direct him in regard to furthsr duties. The next thing which we find 
 revealed, to him was by the Spirit, which said unto him, "Go near, and join thyself 
 to this chariot." He obeyed, and succeeded in convincing a man of great authority 
 — a eunuch, of the truths of the gospel ; and after having baptized him, " the Spirit 
 of the Lord caught away Pliilip, that the eunuch saw him no more." 
 
 18. — In Damascus, there was another servant of God, called Ananias ; h£ was not 
 a protestant clergyman, for he believed in visions and revelations ; " and to him said 
 the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, behold, I am here. Lord. And the 
 Lord said unto him. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire 
 in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus : for, behold, he prayeth, and 
 hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, 
 tjifit he might receive his sight." (Acts ii. 10, 11, 12.) Here are two visionary 
 characters, Ananias and Saul ; if they had lived in our day, they would have been 
 considered, by new revelation deniers, as appropriate subjects for the insane hospital. 
 It is so natural for mankind to think that their own judgment is sufficient to guide 
 them in tlie way of duty, that even' Ananias himself was rather inclined to question 
 the propriety of the revelation, and follow his own wisdom : for he answered " Lord, 
 I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at 
 Jerusalem ; and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon 
 thy name." (Verses 13, 14.) But the Lord not feeling disposed to be governed by 
 the weak judgment of Ananias, commanded him again, saying, " Go thy way ; for he 
 is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the 
 children of Israel : for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my 
 name's s«ice." (Verses, 15, 16.) 
 
 19. — Peter was another of these visionary characters so much despised by modern 
 rdigionists. One of the first revelations he obtained, was about Jesus being the 
 Christ. It seems that there was a great diversity of opinions among those who did 
 not seek for new revelations, relative to who Jesus was ; some thought he was one 
 of the old prophels ; some thought he was John the baptist, having risen from the 
 dead ; the wisdom of man had imagined a vai'iety of opinions respecting him. Peter, 
 not bein" satisfied with the conjectures of men about it, was just simple enough to 
 ask the Father who Jesus was. The Father told him, that Jesus was " the Christ, tl» 
 Son of the living God." Here then was certainty — conjecture and opinion had fled 
 away. When the Saviour enquired of his disciples what their views were in relation 
 to him, Peter could answer the question without any doubt or hesitation ; and because 
 of this knowledge, Jesus blessed him, and said unto him, " flesh and blood hath not 
 revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew xvi. 17.) The 
 great mass of the Jews were destitute of this knowledge ; they did not seek of the 
 Father a revelation on the subject, but depended, like this generation, on fonner reve- 
 lation and their own wisdom, and therefore not knowing by new revelation the Savi- 
 our, they crucified him. Peter, having had faith sufBcient to get one revelation, the 
 Saviour,"counted him worthy to receive more, therefore he took him up into a mountain 
 vvith James and John, " and was transfigured before them ; and his face did shine as 
 the sun, and his' raiment was white as the light ; and behold there appeared unto them 
 Moses and Elias talking with Him." (Matthew xvii. 1,2,3.) These visionary perj 
 sons could now testify to tlie nations what they had seen, and heard, and known, about 
 Jesus, about God, and about angels. But such testimopies to, be given by any 
 persons in these days, would be counted the highest blasphemy. But we ask, what 
 dp niodern Christendom know about God? they have not heard his voice, nor 
 received a revelation from him. What do they know about Jesus? nothing, only 
 what they have read of tlie knowledge of others. What do they know about angels? ' 
 they have never beheld them, nor heard their voice. What do they know about 
 visions? nothing at all, for they despise all those that prbfess to have seen visions 
 since the apostles' days. And finally, what do they know rtbout the Holy Ghost ? It 
 has never spoken to them nor to any one else, in their estimation, for the last seven- 
 teen centuries. . They have not heai-d, seen, handled, nor known anything for them- 
 selves by revelation :, consequently, they are entirely unquaUfied to be witnesses of any' 
 spiiitual or heavenly knowledge : they loiow nothing, only what they know naturally' 
 "as hriite beasts, made to be taken and destroyed." (See Jude lO.) Withoiit new 
 
MORE REVELATIOK IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 25 
 
 revelation, they are entirely unquaHficd to judge of the things of God : they would be 
 as'-apt to call good evil and evil good, and put light for darkness and darkness for 
 light, as ancient revelation deniers were. Their preaching would not justify nor con- 
 demn any one, because they know nothing, only what others have written, and there- 
 fore cannot testify. This is the sad, and awful, and most wretched condition of 
 modern Christendom. 
 
 20. — Peter had another vision while he was praying upon a house top : he saw 
 heaven opened, and all manner of beasts and fowls let down, and drawn up thrice ; 
 and " While Peter thought on the vision, the spu-it said unto him. Behold three men 
 seek thee, Arise, therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing : 
 fot I have sent them." (Acts x. 19, 20.) Peter, through this vision, and the sayings 
 of the spirit, leai'ned duties pertaining to hLs calling that never could have been leai-ned 
 naturally. Peter had had a vast amount of knowledge previously revealed to him, 
 hut that would not manifest to him his present duties. Present duties required 
 present revelation ; and without it, no servant of God ever did, or ever can do the 
 work of God. Without it, he does not know where to go, nor what to preach. But, 
 says the objector, it does not matter where he preaches, for h6 cannot go amiss ; all 
 must hare the privilege of hearing. We reply, that though all must hear, yet the 
 Lord designed some to hear before others, as is evident from the fact that Paul and 
 Timothy " were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia ;" and again, 
 •' after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia ; but the Spirit 
 .suffered them not." (Acts xvi. 6, 7 ) Hence we learn, that the Lord has a choice 
 where his servants shall go ; and that in some places where their own judgments 
 would dictate them to go, the Lord desires they should not go, and actually forbids 
 them to go. Now, how, without new revelation, is the servant of God to know the 
 mind of the Lord as to where he shall or shall not go ? Would any former revelation 
 cdmmunicate the desired intelligence unto him ? Certainly not ; former revelation 
 contains the history of the revealed will of God to others, but it does not specify in 
 all things the revealed will of God to us. To read of others learning the \\i\\ of God 
 in relation to their callings and mission, and enjoying manifestations of the Spirit by 
 lasions, dreams, angels^ &c. , would be of no more advantage to us, than to read of 
 the history of a good dinner when we were hungry. It is the present enjoyment of 
 blessings which we want, and not merely the history of others' blessings. 
 
 ' 21. — How could Paul have known the mind of the Lord about going to Macedo- 
 nia without being told ? Therefore, " a vision appeared to Paul in the night : There 
 stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying. Come over into Macedonia and 
 help us." (Acts, ivi. 9.) And again, How did Paul know that it was his duty to 
 tai'ry in Corinth about a year and a half? He found it out by a vision. " Then 
 spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold 
 not thy peace: For I am vrith thee, and no man shall set on thee, to hurt thee: for 
 I have much people in this city." (Acts xviii". 9, 10.) How did Paul learn that it 
 was necessary for him to depai't quickly out of Jerusalem, and go to other nations? 
 He learned it by a vision in the temple : He says, " And it came to pass that when 
 Iwas come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance ; 
 and saw Him saying unto me. Make haste, and get the quickly out of Jerusalem ; for 
 they will not receive thy testimony concerning me." (Acts xxii. 17, 18.) And when 
 Paul reasoned with the Lord Upon the subject, as if he thought that from their 
 acquaintance with his former course of life, they would receive his testimony, the 
 Lord again commanded him, saying, " Depart : for I wiU send thee far hence unto the 
 Gentiles." Thus we see how impossible it is for a minister of the gospel to leai'n what 
 to d6, or where to go, or what to say, unless he is taught by new revelation. With- 
 out this heavenly principle, his own judgment would constMitly lead him astray. 
 • ' 22. — New revelation is not only highly necessary to call men to the ministry, and 
 afterwards instruct them in the various duties of their caUing, but it is indispensabjjr 
 necessary, 
 
 TmHDLTj TO Comfort, Rej-eove, aot) Teach the Church. 
 Jesus, before his ascension, promised the Holy Ghost to his disciples, which he calk 
 
26 MORE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARV. 
 
 " the Comforter." They had previously been comforted by the words of Jesus : he 
 had unfolded to them his parablas ; he had instructed them for three years and a half; 
 he had given them a vast amount of information upon a great variety of subjects; 
 and now, as he was about to be taken from them in person, he promised to send unto : 
 them another comforter^ He says, " If ye love me, keep my commandments ; and I 
 will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with . 
 you for ever ; even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it 
 seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know him ; for he dwelleth with you, and 
 shall be in you." (John xiv. 15, 16, 17.) The reason why the Holy Ghost is called 
 the Comforter is, because of the office which he was to perform ; he was to comfort 
 the disciples, by revealmg to them still further knowledge of the things of God. The 
 mind of man is too weak to receive at once, aU the knowledge which God is willing 
 that he should know : hence Jesus says, " I have yet many things to say imto you, but 
 ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spuit of truth is come, he will 
 guide you into all truth : for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall 
 hear, that shall he speak : and he vyill shew you things to come. He shall glorify me ; 
 for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father 
 hath, are mine : therefore, said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto 
 you." (John xvi. 12, 13, 14, 15.) Here we find how the disciples, after Jesus ceased 
 peaking unto them in person, were to be continually guided by revelation. Many 
 things which they could not then bear on account of the weakness of then: minds, were 
 afterwards to be revealed to them through the Comforter : he was to guide them into 
 all truth. But even the Holy Ghost was not to teach without first getting a revelation as 
 to what he should teach, for, says Jesus, " he shall not speak of hnnself, but whatsoever 
 he shall hear, that shall he speak." It is strange, indeed, that the ministers of modem 
 cbristendom dare speak of themselves, without getting any new revelation, when even 
 Jesus and the Holy Ghost would neither of them presume to do such a, thing. The 
 Comforter was to be the guide of the disciples, not only in this short life, but for ever. 
 Again, Jesus says, "the Comforter, which is the^oly Ghost, whom the Father wiH 
 send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remem- 
 brance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John xiv. 26.) 
 
 23. — This same Comforter which was to be a constant revelator to the disciples, 
 was promised on the day of pentecost, to all who would obey the gospel. After he, 
 had descended upon one hundred and twenty, on the morning of that day, revealing 
 to them, not only other tongues, but also " the wonderful wotks of God, it excited 
 the attention of thousands, who, after learning that it was the Holy Ghost that opera- 
 ted so powerfully, felt extremely anxious to obtain the same gift, and they were told 
 the conditions on which they all might receive it. " Repent," says Peter, " and be 
 baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remisaon of sins, and 
 ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts ii. 38.) Thus, we perceive, that 
 thousands had the promise made to themon certain conditions, even the promise of 
 the Holy Ghost, which " promise" says Peter, " is unto you, and to your children, and . 
 to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Verse 39.) 
 Consequently, all persons, in all generations and ages, who will perform these require- 
 ments, have the promise of the Holy Ghost ; the same Holy Spirit that Jesus promised, 
 and the same that was given on the day of pentecost — all could receive the spirit of 
 revelation, and be guided into all truth. To show still further, that the Holy Ghost 
 was to be a revelator to the church, as well as tp the apostles, we will quote the words- 
 of John, written to the church generally : — " Ye have an unction from the Holy One, 
 and ye know all things." And again, " the anointing which ye have received of him, 
 abideth in yon, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing 
 teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, 
 ye shall abide in him." (1 John, ii. 20 — 27.) Nothing is more certain than that the 
 dmich, as well as the apostles, were to receive the promised Comforter, and that he 
 was to teach all things to the church, as well as to its officers ; therefore, the revelations 
 at the Holy Ghost, are indispensably necessary to comfort and teach the church. 
 
 24. — When certain men began- to teadj heresy, and introduce false doctrines into 
 the church, commanding the Gentiles to be circumcised, the Holy Ghost immediately 
 gave a revelation upon the subject, and corrected the error; thus preventing endless 
 
MOEE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 27 
 
 eontroversies and strifes. (See Acts xv.) If this great guide and revelator of the 
 church be rejected as unnecessary, how quicldy the body falls to ruin ! New revela- 
 tion is the only principle which will preserve the unity of the church. The wisdom 
 of inan, taken individually, or the wisdom of councils, taken collectively, is fallible, 
 unless directed by immediate revelation, and therefore liable to err; hence all doctrines, 
 or principles, or matters of controversy which are not clearly revealed in ancient revda- 
 tion, will be continually the subjects of dispute ; and if any man or council without the 
 iud of immediate revelation, shall undertake to decide upon such subjects, and prescribe 
 " Articles of Faith," or " Creeds," to govern the belief, or views of others, there will 
 be thousands of well-meaning people who will not have confidence in the productions 
 of these fallible men, and therefore, will frame creeds of their own, which they sup- 
 pose, are more consistent. In this way, contentions arise, divisions multiply, sects are 
 formed, the church becomes rent into ten thousand fragments, and the whole world 
 becomes a Babylon ofeon/usion. As an effectual preventative against all false doc- 
 trine, against all strips and divisions, against aU contentions and controversies in the 
 church, God has placed within it a great and infallible teacher or revelator, called tbe 
 Comforter, who cannot err, whose decision is an end of controversy, whose counsel is 
 perfect, and whose juBlRment upon all points of doctrine cannot be otherwise than 
 correct. Differences of opinion cannot exist in the church for any length of time ; 
 for the Holy Ghost will decide all matters of controversy, and thus preserve the unity 
 of the church ; while all who rebel against his decisions, will be excommimicated as 
 heretics or apostates, and will form no part of the church of Christ, any more than tbe 
 Oiinese form a part of the English government. Hence, in the church of Christ, 
 there is a unity of faith — a oneness of spirit, such as characterises no other people. 
 In the church of Christ, there can be no differences of opinion, in regard to baptism, 
 or any other ordinance ; for the Holjr Ghost will guide into all truth, and teach the 
 cburch all things pertaining to doctrine or ordinances, things present, or things to come. 
 The great variety of opinions which have torn asunder modern Christendom, and bewil- 
 dered the minds of millions, can have no existence in the church of Christ; for there, 
 all matters of importance are decided by revelation, and not by creeds invented by human 
 wisdom ; there, the deep and hidden things of God are revealed by the Spirit of truth ; 
 there, rich treasures of vidsdom and knowledge are brought to light ; there, they have 
 no need of uninspired councils to invent " Articles of Keligion " to fetter the mind of 
 man ; there, the Holy Ghost takes the things of the Father, and shows them by reve- 
 lation unto the church, and there, infallibilty is indelibly and unchangeably stamped 
 upon every doctrine, principle, ordinance, and law of the church. With such a reve- 
 lator, certainty and knowledge abound in every heart ; parables, mysteries, and intri- 
 cate subjects are unravelled; guess work, conjectures, and opinions, flee away. With 
 such a guide, there is no danger of being deceived. The elect, cannot be deceived ; 
 for they have an infallible detector of all delusions, however cunningly devised : they 
 have a test by which they can try all things, prove all things, judge aU things, and 
 overcome all things not ordained of God ; tiiey can soar aloft to the third heavens, 
 and gaze upon the mansions of the blessed, where the highest* order of intelligence 
 reigns ; or they can descend in the visions of the spirit, and behold the kingdoms,, 
 dominions, principalities, and powers, in worlds of an inferior order, in the great scale- 
 of universal existence. 
 
 25. — When the chui'ch falls into sin, or turns aside from her duties, new revelation 
 is necessary to repi-ove and chasten her, that she may repent and be forgiven. We 
 have frequent examples of the people of God being reproved by the revelations of the 
 Holy Ghost. The Corinthians were severely reproved by the Spirit of inspiration, 
 because they had suffered contentions and divisions to get in among them, and disturb 
 the harmony and peace of the church. Although the divisions which existed there 
 were not in relation to doctrine, but only in relation to the talents or abilities of 
 Paul, Apollos, and Cephas, yet even for diis they were called carnal. (See 1 Corin- 
 thians, iii. 1 — 7.) If the Corinthians were worthy of reproof because they were 
 divided in relation to the talents or qualifications of tiie ministers of Christ, how much 
 more worthy of censure would they have been if they had been divided in relation to 
 doctrine, like modem Christendom ? All divisions in the church, of every kind, are- 
 Utterly condemned by the apostle, and he pleads with them to banish all such tI)Jngs. 
 
' 28 MOHE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 
 
 from their midst, and cultivate a perfect unity in all things. He says, " Now I 
 beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the 
 same thing, and that there he no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined 
 together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1(1 Corinthians, i. 10.) 
 Are modern religionists " perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same 
 judgment ?" Do they " all speak the same thing ?" No ; they are far from it : they 
 declare doctrines diametrically opposite to one another ; yet they have the presump- 
 tion to acknowledge each other as Christians, enjoying the Holy Spirit.- But it is an 
 insult to the Holy Spirit to say that two ehiirches, who are divided in doctrine, both 
 enjoy his teachings. Where the Holy Spirit is he guides into all truth ; and where 
 two churches believe in doctrines directly opposite, one, if not both, must be destitute 
 of' the Spirit. The Holy Ghost must be a very uncertain guide, if he would teach 
 one church to sprinkle infants, teach another to immerse none but adults, give the 
 privilege to another to immerse, pour, or sprinkle the candidates just as they choose ; 
 tell a fourth to baptize for the remission of sins, and forbid a fifth to baptize any 
 until they gave evidence that their sins were remitted ; and teach a sixth that it is 
 not necessary for them to be baptized at all. If all these churches, who teach and 
 practise doctrines so very different, are in possession of the Holy Spirit, then the 
 Holy Spirit must be divided against himself, and must come to nought. But the 
 Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and teaches the same doctrine in all places ; and 
 wherever we find differences of epinion in doctrine, we may know most assuredly that 
 the Spirit-guide is not there ; at least, all churches must be destitute of the Spirit but 
 one, and even that one does not enjoy it unless she receive immediate revelation for 
 her instruction and edification. 
 
 •26. — Some have supposed these divisions to be unavoidable, being the necessary 
 results of the fallible judgments of men. That the judgments of men are fallible, and 
 that division is the necessary result of fallibility, we by no means deny ; but to say 
 tlmt they are unavoidable throws contempt and insult upon the Holy G-host, and 
 represents him as unable to guide the church into all truth. While division is the 
 result of fallibility, union is the result of infallibility. The Saviour prayed for the 
 most perfect union to be in his church. He uses the following language — " Neither 
 pray I for these alone, (meaning the apostles,) but for them also which shall believe 
 on me through their word, (meaning the whole church,) that they all may be one ; 
 as- thou, Father, art in me, and 1 in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the 
 world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I 
 have given them ; that they may be one even as we are one : I in them, and thou in 
 me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that thoa 
 last sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John xvii. 20, 21, 22, 
 23.) The oneness hei'e prayed for was to be of the most perfect kind : there were to 
 be" no more jars — -no more differences in sentiment than there is between the Father 
 and the Son. Now there is no possible way to bring about this perfect oneness aud , 
 union in a church composed of imperfect beings, only through the medium of imme- 
 diate revelation. This", and this alone, can accomplish the work, and perfect the 
 Saints in knowledge, wisdom, and power. AU other substitutions wiU be found totally 
 inadequate to the task ; for unless truth is revealed, and known, too, after it is re- 
 vealed, the frail judgments of men will clash together : discordant notes will be 
 so'anded, and disunion wiU make its appearance. And herein is the religion of hea- 
 ven distinguished from all other rehgions. Continued revelation always was, and 
 is' now, its motto, and Union, perfect Union, the necessary result ; whUe all other 
 religions are destitute of this binding uniting principle, and will ere long vanish away 
 and perish with all who follow them. 
 
 27. — Some of the Corinthians had fallen into another heinous sin, namely, that of 
 fornication in its most aggravated form, — " such fornication," says Paul, " as is not 
 so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his fafiier's wife." 
 (1 Corinthians, r. 1.) Without further revelation the church would have been igno- 
 rant how to proceed in relation to such a case. Some might have supposed that the 
 individual committing this great crime could, if he made confession, be forgiven, and 
 be retained in the chm-ch. But the apostle, knowing the great magnitude of the 
 ciitne, decided by the spirit of inspiration quite otherwise; therefore he commanded : 
 
MORE REVELATION 18 INDIS1MNSABLY NECESSARY. 29' 
 
 them, aayinfr, " In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together^ 
 and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unta 
 Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the 
 Lord Jesus." (Verses 4, 5.) Here, then, we perceive the penalty lo be inflicted fpr 
 this particular transgression ; first, a deliverance unto Satan ; second, a destruction 
 of the flesh ; and third, no salvation for the spirit until the day of the Lord Jesus. 
 The wisdom of man would have been entu-ely at a loss how to have rendered a cor- 
 rect judgment concerning this matter, therefore it required the wisdom of God by 
 revelation. The Corinthians themselves seem to have been ignorant of their duty on 
 this subject ; for Paul says to them, " Ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned,, 
 that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you." (Verse 2.) 
 Oh ! how different are the decisions of the Spirit from the decisions of fallible man t 
 
 28. — It was necessary that the Corinthians should be reproved by the voice of in- 
 spiration for going to law before unbelievei'S. They were informed that both men 
 and angels were to be judged by the Saints, and therefore they ought to judge among 
 themselves the smaller matters of the church pertaining to this life. It was neces- 
 sary that they should be reproved for partaking of the Lord's Supper unworthily,., 
 some using the win^to excess and becoming intoxicated, " not discerning the Lord's 
 body." Sickness and death prevailed among many of that church, the cause of which 
 was revealed to them by the apostle : he informs them that they had not properly ex- 
 amined themselves previous to receiving this solemn ordinance, and " for this cause," 
 says Paul, " many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." (1 Corinthians 
 xi.) If sickness and death prevail to a great extent among modern religionists, in- 
 stead of getting a revelation to know the cause, they fancy up a great variety of 
 causes, one imagines one thing and another supposes another, and the imaginary 
 causes are nearly as numerous as the individuals. Oh ! what a blessing it would be 
 to modern ohiistendom had they an inspired man among them who, lilve Paul, could 
 point out to them the very causes of the cholera and such like plagues with which 
 they are so frequently visited ! Knowing the cause, they could, by a thorough ri*- 
 formation, have the judgment removed from them ; but so long as they are ignorant 
 of the cause, and depend upon their own conjectures about it, they will not be likely 
 to repent acceptably before God so as to have these judgments remored. 
 
 29. — The seven churches of Asia were reproved by revelation for their sins, threat- 
 ened with various judgments if they did not repent, and promised on certain condi- 
 tions great and inestimable blessings. These threatenuigs and promises were not the 
 same to all churches, but each had its peculiar promises and threatenings according 
 to its works. But for centuries past the Lord has not had a church on the whole 
 eai'th whom he considered worthy of being reproved by revelation, or of receiving 
 any promises. None know anything about God, or heaven, or the future state, only 
 what others have told them in the sacred scriptures. Eternal life does not abide in 
 them ; for, says Jesus, " This is life eternal, that they might know thee tlie only true 
 God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (John xvii. 3.) The only possible 
 way to know God is by new revelation ; for Jesus says again, " No man knoweth the 
 Son, but the Father ; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Sou, and he to 
 whomsoever the Son will BE.VEAL him." (Matthew xi. 27.) Here is the most posi- 
 tive testimony that no man can know God without he obtains a revelation, and that 
 no one can have eternal life without such revealed knowledge. Think of these say- 
 ings of our Saviour, all you enemies of new revelation, and tremble at your awful, 
 benighted, and sinful condition. Remember that the only way to obtain eternal life 
 is to know God, and the only way to know him is by New Rkvelatio.v. 
 
 .30. — Further revelation is indispensably necessary, 
 
 FODKTHLr, TO UiNFOLD TO THE ChUBCII TUB FuTURE. 
 
 In evei7 age of the world God has coasidcred a knowledge of the future of the 
 utmost importance to his people. To impai-t this knowledge he has invariably ap- 
 pointed a certain office among his people, called the prophetic office. Persons holding 
 this office were filled with the Holy Ghost who taught them, not only of doctrine and 
 principles, but of the future. One of the eaj'liest prophets, of whom sci'ipture gives 
 
30 MORE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 
 
 aii account, was Abel. The Saviour ranks Abel among the prophets, when he says to 
 the wicked Jews, that the blood of all the prophets, from that of righteous Abel to 
 that of Zacharias, who was slain between the porch and the altar, should be required 
 of that generation. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, predicted things which have not 
 yet come to pass. (See Jude xiv.) Noah predicted events of the utmost importance 
 to the generation in which he lived. All the patriarchs called of God, from Noah to 
 Moses, were endowed with the spirit of prophecy. Moses was peculiarly blessed with 
 a knowledge of 'future events. The Lord did not confine the spirit of prophecy to 
 Moses alone, but poured out his spirit upon the seventy elders of Israel, and they aH 
 prophesied. Eldad and Medad, two that, remained in the camp, prophesied, as well 
 as those who were assembled together ; and Joshua, hearing of this, and feeling some- 
 what contracted in his views of this glorious gift, exclaimed, " My lord Moses, forbid 
 them. And Moses said unto him, enviest thou for my sake ? would Grod that all the Lord's 
 "people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them." (Num. 
 3d. 28, 29.) We have no account of the predictions uttered by these seventy pro- 
 phets being written, and therefore it is not likely that they could be of any benefit to 
 after generations : but it is very probable that the things predicted were intended to 
 benefit more particularly that generation of Israel. Moses had hitherto the whole 
 burden upon himself, but now it was divided among others, and in order to be quali- 
 fied to take part in the teaching and leading of Israel, it was necessary that they 
 should understand future events, that all might be prepared to act in relation to such 
 events ; and thus, by foreseeing things, escape thousands of difficulties. All prophets 
 do not enjoy an equal degree or measure of fore-knowledge, for the Lord said to Is- 
 rael, " Hear now my words : If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make 
 myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant 
 Moses is not so, who is faithful in aU mine house. With him will I speak mouth to 
 mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches ; and the similitude of the Lord 
 shall he behold." (Num. xii. 6, 7, 8.) To some prophets the Lord speaks in visions, 
 dreams, and dark speeches ; to others, he reveals in great plainness, some prophecies 
 are written ; others only uttered verbally. 
 
 31. — Great companies of prophets existed among Israel at difFerent times. When 
 Saul after his first interview with Samuel the Seer, met one of these companies, 
 *' the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied among them. (1 Sam. x. 10.) 
 When he afterwards sent messengers to take David that he might slay him, they met 
 one of these companies of prophets with Samuel over them, and the Spirit of God 
 came upon the messengers and they prophesied also : Saul then sent a second com- 
 pany, and they all turned prophets ; and he sent a third, and the same thing happened 
 to them ; and despairing of success by his messengers, he concluded to go mmself, and 
 ■whUe on his way " the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and pro- 
 phesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also and 
 prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down' naked all that day and all 
 that night. Wherefore they say, is Saul also among the prophets? " (1 Sam. xix. 
 20 — 24.) In the days of Elijah and Elisha, there was an abundance of prophets ; 
 these prophets seemed to have a knowledge of almost every thing before it came to 
 pass : when Elijah was about to be translated, he could not keep it a secret, though 
 ne sought diligently to do so ; Elisha was too much of a prophet to be ignorant of 
 ■what was about to happen, therefore he followed Elijah wherever he weiit ; and also 
 fifty other "prophets went and stood to view afar off." (2 Kings ii. 7.) These pro- 
 phets lived at various cities, and generally had masters or chief prophets over them. 
 One company dwelt at Bamah, over whom Samuel was appointed to preside, as just 
 mentioned ; another company dwelt at Bethel ; and another at Jericho. (See 2 Emgs 
 S. 3 — 5.) When Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, there were a hundred that 
 Obadiah managed to save alive by hiding them in caves. (See 1 Kings xviii. 13.) 
 Hence prophets, at times, were very numerous in Israel. And, no doubt, if we had 
 all of their prophecies, we should have many volumes much larger than the Bible ; but 
 their prophecies were not all vfritten, and from this fact, we have reason to believe 
 that their gift was intended more for the benefit of themselves, and others in their 
 dayj than for future ages. - 
 
 32. — Some have supposed that after Christ came, the christian church would not 
 
MORE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSARY. 31 
 
 he blessed with prophets any more, but this is a mistaken notion ; for Jesus says him- 
 self to the Jews, "Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and 
 some of them ye shall kill and crucify ; and some of them shall ye scourge in your 
 synagogues, and persecute them from city to city." (Matt, xxiii. 34.) Paul also iiw 
 forms the Bphesians, that when Christ " ascended up on high, he led captivity cap- 
 tive, and gave gifts unto men." And he further states, that " he gave some, apostles ; 
 and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers. (Eph. 
 'iv. 8 — 11.) Prophets, then, were among the gifts which were given unto men 
 after the ascension of our Saviour : this accords with another saying of Paul, that 
 " God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers," 
 &c. ; (1 Cor. xii. 28._) and also when speaking of the diversity of gifts imparted to 
 the church by the Spu'it, he says, to one is given wisdom ; to another, knowledge ; to 
 another faith ; to anoth^r, prophecy," &c. From these passages we learn that pro- 
 phets were just as much intended for the christian church as teachers, pastors, wis- 
 3ora, knowledge, faith,^ or any other gift. And yet, those who profess to have the 
 christian religion exclude prophets from their churches ; with the same propriety, they 
 might exclude the«gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, teachers, pastors, and' every 
 other gift promised in the gospel. 
 
 33. — ^We shall now show that prophets and all other officers, or gifts, are indispen- 
 sa(bly necessary, as expressed by Paul " For the perfecting, of the saints, for the work 
 of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of 
 flie faith, and of the Imowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure 
 of the stature of the fulness of Christ : that we henceforth be no more children, 
 tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of 
 men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive ; but speaking the 
 truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; 
 from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every 
 joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, mak- 
 eth increase of the bodyunto the edifying ofitselfin love." (Eph. iv. 12 — 16.) Theob- 
 ject, then, of these officers and gifts, is first, "for the perfecting of the Saints ;" second- 
 ly, "lor the work of the ministry," and thirdly, " for the edifying of the body of Christ." 
 We now ask, all Christendom who profess to be saints, whether they are perfect or 
 imperfect ? The general answer is, " we are imperfect." How do you expect to be- 
 come perfect, if you do away out of your churches inspired apostles, prophets, and 
 other officers ? These are the only gifts and officers by which the saints can be per- 
 fected. Have you got them in your midst ? Millions answer " no : we do not be- 
 lieve in prophets in our day." But do you believe in "pastors and teachers?" O 
 yes, they are necessary. Who told you to reject the most important gifts of the 
 church and to retain the rest ? No one has told us to do this, but our ministers, and 
 Uiey must be good men, and they say that apostles and prophets are no longer neces- 
 sary, but that evangelists, pastors, and teachers are. And then you think your ministers 
 are good men when they do away the plan established for the perfecting of the saints, 
 and substitute the plans of men in its stead ? Does not Paul declare that any man 
 or angel shall be cursed who preaches a different gospel from the one he preached ? 
 And did he not include in his gospel all these gifts for the perfecting of the saints ? 
 Most certainly he did ; and if your ministers teach you differently they are cursed, 
 and all that follow their teachings will be cursed. Know assuredly that there never 
 was any other plan adopted in the gospel to perfect the saints than through apostles, 
 prophets, and other gifite. Do you need " the work of the ministry ? " All answer, 
 jes. Kemember, then, that " for the work of the ministry," apostles, and prophets, 
 axe declared to be as necessary as pastors and teachers. If one is unnecessary, aS 
 are unnecessary, and the work of the ministry must cease. On the other hand, if 
 •one is necessary, all are necessary, that the work of the ministry may continue. If 
 God has authorized teachers among the churches of Christendom, he must, likewise, 
 have authorized apostles and prophets ; if he has not the latter, he has not the for- 
 mer ; and if he has neither, he has no church on the earth. Again, does the church 
 need to be edified in these days ? Most certainly. What is Grod's plan to edify the 
 church ? Paul says, that he gave, not only pastors and teachers, to edify tiem, but 
 also apostles and prophets. Where these officers have no existence there can be no 
 
32 MOKE REVELATION IS INDISPENSABLY NECESSAEY, 
 
 edification of the church. Any other plan of edification, however great and magnifi- 
 cient, will not do. God's plan is, not only superior to all others, but it is the only 
 plan ordained "for the edifying of the body of Christ." Thus we see, that without 
 inspired apostles, prophets, &c., there CJin be no work of the ministry — ^no edificatipn 
 of the body of Christ, — no perfecting of the saints, — and consequently no church. 
 
 34. — But Paul did not leave us ignorant with regard to further duties of these 
 inspu-ed officers. He says that they are necessary to prevent the church from being 
 " tossed to and fro " like children, and to keep them from being " carried about by 
 every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning ci'aftiness, whereby they 
 lie in wait to deceive." The great reason why the millions are carried away and 
 tossed about with the false and soul-destroying doctrines of the Papists and Protes- 
 tants is, because they have not inspired apostles and prophets among them, ai)d, 
 therefore, without this great preventative, the cunning craftiness of men overpowers 
 them, and they follow the coiTupt impositions of modern religionists. 
 
 35. — These gifts were never intended to be done away from the church in this 
 state of existence, as we have ah-eady proved in tha first number of this series. Ajid 
 Paul corroborates this when he says, they were given " for the perfecting of the 
 saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ ; lUl 
 we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Ood, 
 unto a perfect man. unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." In 
 what state will all the Saints come in the unity of the faith ? When will they all 
 come in the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God ? When wUl they all be per- 
 fect men ? When will they all come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness 
 of Christ ? The answer to all these questions is given by Paul when he says, that 
 when that which is perfect is come, the Saints are to see the Lord face to face, and 
 know as they are known, and see as they aj-e seen. Consequently, it will be in the 
 next state of existence, and not in this. Therefore, in this state of existence, as the 
 church is imperfect and needs edifying, apostles, prophets, teachers, and all other 
 gifts which Jesus has given or promised, are indispensably necessary to aocompUgh 
 that great and important work which cannot possibly be accomplished in any other 
 way. 
 
 36. — In the foregoing, it will be seen, that new revelation is the very life and soul 
 of the religion of heaven, — that it is indispensably necessary for the calling of all offi- 
 cers in the church, — that without it, the officers can never be instructed in the. various 
 duties of their callings, — that where the spirit of revelation does not exist, the church 
 cannot be comforted and taught in all wisdom and knowledge, — cannot be properly 
 reproved and chastened according to the mind of God, — cannot obtain promises for 
 themselves, but are dependant upon the promises made through the ancients. With- 
 out new i-evelation the people are like a blind man groping his way in total darkness, 
 not knowing the dangers that beset his path. Without prophets and revelators, 
 darkness hangs over the future, — no city, people, or nation, understand what awajts 
 them. Without new revelation, no people know of the approaching earthquake — ^of 
 the deadly plague — of the temble war— of the withering famine — and of the fearful 
 judgments of the Almighty which hang over their devoted heads. When the voice 
 of living prophets and apostles are no longer heard in the land — there is an end of 
 perfecting and edifying the Saints— there is a speedy end to the " work of the minis- 
 try" — there is an end to the obtaining of that knowledge so necessary to eternal life 
 — there is an end to all that is great, and grand, and glorious, pertaining to the reli- 
 gion of heaven — there is an end to the very existence of the church of Christ on the 
 earth' — there is an end to salvation in the celestial kingdom. Awake then, oh, ye 
 slumbering nations— awake from the slumber of death, and Christ shall give yjoit 
 light by the revelations of the Holy Ghost ! 
 
 ■»., 
 15, Wilton Street, Liverpool, November 1st, 1850. 
 
 IIVBBPOOL : FBINTRD BT B. JAUSS, 39, SOUTH CASTLS 3TBGIST. 
 
[No. 3. 
 
 DIYINE ATJTHENTICITr 
 
 OF THE 
 
 booe: of mormon. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE OF THE TWELTB APOSTLES OP THE CHUBCn OP JESUS CHBIST OF I.ATTEB-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 THE Bif JiE AND TRADITION, WITHOUT FURTHER REVELATION, AN 
 INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 
 
 1. — In the former numbers of this series it has been proved that more revelation is 
 neither unscriptural nor unreasonable, but indispensably necessary to the very exis- 
 tence of the church of God on the earth. In this number it will be shewn that with- 
 out further revelation the Bible is an insufficient guide. That part of the Bible 
 called the New Testament was written many years after the establishment of the 
 Christian church. How was the church founded and governed before the New 
 Testament was written ? Answer : by the revelations of Christ and of the Holy 
 Spirit, speaking through the apostles and prophets. These revelations were verbal, 
 and not written : were delivered by word of mouth, and not with pen and ink. Large 
 and numerous churches were established in Palestine, in Asia, in Europe, and amons^ 
 the various nations of the eastern hemisphei-e, which were abundantly blessed with 
 revelations, with prophecies, -with dreams and visions, with the ministry of angels, 
 and with the mu'aculous powers and manifestations of the Holy Spirit ; and yet they 
 had not the writings of the New Testament. 
 
 2. — If the church could be founded, and grow, and flourish, and be perfected with- 
 out the New Testament writings : if she could, through verbal revelation, learn every 
 principle of doctrine, and be taught in every duty, diiring the most of the first cen- 
 tury, the same gift of revelation and prophecy could have instructed her in all suc- 
 ceeding generations, even though the New Testament had never been written. If 
 inspired apostles, prophets, and other officers could perfect the Saints in the first 
 centui^-, surely the same kind of officers could perfect them in aJl future ages. Writ- 
 ten revelations were never intended to supersede verbal and continued revelation 
 through the living ministry. If the church of Christ had continued on the earth, 
 successive apostles and prophets would have continued with her, endowed with all 
 the powers and gifts of the first ; and the revelations in each successive generation 
 ■would have been equally sacred with those given at the first ; and there would have 
 been no such thing thought of as the canon of scripture being full and complete. 
 
 3. — There are many things practised by both Romish and Protestant churches 
 which the scriptures do not clearly reveal, therefore they must both of them consider 
 that the scriptures are not a sufficient guide. We are informed in scripture that . 
 marriage is ordained of God, but we are not informed in scripture who has the right 
 to officiate in this ceremony. Who can tell from the New Testament anything about ■ 
 the order to be observed in relation to this subject ? We read that " what God hath 
 joined together let no man put asunder f but through what particular office does 
 God join together the sexes in matrimony ? Can laymen officiate ? Can those out • 
 of the church officiate ? Can a woman officiate ? Can the parties join themselves 
 together in matrimony, in the name of the Lord ? Who can answer these questions 
 from the Bible alone? No one. The BiWe does not guide the church in this im- 
 portant ordinance. 
 
 o 
 
34 THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 
 
 4. — ^Who can tell from the Bible whether teachers and deacons have authority to 
 baptize, or not? Baptism is an important ordinance, and should be administered by 
 proper authority ; but can any one in the church administer it? Can private mem- 
 bers baptize ? Can women baptize ? Does the Bible anywhere forbid them, or say 
 that they are not authorized ? John the Baptist, who held the priesthood of Aaron, 
 had authority to baptize. Apostles, elders, and evangelists baptized. Did the au- 
 thority extend to any lower "officers or members ? The Bible does not inform us ; 
 therefore the Bible is not a sufficient guide. 
 
 6. — Again, what officers in the church have a right to lay on hands for the gift of 
 the Holy Spirit ? Can any but- apostles administer the spirit by this sacred ordi- 
 nance ? Ananias was sent to Paul to baptize him, and lay his hands upon him, that 
 he " might be filled with the Holy Ghost." Was Ananias an apostle ? or did he hold 
 some lower office ? Philip could baptize the Samaritans, while Peter and John laid 
 hands upon both men and women for the gift of the Holy Ghost. The great ques- 
 tion is, can any but apostles lay on hands in the ordinance of confirmation ? The 
 Bible does not answer this question, therefore the Bible is not a sufficient guide. 
 
 6. — It is admitted that the Lord's Supper is a divine ordinance; but who is au- 
 thorized to break the bread and bless it, and also the wine, and administer it to the 
 Saints ? Can teachers or deacons do this with authority ? Can private members or 
 women administer in this solemn ordinance ? There is nothing in the New Testa- 
 ment that either authorizes or forbids them to do it. Can any one, without being 
 instructed by new revelation, administer the Lord's Supper in his name, with his 
 authority, and by his sanction ? The Bible does not answer this question, therefore 
 the ySSble is not a sufficient guide. 
 
 7. — ^In what particular points does a teachef's duty differ from a deacon's? 
 Wherein do the duties of elders, evangelists, and pastors differ ? What authority has 
 one which the others do not possess ? All these are questions which the Bible does 
 not plainly answer, yet to be a sufficient guide, it should answer all such questions 
 definitely. 
 
 8. — Is infant baptism right or wrong ? Does the Bible anywhere teach infant bap- ' 
 tism by command or example ? If infant baptism be rights the Bible has not informed ' 
 us of it, therefore it must be an insufficient guide. If infant baptism, be v«Tong, at- 
 what age should children be baptized ? Upon this question the Bible also is silent. 
 
 9. — Should the members or officers of the church lay their hands upon little chil- 
 dren, and- pray for them, and bless them after the example that Jesus has given or 
 not ? This is a question that cannot be settled by the Bible. 
 
 10. — Should all the saints wash one another's feet, or is this an ordinance limited to 
 the apostles and officers of the church ? The Bible again is silent, and does not plainly 
 answer the question. 
 
 11. — Again, must the seventh day or the first day of the week be kept holy unto 
 the Lord ? The New Testament does not clearly answer this question. There is 
 rather more evidence in that book for keeping holy the Sabbath day or Saturday^ 
 than there is for keeping the first day or Sunday. The New Testament is very indefi- ' 
 nitc on this subject, and therefore it is an insufficient guide. 
 
 12. — Furthermore, where in theBible does it say that the king and people in Eng- 
 land ought to revolt from the Romish Church, and form a church of their own by 
 act of parliament? If the Bible were a sufficient guides why was an act of parlia.: 
 ment necessary as another guide to form the English Church ? If the Bible were a 
 sufficient guide, why was another book made, called the " Book of Common Prayer," 
 and the people compelled to give heed to it under pain of banishment, and even deaffi 
 itself? If the articles of religiob, contained in the New Testament were a sufficient 
 guide, why were " Thirty Nine Articles" more, enforced upoli the people by acts of 
 parliament, and the people butchered and murdered because they could not conscien- 
 tiously oomply with them? It is certain that this newly-formed-pairliament-made 
 church considered the Bible to be very deficient as a guidej or they iiever would have' 
 resorted td such blood-thirsty murderous measures to eStabUsh other books in additioit ' 
 t& the Bible. 
 
 13. — ^If Protestafits suppose the Bible to be a sufficient guide, as they are constantly 
 telling their followers, will they be so kind as to point out what part of that sacred ' 
 
THE BtBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 35 
 
 bsolc, called Luther, Calnn, Cranmsr, Wesley, and hosts of others, to preach, baptise, 
 and adminster many other ordinances sach as the ancient church adnunistered? Lt. 
 deed, what part of the Bible calls and commissions any of the nunisters of the present 
 day? It can be said without any fear of contradiction, that the Bible nowhere has 
 c^ued a single individual to the work of the ministry for the last seventeen centuries. 
 Therefore, for the calling of the ministry, the Bible is an insufficient guide. 
 
 14. — Again, what part of the Bible has established the salaries of the different officers 
 ■of the church ? If it be necessary that preachers should hare wage?, how much shall 
 it be ? How much more shall an apostle get than a prophet ? u a bishop get from 
 teii to twenty thousand pounds for one year's preaching, how much should an inspired 
 :apostle or prophet get ? Or how much should some of the lower officers have ? Tha 
 Kew Testament does not tell us the amount of wages religious hirelings should have, 
 therefore, if it be important to know, the Bible is an insufficent guide. It says, how- 
 eveir, that apostles should " take neither purse nor scrip," but it leaves us entirely m 
 the dark as to how much bishops, arch-bishops, and other officers should have. 
 Would it not be a wise plan for an act of parliament to increase theu' wages a little, 
 lest they suffer ? We see plainly that the Bible is not a sufficient guide in many, very 
 many points, as the dfliigs of the whole Protestant world' most plainly declare. 
 
 IS. — ^Let us now see whether the Boman Catholics consider the Bible a sufficffini 
 guide. They plainly tell us in their writings, that they do not. So far, then, thej 
 are consistent. But what do they suppose makes up the deficiency? They answer, 
 * TRADITION," or the " unwritten word " of God, as it was spoken by the apos. 
 ties, and handed down uncorrupted to the present day. The Bight Reverend Doctor 
 Milner, a very able and learned Catholic bishop, says, " The Catholic rule of faith, as 
 I stated before, is not merely, the written word of God, but the whole word of God, 
 ioth written and unwritten ; in other words. Scripture and Tradition, and thess 
 propounded and explained by the Catholic Church."* The Catholics do not believa 
 nn any later revelations than what were given in the first age of Christianity : this 
 may be seen in their writings. Dr. Milner, in speaking of the Papist churches, says, 
 '' It is a fundamental maxim with them all, never to admit of any tenet, but such as' 
 is believed by all the bishops, and was believed by their predecessors up to the apoi- 
 iles themselves."f According to this, the Romanists never admit any new tenet. 
 With their views, no hew revelations can be given — all things believed or received by 
 liiem must be traced back through all " their predecessors up to the apostles them- 
 selves :" they are not permitted to believe any thing which their fathers were igno- 
 rant of. When any thing is presented to them, the question is not, whether it is a new 
 revelation from God, but they immediately inquire, has it been believed by the church 
 since the first age? If it has not, it is rejected. The Catholic church does not claim 
 the assistance of the Spirit to reveal any thing new, " but merely," as Bishop Milner 
 •espresses himself, she claims "the aid of God's Holy Spirit, to enable her truly to 
 decide what her faith is, and has ever been in such articles as have been madt 
 Junown to her by Scripture and Tradition.''^ 
 
 16. — After revelation ceased to be given, and, consequently, the church of Christ 
 «eased its existence on the. earth, many of the first apostates pretended that scriptui« 
 ^d tradition were a sufficient guide, and that nothing new was needed. Irenseua, 
 ■who lived in the second century, seems to have forgotten that God placed in the church 
 inspired men to constantly instruct her by new revelation, and, like all subsequent 
 apos&tes lays great stress upon tradition. He says, « SUPPOSING THE APOS- 
 TLES HAD NOT LEFT US THE iSCRIPTUBES, OUGHT WE NOT STILL 
 TO HAVE FOLLOWED THE ORDINANCE OP TRADITION, which they 
 -coDsignei to those to whom they committed the churches ? It is this ordinance of' 
 tradition," continues he, " which many nations of barbarians, believing in Christ," 
 follow, without the use of letters or ink."§ Tertullian, who lived at the close of iha 
 same century, finding the scriptures ah insufficient guide, appeals to tradition instead 
 of New Revelation. He says, " We begin,' therefore, wiUi laying it dovra as a max- 
 im, that these men," (speaking of the opponent of his church) " ought not to be allowed 
 
 » "End of ControTersy," Letter x. p. 125. t Vu^t Letter xu. p. 166. 
 
 X Ibidt'Letter'xii.'p. 168. § Advers. Heeres. Letter iv^ c. 61. 
 
 P2 
 
36 THE . BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFriCJENT GUIDE. , 
 
 to argue at all from scripture. In. fact," continues he, " these disputes about the- 
 sense of scripture, have generally no other effect than to disorder either the stomach 
 or the brain. It is therefore the wrong method to appeal to the scriptures, since these 
 afford either no decision, or, at most, only a doubtful one. And even, rf this were not the 
 case, still, in appealing to scripture, the natural order of things requires that we should 
 first inquire to whom the scriptures belong. From whom, and by whom, and on, 
 what occasion, and to whom that tradition was delivered by which we became Chris- 
 tians."* This author in another work,t as Doctor Milner states, " proves, at great 
 length, the absolute necessity of admitting tradition no less than scripture as the 
 rule of faith, inasmuch as many important pointsj which he mentions, cannot be proved 
 without it." 
 
 17. — Doctor Milner, to show that the tradition of the apostles, together with the 
 scriptures, was the only rule of faith in the early ages of his church, cites us to the 
 writings of St. Clement of Alexandria, St. Cyprian, Origen, &c., of the third cen- 
 tnxy, — St. Basil, and St. Epiphanius of the fourth century,— ^and St. John Chrysos-^ 
 torn at the beginning, and St. Vincent of Lerins, at the end of the fifth century.. 
 All these writers, instead of contending for the great and infallible guide, namely, 
 NEW BEVELATION, which instructed the church during the first century, haya 
 contended mra:elyfor ancient scripture and tradition as their only guide — as their only 
 rule of faith. Thus we can see, Low early apostacy succeeded Christianity— we can 
 see, how early, the rule of faith was changed. 
 
 18. — If all the decrees and decisions of the Pope and general councils among the 
 Catholics be examined, it will be spen that such decrees and decisions profess to be 
 founded, not upon new revelation, but upon ancient scripture or tradition. She 
 professes that her general councils are guided by the Holy Ghost in ascertaining what 
 the apostolical traditions are, but that the Holy Ghost does not give anything new. 
 That these are really the views of the Catholics, may be perceived on almost every 
 page of some of their standard works. The Right Rev. Bishop Milner, in his " End 
 of Religious Controversy," has very definitely, and at some length, set forth this view. 
 J. Murdoch, a Roman Catholic Bishop, has highly recommended a work by Joseph/ 
 Mumford, entitled " Question op Questions," or " Who ought to be our Judge in. 
 all Controversies ? " In this work the author states most clearly that the Roman 
 Catholic Church, "PRETENDS TO NO NEW REVELATIONS, BUT ONLY. 
 TO DECLARE CLEARLY WHAT SHE FINDS TO HAVE BEFORE 
 BEEN REVEALED." $ These general councils are considered infallible, not be- 
 cause they are inspired with the word of God direct to themselves, for this power 
 they deny, but because they suppose the Holy Ghost assists them to find out ancient 
 tradition. We again quote from the last-mentioned work. 
 
 19. — " Now to see what the councils on their part are to do ; I must tell you, that ' 
 then' chief business is to examine the points in controversy ; hearing all that occurs 
 for the one side and the other, and permitting several replies, if any remain, in due 
 time to be made.' After this diligence is used, they consider what seems most con-,- 
 formable to the word of God, and every one's vote is passed upon this particular.' 
 But here I must tell you, that by the word of God, all councils, and orthodox be- 
 lievers have ever understood, not only God's written word, contained in scriptureii 
 but a,lso his unwritten word made known to the Church ONLY by tradition, which' 
 tradftion also is, and was ever accounted by the church the very best and surest in- 
 terpreter of the scripture. The votes therefore of the fathers assembled in council 
 are ^epianded, not only of what they think to be conformable to God's word written 
 in scripture, but also how conformable such a point is, or is not, to that traditioa , 
 which they have all received from the fathers of their church, as delivered to them 
 from their fathers for God's word, by tradition committed to their forefathers as 
 such, from the' apostles themselves." § 
 
 20.^ — Let "no one suppose that the Catholics believe in new revelation ; for in the 
 aboye.quotation it is expressly asserted that, " the unwritten word is made known 
 to the Church ONL Y hy tradition," and that this tradition must come through tiieir . 
 
 * Prsesorip. Advers. Hseres. edit. Khenan, pp., 36, 37. t De. Corona Milit, 
 
 \ " Qdestion pf Questions," Sec. xxiv. par. 14. , § Ibid. Sec. xi;?. 2. 
 
THE BIBLE ALONE AN mSUFFICIENT GtJIDB. S7 
 
 fathers "from the Apostlei themselves," The business of the Catholic counclLr, 
 then, is, not to get any word from God direct to themselves, but to determine what 
 God said to the Apostles. That this is all that they pretend to do, .is also evident 
 from the words of Vincentius Lirinensis, as quoted by Mumford ; he says, *' This only, 
 and nothing but this, the Catholic Church does do by the decrees of her council ; that 
 what before they had received only by tradition from their ancestors, that now they 
 leave consigned in authentical writing to all posterity.* Counails,~then, are convened 
 to determine traditions — they are convened to write tradition* in the form of decrees. 
 Now all this is good as far as it goes, but it stops infinitely short of the true Rule of 
 Faith, established in the apostolical church, namely, DIRECT AND IMMEDIATE 
 REVELATION through her officers, whether assembled in council or' dispersed ia- 
 dividually among the nations. 
 
 21. — That the apostate papal church does not obtain new revelation as the apostO' 
 lical church always did, is' still fui-ther evident from her defining the canonical book^, 
 called scripture. This was first done at the Third Council of Carthage in the year 
 S97. Previous to that time there had been a great variety of opinions as to what' 
 books were inspired oft God. Mumford speaks thus on this subject : — " If you fiy to 
 the tradition of the church only of the first four -hundred years, remember that 
 the Council of Carthage just after the end of those years, alledged the ancient 
 tradition of their fathers, wiiich they judged sufficent for defining our canon. They, 
 who were so near those first four himdred yeai's, knew far better the more universal 
 tradition of that age, than we can twelve hundred years after it. True it is, (nothing 
 being defined till then) private doctors were free to follow what they judged to be 
 truest : and as you find them varying from our canon, some in some books, some in 
 others ; so you will find them varying from one another, and vaying also from you." 
 (meaning the Protestant canon.) "For in those first four hundred years, Melitu* 
 and Nazianzen excluded the book of Esther, which you add. Origen doubts of the 
 
 f>istle to the Hebrews, of the second of St. Peter, of the first and second of St. John ; 
 t. Cyprian and Nazianzen, leave the apocylipse or revelations out of their canon. 
 Eusebius doubts of it." Elsewhere, he says, " all those holy fathers agreed ever in this, 
 that such books were evidently God's word, which had evidently a sufficient tradition 
 for them : Now in the days of those fathers who thus varied from one another, it was 
 not by any infallible means made know to all, that those books about which their 
 variance was, were recommended for God's infallible word, by a tradition clearly suffi- 
 cient to ground belief; for the church had not as yet examined and defined, whether 
 tradition did clearly enough show such and such books to he God's infallible word. 
 But in the days of St. Austin, the Third Council of Carthage, Anno 397, examined 
 how sufficient or insufficient the tradition of the churdi was, which recommended 
 Ihose books for scripture, about which there was so much doubt.and contrariety of 
 opinions. They found all the books contained in our canon, of which you account 
 so many apocryphal, to" have been recommended by tradition, siifficient to ground 
 •faith upon. For on this ground (Can. 47) they proceeded in defining all the. books 
 in our canon to be canonical. Because, say they, we have received from our fathers 
 that those books were to be read in the Church. Pope Innocent the First, who lived 
 Anno 402, being requested by Exuperius, bishop of Toulouse, to declare unto him 
 which books were canonical, he answers, (Ep. 3,) that having examined what sufficient 
 "tradition did demonstrate, he sets down, — What books are received in the canon of the 
 JEoly Scriptures, in the end of his epistle, c. 7. To wit, just those which we no'vr 
 have in our canon: and THOUGH HE REJECTS MANY OTHER BOOKS, 
 yet he rejec{s not one of these."^ 
 
 22.— ^Here is the most incontrovertible evidence that this apostate church, who de-» 
 fined the canon of scripture at the close of the fourth century, did not believe in afiy 
 inspired books being given after the first century. For if she had believed that any 
 man or officer in her communion had been inspired to -write the word of God, durm^ 
 the second, tlurd, or fourth century, she would most assuredly have incorporated puctt 
 inspired writings m the sacred canon ; but the very fact that no books were admitted 
 Jbj the Coimdl of Carthage into the canon, which were written after the first century. 
 
 * j< 
 
 Question of Questions," Sec. six. par. 2. t Ibid, Sec. ifl. pars, i, 12. 
 
58 THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 
 
 diows most conclusively that they ^d not copsi^er, any later books to be inspired. 
 Here, then, is demonstrative evidence, that the apostate Romish church, during tjie- 
 '«ec(Jnd, third, atid fourth century, were destitute of, that great and infaUibie rule, 
 ftaiady, STEW REVELATION which characterized the chiirch in the first peritiiify, 
 mad in all previous ages whenever knd wherever Ood had a people living in right^iiS- 
 Hess before him ^ ' 
 
 '23. — So destitute were the officers of this apostate church ^f the spirit of reveljK 
 tion that they could not tdll, only through tradition, which books were sacredi'^^nd 
 which were not; aiid heilce there arose a great cofaterition among them on this svjb* 
 ject, and a great variety of Opinions. At length the same contending parties 19^ 
 together in the capacity of a general council, and decide which' books shall be.!re- 
 -«6ived into the canbn. , Recollect, dear reader, that this decision does not pretend to 
 be founded upon new revelation but upon trciditipn, and tradition too tfiat was'so 
 very impeirfect that it led one to rcgect one bo'ok,~and another, another ; producing a 
 grea^ contrariety of opinibiis before the council met.' Who can, fqr one moment, sup- 
 pose that a council, composed of a set of contending apostates so destitute of the.^^;!. 
 ftt of truth and faith, that they could riot inquire of God and get a revelation WOB 
 any subject, however important — ^who, I say, can suppose that they qould sit in judjg- 
 teent upon God's holy wOfdV and infallibly decide Ijy the aid, not of new revetetSoji, 
 l>ut tradition alone, which books w^e the word of God and whicli were not ? ' Ih^ 
 Ijiey- believed in new revelation, and inquireif of G«d which, was his word and wMch 
 ■was not, there would haVebeen some Confidence to be placeld.in their decisions ;~bu^ 
 ■js it is^ there is sdarcely any confidence whatever to be placed in them in, regard to 
 this matter. Whete iUspired officers, possessing power to'obtiunnew revelatibn, havis 
 veased, there iiifallibility has ceased, and there uiicertEunty and doubt must ramap. 
 Tell about the cbuiidls of the eliurch of Rome, being infallible, who ey:er heard of any 
 iBOuUcil being infallible where there were no prophets and revelators that could", de- 
 irade' with a, thus Sdith the Lotd, and thus end all controversy ? 'The church of 0od 
 never pretended to infallibility upbn any other grounds; yet this apostate " Motjier pf" 
 Harlots" can, with 'on6 breath, call' herself infallible, and v^th'the next breath deny 
 D'ew revelatibnV • . r i , - - , 
 
 ' 24. — That the Romanists have continued in their apostacy until the present ^ay is 
 dfitnbnstrated from the fact that theybave not added one single bopk to their canon 
 ^fce fliey first formed'it. Now,' if there, had' been any prophet or apostle anxonK 
 -them; ''durihg the last seventeen centuries, they" certaa^y Wpidd , have canonizedliis 
 laiistles, Revelations,' and prophecies, as being equally sapred vritji those of the |iirst 
 <Setitury. As th^y havfe not done tlus, it shb^s^ost clearly, that even, tihej,them- 
 ^IVes, do not bqnsider that they hayie had apostles, prophets, and revelators amoiig 
 'thetn, during that long period of time.' ' They haye had, 'during the tiine, manj^^e- 
 teeral' eeUttfcils ■whidh'have confiriiied the drd'canon of scjripttire,rbut in ho su§ie- 
 InstanCe hart they confirmed'any.bther books as the word ^Gbd, so that their carioh 
 Stands now as when the'Cpuneilof Carthage left, it, ^without an addition of one fey?- 
 ■Mtion. Tliis confirms, beyond all controversy, the testimony of their most standarct' 
 trorks, tc<Aa which We have before quoted, yvh^rein it is repeatedly asserted, "thaFl|te- 
 ** Written aiid UhwKtteri \vord of God," revealed, prpvjous to auid in the first ce^- 
 toiryls'the onZy rule of faith, and.that the cimrcTi "JPretends to no nevo revela^M^lt 
 ^t only to declare clearly what she fiti^da to have before heeri revealed ;" an.cCiifio> 
 'tliat the decreed of her councils are'in relation to. vyhat Godsfiicl in the first cenf^fj 
 "Hfid that they by no pne^ns a.dj8it, ji^t He has s^^ auyihing of a" latter date; ' aiicl 
 wrafOTmably with these views, they have not admitted .anythipg into the sacred caiibn 
 as Scripture, or the 'Word pf Gpd, that Jias ,b,een writt'rai .Siittng fhe. long,p"erioJ' of 
 
 Sevettt^n hundred andfifty years. ' ' 
 
 " 25;— 'IJp^srds of 250 Fopfes pretend to have successively filled jth? cl^ajr of St»' 
 Pete*, ml (these Popes, we are told,"liave possess^ the same aufti6rS;y and poww'as 
 St.' Pete*;' wH6iii the^ di^ignSte'as the first Pope ; if this really be the cfise, then e^ 
 ■iltf fli^Popfes' mfl^t haVe been' inspired of God, arid the vrtidngs' of .faoE musf xw- 
 'emkiaij^ M sSxSreA as fhe/^iifags ' df Pope Si Peteir. "Why W^^' has the cl^^c^. 
 •SB&vfed fiubh'igreat'parliaK#^'1''''^5Vhy has shei placed Pope^'SL Peter's 'writings in £he- 
 sacred cfmon, anjj le^| aJU ,tiii^ writings ^f the Ptjbier Pqpes put ? 
 
THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 39 
 
 26. — Bishop Milner after having quoted many passages of scripture, and used 
 many arguments to prove the superiority of Peter's calling to that of the other apos- 
 tles, says, " TKat bishops in general succeed to the rank and functions of the apos- 
 tles ;^ so, by the same rule, the successor of St. Peter, in the See of Borne, succeeds 
 to his primacy and jurisdiction."* If this be true, " that bishops in general suc- 
 ceed to the rank and functions of the apostles," then each bishop, as well as the Pope, 
 must be a REVELATOR ; for apostles were Revelators, and one of the "func- 
 tions" of their office was to receive revelations ; therefoj-e, all the Roman Catholic 
 -bishops, if they succeed to the. same rank, and exercise the same " functions" as apos- 
 tles, — must be revelators. According to this, since the first century, the Catholics 
 must have had many tens of thousands of revelators, and yet, strange' to say, none of 
 their revelations are permitted to enter the sacred canon among other scriptures given 
 in thel> first century. Here, indeed, is a strange inconsistency ! Even the Catholic 
 church herself, evidently places no confidence in the popes and bishops, the pretended 
 successors of St. Peter and the rest of the apostles ; if she did, she would have cano- 
 nized their revelations along with the rest of the revelations of the New Testament. 
 What must we conclude then, as to her bishops holding " the rank and functions of 
 apostles 9" We can but conclude that it is all an imposition — a wicked sout- 
 destrpying imposition, practised upon the nations by a corrupt apostate church whose 
 officers have no more " the rank and functions of apostles " than the apostate chief 
 priests among the Jews have. Indeed, so long as " they pretend to no new revelations," 
 Jthey cannot exercise the " functions of apostles." 
 
 27. — It is in vain for the Romish church to pretend that the Word of God, spoken 
 to the apostles, is a sufficient guide for all future ages. It is contraiy to the dealings 
 of God in all previous dispensations. He never left his faithful people in one age 
 dependant alone on the word spoken in a previous age. The Catholics in appealing 
 to tradition and ancient scripture as their only rule of faith, have endeavoured to jus- 
 tify themselves, by falsely telling the people that mankind were dependant on tradition 
 as a rule of faith from Adam to Moses — a period of about twenty-four hundred years. 
 One of their writers speaks thus : " The whole church through the whole world was 
 governed by tradition onlt, for the first two thousand years''"^ This is evidently 
 false ; for the whole church governed herself from Adam to Moses, by both tradition 
 and new revelation. Each age, during that period, furnished the church with reve- 
 lators who delivered the word of the Lord to her, and she was governed by that word, 
 and also by the traditions of former ages as far as they were applicable. 
 
 28. — The church was not only governed from Adam to Moses by new revelation, 
 but from Moses to the close of the first century of the Christian era. The Word of 
 God given in past ages, whether written or unvtritten, was never considered by the 
 true church a sufficient rule of faith in any dispensation since the creation of man. 
 Such an idea was never originated in the church of God. It was the apostate Ca^ 
 tholics that first originated the idea, and by them the fatal delusion has been handed 
 dovm from generation to generation ; and all the children that she has brought forth, 
 or that have left her communion, have, more or less, imbibed the same great features 
 cf the apostacy. Well might the revelator John, speaking by the spirit of prophecy, 
 call her « THE MOTHER OP HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE 
 EARTH !" It is her true name, for all the " HARLOTS " which she has brough* 
 forth have walked in the footsteps of their " Mother" in declaring against new reve- 
 lation, and in pretending that ancient revelation was a sufficient rule of faith. It is 
 to be expeetsd that as is the Mother, so will be her Harlot Daughters. The 
 daughters in some respects are more corrupt than the mother ; for they have limited 
 tbeir rule of faith mtjch more than the mother. Pope Innocent the First, (as wa 
 have already quoted), in the year 402, s»t in judg^eht upon the books of scripture, 
 ^d rejected many of them, from a compilation in the canon. Some eleven or twelve 
 ppnturies after this, one of the Harlot Daughters believed that her Mother had retained 
 too much scripture in her canon ; therefore, she concluded to make a new canon of 
 ter own, which she actually did do, leaving out some half a score of books which 
 were in her Mother's canon. This newly-formed canon of scripture is palmed upon 
 
 * " End of Cootroversj," Letter xlvi. p. 439. f " Question of. Questions," Sec. six. par. 8. 
 
40 THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 
 
 the British nation and the United States as a sufficient rule of faith. It must he re- 
 collected that neither Mother nor Daughter was guided hy new revelation in foriniag 
 these two different canons of scripture. As the Mother decided on the Word of God 
 by tradition, so did the Daughter ; and as tradition taught the Mother to reject many 
 books and receive others, so tradition taught the Daughter to reject all that her Mo- 
 ther rejected, and some half-a-score besides. After awhile this Harlot Daughter 
 brings forth a numerous progeny of children, each of whom alters her creed, so as to 
 disagree with both Mother and Grandmother's creeds ; yet the church of England 
 with all her Daughters agree in the rejection of the old canon of scripture, and in the 
 reception of the newly-formed one. 
 
 29. — In the meantime, another Harlot Daughter of the Catholics — ^the Lutherans, 
 formed another canon, and rejected many books that the English Daughter did not. 
 She cast out the epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews, the epistle of St. James, the 
 second epistle of St. Peter, the second and third of St. John, the epistle of St. Jude, 
 and the Apocalypse or Revelation. Here are seven books i-eceived into the English 
 Bible, not received into the Lutherans' Bible. Thus we perceive three different canons 
 of scripture, proposed for the faith of mankind. If the Bible alone is a sufficient 
 guide, which of these three Bibles shall we take ? Shall we take the Catholic, — ^the 
 Lutheran, — or the English Bible ? The Catholic Bible contains many things that the 
 English and Lutheran do not, and the English contains many things that the Lu- 
 theran does not. Which shall we believe ? If it be answered that we are to take all 
 that God ever has revealed and caused to be written, as our rule of faith ; then it will 
 require a revelator to bring to light some twenty sacred books that are known once to 
 have existed, but are not now to be found in either of the three bibles mentioned above. 
 Therefore if we are to take all of God's written word as our rule of faith, it will re- 
 quire another sacred canon to be made out, including all the lost books. This cannot 
 be done by a Roman Catholic nor Protestant council, for tradition will not supply 
 lost books. It is certain that if all the v/ritten word of God is necessary to a perfect 
 rule of faith, that neither Catholics nor Protestants can have a perfect rule, for they 
 have only a part of the written word of God. If it be said that a part is sufficient as 
 a rule of faith, then a question at once arises : how large a part will suffice? One 
 sect will answer, that part contained in the Lutheran Bible is sufficient ; other sects 
 will say no ; the Lutheran Bible does not contain sufficient, but the English Bible con- 
 tains enough : no, answers another class, the English Bible does not contain enough, 
 but the Catholic Bible contains just enough : and where shall we stop ? Who has 
 light enough to determine whether the Catholic Bible, which contains far more than 
 the other two, has one-tenth part of what is necessary for a perfect rule of faith ? If 
 part of God's word forms a perfect rule of faith, I will venture to say, that there is 
 not a man living who is able to say what part of his word should be rejected, and what 
 part retained, in order to form this perfect rule. 
 
 30 — In those sacred books written by prophets, seers, and apostles which have 
 not descended to our day, but which we know once existed, as their names are refered 
 to in scripture — there may be many great and important doctrines and ordinances 
 revealed that are not contained in our scriptures. Indeed, no one, without further 
 revelation, knows whether even one-hundredth part of the doctrines and ordinances 
 of salvation are contained in the few books of scripture which have descended to our 
 times, how then, can it be decided that they are a sufficient guide ? May there not 
 be some great and important things contained " in the book of Nathan the prophet, 
 and in the prophecy of Ahijah, and in the visions of Iddo the seer, and in the book 
 of Gad tU seer?'"' 
 
 31. — May there not be important doctrines contained in some of Paul's epistles 
 which we have not got ? In the last epistle which Paul wrote from Rome to the Co- 
 Icssians, he commands them, " likewise to read the epistle from Laodicea."'f In 
 that which is commpnly called his first epistle to the Corinthians, he says, (chap. v. 
 9.) " / wrote unto you in an epistle.". Where are these two epistles which Paul 
 himself refers to ? They are gone. There may be in these lost epistles doctrines of 
 infinite importance which we know nothing about. That the Corinthians had been 
 
 * 2 Chron. U. 29.— 1 Chron, xxix. 29. f Colos. iv. 16. 
 
THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE, 41 
 
 instructed in a, doctrine which the whole of Christendom are now ignorant of, is evi- 
 dent from a particular question which he asks them, which reads as follows : « Else 
 what ihall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all f 
 Why are they then baptized for the dead f"* This doctrine of baptism for the 
 dead must have been well understood by them, or Paul never would have asked this 
 ■question without further explanations upon the subject. Now when, and in what 
 manner was this doctrine communicated to them ? It may have been fully developed 
 to them in the epistle which he says that he had previously viritten to them. This 
 doctrine may have been as important as baptism to the living. Does the written oc 
 unwritten word of God with which Christendom are acquainted, inform them any 
 thing about how this ceremony is to be performed ? Does it inform them who is to 
 officiate? Who is to be the candidate in behalf of the dead? What classes of the 
 dead are to be benefitted by it ? Does scripture or tradition inform us in what parti- 
 cular baptism for the dead wiU affect them ii the resurrection ? Does it inform us 
 whether baptism for the dead can be administered in all places, or only in a baptismal 
 font, in a temple conseci-ated for that pm'pose ? All these important questions remain 
 unanswered by scripture and tradition. Even the Catholics themselves, who boast 
 of scripture and tradition as their infallible rule of faith, cannot, and do not, pretend 
 to decide these questions of doctrine. 
 
 32. — The Rev. Dr. Milner, in speaking of the Catholic church, says, " iS7ie does 
 not dictate an exposition of the whole Bible, because she has no tradition concern^ 
 ing a very great proportion of it, as for example, concerning the prophecy of 
 Enoch, quoted by Jude 14 ; and the BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD of which Sf. 
 Paul makes meniio«."t If " a very great proportion" of the Bible cannot be ex- 
 plained for the want of sufficient tradition, then that "very great proportion" of the 
 Bible cannot be of any use ; and that very small proportion of the Bible, which tradi- 
 tion does explain, must be a very imperfect rule of faith. For aught the Catholics 
 know there may be hundreds of millions of the dead that will not attain to a first re- 
 surrection, because tradition does not explain to them the necessity of being baptized 
 for them. Tradition, and the small proportion of scripture that it explains, are there- 
 fore not a sufficient guide. If the Catholics had all the lost books of scripture, and a 
 perfect tradition of all the unwritten word of God that has been spoken since the world 
 began, then they would have a little more pretext for holding forth scripture and tra- 
 dition as an infallible guide, but until then, they have no authority to preach up a 
 part of the books of scripture, united with so little tradition, as an infallible rule of 
 faith. 
 
 33. — ^We are told by the Catholics " that many, and very many of the canonical 
 boohs of scripture have quite peHshed, and not so much as appeared in the days 
 of the very ancient fathers ; so that nothing but the names of those books are come 
 unto us."X It is also acknowledged by the Catholics that a very great proportion of 
 the few books which are left cannot be explained : it is further acknowledged that Jhe 
 tradition of the unwritten word is so limited, that it does not give them an under- 
 standing of many points of doctrine : it is still further acknowledged that their church 
 " pretends to no new revelations," but only to interpret, as far as the few feeble glimmer- 
 ings of tradition, connected with the very little scripture which they profess to under- 
 stand, will enable them to do,: — and yet they tell us, after all these acknowledgments 
 that their very little scripture, and their very little tradition, is an INFALLIBLE 
 RULE OP FAITH. Oh, blush for the inconsistencies of " the Mother of Harlots !" 
 Her claims to infallibility are blasphemy ! Oh, how could the kings of the earth and 
 all nations have been so horribly imposed upon ! But they will yet take vengeanoa 
 upon her, " and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and bum 
 her vidth fire," for thus hath the Almighty spoken. 
 
 34. — We shall now proceed to point out a thing of infinite importance, which is 
 necessary to the very existence of the church of God on the earth> and yet it never 
 could be learned by either the Bible -or tradition. It is this : in order that the 
 true church may continue its existence on the earth, it is necessary that there' should 
 
 ♦ 1 Corin. xv. 29. t " End of Controversy," Letter xii. p. 169. 
 
 X " Question of Questions," sec. i. 7. 
 
^ THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 
 
 J?e kept up a regular and constant succession of the orders of the priesthood : this is- 
 admitted by the Cathoiios ; and they refer to upwards of two hundred and fifty popes 
 who have succeeded St. Peter, and to many tens of thousands of bishops who have 
 succeeded the rest of the apostles. Now if this succession can really be proved, then 
 the Catholics must be the only true and living church on the vifliole earth, and all the 
 Protestant churches are excommunicated apostates ; on the other hand, if such syc- 
 cession does not exist, then both the Catholics and Protestants are apostates from the 
 apostolic church of Christ, built up in the first century. We take the ground that 
 mere has been no regular succession of the orders of the priesthood through the Ca- 
 tliolic church. 
 
 35. — The first proof which we adduce against any such regular succession is thp 
 Catholic rule of faith, namely, ancient scripture and tradition. What word of God, 
 spoken by the apostles, either written or unwritten, has pointed out either of the popes, 
 who has pretended to succeed St. Peter, during the last sixteen centuries ? We defjf 
 the whole Catholic church to bring forward one word of ancient scripture, or ancient 
 tradition, to prove that the popes of the third century, namely, Zephyrinus, Calixtus 
 I., Urban I., Pontanius, Antherus, Fabian, &c., &c., were the very persons who- 
 should succeed St. Peter ; if then, neither scripture nor tradition designated the per- 
 sons who should hold that responsible oflSce, how were the Catholics of the third cen- 
 tury to know that either of the above-named persons were the right ones ? Per'haps, 
 the Catholics may answer that, though there was no scripture or tradition, that pointed 
 -them qut, yet the church, being infallible, were able to know the right men. We 
 reply, that the Catholic church cannot be infallible, because she "pretends to no new 
 revelations" and as we have already seen, she ONLY pretends to be guided in all 
 her decisions and decrees by ancient scripture and tradition, and she has no scripture 
 nor apostolic tradition to tell her who, among all the millions of the third century, 
 are called to St. Peter's chair ; therefore St. Peter's chair must remain vacated until 
 this important question is settled. And as the Catholics, according to their own ad- 
 missions, have had no new revelations for the long period of seventeen centviries, 
 therefore St. Peter's chair must have remained vacated during that long period of 
 time. The same reasoning will apply equally to every one of the orders of priest- 
 hood, from St. Peter's chair down to the office of teacher or deacon. Scripture and 
 traction call no man by name who have lived dming the last sixteen centuries ; there- 
 fore the succession could not possibly continue, as there could be no possible way of find- 
 ing out who were called and who were not, unless they obtained new revelation,tand 
 this would contradict what we have abundantly proved to be their rule of faith ; thefa- 
 fore it is proved by the most incontrovertible evidence that the succession of the priest- 
 hood could not legally and lawfully be transferred where there is no new revelation. 
 
 36. — The second proof, against the catholic succession, is that through ancient 
 .scripture and tradition alone, it would be impossible for the pretended successors of 
 St. Peter and the rest of the apostles to exercise the functions of their ofiice. One 
 (rf the chief duties of the apostles was to receive commandments and new revela^ipns 
 for the instruetipn of themselves and all the church of God placed under their charge ; 
 and one of the chief duties of a prophet in the Christian church was to foretell future 
 events through new revelation, and forewarn individuals as well as the church of any 
 anproaghing danger. That these prophets prophesied by new revelation is clear from 
 ,the following plain passages of scripture, written to the Cprinthians. "How is it 
 ,then, brethren, when ye come together every one of you, hath a psalm, hath a docr 
 ixme, hath a tongue, hath a REVELATION, hath an interpretation ? " (ch^p. .xiv. 
 %6,) Again, St. Paul says to them, "Let the PROPHETS speak two pr thre% 
 and let the other judge. If anything he REVEALED to another thatsitfesth hy» 
 let the first hold his peace. For ye, may all PROPHESY one by one, that all nvaj 
 learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirit of the pnopMts are subject to the 
 prophets,. For Gqd is not the author of eonfusjon .but of pe^ce^, »s in ?ijl churches 
 erf the Saints." (Verses 29 — 33.) Agabus the prophet prophesied; of » farriine^, .and 
 t^e church,, being forewarned, made every preparation to meet it, by seeding contidT 
 butions to the poor ssunts in other places, and thus, doubtless, much suffering and 
 misery were prevented. We can here plaiijy .perceive the principal duties of the two 
 first offices in the Christiiip church. Now if, the catholic? have a succession of these 
 
THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICENT GUIDE. 45 
 
 offices, thw must exercase the functions of them, otherwise the offices -would he of no- 
 benefit. Bui they cannot exercise the functions and perform the chief duties of these 
 offices, unless they obtain an abtmd^nce of new revelation and pi:<n>hecies, and this they 
 could not do without violating their only rule of faith, which binds them to ancient 
 scripture and ancient tradition asjtheir only g^de. Moreover the Catholics themselves- 
 virtually acknowledge that none of their pretended successors of the apostolical and 
 prophetical offices, nave received any revelations and prophecies from the fact that 
 they have not admitted any of them into the sacred canon of sci;ipture. Thus we see 
 that ancient scripture and tradition, interpreted by the Catholic church, which they 
 acknowledge to be their only rule of faith, can never qualify their pretended succes- 
 sors to act in the apostolical and prophetical offices. And hence, those offices have 
 not been, and could not be perpetuated in the Catholic church. And, therefore, 
 the Catholic Churgh cannot possibly be the church of Christ. 
 
 37. — But if the Catholic church cannot be the qhurch of Christ for the want of 
 a legal succession of the apostolical and prophetical orders of the priesthood ; her 
 <3aughtcrs the Protestants cannot be the church of Christ for the same reason, unless 
 ttbd has restored the priesthood to them by a new revelation and an avithpritative or- 
 ^ij^tion. But thecProtestant ^^'i^hters, as well as the Catholic mother, make no 
 jpteitension to new revelation as is demonstrated from the fact of their admitting no 
 piore into the sacred canon of scripture. Therefore, neither the Protestant nor Ca- 
 tholic churches, can possibly be the church of Christ. 
 
 38. — The same reasons that demonstrate the Catholic and Protestant churches not 
 to he the church of Christ, will also demonstrate that the Greek church is not the 
 f^orch of Christ ; therefore the Qhur(;h of Christ has not existed on the eastern hemi- 
 l^phere during the last, seventeen centuries. We shall now proceed to answer some 
 pmections. 
 
 30. — ^First, it is objected, that the promise of the Saviour, recorded in Matthew 
 xxyiii. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, could not be fulfilled unless the church should continue 
 l^ existence on the earth. These passages read thus : — " Then the eleven disciples 
 .went away into Qalilee, iqto a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And 
 jHfHen they saw^him, they worshipped him ; but some doubted. And Jesus came and 
 ^pake i^nto them, saying, AJl power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Gp 
 y;e 1;herefore, and teach ^ nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and 
 Ctf the. Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to .observe all things what- 
 soever I have commanded you : and, lb, / am with you alway, even unto tJla 
 find of the morld." It is argued by the Catholics, " that the Apostles themselves 
 were only to live the ordinary term of man's life; therefore, ^e commission of 
 |B;e»<f^ling »nd ministering, together, with the promise of the divine assistance, regards 
 |he successors of the apostles, no less than ,the apostles themselves. This proves that 
 tliere niust have been an uninteri;viptedsei;ies of such successors of the apostles, in every 
 ^e . since their, time ; that is to say, succestsors to their doctrine, to their jurisdiction, 
 tp then: orders, and to their inission. H^ence it follows, that no religious society 
 .^if^teyer, which- ca,nnot trace its succession in these four .points, up to the apo^tjes, 
 has any claim to the characteristical title, APOSTOLICAL." This argument I 
 have given in the words of one cjf their learned bishops, the Bight Reverend Doo- 
 jtpp, JJiiier.* Now if it were adnjitted, tljat this catv-vnisSiion and promise of our 
 ^Savjour were intejided for .the successors of the apostles, (which we by no means 
 .aidii^it,) it would ^till be out of the power of the Catholic priests to claim the com- 
 Jsissipn 4nd promise until ^ey could prove from scripture and tradition .that each one 
 
 J f .them were the actual persons who -^ere to be the true successors : and this, we- 
 aye Bjlready stiown tJiey cannot ,do. Therefore, they haye no more claim to the 
 pmnipigisipn and promise than the Pagan priests h^y,e. But we do not admit that the 
 mpinise— «L0, I AM WITH YOU M^WAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF 
 T^^ WORLD," had .aijy referenpe to ?iny persons -whatever only the ELEVEJi 
 m^iples mentioned in the ^teenth verse, -p^ho!hadj by a prp-yious. engagement, retired, 
 to ^?.^ .fountain in Galilee : th^ were the only persoiw whom he.addressed and to -yirhom 
 l^e^^^e this ^eat ppmi^. But, says ^Dpctor J^Ui^^i't " Ihey were only tq. Uve the 
 
 * "End of ControyeifBy," Letter xxviii. p, 381. 
 
4^ THE BIBLE ALOKE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 
 
 ordinart/ term of man's life." and consequently, he draws the conclusion that the 
 promise could not be fulfilled to them without successors. According to this curious 
 inference of the learned bishop, the Lord must have forsaken the eleven disciples as 
 soon as they died; for if he adlnit that JeSus continued with them after the period of 
 the death of their mortal bodies, and that he will eonMnue with them even unto tlw 
 «id of the world, then what need would there be of successors in order that the pro- 
 mise might be fulfilled ? Prove that Jesus has not been with the eleven apostles from 
 the time of their death until the present time, and that he will not be with them 
 " even unto the end of the world," and after you have proved this, you will prove that 
 ffesus has falsified his word ; for to be with the successors of the apostles is not to be 
 with them. But whether the apostles have successors or not, Jesus will always ba 
 with them, and will bring them with him when he shall appear in his glory, and they 
 shall sit upon thrones and judge the house of Israel, during the great millennium, 
 while Jesus will not only be with them, but will reign with them even unto the end 
 of the world. Therefore, there is nothing in this promise of Jesus that gives the 
 most distant intimation that an apostolical succession or chvu:ch of Christ should con- 
 tinue on the earth. 
 
 40. — Secondly, it is objected that if the church of Christ has not continued, then 
 the gates of hell must have prevailed against her ; and they refer us to that cheering 
 passage in Matthew, (xvi. 18,) which reads thus : — " And I say also unto thee, that 
 thou art Peter ; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shaJl 
 notlprevail against it." They argue, that if the church has ceased to exist, the gates 
 of hell have prevailed over her, and the promise of Jesus must be falsified. ' But we 
 would inform the Catholics, that the church of Christ has not ceased to exist, neither 
 has Peter ceased his existence, but both the church and Peter are in heaven, far out 
 of the reach of the gates of hell, and far. out of the reach of the abominable soul-des- 
 troying impositions of Popery. The gates of hell have prevailed and will continue to 
 prevail over the Catholic Mother of Harlots, and over all her Protestant Daughters; but 
 as for the apostolical church of Christ, she rests seciu-e in the mansions of etei:nal 
 happiness, where she will remain until the apostate Catholic church, with all her 
 
 Eopes and bishops, together with all her Harlot Daughters shall be hurled down to 
 eU : then it shall be said, " Rejoice over her thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and 
 prophets ; for God hath avenged you on her ;" and then shall be " heard a great voice 
 of much people in heaven, saying. Alleluia : salvation, and glory, and honor, and 
 power, unto the Lord, our God: for true and righteous are his judgments: for ha 
 hath judged the great whor?, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and 
 hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand." And again they shall say, 
 " Alleluia, and her smoke shall rise up for ever and ever. And thus when the Catholics 
 and Protestants hear all the heavens, and all the holy apostles and prophets, rejoicing over 
 the downfall of Babylon, they will learn that the church of Christ still exists in hea- 
 ven, and that the gates of hell have not prevailed against her; then they will learn 
 where the apostolical and prophetical power rests ; then they will perceive the differ- 
 ence between the glory of the church of Christ and the misery and wretchedness of 
 their o;wn fiery torments. 
 
 41.— Many Protestants say they take the Bible as their only rule of faith ; if the 
 Bible is to be taken as our only guide, it is of infinite importance that the divine authen- 
 ticity of the Bible be infallibly estahlished. How do the Protestants prove the truth 
 of the Bible ? What evidence have they that the book of Matthew was inspired of 
 God, or any other of the books of the New Testament? The only evidence they h^ye 
 is tradition. They have received into their canon such books only as tradition accifb- 
 flits to be genuine ; while those books which have not a sufficiency of traditiorf It) 
 establish then- divine inspiration,' are rejected from the canon. Here then we clear% 
 perceive that the first foundation stone of the Protestant rule of faith is traditioiK 
 Tradition alone tells them that the books of the New Testament are true, and as soon 
 as they have learned this on the testimony of tradition, they take them as a sufficient 
 guide ; hence their only rule of faith is founded on tradition : but we have already 
 shown that tradition is a very imperfect guide. Tradition taught the Lutherans to 
 reject seven books of the New Testament, which tradition taught the English to de- 
 ceive: and tradition'taught the English to reject some half a score of books from 
 
THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GDIDE. 45 
 
 their Bible, which tradition taught the Catholics in the third council of Carthage to, 
 receive ; and tradition taught the council of Carthage to reject many books which! 
 tradition taught several of their learned bishops and others, in the second, third, and. 
 fourth century to receive. If tradition then be so very uncertain, may it not have, 
 deceived the CathoUcs and Protestants as to the genuineness of many of the books 
 which they retain in their canons. And may not this very imperfect tradition have 
 taught them to reject many books which are equally sacred with those which they 
 have retained. Tradition cannot give an absolute certainty as to the truth of any of, 
 those books. Great numbers of books, during the early ages, were circulated and 
 accredited, which are now said to be apochryphal. But how, we enquire, are unin- 
 spii'ed men, by the use of tradition alone, to select a genuine book from the midst of a 
 numerous collection of spurious gospels and epistltes, and prophecies, which were pub- 
 lished under the names of the apostles, and under the names of other holy men cotem- 
 porary with them ? It would be like the chance of drawing a prize in a lottery where 
 there were a hundred blanks to one prize. Absolute certainty is necessary as to what 
 is true, and what is false, as to what is the word of God and what is not ; for without 
 it we may build our faith upon forged scripture, and reject true scripture, and be led 
 into all lands of eiToiu, As tradition cannot give us absolute certainty, how shall this 
 very desirable and infciitely important knowledge be obtained? We answer, that by 
 new, revelation the genuineness of all books can be tested; and without it, imcer- 
 tainty and doubt must always hang over many of them. 
 
 42. — Even though tradition could demonstrate with the greatest certainty that 
 any or all of the books that are even received by the Catholics, were, in their original 
 written by the persons who are represented to be their authors, yet how can it be„^e- 
 termined that even the originals were written by divine inspiration ? Several learned 
 Protestants, such as Hooker, ChUlingworth, &c., allow that scripture cannot bear 
 testimony to the truth of its own inspiration. How are the Protestants then to know, 
 without new revelation, that any one book of the Bible was divinely inspired ? How 
 do they know but that it was merely written according to the best judgment of the 
 author ? The Bible cannot inform them until the inspiration of the Bible be esta- 
 blished. If it be admitted that the apostles and evangeusts did write the books of the 
 New Testament, that does not prove of itself that they were divinely inspired at the 
 time thy wrote. They were men subject to like passions with other men, and liable 
 to err only when under the direct inspiration of the Spirit. How can it be Imown 
 without new revelation, that these writers did not sometimes write their own words and 
 opinions instead of the word of the Lord as given by the Holy Ghost ? Some things 
 which Paul wrote, he acknowle'dges that he had no commandment of the Lord for 
 ithus writing, but gave his own judgment and his own suppositions. (See 1 Corinth, 
 vii. 6, 25, 26,) As Paul and other writers of the New Testament have not told ua 
 which part they wrote by inspiration, and which part they wrote according to their, 
 own^ opinions and judgment, how can we make the selection of the inspired parts from 
 the uninspired parts of each book ? We answer, that tradition will never decide this 
 important question ; and therefore neither Catholics nor Protestants can know of a 
 certainty Which parts of each of the original books are actually the ideas and word* 
 given by inspiration. Neither can they know but that some whole books which they 
 receive as scripture were vreitten by human wisdom alone. Though scripture were 
 allowed to bear testimony of its own inspiration, even then, there are many books in 
 thei sacred canon which do not bear any such testimony, and therefore the only proof . 
 which Protestants can have of their inspiration is founded solely on tradition. 
 
 43. — If it oould.still further be demonstrated by tradition, that every part of each, 
 bool^ of the Old and New Testaments, was, in its original, actually written by inspi- 
 ration, still it cannot be determined that there is one single true copy of those originals,; 
 now in existence. The whole Catholic and Protestant world cannot produce the ori- 
 ginal writings of one single book of either the Old or New Testament. The origi- , 
 nals ai'e no where to be found among Christians, Pagans, Jews, or Mohometans. 
 The original writings of Moses and the ancient prophets, it is beUeved by the learned, 
 were all destroyed by the Assyrians nearly six hundred years before Christ.* W« 
 
 * Brett's pessertation in Bishop Watson's Collect., vol. Ui. p. 3, 
 
46 THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 
 
 Are informed in the Apocrypha, that the prophet Bsdras or Ezra was inspired to re- 
 -write all those ancient books over again ; and in this manner the Jews, at the close o£' 
 -their Babylonish captivity, once more obtained them. These books again perished in 
 tide greait persecution of Antiochus.* How the Jews were suppUed with copies after 
 that no one knows. Now the Protestants do not know that Esdras was a true pro- 
 phet ! Indeed, they doubt of his being a true prophet by placing his books in the 
 Apocrypha, therefore they could not rely with confidence on any book which he 
 should pretend to replace by inspiration. 
 
 44. — The copies which we now have of the boolis of Moses and other ancient pro- 
 phets may be very much corrupted ; we are certain that they have been added unto 
 in a degree by some person or persons who lived many centuries after Moses; this is evi- 
 dent from the books themselves : for example, the thirty-first verse of the thirty-sixth 
 chapter of Genesis was certainly added by some one who lived after the chil^en of 
 Israel had kings. It reads thus : " And these are the kings that reigned in the land 
 of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel." Here is posi- 
 tive proof that the transcriber of vae book of Genesis lived after the children of Is- 
 rael had kings, and added these his ovm wordfe to this first book of Moses. Some 
 Other person after the days of Moses added the whole of the last chapter of the book 
 of Deuteronomy. Several other passages in the books of Moses have been added or 
 changed since bis death. Learned commentators t have agreed that similar changes 
 or additions have been made to several other books of the Old Testament by unknown 
 persons. Who can tell at the present day who were the persons who wrote the books 
 of J >«hua, Ruth, Judges, Esther, the book of Kings, and the books of Chronicles? 
 W c*e they written by inspired men ? if so, what were their names, and what proofs 
 has Christendom that they were inspired ? 
 
 45. — These uncertain and altered copies of some of the books of the Old Testament 
 were translated from the Hebrew into Greek some two or three centuries befora 
 Christ; this was called the Septnagint. But even the original copies of this trans- 
 lation are no where to be found. Such copies as the English translation was taken 
 from, were found in many places to be very much corrupted, disagreeing among- 
 Ihemselves, insomuch that the English translators were obliged sometimes to translate 
 from the Hebrew which is acknowledged alia) to be very much corrupted. The He- 
 brew copies are supposed by the learned to have been altered by the wicked Jews 
 theimselves, after they rejected Christ, in order to do away the force of many predic- 
 tions relating to Him. St. Chrysostoin (Homil. 9) writes tiiius: "Many of the pro- 
 phetical monuments have perished ; for the Jews being careless, and not only ear&. 
 less, but also impious, they have carelessly lost some of these monuments ; others they 
 have partly burned, partly torn in pieces." St. Justin, in writing against Tryphon, 
 shoes most clearly that the Jews did destroy many books of the Old Testament " that' 
 the New might not seem to agree with it as it should." What confidence, then, am 
 Catholics or Protestants have in these half-destroyed, corrupted, mutilated Hebrew ' 
 liianuscripts ? The oldest copies of the Old Testament, whether Hebrew or Greek, ' 
 vrhich the English translators could procure, disagree with each other in many — Very' 
 many places ; so much so, that it was impossible for them to decide which was oor- 
 rect. Indeed so much corruption in the old manuscript copies was calculated to 
 tiirow a mist of darkness and uncertainty over the whole of them. One of the ata- 
 oient writers, Jerome, in his commentiiries upon the prophets, complains of the cor- 
 ruption of his manuscript Greek copies. Bellarmine testifies that the Greek copies ' 
 of the Old Testament are so corrupted, that they seem to make a new translation, 
 qliite' different from the translations of other copies. All, therefore, is uncer'tainty-as 
 tbihe Hebrew and Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament; they can be proVed to 
 be changed, added unto, and corrupted in almost every text. 
 
 46.— It is abundantly proved by various learned writers, that the Greek copies of 
 the New Testainent are awfully corrupted in almost every text. Mr. Cressy write* ' 
 in these words, « In my hearing, Bishop Usher professed, that whereas he had of 
 many years before a desire to pubUsh the New Testament in Gi-eek, with various 
 Idctions and annotations : and for that purpose had used great diligence, and speiiti ' 
 
 * Brett's Dessertation fn Bishop Watson's Colliect., voliui.p, 6, J Bontrerins, TornieUlUi 
 
THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 47 
 
 much money to furnish himself with manuscripts : yet, in conclusion, he ^as forced to 
 ■desist utterly, lest, if he should ingeniously have noted all the several "differences of 
 reading which himself had collected, the incredible multitude of them almost in every 
 verse, should rather have made men atheistical, than satisfy them in the true reading 
 of anj particular passage."* Let those who take the Bible for theur only guide think 
 ■of this. If the few manuscripts procured by Bishop Usher, contams in ahnost every 
 verse " an incredible multitude of different readings," what groimds have Protes- 
 ■tants for confidence in one of these ireadings more than in another ? Out of a thou- 
 sand different manuscripts, differing in almost every text, who can select the true one ? 
 Indeed, there would be almost an infinite improbability as to any one copy being true. 
 Now, it was from such a mass of contradictory Greek manuscripts that the English 
 New Testament was translated. 
 
 47. — But to say nothing of the incredible multitude of different readings in the 
 Greek manuscripts themselves, the translators from these old mannscripts are liable 
 to commit many errors, as is evident from the vast number of very different trans- 
 lations which have been made. There is no two translations that agree. This then 
 is another prolific source of error which is calculated to throw still greater uncertainty 
 ovei- the present copie?of the scriptures. 
 
 48. — ^What shall we say then, concerning the Bible's being a sufficient guide ? Can 
 we rely upon it in its present known coiTupted state, as bemg a faithful record of 
 God's word ? We all know that but a few of the inspired writings have descended 
 to our times, which few quote the names of some twenty other books which are lost, 
 and it is quite certain that there were many other inspired books that even the names 
 have not reached us.t What few have come down to our day, have been mutilated, 
 changed, and corrupted, in such a shameful manner that no two manuscripts agree. 
 Verses and even whole chapters have been added by unknown persons ; and even we 
 •do not know the authors of some whole books ; and we are not certain that all those 
 which we do know, were wrote by inspiration. Add all this imperfection to the un- 
 <!e(rtainty of the translation, and who, in his right mind, could, for one moment, sup- 
 pose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect guide ? Who knows that even one 
 •verse of the whole Bible has escaped pollution, so as to convey the same sense now 
 that it did in the original ? Who knows how many important doctrines and ordinances 
 necessary to salvation may be buried in oblivion in some of the lost books ? Who 
 knows that even the ordinances and doctrine that seem to be set forth in the present 
 English Bible, are anything like the original ? The Catholics and Protestants do not 
 know, because tradition is too imperfect to give this knowledge. There can be no 
 certainty as to the contents of the inspired writings until God shall inspire some one 
 to re-write all those books over again, as he did Esdras in ancient times. There is 
 no possible means of arriving at certainty in any other way. No reflecting man can 
 dehy the necessity of such a new revelation. 
 
 49. — We now apjpeal to the honesty, good sense, and learning of all good moral 
 men, to testify their convictions in regard to the insufficiency of their rules of faith. 
 Is there a man among you who has candidly examined the present confused, divided, 
 distracted state of all Christendom, who is not thoroughly convinced that something 
 is radically -wrong ? Many of you, no doubt, have, in your serious reflecting moments, 
 looked upon the bewildered, blind, cold, formal, powerless systems of rdig^on with 
 which you were surrounded with feelings of sorrow and disgust. You have -wished 
 to know the truth, but alas, wherever you have turned your investigations, darkness 
 and uncertainty have stared you in the face. The voices of several hundred jarring, 
 contending, soul-sickening sects, were constantly soun^ng in your ears ; each one pro- • 
 fessing to be built upon the Bible, and yet each one differing from all the rest. Under ' 
 this confused state of thitigs, you have peradvehture, involuntarily exclaimed ; can 
 the Bible be the word of God ! Would God reveal a system of religion expressed in 
 such indefinite terms that a thousand different religions should grow out of it ? Has 
 God revealed the great system of salvation in^such vague uncertain language on pur- 
 pose to delight himself -with the quai-rels and contentions of Iiis creatures in lelatioB 
 
 * Exomol. tia. «. Nu. 3. 
 { Esdtas 'speaks of a great' numbeT of bbdks which we have not got. 
 
48 THE BIBLE ALONE AN INSUFFICIENT GUIDE. 
 
 to it ? "Would God think so much of fallen men, that ite would give his only begot- 
 ten Son to die for them, and then reveal his doctrine to them in language altogether 
 ambiguous and uncertain ? Such questions, doubtlessi have passed through the mind 
 of many a religiously-inclined person. Millions have been sensible of the midnight 
 darkness, but have not knov^n the true cause ; they have acknowledged that ihey 
 could not understand a very great proportion of the Bible, yet they have believed it to 
 be the word of God ; they have wondered that the Bible should be their only rule of 
 faith, and yet so few be able to understand it alike. Many seeing the contradictions, 
 the vagueness, and the uncertainty of all modern religions, professing to have eme- 
 nated from the same God, have been so disgusted that they have renounced the Bible 
 aB a fable invented by priestcraft ; others, fearing to do this, have pored over whole 
 libraries of uninspired commentaries, seeking after the true meaning of that which 
 they believe God has revealed ; and at last, finding the learned commentators as widely 
 disagreed as the sects themselves, they have concluded that the Bible is a great mys- 
 tery and that God did not intend to have it understood when he revealed it. Others, 
 still, having a little more perseverance, and believing that God would not send a re- 
 velation which he did not wish the people to understand, have with great diligence 
 collected vast numbers of the most ancient Greek and Hebrew manuscripts of the sa- 
 cred books, but here they find themselves utterly confounded : these ancient manu- 
 scripts, which they had hopes would reveal the truth, are perverted and corrupted in 
 almost every text, so that they find " an incredible number of different readings " oa 
 every page and almost every sentence. From this heterogeneous mass of contradic- 
 tory manuscripts they give an English translation, and call it the Bible ; thus leaving 
 millions to guess out the true meaning and quarrel, and contend with each other be- 
 cause they do not guess alike. 
 
 60. — The true cause of all the divisions which distract modern Christendom is the 
 want of inspired apostles and prophets : they, through wickedness and apostacy, lost 
 the key of revelation some seventeen centuries ago, since which time they have been 
 altogether unable to open the door of knowledge. Satan has taken the advantage of 
 their dark and benighted condition, and robbed the world of a great number of 
 sacred books, corrupting those few that remained to such a degree, that he has got 
 the whole of Christendom quaiTelling about their true meaning. This pleases him : 
 he cares not how much they contend and fight about religion as long as he knows that 
 their religion is false : neither does he care how much they are united about reUgion, 
 as long as he knows that it is not of the right kind. He can tolerate, and, indeed, 
 help his reverend ministers to promulgate all kinds of religion, except that which has 
 true revelators and prophets in it : no other kind of religion displeases him. But for 
 a prophet or revelator to establish a religion on the earth, is more than he can quietly 
 put up with ; it strikes a death blow to all that he has been doing since the great 
 apostaicy. He is exceedingly frightened, lest some of the old lost books of the ancient 
 prophets and apostles should be again revealed. He is also raving mad, lest the books 
 of the Old and New Testaments should be revealed again anew in their pvirity as at 
 first — ^lest every point of Christ's doctrine should be again revealed in such plain, 
 definite, and positive language, that no two persons could possibly disagree upon it. 
 This would be exceedingly dangerous to his kingdom; no wonder then, that he should 
 be full of wrath ! But the sincere, honest, humble seeker after truth, must have the 
 privilege of finding it, and that too, in the greatest of plainness, before the over- 
 throw of all nations, that they, by embracing it, may escape the judgments of great 
 Babylon. Yes ! the day is come and the time is at hand when all nations are to hear 
 the word of the Lord by the mouth of his chosen apostles and prophets to whom he 
 hath restored the key of revelation for the last time, and for the dispensation of the 
 fulness of times, that all things may be prepared and sealed unto the end of all things, 
 against the day of rest for the meek of the earth. 
 
 15, Wilton Street, Liverpool, December Isi, ISfiO. 
 
 B, JAUES, rBINIEB, 39, SOVIB 0A3TLB SIBEET, LITEBFOOI^ 
 
|No.4. 
 
 DIVINE AUTHENTICITF 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE or THB TWELTE APOSTLES OP THE CHUBCH OF JESrS CHRIST OP LA.TTEB-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 EVIDENCES OF THE BOOK OP MOKMON AND BIBLE COMPARED; 
 
 1. — The Book of Mormon claims to be the sacred history of ancient America, 
 written by a succession of ancient prophets, who inhabited that vast continent. The 
 plates of gold, containing this history, were discovered by a young man, named Jo- 
 seph Smith, through the ministry of a holy angel, on the evening and morning of 
 the 21st and 22nd of September, a.d. 1823. Pour years after their discovCTy, or on 
 the morning of the 22nd of September, a.d. 1827, the angel of the Lord permitted 
 Mr. Smith to take these sacrea records from the place of their deposit. The hill in 
 which they were found buried, is situated in the town of Manchester, Ontario county, 
 State of New York. With the plates were also found a Urim and Thummim. Each 
 plate was not far from seven by eight inches in width and length, being not quite as 
 thick as common tin. Each was filled on both sides with engraved Egyptian charac- 
 ters; and the whole were bound together in a volume, as the leaves of a Ijook, and 
 fastened at one edge with thi'ee rings running through each. This volume was 
 something near six inches in thickness, a pai-t of which was sealed. The characters 
 or letters upon the unsealed part were small and beautifully engraved. Mr. Smith, 
 through the aid of the Urim and Thunimim,«,nd by the gift and power of God, trans- 
 lated this record into the English language. This translation contains about the same 
 amount of reading as the Old Testament. A lai-ge edition of this wonderful book 
 was first published early in 1830.* 
 
 2. — It may be asked, what further evidence have we that Mr. Smith saw the 
 aJigel ? Does the truth or falsity of the Book of Mormon depend upon his testimony 
 alone ? May not Mr. Smith be an impostor ? These are questions, not only reason- 
 able, but of the greatest' importance. It certainly does not seem reasonable to many 
 that in sending a message which is to affect the temporal and eternal welfare of all 
 Ike- present generation, God would give but one witness only. , When God sent a 
 prophetic message concerning the flood, he must have revealed the truth of it, not 
 only to Noah, but to his three sons; for, they all seem to have laboured together in 
 building. the ark; this they would not have done unless they had been fully assumed 
 that the message was from God. If, then, it be assumed that Noah's three sons were 
 witnesses, as well as himself, and that their united testimony was given by which the 
 whole world was condemned and overthrown, may we not expect that a message 
 which is to prove, if rejected, the overthrow of the present generation, will come to 
 us, confirmed by, at least, as many witnesses as there were of the flood? The Saviour 
 himself testifies Aat, " As it was. in the days of Noah, so shall it also be in the days of 
 the coming of the Son of Man." If God sent four witnesses in the days of Noah,, the 
 preparatory message for the day of burning, or for the coming of the Son of Man, 
 may also have the same number. Although the Saviour has said, that " in the 
 mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established," yet that] does not 
 prohibit him' fi'om sending more if it be necessary. 
 
 3.— That the world might have no excuse for rejecting the Book of Mormon, the 
 Lord did, before he sent it to them, raise up three other witnesses besides Mr. Smith, 
 
 * For further information respecting the ministry of the angelj and the finding and 
 translating the records, the reader is referred to my pamphlet, entitled "Kemarkable 
 Tisions." " ' ;■ 
 
 D 
 
50 EVIDENCES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AND BIBLE COMPARED. 
 
 namely, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris. These three men in 
 company with Mr. Smith testify that, in answer to their prayers in the year 1829; 
 they saw an angel of God, descend from heaven, clothed with glory, and that he 
 took the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, and exhibited them 
 hefore their eyes, so that they saw them distinctly, and'also the engravings upon them ; 
 and they further testify, that while the angel was thus showing them the plates, they 
 heard the voice of the Lord out of the heavens, declaring that they had been translated 
 correctly; and they further declare that the voice of the Lord fcommandfed them to 
 lend forth then- testimony, of what they had seen and heard, unto all nations, kind- 
 reds, tongues, and people. In obedience to this heavenly command they have sent 
 forth their written testimony, connected vnth the Book of Mormon, for the benefit of 
 all the world. 
 
 4. — ^No reasonable person will say that these four persons were themselves deceived ; 
 the nature of their testimony is such that they must either be bold, daringimpostors, 
 <» else the Book of Mormon is true. They testify that they saw the angel descend — 
 they heard his voice — ^they saw the plates in his hand — they saw the engravings upon 
 them as the angel turned them over, leaf after leaf — at the same time they heard tfte 
 voice of the Lord out of the heavens. What greater evidence could they have ? they 
 colild have had nothing that would have given them greater assurance. If they were 
 deceived, then there is no certainty in anything. If these four men could be deceived 
 in seeing an angel descend from heaven, on the same grounds the Apostles may haVe 
 been deceived in seeing the Saviour ascend up to heaven. These men must have had 
 as much assurance of what they saw and heard and handled, as they had of the exis- 
 tence of any external thing. And having the most perfect knowledge of the truth of 
 tihe Book of Mormon, they were fully prepared to bear a bold, tnftquiTOcaly'fealleBS 
 
 'testimony to all nations. 
 
 6. — Is there not a possibility that these four witnesses are all vncked impo9t0(rs,"frho 
 have colleagued together to deceive mankind? We answer that thete wouldbe'a 
 possibility if there were no other evidences to confirm their testimony. But when we 
 
 ' take into consideration the boldness of their testimony^ and the circumstances con- 
 nected with it, there is no probability that they were vnckei men. Is it probable 
 •that four men who were, for the most of their days, strangers to each "*ther, residing 
 in three or four Afferent counties, should all combine together to testify that they had 
 seen an angel and heard his voice, and also the voice of 'God, bearing testhnony' to 
 the truth of the Book of Mormon, when no such thing had happened? There of 
 'liiese witnesses, namely, Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, .and David' Whitmer were 
 young men, from twenty to twenty-five years of age; they were men who had been 
 ^accustomed from their childhood to the peaceful avocations of a farmer'^ life. Un- 
 a<2([uainted with the deception^ which are more or less practiced in large t6vrns and 
 crties, they possessed the open honesty and ^mplicity so generally characteristic (>f 
 country people. Is.it, in the least degree,, ^robahle that men so young and inespe- 
 lienced, . accustomed to a country life, and unacquainted with the World 'at targe, 
 would be so utterly abandoned by every thing that was good, so perfectly reckless as'to 
 their own future welfare, so heaven-daring and blasphemous, as to testify to all nations 
 that which, if false, would for ever seal their damnation? We haveTead of indi^doal 
 impostors, like Mahomet, who have testified to the ministeiing of , angels, and have' de- 
 ceived many ; but where have we ever heard of four 'impostors, "all agreed' in com- 
 bining together, to originate an imposition, and afterwards to send' forth thor uilited 
 testimony to deceive all the nations of the earth ? 'In the history of the various false 
 dirists and false prophets who have appeared among men, we find, as a gerfefal 
 thing, that each one originated his own system of imposition, and then offered it' to 
 the world on his own testimony alone; but not so vnth the Bo6k of Mormon, it"was 
 first confirmed by angels and the voice of the Lord to four tottnessAS, "before it^Wte 
 suffered to be printed and offered to the world with authority. 'We are well awase 
 thatthere have been hundreds of impositions offered to the \fCJeld y aAd it is often the 
 case that hundreds of impostors advocate a particular system, ptetfe'tfdihg' that'^Cy 
 know it ' to he t^e ; but< then, $f >such isystsm be^raieed back to ' its ^erigin, it ' w31 be 
 
 '-''feand that it'ii6t'only-'Orig'ina;ted!With'one'manvibuti4vas-'fk'st''bfferedi6Jt^e'virOrld (»n 
 his testimony alone. We do not«ay but that the Lord may sometimes send-cmlyidMe 
 
MriBENOES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AMD BIBIA COUPJUtED. 51 
 
 4vi(WM<jto bear testimony of 'the triith; at examples; Lot was .^e ;X>nIy one«nt.%> 
 <wani his. kinsmen in Sodom ; Jonah alone was sait to iNinevah ; and John the fiui- 
 tist seems to have been the. only one sent to warn the Jews and prepare ^he way.Mr 
 'OUT Saviour's first coming. It is evident .then, thatlhe truth or fabity of a messagpe 
 .does not depend upon the number of its wifeaesses. It .may.;be true, though- there w 
 only one witness, and there is a still greater probability of its truth where there aoe 
 :8eT»al witnesses. The greater the number of witnesses, the less the liability ;of 
 deception, especially when we consider iths^t most impositions have been .oiigitiatcd 
 'and offered to the world on the testimony .of only one man. We are not.aware that 
 there ever were three, or four, or five impostors who originated an impoffltion,'.and 
 -succeeded in palming it upon the world as a message from God. Such a thing migbt 
 barely be possible, but such a thing would be highly improbable. 
 
 6. — If we compare the abstract testimony of these four witnesses, with the abstract 
 -testimonies of the servants of God in former ages; that is, if the testimonies alone> 
 independent of miracles and all other evidences be compared,.we shall Jiave, in many 
 xespects, greater reasons for believing these four of modem. times, than we have for 
 believing those of ancient times. E\)r example : who were witnesses of Christ's trans- 
 -jiguration on the mount at the time Moses and Elias appeared ? We are informed 
 ihat Peter, James, and John were witnesses. But how do. we know? Neither of 
 Uiem have handed down their written testimony to that effect. Peter alone testifies 
 -ofthe voice that he and others heard from heaven when they were with. Christ "in 
 the holy mount." (2 Peteri. 18.) But neither Peter, James, nor John, have told 
 lis aikytning about the transfiguration, or about the appearance of Moses and Elias. 
 >3fatthew, Mark, and Luke give us a second-handed testimony to that effect. Bat 
 tiiese three, not being present at the transfiguration, could not testify as eye witnesses. 
 .'Oompare, then, the testimony of these three, who did not see the glorious manifea- 
 tations in the mount, with the testimony of the four vtdtnesses to the Book of Moiw 
 imon, who both saw and heard, and you 'will. be compelled to admit that the latter 
 testimoBy is far greater than the former. 
 
 7.— ^As'another example, let us compare the abstract testimony of these four wit- 
 nesses with the abstract testimonies of those who professed to have seen Jesus after 
 ^fais resurrection. How many eye witnesses were there that beheld Jesus after his 
 lesurrection ? We have the written testimony of only four, namely, Matthew, John, 
 Paul, and Peter. There is no doubt but whai all the eleven saw him, though eight 
 out of the eleven have given us no written testimony to that effect. Mark, Luke, 
 James and Jude, the other four. writers of the New Testament, have not told us hi 
 their -writings, whether they saw him after his resurrectioo or not. Several women 
 saw him, but their written testimony has never reached our day. Paul says, that 
 he was seeoj not only by all the apostles, hut by " above five hundred brethren at oneei" 
 «(1 Cor. XV. 6.) But none of those five hundred eyewitnesses have left any written 
 -testimonies of what they saw. Hence, Matthew, John, Paul, and Peter are the oofy 
 j)ersons among the great number that saw him after his resurrection, who have handed 
 dovm to our day their written testimony as eye witnesses. Therefore, when this gen&. 
 aration can establish the writings of these four apostles to be genuine, mieomtptid, 
 and tratislated correctly, they will have the testimony of as many witnesses to estab- 
 lidi the resurrection of Christ, as there was, in the first place, to establish the. Divine 
 Authenticity of the Book of Mormon ; but until then, the witnesses of the Book of 
 Mormon will be, not only equal in number, but superior in certainty to those which 
 •this generation have of Christ's resurrection. Why is it, then, that men vrill believe 
 ifour -witnesses who lived- eighteen centuries ago, and reject the same number of wit- 
 nesses that have lived in thek own day, who testify of things with equally as much 
 -certainty, having both seen and heard? It is because it has become populai^ 
 .tiirough tradition, to believe what their fathers behoved, without at all inquirmg into 
 -the strength of the evidence on which their faith is founded. 
 
 8. — ^Many say that they will not believe in the- Divine Authenticity of the Book-tf 
 
 'JHormon because there is so much evil spoken-against-the four witnesses. Let such 
 
 ersons remember the sayings of oui- Savkrar. " Blessed are they. which, are perse- 
 
 -ciited for righteousness sake ; for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ; 
 
 -when men shall revile you, and persecute yoji, and ^hall say all manner of evil aga" 
 
 P2 
 
^ EVIDENCES OF THE BOOK OF MOEMON AND BIBLE COMPARED. 
 
 'Ton falsely for my sake. Kejoice and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in 
 heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." And agaiii,. 
 Jesns said, "Woe unto you when all men speak well of you; for so did their fathers' 
 to the false prophets." . Again, he said, " Ye shall be hated of all men for my name'fe 
 ■sake." "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall 
 they caU them of his household?" Paul testifies that the saints "were counted the 
 •off-scouring of all things." Did the hatred, the persecutions, the reviUngs, and the 
 *' all manner of evils " which were said against the apostles, invalidate or destroy their 
 -testimony ? no : their testimony was just as true after they were spoken evil of as b&- 
 ibre. Why, then, should any reject the Book of Mormon because the four witnesses 
 iave been persecuted, and all manner of evil said against them ? Is it not a pre- 
 sumptive evidence in faVor, instead of being an evidence against the work ? On the other- 
 ihand, if all men spoke well of these four witnesses, would they not come under the.woe 
 A3£ the Saviour, and would they not be denounced the same as the false prophets wTiom 
 the Jews spoke well of ? Some may say that they believe that the evils spoken against 
 the apostles were false, while the evils spoken against Mr. Smith and the other wifc- 
 jiesses are true. But what evidence have they to believe that the men who accused 
 the apostles of " all manner of evil," -were liars; while those who accuse these lattec- 
 ' day witnesses are men of truth ? Are not the latter-day accusers just as likely to be liars 
 as the former-day ones ? And are not the Latter-day Saints just as liable to be falsely 
 accused as Pormer-day Saints ? Let the accusations be ever so great, or ever so nume- 
 Tous, it does not destroy the tmth of a message now, any mbre than it did anciently. 
 ■ 9. — If we were to admit that the sins and transgressions of Joseph Smith and the • 
 other witnesses, were as great as their enemies falsely assert them to be, (which we do in 
 .no vyise admit), that would not invalidate nor destroy their testimony. When Saul, 
 ■the king of Israel, through transgression, lost the spirit of prophecy, and became » 
 -murderer in his heart, by seeking the life of David, no one will pretend to say that it 
 destroyed or even weakened the testimony that he had formerly ddivered as a pro- 
 phet. When David added the crime of murder to adultery, will any one pretend to^ 
 .say that it invalidated his testimony in relation to the truth of his former prophetic 
 Tvritings? The Lord appeared rmto Solomon tvpice, (1 Kings, xi. 9); .yet even after 
 all that, he fell into transgression and became a most abominable idolator, serving nu- 
 merous gods and goddesses, that were worshipped by the heathen.* Now did this 
 great crime prove that his testimony, about seeing the Lord twice, was false, and not 
 to be depended upon ? Did his wicked idolatry prove that his proverbs and other- 
 , "writings were not inspired of God ? Did Peter's lying, and cursing, and swearing, 
 and denying the Christ, invalidate or destroy.his testimony, concerning the glorious, 
 -voice ie heard in the mount ? If then such abominable and awfully wicked crimes, . 
 committed by ancient prophets and apostles, did not invalidate nor destroy their testi- 
 anonies of what they, during their righteousness, had seen and heard, why should; it 
 he thought that the testimony of the four witnesses of the Book of Monnon could be, 
 in the least, weakened or rendered doubtful by their transgressions and sins?. If 
 -they were, through fear, to lie, and curse, and swear as Peter did, and to deny the 
 JBook of Mormon, as Peter did the Christ, that would not prove their former, testi- 
 -mony was false. If they were to turn away and serve other gods, and commit adul- 
 tery, and murder, as Solomon, David, and Saul did, that would not prove that they 
 '3iad not seen an Angel, and heard the voice of the Lord, confirming to them the truth 
 of the Bookrof Mormon. If such crimes would invalidate their testimony in relation 
 -to the Book of Mormon, hlce crimes would equally invalidate the testimonies of ancient 
 -prophets and apostles in relation to their respective messages. 
 
 10.— No man who has any degree of the Spirit of God in his heart, can read the 
 iistory of Joseph ^mith, as written by himself, without being fully convinced that he 
 was no impostor. His extreme youth' at the time he received his first vision, 
 must have precluded essery idea of deception : and also, the- vision was of such a nature 
 that he could not himself have been deceived. He testifies, that when he was only in ^ 
 Jiis fifteenth year, that his mind was filled with . the deepest anxiety for the salvation 
 <of M? souj ! his attention being called to this subject in consequence of a great religi-^ 
 
 * J Kings, xi. 1—10, 
 
EVIDENCES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AND BIBLE COMPARED. 55^ 
 
 oas exdtement which prevuladin his neighbourhood, and in the surrounding countiyr 
 this excitement existed to a great extent among many religious sects, but more esp»- 
 oally among the Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists. Many contentions existed 
 as to which of the numerous sects were right. Four of his father's family were pro- 
 selyted to the Presbyterian faith. He himself, not knowing: which was right, kepk 
 aloof from all. I will here insert an extract from his history, in his own words : it 
 reads as follows :— 
 
 11. — " So great was the confusion and strife among the different denomination^ 
 that it was impossible for a person, young as I was, and so unacquainted with men ano- 
 things, to come to any certam conclusion who was right, and who was wrong. My 
 mind at different times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult was so great and in- 
 cessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists^ 
 and used all their 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 to establish their own tenets ani 
 disprove all others. 
 
 . '/ In the midst of this war and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself, what is to 
 he 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 labouring under the extreme difficulties, caused by the contests of these 
 parties of religionists, I was one day reading the epistle of James, first chapter and. 
 Sflh verse, wmeh reads, '.' If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth 
 unto all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shajlbe given him.'' Never did any 
 passage of scriptiu'e come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this 
 time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my hearts 
 I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from. 
 God I did ; for how to act I did not know, and unless I cotild get more wisdom than. 
 Xthen had, would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects uit- 
 derstood the same passage so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the- 
 question by an appeal to the Bible. At length I came to the conclusion that I must 
 either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is» 
 a^k of God. , I at, length came to the determination to " ask of God," concluding thafe. 
 if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally and not up- 
 braid, I might venture. So, in accordance with this my determination to ask of God, £ 
 retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful 
 dear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first tima 
 in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never yet. 
 made the attempt to pray vocally. 
 
 "After I had retired into 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 thft 
 desires of my heart to God. I bad scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized, 
 upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such astonishing influenoft 
 over me as to bind my tongue, so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered, 
 around me, and it seemed tome for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction,. 
 But exerting all my powers to call.upon God to deliverme out of the power of this enemy 
 Trhich 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 a marvellous power as I had never- 
 hefore felt in any beingi Just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of lighl. 
 €Kactly over my head, above the brightness of the sim, which descended gradually 
 until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from th*- 
 enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me, I saw two personages^ 
 trhose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. On^. 
 of them spake unto me, calUng me by name, and said (pointing to the other) — ' This. 
 if my beloved son, hear him.' 
 
 I 5' My object in going to enquue of the Lord, was to know which of all the secfa yrtm, 
 light, that I might know Which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession «t. 
 myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the personages who stood above me M 
 the light, which of all the sects -was right (for at this time it had never entered in1» 
 
54 EVID!GafCIBS'O!F7IIE{B0OEOV lUHlMOirAND 8SBLB COUFXRBD. 
 
 nj &eait>1^i all- were wron^^jiand wfiich I Ainild' jbis. I'waa:ansi^«r0iihab I must; 
 jontnone of -them,'fbr theyj^ere-aU wrong, aiAltfaep6rsonage who addressed tae-asidf 
 'l!bMi-eU"thHr creeds-were atfabofainathm in bis tight:} thMii^se professors were 
 alfcfsorrnratjTffaey'draw'niear'to me:'^thilidr'Up9'/but theirhes^ are for frotn me; 
 tbe]rite!L&''fbr dxxitrinertfae'coiniha&diii^nts (xf'men, hiiivingi'a-fctrm of gadlines^'bufr. 
 ilfey denyrthe powfecith^Bfi' HeragSiit forbademe^to join Avithariy of tfaenrj and 
 many other thuigs did he say unto me which I cannot write at thislxme. WbenrX 
 oDae'to'inyadf ig8iri$tl &nlnd myself laying on my backj'looliingt.up intoheav^. 
 Sbme:fiewndti^siaAei:;I bad this: visionyl^appened to be in-compdnywithone of the 
 M£{hodist preaidiers'^o'was VeiT'' active in thebefore^oneniioned regions, excitement^ 
 and donverstng withhim-on: the sabjectj of rdigton^ I todc occasiooi to give him Tin 
 aedDunttifi therriabix wUcb Ihad'had;!. I was^greatfly sra^jiised at his b3lavio<iri;bft' 
 tJ^eatedmy tx>mmtftiicatton7lot'(]inly iigfatly,rbut with ^freatBontempt,-saj5ngiit was aQ 
 of^'the d^vil^ th!attUere'Were<fib(stilch things as visions orrevektionsiii these daysr; tbafe 
 aSrsacfa' adags had ceased with tha^jbefJe^ and^thatl^ere never wotdd be any' iiUae 
 of them. I scion found however that my telling the story had excited a grtsat deal^rdlT 
 pD^adicef'3giauii5k3ae'a!inong.'preftssor^i«f ^eligionj alid was the cause 'of 'greait per96« 
 <Mion which continued' ito increase; afid thoi^h I was an obscure boy^only betweai' 
 fourteen and fifteen year$' of. a^«/ aiid my circumstances in life' sttch' as to mitke a hajf 
 of no- consequence & the worlds yet meti of highstaittdingi wonldtake.'BOtice sul^iei:^ 
 tdiexcite thk'pnbliamind againbt me, aUd create a hot persecution, and this was ccAno^ 
 nitni'3m6Dg^aB.<:ifilietse<Jts: all ttilited to persedute me. It has often' causeJdme seridtS' 
 reflscfidn both' the'n/aiid'^ince,'hdw'Vety tstrange it' was that sbi'obanire boy of a littte 
 avefjfeia:H;eeu ^ears of age, and one too, who was doomedto the necessity of obtadoia' 
 ingta^scantyimidntenance by his daily labCnir,' should hfe'thtftight a character of si^j^ 
 <aait:inipdrt:Dicb to attract'the atteiitidn of -the great ones of the most poptdiec .sects 
 of 'ttb tbt^ so as to create in 'them aispirit of the hottest persecution and r^vSiiigw 
 Butistrai^^ oriiot, so it; w3^ aid was ttftsn caute of great sorrow tbmyself. Hoi*-* 
 ever itii^as-nevertheless a fdctibat Iihad had a visibh; I have thought sinc^'diati.'I 
 fdltmufch libe Paul when faeatade hii dtfend^ beforfe'ldng A^ippaj and rented tibs 
 acdoont'of the vision he had when he • daw a Kght and heard a vdicfe,' butstili thcM 
 iRnrebutifetr who believed him; some said he was dishonesty otiiers said he was i^ai^ 
 and'iife wisiiidicaled and reviled; but all fhis did not desitov the reality' of his visicoii 
 ^,ha9 seeri a vision/ he knew he had, and all 4Jie persecuti^ under heaveh could not 
 niake -it otherwise; and thoiigh tfa^ should persecute him 'unto deatdij yet'he kneW 
 and would kiiow udto his latent brektfaj that he had both seen a i%ht and heard Xj 
 ■fti^^sgeekiag to hltn, and all the world botild not make him believe otherwise. — 8tti 
 it was vrith me, I had actually seen a light, and in theinidstof that light I saw t^no 
 p^rsonage^- aiid they ^d in reality speak onto me, or one of tbiem did ; and though' Z 
 trofc hated and |)eFsecuted forsiying th&£ I had seen a vision, yet it was true; aisi.' 
 lAiile tfaeywerei perseeutmg aie; reviling- me, and speatking all maniier of evil agai^ai/ 
 me ftJsely for so saying, I v«is 1^ tosay inmy hesirtj T^y perseetUie for tdUng tto' 
 larntii? I have dctuallysefen a visiorij arid ' who am I that I fcan witJistand God ?*■ w 
 vl^ does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen ? for I had s^ai 
 K?vision 5 I knew it, and' I knew liiat' God knew it; and I eouM not deny it, ndthB^ 
 djtreI>3o'it; at least I knewtba* by so domg I would «tfend God and come under 
 condemnation. I had now got my mindi satisfidd^ so f^ as the sectarian world ■mif 
 otmcerifed, that it was not my duty to join with amy of theii% but continue as 1 wto 
 nbfilifiirther direeted."* 
 
 l8j.^NbW we candidly ask our redda-s if thejr can bdlevej that a boy under fiftetU! 
 jerf^s Of "igej would relate the foregoing vision to a Metiiodkt minister and to hlsdldi 
 aidqtMitrtaiices on purpbse to brin^ dtfwn upon himself derision &nd scorn. 'Weidd Ii8> 
 Mtiwiue'y^ar after yea?/ to affirtu tblat he had se^n a great and glovicyus vision^ unless 
 l)ili'li^-ti^y'geen ones?' Would he-be so fotid iif hdng^ha^iperse^ut^dj and riditni!^j|> 
 ^t he would continue to testify to a heaven-daring falsehoodjOii purpose to get i)hfe Ctrit*^ 
 ^sifitiad ill tvUl bf dttibst levetiy one thi^ knbw him? Where Ist&ere a^htcumsiMtiO 
 W^t»^ia t!h6 amtaalisof hitotry of a youtbof foutiteeniu]iii&]^anidl|i<iSt6^, dMai^^ 
 
 * milS6ij of loHnAi StUithv MUllehitUl Stltr^ Vel, Bi/ Nb; »,pi2U 
 
BVIDBKOBS OF THE BOOK QF MOSHOM AND BI8LB COUPABED. 55: 
 
 tlut'be Iiad seen the Lord and heard hii Toice, and contintQng to affirm the same all 
 the dayS'oE his life, in the midst of the most distressing, scenes of persecution, and ' 
 finally, sealing his testimony -with; his blood ? Such an instance cannot be found. If: 
 tluBi obscure country youth were an imptotorjis it not very strange that none of the 
 vise men of the age are able to detect the least error in his doctrine ? A wicked 
 corrupt impostor of fourteen years of age, must be the wonder of the world, if he could 
 be^in to originate, at that early period of his life, a religious deception that could no£ - 
 iu its, progress, be deteeted,,but that would continue, year after year, to deceive its tens. 
 o£ il^usands. If he was ^cere, then the Book of Mormon is a divine revelation,, 
 and. this church must; be "the only true and living church /)f, Christ upon the face of 
 the whole earth," and there is no salvation in any other. This is an immense conclui- 
 sion, but.we can come to no other, the moment we admit his sincerity. There&re the 
 world are driven to the necessity of, depouncjng this obscure ilUtecate country youth«> 
 as 'the most vile, base,- arch'-deceiver that ever disgraced the earth, or of admittmg 
 diat he was one.of the greatest prophets, with the exception of the Saviour, that ever 
 Sv«d among men. 
 
 13. — But in. order to prove that the four witnesses of the Book of Mormon are all 
 impostors, it will be necessary to prove that they did not see and hear an angel — thai;, 
 they did not see the . plates m the angel's hand — that they did not hear the voice of 
 the Lord, declaring that they were translated correctly.. All reasonable men will ad- 
 mit that it is impossible for any negative testimony to he found to prove directly that; 
 God did not send his angel to reveal and confirm the truth of the Book of Mormon ; 
 and as there is no direct evidence to negative their testimony, and prove them impos- 
 tors, therefore if it be possible to prove them such,, it can only be done by some indi-. 
 reel evidence, erasing urom>thB circumstances of the case, or from the nature of the 
 message itself, aabeing contradictory to some known truth. 
 
 14.1 — Let us enquire^ first, if there be any thing connected with the circumstances 
 that renders their testimony doubtful or improbable. Is it improbable that an angel 
 should be sent again to our earth ? We see no improbability that such an event 
 should happen. It., certainly is not an unscriptural doctrine for angels to appear. 
 Angels. appeared to Abraham and took dinner. with him ; an angel appeared to Jacob 
 and wrestled. with him all night; angels appeared to Lot, and lodged with him; an- 
 gels appeared, to Moses — to Joshua^-to Manoah — to Gideon — to David — to Daniel — 
 to Zechariah^-to Joseph, tbe husband of. Mary — to the shepherds by. nights to the 
 ii|)ostles — to. Philip^to Paul^to Cornelius, and finally, Paul says, that they are " all 
 ministering spirits sent 'forth, to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." 
 The apostles exhorted the saints not to be forgetful to entertain strangers, for some, 
 ut. so doing, " had entertained angels unawares." There is nothing in the scrip- 
 tures which indicates that angels will cease to appear among men ; therefore, there 
 is nothing in the circumstances of the appearance of the angd to those four witnessQSr 
 that is unseriptural. And there certainly is nothing unreasonable in an angel's being;, 
 sent in our. day. If it was reasonable for God to send an angel to announce the 
 birth of John the Baptist, to prepare the way for the first advent, why should itba 
 t}iought. unreasonable for Him to send angels to announce the great preparatory mes- 
 sage for. theisecond advent ? Hence, the testimony of these four witnesses, concern- 
 ing the appearing of an sngd,- is neither unseriptural nor unreasonable. Therefore, 
 tiie event, itself, and the drcuinstances. connected with it, are such as da not, in the 
 least, weaken, the testimony, or render it doubtful, or improbable. 
 
 15. — ^Let i us enquire next, if- there be anything, connected with the nature ot 
 the message, that is contradictory to any known truth ? This can be easily ascer- 
 tained by a careful examination en the h&torical, prophetical, and doctrinal parts of 
 the Book of Mormon, and by a faithful comparison of the same with the historical, 
 prophetical^ and doctrinal truths which axe already known. If^ i&er this examinaH 
 tioa and compasison, we find irreconcihibls and, palpable contradictions, we shoidd 
 then know the four witnesses to be false in theii testimony, and unworthy of credit.- 
 !&it if, on the other hand, we find no disagreement^ nor contradictions to any known 
 truths — if we find every part of , the book hamoniang with every other partse-if ^ we 
 find notlung. absurd, unseriptural, nor unnasonable,"— then we have no authoci^ 
 whatever for condemning- the witnesses as impostors. 
 
56 EVIDENCES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AND BIBLE COMPARED. 
 
 ■ 16. — If the historical parts of the Book of Mormon he compared with what little 
 is known from other sources, eoncerninff the history of ancient America, there wiU be 
 found much evidence to substantiate i& truth ; but there cannot be found one truth 
 among all the gleanings of antiquity that ; clashes with the historical truths of the 
 Book of Mormon. 
 
 17. — If the prophetical part of this wonderful book be compared with the prophe- 
 tical declarations of the Bible, there will be found much evidence in the latter to esta- 
 blish the truth of the former. But though there are many predictions in the Book 
 of Mormon, relating to the great events of the last days, which the Bible gives us no 
 iiiformation about, yet there is nothing in the predictions of the Bible ^at contradicts 
 in the least, the predictions in the Book of Mormon. 
 
 18. — If the doctrinal part of the Book of Mormon be compared with the doctrines 
 of the Bible, there will be found the same perfect harmony which we find on the com- 
 parison of the prophetical parts of the two books. Although there are many points of 
 the doctrine of Christ that are far more plain and definite in the Book of Mormon 
 than ill the Bible, and many things revealed in relation to doctrine that never could 
 be fully learned from the Bible, yet there are not any items of doctrine in the two 
 sacred books that contradict each other, or clash in the least. 
 
 19. — If the various books which enter into the collection, called the Book of Mor- 
 mon, be carefully compared with each other, there will be found nothing contradic- 
 tory;in history, in prophecy, or in doctrine. 
 
 . 20. — If the.miracles of thfe Book of Mormon be compared with the miracles of the 
 Bible, there cannot be found in the former any thing that would be more difficult to 
 believe, than what we find in the latter. 
 
 21. — If we compare the historical, prophetical, and doctrinal parts of the Book of 
 Mormon, with the great truths of science and nature, we find no contradictions — no 
 absurdities — nothing unreasonable. ' The most perfect harmony, therefore exists be- 
 tween the great truths revealed inthe Book of Mormon, and all other known truths, 
 whether religious, historical, or scientific. 
 
 ■ 22. — Here, then, we have this great message of the last days, confirmed at the very, 
 outset, by the ministry of an angel to four witnesses. These witnesses have neither 
 of them denied the bold and fearless, though humble testimony which they have sent 
 forth to all nations. No man living can prove that an angel did not appear to them. 
 There is nothing in the nature of the event itself, nor in any of the circumstances con- 
 nected with it, that would render it absurd, unscriptural, unreasonable, or improbable. 
 There is nothing inthe historical, prophetical, or doctrinal parts of the message that 
 contradicts each other, or any known truth throughout the wide field of scientific or 
 religious knowledge. Therefore, no man living has the least authority for condemn- 
 ing these witnesses as impostors. Indeed, there cannot be brought the least shadow 
 tif evidence, either direct or indirect, to proye that their testimony, concerning the 
 angel, is false. Therefore, as their testimony cannot be proved false, the Book of 
 Mormon stands upon a foundation as firm as the rock of ages, and as secure as the 
 
 . throne of the Almighty. Though wicked men may invent all manner of falsehoods 
 against the saints, and agamst the chosen witnesses of the Lord — though they may 
 slander, revile, and persecute them, and drive them from city to city, destroying pro- 
 perty, and murdering men, women, and children — ^though they may without the least 
 provocation, murder this, great prophet of the last dispensation, and drive tens of 
 thousands of the church into the wUdemess, far from the abodes of what they call 
 civilized life ; — yet they will learn that all such arguments are vain and futile, when 
 met by stubborn facts^ — they will learn that such arguments are powerless when they 
 hear the voice of witnesses, saying, we have seen — we have heaird — we have handled^ 
 and we know of a surety. All men among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people^ 
 are required under the penalty of eternal .damnation to believe, receive, and obey the 
 Book of Mormon, unless they can prove the witnesses thereof to he.impostors. And 
 this they cannot do. . ..r ' 
 
 ' 23. — ^It is oftentimes asked, by.our opposers, if the Bible, says anything about ihe 
 Book of Mormon ? If not, say they, we will not believe in it., Now there is nothing 
 more inconsistent than to say we will not believe a hook to be a divine revelation, xan 
 less some other inspired book has spoken of it. How did Jeremiah prove to the Jews 
 
EVIDENCES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AND BIBLE COMPARED. 57 
 
 that his book was true ? Did any other inspired book speak of the writings which Jere- 
 miah should receive ? No : Jeremiah's book was not mentioned by any of the former 
 prophets. Does any former book speak of the five books of Moses? Does any former 
 book say any thing about the book of Ezekiel — the book of Amos — the book of Joel 
 — ^the book of Zechariah — ^the book of Malachi — the book of Matthew — the book of 
 James or Jude, or the book of John's prophecy ? Those, therefore, who would reject 
 the Book of Mormon, because they supposed that other previously in^ired books had 
 not mentioned it, would, on the same grounds, be obhged to reject every book, both 
 of the Old and New Testaments ; for not one of them can be proved a divine revela- 
 tion by the testimony of any previously written book. If, then, it can be proved by 
 the Bible that such a book as the Book of Mormon was to be revealed in the last 
 days, this would be an additional testimony to its truth, which none of the a&ter in- 
 spured books have. Before we close this series, we shall show that the Bible has pre- 
 dicted that such a book, as the one now revealed, should be sent forth to fulfil the great 
 events of the last days. If the ancient prophets have made such predictions, they 
 must have considered that the niessage in the Book of Mormon was to be of far greats: 
 consequence as to the events and purposes which it should accomplish, than all other 
 ioaks that had preceded it. • If they had not considered it in that light, they would 
 not have mentioned it, and passed by in silence many other sacred books that were to 
 he written. 
 
 , 24. — Have any persons ever seen the plates of the Book of Mormon, besides the four 
 ■witnesses? Yes : there are eight other witnesses, who send forth their printed testi- 
 mony, in conneidon with the Book of Mormon, unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, 
 and people. They testify that they saw and handled the plates, and examined the 
 iengravings upon them, and that they had " the appearance of ancient work and of 
 curious workmanship." They close their testimony with the following words :— 
 "And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we 
 have seen ; and we lie not, God bearing witness of it." Here, then, are twelve mi- 
 nesses of the existence of the plates. Neither of these witnesses have ever denied 
 their testimony to this day. Some of these witnesses have died — some have been 
 martyred for their testimony; and others are still' living. Is there a person on the 
 earth, that can prove that these twelve witnesses did not see the plates ? No, there 
 is not. The existence of the plates, filled with engravings, is proved by twelve eye 
 witnesses : while the correctness of their translation is proved by four eye witnesses, 
 not only of the plates, but of the angel. Therefore, the evidences which this genera- 
 tion have of the Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, and of the existence of 
 the plates, are far greater than the evidences which they have for the truth of any of 
 the books of the Bible. Hence, if they would be condemned for rejecting the Bible, 
 how much more will they be condemned for rejecting the Book of Mormon which 
 was confirmed, in its very origfin, by so many witnesses ? 
 
 25 After these plates had been exhibited to a sufficient number of witnesses, they 
 
 were, by the commandment of God, hid up in charge of the heavenly messenger who 
 first revealed them, and who had, from time to time, while they were being translated^ 
 directed Mr. Smith how to preserve them from the hands of his persecutors ; for per- 
 «ecution was so heavy upon him that he had to flee from place to place to preserve 
 his life. A portion of uiese plates were sealed together, and Mr. Smith was forbid- 
 den to break the seal, or to translate them. The Book of Mormon informs us that 
 ithe sealed portion of the plates contains a veiy great and sacred revelation, unfolding 
 -filings from the beginning of the world imto the end thereof, and that it is hereafter 
 to be revealed by the power of Christ. The plates, therefore, will no doubt be kept 
 in charge of the heavenly messenger until the time arrives for the seal to be loosed, 
 and for the remainder to be translated. , . ' 
 
 26.— Many suppose that if they could see the plates, it would at once convinoi» 
 ihem of the, divine origin of this great and marvellous work. But, we ask such, how 
 could they know by barely sedng the plates, whether they were of ancient or modem 
 cbastruction ? How could they tell, by sedmg the engravings upon them, that they 
 were translated correctly? Who, among all the generations of brael after the day» 
 ef Moses, saw the tables of stone on which the laW was engraved ? We answer, th^ 
 the tables of stone were kept in the axk in the " holy of holies," and none but the 
 
5i& EVXDENCSS OF THE S0OK OF MORHOM AND BIBLE COHFAlBJPI. 
 
 high priest had the priviege of going jit there, and he onl;;Dn<;e, arjreac It is-true: 
 that the high priegfecould testify thathe had' seen the tableg,of stone, and the people' 
 codd believe it on his testinwny. When Christ arose fromi^thfi dead, he did not shojv 
 himself openly, hut he appeared to chosen witnesses,, and, jcommaiided; them to hear 
 testimony to all nations. The people, instead of seeing the risen Saviour and l)ecoI^.- 
 ing' eye-witnesses to this g^eat and; fundamental truth, had , to believe it on the testi^i 
 mony of others. So with the plates of the Book.of Mormon, instead of these beiqg 
 sent to every creature in all the^ world, the testimony of choseo, witnesses is. sent. 
 And as every creature in all the world, who would sot believe the chosen eyewitneses 
 of a risen Saviour were to be damned, so every living soul who rejects the testimony 
 of the chosen eye witnesses of the ministry o^ the angel, confirmatory, of the Book of 
 Mormon — will be damned, for thus hath the Lord spoken. 
 
 27. — ^We ask this; generation,' to bring one Uving witness. that has seen even one of 
 die original manuscripts of any of the. books of the Bible. Th^ .cannot do it^ Thene^ 
 is not one solitary original manuscript of any book of the Bible now known among. 
 men; neither has there been' any such manuscript known for very many, centuriesi. 
 Therefore, this generation have twelve eye witnesses of the original of the Book of^ 
 Mormon, whereas they have not even one eye witness of the ori^al of any. book (£ 
 the Bible. Therefore, if rejecting the evidences which we have of the truth of the 
 Bible will bring condemnation, how much greater must be the condemnation of thift 
 generation, if they reject the far greater evidences of the Book of Mqrmon ! Oh- the 
 unbelief and ineonsistenoy;of this generation! How can they escape the sword of jus~ 
 tice which hangs over them ! They are drunken in iniquity, aitd. the spirit of deep> 
 sleep is upon them, and they know not the, day of their visitation ! liike beasts, they 
 wUl' be led to the slaughter, and quickly go down into the pit ! 
 
 28 As there has been no apostolical succession which has continued on the eartlk, 
 
 for the want of new revelation, as wasi proved in.Ifo. 3, of this, serie3„it may be aske^ 
 how was the authority of the priesthood restored to the earth,? We answer, that ib 
 was restored by the ministry of angels. On this subject we make an extract fron^- 
 the history of Joseph Smith, which reads as follows : "We still continued the worle- 
 of translation, when in the.ensuing month, (May, 1829) we," that is, Joseph Smith, 
 and Oliver Cowdery, "on a certain day, w^nt into the woodsito pray and inqju^e; of. 
 the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, as we fcHind mentioqed in ,tfa^ 
 translation of the platest While we were thus employed, praying, and cal^g upoor 
 liie Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in acloud of light, and having kid las 
 bands upon us, he wdainedos, saying unto us, • IJpon you, my fellow servajits, in the 
 name of Messiah, I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the inini- 
 staring of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism' by immer^n foi^ 
 the, remission of aas, and this shall never be tsiken agsdn from the earth, until the 
 sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in,rigliteousness.' He said thia , 
 Aaionic priesthood h&d not the power of laying on of haiaiSs for the gift of the Holy 
 CUiost, but that this, should be conferred on. us hereafter ; and he commanded us tO' 
 gO'a,nd be baptized, and gave us directionB, that I should baptize Oliver Cowdetyi 
 and that afterwards he should, baptize me. 
 
 " Accordingly wo went and were baptized t I baptized ihim first,, and .afterwards ha 
 bapt&ed-me: aAer which I laid^my hands upon -his head and -ordained him to the 
 Aaf^omc priesthood^ and: afterwards he laid his hands upon me, and ordained me ,1ii!t> 
 the same. priesth6o4 fbr so were we commanded. 
 
 "'The messenger who visited us on this occasion, and conferred tldspriesthooeH. 
 itpOB us, said that laS name was John, the same that is caUe-^ -^ohn the Baptist in. the- 
 IBtew Testament, and that! he acted under the direction of Pece., JjimeSi ,and JohOf 
 who held the keys of the priesthood of Melchisedee, which priesthood, he-said, should 
 in- diie time be confsred ob us, and that I should be called.the first eldec and he the 
 second. It waa on the fifteenth day of May, eighteen hundred and twenty-nine, thab 
 we '<vere baptizjedy and ordained, imder the hwd of the- messenger. 
 
 "Immediately upon our eoming up: out of the water after we had been baptize^ 
 'weiexpeHenced gret^ and-glorioi^ 'oWsings from our heavenl-' Father. No soonest 
 baiJ*!. baptized Olirei^ G^wd^ than the Relf Ghost fell upon lihs> and he.stood,u^, 
 and propheaed matiy thing» ^hich should shortly come to pass. And, ag^^ BtK 
 
ETIOBNCE* or THE BOOK OF UORHON AND BIBLS C0MPA3(£I>. 59 
 
 Mon' as 1 httd'been baptized byihim, I also had the spirit of prc^hecy; Whi^fi, -stand- 
 iag tny I prophesied concerning the rise of the CSnirch, and taany other things con-*' 
 nect^a with tke Church, and this- generation of the children of men. We were filled 
 witlt the Holy Ghost, and rejmced in the QoA of ovir salvation. Our minds beifig 
 now enlightened, we began to have the scriptares laid open to our understatidings, 
 and the true meaningof their more mysterious passages revealed unto us, in amanna^ 
 which we never could'attain to previoudy, nor ever before have thought of." * 
 
 2d; — We consider the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood to be among some of 
 the most' important events of the last dispensation^ The existence of this priesthood 
 iii the last days is clearly predicted in ancient scripture: But as this priesthood ha» 
 not! authority* to adnliliister the layingon of hands for llie gift of the Holy Ghost; it 
 umyi be'fbrther asked, how was the authority still iHirther restored, namely, the Apos* 
 tieehip,. which holds the authority-of t^e Meldiisedec priesthood ? We answer, tha6 
 Feter, James, and John appeared as ministering angelsj and coiiferred the Apostle^ 
 ship upon Joseph Smith and others; after which they were- authorized to confirm tha> 
 Ofaurca by the Mng on of hands; Thus it will be seen, that the authority of the 
 a|i>ostle» of this Ohurch of Christ was not derived through a succession of popes and 
 bishops in the apostttte Church of Rome, but it was- restored direct from- heaven by ' 
 those who hold the keys thereof. 
 
 SO.-^It Will be' perceived from the above extract, that after John the Baptist had 
 laid his hands upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Oowdo^^ and ordained them, that he 
 oemmanded them to baptize each other, and then ordain- each other. It may be 
 a&8d,'Why it became necessary fbj: them' to ordain each other, when they had already 
 recdved an ordination under the hands of the angel ? We answer, that in tb& 
 GhMarch of God ordination always follows baptism' instead of preceding it. And as 
 t^tfjr^had not been baptized when the angel ordained -them, it was necessary that they 
 should be ordained- after baifitism, in order that th^ might exhibit a perfect pattern 
 Hc^aU future ordinations. If they had not-been commanded -to do tbi8>'the servants 
 o^-God at a subsequent periAd might have ventured to ordun others bc^re baptislH; 
 and as an excuse for so doing, they woidd havearg^d that Joseph Smith and Oliver 
 Cowdery were ordained before baptism. Hence we can see the -wisdom of God in 
 gl^nDg) at the first start, a perfect pattern, by oommauding them to receive a re- 
 ai^dSn^ion after baptism; thus showing that -the priesthood, after the Chureh waA 
 oiice organized, was never to be conferred upon any uhbaptized person. 
 
 SlJpi-^ohn the Baptist it seems was >th» last person who held the keys of the 
 Aarcmio priesthood, and, therefore,- he wotild be -a suitable person to restore that 
 pcie^hood once more to the earth. In order that John might be qualified to fiilfit 
 ^ihe duties of his mission as the Lord's -mesSengery God reused him with many 
 Wievs^rom the dead after the resurrection of Christ, t It is also well known that 
 {Ucse Who die holding the priesthood will retain the priesthood in the future life, and 
 -ifill be priests after me resurrection. % John, thelreiore, having recdved an immor-- 
 ttdTtrtidy of flesh and bones, and- holding the Aaronic priesthood with the keys- aAd 
 power 'thereof, has come forth from healren as the Lord's messenger^ to restore the 
 pciesthood to the soiis of men — to prepare>the way befbre the Lord when he shall 
 sacldenly come to his temple. 
 
 82. — That John the Baptist's mission did not eIoSe"With his martyrdom is evid^i; 
 
 fmlhe testiibany of -both Isaiah and Malaclii. Both of -these proiphets have spoken 
 John,' and of the mission which he should perform, and the great events oeiineeted 
 \ii4^ it. Isaiah says, " Comfort ye, comfort ye my |>eople, saith- your God. Speak 
 \Cf eomfortahLy'to Jerusalem, and cry imto her, that her wai^fare is accomplished^ that 
 tueriliiquity is pardoned : forshe hatii received of the Lord's hand double foi^all hear 
 4nBJ •■ Tfaer voice of i&ia that criedi in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord^ 
 Bsdce stVaight in the desert a highway fof our God-. Every vaUey shiA be exakedy, 
 qM every mountain and hill sh:^ be made low: and the cr(k>ked shall be macb- 
 Bttoight, and the rough places pUdn, and l^e glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and: 
 
 * Bbtsry of!jo«e|di Stoitb, MiUeaalalStar, TeL mt Kb. 9i p. 148. 
 
 f See Matthew zzvii. 63, £3. Also Doctrine and Covenants, sec. cviii. par. 10. 
 t BeveUitienffv. 9, 10;'alsd^sx. 6; 
 
(iO EVIDENCES OF THE BOOK OF MoRMON AND BIBLE COMPARED. 
 
 all flesh shall see it together : for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." * This 
 prophecy is applied by the evangelists to John, t He was sent forth as a prophet to , 
 prepare the way before the Highest at his first coming, and his voice was heard ia 
 the wilderness to that effect; but. that was only one part of his great mission, for 
 nearly the whole of the above prophecy remains yet to be fulfilled. John's message 
 to Jerusalem was not a proclamation such as above quoted : he did not declare to her 
 that "her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned :" he did not testify 
 to Jerusalem that she had already "received of the Lord's hand double for all her 
 sins." No, the time had not come for such comforting language to be sounded in 
 the ears of the Jews ; a long dispersion and captivity awaited them — distress and 
 trouble for many generations because of their sins. Moreover the mission of John, 
 was to prepare the way of the Lord, not merely for his first coming, but for that 
 coming when ".Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hiU shall be 
 made low ;" when " the crooked shall he made straight, and the rough places plain." 
 The preparation for the Lord's first coming did not accomplish this : the preparation 
 for his second coming will accompUsh it. That the above prophecy had reference to 
 the great and terrible day of the Lord, when he should appear in his glory, is clearly 
 eicpressed in the above quotation : " And the glory of the Lord shall he revealed^ 
 and all Jlesh shall see it together." At his first coming all flesh did not see his 
 glory : at his second coming every eye wiU see him in his glory. John the Baptist, 
 then, being " the voice of one crying in the wilderness," wiU act a conspicuous part 
 in the great preparatory dispensation for the second coming of the Lord — that glo- 
 rious dispensation when a message of comfort shall be sent to the dispersed afflicted 
 Jews : when it shall be said to Jerusalem, that :her:riniquity is pardoned, &c. The 
 greatness and glory of his mission extended to a period when the mountains, hills^ 
 vallies, and rough places were to feel the power of God — ^when a highway was tobe 
 prepared in the desert for our God^-when all flesh ^together was to behold his glory. 
 For this purpose he was sent from heaven in these latter times, clothed with glory 
 said power, holding the keys of a preparatory priesthood for the revelation of Jesus 
 Christ, accompanied by all the powers ofheaven. 
 
 83. — The Lord by the prophet Malachi says, " Behold, I will send my messengers, 
 and he shall prepare the way before me : and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly 
 come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in : behold^ 
 he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? 
 and who shaU stand when he appearefh ? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's 
 soap ; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver : and he shall purify the sons 
 of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer imto the Lord an 
 offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Jiidah and Jerusalem be plea^ 
 sant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years." J The Saviour 
 s^pHes this prediction Concerning the messenger to John the Baptist. § Although 
 John the Baptist is the messenger, yet the great preparatory work which he was to 
 perform was only accomplished in part during his first mission. The preparatory 
 work ascribed to the messenger was to precede the great and glorious second comings 
 After the messenger should prepara the way, then the Lord should suddenly come isa 
 his temple. That this had reference to his glorious appearing in flaming fire is e^ 
 dent from the questions asked, " But who may abide the day of his coming f And 
 mho shall stand when he appeareth ? . When Christ first came, he did not suddenly 
 come to his temple — ^he did not come in such power and glory that the wicked could 
 not abide his coming — he did not consume the wicked so that they could not stand 
 before his appearing. Therefore, John the Baptist did not, in preparing the way for 
 his first coming, complete his mission. He must, in order to fulfil the prophecji' 
 ■make preparations' for his second coming also ; and in order to do this, the pries Aotji 
 which he held must be restored to the earth. This is evident from the fact thatthte 
 sons of Levi are to be piu"ged "as gold and silver, that they may offw rmto i^ 
 Lord an .offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerit' 
 salem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years" 
 When John filled his first mission the sons of Levi were not purged : they did not 
 
 •* Isaiah xl.l — 5. f Lukeiii.4,5,6. John i. 23. X^HbAjuAaiii. I, i, 9, i, § Luke vii. 27. 
 
EVtDENCES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AND BIBLE COMPARED. "61 
 
 offer vmt>&' the Lord an offering in righteousness : the offerings of that priesthood 
 •were not pleasant unto the Lord. But when, he suddenly comes to his temple, as 
 mentioned hy Ezekiel, (xliii, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7,) then all these things will be fulfilled ; but 
 before that. day the priesthood of Levi or of Aaron must be restored to the earth. 
 John the Baptist, who holds that priesthood, is the legal and proper messenger to 
 restore it, and thus he will fulfil and accomplish the great preparatory work assigned 
 him in relation to the second coming of the Lord. 
 
 34. — This messenger, John the Baptist, has already been sent : he descended in a 
 <lond of light and glory ; he conferred the priesthood by his own hands upon the 
 heads of Joseph, Smith and Oliver Cowdery; and thus, after so many generations 
 have passed away in darkness, the sons of men are once more blessed with the privi- 
 lege of being baptized by men holding authority. God requires all nations, kindreds, 
 tongues, and people to repent and be baptized by the authority which he has restored 
 to die earth through the ministry of holy angels, and if they will not do this, " they 
 shall be damned," saith the Lord, " and shall not come into my Father's kingdom 
 •where my Father and I am." , 
 
 35. — The Lord having raised up these chosen witnesses, having conferred upon 
 •fjiem the priesthood^nd having poured out the Holy Ghost upon them, sent them 
 forth to bear testimony. Many believed their testimony, repented, and were im- 
 mersed in water for the i-emission of their sins, and were filled with great joy. And 
 on the sixth of April, a.d. 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was 
 argamzed, according to the commandments of God, at the house of Mr. Whitmer, 
 in Fayette, Seneca County, State of New York, North America. Thus was the 
 Church of Christ once more restored to the earth, holding the keys of authority and 
 power to bind, to loose, and to seal on the earth and in heaven, according to the 
 
 . commandments of God and the revelations of Jesus Christ. Yea, thus saith the 
 Xord, this Church is " the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole 
 €arth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the Church coUec- 
 •tively and not individually ; for I, the Lord, cannot look upon sin with the least de- 
 gree of allowance." * All other churches are unauthorized of God. Their " Articles 
 
 ■ of Religion " — their oreeds-^their Prayer Books — their ordinations — their sacraments 
 — their baptisms — their various forms of worship — their preaching — and their 
 religious assemblies — are all, an abomination in the sight of heaven. There is no 
 remission of sins, nor gilts of the Holy Ghost, nor legality of priesthood, nor autho- 
 rized mimstrations, nor glory, nor salvation among them. There is no vision, nor 
 revelation, nor angel, nor heavenly powers, nor prophet, nor revelator, nor inspiration,. 
 
 . nor voice of God, nor any other communication from the heavenly worlds unto them. 
 The powers of heaven and the knowledge of the true God are not kno-wn among them.. 
 This is the condition of every church throughout all Christendom : they form no part 
 of the church of Christ, nor of the kingdom of God. O what great reason have this 
 generation to be thankful that God has had pity upon them in then* dark, benighted, 
 amd apostate condition— ^that he has sent his angels witii a message of glad tidings — 
 
 . that he has set up his kingdom again on the earth, that salvation may once more be 
 obtained by the fallen sons and daughters of men. 
 
 36. — Having demonstrated the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon, by the 
 testimony of four witnesses in its origin among this generation, let us next enquire 
 whether in the progress of the work, God has raised up any other witnesses of this 
 great and glorious book. . On the eleventh day of April, in the same year that the 
 church was organized, Oliver Cowdery preached the first public discourse at the house 
 of Mr. Whitmer. The saine day, thirteen were baptized. In order that the reader- 
 
 . may have some little understanding of the power of the spirit that was poured out,. 
 
 . and the testimonies given in confirmation of this work, we make the following extract 
 
 , from the history of Joseph Smith. 
 
 , 37. — " During this month of April, I (Joseph Smith) went on a visit to the resi- 
 dency of Mr. Jos.eph Knight, of Colesville, Broom county, N. Y., with whomand 
 his family I had been previously acquainted, and of whose name I have above men- 
 tioned as haying been so kind and thoughtful towards us while translating the Book 
 
 * iDoctrine and Covenants, Section i, par. S, 
 
'62 EVIDBNGBS OF THE BOOK OF MOBMONJUID BIBLE COMPARED. 
 
 ofxMormon. Mr. -Emghtandihb family were Universalists,'but were willing tocea" 
 aon with me upon my relinous views, and were, as usual, friendl; and hospitable. We 
 liflld several meetings in the 'neighbourhood ; we haJdmany friends and some enenaes. 
 Our meetings were well attended, and many began to pray fervantly to Almighty 
 6ad, that.he would:gire them .wisdom to understand the truth. A,mongst thoseiwho 
 attended our.meetings regularly was Newel Knight, son to Joseph il^ight. He'aadl 
 had many serious conversations on the important subject of man's eternal salvation; 
 iweihad'got into the habit of >praying much at our meetings, and Newel had said that 
 be wotdd try and .take up his cross, and pray vocally during meeting ; but when we 
 ^ain met together, he rather excused himself. I tried to prevail upon him,' nuAmg 
 use of the figure, supposing that he should get into a mudhole, would he not Ixy fo 
 lielp himself out ? aiulthatwe were willing now to help him out of the mucUiole. 
 He replied, that provided he had got: into a mudhole through carelessness, he would 
 lather wait and get out himself than have others to help him, and so he would wait 
 until he should get into the woods by himself and there he would pray. Accordingly 
 he deferred praying until next morning, when he retired into the woods, where, accor- 
 divg to his own account afterwards, he made several attempts to pray bat could 
 scarcely do' so, feeling 'that he had not done his duty, but that he should have prayed 
 inithcipresence of others. He began to feel uneasy, and continued to feel worse both 
 in mind and body, until upon reaching his own house, his appearance was such as to 
 alarm his wife very much. He requested her to go and bring me to him. I went 
 and found him sufTering very much in his mind, and >his body acted upon in a very 
 strange manner. His visage and limbs distorted and tvristed in every shape and ap- 
 pearance possible to imagine, and finally, 'he was caught up off the floor of the apart- 
 >ment anditossed about most fearfully. His situation was soon made knovm to his 
 ■neighbours and relatives, and in a short time as many as eight or nine grown persons 
 had. got together to vritness the scene. After he had thus suffered for a time, I suc- 
 •ceeded in getting hold of him by the hand, when almost immediately he sp^e to me, 
 and with very great earnestness requested of me that I should cast the devil out of him, 
 .saying that he knew that he was. in him, and' that he also knew that I could cast him 
 iiout. I replied, " if you know that I can, it shall be done," and then, almost uncon- 
 sciously I rebuked the devil, and commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ to depurt 
 fromhim, when immediately Newel spoke out and said that he saw the devil leave him 
 .and vanish from his sight. This was the first miracle which was done in this church 
 or by any member of it, and it was done not by man nor by the power of man, but it 
 was done by God, and by the power of igodliness : therefore let the honour and the 
 meise, the dominion and the. glory, be ascribed to the Father, Son,>and Holy Spkit, 
 for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 " The scene was now entirely chained, for as soon as the devil had departed from 
 oar friend, his countenance became natwal, his distortions of body ceased, and- almost 
 nnmediately the spirit of the Lord desiiended upon him, and the visions of eternity 
 ■were opened to his view. He afterwards related his experience as follows: — ' I now 
 .'began to feel a moat pleasing. sensation resting upon me, and immediately the vidons 
 •<rf heaven were opened to my view. I felt myself attracted upward, and remained for 
 some tune enwrapt in contemplation, insomuch that I knew not what was going on in 
 .the room. By andby I felt some weight pressing upon my shoulder and the side of 
 my head, which served to recall me to a sense of my situation, and I found that the 
 spirit of the Lord had actually caught me up off the floor, and that my shoulder add 
 head were pressing against the beams.' 
 
 " All this was witnessed by many, to their great astonishment and satisfaction when 
 they saw the devil thus 'cast out, and the power of God and his Holy Spirit thus made 
 manifest. So soon as consciousness returned, his bodily weakness was such that we 
 were obliged to lay him upon his bed and wait upon him for some time. As may be 
 expected, such a scene as this contributed much to make believers of those who wit- 
 nessed it; and finally, the greater part of them became members of the church. 
 
 ".Soon after this occurrence, I returned to Fayette, Seneca county. 
 
 "During the last week in May, the above mentioned Newel Knight came to Tint 
 •WS at Fayette, and was baptized by David Whitmer. 
 
 *' On the first day of J,ajsie> 183.0, we hdd our first coirference as an organized church. 
 
•fimO^tiES 0^ TftB BOOK OF UORMON AMD BIBLE COMPARED, j68 
 
 'Oar numbers wer« about thirty, 'be^des whom many assembled with i}s, who were 
 -Either biliemwor ankious to learn. 
 
 "Having opened by singing and prayer, we partook together of the emblems of the 
 
 '%dfly tod blood of our Lord Jesus Ch'rkt ; y(,e then pnKi^ed to confirm several who 
 
 liad lately been baptized, after which we called^Out aiid ordained several to the various 
 
 ■offices of the priesthood. Much exhortation and iiigtruetion Was given, and theHoljr 
 
 ' Ohost was poured out upon us in a miraculous manner — ^many of our number propfae- 
 
 ^ed, v^hllst others had the heavens opened to their 'view, and were' so overcome tiiat 
 
 'vrehad to lay them'on beds or other convenient places; attuMig the rest was brother 
 
 H'ewel Knight, who had to be p\acei on a bed, being' unable to help himself. By his 
 
 own account of the traitsadion, he could not understand why we should lay him oa 
 
 the bed, as he felt no sensibility of weakness. He felt his heart filled with love, with 
 
 gioty and pleasure unspeakable, and could discern all that was g<wig on in the room ; 
 
 '"Mien, all of a sudden^ a nsion of futurity burst upon him. He sawthere represented 
 
 **he great w&rk, which throiigh my instmmentaUty was yet to be accomplished. 'He 
 
 saM^'heiiven opened, and beheld the Lord JesuS Christ seated on the right hand oftbe 
 
 Majesty on high ; and had it Made ^lain to his understandingthat the time would come 
 
 when he wottld be adiifiitted into- his presence to enjoy his society for ever and ever. 
 
 "When their bodily strength was restored to these breuiren, they shouted ' Hosannahs 
 
 iM God and t.h^ mmb,' and rehearsed the glorious things wmdi they had seen and 
 
 tfelt. Whilst they Were yet in the spirit." * 
 
 38. — It'WiUbeseeri'by the foregoing' extract, that after the organization of the 
 <3hnrch, the Lord Raised up other witnesses to his work. The great miracle that was 
 Wrought, v^ri Newel Knight, and that too, before he became amember of theChurch, 
 ■4tAd in the presence of some 'eight or nine of his neighbours, must have given him -die 
 most perfect knowledge of the truth of the Book of -Mormon ; and it must also have 
 -^edn a eonviiieing testimony to idl who saw him; they must' have seen the difieience 
 between the operation of th^ two powers; for both powers handled him in a most 
 >']iniVacuIouS manner. Under' the operation- of 'the first, he was in the most excrucia- 
 tStig pain ; but the devil being cast out in the name of Jesus Christ, he 'was imme- 
 Itiiately filled With the Holy Spirit and with joy unspfsakable, and was taken up by the 
 Spirit from off the( floor, and was suspended in the presence of the by-standers for 
 sflnietime'l^ith his head pressing against the upper floor. This great manifestation 
 •of ilie power of 'God -in contrast with the power of the evil one, must have given a 
 'kiio'A'ledge to'those who were preseiit, that Joseph Smith was a great prophet-and 
 -'s^er, and' that the Book of Mormon was a divine revelation. For the satisfaction of 
 'the reitder, I vvill' here state that I am intimately acquainted with Newel Knight, and 
 thive hesrdbim'testify many a time to this- great miracle. I also, in the year 1880, 
 '^^ted'Ml:. -Knij^ht's residence in Colesville, and heard not only him, but others- who 
 -eawthis-miraele,- bear their' testimony. Mr. Knight ever proved a faithful member 
 ■of tMs''(3hnrcb until, a'fter wading through many scenes of bloody persecution, he was 
 'Worn out, and qmetlyfell asleep in Jesus. It will also be seen from the foregoing 
 «xtract, t^at at the &rst conference held by this Church, on the 1st of June, 1830, 
 tbat manyothers saw the heavens openfed and beheld the glory of God. Among .the 
 Aiflnber was Newel Knight. « HE SAW HEAVEN OPENED, AND BEHELD 
 THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OP THE 
 MAJESTY ON HIGH." This was not a dream, but a vision, like the vision ©f 
 JStephen,'who on the day of his martyrdom had a similar view. 
 
 '39.— "HenO^ after the'rise of the 'Church, the ''witnesses of the truth of the Book 
 ■afMottnon began to mtaltiply. Now these- persons who saiw the heavens open, could 
 ■Mot theraselves^iavc been deceived. They must be either -wicked impostors, or the 
 ^£Mk of'Mermon' must =be ae'divine record; -for God would BOt open the heavens to 
 confirm a soul-destroying imposition. Can any man prove that Newel Knight did 
 not have a great miracle wrought upon him ? Can«any ane «how that he was not 
 caught up by the Spuit and suspended in the air? Can any one bring any testimony 
 that the eight or nine 'witnesses, who were, at that jtime out of ^tjle' Churchy did not 
 .see this miracle as testified? Can it be proved that those who testify that they saw 
 
 * History of iJoiepb Smitb,-]£UeDoialStar,.'Viol.'iv,iNo,'8. page US. 
 
64 EVIDENCES OF THE BOOK OF MORMON AND BIBLE COMPARED. 
 
 heaven opened are false witnessesj and that they did not see any such thing.? ^I 
 this must be proved or else no man living can be justified in saying that the Book of 
 Mormon is an imposition. ' , ,' 
 
 40.— In the fall of 1830, four of the^eldra-s were sent on a mission to the extrenie 
 ■western frontiers of the United States, a distance of some twelve or fourteen hundred 
 .miles. Having proceeded about four hundred miles, they tarried a few weeks and 
 preached in the northern part of the State of Ohio; many believed and were baptized, 
 : among whom was Sidney Rigdon, a celebrated preacher of the CampbelUte order. 
 .The Spirit of the Lord was again poured oii,t in a most wonderful manner, and the 
 visions of heaven were opened unto many. In December following, Mr. Rigdon pei*- 
 formed a journey to the State of New York, for the purpose of seeing Joseph Smith, 
 the prophet. He prolonged his stay with him until the latter part of January, when 
 he returned, accompanied by Mr. Smith and his family. The prophet Joseph, by the 
 . command of God, and through the gtft and power of the Holy Ghost, translated the 
 Old and New Testaments. Sidney Rigdon assisted him as a scribe to write from his 
 mouth, as it was given by the revelations of the Holy Spirit. And on the sixteenth 
 day of February, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty-two, while en- 
 gaged in the work of translation, a most remarkable vision was shown to Joseph 
 Smith and Sidney Rigdon. They both at the same time saw the heavens opened, 
 and beheld the Lord Jesus Christ on the right hand of God, they were filled with the 
 Holy Ghost, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: they heard the 
 voice of God the Father bearing record to them of his only begotten Son : they saw 
 
 . the holy angels, and the wonders of eternity were opened before them : they saw and 
 heard many things unspeakable and unlawful to be uttered. But many great and 
 marvellous things they were commanded to write, while they were yet in the Spirit. 
 We here insert the following item : — 
 
 41. — « We beheld the glory of the Son on the right hand of the Father, and re- 
 ceived of his fulness ; and saw the holy angels, and they who are sanctified before his 
 
 , throne, worshipping God and the Lamb, who worship him for ever and ever. And 
 now, after the many testimonies which have been given of Him, this is the testimony, 
 last of all which we give of Him, that He lives ; for we saw Him even on the right 
 hand of God, and we heard the voice, bearing record that He is the only begotten of 
 the Father — that by Him, .and through Him, and of Him the worlds are and were 
 created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God."* 
 
 42. — To speak of the hundreds and thousands of witnesses whom God has raised 
 up during the last twenty years, would require a large volume, and far exceed the 
 limits which we intended for this series. Let it sufiice to observe that there are now 
 
 , on the earth many thousands of witnesses to whom God has revealed the truth of the 
 Book of Mormon, by heavenly visions, by angels, by the revelations of the Holy Ghost, 
 by his own voice, and by the miraculous gifts and powers of his kingdom. This great 
 cloud of witnesses know with the greatest certainty that the Book of Mormon is true : 
 they know it with as much certainty as the ancient prophets and apostles knew their 
 respective messages to be true. The nature, of their testimony is "such that it pre- 
 .cludes all possibility of their being deceived themselves. Before maukind can be jus- 
 
 ' tified in calling these thousands of vritnesses impostors, they must prove that none of 
 
 . them have seen and heard as they boldly testify. , Thisgeneration have more than one 
 
 . thousand times the amount of evidence to demonstrate and for ever establish the Di- 
 vine Authenticity of the Book, of Mormon than they have in favor of the Bible! 
 and this vast amount of evidence, not only estabhshes the Book of Mormon, but the 
 
 , Bible also, as it existed in its, original. , Hence, the La-tter-day Saints have -more than 
 one thousand times the, amount of evidence, to establish both the Book of Mormon 
 and Bible than what this generation have to establish the truth of either, exclusive of 
 our testimony. _ , , : 
 
 * Doctrine and Covenants. See. xcii., par. 3. 
 I'S, Wilton Street, Liverpool, December I5ih, 1860. 
 
 B. JiiJIES, 'PEIM.*EE, 39 SOUTH CASTLE STKEEI, LIVEKP00I» 
 
[No. 5. 
 
 DIYINE AUTHENTICITr 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE OP IHE TWELTB AFOSTLES OF THE CHUBCH OP JESUS CHBISI OP LATTEB-SAY SAINTS. 
 
 THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 
 
 1. — In the last number of this series, we showed that in the origin of this work, 
 the Lord confirmed the truth of the Book of Mormon unto many witnesses in such a 
 way, and by such means, that it was impossible for them to have been deceived ; that 
 the testimony of these witnesses stands good until it can be refuted : tiiat no man 
 can be justified in rejecting this testimony until he can show that it is false ; that it 
 can only be proved false in two ways, first, by showing directly that these witnesses 
 did not see and hear as they testify ; second, by showing that there is something con- 
 nected with the nature of the message of which they testify, that is unreasonable, 
 unscriptural, iniprobable, or contrary to 'some known truth. Now no one has ever 
 attempted to bring any direct negative testimony ; this, indeed, would be impossible, 
 unless the witnesses themselves should deny their former testimony, and this they 
 have not done. And those who have attempted to condemn their testimony from the 
 nature of the message itself, have only exhibited their own weakness and folly. Up- 
 wards of twenty years have passed away, and no man has, as yet, been found able to 
 prove the Book of Mormon or the testimony of its witnesses false. 
 
 2. — We will now speak of the testimony of miracles. God has wrought many 
 great and glorious miracles by the hands of his servants in confirmation of the Book of 
 Mormon. We humbly speak of these things, not in a boasting spirit, for we can do 
 nothing of ourselves ; but it is the Lord, who has in his infinite mercy, performed 
 many great and mighty works among this generation, through those who have be- 
 lieved on his name. There are two kinds of miracles ; first, those wrought by the 
 power of God ; and, second, those wrought by the power of the devils When Moses 
 was sent with a message to the Egyptians, this Lord wrought miracles by his hand. 
 The magicians also, at the same time, wrought miracles. When Moses cast his rod 
 upon the ground, it became a serpent ; the magicians cast their rods upon the ground 
 and they also became serpents. Moses turned the waters into blood; the magicians 
 did the same. Moses brought frogs in great multitudes ; the magicians performed 
 the same. The miracles performed by Moses were done by the power of God ; those 
 performed by the magicians were done by the power of the devil. Some miracles 
 
 Ea-formed by Moses, the magicians were not permitted to perform ; but as far as the 
 ord suffered them to do miracles, they did precisely the same things that Moses did. 
 The witch of Endor performed a great miracle, in bringing up Samuel from the dead, 
 by the request of Saul, king of Israel. If this woman was possessed of an evil spirit 
 then we are forced to admit that the devil has great power ; for she was enabled 
 through the supernatural povper by which she was influenced to detect Saul, notwith- 
 standing he cama to her in disguise. That she actually did bring up Samuel is evi- 
 dent from the conversation which passed between Saul and Samuel : moreover, Sa- 
 muel prophesied to Saul, concerning what should befall him and all Israel ; and the 
 
66 THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 
 
 next day the. prediction was literally fulfilled,* It seems that the prophet Samuel 
 was rather displeased at being disturbed from his quiet resting place ; for after the 
 king of Israel had bowed before him, " Samuel said to Saul, why hast thou disquieted 
 me, to bring me up ?" 
 
 3. — As a further evidence that the devil can work miracles, Jesus says, " There 
 shall arise false Ohrists, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders ; 
 insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very eleet."t As another 
 example of the miraculous poWer of the devil, we are informed that the man who 
 possessed a legion, had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had 
 been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces."J The miracle of 
 breaking chains and fetters is equal to the miracle wrought by Samson in breaidng 
 new withs and new ropes § Jesus says, " Many will say to me in that day. Lord, 
 Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils ? 
 and in thy name done many wonderful works ? And then will I profess unto them, 
 I never knew you : depart from me, ye that work iniquity." || From the preceding 
 verses, taken in connection with this, we learn, that false prophets and such as should 
 say. Lord, Lord, and do not his will, but work iniquity, were to'perform wonderful 
 works, and make great pretensions, not only before men, but before the Lord. Tha 
 devil, therefore, assists those who work wickedness to perform great signs, and won- 
 derful works. If the present translation of the Bible be true, he has power to show 
 visions, for it is said, that he showed our Saviour " all the kingdoms of the world," 
 and it is also said, that " Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." 
 
 4. — John predicts that a certain power should arise, that should do " great won- 
 ders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth, in the sight of 
 men, and deeeiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the means of those miracles 
 which be had power to do in the sight of the beast."^ Immediately before the se- 
 cond coming of Christ, there is to be a general gathering of the nations against the 
 Jews at Jerusalem : these nations will gather into the valley of Armageddon near 
 Jerusalem, after which, the Lord will destroy them. This great- movement of all 
 nations against the Jews, will be set in operation by the, means of wicked miracles. 
 John speaks of it thus : " And I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, come out of tha 
 mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the 
 false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto 
 the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that 
 great day of Grod Almighty. Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth 
 .and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he ga- 
 .thered them together unto a place, called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."** The 
 , reajson the Lord will suffer the devil to work miracles to deceive " the kings of the 
 earth and of the whole world," is because they will previously have rejected " the everlastr- 
 ;ing gospel ;" therefore the devil will deceive them, and lead them on to destruction, 
 cas he did the Egyptians. This same power is prophesied of by Paul, as follows : — 
 " And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spi- 
 rit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming ; even him whose 
 coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, 
 and with all deoeivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish ; because they re- 
 /;eived not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God 
 shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be 
 ^damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." tt 
 
 5. — If the foregoing quotations be correct, we see that the devil has power to create 
 .serpents and frogs, and turn rivers of water into blood — that he has power to reveal 
 strangers who may come in disguise, and raise up a dead prophet to converse with 
 men here .on the earth — that he has power to break chains and fetters— r-to transform 
 ■himself into an angel of light — to show all the kingdoms of the world unto Christ — ■. 
 to perform great signs and wonders, and call fire down from heaven— and finally, 
 his power is to be so wonderfully manifested, that even " the kings of the earth and 
 
 * 1 Sam. xxviii. f Matt. xxiv. 24. J Mart, t. i. § Judges, xvi. 9—12. 
 JJ Matthew, vii. 22, 23. i^ Key, xiii. 13, 14. 
 
 ^ ** Key, xvi. 13—16. tf 2 Thess. ii. 8—12. 
 
THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 67 
 
 * 
 
 the whole world" wUl suffer themselves to be deceived by his miracles, .and be blindly 
 led to the valley of Slaughter, where they will be consumed by the brightness of 
 Christ's coming. All of these things the devil has done, and will do, if the English 
 translation of the Bible be cbrrect. 
 
 6. — It may be aiiked, how are we to distinguish between the miracles virought by 
 the power of God, and those wrought by the power of Satan ? We answer in the 
 language of Paul, " he that is spiritual judgeth all things." But as the greater part 
 of the world are not spiritual, we vidll point out other rules by which to distinguish 
 •the two powers. Wherever miracles are virought by the power of God, there will be 
 found a true and righteous doctrine, unmixed with error : wherever miracles ara 
 wrought by the power of the devil, there will be found more or less false doctrine. 
 Wherever miracles are virought by the servants of God, they will do them in the 
 name of Jesus Christ, after having obeyed the ordinances of the gospel : when the 
 servants of the devil do miracles, if they pretend to do them in the name of Christ, 
 it will be found by examination that they have not obeyed the ordinances of Christ, 
 and therefore he suffers the devil to deceive them ; but it is oftsner the case that they 
 do not perform them in the name of Christ, neither in the way that he has appointed, 
 as in the cases of mesmerism, somnambulism, &e. Those who do miracles by the 
 power of God, generally have a message to publish to the people by authority from 
 God. The most of those who do miracles by the power of the devil, pretend to no 
 message whatever ; or if they pretend to have a message to deliver to the people, ft 
 will be found, on inspection, to be mixed with error. 
 
 7. — Although the devil can work great and wonderful miracles, yet there is always 
 something in connexion with them that will enable mankind, if they are sufficiently 
 humble, to discern that they are not of God. If it were impossible to distinguish 
 between' the two powers, then mii'aculous evidence would be no evidence at all in 
 favor of divine revelation : but miracles were considered by our Saviour as evidence 
 ■of his own mission — hence, he says, " I have, greater witness than that of John ; for 
 the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do bear 
 witness of me, that the Father hath sent jne. And the Father himself which hath 
 sent me, hath borne witness of me."* .^^in, Jesus said, " If I do not the works of 
 my Father, believe me not ; but if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works, 
 that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in bim." Elsewhere he 
 said to Philip, " Believe me for the very works' sake." And in another place he 
 said, " If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they 
 had not had sin."t 
 
 8. — From all these sayings, and many others of a similar nature, we learn that 
 mu'acles are considered an evidence in favor of the revealed truths of heaven, and 
 therefore, there must be a wide difference between the manifestations of the two 
 powers : this difference is so great, that no person can be justified in judging wrong- 
 fully in the matter : he that imputes a miracle of evil to Goii, or a miracle wrought 
 by the power of the Holy Ghost to the devil, commits a sin that will not be easily for- 
 given. Isaiah says, " Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil ; that put 
 darkness for light, and light for darkness. "J When the Pharisees accused Jesus of 
 working miracles by Beelzebub, he immediately tells them that the blasphemies against 
 the Holy Ghost should not be forgiven. J If miracles were not intended to convince 
 men of the truth, Jesus never would have upbraided " the cities wherein most of his 
 mighty works were done, because they repented not." But he pronounced a heavy 
 woe upon Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, because they had rejected the mighty 
 works which he had done in them, and said, that it should be more tolerable for Tyre, 
 Sidon, and the land of Sodom, " in the day of judgment than for them."|| All these 
 examples afford ample evidence that the two supernatural powers can be distinguished 
 from each other with the most unerring certainty. 
 
 9. — Miracles, when taken alone, are no evidence whatever of the divine mission of 
 any one ; but when taken in connection with a pure, holy, and infallible doctrine, they 
 are evidences of the strongest kind, and, if rejected, will bring the generation among 
 
 * John T. 36, 37. 1 Ibid x. 37, 38.— xiv. 11.— xv. 24. J laaiah, y. 20. 
 
 § Mark iii. 22—30. || Matthew xi. 20—24. 
 
68 THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 
 
 whom they are wrought under the greatest oondemnation. Many prophets have he6n 
 sent with a divine revelation to man, who have never wrought any. miracles confirma- 
 tory of their mission, and yet the people were condemned for rejecting their testimony. 
 The prophet Noah came prophesying of one of the most universal judgments which 
 ever hefel the human race, and the whole world were condemned for rejecting his 
 prophecy; and yet, we have no account of his performing any miracles. Lot was 
 sent to warn his kinsmen in Sodom of the terrible judgment about to be poured upon 
 the city ; the people were condemned for not listening to him, and yet we do not read 
 that he performed any miracles. Isaiah and Jeremiah came with a divine mission to 
 Israel, but we have no accourit of their performing any miracles until quite a number 
 of years had elapsfed from the beginning of their mission ; yet, Israel were condemned 
 for not receiving their revelations: Ezekiel did not, at first, confirm his mission by 
 miracles. Zechariah, Malachi, and many others, did not, so far as we are acquainted, 
 establish the divine authenticity of their books by miracles. Jonah, when sent to the 
 great city of Nineveh, wrought no miracles, so far as history specifies, that were visi- 
 ble to the people of that city ; yet, they received his message as divine, and repented 
 because of his preaching. One of the greatest prophets that was ever born of a 
 woman did no miracles to prove his divine mission. The Scripture says expressly 
 that « JOHN DID NO MIRACLE ;"* and yet, the Scribes and Pharisees rejected 
 the counsel of God against their own souls in rejecting John's mission. 
 
 10. — If God has, from time to time, sent prophets among men without confirming 
 their mission by miracles, and has condemned the people or generation to whom they 
 were sent, because they would not receive their testimony ; how much more will he 
 condemn a people or generation to whom he sends a message, confirmed by miracles ? 
 If Sodom and -G-omorrha were condemned for rejecting a divine message without 
 miracles, how much greater will be the condemnation of that people who reject the 
 still greater testimony of miracles ? 
 
 11. — From the foregoing we learn, that a prophet may be a true prophet, and yet 
 perform no miracles : and therefore, those who have the vncked presumption to say 
 that they will not believe in any new revelation, unless God shall confirm it by miracles, 
 are taking a very sinful, dangerous ground; for if such wicked characters had lived 
 at the times when God sent messages, unconfirmed by miracles, they certainly would 
 have rejected them. We are persuaded that no person who has read the scriptures, 
 and who has the fear of God before his eyes, would ever dare to say he would reject 
 everything under the name of new revelation, unless God would estabUsh it by 
 miracles. 
 
 12.— The Lord always accompanies his word, when revealed, with sufficient testi- 
 mony to prove its divine authenticity, though he does not always give the same amount 
 of evidence. He judges man according to the testimonies which he gives; where much 
 is given, much will be required ; where but little is given, but little is required; where 
 nothing is given, nothing is required, 
 
 13. — As we have already stated, the Lord, in his great mercy, has condescended to 
 give miraculous evidence to establish the Divine Authenticity of that great and glori- 
 ous revelation— the Book of Mormon. Therefore the Book of Mormon is established 
 by far greater testimonies than many books of the Bible, which were not confirmed 
 to the generation in which they were revealgd by mh-aculous evidence. It is useless 
 for our enemies to say that there have been no miracles wrought confirmatory of the 
 Book of Mormon, when there are tens of thousands of people who can and do bejtr 
 testimony as eye witnesses to the contrary. We have already related, in the last 
 number of this series, the first miracle that was vsrrought in this Church. Out of the 
 many. thousands that have since beeh performed, we humbly mention the following, 
 as published in the Millennial Star. 
 
 14. — A GKEAT MIKACLE : NAERATTVE OP REUBEN BBINKWOETH. 
 
 " On the 2d July, 1S39, I entered on board the Terror, Commodore Sir J. Frank- 
 lin, being then about to set out on a voyage of discovery for a north-west passage to India. 
 
 * John X. 41. 
 
THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 69 
 
 Tlpeia returning to England, we knded at Bermuda on the 1 6th, of July, 1843, and in the 
 afternoon of the same day a terrible thunder-storm occurred, in which I was suddenly 
 deprived of my hearing and speech. At the same time five of my comrades, viz., 
 John Ennis, William Collins, John Rogers, Bichard King, and William Simms 
 were summoned into eternity. I remained insensible fifteen days — perfectly uncon- 
 scious of all that was passing around me ; but upon the return of reason^ came the 
 dreadful conviction that I was deprived of two of my faculties. I well remember the 
 period, and shall for ever continue to do so — language cannot describe the awful sen- 
 sations that pervaded my mind when I became fully sensible of the reality of my con- 
 dition. I will here remark, that the subject of religion had never troubled my mind; 
 nor did the calamity I was called to suffer awaken any fteling akin to it ; neverthe- 
 less I felt a certain feeling of gratitude that I had not met with the same fate as my 
 more unfortunate companions ; yet I must, to my shame, confess that it was not di- 
 rected to the Great Disposer of all events, who could have taken my hfe as those of 
 my companions, had he willed it. But it was not his design. ' I was spared, and am 
 now a living witness of his loving-kindness to the most abandoned sinners, if they will 
 turn and seek his face. At that time I was about nineteen years old. After remain- 
 ing at Bermuda for about three weeks, we again set sail for England, and reached 
 Chatham on the 14th December. I remained there only fourteen days, after which 
 I went to London, and, by the kind assistance of some gentlemen, entered the deaf 
 and dumb school in Old Kent Road, where I remained for ten weeks, but not liking 
 the confinement, and being from home, I became dissatisfied and unhappy, and resolved 
 to leave it, and accordingly did so. I then went to George Lock's, Oxford Arms, 
 Silver Street, Reading, with whom I lived eighteen months, supporting myself the 
 whole of that period upon the wages I earned on board the Terror. I afterwards 
 went to Rugby, not to remain there, but on the way to my mother at Stroud, 
 Gloucestershire. 
 
 " I will here relate a circumstance of cruelty of which I was made the sufferer : be- 
 ing thirsty, I stepped into a public house to .get something to drink ; there were gen- 
 tlemen in the parlour, who, seeing that I was dumb, motioned me to them, and put 
 many questions in vn'iting, which I answered in the same manner. While I was thus 
 being questioned, one of the men went out and brought in a policeman, who hauled 
 me away to the look-up, in which place I was kept all that night, the next day, and 
 following night, and on the morning of the second day, I was taken before a magi- 
 strate, who ordered me to be taken to a doctor, where I underwent an operation, 
 namely, having my tongue cut in two places : he became satisfied that I was both 
 deaf and dumb, and then I was discharged. From the treatment I had received I 
 was determined to go to another of the magistrates of that town, to whom I related 
 by writing what had transpired. ^ He said very little to me, more than that he would 
 write to London respecting it, and I have since learned from a gentleman, that the- 
 magistrate who examined me has been removed from his office. I then continued 
 my journey to Stroud, which I reached without any other inconvenience, and remained' 
 there two days. I then went to Newport, Monmouthshire, and occupied my time in 
 teaching the deaf and -dumb alphabet for about three years, at the end of which I be- 
 came acquainted with the Latter-day Saints. At that timfS I was lodging at a pub- 
 lic house, kept by James Durbin, sign of the' "Golden Lion," Pentonville. One of 
 the customers of this house became acquainted with me and prevailed upon me to go ■ 
 to live with- him and his brother, who was a member of the Latter-day Saints' Church. 
 There I first became acquainted with the doctrines taught by this people, by reading 
 and by means of the finger alphabet. I continued to investigate them for about three 
 months, when I felt convinced of the truth of those dofctrines which have since become 
 so beneficial to my temporal and ^eternal welfare. On the 22nd September I had 
 been, by means of the deaf and dumb alphabet, conversing freely with some of the 
 Saints, and had fully determined to be baptized that evening ; therefore I expressed ' 
 my desire to receive the ordinanceof baptism, and was taken to the canal early on ihe 
 morning of the 23rd, and baptized in the-name of the Father, Son, and Holy Gho9t; 
 and upon my head emerging from the water, I heard the voices of persons upon the 
 towing path, and this was the first sound I had heard since my deprivation upon the 
 Jsland of Bermuda, in 1843. With my hearing came also my speech, and the first 
 
70 THE BOOK OJF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 
 
 words that I uttered were — ' Thank the Lord, I can speak and hear again as well as 
 any of you.' I scarcely need state my own sm-prise at the moment, but such it was, 
 and it appears marvellous in my own eyes, not that God is possessed of such power, 
 hut that he should manifest it in my behalf. I have much cause to praise him and 
 glorify his holy name, for in obedience to his divine commands, I not only received 
 the remission of my sins, which I esteem above all earthly blessings, but also the re- 
 moval of my deafness and dumbness ; and now I can hear as distinctly and speak as 
 fluently as I ever did, although I had been deprived of both these faculties for up- 
 wards of five years, not being able to hear the loudest noise, nor to use my tongue in 
 speech. 
 
 " There .is a mistake in the Merlin of the date of my landing at Bermuda : it 
 should have been 1843 instead of 1840. The same error appeared also in the MlL- 
 UBUNIAL Stae, No. xxii. Vol 10, and which was caused by extracting the account 
 from that paper. 
 
 " The following individuals are witnesses to my baptism : — 
 
 " Henry Naish, ^ 
 
 " John Roberts, [ Members of the Church. 
 
 " John Walden, i 
 
 " Jane Dunbin, ^ 
 
 " Thomas Jones,' [ Non-Members." 
 
 " Jacob Naish, J 
 
 THE BLIND HEAMID. 
 
 "Berrien, Montgomeryshire, North Wales, May 23, 1849. 
 
 "I feel it my bounden duty to make thefoUowiug narrative known to the authorities- 
 of the Church of Jesus Christ, to show that the manifestations of the power of God 
 attend this Church in the last days, as it did the Church of the early Apostles, viz : — 
 My daughter Sophia Matilda, aged eight years, was, in the month of May, 1848, 
 afflicted in her eyes, she soon lost the sight of her left eye, and on applying to medical 
 aid, instead of the sight being restored she immediately lost the other, the surgeon 
 stating that the pupils were closed, and feared she could never be restored to her 
 sight I was advised to try an eminent surgeon in Shrewsbury, in the county of, 
 Salop, where in June, 1848, I sent her and her mother, as she was now quite blind,, 
 and the poor little creature's sufferings were indiscribable, though the Lord enabled 
 her to be patient in her afflictions ; she remained in Shrewsbury a fortnight but found, 
 no benefit, and as the last resource to human aid, I was advised to send her to an emi- 
 nent occulist in Liverpool (Dr. Neile) under whose treatment she was relieved, and a 
 gradual improvement took place, to our great joy, until the Autumn of the same year. 
 I corresponded with Dr. Neile, who desired me to continue the treatment he had pre- 
 scribed, but it was all to no purpose, for she relapsed into the same state as before and 
 was in total darkness the whole of the winter suffering acutely, and by February of 
 the present year, 1849, she had wasted to a mere skeleton, when my brother-in-law 
 paid me a visit previous to his embarkation to California, and told me that if I would 
 have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and call for the elders of the Church, he believed 
 she would be healed. I also soon was enabled to believe, and obeyed the command of 
 ' St. James. The Church put up their prayers for us, and I found, thanks to the Giver 
 of all good, some improvement ere the ordinance was performed. On the following 
 Sabbath, elders Dudley and Richards, from Pool Quay, came to my house, performed 
 the ordinance upon my child, the pain soon left her, and she was soon, by the power 
 of God, and the prayers of the faithful, restored to sight and health, and thanks be 
 to Almighty God, she is still in the enjoyment of these great blessings; trusting you 
 will rejoice in the Lord with me for his great mercies manifested to me, 
 
 " I remain, &c. &c. 
 
 " Henry Pugh." 
 
THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 71 
 
 "London, June 9th, 1849. 
 
 " Beloved President Pratt, — Ifot only has the power of healing been manifest, upon 
 One, but I can say, although we have not been organized into a branch one year, many 
 have been healed. I will take the liberty of naming a few cases out of the many : — 
 Sister Emma Spiring met with an accident while frying some meat,: the pan was 
 overturned, and the boiling fat went into her eye and on her face, and from the Friday 
 to the Sunday she could not see with the eye. I, in iha name of the Lord, anointed 
 her with oil, and laid my hands on her, and the moment I took my hands off her head, 
 she, in the presence of a large assembly, said she could see, and all pain was gone. 
 
 " Another case was of a man by the name of Grenham, who had lost the sight of 
 one eye. I anointed him, and he received his sight, and has since come into the 
 church, and is a good member of the same. 
 
 , ""W. Booth." 
 
 " 68, Devonshire Lane, Sheffield, July 10, 1849. 
 •'April 20th. — President Dunn and I were requested to attend to the ordinances of 
 annointing with oil and laying on of hands by brother Jackson, who had sore eyes ; he 
 had lost the sight of one eye completely, and the other was dangerously affected, but 
 after we had attended to the ordinance, his sight was restored immediately, and the 
 same hour he walked through the town looking about him. He was afflicted with 
 the same disease before he became a .Latter-day Saint, and was down sixteen weeks, 
 but the last attack he was restored the third day. 
 
 " J. V. Long, Presiding Elder." 
 
 HEALma OF ONE BORN BLIND. 
 
 " Bristol, November 25, 1849. 
 " Dear President Pratt, — As you were so kind as to publish the letter I sent, dated 
 July 9, 1849, containing an account of the miraculous power of God; displayed' in 
 the healing of Elizabeth Ann Bounsell, which made quite a stir amongst the pious 
 christians of this city. I now venture to write to you again, and say that the above 
 circumstance caused many to call at the house to see u it were true. And upon 
 seeing, many rejoiced, others mocked, saying, " She would have got well if the 
 Elders had not laid their hands upon her." Amongst the latter, was one would-be 
 great man, by the name of Charles Smith (who has written & flimsy tract against 
 the Saints,) who said it was not enough to satisfy him. So the mother took another 
 of her daughters, and put her upon his knee, and said, " Sir, is that child blind ?" 
 And after he had examined her eyes, he said, " She is." " Well," said the mother, 
 " She was born blind : and she is now four years old ; and I am going to take her 
 to the elders of our church, for them to anoint her eyes with oil, and lay their hands 
 upon her ; and you can call again, when you have time, and see her with her eyes 
 opened ; for I know the Lord will heal her, and she will see." " Well," said he, " if 
 she does ever see, it will be a great proof." Accordingly, the mother brought the 
 chad to the elders, and Elder John Hackwell anointed her eyes, and laid hands upon 
 her, only once ; and the Lord heard his prayer, so that the child can now see with 
 both of ner eyes, as well as any other person. For which we all feel thankful to our 
 ' heavenly Father, and are willing to bear testimony of it to all the world. 
 
 " Yours in the kingdom of God, 
 
 " George Halliday." 
 " P. S. We, the father and mother of the child, do here sign our names to the above, 
 as being true. 
 
 "William Bounsell, 
 "Elizabeth Bocksell. 
 " No. 12, Bread-street, Bristol." 
 
 BONES SET THROUGH FAITH. 
 
 " Kumford, May Ist, 1849. 
 "Dear Brother Gibson, — ^At your request, I now at down to give you a short ac- 
 count of the goodness ^d power of God, made manifest in my behalf. About two 
 years ago, while working at my trade of coach-builder, while assisting in removing a 
 
72 THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED JBY MIRACLES- 
 
 railway carriage, I dislocaJ,ed my thigh, and was conveyed home, and my parents not 
 being in the Church, and no elders in the town, (viz. Sterling) medical skill was 
 called in, but from the swelling it could not he set. I was again examined by a Dr. 
 Jeffrey and one Taylor of Glasgow, who said tliat a kind of jeal had gathered in the 
 hip joint, and before it could be set, this must be removed by cupping ; so I was cup- 
 ped with twenty-four lances, but it did no good, and I lingered in great pain for three 
 weeks, when it was proposed that I should again be cupped ; but I was determined 
 that it should not be ; and hearing from you, that Elder Samuel W. Richards, from 
 America, was coming to Sterling. I told my friends, that when he came, they would 
 see the power of God, and I should be healed. Accordingly, when he came, he 
 anointed me in the name of the Lord, and the bone went into its place, and I got up 
 in the morning, and went to my work, to the astonishment of doctors and friends. I 
 sun now a. travelling elder, and have a great deal of walking, but experience no incon- 
 venience from it.' I can get a dozen of witnesses to attest to the truth of this cure, 
 both in and out of the Church. 
 
 " I remain your brother, 
 
 "James S. Low." 
 " Leamington, August 4, 1849. 
 " Dear Brother, — While visiting the different branches in this conference, I find that 
 the power of our God has been displayed in a wonderful manner, and that the Saints 
 have great cause to rejoice. Scores can bear testimony to the truth of the gospel, for 
 signs and wonders follow ihem that believe. The following cases of healing I feel 
 impressed to send to you, and if you should deem them worthy of a place in the Star 
 you can insert them. 
 
 " Sister Sarah Gorde, resident of Maxstoke, near Coleshill, on the 25th September, 
 1839, had a very severe confinement, which left her in a low and afflicted, state, .^d 
 for the space of seven years and-a-half was almost in continual pain. Her blood 
 seemed to run cold within her veins, for she was scarcely ever warm. She bad two 
 doctors in regular attendance, and sometimes three, and also applied to others ; but ill 
 g>ite of all theu" exertions she found no relief. She wasted in flesh nntil she was re- 
 duced almost to a skeleton; her joints were dislocated from the time of her confine- 
 ment ; to go from home was impossible, for she could not ride without great pain, an3 
 it was with the utmost difficulty that she could get about the house. But finally a 
 small tract fell into her hands belonging to the Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints 
 and while reading the account of the visitation of the auerel to our beloved 'prophet, 
 Joseph Smith, herheart was filled with joy ; the spirit of the Uving ,G6d fastened the 
 testimony upon her mind, and she was satisfied that the day of her redemption was 
 nigh a;t hand, and believed firmly that she would walk again. At this time she was 
 ignorant of the doctrines that we preached, but she firmly believed that God had 
 raised up Joseph to be a prophet to this generation. 
 
 " After a few days investigation she was baptized by Elder W. Bramall in the month 
 of April, 1847, and when she was confirmed he told her that she should M healed 
 according to her faith. This promise filled her heart with joy, and in three weeks 
 from the day and hour that she was baptized she was able to walk without pain ; her 
 joints, which had been weak for so many years, became strong, and since then she has 
 enjoyed herself,, and been enabled to fulfil the duties that devolve upon a mother with a 
 lai^e family. 
 
 "Also her son, John Gprde, had, when nine years old, the misfortune to dislocate 
 Bis thigh. The medical fraternity were called upon, who endeavored to set it, but in 
 consequence of its being swelled so much they were not able; and thus it remained 
 for the Space of eight years, and so powerful was its effect upon the constitution that 
 it stuped the growth of his body ; his leg hung loose, so that he could turn it any 
 way he pleased. Finally he heard the gospel of Christ, and in one week after the bap- 
 tism of his mother he was iinnierse4 in the liquid grave, and wonderful to relate he 
 lost his lameness, his body began to grow, and froni that time he has enjoyed good 
 health, and from appearance no one would suppose he had ever been feeble at all. 
 " I remain yours in the gospel of Chi-ist, 
 
 "Alfred CoappNi" 
 
THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 73 
 
 " Nantygw^ith, Georgetown, Merthjr Tjrdfil, September 14, 1850. 
 « Dear President Pratt, — ^I enclose a testimony of; a miraculous case of healing, 
 which has tal^en place a few- days ago in Abercansud; I saw the brother in his afflic- 
 tion) and the accompanying testimony he bore at my bouse, more than two miles dis- 
 tant 'from his. I send it to you with permission to do with it as you tbii^ proper. 
 
 "Wm. PHniiPS. 
 " The Teslimony of David Richardi. 
 
 •• Merthyr Tydfil, September 10, 1850. 
 Oh Friday, August the 23rd, 1850, at about eleven o'olock, while I was workmg 
 among the coal, a stone fell upon me about 2 cwt. I was carried home, and the 
 doctor who was present said he could do nothing for me, and told those around me 
 to wrajp me up in a sheet that I might dig. There was a lump on my back as big 
 as a child's head. The doctor afterwards told one of my relations, about six o^clock 
 in the evenings that I could not recover. Elder Phillips called to see me, and at- 
 tended to the ordinance of the Church for the sick, and while commanding the 
 bones in the name of Jesus, th^ came together, making a noise like the crushing 
 <jf !an old basket; my strength returned,, and liow I am able to go some miles to 
 bear my testimony tcTthis great miracle. The doctor called to see me and was as- 
 tonished, and said in the hearing of witnesses that my 'backbone was broken ; but 
 thkt it now was whole, and that I was now recovering as well as any man he ever 
 saw. , IS^ny of our greatest enemies confessed that I was healed by the power of 
 Qbd, and. while coming here to-day, many who heard of my accident were struck 
 ■With ,the greatest amazement. But I thank my heavenly FatW for his kindness 
 towards me, hoping I shall live to serve him more mthfully henceforth than 
 <iver. 
 
 "D. Richards. 
 
 « Morgan Mills, « John Thpmas, ) -aru^^.^. » 
 
 "Thomas. Bees, "Henry Evans,} **i™e«ses. 
 
 liEPROST HEALED. 
 "No. 9, Guardian Street, Springfield Lane, Salford, May 19, 1849. 
 " Last iwint^, a young woman addressed me in the Carpenter's HaU, the daughter 
 of a fustiab ^cutter, named Lea, residing in Cook-street, Salford, and said, hei: parents 
 were desirous that I should go and seelier brother who was very bad with a leprosy. 
 Ifweat incempany with one or two of ifty brethren.. I think I never saw any thing 
 so (bad as I the boy<was (the small pox excepted); the whole of the lower part of his 
 faee and under ihis chin^ as well asthe backs of his hands and wrists, were one entire 
 ijiass of scabs ; indeed, you coidd not have inserted a needle's point, they were so thick. 
 He was iei^^itt and a haM'. years of age^ and had been afflieted since he was six months 
 old ; they bad him at the Manchester infirmary and the Salfordi Dispensary, and are 
 at this time paying the surgeon's bill who attended him as a private patient.^ The 
 surgeon tjoldi'Ws iparente he could do nothing for him, as the disease was too virulent 
 for medicine te reach it.. His parents told me they did not know what it was to get 
 a regulacj(%hfc's rest with hun, and that it frequently took three hours to wash him. 
 Thftfirst jUight we went, thej were not disturbed, duringthe nighty, and in three weeks 
 h# was entirely free, and his flesh was tenewed like Ihat of a young child. 
 
 "John Watts." 
 
 " fioril»nd,i£'ifeBhire, Scotland. 
 « To all whom it may concern. This is to certify, that I was seized with a disease 
 like the leprosy, in the year 1837, and tried all that I could to get a cure, but I could 
 not^and all tm doctors that I applied to could do me no good ; and it continued with 
 me over all my body till the month of September, 1843, when I went and was bap. 
 tiz^d intqsthe,Church of J^us Ghrist of Latter-day Saints, by William M'Farland, 
 «l,d*ro^,thesaid,chiirch,onthe 1st of Septemlter, 4«^ and ihat same night, the 
 lepsogy-leftme. "Jenkt Bidd. 
 
 "Witpesses, «WitiiA« MTaelamd, 
 
 "iJaiiesCsksxal, 
 « Aj-eianbee Bidd." 
 
74 , THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 
 
 "Derby, September 17, 1849. 
 
 " Another remarkable case is that of a sL«ter in this town, named Cumberland, who 
 was severly afflicted inwardly, for eleven years, during which time she received medi^ 
 cal attendance from the most eminent men of that profession ; such as Doctor Hei- 
 gate of Derby ; Doctor Bobinson, of Northampton ; also under the care of the Infir- 
 mary Surgeon of Loughborough, but all to other pm-pose ; she still got worse. Some 
 said it was the liver complaint, others said it was a decline. She was also outwardly 
 afflicted with a disease in her skin, and her body full of sores from head to foot, for 
 many years. Nothing seemed to do her any good, and only death was considered 
 could put an end to her sufferings, but to her great joy, the latter part of last year 
 she heard the Latter-day Saints preaching the gospel, and she believed and obeyed the 
 same, and was soon made whole, and has, from that time to this, enjoyed a goodly portion 
 of health and strength. She is now bearing testimony of the power of God bestowed 
 upon her, both in word and person to all around. Numbers, both in and out of the 
 Church, are witnesses of the same ; and even the unbelievers in the gospel cannot help 
 but acknowledge that it is a great miracle. I might write for hours of such like 
 cases, but forbear at present. Concluding with the words of Paul, ' Our gospel is 
 not in word' only but in power and much assurance.' 
 
 ," As a witness of the same, I subscribe myself, yours, truly, 
 
 " JoHS Wheeler." 
 
 " Shropshire, Shemington, near Market Drayton, Sep. 9, 1849. 
 " Dear President Pratt, — In June, 1848, 1 was called upon by sister Walsh, to ad- 
 minister to her daughter, whose head was in one mass of sores, so that she could not 
 turn it without turning her whole body. I attended to the ordinances, and in a few 
 days she was restored, and is now a member of the Church of Christ of Latter-day 
 Saints. 
 
 " Yours in the Gospel, 
 
 " William Hetwood." 
 
 ruptures healfd. 
 
 " Clackmanan, May 29, 1849. 
 " In the beginning of the year 1848, in Clackmanan Branch, a boy of about six 
 years of age, a son of Brother John and Sister Margaret Hunter, who had been 
 given up by all the medical men as incurable, and whose disease they could not un- 
 derstand, and who was reduced in consequence thereof almost to skin and bone, and 
 confined to bed, was administered unto by Elder John Sharp, now gone to America, 
 and Elder John KuSsell, who is still here, who anointed him with oil in the name of 
 the Lord Jesus, and next day he was running about in good health, and has con- 
 tinued well ever since. 
 
 " Witnesses to the above 
 
 " John Hunter, 
 "- John Russell, 
 " Margaret Hunter." 
 
 " In the month of March, this year,' 1849, a young boy, son of Sister Ann Hunter, 
 in Clackmanan, who was sorely afflicted with rupture, was anointed for the same by 
 Elder John Bussell, and next day he was quite whole, and still continues so, he was 
 rather more than three years of age, and was bom ruptured. 
 
 " Witnesses to the above 
 
 " John Bussell, 
 « David Russell, 
 *' Ann Hunter." 
 " ■Wolverhampton, January 29, I86O1. 
 " Sister Mai7 Bolland, aged 2B, and residing in Pool Street, Wolverhampton, had 
 suffered severely from a rupture ever since her confinement in the autumn of 184T,' 
 until her baptism by Elder Richard Ramsell, on the 7th of December, 1849. She 
 had, up to the time of Ker baptism, been accustomed to wear a truss, or some such 
 instrument, whereby she was enabled to get about with safety, but tUs she took oft 
 
THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 75 
 
 before she entered the water, and has ever since dispensed with it entirely, having 
 been perfectly healed in the act of baptism ; in testimony of this the undersigned 
 witnesses subscribe their names, at the same time expressing their gratitude to Al- 
 mighty God for this and the many other manifestations of His goodness which we all 
 from time to time experience. 
 
 " Yours, &c., 
 
 " James Bell. 
 "Witnesses, " Makt Bollakd. 
 
 " Sakah Hutchemce. , 
 " Olivia Sateks." 
 
 W3VEKS EEBUKED. 
 " Wood Mill Street, Dunfermline, Fifesbire, Scotland. 
 " To all whom it may concern. This is to certify, that I was in Borland on the 8tb 
 of January, 1849, and there was a girl by the name of Catherine Kidd, laying very 
 bad with a fever, and was at the point of death, and there was part of her dead clothes 
 made, waiting every^oment when the breath would leave her ; so 1 was called to see 
 her, and I went ; and they asked me if I would attend to the ordinance of the Church 
 with her, and I said that I would : so in company with Elder M'F^rland, I anointed 
 her with oil, and laid hands on her, in the name of Jesus Christ j and when I had 
 done, I told them that she would get better, and the people that were in the house, 
 said if shfe did, that it would be a miracle ; so from that hour she did get better, and 
 the dead clothes were laid aside. Now for this, to our Lord and Sav iour Jesus Christ, 
 be all the honour and glory, both now and for ever. Amen. 
 
 "William Atholb Macmaster. 
 "Witnesses, "William M'Farland, 
 
 « Mrs. M'Farland." 
 " Sheffield, June 28, 1849. 
 " Under date of May 2, 1847.^- Was sent for by Mrs. Rodger, to lay hands on her 
 daughter, who had been given up by the Doctors. The complaint was the-typhus 
 fever, she was reduced to a complete skeleton, her bones were ready to come through 
 the skin, and her body had many large sores upon it ; I never aaw such an object of 
 pity before. Before administering in the ordinance, I preached the gospel to them, 
 for they were out of the church. I called on them all to kneel down, then gave her 
 some oil internally and laid hands on her in the name of the Lord and rebuked the 
 disease ; and while I had my hands on her head I saw her well, and walking about 
 as one of the most healthy and blooming girls in that pl-ice. She commenced 
 to amend immediately,' she slept safely and soundly that night, and in the morning 
 wanted her breakfast. It came to pass as I saw it. Her mother came into the 
 Church, but her father remains an enemy to this work to this day. 
 
 " With due respect, I am yours, 
 
 , "Hezekiah Mitchell." 
 
 "68, Devonshire Lane, Sheffield, May 18th, 1849. 
 " A little girl, the daughter of brother and sister Bolyn, Pinstone Street, wa« 
 seized with the scarlet fever ; the mother was afraid, and fetched the doctor, who pre- 
 pared a decoction for the child to take, but when the father came home, he put the 
 medicine away, and procured some olive oil which was consecrated by Elders Dunn, 
 Burgess, and myself, and was then administered by the father, and the disease left 
 her that same hour ; their little boy was then seized with the same kind of fever ; 
 when the doctor came in to see the little girl he saw her playing about with the chil- 
 dren, and said, " why, she is better !" " Yes, sir," said the mother, " and now the Uttle 
 boy's begun." " Have you given the little girl all the medicine ?" "No, sir," "O 
 well, continue to give the boy the same medicine, and he will soon be better." They 
 attended to the ordinance of healing, instituted by our Saviour, and the boy was 
 restored the same day ; another of the family was then seized, and they administered 
 the same medicine, (olive oil), which produceid an instantaneous cure. 
 
 Yours in the true covenant, 
 
 J. V. LoztG, Presiding Elder. 
 
76 THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 
 
 " Cheltenham, August, 6, 1849. 
 
 " Dear Brother Pratt,^I write to inform jou of two remarkable cases of hfealiog 
 which took 'plaee in the village of Barrow, in the county of Gloucester. 
 
 " First, — A young female, by the name of Mary Baliss, was very violently seized 
 with the black fever, so that she was not expected to live. Brother and sister Bayliss 
 sent for a servant of God from a neighbouring village, called by the name of George 
 Curtis, who came, and prayed for, and laid hands upon her in the name of Jesus, and she 
 was healed, and the next day she was up, to the astonishment of the people. This 
 occurred on the 17th June, 1848. 
 
 " Second, — A young man, iiot a member of our church, was taken ill with the black 
 fever so violently, that all human skill was of no avail. The doctor informed his 
 friends that he would die before morning. His mother, who is in our church, sent 
 for brother Curtis, who laid hands upon him in the name of the Lord, and prayed for 
 him. He immediately began to recovei-, and the next morning he was walking about 
 the house, to the astonishment of his friends and neighbours. In three days he was 
 able to go to work in the fields, rejoicing in the goodness of God. He has since 
 joined the church of the Saints, and beairs a faitMul testimony to the healing power 
 of the gospel. Believe me to be, dear brother, yours sincerely in the cause of truth, 
 
 " John Aldeb." 
 
 " St. Heliers, August 6. 
 " Sent for to visit brother Feron's child. Found her raving in a strong fever, Ad- 
 ministered to her. The fever left, and her senses returned five minutes after. Next 
 morning she was running about the doors. 
 
 "Witnesses, "John FEKOlir, 
 
 "Theresa Fbeon." 
 
 a case of mibaculous healing. 
 
 " Dundqe, Feb. 8, 1830. 
 " Dear Brother Pratt, — If you deem the following worthy pf a place in the columns 
 of the Millennial Star, it is at your disposal. I have a girl, aged three years, who 
 had for eighteen months been severly afflicted with: convulsive fits, to the loss of- all 
 the powers of body, and even the mind seemed in the thraldom of some great power. 
 I had tried the wisdom of the faculty but without effect, until the child was fearful 
 to behold, almost in continual convulsions by night and day. On the 25th of Decem- 
 ber last, )5lder Hugh Findlay called and anointed her with oil in the name of thg 
 Lord, and prayed over her, amd from thatday until now she has never had a fit, but 
 has increased daily in strength of body and mind. These facts are known to many 
 i>ot beloinging, to our church, and for the truth of which, witness our hands, 
 
 " Jambs Davidson. 
 
 " Mama Davidson, 
 
 " Hugh Findlay." 
 
 cholera healed. 
 
 " Macclesfield, September 28, 1850. 
 
 " Dear Brother Pratt. — I am happy to inform you that I enjoy excellent health and 
 good spirits, and r^oice in the work of the Lord whereunto I am called to administer. 
 Many are dying in this town of the oholei^a. Many of the Saints have been Seized 
 with the destroying pestilence, but all have been restored to health and strength by 
 the power of. the priesthood. I vidsh to forwstrd you some remarkable instances of 
 healing. Sister Jane Batty was seized with. Asiatic Cholera, in the month of August. 
 When I was Called to administer to her, she was taken with cramp,' which was fol- 
 lowed With great pain. I laid hands on her, and by the ailthofrity of the holy priest- 
 hood rebuked the disease ih the naime of Jesiis Christ ; the cramp and pain imme- 
 diately left her, and shei was restored to health and strength. 
 
 " The next was brother <jl-eorge Galley: hehaida violent attack of the same disease. 
 Elder James Galley and myself laid hands dn him and administered oil, and he was 
 immediately testoted. The next is sister Caroline Parker, who was attacked violently 
 
THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 77 
 
 with the same disease of Asiatic Cholera. Some of the neighbours went for the 
 doctor, who pronounced it a desperate case, and gave some ^vice, after which her 
 father. Elder Boyle, and Elder James Thirt, laid their hands on her and rebuked the 
 disease, to the great astonishment of the doctor and the neighbours ; for when he 
 came the next morning, he was surprised that she was alive. He wished her to send 
 to his surgery for some medicine, but she told him she could walk there, therefore 
 needed none. 
 
 _ " Sister Ann Markland was next attacked by the same disease. I laid hands on her 
 in the name of Jesus Christ, and rebuked the disease, and she was immediately res- 
 tored. Her mother Margaret was next taken with the disorder. I administered to 
 her in the usual way, aud she was immediately restored. The next was sister Ann 
 Stubbs, who was violently taken with the same complaint on the 17th of September. 
 Elder Francis Sherratt and myself administered to her, and she is restored to health 
 and strength. These are but a few cases where the power of God has been mani- 
 fested in this conference, for there are many others that are equally signalised by the 
 divine power and blessing of God. 
 
 « Joseph Clements, President of the Macclesfield Conference, 
 
 "'James Galley, Secretary." 
 
 " THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVB." — Mark Xvi. 
 
 " 10, Henry Street, Park, Sheffield, September 9, 1850. 
 
 " Dear Brother Pratt, — ^While reading over my journal, I have felt impressed to 
 make a few extracts and forward the same to you, that if you think them worthy you 
 may insert them in the Millennial Star, that the faith of the Paints may be 
 strengthened, and the inquirers after truth satisfied that the power of God is enjoyed 
 by latter as much as it was by the/ormei" day Saints. 
 
 " August 14, 1849. — I was called out to see sister Fowler, who was severely afflic- 
 ted with the apparent symtoms of cholera ; the attack was so severe that she was in- 
 capable of being removed from the couch on which she lay, her speech was gone, a 
 kind of whisper was the only medium through which her ideas could be obtained. At 
 her request Elder Hardy and I attended to the ordinance of laying on of hands, and 
 by the prayer of faith, we rebuked the destroyer in the name of Jesus Christ, and the 
 disease disappeared. She rose up, her speech returned, and we conversed cheerfully 
 together on the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, to the Gentile 
 fii'st, and then to the Jew. 
 
 " Sep. 4, 1849. — Brother William Lamb came to my residence, afflicted with rheu- 
 matics, from which he had suffered for three years, and having just joined the church, 
 and got to understand the promises, he felt sm'e the Lord would heal him through 
 my administration, although he was sixty-two years of age ; I therefore called upon 
 Elder Hardy to assist in the ordinance of laying on of hands, and immediately after 
 our hand were taken from his head, he rose up, and bore testimony to the manifesta- 
 . tion of the power of God on his behalf, declaring that all pain had left him, and he 
 frequently made it a part of his testimony, (before he went to Zion) to tell the peo- 
 ple how miraculously he had been healed, at a time of life when such a change could 
 not be expected, except through the power of God. 
 
 " Oct. 27, 1849. — I was taken ill with hoarseness and inflamation of the lungs; I 
 continued to get worse until Friday, November the 2nd, when the Erysipelas broke 
 out of my face and head ; my head and face were swelled to an enormous size, my 
 appetite was gone, and my suffering hourly increased. I took a little herb tea, as 
 directed in Dr. Coffin's Guide to Health, but I continued to get worse ; on the 3rd 
 my suffering became indiscribable, during the night in particular ; I had the most ex- 
 cruciating pains in the head and bowels ; on Sunday morning, the 4th, my throat 
 was almost stopped up ; many of my friends then gave me up to die, but my faith was 
 unshaken in the promises of the Almighty ; I therefore sent for Elders Dunn, Hardy, 
 and Roper, and while Elder Dunn was anointing my head and face, all inflamation 
 disappeared ; I felt the pain leave as fast as his hand passed over my head, for the 
 power of God drove all pain and disease from me, and in two hours the old skin 
 shelled off my face, and I have been well ever since ; and I hereby bear my testimeny 
 
78 THE BOOK or MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 
 
 -that immediately, on olive oil being applied to my head in the name of Jesus Christ, 
 the pain left, all inflamation ceased, my speech was restored, in fact, my system, lungs 
 in particular, seemed to be renewed, for I have preached five times more since than 
 I did before, and have enjoyed much better health. 
 
 " Yours faithfully, in the new covenant, . 
 
 « To President Pratt." « J. V. Long. 
 
 " Kirkhall Lane, September 22nd, 1849. 
 
 " Dear Brother Pratt, — I wish to inform you of what I consider an incontrovertable 
 proof of the power of God. On Sunday the 9th inst., sister Hart, of Bickershaw, 
 was sick, and had the usual symptoms of cholera. Brothers Afflick and HUl laid 
 hands on her, and anointed her in the name of the Lord, when she was immediately 
 restored, got out of bed, and joined in the fellowship meeting, and bore a faithfid 
 testimony to the power of God. On Tuesday, the 11th inst., brother James Hart 
 came for me to go and administer to his two children who were very sick. I went 
 with him, and found them suffering from sickness, vomiting, cramp, and all the usual 
 symptoms of cholera. The eldest three years old, and the youngest fourteen months ; 
 they were screeching in agony. I anointed them and rebuked the disease in the 
 name of -the Lord, when the eldest got up, and before we were aware of what she 
 was about, ran to her grandmother, without shoes or stockings, to tell her that she 
 was well. They then confessed that children could not deceive, but that it was 
 the power of God. Of these things numbers can testify, and I trust you will make it 
 public to the world. Praying that the blessing of God may rest upon you, and all 
 the church of Christ." 
 
 " I remain, yours in the bonds of the covenant, 
 
 " Richard Booth, President of the Leigh branch. 
 
 "P.S. These are only two out of the numerous cases in this branch. E. B." 
 
 Derby, September 17th, 1849. 
 " Beloved Brother Pratt, — On Sunday morning, September 2nd, I was called upon 
 to go and administer to brother Thomas Parks, a young man of this town, who was 
 suffering under a dreadful attack of the cholera. When I first entered the room, 
 which was about ten o'clock, he appeared as though every breath would be his last, 
 having suffered much in cramps, purging, and vomiting, from about four that morn- 
 ing. Shortly after I arrived, elders Duce and Beed came, with priest Fisher. Ws 
 consecrated some oil, and administered to him in the name of the Lord, and as soon 
 as we had fciken our hands off his head, he was enabled to speak, testifying that the 
 pain had all left him, and began to praise God, the giver of all good, that the priest- 
 hood was t;iven to his servants by which they could effectually administer to the 
 children of men. In a few moments he was able to get up and put on his clothes ; 
 we left him and went to meeting. We went again to see him at night, we found 
 him fi'ee from pain but rather weak ; we administered to him again, and asked for 
 God's blessings to attend it, and on Wednesday night Ibllowing, we found him at 
 meeting, strong and well, bearing testimony of the power of God and rejoicing in the 
 same. Henry Duce, Thomas Reed, and Georgp Fisher, ivith the young man's 
 parents are witnesses of the .same, and truly rejoice in the blessings of Israel's God. 
 
 " John Wheeler." 
 
 15. — The few cases of miracles which are here inserted, are mentioned that the 
 reader may understand that the faith of this Church is not founded upon human tes- 
 timony alone, but upon the power of God. The Latter-day Saints know that Joseph 
 Smith is a true pro^jht-t, and that the Book of Mormon is a divine revelation, because 
 God has conlii-med the same unto them by the miraculous manifestations of his power. 
 There are novv about six hundred branches of the Church of Christ in the British 
 Island, consisting of upwards of thu-ty thousand believers, and between three and four 
 thousand elders and priests. Now, there is scarcely a branch of the Saints among 
 this nation but have been blessed, more or less, with the miraculous signs and gifts of 
 the Holy Spirit, by which they have been confirmed, and Imow, of a surety, that this 
 is the Church of Christ. They know that the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, 
 tha dumb speak, that lepers are cleansed, that bones are set, that the Cholera is re- 
 
THB BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 79 
 
 buked, and that the most vh-ulent diseases give way, through faith in the name of 
 Jesu8_ Christ, and the power of his gospel. These are not some isolated cases that 
 occasionally take place, or that are rather doubtfW in their nature, or that have tran- 
 spu-ed a long time ago, or in some distant country ; but they are taking place at the 
 present period ; every week furnishing scores of instances in all pails of this land : 
 many of the sick out of the Church have, through the laying on of the hands of the 
 servants of God, been healed. It is not something done in a corner, but openly, and 
 tens of thousands are witnesses. 
 
 16. — All mankind can prove for themselves that the Book of Mormon is a divine 
 revelation by obeying its principles ; for, if they will do so, they have the promise of 
 certain miraculous signs ; and when they themselves receive the signs, they will know 
 for themselves, and no longer be dependent on the testimony of others. The testi- 
 mony of others is intended to produce faith in the hearer, and not a knowledge ; but 
 ■the signs which a believer receives after obedience, gives knowledge : this knowledge 
 viiualifies him, in his turn, to bear testimony ; and thus the witnesses multiply in all 
 parts of the eaith where this message is received. If Catholics, Protestants, Infidels. 
 Mahometans, Jews, or Heathens, will obey the Book of Mormon, miraculous signs 
 shall follow them, ari§, by this, they shall all know that it is true. If the Book of 
 Mormon be false, God would not confirm it unto any man by gi-anting unto him th« 
 signs, therefore all men would know, if they did not receive the signs, after having 
 complied with its requisitions, that it was false. 
 
 17. — The Book of Mormon has now been published upwards of twenty years, 
 during which time many scores of thousands have believed and obeyed it. Now, if 
 .they had not received the promised signs, would they have continued to believe the 
 work year after year ? If tliey had failed to receive the promise, would they not have 
 pronounced it an imposition long ago ? Yes : we will venture to say, that if the be- 
 lievers in the Book of Mormon had not received the promised signs, there would not 
 have been found in five years after it was prmted, one solitary soul who would have 
 continued to believe in its Divine Authenticity : but the very fact, that tens of thou- 
 sands do remain steadfast in their belief, shows most conclusively that they have 
 found by actual experiment, that the promised signs do follow; and therefore, that 
 the Book of Mormon is of divine origin. 
 
 18. — There is no way that an impostor could more effectually destroy his own im- 
 position than to promise miraculous signs to those who would believe in it ; for when 
 the promise was not verified, it would be known that he was an impostor. We here 
 quote an extract from a revelation given the 22nd and 23rd of September, 1832, 
 through Joseph the prophet unto the Apostles in this Church : " Go ye into all the 
 world, and whatsoever place ye cannot go into ye shall send, that the testimony may 
 go from you into all the world unto every creature. And as I said unto mine Apos- 
 tles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God's high priests ; ye are 
 they whom my Father hath given me — ye are my friends ; therefore, as I said unto 
 mine apostles, I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and 
 is baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost ; and these 
 signs shall follow them that believe." 
 
 " In my name they shall do many wonderful works ; in my name they shall cast out 
 devils ; in my name they shall heal the sick; in my name they shall open the eyes of 
 the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf; and the tongue of the dumb shall speak; 
 . and if any man shall administer poison unto them, it shall not hurt them ; and the 
 , poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them." * * " Verily, 
 verily, I say unto you, they who believe not pn your words, and are not baptized in 
 water in my name, for the remission of their sins, that they may receive the Holy 
 Ghost, shall be dWned, and shall not come into my Father's kingdom, where my 
 Father and I am. And this revelation unto you, and commandment, is in force from 
 this very hour upon all the world."* 
 
 If Joseph Smith had been an impostor, he never would have given utterance to th« 
 above promise, unless he were determined to immediately overthrow his own testi- 
 mony in relation to the Book of Mormon ; an impostor could make such a promise, 
 
 * Doc. and Cot., section iv., paragraphs 10, 11, 12. 
 
80 THE BOOK OF MORMON CONFIRMED BY MIRACLES. 
 
 but, he could never fulfil it. _ .Since this promise was made, tens of thousands have 
 placed themselves in a position to put ^he promise to a test, they have found it, to 
 their great joy, verified. 
 
 19. — Let us next inquire how many evidences we have of the miracles done- in the 
 days of the apostles. The New Testament was written by eight men, six of whom, 
 namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, and Peteri testifyjas eye-witnesses to the 
 mstrvdlous works wrought in their day. We believe that the miraculous power of 
 God was manifested eighteen hundred years ago, because' six eye witnesses in tl»e 
 church have thus testified in their writings. Have we thp !same amount of testimony 
 in the church of the Latter-day Saints ? If so, then the Book of Mormon has just 
 as good claims on our faith as the New Testament. We have already given the tes- 
 timony of many witnesses ; and there are tens of thousands of others now living, that 
 bear a similar testimony. Therefore, this generation have thousands of eye- witnesses- 
 in favor of the miraculous gifts and powers of the gospel, confirmatoi-y of the Book 
 of Mormon, to where they have one confirmatory of the apostolic mission in ancient 
 times. The six writers of the New Testament tell us of many that were healed, hut 
 none of the persons healed have handed down their written testimony to that effect. 
 But this generation have the testimony of thousands whb'Bave been healed of every 
 variety of sickness and disease. If we had the testimony "of the deaf and dumb, and 
 blind and lame, that were healed in ancient times, it would greatly strengthen the 
 testimony of the six writers who have related such marvellous occurrences. What 
 evidence have this generation that the lame man, who sat at the beautiful gate of the 
 temple, was healed ? They have the testimony of one witness, and one only, namely, 
 the writer of the Acts. What evidence have we that the apostles spoke in tongues, 
 on the day of Pentecost ? The writer of the Acts has said so, and we believe it on his 
 testimony alone. Luke who is supposed to be the writer of the Acts, has told us that 
 Philip wrought great miracles in Samaria, — that twelve men at Ephesus, after their 
 baptism and confirmation, spoke with tongues and prophesied — ^that Peter saw a vi- 
 sion — that Cornelius saw an angel — that Annanias and Sapphira fell dead — that devils 
 were cast out — that the sick were healed by handkerchiefs and aprons, being taken to- 
 them from the body of Paul — and that the shadow of Peter healed many : but all 
 these things are believed, merely on the testimony of one man — the writer of the 
 Acts. 
 
 20. — Many hundreds of the servants of God among the Latter-day Saints keep 
 journals of their travels, and of the miracles which pass under their observation. 
 Hence the Acts of the Apostles of the nineteenth century are recorded as well as the 
 Acts of those in the first century ; and the miracles recorded in the Latter-day 
 Acts are just as worthy of being believed as the miracles recorded in the Former-day 
 Acts. If the testimony of Luke can be depended upon, when he testifies of miracles, 
 why should not the testimony of William Gibson, J. V. Long, Joseph Clements, and 
 hundreds of others, be depended upon, when they also testify of miracles ? 
 
 21. — Christendom believe in former-day miracles, because it is popular ; they dis- 
 believe in latter-day miracles because it is unpopular. Popularity is, among the most 
 of men, the grand test by which all doctrines are tried, received, or rejected. They 
 never once think of examining the evidence on which a doctrine is founded ; but the 
 great enquiry is, have our great and learned divines believed in it ? If not, it is at 
 once rejected. It is popular to believe in ancient christian miracles, though only 
 testified of by six writers of the New Testament ; but it is unpopular to believe in 
 modern christian miracles, though testified of by tens of thousands of living eye-wit- 
 nesses. So it was among the Jews, dead prophets were very much venerated and 
 honoured, and their sepulchres garnished, while living prophets were persecuted and 
 put to death. It is very popular among Christendom to believe in the New Testa- 
 ment ; but it is exceedingly unpopular to believe in the Book of Mormon, though it is- 
 proved to them, by a thousand times more evidence than the former. 
 
 16, Wilton Street, Liverpool, Jan. 1, 1861. 
 
 E, JAMES, FBINTSB, 39, SOUTH CASTIE STBEET, IIVEBPOOL. 
 
[iNo. '6. ■-. 
 DIYINE AUTHENTieiTY 
 
 OF l^fiE ' 
 
 BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 dNK OP THE TWELVE APOSTLES OP THE CHPECH OP JESUS CHBI3I OP LATTER-DAT SAlKTSi.' 
 
 ' • ■• ■ I, ' ■ ' ' ' ;■ 
 
 . PROPHETIC ' EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 ,■ ;1 .-^ip tl}e last two numbers of this series, it has been abundantly proved that the 
 !^pplf of Mormon, has; been; confirjned by the voice of ; the Lord, by the .niinistey of 
 ajjgels, by' h^avenj^ virion?,, or by t% miraculous gifts and powers of the Holy .Glios't,' 
 vntp tens of -thousands o^Tvitjiesses,., The 'Book of Mormon, therefor?, is demon- 
 strated by a vast amoun); of the most, incontestable evidences such as never .can be 
 ■>v?akened or . overthrown by all the, powers .pf priestcraft, feditors, an,d the in-fernat 
 regions combined. , It ipay.be rid^^!^l^d, laughed at, treated with contempt,' entirely 
 segieoted, or persecuted ; but allsuch /argumei^ts will avail , nothing in the day ot 
 judgment, only to bring down upon those who reject so great, a revjelatiori, still greater 
 cpndepination. Haying demons,trated the Divine Authenticity of tjie Book of' Mor- 
 mon, we might, with propriety, proceed no farther in search of evidences ;' for all 
 additional evidences, drawn from the prophecies or from any other source, can only, a^ 
 tije most, be additional demonstrations of the same great diving truth^ A problem in 
 geometry,, after haying, once bepn demonstrated,' cannot be maide.any more, certain by 
 any new .process of denjonstration ; so ■with; thisgr^a*),^?"^ heavenly treasure — the 
 Book of Mormon ; if any one wiU follow, the steps of demonstration already pointed 
 out, they will' know with the, same certainty that it is a revelation from God, that a 
 geometrician has when he follows the rules of demonstration in relation to any parti-r 
 cular problem. ' 
 
 2. — The revelatpr' John, while on Patmos, saw th& restoration of the gospel to t^,^ 
 «arth ; he says, " And I ssvf anpthey angel fly in the midst oi heaven, having the everlast^ 
 jug gospel to preach unto them that dwell "" ^^ earth, and to ev^y nation^ ahd kindle J, 
 and tongue, and people, saying,; with a loud voice, ' Fear God, and give glory to him, 
 fbr the hour of his judgment is come ; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, 
 and the sea, and the fountains of waters.' Afld there followed another angel, sayujffi, 
 'Babylon lis fallen, is fallen — that great city— ;-b§cause she made all nations drint Q' 
 thewine.of the wrath of her fornication.' "* When t;hp,gpspel was committed, uiitp 
 xnan in the first century,, it was not by the ministry of an angel, but by the person of 
 our Jjord himself ; therefprej John had ijo reference tq thej preaching of the gospel in 
 the first century. Chir Saviour commanded,the' apostles to eo into all the world and 
 preach the gospel to every creature: this mission -^yas fulfilled before John saw this 
 vision, as is evident from Paul's declaration to the ColossiSns: (i. 23.) " If ye c'oa- 
 tinue in the faith grounded and settled, and bej not moved aWay from the hope of the 
 gospel; which ye have heard, ararf which was preached to evfiry creature which is 
 Ul/nder heaven, whereof I, Paul, dm made a minister." At the time the appstre 
 wrote this epistle, it seems that " every creature iinder heaven" had heard the gospel. 
 It was several years aftev this that John " saw another'angel fly in the riiidsf of^ef) 
 yen, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them ' that dwell on the earth, an] 
 
 * Revelation xiv. 6, 7, 8. 
 
82 PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." From which we learn that there was 
 to be another period after the first century, when the gospel should be again preached 
 to every creature. 
 
 3. — We have already proved in the previous numbers of this series that imme- 
 diately after the first century the whole earth became corrupted by the great " Mother 
 of Harlots," — ^that apostacy andvidekedness succeeded Christianity — ^that, for the want 
 of New Revelation, all legal succession to the apostleship was discontinued — that the 
 gifts and powers of the Holy Spirit ceased — and that the Church was no longer to 
 be found on the earth : this being the case, all nations must have been destitute of 
 the everlasting gospel for many generations — not destitute of its history as it was 
 once preached and enjoyed, but destitute of its blessings, of its powers, of Jts gifts, 
 of its priesthood, of its ordinances administered by legal authority. During this long 
 period of darkness, no man could obey the gospel and enjoy its blessings, because no 
 people were authorized to administer its ordinances legally ; therefore, in order that 
 mankind might again possess and enjoy the ordinances and blessings of the gospel, 
 it became absolutely necessary that the apostleship, with every other authority wluch. 
 characterized the Christian Chm-ch when it was before on the earth, should be 
 restored among men. This restoration of the gospel priesthood, with all its 
 gifts, powers, and blessings, could not take place, according to the scriptures, 
 only by an angel coming from heaven, as Saint John has clearly predicted. 
 
 4. — That the nations have had a history of the gospel, contained in the few books 
 of the New Testament, or, in other words, that they have had a. history of what 
 another people believed, obeyed, and enjoyed, we by no means deny. But that the 
 nations have actually obeyed and enjoyed the gospel for themselves, we do deny. The 
 history of what others enjoyed is a very different thing from the actual possession and 
 enjoyment for ourselves. The history is but a dead letter, unless we can enjoy the 
 same things. What advantage would it be to a hungry man who was ready to perish 
 to read the history of the Saviour's feeding three thousand on loaves and fishes ? It 
 would only serve to aggravate his appetite : he himself must have food or perish. So. 
 ■with mankind in regard to the gospel : its history is one thing, its enjoyment is ano- 
 ther. To read the history of others feasting on gospel blessings will not satisfy the 
 craving anxieties of our souls : to read the history of a Christian Church anciently, 
 is calculated to give us a longing desire that a Christia,n Church might again be 
 restored to the earth. That the nations might not despair of ever again enjoying 
 the gospel, the Lord left them that glorious assm-ance, that the gospel should again 
 be made manifest by another angel flying in the midst of heaven. 
 
 If there were a nation, kindred, tongue, or people, on the whole earth that already 
 possessed and enjoyed the gospel, there would not be the least necessity of an angel 
 coming with it; but the very fact that the everlasting gospel, when revealed by the 
 angel, is to be preached « TO EVERY NATION, KINDRED, TONGUE, AND 
 PEOPLE," shows most clearly that every nation on the whole earth were entirely 
 destitute of it. This agrees most perfectly with what we have before demonstrated : 
 all people, being without it, the angel restores it for the benefit of all. 
 
 6. — The Book of Mormon contains the everlasting gospel in all its fulness ; and it 
 has been revealed to the inhabitants of our earth by an angel ; it was by an angel 
 that the apostleship and priesthood were again restored ; it was by an angel that men 
 •were called and ordained to the holy ministry, and empowered to preach, baptize, 
 aiid administer all the ordinances of the everlasting gospel, contained in the Book of 
 !Mormon ; therefore, let all people rejoice, for the gospel is once more restored to the 
 earth ; let the nations'be glad that, after so many generations of darkness, a Christian 
 Chiwch has again been orgaJaized upon our dark and benighted globe : let songs of 
 praise and thanksgiving ascend up before God among all nations, that glad tidings of 
 great joy, have once more been sent down from heaven — that inspu-ed apostles and 
 ■prophets, have once more been sent to pi-each, baptize, and show unto man the way 
 of salvation. 
 
 6. — The authority, power, and blessmgs of the gospel, having been taken away 
 from the earth, because of apostacy and wickedness, coiid only be restored to man by 
 new revelation, and such revelation must come through an angel. The Roman 
 Catholics and Protestants do not pretend to any such restoration of the gospel by an 
 
PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 83 
 
 angel, and therefore they cannot be in possession of it. The only people that do tes- 
 tify that the gospel has been restored to the earth by an angel, are the Latter-day 
 Saints ; therefore, if the gospel is restored, the Latter-day Saints, are the only people 
 to whom it is restored: all others testify that it has not been restored to them. If the 
 only people who do testify to the restoration of the gospel by an angel, be impostors, 
 then aU nations must still be in darkness, without the gospel, and without a christian 
 church, and must remain so, until the angel is sent in fumlment of John's prediction. 
 The gospel is, therefore, with the Latter-day Saints, or else it is nowhere on die 
 whole earth. But when the angel I'estores the gospel, he must restore it to some . 
 people ; why may not the Latter-day Saints be that people ? If it were restored to 
 any other people, would the nations be any more willing to receive it, than they are 
 now ? If it should be restored in the n? xt generation, would they be any more believ- 
 ing than the present generation ? Is there anything connected with the message 
 ■which the Latter-day Saints testify, that an angel has restored, that proves it not to 
 be the message of " the everlasting gospel ?" If not, then all people who resist it 
 will most assuredly be condemned in the day of Judgment for so doing. 
 
 7. — It is to be expected that when the angel restores the gospel, it will be restored 
 in fulness, and in the most perfect simplicity and plainness, so that every point of the 
 doctrine of Christ shall be clearly revealed, and expressed in such language, that no 
 two persons could understand it differently. Many things, connected with the doc- 
 trine of Christ, are not clearly revealed and expressed in the English translation of 
 the Bible : this is owing, as we have already shown in No. 3, to the loss of many of 
 the inspired writings, and to the rejection of many sacred books by the third Council 
 of Carthage, together with those which have since been rejected by the Protestants : 
 and also, as we have before proved, another great som-ce of error is, that the Greek 
 and Hebrew manuscripts, from which the Bible was translated, had become so awfully 
 corrupted, in almost every text, that the translators were utterly at a loss to know 
 ■which reading was correct. All these things, combined with the unavoidable errors 
 of an uninspired translation, have rendered the English Bible extremely uncertain and 
 ambiguous. This uncertainty and ambiguity have been the principal cause of all the 
 divisions' of modern Christendom. The only way to remedy this great evil, is to oiv 
 tain another revelation of the gospel, free from all the corruptions and uncertainty which 
 characterizes the English Bible. Nothing short of such a revelation can ever redewn 
 mankind from their errors of doctrine ; nothing else can be an infallible standard al 
 the Christian religion ; nothing else can reclaim them from divisions and strifes ; 
 nothing else wiU give certainty and stability, so necessary to the happiness and salva- 
 tion of man ; and nothing else could be expected in the revelation of the gospel by an 
 angel. Such a revelation is the Book of Mormon ; the most infalUble certainty cha- 
 racterizes every ordinance and every doctrinal point revealed in that book. In it 
 there is no ambiguity — ^no room for controversy — no doctrine so imperfectly express- 
 ed, that two persons would draw two different conclusions therefrom. Such a reve- 
 lation was gi'eatly needed, and such a revelation the angel has revealed. 
 
 8. — As an example of the exceeding great plainness in which the doctrine of the 
 gospel is revealed, we quote the teachings of Jesus Christ, in relation to baptism, as 
 given by his personal ministry, in the northern part of South America, soon after his 
 resurrection : — 
 
 " And it came to pass that he spoke unto Nephi, (for Nephi was among the multi- 
 tude) and he commanded him that he should come forth. And Nephi arose and 
 went forth, and bowed himself before the Lord, and he did kiss his feet. And the 
 Lord commanded him that he should arise. And he arose and stood before him. 
 And the Lord said unto him, I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people, 
 ■^hen I am again ascended into heaven. And again the Lord called others, and said 
 unto them Ukewise ; and he gave unto them power to baptize. And he said unto 
 them, on this vpise shall ye baptize ; and there shall. be no disputations among you, 
 yerily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins througlr your words, and de* 
 sireth to be .baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them : behold ye shall 
 go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them. And now' 
 behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, sa^ng, — 
 Ha-ving authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, 
 
84 PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUK OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in. 
 the water, and come forth again out of the water. And after this manner shall ye 
 baptize in my name, for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, 
 and the Holy Ghost, are one ; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, atidthe 
 Father and 1 are one. And according as I have cominarided you, ttius shall ye bap- 
 tize. And there shall be no disputations among you, as there hath hitherto been; 
 neither shall there be disputations among you concerning the points of my doctrinej , 
 aS there hath hitherto been ; for verily, verily, I Say ilnto you; he that hath the spirit 
 of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who iS the father of contention, and he 
 stii-reth up the hearts of men to contend' with anger, one with another. Behold 
 this is not my doCirine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger one against another ; 
 but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away."* 
 
 9. — Now, we ask, how any one could err in regard to the meaning of this quota- 
 tion concerning the mode of baptism : no two meanings Could be drawn from' these 
 definite teachings. Every other point of the doctrine of Christ is eqUidly as plain, 
 and as definitely expreSsed'as this, sO that there is no possible chance for any differ- 
 ences of opinion in doctrine. There can be no question raised as to tbtei meaning of , 
 the doctrine in the Book of Mormon ; therefore, all who obtain a knowledge of its 
 divine authenticity, are fi'om thenceforth sure and Certain upon every point of the ' 
 gospel : and thus divisions, strifes, contentions,- and all the evils that flow from a di- 
 versity of opinions are, amohg the Latter-day Saints, for ever done away. The 
 wi-anglings and quarrels about th'e doctrines of salvation, which haVe disti-adted man- 
 kind for generations and ages, can have no place in our midst. Among us' new reve- 
 lation has taken the place of human creeds, arid knowledge has taken the place of 
 opinion and guess-work, and the result the'refif is union, peace, and eternal life. 
 
 10. — The particular period when the angel should- fly with the everlasting gOspfel 
 is elEpl-ea^ed in a part of his proclamation ; he was to say, " Fear &odt atid give ' 
 glovy to him, fur the hour of his judgment is ciime.'\ The sei-vaiits- of' God are 
 empowered not only to preach "the everlasting gospd," bilt to protlaim to aU 
 nations ihat "THE HOUR' OF ' GOITS JUD&MEIJT IS COME/'^ It is the 
 eleventh hour, or the last time that the Lord wiil.prune his vineyard ; it iS the last 
 proclamation Of the gospel that the world are to be favoured v^ith, and the' last tiine 
 that he will call upon them to repent ; if they heed Ae warning, they shall be gathered 
 out from among the nations, and be saved ; if they heed it not, "the fierce judgments 
 (rf the Almighty will speedily overtake theni. ' Eet^he nations know assuredly that 
 " the hour of God's judgment is come," and that they have only one vyay of escape, 
 atad that is, by embracing the Book of MorSnOn, whifch contains a procliifiation of 
 mefcy as well as-of judgment. Let the nations healten to the voice Of inei'Cy, while 
 shte pleads in their midsc; let them' boW their tetttbhol-n hearts, and 'forsAte'dll their 
 evil deeds, before justice sball make- Ms craita ; for judgment followeth quickly aiid 
 lingel'efh'tiot ; th^ houtf is come, and I9ie- terrible day of theLorditathahd^-wday Of 
 wrath and of great terror — a day of fierce vefigtefice. 
 
 'il.-^Johil'liredietS' anothel- great evfent to't&e -fiface' immediately after' tTie'|)TDdfe,- 
 mfttioifof the' everlasting gospel, namely, the downfall of great' Bab^lan. After "the 
 first *ngel'had finished his toiSsion, he'^ays, " And there follbwedariOlfter^gel, (saying, 
 Babylon is fallen, is fajlen, that great city, because she Inad^ all nationrdrajk tfffte 
 wirie' of the' wrath of her ferhiciition." The lieVeUttor has told 'us wBaSt BStfaylbn 
 iweansitt th* seventeenth chapter: it is represented 'ntiflef the fignre'of a-ifoii^ar^'ciHWi 
 "THE 'MOTHER OF'HARliOTS AND ABOMtNlATIONS'OF *Ftm ^AETH." 
 Itfithe'flrst vei'se, this woman' is' represented as " th^ great Vvhote tfiat.^ttfeth upbn 
 ma-^^f-watei's." In the fi'fteetfthvei'Se, the'^^fiifgePsaid tO'jamthit, * Ttte'-Wateir* 
 Tt'Mehl-thOitSaJWyst, Where? the •vi'here gftteeh; ard']fil66^{eS,J'!tod^ihWtitu*syat^ 
 Siiditoftgttes'." The Bo«an Gatholie,' Greek, aM fi'dt^aiM 'cHiSSth,- W '£Ke-^ea* 
 ooifiMipt Wel«!siaBtiC pawer, represented by gi-iat"B8fl^lon''-vfrKite'&s'miideai'J^ati(M» 
 dftmk'WitK'KM' WieRedtaeSB, and •She'Wffst'Mli 'affef ae'Tia^ Been' -rt-rfttfed' ■Witfr'ffi* 
 *lffid'«if'HHe'ei*el'la^t)iK^1^6s^r."'Hei-ove?tftfrbV'<Mtt%S'bj'.W*bi^g<^ 
 Wejadgrttents' Whifch-^l' qfiicfe^ SuftBe'ed ^etf6te, s^&'^^'p 6Va''fte' na,fii6ite' Whei*© 
 
 *• Beck if fttodSonV Secdtid Eof ip'ean Eki^ilJ'^ig^ 457. 
 
PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 85 
 
 „sbp has her dominion, and at last she will be utterly burned by fire, for thus hath the 
 Lord spoken. Great, and fearful, and most terrible judgments are decreed upon these 
 corrupt power* — ^the nations.of, modem Christendom; for strong is the Lord God 
 ■who shaD execute his fierce wrath, upon then?, and he wijl not cease until he has made 
 a full end. and until their naipes be blotted out from under heaven. 
 
 12. — The object in sending " the everlasting gospel" among the nations of Baby- 
 lon is to save a remnant by literally gathering them out of her midst. St. John 
 says, "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, come out of her, my people, that 
 ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues ; for her sins 
 have rejiched unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."* Hence, there 
 is connected with the great message of the Book of Mormon, " a voice from heaven," 
 . commanding the Saints to come out from all nations as fast as they obey the gospel 
 .n^iessage; this they ha,vebeen doing for these many years, and this they will continue 
 to do, until the work of gathering is fully accomplished. And after the saints, who 
 are the salt of the earth, are gathered out, those who are left will quickly perish, as 
 'did Sodom arid Gomprrha. All these great events are clearly revealed in the Jewish 
 scriptures; they ar^also clearly revealed in the Book of Moi-mon, which comes, 
 S^yiog, that the time is at hand ; it is also revealed by the voice of God from heaven, 
 land by the ministry of angels to chosen witnesses sent forth to warn mankind for the 
 ' last time. 
 
 I 13. — " The everlasting gospel" has been committed once more to the inhabitants 
 of. our earth for the pwpose of again organizing the Christian church, or in other 
 ■w()rds, the kingdom of God,, as predicted by the prophet Daniel, who said that, "In 
 ■tHe idays of these kings, shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never 
 be destroyed : and the kingdom shall riot be left to other people, but it shall break in 
 .piecesand consume all these kingdoms, and it shall .stand for ever."+ The kingdom 
 'o]f God set. up on the' earth in the first century of the Christian era, was not the ful- 
 ■filBneirt of Daniel's prophecy. His prediction reached forward to a much later period 
 of the world, namely, to, the time wnpn the angel should bring the gospel — to the time 
 when the great image, representing all the kingdoms of the world, should be complete, 
 frepi .the head of gold to the feet and toes of iron and clay. The kingdom or church 
 'eif|ablished eighteen centuries ago, does not, by any means, .correspond with the time; 
 fiy. the.fe^t an(l toes of. Nebuchadnezzar's great image were not then in existence ; 
 iin^eed i;; was many centuries after that, before the Roman empire represented by the 
 'l^asbf iron, became divided into feet and toes. But Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar, 
 >*' Thfijisawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the Image 
 •^ptjn^ his fe,et, that were of iron and clay, and break them to pieces." (34 verse.) 
 jEKipithis we learn, that the feet and toes must be in existence before "the God of 
 iljEs^yeri sets up. aEngdpm^". represented by " the stone cut out without hands," otheri- 
 >vlse,, the stone coulil.npt commence its first attack upon the feet and toes, and break 
 thetjJ in pieces. 
 
 ' 14. — The nations of modern Europe, including England, and the Gentile nation* 
 pf ^ugieiiica, Gonipos^ ,1^ legs, and feet, and toes of the image, while the other por- 
 itipBSipf..iihfi, image, will.be> found mostly among the Asiatic natioits. The geographi- 
 oalppsition/of the iriiage is from east to west ; its head is found in Asia, and its toes 
 ^|]^urbpe,ani America. Whienthe kingdom of God is set up, it must be somewhere 
 ne^ir the western extremity of this great image, for the toes and feet are first broken 
 Ijy'it, and afterwards all tlie other portions, from which we leai'n that its advancement 
 is ^opi west to ea^t. The pvogi;ess of the kingdoms of the woi-ld has been from east 
 ^O'^^est ; ijxejirbgress of the kingdom of God is from west to east, in a retrograde 
 dKectibn. This stprie, ,aoeording to Daniel ii. 45., is to be " CUT OUT OF THE 
 MOUNTAIN WITHOUT HANDS." « Cut out of the mountain," signifies irt 
 tooatipn hefore apy part of the image, is brolten. The present location of theLatter- 
 dsreiChp^'ch is in the vallies among thp Rocky Mountains : this appears to be its ap- 
 propriate, position, according to prophecy. The stone is to be " cut out withouf 
 iifnds : tljjs signifies that it is a kingdonji not formed by the will of man, but by the 
 •wilT pf,God; human wisdom has no hand in its formation; it is "the God of 
 
 * Eevelations, xviii. 4, '5. ' t Daniel ii, 44. 
 
'86 PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 ■ heaven" that sets it up, and by him it will be sustained and never be destroyed, nor 
 broken to pieces, nor left to other people. 
 
 15. — The kingdoms of the world made war upon the saints of the former-day king- 
 dom and prevailed against them, and overcame them, and rooted them out of the 
 earth, so that the kingdom no longer existed among the nations ; not so with the 
 latter-day kingdom ; for it will prevail against the kingdoms of the world until they 
 shall, as Daniel says, " become like the chaff of the summer thrashing floors; and the 
 
 ■ wind carry them away, that no place shall be found for them: and the stone that 
 smote the image shall become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth." Daniel ii. . 
 
 • 35. And then shall " the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom 
 under the whole heaven, be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, 
 whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey 
 him." (Daniel vii. 27.) The events predicted by Daniel are the same as the events 
 
 ' predicted by John ; Daniel says a kingdom shall be set up ; John tells us by what 
 means, namely, through the everlasting gospel, revealed by an angel : Daniel says, 
 when the kingdom of God is set up, that the kingdoms of the world shall be broken 
 in pieces : John says, that when the everlasting gospel has been restored and preached 
 to the nations that then is, " the hour of God's judgment " — the downfall of Babylon. 
 Both of these writers beheld the same great events, but described them in different 
 language. That which was predicted by those two mspired men is now being fulfilled. 
 
 ■ The angel has appeared — ^the gospel is restored — the kingdom is set up — its location is 
 among the moimtains, and shortly the balance of these predictions will also be ful^l- 
 l?d to the very letter, and not one jot or tittle shall fail, until the earth shall rest from 
 wickedness, and " the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God and 
 his Christ." 
 
 ' 16. — In the Jewish scriptures there is no prophet who has spoken more fully and 
 plainly concerning the great events of latter times than Isaiah. In the twenty-ninth 
 chapter he has clearly predicted that a certain Book should be revealed — that the deaf 
 should hear the words of it — that a marvellous vvork and a wonder should be accom- 
 plished — that Isrkel should be gathered and saved — that the poor and meek shoidd 
 rejoice — that they who err in spirit should come to understanding — and, fiinally, that 
 the wicked should all be destroyed. In the first, and part of the second verse, the 
 Lord threatens Ariel, or Jerusalem, with judgment : he says, "Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, 
 the city where David dwelt ! add ye year to year ; let them kill sacrifices ; yet I will 
 distress Ariel, and there shall be" heaviness and sorrow." After the Messiah came 
 and was sacrificed for the sins of the world, the Jews continued to " kill sacrifices," 
 when they should have been done away ; they added " year to year " to the law of 
 Moses, until they brought down " heaviness and sorrow," and great " distress" upon 
 their beloved city. The Roman army encompassed the city — cast a trench about 
 it, and, finally, brought it down " even with the ground." The principal part of the 
 Jews perished, and a remnant were scattered among the nations, where they have wan- 
 dered in darkness unto this day. 
 
 17. — The latter part of the second verse speaks of another event that should be si- 
 milar to the one which was to happen to Ariel, or Jerusalem : it reads thus; " And 
 IT shall be unto me AS Ariel." This cannot have reference to Ariel itself, but it 
 
 ; must refer to something Which should be " As Ariel." It would be folly to say that 
 Ariel shall be as Ariel. Therefore the word " it" must refer to a nation that Aould 
 suffer similar judgments to those which should befall Jerusalem. In the three follow- 
 ing verses, the Lord describes more fully the second event ; he says, " And I will 
 camp against thee 'round about, and will lay seige against thee with a mount, and I 
 will raise forts against thee. And thou shalt be brought down, and shall speak out 
 of the ground, and thy speech shall he low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be as 
 df onri that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper 
 vut of the duSt. Moreover, the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dusti 
 and th(3 multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away; yea, it shalL 
 be at an instant suddenly." These predictions of Isaiah could not refer to Ariel, or 
 Jerusalem, because their speech has not been " out of the gi'pund," or " low out of 
 the dust," but it refers to the remnant of Joseph who were destroyed in America up- 
 wards of fourteen hundred years ago. The Book of Mormon describes their down- 
 
PBOPHETIC EVIDKNOE IN TAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 87 
 
 fall, and truly it was great and terrible. At the crucifixion of Christ, " the multi- 
 tude of their terrible ones," as Isaiah predicted " became as chaff that passeth away," 
 and it took place, as he further predicts, " at an instant suddenly." Many of their 
 
 freat and magnificent cities were destroyed by fire, others by earthquakes, others by 
 eing sunk and buried in the depths of the earth. This sudden destruction came 
 upon them because they had stoned and killed the prophets sent among them. Be- 
 tween three and four hundred years after Christ, they again fell into great wicked- 
 ness, and the principal nation fell in battle. Forts were raised in all parts of the 
 land, the remains of which may be seen at the present day. Millions of the people 
 perished in battle, and they suffered just as the Lord foretold by Isaiah, — " And I 
 ■will camp against thee round about, and wiU lay seige against thee with a mount, and 
 I will raise forts against thee, and thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out 
 of the ground," &c. This remnant of Joseph in their distress and destruction, be- 
 came unto the Lord AS Ariel. As the Roman army lay siege to Ariel, and brought 
 upon her great distress and sorrow, so did the contending nations of ancient America 
 bring upon each other the most direful scenes of blood and carnage. Therefore, the 
 Lord could, with the (greatest propriety, when speaking in reference to this event, de- 
 clare that " It shall be unto me as Ariel." 
 
 18. — One of the most marvellous things connected with this prediction is, that after 
 the nation should be brought down, they should " speak out of the ground." This is 
 mentioned or repeated four times in the same verse. Never was a prophecy more 
 truly fulfilled than this, in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith 
 took that sacred history " out of the ground." It is the voice of the ancient prophets 
 of America speaking " out of the ground ;" their speech is "low out of the dust ;" it 
 speaks in a most familiar manner of the doings of bygone ages ; it is the voice of those 
 who slumber in the dust. It is the voice of prophets speaking from the dead, crying 
 repentance in the ears of the living. In what manner could a nation, after they were 
 brought down and destroyed, " speak out of the ground ?" Could their dead bodies 
 or their dust, or their ashes speak ? Verily, no : they can only speak by their writ- 
 ings or their books that they wrote while Uving. Their voice, or speech, or words, 
 can only " speak out of the ground," or "whisper out of the dust" by their books or 
 writings being discovered. Therefore, Isaiah further says, in the eleventh and twelfth 
 verses : " And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is 
 sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, read this, I pray thee ; and 
 he saith, I cannot ; for it is sealed : and the Book is delivered to him that is not 
 learned, saying, read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned." 
 
 19. — ^After obtaining the Book of Mormon through the ministry of the angel " out 
 of the ground," Mr. Smith transcribed some of the original characters upon paper, 
 and sent them by the hands of Martin Harris, a farmer, to the city of New York, 
 ■where they were presented to Professor Anthon, a man deeply learned in both ancient 
 and modern languages. Mr. Harris very anxiously requested the learned professor 
 to read it, but he repUed that he could not. None of the learned have as yet beeni 
 able to decipher the characters and hieroglyphics which are found among the ancient 
 ruins, in almost every part of America. The ■written language of ancient America 
 is a sealed language to thk generation. In the year 1841, Prrfessor Anthon vwote a 
 letter to an Episcopal minister, in New Rochelle, Westchester county, near New 
 York, in answer to an inquiry made by the minister in reference to the words or 
 characters said to have been presented to him. Professor Anthon's letter was -written 
 ■with permission to publish ; its avowed object being to put a stop to the spread of the 
 fulness of the gospel, contained in the Book of Mormon. "We here give a short ex- 
 tract from it, taken from a periodical, entitled " The Church Becord." "Vol. 1., 
 No. 22. 
 
 20. — " Many years ago, the precise date I do not now recollect, a plain looMng coun- 
 tryman, called upon me with a letter from Dr. Samuel L. Mitchell, requesting me to 
 examine, and give my opinion upon a certain paper, marked ■with various characters, 
 ■which the Doctor confessed he could not decipher, and which the bearer of the note: 
 ■was very anxious to have explained." 
 
 Here, then, is the testimony of the learned, that a man did call upon him ■with 
 *' the words of a book." But the learned professor continues : — 
 
88 PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 " A very brief examination convinced me that it was a mere Jtoax, and a very 
 xiliitaiiaayofte'tQp. ! lEhe characters weresakranged intcolumns,Uke the Chinese mpde.<¥ 
 vn-iting, ajad presented Ahe' most ifeingulai medley that^I ever beheld- : 6r,eek, He- 
 ■taewi- and all sorts q£' letters, moire or Jess, distorted, either through utisWlful^ess or 
 fit)in acstu^ designs, were intemaipgied Ivith sundry delineations, of half moons, rstars^ 
 aad'Other naturaliobjeots,iaiid the.whele ended, in a tude representation of the B/lS?Jt- 
 cm Zodiacj" ;. . 'i " ' _ • , 
 
 .' •gj .-f-PrjofessoELAnthon, no doubt, thought. thai his statement would militate. against 
 *he Book .of.ilOTmbn ^but we consider it a great acquisition of evidence, cgnfirmjitory 
 of j<tiie4rilit'hjt«E that Book,, when aBomparediwith the recent discoveries of itheglyphSj 
 Mdiishara^ters toOng the imbieat'ajuins of America. The celebrated ftfttiquariai^ 
 Kr6>fes9or,i8ia&i6sqiu^,i in speakingiof the glyphji dieovered on the.ruinsof astons 
 i(ity,.found.'in'Mexicp, says: — ,J . ■ . . . ■ f 
 
 J'ThelgJyphsjofiQtolum are written from top to bottom, like theiCAJwese, or from 
 »i^ toSiflBj-iijaiffia-entl^,; like, the.ifgiji^iiiari, and the Demotie Lybiaii. Although the 
 BSOsticOmmoh way. of writing the groups is iin rows, and /eaeh group separat^ds yet 
 wrfej^d. some formed, as it were, in bbbag squares or tablets, like those oi Egypt..""* 
 -j3r,wp,y«air^fi£Hec the.Book of Mormon appeared in print, Professor Bafinesque,. js 
 his Atlantic Journal for 1832, gave to the public' a! fac-simile of 'Ameriea^i glyphs* 
 found uitMesicb. " They are' arrsinged in columns, being forty-six in number. These, 
 the;!Jea'rnfedpmifespor;)ieiiominates"tlje elfem^nts of the glyphs of Otolum," andoKe 
 supposesithat.ljyjthe combination oftbhese elements, words and sentences.were forojedj 
 cbnslStul^gilhe written labguagfe of the ancient nations of that vast cohtiBent. By 
 a&iiiiipection of. the facrsimile. of Ithese forty-six elelaentai-y glyphs, we find all the 
 part jonJira which Professor, Anthon ascribes to the characters, which he says!" a plain 
 toddnlcicajiotryinan ." presented to him. The " Greek, Hebrew, and aU, sorts of letr 
 1^Si'idn,*erfed and in different positions, "with sundry delineations of half^moons,? 
 planets, suns, .'.Sand other natural objects," are found among these fortyrsix elementSf 
 iB&is&9 plain looking countryman," according, to Professor Anthon's testimony, got 
 soine three or four yeajs. the stait of Professor Bafinesque, and presented ^higi.with 
 ^.genuine elementary glyphs, y&ira before the Atlantic .Journal made, them pubiUc J 
 andArhat is still more i-emarkaialek *' the cbarasteps," Professor Anthoa says, " were 
 arSinged in columns, like. the Chinese mbde of writing," which exactly corresponds 
 TOthiwihat Professor Rafinesque testifies, as quoted above, in relation to. the glyphs o£ 
 Otalum. ':"W«vSee pothmg in Professor Anthon's statement, that provesi the.ic^aJiac-t 
 teats presented to. hira to, be . a " hoax," as he terms, it; .unless, rindeed, he eopsdSRS 
 their exact r&emblance to the glyphs of Qtobinij and their' bfeing srrange^ in ths 
 rigjitkind of columns,-^is a " hoax." But^ as Joseph Smith was an jji!leaBffl^.d-y.Qiffiig 
 man," living lin the country, where he'had.not access to the writings aii4.'dis<aavje®le» Q£ 
 ^ti46aiEiaiis, he would be entirely. incapable of forging >the,tru^:ajidg/eBmne,gly^a 
 of.Aicieiit America;, therefore we considfirithis<testira6ny <jf,Pir.ofees(ffi A»thoiii,.;C0t(i,ir 
 'm^ss it does, from ah avowpd enemy of the Book of Mormon to-heagl-eatcollateraJl 
 evidence in its &vour. OBrofessorfiafinesque.says, as we hi.v^' akeadyi qUqt^d, th^ 
 •S *he. glyphs, of .Otolum are written fioorri top to bbttom* like the CJdV'me,oxixom.W^ 
 taside, indiflferently^jlike the Egyptian."^ Now the'iiis^iof ,the JB,ftok,.of Mo^qq 
 was vpritten! from side! to side,., hke Ahe Egyptian.. Indeed, it was wiitten vsk tka Wfej 
 oieit Egyptian, rrformed by thfe ^eiimantlof, the tsib^jof Joseph., . ■ , .j -j ''[ 
 
 ■, i^iTcnlsaiaih says, as we, have.already quoted, that^'The vision ofjaJl is beconiq uot(> 
 youJas,the,wQrds<6f a book that is sealedj whi(ii;.men deliser to.ene thftt^is-leaEned* 
 aa^iilg,!Tead this, Ipr^aytheei: andhe saith, I fcannot;; for it;i^-se%le4." Mm^Als^ 
 prediotion;; the Book itself .was not to, be , delivered , to the,ieapned,;bjit,dtely6'!5:th^ 
 MTii&isoi a, Book 4.". this ivas litei?ally fulfilled. in the^eYeIrt:J¥hieb.ih8s,alBgaidJ bfiSff 
 described, as clearly testified of, not only by the " plain looking countryman," namelK 
 MaEtin^jBIaiarib, biit by the learned :professoE,Anthbnljjp)selfc,". v.' . '■ -i'T • — .C; . 
 v !28.i-r-Biu*'I^ah'imorms us in the next verse,, (il2j)jthftt!jth«i Eoolf ;*ts6lfisliqijljl,^ 
 delivered to the nnleiiined ; he says, f' Andthe &)deris ddiieiied Wh'"""' thait.jfiiflqjfc 
 learned,: saying, B&idMiis, I pray thee: and he, Si&tl^ I.iuh.not learse^,"/ Xbid:^^^ 
 
 .1, I I ; * Atlaintifi!jii;oiiroal.for J.a32,,bJ PrflfesaQr.BafiBesqftSi i.'.i ;,.: I 
 
rKOPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 89 
 
 ■ - ■ • . li.I 
 
 fulfilled when .the ^n^el of fte Loi;d deliva-ed the Book into the hands of Mr. Smith ; 
 though unlearned in every language, but his own mother tongue, yet he was com- 
 manded to read or translate the Book; Feeling his own incapacity t« read such a 
 Book, he said to th.e Lord, iu thew^rds of Isaiah, "I AM NOT LEARNED." 
 
 When he faafle this excuse, the Lord .answered him in the words of rsaia,hj riex^ 
 v6rse?;-(13, 14) "Wherefore the Lord said, forasmuch as this people draw near mfe 
 with theit mouth, and with their lips do oonour ine, but have, removed their heart 
 far fifo'm nie, and, then- fear toward me is tavght by the precept of men ; therefore, 
 bfehbld, I will ptoceed to do a marvellous WQi;k among this people^ even a marveUoiA 
 work and a wonder ; for the wisdom of their wise men Shall perish, and the under- 
 standing of their prudent men shall be hid." What words cojild better portray the 
 powerless ap'o^tate condition of ^ipdeiji Christendom than this description ? and whsft 
 'Vl^ords could' he more descriptive of the ".marvelloijs work and a wonder," than to say 
 that " the wisdom of th^ir wise men.sliall perjsh, and the understanding of their pru- 
 dent men shall be hid ? " Wh^t povld be more maryeUousand wonderful, than for thb 
 Ijord to cause an Uijlearn^d youth to read or translate a Book which the wisdom, of the 
 most wise and learned coudd not read ? Surely the Lord's ways are not as our ways, and 
 hi^ jthoug^its are not as^ur thought^ ; for the wisdom of the wgrld is.foolishness i^i th^ 
 sight of God ; he bring^th forth by hjp power the hidden thing's of his wisdom throuaft 
 the meek, the simple, and the unledrned, wljile he rejecteth tile wisdbih and learning 
 of Aien, because of their prjde and'higjiniindedness. How marvellous,! arid how won- 
 derful are thy goings, O Ijord God Mmighty ! For thou confpundest the wisdom ana 
 learning of men, that no flesh should glpry in thy presence ! Thou, exaltegt the meet 
 and the humble, that they may" be tailght of thee, and, krfbw thy ways ! Glory;, aiid 
 hoi^our,, an^ ;^is^om, and power, and gj-eatne^ of strength, and'excfellency'of rni^ 
 detstaiiding be unto t^ie' Lord our God for evermore! Let jiU the earth'fear siijd 
 honot his great name, for "the hour of his judgment is come," and the tiirite for th^ 
 fUlfflinfent of the great events of the la?t days, as spoken lay his servants the prophets; 
 
 ' 24.-;-rsaiah, in the ninth and tenth verses, has given a further desci^ption of the 
 condition of all the nations, addressing himself to theip, he exclaims,—" Stay youri 
 selves and wonder ; .cry ye out, and oi-y : they are djn(nken, but. pot with wirie ; they 
 Stegger, but not with stfong di;in]j ; for the Lord hath poured out upon ^6\i the spif 
 fifrWdeep sjleep, and hath closed youj* eyes.: the prophets and your rulers, the seerS 
 hSth he covered, and the vision of all is become unto you as thfe words of a Book that 
 iSI'SeiiM," &c. IJere we perceive the dark arid beriighted cbndition of the multitude 
 Bridrthe nation^ ; 3.t the time " the wo^ds 'of the Book " should " «)eak out of th6 
 giAiiid" "the spirit of deep sleep" was to be. poured out upon thepi ; they werg 
 TO.tfe'-d*urikefa and stagger, but rio;t with wine nor )Mth strong drink ; — the proj/het^ 
 9M fSbr? yere to b^ covered from them ; and " the vision of all," that is, the revela- 
 few>fisctf all 'thff holy propjiets arid se^rs, contained either iji the Bible ol- any olth^ 
 pl^fe,^er'e to become as the Words of , th^ ' se4e|2 Bpok of Mormori. 'If they undfti 
 
 .96)^9: '*! the vision " 
 
 .^piHd'notbfe 
 arikrikeri with 
 
 fi6}4'tiHth^ dtftbey undbrstahd'the-ju^gmetits which are abputtp-befall them, "AS 
 .thfiTeSi'ned-'Ftofessof Antho;i "could not: f gad "the wpj-ds oJFthe Bbpk" pi-esented td 
 }^, ^lecajT^ it was^a s63,le^ bopk-^a language not'und^stood by the learned, 'so with 
 *«|K^,ftii}ltitti.de..bf all the li^tipiis " in i-egard tp 'f th"? vision, of. all tlip pJ-opHets fiiSd 
 Sie4-s^""'tJily iirp ct;iveref ; tli^ a^rejidt'Wflcferslood any nioi-l 'than- the ^Of'ds' df the 
 .sealed Bpoic'vsffei^-imderstood by the learned; ' -Wfaen the eyerits.of scripture^fophec/ 
 ar8r^-^lealr}j''-ftdfill^d Jiefdrp 'thj^r'.eyes, they wjill npti even tben perceiveit; viihen the 
 .v^dgihJ^Jllne^wise and'leairried j)erish,es, arid "a marvell9tis.work, and a woi^der 'i| 
 
 E'^jflPb^edi'm'tjauyng' th6 tmleairnfed ^o i;€ii ttie Book; the nations willfnot take it to 
 ^S^"; thgugh as ts^ak says, ^ey >HU " stay themselfes'and -tvoridei-," arid "c^yout^ 
 aijd%ry," bep'auk of.the Book iilvhich "speaks; oUt.bf the.grpurid;" ^et,'!!*?^!^^;!*©^ 
 .ii'A^drunkeri with; eyery spe(3es ,of 'vvioKedness and abbiriinations, and be9aUsb 'tfie^ 
 
90 PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 to man, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Because they despise so great 
 a worlj, they " shall be visited," as Isaiah says, vidth storm and tempest," and " earth- 
 ■quakes," " and the flame of devouring fire." 
 
 25. — As another evidence that the Bools of which Isaiah speaks, was to come forth 
 in the latter times, he says, in the seventeenth verse, " Is it not yet a very little while, 
 and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be es- 
 teemed as the forest ? " 18th verse : " And in that day shall the deaf hear the words 
 of the Book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness." 
 This Book could not mean the New Testament, for when that was written, it was 
 about the time that Lebanon was to be forsaken by the Jews, and become a desola- 
 tion, a forest, or wilderness for many generations. " Upon the land of my people 
 shall come up thorns and briers." (Isaiah xxxii. 13.) Hence the land of Palestine, 
 which includes Lebanon, was, when the New Testament was written, about to be 
 cursed. But immediately after the unlearned should read the Book, " Lebanon shall 
 be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as the forest." 
 The Book, therefore, that Isaiah prophecies of, is to come forth just before the great day 
 of the restoration of Israel to their own lands ; at which time Lebanon, and all the 
 land of Canaan is again to be blessed, while the fruitful field, occupied by the nations 
 of the Gentiles, " will be esteemed as a forest ; " the multitude of the nations of the 
 Gentiles are to perish, and their lands which are now like a fruitful field, are to be 
 left desolate of inhabitants, and become as Lebanon has been for many generations 
 past ; while Lebanon shall again be occupied by Israel, and be turned into a fruitful 
 field." These great events could not take place until the Lord should first bring 
 forth a book out of the ground. 
 
 26.-^" And, in that day, shall the deaf hear the words of the Booh." This has 
 already been literally fulfilled. Those who were so deaf that they could not hear the 
 loudest sound, have had their ears opened to hear the glorious and most precious words 
 of the Book of Mormon, and it has been done by the power of God and not of man. 
 " And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness." This 
 has also been literally fulfilled, as abundantly testified of in the fifth number of this 
 series. " The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord." Now, during the 
 long night of darkness, there have been some humble meek persons, who have had a 
 degree of light ; but, as the Church of Christ had fled from the earth there was no 
 one that had authority to baptize or administer the ordinances of the gospel to those 
 meek persons ; therefore, their joy was very imperfect : but Isaiah says, when the 
 Book is revealed, " the meek shall increase their joy in the Lord." This is what the 
 Book is calculated to produce ; for by its contents the meek learn that the time is at 
 hand for them to inherit the earth, according to the blessing of our Saviour on the 
 mount : " Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earih." This will be fid- 
 filled after all the vncked nations are destroyed. "And the poor among men shall 
 rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." This also is promised as a result of the revelation 
 of the Book, and the means by which it is to be effected is by a general overthrow of 
 the wicked; as, says Isaiah: "For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the 
 scorner is consimied, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off; that make a man an 
 offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside 
 the just for a thing of nought." O how plainly it is declared that judgment was soon 
 to fall upon all the wicked after the appearance of this Book — this marvellous work 
 and a wonder! And O how plainly it is also declared that the deaf, the blind, the 
 meek, and the poor among men were to be greatly benefitted by the Book ! 
 
 27. — After Isaiah had foretold the great change that was to happen to Lebanon, 
 to the deaf, &c., when the book should he revealed ; he then describes more particu- 
 larly the great benefit the book should be to the house of Jacob. He says, " There- 
 fore, thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, 
 Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. But when he see- 
 eth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my 
 name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel." The 
 house of Jacob has been made ashamed, and his face has waxed pale, ever since he 
 was driven away from Lebanon or Canaan, but the Lord has now brought forth out 
 of the ground a Book which shall, accompanied by his power, restore the tribes of 
 
PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOCR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 91 
 
 Jtujob from the four quarters of the globe, and establish them in the land of Pales- 
 tine and Lebanon for ever ; and his Holy name they shall no more profane, but shall 
 be a righteous people throughout all then: generations, while the earth shall stand, 
 and they shall possess theur promised land again in eternity, nevermore to pass away ; 
 therefore, they shall never again be made ashamed. It is in vain for the Gentiles to 
 seek the conversion of Jacob, and to bring about their great redemption, only in the 
 way that the Lord God of Israel hath predicted arid appointed : they may call meet- 
 ings and conventions to convert the Jews, but let them know assuredly that the Book 
 spoken of by Isaiah is to accomplish the salvation of the house of Jacob, and bring 
 about the restoration of all Israel, while the Gentiles who will not receive it, and be 
 numbered and identified with Jacob, must surely perish, yea, they shall be utterly 
 ■wasted with storm and tempest, with earthquakes and famine, with the flame of de- 
 Touring fii-e, and their fruitful lands shall be esteemed as a forest, while Jacob shall 
 dwell in safety for ever. 
 
 28. — Isaiah describes another event which follows the revelation of the Book : 
 he says, " They also that erred in spirit, shall come to understanding, and they that 
 murmured shall learn«dootrine." (Verse 24.) The meek of the earth who erred in 
 spirit, because " the fear of the Lord was taught by the precept of men," — should 
 come to understanding. Oh, how precious must be the contents of a Book which 
 shall deliver us from all the errors taught by the precepts of uninspired men ! Oh, 
 how gratifying to poor ignorant erring mortals who have murmured because of the 
 multiplicity of contradictory doctrines that have perplexed and distracted their minds, 
 to read the plain, pure, and most precious word of God, revealed in the Book of 
 Mormon ! It is like bread to the hungry,— like the cool refreshing fountain to him 
 -that is ready to perish with thirst. Lift up your heads ye meek of the earth ; let tha 
 poor among men rejoice in the Holy One of Israel; let them that have erred in spirit 
 and stumbled in judgment, drink from the fountain of understanding; let all that 
 liave murmured because of the uncertainty of the precepts of men, read the words of 
 the Book, and they "shall learn doctrine;" let the humble and contrite in heart 
 among all nations be exceedingly glad, for the hoiu" of then- redemption from Babylon 
 is at nand ; let all Israel praise the God of their fathers in songs of everlasting joy ; 
 for that which he spake by the mouth of their prophets, concerning their restoration 
 to then- lands is at hand to be fulfilled ; already has the Book which Isaiah said should 
 accomplish Jour restoration, and turn Lebanon into a fruitful field, made its appear- 
 ance ; and it truly is " a marvellous work — even a marvellous work and a wonder !' 
 Let Zion awake again, and put on her strength as in days of old ; let the servants of 
 our God shout praises unto the Holy One of Zion ; let them shout among the chief 
 of the nations, and sing with gladness for Jacob, for he shall come in his appointed 
 times, and none shall hinder. Lo ! he shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and 
 the high places of the earth shall be glad for him, and the everlasting bills shall trem- 
 ble with joy. 
 
 29. — Bphraim — the Lord's first-born, shall be hke a mighty man, and his heart 
 shall rejoice as through new wine ; for he shall crown the tribes of Israel with glory, 
 and his buthright shall never be wrested from his hand ; his dwellings shall be in the 
 fat vallies, and his seed shall cover the hills ; he shall put forth his branches in all di- 
 rections, and many shall repose in the shade thereof; with him is the key of hidden 
 mysteries — the mysteries of ancient times ; he shall unlock the sacred archives of 
 heaven, and the skies shall pour down righteousness, like rain ; the bowels of the 
 earth shall open, and diall disclose the wonders of ages unknovyn. By him Zion shall 
 be built, and her dwellings shall be encircled with glory ; her light shall be as the sun, 
 and her beauty as the morning ; her tabernacles shall be as the dwelling places of the 
 Most High, and in her palaces kings shall arise and worship ; her children with one 
 heart shdl look upward, while the Zion that is above shall look dovmward ; then tha 
 heavens and the earth shall meet, and all the creations shall shake with gladness ; 
 then the union of all dispensations will be completed, and the royal families of heaven 
 and earth will be one from henceforth— even for evermore. This is the blessing of 
 the children of Zion, and the glory of Ephraim the Lord's servants. The children of 
 Manasseh shall assist Ephraim, and in sdl his. glory, they stall be glorified. 
 30. — The records of Manasseh in the hands of Ephraim shall ga&er out the Lord's 
 
92 PKOPHETIC, EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OE THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 _dect;itppir,the fojirrwn^?, from on& end of thp earth to the ptlier. TheG^ookiDf 
 jMprijipp is the repord of ManasseH; it is' now in the hands of Ephrainij, wl)o iMnre 
 been-foi'fliatny generations, as tlje prophet Hosea said, "mixed among the people." By 
 ; them vbUI the Lord " pnsh the pepplg: together to the ends of the earth," even hy tte 
 fChildien of Bphraim who is the Lprd's first-born, in this great latter-day work. Tlje 
 , American Indians are pMtly of the children of Manasseh ; thongh many of them aip 
 .ofEpliraim, through the .two sons, of Ishmael, who came out of Jerusalem 60UI years 
 bgfore Ohrisl;, and some of Jujdah,, through the loins of David and the ^ngs that 
 ■reignefj over Jerusalem. When Zeidekiah king of Judah was carried aw^y captive- 
 I into, Babylon, the LQrditoqk one of his sons, whoje name was Mjilok, with a comp3;py 
 ,of those, who would hearken linto his words, and brought them over the ocean, and 
 .planted them, in America.' This was done in fulfilment of the 22nd and 23r<^ vers^ 
 joft^,§eyent»epth chapter ofE;z.ekid, which read thus: " Thus saith the Lcfrji Go^, 
 I will also take of the highest brahch of the high cedar, and will set it: I will-crp^ 
 off from the ^top of- his, young twigs A TENDER. ONE, and will plant it upon an 
 ,lijg,hv,roquntaln and eminent ; in the mou»tam of the height of Israel will I pj^nji jiff; 
 aiiji^t,5l)ali^ring forth bpughs, and bea,r fruit, and be a goodly cedar; and undflr'^j; 
 shall 4a'ell all fowl of pvery wing; in the shado^ of the branches thereof shall they- 
 jdwell." iByxeac^n^ this, chapter, it will be seen that the Jews were the "higlicedajr, 
 that Zedekiaji the lang was the " highest branch," that the." tender one" cj^appe^ 
 .off from the top of his young twigs, was one of his sons, whom the Lord brought out 
 and planted hinj. and his compsmy upon the choice land of America, which he, rhaq. 
 ■given unto a remnant of the tribe of Joseph for an inheritance,, in fulfilment of the 
 blessixfg of Jacob and Moses upon the head of that, tribe,* 
 
 31.p-;J^Col) be^nga prophet, said .unto his sons, " Grather yourselve? together^ tha.p 
 Ima,y,]beU yoji, that ..which shall befell you in the last days." He then . commenced 
 .bj^^sipgiheni, by tjhe §piril.of prophecy, from the oldest to, ihe youngest. I'he. bless^ 
 ■iijg,flf,^o|^h was a^ fpllqws : — " Jpsepn is a fruitful bough, even a'fiuilful bough In/ 
 ■a .ji^^rwliose, branches run over the, waJl." *^ ^* *, 'f The, blessi^gp dr 
 thyfa^e^jhayo prevailed above the blessings of my pr.ogenitors, unto the utmost boujia 
 of the .eve^'lasting, hills;; they. shall be on the.head of Joseph, and on the ci'p.^vi^ of the 
 'head of him thatwas.separate from his brethren." ' (Genesis jcljx.)' Let.thejresider 
 I^'ti(!ul3.rly notice, this blesswg- First, Joseph was tabeconje very numereus ; Secondj 
 Ji]^jl)r|%nches w^e to run over.the wall : Thu'd, he was to receive a blessing which w^ 
 >sitjiate4,)to tihe utmost hpwd of the j^ev^lasting hills: Four,th, Jacob declgxps, that 
 •these blessings were greater, or above those, whifih Ks Jirog^hitors inherited, Irijl^hp 
 ■preceding chaptei^ Ja^ob predicts that Ephrajm, and Mana^aeh, the two sons of Jcs^fc 
 ^hflujd becfimp^ a m^liUude .q^ naii<;^f." A multitude of nations, would re jiiij¥%/^ 
 J^fg^,country ibr an ^iji^-it^nc?. \ Jfo wonder th^. that Jacob ^hoiil'd preyail,' pefpie 
 ^p,i^Ord,Apd.;ohtaia a greater blessing than Alpj-aham' and Isaac : for the laind ot 
 Canaan would be altogether too small to accomodate " ,Tfie'multitude of. the.natipng 
 pfjpseph,'' and the- 9thep,t^eg top,;- andtjapob forpseeingthis, sought foi:;„a greater 
 ^blpssing, than the ha^ of Palestine, ■which was. conferred upon his prog;enitprs. This 
 axp^teyibf^ssing is represented to, be " to the utm6st bbijhd, of the everjasting -hililg.'" 
 .I|^^;tef'nv^'^ititiOTqs^:Ooj(Md" must haxpjreference to th^'mbst distant .porti'onS'Of^'tiie 
 garth-; ^egeogTp,ph}cal position oft A4!i.eyica correspond^, asrto.dis'tance/ with: .tj^ 
 ^^nps^pf thej prppjiepy. The range.of mountain? extending' thei whploleng^,of,(^ 
 8^#*fo"'^,%TlWfin^t,,aj;e the.Jp;^g,0, in the whole world, and may well bedpsiggat^, 
 Miffl?fKpBfiet.7ae6h,^',the.^'6«erZ^^^^^ ' , ' '■ ' 
 
 ^ 33.-r7Xhat^tfosBphinigijt.phtain^t^^ Jacob conferred ,upon,^pmj 
 
 f '^ i|jf p^0l._^ll,e^r?uxi^f>f^. the hat^ ;" that is, they left' tie main portion of the f'i^^^ 
 afjjl jii^jintp'sop^.qtbpr cQunt^,, , iTiey liever. poiild haye had rpom;to «bp^6yg(e|j( 
 icq5itt|it.^e.pf naij^DiJ!^^" withpiit , b!reala»g,pver |th,e walli or : boian^aries of •Palesf3pc^,.^n$ 
 f^lflgil^B i^^' mn^J^f^n??? i.c6hfpfr,ed upon them,, among the bonndarips.gf.,^ 
 ^mmMMh'^ i-^W'HF^'iyi^^ ,?>»y, '^^llje; termed thp . " utmost boundpT or #; 
 tonce;|rpfp -yifhpre., the prophecy ■■wag' litte^ed^, On that Vast coi^tinentj tW.'cjOTM 
 spt^lijijth.:^^ bee(^^,hot-only ,a.gi:efit nation, b^^^ "a multitude of nations?' 4^^,,! 
 
Prophetic evidence in favour of the book of mormon. 93 
 
 Africa, aiid Europe, are occupied principally by the Gentiles, and by nations who are 
 not the descendants of Joseph. As the prophecy has not been fulfilled on the eastern 
 hemisphere, the western hemisphere is the only part of our globe where it could be 
 AilfiUed. If we cannot find the multitude of the nations of Joseph in America, we 
 -cannot find them anywhere. But in America we truly do find several hundred na- 
 tions of people, who do not exhibit that diversfty of character *hich we find distin- 
 gH^shing the nations of the eastern world. Then: colour, their features, their general 
 physiognomy, their traditions, their manners and customs, their dialects, their general 
 c3iaracteristios of mind, ^nd modes of living, all proclailn that they are descended from 
 .<Hie common origin. While their religious woi'ship, their belief in one God, thar 
 computation of tune, by the ceremonies of the new moon, their having an Ark of the 
 covenant, iiheir erection of a temple similar to the Jewish temffle^ mfeir erectioii of 
 altars, their divisions of the year mto four seasons, corresponding to the JeWiSh festi- 
 vals, their laws of sacrifices, their ablutions and maniages, their places of refuge, 
 their manner of conducting war, theii: abstaining from eating certain things forbid-' 
 den' by the laws of Moses, arid the numerous affimtes of their language to the Hebrew, 
 allteStify' loudly that they are'bf Israelirish origin. Great numbers of T»riters, during' 
 two or thireo of the lasif centuries, have believed them to be Israelites, and have gein- 
 erhlly supposed them to be the nine' atid a-half lost' tribes. But their history has ispe-' 
 ken " out of the ground," by which we'learn that they are, indeed, Israel, but not the 
 nine and a-half tribes ; they are only a small remnant of one ttibe,,naliiely, of Joseph, 
 among •«'hora some of the tribe of Judah are mingled, through' -the royal seed of 
 David. 
 
 33. — Moses, when blessing the tribes of Israel, by the spu'it of prophecy, speaks in 
 & very particular manner of the land of Joseph. Ahd of Jose'p'h,' he said, " Blessed of • 
 the Lord he his land for the precious things of heaven, for die dew, and for the deep; 
 that cducheth beneath, and for thepreciftus frmtsbrought forth by the sUn, and for the 
 precious things put forth by the moon, attd for the chief things of the ancient moun-, 
 tains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, and' for the precious things 6f 
 ■the earth, and fulness thereof, and for the good-'will of hiiti that dwelt in the bush : ' 
 let' the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head trf hitn 
 that was separated from hiS bl-ethven. His glory is Uke the firstling of his 'buUockj' 
 and his horns are like the horns of unicoi-ns: with them he shall push the people 
 li)geflier the ends of the earth ; and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they 
 are the th&usands of Manasseh."* From this we learn that Joseph was not oiily to' 
 inherit a^land gi'eater than the rest of the tiibes, but thathis land Was to bepeduUarly 
 blessed. America fulfills the tei-ms of'the prophefcy in every litiinute pai-tibtdar; 
 Ailotig btW; favours, his land AS^as to be blessed " WITH THE PRECIOUS THING S 
 dF'HEAVilN." TWs bleSsin^ was of m6re inipoi'tanbe than all the others ; hence 
 Sloses places it first in the list of go6d things that were to be given to Joseph. 
 
 '34. — If tTie seed of Joseph"were riot to inherit another land separate, and at a dis- 
 tance from, Canaan, all these bftssings wduld be without any meaning. If the land' 
 spoken 6f only mean his iriheritaiiee, joining the bther tribes, why should' Moses de- 
 agnate such great blessings upon it, and forget to say anything in reference to the' 
 jartidular' hlessings of the adjoining lands ? The'lasd of Joseph, in Palestine, seems 
 to be about the same as the lailds of his'brethren ; no great peculiarities seem to Ss- 
 tiiltfuish itJfrom the Other inheritances ; therefore, the Very fact mat Moses spSaks so 
 deniiitely in his WesSiiigs uJJ6n th6 ti?ibes, about the laiid of Joseph, and enumerates 
 its blessings, while he is neariy Silent about the Others' lands, shbws, most cohcltisi'iyely, 
 that tlie land of Joseph was to be in- somie other country. And as he sp^feks of " the 
 ^hlef'tffilfigs of the ancient nioiintains,'aHd the' precibus'things 'ofthe lasting hills," 
 he must ha.'ve reference to the same "everlasting hills," which Jicob gives to Joseph, 
 fliat are Said to be at the' " Utliiost bounds." It 'w'as in this cfibtce^land, vifhere "the 
 precious things of heaven" -were to be utifoldfed to lihb ihultitade' of the nations of 
 J'oseph. 
 
 Sff. — As all' the tribes of Israel undei'stOiSd^the art of \Witing, it is'to be"expected 
 that they woiild keep a record or WAafy of tlieiriiatibus in' whatever jfiart of the earth 
 
 ♦ DeutersnbBiy, latidii. 
 
94 PROPHETIC KVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 
 
 they might be located. When the ten tribes revolted, there were many prophets 
 raised up among them from time to time, who wrote their prophecies as well as the- 
 Prophets of Judah. If the Lord did continue to send Prophets, as Elijah, Elisha, and 
 many others, among the ten tribes after their revolt, why not raise up Prophets among: 
 the multitude of the nations of Joseph, after their separation from Judah ? We can- 
 not for a moment believe that a multilude of the nations of Joseph would be left des- 
 titute of the warning voice of prophecy. It would be entirely contrary to the dealings 
 of God with both Israel and Judah. If the nations of Joseph understood the art of 
 writing, and were to have " the precious things of heaven revealed to them," they would 
 certainly write them, not only for the benefit of themselves, but for the benefit of future 
 generations. This they did ; and the Lord God of their fathers has now brought 
 their history, their prophecies, theii' doctrines, and their precious revelations from 
 heaven to the knowledge of the people. The Prophets, the Seers, and the Revelators 
 of the nations of Joseph have spoken " out of the ground, and their speech is low out 
 of the dust," and their writings are now joined together with the Bible, which are the 
 writings of Judah, and they have become one in their testimony, declaring that the 
 time is at hand for the restoration of the whole house of Israel to their own lands. 
 
 36. — We have already shown from Isaiah that the house of Jacob never could be^; 
 restored, until God should bring forth a Book, and that, too, " out of the ground ;" 
 and, until the deaf should hear the words of it. It wiE next be shown from the tes- 
 timony of Bzekiel, that the Book which is to perform so great a work for Israel, was 
 really and truly to be a record of Joseph. Ezekiel says (xxxvii.) — " The Word of the 
 Lord came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick,, 
 and write upon it, for Judah, and for the children of Israel, his companions ; then take 
 another stick, and write upon it, for Joseph the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house 
 of Isi'ael, his companions : and join them one to another into one stick, and they shall 
 become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto- 
 thee, saying, wilt thou not show us what thou meanst by these ? Say unto them. 
 Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I will take the stick of Joseph which is (shall be) in' 
 the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, 
 even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in min& 
 hand. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes." 
 
 37. — It was customary in ancient days to write upon parchment, and roll the same 
 upon sticks, and such reading-sticks or rolls were called books. All the prophecies, 
 of Jeremiah, from the days of Josiah down to the fourth year of Jehoikim were vsrritten 
 in one of these rolls (Jeremiah xxxvi. 1, 2). This " roll" of the writings of Jere- 
 miah, is called a "book" in the 8th, 10th, 11th, and 13th verses': hence, the terms 
 roll and book are synonymous. If then, a reading-stick or roll, containing writings, 
 is called a ' ' book" we can all understand the meaning of the Word of the Lord to Ezekiel : 
 it was a clear and beautiful representation of the union of two books in the hand of the 
 Lord. Ezekiel was commanded first, to write upon one stick, "for Judah and for the 
 children of Israel his companions." This was a representation of theBible which is the 
 record of Judah. " Then take another stick, andwrite upon it, for Joseph, the stick 
 of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions." This was a represen- 
 tation of the Book of Mormon, which is the record of Joseph viTitten in ancient 
 America. " And join them one to another into one stick, and they shall become one 
 in thine hand." This was a representation of the union of the records of the two 
 nations. In the interpretation of the meaning of the two sticks, the Lord says that 
 He himself " will take the stick of Joseph" and put it "with the stick of Judah." — 
 Therefore, we learn by this that the stick of Joseph was not found united 'with the 
 stick of Judah by accident, but it was a work which the Lord himself should perform. 
 Hence, he further says, " They shall be one in mine hand." Therefore, the two 
 wi'itings becoming one in Ezekiel's hand, was a most beautiful representation of the 
 two writings which should become one in the Lord's hand. 
 
 38. — Having learned by Ezekiel that the Lord God will take the stick of Joseph, 
 and put it with the stick of Judah, and make them one in his hand ; let us next In- 
 quire, what events are to follow the union of these two writings. The Lord further 
 declares, " And the stick whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their 
 eyes. And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God,. Behold, I will take the children 
 
PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUR OF THE BOOK OF MORMON. 95 
 
 of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on 
 every side, and bring them into their own land : and I will make them one nation in 
 the land upon the mountains of Israel ; and one king shall be king to them all; and 
 they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms 
 any more at all : neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor 
 virith their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions ; but I ■will save 
 them out of aU their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them : 
 80 shall they be my people, and I wiU be their God." We learii from this, that the 
 p;reat object the Lord has in view, in bringing forth the Book of Joseph, and uniting 
 it with the Bible, is to gather Israel never more to be scattered. Thus we see that 
 both Isaiah and Ezekiel have spoken of the same great and marvellous events ; one 
 declares that the house of Jacob should never again " wax pale " or " be made 
 ashamed " in the day that a certain book should make its appearance ; the other de- 
 clares, that the whole house of Israel should be restored to their own'lands, and should 
 never again be divided into two nations, in the day that the Lord should put the writ- 
 ings of Joseph with the viritings of Judah. Take the testimony of Isaiah and 
 Ezekiel in connection with the testimony of Moses, concerning the " precious things 
 of heaven," which should be given on the land of Joseph, and join this with the testi- 
 mony of John concermng the restoration of the gospel by an angel, and the testimony 
 of Daniel concerning the stone cut from the mountain without hands, representing 
 the latter-day kingdom of God, »nd we have by a combination of all these testi- 
 monies, prophetic evidences of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon which 
 should convince the most incredulous, and destroy Atheism out of existence. 
 
 39. — Let us now hear what the Lord has said to David in relation to the salvation 
 of Israel. David saw the long captivity of Jacob, and prayed earnestly that the Lord 
 would show mercy to them. He prays thus : — " Turn us, O God of our salvation, 
 and cause thine anger towards us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us forever ? 
 Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations ? Wilt thou not revive us again, 
 that thy people may rejoice in thee ? Shew us thy mercy, Lord, and grant us thy 
 salvation."* After he had thus prayed for Israel whom he saw in a long captivity, 
 he then says, " I will hear what God the Lord will speak : for he will speak peace 
 unto his people, and to his saints ; but let them not turn again to folly." From this 
 we perceive, that notwithstanding the Lord has been angry with Jacob for many 
 generations, yet, he will again " SPEAK " to them. But let us read the following 
 verses, that we may learn in what manner he will " speak peace." " Mercy and truth 
 are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. TRUTH SHALL 
 SPRING OUT OF THE EARTH; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. 
 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good ; and our land shall yield her increase. 
 Righteousness shaU go before him, and shall set us in the way of his steps." O what 
 a glorious answer David received to his prayer of captive Israel. He learned that the 
 Lord would " speak peace" to them by causing " Truth to spring out of the earth," 
 and then and not till then, " Righteousness should look down from heaven " in behalf 
 of captive Israel; then he learned that the land of Israel shovfld again "yield her 
 increase," because "the Lord should give that which is good." This agrees with 
 what we have already quoted from Isaiah : so that both David and Isaiah saw how 
 Israel were to be delivered. One says it shall be by truth and righteousness com- 
 bining together, truth coming out of the earth, and righteousness, at the same time 
 looking down from heaven ; while the other declares that Israel should "speak out of 
 the ground," after which, Jacob should no longer be made ashamed. David says, 
 that after " truth springs out of the earth," the land of Israel " should yield its in- 
 crease." Isaiah says, that in the day that the marvellous work and a wonder is accom- 
 plished, then " Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field," " and the deaf shall hear 
 the words of the book." David says, that then is the time, that " righteousness shall 
 go before him, and shall set us in the way of his steps." Isaiah says, " that the book 
 shall cause those who erred in spirit to come to understanding." Every event con- 
 cerning this latter-day work in behalf of Israel, which David describes m his Psalm, 
 is also described by Isaiah ; the latter gives many particulars; however, which the 
 former does not. 
 
 * Psalm IxxxT. 
 
96 PROPHETIC EVIDENCE IN FAVOUE OF THE BOOK OF MORMON/ 
 
 Isaiah must have had reference to the same marvellous event, when he exclaims, 
 " drop down, jes heavens, from ahove, and let the skies power down righteousness?, 
 let the earth op^> and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring 
 up together : J, the Lord,, I^ave d*eated it." * , 
 
 ^ 40 YT-Neyer was thpre a work more clearly predicted than the great and marvelloi^s^ 
 work for the restitution of Israel ; and never had mankind more prophettc evidences, 
 in confirmation of a ]:eyelat^oji, than they have for the Book of Mormon. None of 
 ■lie books of the Old or New Testaments were prophesied of before they were res- . 
 vealed, wherpajS this great revelation of the last days has been clearly predipted by 
 many of the inspired viriters. In this respect, the Book of Mormon is confirme4!l?y 
 testimony to tljis generation, such as no other prophets could bring forward to estab- , 
 lish their books, in the day that they were given. 
 
 41.— And I now bear toy humble testimony to all the nations of the earth who, 
 shall read this series of pamphlets, that the Book of Mormon is a divine revelation, 
 fc(r the voice of the Lord hath declared it unto me. And having been comman4ed of 
 the Lord, in his name, I humbly warn all mankind to repent pfall their sipSj; to turn, 
 away from all their false doctrines, and to forsake the precepts of uniijspired men,^ 
 Yea, come forth with meek, and humble, and contrite hearts, and be immersed in, 
 water for the remission of yc)tir sins, and you shall receive the Holy Ghost J)y.the lay-' 
 ipg on of the hands of the Appstles or Elders of thjs Chi^rch : and signs shall foll^Tf. 
 them that believe, as they did the believers in times o{ pld ; and all people, ,hatiQn^,j 
 and tongues, who will not do this, shall be damned, and shall in nowise enter into 
 the kingdom of God, for this message shall condemn them at the last day. Repent, 
 therefore, all ye ends of the earth, for the great day of the Lord is a| hand; the, 
 sword of the justice of the Eternal God will soon ^aU upon you^ except . ye repent., 
 .Repent, ye Rings and Queens of the earth, fOivthe day of the Lord's coptroyergy 
 ■^th the nations has come ; and thrones shall be cagt down, and your kingdom shalP 
 be rent asunder, and there shall be no safety for you, unless you repent. Let the 
 lords, and nobles, and all those in high places, repent, for calamity shall come from alt 
 <]uarters like a whii'lwind : ^ar and terror shall encompass you round about, ^4' 
 there shall be no place of refuge for you in the day of the Lord's fierce vengeance 
 upon Babylon. Woe unto you, ye rich men, who trade and traffic among the natiops, 
 and who have heaped up gold' and silver as the dust, fco- except yoji repent, ybitr.ribhes 
 shall be despoiled, -your trade and traffic diall cease, and ye shaU howl.for the miseries 
 that shall come upon you: repent, therefore, and gather up your riches, and flee, put 
 from among the nations, and carry your gold and your silver with you unto the place of 
 the name of the Lord of hosts, the Mount Zion, and make- uge of your riches as the 
 Lord shall direct to beautify the place of the Lord's sanctuary, otherwise ye shall 
 perish with your riches. Let all the bishops, and ,clergy, and priests of every deno^ 
 mination, repent and cease to preach false doctrines, and let them be baptized and 
 come into the Church of Christ, and seek no lAore to fight agaiiist the Lord's work, 
 for unless they do this, the Lord shajl visit them in swift jupg'ment, and they shaU," 
 perish quickly outofthe earth ; for theyai;e the ones that have: cp'rrupted the earth 
 •with their false, and vain, and foolish, and .powerless doctrines,:, they are the ones who 
 have blinded the eyes and hardened the hearts pf the people against the Lord's great 
 and last message; therefore, except they repent, tljere is in resprye for them a heavier 
 judgment, and they shall gnaw their tongues fpr pain. .B;epent,,air yp inljabitants 
 of the earth, Icjst the Lord shall smite^ you yrith the rod of Ijis, nibiith, aind Tfith the 
 brfeath of his lips con.sume you as stubble.- Let all Isi^ql r,epent,,sp(i- turn unto the 
 Lord, and gather themselves together, for the time pf the iiil&Uhg-of thp covenant, 
 made withyonr fathers, is at hand-M;he-time when all things are to be restored that 
 have been spoken by the -mouth of all -the holy prophets since- the world began — the 
 time when the kingdom is to be restored- tp Israel, and the Lord God of theu- fathers 
 is to reign over them in power, and might, and majesty, aijd in greai glory from 
 IbenGBfonh even for evermore. 
 ^^ , J -. * Isaiaii xlv. 8. 
 
 15. Wilion Street, Liverpool. 
 
 It, JAMES, PBINTEB, 39, SOVTU cisXLE STREET, LIVEDFOOL, 
 
REPLY 
 
 TO A PAMPHLET PBINTED AT GLASGOW, WITH THE "APPROBATIOK 
 OF CLEKGYMEN OP DIFFEKENT DENOMINATIONS." 
 
 "REMARKS ON MORMONISM." 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT. 
 
 ONB OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES 07 THE CHUBCH OF JESUS CHBIST OF LATTEK-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 Among the numerous productions which have, for the last nineteen years, been cir- 
 culated <^gainst the doctrine believed and taught by the Saints, it seems that another 
 pamphlet has been palmed upon the world by some unknown author, who was ashamed 
 toihave his name appear in connexion with his own glaring misrepresentations. 
 
 As this secret author, in the first page of his pamphlet, has used n» arguments, 
 therefore. there are none to answer ; instead of arguments he seems very much inclined 
 to apply to the Saints and their doctrine such .phrases as the following, viz. : " absurd 
 notions" — "a gross, a stupid, and an unphilosophical fraaui" — "delusion" — 
 'Kgrovdling sensualism, of Mormonism " — " clumsy and inartistic imposition "— 
 " Atheism and blasphemy" — "fanatieal followers " — " weak dupes," Ife. Very 
 .polite terms, Mr. Author ! Genteel epithets ! Doubtless the " clergymen of different 
 denominations " must feel themselves highly honoured in approbating such irresisti- 
 ble logic ! 
 
 On the second page of the " Remarks " a violent attack is made upon the Book of 
 Doctrine and Covenants, and Book of Mormon. The author condemns the revela- 
 tions given through Mr.. Smith, because he supposes they originated in selfishness. 
 One of the extracts to which he refers reads thus : — " Therefore let no man among 
 you (for this commandment is unto all the faithful who are called of God in the 
 church unto the jninistry,) from this hour take pvu:se or scrip, that goeth forth to 
 proclaim this gospel of the kingdom. Behold, I send you out to reprove the world 
 of all their unrighteous deeds, and to teach them of a judgment which is to come. 
 •And ■whoso receiveth youj thera will I be also ; for I will go before your face : I will 
 be on your right hand and on your left, and my spirit shall be in your hearts, and mj 
 angels round about you to bear you up." 
 
 « Whoso receiveth you receiveth me. and the same will feed you, and clothe you, 
 and .give, you money. And he who feeds you, or clothes you, or .^ves you money, 
 shall in nowise lose' his reward; and he that doeth not these things is not my disciple; 
 and W this you may know my disciples. He that receiveth you not, go away from 
 him fuone by yourselves, and cleanse your feet even with water, pure water, whether 
 in heat or in cold, and bear testimony of it unto your Father which is in heaven, and 
 return not again unto that man. And in whatsoever village or city ye enter, do like- 
 wLie. Nevertheless search diligently and ^are not ; and wo unto that house, or that 
 village, or city, that i^ectetb you, or your words, or testimony concerning me. Wo, 
 I ssy ^^, unto that house, or that> village or city, that rejecteth you, or your words, 
 or ,your testimony of me ;, for I, the Almighty, have- laid my hands upon the nations, 
 to gctmrge them for their wickedness; and plagues, shall go forth,. and they shall not 
 be taken from the, earth, until I have conppleted my work which shall be cut short ia 
 righteousness." 
 
 Now we ask the candid reader to compare the.foregoing with the commands wluch 
 Jesti%gave to hi» Apostles in ancient days, as recorded in the tenth chapter of Mat- 
 
2 REPLY TO REMAKKS ON MORMONISM. 
 
 thew, and he will find a striking analogy between them. A blessing was to attend 
 those who administered to their necessities, while a heavy curse, greater than that 
 which Sodom should receive in the judgment day, was to befaU those who would hot 
 " receive them nor hear their words." Is it not equally certain that similar blessings 
 or cursings will be apportioned to those who receive or reject the servants of God in 
 ' any i^e in which they may be sent ? We leave it with our readers to judge whether 
 it is more gelfish to travel from city to city, without .purse or scrip, trusting in God 
 and to the charity of a cold-hearted covetous generation, than it is to settle doym in 
 one place and hire out to preach for a good fat salary of some thousands per year 
 like many modern clergymen. 
 
 Mr. Smith is called by this writer an " avaricious impostor," because he obtained 
 a revelation i-equiiing the Saints to contribute a certain portion of their property to 
 build a house unto the Lord, and for other public purposes. But we ask, Was Jo- 
 seph, in Egypt, an " avaricious impostor," because he gathered up all the money, cat- 
 tle, horses, and property in Egypt ; and afterwards made a standing law that aU-the 
 people'should pay one-fifth part of all their annual increase ?" Was Melchizedeck an 
 " avaricious impostor," because he received tithes from Abraham ? Was Moses an 
 " avaricious impostor," because he received a revelation requiring all Israel to pay 
 their annual tithes for the support of the Levitical priesthood, who ofiSciated at tha 
 temple ? Were the ancient apostles " avaricious impostors," because " as many as 
 were possessors of lands or houses, sold them and brought the prices of the things 
 that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet ?" — ^Acts iv. 34 and 35. 
 
 The author next says that " Smith produces many revelations confirmatory of his 
 headship m tTciechvach—rthat God would reveal his secrets to him only, and to no 
 one else." This, sir, is a glaring misrepresentation : there is nothing in the Book of 
 Covenants that limits the spirit of revelation to Mr. Smith only. The whole tenor of 
 that book goes to show that every faithftd person may receive revelation, in a greater 
 or less degree, ft is true, Mr. Smith, like Moses, was appointed the only revelator to 
 the church, but this did not prohibit individuals from obtaining revelations for their 
 own personal benefit, though they had no authority to obtain revelations to govern 
 and direct others, or to control the church in its belief: this alone was confined to 
 Mr. Smith, and to such as should be appointed to the same office. The seventy elders 
 of Israel could prophesy and receive revelations in the days of Moses, but we are not 
 aware that they were authorized to obtain laws or commandments for the government 
 of Israel, or to write revelations to control their faith : this appertained to Moses and 
 to such only as were appointed to that authority. Hence the Lord said, " If there be 
 a prophet among you, I, the Lord, will jnake myself known unto him in a vision, and 
 will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in 
 all mine house. With him I will speak mouth to mouth,~even apparently, and not in 
 dark speeches ; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold." — Numbers xii. 
 
 This logical author seems to think that Mr. Smith could not possibly translate the 
 Book of Mormon by the means of the " Urim and Thunmiim," which was before pre- 
 jared, (which he contemptuously styles " Moroni's spectacles,") and at the same fame 
 translate by a power from on high. But we ask, when Aaron received the sentence 
 •of judgment through the " Urim and Thummim," will you not admit that he received 
 It by a power from on high ? Did ever any inspired man anciently receive a revela- 
 tion through Ifcis sacred instrument, that was not given by a power from on high? 
 TThis ignorant author finds fault with the prophet Moroni because he had vmtten his 
 record, according to his knowledge, in the Egyptian characters. How would he have 
 iim write, if not according to his knowledge ? Must a prophet write the revelations 
 ■of God in characters or letters of which he has no knowledge ? Every prophet that 
 haa ever written a revelation or vision, has written it according to his knowledge. 
 Xiuke, in vreiting his history of the doings and sayings of Jesus, wrote accbrduag to 
 Ms memory, at the same time having the Holy Ghost to' bring all tlungs to his re- 
 membrance, whatever was needful to write.— Luke i. 3. Luke wrote acctording to 
 liis knowledge, and according to his memory, and yet he wrote by the inspiration of 
 the Spirit ; and so did the prophet Moroni ; and what he wrote tie professes to have 
 written by authority, being comm^ded of God, though he admits the imperfections 
 «f the Eg^itian hieroglypmcs in which he wrote. Ey&rj perion will admit that somr 
 
BEPtY TO REMARKS ON MOBMOMISM. 3 
 
 -bngnages have more imperfections than others. The rerelations of God are perfect, 
 thougfh they may, like the Book of Mormon, be recorded in an imperfect langpuage ; 
 yet, when tiiey are translated by the inspiration of God into a more perfect language, 
 like the English, thm will be more perfectly expressed. Moroni, after acknowledging 
 the imperfection of his record, (it being in the Egyptian characters,) says, " If our 
 
 Elates had been sufficiently large, we should have written in Hebrew ; but the Hebrew 
 ath been altered by us also ; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye 
 -would hare had no imperfection in our record." From this we learn that the imperfec- 
 tion of which he speaks did not appertain to the revelations which God had given, 
 but to the language or characters in which they were written. 
 
 This author, finding nothing in the Book of Mormon but what is consistent, is at 
 last compcSled to invent a bare&ced falsehood ; and then he endeavours to palm it upon 
 the public as though it were in that book. He says, that in the Book of Mormon " the 
 Lord is made to say that they (the remnant of the tribe of Joseph, then inhabiting 
 America) are the other sheep which are not of the fold of Israel." Now the Book of 
 Mormon says no such thing : it only represents the Israelites in Ancient America as 
 inhabiting another fold, separate and distinct from the fold occupied by the Jews in 
 -Palestine. The wgjfd " fold," in the Book of Mormon, has no reference whatever to 
 ihe origin of the sheep, but only to the place they inhabited. That there are more folds 
 than one, and that the word fold means place, is evident from Jeremiah xxiii. 3, 
 which reads thus : " And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all coimtries 
 whither I have driven them, and vrill bring them again to their FOLDS." 
 
 In the next paragraph of your pamphlet you have falsely accused the author of the 
 *' Divine Authority of ranking Joseph Smith with former impostors, and you pre- 
 .tend to quote my words to that effect ; but you yourself, and all other persons who 
 have read my tract on " Divine Authority, know that you have grossly misrepre- 
 sented the same — that your pretended quotation is nowhere to be foimd in my tract, 
 but is wholly a production of your own corrupt heart to deceive the public. 
 
 The next subject touched upon by this Dunfermline author, is the working of mi- 
 racles. He seems to think that every person among the Saints, must, immediately upon 
 entering the Church, possess all the promised miraculous gifts, or else, in bis estima- 
 tion, " Joseph Smith is demonstratively proved to be an impostor." But we know of 
 no revelation, either ancient or modem, which says that these miraculous gifts pro- 
 mised, shall be received and exercised the moment one enters the Church. Christ did 
 jiot say that these signs shall follow the believer the first day nor the first year after 
 they believe m him. If these signs follow the believer at any subsequent period of 
 fais life, either at or near the time of his first entering the Church, or years afterwards, 
 it would prove the promises true, and the message to be of God. Therefore if all the 
 Dunfermline Saints (who are yet in their infancy in the Church) have not attained a 
 full measure of all the gifts of the gospel, they need not be discouraged by their ene- 
 mies, there is time enough yet to receive many blessings, and for aU the promises of 
 Jesus to be fulfilled. Thousands, since the rise of this Church, have been healed, both 
 3n the Church and out of it, insomuch that our enemies have been astonished, and 
 liave sought to impute these miracles to some other power than that of God. ' Thare- 
 fore if miracles be a proof that this Church is of God, we have an abundance of evi- 
 dence — ^in the blind seeing ; the deaf hearing ; the dumb speaking ; the lame walking ; 
 the sick recovering, and in the copious manifestations of the power of God. As the 
 Saints increase in faith, in knowledge, and in holiness, these miraculous gifts will 
 increase in their midst, and all the believers in Christ will realise all the blessings 
 promised, and shall eventually be armed with righteousness, and with the power of 
 God in great glory ; while all liars, and wicked, corrupt, and adulterous sign-seekers 
 ^hall perish on the earth, and be thrust dovm to bell. 
 
 On the fourth page of this Dunfermliiie tract, the author charges one of the Saints 
 in that vicinity of preaching contrary to the doctrines contained in our book^ but 
 when the candid reader reflects upon his numerous misrepresentations in many other 
 instances, he will know how far to put confidence in this charge. 
 
 On the same page, this sage philosopher says, that " it is one of the established laws 
 of optics, that no mortal eye can, by any possibility, see a spirit." Will this very wisa 
 Xiuthor be so kind as to inform tihe publie by whom this " law of optica " was discoreredp 
 
4 REPLY TO REMARKS ON SIORMONISM. 
 
 ajid by what process of reason iind demotistrafipn it beoSime ah" established law?" 
 Have any of our great 'modern optfotans analyzed a spirit, and jlscertained' its inevita- 
 bilities of reflecting light, so as to affect the 6ptic nerve 6f the eye? We arelrdld to 
 assert that such a law of opti'cs never was' discovered ; and ho work bn optics, isither o£ 
 ancient or modern times, demonstrates or establishes such a'hiw. Were thosie'tllree 
 personages spirits who took dinner with Abraham, and afterwards walked with him 
 quite a distance towards Sodom, or did Abraham see. thein with his mortal «yes? I£ 
 he did not see tKem with his ihbrtal eyes, we have gbbd reason to sUppbse that he saw. 
 them tKrowgh his mortal ieyfes as instriimfents ; (all parts of the mortal body are bnly 
 instruments by which the spirit 'of man Sees,, hears, feels, &c.) Abraham 'dofesliot 
 appear to halve been in a vision or'a sleep at the time,but apparently enjoyed the exer- 
 cise of all his senses as at other times, yet one of these'^ersbnages vnth'whom he con- 
 versed the most, was the Lord, whom Veall iabknowledge to he a spirit. Although- 
 we disagree with this author in regard to the spiritual man not being dipable of fi^dng^ 
 a spirit through his naturaL eyes, br the e^es of his body, yet W^ believe Ih the'^tfeti- 
 mony of Jesus, that ' No man (ihat'is JiaJwrnZ man) hath Seen God at 'any ""tUup." 
 The spiritual man ihay ' see Gtoi even through the natural byes, bir the eyes of Tiis 
 body, like Abraham — like Jacob — ^hke Mbses. "While the hattiifal .man, br the'riiatt 
 who is not bom of God, has nbt this privilege, not thAt it is impoSible and contrary 
 tb-the " laws of optics," but that it is contrary to the mind of God that such' iainaii 
 should see him and,live. This deceptive Writer says, the bookbf Nfephi (chapter sSi.) 
 speaks of *iine -persbns being caught up ihto heaven ; but iif he will read the chajlter 
 'kgain, he' will' find that it speaks of but 'tAj-ee instead of nine, who were so caught up. 
 
 On ihe fifth page of the "Rfemarks,"'the author seems tb think that it is contrary 
 to scripture for G-od to authorise his servants to (Jitrse, br for himto av'bngte his'ehe- 
 mies thrbugh his servants. But, we inquire, will not the Ldrd cause all his'-ehemies, 
 and those who reject his servants, to be cursed ? Did he not anciently give his sei'vants 
 power, that " whatsoever they bound upon the earth should be bound in the heavehs ? " 
 bid notTaul eiirse those who loved nbt the Lord Jesus Christ? (1 Cor. xvi. 22,) 
 Did'he not curse, not only man, but even "an angel from heaven," if he should preach 
 any other gospel than the one the Apostles preached? (Gal. i. 8, 9.) When Paul 
 Was smitten lipon the mouth, did 'Ke not say to the high pWest which caused it'tb be 
 done, " God shall skhite thee thou WHited wall?" (Acts xxiii. 3.) 'If An'dnias!'and. 
 Sapphira were smitten ^dead for telling a falsehood in the presence of Peter, and Ely- 
 mas for his wicked opposition to the truth, was smitten with "blindhess in the pre- 
 'sence of Paul, who can say that the Lord will not show'fAtth like pbwer in the 'last 
 days, and acknowledge the"blessihgs and curses that Shall be pronounced thrbugh his 
 servants, by his authority, in his name, and according to Ms will? Will not the two 
 witnesses, mentioned in the 11th chapter of the Apocalypse, have power to smite and 
 kill their enemies who shall seek to^hurt them during the days of their prophecy? 
 Will they not "Have power to khut heaven, that it rain not in the daysofHiheir 
 prophecy ; and have power over waters tb turn them to blood, and to Smite the eaVth 
 with all plagues as often as they will," until "they shall' haiefini^ed their testimony," 
 and be killed in the streets of Jerusalem? That GbdVill execute' vengeance upon 
 the wicked through the medium of his Saints, is clearly' predicted in the PsSJm cjflix. 
 The Psalmist says, "Let the Saints be joyful in glory ; let them sing aloiid upon their 
 beds ; let the'high praises of God be in their mouth, dMd a two-edged sword in tKeir 
 %md ; to execute' vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 
 io hind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute tipore 
 ihem the judgments written: this honour have ael 'hIs 'Faints. PrMse'^e the 
 Lord." , V , 
 
 This author supposes that the Book of'Mormbn cannot, by any possibility.' be the 
 hew covenant, 'as IS Stated in a revelation given through Mr. Smith, an'd tefera to 
 several passages of scripture, which he supposes to be contradictory to that idea. In 
 reply we say, t%at there fc many covenants whifch God has made with individuals 
 in different ages of the world ; as, for instance, the covenant with Noahj concerting 
 seed time ahd harvest — the covenant of circumcision, made with Abraham and his 
 seed-^the cOyen?int df the law upon Mbiint Sinai— ^e' covenant made with'Isi'ael 
 ■forty years &,fter in' the plains of Moab. (Deut. isix.>l.) — the cbvehdnt made With 
 
REPLY TO HBMAEK& ON MOKMONISM. 5 
 
 David. and the Levites, concerning their posterity — the covenant of the Gospel,- &c. 
 Among these various covenants, there are two designated by the terms " Old" and 
 "New." TJhe old covenantof the law was done away in Christ, and by him the new^ 
 covenant of th^ Gospel waf ijitrpdupei in its stead. The Jews, having rejected this, 
 new covenant, weye broken off.j the Gentiles, haying received it, were grafted in. 
 But soon aftpr the Apostles' death, the Gentiles also "transgi-essed the laws, changed 
 the ordinance, and broke the evertasting covenant," (Isaiah xxiv.) and haye corrupted 
 the. earth with their abominations, haying, lost the auibority, powers, and blessings of 
 said, covenant. But,np>v, in the dispensation of the fulness of times, God hath re- 
 nevijeij, the everlasilang, covenant as made manifestin the Book of Mormon. This cove- 
 nant,., now renewed for the last; time, is tlhe same as in^;i;oduced by Christ and his. 
 App^tles; apd; Paul testifies in. Hebrews viii., that the gospel covenant is the iVew 
 CovW"?' P^^edicted by tlje proptiets. Therefore, unless the Book of Mormon can be 
 proved not to contain the gospel covenant, there is, nothing unreasonable nor unscrip- 
 tur%J|in the Lord's calling it the " New Covenant." Now ever^ one knows that the 
 nevy. cgyenant of the gospel, as revealed anciently, did not prochice th? results upon, 
 " thft bouse of Israel and the house of Judah" that Jeremiah predicted ; for that cove- 
 nant was. to cause all Israel and Judnhto " know the Lord, from the least of' them 
 to the greatest of them." That same covenant renewed in the last days will produce 
 the results predicted. The time for the gospel covenant to take effect among Israel^ 
 was placed in tlje future by Paul, (Rom. xi., 26, 26 and 27.) He says, " that blind- 
 ness in part is, happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, and so 
 all Israel shall be saved : as it is written, there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, 
 and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob ; for this is my covenant unto them, 
 when I shall tahe aT^ay tli^tT. sins." Here, we see, that the fulness of the Gentiles 
 mn^t first come m befoj^e the gpspel, covenant will save all Israel and take away their, 
 sins. To this end, and for this purpose the Lord has renewed it, and sent it forth by 
 his, angel to be preached to every, nation, kindred, and tongue of the Gentiles ; first to, 
 bripg in their fulness, after yyhich it will prcii^uoe all the results predicted upon both 
 Israel andi Judah. 
 
 On page sixth, this author quotes a clause from a revelation, given January 19th, 
 1841, commanding the Saints to build the Nauvoo House, and let Mr. Smith and his 
 heirs fof ever afterwards occupy a certain portion of the same. (For be it remembered 
 thait Mr. Smith Ijimself furnished a larger amount of capital tpwards its erection than any 
 other person.) " In the same generation," this author exclaims, " in which he uttered 
 his pi'edictions,'' he was "slain with impunity." "The establishment ^t Nauvoo is 
 overthrown. The Saints are utterly exterminated from their Nauvoo Zion. Yea, 
 th^ir very , tepiple became a, college in the Ijiands of their enemies, and was ultimately 
 C09sw?d by ^re !" If the author had read a little further in the same revelatiop, he 
 wo.uld haye fouijd a, very plain intiniation tl^at the Saints would be hindred from doing 
 the work assigned to them. It reads thus : — " Verily, verily, I say unto you, that 
 when I give a commandment to any of the sons of men to do a work unto my name, 
 and those sons of men go with all their might, and with all they have, to perform 
 that work, and cease hot their diligence, and their enemies come upon them and hin- 
 der them from performing that work ; behold, it b^hoveth me to require that worh 
 no more at the haftds of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings; and the 
 iniquity and transgi;ession of my holy laws and commandpients, I will visit upon the 
 he^ds of those who hindred my work, iinto the third and fourth generation, so long 
 as they repent not and hate me, saith the Lord God. * * ' And this I make, 
 an example unto you, for your consolation, copcerning all tho.se who have been com- 
 manded to do a work, apd have been hindred by the hands of their enemies, and by 
 oppje^sion saith the Lord your God." Sope five or si;x years after this prediction, 
 the Saints weip hindred by their enemif^ from completing that house. This was 
 nothing more than what might have been anticipated from the intimation given in the 
 revelation. Previous to the period in which this revelation was given, and for somg 
 time afterwards, the SMnt? epjoypd peace and tranquility in Nauvoo, . and in the region^ , 
 roi^d about, and to all human apperance there were no fears to be gntertaiqed tfe^t 
 th^ would be hin4];eid frona building until the Lord indicated it by reyelfttion. There- 
 fore the njar(;yr4om pf Jos^h Smith, and thepprsepntions of- the SaJntg, instead of- 
 
§ REPLY TO REMARKS ON HORHOKTISM. 
 
 weakening the evidence of the truth of the revelation, axe confirmatory of its divine- 
 authenticity. 
 
 The author of the " Bemarks" seems to exert every power of his nund in misrepre- - 
 senting our doctrine, in order to deceive the public. He says, that in the Doctrine and ' 
 Covenants, sec. ciii. , par. 35, " indisputable evidence is given of a fact which the Mor- 
 mons uniformly deny, viz., ^t the Scriptures are of no estimation in the opinion o£ 
 a true Mormon." 
 
 The clause from the revelation reads thus : — " And again, verily I say unto you, let 
 no man pay stock to the quorum of the Nauvoo House, unless he shaU be a believer 
 in the Book of Mormon, and the revelations I have given unto you, saith the Lord youc 
 God ; for that which is more or less than tMs cometh of evil, and shall be attended 
 ■wi^ cursings and not blessings saith the Lord your God." We see nothing in this 
 passage to prohibit the Saints from beUeving in the Scriptures, but directly the reverse, 
 they are, in this very quotation, required to believe not only in the Book of Mormon, 
 but " in the rsvelaiions which did had given them." Now what " revelations" has the 
 Lord given unto his Saints ? I answer, the Scriptures, together with the Book of 
 Mormon and many other revelations. As a proof that the Scriptures are included'^ 
 among the revelations which God has ^venfor the government of the Saints, wefiir- 
 ther quote — " Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received, which have been 
 given unto thee in my Scriptures for a law, to be my law to govern my church.'*" 
 (Doctrine and Covenants, sec. xiii., 16.) Hence, " that which is more or less" than 
 a belief in the Scriptures, and m all other revelations which God has ^ven to the Saints, , 
 « cometh of evil and shall be attended with cursings and not blessings." 
 
 The death of Mr. Smith is next referred to by tins author. The cruel, cold-blooded 
 martyrdom of Mr. Smith and his brother, by an armed mob, who had painted them- 
 selves black for the occasion, is a circumstance too well known to need any comment ; 
 here. Joseph Smith died a noble martyr for his religion — ^innocent of any crimes 
 against the laws of his country; and in all cases, where he received a trial before the 
 courts of his country, he was honorably acquitted. The various crimes alleged against 
 him by his murderous persecutors were never sustained. His murderers, knowing - 
 him to be innocent, had not the most distant hope of condemning him by the law, — they 
 merely issued their pequred vmts against him for the purpose of dragging him into 
 the midst of his enemies, where they could murder him with impunity, and where he 
 had no friends to protect him. Mr. Smith never escaped from any former prison, as 
 this auther pretends ; he was taken by a band of heartless murderers in Missouri, who 
 hadgust imbrued their hands in the blood of many of the Saints, and who had drag- 
 ged little children from their hiding places, and murdered them, with the most horrid- 
 oaths. By this fiendish band, he, with many others, were thrust into prison, 
 where they were kept many^ days, and were offered "hiunan flesh" to eat, and'- 
 threatened with death constantly. At length, however, they took them from 
 prison and escorted them several days' journey over the country, still saying that they 
 intended murdering them. The most of the guards became beastly dnink, while the 
 balance, being a little more humane, were unwilling to have them murdered, therefore 
 they advised the prisoners to leave for the State of Illinois. Thus Mr. Smith escaped- 
 from this blood-thirsty banditti. Mr. Smith was not endeavouring to escape from Oari 
 thage prison, as this author insinuates, at the time this painted mob first made thds- 
 t^pearance in the distance. They had rushed upon the building — burst open the dooc 
 — shot dead liis brother Hyrum, and severely wounded elder Taylor, one of the twelve, 
 before he (Mr. Smith) went to the vrindow, where he leaned partially out, as if to shield 
 himself from the shower of balls which were pouring through the door ; in which' 
 position he was shot by the mob without, and his body fell to the ground. Before 
 he expired he was taken by the mob and placed against a well-curb, after which four o£ 
 the gang simultaneously raised theur guns and shot him dead. This i||according to 
 iiie testimony of eye witnesses to the whole scene. 
 
 This author proceeds to quote the words of our Saviour : — " It cannot be that a 
 prophet perish out of Jerusalem." And concludes that Mr. Smith could not be a 
 prophet because he perished out of Jerusalem. But we ask, where did Peter and 
 Paul perish ? At Rome. Were th^ prophets ? Yes. Paul declares, Ephesians iii. 
 tAat God nad made £aown to bun a certain mystery, by revelation, " which in Otntaf 
 
REPLY TO REMARKS ON MOEMONISM... 7 
 
 ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy 
 ^stles and prophets by the Spirit." Christ promised all of his apostles the spirit ' 
 of prophecy, and expressly told them that the Holy Ghost should show them things 
 to come. ^ Look at the numerous prophecies contained in the writings of the apostles, 
 all of which prove to a demonstration that they were great prophets, and yet the 
 most of them perished out of Jerusalem t It is vei^ evident from the adjoining pas- 
 sages that our Saviour only intended to convey the idea of the wickedness of Jerusa- 
 lem, compared with other cities, and not that no prophets should, in a time to come, 
 perish out of Jerusalem. We do not wonder at this author using such flimsyj igno- 
 rant, and foolish arguments, for there are none other that can be used against the 
 truth. Gross slanders, foul misrepresentations, and persecutions, are the only wea- 
 pons that the devil or any of his emissaries ever used to overthrow the work of God. 
 
 The next effort of this unknown author is, to quote a sentence from my tract 
 (" Divine Authority,") and then, with all the cunning that he possessed, endeavour to 
 misrepresent its meaning. . 
 
 The sentence which he denounces, reads thus : — " How could an impostor so far 
 surpass the combined wisdom of seventeen centuries as to originate a system diverse 
 from every other system under heaven, and yet harmonise with the system of Jesus 
 and his apostles in every particular ? What ! an impostor discover the gross dark- 
 ness of ages, and publish a doctrine perfect in every respect, against which not one 
 icriptursd argument can be adduced 1 The idea is preposterous 1 The purity and 
 infallibility of the doctrine of this great modem prophet is a presumptive evidence of 
 no small moment in favor of his divine mission." " What does this amount to," 
 inquires this deceptive author, " but that Smith has invented a more perfect system 
 than that of Jesus Christ?" And further, this author assumes thati " the system in- 
 troduced by Christ hats been on the earth under heaven these eighteen hundred years." 
 But this is his own assumption without proof?^ Indeed, it is a false assumption ; for 
 the system of Jesus Christ includes inspired apostles and prophets, and all the mira- 
 culous gifts of the Holy Ghost which Christ promised. Now we ask this author if 
 all these have been on the earth during " these eighteen hundred years ? If not, then 
 the system of Christ has not been on the earth during that time. It is true, we have 
 the history of that system as it once existed on the earth. But where is the system 
 now ? Fled from under heaven, leaving only a history by which mankind understand 
 that it once had place on the earth. The system introduced through Joseph Smith 
 Tvhich embraces inspired apostles and prophets, and all other powers, gifts, and bles- 
 sings, is diverse from every system under heaven, and yet it harmonises and agrees in 
 every particular with that system which Jesus once had on earth, but which has not, 
 because of wickedness existed among men for many centuries past. Indeed, it is the 
 same system renewed — the same offices, gifts, and powers restored, that Mankind may 
 Mice more have the system of Jesus among them preparatory to the second advent. 
 
 On page eighth of the " Remarks " the author pretends to quote a revelation con- , 
 tiuned m the fourth section of the Book of Covenants, purporting as he falsely pre- 
 tends, that the New Jerusalem should be built in this generation, and that it should 
 be dedicated by the hands of Joseph Smith, jun. Now, every one who has read the 
 Book of Covenants, knows that there is no such declaration in the book, and that this 
 author has quoted falsely to deceive. Mr. Smith, in the year 1831, dedicated by 
 commandment the temple lot ; but there is no revelation that says he shall dedicate 
 the New Jerusalem ; neither is there any intimation in the revelation that the New 
 Jerusalem should be built in this generation. These are falsehoods of this wicked 
 author's own invention, which he has endeavored to palm off upon the public as though 
 they were in our books. It is difficult to conceive how " clergymen of different de- 
 nominations " could approbate such wilful and barefaced falsehoods as are contained . 
 on almost every page of the " Bema]:ks," unless they were of the same spirit as its 
 author. With regard to the New Jerusalem, we believe that there will be such a citjy 
 bi;ult by the direction of the Almighty, in the place that he has appointed, and that i* 
 wll be built between this and the sxpi^ration of the Millennium — that ib win oe pre- 
 served when the earth passes avHiy — that it will aftervsBrds come down out of heaveH' 
 upon the iV«ii» Earth, and that it will be the abode for ever of immortal and glorifi^ 
 b|ings. We also believe that the old Jerusalem will be built upon the land of Pales- 
 
8 REPLY TO REMARKS ON MORHOMISMi 
 
 tine — that it will never afterwards " be plilcked up nor thrown down," (Jer. socd. 
 38, 39, and 40,) but will be preserved when the earth passes awscy, and will also come, 
 down upon the New Earth after the New Jerusalem has descended, and that both 
 cities will be occupied from thenceforth with glorified and immortal beings, who will ■ 
 inherit the earth for ever alnd ever. 
 
 The dimensions of this last city that John saw descending, are given in the twenty- 
 first chapter of bis book. John says, (verse 16,) "And the city lieth fonr.square, and 
 the length is as large as the breadth : and he measured the city; with the reed, twelve 
 thousand fm-longs," which is 1500 miles J now it is rather improbable that the city 
 should be 1500 miles in length and breadth, but it is not improbable that it should 
 contain 1500 squai-e miles ; for 1500 square miles could all be contained in a city less 
 than thirty-nine miles in length and breadth. Therefore, the measurement of the 
 angel, no doubt, had reference to the superficial contents. John further says, " The 
 letigth and the breadth, and the height of it ate eqiial." Does this mean that the 
 height of the cit^ is to be nearly 39 miles, or equal to the length and breadth, or as 
 oiir Scottish author says, " a perfect cube ?' We think not. The expression was, 
 no doubt, used to represent the great equality that existed in all parts of the city^ as i 
 for instance, the length of parallel lines running in one direction (as north and south) ' 
 should all be equal ; and parallel lines running at right angles (as east and west) 
 through any part of the city should also all be equal ; while me height of the buU^ 
 ings in one part of the city should be equal to the height of the buildings in aiiy other 
 part of the city. A perfect equality seems to characterise every part of the city, that 
 is, the length in one place is equal to the lengdi measured in parallel directions 
 through any other place: the same equality characterises the breadth, and the same 
 equality characterises the buildings. We have no idea that the buildings will be 39 
 miles in height, so as to form " a perfect cube." Indeed, we very much- doubt whei' 
 ther the buildings will be as high as the wall ; for John says, the city " had a wall 
 great and high." How great and high was this wall ? Only " an hundred and forty ' 
 and four cubits." Now if the height of this city was to extend up 1500 miles, or 
 even 39 miles, this wall could not be called " great and high," when compared with 
 such huge buildings. The wall would be immensely lower than the houses, and 
 therefore. would be very ill-proportioned to the city ; but from the fact that the wall 
 is called " great and high " we may draw the conclusion that these splendid mansions 
 were lower than the high wall with which they were surrounded. 
 
 As this Scottish author has for reasons best known to himself, kept his name in the 
 dark, in the remainder of our reply we shall, for the sake of convenience in reference, 
 call him Joseph Paton . We do not pretend that this is the author's real name, but 
 only assumed^ a convenience for the time being. 
 
 Mr. Paton finds fault with a revelation which speaks of a priesthood conferred 
 " upon Aaron and his seed throughout all their generations, which priesthood alsa 
 cdntinueth and abideth for ever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of 
 God." He supposes it altogether unsoriptural for God to restore again to the earth the 
 Aaronic priesthood. But what says the scripture upon this subject ? God com- 
 manded Moses to anoint Aaron and his sons, and he says, expressly, that " their 
 jBSointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations." 
 (Exodus xl. 15.) The same covenant of an " everlasting priesthood" was made with 
 Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, " and his seed after him." (Numb. xxv. 13.) The 
 saime priestEood existed among Israel before Aaron and his sons received their anoint- 
 ing, and before the law of Moses was given. (Exod. xix. 22, 24.) The same priest- 
 hood administered not only the ordinances of the law, but also the ordinance of " Bap* 
 tism for the remission of sins," which is one of the ordinances of the gospel. For in- 
 stance, John the Baptist, who was a literal descendant of Aaron, inherited this "ever- 
 lasting priesthood" by virtue of his' birthright, and the covenant of priesthoo.d made 
 with his fathers; yet he officiated in a gospel ordinance. John, and the seven 
 churches of Asia were not only washed from all their sins by the blood of Christ, bu* 
 were also made here in this hfe " Priests unto God arid his Father." (Rev. i. 6.) 
 That the priesthood of Aaron will .again officiate on the earth is clearly predicted la 
 numerous passages of Scripture. The Lord says, (Isaiah Ixvi.) " that Israd shall be 
 bl'bught as an offering unto the Lord out of all nations, upon horses, and ia chafiot^ 
 
BEFI.T TO REUARKS ON KORUOIOSSr. 9^ 
 
 and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to. his holy mountain Jerusa- 
 leji," * * ♦ "Andlwillalsotakeoftiiem for PrtMtsand for 2>mfeg saith the 
 Lord." (Verse 20 and 21). And in the 22nd and 23rd verses he declares that the 
 seed and name of the Levitical priesthood should remain as long^ as the new heavens 
 and the new earth should remain, and that " from one new moon to another, and 
 from on esabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before him." Thus we see 
 thjat theAaronic priesthood will not only exist when Israel is restored from all nations, 
 but will continue to exist after all wickedness is destroyed out of the earth, and under 
 its' administrations " all flesh will come and worship before the Lord." And as the new 
 heavens and earth will have no end, neither will this priesthood have an end, but shall 
 abide forever with the greater priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God. 
 
 We will now proceed to qfipte a few more passages in relation to Priests in the 
 latter times. (Isa. Lxi. 4, 6, 6.) " And they shall buUd the old wastes, they shall raise 
 up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of 
 many generations." " And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of 
 the alien shall be your ploughmen and your vine-dre;sei;s. But ye shall be named the 
 Priests of the Lord. Msn shall call you the ministers of oiir God : and ye shall eat 
 the riches of the GentUes, and in. their glory shall ye boast yourselves." 
 
 .(Jer. xxxi. 8, 12, 13, and 14.) " Behold, I will bring then» from the north country, 
 ana gather them from the coasts of the. earth, and with them the blind and the lame,, 
 the woman with child, and her that travaileth with child together ; a great company 
 shall return thither." * * « Therefore they shall come and sing ijo the height of Zion, 
 and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wl^eat, and for wine, and for 
 oil, and for the young of the flock, and of the herd : and their soul shall be as a wa- 
 tered garden : <md they- shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin 
 rdoice in the dance, both young men and old together ; for I •wUl turn their mourn- 
 ing into joy, and will comfort tnem, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. And 
 I will satiate the soul of the Priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with 
 my goodness, saith the Lord." Thus it may be seen, after Israel has returned and 
 repjaired" "the desolations of many generations" and then- sorrow has for ever ceased, 
 that stiH they have "Priests" among them. The prophet Malachi (chap. iii. 1, 4.) 
 when beholdmg the glory of the Lord, and the majesty of his second advent, when he 
 should "suddenly come to his temple" exclajms " But who may abide the day of his 
 coming ? and who - shall stand when he appeareth ? for he is like a refiner's fire, and 
 like fuller's soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver ; and he shall pu- 
 rify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver; that they may offer unto the 
 Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the ofiering of J udah and Jerusalem 
 be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years." 
 
 At the second advent of our Saviour, the " sons of Levi" will be purified and purged 
 as gold and silver. At the first advent, the " sons of Levi" rejected the Messjah, and 
 their offerings were no longer accepted ; but when he " suddenly comes to his temple," 
 then shall that priesthood offer pleasant offerings unto the Lord in righteousness, as in 
 the days of old. For further testimony concerning the existence of the Levitical 
 priesthood and theu: administrations in the temple in the latter tiijies, see Jer. xxxiii., 
 from the 6th to the 26th verses, also Ezek. xx, from the 33d to the 46th — Ezek. from 
 the beginning of the xl. to the end of the xlviii chap. — ZecV 3uv — Joel ii. 
 
 The establishment of the Aaronic priesthood again on the earth, preparatory to the 
 second coming of our Lord, is an event so clearly predicted in the scriptures, that had 
 Mr. Joseph Smith failed to incorporate that priesthood with the Melchisedec in his 
 organization of the Latter-day church, it would at once have proved him an impostor. 
 But, sir, the very fact that Mr. Smith has not followed the false traditions of the re- 
 ligious world, but has, in direct opposition to the vast variety of erroneous creeds and 
 doctrines with which he was surrounded, restored, the Aaronic and Melchisedec priest- 
 hoods, shows that he was endowed with a wisdom far superior to that of the nuUions 
 «f false teachers who have disgriiced the name of Christianity during the last seveij- 
 teen hundred years. The prophets have clearly predicted the existence of the Aaronic 
 priesthood, at the times of the restitution of Israel and the second advent. The Lord, 
 by Mr. Smith, has fulfilled the prediction, and established its existence among men. 
 ■Jniis, tihen, is one more testimony in fevour of Joseph Smith's divine mission. 
 
10 REPLY TO REMARKS ON MORMONISM. 
 
 Mr. Paton next quotes a passage from a revelation in the Book of Covenants virhich .. 
 reads thus — " Verily, verily, I say unto you, they who helieve not on your words, and 
 are not baptized by water in my name, for the remission of their sins, that they may ' 
 receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned, and shall not come into my Father's king- ; 
 dom, where my Father and lam." Mr. Paton considers this very "dogmatic," "pre^~ 
 sumptuous," and " at variance with the teaching of scripture." But we ask Mr. ''' 
 Paton and all of our readers to compare the above passage with Jesus's teachings to ' 
 his apostles, (Matthew x. 14, 15,) " And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear 
 your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 
 Verily, I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomor- 
 rah in the day of judgment than for that city." 
 
 On the 10th page Mr. Paton supposes that there is " no infallible standard" 
 but the scriptures. Now nothing can be more absurd than such an idea. Every 
 truth, is an infallible standard, whether it is contained in the Bible or in uny^ other " 
 book. Wherever truth is found, or by whatever process it is obtained, it is infaUi- _j 
 ble in its nature, and becomes a standard of comparison for certain other truths t, 
 which ai'e closely connected with it ; hence by the aid of truths already known, other "; 
 truths are brought to light, which in their tm-n also become standards of compari-'" 
 son. Thousands of truths in modem times have been discovered by the aid of " 
 reason and observation, which can never be proved true nor false by the scriptures ,, 
 alone. Newton did not establish the truth of his doctrine of universal gravitation 
 by the scriptures — Mr. Paton's only "infallible standard!" neither did he demon- , 
 strate his doctrine of fluxions by the scriptm-es ; neither did Kepler demonstrate 
 his eliptical theory of the planatory orbits by the scriptures. Mr. Paton's only in- 
 fallible standard never jvould have detected the heresy of the Ptolemaic system of j 
 the universe, which was so successfully overtm-ned by Copernicus and his followers. 
 If there is no infallible standard but the Bible by wluch to judge between truth and , 
 error, and condemn heresy, we hope that Mr. Paton will come forward speedily with 
 his only standard, and by it decide whether the undulatory theory of light, or 
 the corpxiscular theory, be true ; foi' the learned world have for a long time been 
 oscillating between these two theories, not knowing which to condemn' as heresy. ' ^ 
 According to Mr. Paton, there is no way to condemn either as heresy, only by the , 
 scriptures. We ask, could not the antediluvians receive Noah as a prophet or con- 
 demn him as a fanatic, without the aid of the scriptinres ? How eomd Jeremiah [ 
 prove to the Jews from any previous revelation that he was sent of God ? What 
 former scripture could prove the truth or falsity of Ezekiel's prophecy ? If scrip- 
 ture is the only guide into truth, will Mr. Paton tell us what part of said volume 
 justifies himself and the " clergymen of different denominations' in doing away as , 
 uimecessary in this age, inspired apostles and prophets, and the miraculous gifts of ' 
 the spirit ? We should like to have chapter and verse upon so important a subject. .' 
 The Holy Ghost is a far more universal standard of truth than the scriptures. 
 The Holy Ghost will guide the servants of God into All, truth; the scriptures with- ' 
 out the Holy Ghost, wiU only guide into a few truths. The Holy Ghost can un- , 
 fold the grandeur, majesty, and glory of heavenly worlds, while Mr. Paton's only j 
 « infallible standard" can give no such visions. The Holy Ghost can waft the ser- 
 vant of God to the third heavens, and show him things not lawful to be uttered by " 
 man, while the sciiptures have no such power and can impart no such knowledge. 
 The Holy Ghost can heal the sick— can speak with tongues, and can perform many ^^ 
 other mighty works ; while the scriptures, without the Holy Ghost, can do none of 
 Ihese things. The Holy Ghost -is greater than the scriptures, for by him the scrip- ' 
 , tures were given ; hence the Holy Ghost is an infallible standard as well as the scrip- ', 
 tures. The Holy Ghost being a universal standard of truth, while the scriptures are 
 a very limited standard ; yet both standards agree in one, and never contradict each 
 other. That which contradicts any known truth is not of the spirit of truth, but is 
 false. A false doctrine cannot always be detected by the scriptures; but v^hen refer- 1- 
 red to the universal standard — the Holy Spirit it can always be detected; for the '] 
 Holy Spirit deceives no one. "_' 
 
 In my remarks upon the evidences in favour of Joseph Snuth's divine mission 
 ("Divine Authority," page 13,) I have, amongst numerous other evidences adduced^ 
 
RKFLV TO RBKARKS OK M0RH0NI8M. II 
 
 referred to the late discoveries of Catherwood and Stephens in Central America, as- 
 confirmatory evidence of the truth of the Book of Mormon. Mr. Paton conader* 
 this as no evidence at all, and refers to the discoveries of Baron Hmnboldt and many 
 other antiquarians, long before Mr. Smith translated that book. Now no one -will 
 dispute the fact that the existence of antique remains in different parts of America was- 
 known long before Mr. Smith was bom. But every well informed person knows that 
 the most m the discoveries made by Oatherwood and Stephens were original — that 
 the most of the forty-four cities described by him had not been described by previous 
 travellers.^ Now the Book of Mormon gives us the names and location of great num- 
 bers of cities in the very region where Catherwood and Stephens afterwards discovered 
 them. This, therefore, taking into consideration all the circumstances, is an additional 
 evidence, of a very positive nature, in favour of the divine inspiration of this unlearned 
 and inexperienced young man. 
 
 With regard to the old Spaulding story concerning the ori^ of the Book of Mor- 
 mon, we remark, that it has been exploded by the most incontrovertible testimony years 
 ago, audits lying propagators have been made ashamed of their corrupt glaring false- 
 hoods. (See P. P^Fratt's Bepfy to the Bev. C. S. Bush ; also Taylor's Answer to 
 the Bev. Bobert H^s.) 
 
 Mr. Paton next refers to the 29th chapter of Isaiah, and to my remarks upon it^ 
 and falsely pretends that the metallic plates of the Book of Mormon are represented 
 in^my tract (" Divine Authority,") as being Ariel, the city were David dwelt. He says, 
 *' If the metallic plates he, as Mr. Pratt pretends, this Ariel," * * then 
 they are, " cursed of Ood." Mr. Pratt, sir, has made no such pretensions : it is only 
 another of your own misrepresentations. Now if our readers will turn to the 29ta 
 chapter of Isaiah, and carefully read the first four verses of that chapter, they will 
 discover that the prophet predicts, first, the distress that should come upon Ariel, and, 
 secondly, predicts another event that should be unto the Lord as Ariel. This last 
 event is expressed in these words, " And it shall be unto me AS Ariel." How was it 
 with Ariel ? Her people was to be distressed and afflicted with " heaviness and sor- 
 row." How was it to be with the people or nation who should be " as Abiix ?" Its 
 distress, of course, was to resemble that of Ariel, or else it could not be " as Ariel." 
 The distress of the nation that the Lord says " shall be as Ariel," is clearly portrayed 
 in the 3rd and 4th verses, "And I will camp against thee round about, and vrill lay 
 siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee ; and thou shalt be 
 brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of 
 the dust, and tiby voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, 
 and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust." Now, we ask, "What nation upon the 
 earth has been visited with u distress resembling that of Ariel or Jerusalem ? We 
 answer that the Book of Mormon informs us that the nation of Nephites who were a 
 remnant of Joseph inhabitmg Ancient America, were brought down to the ground by 
 their enemies. Hundreds of thousands were slaughtered in their terrible wars. 
 Their distress truly may be said to be " as Ariel." Ariel was sorely distressed from 
 time to time, and forts and other fortifications raised against her — similar judgments 
 happened to the remnant of Joseph. Isaiah does not say that Ariel shaU speak out of 
 the ground, but he clearly shows that the nation which should be distressed as Ariel, 
 after being brought down, should speak out of the ground. The words of the prophets 
 of Jerusalem or Ariel, never spoke from the ground, their speech was never « low out 
 of the dust." But the words of the prophets among the remnant of Joseph have 
 spoken from the ground, and their written "speech" has whispered out of the dust. 
 Isaiah declares, that it shall be " as the voice of one tBat hath a familiar spirit." _ It 
 was not to be the voice of a distant, vague, imeertain spirit^ but " as a familiar spirit," 
 one that could be familiarly understood, and that too, by the most ordinary capacity,. 
 The term familiar does not necessarily imply evil, as Mr. Paton would have the public 
 suppose. There were many corrupt persons in ancient times who had not only a famio 
 liar but constant intercourse with evil spirits, and were possessed by them : and because 
 of the constant familiarity of these spirits with those persons they possessed, they were ' 
 frequently termed "familiar spirits." As was remarked above, the term "familiar" 
 does not always imply evil. Jesus was familiar with his disciples, while to the world 
 ae was more distant and spoke to them in parables. The Holy Ghost is a very familiar 
 
12" REPLY TO EKMABK* ONl M»KMONISM. 
 
 spirit in the tabernacles of his sepanta, soilietiines making familiar to them things that 
 are not lawful to be uttered or written. The voice of the ancient prophets of America, 
 has famildarly whispesed from the dust i» the ears of tiw present generation, simply and 
 faiiiiliad'ly revealing' the ancient history of that continent — and in a very familiar man- 
 ner portrays the. wonderful works of God amqng a nation whose history was before 
 unknown. What a marked contrast betweea the definite, plain, aiid " faYniliar spirit' 
 in which the Book of Mormon unfolds the ancient history of America, and the wild 
 vague, and distant conjectures of learned aiitiquairiajis ! tt is as the voice of the dead 
 proclaiming repentance to the living. It is.the voice of those whO; have slumbered low 
 in the dust, sounding an important and solemn warning in the ears of a corrupt, wickedj 
 apostate race of Gentiles, who have made "lies their refmge" and '^^ undtr fahehcioijt 
 Jimie. hid themselves." 
 
 Isaiah not only speaks of the overthrow and utter abolishment of " the multitude 
 of all the nations that should fight against Mount Zion," but also very clearly describes 
 the wickedness and gross darkness in which all these nations should be involved. He 
 declares they should " be drunken, but not with wine, — they should stagger, but not 
 with strong drink ;" for (continues he) the Lord hath'poui-ed out upon you the spirit 
 of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes : the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath 
 he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as" the words of a book that is 
 sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned," &c. Here we perceive that the mul- 
 titude of all the nations who fight against Zion were to. be so completely enveloped in 
 darkness, that they would be drunken and stagger, their ^es should be closed, and they 
 should be in a deep sleep ; the prophets and seers were to be covered, or not acknow- 
 ledged among them : and finally, " the VISION OP, AUti" were to be as the words of a sealed 
 book. The vision of all the prophets and seers who had spoken since the world began, was 
 to be unintelligible — not understood by those corrupt benighted nations. It is true 
 they have multiplied millions of copies of the Bible ; hut so great is their wickedness, 
 that the powers, gifts, and blessings of the Bible are unknown among them. Having 
 closed then' eyes in a profound, deep, and drunken sleep, the vision of all, or the in- 
 spired vsritings of all the prophets and seers with which they are acquainted are not 
 understood, — they are not the wqi'ds of a sealed book, but AS the words of a sealed 
 book which are given to a learned man who is unable to read them. So the vision of 
 theseinspired prophets and seers contained in theBible has been presented to the nations, 
 but they are imable to understand it. As Professor Anthon, though a learned man, 
 was not able to comprehend or read the words transcribed from the sesfled Book of 
 Mormon, so the present generation, though learned as to the wisdom of the world, are, 
 in consequence of wickedness, unable to comprehend "the vision of all." As well 
 might Professor Anthon undertake to translate unknovrai Egyptian characters by his 
 learning, as for a wicked generation who are in a " deep sleep": to undertake to im- 
 derstand " the vision of all," without the aid of inspired men. 
 
 Mr. Paton assei-ts, that " Isaiah, says, the sealed book was given to the learned." 
 We wish Mr. Paton to understand distinctly, that Isaiah says no such thing. Isaiah 
 speaks of the " words" of a book being presented to the learned, and not the book 
 itself. Mr. Paton enquires, " Why did not he (Smith) give the booh, or plates, (to 
 the learned) as he ought to have done, to fulfil the terms of the prophecy f I an- 
 swer that if he Tiad sent the book to Professor Anthqn, instead of some of the tran- 
 scribed words, it would not have been a fulfilment of the term? of the prophecy ; 
 for Isaiah expressly says the " words" and not the book, were to be delivered to tW 
 learned. And Isaiah also says, the " book," (not the words of a book), " is dehv- 
 ered to him that is hot learned. Saying, Read this I pray thee, and he saith, I am not 
 learned." To the learned is presented the " words of a hook : " to the unlearned is 
 delivered the " book " itself. The former says, " I Cannot " read it ; the latter says, 
 " I am not learned." Mr. Paton says, that neither could read it. But Isaiah says 
 that, " In that day, shall the deaf hear the words of the book," consequently, it mjist 
 be read by some one. And as the Lord declares in the same connexion that he would 
 "proceed to do a marvellous work and a wonder," which should " cause the wisdom 
 orthe wise to perish," we have every reason to believe that he causes the unlearned 
 to read it, which would indeed be a marvellous work and a wonder, and a very effec- 
 tual way of causing the wisdom of the wise tp perish. 
 
EfiPLY TO REMARKS ON MORMONISM. 13 
 
 Ml'. Patbn thinks it Very straiige, that none of the inspired ^iriters of the OH or 
 New Testaments should predict imything^about the Urim and Thummim, bv 'which 
 the Book of Mormon was translated. 'On the same principle, we ask, why d"id none 
 of the inspired Writers predict, that the Eord Jesus Christ should appear to Saul of 
 Tarsus; or that a great vision should be shown to John on Patmos? Why did liot 
 Isaiah or Ezekiel predict that a " white Stone " (not " specs.") should be given to 
 those Vvho overcame with a new n6,me written in it ? (See Rev. ii. 17.) When Mr. 
 Patbn has satisfactorily answered these questions, we presume that he will be per- 
 'fectly able to understand why the prophets did not inention every minute circumstance 
 connected with the coming forth of iJie Book of Mormon. 
 
 On the 7th and 8th pstges of the "Divine Authority," I have referred to the pro- 
 phecy of Ezekiel, xxxvii., in rdation to the two sticks upon which that prophet was 
 commanded to write. I need not here repeat my remai'ks again ; but ref^ the rea- 
 der to what I have there said. Mr. Paton very confidently asserts that "All the 
 viriting that was on the two Sticks, was merely the title of each." But how does 
 Mr. Paton know that it " was merely the title Of each?" Has he ever examined the 
 writing which • Ezekiel inscribed upon them ? If not, by what authority does he make 
 this unfounded ajsertion? The Scriptures have nowhere intimated that the "title" 
 was the onfy thing written upon them. Ezekiel was commanded to write Upon tWo 
 sticks ; upon the one he was to write " for Judah," and upon the other " for ifoseph." 
 Whiit amount Of writing he was to inscribe upon them we are not informed. Neither 
 are we informed of the nature of the writing. Mr. Paton says, it " was the title," 
 but what kind of a title he has not told Us. We ivill suggest to Mr. Paton the fol- 
 lowing titles until hfe can find something more in accbrdanoe with his views, viz. ! 
 
 "The sacred wBiTmas for Jddah." "The sacred writings por Joseph." 
 Titles something similar to these would surely be something very interesting, and 
 ■Would naturally excite an inquiring spirit amdngf the Israelites, especially when they 
 saw them united in one, in the hands of Ezekiel. We think, however, that' these in- 
 scriptions would be rather short, inasmuch as Ezekiel was comtnianded to include in 
 the two wi'itings for Judah and Joseph, something " for all the house of Israel, Which 
 should be respectively associated With them as "their companions." 
 
 Mr. Paton inquires, " How can "two sticks represent t\vo books ? " We answer, that 
 we see no impropriety in two Sticks V?ritt6n upon, representing two books. There' Wotild 
 be an impropriety in sticks without vrt-itang representing books. But both the'sticks 
 in EzekieTs hand had writing 'ttpiSn them, Slid thevefore would be a beautifultepre- 
 sentation of two books. Is Mr. t*aton So ignorant, that he does not know that the 
 Jews anciently vvrote many things Upon parchment, and'roUed the salne upon sticks f 
 This is a practice that is still prevalent lamong modern nations, as is exeft)plifled in 
 jnany maps and large dobumeftts, wliifih, for convenience, fere rolled upon stinks. 
 These rolls of writing Were called books in the dkys of Jeremiah. AH' the prophesies 
 of Jeremiah, from the days of Jdsiah dovifu to tlie fourth year of Jehoikim were writ- 
 ten in one of these ROLliS. (Jeremiah xxxvi. 1, 2.) This "roll" is 'called a "'book" 
 in the 8, 10, 11, and 13 verses ; 'hehee, the tertn 'roW and book are synonymous. 
 Sticks,' containing writing, then, like thel;Wo sticks of Judah and Joseph, w(5uld"not 
 be a bad represehtation of two books ; indeed, they were the plainest and best repre- 
 sentations of btaoks of anything that could have been exhibited before the JgWs; ifor 
 they were far better acquairited with books in ths'form of rolls than in ally other 
 form. Mr. Paton says, " two sticks may represent two nations." What authdrity 
 ha's'he for this supposition? There is no example in '6te'ripture,a3 we tecolleet, •tvlfere 
 a nation is repiresented by a stick. Nations are frequently rft)reseflted by trees, 
 branches, and vines; and 'by beasts, birds, and serpents. But sticks, Ve believe, are 
 never used to represent nations. Sticks, ootitaining 'wTitings, are far betterrepresten- 
 tations of books than of nations. 
 
 Mr. Paton carries the idea that the record of Joseph "did not .exist, even in its 
 metalic state, at the time Ezekiel wrote." Nb"sv the last nine ohafiters of Ezekiel 
 were wi'itten twenty-five years ifter the remnant of Joseph left JerUsalran for the'gfreat 
 western continent; heiice many of the'vffitiiigs of Joseph were in existence at the 
 time Ezekiel spoke of the two sticks. (See 'Ezekiel xl. 1 ; also the beginning of the 
 first book of Nephi.) In the interpretation of the two sticks, God says, «' Behoi3, I 
 
14 REPLY TO RESIARKS ON MORMOmSH. 
 
 -will take the stick of Joseph, which it in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Is« 
 rael his fellows, and will put them with him, 'even with the stick of Judah, and make 
 them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand." In this quotation, the word 
 •* is," in Italics, is a substitution of the translator according to his own opinion, there 
 (being no word in the Hebrew from which it was translated. The translator would 
 have had the same license to have substituted the words " shall be," placing it in the 
 future tense, as he had to substitute the present tense. The passage would then read 
 thus : " the stick of Joseph, which ihall be in the hand of Ephraim." This we cqn- 
 ceive to be the true rendering "of the passage. We are not particular, however, whe- 
 ther the present or future tense be used ; for every one knows that many of the pro- 
 phecies relating to things hundreds of years in the future, were written in the present 
 tense, and others in the imperfect or past tense, as though they had already been ful- 
 filled. (See Isaiah liii. 3, 9.) 
 
 This author further remarks, that " Mr. Pratt's assertion as to the two sticks is a 
 positive falsehood; the two sticks spoken of by EzeHel neither are, nor can be the 
 Scriptures and the Book of Mormon." We ask this deceptive author, why he so 
 often falsely accuses Mr. Pratt ? Is it to deceive the public ? The public, who have 
 read Mr. Pratt's tract on " Divine Authority," know that he has not represented the 
 Scriptures and the Book of Mormon to be the two sticks upon which Ezekiel wrote. 
 It is true we have represented these two sacred books to be the two sticks which the Lord 
 has said he would unite together, and has also said that " they shall be one in mine 
 hand," of which the two sticks in Ezekiel's hand were only a representation. After 
 the union of these two important sticks in the Lord's hand, he declares that he will 
 gather all the house of Israel from among the heathen, no more to be scattered, which 
 is yet to be fulfilled, and the time is close at hand. ^ 
 
 Mr. Paton next refers to the 6th and 7th verses of the 14th chapter of John's Re- 
 Tclations, which read thus : " 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 water." And Mr. Paton 
 intimates that the " everlasting gospel was and is preached to all nations and people ; 
 for God is no respecter of persons: " and whosoever 'fears him shall be excepted of 
 him." But we ask Mr. Paton, was the everlasting gospel, which he says " was and is 
 preached to all nations and people," brought by an angel and preached by an angel, 
 as he asserts that it must be, on the 15th page of his " Remarks ? " The everlasting 
 gospel which " was preached to every creature which is under heaven," in Paul's day, 
 (see Col. i. 23) was not brought from heaven by an angel, but was introduced by the 
 person of Christ himself. The second preaching of the same gospel to all nations was 
 placed in the future by John. It was said to him, " 1 will show thee things which 
 must be hereafter." (Rev. iv. 1.) Mr. Paton cannot point out any time since the 
 prediction of John was uttered, that an angel has brought the gospel from heaven and 
 preached it himself to all nations, declaring that " the hour of Ood's judgment is 
 conie." If no such event has ever taken place, he must admit, according to his own 
 assertions, that it is still in the future. But he says, the gospel which " the angel 
 brought with him and preached" * * * "was and is preached to all nations and 
 people." Now, what does this mean? Does it mean that the clergymen of difFerrait 
 , denominations are the other angel that John saw fly in heaven ? If they are, they 
 have very much perverted their message since they left heaven, and wiU surely come 
 under the curse of Paul for preaching another gospel. The message that they bring 
 us at the present day scarcely bears one feature of the gospel preached anciently. 
 One thing is Certain, that if ever they preached the everlasting gospel, they do not 
 preach it now. It is true, the nations have had the history of the gospel as it was 
 anciently preached, but its powers, ^fts, blessings, and authority to administer its or- 
 dinances and establish the church of Christ, they have not had, neither they, nor 
 their fathers, nor their fathers' fathers, for many generations past. When we say 
 that the nations have been destitute of the everlasting gospel for centuries, we mean, 
 not destitute of its ancient history, but destitute of its powers, gifts, blessings, .autho- 
 rities and church. Now, the history of hungry men feasting upon loaves and fishes 
 
REPLY TO REMARKS ON H0RH0NI8H, 15 
 
 •anciently, mil not satisfy nor save hungry men in these days : neither will the histoiy 
 •of the ancient church, with its ordinances, gifts, powers, and blessings, satisfy nor 
 save the nations now. 
 
 ^ Before the everlasting gospel can be preached in such a manner as to put mankind 
 jn possession of its blessmgs and powers, men must be authorized to admmister its or- 
 'flinances. If John's angel were himself to preach the everlasting gospel to every na- 
 tion, it would be of no benefit to any man, until some one was authorized to adminis- 
 ter baptism for the remission of sins, and the laying on of the hands for the gift of 
 the Holy Ghost ; for without the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost) 
 what benefit would the gospel be, though John's angel himself proclaimed it ? Now, 
 it is not to be expected that an angel from heaven is to come down, and go forth upon 
 the earth from multitude to multitude, and from nation to nation, preaching, bap« 
 tizing, confirming, administering the Lord's Supper, and all other ordinances and 
 blessmgs which are included in the everlasting gospel. This angel was to fly, "having 
 the everlasting gospel to preach," not that he himself should preach and administer 
 its ordinances, but he introduces to the knowledge of faithful men that with which he 
 is entrusted, and they, being authorized, carr'y it to all nations. Whether this ever- 
 lasting gospel, with which the angel was to be entrusted, was to be on parchment, 
 plates, tables of stone, or paper, John has not informed us : he only informs us that 
 he should have such a gospel for the benefit of all nations. Mr. Smith and others, 
 who were eye-witnesses of the angel as well as John, testify that it was recorded on 
 plates. And where is there a man in the present generation that can disprove it ? 
 Can any man prove that Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Mar- 
 tin Harris, did not see the plates in the hands of the angel, and that those plates do 
 not contain the " everlasting gospel f" 
 
 There is one grand event connected with the preaching of the " everlasting gospel 
 to all nations," which the angel has not yet fulfilled. He is yet to cry " with a lodd 
 
 VOICE, SAYING, FeAB GoD, AND GIVE OLORT TO HIM ; FOR THE HOnB OP HIS JUDG- 
 MENT IS COME," &c. — (Rev. xiv. 7 ; also see Doctrine and Covenants, sec. vii. par. 31.) 
 This part of his message he will not fulfill until the everlasting gospel, which he has 
 introduced on earth, shall first be preached unto all nations ; after which the " loud 
 voice " of the angel will be heard, proclaiming that the " hour of God's judgment is 
 come," &c., immediately followed by the cry of another angel, saying, " Babylon is 
 fallen," Sec. 
 
 Mr. Paton enquires, " How could this (Christ's) Church become extinct f" Wo 
 reply, that it has not become extinct ; for it still exists in heaven with the twelve apos- 
 tles whom Jesus said he would be with " always, even unto the end of the world." 
 Mr. Paton quotes the words of our Saviour, " upon this rock will I build my church, 
 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." But we ask, does this convey 
 the most distant intimation that Christ's Church should always continue on the earth ? 
 No ; for the powers of the earth made war with the saints and overcame them, and 
 destroyed the last vestige of the church from among the nations ; but though they 
 were destroyed and martyred, the gates of hell did not prevail against them : they 
 siu-vived the destruction of the body, and will reign triumphantly in the presence of 
 their Great Redeemer. Since the chm-ch was taken to heaven men have built upon 
 sandy foundations, and the Lord has never promised that the gates of hell should not 
 prevail against such : the promise is only to his church which should be built upon 
 the rock. Those who sUde from the rock by apostacy, or who build upon any other 
 foundation, have no right to cUum protection from the gates of hell. Mr. Paton well 
 knows that Christ has had no church on the earth for many centuries organized ac- 
 cording to the New Testament pattern, with inspired apostles, prophets, and other 
 officers, administering all the ordinances of the gospel with its miraculous gifts and 
 blessings. If, then, such a church has not been among the nations for many cen- 
 turies past, the Church of Christ has not been among them ; and they are in " grosB 
 darkness" " tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine," in- 
 vented by uninspired men, without revelations, visions, angels, or the Holy Ghost 
 which guides into all truth. Such was to be, and such is, the awful condition of the 
 inhabitants of the earth at the time the angel introduces the " everlasting gospel " 
 4igaia among men, through the preaching and administering of which the churcn or 
 
16 REPLY .TO REMARKS OM ItLORUONISM. 
 
 kingdom of God ^ould once more appear on eartl;, acooiding to the j)attem of 
 former ages. 
 
 Mr. Paton seems to think tfakt MiJToni, who lived as a prttphet in ancient America, 
 about 400 years after Christ, and deposited the sacred records of his nation, could Hot 
 be the angel that John saw while on Patmos ; for he (Moroni) was not then bom. 
 What are we to understand by this assertion of this author ? Are we to understand 
 that John could not see in vision a person until he was born ? John sayS he " Saw 
 the dead, small and great, stand before Ood, and the books were opehed," and the 
 dead were judged, &c. According to Mr. Patoii's ideas, the dead of all future gene- 
 rations could not be seen by John, for they were not yet born. But we think, if 
 John could see the shipmasters and sailors before they were bom, casting dust on 
 their heads, and weeping and wailing over the downfall of Babyltfn, (Eev. xviii. 17, 
 18, 19,) then it would not be impossible for him to see the anga Moroiii upwards of 
 seventeen hundred years in the 'future, returning again to the earth 'to reveal flie 
 records of Joseph, containing the evterlasting gospel for the benefit of all nations. If 
 Moroni had charge of -those sacred records, when his nation were destroyed, alnd i>y 
 the command of (rod deposited them in the ground, with a promise that they 'i^6lUd 
 be revealed in latter times, — why not also be entrusted with the charge of Diicfgibg 
 them forth in the capacity of the ministeriqg angel, of whom John speaks ? Sm'^ly 
 there is nothing impossible, unreasonable, nor absurd in all this; neither -is there any- 
 thing unscriptural. 
 
 This pious lover of falsehood says, that "Mr. Pratt also spedously insinuates that 
 thepoung ma», spoken of by Zaehariah, (ii. 4.) is Joseph Smith, whova the angel 
 Moroni was to. speak to." Now Mr. Pratt has never said ai)y such thing, neither in 
 public, nor in private, nor in any of his writings. But what more can be expected 
 from an author like Mr. Paton, who de%hts in falsehoods and mis-representatioris ? 
 "We have followed this fecotrish author through his " Remarks on Mormonism," and 
 have found that he, like many of his contemporaries, is not ^particular as to the wea- 
 pons he uses agaiast the docti-ine of this Church. Glaring falsehoods, and the most 
 wilful mis-representations, seem to be the'princij>al weapons of his choice. A setn- 
 blance of reason and argument occasionally manifests itself for a moment, but is. of 
 short duration: he discovers that reason arid argument are not the weapons to be 
 used against what he calls " Mormonism." Truth cannot be brought to bear agailist 
 truth. Falsehoods, with a plenty of denunciations, mixed with the old poptilar cry of 
 "delusion," " deeply damnatory doctrines," " Maspheniy," and a host of other eJvil 
 epithets, are considered the most successful means of blindi^ig the eyes of the public, 
 and covering up the ti'uth from their, gaze for a season. .And then this is the most 
 popular way of.protecting.priestcraft. " Cfergymen-of dTfferent denominations " •will 
 lend their influence, and will approbate anything that will save -their rotten ."cfuiifib- 
 ling systems from speedy ruin. But poor Mr. Josq>h Paton! what could he do 
 more ? It was in vain to attack the Saints with truth. He has done the best he 
 could, considering the hard task he has undertaken. But Mr. Paton will find" Trflth 
 is mighty and must; prevail," notwithstanding the mighty efforts of himself and asso- 
 ciate clergymen to hinder its progress. 
 
 "TrUth'is eternal — trflthis divine. 
 Truth like the Sun iil 'splendor shidUshine, 
 Truth is the brmonr — ^ti'uth is the shield. 
 Truth is the weapon — error shaRA 
 
 IB, WHton -Street, Liverpool,' April S(Slh,'lSi9. 
 
 B.' ^AKIiS, PSllTTEB, 39 B, BOUIS ISASTLB SZBEET, LIVSBPOOL. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM, 
 
 OB, 
 
 a aS^jTg to ST. Wis,. ^. fagl&fr'ss ^amp^kt, 
 
 ENTITLED, 
 
 "THE MATERIALISM OF THE MORMONS OR LATTER-DAY 
 SAINTS, EXAMINED AND EXPOSED." 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, 
 
 ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHBIST OF LATTEll-DAT SAINTS. 
 
 » ' ■ 
 
 " What is truth ?" This is a question which has heen aslced hy many. It is a ques 
 tion supposed to be of difBcult solution. Mr. Taylder in his tract against materialism, 
 says, " It is a question which all the philosophers of the Grecian and Roman schools 
 could not answer." He seems to think the question was unanswerable until the intro 
 duotion of the gospel ; since which time he considers that the veil is taken away, and 
 that " we now enjoy the full blaze of truth." He further confidently asserts, that 
 " with the materials afforded us in that sacred book, (meaning the New Testament,) 
 we are enabled satisfactorily to answer the question, What is truth ?" 
 
 What does this author mean by the foi-egoing assertions ? Does he mean, that no 
 truth was understood by the Grecian and Roman schools ? That no truth was dis- 
 cerned by the nations, during the first four thousand years after the creation ? Or, 
 does he mean, that the gospel truths were not understood until they were revealed ? 
 ■He certainly must mean the latter and not the former. Both the liomans and Gre- 
 cians could, without the least difficulty, answer the question, " What is truth ?" 
 ■Nothing is more simple than an answer to this question. It is a truth, that something 
 enlists in space, and this truth was just as well perceived by all nations before the book 
 called the New Testament existed as afterwards. It is a truth that, " the three angles 
 ,of a triangle are equal to two right angles." This was not learned from that sacred 
 book — the Bible. We admit that the question, what is gospel truth, could not be 
 answered by any one to whom the gospel had never been revealed. Dr. Good, in his 
 " Book of Nature," says, " general truth may be defined, the connexion and agreement, 
 or repugnancy and disagreement, of our ideas." This definition we consider erroneous ; 
 for it makes general truth depend on the existence of ideas." Now truth is independ- 
 ent of all ideas. It is a necessary truth that, space is boundless, and that duration, 
 is endless, abstract from all connexion and agreement of our ideas, or even of our 
 existence, or the existence of any other being. If neither the universe nor> its Creator 
 existed, these eternal unchangeable, and necessary truths would exist, unperceived and 
 imknown. Truth is the relation which things bear to each other. Knowledge is the 
 preception of truth. Truth may exist without knowledge, but knowledge cannot exist 
 without truth. 
 
 The New Testament unfolds, not all the truths which exist, but some few truths of 
 infinite importance. The vast majority of truths of less importance were discovered 
 independently of that book. 
 
 "The followers of Joseph Smith," says this author, "hold the doctrine of the ma- 
 teriality of all existence in common with the ancient academics." This, sir, we admit. 
 Our belief, however, in this doctrine, is founded, not on any modem supernatural revela- 
 tion, unfolding this doctrine, as this author insinuates, but on reason and common sense. 
 The doctrine of immaterialism, in our estimation, is false, and in the highest degree 
 absurd, and unworthy the belief of any true Christian philosopher. 
 
 The author of the treatise against materialism has stated his first proposition as 
 follows : — 
 
2 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 
 
 " The Philosophy of the Mormons is Ibrational." 
 
 What the author means by this proposition is, that it is " irrational " to believe all 
 substance material. To substantiate this proposition, he sets out in quest of proof. 
 An im,material substance is the thing wanted. No other proof will answer. If he 
 can prove the existence of an immaterial substance his point is gained, — his proposi- 
 tion established, and the iiTationaUty of the material theory will be demonstrated. 
 
 As we are about to launch forth into the wide field of existence in search of an 
 " immaterial substance," it may be well to have the term correctly defined, so as to be 
 able to distinguish such a substance from matter. It is of the utmost importance 
 that every reasoner should clearly define the terms he employs. Two contending 
 parties may use the^same word in altogether different meanings; and each draw cor- 
 rect conclusions from the meaning which he attaches to the same word ; hence arise 
 endless disputes. As we have no confidence in the immaterial theory,~we shall let the 
 immaterialist define his own terms. We shall give, 
 
 Taylder's Definition. — " What is meant by an immaterial substance is merely this, 
 that something exists which is not matter and is evidently distinct from matter, which 
 is not dependent on matter for its existence, and which possesses properties and quali- 
 ties entirely different from those possessed by matter."* 
 
 This definition of an " immaterial substance" is ambiguous. It needs another de- 
 finition to inform us what he means. Does he mean that all of " the properties and 
 qualities" of an immaterial substance are " entirely different from those possessed by 
 matter ;" and that it possesses no properties in common with matter ? Or does he 
 mean that while it " possesses some properties and qualities entirely different " from 
 matter it inherits others in common with matter ? If the latter be his meaning, we 
 see no reason for calling any substance " immaterial." Iron possesses some properties 
 and quahties " entu-ely different" from all other kinds of matter, and other properties 
 it inherits in common with every other kind. Shall we therefore say that iron is not 
 matter ? Among the various Idnd of matter, each has its distinct properties, and its 
 common properties; and notwithstanding each possesses " entirely different" properties 
 and qualities from all other kinds, yet each is called matter because it possesses some 
 properties in common with all ether kinds. Hence the term matter should be given to 
 all substances which possess any properties in common, however wide they may differ 
 in other respects. A substance to be immaterial must possess NO properties or quali- 
 ties in common with matter. All its qualities must be entirely distinct and different. 
 It is to be regretted that our opponent has not defined an immaterial substance more 
 clearly. As he is ambiguous in his definition, we shall presume that he entertains the 
 same views as the modern advocates of immaterialism generally entertain. 
 
 That celebrated writer, Isaac Taylor,Sfiys, — "adisembodied spirit, orweshouldrather 
 say, an unembodied spirit, or sheer mind, is nowhbhe. Place is a relation belonging to 
 extension ; and extension is a property of matter ; but that which is wholly abstracted 
 from matter, and in speaking of which we deny that it has any property in common 
 therewith, can in itself be subjected to none of its conditions ; and we might as well 
 say of a pure spirit that it is hard, heavy, or red, or that it is a cubic foot in dimen- 
 sions, as say that it is here or there. It is only in a popular and improper sense that 
 any such afiirmation is made concerning the Infinite Spirit, or that we speak of God 
 as everywhere present." * * * « Using the terms as we use them of ourselves, 
 God is Txoi here or there." * * "When we talk of' an absolute immateriality," 
 continues this author, " and wish to withdraw mind altogether from matter, we must 
 no longer allow ourselves to imagine that it is, or can be, in any place, or that it has 
 any kind of relationship to the visible and extended universe."1" Dr. Good says, 
 " The metaphysical immateriaUsts of modern times freely admit that the mind has NO 
 PLACE of existence, that it does exist nowhere ; while at the same tune they are 
 compelled to allow that the unmaterial Creator or universal spirit exists eterywheee, 
 substanliially as well as virtually."! 
 
 * Taylder's Tract against Materialism. Page 14. 
 
 t Tajlor'3 " Physical Theory of Another Life." Chapter II. 
 
 I Good's "Book of Nature," Series III,, Lecture I, 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. ^ 
 
 J?r. AbercKopbie, in speajdug upon piatter and mind, says, that " in as far as our 
 'Utmost concepjiioil of tbem ejrtends, we have no grounds for believing that tb^ batre 
 anything in conunon,"* 
 
 With these definitions, we shall follow our opponent in hi* researches after an ('im^ 
 material substance." Mle^ taking a minute survey of man, he believes he has found 
 in his compo^iljibn, and in connexion with his .bodily organization, sdmetMng immdier 
 rial. He says, " the spirit is the purely immaterial part, which is capable of separ^ 
 tion from the body, and can exist independently of the body." 
 
 " The body is wlat material part, ' formed out of the dust of the grovmd,' and is 
 the medium through which the mind js mapifested."+ 
 
 That the mind or spirit " is capable of separation from the body, and can exist in- 
 dependently of the bodyi" we most assuredly believe; but that it is "immaterial" we 
 deny ; and it remains for.Mr. Taylder to prove its immateriality. His first proof is 
 fomided on his own assertion, that "mind is simple, not compounded." If this asser- 
 tion he admitted as tru^e, it affords not the least evidence for the invmateriaUty of 
 mind. Every material atom is Simple, not compotmded. Is it, therefore, not mat- 
 to: ? ]$ust each simple, uncompounded elementary atom be immateirial f 
 
 Mr. Taylder nast says, ""Mind is not perceivable to corporeal organs, matter is so 
 p^oeiyable." This assertion is altogether unfounded. " Corporeal organs " can 
 perceive neither matter nor mfnd. The mind alone can perceive : coippOTeal organs 
 are only the instruments of perception, ffiishop Butler, 'ifi his Analogy, expressly 
 says, that " our organs of sense prepare and convey on objects, in order to their being 
 perceived, in like mamier as foreign matter does, without affording any shadow of 
 ■appearance, that they themselves perQeive."$ The mind clearly perceives its own 
 -existence as well as the existence of other matter. Perception, then, is a quaU^ 
 jpeculiar to that kind of matter called mind Mr. Taylder further remarks, that 
 ■"All the qualities of matter are not comparable with the more excellent qualities of 
 mind, such as power and intelligence." We are willing to admit that yower and 
 ■intelligence, and some other, qualities of mind, are far superior to the qualities of other 
 matter ; but we dp not admit that the superiority of some of the qualities of a sub- 
 stance prove its immateriality. The superiority of some qualities has nothing to do 
 with the immateriality of the substance. Oxygen possesses some qualities, not only 
 •distinct from, but superior to, those qualities possessed by Babium, Stboktidm; 
 SruciUM, GliUCINitTM, ZlKCONlOM, and many other metals and material substances ; 
 yet no one from this will draw the conclusion, that oxygen is immaterial. Oxygen 
 is material though it possesses some distinct and superior qualities to other matter ; so 
 mind or spirit is material, though it differs in the superiority of some of its qualities 
 from other matter. 
 
 It is strange, indeed, to see the inconsistencies of this learned author : he remarks, 
 " Mind thinks, matter cannot think. It is the existence of this thinking principle 
 which clearly proves the immateriality of the mind or spirit." This method of 
 reasoning may be termed (petitio principii), begging the question. First, he assumes 
 that " matter cannot think ;" and, second, draws the conclusion that a thinking sub- 
 stance is immaterial. This conclusion is a legitimate one if the premises are granted; 
 hut the premises are assumed, therefore the conclusion is false. Prove that mind is 
 not matter before you assume that " matter cannot think." It would seepi from 
 the assertions of this author, that the quality of " thinking" is to be the touchstone — 
 the infallible test — the grand distinguishing characteristic between material and im- 
 material substances. It matters not, in his estimation, how many qualities different 
 substances inherit in common, if one can be found that thinks, it must be immaterial. 
 There is no one substance out <if the fifty or more substances discovered by chemists, 
 but what possesses some qualities " entirely different ' from any of the rest ; there- 
 fore, each substance, when com|ared with others, has equal claims with that of mind 
 to be placed in the iriimaieriul list. In proving that mind is immaterial, it is not 
 enough to prove that it has some properties entirely distinct from other substances ; 
 but it must be proved to have no properties in cuminon with matter. Nothing short 
 
 * Aberoromliie mi the "' Intellectual Powers." Part I. Sec. I. 
 + Taylder's Tract against Materialism. Page 8. J Butler's Analogy, Part I. Chap, I, 
 
4 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 
 
 of this wjU.agree with the modern notions of immateriality'.. It must be shown that 
 mind or spirit has no relation to duration or space — no ZocaZi«y— that it must exist 
 "nowheeb" — ^that it has no «a;«eresiore — that it exists nof'NoVand" Then," neither 
 
 *' Here" nor " There" — ^that it cannot be moved from place to place that it has no 
 
 ^orm or figure — no boimdaries or limits of extension. These, according to the de- 
 &iitions of modern immateriaJists, axe the negative conditions or qualities absolutely 
 necessary to the existence of all immaterial substance. While the opposite of these,. 
 «r the positive qualities or conditions are absolutely necessary to Ae existence of all 
 mtaterial substance. 
 
 " How do you distinguish," inquires Mr. Taylder, "between any two given sub- 
 iStances, such as, that a block of stone is not a log of wood ?" He answers, " Be- 
 ■cause they possess different qualities." And then declares, " So also you distinguish 
 Aetween mind and matter." But the " different qualities " by which " a block of 
 stone" is distinguished from " a log of wood," do not prove either the stone or tha 
 .wood to be immaterial ; neither do the different qualities by which the substance 
 called mind is distinguished from other substances, prove either the mind or the other 
 substances to be immaterial. So far as the different qualities are evidences, the mind 
 ias as good a claim to materiality as the stone or wood. 
 
 " The properties of body," continues our learned opponent, " are size, weight, 
 -solidity, resistance, &c. ; those of the mind are joy, hope, fear, &o. ; but weight is 
 not joy, resistance is not hope, size is not fear; therefore, as a block of stone is not 
 a log of wood, so mind is not matter." That a stone possesses many different quali- 
 fies from wood, and that mind possesses many different qualities from other substan- 
 ces, we by no means deny ; but that these different qualities prove stone, or wood, or 
 mind, or any other substance to be immaterial, we do deny. We care not how many 
 different properties mind possesses over and above other substances ; that is altogether 
 foreign from the question. But is it destitute of any or of all the properties which 
 ■other substances possess ? is the question. Is it destitute of "size, weight, solidity, 
 jesistance, &c. ?" If not, then the mind possesses all the essential characteristics of 
 jnatter, though its peculiar and distinct properties should be multiplied to infinity. 
 
 This author calls " weight" one of the properties of matter. What is weight ? It 
 is nothing more nor less than force. Matter approaches to, or presses on, other matter 
 with weight, or force, or power. Now matter either exerts tkas force of itself, or else 
 it is impelled either directly or indirectly by other substances, possessing intelligence, 
 power, and other properties of inind. If matter exerts this power of itself, then it 
 exhibits one of the properties of mind ; but if the seat of this power is in that substance 
 called mind, then it is mind that exhibits the power called weight, and not other sub- 
 .stances. Mr. Taylder informs us that " it is mind, and mind alone, which is the seat 
 of power. * If this be true, (and we feel no disposition to deny it), then weight is not 
 tiie property of unintelligent matter, but a property of mind. And the same reason- 
 ing vidll apply to all other powers or forces which are generally ascribed to unintel- 
 ligent matter. They are only the powers or forces of mind, or else other substances 
 ediibit powers or forces which are common to mind : in the latter case, mind could 
 not be iwmateyial : in the former ease, unintelligent matter (if such exist) is deprived 
 «f every force usually ascribed to it. It can have neither gravitation, attraction, re- 
 pulsion, chemical aflSnity, nor any other conceivable force. Though deprived of all 
 -energy or force, unintelligent matter would still be possessed of those inert qualities- 
 (if, indeed, they may be called qualities) essential to its existence. These qualities, or 
 rather conditions necessary to its existence, are duration, extension or place, solidity, 
 figure, &e. An immaterial substance must have none of those conditions or qualities. 
 
 It is amusing to trace this author's process of reasoning. He first assumes premises 
 entirely false, argues from the same, shows the deductions to be absurd, and triumph- 
 antly exclaims, " Mind then is not matter." We will quote the following specimen: 
 " If the mind, says this author, " be material and the brain nothing but a large gland, 
 secreting the various affections of thought, hope, joy, memory, &c , then all these 
 affections or qualities are mat rial, and must he also little particles of matter, of 
 different forms and dimensions, and perhaps of various colours, Then we might, with 
 
 * Tajlder against Materialism, Page 12. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. p> 
 
 the utmost propriety, without the shadow of an absurdity, logically say, ' the twentieth 
 part of our belief, the half of a hope, the top of memory, the corner of a fear, the-" 
 north side of a doubt,' &c. Mind then is not matter."* It will be perceived thatr 
 this logical author, in the foregoing quotation, confoimds affections or qualities with 
 mind ; that is, he supposes " thought, hope, joy, memory," &o. all to be material as: 
 well as the mind ; he then introduces a material brain that secretes the material affec-^ 
 tions ; but what becomes of the material mind he does not tell us ; probably the mate- 
 rial mind is stowed away in some extremity of the body — in the foot or big toe, so as 
 not to interfere with its material affections, which are secreted in the material braioi 
 at the other extremity. After imagining up such an unheard of being, no wonder that: 
 he should discover some absurdities in its composition. No wonder that in such &. 
 creature of his own invention, there should be, not only " the comer of a fear," and 
 " the north side of a doubt, " but a cubical imagination with horns to it. No wondier- ■ 
 that such frightful absurdities should cause as great a man as Taylder to exclaim with 
 the upper part of a five-cornered assurance, that " Mind then is not matter." It would 
 be a logical conclusion from his logical absurdities, founded on his material affections 
 of a material mind* 
 
 But who does not know that " thought, hope, joy, memory," and all other affec~ 
 tions or qualities are not substances of any kind, but merely different operations or 
 states of the mind ? A material mind, possessing the power to think, to feel, to rea- 
 son, to remember, is not the brain, nor secretions of the brain, nor any other part of 
 the fleshy tabernacle ; but it is the being that inhabits it, that preserves its own iden- 
 tity, whether in the body or out of it, and remains unchangeable in its substance what- 
 ever changes may happen to the body. This material spirit or mind existed before ib 
 entered the body, exists in the body, will exist after it leaves the body, and will be re- 
 united again viith the body in the resurrection. 
 
 As another specimen of monstrous absurdities logically deduced from absurd premi- 
 ses, we quote the following: — " Materialism" he remarks, " is not only relatively but 
 absolutely absurd. If mind be matter, or matter mind, then we may have the square! 
 or cube of joy or grief, of pain or pleasiu'e. We may divide a great joy into a number 
 of little joys, or we may accumulate a great joy by heaping together the solid parts o£ 
 several little joys. We shall then have the color and shape of a thought. It will be 
 either white, grey, brovra, crimson, purple, or it may be a mixture of two or more 
 Colors. Then we shall have a dark grey hope, a bright yellow sorrow, around brown 
 tall pain, and an octagonal green belief; an inch of thought, a mile of joy." We dot 
 most cordially agree with Mr. Taylder that these results would be " not only relatively 
 but absolutely absurd ;" and only equalled by the absurdity of the premises from which, 
 they were deduced. , He has assumed that the several states or conditions of the 
 mind, such as jo;r, grief, pain, pleasure, thought, &c., are material as well as the 
 mind. With the same propriety he might have assumed that motioit is material as 
 well as the matter moved. •Toy is no more a substance than motion, Both are 
 merely the states or conditions of substance. As great absurdities could be deduced 
 from assuming that motion is material, as there can be from Mr. Taylder's assump^ 
 tion that joj/ IS material. As an illustration, let us take this author's own words^ 
 with the exception of substituting iron for mind, motion for the affections of the 
 mind ; it will then read thus : — " If" iron "be matter, or matter" iron, " then we may 
 have the square or cube of" a solid motion. " We may divide a great " solia 
 motion " into a number of little" solid motions, " or we may accumulate a great" 
 solid motion " by heaping together the solid parts of several little" solid motions:. 
 " We shall then have a color and shape of a" motion. " It will be either white, gre^ 
 brown, crimson, purple, or it may be a mixture of two or more colors. Then we 
 shall have a dark grey " motion, " a round, brown, tall" motion ; " an inch " or " a 
 mile of " solid motion, Ife. It is strange that Mr. Taylder did not close his train rf 
 reasoning, by saying, " Mind, therefore, is not matter ;" and then we could ha^e 
 completed the paralTel by saying, iron, therefore, is not matter. If such reasoning 
 proves mind immaterial, similar reasoning vm prove any other substance immateriaL 
 
 ■• Mr. Orson Pratt," observes our author, « calls matter into existence, of which. 
 
 * Taylder against Materialism. Page 15. 
 
6 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATEMALlSjJf. 
 
 thigiwOTld kn'pws l>ut'little. , He-has nofc oply^ ' intell^ent iB3£ter,'~'\ml ' all-wise/ aiid* 
 •'alj-tp(>w6rftil' matter. Thismatter is; oftpable trf ^division into jmrts; for aB matter 
 ha^'WB^h'gibreadth, an(} thickness. Then we shall have the half of an ihteUig^tit 
 atodi of 'matter,' th^ eighth of an all-wjse atoip^ the thousandth part of an ali-po^erful 
 aiioiAj &e. Suoh are the absurdities ■which 'the LStter-day Sanit' embraces." £(ere 
 the amthdr seems to have tecovered prfaliy from the wild aBsurd notions of applying^ 
 lite (term mAterial to the affections, and is willing to apply it to substance where K 
 bdion^s. But he speaks of the diviston of atoms whi(4i ddes not accord with &e 
 fleaferal notions of nliodem' philOspphy. The immortal Newton says, " It seems pr'oba. 
 ble tiiat €^od»^< in the-beginning, formed matter }n solid, massy, hard, impenetrable^ 
 thove(ibl&:pc^fUcies." T-his>does not favor the divisibility- ofatoms. Newton further 
 observes, '5That natiffe imi^ belasting, the changes of cojrpqreal ifiijigs tare to be 
 plaieed oiily iuithe liarious separations, and new assoeiaiitons and motions of these 
 ^rmanerit psEtioles ; compound bodies being apt to break, not .in the midst of solid par- 
 tieie^j Bui where those particles are kid together, and to^ch oiily in a fbw points. 
 These are the views entertained by philosophers generally at the present day, vHth the 
 exemption !of Herd and there an isolated individual who advocates the theory of the infi- 
 nite' divisibility of matter. Perhaps our author may be of that class ; for he speak^ of 
 the division cniatoms. It is admitted that substance is capable of division a&d suBdi- 
 fisidn until arriving at its ultimate atoms, alter which aUfiirther separation ceases. 
 Thi§ division of the same kind of si^stance does hot' alter or chaise the natnr^ or 
 properties of the respective parts ; if th'ey possessed attraction when united, th^rals» 
 possess it ■WheU separated, or else attraction is the result of uflion and ceases with it. 
 So in relation to 'hitelligent substance, without regard to: its materiality or immateri- 
 ality ; if it is intelligent as a whole, it is int^lHgent in its respective parts after division.,^ 
 e^telse;the intelfigeiiit power' is thereSult of the union of uniAteliigent parts, fahd ce^es 
 itrh^n the lAiion ceases. Therefore if the intelligent substance, called mind, is intelli- 
 gent,, as a whde, it is intelljgeSit in all its parts; and there would be no more absto- 
 iitf inspeakifig of the half, the eighth, or the thousandth part of an inteHigejit sub- 
 iStaucej than thete would be in speakiog.of the half, the eighth, or the thousandth part 
 ef an attJfeitiBg substance. And yet Mr. Taylder exclaims, " Such are the absurdi- 
 ties Ti^hich the ' Latter-day Saint' Mnbraoes." 
 
 .."Eerhips our author's iminaierial mind or spirit -will not suffer him to believe tliat 
 tile 'wAo&'spirit of tnan is niade up or consists of parts. If the spirit of man isa sub- 
 afonee, as Mr. taylder ^mits, though he denies its'materiSUtjf, then it must be eithera 
 ample uneomponnded being or atom, or a united collection of such beings or atoms. 
 
 . 'GBlshop Butler Bupposesrthe spirit of man to be a single, simple, indivisible being. ,^e 
 ceinarks^ that " since consmousness is a siitgle. and individual power, it should seemi fltat 
 the'siibjeot in which it resides must be so too," " that is the consciousbeing." H6 fur- 
 ther feays, "That we have noway of determining by eicperience. what is the certain bulk 
 6f thfe living being each man caiUs lum$@lf ; andjet, (continues jiej, till it be deteriiiiQecl 
 ihat it is l^ger in bulk thafi the solid dsmentacy particles of matter, which ther;e is 
 90 ground to think any natural power can (^ssqlve, there is no sort of reason to tlui^ 
 ddath to bethe dissolution of it, of the living b^ing, even though it should not be atiao- 
 tetely indiscetptible." * Our author seems to be a little moreipesiuve than Butler, and 
 feertSapparentlyiwithout. any doubt, that " mind is simple not c6jnpoimded."t Her^ 
 flifen, aceormJigto both Butler and. Taylder, we haivea sin^ple, uncompdunded, indl- 
 Tisible^ ^little atotu' of eoQScious substance, or, in o^er lywds, an intel^ge/nt a^pm. 
 5Phe termfe'ra<0m:and bii^giaxe synonymonsi when lapplied to a si,mple indivisible.^b- 
 ■tance isti small that Butler intimates th^t its " bidk" has not teen determined to exceed 
 
 "theisblidi demefttary .particles pf matter.", 
 
 If the k|)irit jof lone fman .is' a Uttje, atom of intelligent (substanpe leaving " bulk," liihe 
 
 Sirit of eveiyx>thef 'ntan is a.-sijnilar atom; hence in.the human bodies now Uving. on 
 e earth, 4ihere iaust exist inearly 'one ithousand million of intelligmt'atoifns, 'each .pqn- 
 ^ous of.ifaown^isteneej and capaWe of originating, iaotion .ind^ifendeniJy of.iiie 
 lithfers. Mr. ^yWertSays this iStelligeot !««^m .prf^>»i''^S4ja^B\)le oif iseparaition 
 from the body, and can exist independently of the body." ^fs being adinittedj then 
 
 * Butler's Analogy. Fart I, Chap. L + Tavlder againJrt: Materialism. Page 14. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATEEIALISM. 7 
 
 there must be many thousand million of intelligent atoms which once inhabited bodies 
 but now exist independently of them. This is the legitimate result of the theory which 
 assumes that the spirit of man is a little conscious being — a substance, simple, uncom- 
 pounded and indivisible, capable of existing either in or out of a body. Where, then, 
 Mr. Taylder, is the absurdity in believing as the " Saints " do, in the existence of im- 
 mense numbers of intelligent atoms ? It agrees most perfectly with the results of your 
 own theory — the only difference is in the name. You call these little indivisible sub- 
 stances immaterial, we call them material. You apply to them the sanne powers that 
 ■we do. You believe them to be conscious, intelligent, and thinking atoms as well as 
 _we. The name of a substance does not alter its nature ; as for instance some call one 
 of the constituent elements of the atmosphere " azote," others call it " nitrogen," but 
 all admit that it possesses the same nature and properties. If this indivisible conseiou.s 
 being, or atom of substance, possesses " biilk," as Bishop Butler intimates, then in this 
 respect it is like the atoms of all other substances, and therefore it must be matter. 
 
 If some atoms can possess various degrees of intelligence, wisdom, and power, whe- 
 ther in the body or out of it, then there is no absurdity in the theory that there are 
 other atoms which,are "all-wise" and "all-powerful." Mr. Taylder admits that there 
 must be a God, and that he is an aU-wise and all-powerful being or substance, — that 
 substance must be either a simple uncompounded indivisible being or atom, or a collec- 
 tion of such beings or atoms. If it be an indivisible being or atom, it would prove 
 the existence of one all- wise and all-powerful being or atom : if it be a collection of 
 such beings or atoms, then the theory of all- wise and all-powerful atoms of substance 
 is established. All theistical writers admit the existence of such a substance. It is 
 not the existence of the substance that is questioned, but it is its nature. One 
 class calls it immaterial, another material. Mi-. Taylder has undertaken to prove 
 that it is immaterial, but as yet he has not furnished us with even the most distant 
 shadow of an evidence, unless, indeed, his own assertions are evidence. Indeed, he 
 has nowhere attempted to prove that the spiritual substance of either man or the Deity 
 possesses no properties in common with other substance admitted to be matter. 
 
 As another specimen of Taylder's logic we quote the following : — 
 
 " There is another conclusion equally absurd, if the existence of an immaterial sub- 
 stance be denied, and thinking be ascribed to matter, and that is, the mind must al- 
 ways think in the same way, in the same du-ection." As a proof of this assumption 
 our author refers to the writings of Priestley, as follows : — " If man," says Dr. Priest- 
 ley, " be a material being, and the power of thinking the result of a certain organiza- 
 tion of the brain, does it not follow, that all his functions must be regulated by the 
 laws of mechanism, and that, of consequence, aU his actions proceed from an irresisti- 
 ;blp necessity ? " " The doctrine of necessity," continues Priestley, " is the immediate 
 result of the doctrine of the materiality of man ; for mechanism is the undoubted con- 
 sequence of materialism." 
 
 we are willing to admit that "an irresistible necessity" would be the inevitable 
 consequence of assuming that " the power of thinking is the result of a cebtam 
 OKGANIZATION of the BRAESf." But this is a most absurd assumption ; for'lf "the 
 poTwer of thinking be the result of a certain organization of the brain," then, when 
 l^at organization ceases, the power of thinking would cease also, and there could be 
 nq separate existence for the mind or spirit. 
 
 But we believe that the power of thinking is not the KESUIT of a brain organiza- 
 tion, but the original property of that substance called spirit or mind, which can exist 
 independently of a brain organization, and entirely separate and apart from the body. 
 
 Priestley asserts that " mechanism is the undoubted consequence of materialism." 
 ,Bijt this is a baseless assertion. Mechanism implies the incapability of a substance to 
 aot only as it i» acted upon. All unintelligent substance is incapable of acting only 
 siccording to the laws of Mechanism, as it is acted upon : hence, " an irresistible neces- 
 .^ty pharaoterizes all of its movements." But not so with an intelligent thinking sub- 
 .^poe : it can of iginate its own motions, and act according to its own will, independently 
 of the laws of mechanism : hence, a perfect freedom characterizes all of its movements. 
 Before Priestly or any other man can logically assert that " mechanism is the un- 
 doubted consequence of materialism/' -he. jnust first prove that matter cannot think, 
 and will, and move, or, in othpr wprds, he must prove tha,t mind is not matter. 
 
8 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 
 
 Our author endeavours to overthrow materialism because of the absurdities which 
 Darwin advocated. He quotes the words of that author as follows : — " Ideas are ma- 
 terial things : they are contractions, motions, or configurations of the fitii-es of the 
 organs of sense." "Here," exclaims Mr. Taylder, "is the veaX perfection of materi- 
 alism! It destroys man's accountability 1o God! There is then no such thing as 
 praise or blame, fear or hope, reward or punishment, and, .consequently, no religion. 
 "How," inquires our author, "can the Mormons reconcile this conclusion with their 
 religious fabric, built on revelations and visions ? " "If their God be a material be- 
 ing, he must necessarily act mechanically." We reply that we do not wish to recon- 
 cile our religious fabric with Darwin's absurdities. Darwin has assumed that " ideas, 
 contractions, motions, or configurations," are all material. 
 
 What man, disencumbered of a strait waistcoat, could ever believe in such ridicu- 
 lous nonsense! It is only equalled by Taylder's material joys and sorrows, of which 
 we have ah-eady had occasion to speak. The substance of the Deity, nor no other in- 
 telligent substance, is dependent on the "contractions, motions, or configurations" 
 of organical fibres for its actions, but it is a self-moving substance, not subject to the 
 law of necessity or mechanism like unintelligent matter. 
 
 " The last consideration," says this immaterialist author, " which it is necessary to 
 advance for the real existence of mind, is consciousness." * 
 
 " The real existence of mind" is not doubted by us. Mr. Taylder has strayed en- 
 tirely from the question. The question is not whether mind has a real existence, but 
 whether it is immaterial. 
 
 " It is generally considered," remarks this author, " that in a few years our bodies 
 are entirely changed. How, then, on the material scheme, can a Mormon tell that 
 he is the same person now that he was twenty years since, or shall be ten years hence ?" 
 We reply that it is only the substance of the material body that is constantly changing, 
 while the material spirit which inhabits the body, remains unchangeable. Personal 
 identity con.sists, not in the identity of a changeable body, but in the identity of an 
 unchangeiible substance called spirit, which feels, thinks, reasons, and remembers. 
 The Athenian galley, which was sent every year to Delos for a thousand years, had 
 been repaired so often that every part of its materials had been changed more than 
 once, therefore it did not remain the same identical substance during that period of 
 time ; but if a certain unchangeable diamond had been carried within this galley for 
 one thousand years, it would be the same identical substance still, though the galley 
 that carried it had been changed ever so often ; so likewise let the material body meet 
 with an entire change every few years, the unchangeable material spirit which it car- 
 ries within will remain the same identical substance still. 
 
 Indeed, if Bishop Butler's intimation be correct, that the spirit of man is a small 
 indivisible being or atom, whose bulk has not been determined to exceed the size of 
 small elementary particles of matter, then it would be impossible for such a small con- 
 scious indivisible atom to change its substance in the least degree, and therefore it 
 must preserve its entire identity under all possible circumstances. 
 
 Our author next inquires, " How can spiritual matter occupy the same space with 
 the matter of which the body consists ? " W^e answer that it cannot occupy the same 
 identical space with other matter, for this is in all cases an absolute impossibility. It 
 can only occupy its own space in union with the matter of which the body consists. 
 Every particle of the body occupies a distinct space of its own, and no two particles 
 of the body can exist in the same space at the same time, neither can any atom of spirit 
 occupy the same space at the same time with any other atom or substance. All sub- 
 stances are porous. It can be proved that the component particles of all Imown 
 substances are not in absolute contact, for all bodies composed of these particles can 
 be compressed, and their dimensions reduced without diminishing their mass. All 
 organized substances are porous in a high degree, that is their " volume consists partly 
 of material particles and partly of interstitial spaces, which spaces are either absolute^ 
 void and empty, or filled by some substance of a different species from the body in ques- 
 tion." t The material body being porous, there is room for the material spirit to ex- 
 
 * Taylder's Tract against Materialism. Page 18 
 •f Gardner's Scientific Lectures. Vol. II, Lecture 1, 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 9 
 
 ist in close connexion with its component parts, and this too without infringing upon 
 the impenetrability of substances. If the material spirit be as small as Bishop Butler 
 mtimatesj it will not occupy much room in the body. Many millions of millions of 
 such spirits, if « not larger in bulk than the elementai-y particles of bodies," could 
 occupy much less room than a cubic inch of space. 
 
 We have now examined all of Mr. Taylder's arguments (if, indeed, they may be 
 called arguments) which have been adduced in support of his first proposition, which 
 it will be recollected, was stated in these words— "The philosophy of the Monnons is 
 Ibrational ? " or, in other words, it is irrational to believe in the materiality of all 
 substance. How far he has supported this proposition our readers can judge for 
 themselves. He has not brought forth the least shadow of evidence to prove that such 
 a thing as an immaterial substance exists. He has, indeed, argued, that such a thing 
 as mind or spirit has a real existence — that it thinks, and feels', and is conscious. In 
 all these things he agrees with us, without the least variation. He ai-gues that the 
 substance called mind, possesses many different and superior qualities to all other sub- 
 stance ; his views in this respect do not differ in the least from oui-s. He has clearly 
 exhibited the absm'dities of Priestley, Darwin, and various other writers, who have 
 made mind the result of the motions of the brain or of its organization. We agree 
 with him most perfectly in the rejection of such absurdities, but in no place has he 
 brought forward argument, reason, or evidence to prove that the substance called 
 mind possesses no properties in common with other substances ; therefore he has utterly 
 failed in establishing his proposition. As no immaterialist can, from experiment, rea- 
 son, or any other process whatsoever, glean the least shadow of evidence in favour of 
 the immateriality of any substance, therefore we shall now on our part show — 
 
 I. — That Immatbkialism is Ikeationai, opposed to teue Philosophy. 
 II — That an Immateeiai, Substance cannot exist. 
 
 I. — Immaterialfsra is absm-d, and opposed to true Philosophy. 
 
 1. The immaterialist assumes that God consists of an immaterial substance, indi- 
 visible in its nature, " whose centre is everywhere and circumference nowhere." The 
 indivisibility of a substance implies impenetrability ; that is, two substances cannot ex- 
 ist in the sariie space at the same time ; hence, if an indivisible substance exist every- 
 where, as it cannot be peneti-ated, it will absolutely exclude the existence of all other 
 substances. Such a substance would be a boundless, infinite solid, without pores, in- 
 capable^f condensation, or expansion, or motion, for there would be no empty space 
 left to move too. Observation teaches us that this is not the case ; therefore an infi- 
 nitely extended, indivisible, immaterial substance is absurd in the highest degree, and 
 opposed to all true philosophy. 
 
 2. The immaterialist teaches that the Godhead consists of three persons of one sub- 
 stance, and that each of these persons can be everywhere present. Now in order to be 
 everywhere present, each of these persons must be infinitely extended, or else each must 
 be susceptible of occupying two or more places at the same time. If a substance be in- 
 finitely extended it ceases to be a person ; tor to all persons there are limits of extension 
 called figure ; but that which is not limited can have no figure, and therefore cannot 
 be a person. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that a person should be included in 
 a finite extent. Now that which is limited within one finite extent, cannot be included 
 within some other extent at the same time ; therefore it is utterly impossible for a 
 person to be in two or more places at the same time, hence immateriafism is totally 
 absurd and unphilosophieal. ' 
 
 3. The immaterialist teaches that the substance of the Deity is not only omnipresent 
 and indivisible, but that all other substances are contained in his substance and per- ' 
 form all their motions in it without any mutual action or resistance. The profound 
 and illustrious Newton, in the Scholium" at the end of the " Principia," has fallen into 
 this error ; he says, " God is one and the same God always and everywhere. He is 
 omnipresent, not by means of his virtue alone, but also by his substance, for virtue 
 cannot subsist without substance. In him all things are contained, and more, but 
 without mutual passions God is not acted upon hy motions of the bodies; and they 
 suffer no resistance from the omnipresence of God." Here we have an omnipresent 
 substance, which is siud by immaterialists to be so compact as to be indivisible, with 
 
10 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATEEULISM. 
 
 worlds moving in it without suffering any resistance : ,this is the climax of absurdity. 
 All laasses of substance with which we are acquainted, are susceptible of division, yet 
 even in these, bodies cannot move without being resisted ; how much more impossible' 
 it would be for worlds to es^ist and move in an indivisible substance without resistanqe, 
 yet this is the absurdity of the immaterial hypothesis. There is nothing too ridiculous 
 or too unphUosophical to be incorporated in an immaterial substance when its existence 
 has been once assumed. 
 
 The reflecting mind turns away from such fooleries with the utmost disgust, and 
 feels to pity those men who have degraded the great and all- wise Creator and Governor 
 of the universe by applying to him such impossible, unheard of, and contradictory qua- 
 lities. The heathen, in then' wildest imaginations never fancied up a god that could 
 begin to compare with the absurd qualities ascribed to the immaterialists' god. 
 
 II. — An Immaterial Substance cannot exist. 
 
 1. We shall first endeavour to show what is absolutely essential to the existence of 
 all substance. It wiU be generally admitted that space is essential to existence. Space, 
 being boundless, all substances must exist in space. Space is not the property of sub- 
 stance, but the place of its existence. Infinite space has no qualities or properties of 
 any description excepting divisibility. Some eminent phUosopherg have supposed ex- 
 tension to be a property of space, but such a supposition is absurd. Extension is space 
 itself, and not a property of space. As well might we say that azote is a property of 
 nitrogen, whereas they are only two different names given to the same substance, as to 
 say that extension is a property of space. Infinite space is divisible, but otherwise it 
 cannot possibly be described, for it has no other properties or qualities by which to de- 
 scribe it. It has no boundaries — no figure — no other conceivable properties of any 
 description. It has a variety of names such as space, extension, volume, magnitude, 
 distance, &c., all of which are synonymous terms. 
 
 2. Duration is also essential to the existence of substance. There can be no such 
 thing as existence without duration. Duration, like infinite space, is divisible, but 
 otherwise it has no properties or qualities of any description. Like space we can call 
 it by different names, as duration, time, period, &c. ; but to give it any other kind of de- 
 scription would be absolutely impossible. Infinite space can only be distinguished from 
 duration by certain imaginary qualities, which can be assigned to finite portions of it, 
 but which cannot be assigned to duration. We can conceive of cubical, pi'ismatical, 
 and spherical portions of space, but we cannot conceive of portions of duration under 
 any kind of shape. Both space and duration are entirely powerless, being immoyable, 
 yet both are susceptible of division to infinity. To assist us in our future remarks we 
 shall give the following definitions : — 
 
 Definition 1. — Space is magnitude, susceptible of division. 
 Definition 2. — A Point is the negative of space, or the zero at which a magni- 
 tude begins or terminates ; it is not susceptible of division. 
 IJefinition 3. — Dukation is not magnitude, but time susceptible of diviaon. 
 Dejinition 4. — An Instant is the negative of duration, or the zero at wbieh 
 
 duration begins or terminates ; it is not susceptible of division. 
 Definition 5. — Matter is something that occupies space between any two in- 
 stants, and is susqeptible of division and of being removed if am one portion of 
 , space to another. 
 ; Definition 6. — NoTHEfa is the negative of space, of dur£|!lion, and of matter; 
 it is the zero of all existence. 
 3.' Modern immaterialists freely, admit, as we have already ghoyvn, that "a disfm- 
 ■iodied spirit " is NowheBE." Wemust no longer allow oiu-sejves to imagine," says 
 .the iroinaterJalist, " that it is, or can be, in any place." * Bijt that which does not oc- 
 iCiqiy any place or space, has no jiMignitude,.and is not susoep^ibjeof division ; thare- 
 Jbre it must be an unextended point or nothing — (see definjtiqns 2 awA 6,) the ngga- 
 itivcjof both space :and waiter, tbat.is, the negative of allpxi^tenee. JmmqteriaUty is a 
 .representatiYe of WotMnjr.* twwafeKcf'auib.stagce.is only ajiojier name for »'o §ab- 
 etance ; thern&sae such a substance does not, and cannot e^st. 
 
 * TayJpr's Physical Theory of another I,ife. Chapter H. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISiSf. 11 
 
 4. Having shown that an immaterial substance can have no existence, because it 
 Kas no relation to space, we shall next show that it can have no existence, because it 
 has no relation to duration. Isaac Taylor says; " that which is whoHy abstracted from 
 matter, and in speaking of whidi we dieny that it has any property in common there- 
 with, can in itself be subjected tanone of its conditions." One of the conditions 
 absolutely essential to the existence of matter is duration or time. (See definition 5.) 
 That which is not subjected to the condition of duration, must be subjected to the 
 qondition of an instant, which is the negative of duration ; but nothing is also the nega- 
 tive of duration aid of substance ; (see definition 4 and 6 ;) therefore that which has 
 no duration is nothing, slnd canndt be a substance ; hence an immaterial substance 
 cannot exist. 
 
 There are many truths which may be called pmsT truths, or self-evident truths,, 
 wliich cannot be demtmstfated, because there are no truths of a simpler nature that 
 can be adduced to establish them. Such truths are the foundation of all reasoning. 
 They must be admitted without demonstration, because they are self-evident. Tlmt 
 space and duration are essential conditions to the existence of all' substance, may be 
 denominated a se1&evident1;ruth ; if so, it is useless to undertake to prove it. And in 
 this case, the foregoing need not be considered as a demonstration, but merely differ- 
 ent forms of expression representing the s£tme self-evident truth. 
 
 iMMATEBIililSTS ABE ATHEISTS. 
 
 There are two classics of Atheists in the world. One class denies the existence of 
 6od'in' the most pdsitive- language : the other denies his existence in duration or space. 
 One 3ays, "Therfe is no God;" the other says, "God is not here or there, any' more 
 Hjanhe exists wow and iften."* The infidel says, God does not exist anywhere. The 
 Immaterialisfrsays, " He exists Nowhere.''''^ The infidel says. There is no such sub- 
 stance as God. The Immaterialist Kiys, There is such a stuistance as God, but it is 
 *' without Parts."t The Atheist says. There is no such substance as Spirit. The 
 Iihmaterialist says, "A spirit, though he lives and acts,' occupies no room, and fills no 
 ^aCe, in the same triy and after the same manner as matter, not even so much as does 
 the ihinutest grain of sand."^ The Atheist does not seek to hide his infidelity :' but 
 the Ilhmateri^ist, whose declared belief amounts to the same thing as the Atheist's, 
 endeavours to hide his infidelity under the shallow covering of a few words. 
 
 The " thinking principle," says Dr. Thomas Brown, " is essentially one, not extended 
 and divisible, but incapable by its verynature, of any subdivision into integral parts/'ll 
 What is this but the rankest kind of infidelity ootidied in a blind, plausible form. 
 That which is " not extended and not diviable " and " without parts," cannot be any- 
 ihing else than nothing. Take away these qualities and coniUtions, and' no power of 
 language can give us the least idea of existence. The very idea conveyed by the term 
 todstence is something extended, divisible, and with parts. Take these away, and you 
 fekeaway existence itself. It cannot be so much as the negative of space, or, -what 
 is 'g^b^klly called, an indivisible point, for that has a relation to the surrounding 
 spaces. It cannot be so much as the negativeof duration, or, what is generally callsid, 
 an indivisible instant, for that has a relation to die past and future. Therefore, 
 it must be the negative of all existence, or what is called absolutely nothing. Ko- 
 thing, and nothing only, is a representative of that which has no relation to space pr 
 time — ^that is, unextended, indivisible, and without parts. Therefiire, the immateri- 
 Blist is a religious Atheist; he roiilydiifeis from the~oiha^ classes of Atheists, by obt^g 
 im indivisible Unextended nothing With Ae powers of, a god. One class believes in 
 BO' God; the other class bdieVes that NOJ'fflNaisigod, and worships it as, such. 
 There is no tv«^ing away from this. The iiHgst'prafaund'plHlesGipherinallthe I'anks 
 46f modern Ghristianily, cannot extriiraitethelflanaitejiiaJasts from ageism. He cannot 
 show the -least difference betwsea the idea- represented by 4ihe -word nothir^ff, sai the 
 
 * Isaac Taylor's WiysteaT Theory of AttotherXife Cbap. II. 
 
 + Good's Book of Nature. 
 
 ^ First bif theThirtylnii* Articles; also 1 Art. Methodist JBiBcifflinc. 
 
 § Kev. David James on the Trinity, >n Unitarianisin Confuted. Lee. VII., page 382^ 
 
 II Brown's " FhUosophy of the Buman Hind." Lee. XdVlL 
 
12 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 
 
 idea represented by that which is unextended, indivisible, aijd without parts, having.no 
 relation to space or time. All the philosophers of the universe could not give a better 
 or more correct definition of Nothing. And yet this is the god worshipped by the 
 Church of England — the Methodists — and millions of other atheistical idolaters, ac- 
 cording to their own definitions, as recorded in tlieir respective articles of faith, ka 
 open Atheist is not so dangerous as the Atheist who couches his atheistical doctrines 
 Hnder the head of " Akticles or Eeligion." The first stands out with open colours, 
 and boldly avows his infidelity ; the latter, under the sacred garb of religion, draws 
 into his yawning vortex, the unhappy millions who are persuaded to believe in, and 
 worship an unextended indivisible nothing without parts, deified into a god. A pious 
 Atheist is much more serviceable in building up the kingdom of darkness than one 
 who openly, and without any deception, avows his infidelity. 
 
 No wonder that this modem gpd has wrought no miracles and given no revelations 
 since his followers invented their " Articles of Religion." A being without parts 
 must be entirely powerless, and can perform no miracles. Nothing can be communi-, 
 cated from such a being ; for, if nothing give nothing, nothing will be received. If, 
 at death, his followers are to be made hke him, they will enjoy, with some of the 
 modern Pagans, all the beauties of annihilation. To be made like him ! Admirabla 
 thought ! How transcendently sublime to behold an innumerable multitude of un- 
 extended nothings, casting their crowns at the feet of the great, inextended, infinite 
 Nothing, filling all space, and yet " without parts !" There will be no danger of 
 quarrelling for want of room ; for the Rev. David James says, " Ten thousand spirits 
 might be brought together into the smallest compass imaginable, and there exisfc 
 without any inconvenience for want of room. As materiality," contiaues he, " forms 
 no property of a spirit, the space which is sufficient for one, must be amply suffi- 
 cient for myriads, yea, for all that exist."* According to this, all the spirits that exist, 
 "could be brought together into the smallest compass imaginable," or, in other words, 
 into no compass at all ; for, he says, a spirit occupies " no room, and fills no space." 
 What an admirable description of Nothing ! Nothing " occupies no room, and fills 
 no space !" If myriads of Nothings were " brought together into the smallest compass 
 imaginable," they would " there exist without any inconvenience for want of room." 
 Everything which the Immaterialist says, of the existence of Spirit, will apply, 
 without any variation, to the existence of Nothing. If he says that his god cannot 
 «xist " Here" or " There," the same is true of Nothing. If he affirms that he cannot 
 exist "Now^' and "Then," the same can, in all truth, be affirmed oi Nothing. It, 
 he declares, that he is " unextended," so is Nothing. If he asserts that he is " in- 
 divisible" and " without parts," so is Nothing. If he declares that a spirit " occupies 
 no room and fills no space," neither does Nothing. If he says a spirit is " Nowhere," 
 so is Nothing. All that he affirms of the one, can, in like manner, and, with equal 
 truth be affirmed of the other. Indeed, they are only two words, each of which 
 express precisely the same idea. There is no more absurdity in calling Nothing a 
 substance, and clothing it with Almighty powers, than there is in making a substance 
 out of that which is precisely like nothing, and imagining it to have Almighty powers. 
 Therefore, an immaterial god is a deified Nothing, and all his worshippers are atheis- 
 tical idolaters. 
 
 A Spiritual Substance is Material. 
 
 That spirit or mind has a relation to space, is evident from the fact of its location 
 in the body. The body itself exists in space, therefore every particle of substance 
 which it contains must exist in space. No point can be assumed in the body but what 
 has a relation to the surrounding space or extension. Therefore spirit must have a 
 relation to extension or it cannot exist in the body. All imextended points have a 
 relation to space, though they are no part of space, and do not occupy space ;.but an un- 
 extended substance to have no relation to space cannot be as much as a point. A. 
 point is a heated nothingj but an unextended substance is nothing, having no location. 
 
 What can be more unphilosophical, contradictory, and absurd, than to assume that 
 something can exist that is " imextended," — ^that " occupies no room, fills no space," 
 
 * .Sev. David Jameson the Trinity, in XJnitarianism Confuted, Xeo. VII., page 382. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 13 
 
 ■ — ^has " no parts ?' We ask our readers to pause for a moment, and endeavour to 
 conceive of a substance that has no parts, "wasp it if you can in your imaginations. 
 Think of its existing where there is no space. Conceive, if you can, of a locality out- 
 side of where space ceases. Imagine a spirit, if possible, occupying no room on the out- 
 side of the bounds of a boundless space. Do not your judgments, and every power 
 of your minds revolt at the absolute absurdities and palpable contradictions ? By this 
 time, perhaps, you are ready to inquire, can it be possible that any man in aU the 
 world could believe in such impossibilities ? Yes, it is possible. These very absurdi- 
 ties now stand in bold relief, not only in the most approved philosophical works of 
 modern times, but incorporated in the very " Ai'ticles of Religion" which millions have 
 received as their rule of faith. 
 
 That spirit or mind has a relation to duration is manifest in the act of remembering. 
 Through the memory the mind perceives itself to be the same conscious being now, 
 that it was, an hour, a day, a year ago ; it perceives that itself has existed through a 
 certain period of duration. There is as much certainty of its own i-elations to dura^ 
 tion as there is of any such relation in any other substance whatever. If there is no 
 certainty that mind has a relation to duration, there is no certainty that any other 
 substance has suoh^ reUtion ; hence all would be uncertainty, even our own existence. 
 Bishop Berkeley denied the existence of the material world, and contended that mind 
 alone existed. His philosophy swept away the material world, and the first Article of 
 liis religion swept away the immaterial world from space ; and the modern immateri- 
 alist sweeps it away from all relation to time. So between them all, space and time are 
 pretty well cleaned out ; not so much as a nest egg left to replenish the great infi- 
 nite void. 
 
 Mind, like all other matter, is susceptible of being moved from place to place. We 
 see this exemplified in the movements of the mind through the medium of the body 
 which conveys it from place to place on the surface of the earth. But though man was 
 stationary upon the earth's surface, the earth itself with all its inhabitants, is moving 
 with the rapid velocity of nineteen miles every second, which proves to a demonstration 
 that mind is capable of being moved from place to place with a velocity far exceeding 
 that of a cannon ball. But motion involves the ideas of both space and time. Mind 
 cannot be moved without being moved in space ; it cannot pass from point to point 
 instantaneously. However rapid the velocity, time is an essential ingredient to all 
 motion. That eminent and pi-ofound philosopher, the late Pi-ofessor Robison of Edin- 
 burgh, says, " In motion we observe the successive appearance of the thing moved 
 in different parts of space. Therefore, in our idea of motion are involved the ideas 
 or conceptions of space and time." 
 
 " All things are placed in space, in the order of situation. All events happen in time, 
 in the order of succession." 
 
 " No motion can be conceived as instantaneous. For, since a moveable, in passing 
 from the beginning to the end of its path, passes thrbugh the intermediate points ; to 
 suppose the motion along the most minute portion of the path instantaneous, is to 
 suppose the moveable in every intervening point at the same instant. This is incon- 
 ceivable and absurd."* The motion of mind, therefore is another positive proof that 
 it has a relation to both space and dtu'ation. 
 
 " Extension and resistance," says Dr. Thomas Brown, " are the complex elements 
 of what we tej-m matter ; and nothing is matter to our conception, or a body, to use 
 the simpler synonymous term which does not involve these elements." Figure, mag- 
 nitude, divisibility, are only different modifications of extension. Solidity, liquidity, 
 viscidity, hardness, softness, roughness, smoothness, are different modifications of re- 
 sistence. All these terms are only extension and resistance, modified in a certain de- 
 gree, and under other names. Our notion of extension is supposed by Dr. Brown to be 
 acquired from our notion of time as successive, involving length and divisibility. Our 
 notion of resistance he supposes to be obtained through our muscular organs. These 
 organs are first exerted, and then excited by something vpithout, and in their turn 
 excite the mind with a feeling of resistance. The feelmg of resistance combined with 
 the feeling of extension gives us the notion of matter. If Dr. Brown's views be 
 
 * Kobison's Mechanical Philosophy. Vol. I. Introduction. 
 
14 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIAUSM. 
 
 correct, no one can acquire a notion of matter, by seeing, heaijing, tasting, swelling, 
 or simple touch. Either or all of these will only produce certain feelings'in the mind 
 without giving us any notion of an external extended resistance. A muscular effort 
 opposed by some substance or foreign body is the oijy possible way, according to his 
 theory, for the infant mind to obtain a notion of extended solidity or resistance.* 
 
 If solidity and extension then are the essential characteristics of .matter ; and if the 
 xesistanee of a muscular effort be the only possible way of learning these characteristics^ 
 it may be asked, how did Dr. Brown learn that the rays of Ught are material? He has fre- 
 quently in hisphilosophy called light material. Has light in any wayresisted his muscular 
 efforts? Have the muscular organs ever been able to grasp a ray of hght? Have 
 the particles of light either singly or collectively ever acted upon our muscular organs 
 in such manner as to give us a notion of extension and resistance ? Have th^ ever 
 affected the mind in any way only to impart to it the feeling of color ? Does not Dr. 
 Brown himself repeatedly affirm, that light can only impart the sensation of color; 
 and that extension, .magnitude, figure, solidity, can never be known by the sense of 
 seeing ? Does he not assert, that " nothing .is matter to our conception which does 
 not involve these elements ?" Why then does he assume light to be material ? 
 
 If, then, light can be ranked as a material substance without exhibiting the least 
 resistance to the muscular organs, why not mind or spirit be considered material also ? 
 Why believe that Ught consists of inconceivably small vibratory or emanating particles 
 of matter from the mere affection of the mind called color, and yet be unwilling to 
 beUeve that the mind affected is material ? If that which produces a sensation or 
 feeling be regarded a solid extended substance, independently of muscular resistance, 
 where is the impropriety, in regarding that which receives the sensation or feeling, 
 as a solid extended substance also ? 
 
 Dr. Brown, and all other immaterialists, universally believe that the sensation of 
 smell is produced by small material particles, acting upon our olfactory nerves. But 
 we ask, how is Dr. Brown or any other person to determine those odorous particles 
 to be material? It may be said, that we determine them to be solid and extended 
 by tracing them to the substances from which they emanate. But can it be proved 
 that they constitute any part of the solid extended substance from which they ema- 
 nate, any more than light is a part of the substance from which it emanates ? We 
 know a rose to be solid and extended, not from the sensation of vision or smell, but 
 from the sensation of resistance which it offers to our muscular organs when we 
 attempt to grasp it. But because a rose is solid and extended, that does not prove that 
 light and fragrance, by which we discern its color and smell, are any part of the rose. 
 
 If Dr. Brown's theory be true, it is absolutely impossible to prove that the odori- 
 ferous particles which affect us with the sensation of fragrance, are a solid extended 
 substance. These particles of odour appear, indeed, to have been connected in some 
 way with bodies from which they emanate ; but there is no possible means for the 
 muscular powers to determine them to be parts of those bodies, any more than the 
 colored light or the heat which are also transmitted from them. No one in speaking 
 of a rose would think of classifying heat and light as a portion of its solid substance ; 
 yet both heat and light, Uke the particles of odour, are intimately connected with it, 
 and are constantly being thrown off from it. 
 
 " What is there," inquires Dr. Brovni, " which we can discover in the mere sensa- 
 tion of fragrance, that is itself significant of solidity, extension, or whatever we may 
 regard as essential to the existence of things without ? As a mere change in the 
 form of our being, it may suggest to us the necessity of some cause or antecedent of 
 the change. But it is far from implying the necessity of a corporeal cause ; — any 
 more than such a direct corporeal cause is implied in any other modification of our 
 being, intellectual or moral — in our belief, for example, of the most abstract truth, at 
 which we may have arrived by a slow developement of proposition after propo.ition in a 
 process of internal reflective analysis, or in the most refined and sublime of our emo- 
 tions, when, vnthout thinking of any one of the objects around, we have been medi- 
 tating on the divinity who formed them — himself the purest of spiritual existences. 
 
 * Brown's Philosophy of the Human Mind. From the XX to the XXIX Lecture 
 
 inclusive. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 15 
 
 Our belief of a system of external things, then, does not, as far as we can judge from 
 the nature of the feelings, arise from our sensations of smell, more than from any of 
 our internal pleasuras or pains."* 
 
 Odorous particles, then, have never been submitted to Dr. Brown's only test of 
 materiality, and yet he, and all other immaterialists, without any hesitation, pronounce 
 them to be matter. The spirit, like these particles of odour, can exist in connexion 
 with the body or separate from it ; and yet it forms no part of the fleshly tabernacle. 
 If like the particles of odour, it really eludes the grasp of the muscular organs, and if 
 neither these odoriferous particles, nor the spirit, can be proved by any muscular effort 
 to have solidity and extension ; why, then, should one be called material, and the 
 other immaterial? 
 
 If the mind be unextended, how can it receive any sensations from things without? 
 It could not act upon bodily organs, for they are extended. Neither could bodily or- 
 gans act upon it. 
 
 Philosophers have endeavoured to invent numberless hypothesis to account for the, 
 action of matter on the mind, which they have assumed to be immaterial. The old 
 Peripatetic doctrine of perception, by species or phantasms, which for so many centu- 
 ries held so unlimitell a sway in the philosophic world, was probably originated to con- 
 nect material with immaterial substances. When this absurdity slowly died away, 
 other hypothesis, no less erroneous, immediately supplied its place. Des Cartes, see- 
 ing no possibility of any reciprocal action between matter and something that was in- 
 extended, invented his system of occasional causes, and repi-esented the external world 
 entirely incapable of affecting the mind in any way whatever. He ascribed all the 
 sensations and affections of the mind to the immediate agency of the Deity, virtually 
 rendering external objects entirely useless to the mind. This conjecture has been 
 modified by succeeding philosSphers without, howevei-, removing its absurdities. It 
 is useless to revert to all the absurd theories which have from time to time distracted 
 the metaphysical world, and which have been originated for no other purpose than to 
 uphold the still greater absurdity of immaterialism. Philosophers of ancient times 
 imagined the existence of an immaterial substance, unextended in its nature, like 
 nothing. To support this wild and vague imagination, learned metaphysicians have 
 given birth to innumerable conjectures, in order to connect this imaginary substance 
 with the material world. 
 
 Dr. Brown, however, being a little more wise than the immaterialists who preceded 
 him, does not attempt to connect the mutual affections, existing between matter and 
 mind, by substituting some conjectural intervening causes. Instead of this, he advo- 
 cates the direct affection of the mind by the presence of material objects — ^that the 
 <iange of state in the one is produced by the change of state in the other, indepen- 
 dently of intervening causes. Now this, in our view, is really what happens. 
 
 We believe that matter can only act upon mind because mind is an extended mate- 
 rial substance. But Dr. Brown supposes there is no absurdity in matter acting upon 
 that which is unextended. He endeavours to substantiate the possibility of the direct 
 mutual affections of mind and matter, by referring to some examples of matter acting 
 upon matter as in gravitation.t But we do not conceive these cast s to be in the least 
 analogous ; for there is no absurdity in supposing one extended snbstance to act upon, 
 another which is also extended. But for extended substances with parts to act upon 
 unextended substances is without a parallel, and inconceivably absurd. Indeed there 
 could be no action at all ; an immaterial mind could not act upon an immaterial mind 
 any more than nothing could act upon nothing. To talk about matter affecting that 
 which is inextended and without parts, is to ttlk about matter affecting nothing. 
 
 The very fact of the external organs affecting the mind without any intervening 
 cause, the same as other matter affects other matter, is an argument of the strongest 
 kind in favour of the materiality of mind. A piece of iron is affected in a certain 
 manner by introducing into its presence a loadstone, so the mind is affected in a cer- 
 tain manner by the presence of light upon the retina, or by the presence of odour uppn 
 the olfactory nerve. If, then, mind can be directh affected by other substances, the 
 same as matter directly affects matter, why should it "be called an immaterial substance ? 
 
 * Brown's Philosophy of the Human Mind. Lecture XX. f ^^^^- Lecture XXX. 
 
16 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 
 
 If resistance to our muscular efforts, as Dr. Brown supposes, be our only test of 
 solidity and extension, and consequently of matter, then mind itself has the greatest 
 claims to materiality. A muscular effort is nothing more than an effort of the mind. 
 Without the mind the muscles are incapable of any effort whatsoever. Two men 
 sti-etch out then- arms, press their hands together, and resbt each other with great 
 force. In this example as it is commonly said, the muscular efforts of the one ase 
 resisted by the muscular efforts of the other ; but as the muscles have no power of 
 themselves, the facts of the case are, that the mind of the one truly resists the mind 
 of the other through the medium of their respective muscles. If that which causes 
 resistance then be material, mind must be material. 
 
 If two bodies of u-on of equal size were moving with equal velocities towards each 
 other, upon meeting they would destroy each others motion, and the next moment, 
 though in contact, there would be no signs of resistance ; not so wdth the resistance 
 which mind offers to mind through the medium of the muscular organs ; the resist- 
 ance can be continued at the option of the two resisting minds ; hence mind exhibits 
 resistance in a greater degree than other substance, and should, therefore, according 
 to Dr. Brown's test, be considered material in preference to all other substances. 
 
 No two atoms of spirit or any other matter can occupy the same identical space at 
 the same time. There is as much evidence in favor of the impenetrability of spirit as 
 thei'e is of any other matter. The Rev. David James, nor no one else, has ever seen 
 or heard of two or more spirits or atoms of any other substance, occupying the same 
 space at the same time. Such an idea is not only without proof, but is inconceivably 
 absurd. ■ 
 
 No two atoms of spii'it or any other matter can occupy two or more places at the 
 same time. We have never known of a circumstance of the spirit of man residing in the 
 body and out of it at the same time. No panicle of light, odour, heat, electricity, 
 can occupy two places at once. These substances can only be extensively diffused by 
 being extensive in quantity. The particles of light which enter the right eye are not 
 the same which enter the left eye. Though their qualities may be exactly alike, yet 
 they are separate individual substances, as much so as if they were millions of mUes 
 asunder. The same is true of the atoms of spirit and all other substances. 
 
 Op the Essence of Substances. 
 
 Philosophers of modem times have asserted that we know nothing of the essence of 
 bodies. It is affirmed that all that can be known of mind or matter, are merely its 
 properties. Dr. Abercrombie, says, " We talk, indeed, about matter, and we talk 
 about mind ; we speculate concerning materiality and immateriality, until we argue 
 ourselves into a kind of belief that we really understand somethinsr of the subject. 
 The truth is, we understand nothing. Matter and mind are known to us by certain 
 properties : but in regard to both it is entirely out of the reach of our faculties to ad- 
 vance a single step beyond the facts which are before us. Whether in their substratum 
 or ultimate essence, they are the same, or whether they are different we know not, and 
 never can know in our present state of being."* 
 
 There are many truths which we ascertain by reflection, independently in a great 
 measure of our senses. We are assured and know in our own minds that duration 
 must be endless, and that space must be boundless, not because we have learned these 
 truths directly through the medium of our senses, or have been able to demonstrate 
 them by any process of reasoning. In the same way we know concerning the essence 
 of bodies. Instead of being entirely ignorant on the subject, as modern philosophers 
 assert, it is directly the opposite ; we know the essence of all substances. Solidity is 
 the only essence in existence. Although the ultimate atoms of matter ca.nnot come 
 under the cognizance of our senses, and we cannot demonstrate their solidity by any 
 process of reasoning, yet we are none the less assured of their solidity. We believe 
 that they are solid because it is impossible for us to believe otherwise. We are as 
 certain that the ultimate atoms of all substances are solid, as we are that they exist. 
 What we mean by solidity is, that all substances completely fill a certain amount of 
 space, and that it is impossible for them ever to fill a greater or less amount of space. 
 
 * Abercrombie on the Intellectual Powers. Part I. Sec. I. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATEEIALISM. 17 
 
 The amount of absolute space occupied by finy substance is constant, that is the 
 elementary atoms cannot be increased or decreased in magnitude in the least d^ee. 
 Particles may be divided, but their respective parts occupy the same amount of space 
 when separated as when united. Condensation or expansion is not a property of the 
 ultimate atoms of bodies, but merely the relation which these atoms sustain to each 
 other. When a collection of atoms called body are forced into a closer connexion 
 ■With each other, the body is said to be condensed. When their relative distances are 
 increased the body is expanded. The maximum of density excludes all pores. In 
 such a condition the space is wholly occupied — any further condensation is absolutely 
 im^pqssible. A bar of iron varies its dimensions with its teimperature, while the atoms 
 of' which the bar consists remain unchangeable in size. The pores of the iron increase 
 in the same proportion as the bar increases, and diminish as the bar diminishes. So- 
 lidity is universally supposed to be a property of atoms, but this is an eiTor. Solidity 
 is not a property, but' only another name for the essence. A property must be a pro- 
 perty of something ; but solidity is not a property of anything — it is the essence itself 
 -^the thing that exists, aside from all properties and powers. If we suppose solidity 
 to be a property, then it is evident that there miist be a distinction between atoms as 
 possessors* and so]idj,ty as the thing or property possessed : but we find it impossible 
 to conceive of atoms separate and apart from solidity. Deprive atoms of solidity, and 
 they are deprived not of a property, but of existence itself, and nothing remains. So- 
 lidity is associated with existence, and vve cannot conceive of the one independently of 
 the other. Solidity, then, is the essenceto which all qualities belong — taste, smell, co- 
 lour, \yeight, &o., are the affections of solids. Every feeling or thought is the feeling 
 or thought of solids. All the powers of the universe, from the almighty powers of 
 Jehovah down to the most feebie powers that operate, are the powers of solid atoms. 
 We can conceive of solid atoms existing without powers, but we cannot conceive of 
 atoms existing without solidity ; therefore the vei-y essence of all substance is solidity. 
 Jjove, joy, and all other affections are only the different states of this essence. 
 
 When the essence or solidity of substance is considered by itself, independently of 
 its powers, there cannot possibly be any difference in atoms only in their magnitude 
 and: form. The essence of all substance is precisely alike when the essence alone is 
 considered. Substances can only differ in their magnitude, form,, and susceptibilities, 
 but not in then- essences, for they are and must be alike. 
 
 The Immatebialists onlt Possible AR&uiiENT Refcted. 
 
 The only possible argument which the immaterialist pretends to bring forward, in 
 support of the mextension and indivisibility of a thinking substance, and consequently 
 of its immateriality — is founded on the self-consciousness of such substance. 
 
 A thinking substance is conscious of its own individual unity : it is conscious that 
 itself is not many beings, but one. Mankind universally feel their own individual 
 unity when each contemplates himself. Each one is certain that it is the same 
 being that rejoiced yesterday who remembers to-day— that all past and present affec- 
 tions are the affections of one being, and not of many. The absolute oneness of 
 a thinking being is supposed to be inconsistent with a plurality of parts. To 
 avoid this supposed incoilsistency the immaterialist assumes that such a substance is 
 without, parts. 
 
 i)r. Brown says " that the very notion of plurality and division is as inconsistent 
 with the notion.of self as the notipns of existence and non-existence:"* That by the 
 terjn " plurality," he means the plurality of parts, as well as a plurality of atoms, — 
 is vei7 evident .from, the whole tenor of his reasoning. If the materialist, as Dr. 
 Brown again says, " assert thought to be the q,ffection, of a single particle, a monade; 
 ^e must i-emember that if what he chooses to teriji a single particle, be a pnrticle bi 
 mattei', it too must still admit of division ; it-must have a top, and a bottom, a right 
 gi^e and a left ; it must, as it is demonstrable in geometry, admit of being cut in dif- 
 ferent points, by an infinite number of strsfig'ht lines ;, and all the difficulty of the 
 composition Of thought, therefore, remains precisely as before." " If it be supposed," 
 
 * Brown's Philosophy of the flnman Mind. Lecture XCVI, 
 
18 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 
 
 continues he, " so completely divested of all the qualities of matter, as not to be 
 extended, nor consequently divisible, it is then mind which is asserted under another 
 .name, and every thing which is at all important in the controversy is conceded.* 
 
 A unity of substance, consisting of pai-ts, is supposed by Dr. Brown and other im- 
 materialists to be, not only relatively, but absolutely absurd. But this supposed absur- 
 dity is only imaginary, and is founded wholly on supposition and false reasoning, and 
 not on our self-consciousness. Self-consciousness teaches us the unity of self, but it 
 does not teach us that a unity of self is inconsistent with a plurality of parts, and 
 •consequently inextended. 
 
 The absolute oneness or unity of a thinking being can, by no means, be denied. 
 Every man in all the world, — the savage as well as the philosopher, — is conscious that 
 what he calls himself is not many but one ; but no man is conscious that the thinking 
 substance called self does not consist of a plurality of parts — no one is conscious that 
 self is inextended. Indeed, in the very notion of unity is involved the notion of a 
 plurality of parts. In abstract numbers themselves a unit consists of an unlimited 
 number of fractional parts. A unit of time is composed of innumerable parts called 
 moments. A unit of space embraces a countless number of fractional spaces. A imit 
 of substance is composed of an immense number of fractional parts. Without a plu- 
 rality of parts we can form no notion whatsoever of unity. If consciousness, there- 
 fore, teaches us of the unity of self, it must teach us of a- unity consisting of parts ; 
 otherwise it teaches us nothing. The unity of the thinking being, then; proves to a 
 demonstration that, it consists of parts, and consequently must be extended. 
 
 The term unity when applied to time, space, or substance, is entirely indefinite as 
 to quantity. Any quantity, either great or small, may be assumed as a imit. In 
 infinite space the universe may he assumed as a unit ; in the solar system a world ; in 
 a multitude of human beings a man ; in a bodily organ a molecule of any compounded 
 substance which enters into its composition ; and, in a molecule, an atom may be 
 assumed as the unit. In an atom there is an indefinite number of parts, either of 
 which may be chosen as a unit. But when we descend the scale still farther, and 
 speak of that which has no parts, we can form no possible conception of a unit of 
 inextension. The term nothing, instead of unity, is the only applicable term for that 
 which is inextended. To think of unity in reference to external things, we think 
 of something that has parts ; so likewise to feel the unity of the mind is to feel that 
 it has parts. ^ 
 
 If the unity or oneness of the mind is any evidence in favor of its being inextended 
 and without parts, the unity or oneness of all other substances is equal evidence of 
 their inextension. All the atoms of every substance in the immensity of space, when 
 considered separately and apart, are imits, that is, each atom is not many substances, 
 but one. Therefore, if the unity of substance necessarily impUes the inextension of 
 substance, every atom in the universe must be inextended and without parts, and 
 consequently immaterial. 
 
 K it be said that the universe contains no substances that can be called wnits, but 
 that each atom is a plurality of substances, this would not obviate the difficulty in 
 the least ; it would only be adding absurdity to absurdity ; for a plurality to exist 
 without the possibility of a unity's existing, is inconceivable nonsense. A plural num- 
 ber, without a singular, or many substances to co-exist without the possibility of the 
 existence of any single one, is as grossly absurd as immaterialism itself. Hence unity 
 implies parts as much as plurality. Therefore, wherever a unity or plurality of sub- 
 stance exists, there matter exists, with all its essential characteristics. 
 
 No doubt but that the immaterialist absurdity was invented principally to combat 
 the gross en-ors which have been embraced by some materialists, both of ancient and 
 modern times. The great majority of materialists have contended that thought and 
 feeling are the results of organization, beginning and ceasing with it. Hobbes, Spi- 
 nosa, Priestiley, Darwin, and numerous other incfividuals, have strenuously advocated 
 this inconsistency. They have asserted that particles of matter have no susceptibili- 
 ties of thought and feeling when unorganized, but as soon as they were brought to- 
 gether into a certain system, the result of such union is thought and feeling. "Dr, 
 
 * Brown's Philosophy of the Hnmaa Mind. Lecture XCVI. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATEKIALISM. 19 
 
 Brown, in combating this vague conjecture, has clearly shown that a system of par- 
 ticles can have no properties as a whole, whiojx it does not possess in its indjyidual parts; 
 and, consequently, that a thought, or a joy, or a fear, or any other affections of the 
 rttind, cannot possibly be the aiffections resulting from a plurality, but in all cases must 
 he the affections or feelings of «very part of a substance. We most cordially believe 
 ■with Dr. Brown, that a system of particles cannot possibly possess a, .property which 
 the individuals composing the system do not possess. Had this greatphilosopher and 
 metaphysician stopped here, his reasonings would have been amply sufficient to have 
 overthrown the errors of Priestley, Darwin, and others who have supposed thoughtta. 
 begin and end with organization. But by supposing an individual unity to be incon-* 
 sistent with extension and parts, he has advocated an absurdity still more glaring than 
 the one which a part of his reasoning has so successfully overthrown. 
 
 There ig another gross error of a very different' nature from the one advOcated.^by 
 Priestley and his followers, which Dr. Brown also very clearly exposes. This error 
 consistsm assuming thought, hope, fear, joy, sorrow, desire, and all other affections to 
 be little, particles of matter. Wo are not aware, however,, that there was ever a human 
 being so void of common sense as to advocate this palpable inconsistency- . It is very 
 evident that this wror is not necessarily incorporated with that absurd notion which 
 supposes thought and other affections to be a property of an organized system of 
 
 S articles, but not a praperty of each individual particle. The two errors are widely 
 ifferent : the one supposes a thought or feeling to be a.pruperty, not of a single par- 
 ticle, but of a collection of particles ; the other supposes a thought or feeling to bo a 
 Jittle particle of matter itself, and not a property of either a particle or collection of 
 
 f articles. The former error has had numerous advocates in such men as Priestley, 
 )arwin, &c. j but the latter, so far as we are aware, has had no advocates. Dr. 
 Brown, however, has attacked not only the former, but the latter error, as though ii 
 really had an existence in some popular theory. 
 
 If thought be little particles of matter. Dr. Brown justly argues, " that it will be not 
 more ubsurd to talk of the twentieth part of an affirmation, or the quarter of a hope, 
 of the top of a remembrance, and the north and east corners of a comparison, than of 
 the twentieth part of a pound, or of the different points •f the compass in reference 
 to any part of the globe of which we may he speaking." We agree with him most 
 perfectly in saying, " that with evei'y effort of attention which we can give to our men- 
 tal analysis, we are as incapable of forming any conception of what is meant by the 
 quarter of a doubt^or the, half of a belief, as of foi-ming to ourselves an image of a 
 circle without a central point,, or of a square without a single angle " 
 
 Dr. Brown al.so endeavours to bring this mode of reasoning to bear against the ab- 
 surdity which supposes thought to be a quality of a collection of particles arranged in 
 the form of an organ, but not a quality of single particles. But it is evident that the 
 arguments which entirely demolish one error, leave the other entirely untouched. 
 The weakness of Dr. Brown's argument, when wrongfully applied against the last- 
 name I error, will more fully appear by reference to his own words which read as 
 follow s : — . 
 
 " Even though it were admitted, however, in opposition to one of the clearest truths 
 in science, that an organ is something more than a mere name for the separate anVi in- 
 dependent, bodies which it denotes, and that our various feelings are states of the sen- 
 sorial organ, it must still be allowed that, if two hundred particles existing in a certain 
 state form a doubt, the division of these into two equal aggregates of the particles, as 
 they exist in this stale at the moment of that particular feeling, would form halves of 
 a doubt ; that all the truths of arithmetic would be predicable of each separate thought, 
 if it '\eie a state of a number of particles." 
 
 By a little reflection it will be seen that Dr. Brown's inference is entirely unfounded. 
 " If I wo hundred particles existing in a certain state form a doubt," it does not neces- 
 sarily follow that " the division of these into two equal aggregates of the particles," 
 would form halves of a doubt. If two hundred pounds weight attached to a certain 
 machine will produce a result called motion, it does not necessarily follow that one 
 hundred pounds will produce a r^ult called half of a motion. If exactly two hun- 
 dred particles organized in a certain form, were requisite to produce a certain' thought, 
 then it is evident that to alter m the least either the number or organization would b« 
 
id ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIAUSU. 
 
 a complete destruction of that partioulax' thought, instead of forming fractions of it^ 
 This is whaf Friestiey and his followers assert. They say that i^aughtl)egins and 
 ends with the organization, arid Uiat thfe'siitgle' individuals ' entering into the system, 
 form no lihbught riol? £5^aoti6ns of a thought. " This ahsurdityj therefore, remains nn- 
 tiaiiehed by tWS argument of Dr.Brown. It is eflFectuallyi demolished; however, by 
 ^other''s{j(!cies of argument,- used by him to which we have alrfaidy referi:ed. He has 
 proved Pflestle/s theory to he' false, not by supposing that .the fractions <}f a doubt 
 coiildbe nnade tot^sult from it; but by clearly showirig that an organ is;only a name 
 fbir a collection of many substances, which cannot possibly possess ai)[y property as ft 
 whole,' which the individiikls do 'riot possess when existing singly. He has also proved 
 the thebi^ which asserts that a-thbUghit or a feeling is a little Article of matter, to be 
 talpef because it inV6ly£s the absurdity of fnictioiial thoughts, hopes; fears, &c. 
 
 But there is one more thieory which we venture to propose, that we believe, to.be. 
 impre^able, which no philosopher or metaphysieian, ever has or ever can refute. TKi& 
 1iheb*y'inay be staled as follows i-i— 
 
 A mbught, hope, feat, -joy, or ainy other feeling is not a little particle of matter, nor, 
 theire^ult orquality of a oolleotion" of particles, called an organ or a ^st^m of organs, 
 but it 'is -the state or affection of ' a single individual substance, having exti^ision and 
 parts, arid all- the essential characteristics belonging to all' other matter. 
 
 TheSre is no sibSUirdity in speating of the half, or of a quarter, or of any, other frac-. 
 tional part of this substance, but there would b6 a great absurdity in speaking of the 
 fraictiorial parts of its mere states or ajkctiorm. The half or a thousandth .part of a. 
 thinking substance is as I'easohable as the half oi: a thdusaridth part of an attracting 
 substance ; but tiSe top or bottom of a thought would be as absurd- as, the tpp or bot- 
 tom of altraetioft. The' north or east' side of a substance which remembers; is just as. 
 correct As the-ribrth or east corners of a sttbstancie which possesses a ohemicajl affinity j 
 but the north side of a remembrance would-be as inconsistent as the north side of a- 
 chemical afttnity. Hence, none qf the arguments- which are so successfully brought to 
 bear against the Other two theories, wpiri the least affect this. It is invulnerable, jit 
 every jloittt at which it may be assailed. 
 
 Every cbnceivable part of this suBstancej-howevra- minute,;possesses.the same pro- 
 perty as the -whole; A thought, or any other state of feyibgis, therefore, perceived 
 by every possible part of which a whole consists. . A unity of substance, as we have 
 already had occasion to- reriiark, consists of an immense number^ of fractional parts. 
 Tliese,jri ordei: to coriSfitute jtnifi/, niust be so closely connected -with, and relattid to 
 each other, that Whatever state or affection one may happen to be in, all the rest must 
 irii&tedialsly'bs notiflied of the same. If fine part beaffeeted with pain, every other 
 jfai»tintiSt be' conscious of it. If ohe^ajt rejoices, hopes, or fears, tihe whole must, by 
 sympathy, rejoice, hope, or fear in th6:Same "manner. But if bne part could' suffer, 
 while another part wis unconscious of such suffering ; or if the affection of one part 
 had no tendency lib affeet' another, then the ■ individual unity would' be destroyed, and 
 the 'substance wbuld'be'asinany distinct, thinkirtg, feeling- beings as there were parts 
 imconscious of the affections of the others. 
 
 It is • not necessary that a thinking substa;nee should be limited -tot magnitudes or 
 quantities that are exceedingly minute in order to constitute .aunitV;' Large amounts 
 of substance are as consistent with unity as small ones. But in all cases, whether the 
 (|uantity-be large or small, it is necessary that the parts should bear that relation to 
 each otJierjthat when brie . is affecjed every other should be affected also ; other-wise, 
 it'cbuldjilotbeauriity. The feeling or thinking substance of an elephant or whale is 
 as much" an individaal unity as the feeling substance or spirit of a gnat or animalculsp, 
 though the magnitude of the former far exceeds that of the latter. It is the peculiar 
 organiiiaMbri.bf 'ifelat'ibn of parts'^^irt such a manner as to be all conscious of each other's 
 a,ffection*Meh -constitutes the 'unity, without any 'regard, to the size .brampunt of 
 substance: ofgiiiiized; When ths^sgveraljparts-are so;orgai)izfed as to think, remember, 
 hate, love, and feel alilte,, under the diffbrerit circumstances to which thejo.rganizatfori 
 may be exposed; the Whble is ofleEinai^idUarunity or being; " 
 
 If the mind or Sjiu-ibbe of the\?ame magnitude as tlie body,, then the impressions 
 received thrb'agh^tJig' various orgsms of a human' body ■rt'o'uld' only have, .to be trans- 
 ferred to th©l-^featiee of abotttSrefeetjia order that evei-y part of the inind migMJ 
 
ABSDRDITIES OF ^OWmsiMMK. 2(1 
 
 4)e alike- consfi^ons of such impvqgsi(^.'jLet the velwnty bei ever so rapid, time wdidd 
 bean essential ingredient to the txa^e^^ of these cq^mnunioa^ons irom part to part. 
 'If th^ were communicated widt the velodty of sound, ^itti^ parts of the mind ibi> 
 most distant from the one first affected, would receive the in^pression'in the two hun- 
 dredth part of a second. Ifthe transfer were-as rapid as IiDht,tEe impression would 
 'be conveyed to the most disi;ant extremities of the mind in the t^ro hundred milliontii 
 ^art of a second.'- TheSje inconceivably minute portions of time wpul^ be altog^thi^r 
 j^ntoerceptible to the mind. Hence, wnenevei: any part of the mind is affected throqg}i 
 ii^.i sensorial organSj eyery other part seems to be. affected in the same instant, wh$D^> 
 .iBBKeaUty, the affection is conveyed successively from part. to part, the same as-s^oci^ 
 . j^^^l^ltfii^ conveyed from a sounding or a lummous body. . 
 ^ .tfTCBe'Conveyance of internal thoughts or emotions of ^y ^dlid ^p^i one pu^j^ Ute 
 ,f^^ to the other, is pjpbably equal in velocity to the trailer of the ^yiiTipus^iigtii^ 
 {^Hned by sensation.^^1 Therefore, in consequence of the i^iconceiyable ydof^tj^iwj^ 
 ..which all thoughts gid. sensations are conveyed from one ^teenuty of the mn^^to 
 another, it is impossible for one part of the mind to have a. thought} sen^t!<9>> i!Qr 
 feeling of any k)n^ which the Other parts of the mjnd canr ihn^g any term :of J^e 
 that is appreciable,, be igqofant of. It is fqi? this reason that the .toAofe of !tiie;;B#4 
 thinks, — the tuhole of the.ipind Ioves,.^-the whole of the mind ;hates, — ^the whohj^ 
 the mind wills, &c. 
 
 If the term of time were.pf j&ny ^pprecmble length in which thoughts and fe^gs 
 
 ■are conveyed fromone part of the perceptive .mind to the oliier, then, 'while oi)Q>p^ 
 
 'of the mind was hating an obj.ect, another part of the same njind might be loyi|)g;|t 
 
 because of newly discovered. qualities; and while a part of thenund in. one foot Wfia 
 
 suffering intense pain, caused by treading upon , hot iron, anbther pa]$.of the d^^ 
 
 inithe other foot, not .having had time to receive the information, would venture also 
 
 . ilito the same danger. ' 
 
 < .Weue^itipossiblefpr the different parts of the mind to feel and think withpqtrl^eiijg 
 
 aUe to communicate their respective feelings to each other, then eveiy part tj;tat,;tlij|3 
 
 ittought) and feltj would be a distinct individual, as much so as if it were septurat^ for 
 
 tiniies fhnn all the i^est, or, as if it were a separate oi;ganization. In this oa^^rtihe 
 
 ,. whole being Or' mind which we before termed I, would cease its indiyiduiSr unity;; «qd 
 
 each part which thought and felt independently, could appropriate tp.itselftheteita 
 
 -3ii add iwith the greatest; prppi^iety couldApply the term YOU to every other parttrhich 
 
 thought and felt distinctly and (ufferently from itself. 
 
 -:It iff, therefore,' because all parts of the mind seem to be affectecl in the same way, 
 and apparently at the same time, that it is felt to be a single individual nund- It is 
 ■•iS^t. apA this only, tliat; opnstitutes the unity of a thinking b«ing', and not,: ^ th? hn- 
 (materialist asserts, .a something ^^'without parts,-" which from its very • natwAiM^l 
 ,tt»l4tltute nather a unity, nor piiirality, nor any thing else, but iiiitii^g., . ... ".-i ..'^ 
 :':it'jB^the faiunan spirit be nearly the same form and n^agnitnde, aa ili^/fy^li!t^$ifyff' 
 'dn^'in which it dweUl, it must be eompc^ of an inmiense Ba^^>w:cf!ji^t§gf.i^MSi 
 isf, which is susceptible of almost an, infinite variety of thoughts, ^emp^ggsfSHfl^ggl- 
 eiligs. Whence originated these susoeptibiliti,es ? 'Are they the restdtg jai^i^^mgf^^'i 
 fJDid each- particle obtain its susceptibilities by being vnit^d -with oth^.P.t^lsSHli'W^d 
 'ebclt impossible ; for if a particle were entirely destitute of the capa(»tT J^ ^thii^iigi^wii 
 ii^Ung, no possible organization could impart to it that power.. ' ^]^pqiwei^''toitili«^ 
 '■ and feeU is npt^ nor can not be derived from any arrangement cf ,ptBtioles. ' iJf ^ tji^ 
 '^'fcave not this power before organization, they can never have-kca^i^ards. It. fol- 
 Jows then, that if ever there were a tune when the particles of? ^^, b^man spirit.ex- 
 isted in a disorganized state, each ^riacle so existing, must ha^ef;!^ all the ^U9<k>P« 
 .tibililiies of feeling and thought thatit«otohgA!;)a{i4t^PS^u^*4/>l^^ paitioleffiust 
 . ba've been a separate independent being of ^j^^. I ,T$^iefore, un^. sueh iiix((|i(nBtgda- 
 iOejf, onepartide would have been no mor^aH^g^^j^h the sta1iej»rcPssliti<MiM^er9> 
 jthan one man is affected with the pleasui^^^^^ of othersi'vitiir.'mhoni! liciiiMiot 
 
 tiSSQciated. --..tiAvv - --- '- - ' ' 
 
 : vM'tnv, liben, it' niay be asked, can these 8^i^|e~Hulei^n4ent b^!0C bej^P^tediAs 
 to form but one being,' possessing the same susceptlbiiities as each of the in^viduab 
 of which it i» composed ? The answer to Ijbis fvestion ma; be moraclaarly under* 
 
22 ABSCRDITIES OF'iMMATERIAl.T'Sjil. 
 
 stood by tlie following illustration. Let a certain number of iron' "filings exist in a 
 Scattered condition, widely separated from each other. It is evident that each; pos- 
 sessesihe susceptibility of magnetism. Such as are brought within the influence of 
 a loadstone or magnei, under favourable circumstances, will exhibit all the magnetic 
 phenomena, while others unconnected and at a distandd, will remain entirely unaf- 
 fected. ' But let all these filings he firmly united together into one bar of h-on, and 
 te exposed to the influence of a ttiagnet or loadstone, and they will then be affected 
 alike. Those which were before the union distinct individual particles, exhibiting at' 
 the sanle time different susceptibilities and qualities, according to the different circum- 
 stances in which they were placed,-^are,' by their union, consolidated- ihto one mass." 
 In this condition, if one part be magnetized, the whole will be magnetized ; if one part 
 he moved, the whole will b'e moved. Therefore the particles in this bar, though dis-' 
 tinct parts of the same substance, can no longer be considered distinct individuals, be- 
 cause. they are no longer affected differently, but alike. So it- is -with the human 
 spirit : its particles previous to the organization, are, as above stated, separate and dis- 
 ■tdnct beings, and the affections of each are entirely indepeindent of the slate of the others^ 
 But when organized into a person, all particles must from henceforth he subject to th» 
 same influences; and though they are distinct parts of the same substance, yet they 
 are one in all their thoughts and feelings ; atid it is this which constitutes individuality, 
 in all intelligent organizations. ' 
 
 If a bar of iron, weighing one pound, had the power of expressing its different 
 t|ualities, it could with the greatest propriety say, I am heavy — I am magnetized-^I 
 Biove. The term I would represent the whole bar, consisting of an infinite number 
 of parts,— all affected precisely in the same moment and in the same manner. Now 
 no one would for a moment "suppose the pound of iron to be immaterial and -without 
 parts, because the term I was the Tepresentative of a single individual bar. So like- 
 •wise in the expressions, I think, — I feel,— I remember ; the term I is, a representative 
 of the whole being, every part of which thinks, feels, and remembers in the same mo- 
 ment and in the same manner. ■ ■ - ■ 
 
 The arguments which Dr. Brown has used* against the materiality of the mind,^ 
 TTOuld apply vnth the same force against the materiality of iron or any other substance,; 
 for if thought or feeling prove thevlnity and inextension of mind, — weight, magnetism, 
 or motion will; with as much reasouj prove the unity and inextension of iron. 
 
 Mr. Taylder has asserted that "The Materiahsm of the Mormons is not only un- 
 scriptural, but anti-scriptural."+ 
 ■ /'I. — 'He undertakes to show that it is unscriptural, by asserting that it is "iii-oppo-' 
 
 sition to the sfimtoaZiJy of the. Divinity. "J ' ' ' ' ' 
 
 We readily admit that any system which is " in opposition to the spirituality of the 
 Divinity," is not only unscriptural but dangerously false. That the Spirits of the" 
 I'ather and the Son, as well as the Holy Spirit, consist of a substanceTpurely spiritual, > 
 -icah by no means be denied by any believer in the sacred scriptures. 'It is a doctrine 
 firmly believed by us arid all- the Latter-day Saints. It is a doctrine most definitely 
 ^pressed and advocated in our'paimphlet on the Kingdom of God, and that, too, on ' 
 the very-page from which Mr.' Taylder makes copious extracts. It is there that we - 
 have definitely spoken of "the Spikits 0/ the I'ather and Son:" it is there that we 
 speak- of the Holy Spirit : it is there that we have expressly said that ■" God i* a 
 SPiBiTi"- And yet in the twee of all these declarations Mr. Taylder has had the har- 
 dihood to say that our theoly is "in opposition to the spirituality of the Divinity.". 
 Instead of- this, it is the material theory alone that' estahhshes the very existence, of: 
 Spiriti • Take away the materiality of Spirit, and you at once destroy its very- exis- ' 
 tfflice, as we have'abundantly shown in the foregoing pages. . , i 
 
 The inimaterialists have aimed a deadly blow at the' foiindation of all spiritual exis- > 
 ■lence, by denying it extension and parts. • We, in opposition to tliis unphUosopMo, J 
 unscriptural, arid atheistical doctrine, have'most clearly expressed our belief in ^ real 
 ■tangible substance caJled Spirit, which has extension and parts, like all other matter; i 
 , fin the case of the angeb' visit to Abraham, and of their partaking of food, who," ' 
 inquiries Mr. Taylder, "would conclude they must have fleshy bodies ?"§ We answra: 
 
 * Brown's Philosophy of the Human lUind. Lecture XCVI. 
 t Taylder against Materialism, page 21. % Ibid, page 22. § Ibid, page S4. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 23 
 
 that a "fieahly hody" and a spiritual body are entirely different things. One is a 
 body of material flesh ; the other is a hody of material spirit — they are entirely dif- 
 ferent kinds Of matter, as much so as iron and oxygen. Jesus says, " God is a Spi- 
 rit ; " and again he says, " a Spirit hath not flesh and hones." From these sayings 
 of Jesus, we can see that spiritual matter and fleshy or bony matter are distinct sub- 
 stances. These passages are sometimes quoted as a supposed proof of immateriality. 
 But every one knows that there are millions of substances that are not flesh and bones. 
 A house, a stone, or a tree, " hath not flesh and bones," any more than a spirit ; shall 
 we therefore say that all these substances are immaterial ?lta. spirit must be imma- 
 terial because it hath not flesh and bones, then every substance in the universe, except 
 flesh and hones, must be immaterial. 
 
 Mr. Taylder supposes that the persons who appeared to Abraham, and ate, and 
 walked, and conversed with him, were only " bodily forms," " assumed in mercy to 
 man." But, we ask, how does our author know but what these bodily forms were 
 the real, true, substantial forms of these beings, instead of assumed ones ? He seems 
 to think that " it might be assumed,' with equal propi'iety, that the Divine Being is 
 • a rock,' ' a fortress,' ' a tower,' ' a shield,' ' a buckler,' because he is so styled in the 
 bible." But did heaver appear in the form of a " rock," or " a forti'ess," to any person 
 anciently? Did he ever appear to Abraham, to Jacob, to Moses, to the Seventy Elders 
 of Israel, to Micaiah, to Isaiah, or to the Jewish nation, when he walked among 
 them," in the flesh, as a tower, a shield, or a buckler ? No : he appeared to them all 
 as a person. If the three persons whom Abraham saw had appeared like a shield, or 
 any other inanimate thing, they would not have been called men. It was because 
 thOT resembled the human species that they were thxis called. 
 
 Mr. Taylder says, " this scheme condradiots itself; for if Christ were possessed of 
 a body of flesh and blood, how could he become incarnate ? The Mormons believe," 
 continues he, " in the incarnation, but this contradicts it. Their doctrine implies 
 that he had a body before he was incarnate, or he had a body before he had a body, 
 or he had a body and had not a body at the same time."* 
 
 This author must be very ignorant of our doctrine if he supposes that ■ft'e think that 
 Christ had "a body of flesh and blood" before his incarnation. Christ, before his 
 incarnation, was a spiritual body, and not a body of flesh and bones. It was the body 
 of his spirit and not a fleshly body that was with the Father in the beginning, when 
 God said, "let us make man in our likeness and in OUE image." Whenever he ap- 
 peared before he dwelt in flesh, it was the pure spiritual matter only that was seen. 
 The spiritual hody of Christ has hands, faCe, feet, and all other members, the same as 
 his body of flesh and bones. The spiritual bodies of all men were in the likeness of 
 the spiritual body of Christ when they were first created. 
 
 That spiritual bodies are capable of condensation, is evident from the fact of their 
 occupying the small bodies of infants. The spirits of just men, who have departed 
 from the fleshly tabernacle, have been seen by the inspired writers ; and from their 
 description of them, we should not only judge them to be of the saxae form, but like- 
 wise of about the same size as man in this life. These departed spirits, then, which 
 are about the same magnitude as men in the flesh, once occupied infant bodies. There 
 are only two methods by which to account for their increase in magnitude ; one is by 
 an additional quantity of spiritual matter, being gradually and continually incorporated 
 in the spu^itual body, by which its magnitude is increased in the same way and in the 
 same proportion as the fleshly body is increased. And the other is by its elasticity or 
 espansive properties by which it increases in size, as the tabernacle of flesh and bones 
 increases, until it attains to its natural magnitude, or until its expansive and cohesive 
 prcjperties balance each other, or are in a state of equilibrium. 
 
 The latter method seems to he in accordance with scripture. The spiritual body 
 of Christ, when seen previous to his incarnation, is not represented as an infant in 
 stature, hut as a man, and ccmsequently his spirit must have been of the size of a man. 
 Therefore, when he came and dwelt in the infant tabernacle of flesh, horn of a virgin, 
 his spirit must have been greatly condensed ; and did not completely regain its for- 
 mer magnitude until the fleshly tabernacle had attained its fuU gi'owth. 
 
 As a further evidence of the condensation of spiritual matter, we read of seven 
 
 ♦ Taylder's Tract, page 26. 
 
24 "ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 
 
 devils beings cast out of Mary Magdalene, and of a legion of others inhabiting one 
 man, and which, after being cast out, entered a large herd of swine. Now these 
 devils were once angels who kept not their first estate. Those angels who kept their 
 first estate, that have been seen, appear about the size and of the form of men, inso- 
 much that they are frequently called men in the scriptures : and it is reasonable to 
 suppose that those angels who fell did not, to any great extent, alter their size and 
 form. Therefore, they must have been very much condensed and crowded when 4, 
 legion of them entered one body. , 
 
 That the different particles of a spirit are not all in actual contact is very evident 
 from the fact that a spiritual body can alter its dimensions by condensation or ex- 
 pansion. It is also evident from the fact of its entering into union with fle^ and 
 bones, and also withdrawing itself at death. If the particles were in contact, and in- 
 separably connected, there would be no possibility of getting^ in and out of a fleshly 
 body, unless by entirely dissolving its parts. But, as it is, each refined particle of the 
 spirit can, like heat or electricity, pass between the fleshly particles; and thus the 
 whole body of spiritual particles can liberate themselves; and by their own self-moving 
 powers and free will, can still preserve and maintain their own organization. Here is 
 manifested the great superiority of spiritual matter to all other matter ; each particle 
 has the power of self-motion. Thq whole mass of particles have power to preserve 
 themselves in an organized form as long as they please. Should they, by any contin- 
 gency, be disai'ranged, as in passing in or out of a body, they can, with the greatest 
 ease, resume their former position, and maintain their bodily organization either in pr 
 out of a fleshly tabernacle. 
 
 Mr. Taylder, in speaking of the seven devils which possessed Mary Magdalene, says, 
 if they were material they must have " condensed themselves into a very small space," 
 He then remarks, " No doubt the reader questions the possibiUty of any sane person, 
 first embracing and then calmly propagating such errors.* But we calmly ask Mr. 
 Taylder, which would be the most reasonable and philosophic, — to believe that seven 
 substances could all occupy the same space at the same time, or to believe, as we do, 
 in the condensation of substance? The former is an admitted absurdity, but the 
 latter is something that is constantly taking place in a great variety of substances. 
 None could believe the former, unless his mental vision was obscured and his. eyies 
 blinded by the absurd insane notions of priestcraft and false tradition; but any man 
 of somid sense, who dares think for himself, could believe the latter, because it does 
 not involve an absurdity. ^ 
 
 " The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape Jike a dove " upon the Savioxa-, and 
 like " as cloven tongues of fire " on the apostles. " How can a dove," inquires Mr. 
 Taylder, " extend through all space and intermingle with all other matter ? " " It is 
 (he asserts) a clear impossibility." We readily admit that a dove or a cloven tongue pf 
 fire cannot be omnipresent. It is, as Mr. Taylder says, " a clear impossibility." 
 And it is likewise just as impossible for a, person to be everywhere present, as it isfpr 
 a dove. Why should our author suppose it possible for a person to be everywhere 
 present, when he admits that a dove could not be in such a condition ? The " eloven 
 tongues of fire " that appeared unto the disciples on the day of pentecost, were only 
 parts of that all-vrise substance which extends through space. The cloven tougue pf 
 lire which rested upon one man, was not the same that rested upon all the others; 
 hence there was a plurality of them that appeared, The prophet Joel informs us, 
 ihat in the last days the Spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh. No two persons 
 can receive the same identical particles of this Spirit at the same instant; a'psu^t 
 therefi)re of the Holy Spirit will rest upon one man, and another part wiU rest upon 
 another, If the Spirit rests upon all flesh at the same time, then there wUl be as many 
 paits of the Spirit as there are distinct individuals in whom it dwells. No one pf 
 these parts' of the Spirit can be everywhere present any more than a dove. Each part 
 can occupy only one place at a time. If the whole be infinite in quantity, it can extend 
 through infinite space ; if it be finite in quantity, it can only occupy finite space. 
 
 That different parts of this spirit can assume different shapes, is evident from its 
 appealing as a dove at one time, and as cloven tongues of fire at another. It is also 
 
 » Taylder's Tract, page 28, 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMSfATERIALISM. 25 
 
 evident from the fact of the Saviour's spealiing of the Holy Spirit as a personage. 
 " Howbeit, when Ae the Spirit of truth; is come, He will guide you into all truth ; for 
 He shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak : and 
 He will shew you things to come."* There is no more inconsistency in one part of the 
 Holy Spirit existing in the fotm of a pel-son, than there is in another part existing in the 
 form of a dove, and several other parts existing- in the foi-m of cloven tongues of fire. 
 That the all-powerful matter called the Holy Spirit is V617 vridelydiffiised, is evi- 
 dent from the fact that the time will come when it will be poured out upon all flesh. 
 It is very certain that the Psalmist ' had some idea of the immense quantities of this 
 substance, and of its extensive diffiision, when he exclaims, " Whither shall I go from 
 th;f Spirit?" &o. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the deep, and by his 
 Spirit the heavens were garnished. When we speak of the Spirit of God, extending 
 through all space, we do not mean that it absolutely fills every minute portion of space, 
 for if this were the case, there would be no room for any other matter. A sub- 
 stance, to absolutely fill all space. Would be an infinite solid, without pores and immov- 
 able in all its parts ; therefore, the Spirit exists in different parts of space in greater or 
 less degrees of density, like heat, light, or electricity. It is this glorious and all- 
 powerful substance that governs and controls all other substances by its actual pre- 
 sence, producing all the phenomena ascribed to the laws of nature ; in it we exist, we 
 live, we move, and by it we receive wisdom and knowledge, and are guided into truth 
 in proportion as we permit it to dwell within us and receive its heavenly teachmgs. 
 
 2_. — " The next consideMtion," says our author, " is their denial of the infinity, per- 
 fection, and omnipresence of the 6odhead."t Under this head he quotes many pas- 
 sages of sdripture to fehow that the presence of God fills heaven and earth, and that 
 the heaven of heavens cannot contain him. All these things we freely admit. The 
 Holy Spirit is' called God in the scriptures, as well as the Father and Son. This, 
 we presume, Mr. Taylder will admit. It is God, the Holy Spirit, then, that is every- 
 where, substantially and virtually. The Holy Spirit is infinitely perfect and wise, 
 ' ind good, and powerful, as well' as the Father and Son. These three are one; not 
 one in substance, but one in vvisdbnl, power, glory, and goodness. Jesus prayed that 
 all- his di^iples might be made one, as he and his Father are one. If Jesus and the 
 Father are one person, then all the disciples must, according to the prayer of Jesus, 
 lose their individual identity iind become one person : this would be perfect nonsense. 
 Therefore, Jesus and the Father are two persons or two substances, the same in kind, 
 but not the same in identity — in the same sense that his disciples are different persons : 
 and,' consequently, distinct substances. His disciples are to be made one with him, 
 arid with each other, the same as Jesus and the Father ^are one ; that is, they are to be 
 one in wisdom, power, and glory, but not in person an& substance. The substance Of 
 the' Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three distinct substances, as much as the sub- 
 stance of three mett are distinct. 
 
 These three substances act in concert in the same way that all the innumerable 
 millions of his disciples, after they are glorified, -will act in c(aicert. The disciples 
 win then be like him. Their glorified bodies will be similar to that of Christ's, but 
 not the same as Christ's ; they will all maintain their separate individualities, like the 
 Patheu and Son. ' The oneness of the Godhead may be in some measure illustrated 
 hy two gallons of pui-e water, existing in separate vessels, representing the Father and 
 Bon, and an ocean of pure water; representing the Holy Spirit. No one would say 
 of these thtee p6r4ions of water that they; were identically the same. Every portion 
 would be a separate substance of itself, but yet the sepjtrate portions would be one in 
 all their properties and qualities. The three substances would be one in kind.— one in 
 quality, but three in sepai-ate distmct identities. So it is *ith the Godhead so far as 
 the spiritual matter is concerned. There is the same power, wisdom, glory, and 
 goodness in every part, and yet every part has its own -work to perform, which ac- 
 cords in the most perfeict harmony 'With the mind and will of every other part. 
 Each atom of the Holy Spn-it is inteOigent, and like all other matter lias so£dity, 
 '^form, and size. It is because each acts in the most perfect unison -with all the rest 
 tiiat the whole is considered one Holy Spirit. • All these innumerable atoms are con- 
 
 ♦ John, xvi., 13. f TSylder's Tract, page 31. 
 
26 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. 
 
 sidered one Holy Spirit in the same sense that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are 
 considered one God. The immense number of atoms, though each is all- wise and 
 all-powerful, is, by virtue of their perfect concord and agreenient, but one Holy Spirit, 
 the same as the intelligent particles of a man's spirit are, by their peculiar union, but 
 one human spirit. Their unity or oneness does not consist in that inexplicable, xn- 
 . comprehensible, imaginary something without extension or parts, as taught in the 
 -first of the " Thu"ty-nine Articles," but it consists in a unity or oneness of wisdom, 
 power, and glory, each part performing its own splendid works and operations in unison 
 with the mind a«d will of every other part. No one part can perform any work but 
 what is the mind of the whole. Therefore, in this sense it is the same mind — ihe 
 same will — ^the same wisdom that pervades the whole. 
 
 Mr. Taylder, in order to establish his views of a god without parts, quotes from the 
 theological works of a very celebrated writer on the omnipresence of God, which reads 
 as follows : — 
 
 ■ " The essential presence is without any division of himself. I fill heaven and earth, 
 not part in heaven and part in earth : I -fill one as well as the other. One part of his 
 essence is not in one place, and another part of his essence in another place ; he would 
 then be changeable, for that part of his essence which visas now in this place he might 
 alter to another, and place that part of his essence which were in another place to this ; 
 but he is undivided everywhere. It is impossible that one part of his essence can be 
 separated from another : for he is not a body, to have one part separable from ano- 
 ther. The light of the sun cannot be cut into parts ; it cannot be shut into any place, 
 and kept there ; it is entire in every place : shall not God, who gives the light that 
 power, be much more present himself? Whatsoever hath parts is finite, 'but God is 
 infinite ; therefore, hath no parts of his essence. Besides, if there were such a 
 division of his being, he would not be the most simple and uncompounded being, but 
 would be mSde up of various parts ; he would not be a spirit, for parts are evidences of 
 composition, and it could not be said that God is here or there, but only a part of God 
 is here and a part of God is there. But he fills heaven and earth ; he is as much a 
 God in the earth beneath as he is in heaven above. ' The Lord he is God in heaven 
 above and upon the' earth beneath; there is none else.' — ^Deut. iv. 39. Entirely in 
 all places, not by scraps and fragments of his essence."* 
 
 Of all the absurdities ever imagined up by mortal man m relation to God, the above 
 caps the climax. " One part of his essence," says Charnock, " is not in one plkce and 
 another part of his essence in another place." How does he eist ? According to 
 this theologian, the whole of the essence of God entire must exist in every place. The 
 whole of his essence, not a part, must exist in every cubic inch of space. In one cubic 
 foot of space, according to Charnock, there would be seventeen hundred and twenty- 
 right cubic inches, each containing, the whole of the essence of God. As each cubic 
 inch of space is susceptible of being divided into an infinite number, of fractional 
 spaces, each fractional space must contain the whole of the essenceof God ; hence the 
 whole of his essence would be repeated an infinite number of times in every cubic 
 inch. Therefore, if the whole of the essence of God constitutes God, we shall have 
 an infinite number of gods in every cubic inch of space. 
 
 But the absurdity does not stop here. Charnock admits the omnipresence of God ; 
 he supposes his essence to fill the infinity of space. Now the whole of this infinitely 
 extended essence must exist in the smallest fractional space that can be imagined, and 
 must be repeated an infinite number of times in all miite spaces, in order that the 
 whole.qf his essence may be in every possible space. 
 
 " It is impossible," says Charnock, " that one part of his essence can be sepa^ted 
 from another." But, we ask, are not the different parts of space separated from each • 
 other ? And if he fills all space, then his essence that is in one part of space must he 
 separate from his essence in another part of space. If the whole of his essence occu- 
 pies a cubic foot of space on the earth, and the whole of his essence occupies another 
 cubic foot of space at the distance of the sun, how is it that these essences at this great 
 distance axe not separate from each other ? But does not every school-boy know that 
 the whole of any essence cannot be in two separate places at the same instant ? And 
 
 * Charnock on the " Ommpresence of God." 
 
ABSURDITIES " OF' IMMATERIALISM. 27 
 
 does not every one hnow that the whole of an essence, infinitely extended, cannot pos- 
 sibly exist in a finite space. 
 
 Charnock endeavours to illustrate his absurdities by referring to the rays of Ught. 
 "The light of the sun," he says, " cannot be cut into parts," — it is entire in every 
 place." What does this great theologian mean by this ? Does he mean that the 
 light of the sun is without parts like his god ? or that the whole light of the sun is 
 in every place ? Does the whole light of the sun enter our eyes or only a part of his 
 Mjrs? If the whole Ught of the sun "is entire in every place," then the intensity 
 of his light must be equal in all places. If this be the case, philosophers must be en- 
 tirely mistaken, for they, say that light varies in its intensity inversely as the square of 
 ' the distance from the luminous body ; they inform us that a body situated at twice or 
 three times the distance of the earth from the sun will enjoy only one-fourth or one- 
 ninth of the amount of light that we enjoy ; but how could this be possible, if the 
 whole light of the sun, instead of a part, "is entire in every place?" 
 
 It takes light over eight minutes to come from the sun to the earth.' Charnock 
 saysj " The light of the sun cannot be cut into parts." This is not true; for if an 
 opaque body, one million of miles in diameter, were to be placed at any given instant 
 half way between the earth and sun, the light of the sun would still continue to be 
 seen for upwards of four minutes after the intervention of this body. The rays of 
 light between the earth and the opaque body would be entirely cut off from the rays on 
 the opposite side of the body. 
 
 It' matters not whether the corpuscular or the undnlatory theory of light be adopted 
 — whether the particles of light emanate from the sun or merely vibrate ; each atom is 
 separate from every other atom, and each is only a part of the great whole. An infinite 
 number of parts enter into the vast assemblage of luminous atoms. Light radiates 
 from the sun in all directions, and fills the surrounding spaces by a part being in one 
 space and a part in another, and not, like Mr. Chamock's god, the whole being repeated 
 in every part of space. • That part of the essence of light which is in one place, cannot 
 by any possibility be in any other place at the same instant. In one sense it may be 
 said to be- One light, or the same Bght, because the properties are alike. Each particle 
 is a distinct, separate essence from every other particle, but the qualities of each are alike 
 or sintllar. Therefore, in this sense we may speak of the light of the sun as one light, 
 thoujEfh it possesses an infinite number of parts, the same as we speak of God being 
 one God, though the parts of his essence are infinite in number. Mr. Charnock says, 
 "Whatsoever hath parts is finite, but God is infinite, and, therefiare, hath no parts of 
 his essence." Space lik*ise is infinite, and therefore,' according to this gentleman's 
 logic, it can have no parts. Duration is infinite, and, therefore, it also must be with- 
 out parts. What would a cubic inch of space be ? Any man that was not insane 
 would at once say that it is a part of space. ' Therefore, if an infinite space or an 
 ■ infinite duration can have parts, why not an infinite essence have parts ? 
 
 " The Lord he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath ; there is none 
 else."-^Deut. iv. 39. Such a passage when referring to ihe person of God, should be 
 understood the same as we would understand a similar expression. concerning any 
 earthly ruler : for instance, it can be said of her Majesty, she is queen in Great Bri- 
 tain and also in Canada, and there is none else; that is, there is none else that is 
 queen in these two places'. " This woidd have no reference to her person being in these 
 tWo places at the same time ; it only shows that she should be the only acknowledged 
 queenin these two places; But ■when God says, "I fill heaven and earth," he has 
 reference to his Holy Spirit, a part of which fills heaven, and another part fills the 
 earth. That part which fills tlie earth has the same wisdom, knowledge, glory, and 
 power as' the part 'that fills the heaven; hence, 'though distinct and separate essences^ 
 their perfections' and aittributes are one. One wisdoni— one glory — one power, per-- 
 vade eVery part of this glorious essence. ' This oneness fe such that the part which 
 fills the earth will-never act contwry to the will of the part which fills the heavens. 
 The essence possesses a phitality of parts, but ^e wisdoin possesses no divisibilify of 
 parts ; it is infinite wisdom in every part. Wisdom cannot be divided into parts any 
 more than love^ hope,' joj, or fear. A truth is identically the same truth whether pos- 
 sessed by one or a miUioh of persons, and is not' susceptible of being divided into frac- 
 tions. The Holy Spirit is called " The Spirit of Truth." Though the essence that 
 
28 ABSrEDITIES OF JMHATERIALISM. 
 
 possfesses this truth may be divided into an infinite numbeir of parts, occupying! aa-ih- 
 nnite number of separate spaces, yet the truth that pervades them all is oSi; truth. 
 It is the indivisibility and unity iof these perfections or qualities -that constitute- the 
 oneness of the Godhead. 
 
 3. — Mr. Taylder supposes my assertion that "there is'no sucih 'thing as moral 
 image," to be unscriptiu^l, aind that"it denies in some respects the moral p^eetions 
 •of the Godhead."* 
 
 WeistillJmaintain tbatthere cannot beany snt^thing^ts indral image indtipeilflentiiy 
 of an essence or substance to which it belongs. And this is the only sense 'vvSiich we 
 intended to convey in our tract on the "Kingdom op God." Indeed,, it is there «x- 
 ;pressly.' said, that " Morality is a property of some being or substance. A property 
 without a substance or being to which it appertains is inconceivable. A profriertyican 
 neverchave figure, shape, or image of anykind." ' This is a truth admitted ,by(?aJl 
 philosophers. Sir Isaac Newton,, in the Seholixim, at the end of the "priwiipiitf.hi 
 speaking of God says, " He is omnipresent, not by means of- his virtue alone,' butTalso 
 by his (sa6«toncey fori virtue cinnot .subsist without substance." Virtue or moraMty 
 cannot isubsist .without substimnerheace it can. have no imct^e without substance. 
 Substance alone can have an image. Such an image may havethe.property of virtue, 
 or of morality, and by reason of this property may be called a Virtuous image, nor la 
 moral hnage. : It is in this sense alone that :the apostle Paul apphesi the term istoge 
 to the new man. " Ye have put on the new man,' which is renewed in knowle(%e, 
 • after the image of him that eireated him." Gol. iii. 10. " Ye faaye put on the newman, 
 which after God is created in i righteousness and true holiness." Eph.iv. 24. Now 
 what is this new man? It' isti^e 'Spirit of man renewed in its properties^ but not 
 changed in its substance or essence. This substance preriously to the renewal of .its 
 qualities was immoral, after -the renewal it become moral or virtueusj poasesMng'tilie 
 same quality in a degree as the substance or image of the Deity. The substance of 
 the Deity may be termed a moral substance or image, the same as the 'Substance <>£ 
 gold is called a yellow substance, or yellow image, if it resembles a person. The yel- 
 lowness of geld could not be an- image independently of the substance, neither could 
 -the morality of the Deity bean image independently of his essence. 
 
 'The spiritual substance of man was formed in the beginning alter the same linage 
 as the spiritual substance »f the persons of the Father and Son. Previously to the 
 fall these spirits were all moral in; their nature; by the fall the spirits of men'lost thor 
 moraUty and virtue, but not their essaice^^that contmuedthe same ; by the new birth 
 man regains his moraUty and -drtuej while the essence remains the same ; it now be- 
 comes a moral -virtuous ' image, whereas the same substance was brfore jianiorsl. 
 Paul, in ' speaking of the-, reaurreetion^i says, "As we have borne the image of the 
 ' I earJihly, we shall also bear the image; of .the heanrenly." -1 Cor. xv. 49. 
 
 This cannot mean a; heavenly image i vrithout- substance ; for when man rises froln 
 
 the dead, he certainly vdll rise "with flesh and bones. The immortal bodies Of ^ the 
 
 saints when they rise from the grave " will be fashioned,"' as Paul says, " -like tittto the 
 
 rglorious bodyof Jesus Christ." As Jesus ascended into heaven with a body of flesh 
 
 . ' and bones, so -vrill his saints bear the same image,' having- flesh and bones aAe^' " the 
 
 image of the heavenly." That these glorious bodies of immortalr flesh' and- Im- 
 
 -^mortal bones will be-moral images, in the sense above stated, thereis.no doubt.; ;'Bfat 
 
 'Euch a thing as a moralimage in -the sense that the Jinmaterialists usethetermjiKa 
 
 -'.dear impossibility. Such; animage, as we remarked in our treatise on tiie ": E]iw- 
 
 DOM OF. God," .never can and never will have ."ani existence only in the brains of 
 
 modern idolaters." 
 
 4. — ^Mr. Taylder fallsely-aeeuses us of. denying -" the j>ersonality of each^personm 
 the Trinity,imaking each to be only/ apart in the Oodhead."t 
 
 This author very well l^nowts that thej Jjersonalities in the Godheaid are not denied 
 
 by us. It -willbe seen Onthe-veiyipagesto wluch he has so frequently 'referFed,>thlU: 
 
 we believe the Father and Son to be two' separate . distinct personages, as muoh'^sOtAs 
 
 fathers and sons of the human race; it -will there, be seen that we also believe -t^ie 
 
 ■ Holy Spirit to be a separate distinct substance from the two sii^tanoes of thei^^her 
 
 '-and'Son. That- all' may see. &at this -author has vrrongfully accused us oft denying^ 
 
 * Taylder's Tract, page 33. f Ibid, page 34. 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIJLLISM, 29 
 
 « the ^ersonali^.of ' each person in-the Trinity,'" we make tfae following extract from 
 our ti-eatise on the "Kingdom oP'Q-op." 
 
 "The -Godhead ^conastsof the Father, the Sonj and the Holy Spirit. The Father 
 is a material being. The substanceof which he iB composed is wholly material. It 
 is a substance widely different in some respects>from thevacious substances with which 
 we are more immediately aequainted> In other respects it is precisely Jike all otiier 
 natemls. The substance of his person occuoies space the same as othev matter. It. 
 has «0lidity^length, breadth, and thickness, like all other matter. The elementary 
 materials of . his body are not; susceptible^ of occupying, at the same i time,, the same 
 identical space with other matter. The substance of his person, like other matter^ 
 cannot be- in two places at the same instant. It also requires time for him to trans- 
 port himself from ' place to plaeev t It matters not -ho w^ great the velocity of his , move- 
 ments, time is an essential ingredient to all motion, whether rapid or slow. It differs' 
 ftom other matter in the superiority of its powers, b^g intdligentt all- wise, and pos- 
 sessing, the power of self-motion to a far greater extent than the coarser materials 
 of. natm'e. " God is a spirit." But that does not make him an immaterial being — 
 a being' that has no properties in common with, matter. The expression, " an 
 iintmalletiiai being," is a ^ntradiction in terms. Immateriality is onlyi another name 
 fbr nothing,. It is thenegativeof all existence. A '^spirit'' is as much matter as< 
 oxygen or -liydrogen. > It hasmany properties in common with all. other matter. 
 Chemists' have discovered between fifty and sixty kinds of matter ;. and each kind has- 
 sorae propej'ties in common with- all other matter, andsome properties peculiar to itself 
 wMoh the othersdo not inherit. ISaw, no chemist in classifyiiig his .substances would' 
 presume to say, this substance is 'material, but that: one is immaterial, because it differs 
 in some respects, from the first. He would' call them all material, though they ini 
 some respects differed widely. So the. substance called .spirit is materia), though' it 
 differs in a remarkable degree from other substances.. It is only the. addition of ano- 
 fiieB element of a more powerful nature than any yet discovered. He is not a being 
 "•mthovit parts" as modern idolaters teach; for eveiy whole is made up of parts.^ 
 The whole person of the Father consists of innumerable paits ; and each part is sO: 
 situated as to bear certain relations of distance to every o^er piut. There must also 
 be, tO'a certaindsgree^a freedom of' motion among these parts, which is au essential 
 condition to the movement of his limbs, without wHeh he could only move as a whole. 
 
 " All the foregoing statements.in relation to the person; of. the Father, are equally 
 applioable.to the person of the Son. 
 
 " The Holy Spirit being one part of the Godhead, is also a material substance, of 
 the same natui'e and. properties in many respects, as the-spuits of the Father and. Son. 
 It Vexistsi in vast immeasura/ble quantities, in. connexion with all material worlds. This; 
 is called God in the Scriptures, as well asthe Father and. Son. God the Father and 
 God the Soni,eannot be everywhere present ; indeed they cannot be even' in two places 
 at the same instant : but God the Holy Spirit is omnipresent — it extends through all 
 space, inteiimiaglipg. with all other matter, yet no one atom of the Holy Spirit can be 
 ilj two places at the same instant,..whioh in all cases is an absolute impossibility. It; 
 must exist injnexhaustible quantities,avliioli is. the only possible way for any substance 
 to be omnipresent. . All the innumerable phenomena of, universal nature ai-e produced 
 in their lODigjn by the actual presence of this intelligent all- wise and alLpowerfiiLma-' 
 terial substance called the Holy Spirit. It is the most ac^ve matter in the universe, 
 producing. all its opeiiaftions according to fixed and definite laws enaoted^by itself, in 
 ooniunotionwithi the Father and tie Son. What are called the laws of nature aa-e 
 nothing more nor less; than, the fixed method by which this spiritual matter opej-ates. 
 Each atom of the Holy. Spirit is intelligent, and like other matter has solidity, form, 
 and; size, and occupies spacer Two atoms of this spii'it cannot occupy the same space; 
 at the same time,. neTther can one atom, as before stated, occupy . two separate spaces 
 at the same time. In all these)iiBspeot5'it does noli differ in the least from all otheE 
 matter.. Its distinguishing characteristics fi-om.qther matter ara its almighty; powers 
 and infinite wisdom, and many other, glorious attributes which other materials! do; not 
 possess. If iseveral of the atoms of. this Spirit should .exist united together in the 
 form of a person, then this person of the Holy Spirit would be subject to the same 
 necessity as the other two persons, of the Gadh^d,Lthat is, it could not be everywhere 
 present. No finite number of atoms can be omnipresent. An infinite number of 
 
30 ABSURDITIES OF IMMATERIALISM. • 
 
 atoms is requisite to be evetywhere in infinite space. Two persons receiving the gMt 
 of the Holy Spirit, do not each receive at the same time,the^ same identical particles, 
 though they' each receive a substance exactly similar in kind? It would be as impos- 
 sible for each to receive the same identical atoms at the .same instant, as it would be 
 for two men at the same time to drink the same identical pint of water."*.. 
 
 From this extract it will- be perceived that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are 
 believed by us to be three distinct material substances, the same in .kind, but not the 
 same in identity. The person of the Father is a bodyof Spirit, consisting of: parts. 
 Mr. Taylder enquires, " What does the author mean by ' the elementoa-y materials 
 of his body?' Is his body a compounded substance . capable of being reduced -to 
 original and simple elements?" We answer that the ,elements of his body are the 
 different parts of which it copsists. The whole, being " compounded" of " el&^ 
 mentary" parts. 
 
 The Godhead may be further illustrated by a coxmcil, consisting of three mea — all 
 possessing equal vidsdom, knowledge, and truth, together with equal qualifications -ia 
 every other respect. Each person would be a separate distinct person or substance 
 from the other two, and yet the three would form but one council. Eachalone pos- 
 sesses, by supposition, the same wisdom and truth that the three united or the OKB 
 council possesses. The union of tihe three men in one council.wjjuld not increase the 
 knowledge or wisdom of either. Each man would be one purl /•{ the council when 
 reference is made to his person ; but the wisdom and truth of each man would bs 
 the whole wisdom and truth of the council, and not a part. If it were pi issible to 
 divide truth, and other qualities of a similar nature into fractions, so that the Father 
 should have the third part of truth, the third part ot wisdom, the third part of 
 knowledge, the third part of love, while the Son and the Holy Spirit possessed the 
 other two-thirds of these qualities or affections, then neither of these perso-^s could 
 make " one God," " but only a part of a God." But because the . divisibility of 
 wisdom, truth, or love is impossible, thewhole ofihese qualities d.well in the Father — 
 the whole dwells in the Son — ^the whole is possessed by the Holy Spirit. " The Holy 
 Spirit is one part of the Godhead" in essence; bur the wlm/i-. of God in wisdom, 
 truth, and other similar quahties. If a truth could become thioe truths, distinct 
 from each other, by dwelling in three persons or substances, then there would be 
 three Gods instead of one. But as it is, the Trinity \s.tliree, in essence but one in 
 truth and other similar principles. The oneness of the Godhead, as described in the 
 Scriptures, never was intended to apply to the essence, hut only to the perfections and 
 other attributes. 
 
 If the Father possess infinite wisdom and knowledge, why, soine may ask, can he 
 not get along with his work without the assistance of the Son, and Hdly Spirit? We 
 answer, the Son is necessary to reconcile fallen man to the Father : the" Holy Spirit 
 is necessary to sanctify and purify the affections of men, and also to dwell in them as 
 a teacher of truth. Immense quantities of this substiinoe are jil.io necessary in order 
 to be present in connexion with all other substances, to control ;md govern them ao- 
 eprding to fixed and definite laws that good order and hiirniony may obtain in every 
 department of the universe. The Father and Son g.ivern the iniim-n.^ity of creation, 
 not by their own actual presence, but by the actual presence (if il e Spirit. The umon 
 of the three does not give any additional wisdom and l(nowlerlt>e to erher, but by the 
 union, they are able to carry on certain works which cnuld no lie canied on by one 
 singly. One singly, as for instance the Father, could have powji- to do all things not 
 inconsistent with his perfections and attributes, that is, he fuulil act where he was 
 present, but without the assistance of the Holy Spirit or snme other being, he being 
 a person, could not act where he is not present. By the uninn of the three, each is 
 able to act in al places through the assistance of the others. The | ersons of the Fa- 
 ther and Son can be in heaven, and yet, through the agenc\ m' ihe Spirit, act upoa 
 the earth. An omnipresent person is impossible, hut an omnipresent substance, diffused 
 through space, is not only consistent, but reasonable. Pei-soiis thiui gh the medium 
 of such an all-wise and all-powerful substance,, can exeicise Alitiirhty power, at the 
 same time in the most distant departments of creati.in. W rh ut such a substance 
 
 * Kingdom of God. Part I, puKe i 
 
ABSURDITIES OF IMHATERUUSM. 31 
 
 with which they were in iinion, they could not carry on the grand and powerful 
 <^rations of universal nature ; for no substance can act where it is not present. 
 
 Perhaps the ohjector may refer to matter attracting matter as a proof that it can 
 ax!t where it is not present. But we are bold to affirm that such a thing as attrac- 
 tion caniiot possibly exist. For matter to draw distant matter towards itself, and 
 consequently act wneSe it is not present, would he as utterly impossible as it would be 
 for a person to be in two or more places at the same time. All the phenomena of 
 universal gravitation can be accounted for upon principles infinitely more simple and 
 consistent, than to ascribe to matter the impossible power of acting where it is not 
 present. The author may, at some future time, give his views with regard to the 
 powers of nature, and -the laws by which it is governed. But to enter in this work 
 into a full development of our theory in relation to those intricate though sublime 
 subjects, would be a digression foreign to the objects we have in view in this treatise. 
 
 No doubt many apparent objections to our views of the Godhead will arise in the 
 minds of many who have been traditionated in the absurd doctrines of immaterialism. 
 Not long since a series of questions were propounded to the Latter-day Saints by the 
 Rev, F. Austin, a Roman Catholic minister, a few of which, relating to the nature of 
 God, we insert here toother with our answers.* 
 
 Question. — " If the God of the Mormonites be like a man in figure, we must sup- 
 pose the organs of the senses to have the same uses, and to be dependent on the same 
 sources for mformation ; his ear^, in consequence, for healing must be dependent on 
 the transmission of sound. How, then, can he hear his people praying to him in 
 Europe when he is in America ? " " 
 
 Answer. — Because the figure of two substances are alike, that is no evidence that 
 the qualities of the two substances are alike. A wax f^ure may be in the shape of a 
 man, and yet, we all know, that it has not the qualities of a man. A wise man may 
 have the figure of a foolish man, and yet be far superior to him in the qualities of 
 wisdom, knowledge and understanding. God may have the Ugare of a man, and yet 
 have many qualities and susceptibilities which man has not got. The resemblance' of 
 figure, then, has nothing to do, as to whether other qualities shall be alike or unlike. 
 The spiritual body of the Deity is altogether a different kind of substance from the 
 fleshly body of man, yet they may resemble each other in figure. The substances are 
 entirely different, therefore, though the figures shoidd resemble each other, this is no 
 evidence that all the qualities must be alike. The ear of the fleshly body may be af- 
 fected by the vibrations of our atmosphere ; the ear of a spiritual body may be affected 
 in an entirely different manner, and yet their figures may resemble each other. The 
 ear of the fleshly body may be affected by the vibrations of many elastic substances be- 
 sides the atmosphere. Sound is conveyed through various mediums with different 
 degrees of velocity. The ear of the spiritual body may be affected, not only by the 
 atmosphere and other elastic mediums which affect the ear of flesh, but it also may bs 
 affected by a vast number of other more subtle and refined mediums, which may trans- 
 fer sound withavelocity immensely superior to any motion with which we are acquainted. 
 A refined medium which would convey soimd with no greater velocity than that of light, 
 would carry information from Emrope to America in less than the sixtieth part of a 
 second. But if God foreknows all things, he must have foreknown all about our 
 prayers millions of ages before we were born, and must also have foreknown the 
 precise time when we would pray, and the kind of spirit or feeling, and the de- 
 gree of faith that would accompany each prayer ; and if he knew all these things be- 
 fore they come to pass, he must certainly know them the moment they do come to 
 pass ; and, therefore, with a foreknowledge of all things, there would be no neces- 
 sity for his receiving information of om* prayers by the transmission of sound; he 
 would know and understand om- prayers the moment they were offered up, the same 
 as he knew them and understood tiiem in ages before they were offered up. " He that 
 formed the ear shall he not hear." Because God knows the nature of music, that is 
 no reason why he may not rejoice in hearing music. One use, then, of the ears of his 
 spiritual body is, no doubt, to hear and rejoice in delightful music, not that it increases 
 
 • The whole series of questions, together with the answers, will be published in the 
 « Milennial Star." 
 
32, ABSURDITIES OF lAIJtATERIALISM. 
 
 his knowledge,' but it is joyful to his ear. The ear of man.^erves a double purpose ; 
 it is not only a medium of information, but a medium, of sounds that aredpljghtful to 
 the.mind, The ear of the Lord may be delighted, jjirith sounds, though he receive no 
 additional knowledge by those, sounds. , . 
 
 Question — " If he be like man, his legs must be the organs of motion ; if not, vyhat 
 purpose do they serve ? If they are, are they gC|od for walking through th^ air as well 
 as on land ? Or has he wings, or how ? or some organ ffif ,ino;tipn we have not got ?, 
 Aaid if we haye not trot this organ, how can we be created, to his image and , likeness, 
 supposing the resemblance in every thing ?" 
 
 Answer. — The resemhlance between man and God has reference, as we have al- 
 rea4y observed, to the shape or figure ; other qualities may or may not resemble each 
 other. Man has legs, so has God, as is; evident, from his appearance to Abraham. 
 Man walks-with bis legs, so does God sometimes, as is evident from his going with 
 Abraham toyvards Sodom. God, can i)ot only walk, but he can move up pr down 
 through the air without using his legs as in the process of walking. (See Gen, xvij. 
 22 ; also xi. 5 ; also x.kxv. 13.) — " A man wrestled with Ja,cpb until the breaking of 
 day ;" after which, Jacob says — " I have seen God. face to face,, and my life is pre- 
 served." — Gen. xxxii. 24 — 30. That this person had legs is evident from his wrest- 
 ling with Jacob, His image and likeness was so miuih.lik? iW^'s, that, Jacob at first 
 supposed him to be a man. — (See 24th verse.) Gpd, though in, lie figure of » man, 
 has many powers that man has not, got. He can go upwards thrpugh the air. He 
 can waft himself frem wprld tp world byhisowji self-moving powers, These are 
 powers not possessed by man only through faith, as in the instances, of Enoch and 
 Elijah. Therefore, though in the figure of a man, he has ppwers lar superier.tp man. 
 
 Questiou^" When God appears surirounded with glory, is this glory essential to 
 him or not? J£ esse;atial, how can he lay it aside,, as he seems to have done when he 
 appeared tp Abraham ? If hfe appearing se dpes not prpye.it es^enjtial, hpw does.his 
 appearance in the fprm pf a map prpve that fprm; essential tpbim,?" 
 
 Answer^The glory, of God is essential to him under all eircumstanees, whether 
 his person is visible pr invisible— ^whether man is permitted tP behold tha,t' glory or 
 not. He never lay? aside his glory, though he may not always render It visible to 
 mortals. " The God pf glory," says the martyr Stephen, "appeared unto our father 
 Abraham, when he was inMesppotamia, befpre he dwelt in, Chairan." — Acts, to.. 2. 
 But because he shpwed Abraham his person, it did net necessarily follow that, he must 
 alse shpw him his glpry. The perspn pf God is one thing, anjlhis glory is anbthev; 
 they are inseparably connected. He .cannot divest his perspn of his glpry, nor lay it 
 aside, but Jie oan.hide his glory from, the gaze of mauj or he can reveal it anil his per-, 
 son also,,or hecan reveal his person and not his.gloty. The, visibility ov the invisi- 
 bility of the glory of God does npt rendei^ it non-essential jto him. The glory is just 
 as essential as his image and likeness, and _his,, image or likeness, resembling that of 
 man's, is as essential as his glory — neither can be laid aside, thpugh pne pr bpth may be 
 rendered visible or invisible. 
 
 Question. — " If his presence do, npt extel(^d, beyend, his, size, tijajt is, the , size of a 
 man, hew could he divide the waters of the sea— hew ,cpuld, he held them up? If 
 they were a splid mass, it might be cpnceived ; but all tbe sti'ength in the werld wont, 
 hold up water; aod.it must be remerabeved, that a person must be present where.he 
 ax!ta." 1 
 
 Answer.— He could divide th? waters of ;the sea, and hold' them up by the actua 
 presence of his Holy Spirit which not only moves, upon the face p^ thp waters, but 
 is likewise in find .thi-ough the waters, governing them ^ndscontrolling all theelements 
 according to the milid of God. It is the- actual presence ot, this Spirit thq,t, produces 
 all the phenomena aseribed. to the laws, of .jiature, j^s-w^U as many of the (Jevi^tiopsj 
 from those laws, commonly callfid, miracles; it extends,, like the golden ray^ oi the 
 bright, luminary of hea^;en, through all, extent ; ^t spr.eads life and happin^s? through 
 adlthe^vaiiied species pf, animated bedng5,.and gild^.tbg starry firm^B^ent, wit^ a mig- 
 iiificent splendor, iceJestiaJcloJBjortal, ,aiji. eternal., 
 
 15, Wiltm Street, Liverpool, July 31si, 1849. 
 
 B. JAMES, PBINIEB, 39, SODTH CASILE SIBEET, WVEBPOOXi. 
 
GREAT FIEST CAUSE, 
 
 SELF-MOVING FORCES OE THE UNIVERSE. 
 
 BY ORSON PRATT, A.M. 
 
 1. Space and duration have a necessary existence. — 2. The existence of something in space a 
 contingent and nnt « necessary truth, — 3. Present existence proves the eternal existence of 
 something, — i. Creation from nothing a vague coryecture 6. All substance eternal — Evi- 
 dences. — 6. Matter without Forces — Weight not a true measure of quantity — No measure 
 of quantity yet discovered — Professor Whewell's views erroneous — Cohesion not necessary 
 to the existence of matter — Matter infinitely divisible. — 7. Force. — 8. The action of 
 Forces. — 9. Self-moving Matter — Inertia and Activity opposed to each other — Both can- 
 not be qualities of the same matter. — 10. Inert matter has never as yet been discovered.' — 
 11. Matter moves itself according to laws — Absurdities of the Attracting hypothesis — 7 he 
 Attracting and Self moving Theories contrasted — The latter infinitely more simple than the 
 former. — 12. Intelligent matter — Matter could not act without intelligence — Unintelligent 
 matter could not obey a law — IlerscheVs mews erroneous. — 13. Intelligence not the result 
 
 - hut the cause of organization — Intelligent capacities musf be eternal — Atoms evidently had 
 an origin^Herschel supposes them created from notliing — This supposition absurd — Atoms 
 manufactured out of pre^existent substance. — 14. IlerscheVs argument, if extended, would 
 require an origin for the Deity himself. — 15. The probability thai the present laws of the 
 universe hud an origin — Intelligent materials acquire hnowledge by experience — Cohesion 
 and million among ihe first efforts of intelligent matter^ — Laws prescribed in proportion 
 to the inielligence uf materials. — 16. Formation of atoms — All substances originated from 
 one simple, elementary, self-moving, and eternal substance. — 17. All organizations and all 
 persons exhibi' design— Patey's argument for design extended to the person of the Deity-r- 
 Ilis person may have had a beginning, but his substance must be eternal — A self-moving 
 Substance is ihe Great First Cause and Governor of all things. 
 
 "KECESSAKY TK0TBS ABE THOSE OT TTOICH WK CANNOT DISTINCTLY CONCEIVE 
 IHE CONTBAEY." WheWCll. 
 
 1. — That there must he an endless duration and a boundless space, are necessaiy 
 truths which cannot possibly be conceived to be otherwise than they are. These are 
 necessary truths, whether any being exist to conceive them as such or not. Indeed, 
 if there were no being in existence, the same unalterable and unchangeable necessity 
 would characterize these truths. Endless space and duration cannot be created nor 
 annihilated by any being, but their continuance has been and must be eternal. These 
 truths do not admit of being proved, for that which has no beginning cannot be pre- 
 ceeded by a cause, and where no caiise exists, there cannot possidly be any foundation 
 for reasoning. There can be no reason why space and duration are as they are, 
 andyet we perceive a necessity for them to be as they are. 
 
 2. — That things exist in space, is a truth, tliough we cannot conceive it to be a 
 necessary truth: fur we can conceive of unoccupied space ; indeed, we know, because 
 of the phenomena of motion aimong things, that there must be space not occupied; 
 otherwise, there would be^no room for motion among bodies, and space would be 
 filled with a boundless solid, imporous, and incapable of any change of place among 
 its parts. The motion, therefore, of things proves that a part of space is unoccupied. 
 If we conceive a part of space to be unoccupied by substance, we. can as easily 
 conceive of all space to be empty and void : therefore the existence of things in 
 space, though a' truth,'is-not a. necessary'truthi ' We can conceive of space sia con- 
 
}i GREAT FIRST CAUSE. 
 
 taining either nothing or something : we can conceive it, either as containing one 
 thing or an infinity of things : we can conceive it as empty, or partially occupied, or 
 whoUy filled. There is an infinite number of quantities of substance between nothing 
 and an infinite boundless solid ; and we can conceive either of these quantities as 
 occupying space. We cannot conceive any necessity why one of these quantities 
 should exist rather than another. We perceive that we ourselves exist, and that things 
 exist external to ourselves, but we perceive no necessity for our own existence or for 
 the existence of any thing else. Therefore the existence of things in space, and the- 
 quantity of things in space, are not conceived to be what they are by any irresistible 
 necessity such as characterizes our conceptions of space and duration. No one can 
 conceive of the non-existence of space and duration, but every one can conceive of 
 the non-existence of things in space, or of the existence of any supposed quantity 
 from nothing to infinity. The first are truths of necessity, the second are trutte 
 perceived to be what they are without perceiving any necessity for their being as they 
 are : these may be termed eorUingent truths. 
 
 3. — Admitting the contingent truth, that something now exists in space, as nothing 
 cannot produce something, therefore, it follows, as a necessary truth, that something 
 must have always existed in space. Each part of this eternal something must occupy 
 a finite space, having length, breadth, thickness, and figure. To occupy space, it must 
 be solid, but solidity is only another name for matter ; therefore, this eternal some- 
 thing must be matter. That which has no extension, nor parts, nor relation to space 
 and duration, is called immateriality, which is the negative of sill existence, or merely 
 another name for nothing.* 
 
 4. — Having proved, from the fact, that something now exists, that something must 
 have always existed, let us next enquire, Have all substances ttemalli/ existed ? 
 Upon this subject, mankind are divided. One class assumes that part of the sub- 
 stances in space were created out of nothing by the Othar part which they are irreas- 
 tibly compelled to believe is eternal. The other class believe all substances to be 
 eternal. We shall now proceed to show that the creation of one part of substance 
 from nothing by another part, cannot be established by any necessity, experience, rea~ 
 son, analogy, or divine revelation. 
 
 First : The creation of a part of matter is not a necessary truth, for we can conceive 
 of the eternal e^stence of all matter, as easily as we can conceive of the eternal exis- 
 tence of a part of matter. All the ancient schools of philosophy conceived every 
 substance to be eternal; and it was not until modern times, that men conjectured 
 otherwise. As has been already stated, we can conceive of space entirely devoid of 
 matter, which shows that the existence of all things in space, though a truth, is not a. 
 necessary truth. If the very existence of all substances be not a necessary but only 
 a contingent truth, surely, the beginning of existence or creation of any one substance 
 cannot be conceived as a necessary truth. 
 
 Secondly : The creation of one part of substance by another, is not an experiment 
 tal truth. No man has ever perceived any one substance created from nothing by. 
 another. In all the varied operations of nature, we perceive no creations nor annihi- 
 lations : we only perceive changes wrought upon that which already exists. There- 
 fore, no man can know from experience, that the creation of something from nothing 
 'is a truth. 
 
 Thirdly : Creation from nothing is not a truth derived from reason. All deductive 
 reasoning is founded upon certain fundamental or first truths, called axioms or defi- 
 nitions, but there are no such first truths or axioms in relation to a creation fromt 
 nothing ; therefore, there can be no foundation or starting point from which we can 
 commence a process of deductive reasoning to establish any such event. All induc- 
 tive reasoning is that process by which we ascend from particular truths to those of" 
 a higher order and of a more general nature. Now there is nothing in the particular 
 truths of nature which indicates the creation of any of her substances from nothing ; 
 hence, no such event can be established or inferred from induction. Therefore, crea- 
 tion from nothing is not a truth derived from reason. 
 
 * For further information upon this subject, see my treatise on the Assobditieb or 
 
 JUMAIERULISM. 
 
GREAT FIRST CAUSE, 3 
 
 Fourthly! The creation of substance from nothing is not a truth founded otikinal. 
 ogy. Analogical reasoning is that process by which we infer that one event or tiling 
 may be true, because some other similar event or thing is Itnown to be true Now 
 we know of no event or thing to be true which resembles, in the least, the creation of 
 substance from nothing, therefore, there is no analogy fur such an event. 
 
 Fifthly: The creation of something from nothing is not a truth founded on divine 
 revelation. We learn from the revealed truths, which God has been pleased to give 
 to man, that the sun, moon, stars, heavens, earth, and all things were created by him, 
 but we nowhere learn in those sacred oracles that any one of these things were created 
 from nothing. The original words rendered in our language create and make, are 
 synonymous terms, signifying, as we have every reason to believe, the formatinn of 
 things out of the original elements ; at least, we are nowheie informed, in revelation, 
 that these words had any other meaning It has been said, that as Ood created all 
 things, and as elements are thingtt, therefore he must ha e created them also. But 
 if all the elements be included among the things created, then the Deity must have 
 created the elements, or parts of which he himself consists, which would be the very 
 height of absurdity. Tor it would suppose him to exist and not to exist at the saine 
 time, hence the phrase " all things " cannot mean the elements, but only the " all 
 things " that are created of the elements. Therefore, the creatim of something from 
 nothing is not a truth founded on divine revelation. If, therefore, the creation of 
 one part of substance from nothing cannot be established by nece^niti/, CJcperi nee, 
 reason, analogy, nor divine revrlaliun, it oannoi be a truth, or, at least, we have 
 no means left by vvhich we can determine, or even infer that it is a truth, and it 
 should be treated as a wild speculation, or vague conjecture without the least shadow 
 of foundation. 
 
 5. — As there is no evidence whatever in favour of the creation of any substance, 
 •we are justified in believing that the elements of every substance existed eternally. 
 We can trace back the history of the earth for about six thousand years, or to tha 
 period of its formation. During this time countle.ss millions of oiganizations, both 
 vegetable and animal, have been constantly taking place. But in every case which 
 has come under observation, the beings, organized, have been made <iut of pre-existing 
 elements. In the mineral kingdom, a vast variety of new compounds have been 
 formed, but in every instance that has come under the inspection of man, thtse com- 
 pounds have been made from something, and not from nothing. All the miracles since- 
 the creation, that have been wrought by the power of God, have been operations U|.Gn.> 
 materials already existing. God has not, since the history of man, created any new 
 elements, and exhibited them as a testimony that such an event is possible When 
 our Lord made wine at the wedding feast, it was not necessary to create it from no- 
 thing : he required the vessels first to be filled with water, after whiL-h he created or 
 made the wine, which he could easily do by miraculously combining other ingredients 
 or elements that already existed in great abundance. When he fed the multitudes 
 with bread and fish, it was not necessary to make these compounds from nothing ; 
 when every element which enters into their constitution, existed plentifully all arouncl 
 him. 
 
 If we go back to the creation, we find tliat the corporeal bodies of the first man,, 
 and of the first vegetables, and animals were made, not out of nothing, but out oT 
 the ground. If, then, all men, beasts, serjjents, fowls, fi.-hes, trees, herbs, and grass, 
 were created and made out of the ground, or out of the element", why should we 
 suppose (the creation of the earth to be an exception to the general law ? Is it any 
 more difficult to create an earth, out of pre-existing elements, than it is to create 
 various compounds, vegetables, and animals out of these elements ? If we were to 
 find a general law, to hold gond in almost an infinite variety of cases, without even 
 one-observed deviation, would it not be a viiilation of every principle of sound judg- 
 ment not to, apply that general law to any other particular case of a similar nature? 
 If we were to find that the waters in every fountain, spring, stream, ri'er, and lake 
 throughout the whole world, were formed of oxygen and hvdrogen. combined in de- 
 finite proportions, would we not, at once, without experiment, expect that the waters 
 of the great ocean, were made of the same elements ? And would not a man be con- 
 sidered foolish or insane who should conjecture, that the waters of the ocean wtre an 
 
4 GREAT FIRST CAUSK. 
 
 exception to this general law ? If the various compounds, vegetables, and animals 
 upon the surface of our globe are knovm to be governed by the law of gravitation, it 
 v/ould be perfectly consistent to extend the same law to the whole earth, unless some 
 reason could be shown why the law should not be thus extended ; in like manner, if 
 the various compounds, vegetables, and animals are known to be made of pre-existing 
 elements, it would be perfectly consistent to extend the law to the earth itself, and to 
 conclude that it was made of pre-existing elements also, unless some reason can be 
 rendered why such an extension should not take place. 
 
 Pei-haps the objector may say, that the law of creation from elements ought not to 
 be extended to the earth, unless we can be certain that elements did previously exist. 
 To this, we reply, that the extension of the law to the earth would be iii accordance 
 with every rule of inductive reasoning, unless it can be shown that the elements had 
 nb previous existence ; and this cannot be shown. 
 
 When God, at the creation of the earth, said, " Let there be light, and there was 
 light," we have no authority whatever for supposing that light wa-s then created from 
 nothing. Indeed, we know that light must have existed in connexion with water in 
 a latent state before that time ; for before that event, the waters of the great deep 
 existed and darkness was upon its face ; now these waters could not have existed 
 in the form^ of water without electricity, and heat, and light were united with 
 them : take away either of these three latent principles, and water would cease to be 
 water, and its elements would exist in altogether a different condition. That light 
 exists in water in a latent state, is a fact that can be demonstrated by chemists at any 
 time. Therefore, light must have existed, though in a latent state, in the waters of 
 the great deep, before God said, " let there be light." In this saying, God did not 
 perform an act of creation from nothing, but only commanded the already existing 
 light to appear or render itself visible where darkness before reigned. There are two ways 
 in which this command could be obeyed : first, the already existing light could come 
 from the distant regions of space, and illuminate the face of the waters, or second, the 
 latent light which must have existed in connexion with the waters and other substances 
 could be set free and thus be rendered visible. 
 
 . On the fourth day, it is said that • " God made two great lights," which he placed' 
 in the firmament to rule the day and the night. When man makes light, he does so 
 by operating upon the substances of -natm-e so as to render the latent light visible, and. 
 in no instance does he create the light from nothing. Therefore, reasoning from 
 analogy, we have good grounds for believing that God makes light the same as man 
 •does, that is, by operating upon the elements in such a manner as to set this latent 
 principle free, and thus make it visible ; at least, we have no reason, nor analogy, nor 
 any other evidence for conjecturing that he inakes it in any other way. 
 
 Astronomers have demon,strated by actual observation and mathematical calculation 
 that light existed thousands of years before the creation of our earth. It has been 
 ■determined that light flies with the velocity of about twelve millions of miles every 
 minute : it has also been ascertained from the known power of the telescope, and from 
 •other considerations, that there are bodies in the universe, situated at such immense 
 Stances, that it would require their light several hundred thousand years to traverse 
 the space between them and our world : it follows, then, of necessity, that the light 
 by which those distant worlds are now rendered visible must have left them thousands 
 of centuries before our earth was formed. In almost every point of space to which 
 the telescope has been directed, countless millions of inconceivably distant shining 
 worlds are to be seen. But what does all this prove ? It proves that by far the 
 ^greatest portion of the visible universe existed ages before the organization of our 
 little globe. When we look upon the widely extended field of existence, we are apt 
 ;tb imagine that we see worlds as they now exist, but this is not so; the present exist- 
 lence and relative position of the distant bodies of the universe cannot be seen. By 
 'the aid of light we olily see the past, and not the present. Light does not inform us 
 whether the most distant luminous bodies which can be seen are now in existence or 
 flot. Light enables us to see them exist thousands of ages ago, but it gives us ' no 
 indications that they have existed as luminous bodies since that period. 
 
 If the light of all worlds were created only six thousand years ago, then it would 
 be impossible to see any of them over thirty-seven thousand billions of miles distant ; 
 
GKEAT FIRST CAUSE. O 
 
 for light could not travel over that distance in six thousand years : all beyond th^t 
 would be invisible, and would remain so, until their light had time to reach us. But 
 it is believed by astronomers that the space-penetrating power of their telescopes ena- 
 bles them to extend the radii of the visible universe several hundred times farther than 
 what light would travel in six thousand years. If this be true, then, there must have 
 been several million of times the amount of luminous worlds in the exterior strata of 
 the visible universe, than there is in the interior whose light could have reached us 
 since the creation. And, consequently, all the infinity of worlds, and clusters of 
 worlds, whose light has beamed upon us from those remoter regions, must have existed 
 long anterior to the creation of our globe. , 
 
 Again, if the light of all worlds had been created at the same time, namely, six 
 thousand years ago, several hundred new stars must have appeared every night since 
 the invention of the telescope, for the boundaries of the visible viniverse would be en- 
 larged, that is, would recede from us at the rapid rate of about seventeen thousand 
 millions of miles every twenty-four hours ; and all the stars contained within each of 
 the successive spherical strata 'of that thickness would be successively rendered \ isible 
 Vintil their remoteness in the immensity of space should defy the power of our best 
 instruments to detiet them. 
 
 Now, can we, for one moment, suppose that within the comparatively little regions, 
 occupied by our stellar universe, no light existed until six thousand years ago, when 
 we are almost irresistibly compelled to admit that there previously existed in the infi- 
 nite regions beyond a vast immense occean of luminiferous fluid ? We can come to 
 no other conclusion, but that worlds, and systems of worlds, and universes of worlds 
 existed in the boundless heights and depths of immensity before the foundations of oui- 
 earth were laid. Whether our earth was created out of the ruins of some more 
 ancient world, or whether it was formed out of elements which had never before been 
 organized, is a mystery which the divine oracles do not reveal. But from geological 
 inquiries it is highly probable that the elements of our globe have undergone a series 
 of organizations and disorganizations, during countless ages that are past, compared 
 with which the age of our present world forms but a linlc in the endless chain. 
 Analogy indicates that worlds .may be organized out of pre-existing elements as well 
 as plants and animals. Analogy also indicates that the substance of all worlds may 
 be eternal as well as the substance of which the Deity consists. Supposed objections 
 have been raised by learned philosophers against the eternity of matter, founded on 
 the atomic or molecular constitution of what they are pleased to term the elements : 
 these objections will be considered and answered, after we have investigated the 
 nature and properties of matter. In the mean time, we shall, in our investigations, 
 adopt the.theory of the eternal duration of the elements of all matter. 
 
 OF MATTER INDEPENDENT OF ITS POWERS OR FORCES. 
 
 6.— The true definition of Matter is, that which occupies space, and which cannot 
 be made to occupy a greater or less amount of space. We cannot possibly conceiye of the 
 existence of God, or spirit, or any other kind of matterwithoutconceivingsuch existence 
 to be in space. Indeed, it is a necessary truth, that God and all other beings or sub- 
 stances which exist, must exist in space, and must occupy a constant amount of space, 
 and can never, by any possibility, occupy a greater or less amount of space than what 
 they always have done. Therefore, the occupied and unoccupied portions of space 
 have been constantly the same from all eternity, and they must remain the same to all 
 eternity — there can be no increase or diminutions of either. Bodies can be increased 
 in their exterior dimensions by increasing their interior pores, or they can be decreased 
 by decreasing their pores ; but in either of these operations, the absolute space, occu- 
 pied by the particles remains unchangably the same. 
 
 The quantity of matter in any given body can onlybe determined by ascertaining 
 the amount of space which it occupies; but this is a problem which no one has, as 
 yet, been able to solve. If all matter were equally heavy, then we might determine 
 the quantity by the weight: but the force called weight is not a necessary force : we 
 therefore do not know that all substances possess this force; or if they possess it, we do 
 notknow that they possess it in equal degree : we do not know but there may be bodic* 
 
6 GREAT FIRST CACSE. 
 
 which have a tendency to recede from all other bodies; how, under such circumstances, 
 could their quantity be ascertained by the weight ? When Elisha made the axeto swim, 
 he did so by diminibhm^ its weight withtjutdinjinishingits quantity. When Peterwalked 
 upon the water to meet his Saviour, the weight of hisbodywas greatly diminished, but 
 the quantity remained the same. When Jesus ascended to heaven with his risen body of 
 flesh and bunes, the weight of his body must have been diminished far more than 
 when he walked on the vvater, and yet the quantity of matter remained the same as 
 ■vrhen he first arose. Who is able to determine whether those substances which pro- 
 duce the phenomena, ascribed to light, heat, and electricity, possess the force called 
 ■weight or not ? Weight can never be an indication of quantity, until it can be deter- 
 mined that substances occupying equal spaces have equal weights. 
 
 It has been generally supposed by philosophers of the present age that Inertia, as 
 well as weight, is a true indication of quantity. Inertia is defined by some philoso- 
 phers to be the resistance which bodies offer to a change of state. This resistance or 
 inertia is found by Newton's pendulum experiments to be proportional to the weight. 
 The velociry o' a falling body in free space is directly as the weight and inversely as 
 the mertia. Therefore, so long as weight and inertia are proporiional to each other 
 the velocity must be constant. This Newton found to be true in the falling of all 
 kinds of substances. Their velocities were equal. But neither inertia, nor weight, 
 noi' both together, proves that the quantity of matter is proportional to either. 
 When it can be proved that substances, occupying equal spaces, have equal inertia or 
 equal weight, then inertia or weight can be taken as the true measure of quantity, 
 but until then, the assumption ol weight or inertia, as a true measure of quantity, is 
 entirely hypothetical. For aught we know to the contrary, equal quantities of mat^ 
 ter may possess unequal weights. There may be as great a quantity of matter in a 
 cubic inch of water as there is in a cubic inch of quicksilver ; and yet the latter is 
 many times heavier than the former. If a cubic inch of iron were to have its weight 
 increased to one hundred or one thousand pounds, (if its inertia were increased in the 
 same proportion,) its velocity in falling would be the same as it is now, and its quan- 
 tity of matter would be the same. Or if a given quantity of iron should have its 
 specific gravity oi- weight diminished, as in the case of the axe which Elisha made 
 swim, (if the inertia were diminished in the same proportion.) its velocity in falling, 
 or its rate of oscillation in the form of a pendulum would be precisely the same as 
 before. In all such cases of the increase or diminution of the weight arid 
 inertia, the quantity would remain undisturbed, and therefore, we are not sure, that 
 either the weight or inertia of budie.-, determines their quantity of matter. Quantity, 
 when applied to forces, such as pressure, weight, resistance, and the like, may be known; 
 but when applied to matter, in deterjnining' the amount of space occupied by any 
 given body, it remairis, as yet, unknown. We can say that a pound of lead and" a 
 pound of cork conlain equal quantities of force, called weight, but we have no way 
 of determining whether they contain equal quantities of matter or not; and so with 
 all other substances. 
 
 Professor Whewell has written an essay entitled, " Demonstration that all ma,tter 
 is heavy."* In this essay, he conjectures that it is a necessary truth that all matter 
 must have weight ; for without it, he says, that there would be no mode of measuring 
 the quantity of matter. This we admit : but this is not a necessary truth : it is not 
 neces-sary that we' should know the quantity of matter, if we only know its quantity 
 of force, if it have any. But he supposes that if all bodies have not weight, " the rest 
 and motion, the velocity and dii'ection, the permanence and change of bodies, as to 
 their mechanical condition, would be arbitrary and incoherent;: they would not be 
 subject to mechaniciil ideas ; that is, not to ideas at all : aiid hfence these conditions 
 of ohjects would in fact be inconceivable." We reply, that we can conceive of bodies, 
 having no weight, and yet conceive them as possessing inertia, and subject to me- 
 chanical conditions when operated upon by external forces. Although inertia is 
 proportional to the weight, so far as experimental observations have extended, yet we 
 cannot perceive this to be necessarily and universally true. If the inertia of bodies 
 were to remain constant while their weight varied, they would eertauily be subject to 
 
 * Phil, of the Indue. Scien., Tol. ii., p. 624, second edition. 
 
GREAT FIRST CAUSB. 7 
 
 "mechanical conditions" and "mechaiucal ideas;" for instance: experimental obser< 
 vations teach us, that falling bodies in free space near the surface of our globe, gain 
 a Velodt; of about thirty-two feet per second, now if they were to be deprived of one^ 
 half of their weight, while thrar quantity of matter and inertia remained the same, 
 they would acquire a velocity of only sixteen feet per second. Other conditions re. 
 maining constant, the velocity acquired would be as the weight, and when the weight 
 became nothing, the velocity would be reduced to nothing. Such a condition of 
 things is easily conceivable, and, therdbre, the assertion that all bodies must have 
 weight is not a necessary truth. That any bodies have weight is only Imown to be 
 true so far as observation teaches us. 
 
 If, then, we can conceive of matter independent of the force called wdght, we can 
 conceive of it indcjpendent of all other powers or forces : for instance, the coheHon of 
 the parts of matter to each other is not necessary to our conceptions of matter. The 
 cohesive force, therefore, cannot be contemplated as necessary to the existence of mat- 
 ter. Matter, contemplated independent of this force, must necessarily be divisible 
 without limits. The atomic theory requires a cohesive force to bind together the parts 
 of atoms, hence, the conception of atoms, without force, is impossible, but the concep- 
 tion of matter, without force, includes no inconsistency. If space can be geometri- 
 cally demonstrated^to be infinitely divisible, matter which occupies space, if it have 
 no cohesive force, must be infinitely divisible, as may also be geometrically demon- 
 strated. The parts of these particles, however smaU, may exbt in contact without 
 the least cohesion, and the least imaginable force would separate these parts asunder 
 wth the same ease that the same force would move either of them from it state of 
 rest to a state of motion in free space. However far the division of a particle of 
 matter be carried, the parts could never be reduced to nothing — ^they would alwayt 
 be larger than a point, and therefore would occupy space, and the sum of all the parts 
 would occupy as much space as the whole particle previous to division. 
 
 When we conceive of matter without force, we simply conceive of it as something 
 that occupies space, having no tendency to approach to, nor recede from, other mat- 
 ter, having no cohesion among its parts, consequently divisible vrithout limits, pos- 
 sessing no chemical affinities, having no tendency to change its state, whether of rest 
 or of motion, and having no resistance to a change of state, or, in other words, no 
 re-action. This would be a true definition of matter without powers or forces. Such 
 matter could exist only in two states : one would be a state of rest, the other would 
 be a state of uniform motion in straight lines. Without cohesion a rotatory motion 
 could not take place ; without force of some kind a curviUnial motion could not exist ; 
 without force the direction of a motion could not be altered ; without force a velocity 
 could not be increased or retarded. No force is necessary to sustain a uniform mo- 
 tion in a right linfe, but if such a motion had a beginning, it must have originated by 
 an impulsive force. But we can conceive of eternal uniform motion : in such a case 
 it would not be an effect, but a state, therefore, such a state would be as concdvable 
 as a state of eternal rest. 
 
 7. — OF FORCE. — Such a thing as a uniform motion in right lines, or a state of 
 absolute rest, is unknown in the universe : all matter is constantly exhibitiiig a choAge 
 of state, therefore, all matter must be under the influence of a Force. Our minds 
 are so constituted that we cannot conceive of Force existing separate and abstract 
 from substance. All Forces must be the Forces of something, and that something, 
 as it occupies space, must be matter. As Forces now exist, and as inert matter can- 
 not originate Force, therefore some Force must have been eternal. All other Forces 
 must be the effect of this eternal Force, or thqr must also have existed eternally. 
 Mankind are divided in their views concerning the existence of the Forces of nature : 
 that class who conjecture that a part of the substances in space were created out of 
 nothing, by another part, also conjecture that thdr Forces were created and had ft 
 beginning ; but that class who b^eve that all matter is eternal, also believe that; all 
 forces are eternal. When I speak of the term Forces, I do not mean those secondary 
 causes which, by many, are frequently called forces ; but I mean those original quali<> 
 ties of matter 1^ which it changes its own state or condition. Secondary causes are 
 not Forces, but effects. Effects are originated either directly or indirectly by Foteei^- 
 tut Forces can, in no case, be effects, unless they were created. The creation of 
 
8 GREAT FIRST CAUSE. 
 
 Forces cannot be established bj reason, experience, noivdivine revelation: it is a wild, 
 vague speculation, without the least foundation. AH classes admit that there must be 
 3, Force that has eternally existed : if one Force must have eternally existed, why may 
 not all other Forces be eternal also ? Analogy would say, te one Force is known to 
 be eternal, that the eternity of all the others is not only possible, but probable. 
 
 S.^Of the Action of Fokces. — As Forces are the qualities of substances, and 
 exist only in connexion with matter, when they act, they must act where they exist. 
 JS^o particle of substance can act where it it is not, any more than it can exist when 
 it is not. A particle of matter, existing separate from all other substances, cannot 
 exercise its force externally to its own surface : it cannot attract nor repel surround- 
 ing particles, nor produce the least effect upon them in any way : it can only act Upon 
 its own parts, and upon its own self as a whole to produce motion, or a change of 
 jnotion. We have already shown that matter without force would be infinitely di- 
 visible : each of these infinitely small parts possesses the quality of Force by which it 
 •can move itself, or cause itself to press against other parts with which it may be in 
 contact. Millions of these parts may press themselves together, and form an atom of 
 substance of any shape or figure, and of any degree of hardness such as shall be the 
 best adapted to its future purposes and designs. The Force that holds together the 
 parts of an atom is not an attractive Force, but it is the force of pressure : each 
 part presses itself towards every other part. Attraction would requii-e each part to 
 •be entirely passive, having no power whatever over itself, and yet possessing the extra^ 
 'Ordinary and impossible power of pulling every part towards itself. As bodies cannot 
 attract each other whether in contact or at a distance, so it is equally impossible for 
 them to repel each other. Bepulsion would require a body to be in one place, and to 
 •exert its force in another place : if a particle could not move itself towards nor from 
 another particle, how much more impossible it would be for it to move another parti- 
 ■cle towards of from itself : if Forces cannot act where they, exist, so as to produce 
 self-motion, they certainly cannot act where they do not exist so as to produce the 
 motion of something else. 
 
 9. — -Of SELF-Movma Matter. — We are aware that the vairious phenomena of the 
 universe are referred by philosophers to the operations of inert and unintelligent 
 matter : they have supposed inertia to be a property of all matter, and, therefore, they 
 suppose all matter incapable of changing its state whether of rest or motion. If it 
 be granted that matter is inert or inactive, it must necessaiily follow, that inert mat- 
 ter at rest could never put itself in motion, and that inert matter in motion could never 
 accelerate nor retard that motion, nor change its du-ection. But all matter with 
 which we are acquainted appears to be highly active ; every particle has a tendency to 
 approach towards every other particle. Now, we ask, how can matter be inert, and 
 yet exhibit activity ? Activity and inertia are directly opposed to each other ; where 
 •one exists the other cannot exist, any more than light and darkness can exist together. 
 Inertia is the absence of activity, and, therefore, the two cannot co-exist in the same 
 ■substance. Therefore, if matter be inert, it must be forced by something that is not 
 inert towards all other matter. But, says the philosopher, this tendency is produced 
 >by attraction : one particle of matter attracts another, and thus moves it towards 
 iteelf- But, we ask, how can one mass of matter attract another and yet be inert? 
 Js not attraction only another name for action ? And if a body can move something 
 .at a distance towards itself, it must be more highly active than if it merely moved 
 itself. That which can originate motion and accelerate it cannot possibly be inert. 
 Therefore, if the force, called attraction, be admitted, inertia must be excluded. On 
 the other hand, if inertia be admitted, attraction must be excluded : they cannot both 
 belong to the same substance, for inertia is the negative of attraction and all othei: 
 active qualities. 
 
 10. — We have stated above that all matter appears to be highly active; but this 
 ■appearance Taa,y he entirely delusive : apart of matter may be entu-ely inert, and 
 xmly act as it is acted upon by a substance vfith which it is in contact. One thing is 
 iCertain, if there is any inert matter in the universe, it has not yet been discovered to 
 be such by its inactivity. , If its existence be assumed, it must exist in union with ac- 
 tive matter, which forces it to act according to fixed laws; if it existed separate and 
 apart from active matter, we should discover it to be inert, by its having' no power to 
 
GREAT I'lRST CAUSE. i) 
 
 approach to nor recede from other matter — by its exhibiting no cohesive or chemical 
 forces — and by its incapability of exerting any law of force whatever. As we have 
 never discovered any abstract inert substances, therefore, if such substances do exist, 
 they must exist in union with active substances, and while in this union their inertia 
 could not be discovered ; for they would be compelled, while in a state of union, to 
 ■act as the active substances act. Every particle of inert matter in the universe (if 
 any such matter exist) must be enveloped by an active substance, which moves itself 
 and all that is connected with it, according to fixed laws. There is no way in which 
 active matter could unite with inactive matter without producing motion only by en- 
 ;Closing it on opposite sides ; for if a particle of active matter were to press against 
 only one side of an inactive particle it would produce an accelerated motion in the di- 
 rection of the pressure, unless another particle of active matter on the opposite side of 
 the inei't particle should press in the opposite direction with equal force. But there 
 is no necessity for supposing inactive matter to be enclosed in active matter ; its only 
 . eifeet, would bs to enlax-ge its magnitude; the interior would be without cohesion, 
 and only be kept in its place by the exterior cohesive shell : but if the interior parts of 
 a particle be the same as the exterior, then every part must be composed of active 
 matter, and such a thpg as inactive matter would be unnecessary. As inactive mat- 
 ter has never yet been discovered, it is impossible for us to know whether such matter 
 exists. All the materials of the universe with which we are acquainted exhibit action.' 
 which in all cases ai'e produced by self-moving forces, for no other forces do or can 
 •exist. 
 
 H. — Those particles of this self-moving substance which constitute the worlds, 
 and which are generally known under the name of ponderable substances, do not act 
 at random, but act systematically and intelligently according to the following law : — 
 
 Every particle of this hind has a tendency to approach every other particle of 
 the same kind with a force which varies inversely as the square of the distance. 
 
 All the phenomena of imiversal gravitation can be far more simply explained by 
 this law of self-moving particles, than by assuming the absurd hypothesis of attract- 
 ing particles. Even though attraction were possible, (which we by no means admit) 
 yet, it would be infinitely more simple for a particle to move itself, than it would be 
 to move everything but itself It has generally been supposed that there is some- 
 thing absurd in the idea of a substance moving itself; but how much more absurd 
 would be the idea of a substance so entirely inert that it could not move itself, but 
 yet able to move a universe of substance towards itself! How can a substance which, 
 cannot move itself, move other substances which exist at a distance? Yet this great, 
 albsurdity is embraced in the attracting hypothesis. Every person, with the least re- 
 flection, will admit that a substance can more easily move itself than it can move any- 
 thing else. The difference between the Self-moving Theory and the Attracting 
 Hypothesis is to be found, not in the resulting phenomena, for they are and must be 
 the same, but in the causes which produce thes^ phenomena. The causes assumed 
 to explain the phenomena are diametrically opposite in their nature, as may be more 
 fvdly understood by the following contrast : — 
 
 The attracting hypothesis assumes that a helpless, passive, inert, particleihas 
 the power of apting in every place where it is not present, but has no power of act- 
 ing where it is present. 
 
 The self-moving theory assumes that an active particle has the power to act where 
 it is present, but no power to act in any place where it is not present. 
 
 Again, the attracting hypothesis assumes that an inert particle has the power to 
 move every substance in the universe towards itself, but has no power to move itself 
 in any direction. 
 
 While the self-moving theory assumes that an active substance has the power to 
 move itself towards other substances, but has no power to move any external substance 
 towards itself. 
 
 One theory represents attracting particles as fjie centres or origin o{ pulling forces, 
 extending, like the radii of a sphere, in all du-ections, millions of miles from their 
 origin. 
 
 . The other theory represents self-moving particles as the. centres, or origm of self- 
 amoving forcis, wmch m no case extend beyond the sm-faces of such particles. 
 
10 GREAT FIRST CAUSE. 
 
 The one requires forces to act everywhere, but in the substance where they exist ; 
 the other requires forces to act only in the substance. 
 
 The one requires an inert particle to move a universe of worlds ; the other requires 
 an active particle only to move itself. 
 
 The one requires particles to act only as they are acted upon; the other requires 
 particles to act of themselves. 
 
 The one makes it impossible for particles to change thdr ovm state, whether of 
 rest or motion ; the other gives power to particles to change their state of rest or mo- 
 tion according to definite laws. 
 
 12. — ^AU theologists who adopt the attracting hypothesis, require a Great First 
 Cause,^ who not only gives laws to blind, unconscious, unintelligent matter, but also 
 forces it to act according to those laws. 
 
 All theologists who shall adopt the self-moving theory will require the Great First 
 Cause itself to consist of conscious, intelligent, self-moving particles, called the Holy 
 Spirit,_whieh prescribe laws for then* own action, as well as laws for the action of aU 
 other intelligent materials. An unintelligent particle is incapable of understanding or 
 obeying a law, while an intelligent particle is capable of both understanding and obe- 
 dience. It would be entirely useless for an Intelligent Cause to give laws to unintelli- 
 gent matter, for such matter could never become conscious of such laws, and therefore 
 would be totally incapable of obedience. An intelligent cause cannot force unintelli- 
 gent matter to act in any manner without the aid of intelligent matter in actual contact 
 with it. As far as our observations extend, the materials of the universe exhibit a con- 
 stant succession of phenomena according to fixed rules. Now these materials must either 
 act themselves, being intelligent and possessed of a self-moving power, or, if unintelli- 
 gent, they must be acted upon by the contact of intelligent materials ; in the latter 
 case the intelligent materials must be, at least, equal in quantity to the unintelligent, 
 and must be as extensively dispersed, uniting with and acting upon each unintelligent 
 atom, wherever order or a definite law characterizes the phenomena. 
 
 The amount of intelligent matter in space must be inconceivably great ; it exists in 
 vast quantities in all worlds, regulating and controlling every department of nature 
 according to fixed laws. It is evident that each particle must have not only perceived 
 the utility of such laws, but must have mutually consented to obey them in the most 
 strict and invariable manner. 
 
 All these self-moving materials must be possessed of a high degree of intelligence, 
 in order to obey with such perfect and undeviating exactness the innumerable laws 
 which obtain in the universe. There is no disobedience on the part of the materials. 
 Under the same circumstances they invariably act alike. What depth of knowledge, 
 for instance, is requisite in order for particles to obey the single law of " Gravitation." 
 Bach particle must not only know of the exact quantity of matter existing in all 
 directions from itself, but must also know its exact distance jrom every other particle, 
 that it may know, during every moment, how to regulate the intensity and direction 
 of its_ own motions, according to the law of the "inverse square of the distance." 
 Obedience to this one law on the part of material particles requires in them a degree 
 of intelligence far beyond our utmost comprehension. The philosophy of modern 
 times, however, does not admit that material particles possess intelligence or know- 
 ledge : it deprives matter of all understanding and will, making it obey certain laws 
 unconsciously and blindly, not perceiving its own acts* nor theu- results, neither its 
 own existence. Herschel, in his celebrated "Discourse on the Study of Natural 
 Philosophy," (Article 27,) says, " To obey a law, to act in compliance with a rule, 
 supposes an understanding and a will, a power of complying or not, in the'bdng who 
 obe;^s and complies, which we do not admit as belonging to mere matter. The 
 Divine. Author of the imiverse cannot be supJ>osed to have l^d dovra particular kwS, 
 enumerating all individual contingencies, which his materials have understood and 
 
 obey, — this would be to attribute to him the imperfections of human legislation, but 
 
 rather, by creating them endowed with certain fixed Qualities and powers, he has im- 
 pressed diem in their origin with the spirit, not the'ktter, of his law, and made all 
 their subsequent combinations and relations inevitable consequences of this first im» 
 pressiqn." 
 It will be percdved that this eminent philosopher supposes that blind, unconsdlbuSi 
 
GREAT FIRST CAUSE. 11 
 
 unintelligent matei;ials were " impressed in their origin " with the " spirit " of tlie 
 law, and " endowed with certain fixed powers," and that by virtue of this impreision 
 and endowment they blindly perform all their subsequent operations. But we ask, 
 what is this " spirit of the law?" What are these " fixed powers ?" If they are not 
 intellijjent powers, why do they cause materials to act intelligently? If these 
 "powers" belong to material particles, and are the ultimate causes of their actmg in 
 conformity with intelligent laws, then these "powers" must be inlcUlgent "powers," 
 and ihe jnaterial particles which posspss them must be intelligent particles. We can 
 only judge a thing to be intelligent by its intelligent acts, and wherever we perceive 
 such acts, we ascribe intelligence to the being or agent that per'orms them. If the 
 "powers" with which material particles are " endowed " do not act at random, but 
 act with order and regularity, and sti'ictly obey wise and intelligent laws, it would be 
 a violation of every law of our judgment not to attribute intelligence to them-:— and a 
 degree of iptelligence, too, sufficiently great to comprehend and obey the most subtle 
 and intricate laws that are devised for their rule of action. We consider that the 
 primary powers of a,ll material substance must be intelligent ; and that all secondary 
 powers are of a mechanical nature, being derived fi'om the pre-existing intelligent 
 powers inherent in particles. Unintelligent primary powei'S are not only inexplicable 
 but inconceivable ! Silch powers do not and cannot belong to materials ! Primary 
 powers, primary forces, and intelligence, are synonymous terms when applied to par- 
 ticles. Substances without intelligence can have no powers, no forces, no properties 
 of any description : they can neither approach to, i-ecede fl'om, nor combine with each 
 other, nor obey any other prescribed law. Unintelligent particles, then, is only 
 another name for inert particles. 
 
 1 3. — Intelligence, by some writers is supposed to be not an u'timate cause, but the 
 effect of organization — the result of the operation of some anterior powers. But or- 
 ganizs^tion could not talse place — anterior powers could not exist independently of 
 intelligence, which must be the first moving cause, anterior to all other causes or 
 effects. Hence, as intelligent poweis are antecedent to all other pnwers, they must 
 have been eternal as well as the materials to which they belong. For instance, we 
 conceive the sublime and glorious personage of the Deity himself to consist of a cer- 
 tain number of the most superior and most intelligent matei ial particles of the uni- 
 verse, existing in a state of union, which xiniun, if not eternal, must have been the 
 restiit of the anterior and eternal powers of each individual particle. And as no en- 
 Mghtened Theist will, for a momen t, deny the eternity of these powers which are in- 
 herent in the particles of which the Deity consists,, why not follow the analogy, and 
 sp.y, that the powers of all other inaterial particles are eternal also ? Why suppose 
 the intelligent powers of one substance eternal, and reqiiire an origin for the inteUi- 
 gent powers of all others ? Indeed, ws consider it just as impossible for such powers 
 to be originated as it is for the materials themselves to have had an origin. If mat- 
 ter exist without the capacities of intelligence, it must have existed eternally unintel- 
 ligent, and must forever remain in that state. We do not consider it possible for the 
 Almighty (though we speak with all due deference to his Superior and Transcendent 
 Powers) to create an intelligent power, or to impart it to materials where it does hot 
 iilready exist. On the other hand, matter once possessed of an intelligent capacity 
 must have always possessed this property, and must forever continue to retain it. As 
 there is no being, as we conceive, able to originate this power, so there is none, as we 
 .also cdnceive, able to annihilate it. Hence the amount of matter possessing capaci- 
 ties for intelligence in the universe, be it great or small, is constant, and can never be 
 increased or diminished in the least degree. 
 
 All philosophers, as we have already seen, who do not believe in the eternity of all 
 the substances of nature, are yet compelled to believe in the eternity nf that part of 
 the substances of nature of which the Deity consists. And they also suppose, almost 
 without an exception, that this substance is omnipresent ; Pir Isaac Newton, both 
 in his " Optics and " Principia," has very definitely stated this doctrine. Clarke, 
 Dugald Stewart, Sir. John Herschel, and numerous other philosophers and divines, 
 have followed m the foosteps of Newton, and unhesitatingly declared their faith in the 
 omnipresence, not of the virtue alone, but also of the substance of thePeity. And as it 
 wouldbe not only iiiconsistent, and opposed to every principle of spBnd philosophy. 
 
12 ^ GREAT FIRST CAUSE. 
 
 but absolutely impossible for any one particle of this substance to be in two or more 
 places at the same instant; we are, therefore, the moment we admit the omnipresence 
 of this substance, irresistibly compelled to also admit that it exists in inexhaustible 
 quantities ; not that it absolutely fills all space, for then, there would be no room for 
 any other substance, neither room for motion. Therefore, the substance of which the 
 deity consists, must, not only exist in immense quantities, but its particles must be in 
 a greater or less degree separate and detached from each other by intervening spaces, 
 which is an essential condition necessary to the vast variety of motions which are 
 constantly taking place among these parts. Now these particles of this omnipresent 
 and eternal substance must each have size and shape. And here a question suggests 
 itself of no small moment in its various bearings on several depai-tments of our know- 
 ledge ; namely, whether the magnitudes and figures of these and all other self-moving 
 atoms have remained unalterably the same throughout all past time ? At the first 
 suggestion of this question some would naturally suppose the answer to be far beyond 
 the utmost stretch of our present Umited faculties ; while others, perhaps, might 
 hastily answer it in the affirmative. But there are various considerations which ren- 
 der it almost certain that there have been great and important changes wrought both 
 in the magnitudes and figures of atoms, that is, that they are very different in size 
 and shape NOW fi-om what they were oniGiNALLT. The inconceivable smallness of 
 atoms is admitted on all sides. And no philosopher has been able to descend the scale 
 of magnitude sufficiently far to determine the size of the atoms of any substances 
 whatever. If any atoms exceeded certain given dimensions, their sizes could be de- 
 tected. But why this invariable and constant smallness pervading the endless num- 
 ber of atoms of each substance ? If the magnitude of atoms were constant and in- 
 variable from all eternity, why should they be confined within such narrow limits of 
 minuteness ? Why not some atoms be of immense size, occupying millions of miles 
 of space ? Why not exist in every possible variety of magnitude that might be ima- 
 gined between nothing and infinity ? If the magnitude of atoms ai'e eternal and in- 
 variable, there could have been nothing to determine their sizes or figures ; and there 
 would be the highest degree of probability to believe that the sizes and figures of dif- 
 ferent atoms would vary from each other in endless dissiniilarity. Similarity of magni- 
 tudes and similarity of figures would scarcely exist, or if it existed it could only exist 
 by chance, and to a very small extent. Therefore, in assuming that the magnitudes of 
 atoms are eternally invariable, we, at once, deprive them of all cause or reason for being^ 
 small or great, or for being of one size rather than another. But if we assume the 
 possibility of self-moving atoms changing their own size and figures, we, at once, per- 
 ceive a cause and reason for originating similarities of magnitudes and figures — for 
 introducing smallness rather than greatness — we can perceive why the present mi- 
 nuteness so universally prevails. Inconceivable smallness, as well as similaritif of 
 size and figure, seems to be absolutely indispensable to the present operations of na- 
 ture — such, for example, as the present process of organization-^-the phenomena o 
 light and vision — ^the variations of temperature, with innumerable other processes — 
 all of which require a smallness and similariti/ of particles, siich as at present obtains, 
 so far as we have extended our researches. If, then, of the infinite classes of magni- 
 tudes which might have existed, each being, equally possible, certain ones have been 
 chosen which appear to be the only ones adapted to the present useful operations of 
 nature, how can we for a moment doubt that the selection was made by a wise, de- 
 signing, intelligent cause, which originated these particular classes of magnitudes to 
 accomplish certain useful ends by their subsequent operations ? From these considera- 
 tions we are compelled, by the most irresistible evidence, to believe that the present 
 minuteness and endless similarity of parts, which so universally obtains in all self- 
 moving substances, had an origin. Not that the substances had an origm, but only 
 their present similar magnitudes and figures. And we are also compelled to adnut 
 that the power which produced this present condition must have eternally existed in 
 the substances prior to their assuming their present foim. . By this eternal self- 
 existent power resident in the dissimilar atoms of substances, those atoms which were 
 too large to be useful in the future economy of nature could divide and sub-divide 
 themselyes until their dimensions were of an appropriate size ; while such as were too 
 small could unite themselves together until they attained a size requisite for their 
 
GREAT riRST CAUSE. 18 
 
 future usefulness. And thus originated that endless similainty — that apparent equality 
 of size and figure — that exceeding minuteness which so universally characterizes aU 
 the atoms of the same kind of substance. 
 
 This exact and similar hkeness, pervading every atom of the same kind, has been 
 supposed by Sir John Herschel, Whewell, Prout, and other great philosophers, " to 
 effectually destroy the idea of an eternal self-existent matter, by givmg to each of its 
 atoms the essential characters, at once, of a manufactured article, and a subordinate 
 agent."* But there is not the least evidence for supposing that the substance of a 
 « manufactui-ed article" must have necessarily been created. Is not every vegetable 
 a " manufactured article ?" Yet who will presume to draw a conclusion that vegeta- 
 bles were " manufactured" from nothing ? All will admit that they were " manu- 
 fectured" from the prior materials of our globe. So the present minuteness of all 
 atoms of the same kind — the equality of their magnitudes — ^the exact similarity of ■ 
 their figures — and their most perfect resemblance in all respects, show, most unques-: 
 tionably, that these characteristics are not eternal, but were "manufactured," not 
 from nothing, but from n-or eternal pre-existing substance wMch (we have the highest 
 degree of probability tq»believe) once existed in almost every possible variety of size 
 and form, without likeness, or resemblance, or order, only as might have existed in 
 some few instances by chance. 
 
 Is there any absurdity mvolved in the idea of manufacturing small atoms out of 
 large ones, as, for instance, small shot are manufactured out of large bullets ? Can 
 it be proved that the prior large atoms ai-e necessarily indivisible ? or that their parts 
 are, by their own power, held so firmly together that they cannot, by the same power, 
 separate themselves from each other? Is the union of the parts of each atom 
 governed by powers that are uncontrollable by its own will ? are these powers anle- 
 eedent to the power of will ? If, then, th6 parts of atoms are not bound together by 
 any powers that are antecedent to, or distinct from, the free will, or self-moving 
 powers of the atoms themselves, it is evident that they can manufacture smaller- atoms 
 out of their own parts of such sizes and forms as shall be best suited to their futui-e 
 purposes and designs. And by the same free will or self-moving powers, those atoms 
 which are too small for future uses can unite themselves together in sufficient num- 
 bers to accomplish any future object which they may have in view. To manufacture 
 certain definite sizp and forms of siibstance from nothing is utterly inconceivable ! 
 But to manufacture such sises and forms from something is not only conceivable, but 
 consistent with the whole analogy of nature. 
 
 14. — But let us trace this supposed powerful argument for the creation of matter 
 to its legitimate and ultimate bearing. Let us confine the reasoning with its erro- 
 neous conclusions exclusively to the self-existent, omnipresent substance of which God 
 consists, and we shall still more clearly perceive the absurdity of the consequences. 
 Herschel, in the article from which we have already quoted, says, " when we see ;i 
 great number of things precisely alike, we do not believe this similarity to have origi- 
 nated except from a common principle independent of them ; and that we recognize 
 this likeness, chiefly by the identity of their deportment under similar circumstances, 
 strengthens rather than weakens the conclusion." If, then, we, with this eminent 
 ■writer, judge things to be alike, " by the identity of their deportment under similar 
 drcumstances," then, by this rule, we must judge the all-powerful atoms of this om- 
 nipresent substance to be alike ; for in whatever deportment of nature we recognize 
 the vast and powerful operations of this widely diffused substance, we also recognize 
 the most perfect " identity of deportment imder similar circumstances." Now, does 
 this exact likeness thus recognized as obtaining between these widely-sepai'ated par- 
 ticles " effectually destroy the idea" of their eternal self-existence as Herschel as- 
 serts ? This is the legitimate consequence — the ultimate bearing of the arguments 
 and conclusions of not only this celebrated author, but of many others who have 
 adopted the same views. It would require an origin for all substances, the substance 
 of the Deity not excepted. 
 
 An inunense and endless quantity of substance is a necessary and essential condition 
 to its omnipresence. Also this immense substance must be divisible, separable, and 
 
 * See Herschel on the Study of Nat. Phil., Art. 28. 
 
14 GREAT FIRST CAUSE. 
 
 movable, as a necessary essential condition to the exercise of its powers. If there is 
 an extensive "identity of deportment under similar circumstances" of the parts of 
 this substance, we at once infer a like extensive resemblance of the sizes, shapes, and 
 other characteristics of the parts themselves ; and we also justly infer that this likfi- 
 ness or resemblance must have had an origin. We seek for this, origin, not in the 
 creation of substance, (for the Deity could not create hjs own substance) but in the 
 power inherent in this substunce of the Deity, already existing in immense quantities, 
 that is, the power of manufacturing from itself such definite sizes and furms — such 
 exact likeness and sJmt7aWiy— such extensive sameness of character as at present 
 seems to exist. 
 
 15. — As all substances and forces are eternal, the probability is that they have eter- 
 nally been engaged in some kind of operation. That the laws by which these force* 
 act have been the same in all past ages is very improbable. If there were any ne- 
 cessity for these laws to be what they are, that necessily would render them eternal, 
 but as they are laws given to govern substances that act voluntarily under the influ- 
 ence of wisdom, knowledge, and will, they can be changed at any time. The present 
 laws of the universe may have existe'd, with trifling variations, for millions of years; 
 and there may have been an infinite series of laws, each continuing for ages, and yet 
 each differing from all the rest. If ever thei'e were a period when the wisdom and 
 knowledge of the materials of the universe were more imperfect than what they are 
 under the present law, they would be unqualified to act under this law, and therefbrfr 
 they would act under an inferior law, such as they could understand. If we assume that 
 some of the materials of nature, have been eternally all- wise and all-intelligent, then they 
 could have eternally acted according to the best laws, so far as their own substances 
 were concerned ; but if we assume that many of the materials, instead of possessing 
 great wisdom and knowledge, only possessed the capacities for receiving intelligence^ 
 and had to be taught and instructed by experience, then the laws devised for their 
 rule of action would be at first extremely simple, and as they advanced in experience 
 these laws would be changed for those of a higher order, proportioned to their in- 
 creased wisdom and knowledge ; and as countless ages rolled along they would at 
 length attain to all that fulness of wisdom and intelligence which characterizes all 
 their present operations. But shall we stop here, and suppose all the materials of the 
 universe have ascended to the highest scale of perfection ? Shall we suppose that they 
 have now come to a stopping place, beyond which they can never advance ? No r 
 there are other laws of action in which they must be schooled, and other spheres of 
 a higher and more glorious order, in which they must learn experience; and thus as 
 endless ages shall open new glories, and new laws, and new modes of action, they 
 will progress in the grand, universal, and eternal scale of being. 
 
 With this view of the subject, it is not necessary to suppose that the dififerent ma- 
 terials of nature have possessed the same intelligence from eternity that they now 
 have. Their capacities for receiving intelligence must have been eternal, but the in- 
 telligence may have been imparted at any time when circumstances favored. One 
 of the first and most simple things which materi.il particles had to learn, as we may 
 suppose, was simply to exercise the force of cohesion, so that their infinitely smafi 
 parts might be bound together in union ; but this would require in all probability- 
 ages of experience before each part of an atom would learn how to press itself towards 
 every other part with an equal degree of intensity, so as to preserve the forces in equi- 
 librium ; unless such an equilibrium of forces were obtained the atom' could not re- 
 main at rest. Whenever an atom should desire to move in any particular di: ectiofij 
 aa for instance, to the south, with any particular velocity, it could do so, by destroying 
 the equilibrium of forces existing in those parts of the atom which were in the line of 
 the desired motion ; let the north part of the atom press towards the centre with a 
 gi-eater intensity than the south part, and the atom would necessarily move towards 
 the south with an accelerated velocity, whenever the desired velocity was obtained, 
 let the equilibrium of forces be again restored, and the atom would ever afterwai-ds 
 continue to move with a imiform velocity until it should again act or be acted upon 
 by some power or force. If the atom should desire to check its own velocity, or to 
 come to a state of rest, it could do so, by the south side exerting a greater pressure 
 than the north side : if an atom in motion should desire to change its direction, it 
 
CtREAT FIKST CAUSE. 1& 
 
 could do 80 tnttL libe greatest exactness, after having learned the principle of the com. 
 podtion of forces and motions ; itc ould then regulate its simple forces, so as to pro. 
 «iice the resultant force and motion in the desired direction. 
 
 16. — After a substance had passed through ages of experience in acquiring a know- 
 ledge of cohesion and motion, it would be qualified to begin to exert these elementary 
 forces systematically, according! to prescribed laws. The next thing, perhaps, in the 
 great school of experience would be for one portion to form itself into an immense 
 number of atoms of the same size and form, and for another portion to form itself 
 into a vast number of atoms of another size and form, and in this way all the elemen- 
 tary atoms of nature could be formed out of the same substance ; their difference of 
 quality would depend, not upon the difference of the original substance, but upon the 
 difference of their magnitude and form, and upon the difference of their hardness, 
 depending upon the intensity of the cohesion of their parts. Thus might the elements 
 of spudt, light, heat, electricity, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and of all other sub- 
 stances, be formed originally from one substance. These various atoms uniting by 
 their own self-moving powers, according to prescribed laws, would form all the va- 
 rious compounds of n^ui-e with all their various properties. For instance, a definite 
 proportion of oxygen uniting with a definite proportion of hydrogen, heat, light, &c., 
 would form a molecule of water ; and several molecules of water imited with a cer- 
 tain intensity of cohesion would form a liquid ; with less heat the molecules would 
 crystalize and form a solid ; with a greater amount of heat they would exist in the 
 form of vapour. After substance has learned by experience all these operations, they 
 would be qualified to act according to systematic laws, or those laws that are gene- 
 rally called chemical laws. And in Uke manner, after sufficient experience, they 
 could learn to act according to the law of universal gravitation : that is, each particle 
 could learn to move itself towards every other particle wdth a force vai-ying according 
 to the inverse square of the distance. But there are two things which intelligent 
 substance never could learn : one is attraction, the other is repulsion ; these, in alt 
 cases, are impossible modes of action. Substances, in order to attract or repel, would 
 not only have to be in possession of almost an infinite knowledge, but, in addition to 
 all this, would have to act where they were not present, and move ^1 the worlds of 
 universal space towards their own little selves. 
 
 It may be said, that different magnitudes and forms, and different degrees of hard- 
 ness of the same kind of substance, would not be sufficient to account for the vast 
 variety of qualities which substances exhibit. We reply, that experience teaches us 
 that the combination of substances are constantly taking place, and that the com- 
 pounds exhibit entirely different qualities from their constituent elements ; indeed, 
 different proportions of the same elements form compounds that differ widely from 
 each other in their qualities. This is a positive demonstration that different magni- 
 tudes and forms, connected with different intensities of cohesion, are sufficient to pro- 
 duce new qualities out of the same kind of substance. If, then, the whole analogy of 
 natm-e teaches us this, why should we refuse to extend the law to those substances 
 which chemists call elementary ? All substances have been already reduced to less 
 than sixty kinds, which chemists term elementary, only because their imperfect ex- 
 periments have not succeeded in decomposing them. Many bodies which, a few 
 years ago, were considered elementary, have been resolved into simpler kinds ; and we 
 have no reason to suppose that we have as yet discovered even one elementary sub- 
 stance. If the process of decomposition were carried to its fullest extent, we should 
 find, no doubt, that all the ponderable substances of nature, together with light, heat, 
 and electricity, and even spirit itself, all originated from one elementary simple sub- 
 stance, possessing a living self-moving force, with intelligence sufficient to govern it 
 in all its infinitude of combinations and operations, producing all the immense variety 
 of phenomena constantly taking place throughout the wide domains of universal 
 nature. 
 
 That portion of this one simple elementary substance which possesses the most 
 superior knowledge, prescribes laws for its own action, and for the action of all other 
 portions of the same substance which possesses inferior intelligence. And thus there 
 IS a law given to all things according to their capacities, their wisdom, their know- 
 ledge, and their advancement in the grand school of the universe. To every law 
 
16 GREAT FIRST CAUSE. 
 
 tiiere are bounds and conditions set, and those materials that continue within their 
 own sphere of action, and keep the law, are exalted to new spheres of action when 
 they have served their appointed times ; while those materials that have been refrac- 
 tory or disobedient will either remain stationary or be lowered and abased in the scale 
 of being, till they learn obedience by the things they suffer. . _ , . 
 
 17. — All the organizations of worlds," of minerals, of vegetables, of animals, of men, 
 of angels, of spirits, and of the spmtual personages of the Father, of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Grliost, must, if organized at all, have been the result of the self combina- 
 tions and unions of the pre-existent, intelligent, powerful, and eternal particles of 
 substance. These eternal Forces and Powers are the Great First Causes of all things 
 *nd events that have had a beginning. 
 
 • If the skilful arrangements and wise adaptations of the different parts of vegetables and 
 animals to every other part indicate design, as that celebrated theologian Archdeacon 
 Paley asserts, and if design, as he still further declares, implies a designer, and there- 
 fore, a beginning of those intricate arrangements and adaptations, then there must have 
 been a designer or designers before any such arrangements and adaptations could ex- 
 ist. Paley also states, that the more perfect the bein.', the greater are the evidences 
 of design ; for instance, he considers that the complicated adjustments of each part 
 to every other part, exhibited in the personage of man is a greater evidence of' design 
 than is manifested in any of the lower orders of being. If this be the case, then the 
 spiritual personages of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy G-host, must exhibit 
 more evidences of design in the wise adaptations and arrangements of the different por- 
 tions of substance of which they consist, than any other persons in existence, and to ' 
 carry out Paley's argument, we are compelled to believe that these — the most superior 
 of all other personages — ^must have had a beginning, for inasmuch as they indicate a 
 design there must have been an anterior designer — this designer must have been a self- 
 moving intelligent substance capable of organizing itself into one or more most glorious 
 fresonages. We are Compelled to admit that the personage of God must be eternal, 
 exhibiting no marks of design whatever, or else we are com"pelled to beUeve that the 
 all-powerful, self-moving substance of which he consists organized itself. But in 
 either case, whether his person be eternal or not, His substance, with all its infinite 
 capacities of wisdom, knowledge, goodness, and power, must have been eternal. It is 
 this substance which is the Great Fu'st Cause; it is this substance which governs and 
 controls all organization by wise and judicious laws. Parts of this most glorious 
 substance now exist in the form of personages ; parts exist in an unorganized capa- 
 city, mingling more or less with all other things, forming a world here, and an ani- 
 malcule yonder, governing a universe, and yet taking notice of the lowest orders of 
 being, and imparting life and happines to all. He is in all things and through all 
 things, and the lav by which all things are governed ; and all things are not only by 
 him and for him, but OF him. His majesty and ppwer, His wisdom and greatness, 
 His goodness and love, shine forth in every department of creation, with a glory that 
 is ineffable; immortal, and eternal. 
 
 " Wilton Slree>, Liverpool, Jan. 1, 1851. 
 
 B. JAUES, FZtlNIEIl, 39, SOUTH CASTLE STREET, LIVERPOOL. 
 
REPORT 
 
 THEEE NIGHTS' 
 
 UBLIC DISCUSSION 
 
 IN 
 
 BOLTON/ 
 
 WILLIAM GIBSON, H.P., 
 
 PRESIDING ELDER OP THE MAKCHJESTER CONFERENCE OF THE CHUKCH 
 OP JESUS CHRIST OF 
 
 LATTER-DAY SAINTS, 
 
 AHD THE 
 
 REV. WOODVILLE WOODMAN, 
 
 MINISTER OP THE 
 
 NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. 
 
 REPORTED BY G. D. WATT. 
 
 LIVERPOOL : 
 PDELISHED Bt FBANKUN D. KICHAKDS, 15, WILTON STREET, 
 
 AW POR SAI.B BY j( GENTS TBKOnGHODT GRFAT EltlTAIN AND IBEI/.ND. 
 
 1851. 
 
SUBJECTS OF DISCUSSION, 
 
 FIRST NIGHT. 
 
 What is God ? is He an Immaterial Being, possessing neither Pas- 
 sions, nor any Properties of Matter ? 
 
 SECOND NIGHT. 
 
 The Godhead : are the Father and Son two Distinct and~Separate 
 Persons, as much so as any father and son on earth ? 
 
 THIRD NIGHT. 
 
 The true nature of the Signs promised to follow Faith ; (Mark xvi, 
 1,7, 18) ; are the terms there used, such as Tongues, Devils, 
 Serpents, &c., to be understood in the literal sense ? 
 
HEPOUT 
 
 MESSES. GIBSON INB ¥OODMAI^S BISCUSSIO.A'. 
 
 First Niairr, Octobeb 24th, 1850. 
 
 SijBject : What is God ? Is lie an Immaterial Bein'fl, poesisiiny neither 
 /"ftssiofts nor any Properties of JU alter f . . 
 
 Mr. Woodman the Affiemative— Mn. GibSon tiie Negative. 
 
 Mb. Woodman's chah-man read the printed, placard announcing the discussion, and 
 also the rules agreed to by the parties, followed by a few suitable remai-ks, after which 
 he introduced the Rev. Mr. Woodman. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — The question I have to open before you, and as you have seen 
 too, by the announcement, which has been read over before you by nay chairman, is, 
 '■What is God? Is he an Immaterial Being possessing neither Passions nor anv 
 Property in common with Matter ?" 
 
 In entering upon this discussion, I do it with an earnest deSire to keep my mind 
 open to conviction. If Mr. Gibson shall give atiything more rational than my present 
 views, I shall hold myself bound to forego my own opinions and adopt his. 
 
 On the othur hand,' I hope to be enabled to discuss the subject in such a way as to 
 give him every fairness of setting forth the ground on which the view he has taken 
 to'be accredited, is founded. Now the question stands thus, he has got to pro\Te that 
 God is a material being, and has properties in common with other matter, and I, that 
 he is an immaterial bjiiig. ' In a number of the " Millennial Star," a copy of which 
 I hold in my hand, for March 1st, 1849, there are some questions arid answers, one of 
 ■which is, " What is God ?" The answer is, "He is a material, intelligent personage, 
 poBsessittg 'both body and parts." Now, with all charity, I must unhesitatingly say," 
 that it is my firmest conviction'^ that this dogma is based upon a fundamental error, 
 the reasons of which conclusion I shall in due time set before you, and my opponent 
 will permit me to say, that he must produce more cogent reasons than I halve ever 
 heSii'd yet, before heponrinces me that God is a material being, or has a single property 
 about him ; I believe him to be essentially di-vine. Now I find in looking over a publicati 
 ionupon this subject, by, I suppose, one of their chief men, OrsOn Pratt, he says, " All 
 immaterialists are atheists, and atheists' of the -worst sort." Here is the passage, for I 
 do not like to make asaertions without convincing you, and taking the trouble to show 
 you they are well grounded. 
 
 The article is found on page 11 of the "Absurdities of ImmATErialism." The 
 article begins by saying that "there are two classes of atheists: the first denies the 
 existence of God in'the most positive language, the other denies his existence in dura- 
 tion or .space." An open atheist is not so dangerotis as the atheist who couches his 
 atheistical doctrines under the head of Ai-ticles ofKeligion. The first stands out with 
 open colours, and boldly avo'ivs his infidelity; the latter, under the sacred garb of 
 religion, draws into his yawning vortex the unhappy millions who are persuaded' to 
 believe in, and worship an unextended indivisible nothing without parts, deified into' 
 a God. A pious atheist is much more serviceable in building up the kingdom of dark- 
 ness, than one who openly and without any deception avows his infidehty.- 
 Now, I do not read this with a view to prejiidice your minds against the arguments 
 
 A 
 
2 GIBSON AND WOODMAN S DISCUSSION. 
 
 my opponent may bring forth ; but I hare read it for the purpose of remarldng that 
 before any one charges those who have read the Bible, and have formed the best opini- 
 (Mis to be obtained from the Bible concerning God, he must bring very cogent reasons 
 before we could in common honesty abandon our present views. These reasons pro- 
 duced by the Latter-day Saints, do not appear to me sufficiently cogent, or I should 
 not have been here before you this evening. Now, the question is narrowed into a 
 very small point. The Latter-day Saints, to whom Mr. Gibson belongs, hold that 
 anything that is material exists, and what is immaterial is nothing at all, and cannot 
 exist ; therefore, if I prove that something immaterial does exist, that part of the ques- 
 tion is decided. Before entering upon that, I will take the liberty of pointing out 
 the conclusions we are driven to by the ideas in this pamphlet. First, that God is not 
 and cannot be omnipresent, oh the following ground, as they say, that no material 
 substance can be present in two places at the same time ; then if we beUeve that God 
 is a piece of matter like man, he can no more be omnipresent than man. In their 
 books they argue for the omnipresence of God ; then there must be a material omni- 
 presence, and the whole of space would be filled with a solid substance to the exclu- 
 sion of every thing else. That is the first conclusion we are bound of necessity to 
 come to. 
 
 Second, that God is under the necessity of journeying from place to place to see his 
 works, of passing from planet to planet, that he moves with the locomotive power of 
 his legs (laughter.) If God journeys, it must take him time. Mr. Gibson will 
 agree that I am not misrepresenting his views. Jf I am, I shall be glad to be set 
 right. Now this is making him a mere creature of space and time, consequently, time 
 and space must be superior to God ; God must be bound by time and space. . I cannot 
 find in Scripture, that God is such a being as that. Jugernaut, the heathen god, is a 
 material god, and is bound to time and space ; therefore if it be idolatry to vrorship 
 the one, it must be to worship the other, for they are both material. 
 
 Mr. Orson Pratt has made a wonderful discovery in this book of " Absurdities ef 
 Immaterialism ." He has made the discovery of what constitutes the essence of all 
 things. It is generally held by philosophers, that we know nothing of the essence of 
 substances, that all we know is, of its properties. But what do you think he says is 
 the essence of substance ? Why he says that solidity is the essence of substance, and 
 that it is the only essence in existence. Then I say that solidity is God by Orson 
 Pratt's own showing, or else God is not the essence of all substance, God is only the 
 property of sohdity ; and consequently, permit me to say, that the doctrines of the 
 Latter-day Saints are not the doctrines of common sense. Now, as I have before re- 
 marked, I have only to prove the existence of what is not material, and that does not 
 depend upon matter for its existence. Well, the most universal existence is life : it is 
 a more real existence than solidity. Life is not material ; you all know that it is not. 
 Mr. Gibson may tell you that it is the property of something solid ; but life is some- 
 thing superior to this table ; the solidity of this table should not be put into competi- 
 tion with life. If life be the property of a thing, it is derived from the nature of sub- 
 stance, therefore the substance must be superior to the property. Substance is the 
 cause of the property, and the property is the effect ; therefore if solidity be the es- 
 sence of all things, this property must be greater than the subject to which it belongs, 
 and that cannot stand in argument. We will suppose for a moment that life is a pro- 
 perty of solidity, that is, the essence of all things. Now, I ask you, and Mr. Gibson, 
 whether life results from solidity ? because if it does, wherever there is solidity, there 
 is life. Is there any life in this table? you all answer in the negative; then life must 
 come from somewhere else than from solidity, and cannot be its property. There 
 must therefore be some other existence which is not solidity, and that essence is God. 
 Life is not matter, yet life is the most essential existence there is, and not solidity. 
 I will mention another thing or two that does not belong to solidity. These are the 
 feelings, love, hatred, joy, &c., these are not matter nor the properties of matter. 
 There is not a single law of matter about faith. If affection is a material property, 
 it must have some matter about it. Men increise their love, which ought therefore 
 to create a greater bulk in the man. Now we know that is not the case. When you 
 travel, you have to go from point to point, whether you travel on the railway or other- 
 wise ; now when the mind travels, it is not by these means. Your aoind travels to 
 
GIBSOX AND woodman's DISCUSSION. 3 
 
 London, America, to the Antipodes, distance and time being no object. It exists, and 
 yet is not a material substance. I think I have made it plain to your understanding, 
 that the affections- and thoughts, and all the principles of mind have no material pro- 
 perty about them, they are altogether immaterial, without a single property of matter 
 about them. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — ^Mr. Chairman, ladies, and gentlemen : I feel truly happy to night 
 to have the opportunity of meeting with my fellow-men, to reason on the principles 
 of truth, which must be dear to every man in possession of a sane mind. I have not 
 come here to meet my friend in discussion for the love of victory, but that I might 
 liive the privilege of laying down principles and to talk upon matters of the greatest 
 importance to mankind. 1 ask your calm and candid attention, and that you will use 
 the reasoning powers which God has given to you, that you may be able to judge, ac- 
 cording to reason and the word of God. I stand before you in a peculiar situation, 
 because of many things which have been said against the society to which I belong, 
 calculated in their nature to prejudice the public mind^ I stand also to advocate prin- 
 ciples which are against the prejudices instilled into our minds from our infancy ; but 
 I beseech you to throw aside your prejudices, if you have any such thing, for a season, 
 and listen as those wfto desire to have truth and be saved thereby. . 
 
 The first thing I shall take notice of is the placard, which gives the subject of the 
 firsi; night's discussion, in these words — " What is God ? is he an Immaterial Being, 
 possessing neither Passions nor any Properties of Matter ? " My friend has to prove 
 the affirmative ; and I think the first thing he ought to have done is to define to us 
 ■what is immateriality. This he has not done, and it therefore remains for me to ex- 
 plain what immateriality is not. All matter has certain properties belonging thete- 
 unto, but it does not follow that every kind of matter has exactly the same kind of 
 properties ; different kinds of matter have different kinds of properties ; at the same 
 time all matter has some properties in common. 
 
 My friend has made an assertion, that God has not a single material property about 
 him. As I have already said, all matter has certain properties, but these properties 
 are as various as the kinds of matter. There is one kind of matter which we call oil, 
 . -which has fixed properties ; water has other properties different from those of oil. 
 Wood and iron are both material substances but differ in their qualities, as much so 
 as water and oil. Now if I can prove to you that the great God possesses qualities 
 in common with matter ; I have substantiated that he is a material being. I grant 
 that he possesses some peculiar properties that other kinds of matter do not possess. He 
 possesses the property to love, to hate, to reason ; in fact, the passions are properties 
 of spiritual matter. My opponent ought to show us what he means by immateriality. 
 If spirit hath any properties in common with other matter, it must follow that it can- 
 not be immaterial. Immateriality has nothing in common with matter. My oppo- 
 nent says that there are such things as love, joy, faith, &c. He says these have no- 
 thing to do with matter, nor have they a single property of matter about thein. 
 What is love ? it is a property of spirit. What is hatred ? it is a property of spirit. 
 What is anger? it is a property of spirit. What is jealousy ? it is a property of spi- 
 rit, and God has aU these properties. I will put another question : can love exist in- 
 dependent of substance ? it is impossible ! Nay more ; I will prove to you from his 
 own words that God has properties ih common with matter. Before I read this let- 
 ter, I may say that Mr. Woodman gave me liberty to make what use of it I pleased. 
 In this letter, dated Sep. 30, 1860, he says, "believing as I do in the personality of 
 God, I believe that he possesses both substance and form ; and believing that infinite 
 things exist in him, in that sense I believe that his divine person has parts as weU 
 as a body. I do not believe that God possesses passions, and therefore shall not take 
 that in the affirmative. This is his own admission ; he declares, that he believes God 
 to be a personal being, so do I. He believes that God has a personal identity, dis- 
 tinct from any other being, and consequently must have an identified form, which 
 must have a relation to extention and to space. These, then, are properties common 
 to matter. 
 
 I will now read a little from Baron Swedenborg's writings, entitled " The True 
 Christian Religion." Page 38, we are there told that " things that come under no pre- 
 dicament of substance are mere nothings, and that substance without a form, is a mere 
 
 A2 
 
4 GIBSON AND WOODMAN S DISCUSSION. 
 
 iapagjnary entity, and therefore both Substance and form maybe predicated or affinhed- 
 ofGod." 
 
 But then it follows as a matter of course, that if God has a form, tibat form must 
 ' have limit} and extension; for to speak' of form •withoaib limits and emtension is an 
 absurdity, as it is these that constitute form in anything, and as limits and. extensioa 
 aJTe properties of matter,' then God must have theSfe properties. 
 
 If he haVe not limits and extension he cannot have form; if he have not form he can- 
 not be a substance ; and if he is not a substance, he, according to Sv^edenborg and 
 li^ri Woodman's own rule, must be a mere nothing; so, then, he must either have 
 limits and extension, which are jtroperties of matter, or he is a^mere nothing. ' 
 
 Allow me to explain to you what I mean by form ; ex:tenSion and limitsrare essen- 
 tial to for^n. This letter, which I holdin my hand, is about square in form. What 
 g^yes it this form ? it is because it is extended so far each way ; it is limited here and ' 
 extended there, which are limits and extenSion> Were I to cut off the comers of this 
 sheet it would then assume anortier form, because it would be limited where it was 
 before-extended. A thing cannot have form without extension . Now Mt. Wood- 
 man has declared in this letter he believes that God is a pei'sOhal being ; and Sweden*- 
 borg declares that substance without a form is a mere imaginary entity. 
 
 r may remark from what has already been said, that accordiBg to Mr. Woodman's 
 own (acknowledgment, God is a personal being, and must therefore in his identity be-dis- 
 tinot from other beings. And if he is a personal' being he must have a form, and it 
 is, impossible for anything to have a form without extension and limits; and extension 
 and limits must have reference to space. NOw it is impdssiblfl for any being to exist 
 without these properties common to all matter. 
 
 He has charged the Saints with believing; that God is not omnipresent, because we 
 declare that no personal being can be in two places in the one and the same time. It 
 is upon this principle we declare it, because no one thing that has form can be' infi- 
 nitely extended ; form must have limits and extension, and these are properties of 
 matter. Now I will show you from the Bible that God, in person, is not esvery where 
 present, you will find this by turning to 1 Kings xix. 11. "And he said go forth 
 arid stand upon the mount before the Lord, and behold the Lord passed by, and a 
 great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the 
 IiOX"d, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake ; but the 
 Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was 
 not in the fire ; and after the fire a still small voice." So we find by this passage of 
 scripture, that the saints are right in' saying that God, in his person, is not omnipre- 
 sent. To prove it still cleai-er, I will-refer you to the 11th chapter of Genesis ver. 5 ; 
 " And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men 
 builded." How can a thing that, is everywhere present come down or go up? it 
 would be nonsense to talk or God coming down if he were there already. I wiU- read 
 you another passage in Genesis xvii. 21, 22 ; " But my covenant will I establish- with 
 Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year;" verse 22, 
 " And he left ofif talking with liim, and God went up from Abraham." 
 
 Now, my friends, if we must believe the Bible to be the word of God, we finithat 
 he came down, and if he came down, it vi-ouldtake him time to do it ; and if he came 
 down from heaven to earth, he could not be on earth before he came down to it. We 
 read that God went up from Abraham: then if He went up from earth to heaven,. 
 He could not be in heaven when he started to go up to it. Mr. Woodman may tell 
 you that this was an angel that talked with Abraham ; but I will prove to you that 
 it, was God himself, see 1st verse of the same chapter — " And when Abrahatnwas 
 ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said unto hinij! I am 
 the Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect." We find then that God, 
 on one occasion, came down and went up. Now if the Bible is given to me for a 
 light to my feet and a lamp to my path, I must be guided by it, especially in thes«' 
 plain matters of history. I am now reading to you a plain matter of history concern- 
 ing what the Lord did in the days of Abraham I will quote another passage upon 
 this same subject. Gen. xxxv, 9, 10, 11—" And God appeared unto Jacob again' when 
 he came out pf Padan-aram, and blessed him. And God said unto him thy name is 
 Jacob ; thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name. 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN'S DISCUSSION. 5 
 
 and He called his name Israel. And God sadd unto him, I am God Almighty, &o." 
 And in the 13th verse it is said, " AW God went up from him in the •place where'He 
 talked with him." Have I not proved then that God in his person is not in two dis- 
 tinct places at one time by the seriptures; and by reason, that anything 'that hSis 
 a form must be limited in its extension, and that God being a person is subject to 
 these laws of limitation and extension, making him distinct from other persons ? 
 
 God is a spirit, and may have many properties about which we are ignorant. Let 
 us see what it says in John's Gospel, iv, 24 — " God is a spirit, and they that worship 
 Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." The indefinite article A in this qup- 
 totion gives us to understand that God is a spirit among more. In Heb. i, 7 — " Aid 
 of the angels. He saith, who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame 
 of fire." We are told here He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame 
 of fire. Now, in this respect, they are like God ;- but He preserveth his own iden- 
 tity — He is an individual spirit among the rest, having shape and form, and therefore, 
 must have a relation to extension and space, and oannot be in two distinct places at 
 the same time. Having said so much about the personality of God, I will bring a few 
 more passages to p*5ve that He has passions. Now Mr. Woodman says He has no 
 passions, Which harmonises well with his ideas of the immateriality of God. See 1 John, 
 iv, 16 — " And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is 
 love ; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." Love is a 
 passion ; now if God have no passions he cannot love . My friend may say that love 
 itself is God ; but if he applies it to God's person, he will make love a person and not 
 a property — he would give to love a form, and consequently a relation to extension 
 and space ; and this would make it a material substance. I do not believe that lote 
 is 'material, but a property of spiritual matter. 
 
 < Mr. Woodman. — ^Mr. Gibson has occupied a great portion of your time in tryfeig 
 to convince you that God is a person. Now I believe that He is, so that he need 
 not occupy the time upon that any longer. He has quoted from the words of Baron 
 Swedenborg to prove that God is a substance, and that he has a form. Now I be- 
 lieve this. There is one thing I should like himi to do, and that is, to show how 
 solidity is the essence of life. He has never touched upon that. He says there is 
 many bliids of spirit ; we know that. He says that spirit is matter; I do not believe 
 any such thing. He also- says that it may have a great many^properties that we have 
 no idea of at all ; so he has argued from what we know noliiing- about. He says, I 
 did not define what spirit is ; has he defined what matter is ? Can he tell me what 
 is the essence of matter ? I can tell him what the properties of spirit are ; but thess 
 properties are not amenable to the laws of matter. 
 
 For instance, a man's thoughts do not require any time to visit London^ America, 
 or the Antipodes. He has asserted that this is false. He has never said a word about 
 solidity being the cause of life. Now aU the question turns- upon two things : whe- 
 ther life is the property of matter, or whethSr life is existence itself. There is no 
 necessity of reading a great amount of Scripture. I shall bring one or two passages 
 and compare them together;' now this course will bring the sul^eet into a more nar- 
 row compass. I do not wish Mr. Gibson to quote a hundred passages to pr6ve 'a 
 thing, and then quote a hundred and'fifty.more to prove another; one is quite enough, 
 if it is close to the point. Mr. Gibsbn has tried to prove to you that God is a solid 
 substance; but we are told in the Scriptures that God is love. Now if love is- 
 a passion, as my opponent says it-is, or the property of matterj then God is only the 
 property of some(ihmg,-and not' the cause of all things. Now you can all say that 
 God cannot be a property ; if He is, solidity must be superior to God. We must -keep 
 the Latter-^day Saints to this point, aibout love being a property ; iflove is a property, 
 tihen love has dimensions 'and must be material. We ■will turn to Eph. iii, 17 — • 
 <^.That Ohrbt may dwell in^your hearts by faith : that ye being rooted and grouBd^ 
 in love may be able to comprehend with all saints what is breadth and* IsfigQ^ 
 and d^th and height. And to know the'love of Christ, which passeth 'kntfrtledgi% 
 ^teai. ye may be filled -with all the fullness ctf' God." Now I will adk him h^w he 3^ 
 calctdate the hraghtj breadth, and length of this love? Perhaps he Tipipuse aa 
 astsonomical- instrumenty and calculate mathematically its'he^bt, the same as 6S^0~ 
 noijiers caloulatathe^iistances of the stars, or measure itoutinsome -frayi'giviilgu&Ww 
 
b GIBSON AND WOODMAN S DISCUSSION. 
 
 length and breadth the same as he would the length, or height, or breadth of matter, 
 for he says love is a product of matter ; it must therefore be a part of that from which 
 it is produced. We do not know what the essence of matter is. But the property 
 of divine love is to love others out of itself, and this is not a property of matter. It 
 has another property — ^it desires to be one with other things. Now these are not the 
 properties of solids ; but love is the inmost seat of life, and I defy all the Latter-ds^r 
 Saints to prove to the contrary. If you take away a man's love you take away his life 
 He has told you that iron has certain properties — that oil and water have certain, 
 properties ; now we know all that. Orson Pratt says that there is as much difference 
 between spirit and matter as there is between oxygen and iron ; that soUdity and ex- 
 tension are properties belonging to all matter ; that matter cannot be in two places 
 at one time, therefore minds cannot be in two places at once. But allow me to say 
 that mind is not matter ; the mind is often in places remote from us ; if it be 
 matter, and cannot be in two places at once, we are often without mind; for 
 you cannot take the matter of this board away, and leave the board behind. Paul 
 says in Col. ii, 5 — « For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in 
 the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in 
 Christ." This was written at Rome ; Paul's body was at Rome when he wrote it, 
 but he told them that he was present with them in spirit. We cannot suppose that his 
 spirit jumped out of his body to visit the Collossian church, and left Paul in Rome 
 •without spirit. Now the Apostle Paul proves (and I am sure you will admit his 
 authority), that he could be present at Rome, and with the Collossians at the saiiie 
 time ; and proves that there are substances that can be present at the same time in 
 more places than one. Not only so, but that if no material can be present in two 
 places at one time, the spirit is not material, for Paul's spirit was in Rome, and with 
 the Collossian church both at the same time. We will speak about love a little more. 
 If love were matter, or the property of matter, then the more love we had the further 
 it would reach. It would require a longer amount of love to go over to America than to 
 go to Manchester. If love were material, it would require a greater length to reach to 
 uie Antipodes, than it would to reach to the Latter-day Saints' settlement in the Salt 
 liake Yalley. Now does not this plainly prove that love is not material. Form mus6 
 have dimensions ; God is in the form of a divine human being. Now I see God when 
 1 kneel down to pray ; I see him now ; I have a perception of the divine man, the 
 Iiord Jesus Christ. Now if mind is matter, and can be moved from place to place, 
 Mr. Gibson will perhaps tell us how long his idea is, or what is the length and 
 breadth of a thought. Mind is not the property of matter, and cannot be measured 
 as matter. 
 
 Mr. Oibson. — The whole of Mr. Woodman's last argument has been based upon a 
 Saise assumption. He has assumed that spirit is immaterial, and he goes on to say 
 that mind is not matter. I say that mind or thought is the property of spiritual matter,, 
 but the property itself is not matter. The faUing rain is matter, but the motion (its pro- 
 perty) does not partake of the watery substance ; motion is not matter. He says he believes 
 Ood to be in the form of a divine man : then he must have length and breadth, or he 
 ■could not have a form, and if so he has a relation to space and extension — these are 
 properties of matter. He speaks of mind travelling ; now although we cannot es&- 
 xiate the quickness with which it travels, it must take time and have a relation to do- 
 
 ..xation. He declares that mind or thought is not matter : I have not said that it is ; 
 I have said that it is a property of spiritual matter. In speaking of love, he says " it 
 loves that which is out of itself," and if a property of matter, it must have dimensions, 
 
 ■ &c. I said that love cannot exist without a substance. I will read a quotation from 
 iSwedenborg's works concerning love, 58th page of the " True ChristianiReligion." It 
 is here declared by Swedenborg, " That love abstracted from form cannot exist, and 
 Ifaat in and throughform it effecteth its operations." This is Swedenborg's declara^ 
 4ion, that love without form cannot exist ; so that when we say God is love, we speak 
 -^if an attribute of that substance and form we call God ; when we speak of God as a 
 jierson, we speak of him as a being who is perfect in that relation. According to Mr. 
 Woodman's own showing, love has no relation whatever to matter ; then Sweden- 
 iMrg's love cannot exist ; for as form implies both limits and exten»on, and as limits 
 and extension are properties of matter, it proves this love to be mat^al, for b& 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 7 
 
 declares it cannot exist without form. Love, abstractly considered, is without form. 
 MTien we spealc of the love of God, we speak of that attribute which belongs to him. 
 God is love ; but, abstractly considered, love has not a form — it cannot be proved that 
 love is matter. I say that love is a passion belonging to God, and I do not intend to 
 make you laugh at it. My friend has declared that God has none. He has talked 
 about love not being solidity. Love Ls a property of spirit, and belongs to spiritual 
 matter. I did not say that a property is solid. We .see the pendulum of a clock 
 in motion, but that motion is not solidity, any more than is the property of spirit 
 solidity. I wish you to understand me. Because love is a property of spiritual matter 
 it does not follow that it also is spiritual matter, or partakes of materiality in the least 
 degree. It is as reasonable to say that the motion of the clock pendulum is a part of 
 die pendulum, as to say that love is a part of the matter of which it is a property. 
 Love is a passion belonging to God and to man, or, in other words, the property of 
 spiritual matter. I will produce a few passages to show you that God has passions. 
 Mr. Woodman has to prove that God has none. I will show you that he has the 
 opposite passion to love, namely, hatred. Jer. xliv, 4 — " Howbeit I sent unto you my 
 servants the prophets, rising early, and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abomi- 
 nable thing that I hate," It seems then this is a passion which belongs to God ; it 
 remains for my opponent to prove that he has none. He has been leading away your 
 minds in trying to prove what mind is. Now the question is not what is mind, but 
 what is God, and has he passions ? He has got to prove that God has no passions, 
 and that he lias nothing in common with matter. If I can prove that God has a 
 form, which is a property common to matter ; also that he has passions ; then his ar- 
 guments are refuted. I nave already proved that God has love and hatred. But I will 
 add another passage in Zach. viii, 17 — " And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts 
 against his neighbour, and love no false oath, for all these are things that I hate, 
 saith the Lord." Now we shall prove that he has anger, see Jer. li, 45 — " My people 
 go out of the midst of her and deliver ye every man his soul, from the fierce anger of 
 me Lord." Mr. Woodman does not want me to multiply passages ; I wish him to 
 produce as many passages of scripture as he pleases to substantiate his point and over- 
 rtirow mine ; but ne has not found the first one yet. I need scarcely say to him that 
 all he has to do is to prove that God has no passions— he has already acknowledged 
 that he has something in common with matter, namely, form. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — Mr. Gibson has complained that I have made you laugh at 
 something, I did not wish to make any one laugh. I did not make any expression 
 with that intention, and shall endeavour to avoid saying anything that might creatB 
 a smile. Mr. Gibson has said a great deal about spiritual matter, and has stated that 
 spirit is something different to this table. (Striking the table with his hand). I should 
 like him to give us a distinct definition of what he means by spiritual matter. H« 
 says he has proved that love is a property ; then he has proved that God is a property, 
 for John says, God is love ; now I should not apprehend that John said so, and did not 
 mean what he said. 
 
 Mr. Gibson says when the text speaks of God as love, he means love as an attri- 
 bute. John says, " he that loreth not, hath not God, for God is love." Now I am 
 sure he does not say anything about him being an attribute. He has been led to ton 
 conclusion that there is nothing solid about love, and has tried to persuade you that 
 love is a property of matter. But he has not denied that life is real existence. Lov« 
 may he different from life in this respect. Life is not creatible : God cannot creat» 
 life. He can create forms and fill them with life ; because God is life, and God is 
 love. For if God were to create life, he would be creating another God. He has 
 never told us where matter gets its life from, for life is not a property of solidity. Its 
 source must be somewhere ; well, that is what I call God. With regard to the paa- 
 nons, I will endeavour to point out, tha» some kinds of lore only may be called pas- 
 sions, but it is not the case with-divine love, it ia not a passion. Now, a passion-, is 
 something that is excited by an external cause, for instance, when a person is angry, 
 he is said to be in a passion, because that passion was excited by some external cause. 
 When a person is the subject of eiscitement, that thing excited in him is called a 
 passion ; now I would ask you if the love of God is such a thing as that, because ifit 
 M, there could not be any love in him, except some one excited that love. The love of 
 
G^BSOIir AND WOQpjfAN'S DJSC.USSIpN. 
 
 God is not a passion, it is a divine principle. There must be a distinction jnade be- 
 tween a passion and tliis divine principle. In many places of the scriptures, God is 
 spoken of as having passions. Iri one place they say he repents, and in anotherj that 
 he does hot repent ; now both ; these cannot be true in tlie same seitse ; so it is Wiui 
 this attribute of God when applying- to love. Gc/d gave fhe h6ly scriptures, and 
 brought down the divine truth to the capacities of men that they could undei-stand it. 
 Now, hatred is opposite to' love, and yet Mr. Gibson has tried to make it appear that 
 they 'e.\ist in God ; if so, then infinite love and infinite hatred both exist in him, and 
 these operating together would destroy one another, and rdake an end of passions and 
 of God. As I have said, God has broiight down the divine truth, and couched it in 
 Such llnguagg' that it could approach men. Now, in nature there are apparent truths 
 and genuine truths. It is an apparent truth when the sun rises, and we say the sun 
 rises, but the real or genuine truth is, the sun does not move so as to cause that phe- 
 nomeiion, btit it is caused by the rotatory motion of the earth. We also say the suri, 
 sets, which appearance is the result of the same cause ; we speak about it, and others 
 understand what we mean. Although we speak so, no sensible man could for si vao- 
 ment entertain the idea that the earth stands still, as was fornierly thought, and not 
 only did men make use of this method of conveying their ideas formerly, but Gdd 
 makes use of it in the same kind of language by his servant Joshua, when he com- 
 manded the sun to staiid still, and the moon, ia the valley of Ajalon. We cannot 
 suppose that he who possessed infinite wisdom, did not understand the science of sts- 
 trononiy, for all things were made by Him, and yet you see he speaks in a manner to 
 suit the capacities and conditions of men. Now the law by which it appears that the 
 sun moves, is, that when our bodies are put in motion, it appears to us as if the bodies 
 around us were put in motion and we are siill. So it appeal's when you are upon a 
 rail«>ay car, or when you are running by objects very quickly. In James, i, 17, 
 it says, " Every' good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and coaieth down from 
 the father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." 
 Now, we know that God is unchangeable, but that man is changeable. As when 
 man moves, it appears to him that the things around him move ; so it appears to hira 
 that God has cnanged, when he changes in his principles; the same appearance was 
 manifest when they brought to the Lbrd the man that was afflicted with an infirmity 
 for eighteen years. They complained that the Lord should heal on the sabbath day; 
 now this was wrong by appearance to them. But the Lord immediately afteVw'ards 
 healed him, looking upon them with anger, being grieved because of the hardness of 
 their hearts. We know well that with children, parents have occasion often to find 
 fault ; they complain to other people of the faults of their children, arid in anger 
 chastise them. But this is not anger, it is all love which they have for their children. 
 The very love of God in likte manner appears opposite to itself, as if it were anger. 
 
 Man sees (jod in his owii state,'he does not see him as he is ; the same as a man in 
 the jaundice, every thing he sees appears yellow. And God having brought down his 
 divine truth in his word so as to mtet all these cases, for' as the apostle Paul says, 
 " When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, &c." We are chil- 
 dren, so our Heavenly Father in his infinite condescention has deigned to speak in his 
 word to suit the states and conditions of men, although he'hiraself is unchangeable. 
 More, he says to the pure, I will show myself pure : to the 'proud, I ■will show ijnyself 
 projid: to the fro ward, I will show myself froward. Now the first thing Mr. Gibson 
 has to' do is, to give me a definition of what he means by spiritual ma,tter. 
 
 Mr. Qlbsbn. — ^My friend says that the first thing I must do is to give a definition 
 of what I mean by spiritual matter. Spiritual matter is that which has some proper- 
 ties in common iyith all matter, and many properties that are peculiar to itself whick 
 do not belong to other matter. It thinks, it loves, all the passions belong to this 
 matter. It is not my body that thinks independently of my spirit ; it is not the mat- 
 ter of my body that loves, it is the spirit that loves ; it is not the matter of my body 
 that hates, it is the spirit that hates. But Mr. Woodman says, that when God says 
 he hates, he meaiis that he' loves; let us read it so, Jeremiah xliv. 4. "Howbeit I 
 sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early, ^nd sending them sajjng, 
 oh, do not this aj)0minable' thing wmch I lovei" According to my opponent's states ' 
 ;ments God cannot hate, arid where it says hate it means love ; consequently if he dties 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 9 
 
 not hate that thing he must love it. He says that which is excited in us by some 
 other being' or cause, is passion. This is truci, it was the abominable thing that Is- 
 rael did which esaiited God to hate. We will read a passage in Nahum i. 6 ; " Who 
 can stand before his indignation, and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger ? 
 his fury is poured out Ijte fii'e, and the rocks are thrown down by him." Also the 
 '2nd verse — "God is jealous, and the Lord rasengeth, the Lord revengeth and is fu- 
 rious; the Lord will take vengeance on> his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for 
 his enenufis." Now according to my friends statement all this means love. It is not 
 love, but it is anger, fury, fierce indignation, revenge, wrath and vengence ; excited 
 by the evil deeds of men upon the face of the eai'th. God cannot hate a good thing, 
 because it does not excite hatred but love ; but I hate all evil, saith the Lord. Men 
 can hate that which is good sometimes, and love that which is evil. I will now bring 
 my friend back again to the subject of discussion. He has never told us how a thing 
 canbe square, or round, without having a I'elation to extension and to space. I defy 
 hijn-or. any logician in the world to prove that any one thing has form, without limits 
 and extension. He says God is love, and then asks the question, is God a property? 
 I would ask, has a property a form ? because if a property have a shape it must be 
 material, which is an absurdity. He has declared that God is a personal being, having 
 a form, having a certain shape ; then, if love is not the property of that form, but the 
 form itself, that love must be a personal being, and consequently must have extension 
 and limits ; for he could not be a personal being without a form, and could not have 
 form without limits, neither be in two places at one and the same time. He says, I 
 have not told him whei'e matter gets its life from ; but I' have told him that life is a 
 property of spirit, or ratJier spirit is life. Mr. Woodman next goes on to say that 
 God is love ; now I have proved to you that love is a passion; then is God a passion? 
 my opponent will not say so, and must come to the conclusion that love is a property 
 of spiritual matter, which is called God in tile scriptures. Although this property is 
 so caUed, we cannot suppose tiiat it is the personal being of God. We see the pen- 
 duluin of the clock in motion, but we do not say that that motion is the pendulum ; 
 this would be absurd. It would be equally as absurd to sajy that love is the personal 
 being of God. Let us draw the matter a Uttie tighter. Now the question for this 
 night's discussion is, has God any passions, or anything in common with matter? Mr. 
 Woodman has declared that he believes God has a form, that he is a personal being, 
 then he must have somethingr in common vslith matter. Hence Mr. Woodman has 
 failed to sustain tiie affirmative, by frankly acknowledging the negative. I will read 
 fliuother ^tract from Swedenborg's Work, page 48, of " The True Christian UeUgion." 
 ^wedenbortr there says, that " God is present in space without space, and in time with- 
 out time ; and this is a consequence of his bdngthe same from eternity to eternity, and 
 therefore the same befoi:e .the world was created that he was after its creation, and in 
 God andin his,presenoe there existed neither spaxies nor times before creation but after 
 it, wherefore he b^ing the same as in space withoiit space and in time without tune." 
 In the 47th page of tiie same book, when speaking of the spiritual world, where saints 
 and angela dwell, hesays: " were there no times and sipaees in that world,, then the whole 
 of it might be drawn through the eye of a needle, orconcentrated on the point of a single 
 hair." Then if in God and his ,presence before the creation of the world there existed 
 neither spaces nor times, and if he is the same from eternity to eternity, the same he- 
 fore the creation of the world, that he was after its creation, then in God and his pre, 
 senoe there, still will be neither spaces nor times, andif this is the case, what must be 
 thp consequence ? why, according to his own reasoning, the whole of God's person 
 «nd presence, that is both himself and . the place where he dwells may be drawn 
 through the eye of a needle, or concentrated on the point of a single hair. !Bnt if 
 God even took u|) so much space as the point of a siagle hair, he still has a relation 
 to space, dimensions, limitations, and extension, and therefore must have properties in 
 common with matter ; if he has no.t these properties, what is there that he has got ? 
 and if he ,does not occupy so small a space, where is his omnipresence ? If you say 
 that he is everywhere present, then he must be extended ; for if he were not extendi 
 he could not be everywhere ; in this vi^w, alsQj he must have a relation to space. On 
 the other hand, if he and all his retinue of glorified spirits, and the world in whi(^ 
 tb^ dwell, is so small as Ifi be concentrated upon the point of a ^ngle hau-,.still he 
 
10 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 must have a relation to space, limits, and extension, which are properties of matter. - 
 Now my friends have I not proved what I have advanced ? he has declared that God 
 has form, that he is a personal heing? then I ask my opponent how this personal be- 
 ing can exist in two places at the same time ? and how he can have no relation to 
 matter and space ? He has also to prove that God has no passions. I have proved 
 that he loves that which is good, and hates evil, and is angry with the wicked ; hatred 
 IS excited in him by the wickedness of the wicked. He loves them that love him. 
 God has passions or else the Bible is not true. My opponent has not disproved one 
 passage I have read 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — I have asked my friend to prove, or to define to us what spirit 
 is. He says that it is something that thinks. Is that a definition ? I also asked him 
 where life came from. He told us that life is the property of spirit, and immediately 
 afterwards told us that spirit is matter, then life is the property of matter. These 
 tilings he stated over and over again. As for going over the ground a great many 
 times, I think there is no necessity for that. I will just notice another thing. " God 
 js love ;" that the apostle declares. 
 
 Mr. Gibson says love is a property of something, then it follows that God is a pro- 
 perty of something. He says love is the property of spirit ; then God is the property 
 of spirit. He also says spirit is matter, so that he makes out God must be the pro- 
 perty of matter. These are the only conclusions we can come to from his reasonings. 
 He says that no substance can be in two places at once. Why, did I not prove to 
 him by Paul's words that he was, as to his spirit, in two places at once? he does not 
 deny it. 
 
 He has never said that love has any properties, for a property cannot have a pro- 
 perty. The property of love is to love others without itself, and desire to be present 
 with them. These are not properties of solidity, but they are properties of love, there- 
 fore love is not a property of something else. 
 
 He has read an extract from Swedenborg's works, which says, all the things in the 
 invisible world might be drawn through the eye of a needle, but he has omitted read- 
 ing a great part which he ought to have read. Swedenborg does not say that there 
 are no portions of space and time in the other world ; but that the spaces in that world 
 are not like the spaces in this world ; they are not measurable by miles, or by feet, or 
 by inches, he did not speak about space in quality but in degree. He finds fault with 
 Swedenborg saying that God existed in space without space. Swedenborg means 
 that he exists in time, not being bounded by the laws of time or space. He then 
 finds fault because Swedenborg says that God created times and spaces. If God did 
 not create them they are independent existences, and there would therefore be three 
 Gods ; for the only independent existence is God. Now I have told you that God is 
 love, but God in his love is not in space ; you cannot fill the walls of this room with 
 love, because it is not a thing belonging to matter, and has no relation to space. If 
 this love be a property of matter it is in all nature, and we should be able to get it by 
 chemical applications. 
 
 Now if you come to examine love, one of the attributes belonging to it is, that it 
 OHimot be affected by space ; and the reason why God is omnipresent is because he is 
 divine love. In this sense his presence is in all space, without himself being connected 
 with any principle of space. 
 
 You can have thoughts and affections without matter, for the substance of our 
 bodies is continually changing, but the particles of matter which we have thrown off 
 have not taken our thoughts and affections with them. All things have a relation to 
 God, but he is infinitely above all things ; and whatever exists must be distinct from 
 God, and of a different nature from God, he did not bring himself into existence, but 
 he created all things. We talk about the creations of genius, the painter draws a 
 beautiful picture, the sculptor makes a gracefiil figure ; now this form existed in his 
 mind, before he stamped it upon the dead matter. According to Mr. Gibson it must 
 have come out of his mind through his fingers, until the image in his mind arrived to 
 the marble, and thus he produced a dead image, but he could not bring it out without 
 lutting it on to something that is dead. So God could not create nimself, but he 
 
 as created all things, and made them have a relation to himself. 
 
 As I said before, that in consequence of God being divine love he therefore exists 
 
 hi 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 11 
 
 in space without space, and in time without time. Paul says, " who shall separate us 
 from the love of Christ : shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or 
 nakedness, or peril, or sword." 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — Mr. Woodman, in the latter part of his speech, says that when a 
 man forms an image it must first be in his mmd before it can be formed by him. 
 But could the thing be formed in his mind if he did not exist as a man ? The 
 thought could not be there without the spiritual substance, and thought springs from 
 ■ Spirit, for thought is the property of spirit. In speaking of love he says : the' pro- 
 perty of love ij to love out of itself, but I would ask, can love love anything without a 
 substance from which it springs ? No, it cannot, and Swedenborg himself declares, 
 that to talk about love without form is an absurdity. He has said that love can love 
 a thing out of ^tself, now I deny that love in the abstract can love anytl^g. Love 
 without a form or abstract from matter is an absurdity. Now the point to be con- 
 sidered to-night is, has God any passions, or any properties in common with mat- 
 ter? I want him to come back and look at it. I ask him how it can be possible that 
 Ood himself, as a personal being, can have no relation to space ? Mr. Woodman says, 
 that thought travels iif an instant. Now an instant has a relation to duration. Can 
 you think of two things at once and the same time ? No, the mind must go from one 
 to the other, and a certain amoimt of time is required to do it. Now I have proved 
 tiiat God has passions ; he loves, he hates, is angry and a jealous God. He has 
 complained that I have not defined what spiritual matter is, has he defined what 
 immateriality is? I v\dll quote a passage from Genesis xxxii. 24, "And Jacob 
 was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of day," After 
 God had blessed Jacob, he says in the 30th verse, "And Jacob called the name of the 
 place Peniel ; for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." How 
 could Jacob wrestle with that which is immaterial ? I shall take another passage. 
 Genesis xviii, 1., " And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre, 
 and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day." In the 2d v., " Abraham lifted 
 up his eyes and looked, and lo three men stood by him." In the 4th v., " He wished 
 them to wash their feet, and rest them imder the tree." In the 6th v., we read thai 
 he fetched a morsel of bread to comfort their hearts. 6th v., " Three measures of 
 jine meal were kneaded and cakes baked upon the hearth." 7th v., " A young man 
 dressed a calf tender and good." 8th v., " And he took butter and milk, and the calf 
 which he had dressed, and set it before them under the tree, and they did eat." 
 
 Here are three spirits, the Lord and two angels. They had form, length, breadth, 
 and thickness. Friends, how could Abraham wash the feet of three immaterial 
 beings ? would it be immaterial water ? I do not know how he could handle it if it 
 were. Now this appears rather strange, but it is true though strange. The Bible 
 says so. But my opponent may tell you that it does not mean so, what would ha 
 have the Bible to say then, for it is a plain history I have been reading to you ? If 
 the Lord and these two angels were immaterial, this circumstance could not have 
 occurred. If God have no properties in commpn with man, how could this have hap- 
 pened ? After they had been entertained by Abraham, the two angels leave the Lord 
 and go down to Sodom, see Genesis xix, 23, "And he said behold, now my 
 lords turn in I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash 
 your feet, and you shall rise up early, and go on your ways, and they said nay, but we 
 will abide in the street all night, and he pressed upon them greatly, and they turned 
 in unto him, and entered into his house, and he made them a feast, and did babe 
 unleavened bread, and they did eat." Think, my friends, of two immaterial beings 
 eating. In the 20th and 21st v. of the 18th chap., it is said, " And the Lord said, 
 because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is great, and because their sin is very griev- 
 ous. I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to 
 the cry of it, which is come unto me and if not I will know." There the Lord was on 
 earth already, but he was not yet in Sodom, but it appears the cry came to him of 
 their wickedness, and he came down to see if it was according to the cry of it. Now 
 there would be no need for God to declare that he had come down to Sodom to see 
 something if he were there already. Then in the last verse it is s^d, " And the Lord 
 went his way, and Abraham returned unto his place. Now it must have taken the 
 L<»:d time to go from one placd to the other, or there is no meaning in the Bible. 
 
12 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — Mr. Gibson has told yoii a ifialiy things, and amongst the rest, 
 that I have not yet told you what the properties of , spirit are. (Mr. Gibson corrected 
 him here, and said "immateriality." Mr. Woodman made answer by saying, "well, 
 what is spirit but immateriality.) I have given him as good a definition of spirit, or 
 immateriality as heihas of matter. He has laboured hard to prove that God is not 
 omnipresent,, and has assumed that God can be the object of the sight of man ; but 
 the scriptures say, " no man hath seen God at any time." God did not appear in his 
 essential character to Abraham, but through a medium. No man hath seen God at 
 any time;' and where it is said .that Moses saw God, he did not see God himself, but the 
 jnedium through which God spake to him. It is said in Numbers, xii. 8., " With 
 him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches, and the 
 sinulitude of the Lord shall he behold : wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak 
 against my servant Moses." Prom this we learn that what Moses saw, was the simili- 
 tude of .God. Look at Acts, vil 30., "And when forty years were expired, there 
 appeared to him (Moses) in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel of the Lord in a 
 flame of fire, in a.bush." In the 32 verse, this amgel calls himself " the God of Abra- 
 ham, of Isaac, and of Jacob." According to other parts of the scriptures, God mani- 
 fested himself through that medium. For instance, it is stated that after he had 
 created the world, he needed to rest. This does not mean that God was fatigued; 
 but that he had finished his work, he had done with it. That that is not the mean- 
 ing of the scriptures you must all acknowledge, or you must believe that he is a 
 mere creature, ,and changes like moi-tals. He does not rest from the labour of pre- 
 serving the world ; this certainly occurs, winter and summer : seed time and harvest, 
 continue by his providence. His divine work in the redemption of the world, is still 
 going on, it is continual, until it is accomplished in every christian. God is not 
 fatigued like men, and needeth not to rest. But the Lord has spoken in such a manner 
 that such minds as Mr. Gibson's might understand. 
 
 When the Lord spoke to Abraham, he was an idolater, and Shadi was the God that 
 he worshipped, and was fond of, which you will learn in the 24th chapter of the book 
 of Joshua. So that when God a|)peared to him, he did it in such a manner as to ac- 
 commodate himself to his State of mind. After which Moses adopted a plan to get 
 rid of his images which he had formerly worshiped. The Jews will tell you that 
 Abraham was an idolater. From what .has been said, you can perceive that it 
 was necessary for God to speak to Abraham, in a language that could be understood; 
 by the very lo.west perceptions. So we cannot a,dmit the conclusions .which Mr. 
 Gibson would.lead us to this evening, from the passages he has. quoted. God cannot 
 be fatigued, neither hath man seen 'God at any time. 
 
 In answer to Mr. Gibson's arguments against the omnipresence of God, I will read 
 Jeremiah, xxiii, 24., "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see 
 him, saith. the Lord. Do not I fll heaven and earth, saith the Lord?" Again, 
 " Whither can I go from thy spirit. Iflascendup into heaven, thou art there, if I 
 descend into hell, thou art there,&c ?" Then again Jesus Christ says, Mathewi xviii., 
 20., "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, thefe am I in the 
 midst of them." Same book, 28 chapter, 20 verse, " Teaching them to observe all 
 things whatsoever I have commanded you : .and lo I am with you alway, even unto the 
 end of the world." You must all discover that these quotations are very pointed, and 
 pi'ove beyond a doubt the omn^resence of God. 
 
 .Then to help out his arguments against the onsmipresehoe of God, he teHs us we 
 cannot .think of two things at once. Does not the assassin think how to deceive youj 
 while he plunges the dagger into your body at thesanie time ? 
 
 He says that spirit is aspimtmal matter; Yomand I do know of a sortof spiritual mat- 
 ter^ they keep it in bottles; a great many worship this spirit, and sacrifice their time, their 
 moneyj and their lives at its shrine. But to say he believes in spirits, is not. the defi- 
 nition we require, it i^ not the name we want.: Well, it is spiritual matter he tells ua, 
 then why not say litds matter, at once? God is. not matter. God is the source (of 
 Ufe, inasmuch as he is life. . There is no life but what exists in him, and the life in 
 all £pace. comes from him. 
 
 Mr. Gibsdn. — As this is the last time I am to speak to-night, I will merely glance 
 xit some of my friend's xeasonings. . 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCIKSION. 13 
 
 As for the dagger, and the man, he could not think of the two objects at the same 
 time ; for no matter how short a space of time it takes for the thought to go to the 
 dagger, and from the dagger to the man, it must take a time for the mind to go from 
 one to the other. 
 
 He says God al\<rays appeared through the medium of an angel ; for the sake of 
 argument I will give way to that declaration, What are angels ? We are told they 
 are spirits. He has given me a definition of immateriality : he says spirit is imma- 
 teriality — then angels must be immaterial. beings ! We read of an angel coming and 
 wrestling with Jacob ; of three going to Abraham, and eating of Abraham's calf, 
 of his bread, and butter, and milk; which, according to his own definition, were all 
 immaterial. If these spiritual beings could- east,' a;nd drink, and walk, and talk, and 
 yet be immaterial, we can find out how far his doctrine of immateriality is worthy 
 of credit. 
 
 In trying to prove the omnipresence ofi God, he quoted a passage from the Psalms 
 — " If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there, &c/' I would remai-k, in the first 
 place, he must be extended, or he could not have reached from heaven to hell ; and 
 this is a property of matter which he possesses. When I quoted, those passages from 
 the Bible, I read to yojj. a plain matter of history, not to be read and undei-stood as 
 you wotild read and understand Bunyan's " Pilgrim's Progress." Let us look again 
 at this passage in the Psalms — " Whither shall I go froln thy presence, or flee from 
 thy spirit." It is plain that it is the spirit of God' that is everywhere present, and not- 
 his individual person. The word " thy" gives Us to understand that it is something 
 thati proceeds from him which is omnipresent, and not himself; thus Jesus Christ in 
 John's Gospel, speaking of the comforCet, said, he would send it to them from the 
 Father. It is the spirit that proceedeth from the Father that was in them, and not 
 the Father from which it proceeds. 
 
 We see the sun shining in the heavens — it has a form, it has certain dimensions, 
 limitations, and extension ; but the light that pi'oceeds from it cannot with propriety 
 be called the sun. The sun is in the heavens, and his Ught fills space, or, if you will, 
 is omnipresent, to a certain degree — it is universally diffused : so with God and the 
 spirit that proceeds from him. 
 
 He has not yet disproved one single argument that I have advanced. I have proved 
 that God hits limits and extension, and consequently must have a relation to space, 
 which are properties common to all matter, fie has not disproved it. I have proved 
 that God has passions — that he loves, that he hates, that he is angi-y, jealous, &c. 
 Has he proved that God has no passions ? No: for if this be true, he cannot love us 
 when we do good, nor hate us when we do evil. God is a being possessed of infinite 
 love and truth. In his person he cannot be in two places at one time; but the spirit 
 that proceedeth from him is everywhere present, like the rays of the sun so nniversally 
 diiTused. I deny that God or angels are immaterial, for they ate, drank, talked,, 
 walked, wrestled, &c , so what has become of his immaterial God — it is nonsense. 
 God is a personal being, and made man in his own image, and likeness. He is 
 enthroned in yonder heavens, in the midst of light and glory, where he governs his 
 dominions, and appoints whom he will to act for him in any. department of his govern- 
 ment. He said to Moses — " See I have made thee a God to Phai-aoh." God placed 
 Moses there to act for him. I have stood before you to-night with strange feelings, 
 being a stranger in vour midst, an4 being here to advocate luipopulai- doctrines : but I 
 ■ft'ill leave you to judge if I have not quoted chapter and verse for what I have advanced. 
 ILis my opponent done so ? No : he has said many things without quoting chapter 
 and verse to substantiate them, and I deny that he quoted some passages correctly. 
 He has not done according to the rule laM down in the bill. The doctrine laid down 
 by the Latter-day Saints is, that God is a spirit, ha-ving a shape and form, and having 
 a relation to space and duration. I would ask my ■ friend if his existence from last 
 year to this present time does not give him a relation to duration? God exists from 
 eternity to eternity ; then he must have a relation to duration, to space, to extension 
 and limitations ; then it is plain that God has some properties of matter in common 
 with all other matter, although spiritual matter has many properties of a superior 
 kind, such as thought, love, joy, &c. My prayer is that all present may be blessed 
 and saved through the Truth, /or it alone shall stand/or ever. — Amen. 
 
14 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 Second Night, OctObek 31st, 1850. 
 
 Subject : The Godhead : Are the Father and the Son two distinct and separate 
 persons, as much so as any Father and Son on earth ? 
 
 Mb. Gibson the AiriRMATiVE — ^Mr. Woodman the Negative. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — ^Friends : I feel happy to-night to have another opportunity of pre- 
 senting before you what I believe to be truth. In speaking to you this evening, I ■ 
 shall endeavour to speak so that the simplest capacity may understand me. I want 
 the public to understand what we believe, and my object is to make it as plain as my 
 abiUties will allow me ; it is for this purpose I am here to night, and not for the love 
 of victory. To-night I will endeavour to lay before you our views on the subject in 
 hand, and shall prove them by the word of God ; and it is for my opponent lo dis- 
 prove them if he can. It is for him to lay down his views, and prove them in any 
 way that will produce that effect upon your minds. I will read a short extract from. 
 a work published by the society to which he belongs, entitled " Why did Jesus Christ 
 pray to the Father ?" (3 page.) > " What the society, whose sentiments are advocated 
 in this tract, think of the God they worship, will be made plain by the description 
 here given ; for it is here declared that when engaged in worship they think of a divine 
 and infinite man, of whom a human and finite man is a likeness ; the " Father " being 
 the soul, and " the Son " the body of that Divine Man, who is named Jesus Christ, 
 and the operation thence proceeding being the Holy Spirit. 
 
 I find that Swedenborg, in " The True Christian ReUgion," paragraph 1Y2, declares 
 something of the same kind. When endeavouring to show the error of Trinita-. 
 rians, he says, " If the divinity of the Father had been considered as the soul of man, 
 the Divine humanity as the body of that soul, and the Holy Ghost as the operation 
 proceeding from both ; in this case three Essences are understood as belonging, to 
 one and the same person, and therefore as constituting together one single individual 
 essence." 
 
 As Mr. Woodman has no objections to my putting questions, I will put one now. 
 I have read from these works the views of the New Jerusalem Church, that the Fa- 
 ther is the soul, and the Son is the body, &c. ; I want to know of Mr. Woodman if 
 this be correct ? is the soul of Jesus Christ considered to be the Father, and the body 
 the Son, and the operation of this soul and body to be the Holy Ghost ? ' 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — In a general way. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — That, then, is the view which my opponent and the New Jerusa- 
 lem Church take of the Godhead. The Latter-day Saints believe that the Father is 
 distinct; from the Son, and the Son from the Father, as much so as any father and 
 son on earth. 
 
 My friends, allow me for a few moments to advert to where I left off on the last 
 evening's discussion. I proved that God must have a form. That a being without 
 a form must also be without limitation ; and that anything which is infinitely 
 extended cannot have a form. God is a personal being, which Mr Woodman has 
 admitted, and must therefore have form and limits, and cannot be everywhere pre- 
 sent, nor be in two places at the same time, in person. But he is everywhere present 
 by his power ; in heaven, on earth, and in hell. That power is felt throughout all 
 the vast dominions of the great Creator. But it does not follow that his personal pre- 
 sence should be everywhere to effect this; indeed it is impossible for a pei-sonal being 
 to fill all space, or occupy two places at the same time. I will try to show you by 
 analogy how God is everywhere present by his power. Queen Victoria, for instance, 
 cannot be in two places at one time ; yet, if you will allow me the expression, by her 
 power she is omnipresent over all her dominions. The queen cannot be in London 
 and Bolton at the same time, but her power is felt here as well as in the metropolis. 
 How comes this about ? Her laws extend to all her sulgects, and she therefore issues 
 commands to certain individuals whom she invests with authority to enforce them 
 throughout her government. Suppose a man ip Bolton should break her laws, her 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 15 
 
 power would reach him here, although she herself were in lite capital ; why ? because 
 she has men appointed to act for her, who act in her name, and bj her authority ; 
 and this power is' everywhere throughout her dominions. By this piinciple, she can 
 be in London, and in her colonies at the same time ; for there also she has certain 
 men appointed who are clothed with her authority and power to act in her name. 
 ^Notwithstanding that, there are lords, many, and magistrates, many, and governors, 
 many, yet to us there is only one queen. She sends her ambassadors to a foreign court 
 to transact business for his sovereign, and honour put upon him by those to whom he 
 is sent is received by the queen as though it were done to herself; on the other hand, 
 any dishonour shown to him is felt as such by his sovereign. Now in this way does 
 the great God rule in the heavens ; he being a personal bemg cannot be in two dis- 
 tinct places at the same time, but by his power he is everywhere present ; wherever 
 his dominions extend there his power is felt ; wheresoever we find his authorised mi- 
 nisters fulfilling his high behests, God is there. We find in the scriptures, that in 
 ancient days angels were sent from his presence, and they had the name of God upon 
 them. The person that appeared to Abraham was not an angel of the Lord, but 
 God Almighty, But oftentimes the angel of the Loi'd came, and acting for 
 God, calls himself Gq^ to those to whom he was sent. This Mr. Woodman 
 acknowledged the first night of the debate. Let us look at it for a moment : 
 I will produce a passage from the Bible to prove this position ; see Exodus twen- 
 third chapter, twentieth and twenty-fourth verses ; " Behold I send an angel before 
 thee, to keep thee in the way, and bring thee into the place which I have prepared." 
 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not, for he will not pardon yow 
 transgressions : for my name is in him." Here then the name of God was put upon 
 ait angel, becuse he was an ambassador of God, sent from heaven to earth, to act for 
 his great master, and those whosoever rejected him rejected Him that sent him. He 
 had power to pardon their transgressions, or otherwise, because he came in God's 
 name ; or in other words, in God's stead, therefore it b said, provoke him not, &c. 
 This is one instance then, which proves that God sends messengers from heaven to 
 communicate his will to man on earth. Then God, in his individual presence, is not 
 everywhere, but sends others to administer in his name. In this way we must under- 
 stand those words in the 139 Psalm, " If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there, &c." 
 My opponent has already quoted this scripture. Jehovah in another place is called "the 
 God of gods;" now we know that he is not the God of graven images, but of those whom 
 he has sent to administer his laws in his name. It is said in the book of Exodus, iv. 
 16., " And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people : and he shall be, even he shall be 
 to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God." Here then is 
 Moses made God to Aaron, and to those to whom he was sent, although he was not to ba 
 worshipped ; they worshipped only one God, and that was God the Father. Moses was 
 not to be worshipped, but stood as the ambassador of the great Creator of heaven and 
 earth, and hence he became God to those to whom the God of heaven sent him. Again 
 in the 17 chapter of Exodus, 1 verse, it is said, " And the Lord said unto Moses, see, 
 I have made thee God to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet." 
 Here again was Moses sent to another portion of God's dominions, even to Pharaoh, 
 king of Egypt, to whom he became a god ; but was Moses to be worshipped by Pharaoh ? 
 !No ; but he had to obey him, or the consequence of his disobedience was death. 
 Those who received Moses, received Him that sent him, and those who rejected him 
 rejected Him that sent him. He was sent only to a portion of Adam's race, and re- 
 ceived power sufficient to accomplish the particular work he Was sent to perform. 
 The mission of the Son of God was to all the human family, which reqmred the power 
 of the great Creator to accomplish the work He was sent to do. As it is said in 
 Mathew, xxviii. 18., " And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is 
 given me in heaven, and in eai-th. Go ye therefore, &c." 
 
 Why was He made thus Almighty ? It was because he had an almighty work to 
 perform, and this power was given when God revealed to him what he wanted' done, 
 so that he might carry it into effect. He sent him to overcome the works of the devil, 
 and gave him power accordingly ; and when that work was accomplished, the Son 
 Himself becomes subject to the Father who gave Him that power. — (See first Cor. xv. 
 24, 25.) — " Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom 
 
16 ' GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 to Godv even the Father^ when He shall have put down all rule, and all Jtuthority, and 
 power ; for He must reign until He hath put aAl.enemies tmdertHis feet." 
 
 In the 27th arid 28th vetses, we leam that the Father is excepted, from ■ this rule. 
 It; is said — " But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that 
 He is excepted- which did -put all things under Him : and when alls things shall be 
 subdued unto Him,' then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him, that put all 
 things under him, that God may be all in aiU." Here, then, we have Jesus sent into 
 the world, a distinct person from the Father, to aecomplish".a work which tlie Fjithei- 
 gave him power to perform. My opponent may bring a number of passages to over^ ■ 
 throw this idea, that the Father and the Son are two distinct persons, such as — " I am 
 God and there is none else." I grant that a number of passages of Scriptui'e, of -this 
 description, may be produced. According to King James's translation of the Scrip- 
 tures, the Jews were never taught to worship any other being, than God^ the Father. 
 and, at the same time, were taught to ,look forward to the coming of the Messiah. I 
 admit, the common version reads, as I have said — " I am God, and there is none else;" 
 but, at the coming of Christ, what then ? Why, not only had the Jews to worship 
 him, but saith the scriptures, (Heb. i, 6,} when he bi'ingeth his first-begotten into the 
 world, he saith — " And let all the angels of God worship him." Now, this was said 
 when Christ was brought into this world. We do not find in the Bible that he 
 was a being which the Father commanded to be worshipped previous to his incarna- 
 tion ; but when he brought his first-begotten into the world, then it was said^" Let 
 all the angels of God worship him." And in John's gospel (v. 23) it is said — 
 '• The Father sent him into the world that all men should honour the Son even as they 
 honour the Father ;" so the Son must be worshipped, even as the Father is worshipped, 
 he must be honoured even as the Father is honoured. To make it more plain to you 
 (if it were possible) I will bring a comparison : when a man hires a number of ser- 
 vants to sterve him, and him alone, he is their master, and there is none else. But' 
 suppose, after a time, his son is entitled and empowered to preside over them, and they 
 are commanded to obey him and to honour him as they did his father, then I ask you 
 would not the sou be equal to the father in th'eir ^timation ? but, in the e&timation of 
 the son, his father would be greater than he, because he received his honour from 
 hftn : hence, in speaking of hiS' fether, he would say as Christ said — " My Father is 
 greater than I." ,, . - 
 
 In like manner, although Christ received all power in heaven andon earth, and waS' 
 worshipped as God, yet he did this honour to his. Father by saying-^" My Father is 
 greater than I ." So it is plain, if we may rely upon the present version of the scrip- 
 tures, that, notwithstanding tho children of Israel, under the old dispensation, were 
 commanded to worship only one God, they could, with propriety, add something to it, 
 in the following words — " To us there is one God, even the Father, and one Lord, 
 even Jesus Christ." Then, we find Christ is an object of worship, not only for men, 
 but for angels, for it is written, " and let all the angels of God worship him." Now 
 with these passages I wish to eomparethe belief of my friend. According tothe^ doctrine 
 of the New Jerusalem Church, the body is the Sonand the Soul is theFather, so it must 
 follow that the Son of God had no existence before he was born of Mary. I will 
 read paragraph 170 of " The True Christian Religion."' — " Before thecreation of the 
 world there was no such Trinity, but it was provided and made since the creation^ 
 when God was manifest in the flesh, and thfen existed in the Lord God, the Rsdeemer 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 Thus we see, according to Swedenborg, that inasmuch as the Son is the body, and 
 the Father is the soul, the Son could not exist before the incarnation. Let us see 
 how this will agree with the following passage of Scripture, John xvii. 5, 
 "And now, father, glorify thou; me with thine ownselfwith the glory which I had', 
 with thee before the world was." How could he have glory with the- Father before . 
 the world was, if the doctrine of the New Jerusalem Chtirc'h be true? For tjje S6n 
 of God could not exist before he was born in this- world, the body being the Son, and 
 the soul the Father. But Jesus himself declares that he was with the Father before 
 the world was: and, again, he says- in John vii 2, "What, and if you shall 
 see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before." According to the doctrines of 
 the New Jerusalem Church, he could not ha^-e been anywhere before he came into thfc 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN'S DISCUSSION. 17 
 
 ■world ; but if Jesus Christ's testimony is true, the Son of God existed somewher* 
 before he came into this world. See John xvii. 24, " Father I will that they 
 also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my 
 •glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the 
 world." Now if there is any meaning in the Scriptures, Jesus must have existed in 
 spirit before he came into this world. When he took this flesh upon him he veiled 
 Jus glory, and in his humiliation his judgment was taken away, but he received it 
 again by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If then we are to believe the word of 
 God, we must reject the doctrine of the New Jerusalem Church. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — You have received from Mr Gibson an account of his own 
 riews, and what he calls the doctrines of the Bible. He has also tried to point out 
 the views of the New Jerusalem Church, but I wish to give an account of my own 
 ^iews. How far he is correct in what he has stated as to what the New Jerusalem 
 Church believes, we shall see. They do not agree with him in stating that the omni- 
 presence of God is no more than that of Queen Victoria. Now there is one thing 
 that has struck me very forcibjy, both in the investigations given to these subjects by 
 the people called Lattwr-day Saints, and likewise from the definitions given of the 
 subjects by Mr. Gibson, that they have no idea of anything divine ; they have no idea 
 of a God : you have all heard him compare God with Queen Victoria, and he cannot tell 
 you wherein God is distinguished from her. That such is the case it is clear from 
 what is stated in the Millennial Star, a publication printed by the Latter-day 
 Saints. In the number for Aug. 1, 1849, it is there said that man is as Christ, and 
 Christ is as God; and they all are one, by which I understand we are to be 
 considered equal to Christ, and He considered equal to Jehovah. Now, 
 if you noticed the arguments which he produced concerning God last Thurs- 
 day evening, you must have discovered that he made him out to be no more 
 than a mere creature, who is obliged to eat and drink to support himself, to 
 sustain the wear of his body. Now the substance of material bodies are 
 continually changing, we are continually throwing off the worn matter ; if God has 
 to eat to Support his body, he is a changing creature like unto man. God is the Creator 
 of this matter, he is the Creator of all matter ; according to Mr. Gibson's ideas, then, 
 he created himself. Concerning this subject of eating, I would just call your atten- 
 tion to another point of view under which it may be presented to you, different to 
 Mr. Gibson's way. When he brings passages forward he tells you he is reading the 
 word of God, but I will bring some arguments from the word of God upon this mat- 
 ter that will expose the fallacy of Mr. Gibson's declarations. 
 
 But before 1 proceed I will make one more observation, and that is this, all who 
 are acquainted with the different ideas entertained by the infidel portion of the com- 
 munity, will know very well that every argument brought forward last Thursday 
 evening were infidel arguments. That all the arguments he brought forward in favour 
 of the materiality of God are used by every infidel'; they are the same that Southwell 
 used when engaged in a discussion with my friend here on my right. He did not use 
 the same language, but the idea was not different from the idea Mr. Gibson has pre- 
 sented before you. Southwell openly avows his infidelity ; but Mr. Gibson, as a 
 Mormonite Elder, makes different portions of scripture destroy the idea of God. 
 With regard to God's eating, if you notice those passages where the term eating 
 occurs, you will see it in a different point of view than that he has presented to you. 
 Let us read a quotation from the 50th Psalm, from the 6th to the 13th verse — "And 
 the heavens shall declare his' righteousness ; for Hod is judge himself. Hear my 
 people, and I will speak ; O Israel, and I will testify against thee : I am God, even 
 thy God. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt-offerings, to have 
 been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out 
 of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand 
 hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are 
 mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee ; for the world is mine, and the full- 
 ness thereof. WOl I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats ? Offer unto 
 God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High." This scripture does not 
 bear so much upon it as some others do. You know the beautiful passage in the 50th 
 of Isaiah, 1 — " Ho, every one that thirstelh come ye to the waters, and he that hath 
 
 D 
 
18 GIBSON AND WOODMAN'S DISCUSSION. 
 
 no money come ye buy and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk, without money and 
 ■without price." 2. " Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, aad: 
 your labour for that which satisfietb not ? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye 
 that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." Then again, if you 
 turn to what is said by our blessed Lord concerning those who hunger and thirst 
 after righteousness, you will see that the hunger spoken of in the scriptures is a differ- 
 ent sort of hunger than that Mr. Gibson attributed to God, where he is represented 
 as refreshing himself by eating Abraham's calf and bread. Again, see what the 
 Lord says in the Revelations, iii, 20 — " Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any 
 man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and 
 be with me." What door is that, and what sort of a supper is that, I would ask you ? 
 Does it mean a literal door, and a literal supper, the same as we partake of previous 
 to our going to bed ? Turn again to John, vi, 48 — " I am that bread of life." 49 — 
 " Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead." 50 — " This is the 
 bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.' 
 51 — " I am the living bread which came down from heaven : if any man eat of this 
 bread he shall live for ever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will 
 give for the life of the world." 57 — " As the living Father hath sent me, and I live 
 by the Father : so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." 58 — " This is that 
 bread which came down from heaven, not as your fathers did eat manna, and ai'e 
 dead : he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever." 
 
 The Jews seemed to have the same literal idea as my friend Mr. Gibson has, for 
 they could not believe that the Lord could give them his flesh to eat, and they mjir- 
 mured about it ; but our Lord said that except a man did eat of his flesh, and drink 
 of his blood, he had no Ufe in him ; and he that eateth him shall live by Viim. Now 
 this is not that sort of eating that Mr. Gibson would persuade you to believe in. 
 
 Again, turn to the same Gospel by John, iv,'31 — " In the meanwhile his disciples 
 prayed him saying. Master, eat." 32 — " But he said unto .them, I have meat to eat 
 that ye know not of." The disciples had the same sort of ideas that Mr. Gibson has 
 about eating, but they were deceived ; for when they inquired if some man had 
 brought him something to eat, he answered and said, in the 34th verse — " My meat 
 is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work." So we see that 
 man has an appetite for something else besides the bread that perisheth. But Mr^ 
 Gibson has no idea of this sort — ^he can argue about no meat but the meat that 
 perisheth. 
 
 The disciples themselves did not understand that the food he referred to was his 
 love to the human race ; when he cried upon the cross, " I thirst," it was the intense 
 thirst of love he had for mankind, — for the redemption of the human race, and that 
 is the sense in which eating is applied to God ; it signifies his intense love to man, 
 and his desire of conjunction with him. The eating with Abraham may serve as a 
 general type representing the love of God to all the faithful seed ; but the arguments 
 brought forward upon this point by my opponent are only calculated to make it appear 
 that God is a mere creature like Queen Victoria, or some other creature of time. The 
 ancients attached the same idea I have been pointing out to you, to their meat-offer- 
 ings, and to their drink-offerings— (see Levit.»xxi. 6,) — ^"They shall be holy unto 
 their God, and not profane the name of their God ; for the offering of the Lord made 
 by fire, and the bread of their God they do offer^: therefore, they shall be holy." We 
 learn from this passage that the sacrifice is called by one name, " the bread of God,j 
 which was offered up as a similitude of the Saviour. Now the idea of God and 
 angels eating originated in the perception of man, but it was intended to present be- 
 fore man the intense love of God for the human race. The same is signified by his 
 hungering, and likewise by the sacrifices being called the bread of God, for there was 
 no other mode in which men could be brought in conjunction with God. Similar 
 terms are used of our worship of God under the gospel dispensation. — (See Phil, 
 iv. 18.) — " But I have all, and abound ; I am full, having received from Bpaphro- 
 ditus things which were sent from you : an odour of sweet smell, and a Sacrifice ac- 
 ceptable, well pleasing to God." Now, we showed, on a former occasion, that Abra- 
 ham was an idolater ; consequently, when it was necessary, and according to his 
 idolatrous notion, it was so requu:ed that the angels came and partook of his calf and 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. , 19 
 
 bread ; but these angels were only mediums through which God manifested himself to 
 Abraham ; it was in order that this important fact might be presented in scripture, 
 they acoommodated themselves to the sight of Abraham. But Mr. Gibson wants to 
 know how the calf v>'as disposed of, for he thinks God must have somewhere to put it. 
 The Lord, when he was upon the earth, fed thousands of people with a few loaves 
 and fishes ; you are well acquainted with these miracles. This was cavised by trans- 
 mutation, so that there is no necessity for going to the supposition that God re- 
 quires any assistance in the way of food, because we may see the hunger of God is 
 divine love for the human race. There was a number of passages produced, and ar- 
 guments laid down, on the last occasion, proving that God, in his naked, divine 
 character, never was seen. Mr. Gibson has denied this ; he denied it flatly ; he said 
 man had seen God; if he denies it again we will leave him and the Bible to settle the 
 matter.— >(See John, i. 18.) — "No man hath seen God at anytime; the only- 
 begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." There 
 can be nothing plainer than that ; who, in the face of that, dare say that any man hath 
 seen God ? When God manifested himself to Moses, it was through the medium of 
 an angel, as we read in the Acts, vii, 31. "And when Moses saw it, he won- 
 dered at the sight, and, as he di-ew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto 
 him (v. 32), saying, 1 am the (rod of thy fathers, the God of Abraham," &c. Fur- 
 ther on, it says, " then said the Lord unto him," but still it was the angel of the Lord 
 t^lat addressed him, saying, " put off thy shoes from tliy feet : for the place where thou 
 stiindestis holy ground." And, then, in v. 38, it is said of MoseS: — -'This is he that 
 was in the church, in the wilderness, with the angel which spake to him in the mount 
 Sinai, and with our fathers : who received the lively oracles to give unto us." This 
 was an angel that spake in the bush at the time Moses had his call to lead the .children 
 of Israel out of Egypt, and not God. The Apostle Paul says, in Fu'st Tim. vi. 
 1(5 — " Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach 
 unto : whom no man hath seen, nor can see : to, whom be honour and power everlast- 
 ing. Amen." Now, from this passage also, we learii that no man hath seen him fior 
 can see him'. Now, really, I shall not depart from this position to night ; but I think 
 no more need be said by my opponent upon that subject. (Jod is not hke Queen 
 Victoria : he is a more essential life, a more essential activity. She may have an au- 
 thority, for the sake ot order, placed in Canada, and in other parts of her dominions, 
 by the general concurrence of the nation, in that sense. Queen Victoria is everywhere 
 acknowledged throughout her dominions : but I cannot entertain the same idea of the 
 essential activity of the divine nature ; it is not only in Canada, not only in London 
 and in Bolton, but it fills the vast universe ; uniiumbered worlds are sustained and 
 surrounded by his activity. To whom shall we liken God? — not to Queen Victoria. 
 I am sure the good sense of this congregation can never entertain such a doctrine as 
 that. Such is the activity of the sun, that v/ere it not for certain causes we should 
 all be desti'oyed ; but it is not that destructive in its recreative influences ; we shall 
 very soon have winter, and then spring in its time : now, these effects are produced by 
 his fays being brought to us through a proper medium, and so the activity of God 
 never approaches man except through a medium. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — My friends, I am not going to suffer Mr. Woodman to wander 
 away from the point to night, and lead me to what was the subject of discussion last 
 evening, but in courtesy to you I will notice a few things. In the first place he 
 charged me with making God like Queen Victoria. He says something like this, 
 •'that I make the omnipresence of God no better than that oi Queen Victoria." I 
 amply showed that as the Queen in her personal being could not be evei-ywhere pre- 
 sent, she was so by her power and rules of government ; which I used as a compari- 
 son to show how God is everywhere present in all his vast dominions. So that, in- 
 stead of making God like Queen Victoria, I merely used her as a figure to make the 
 subject plain to the simplest capacity. He has chai-ged me with using infidel argu- 
 ments ; in answer to which 1 say, give me truth, whether it belong to heaven, to 
 earth, or to hell ; whether it be spoken by God, by angels, by mat, or by the devil ; 
 truth cannot be sullied. It was as great a truth when the devil declared Jesus Christ 
 to be the Son of God, as when his Father declared it. If infidels have truth it is as 
 good in argument, as though it were possessed and spoken by an angel of God. 
 
 b2 
 
20 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 Truth is truth, where ere 'tis found, 
 On Christian or on heathen ground. 
 But we shall see whethei" Mr. Gibson or Mr. Woodman is the infidel. Every man is 
 an infidel who does not believe the Bibk, according to Christian notions of infidelity. 
 I have read from this book (the Bible) what happened in days of old. I have not 
 been quoting metaphors ; I was not reading prophecy, but plain historical facts. This 
 hook declares that the Lord and two angels made Abraham a vbit ; that he killed a 
 calf, and dressed it, and took the calf and cakes, and butter, and milk, and set it be- 
 fore them, and they did eat. [A gentleman from the body of the hall called out for 
 the passage: Mr. Gibson read it. Genesis xviii. 1 — 8.] Now, my friends, the Bible 
 says that they did eat ; Mr. Woodman says they did not eat. Now I shall leave you 
 to judge which of us is the infidel. The gentleman spoke about it being done by 
 transmutation, that is, they only appeared to eat ; but did not in reality eat ? then must 
 we believe that God came down to make Abraham heUeve he was doing a thing 
 which in reality he was not doing ? if so, God came to deceive Abraham, and make 
 him believe a lie, and made Moses write the lie and hand it down to lis. It is a plain 
 matter of history, and must be understood as it reads, the same as any other history. 
 He has refeiTed to the words of Christ, where he told his disciples he had meat to eat 
 the world knew not of ; this he brought among many other passages to prove that 
 the eating spoken of in the Bible means the intense love of God : Now I do not un- 
 derstand the Bible so. What will Mr. Woodman do with this historical fact, recorded 
 in the last chapter of Luke verse 40 : " And when he had thus spoken he showed 
 them his hands, and his feet ?" Verse 41 — 43, " And while they yet believed not for 
 5oy and wondered, he said unto them, have ye any meat ? And they gave him a piece 
 of a broiled fish, and an honeycomb : and he took it and did eat before them'." 
 Now this happened after the resurrection ; here we have a plain matter of history, in- 
 forming us of an immortal being eating a piece of mortal fish, and honeycomb. Per- 
 haps my opponent may say this was done by transmutation, or that it was immaterial 
 fish and honeycomb which the Lord eat. Now Jesus Christ did this in order to prove 
 to his disciples that he had a material body ; for, mark you, he took it and did eat 
 before them. He also said in the 39th verse of the same chapter, " Behold my hands 
 and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and 
 bones, as ye see me have." 
 
 After thus fortifying the position that God is a material being, and made visits to 
 earth in person, and eat material food, I will brilig my friend to the subject of this 
 night's discussion. He has not yet attempted to disprove the first thing I laid before 
 you in the first half hour I spoke to you. I showed you that the Eterna IFather has a 
 personal form ; (this Mr. Woodman acknowledges himself) that therefore he could 
 not be in two distinct places at the same time I did not say he was like Queen Vic- 
 toria in the extent and degree of his power and glory, for he upholdeth all things by 
 his wisdom and power ; but that as a personal being he could not occupy two places at 
 once any more than she, and therefore appointed others to act for him in the distant 
 portions of his dominions. Mr. Woodman has told us that God spoke and commu- 
 nicated his will through the medium of angels. This is what I have been proving. I 
 have been showing that God set certain beings to accomplish his puifoses at sundry 
 times, and endowed them with power accordingly, and they then acted as God to the 
 people, r showed that Jesus Christ the Son of God came into this world to do a 
 work which required him to have Almighty power, to prepare him to do it. For all 
 power in heaven and on earth was given to him, which pre-supposes that he had it not 
 Wore it was given to him ; and which also pre-supposes that there was another being 
 who had that power to give to him to accomplish this pui'pose. Then, we find, after 
 Christ has done the work, he is to deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, and be 
 subject to him. I asked my opponent how it happened that if the body of Jesus 
 Christ be the Son, and the soul be the Father, that the Son could be in existence with 
 the Father before the worlds were ; for if this dbctrine of Mr. Woodman's be true, 
 the Son could not have existed until he Was born of the flesh. I quoted John's Gos- 
 pel xvii. 5. Now I want him to look at it and make it plain to us, how it can be 
 that he could be with the Father and receive gloiy with him before the worlds were 
 and yet at the same time the doctrine of the New Jerusalem Church oe true. 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAn's DISCUSSION. 21 
 
 (juoted John vi. 52, where Christ speaks of ascending up where he was before; now 
 it was not the Father that was to ascend, but the Son to where he was before; but 
 according to Mr. Woodman's doctrine it was both the Father and the Son that had 
 to ascend. Again, when he came into this world, his Father and he were considered 
 two distinct personages which is proved in Matthew iii. 16, 17 ; " And Jesus when he 
 was baptized went up straightway out of the water ; and lo the heavens were opened 
 unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like adove, and lighting upon him." 
 Verse 17, " And lo a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved son, in whom I am 
 well pleased." But if my opponent's doctrine be trae, ths Father was then within 
 him ; for he says, the soul was the Father and the body the Son. But here are 
 Father, Son, and Spirit, the Son being baptized of John in Jordan, the Holy Ghost 
 descending lilse a dove, and the Father proclaiming from heaven, " this is my beloved 
 Son, in whom I am well pleased." 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — When I last .sat down, I was speaking upon the subject of God 
 never manifesting himself but through a medium. That to place any one in the open 
 presence of the deity, would be like a man being placed in the sun, which would be to 
 him, sudden destructien. That the rays come to us through the mediums, because 
 the activity is so great, that no object could bear up against it, unless it were modified. 
 The same would be the case by the activity of the Son of Righteousness. He conse- 
 quently never appeared unto man, except through a medium. You remember the pas- 
 sages I produced, and all the sophistry, and flourish in the world can never upset this 
 let of passages, or knock down any of the arguments I have produced. 
 
 He tried to make it appear to you, that I am an infidel from the manner in which I 
 enplained the circumstance of the Lord eating. Now, I do not believe the Lord de- 
 ceived Abraham, or made him believe a lie, but I believe those things were realities. 
 
 The divine man of the Lord is that which sustains his soul, and not the material 
 flesh. You know an angel is a finite being, and consequently, the mediums the Lord 
 took upon himself were finite mediums, in his mediums of angels : and when they ceased 
 to be sufficiently efficacious, then he manifested himself under a new medium, by actually 
 becoming incarnate. Look at Paul to the Hebrews, ii. 14., " Forasmuch then as the 
 ohildi-en are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the 
 same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, 
 the devil." — Sixteenth verse, " For verily he took not on him the nature o/ angels, 
 but he took on him the seed of Abraham." You will observe several words in Italics; 
 these words ai-e not found in the original, and of coui-se, we must notice this distinc- 
 tion. Before the incarnation, he took upon him the natm-e of angels ; hence when 
 we read of, the angel of the Lord, he is called the angel of his presence, that is the 
 angel which brought the Lord's presence to man, because he came through that me- 
 dium. It was then at the incarnation that this great God took upon him the seed of 
 Abraham, and came into the world by actual incarnation ; hence it is said no man 
 hath seen God at any time, but the only begotten of the Father hath declared him, 
 or as some render it, expounded him, and others, brought him forth to view. Now 
 then Mr. Gibson says that God could not be in two places at once ; I settled that last 
 timei bnt I will quote another passage from Jeremiah, xxiii. 23., "Am I a God at 
 hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afai- off?" — Twenty-fourth verse, " Can any hide 
 himself in secret places, that I shall not see him ? saith the Lord : do not I fill heaven 
 and earth ? saith the Lord." That means that God is at hand, and afai- off at the sama 
 time ; Ml'. Gibson may call it a metaphor, if he pleases. I brought another passage, 
 the 130 Psalm, " Whither shall 1 flee from thy spirit, &c." Now, every Christian hi 
 this assembly will bear me out in this, that if he wanders through all the parts of the 
 earth, God is present with him ; in whatsoever nation, in whatsoever clime his lot may 
 be cast, God is with him there. A man who says he cannot be in two places, has no 
 idea of God. 
 
 He says, a being haying a personal form, could not be in two places at once. He 
 admits that Jesus Christ had a personal form. Well, we will read John, iii. 13., 
 "And no' man h^tli ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven, even 
 the son of man, which is in heaven," Our Lord s^d that to Nicodemus ; but you 
 know it is no use piultiplying pa-ssages, one or two is as good as a thousand, for there is 
 no getting at the back of this doctrine. Then, when Jesus Christ came into the world. 
 
23 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 he was not ruled by the laws of distance, but he came out of the immaterial world 
 into theraaterial world, and was possessed of two sets of senses, those of the body, 
 and those of the soul. John, on the isle of Patmos, had a new set of senses opened, 
 by which all the wonders recorded in the revelations were revealed. Where the 
 Latter-day Saints mistake their way is, they do not see the senses of the soul. You 
 reinemb'^r the case of Elisha and his .servant, when they were surrounded by armed 
 men ; the servant said, "alas ! master, what shall we do ? the prophet said, " they that 
 are for us, are more than they that are aefainst us ;" and he prayed that the eyes of 
 the young man should be opened. The Lord opened his eyes, and he saw objects he 
 did not see before ; bat they did not come from a distance, they were objects in the 
 mind ; that world is near to us, as our soul is to the body ; it only requires the senses 
 of the soul to be opened, and we immediately behold the objects of that world. So 
 the first cominof of Christ was not a coming from a distance, but coming out of that 
 immaterial world into the material world. With regard to the Father being the soul 
 and the Son the body; I will look' at that by and by. I believe that that which was 
 born of Mary, is the Son of God. I believe that because it is e.xpressly so stated in 
 Lulce i 35., " And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come 
 upon thea, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee ; therefore, also that 
 holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God." This is the 
 basis upon which I take that view, because it is expressly so declared in Luke, but we 
 shall have more to say about that in our ne.'ct speech. 
 
 Mr. Gihson. — Beloved fiiends,! do not know if I will detain youlong this time, fori 
 shall not allow Mr. Woodman to lead you from the point at issue. You can all see that 
 he has not touched a single argument laid down by me in this night's discussion. ^ 
 will make one remark however. He talks about God being a God at hand, and at 
 the same time a God afar off. Now he admitted in the last night's discussion, and 
 this night also, that he believes God to be a personal being, having form, aiid conse- 
 ouently limits and extension. Well Ldefy him or all the logicians in the world to prove 
 that one distinct personage can occupy two places at once, or to show how it can be 
 possible for a thing to have a f n-m, and at the same time be infinitely extended. See- 
 ing that he believes God to possess a form he cannot make it out that.he is everywhere 
 present. I have already laid before you in plain and simple language what the New 
 Jerusalem Church believes. In the 114th page of " The True Christian Religion," 
 par. 92, Swedenborg says, " That the humanity which he took of the Virgin Mary 
 is actually the Son of God, and that the divine Trinity, God the Father, the Son, and 
 the Holy Ghost, is in the Lord." That is their faith. I will not enter further in the 
 things he has laid down, but I will just refresh his memory. I asked a question 
 directly bearing upon the .subject in hand, namely, if the body be the Son, and the 
 soul the Father, the Son could not exist before he came into the world, how then 
 could Jesus say, "Father glorify me with the glory I had with thee before the world's 
 were?" And again in John vi. 62, " What if ye shall see the Son of Man ascerid 
 up to whei-e he was before?" And in Matthew iii. 10, There Jesus Christ 
 body and soul went down to the waters, and was baptized of John in Jordan, and the 
 Father from Heaven spoke, saying, this is my beloved Son; &c. Does not that prove 
 that they were two distinct personages? Again, see John xiii. 1, "Now before the 
 feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart 
 out of this world to the Father, having loved his own which were in the world ,be 
 loved them unto the end." We understand by this quotation that Christ had to go 
 out of the world to the Father. But if Mr. Woodman's doctrine be true that the soul 
 is the Fathei', he had no need to go out of the world to the Father, for the Father 
 was in him. My opponent will perhaps inform us how this is ? Again we read in John 
 xvi. 28, " " I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world, again I leave 
 the world and go to the Father." I want Mr. Woodman to tell us how this can be, 
 if the soul of Christ is the Father, and the body of Christ is the Son ?" for if the body 
 is the Son, the Son could not comefrom the Father, for according to his own doc- 
 trine the body comes from the mother, and if the soul be the Father, then the Father 
 came to the Son, and not the Son from the Father. But Christ says, " I came from 
 the Father, and am come into the world, and leave the world and go to the Father." 
 Again, John xx. 17, " Jesus saith unto her, touchme not ; for I am not yet ascended 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 23 
 
 io my Father ; but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, 
 and your Father, and to my God, and your God." Now I want Mr. Woodman to 
 '-explain to us how these things can be, if the soul be the Father and the body is the 
 Son. Jesus says, " I ascend to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and your 
 God." I came from the Father into this world, and am going to leave the world and 
 go to the Father. How can this be in common sense, if the soul be the Father, and. 
 the body the Son ? 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — ^Mr. Gibson wants me to answer him some questions, but he 
 does not want to answer mine. I shall answer these questions when I deem it neces- 
 sary, and shall think fit. He has said a great deal about Christ coming into the 
 world, but he has not told you where he came from ; for he does not believe in any 
 world but this — he does not know anything but what is material. And the basis 
 of bis arguments is upon an extract he has made, in which he says we believe the 
 Son was the body and the Father was the soul ; but if he had come here to do justice 
 to the views he opposes, he ought to have made himself better acquainted with them, 
 and not have taken out of a chapter a single isolated expression. But I have got one 
 question to ask Mr. ftibson before I come on with this subject, and that is, What isi 
 the distinction he makes between his Divine Father and ms humam father — ^between 
 the Divine Son and the human son ? He has said a great deal about them being two 
 distinct beings, as much so as any father and son on this earth; then we 
 conclude he believes them to be just the same sort of beings. Now the doc- 
 trine of the New Jerusalem Church is (if he had read this book through, 
 he would have known a great deal more of our doctrines than he knows 
 now) exemplified by the Apostle Paul when he speaks of two men, the inward 
 man and the outward man : and he makes them very distinct, so that the one stands 
 in direct antagonism to the other — the law of his members rising up against the 
 law of the Spirit. Every man has two natures : he derives a body and a nature front 
 his mother, and also derives a nature from his father. I suppose Mr. Gibsoa 
 will admit that God is his Father. So he is in one sense, and the Father of every 
 Christian ; but Jesus Christ is called the only begotten of the Father. Now he hav- 
 ing a Divine Father and a human mother, he must have two natures, a divine and a 
 human ; and the divine nature itself cannot be separated. In connexion with this, we 
 will read in Deut., vi, 4, with its corresponding part in Mark, xii, 28. It is said in. 
 Deut. — " Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." And in Mark, one of the 
 Scribes asked, "Which is the first commandment?" 29 — And Jesus answered and 
 said, " The first of all the commandments is : hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one 
 Tjord." The unity of God is an indivisible unity. Mr. Gibson may tell you that he 
 is one in his power, and in his truth ; but there could not be a oneness of power with- 
 out a unity of being. He is a being that possesses this truth. There can be no 
 unity in the Divine nature but absolute unity ; and consequently it follows that when ' 
 llie humanity was bom, in partaking of the human nature from the mother, and the 
 divine nature from the Father, the divinity of the Father was not divided ; therefor* 
 there can be no other God but him — ^He is the one Lord. When Jesus Christ 
 speaks of the Father, he always speaks of him as dwelling within him. Does 
 Mr. Gibson believe that ? See John's Gospel, xiv, 8 — Philip saith unto him, Lord, 
 show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." 9 — " Jesus saith unto him, have I heea so 
 long time with you, and yet hast thou not knqwn me, Philip ? he that hath seen me 
 hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, show us the Father?" 10 — 
 « Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me ? the words that T 
 speak unto you I speak not of myself : but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the 
 works." It was the divine nature which was the Father, and the human nature whicb 
 was the Son, which was the nature that was born of tiie Virgin Mary. You knov 
 ail the arguments that have been brought forward : they have been used upon the sup- 
 position that Christ differs in no respect from man. ' Now I wish you to call to mi^ 
 what I said to you concerning the Lord becoming incarnate by a medium, wherehy- 
 God manifested hunself; therefore the Lord stated to Philip, "he that hath seen BBS 
 hath seen the Father ;" it was through the medium by which he saw him. It is evi- 
 dent that the Lord's person was the outward expression of the inward Father, ax 
 much so as my body is the outward expression of my soul. The Apostle Paul says to 
 
24 GIBSON AND WOODMAN'b DISCUSSION, 
 
 Timothy, that G-od was manifest in the flesh, that is, by the outward expression of the- 
 inward'God. Mr. Gibson said, there are Gods many, and Lords many; but I would 
 ask him how many true Gods there are ? there is but one true God. Hear what 
 ' the Lord himself says, in that very prayer that Mr. Gibson has brought before you on 
 so many occasions : John xvii,. 3 — " And this is eternal life, that they might know 
 thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." You remember the 
 I)assages I gave you, showing that when the Lord was manifested in the flesh, it wa»- 
 a manifestation through that medium, as I described before by the assumption of the 
 humanity, which was the outward form of the divinity, as our body is analogous -ta 
 the,. outward form. of our soul. lie may get up and ask those questions again, but we 
 are coming near to them ; but before we answer them, we must know what it was- 
 that assumed the humanity. It is said in John, i, 1 — " In the beginning wa;3 the 
 •word, and the word was with God,, and the word was God." Now the word isfdivina 
 ti^ith, and that is one of the essentials of the divine nature. This essential divine truth 
 assumed, ou^- nature, and divine truth is the form of God, because divine truth is tb» 
 ibrm of divine good. , . 
 
 Mr. . Qtltson—My friends, my friend, Mr. Woodman, has said I wovdd very likelj 
 ask these questions over again: yes I shall over and over, until he confesses- 
 that he cannot answer them; but, before I begin to put them again, I will make tt 
 remark or two, upon a few things which he states, and then calls them the faith of the 
 S/aints^ but in reality are no more like our faith than hell is like heaven. He said we 
 do not believe in any world but this ; that our minds are so narrow we cannot con- 
 ceive of any other world than this. Mr. Woodman is mistaken, and I feser wilfuUy 
 so, for we. not only believe in this world, bu^ millions more ; w/e believe in the spirituiu 
 "world, where the spirits of, men go after death ; and we heUeve, in tha.t world where 
 God and angels dwell ; and I d^y Mr, Woodman to prove that it is an immaterial 
 ■world. Mr. Woodman has referred to a passage I will notice, because it bears on th« 
 subject of this night's debate. (John, xiv. 9.)--"Jesus saith unto him, have I been 
 so king with you, and yet hast thou notknown me, Philip ? He that hath seen me» 
 hath seen the Father, and how sayest thqu then, show us the Father ?" Mr, Wood- 
 man hasdeclared that the soul is the Father, and the body is the Son, and .has over 
 and over aga,in said that, no man could or ever did see the Father. I ask, did Philip 
 see ihp Fa&er ? If Mr. Woodman declares that he did, ' th^ his argument of ias 
 mvisil)Uity falls to the ground. If he says he did not see the Father, what did he see& 
 If my.qppo^ent declares that Philip saw only the Son, then hi? present argument faJls 
 to the ground: so turn which way he pleases, he trefiites himself., 5ut how can it be 
 said'that Philip saw.the^Fat^er, when he saw Jesus;., because Jesus Christ, as Paul 
 declares, is. the. express image; of his Father's person (se§ Heb. i, 3). Suppose, nowi. 
 I.^^ta distance from my son, vvho is exa9tly Uke me, he b^ginstotalkto thepeopW 
 abojit, the great works his father had done, and had sent him to do; this relation e», 
 cite^;iih^ cur.iosity, anjl they should say, we would, hke to see your father. He re* 
 pliesi, when you see me you, see my, father. What would they see ? They would see 
 ■Q^j^saict. impression or likeness of his fether. .$f> Christ is the express image of tba- 
 Fatiher; and, therefore, wh^ Philip sa^ him, he saw the Son just in the same imag^~ 
 a^di l%eness, To say that Philip s^w the actual Father, who was enthrobed at thai 
 tii^ in ijie heaven of heayens, is. wrong ; he saw npthjqg but the body ; and as MlU, 
 Woojlman js^s the body is the son.* .We will, now ncftice John, xiv. 11 : — "Belieurf' 
 mejjhi^t I,ainfin,theFather, and tlje Father in me, or elsebdieve me for theyeJfjp 
 Wflrk'? sake." JSTowj^Mr. Woodman says [the soul is, the Father,, and the body is t\»; 
 Spnj;,',(3hrist, says here, "believe me that lam in th^; Father." Am I., to believe," 
 tihi^, th^t the body was in the soul.? ; Tou can all see that th^vvotdd be an absurdjl^ij; 
 it.5!?gidd,bB4ik«t the turning of a person inside out; He ftt(ther gogs on to say, i^for- 
 dsg.bdipTC me for -the work's sakei;" ,bnt he,says,tin another place, (look at Johii,xmir 
 26,^.5^'^ l^'qither pray, i/os,4;hese,fl,}one, ])ut; fpr them ;alsO) whicJii shaU- believe on mft- 
 thjou^h.thgir w(gd .(21,Vi). f Th?,tthespallmaybe one, as ThftUjF-!VthBi!,artinn!%' 
 aa j I in Thqe, that iWi a^ n^7 he, onerijB us : Ihat the world may baliere thjM; thofe 
 
 * For afnrther explanation of how Philip saw the Father in Jes&B, see the explanation')^ 
 laMab, i:;, 6, iq my last speech this e^ning.. . , . ^ . 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 25 
 
 hast sent me." Are we to believe that not only Jesus Christ and his Father are one 
 person, but that all those who' believe in him are going to be added to them, and be 
 made into one great person? This is the conclusion unto which Mr. Woodman's 
 doctrine will lead us. Surely, no man of common sense can believe, for a moment, 
 that the Father is in the Son, in company with all believers, all becoming one great 
 person, and yet his people are to be in Him as He is in the Father. We will read a 
 passage in John's first Epistle, iii. 24 : — " And he that keepeth His commandments 
 dwfiUeth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the 
 spirit which He hath given us." Whatever Mr. Woodman may say about Christ 
 dwelling in the members of his church, he dwells in them in the same way he is in the 
 Father, ij^rom the passage I have just quoted, it is plain that it is by the Spirit he 
 was to dwell in his people, that Spirit have we so long as we keep his commandments. 
 
 I will now ask him the questions over again. My opponent says, a man derives two 
 natures, one from his father, and one from his mother ; this he brought to show how 
 Christ was both divine and human ; having derived a divine nature from his Father, 
 and a human nature from his mother ,; then how can the dirine nature be the Father 
 himself, when it is only something derived from him ? I have a nature derived from 
 my father, but that flature is not my father. Again, if the body be the Son, and the 
 soul be the Father, how could the Son have glory with the Father before the worlds 
 were ? Again, if Jesus Christ and his Father be one person, how is it that Christ' 
 says, " I came from the Father, and came into the world ;" and again, " I leave the 
 world, and go to the Father ;" and as he says to Mary, " touch me not, for I have not 
 yet ascended to the Father ?" I want Mr. Woodman to tell us how these things 
 can be, if the soul of Christ were the Father, and the body were the Son ; how Christ 
 could talk of ascending to his Father, and their Father: to his God, and their God. 
 Let us read another passage upon this subject in Luke xxiii. 46. " And when Jesus 
 had cried with a loud voice, he said. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and 
 having said this, he gave up the Ghost." If the Father were the soul of Christ, 
 what will be the meaning of this passage. " Father, into thy hands I commend my 
 spirit ?" Why, his Father would be leaving his body at that time, so the Son would 
 be commending the Father to the Father. Thus Mr. Woodman makes out by his 
 doctrine, that Christ had two Fathers, one in himself on earth, and another in heaven. 
 
 He says, I have not searched this book enough to understand it. 'Whatever may 
 be the weakness of my intellect, I know common sense when I see it; I know 
 this, that if the soul were the Father, and the body the Son, Christ would not need 
 to ascend to the Father, for he was within him. Now I hope my friend will explain 
 ihese passages of scripture for us, and reconcile them with his doctrine, and then be 
 has a right to. dictate some questions to me, and not till then. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — My Christian friends : Mx-. Gibson says, when I have explained 
 those passages to him, then I have a right to dictate some to him, and not till then. 
 He takes the affirmative of the question; therefore it is for him first to prove his po- 
 sition. He has given you an explanation of a passage I brought forward, of which I 
 am sure, if language is capable of being understood at all, no one need doubt Christ's 
 meaning when he says to Philip, " he that hath seen ftie hath seen the Father." Now I 
 have shown you that God never manifested himself but through a medium, and that 
 Jesus Christ was the medium through which he was manifested in the flesh, which is 
 analogous to the soul in the body of man. As my soul is manifested through my 
 bodyi so the Father dwelling in Christ, manifested himself through Christ. Mr. 
 Gibson says if the Father were the soul he would dwell in Christ. That is the very 
 tiling the Bible says. See second Cor., v, 18 — " And all things, are of God, who hath 
 reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of recon- 
 ciliation. 19 — To wit, that'God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not 
 imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath Comipitted unto us the word of recon- 
 cilmtion." Now I think you will all admit this very plain declaration. I am not 
 reading metaphors now. There < is another plain passage: "I and. my Father are 
 one'.'— tins is not a metaphor. I asked Mr. Gibson to show me the distinction 
 between the finite and the infinite ? I did not think he would have any idea of this 
 diadnction, for he makes God a mere creature. Jesus Christ was not the Father, no 
 jnoye was the Ftither the Son ; but God was the Father,'and dwelt in Christ, see 
 
26 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 Col. ii, 9 — " For in him dwelt all the fulness of the G-odhead bodily." Here wefind 
 that not only the Father dwelt in Christ, but all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 
 Now I want Mi-. Gibson to point out a passage of scripture to me, where iL is said ths 
 Father dwells out of the Son, and that no part of the Godhead does dwell bodily in 
 Christ. I Itnovy of none ; and I have examined these subjects now for forty years. 
 I have read to you the words of Jesus Christ, that to know he is the true God is 
 eternal life. I will now tell you what John says, v, 20, of his first epistle — " And we 
 know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may 
 know hira that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his son Jesus Christ. 
 This is the true God and eternal life." This consequently shows that the Father and 
 Jesus Christ were one. If Mr. Gibson had listened, and followed me, we should 
 have gone into the subject of the divine and human natures; but I wUl now come to 
 the subject. Now in consequence of the Lord inheriting these two natures — in the 
 nature from the mother he inherited the infirmities of the finite man, having these two 
 natures in the degree, so in his dirine nature he spoke of the Father as being one with 
 himself. ' Now upon this one subject I could lay open a great many passages in tha 
 word of God. Mr. Gibson says he wants to know where Jesus ascended to ; ha 
 himself says that the Father was in him, and he in thfe Father; and what does Mr. 
 Gibson say about that ? Why all he said amounted to this, that it was like turning a 
 thing inside out ; so it is plain to see what kind of an idea he has got of God. H» . 
 knows very well that it is likely to deceive you, for him to ask questions and then. 
 answer them, and give such explanations as shall best fit his purpose. But you all 
 know that it is easier to ask questions than to answer them. I say he asked me con- 
 cerning where Christ ascended. I answer, that he ascended out of the human degre* 
 into the divine degree, that is where he ascended. He arose up into his divine nature, 
 and made his humanity divine, and when it became divine it possessed all the attri- 
 butes of the deity, see Matthew, xxviii, 18 — " And Jesus came and spake to them, 
 saying, all power is given to me in heaven and on earth." And then he says to tha 
 church at Smyrna, see Rev. ii, 8 — " And unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna 
 write ; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead and is aUve." Novr 
 these passages prove that he is God, and he is everywhere present, for he says him- 
 self, '■ Wheresoever two or three are met together in my name, there am I in the 
 midst of them." Now all the declarations of Mr. Gibson contrary to this, will only 
 have their due weight with you. I said that all power was given to the humanity ; 
 how was the divinity given to the humanity ? By identifying the humanity with him- 
 self. He has quoted a passage in the 17th of John, concerning the oneness of the 
 Father and Son, and finds fault because the Son says "that they may all be one as 
 we are one." He lays great stress upon that saying, and I know others do — .those 
 who deny the divine character of Christ. Now Mr. Gibson has no idea of the dis- 
 tinction there is between the finite and the infinite. He will see that the oneness of . 
 the Church with Christ there spoken of is to be taken as referring to the finite, and 
 the oneness of Christ and his Father as referring to the infinite — ^for instance, Christ 
 says, " Be you perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." I hold that our 
 Father in heaven is infinitely perfect — I do not hold we shall be so. Now if yoa 
 will look at this passage brought forward out of the 17th of John — " That they all 
 may be one, as thou art in me, and I in , thee."* That is, one divine and human 
 nature were reciprocally united — the humanity ascended up into the divine. The 
 oneness of a diyine and human nature, or of Jehovah and Jesus, is an infinite oneness 
 — it is infinity closely joined vrith humanity ; and that is the source of all unity in the 
 Church, which is only the image of the divine unity. Then he goes on to say, " I in 
 thee and thou in me," which plainly shows that the humanity was the medium through 
 which God was in them. Mr. Gibson has not defined any distinction between -Ae . 
 finite and the infinite ; he has no idea of God, but he says there are Lords many and 
 Gods many; but the scriptures say, "this is eternal life, to know thee the only true 
 God, &c." And John, in his first Epistle, v, 20, says, that " this same Jesus Christ is 
 the true God, and eternal life." 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — Friends, it would appear by my opponent's last remarks, tha* 
 because I am a poor man, I have not the common feelings of humanity ; but although 
 I am a poor man if the insult ^ven me to-night had been given under other ciroum-. 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 27 
 
 stances, I would not have stood upon a platform with him, neither would I meet him 
 again were I not obliged by the rules of this debate. He has tried to persuade you that I 
 would wilfully deoeiveyou by asking questions and then answering them myself in sucha 
 way as to effect this. It is true, I am a poor man, and a workin? man : all the education I 
 have was gathered after my hard day's toil, still, having the feelings of a man, I spurn 
 the attempt that has been made to make it appear that I will wilfully deceive you. 
 This Rev. gentleman stands here to discuss on religious matters, and ought to know 
 what is due to himself, to society, and what belongs to his opponent and decency, but 
 it appears he does not. I have nothing to i-eply to this time. He has not answered 
 ray questions, and the i-eason why he does not is best known to himself. But as I 
 must say something, I will make objections and answer them. We will examine on« 
 passage which he has quoted, it is in Col. ii. 9, " For in him dwelleth all the fulness 
 of the Godhead bodily." Mr. Woodman appears to think this fulness was the 
 Father, but we will look at the text and context. In the first place then we will 
 refer to Col. i. 19, " For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." 
 Now we leai-n from_ this that it pleased the Father that all fullness should be in Christ. 
 Again, chap, ii. 3, '*In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," 
 that is, in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Why ? because it 
 pleased the Father that in him all this fulness should dwell. Then Paul goes on to 
 say in the 8th verse, " Beware lest any man spoil you though philosophy and vain de- 
 ceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 
 Verse 9, " For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Here Paul 
 warns them against being led away by the philosophy and traditions of men, and gives 
 them to understand that in Christ dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, evidently 
 referring to what he had been speaking of, " all the rich treasures of wisdom and 
 knowledge ; " showing them that they had no occasion to obtain leai-ning in matters 
 of salvation from any other quarter. But we are not only told this in the scriptures, 
 but that out of his fulness we all receive grace for grace. See also, EpheSians 
 iii. 19, " And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye might be 
 filled with all the fulness of God." Have all the saints to be filled with God himself? 
 ■ is the Godhead to d^yell with them bodily ? No ; but they are to have a fulness of 
 wisdom, and knowledge , now in this way, according to text aijd context, is all the 
 fulness of the Godhead bodily in Christ. I will take another passage, which you will 
 find in Isaiah ix. 6, as it will likely be quoted by Mr. Woodman in his next speech, 
 and I will not have an opportunity of replying ; " For unto us a child is born, unto 
 us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall ■ 
 be called Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince 
 of Peace." This applies to Christ ; I have already shown you how he was the mighty 
 God, because God called him to do a mighty work, and gave him Almighty power to ac- 
 complish it. And, says Paul, all things shall be put under him, but it is manifest that h« 
 is excepted who did put all things under him, that God may be all in all." But lest 
 it be said this would make the Father idle, see Revelations i. 1 . : " The revelation of 
 Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must 
 shortly come to pass, and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John." 
 Here, then, we find that God the Eternal Father sits in the midst of all his works, as 
 the great director and upholder of all things, and ordained his Son to carry 
 out his will and purposes, clothing him with Almighty power, and filling him with all 
 the fulness of God, vrith all the rich treasm'es of wisdom and knowledge, that hs 
 might know how to prosecute the work in all its ramifications. 
 
 When Stephen looked up he saw the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing 
 on the right hand of God. Could any being stand on his own right hand ? It is 
 said in another place, that he is at the right hand of power; can there be power with- 
 out a substance, or without a being to which that power belongs ? To say so, would 
 be an absurdity. Now it must be plain to you, that the person of the Father did not 
 dwell in Chri.<!t, but his fulness. For we here find that the Father is a form, has 
 arms and Lands, and Christ sat at his right hand, so that the Father is a person dis- 
 tinct from the Son, and the Son from the Father, 'as much so, as any father and soa 
 upon earth ; and Christ the Son, was the'express image of God the Father. 
 
 I will next notice how it is that Christ is called the Everlasting Father. See Luke iii. 
 
28 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION 
 
 38. After Luke has given the genealogies from Christ, back to Enos, he says in the 
 36 verse, " which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the 
 son of Adam, which was the son of God." We learn from this, that Adam was the 
 son of God by creation. Now let us see who crejited Adam. Ephesians, iii. 9, 
 " And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the be-, 
 ginning of the world, hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." 
 We are told the same in the Colossians, that all things were created by him and for 
 him. Well then he created Adam, or as we are told, God did it through Christ ; 
 hence, Christ was Adam's father by creation, and once being a father, he will never 
 cease to be a father, and consequently, is an Everlasting Father. He is the Father of 
 Adam and all mankind by creation, and will always be our Father. This idea you will 
 discover is perfectly consonant with the whole tenor of the scriptures. I will take 
 another passage, Revelations, i. 8., "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the 
 ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." 
 Now, this is a passage often brought forward to prove that Christ and his Father are 
 one person, I have shown you how he is Almighty, and will now show you how he is 
 the beginning and the end, the first and the last. These words-must refer to our 
 present existence, for after we rise from the dead, we have no end, and Christ could 
 not be the end of that which is endless ; they therefore refer to this state of probation. 
 To show how Christ is the beginning, I will quote his own words, Eevelations, iii. 14., 
 " These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the 
 creation of God." Thus he is the beginning, let us see how he is the end'. See 1st Cor!. 
 XT. 24., " Then cometh the end, when he (Christ) shall have delivered up the king- 
 dom to God, even the Father." — Verse 28, " And when all things are subdued unto 
 him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under 
 hnn, that God may be aU in all." He is then the first and the last : the beginning 
 and the end. In this speech I have made a few objections for want of something to 
 reply to. I have spoken with the best of feelings towards my opponent, and towards 
 you. It is true my language may be somewhat uncultivated ; as all the learning I have 
 received, as I before remarked, I have picked up after a hard day's toil, but what I 
 have got, I have got it honestly. If I should not have spoken according to grama- 
 tical rules, just put all this down to my ignorance, and remember I am a working man. 
 As for deceiving you, I ask, have I acted like a man that wanted to deceive you? that 
 is for you to judge. Now I say, inasmuch as you are honest, whatever name you are 
 known by, or whatever profession you have imbibed,' I pray the blessings of the Lord 
 God to rest upon you. Amen. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — ^My christian friends, at the time there was first something 
 said about Mr. Gibson discussing with me, I proposed to him to take one subject, 
 and speak upon it night aft«r night, until all that could be said about it, for or against 
 was 'produced. But we could not come to a satisfactory conclusion to have it so; 
 but- 1 am convinced it jvould have been the best arrangement. One night is not suf- 
 ficient to bring out aU that is necessary to substantiate our views. But I shall be 
 ready at any time to take up the subject again, with any one who holds that God is a 
 material being, and shall hold the opposite of this at any time or place. Mr. Gibson 
 has tried to impress upon your minds that I have insulted him, if I have said any- 
 thing that he might construe in that way it was not intentionally. He says I have 
 not answered him his questions. Now I answer these questions, as that is the last 
 speech upon this subject, he will not have an opportunity of making a reply, as yovi 
 see'itfis plain that could I have induced him to have had more nights than one upon 
 each subject he would have had an opportunity of replying to my arguments, and I 
 should speak with more satisfaction to myself, knowing that he would have this oppor- 
 tunity, so that thfe public mi^htbe better able to judge: lis reference to 'what' he 
 said about being a' pboi: rnjln, I did not say anything with a view to cast a stigma 
 upon him, far I did not know that he got his living by working, if so he is no worse 
 for'it. I have had to do it, I am not despising' hi(n for not having a polished educa- 
 tion, and have to get learning after a hard day's toil, it has been the case with myself, 
 and it is pretty widdy known 'in my neighbourhood, if you will ask any respectable, 
 person there they Wiirtell you. I do not despise a inan because he 'is poor, I do not 
 look at a man through his wealth but through his principles and knowledge. I hope 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN'S DISCUSSION. 29 
 
 he will give me one or two nishts more upon this subject, for I cannot go into it with 
 that zest as I could if I knew ne would have an opportumty to reply to me. He has 
 attempted to expliun away that most forcible passage that declares, that in Jesus Christ 
 dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, by saying there was a passage which 
 says that we all received of the fulness of God. I know this, every one receives of 
 the fullness of God, as It says in the first Epistle of John iii. 24, "And hereby we 
 know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us." But he giveth 
 not his spirit by measure to Christ, to men he measures it according to their capaci- 
 ties. Christ being born of a human mother, and having a divine Father possessed an 
 infinite capacity and perception, but man is only finite. And therefore in Christ 
 dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily ; and thus all power was given to Christ, 
 the same as when the soul gives power to the body. There was one question I asked 
 him very pointedly I wished him to tell me where I might find a passage in the Bible 
 where it says the Father dwells out of Christ — one in which it is declared that Jesus 
 and the Father are two distinct persons. 
 
 Mr. Gibson has only inferred certain things from passages that are doubtful as to 
 theu' correctness. He has taken doubtful passages, and by them tried to prove his 
 position. I have stAed to you in positive language of Scripture, that God and Christ 
 are not two persons, and he cannot prove that any part of the Godhead is out of 
 Christ. He brings forth another passage, where it says that it "Pleased the Father 
 that in him should all fulness dwell." Then agsun he says this fulness was all truth 
 and all wisdom, hers is infinite wisdom and truth in Clu'ist, this proves the very 
 position 1 Iftive laid down, although I must say he has stumbled over his explanation 
 of these passages, for he makes them say opposite to that which they do say. He 
 quoted another passage to take it out of my hand, " For unto us a child is bom, &c." 
 and then he goes on to tell us how he makes out Christ to be the Everlasting Father, 
 because God made him an instrument to create Adam, and being once a Father he is 
 a Father to eternity. Then every one of you are everlasting fathers according to that 
 explanation. Now it is plain that my opponent has no idea of the distinction that 
 exists between the human and divine, he has never brought a single explanation to 
 show such a distinction. 
 
 I will only add two or three things more. It would, however, require several 
 nights more to bring the subject forth as it ought to be ; we are only on the thresh- 
 hold of it yet. "When we speak of Christ being from eternity to eternity, this does 
 not have reference to time, but to his mind. Times have no effect upon God. And 
 what seems evident to our mental vision does not exist in time, bu^ is exhibited 
 through the instrument tf the body. For instance, those who have been interested 
 to-night, when you look round at the clock, you say, dear me, how very quick the 
 time nas passed. The time has not passed quickly, but that appearance is caused by the 
 state of the mind. A member of my congr^ation has stated to me, when I visited 
 him in his sickness, how many times he lookea at his watch, during five minutes, now, 
 if he had been in the enjoyment of good health, the time would not have appeared to 
 go so slow. And now, Jesus Christ is the Everlasting Father from eternity to 
 •eternity, but not of time but of state ; and, moreover, as we have showed, the divine 
 nature cannot be divided : the Father dwelt in him, and he became one with him, and, 
 therefore, he is the Everlasting Father. Mr. Gibson asked me a question — " What 
 existence Christ had before the world was ?" He, the divine truth and the Holy 
 Ghost, and that word was made flesh, and became personified in Jesus Christ, and the 
 divine wisdom is the performative principles, by divine wisdom was all things made ; 
 and it was before the worlds were made^ therefore, Christ did not exist before the 
 ■worlds were : for it is plain that this union is essential to his existence. But, as I 
 said, we must have two or three more nights over them to do them justice. Although 
 I coiild say much more, an,d bring a many more passages on the subject of this night's 
 ■debate, yet I forbear saying anything more, as I am giving him another opportunity 
 of coming before you again upon this point. I have a great deal more to say on the 
 Oodhead, and then we will go on to the next point of debate, when we have done with 
 this subject. I beg to thank you for the attention you have given, and for the order 
 you have preserved, and go home, where you can silently think over the subjects you 
 have heard with candour ; and pray for that unerring wisdom that will guide you to 
 the truth. 
 
30 GIBSON AND WOODMAN'S DISCUSSION. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — It is impossible for me to meet Mr. Woodman any more evenings 
 than I have agi-eed to do, although I was willing, as I am maldng preparations to 
 emigrate to America. He ought to have made better use of the time he has had. 
 
 Thibd Night, Novembek 7, 1850. 
 
 Subject: — The true nature of the signs promised to fMuw faith, in Mark, xvi. 
 17, 18. Are the terms there used, such as tongues, serpents, devils, l$e., to be 
 understood in the literal sense ? 
 
 Mr. Gibson the Apeikmative — ^Mb. WooDMAjf the Negative. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — According to this Bill, when I undertoolc to meet Mr. Woodman in 
 public discussion, it . was for three nights only, but mai-k my astonishment, when I 
 found two niffhts more published on the bills for . announcement of this night's dis- 
 cussion, for Mr. Woodman's self. This he has done without consulting me. Now, 
 as he has taken this course, and seeing I do not wish to trust to Mr. Woodman's me- 
 mory for what has been said at this debate, I think it pi-oper to publish the discussion 
 &.nd let all men see it (hear, hear) ; and I shall consider myself no longer bound by that 
 rule by which it was agreed that the discussion was not to be printed. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — Mr. President, my Christian friends, I think, sir, I must claim 
 the indulgence of a few minutes while I just refer to what has fallen from Mr. Gibson. 
 ■ Mr. Gibson. — I shall claim the same time. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — Well, I will give way. I will merely observe in reference to the 
 complaint he has made, I was not aware that I was doing anything wrong. I con- 
 sider that the cause of truth would be subsei-ved by delivering two lectures after 
 the discussion was over. This has nothing to do with the discussion at all. I do not 
 consider that I am debarred from delivering two lectures in this hall by the rules of 
 discussion, as Mr. Gibson, or any person, will have the privilege of putting questions 
 to me after each lecture. He has the same privilege of taking the hall to lecture in, 
 a,nd suffer questions to be put to him. The president here, who is an old friend of 
 mine, has saved me the trorble of endeavouring to impress' upon you the necessity of 
 the due and^andid manner in which you Ought to take notice of the things that will 
 be brought before you. I proceed at once to the questioif I have to enter upon to- 
 night, by remarking, in the first place, that I shall disclaim all personal feeling, or 
 spirit of persecution,. We are assembled here to inquire into certain principles, and 
 not only tcf judge according to the evidences placed before us, but to take the only 
 test, the law and the testimony. . At the same time, I must claim the pi-ivilege of doing 
 justice to the subject I have undertaken to maintain, and if I find 1 cannot maintain 
 it, I will think seriously upon the question ; and if, after due consideration, 1 find that I 
 am wrong, I will consent to alter my opinions, and cleave to that which appears to me 
 to be the truth. 
 
 The subject for discussion to-night is, " the true nature of the signs promised by 
 our ever-adorable Lord Jesus Christ to follow faith. After he had arisen from the 
 dead, and just before he ascended, his disciples were with him, and he promised cer- 
 tain signs, namely, that they should cast out devil.s, speak with new tongues, &c. 
 But in order to see the nature of these promises we must look at the context as well 
 as the promise, it is recorded in Mark xvi. 17, 18 ; we will look at the 15th and 16th 
 verses, which read as follows : " 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." Verse 17th, " And these signs shall fol- 
 them that believe ; in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new 
 tongues. " Verse 18th, " 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." 
 Now by reading both the text and context it is evident that this promise was not 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 31 
 
 made to the disciples ; but to them who should believe through their preaching ; these 
 signs shall follow them that believe, the Lord said after he had commanded them to 
 go forth and preach to every creature. Now the difference between Mr. Gibson's 
 position and mine is, that he is to abide by the letter, and that I am to show that 
 tiiese signs are to be understood as bearing upon something that does not immediately 
 appear in the letter. Now if we take them according to the letter they never existed 
 in any age of the church. Mind, I do not deny the possession of certain gifts the 
 Apostles had ! no ; I understand all this ; but we do not read of those who believed by 
 their preaching having these gifts, nor of the Apostles themselves having the whole 
 of them ; no, we have not an instance upon record of them taking up serpents, or 
 drinking any deadly thing ; so that if we abide by the letter alone, in this sense, the 
 promise of the Saviour was never fulfilled. I hope to be enabled to show you a truly 
 more exalted sense, in which we understand that these signs not only existed vrith the 
 apostles, but with every true believer from that time down to the present period. Now 
 the first thing that is stated concerning these signs is this, " in my name shall they 
 cast out devils, speak with new tongues," &c. Now when we speak about the name 
 of Jesus Christ, it is necessary for us to understand what we mean .by it ; if you will 
 examine your soriptm'es when yon go home, you will find out that all the names ap- 
 ply to God ; every name fi'om Jehovah to Jesus is expressive of some divine character 
 or quality ; that is the use of names in the scriptures ;• it is to indicate certain quali- 
 ties. For instance, the name Jehovah ; this is a name in Hebrew, and involves the 
 verb of existence, he is, was, and will be. The name Jesus, we know, was given to the 
 humanity, when the angel declared he should save the people from their sins. The 
 same remarks apply to the Christian name, this you will find in Isaiah Ixii. 2 — 4 : 
 " And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory ; and thou shalt 
 be called by a new n9.me, which the mouth of'the Lord shall name : " 4th verse " Thou 
 shalt no more be termed forsaken ; neither shall thy land any more be termed deso- 
 late ; but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Bulah, for the Lord delight- 
 eth in thee, and thy land shall be mai'ried." This is only one of a gi'eat many instances 
 I could bring of this kind from the scriptures. We will turn to another in Revelations 
 iii. 12 : " Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and 
 he shall go no more out ; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the 
 *name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of 
 heaven from my God ; and I will writ^ upon him my new name." We are not to 
 understand that this means a mere sounding name, it is not a new name of that de- 
 scription, but a new quality, new glories that are to be writ* en upon the Christian 
 character; hence then, to cast out devils in the name of the Lord, is to cast them out 
 in the quality of the Lord's humanity, which is to the church a, source of that new 
 nature which forms the new man ; that operating in us performs this spu'itual work, 
 which is greater than actually taking up serpents 
 
 Well, to come to the signs themselves : the things promised to be done are as we 
 have said, " to cast out devils, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, and if they 
 drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them." Now, if we rightly -view these 
 things, it must be plain to our minds that they bear upon the great work of redemp- 
 tion, and are the necessary results of that redemption, which Jesus Christ has wrought 
 out for the human race. The definition of the word redemption is, to restore all 
 things to order that have become disordered by the fall of man, for thereby his pas- 
 sions became degraded, and hell usurped the power of the human mind. It is there- 
 fore declared by the Psalmist, and repeated by the Apostle Paul, that Christ came to 
 lead captivity captive ; this being done, from his person he communicates power to 
 those who believe, over the enemy who had led them captive ; and among other gifts 
 he communicates to men, we are told that one is, " they shall take up serpents." li 
 is necessary to know what is involved in this saying, that the Christian may know the 
 gift of every sincere believer. We shall be enabled to see that this is the privilege of 
 every genuine Christian in all ages, and likewise of all sections of the Christian 
 Church. Now it is an important fact for us to know, that nothing exists outtof man 
 but what has reference to something in man ; that there is nothing exists in the 
 human, without its co-relative in the outward world. You all know the Lord said to 
 his disciples, when he sent them forth, that he sent them as sheep and as lambs 
 
32 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 among wolves ; and when he asked Peter if he loved him, the Lord said to him, feed 
 my lambs, and on other two occasions he told him to feed his sheep. The Lord shows 
 the connexion there, is between things that are without and things within, when 
 he told his disciples to be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves ; and again he 
 calls Herod a fox : says he, " Go and tell that fox that I do cures to-day and to- 
 morrow, and the third day be made perfect." In reference to serpents, we find that 
 when John the Baptist came upon his mission, and when he saw that the Scribes and 
 Pharisees went out to be baptized of him, he said unto them, " O generation ot vipers, 
 who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" I ask you, upon what 
 ground the Lord told his disciples to feed his sheep and latnua ? — why he said they 
 must be harmless as doves ? Upon what ground he called Herod a fox ? — and why 
 John called the Pharisees a generation of vipdrs, if it were not that they possessed 
 principles strictly in' accordance with the nature of these animals ? Thus, the lamb, 
 the dove, &c., answer in outward nature to the character of certain principles in man. 
 The Lord says, in another place, Matthew, xii, 34 — " O generation of vipers, how 
 can ye, being evil, speak good things ? for out of the abundance of the heart the 
 mouth speaketh." Now, in consequence of the fall of man, every principle in man 
 had become deranged, and amongst other principles, these that are indicated by the 
 serpents have become deranged ; therefore it said that Christ should bruise the serpent's 
 head, in Gen. iii. It does not signify that he shall bruise the head of a literal serpent, 
 but that he should tread upon, and crush that principle, of which the serpent stands 
 as a type. Now after the Lord had accomplished his work in the flesh, and had ob- 
 tained power, he then communicated that power to his disciples, as we read in Luke, 
 X, 19 — " Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents, and scorpions, and over all 
 the power of the enemy ; and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Now I would re- 
 mark in reference to taking up natural serpents : it is a well known fact that the ser- 
 pent-charmers of the east exercise a great power over serpents, and yet this is not 
 miraculous ; neither co they need a spiritual gift of the Holy Ghost whereby to merit 
 a power over that animal in outward nature. In the passage before us it is stated 
 that he would give them power to take up serpents ; which signifies to lift them up. 
 But before he gave them that power, he says, in John, iii, 14 — " And as Moses lifted 
 up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up." Now I maj 
 just here remark, that all undei'Stand Well what were the principles signified by the 
 dove, sheep, and lamb. A lamb is a type of -innocence ; «. sheep and dove are types 
 of that which is harmless ; a serpent, or reptile, is a type of man's sensual nature — 
 this nature that becomes completely infernal or devilish, which only can be reduced to 
 order by casting out the infernal principles of wickedness, which is the work of 
 Christianity, — the work of the Lord, by means of the truth which is taught by his 
 ministers. Now, for instance, assuming that by the serpent is signified the sensual 
 nature, before the coming of the Lord, inasmuch as man became immersed in sensual 
 things, they had no idea of God, and therefore, they made stocks and stones to wor- 
 ship ; but the Lord after he had assumed the humanity, and glorified it, lifted it up 
 to be an object in which we could see the manifested God, that will, when we look to 
 it, impart to us power to elevate these sensual ideas, and raise them up to the one true 
 and living God, and to manifest them in the flesh. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — Friends, — I again feel happy to have an opportunity of standing 
 before you. I may say on this occasion as 1 said on the two last occasions, my only 
 object is to make truth apparent, I have no other object in view, and I shall endea- 
 vour to confine myself to the subject in hand, and at the same time make my remarks 
 so plain that the weakest capacity may understand me. Before proceeding further I 
 wiU make a remark or two about the two lectures. I do not want to debar Mr. 
 Woodman from lecturing, but certainly before he published two lectures on the sub- 
 jects of cdscussion on the bills announcing the discussion, seeing he does not pay for 
 these bills, I had a right to know of it. He says I may attend and put questions, but 
 1 have neither time nor opportunity. As another reason I would not, he would have 
 a couple of hours and I only a few minutes ; this would not be meeting him upon 
 equal terms. In debates of this description or in debates of any description, but espe- 
 cially of this, each debater pil^ht to be allowed equal time. So far as keeping the 
 rules inviolate is concerned, neither of us have kept them, for there have been two 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 33 
 
 Teporters through the whole of the debate, and the 6th rule says there were to be 
 -none. The question for this night's discussion is, " The true nature of the signs pro- 
 mised to follow faith," in Mark xvi. 17, 18. I agree with Mr. Woodman in the conclu- 
 sions he came to after he had read the text and context : that these signs were to 
 follow those that believed on the apostles preaching. I diifer however from him in 
 the declaration he made, that this promise was not to the Apostles themselves. J 
 would ask were the Apostles believers ? if so, they then can claim the promise of the 
 Saviour among other believers, for these signs shall follow them that believe. In the 
 20th verse of the same chapter it is said, " And they (the Apostles) went forth, and 
 preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with 
 signs following." I will just for a moment carry your minds back to the time that 
 Jesus made his appearance on this earth ; he came as a man, and was acquainted with 
 grief and sorrow ; was born in a stable and cradled in a manger. The Jews would 
 not receive him when he came unto them at the age of thirty years, as the Son of 
 God. They said, is not this the son of the carpenter ? how then can he be the Son of 
 God ? how can he have come down from heaven ? When the Jews boasted of Abra- 
 ham being their father, Jesus answered them saying, " before Abraham was I am." 
 And they took up stores to cast at him, and ultimately crucified him between two 
 thieves as an impostor. After he arose from the dead it was firmly believed by th» 
 Jewish nation that his disciples had stolen his body from the tomb, to which certain 
 men bore testimony. Now these very men that were supposed to have stolen his body 
 from the tomb, when he appeared, were sent forth with this testimony, " Go ye forth 
 into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature ; he that believeth, and is 
 baptized, shall be saved, and 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, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them ; they 
 shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." The question may be asked, why 
 did not Christ show himself to all the people, and convince them that his body was 
 not stolen away ? This was because faith was to come by hearing the word of God 
 from the mouth of his ambassadors, therefore he sent them with this testimony. Th* 
 disciples in their preaching had to declare the resurrection of their master from the 
 dead, and his ascension into heaven ; all those who believed their faithful testimony, and 
 were baptized upon the strength of that faith, were then entitled to receive a witness 
 from heaven to themselves, that they also might know of a certainty that Jesus lived, 
 and in their turn bear witness to others. 
 
 It is an easy thing for you and me to believe in Christ, as the Son of God, in his 
 resuiTection and ascension to heaven, as these traditions of the fathers and records of 
 scripture have been impressed upon our minds by the diligence of our parents and. 
 religious instructors from our early childhood, as truths. But it was hard for the 
 Jews to believe that Jesus was older than Abraham, when he was not yet fifty years 
 of age. Now, to send the apostles out under these circumstances, with such a testi- 
 mony as Christ gave them to bear, was something to prove the world by ; therefore, 
 this promise was given not only to strengthen them in the fulfilment of their arduous 
 duties, but also to confirm those in the faith who believed through their preaching. 
 When the apostles preached, and men believed, and received the fulfilment of the pro- 
 mise made to them, they then had proved for themselves that these were the servants 
 of the livhig God, and that Christ had actually arisen from the dead, and ascended up on 
 high. My friend says, these signs, understood in their literal sense, never did exist in 
 any ^ge of the churcli ; nor, says he, can it be proved that any of the apostles possessed, 
 all of them. But if we admit that they possessed some of them, which he does, then 
 my point is established and acknowledged by my opponent. But I will give you th» 
 testimony of Paul, to be found in the 1 Corinthians, xii, 3, to prove that they fol- 
 lowed every believer, " Wherefore, 1 give you to understand that no man speaking by 
 the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed, and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, 
 but by the Holy Ghost." Verse 4, " Now there are diversities of gifts, but the sam» 
 spu-it." Verse 5, "And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord." 
 Terse 6,|" And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same OoJ which 
 worketh all in all." Verse 7, " But the manifestation of the spii-it is given to every 
 -man to profit withal." Mark this passage ; how is this manifestation of the spirit 
 
 C 
 
34 GIBSON AND WOODMAN'S DISCUSSION. 
 
 given to every man ? Verse 8, " For to one is given by the spirit, the word of wis- 
 dom ; to another, the word of Icnowledge." Verse 9, " To another, faitli by the same- 
 spirit ; to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit.", Verse 10, " To another, 
 the working of miriicles ; to another, prophecy ; to another, discerning of spirits ; to 
 another, divers liinds of tongues ; to another, the interpretation of tongues." Verse 11,. 
 " But all these worketh that one and the self same spirit, dividing to every man sever- 
 ally. as he will." It is almost useless for me to make any comment upon these words. 
 Every man who believes the Bible, even my opponent himself, must confess that the 
 church possessed these gifts in the literal acceptation of the language, and, eonse- 
 •[uently, received the literal fulfilment of the Saviour's promise. I have not argued 
 that every man in the church, should be in possession, of the whole of these gifts, noi- 
 that all signs should follow one individual. Paul dechu'es that the manifestation of 
 the spirit is given to every man, that evei-y man shall receive a manifestation in one 
 wa,y or another to himself, and for the general good of the church. To one, the spirit 
 gave divers kinds of tongues ; to another was given wisdom : to another, the gift of 
 healing, &o., giving to every man severally as he (the spirit) would. As Paul says in 
 the same chapter, " Are all apostles ? are all prophets ? are all teachers ? are aH 
 workers of miracles ? Have all the gifts of healing ? do all speak in tongues ? &c." 
 Although one man does not possess them all, yet mark you, they were all in the 
 cliurch, divided amongst the members thereof, by the spirit of the great Ood. By 
 these manifestations they knew assuredly that Christ was risen, and had ascended up 
 on high. 
 
 My opponent says they never did take up serpents. Now either Mr. Woodman or 
 the Bible is wrong, which I shall prove j ust now. Pie has said that the term serpent 
 means sensual nature, and quoted a great number of passages to prove that the 
 scriptures compare m.en to serpents. 1 do not disagree with hmi on tliat point, that 
 men are compared to lambs, sheep, &c. Therefore, when Christ said ye are my sheep, 
 we know that he did not mean real sheep, but spoke of his followers, whom he com- 
 pared to that animal. When he says, " I am the true vine," we know he did not 
 mean a literal grape-vine, but spoke of himself. There is a great amount of this me- 
 taphorical language in the scriptures, which should be read and understood as such i 
 but I am now going to read to you a plain matter of history. See Acts xxviii. 1 — 5 : 
 " And when they were escaped, they then knew that the island was criled MeUta." Verse 
 2 : " And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness ; for they kindled a fii'e, 
 and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold."' 
 Verse 3 : " And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the 
 fire, there came a viper out of the heat and fastened on his hand." Verse 4 : "And 
 when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among, 
 themselves, no doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea,, 
 yet vengeance suffereth not to hve." Verse 5 : " And he shook off the beast into the 
 fire and took no harm." This is a piece of history I have been reading to you ; this 
 is not a man's sensual nature that fastened upon Paul's hand ; it was not a man's sen- 
 sual nature he shook off his hand into the fire. If I am to believe the Bible I cannot 
 disbelieve this statement. 
 
 ' Again, Mr. Woodman said a great deal about the meaning of the name of Jesus,, 
 and concluded that to oast out devils in the name of Jpsus, is to cast them out in the 
 quality of the Lord. Let us see how the name of Christ was used anciently in the 
 healing of the sick, and casting out of devils. In Acts iii. 1, we read an account of 
 a lame man being healed, who sat at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful 
 to ask alms of them that entered into the temple, who also asked alms of Petev 
 and John. Verse 6 : " Then Peter said silver and gold have I none, but such as I 
 have give I thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk, and 
 he took him by the hand,, and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle-boue.s 
 received strength." Here we read of a certain man being healed in the name of ^esus, 
 who had been a cripple from his mother's womb. That is the meaning of doing a 
 thing in the name of Jesus. Peter said in the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk, 
 and he took him by the hand, and the man was healed. Did not the signs follow 
 them in ancient times if these instances be true which I have quoted : I rather think 
 they did ; her* is a lame man cured. I will quote another scripture, about casting 
 
GIBSON AND WOOD MAN's DISCUSSION. 35 
 
 out devils. See Acts xvi. 10 : " And it came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain 
 damsel posscsst'd with a spirit of divination met us, Avhich brought her masters inv.ch 
 gain by soothsajing." Verse 17 : " The same followed Paul and us, and critd saying, 
 these men are the servants of the most high God, v.hich show unto us the way of 
 salvation." Verso IS : " And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, 
 turned and said to the spirit, I command tiiee in the name of Jesjs Christ to coirie 
 out of her, and he cam.e out the same hour." This is how the signs follow them that 
 believed in ancient times. I will give you another testimony from Acts xix. 11 ; 
 '• And God v/1-uught special miracles by the hands of Paul." Verse 12 : '• So that 
 from his body were brought unto the sick, handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases 
 departed from them and the evil spirits went out <4' them." Kow to make it more 
 evident still, that these devils that Paul cast out were not the sensual nature of man, 
 but actual devils, I will continue to read the 13:h verse of the saine chapter : " Then 
 certain of the vagabond Jews exorcists, took upon them to call over them wbic-h had 
 evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, wo adjure you by Jesus, v/hora I'aul 
 preached." Verse 15 : " And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and 
 1 'aul I linow, but who are ye ? '' Verse 16 : " And the man in whom the evil spirit was 
 leaped upon them. anU overcame them and prevailed against them, so that they fled 
 out of the house naked and wounded." Was it the sensual nature of man that said 
 Jesus I know, and Paul I know ? Was it the sensual nature that caused the man 
 possessed to leap upon the sons of Sceva, and wound them ? Wa.s it in the quality 
 of Christ's humanity that these actual devils were cast out, or in the name of .lesus; 
 The scriptures say it was in the name of Jesus Christ. Another passage strikes 
 my mind ; Christ on one occasion, in casting out devils, is besought by the evil sjiirits 
 to allow them to go into some swine ; he allowed the devils to enter the swine, and 
 they immediately ran into the sea, and were drowmed. Am I to say that it was th» 
 sensual nature that Christ cast put of this ir.an, and permitted to enter into the swine ? 
 Mr, Woodman thinks so. I have proved to you that the promise made by Christ to 
 believers was literally understood by, and literally fulfilled, in the ancient church. 
 The name of Jesus was an antidote to the poison of literal serpents ; in the name of 
 Jesus, men spake with new tongues ; m the name of Jesus devils were cast out ; in th« 
 name of Jesus the sick were healed. On the day of Pentecost the gift of speaking in 
 other tongues was given to Christ's disciples by the out-pouring of the Holy Ghost, 
 so that men from many nations heard them speak in their own tongues, the wonder- 
 ful works of God ; this you will find in Acts ii. And this was after tlicy were com- 
 manded to go out into all the world, &c. ; again, see Acts x. 14, where you can read the 
 whole account of the conversion of Cornelius,; in the -14th verse it is said, " While 
 Peter yet spake the words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." 
 Verse 45 : " And they of the circumcision w hich believed were a.stonished, as many 
 as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured the gift of the' Holy 
 Ghost." Verse 46 : " For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God." 
 Here, then, are those who believed in the testimony of Peter receiving one of thoss 
 gifts promised by the Saviour. Again, Acts xix,, we read an account of twelve men 
 speaking with other tongues, and also prophesying. Now, is not this the signs fol- 
 lowing those who believed the Apostle's testimony? These men we read of in the 
 19th of Acts had been baptized with the baptism, of John : Paul asked them when he 
 came among them, if they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed ; they re- 
 plied that they had not so much as heard of such a thing ; then Paul, instructed them 
 more perfectly and baptized them in the name of Jesus, and laid his hands upon them, 
 and they spake with tongues and prophesied. These passages must be obliterated 
 from the sacred page, or Ave must believe that these signs followed believers according 
 to the literal acceptation of the passage I will give you another quotation from Acts 
 ix. 17: "And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his 
 hands on him, said, brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thea 
 in the way as thou camest, htith sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and 
 be filled with the Holy Ghost." Verse 18: "And immediately (here fell Trom his 
 eyes as it had been scales, and he received sight lorthwiih, and aro.xe, and was bap- 
 tized." Here is an account of one who received his sight by the laying on of the 
 kands of the servant of God. See another instance, in Acts xxviii. 8 : " And it came 
 
 c2 
 
36 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 to pass that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux, to whom 
 Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him and healed him." Verse 9 : 
 " So when this was done, others also wluch had diseases in the island, came and were 
 healed." 
 
 I need not quote any more scripture just now. It is plain from what I have quoted, 
 that either they cast out literal devils, or the Bible is not true ; and, mark you, 
 I have not been reading metaphoi-s, but plain matters of history. Either they spake 
 in other tongues or the scriptures are not true, either they healed the sick and had 
 power over literal serpents, or the Bible is a fable. Paul says one received one kind 
 of a gift, and another, another kind, as it seemed good to the mind of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Mr Woodman — My Christian friends, I wUl say in reference to the great body of 
 Mr. Gibson's remarks, that I think he has given himself a great deal of unnecessary 
 trouble to tell you what the Apostles did. I told you I did not deny that the Apostles 
 had the miraculous power in possession, so he has been proving what never was con- 
 tested. The subject between us is the meaning of the Saviour's promise to those who 
 believe. I wish only to remark, in respect to his saying that he wants to have equal 
 terms, I offered the other night to go on with all the subjects as many nights as they 
 may require, but he declined, upon tbe ground that he is going to America ; but if I 
 am informed correctly, he is not gqing till January. If he can spare a few nights 
 more, I am at his service. I shall not flinch from the Question in the least, until w« 
 have done with the subject. I was remarking that the question is not what the 
 Apostles did, but what is the meaning of that promise of the Saviour to believers, and 
 how it applies to the church ? — if it is to be taken in the literal sense, or according to 
 a, meaning that does not immediately appear in the letter ? I asked him who ever 
 took up serpents, and he gave us the instance of Paul and the viper in the island of 
 Mileta ; but that is not taking up serpents ; to take them up you need to stoop down 
 and take hold of them, and lift them up. Mr. Gibson would make it appear that 
 when the serpent laid hold on Paul's hand, that God promised he should have power to 
 shake it oif : but if we are to have the letter, let us abide by it. It says they shall take 
 Up serpents. He is very fond to talk about metaphors and history. This was not a 
 metaiphor, but a matter of history, of what the Lord promised — it was a promise to 
 believers that they should take up serpents ; but he seems to have one kind of a system 
 of interpretation for prophecy, another for metaphors, and another for history. But 
 I shall not go further into that point just now. I wish to bring before you the whole 
 of the subject, as far as I can, that you may be able to see the whole of the position I 
 take, arid then he may have an opportunity of dealing with itas he is able. He made 
 a remark about the name of Jesus, and gave us to understand that the mere name, 
 Jesiis, accomplished all these wonders he has quoted ; and to substantiate this, pi-o- 
 duced ,a singular proof — the sons of Sceva, who commanded a devil to go out of a man 
 in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preached, and the devil flew upon them, &c. They 
 used the very name ; and he said it was the only thing that cast out the devil. Where, 
 then, is tlie distfiiction betvyeen these wicked men and the Apostles ? The Apostles had 
 ■something more than the name ; they possessed the quality which is derived from the 
 Lord. One thing more ; he has stated a great deal about these signs confirming the 
 .people in the knowledge of the resun-ection of Jesus Christ. He cannot produce one 
 single in.siiance from the scripture that this was the case, for the Apostles always went 
 to 9ie law arid to the testimony to prove out of it all the doctrine they preached to the 
 people. He says that the serpent does not mean the sensual nature of man ; what does 
 it mean in those passages I have brought to prove that it does mean so ? Does Mr. 
 "Gibson mean to say that the Lord brought forth a metaiphor that might mean any- 
 sthing or nothing ? Jesus spoke acc6rrling to divine wisdom, and made use of language 
 ■necessary to show forth that divine wisdom. He has never shown yet that the things 
 'out of a man, are'n9t representatives of things in a man. 1 have entered pretty largely 
 into the signification of serpents, arid made it plain to you, that the Saviour's promise 
 refei's to the| lifting of theiil' up, dr to the lifting up of that which lies grovelling in the 
 dust of tnaterialistn • therefore, the Lbi-d says — " And if I beiifted up, I will draw aU men 
 untb me ;" speaking &f what death He should die, but not meaning death, but that which 
 Was the means pf glory, and'by, which he ascended up far above all heavens. T passed 
 over the casting out of devils, in my last speech,' because! thought' I vrould finish what 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 37 
 
 I had to say upon the subject of serpents, which was the most striking. And spealjing 
 in what is called new tongues, I omitted, thinking that I should have an opportunity 
 again of entering upon them. Perhaps, in presenting the subjects to your notice in 
 this way it was that you might more i-eadily receive them. 1 admit that a, devil 
 signifies an infernal spirit ; but that is not the only signification of the word : we have 
 another in Rev. xviii. 2, — "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, 
 Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the 
 hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Now, it is ad- 
 mitted on all hands, that by Babylon is signified something that is false and iniquitous, 
 and opposed to- the true state of Christianity ; but it is not necesfary for me to enter 
 into the various ideas entertained upon that word. It is sufficient for me to see the 
 ideas represented by the Apocalypse, which all agree that devils sijjnify something that 
 is false. I ask Mr. Gibson whether it is evil spirits or evil principles that make men 
 Vficked? Is not the possession of evil spirits the incorporation of evil principles? 
 Every evil, in this scriptural sense of the term, is called a devil. When Jesus Christ 
 inquired the name of the spirit that was in the man that met him out of the tombs, 
 the spirit said it is jegion ; meaning many : so the devils that posse.ss people, in all 
 ages, are many. There are thedevils of pride, of licentiousness, of deceit, of hypocrisy, 
 iic. Now he gave power to his disciples to cast out these devils, and the true sign of 
 faith, in all ages, is, it casts out devils. It thus becomes A sign to ourselves, and 
 proves to us that our faith is genuine ; and every Christian, of every age, in the Church, 
 that has been a partaker of a vital faith in the Lord, this sign has followed ; because 
 ■whatever comes from the Lord is power, and rejects all evil. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — My friends, I would first remark with regard to meeting Mr. 
 Woodman. He says I am not going away until January, and supposes that I may have 
 time to meet him, but I would inform him that I have so much to do by way of pre- 
 paration for my journey, and the visitation of thirty branches of the church, that I 
 shall need all the time 1 can command between now and then. 
 
 I will now come to the subject of discussion. He makes a quibble by saying that 
 Paul did not take up the serpent that fastened upon his hand. But, let me ask, was 
 not the miracle the same, whether he took it up or whether it fastened upon his hand, 
 was it not by the power of Uod that his life was preserved? He talks about serpent 
 charmers, I ask him did Paul charm this one when it fastened upon his hand? 
 Whether he took it up, or whether it fastened upon his hand, the power of God was 
 made manifest all the same, and still this instance remains as a mighty proof that 
 these signs did literally follow believers as Christ promised. He asks why the mei» 
 name of Jesus, as used by the sons of Sceva, did not cast out the devils ? Why, be- 
 cause they did not believe in the testimony of Paul, and thus become enabled to cast 
 out devils ; these signs were to follow them that believed, — they were unbelieving. 
 Again, he said the apostles always proved their doctrine out of the scriptures. True, 
 but what followed after the people believed the apostles' preaching and scriptural 
 proofs ? Why, having beUeved, they then received a testimony for themselves ; fop 
 these signs followed them that believed. The Latter-day Saints do not work miracles 
 to make people believe ; but they first give them the law and the testimony, and pro- 
 mise, as the apostles did, th^t signs shall follow those who belieVe. Were 1 to work a 
 miracle just now, it woiild not prove me to be a servant of God. The magicians of 
 Egypt could work miracles, so could the witch of Endor, and we read that the devil 
 ia the last days will work miracles ; but their miracles do not prove them to be the 
 servants of God. If you read a book upon chemistry, wherein you are taught to put 
 certain things together to produce certain effects ; if you put these things together, 
 and these effects are produced, would they not prove to you that the book was true ? 
 and would it not be to you a testimony that would confirm you in the faith of che.. 
 Biistry. The Bible says, " In my name they shall cast out devils, speak with new 
 tongues, talce up serpents," &c. Now, by this means you may also prove that the 
 Bible is true. He goes on to say, that he admits that a devil means- an infernal 
 spirit. I thank him for that admission. Now the question resolves itself into this, 
 was it infei-nal spirits that was promised to be cast out in the name of Jesus, or only 
 evils, or infernal principles, that were to be cast out? As I asked him before, was it 
 a legion of evils, or devils of pride, deceit, hypocrisy, &c., that besought Christ to let 
 
38 GIBSON AND woodman's DISCUSSION, 
 
 them go into the swine ? — or shall we just take it as a history given in the Bible, 
 that Christ actutilly cast out infei'nal spirits ? I agree with him that there are a great 
 many figures of speeeli used in the Bible ; but the question is this : are the passages 
 we read as a history of'events that literally transpired, to be considered in this figu- 
 rative sense ? If so, let him take those passages I have brought forward, and shew to 
 you the sense he applies, to them. Fie asks me if the passage he quotes from the Re- 
 velations means infernal spirits ? The question is not, what that passage means, but 
 do the passages I have quoted refer to infernal spirits ? — if not, let him prove to this 
 congregiition that they i-efer to something else. He never looked at the passage I 
 quoted from Paul's Epistle to the Go;-inthians, where he declares evei-y man receives 
 a manifestation of the spirit of Ood— to one was given the word of wisdom, to 
 another the woi'king of miracles, &o. Why does he not take up that, and if it does not 
 mean what it says, show us whiit it does mean. I declare that it means what it says ; 
 that those who received, and believed tiie apostles' testimony, received those signs as a 
 confirmation of their faith. Man has not only to believe' thnt Jesus Christ ascended, 
 but that these signs would follow him. The disciples were not only sent to preach 
 that Ciirist was the Lor J, but they were bound to promise that these signs should fol- 
 low men if they beliovod. Paul says, these signs did follow believers literally — my 
 friend says they did not. Paul' in the xiv. of 1st Cor. tells them how to use these 
 signs, so as to be benefited by them, proving that these signs did literally follow them 
 that believed. I might refer you to other passages, but what I have quoted is suffi- 
 cient until he overturns them, and then I will produce more. I have proved that in 
 the name of Jesus they did east out literal devils, .spake with nevv tongues, &c., accord- 
 in<^ to the promise oi Jes-js when he ascended, and if I am wrong it is for my 
 friend to prove it. What I have laid down is a matter of plain history, and not figu- 
 rative e.'ipressions, which he indulges so larjrely in. I wish him to lr:ok at the.se pas- 
 .sages and disprove them, and if he cannot disprove them, then of course the point is 
 settled, that. these signs did follow them that believe. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — My christiati friem's, I think I can make you understand, though 
 I cannot make him understand, that I never called in question any of the miracles ha 
 has quoted from the Acts of the Apostles; this is not the nature of the question; tha 
 question is, what is the meaning of these views of the Lord Jesus Christ in his pro- 
 mises to those that believe. Now, he tells you the passages which I brought forwaird 
 are metaphors. What dees th:!t amount to ? It is no more than a mere assertion. 
 He has not given you any proof that they are metaphors. He says, it does not 
 matter what that passajje signifies that says Babylon is an habitation of devils. I showed 
 you from that, that the incorporation of evil may be understood as the incorporation 
 of a devil, as that passage evidently refers to and means evil. He has not shown ybu 
 ,any reason i\-hy that wurd which the Lord uses in the passage selected, has not the 
 same meaning. 
 
 He says, the Lord calls him.self a door ; he is a divine door. He calls himself a vine ; 
 he is a divine tree. Mr. Gibson could not suppose us to think be is like a coir.mon 
 tree that grows ijpon the ground. Xow, if he would examine, he would find' in the 
 scripture, that there are trees of righteousness ; these are not figurative trees, but 
 they are real trees, they have their roots in the m.inds of men, and grow there. So 
 evils are real things in the minds of those who cherish them. I shall go on in giving 
 you my view of the subject. I wish he would allow me to get this out, and if we 
 cannot settle it to night, I am willing to have another night with liim or any one else. 
 The first effect of faith was to cast Out devils, by which are signified the evils which 
 man inherits from his parents, and makes his own by actual conversion. He said,' if 
 you put together certain ingredients, you will have certain results, and that signs in 
 the same way are the results of faith. This I do not deny. The second sign is, tbej 
 shall speak with new tongues, which only occurs in one passage, and that is where tm 
 apostles spoke with other tongues on the day of Pentecost. My opinion is, that they 
 had another idea of a new tongue than that Mr. Gib.son seems to have ; they did not 
 imagine it was only,a mere sound that is uttered. He might speak in French, in 
 German, or in any of the oriental langu^iges, and not speak in a new tongue. What- 
 ever a man speaks, it is the old tongue which he .speaks. Because it is called a new 
 tongue, it does not necessarily follow that it is the quahty of the sound or the speech 
 
■ GIBSON AND WOODlIAlSl's DISCUSSION, 39 
 
 tliat is thera 'meant. Nonv I think this view of the subject will be useful to us, for it 
 shews us we may hare those privileges of using our tongues to speak forth the glorious 
 fTospel, and having the evil cast out of us by that means, we can then cast the devil out 
 
 ■ of some one else. He brought forth one passage that might have taught him this, 
 1st Corinthians, xii. 2, "Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking 
 by the spu-it of God, calleth Jesus accursed, and that no man can say that Jesus is 
 the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Cannota wicked man say thit Jesus is the Lord ? 
 if it only means just the pronouncing of a mere word? 
 
 But Mr. Gibson (I do not say he does it intentionally) confines his mind to mere 
 ponsnat things. Now the sense in which 'these things are perceived by him is only 
 by the senses ; and therefbi-e he has a <5od which he sees only as a material being ; 
 — that God will nerer enable him to lift up a serpent, or, in other words, his mind 
 into the light of Christ, which is grovelling in the dust of materialism. (Mr. 
 Woodman is called to order by the people.) I will resume my remarks ; and let me 
 «ntrc.-i.t you to listen to me, and to my opponerrt also, with attention. Jf I have ex- 
 pressed mystif in language too strong, I am sorry for it. It docs bear upon this sub- 
 ject, b?cause the re^ point in question is, the results of true faith in the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. Now I will call your attention again to what is said respebting tongues, if 
 you will turn to Ps:dra xii, 2 -" They speak vanity e^Try one with his neighbour ; 
 with llattering lipsandwith a double heart do they speak." Now does not that refer 
 to the L|uality of the spaech, «nd is not the quality greater than thq language ; if you 
 •meet a friend, whether his spee; r. is in the German language, or in the French lan- 
 guage, or in any of the languages of the worlil, the sincerity and truthfulness of the 
 man '.yould outwe';;h all thfe kmguages in the world in importance. It is said in 
 Isaiah, xxviii, 11— "For with ctammering'lips, and with another tongue, will I speak 
 to this people." ^ u'lpreliend tho thing the Lord meant v,';is another mode of speak- 
 in;j; more a^lapted to their .st;itp, and not in another I?':;nAage There can be no 
 ■question, if we take all thid into consideration, that where it speaks of other tongues, 
 it has r^latio.i to qualities of mind, instead of to the speech, b ing bad or good. As 
 tho Apostle James h.iys — " It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison, therewith bless 
 we r.'od, even the I'ather, and therewith curse v/e men, which are made after the 
 similitude of God : out of the s.ime mouth proceedeth blessings and cursings." 
 There is a diiTerencebetween the speech of an unregenerate man and a man that isre- 
 gener.itcd ; there is a great gulf placed between them, greater than the ' English 
 channel is between the lands it divides ; there is a greater difference between them 
 than there is in any niitural thing with which we are acquainted. No man can say 
 that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. So that to speak in tongues means 
 something more than the mere word ; it has reference to the quality of the thing- 
 ■spoken, and not to the quality of the tongue. We must not let our minds be carried 
 away thinking that there is not anything in the Bible but metaphor and history.- The 
 Bible was given to us to be' profitable to us in doctrine, for reproof, and for correc- 
 tion in righteousness, that the man of God might be made perfect, thoroughly fur- 
 nished in every good work. Ap;:iin Isaiah, xxxii, 6 — " For the vile person wiH speak 
 villany, and his heart will v,ork iniquities, to . practice hypocrisy, and to utter error 
 against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink 
 of the thirsty to fail."- Now does this refer to the value of the person that -will speak 
 villany, or to the value of his language ;■ we all know that the quality of the man h 
 spoken of here, and not the mere sound of his speech. When a man turns from the 
 error of his way, he no longer speaks the language of villany ; he speaks in another 
 -tongue, although he speaks in the same language in which he was educated. 
 
 Ifr. Gibson — My friends : Mr.- Woodman, in starting his last speech has again 
 found fault with me for quoting scriptm'e. He says he never called in question the 
 
 - things recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. I mean to tell Mr. Woodman, thatT 
 will not pass over it till he shows the views he entertains can be applied to the passage* 
 I have read to him. If he believes that these things did actually occur as I have read, 
 them, then he and I are no longer at variance upon this point — ^then these signs did 
 follow them that believe ; it must be so, if he believes these things m the way I have 
 read them . If they do not mean so, or if they are not to be understood' in the way I 
 have read them, then it is for him to show what these passages .do mean, and not i» 
 
40 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 go to others having no bearing on the subject. He says the apostles did speak in- 
 real tongues, hut those who believed did not; — it is quite easy for him to make an 
 assumption, and upon that to rear a fabric. I grant the apostles spake in real tongues ; 
 but I do liot grant the assumption, that those who believed in the apostles' words did 
 not speak in real tongues also, as well as the apostles. Those who heard them on the 
 d3,y of Pentecost said, these men are drunk with new wine. Suppose we had lived, 
 in the days of the apostles, and had heard men speaking in a language we did not 
 understand, would that prove the language to "be a mere gibberish ? It might appear 
 like an Indian gibberish to us, and after all be a real tongue. He goes on to say,^ 
 that when they spoke in new tongues, it means new qualities of speech. I grant 
 that a man may get a new desire — ^that is, he may begin, instead of blaspheming 
 God, to call upon his name, see things in a different light by the Holy Ghost,J)ut 
 what has that to do with the question?— the question is, did these signs follow the 
 ancient believers literally ? Mr. Woodman says, if a friend speak to you in the Ger- 
 man tongue, it is of great importance to know if he spoke in sincerity. I grant it ;. 
 but if a man came here to speak to you in German, how would you know he was aa- 
 cere, unless you understood him ? if a man came to speak to you, you must understand 
 him in order to know the quality of hisspeech. Therefore, Jesus Christ gave them 
 in ancient times this gift, and sent them to speak the wonderful things of God tO' the 
 people, of different languages, and tongues — yvhat one nation would understmid 
 would be gibberish to the other nations ; but the disciples were sent to represents the 
 t^th to the people in their own tongue, and this is the true meaning and use of 
 tongues. 
 
 , Again, all these signs that I have read from the Acts of the Apostles did actually foUow 
 believers, who not.only ceased to blaspheme, but they also ^pake with tongues and pro- 
 phesied, and as Paul says, one received one gift, and another, anothei; gift, of aidif- 
 ferent kind. Again Paul tells one of the ancient churches,, that if any spake; in' 
 tongues, and had not the gift of interpretation, they were to pray that they might in- 
 terpret ;-and if there were no interpreter, he advised them not to speak in tongues. 
 Ppes; not that prove that this was the gift of a real language, that^even the peypon 
 ^hofreceived it, might himself not understand ? Mr. Woodman's definition of, new 
 Ungues could not apply here. My friend quoted ,1st Corintluans, xii. 3, where it 
 says, " No man spgakuig hy the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed, and that no pian 
 can say that Jesus is the Lord,ib)it by the Holy Ghost." And then he asked, cant,not 
 
 , ,riTf(l9l;ed men; say th,a^ Jesus is the Lord, and not by the Holy Ghost ? landwhy ? beo^pts* 
 it is instilled in them frpm their infancy, it grew with their growth, and, strengtbsfted 
 with their strength, but that ffiith i? no better thamthefaith or the worshippers of Juger- 
 ^ut,the heathen god. It wasdeelared that the discif^es stole thebody c^ Jesusfros^th* 
 tomb ; who then would sayt^hat p^esus was the Lord|,twh^re that lie vvas ,aJipost univerf^y 
 believed ? So that| unless he had some sure token of its triu^l;,:h^ would not sa^r^so. 
 It, was considered, when a mat^ could say so, he was sincere,; < and had reepivedi;jihe 
 Jtoly Ghost, for it was a,t that time, ahard thing to say. tjhai; Jesus was the ;CJj^ist. 
 ; ISfhen they said so, it was in sincerity, for they had rec^ved-ih^Hply, Gliiost„aild a 
 . Djtaxiifestatipn of the:spirit,was givpn to them, and thus they knew,jthati Christ ha4ia8- 
 
 . . ©ended up on high, and had received giftsi for men to ful^ihis prqmise, " that t^ps* 
 .rjl^s ,s}iall follow .them tljat believe;" >They had received this gift (rf, the Holy. G^jist 
 
 . . ?»id signs, by which they kneyv,that Christ liv,ed, and ithaj; hisseryants were trueipien. 
 Ji & man reoeives no jnanifestation, how can he know, that; Jesus is thSiLord ?i he(Eaay 
 ,«!&y,po, because his /ather- tpld; him so, hut he cannot say it by theigift of the Holy 
 Ghost. ,.^pW) all; these gifts .were in the cl^ijirch, although. pne>indi^^vial,di4inot 
 receive them all ; pne receive^ tongues, aijpther received, ,^e gkft to., interpret tongues, 
 Another the gift of wisdom, ^d another knowliedge, and anpther, the' gift of;|i@^iQig, 
 l&e. ; theiSpirit dividing |p every man severally a^W would. ' This is the testimony of 
 the j,postIes, a&d(I should like niy,friend):p look at it, ^d try to overturn it if hel^i^Ji. 
 
 ; ,1 Jbaye granted Mip aUihe^w^ts ;,that a man dpes speak in anothej^^c^iityit^hen he 
 Isasttumedgfyomthe anror of ,liis ways, but that does.aot rqh.him oSiihmenjojmeiaVjot 
 the swtual gifts whichi .Christj hag\pi)o»ised ; tpj, them, that, believe. jThat in, ,thp name 
 / af:-Jesus,/they .should cast outdevils, ^^c. ;I,have .proved from the. scriptufe4,,it|iat 
 these eign^. did aotually follow beUevers ;, and i from this, we gather the true meapiiig. 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 41 
 
 of the words. If these signs never had followed believers, then we might have been 
 inclined to believe Mr. Woodman's theory, but we can not admit his theory and prove- 
 that the actual signs did follow them that believe too. I ask my opponent did these 
 sifns actually follow believers in the ancient church ? So far as we have the history 
 of that church in the scriptures, I have proved they did ; and I must again let him 
 know that I will not go from the point to night, till he proves these passages wrong,, 
 and shows us how his meaning can be applied to them. With regard to die expres- 
 sion used by him, that the apostles always proved their doctrine out of the scriptures, 
 and not by signs, I may just say, that I have been endeavouring to prove my doctrin* 
 by the law and the testimony. Suppose a man should come from London to this 
 place as an accredited agent ot an insurance company ; we have two ways of proving 
 him one, by sending a letter to the fountain head ; and another way, by obeying the 
 laws of the institution, and claiming the benefits of it. So we have two ways of 
 
 E roving that Christ has risen from the dead ; first, by getting new revelation from 
 eaven, like Paul, and in the second place, by obeying the Gospel when administered 
 by proper persons, and cliuming the fiilfilment of Christ's promise in the signs that 
 were to follow believers. When the apostles were sent out into the world, they wer« 
 proved true or false men by the literal fulfilment or non-fulfilment of this important pro- 
 mise. Miracles of themselves, never can prove a man a servant of God to others, they 
 must prove it for themselves, having believed the testimony of God's messengers, they 
 claim the privilege of becoming eons and daughters of God, and then in the name of 
 Jesus, it 13 promised they shall cast out devils; speak in languages which they have 
 not been taught; and lay hands, on the sick, and they shall recover. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — My Christian friends, Mr. Gibson commenced by saying that I 
 had made an assertion, that the tongues which are mentioned in the Sci-iptureS' 
 are gibberish. I never said anything of the kind. He believes they were real 
 tongues ; I beUeve they were. I was speaking to you when I left off before, concern- 
 ing, the nature of these tongues, I will go on and bring out the whole of the subject ; 
 and if this night is not sufficient, I will take another one to it. The Lord says, in a 
 passage which I have already referred to, in Mat. xii. 34, — " O generation of vipers ! 
 how can ye, being evil, speak good things : for out of the abundance of the heart, the 
 mouth speaketh." From which I have before shown you that the rea,l new tongue is 
 a new quality of speech. Mj. Gibson said that the Apostles spake with new tongues.. 
 It is not so said, but it says they spake vrith other tongues, by which is meant they 
 spoke in languages which were already in existence, and understood by those who cajn« 
 tO'the feast of Pentecost ; and, therefore, a new tongue means something evidently 
 tlifferent from this. It is a tongue of another quality: namely, of a Christian quality. 
 A man speaks with a new tongue when he speaks by the love of God. Mr. Gibson 
 says he agrees with this ; that when a person becomes the subject of the spirit of God, 
 instead of blaspheming, he turns his attention to prayer ; but this does not come up to 
 to the standard. A person may profess to pray a great deal; but unless they are 
 heart wofds, still the tongue is only the old tongue. Mr, Gibson brought up that 
 passage again, in which it is said, no man can, say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by tha 
 Holy Ghost, &c. And he admitted they could say that Jesus is the Lord, without the 
 Holyr Ghost ; and then, in order to prove that they could not say so, without the spirit 
 of the Lord, he said it was because they had been e4ucatcd to believe it from their in- 
 fancy. This does not prove they could not say so without th^ Holy Ghost; but it 
 proves they could say so without it. Its meaning, however, is, that no one can say so 
 from the new heart, jand with a new langitage, unless h^ himself has exp^ence(i.that 
 faith, and has cast out the various devils; an^ having cast out the old man with his 
 deeds, then he can speak in| the new spirit of heaven, and frame words new. from the 
 iifeide. The next; thing promised is ,'< if ye (Irink.any deadly thing it shall not hurt 
 jtou." I- suppose Mr. GiMon believes that is to be understood as r^eferring to pnjssic 
 I Acid or some other deadly poison ; and he;'^^! say, the Lord promised a person might 
 I d^mk tho deadly poison aod not b^ hurt. I vt^ill ask him if he thinks faith, no larger 
 , than a grain of mustard seed, .will remove n^ountains? No .on§ ever did remove 
 . jnouDtains with it; and therehas been no lack of opportunity, while.the cutting" of' 
 lio xasDJ railways have of late' been progressing. iber.e have .been no mounlains of 
 this kind removed ; but all Christians know well that faith has removed, mountainsj of 
 
42 GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DI'SCUSSION. 
 
 sin, that stood in the way of thsir eternal happiness.' Now I do maintain that thess 
 gifts are fai-more valuable than the gifts he talks about. 'He says all those who have 
 those gifts have fj,ith ; then it must appear that those who have not those gifts have 
 not faith. He talks about accredited agents, and told us God was not omnipresent, 
 but like the society in London, who has to send down accredited agents : viewiftg 
 God in the same light as he does Queen Victoria, and he could not tell us what was 
 the difference. He has no idea of God. What could Victoria' do if it was not for the 
 minister she sends ? — they may deceive her and ruin her langdom ! In fact, this very 
 doctrine of God not being everywhere pfe'senti is ruinous in its nature : for if you keep 
 friends with his agent you will be all right. ' God is not there, and cannot know' your 
 wickedness or your righteousness. These are awful principles. If the Lord pro- 
 claim miracles let theni perform them. Suppose our friend had restored the man that 
 was in the fit, the other night, would that have convinced you ? No ; you would 
 have brought that passage that speaks of the coming of false prophets, that should 
 came in the last days, to work signs and wonders, to deceive the very elect, if possible. 
 And did not the B'^ast of old do Signs and wonders, that set the world a- wondering 
 after him. But these signs of casting out devils, &c., I have taught you, this evening-, 
 there can be no mistake about them. If a man has these, he need not 'send for fr|esh 
 revelation, for he has the witness in himself. I will take him up upon the subject if 
 he chooses : "that we do not need any new revelation.'' We need no more than the 
 Bible ; it is sufficient,' when rightly understood. Or, 1 will take him up again upon 
 any one of the subjects of this debate, as we b.i-.'e not had time suificient to examine 
 them properly to the full extent.; Jesus says, if you drrink any deadly thing it shall 
 not hurt you. He does not s.iy any one had to drink the deadly- tbirg. There are a 
 great many views entertained by different parties, as to this drinlcing of a deiidly 
 thing. It cannot be right to suppose that it means literalpoisoii. If you will look iit 
 Psalm, cxli. 7, the Psalmist says, " our honesare scattered at the grave's mouth, as when 
 one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth." Jeremiah, in his lainentations, sa^s, 
 " his bones were bi-oken." The Prophet isidah makes use of similar expressions, 
 which all refer to the moral condition of man. The p.salmist'S' bones were not really 
 scattered, Jeremiah's bones were not really broken. Neither are we to understand 
 the deadly thing refeiTcd to is real poison. What can be more deadly in its nature 
 than shi? — it is the spiritual disease of the soul, and the wicked drink'it down like 
 water. Now, the Christian faith is antidote to that spiritual poison. It was the -an- 
 cient custom, as I told you before to signify a connexion between the internal man 
 and the external appearances. We have it in the language of Isaiah ; — •" The weak 
 hands are lifted up, and the feeble knees are strengthened ;" referring to -the state of 
 the spiritual- man. 
 
 Mr. Gibson. — I shall now look at a few things that have been said hy my oppo- 
 nent. He began by acknowledging that the tongues spoken of in Mark and other 
 places are real tongues ; and that they actually did do these things in the days 
 of the apostles which I have noticed. I ask, if he acknowledges this, what- was the 
 use of him and me coming here to discuss this question to-night, for we are agreed. 
 If the question at issue is the true nature of the signs -promised to follow faith, and 
 are the terms there used to be taken in the literal sense," he has acceded to my view 
 of the question. I deny what he says is true, that when -a man speaks by the'-love of 
 God, he speaks in a new tongue or language ; he has ceased using it for evil, and now 
 uses it for good, but he speaks the same language as before, ^^ith the same tongue. 
 
 Again, he says, the apostles spoke on the day of Pentecost in other tongues ; - now 
 the question is, did they speak in other languages? and if they spoke in other languages, 
 then that is to be taken in the literal sense ; and when a man speaks in another 
 language than his native tongue, to him it is a new tongue. To cast out unclean 
 -spirits, — is to he taken in the literal sense, according to the passages I have quoted^ 
 
 Did they really lay hands uppri the sick ? he has said something ;^bout the sickness of 
 the soul ; but the father of Publius had a trouble iipon his system and was healed of 
 it literally, and it was done according to the testimony of Jesus ; is this not to be 
 ■understood literally ? He may tell you that serpents in some passages of scripture, 
 are not applied to real serpents; this I grant: But whether this passage in the 
 Psalms, and that passage in Isaiah is a figure of speech, is not the question ; but ia 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN'S DISCUSSION. 43 
 
 the passages I have read, where we have a record of things that actually took plncf, 
 did they take place as recorded, or did they not? that is the question ; and if I hav« 
 proved that these things did occur, I have proved the position I took in hand to do. 
 I never denied that a man could use his' tongue to the glory of God, but I do deny 
 that doing so in the same language he had before but now used to a nobler purpose 
 Is a new tongue, it is the same tongue put to a new use. I do not intend to run 
 away from the question ; but I want my friend to . look at the passages I have pro- 
 duced, and try if his rule will apply to them. I grant all he has said about a man 
 speaking by the love of God, but it does not follow that these actual signs thould not 
 follow them that believe. Mr. Woodman asks me, do they follow the Latter-day 
 Saints ? that is not the question ; but to reply to it I would Fay, if they do not follow 
 us nor him, then none of us are believers. He may, perhaps, ask me to drink poison, 
 speak in tongues, or work a mii'aele! but Paul declares that God divided these gifts 
 to the members severally as he would ; one might ask one of the true believers in 
 Paul's day to speak in tongues, and he might say, no, that is not my gift, I have got 
 the spirit of prophecy ; you might ask another to work a miracle, that had the gift 
 of wisdom, &c. ; andwvould it prove them deceivers if they did not do it; certainly 
 not. One member has not all the gifts, but the spirit has divided these gifts among 
 them as he would. Show me the true church in any age of the ^^■orld, and I will 
 show you a church that has in possession those gifts of God. Here is the Bible ; find 
 me an account of a people in this book that served God in righteousness, and you ^\ilI 
 find a people that had these powers among them ; you will find a people that had the 
 visitation of angels, and the voice of God to instruct them in the accomplishment of 
 his will among men. But when they departed from the statutes of God, then thesi* 
 powers left them, and they became weak and feeble, Uke Samson shorn of his locks. 
 When Moses brought the children of Israel into the wilderness, they became a pecu- 
 liar people, — and how ? Why the heavens were sometimes opened to them, and an- 
 gels were sent as ministering spirits, to unfold unto them the mind and will of God. 
 Mr. Woodman in his last speech would throw ridicule upon the idea of God sending 
 accredited agents, by saying, if we could make friends with the agent it will be ,nll 
 right ; and he says these are awful principles. You can all bear witness, that in tbu 
 former part of this discussion, he acknowledged that God did send accredited agents 
 who vvere sometimes called Ood,?and that he never appeared but through an agent : 
 so in that respect he and I go hand in hand ; and if they are awful principles, he has 
 Jicknowledged them to be true. (Jod gave these things to the Jews, he sent prophetn 
 to them, gave them miracles, ministration of angels, &c. 
 
 These blessings to ancient Isi'ael made them a peculiar people ; but I find the case 
 altered in the prophecy of Micah iii. 5 : " Thus saith the Lord concerning the pro- 
 phets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth and cry peace, and he that 
 putteth not into their mouth they even prepare war against him." Verse 6 : " '1 here- 
 , fore night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a vision, and it shall be dark unto 
 you, that ye shall not divine, and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and th« 
 day shall be dark over them." Verse 7 ■ " Then shall the seers be ashamed and the 
 diviners confounded, yea they shall cover their lips, for there is no answer from God." 
 There we have an account of these blessings being taken away from them as a judg- 
 ment from God, because they judged unrighteous judgment, because the heads of 
 the people judged for reward, and the priests taught for hire. And for four hun- 
 dred years they were left without these blessings, every man being left to follow the 
 spark of his own kindling. And when Christ came they would not receive him, but 
 put him to death as an impostor. But he made those who believed in him a peculiar 
 •people, by bringing back again those peculiar gifts, such as prophets, angels, visions, 
 dreams, power to cast out devils, new tongues, the healing of the sick by the power 
 of God, &c. And so long as mankind obeyed the laws of God, so long did he mtend 
 they should enjoy these favours j so long should these signs follow them that believe. 
 
 But if, like those of old, they should forsake the statutes of the Lord, and tha 
 priests or heads of the church begift to preach for hire, and divine for money, then 
 they might look for these things to cease to follow them ; then the Lord God will take 
 these signs from them as in the days of old, and there will be no angels, vishing men, 
 no answer from God. This has been the case in every age of the world, when Christ 
 
44 GIBSON AND WOODBIAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 came he promised these gifts, and so long as the New Testament gives us the history 
 of the Church, we find these signs followed them that believed, and wherever we find 
 the Church of God, we may may look for these things, for God has not changed. 
 And if the Church, to which I belong, have not these signs following believers, that 
 Church is not of God. If these signs do not follow believers, in the Church to which 
 Mr. Woodman belongs, that church is not the Church of Christ, or else the Bible is 
 a fabrication of falsehoods. 
 
 Mr. Woodman. — My christian friends, Mr. Gibson states that he is agreed with 
 me, and yet, that he does not agree with me, and he has brought forward a great 
 number of passages concerning what the apostles did. Now, the passage which lie 
 will tell us is for discussion, is the passage 1 have taken in the 16th chapter of Mark. 
 And he argues in this way : if these signs did follow them in ancient times, then the 
 declaration in Mark must be taken according to its literal meaning. He brings a 
 passage out of Corinthians, where Paul speaks of certain gifts that existed in the 
 church ; he says, that there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit, &c. Now, if ' 
 Mr. Gibson had only the word of wisdom, he would not have any of the signs the 
 Lord promised in the text we are now discussing. The Lord makes no distinction 
 in this passage. All believers may receive all these gifts, and it is a mere assertion of 
 Mr. Gibson, to say he did not mean so. According to his notion, the one who has 
 the gift of wisdom, has not one of the signs he spoke of in the text in question, he has 
 not one of the gifts which the Lord promises, which proves the position he has taken, 
 is not correct. He says, show me a true church, and I will show you a church in 
 possession of these gifts. I suppose he means to say, that the Latter-day Saints have 
 these gifts ; but they have to show that these gifts are not lying wonders, deceiving the 
 very elect ; the Lord says, " false christs, and false prophets should come," they have to 
 show they are not the ones spoken of. I only wish I had an hour or two more time ' 
 with you, (laughter) you do not mean to say that one night, is enough to bring forth 
 all that can be brought forth upon this subject ; no, you may study the Bible all your 
 lifetime, and then see enough to last you another lifetime. 
 
 The apostle speaks concerning putting off the works of the old man. I believe it 
 is to be found in the Colossians. He says, " Lie not one to another,, seeing ye have 
 put off the old man with his deeds. Now one of the deeds of the old man is, that he 
 lies with his tongue ; and every one that becomes the subject of that which makes 
 him a new man, he then speaks in a new tongue. The word of God, is not a 
 ■word afar off, but it is nigh unto us, and the faith of the heart speaketh immediately 
 to that. And to the putting on of the new man, arrayed in honour. Now, to show 
 how mistaken he is, the scriptures s'ays, "for there is neither Greek nor Jew, bond nor 
 free, male nor female, for they are all one in Christ Jesus." All these distinctions are 
 done away with ; their manner, or their languages, are not recognized in the true 
 principle of the new man, where Christ is all and in all. First, there must be a faith 
 or belief of the heart in the divine christian redemption ; that faith operates, and leads 
 a man to cast out devils ; it next leads him to speak in a new tongue, from inmost prin- 
 ciples, and not new languages, and then it is that a heavenly protection is throwTi 
 around him, to hinder him fi"om taking up something that is not true, to prevent that 
 spiritual poison from hurting him ; and to enable him to take up serpents, or to, ele- 
 vate these principles which have been degraded by the effects of the fall. And the 
 ■fipal result is, the soul is restored to spiritual health, and rises up out of its ruins like 
 the army of dry bones, and stand a beautiful and perfect ijnage, in the full stature of 
 the new man, manifest in the flesh. 
 
 M^r. Gibson. -^My friends, if you want to hear both sides, wait a little. (Mr. 
 "Woodman's friends began to make a noise and go away.) Mr. Woodman has said 
 that we have to show that we are not the false prophets that should arise in the 
 lastj.days. We do show it, because these false. prophets were to work miracles to 
 ipaake men believe. The Latter-day Saints preach no such doctrine, they preach the 
 gospel, and tell the people to believe it, .and promise that these signs shall follow them 
 tl^at believe ; and vvhen they have obeyed and received the fulfilment, of this promise, 
 they then have proved that we are not false, but true men. I shall take a cursory 
 ri^wof what has been said of this discussion. I want now to show you a few con- 
 tradicitons that Mr. Woodman has made during the course of it. On the first night. 
 
GIBSON AND WOODMAN's DISCUSSION. 45 
 
 he declared he believed that God was a personal being, and had a form, and was a 
 substance. He next declared, that God was love, and was infinitely extended or om- 
 nipresent ; consequently was only a passion, or a state or affection of the mind ; whioh 
 was his first contradiction. This mind he sometimes made out to be thought, as in 
 his comparison of the man and the dagger ; and in his assertion, that a man's thought 
 could be here and in America at the same time ; therefore, he says mind is not mat- 
 ter, but immediately after, he makes out that mind is actually the spirit of man, not 
 his thought merely, as in the case of Paul that he quoted, I Cor., v. 3, where Paul 
 says, " though he is absent in body, yet he was present in spirit." He wanted to 
 prove from this, that Paul's spirit could be in two places at one time, so his last asser- 
 tion contradicted the first ; that it is not your thoughts that are in England and 
 America as he says at once, but actually your spirits. This is his second contradic- 
 tion. On the second night, he told you that no man had seen God at any time, and 
 no man could see hira, and immediately quoted John, xiv. 9, to prove that Philip saw 
 him. This is his third contradiction. He next proceeded to tell you that God 
 was everywhere ; that the heavens could not contain him, and to limit God to space, 
 was to make God like man ; and in a very short time after, he quoted a passage of 
 scripture. Col., ii. 9, to iprove that the whole of God was enclosed in a very small 
 «pace, viz, in the body jf Jesus Christ, for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the god- 
 head bodily Which was his fourth contradiction. 
 
 He also quoted a number of figurative expressions from the Psalms and other 
 places, to try to prove that the account given by Moses, Gen. xviii, about the Lord and 
 two angels eating of Abraham's calf, and Sarah's cakes, with the butter and the milk, 
 ^nd having their feet washed, could not be true, and said that I did not know what 
 was in Swedenborg's writings, but that he had studied them 30 years. I will read an 
 ■extract therefrom, that you may see how far Mr. Woodman and Swedenborg agi-ee. 
 In par. 792 of " The True Christian E eligion," it is said — " Man after death is as 
 much a man as he was before, and so little changed that he does not know but he is 
 still in the former world ; he seeth, heareth, and speaketh, as in the former world ; 
 he walketh, runneth, and sitteth, as in the former world ; he eateth and drinketh, as 
 in the former world; he enjoyeth conjugal delight, as in the former world; 
 in a word, he is a man in all and every respect, and yet we are told by Mr. 
 Woodman, a spirit has nothing in common with other matier. His fifth 
 ■inconsistency ; and in par. 794, he tells us all the difference between their houses. 
 Paradises, meats, and other things is that they are created in a moment, according to 
 a correspondence with the affections of spirit, while all things in the material world be- 
 gin to exist and grow from seed. And in pai". 113, that they ride on horses, only some 
 of them ride with their face to the horse's tail ; and in par. 745, that the boys and 
 young men play at hand-ball, tennis, running, &c., they have also theatrical and stage 
 entertainments, wherein the comic actors represent the various graces and virtues of 
 life. That is Swedenborg's account of the spiritual world. — (Increased noise and 
 •cries of " question" from Mr. Woodman's friends, prevented the great majority of the 
 audience from hearing, but Mr. Woodman's party were determined to make a noise ; 
 what follows was communicated by writing afterwards. 
 
 Contradiction No. 6 Mr. Woodman, in his first speech this evening, de- 
 
 -clared that these signs in a literal sense never did follow the church in any 
 age of the world, and were not promised to the apostles ; and, in his second speech^ 
 he declared that I gave myself a great deal of unnecesisary trouble in attempting to 
 prove this, for he did not deny that they followed the apostles ; and in his third 
 speech, he declares that he never called these things recorded in the Acts of the Apos- 
 tles into question, while the audience cried out that " he did." Seventh contradiction . 
 In the first and second night's discussion, Mr. Woodman contended that God never 
 revealed himself but through the medium of angels, and that they were called gods when 
 they appeared ; but this night he finds it convenient to ridicule this idea and says, 
 that in oiich ease, if we can keep friends with the agent, it will be all right. 
 These, he says, are awful principles. In fact, his arguments have been 
 so very accommodating, that what was yea at one time, was nay at another, if his po- 
 sition required it should be so. Thus, at one time, he declares that God is a sub- 
 stance, has a formed a bbdy ; and, at another time, that he is a passion (viz. Love), 
 
4G GIBSON AND V'OODHAN's DISCUSSION. 
 
 and is everywhere. At one time, he declares that no man had ever seen, or could see, 
 the Father ; and, at another time, he proves that Philip saw Him. At one time, he- 
 declares that the heaven of heavens cannot contain God the Father, and to limit Him 
 to space, is to make Him hke man ; and, at another time, he has the whole of Him 
 du-tUing in the body of Jesus Christ. At one time, he declares that the signs spoken 
 of in Mark, xvi* 17, 18, never did follow the Church in a literal sense; and, at 
 another time, that they did. He declares that God always used agents, through whom 
 Ha manifested Himself; at another time, he ridicules the idea, and says these are awful 
 principles. 
 
 That this is a faithful report of the discussion, the hundreds who were there, be- 
 linging to neither party, can bear witness; and now it is left with the reader to 
 .iudge, by the law and the testimony, by reason and the Word of God, who has the: 
 truth. Error may stand for a time, but, in the end, 
 
 TRUTH WttL TRroMPH! 
 
 E, JAMES, PEINTEB, 39, SOtTTH CASTLE STREET, IITjJPOOIb 
 
THREE NIOHTS' 
 
 PUBLIC DISCUSSION 
 
 BETWEEN THE 
 
 REVDS. C. W. CLEEYE, JAMES ROBERTSON, AND PHILIP CATER, 
 
 AND 
 
 ELDER JOHN TAYLOR, 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Cfturcft of Slesfuss Cfirfet of SlatUr^liap ^amtsf, 
 
 AT BOUIiOGNE-SUR-ntER, FRANCE. 
 
 CHAIEMAN, REV. K. GROVES, M.A., 
 
 ASSISTED BT 
 
 CHARLES TOWNLEY, LL.D., AND MR. LUDDY. 
 
 REPLY 
 
 REV. K. GROVES, M.A., & CHARLES TOWNLEY, LLD. 
 
 Price Eiebtpence each. 
 
 LIVERPOOL : 
 PUBLISHED BY JOHN TATLOK, 
 
 AND FOB SALE BT u. PBATT, AT 13, WILTON STBEET, AND BT AQEHTS THltOUaUOIIIV 
 
 GREAT BBITAIN AND IN BOULOQNE. 
 
 1850. 
 
LIVEEPOOL : 
 PRINTED BT H. JAMES, SOUTH CASTLE STREET. 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS^ 
 
 AccoKDiNG to my appointment to France by the authorities of the Church at the 
 Great Salt Lake City, I arrived at the town of Boulogne-sur-mer, in company with 
 Curtis E. Bolton, John Pack, and W. Howell, for the purpose of preaching the prin- 
 ciples of the Everlasting Gospel. Soon after our arrival I published two communica- 
 tions in the Boulogrtfi Interpreter, giving an account of the visit of the Angel to 
 Joseph Smith, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the first principles of the 
 Gospel of Jesus Christ. These were published both in French and English. 
 
 I also took a hall in the central part of the town, for the purpose of delivering a 
 course of lectures, and gave public notice in hand bills and in the newspaper. After 
 the lecture on the first evening, a Mr. Robertson, an Independent Minister, arose and 
 wished to have the privilege of asking a few questions. I told him that I would 
 answer as many as he pleased, either at my house or his, but could not admit of any 
 thing that might lead to a disturbance. He then stated that he wished to do it for 
 the good of the pubUc, as he had some friends there. I told him if it were his friends- 
 he was interested about, he could bring them with him, or I would meet them rither 
 at his house or mine. Concerning the public, he could leave them to me ; I was 
 going to give them the necessary information in my lectures, but I could not, and 
 would not, be inten'upted in my meetings. He followed us on our way home, and 
 seemed very anxious to converse, but soon manifested a wicked spirit. A Baptist 
 Preacher who accompanied him, was also very officious. They stated that " Joe" 
 Smith was an impostor, and they could prove it. I told them to prove whatever they 
 liked in their own way, I cared nothing for their opinions — that I was personally ac- 
 quainted with Joseph Smith — that he was a gentleman, and would not treat a stran- 
 ger as they had treated me — that I wished no further conversation with them. ITiej- 
 stUl dogged after me, but I answered them no further. The same men had disturbed 
 Brother Howell's meetings before, of which he had informed me. 
 
 On the 4th July we received the following note by a messenger, who wished to 
 know when he should call for an answer. I told him next day at twelve o'clock, that 
 as I was a stranger in the place, I would not take any steps of that kind without con- 
 sulting the Mayor. 
 
 " Boulogne-sur-mer. 
 
 « To Messrs. John Taylor, Curtis E. Bolton, John Pack, and W. Howell,. 
 
 Mormonites. 
 
 " Sirs, — The extraordinary nature of your pretensions and announcements, made us 
 desirous of having their validity and truth enquired into, at the meetings called by 
 yourselves and before the people whom you address ; but as you have declined all piab- 
 Kc inve.stigation at your own meetings, we have judged it proper to address to you this 
 respectful public challenge, to meet us in open and public debate, in order that the 
 validity of your pretensions, and the truth of your announcements may be fairly aod 
 pubUcly investigated. The following are some of the points which we are desirous of 
 having submitted to an open and public investigation : — 
 
 " 1st. — The late Joseph Smith. The origin and course of his public and pretended^— 
 ^ious career. Was he a truthful and honest man, or a blasphemous and daring impostor? 
 
 "2nd. — The Boolt of Mormon. Is it, as you pretend, a revelation irom God? What: 
 are the pretended facts of its discovery ? Is it not a stupid and ignorant farrago of nou- 
 
 A. 
 
2 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 ?9eBse ? Is it not the spoiled production of a man who wrote a parody for his own anrase- 
 ««ent, but who never would have dared to offer it as a revelation from God? What must 
 S»e the character of the party who exhibit such a book to the world as a Divine Kevela- 
 don, and as of equal authority with the sacred writings of the Old and New Testament? 
 " 3rd.- — Yourselves ! The pretended facts of vour Direct Appointment by God, to 
 preach what you call the Gospel. The circumstances and nature of the Divine Revela- 
 tion to which you lay claim. The mode in which you carry out your pretended divine 
 •commission. Your pretended miracles and signs. "What are they ? Are they true or 
 felse? 
 
 " Until those and kindred points are fully investigated and settled to the satisfae- 
 feifln of honest men, we presiune that your attempts at the exposition of the Word of 
 <jrod, may well be spared, as you can scarcely expect to be listened to with respect, 
 while the suspicions which now attach to you are unremoved, and while you are 
 viewed as the representatives of one of the clumsiest and most blasphemous impos- 
 tures which has ever been attempted to be palmed upon the ignorant and credulous 
 ajf mankind. If you accept of our challenge, the time, place, and conditions of the 
 investigation can be mutually arranged. 
 
 " Waiting the favour of your answer, we have the honour to be, 
 " Sirs, 
 " Your most obedient servants, 
 
 "0. W. Cleeve, 
 "James Robertson, 
 " Phiwp Cater. " 
 " N. B. — Have the goodness to inform the bearer when he may wait upon you for 
 your reply." 
 
 I enclosed this communication to his Worship the Mayor, who wrote a very polite 
 ttote, informing me that there would be no objection to such a meeting. We then 
 addressed the following note to those gentlemen : — 
 
 " Boiilogne-sur-mer, July 5. 
 
 " Messrs. C. W. Cleeve, James Robertson, and Philip Cater. 
 
 " Grentlemen, — -We received your singular production, which we consider rather 
 an iincourteous document from gentlemen of your profession. 
 
 " Were we not strangers here, we should pay no attention to it. As it is, we tliink 
 proper to accept ; but as it is unnecessary for so many to engage in a, discussion of 
 *-iiis kind, we have appointed Mr. Taylor on our behalf. 
 " We remain, 
 
 " Gentlemen, 
 
 " Yours obediently, 
 
 '•' Joinsr Tatlor, 
 " John Pack, 
 " Curtis E. Bolton, 
 " William Howell." 
 
 " Gentlemen, — In this matter I shall expect half of the time, and a fair and equi- 
 table arrangement, the which, I, as a matter of course, shall be consulted about. I, 
 5it the same time, engage to prove the doctrines that you profess, to be false and un- 
 :seriptural, and that you have no legal authority to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
 And surely, gentlemen, such champions need be under no fears from the advocate of 
 so ' clumsy and blasphemous a thing ' as the one you say we represent. 
 
 " With all due respect, 
 
 " I remain, &c., 
 , " John Tayloe." 
 
 I must say that I considered the note too nngentlemanly, abusive, and insulting to 
 he deserving of notice. I should have considered it and its authors worthy only of 
 ^oonterapt, had I been in a place where I was known ; as it was, I thought that men 
 ■who could condescend to make such foul insinuations and base assertions, would not 
 ■£ul to impugn my motives, and circulate every species of falsehood that had been 
 hatched up by their brethren in America. I might have objected to the form of the 
 
PUBUC DISCUSSION. S 
 
 document also, as I had scarcely any written rebutting testimony with me ; but I 
 had Brothers Bolton and Pack, both of whom knew Joseph as Well as myself; there- 
 fore I thought it best to take it just; as it was, and meet them on their own ground. 
 I would here remark, however, that I do not consider an elder is responsible for any 
 thing but the doctrine that he preaches ; if he himself be a virtuous man and preaches 
 pure principles, what has he to do with the conduct of another ? I judge him by his 
 words and works. The eternal truths of heaven are independent of the conduct of 
 •any man. Two and two are four, whether I am a good man or not ; three and five 
 will never make seven, however good and virtuous the man who utters it. The Gos- 
 pel that was taught by Jesus is true, whoever teaches it. " The systems of men, which 
 are contrary to the scriptures are not true, nor are they the Grospel, however pious Jtnd 
 sanctimonious the man may be who teaohes them. I would not, however, infer that 
 wicked men teach good principles, for if the tree be good, ,the fruit will be good, but 
 that truth is independent of the conduct of men. Men of vitiated tastes very often 
 choose unwholesome food. Birds and beasts also live on that which accords with 
 their natures : the sheep, the ox, and the dove feed on clean wholesome food ; while 
 the wolf, raven, and Ti;jilture are fond of carrion. Asthese gentlemen wished to handle 
 filthy things, I thought I would humour them for, once; but only thinlc of the idea 
 of three ministers associated with others, meeting in a debate, not to prove a doctrine 
 false by the scriptures, which, as divines they ought to be well able to do, but which 
 they did not attempt ; but to try to prove a man's character to be bad, from news- 
 paper Stories and unauthenticated reports. What would become of Christianity with 
 such a test ? what of Oatholioism, Protestantism, and every other " ism " associated 
 with poor erring humanity 7 And if the scriptures are true that say, " out of the 
 abundance of the heart the movtthspeaketh," what must be the sitna,tion of that bosom 
 which belches out such foul statements as those contained in the following debate. 
 It reminds me of Isaiah's remark, " When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, 
 it shall not come nigh us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have 
 we hid ourselves." 
 
 Boulogne-sur-nier, July 11, 1850. 
 
 ■Minutes of a Discussion held between the Bevds. C. W. Cleeve, James Robertson, 
 and Philip Cater, and Elder John Taylor, of the Church of , Jesus Christ of 
 Latter-day Saints. Taken by Curtis E. Bolton. 
 
 Chairman. — The Rev. K. Groves, M. A., Clergyman of the Church of England, 
 assisted by Charles Townley, LL.D , and Mr. Luddy. 
 
 Fii'st — ^the following agreement, made by the parties was read : — 
 
 Boulogne-sur-mer, July Gth, 1850. 
 
 Minutes of a Meeting Ijeld at No. 1 5, Rue de la Lampe, between the Revds. C. W. 
 Cleeve, James Robertson, and PbUip Cater,i on the one side, and Elders John Taylor, 
 John Pack, Curtis E. Bolton, and William Howell, on the other side, to arrange for 
 a public discussion to be held in this town ; which discussion is to be conducted in 
 the following manner : — 
 
 1. — It is agreed that, the time be equally divided, and that half an hour be given to each 
 side to speak at a time. 
 
 2. — That each party choose a Chairman, and {hey two select a third. 
 
 3. — That the subjects of dis'cussion be as follows, viz. — First, the late Joseph Smith : 
 his public and pretended religious career. Seeond, the Book of Mormon : is it a revelation 
 from God? Thii'd, are the ministers of that'people sent of God by direct appointment? 
 
 4 That Mr. Taylor will have the privilege of discussing the validity of the faith and 
 
 -calling of his opponents. 
 
 5. — That the first meeting be held on Thursday evening, the 11th of July, at seven 
 o'clock, to continue till ten, p.m. ; and be continued on' from evening to evening, Sunday 
 excepted. 
 
 6. — That the sum of half a franc be charged for admittance ; and that out of the pro- 
 ceeds the expenses of the discussion be first paid, and the surplus, if any, be equally di- 
 vided, one half to be given to the MaTOr, and the other half to the English Consurfor 
 •the benefit of the poor. 
 
4 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 7. — That Bhonld there be any deficiencj, each side of this discussion maike up an equal 
 proportion to defray the same. 
 
 C. W. Cleetb, John Taylor, 
 
 James Roberxso., crT,rE.%0LTOx. 
 
 Philip Caieb. "William Howell. 
 
 FIKST night's discussion. 
 
 Mr. Groves requested, for reasons that he would not explain, that each individual 
 should engage for four or five minutes in quiet silent prayer. 
 
 Chairma/n. — It is unnecessary for me to make many remarks on the pi-esent occa- 
 sion, but leave it for the parties engaged. Generally persons are chosen to grace th& 
 office, but here the office must grace the person. 1 would particularly request the 
 au^tory to abstain from any mark of approbation or disapprobation. 
 
 The Rev. C. W. Cleeve * then said, it became his task to take the initiative in this 
 discussion, and in doing so he deprecated all acrimony or personality, and disavowed 
 altogether any hostile feeling towards the persons, whom he and his friends had 
 thought it right to call upon to prove their very extraordinary pretensions. He (Mr. C.) 
 was strongly opposed to public religious discussions, but there aie occasions when we 
 axe seriously called upon to contend for the faith, and to unmashi error and imposture 
 — ^there are occasions, when not to do this would be a gross dereliction of Christian 
 duty. Such an occasion he conceived the present to be. He did not attack men, but 
 a system — a system that he declared to have not the' slightest claim to be called a 
 Christian sect. He and his opponents were not there to dc-lirte a difference, as per- 
 sons believing a common Christianity. They were not there to dispute slight dis- 
 crepancies in a common faith. Had his opponents preached t)i ' ■^vent doctrine of the 
 Christian faith, as taken from the Bible, he and his friends vvoi'l not have been there 
 to oppose them ; but they had cited Mr. Taylor and his friends, not as teachers of any 
 form of Christianity, but as emissaries and advocates of the vilest imposture since the 
 days of Mahomet. Such language would be unwaiTantiinIt' towards any denomina- 
 tion of Christians ; but. Christians his opponents were not — they were advocates of an 
 imposture by no means unimportant or unsuccessful ; it was spreading amongst the 
 uneducated in all directions — it was numbering its victims by tens of thousands, and 
 it became the duty of every one to expose its audacious and fatal errors. The first 
 question of discussion is, Was Joseph Smith an impostor ? for if lie was, there was aa 
 end of Mormonism. Had Moses been an impostor, the Old Testament dispensation 
 must have fallen to the ground. If the Redeemer had been au impostor, the gospel 
 could not have been true; and by the same rule, if this perso", Joseph Smith, was an 
 impostor, the whole of this pretended system is a fi-aud. The Rev. gentleman then 
 proceeded to read general extracts from a work by the Kev. i leury Caswell, General 
 Bennett, and others, and an article from the English Reviru; ■■h;v.ging Joseph Smith 
 and the Mormonites with a number of crimes and immoralitie ■:. [We regret that we 
 have been unable to obtain copies of these extracts.] t 
 
 Elder Taylor. — Gentlemen and Christian friends, I st;a\d Iieve as a stranger in 
 your midst ; I have travelled many thousands of mUes for the purpose of coming to 
 this land to preach the Gospel along with my brethren. Whatever may be the views 
 of men in relation to our principles, all must accord that uur being here on such a 
 mission, so far from our families and homes, is evidence, *t le.ist, of our sincerity. . I 
 have listened to some strange remarks and infamous statements, made by the gentle- 
 man who has just sat down, the which, if the thousandth part were true, I should 
 not have been here on this present occasion ; and I think, that 'lefure I get through, 
 I shall be able to shew that we are not such daring impostors, nor blasphemers — that 
 we are not so corrupt, nor are we the immoral, de^j-rs'l'd, lul polluted vn-etches 
 that the gentleman would represent us to be ; but that our dot t^rine is a.* scriptural, 
 
 * Lest I should be considered partial, I give the sppp^hcs c C the opposing parties as 
 reported from the Boulogne Interpreter, July 18. 
 
 f I was informed that they refused to let the Editor hav th -^ ' !:s.— J. T. 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. ' 5 
 
 that our conduct is as moral, aad our lives as virtuous, as his or his friends, or 
 that of any other people in the world ; and let me remark, that such foul aspersions 
 and bitter language would become other lips, and an other profession than that of 
 my Rev. friend. I do not wish to cherish in my bosom such bitterness nor wrath, 
 nor to have such angry, vindictive, unbecoming words flow from my lips. These are 
 certainly strange weapons for divines to combat error with. If a doctrine be false, 
 why not prove it so by the Word of God, without having recourse to such subter- 
 fuges. " To the law and to the testimony," says Isaiah, " if they speak not accord- 
 ing to that, it is because there is no truth in them." Neither do I consider that the 
 foundation of eternal ti-uth rests upon the chara<!ter of any man, much less upon false 
 reports, newspaper stories, and the unauthenticated statements of wicked and corrupt 
 men. Mr. Cleeve stated that it gave hunpainto have to meet me. I would remark 
 that it was a pain that he might easily have dispensed with. I have not disturbed any- 
 body in this place, nor interfered with Mr. Cleeve, or either of the other gentlemen. 
 I had taken a hall, and was quietly lecturing in it, when Mr. Robertson came and 
 wished to ask some questions. I told him that I would answer as many as he 
 pleased at his house ; but that I did not wish to have the meeting disturbed. 
 
 Chairman. — ^We AS not wish any personal allusions. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I think, sir, I am not out of the way. I think, with all deference, 
 I have as much right to explain why I am here as my opponents. — (Cries, " Go on ! 
 go on !") 
 
 Chairman conceded. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I did not court this discussion. I am here to answer to ceitaia 
 charges which these gentlemen have thought proper to bring against me and my 
 doctrines. If they had not hatched up this concern I should not have been here to- 
 night. On the other hand, I will say, that although I court not discussion, yet I 
 never shrink, on proper occasions, from an investigation of those principles which I 
 most assuredly believe. If these gentlemen, or any one else, have any principles of 
 truth that I do not possess, I will promise to embrace them. If, on the other hand, 
 they will shew me that I am in error, I will promise to forsake it. I have heard a 
 greatj[deal said about Joseph Smith and his character. I was intimately acquainted 
 with the late Joseph Smith, and know that the statements made by 5& Cleeve are 
 untrue. I have been with Mr. Smith for years ; I have travelled with him j I have 
 been with him in public and in private, at home and abroad ; I was with him living, 
 and when he died — when he was murdered in Carthage gaol, and I can testify that 
 he was a virtuous, moral, high-minded man — a christian and a philanthrophist. 
 My brethren here, Messrs. Pack and Bolton, were also acquainted vidth him, and, if 
 required, will certify to the same thing. In relation to the characters who made 
 those statements I happen to be acquainted vnth them, and know of the circum- 
 stances under which some of them were written. Concerning Mr. Caswell, I was at 
 Nauvoo dming the time of his visit. He came for the purpose of looking for 
 evil. He was a wicked man, and associated with reprobates, mobocrats, and mur- 
 derers. It is, I suppose, true that he was a reverend gentleman ; but it has been no 
 uncommon thing with us to witness associations of this kind, nor for reverend gen- 
 tlemen, so called, to be found leading on mobs to deeds of plunder and death. I saw 
 Mr. Caswell in the printing office at Nauvoo ; he had with bun an old manuscript, 
 and professed to be anxious to know what it was. I looked at it, and told him that 
 I believed i* was a Greek manuscript. In his book he states that it was a Greek 
 Psalter ; but that none of the Mormons told him what it was. Herein is a falsehood, 
 for I told him. Yet iJiese are the men and books that we are to have our evidence 
 from. Concerning Mr. Tm'ner, of Jacksonville college, Illinois, we have had his 
 opinion ; but what has opinion to do with truth ? It was the opinion of men, in every 
 age of the world, that the prophets were impostors, and they killed them because m 
 their beUef. They were whipped, tried, tempted, torn asunder, wandered about ia 
 sheep skins, &c. And why? Because it was the opinion of the people that they 
 were wicked — and the opinion, generally, of the most learned and pious. Hence the 
 Jews killed then* prophets, beheaded John the Baptist, crucified the Messiah, and 
 persecuted his Apostles ; and the Chief Priests, Rabbis, and Doctors were foremost. 
 Respecting John C. Bennett; I was well acquainted with hii*. At one time he was 
 
6« PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 a good man, but fell into adultafy, and was out off from the Church for his iniquity j 
 and so bad was his conduct, that he was also expelled the Municipal Court, of which 
 h^ was a member. He then went lecturing through the country, and commenced 
 ^writing pamphlets for the sake of making money, charging so much for admittance 
 to, his lecttires, and. selling his slanders. His remarks, however, were so bad, and. 
 his statements so obscene' and. disgraceful, that respeetable people were disgusted. 
 These infamous Kes and obscene stories, however, have been found very palatable to, 
 a certain class of society, and. in times of our persecutions multitudes were pleased 
 Tiith them; Hence, not only did it suit; the inclination of these gentlemen above 
 ailwded to, but:preying upon the cupidity of the uninformed, they made a verylncra- 
 tilte business. of thea disgusting traffic, and sold it to the world garnished with the 
 names of Doctor Bennett, the Kev. Mr. Turner, the Rev. Mr. Ca§well,, and numbers 
 of other reverends, associates of blacklegs and murderers. Hence we have awful dis- 
 closures! terrible iniquityl-horrid blasphemy! ornamented and dressed off by the 
 aforesaid reverends, and rewritten, republished, and circulated by their brethren m 
 this country. (Mr. Cleeve, I could furnish you with thousands of such statements, if 
 they are of any use to you.) I say now, as I said before, that reports have nothing to 
 do with truth ; and I will say, moreover, that public opmion has very little to do with 
 it The testimony of Noah was just as true, although rejected by me Antediluvians, 
 as that of Jonah, when all the inhabitants of iNiheveh repented in sackcloth and ashes. 
 And Jesus' testimony was just as true, when they cried, "Crucify him! Crucify 
 him !" and he was just as pure and virtuous as he was when the people strewed 
 bndnehes in the way, and q)read their garments for him to ride over, and cried 
 •^•Hofeannah.! blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." And St. Paul's 
 testimony was just as true, when hie was stripped and imprisoned, as when the people 
 of I^caohia said^ concerning^ him and .Barnabas, " The Gods have come down unto 
 tii in the likeness of men," and would have worshipped them. Truth has always 
 bfeen opposed by the children of men, it comes in contact with their corrupt hearts 
 and wicked practises. The Prophets have always been persecuted; and why? 
 becfeiusethey dared to tell the word of the Lord to the people. Stephen, in speaking 
 oh the same subjecti says, " Which of the Prophets have riot your forefathers killed 
 ■who testifl^ before of the coming of the Just One, of whom ye have been the be- 
 trayers and murderers ?" " But in this age," say the people, " we know they were 
 wicked, arid we would not have done that." So said the Jews to Jesus, and yet they 
 crucified hilni. And he told them, that 'while they Idlled the living Prophets, thiey 
 would gataiish 'the sepulchres of the dead — " Woe unto you. Scribes and Phariseesj 
 Lypderites ; because ye buUd the tombs of the Prriphets, arid garnish the sepulchres of; 
 tht righteous, and say, if we had been in the days of our fathers we would not have 
 been partakers "with them in the blood of the Prophets." In these days God has 
 sent an Holy Angel, (as he before testifled,) "having the Everlasting Gospel to preach, 
 ta^vwy totion, and kindred, and people, and tongue; crying with a loud voice, 
 fear Gdd, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come." The 
 Lord has restored the Gospel as it existed in the Apostles' days. This Gospel does 
 not agree with the. systems of men, wluch are confEoting. and various ; and instead of 
 aeknnivledging, as honest men, the truths contained in the Bible, which thay profess 
 t^i'believ^ but, in reality, do not, they try to cover over their tottering systems and 
 unseripturpal theories, to wi-ap themselves in their cloak of self^righteousnfissj and cry, 
 "!the' Temple of the Lord-^the Temple of thfeLord — the Temple of the Lord are 
 we." And instead of meeting what they call error with the scriptures, and testing, 
 it. with the touchstone of truth, Uke the persecutors of the Prophets, they substitute, 
 ■vitupieration, scandali, persecution, and abuse; and 35 they know that error cannot 
 combat truth, they tread in the steps of their venerable, predecessors, the Plmrisees, 
 who called JsBus an impostor; sajd that he oast out devils through Beelzehttb,. the 
 pruice df devils ; declared that 'he was bom of foi^mcati^, and accused hiin of .blas- 
 l^eriky. So the same kind of persons, in these days, ijithe absence of irtrth,.seek to 
 usdiemiine the ehorabter of a good, honorable, aiiid vir^ious man. Hence we hear the. 
 hUe-and.'Cry of faitee prophet, impostor^ deceiver, blasphemer, adulterer, daring dmpos- 
 totsy&c. Ministers in America join with the drunkard, profligate, and niurd^er,.to 
 }iatdi4i}) stories against 4he Saintsj iind we helve an iiiipoitationltc) this covaaiicy, art- 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 7 
 
 culated by pious people, revised and reprinted by ministers for the same purpose. 
 Gentlemen, men of your calling ought to use other weapons. What do you gain Ijr 
 tms system ? All honorable men are ashamed of it, and it does not prove your doc- 
 trines true. Suppose Joseph Smith was all you represent him to be, your systems 
 are still as unscriptural ; and the next thing you will have to do will be to prove tht 
 scriptiu'es false, if you would sustain them. The eternal truths of God are stilS 
 the same ; and whether Joseph Smith was a good or a bad man, the truths we preach 
 are scriptural, and you cannot gainsay them ; and if they are, what avails yonr 
 attack upon character ? Your soporiferons draughts may lull the people to sleep lor 
 awhUe; but truth will roU forth; the honest in heai-t will be aroused from their 
 slumber ; the purposes of God will roll forth ; the kingdom of God will be established, 
 and in spite of your puny efforts, truth will stand proud and erect, unsuUied and 
 uncontaminated by the pestiferous breath of calumniating moitals, and no power can 
 stay its progress. 
 
 Mr. Hobertson (Independent Minister, I suppose,) considered it proper to account 
 for his present position. He had heard of the bold and audacious pretensions of these 
 so-called Lattei'-day Saints, for the meeting must know, that of the persons challenged- 
 one is no less than ai^postle of Jesus Christ, claiming authority equal with that of 
 St. Peter and St. Paul, and the rest are High Priests. 
 
 Chairman. — It is not properto read a speech. 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — I think I have a right. I don't see what difference it can make. 
 
 Chairman (to Mr. Taylor). — Do you allow it? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I con.sider it improper, sir. 
 
 Chairman. — I certainly do. We are not met to hear speeches read, but to disctca- 
 certain principles, and reading is not discussion. 
 
 Mr. Robertson nevertheless continued to read most of his speech. — He said 
 he was a stranger in Boulogne, as well as his opponents, and his heart warmed 
 to them when he thought how far they had come to propagate their opinions of 
 of religion — from the Great Salt Lake, in the far west of America ; but when he re- 
 membered that they acknowledged as their head the impostor J. Smith, jun., stnd that 
 their mission was to disseminate his imposture, he felt that duty required that they 
 should be fully exposed, and that no false delicacy should be used as regarded them. 
 He and his friends had quoted against the testimony of General Bennett and Profes- 
 sor Caswell, and of works published in America in 1848. These works had testified 
 that Joseph Smith kept up a sei-aglio of " Sisters of the White Veil," and " Sisteis 
 of the Green Veil ;" and that Sidney Rigdon, who had at one time been almost a^- 
 great a man among the Mormonites as Joe Smith, had quarrelled with Joe for the 
 latter's attempt to introduce his, Rigdon's daughter, into the sisterhood. Was there- 
 not a body of men amongst the Mormonites called " Danites," or " Destroying Angels," 
 who were banded together to assassinate such as were supposed to be enemies of tht- 
 body ? and had not the existence of these men caused the hostility of the Americans 
 to the Mormonite body? had not Governor Boggs been assassinated by this body, or 
 some of them ? Now could any of the Mormonites quote in their favour any works 
 of equal authority to those which he (Mr. Robertson and his friends) had produced r 
 It had been said they attempted to limit the power of God, in denying the most daring 
 and blasphemous pretensions of Joseph Smith. It was not true. They did not come- 
 here to limit the power of God. God forbid. But they denied that God had revealed 
 anything to Joseph Smith, and they had come, here to denounce Joseph Smith as xa 
 impostor, on evidence that would satisfy the most expansive-minded jui-y. Now he- 
 (Mr. Robertson) demanded distinctly of Mr. Taylor what was the natra-e of the sister- 
 hood of the White and Green Veil — what was the nature of the dispute between Sid- 
 ney Rigdon and Joseph Smith — and what was the nature of the society called 
 « Danites " or " Destroying Angels." He (Mr. Robertson) could easily understand 
 the reserve of Mr. Caswell's conversation when he met with Mr. Taylor. How did. 
 he know that Mr. Taylor was not a destroying angel ? (Laughter.) 
 
 Elder Taylor. — It would seem from the remarks of Mi'. Robertson, that he abi» 
 attaches very great importance to the statements of Mr. Caswell and John C. B«i- 
 nett, of course, for want of better testimony. I have already referred to their ch»- 
 racters. I have already stated that I proved Mr. Caswell to have told one lie, andl^ 
 
^ PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 a, man that will tell one falsehood to injure an innocent people, will tell five hundred, 
 if necessary, for the same object. I have also spoken of John C. Bennett's character j 
 perhaps these gentlemen suppose that great importance is to be attached to Mr. Cas*- 
 well's statement, because he is a reverend gentleman ; but reverend gentlemen can 
 tdl falsehoods, when it answers their purpose, as well as others. I will presently 
 show some of their proceedings. We have had a terrible account about .the murder 
 of Governor Boggs, I suppose given by the Rev. Mr. Caswell. Ex-governor Boggs 
 is now living in California, at the gold mines. (Laughter). But I suppose he must 
 he dead, because a reverend gentleman said so. Mr. Robertson has told us of a cer- 
 ■tain editor, who was afraid to pollute his paper with remarks made by some of the 
 gentlemen before referred to. It certainly would have been more to the credit of the 
 persons concerned, notwithstanding they had no regard for the truth, if they had 
 had a little more regard for delicacy ; and with all due deference, I must say, that 
 men of the profession and calling of my opponents, would have displayed a little more 
 taste, if they had possessed a little more of that delicacy of feeling which actuated the 
 editor. We are accused here of polygamy, and actions the most indelicate, obscene, 
 and disgusting, such than none but a corrupt and depraved heart could have con- 
 trived. These things are too outrageous to admit of belief; therefore, leaving the 
 sisters of the " White Veil," the " Black Veil," and all the other veils, with those 
 gentlemen to dispose of, together with their authors, as they think best, I shall content 
 myself by reading our views of chastity and marriage, from a work published by us, 
 containing some of the articles of our Faith. " Doctrine and Covenants," page 330. 
 
 " 1. According to the custom of all civilised nations, marriage is regulated by Jaws 
 and ceremonies ; therefore we believe that all marriages in this Church of Jesus 
 Christ, of Latter-day Saints, should be solemnized in a public meeting, or feast, pre- 
 pared for that purpose ; and that the solemnization should be performed by a presid- 
 ing High Priest, High Priest, Bishop, Elder, or Priest, not even prohibiting those 
 persons who are desirous to get married, of being married by other authority. We 
 believe that it is not right to prohibit members of this church from marrying out of 
 the church, if it be their determination so to do, but such persons will be considered 
 weak in the faith of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 " 2. Marriage should be celebrated with prayer and thanksgiving ; and at the 
 solemnization, the persons to be married standing together, the man on the right, and 
 ■the woman on the left, shall be addressed by the person officiating, as he shall be 
 directed by the Holy Spirit; and if there be no legal objections, he shall say, calling 
 «aeh by the'r names, " You both mutually agree to be each other's companion, hus- 
 band and wife, observing the legal rights belonging to this condition ; that is, keeping 
 yourselves wholly for each other, and from all others during your lives." And v/hen 
 they shall have answered " Yes," he shall pronounce them husband and wife, in the 
 name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by vu-tue of the laws of the country, and autho- 
 rity vested in him : ' May God add his blessing, and keep you to fulfil your covenants 
 from henceforth, and for ever. Amen.' 
 
 " 3. The Clerk of every Church should keep a record of the marriages solemnized 
 "in his branch. 
 
 " 4. All legal contracts of marriage made before a person is baptized into this Church 
 should be held sacred and fulfilled. Inasmuch as this Church of Jesus Christ has 
 been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy, we declare that we be- 
 lieve that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in 
 case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again. It is not right to persuade a 
 Avoman to be baptized contrary to the will of her husband ; neither is it lawful to 
 influence her to leave her husband. All children are bound by law to obey their 
 parents ; and to influence them to embrace any religious faith, or be baptized, or leave 
 their parents without their consent is unlawful and unjust. We believe that hus- 
 hands, parents, and masters, who exercise control over their wives, children, and 
 servants, and prevent them from embracing the truth, will have to answer for that 
 sin." 
 
 Mr. Robertson talks about our bold and audacious pretensions. I may be a little 
 out of order in speaking on this subject, but I am following the remarks made by 
 jny opponents, and the thing must rest with them. They bring certain charges 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 9 
 
 against me ; and I, of coui-se, am bound to reply. Now what are our pretensions : 
 We claim that God has restored the same Gospel as that which existed in the Apos- 
 tles' days ; that he has given a revelation which precisely agrees in doctrine, ordi- 
 nances, and principles with that which Jesus taught, and his Apostles adminis- 
 tered in; that he has restored Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers: 
 that we aretold to call upon men to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to repent of 
 their sins, and to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of their sins, and 
 that they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, by laying on of the hands ; that the 
 Holy Ghost produces the same effects now as formerly ; brings things past ti i the 
 remembrance ; leads into all truth, and shows things to come ; that if any are sick they 
 are to call for the Elders, who are to anoint them with oil, in the name of the Li ird : 
 pray for them, and the Lord shall raise them up. Are these extraordinary preten- 
 sions ? Did not the Lord formerly place in His chm-ch Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, 
 and Pastors ? Did they not baptize for the remission of sins, and lay on hands for 
 the gift of the Holy Ghost ? Did not these signs follow those who believed ? And 
 did not Jesus say, " Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every crea- 
 ture ; he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; and he that believeth not shall 
 be damned ?" and that " these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name they 
 shall cast out devils ; they shall speak with new tongues ; if they drink any deadly 
 thing it shall not harm them ; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.' 
 Now, I ask, where was the Gospel to be preached ? To all the world. What 
 was to follow the preaching or believing of the Gospel ? — these signs. Is it extnior- 
 dinary,.then, that we are believei's in the Bible ? or, I will leave it for the people to 
 judge, whether it be not more extraordinary, that those gentlemen who are professed 
 ministers of the Gospel should disbelieve it ? Do these gentlemen mean to tell us 
 that we are not to beheve the Bible, and that the scriptures are not the test ? He 
 finds fault also with a priesthood. Did God ever have an acknowledged ministry on 
 the earth who were not called and sent by Him ? Had He ever a servant who was 
 not called and qualified by Him ? Who spake to Abraham, — conversed with Enoch, 
 — directed Noah, — called Moses, — revealed his will to Joshua, — gave the word of the 
 Lord to Samuel ? Did any of these men go without directions, or teach withovit being 
 sent of God ? The Prophets came with the word of the Lord. The word of the 
 Lord was as fire in their bones. Jesus came not to do his own will, but his Father's, 
 who sent him. He called the Apostles, and ordained them. Timothy was set apart 
 by prophecy, and by laying on of hands ; and St. Paul tells us that "No man taketh 
 this honour upon himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." One of my 
 opponents professes to have a pi-iesthood, the other two seem to care very little about it, 
 and would acknowledge themselves as belonging to a class that St. Paul speaks of who 
 should " after their own lusts heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and 
 they should turn away their ears from the truth, and should be turned unto fables." 
 If fliey have no priesthood, and are not sent of God, they must be made by men. 
 We are again very soberly told about " Danites," and "Destroying Angels." 1 never 
 happened to be acquainted with any of those among the Latter-day Saints, but I can 
 give him an account of some that I met with, the which, for the honor of humanity, 
 and that of the profession of my friends, I could wish I were not forced into. We 
 have heard about the statement of ministers, I shall now be necessitated to tell 
 some of their acts. I was going with my family to Par West, in the State of Mis- 
 souri ; and while staying at a place called De Witt, on the banks of the Missouri river, 
 a mob of about 150 persons came, led on by two ministers, the one a Presbyterian, the 
 other a Baptist ; the name of one was Sashial Woods, the other Abbot Hancock, they 
 lived in Carrolton, Carrol county, Missomi. They came there with -swords by them 
 sidas ; their object was to drive off men, women, and children, from their own homes, 
 that they had purchased and paid for. After menacing the people for some time, they 
 passed resolutions, that if the Latter-day Saints did not leave there in ten days, they 
 would destroy every man, woman, and child, bm-n their houses, and throw their goods 
 into the MissoJiri river. These resolutions were drawn up by these ministers of 
 mercy. These and other ministers, one a Methodist, of the name of Bogard, engaged 
 with a mob in driving about 15,000 men, women, and children, from their homes, in 
 die depth of -wiaier, after roblDing and killing many in the most barbarous manner. 
 
10 PUBLJC DISCUSSION. 
 
 I have seen hundreds thus driven, with no other covering than a blaniet or a sheet 
 stuck upon poles, to screen them from the inclemency of the weather; people 
 that had been in comfortable homes, and good circumstances, rendered houseless 
 and homeless by the inhumanity of these wretches; many of them died in con- 
 sequence of their exposui'e ; others were imprisoned, some of their brethren 
 IdUed, and their flesh brought to them to feed on. These deeds were principally 
 instigated by ministers. These, gentlemen, are the destroying angels if you wish 
 to know about them. Is it diflicult for such men to write books, such as we have 
 heard, to cover their infamy and deeds of darkness ? Who but depraved men could 
 write such books ? and is it difficult to attach the name of Rev. ? this gives sanction, 
 of course, to their statements, which are swallowed with avidity, and circulated by 
 their brethren here. We are told that the Latter-day Saints were thieve-s, that they 
 stole persons property. Why did not the law punish them if they were ? Will 
 these gentlemen tell me ? Men that would rob, murder, and drive people from 
 their homes, having the laws in their own hands, their own courts and judges, 
 would certainly try those first. There are laws in America for punishing thieves, 
 as well as here. These statements are too flimsy for intelligence to be blended with. 
 — ^We hear about Joseph Smith's crimes, he was tried thii-ty-nine times before the 
 tribunals of his country, and nothing proven against him. Why do not these gentle- 
 men bring some legal authenticated testimony from those courts? Why did not the 
 authors of these books do this ? because they could not. When Joseph Smith was 
 among his enemies, on the ground where they could have proven these things, why 
 did they not do it? I ask these gentlemen for some legal proof. It will go much 
 further with me than the statements, opinions, and reports of their Eev. authors, and 
 might, I say, from vvhence springs that bitter, acrimonious spirit, which has been 
 manifested by my Opponents ? 
 
 The Eev. Mr. Cater disavowed all notion of religious persecution, but thought 
 that discussion a necessary one, though he greatly feared a bad use might be made 
 of it, in the leading astray of sincere enquirers ; but it was the duty of all to pray fer- 
 vently and sincerely, that they might not be given over to impostui-e. What proof had 
 they had of Joseph Smith being a Prophet, or being otherwise than what he was — an 
 impostor — a gross impostor. But before he went farther he had a question to put to 
 Mr. Taylor. Orson Pratt, a person of authority amongst the Mormonites, has de- 
 clared in a public tract, that since 1832, belief in the Divine Mission of Joseph Smith 
 is absolutely necessary to salvation, and that those who do not believe in Joseph 
 Smith cannot be saved. Mr. Taylor published a manifesto in the Boulogne Inter- 
 preter, and why did he conceal this doctrine ? . Mr. Taylor either believes it or not, 
 why did he not state it ? Joseph Smith declared that Peter, Jame.s, and John, came 
 down from Heaven to ordain him. Is that true ? The facts about Joseph Smith 
 were, that at school nothing could be made of him through idleness and stupidity. 
 At length, when he grew up a little, he took to pretending to discover treasures, by 
 means of a glass in the crown of his hat ; and shortly after he got so far as to have 
 interviews with angels, and one of these angels told him to go to a certain part of 
 America, and there he would find a young woman, and to carry her off and marry her. 
 Now he (Mr.' Cater) thought angels had something else to do than going about tel- 
 ling young men where they would find young women. (Laughter.) However, Jo& 
 carried off the young woman, stole her in fact from her parents. He came now to. 
 Joe's pretended discovery of the plates. Joe pretended that an angel directed him to- 
 a certain mound, to dig for sacred plates on which a revelation was engraved. It 
 appears that after several attempts, Joseph Smith at length discovered a box, and in 
 this box were the inspu-ed plates. Now it was important to remark this part of the 
 stoi'y. In the first place, these plates said to be buried 1400 years, were fastened 
 together with rings, in the form of a book, though every one knows that in that age 
 writings were formed into the shape of scrolls. These plates were a few in number, 
 about six inches long, and yet one half of them contained as much as the whole of the 
 old Testament. They pi-ofe.ss to refer to Jewish history, and yet they are written in 
 Egyptian hieroglyphics, they distinctly, though alleged to have been written 1400 
 years ago, refer to the mariner's compass. The person who wrote to Smith's dictation 
 had never seen the plates. Joseph Smith having talked to him from behind a screen ; 
 
PUBLIC DKCUSSION. 11 
 
 but where the Book of Mormon came from was not long a mystery, for the brother 
 of one Solomon Spaulding, going to one of the meetings, recognized his late brother's 
 work, a romance of ancient America, which had never been published, but of which 
 th« MS was lost. The widow of Solomon Spaulding testified to the same effect, 
 and that charge has never been replied to, to this hour. But the great consideration 
 is, that these persons pretend to add to, and supersede the Word of God. Now the 
 Bible is the sheet anchor of Christians, and it neither needs the Book of Mormon nor 
 any other book, nor the assistance of Joe Smith nor any other Joe. The awful voice 
 of prophecy has spoken for the last time, and the cause of inspiration is closed. What- 
 ever is needed by the Christian for his guidance is there, and Mr. Cater could remind 
 his opponents of the curse denounced by the Spirit of God against all who added to, 
 or subtracted from that volume. 
 
 Elder: Taylor. — I am prepared to answer all of these statements, and any charges 
 that these gentleman can bring. We have certainly heard a very strange declaration 
 from our friend who has just sat down. He tells us the canon of scripture is closed, 
 and that we have all of the word of God that ever was written. I wonder where he 
 studied his Bible ; for certainly, if the Bible is true that he professes to believe in, we 
 njust assuredly have not got ail by a great deal. We vdll go to your Bible, sii-, and 
 inqmre, I read of a great many books, which I will quote for your information, and 
 perhaps you will be able to tell us something about them. Will Mi-. Cater tell me 
 where is the Book of the Wars of the Lord? (See Numbers xxi. 14.) and also 
 the Book of Jasher? (Josh. x. 13). I wish some information about the Book of the 
 Statutes of the Kings of Israel. (1 Sam. x. 26.) and also the Book of Enoch. (Jude 
 14.) Perhaps he will tell us where the Book of Nathan the Prophet is, (1 Chron. 
 xxix. 29) ; together with the Book of Gad the seer, (1 Chron. xxix. 29), and the 
 Book of Ahijah the Prophet, (2 Chron. ix. 29.) I should like to know from hun 
 also where the Book of Iddo the seer is ? (2 Chi-on. ix. 29) ; and the following, Book 
 of Shemaiah the Prophet, (2 Chron. xii. 16) ; Book of Jehu, (2 Chron. xx. 34) ; 
 Book of the Sayings of the Seers, (2 Chron. xxxiii. 19). 
 
 In the New Testament, the so called, 1st Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, 
 he says, " I wrote to you in an epistle not to keep company with fornicators." (1 Cor. 
 V. 9.) In his Epistle to the Ephesians, he mentions! his writing before to them 
 on a mystery (iii. 3.) ; also his Epistle to the Colossians, written from Laodicea 
 (Ool. iv. 16),. St. Luke says, " Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth 
 in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us." St. 
 Luke i. 1.) Where are those hooks and the testimony of the rest of the Twelve, whose 
 writings we have not. An Epistle of Jude. (Jude iii). It is a pity that men who 
 profess to be teachers should be so egregriously ignorant of the scriptures which we 
 have. Here are sixteen books mentioned, some of which contain doctrines, pro- 
 phecies, and visions of the greatest importance to the human family, written by pro- 
 phets, seers, and revelators, under the immediate inspu-ation of the Almighty, and yet 
 we have them not. Where are they, Mr. Cater ? Yet this gentleman calls us impos- 
 tors because we do not stick to the Bible. 
 
 lie again quotes the sayings of John in the Kevelations, " For I testify unto every 
 man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto 
 these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And 
 if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall 
 take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the Holy City, and fi-om the 
 things which are written in this book." Fi-om this, then, he uifei-s that we ai-e 
 to have no more revelation ; but why does he come to this conclusion ? St. John 
 does not say that God will not reveal himsdf any more ; he says if any man shall add 
 tQ, or take from the words of the prophecy of this book, to him shall be added those 
 piques, &c. Now there is a very material difference between a man's adding, and 
 (Jod^s adding. I should say that any man would be cursed for adding to any of the 
 words of God. What, is this book? " The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God 
 gave unto him, to show unto his servants things that must shortly come to pass, and 
 he sent and signified it by his angel, unto his.servant John." (Rev. i. 1.) It is, then, 
 the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and not of man. It is concerning things which should 
 shortly come to pass, many gf which things cpqld not come to pass witnont more reve- 
 
12 PUBLIC DISCaSSION, 
 
 lation, and this book is particularly alluded to. Well, but as this book is at the end 
 of the Bible, and this passage at the end of the book, may it not be applied in that 
 TV-ay, and signify that we are to have no more revelation ? No ! none but the ignorant 
 could suppose so. That book was not compiled with the others till hundreds of years 
 after, and how could it refer to those of which it had not yet become a part ? And 
 if God had spoken, or shewn visions, to any of the rest of his servants, it would have 
 been just as much the word of the Lord, as that of St. John's, and writing it would 
 not have made it false ; and St. John would have been in just as much danger of ad- 
 ding to their words, as they would in adding to his, according to Mr. Catei^s theory ; 
 but if both were the word of the Lord, they ought' both to be believed, received, and 
 practised. 
 
 Again, St. John speaks of prophets himself, who shall prophesy thi-ee years and a, 
 half, if they do it will be the woi"d of God, and as true as St. John's Revelation, and 
 if they do not St. John's statement is not true. 
 
 Again, Moses says, (Deut. iv. 2.) " Ye shall not add unto the word which I com- 
 mand you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it." And yet we have all the pro- 
 phets' and apostles' writings since then. Ai-e we to reject all the prophecies because 
 Moses said, " ye shall not add unto the word which I command you ?" According to 
 Mr. Cater's theory, St. John himself would come under a curse ; but permit me 
 to e.Yplain a little for him. Moses says, (Deut. xii. 32.) " What thing soever I com- 
 mand you to observe, to do it ; thou shalt not add ther-eunto nor diminish from it." 
 It is very evident, then, that God did not say, that He never would speak ; but that 
 man was not to add unto His word. Another thing is also evident, that it is folly for 
 men who are so little acquainted with the word of God, to find fault with things 
 of which they manifest such ignorance. 
 
 Ml'. Cater has found another difficulty, which is, that in one place an angel is said 
 to have ordained Joseph Smith, and in another that Peter, James, and John, came to 
 him. Now Joseph had several visits and ministrations. But the difficulty with Mr. 
 Cater seems to be, that Peter, James, or John, could not be angels. I must instruct 
 him, however, a little, on this point also. There was a certain individual spoken of 
 in the Bible, called Moses, he was a servant of God, a Prophet ; there was also ano- 
 ther called Elijah ; they died, or were translated. When Jesus was upon the earth, 
 he went on to a mountain with Peter, James, and John, there appeared two glorious 
 personages, angels ; Peter was enraptured, and said, " Let us make here three taber- 
 nacles ; one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias." For who ? For Moses and 
 Elias. Here then were Moses and Elias, who had both lived on the earth, came to 
 minister to Jesus, Peter, James, and John. Mr. Cater, I suppose, would think they 
 had done wrong, but nevertheless they came. 
 
 Again, when St. John was on the Isle of Patmos, a glorious personage, an angel, 
 revealed to him many great and glorious things. St. John was about to fall down 
 and worship him ; but the angel said, " See thou do it not ; for I am of thy fellow- 
 servants the prophets, and of those that keep the testimorw of Jesus, and the word of 
 God : worship God." Who was it that came ? One of St. John's fellow-Servants, a 
 prophet, a man that had endured affliction, sorrow, and tribulation in his day ; per- 
 haps stoned or sawn asunder for his testimony ; but now he had gained the conquest, 
 obtained the prize, basked in the beams of eternal intelligence, and came to minister 
 unto, and comfort, St. John in his lonely situation. We are next told very seriously 
 that Joseph Smith stole his wife ! ! This, certainly, is an awful crime ! ! Mrs. Smith 
 was about twenty years of age when she was married. In America, ladies are of age 
 at eighteen. I wonder if the lady had any hand in the theft. If this is stealing, I 
 stole my wife ! We have following this a number of ridiculous false statements, or 
 rather stories, which, when he attempts to bring forth proof, I shall answer ; until 
 then I consider them beneath my notice. I have not come here to answer nor to 
 reply to stories. Somebody has heard another say, that they were informed that a 
 gentleman, whom their neighbour knew, was acquainted with a lady who had a cou- 
 sin, who heard it reported that there were a number of stories about the plates. Book 
 of Mormon, &c. And I am expected to answer to this nonsense ! Gentlemen, it is 
 too ridiculous ; and upon the whole I would remark, that the gentlemen are now, or 
 ought to be, examining the character of Joseph Smith. When they take up the sub- 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 13 
 
 ject of the Book of Mormon, I am prepared to go into that subject with them, but I 
 wish not to confound the two together. He asks me if 1 believe that people will be 
 damned if they do not believe Joseph Smith's words. If I did not believe that 
 Joseph Smith was a true prophet, I should not have been here. If he was a true 
 
 , prophet, and spake the word of the Lord, that is just as binding- on the human family 
 as any other word spoken by any other prophet. The scriptures tell us that " man 
 shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of 
 God." As my time, however, is nearly closed, I would just remark, that it is strange 
 that so ignorant a man as Mr. Cater represents Joseph Smith to be, should be enabled 
 by sheer cunning to get up a book that Mr. Cater cannot gainsay, nor prove anything 
 unscriptural in, nor all the divines of this age, although many have tried. It is also 
 
 . strange that he should invent a delusion that should introduce the fulness of the gos- 
 pel as it existed ill former days, when all the theologians of this age, with all their 
 literary attainments, cannot produce a correct system. I am at the defiance of these 
 gentleman, or the world, to prove from the scriptui'es yn incorrect doctrine in it ; yet 
 it was this so-called ignorant man who revealed it. Why do these gentlemen not try 
 it ? Mr. Smith is called a wicked man. Can an impure fountain send forth pure 
 streams ? or a bad tfke bring forth good fruit ? Gentlemen, I again say that Joseph 
 Smith was a virtuous, high-minded, honourable man, a gentleman and a. christian ; 
 but he introduced principles which strike at the root of the corrupt systems of men. 
 This necessarily comes in contact with their prepossessions, prejudices, and interests ; 
 and as they cannot overtm'n his principles, they attack his character ; and that is one 
 reason why we have so many books written against his character, without touching 
 his principles, and also why we meet with so much opposition. But truth, eternal 
 truth, is invidnerable : it cannot be destroyed, but like the throne of Jehovah ic will 
 outride all the storms of men, and live for ever. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Groves, in dismissing the meeting, took that ui;oasion to suy, that it 
 was not his intention, either then or at any other time, to offer an opinion as to the 
 failure or success of either of the opposing parties. He had been on the whole pleased 
 with the tone and temper of the discussion, although necessarily in a deliate involving 
 the personal character of an individual, language .somewhat pei-sonal was liable to be 
 used. For private reasons he could not consent to dismiss the meeting with prayer, 
 but he might, as a lYiinister known amongst them, earnestly desire each individual to 
 pray sincerely that it might please the Almighty God to bless whatever might have 
 been said calculated for improvement, and to dischiirge fi'om their minds whatever 
 might have been erroneous or unchristian. 
 
 .SECOND >RiHTS DISCUSSION. 
 
 Mr. Cleave resumed the discussion on the same subject as that of the previous 
 night. Mr. Taylor had denied the testimony of the Rev. lleury Caswell. He (Mr. 
 Cleeve) never expected him to have admitted it ; but the meeting would judge of the 
 weight to be attached to the testimony of Mr. Caswell, though denied by persons who 
 were interested in advancing the system of Mormonism ; for would the members of 
 any fraternity, having interested purposes to answer, not testify in favour of then- 
 leader ? Would not the Cato Street Conspirators all ha\ e maintained the high cha- 
 racter and pure motives of Thistlewood ? Suppose a system of religion w ere promul- 
 gated in England, claimmg the attention which ilorraonism demands itself, and 
 suppose he (Mr. Cleeve) had joined it, would he go to America to preach it without 
 proofs of any kind, and only assisted by the testimony of two or three of his confede- 
 rates ? The fact was, that Sfc. Taylor had entirely failed in what he was bound to 
 do, viz., to clear the chai-acter of .Joseph Smith; for if Smith's revelation was untrue, 
 he was one of the most infamous impostors of whom history has niarle any mention. 
 Had Smith the testimony of prophecy, and the testimony of miracles ? Ave the Mor- 
 monites the only true church, and is there anything more than the Bible necessary . 
 for the guidance of Christians ? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — Ladies, gentlemen, and friends, it is with pleasure that I arise to 
 answer for myself and my friends, to the ch.irges which these gentlemen, in the 
 
14 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 absence of any thing better, see proper still to urge. I would beg leave to remarlsi 
 however, that there is a very material difference between asking and answering' ques- 
 tions. If I had my books here I would give theSe gentlemen as much documentary 
 evidence as they wish, and prove more about their respectable authors than they 
 would be pleased to hear. As it is, I have testimony that would be received before 
 any court in Europe, and, surely, Christian ministers ought to acknowledge such. 
 But, before I proceed, I wish to answer one or two of Mr. Oater's questions ^hich I 
 was prevented doing last night for want of time. Mr. Cater made himself very 
 merry last night, at the idea of the " TJrim and Thummim," which he called, 
 " peeping through two pieces of stone in a hat." I will quote from a letter from 
 Parley P. Pratt : " with the records was found a curious instrument, called by the 
 ancients the Urim and Thummim, which consisted of two transparent stones, clear 
 as crystal, set in the two rims of a bow ; this was in use in ancient times by persons 
 called seers. It was an instrument, by the use which they received revelations of 
 things distant, of things past, or futm-e."* We will now see what the scriptures say 
 about it — " And thou shall put in the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and the 
 Thummim ; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart when he goeth in before the 
 Lord." Exodus, xxviii. 30. " Also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the 
 Thummim." Lev. viii. 8. " And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered 
 him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." 1 Sam. xxviii. 6. 
 The Urim and Thummim were afterwards lost, and it would seem from the situation of 
 the children of Israel, on their return from the Babylonish captivity, in numbering the 
 priests, that some of them had lost the records of their genealogy, therefore were 
 they as polluted, and put from the priesthood, and the Tirshatha said unto them that 
 they should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a priest having 
 the Urim and Thummim." Ezra, ii. 62, 63. Here, then, was a thing of great 
 importance, one of the most sacred things amongst ancient Israel, a thing that was 
 lost, but wlaich again was to be found ; an instrument through which God's ancient 
 seers revealed his will. Yet this most sacred thing is made a mock of by a professed 
 minister. ^ 
 
 Chairman.— ^ilr. Cater did not make a mock of the Urim and Thummim. 
 
 Mr. Cater. — I did not. 
 
 aider Taylor. — I could not understand it in any other light. 
 
 Chairman. — It was the stones that Joseph Smith looked through, and not the 
 Urim and the Thummim. 
 
 Elder I'aylor. — If he had quoted fairly as an honest man, the above would have 
 been the statement. If not, then, I say, he is misquoting, and stating falsehoods. If 
 the book he quotes from be false, he is the advocate of liars and the mimic of buffoons. 
 If I was to misquote the passages of scripture concerning the Urim and Thummim, 
 and say that Saul or David peeped through two pieces of stone, and then make a 
 laughing stock of it, I should say that T was making merry with sacred things, and 
 consider myself a buffoon. Mr; Cater informs us that the Book of Mormon tells us 
 about the " mariner's compass," and then goes on to state, that the mariner's com- 
 pass wjis not known for hundreds of years afterwards. 1 wish he had givei us the 
 quotation. I will quote from the Book of Mormon. — " And it came to pass that as 
 my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great aston- 
 ishment he beheld, upon the ground, a round ball, of curious workmanship, and it 
 was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles, and the one pointed the way 
 whither we should go into the wilderness."t Was this a " mariner's compass ? " 
 Is a mariner's compass a " round ball ?" Again, this ball " pointed the way they 
 should go." Does a mariner's compass point so, Mr. 'Cater ? or to the north ? 
 Here we have another of Mr. eater's perversions. Again, a mariner's compass was 
 invented by man, this by the Lord. I wonder if the Lord is not as able to do this as 
 he is to vprite with his fingers on stone, divide the waters of the sea, or guide a 
 people by a pillar of cloud, and of fire. Mr. Cater, however, does not seem to under- 
 stand all about the mariner's compass; he tells -us that it was invented in the fom*- 
 
 * See " Remarkable Visions," by Orson Pratt, 
 t See " Book of Mormon," p. xxxiii., Second European Edition. 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSIO>r. 15 
 
 teenth century. Gilbert, in Libra de Magnete, affirms that Paulus Venetus bi-ought 
 it first into Italy in the year 1268, having learned it from the Chinese ; and Ludi 
 Vertomanus affirms, that when he was in the East Indies, about the year 1 500, he 
 saw a pilot of a ship direct his course by a compass, fastened and formed similar to 
 those now used. And Mr. Barlow says,* that " in a personal conference with two 
 East Indians, they affirmed, that instead of our compass they used a magnetic needle 
 of six inches, and longei', upon a pin, in a dish of white China earth filled with 
 water, in the bottom whereof they had two cross lines for the principal winds ; the 
 rest of the divisions being left to the skill of their pilots." But independent of any 
 of these things, the God of Israel is as able to reveal any thing to the people on the 
 continent of America, as he is to those on the continent of Asia. So much, then, for 
 Mr. Cater and his remarks. I now turn to Mr. Cleeve. In attempting to reply to 
 this gentleman I find myself laboui-ing under considerable difficulty, for 1 have 
 nothing to reply to. I have heard nothing but a repetition of the same trash that 
 he advanced before. He has brought no authenticated testimony against Joseph 
 Smith, we have a few newspaper stories, and unauthenticated documents, and the 
 gentleman thinks they^e arguments and testimony, and says I have not answered 
 them. The congregation, I suppose, will be judge of this. I never expected that 
 these gentlemen would give up theu" filthy authors, they are all they have to cling to. 
 I will, however, touch briefly on the gentleman's remarks. Mr. Cleeve says, that I 
 stated, that " because Joseph Smith was persecuted he must therefore be a good man." 
 I never made such a declaration. I stated that the Apostles were good men, and 
 yet were persecuted, that the Prophets were considered deceivers, and put to death 
 as such. That Jesus was called a deceiver, a devil, a blasphemer, and a coiTupt 
 man, although he was the Son of God ; and the false statements of my opponents 
 did not prove Joseph Smith to be a bad man, any more than the statements of the 
 Jews proved Jesus to be wicked. Why are my words misrepresented ? Mr. Cleeve 
 tells us that Jesus was well spoken of by his enemies. 1 wish he had shewn us 
 where ; for 1 must confess myself ignorant in this particular. "VVho is it that gives 
 us his history ? His Apostles. Were they hi^enetnies ? He refers us to Pilate. Was 
 Pilate his enemy ? This is the first time that I have heard him called so. 
 Pilate was a Roman judge. He had to judge according to testimony. The Jews 
 had sworn falsely against Jesus, and told Pilate, when he would have let him 
 go, that if he did he was not Caesdr's friend. He then washed his hands, and 
 said, that he was clear from the blood of this just man. Is this the conduct of 
 an enemy? Jesus's enemies testified the same about him that Joseph Smith's 
 have about him. Now, who was it that testified evil about Jesus ? I think the per- 
 sons were quite as respectable as Caswell, or John C. Bennett. They were people 
 that made long prayers, that fasted, and were very devout ; paid tithes of all 
 they possessed ; teachers of the law ; chief priests ; scribes and pharisees — the re- 
 spectable, the learned, the devout, the pious, the priests, and the people. And 
 will Mr. Cleeve account Jesus as an impostor, because of this respectable array of 
 testimony ? St. Paul was not only tried, but condemned to be whipped several 
 times. Does Mr. Cleeve believe St. Paul to be a wicked man ? Joseph Smith 
 never was condemned by any court, although he was tried thirty-nine times by his 
 enemies, Jlr. Cleeve makes some remai'ks about testimony. He speaks of a kind 
 that he thinks I ought to bring documents to be accredited, as if it were necessary 
 for us to bring replies to all the trash ever published against us. Now what testi- 
 mony had St. Paul when he preached at Athens, at Eome, or at Antioch ? He said 
 that he had seen a vision, the people, of course, could believe him or not, as they 
 thought proper. The wicked Jev\-s were sent after him and' his colleagues to testify 
 evil. Hqw could he rebut it? Where were his documents ? The Jews could state 
 that he had been found guilty in several places, and whipped and imprisoned. Could 
 he deny it ? Assuredly not. They could testify that Jesus, whom he preached, was 
 crucified, as a blasphemer and an impostor, by the Jews, his own people. Could he 
 say that this w.is not a legal decision ? It seems to me that these gentlemen have 
 never studied their Bibles, or they would have known more about such tilings ; they 
 
 * " Navigator's Supply," Anno 1597. 
 
IG PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 must see that they are taking the same stand that, the pharisees and chief priests did 
 foi'merly . What did St. Paul, and the other apostles, say ? " We are his witnesses, 
 and so also is the Holy Ghost." So say we. St. Paul said, " I am not ashamed of 
 the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that 
 helieveth." So say we. I have heen imprisoned with my brethren, and shot in prison ; 
 hut I am at the defiance of the world to prove any thing agEunst my character, or 
 that there was ever any immorality proven against me, or that I was ever found 
 jfuUty or condemned. And I bear witness that Joseph Smith was a good man, 
 and that these statements brought by my opponents against him are false ; and I 
 bear witness that the power of God attends the ministration of this gospel. This is- 
 my testunony concerning Joseph Smith, my brethren will bear witness to the same 
 thing. If my word be doubted, bring a magistrate here, and I will make an affidavit 
 to it, and so will my brethren ; here, then, is living testimony. We have heard from 
 our opponents about testimony that would be received in a court. The testimony of 
 three living witnesses against a criminal, if his crime was murder, would hang him. 
 
 Chairman. — Oh, no ! oh, no ! 
 '^ ^ Gentleman, (a barrister.) — It would. 
 
 Elder Taylor, — I say, Mr. Chairman, that it would. Let three respectable men 
 make affidavit before a court, that they had seen one man murder another, and if 
 their testimony was unimpeached, the man would be hung — ^theb testimony would be 
 conclusive. Impeach us if you can. Now, I will speak a little about the position of 
 my opponents. I suppose they are considered gentlemen here ; their doctrines are 
 believed, at least, by their several flocks, if they have any. The Bible is believed 
 by all. Suppose we transplant them to Hindostan or China. What evidence would 
 they have to present before the people? They present the scriptures, and tell 
 the people that they are true. But, how are we to know it, say tlie people. 
 We tell you so. That is all very well; but we want some proof. Well, say 
 you, they speak of Jesus coming to atone for the sins of the world. Yes; but 
 the Jews tell us he was an impostor and a wicked man. But we believe him to 
 be a good man, and the Son of God. Did you ever see him ? No. Did you ever 
 .si^e anybody that had seen him? Nb. How do you know anything about him 
 then ? We believe him to be good. Who wi'ote- this book ? His Apostles. Oh, 
 his particular friends ! Yes. Did you ever see them? No. Did you ever see 
 anyliody that had ? No. Well, we do not put much confidence in your remarks ; 
 but >\ e will read your book. Having read it, they say, oh, I perceive that certain 
 signs are to follow them that believe — the sick are to be healed, devils cast out, they 
 ai-e to speak in other tongues, have the gift of prophecy, &c. Do these signs 
 follow you? Oh, no! But you say you are believers, and your Bible says these 
 signs shall follow them that believe. Oh, they are done away and not necessary. 
 But one of your Apostles says, " follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts." 
 But they are not needed. Strange! Your Apostle, St. Paul, says, " the eye cannot 
 say to the ear, I have no need of thee, nor the head to the foot, I have no need of 
 thee." But shall we not receive these gifts if we beUeve in Jesus, repent, and are 
 Ivaptized? No. Oh, you have a friend here, I see, who is also a Christian minis- 
 ter. Do you believe in the same book, sir? Yes. Do you believe in the same 
 doetriue ': No ! But do you get yours from the same book ? Yes ! And does it 
 teach you diflFerently? We believe differently. But you have, we perceive, another 
 friend here ; is he also a minister ? Yes. Which of your doctrines does he 
 believe ? Neither. Do you all believe the Bible ? Yes. Do you believe it to be 
 true or false? True. Does a true book teach three different ways ? Those are 
 our opinions. Oh, I thought you had come to teach truth; if opinions are all, 
 we have plenty of them already, and can dispense with your ser^ces. Your Bible 
 says, that the Gospel was to be preached to all the world, and these signs would 
 fiiilow the belief, and obedience to it. Do you live in the world? Yes! Then it 
 must apply to you. I can have no confidence, gentlemen, in men who present me 
 with a book, and call it the word of God, and then deny that word. I am afraid, 
 sirs, your systems are systems of priestcraft. But the disciples formerly said, we are 
 hiJ: witnesses, and also the Holy Ghost bears witness of him. They preached by the 
 power of the Spirit, baptized for the remission of sins, and laid on hands for the 
 
PUBUd DISCUSSION. IT' 
 
 gift of the Holy Ghost ; and then followed the signa ; and the people had evidence 
 among themselves. This, sirs, is the Gospel that we preach ; and the same power 
 attends it ; it is going from nation to nation, from kingdom to kingdom ; the power 
 of God accompanies its administration ; and it will continue to spread in spite of the 
 puny efforts of man to retard its progress, until the honest in heart among all 
 nations will rejoice in the fulness of the blessings of the gospel of peace. 
 
 Mr. Robertson had been anxious to get something to answer, but he really and 
 Beriously could find nothing worthy of a reply. It was clear from the words of the 
 challenge, that he and his friends could not prove a negative ; but these men who 
 had come all the way from the Great Salt Lake, in the far west of America, ought to 
 prove their prophet spoke the truth, and that he had seen angels as he declared he 
 had. He (Mr. Robertson) demanded of Mr. Taylor to declare distinctly what 
 it was that satisfied him of the truth of the Book of Mormon. Did he ever 
 see any miracles perfoi-med by Joseph Smith ? and if so, what was the nature o£ 
 the miracles he saw ? Did Joseph Smith cast down his rod and make it a serpent? 
 Did he do anything like the miracles of the loaves and fishes ? Did Mr. Taylor ever 
 Bee the plates that Joseph dug up by the angel's directions? and where were the plates 
 now ? He (Mr. Iloba>tson) believed the conduct of the Missourians against the Mor- 
 monites to be infamous ; but had not the conduct of the Mormonites, especially of the 
 *' Destroying Angels " or " Danites," much to do with it ? Why did Sidney Bigdon 
 and Joseph Smith differ ? Was it not about Sidney Rigdon's daughter ? Did not 
 Joseph Smith prophesy that Zion was in Missouri, and that Zion must be re-conquer- 
 ed ? Why were the Mormonites driven from Nanvoo ? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I again arise with pleasure , but I am somewhat surprised to hear 
 ■the remarks made by Mr. Robertson. He states that he cannot prove a negative, and 
 ■that he is not bound to prove that Joseph Smith was a bad man. I understand that 
 he challenged me — ^that in that challenge he represents Joseph as a daring impostor. 
 I know nothing of Mr. Smith but what is good ; he ought to prove his assertions, or 
 not make them. I am not the challenger ; 1 am on the defence. Am I to be brought 
 here to answer charges, and then become my own accuser ? Let them bring forth 
 evidence and I am prepared to rebut it. He«sks me if I will tell him what convinced 
 •me, and upon what evidence I believed the Gospel. This I will do with pleasure. I 
 •was living in the city of Toronto, Upper Canada ; I was associated with a number of 
 
 fentlemen in searching the scriptures. Many of us were connected with the Metho- 
 ist Society; we did not believe their doctrines because they did not accord with 
 scripture. Nevertheless we did not interfere with them ; we considered them as near 
 correct as others ; we rejected every man's word or writing, and took the Word of God- 
 alone j we had continued diligently at this for two years ; we made it a rule to receive 
 no doctrine until we could bring no scripture testimony against it. The gentlemen 
 with whom I associated were, many of them, learned and intelligent. We gathered 
 from the scriptures many important truths ; we believed in the gathering of Israel-, 
 and in the restoration of the ten tribes ; we beUeved that Jesus would come to reign 
 personally on the earth ; we gathered from the scriptures that just judgment would 
 overtake the churches of the world, because of their iniquity. We believed that the 
 Gospel which was preached by the apostles was true, and that any departure from that 
 was a departure from the order of God, and that churches having thus departed were 
 consequently corrupt and fallen. We beheved that there ought to be apostles, prophets, 
 evangelists, pastors, and teachers as in former days, and that the gifite of healing and 
 the power of God ought to be associated with the church. We, of course, believed 
 that where these things did not exist there could not be a true chm-ch 5, but we believed 
 that we had no authority oiu-selves to teach these principles ; we were praying men, 
 and asked our Heavenly Father to shew us the truth, and we fasted and prayed, that if 
 God had a true church on the earth he would send us a messenger. About this time 
 Parley P. Pratt called on ms with a letter of introduction from a merchant of mj 
 acquaintance. I had peculiar feelings on seeing him. I had heard a great many 
 etories of a similar kind to those that you have heard, and I must say that I thought 
 my friend had imposed upon me a little in sending a man of this persuasion to me_. I, 
 howevei", received him courteously as I was bound to do. I told him, however, plamly 
 my feelings, and that in our Researches I wanted no fables ; I wished him to confine 
 
 IS 
 
"18 PDBUC DISCUSSION* 
 
 himself to' tlie 'Scriptures. "We talked for three hours or upwards, iihdh6 bound me' aa 
 close to the scriptures as I desired^ proving everything he said therefrom. I after-t 
 'ward; wrote down eight sermons that he preached, in order that I might compare 
 them with the word of God. I found nothmg contrary. I then examined the Book 
 of Mormon, and the prophecies concerning that ; that was also correct. I then read 
 the book of " Doctrine and Covenants ;" found nothing unscriptural there. He called 
 iipon us to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and we should receive the 
 Holv Ghost. But what is that ? we inquired ; the same, he answered, as it was in 
 the 'Apostles' days, or notMng. A munber of others and myself were baptized, and 
 ■we realized those blessings according to his word ; the gifts and power of God were • 
 in the church, the gift of tongues and prophesy ; the sick were healed, and we re* 
 joiced in the blessings and gifts of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Mr. Robertson What made you believe in the Book of Mormon ? 
 
 Elder Taif lor.: — ^First,its agreement with the scripture ; secondly, the testimony in 
 the .Scripture concerning it 5, and thirdly, the testimony of other witnesses which I will 
 read.i Me. Taylor then read the testimony of three witnesses. — " Be it known unto 
 all' nations, kindreds, tongues, and people imto whom' this work shall come, that we> 
 through the grace of God the Fatiier, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen 
 the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of ^ephi» 
 and also of the Lamanites their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who 
 came from the tower of which hath been spoken; and we also know that they 
 Iiave been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared 
 it unto us ; wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also 
 testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they 
 have been shewn unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we declare 
 with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven, and. he brought 
 and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings- 
 thereon ; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus- 
 Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true ; and it is marvel* 
 lous in our eyes ; nevertheless the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear 
 record of it ; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear tes-r 
 timony of these things. And we know that if we are faithfrd in Christ, we shall rid 
 our garments of the blood of all men^ and be. found spotless before the judgment-seat 
 of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in. the heavens. And the Imnour be to- 
 Ibe Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen." 
 
 " Olivee Cowbeet, 
 "David Whitmee, 
 " Mabtin Haeris." * 
 
 Mr. Tajrlor also read the testimony of eight witnesses. — "Be it known unto all 
 nations, kindreds, tongues, and people unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph 
 Smith, jim,, the tramdator of this work, has shewn unto us the plates of which, hath 
 been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the 
 said 'Smith has translated, we did handle wit£ our hands ; and we also saw the en- 
 gravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work and of curious 
 workmanship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith 
 lias shewn unt6 us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said 
 Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we ^ve our names unto th» 
 world to vpitness unto the world that which we have seen ; and we lie not, God bear^ 
 jpg witness of it.'* 
 
 "Christian Whitmee, « Hiram PagS; 
 
 « Jacob Wbitmer, « Joseph Smith, Sen. 
 
 " Petbe Whitmee, Junt " Hyecm Smith, 
 
 ** John Whitmek, " Samuel H. &hth." + 
 
 1 would h?re: remark^ that I am prepared to prove on a suitable, occasicm that the- 
 •acriptnres speak as plainly of the Book of Mormon, and the things associated with tb© 
 
 *. See Bwk of Monaoo,' t ^^ 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION, ]|9 
 
 coming forth of this work, as they do about the first coming of the Messiah, or say 
 other subject. 
 
 3fr. Rohertaon. — Did you see miracles before you were baptized ? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I did not then, any more than I do now, consider that truth de^ 
 pended upon miracles ; but that " these signs should follow them that believe." I dc« 
 not believe that the truth of a prophet's testimony depends upon miracles. Jesus says, 
 there never was a gi-eater prophet than John, yet John did no miracle ; nevertheleiis. 
 the people were bound to believe him. What miracles did Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, 
 Ilabakkuk or Bzekiel do ? Yet they were prophets, and the people were bound to lis- 
 ten to their words, or be condemned for rejecting them. But 1 do believe, connected 
 with the Gospel, that these signs shall follow the belief of and obedience to it, and that, 
 if they do not, it is not the Gospel that is preached, but the systems of men. 
 
 Mr. Robertson then put the following questions to Mr. Taylor : — 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — Do you know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet ? 
 
 Elder Taylor.— Yes. 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — How do you know it? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — By revelation: the Lord revealed it to me ; and I also know by 
 ■flie fulfilment of his wards. 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — Will you tell us your vision or revelation ? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — No! sir. 
 . Mr. Robertson. — Have you seen miracles ? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — Yes, scores of them ! 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — Have you any testimony of such things? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — Yes, thousands of testimonies. I would here remark, that I do not 
 consider miracles a test of truth, but as being associated with the gospel. But Mr. 
 Bolton will read an instance from the Millennial Star. 
 
 " Bristol, Not. 25, 1849. 
 
 " Dear President Pratt. — As you were so kind as to publish the letter I sent, dated 
 July 9, 1849, containing an account of the miraculous power of God, displayed in the 
 healing of Elizabeth Ann Bounsell, which made quite a stir amongst the pious chris- 
 tians in our city, I now venture to write to you again, and say that the above circum- 
 stance caused many to call at the house to see if it were true ; and upon seeing, many 
 rejoiced. Others mocked, saying, " she would have got well if the elders had not laid 
 their hands upon her." Amongst the latter was one would-be great man, by the name 
 of Charles Smith, (who has written a flimsy tract against the Latter-day Saints) who 
 said it was not enough to satisfy him. So the mother took another of her daughters, and 
 lut her upon his knee, and said, ' sir, is that child blind ? ' And after he had examined 
 ler eyes, he said, ' she is.' ' Well,' said the mother, ' she was born blind, and she i.^ 
 now four years old ; and I am going to take her to the elders of the church, for them 
 to anoint her eyes with oil, and lay hands upon her ; and you can call again when you. 
 have time, and see her with her eyes opened ; for I know the Lord will heal her, and 
 she will see.' ' Well,' said he, ' if she does ever see, it will be a great proof.' Ac- 
 cordingly the mother brought the child to the elders, and Elder J. HackweU anointed 
 her eyes, and laid hands upon her only once ; and the Lord heard his prayer, so that 
 the child can now see with both of her eyes, as well as any other person. For which 
 we all feel thankful to our Heavenly Father ; and are willing to bear, testimony of it to 
 all the world. 
 
 " Yours, in the Kingdom of God, 
 
 "GEOKGE HALLrDAT." 
 
 «P.S. — We, the father and mother of the child, do here sign our names to the 
 above, as being true. 
 
 "William BouifSEiL, 
 " Elizabeth BoinsiBEiJi."' 
 
 Mr. Taylor. — ^Here is the address of the parents of the child ; any one who is dis- 
 satisfied can write to them and obtain the intbrmation. Mr. Taylor then continued^ 
 — When I commenced searching after truth I did not pursue the same course that 
 you have done — seek to impugn the motives and destroy the characters of individuals. 
 I did jiot believe that truth was to be obtained by opposing it, I exammed the doc- 
 
 I 
 
20 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 ti;ine3 and compared them with the Word of God. I knew that none of the sects had 
 the truth as contained in the Bible, and I did not believe that a false prophet couli 
 itv'mg it. I did not believe " that an impure fountain could send forth pure streams. " 
 I had examined all these principles before, and the test which is given in the scrip- 
 tures. Isaiah tells us, if false prophets or wizarcls come, to take another course with 
 them than these gentlemen have talcen. " To the law and to the testimony, if they 
 speak not according to that, it is because there is no light in them." If these men have 
 the truth, it is certainl_y very easy to detect error by the comparison. A man acquainted 
 with coins, can easily detect a counterfeit ; it is not neeessai-y for him to find out th« 
 character of the man who made it ; he compares the coin with the original, and if neces- 
 sary analyzes it ; the base metal is easily detected. I can very soon detect any false system 
 hy comparing it with the scriptures, but these gentlemen having so bungUng acounterfeit 
 themselves, of course, are not proper to judge, and do not understand the true test ; 
 they are afraid of the scriptures, because they destroy their own systems. We have 
 had the testimony of men, who are ministers, full of calumny, vituperation and abuse. 
 I will call upon Mr. Bolton to read the testimony of a gentleinen, a traveller, the 
 captain of a company, on his way to the gold mines, published in the New York 
 Tribune, and afterwards copied into the New York Herald and from that to the 
 Liuerpool Mercury. His statement (although not immediately associated with Joseph 
 Smith's character, is associated with the Church that he I'aised up,) shews that we 
 are not such desperadoes, so corrupt nor depraved as these Reverend gentlemen try 
 to make appear. — Mr. Bolton here read the following extract : — 
 
 "inE MOKMOIf TABLET SEAR THE GREAT SAT.T LAKE. 
 
 " (.From the New York Tribtme, Oct. 9, 1819.) 
 " From the overland emigi-ants to California we have later news, which is however 
 much of the same purport as that before received. A great deal of sickness is reported 
 among them ; and for five hundi-ed miles, as we are told, the road over which they 
 pass is strewed with the bodies of dead beasts of burden. Our last letters are dated from 
 the Great Salt Lake, where the Mormons are established. One of the correspondents of 
 The Tribune gives a minute and curious account of this singular sect, and the results 
 of their industry in their new home. We give it a place here, confident that our 
 European readers will find it interesting. Our correspondent writes under date of 
 July 8 : — ' The company of gold-diggers, which I have the honour to command, ar- 
 l"ived here on the third instant, and judge our feelings when, after some one thousand 
 two hundred miles of travel, through an uncultivated desert, and the last hundred 
 miles of the distance among lofty mountains and narrow and difficult ravines, we found 
 •om'selves, suddenly and almost unexpectedly, in a comparative paradise. We descended 
 . the last mountain by a passage excessively steep and abrupt, and continued our gradual 
 descent through a narrow kanyon for about five or six miles, when suddenly emerging 
 from the pass, an extensive and cultivated valley opened before us, at the same instant 
 ■we caught a glimpse of the distant bosom of the Great Salt Lake, which lay expanded 
 before us to the westward, at the distance of some twenty miles. Descending the 
 table-land, which borders the valley, extensive herds of cattle, horses, and sheep, were 
 grazing in every direction, reminding us of that home and civilization, from which we 
 had so widely departed — for as yet the fields and houses were in the distance. Pass- 
 ing over some miles of pasture-land, we at length found ourselves in a broad and 
 fenced street, extending westward in a. straight line for several miles. Houses of 
 ■wood, and sun-dried bricks, were thickly clustered in the vale before us,' some thousands 
 in number, and occupying a spot about as large as the city of New York. They were 
 mostly small, one story high, and perhaps not more than one occupying ah acre of 
 land. The whole space for miles, excepting the streets and houses, was in a high 
 state of cultivation. Fields of yellow wheat stood waiting for the harvest, and Indian 
 com, potatoes, oats, flax, and all kinds of garden vegetables, were growing in profii- 
 •sion, and seemed in the same state of forwardness as in the same latitude in the States. 
 At first sight of all these signs of cultivation in the wilderness, we were transported 
 •with wonder and pleasure. Some wept, some gave three cheers, some laughed, and 
 some ran and fairly danced for joy, while all felt inexpressibly happy to find themselves 
 •once more amid scenes which mai'k the progress of advancing civilizaition. We passed 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 21 
 
 »tn amid scenes like these, expecting every moment to come to some commercial centre, 
 ^ome business point in this great metropolis of the mountains, but we were disappointed. 
 Ho hotel, sign-post, cake and beer-shop, barber's pole, mai-ket-house, grocery, provi- 
 sion, di-y good, or hardware store distinguished one part of the town fi-om another ; 
 not even a bakery or mechanic's sign was anywhere discernible. Here, then, was 
 something new ; an entire people reduced to a level, and all living by then- labour ; 
 all cultivating the earth, or following some branch of physical industry. At first I 
 thought it was an experiment, an order of things established purposely to carry out 
 the principles of Socialisin, or Mormonism. In short, it is very much like Owenism 
 personified. However, on inquiry, I found that a combination of seemingly unavoid- 
 able circumstances, had produced this singular state of affairs. There were no hotels, 
 because there had been no travel ; no barbei-'s shop, because every one chose to shave 
 Jiimself, and no one had time to shave his neighbour ; no stores, because they had ni» 
 goods to sell, nor time to traffic ; no centre of business, because all were too busy to 
 make a centre. There was an abundance of mechanic's shops, of dressmakers, milli- 
 ners, tailors, &c, ; but they needed no sign, nor had they time to paint or erect one, for 
 they were crowded with business. Beside then- several trades, all must cultivate the land 
 or die, for the country was new, and no cultivation but their own within a thousand 
 miles. Every one had his lot and built upon it, every one cultivated it, and perhaps a small 
 farm in the distance. And the strangest of all was, that this great city, extending over 
 several square miles, had been erected, and every house and fence made, within nine or teit 
 months of the time of our aiTival ; while at the same time, good bridges were erected, 
 over the principal streams, and the coimtry settlements extended nearly a hundred 
 miles up and down the valley. This territory, state, or, as some term it, ' Moi-mon 
 Empire,' may justly be considered as one of the greatest prodigies of the age ; and, in 
 comparison with its age, the most gigantic of all republics in existence, being only its 
 second year since the first seed of cultivation was planted, or the first civilized habita- 
 tion commenced. If these people were such thieves and robbers, as their enemies re- 
 presented them in the States, I must think they have greatly reformed in point of 
 industry since coming to the mountains. I this day attended worship with them in 
 the open air. Some thousands of well-dressed, intelligent-looking people assembled ; 
 some on foot, some in carriages, and some on horseback. Many were neatly, and 
 even fashionably clad. The beauty and neatness of the ladies reminded me of some ot" 
 cur best congregations in New York. They had a choir of both sexes, who performed 
 extremely well, accompanied by a band, who played well on almost evei'y instrument 
 of modern invention. Peals of the most sweet, sacred, and solemn music filled the 
 air ; after which, a solemn prayer was offered by the Rev. Mr. Grant (a Latter-day 
 Saint), of Philadelphia. Then followed various business advertisements read by tpts 
 clerk. Among these I remember a call of the 17th ward, by its presiding bishop, ti> 
 some business meeting ; a call for a meeting of the 32nd Quorum of Seventy, and a meet- 
 ing of the officers of the second cohort of the military legion, &c. &c. After this, came 
 a lengthy discourse from Mr. Brigham Young, president of the society, pai-taking 
 somewhat of politics, much of religion and philosophy, and a little on the subject qt" 
 gold, showing the wealth, strength, and glory of England, growing out of her coal 
 mines, u-on, and industiy ; and the weakness, corruption, and degradation of Spanish 
 America, Spain, &c., growing out of hei' gold, silver, &c., and her idle habits. Every 
 one seemed interested and pleased with his remarks, and all appeared to be contented 
 to stay at home and pursue a persevering industry, although mountains of gold were 
 near them. The able speaker painted in lively colours the ruin which would be, 
 brought upon the United States by gold, and boldly predicted that they woiild be 
 overthrown because they had killed the prophets, stoned and rejeoted'those who were 
 sent to call them to repentance, and finally plundered and driven the church of the Saii^ 
 from their midst, and burned and desolated their city and temple. He said, God h^A 
 a reckoning with that people, and gold woidd be the instrument of their overthrow. 
 The constitution and laws were good, in fact the best in the world, but the admini- 
 strators were corrupt, and the laws and constitution were not carried out, therefone 
 they must fall. He further observed, that the people here would petition to be or- 
 gi-anized into a territory under that same government, notwithstanding its abuses, 
 and that, if granted, they would stand by the constitution and laws of the United 
 
22 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 •States, while at the same time he denounced their corruption and abuses. But, said 
 the speaker, we ask no odds of them, whether they grant our petition or not ! We 
 never will ask any odds of a nation who has driven us from our homes. If they grant 
 Tis our rights, well ; if not, well ; they can do no more than they have done. They 
 ■and ourselves, and all men, are in the hands of the Great God, who will govern all 
 things for good, and all will be right, and work together for good to them that serve God. 
 Such, in part, was the disoojirse that we listened to in the strongholds of the moun- 
 
 • tains. The Mormons are not dead nor is their spirit broken. And if I mistake 
 not, there is a noble, darmg, stern, democratic spiiit swelling in their bosoms, which 
 ■will people these mountains with a race of independent men, and influence the destiny 
 of our country and the world for a hundred generations. In their religion they seem 
 charitable, devoted, and sincere ; in their politics — bold, daring, and determined ; in 
 their domestic circle — quiet, affectionate, and happy ; while in industry, skill, and in- 
 telligence, they have few equals, and no superiors on the earth. I had many strange 
 
 ■i'eelings while contemplating this new civilization, growing up so suddenly in the wil- 
 derness. I almost wished I could awake from my golden dream and find it but a 
 *lream ; while I pursued my domestic duties as quiet, as happy and as contented as 
 this strange people." — Liverpool Mercury. 
 
 Mr. Cater was determined to keep his opponents to the subject. Joseph Smitli 
 saw no angel. It was no ansvi^er to Professor Caswell's exposui'e, to say good men 
 were often slandered. If he (Mr. Cater) were brought before a magistrate, what sort 
 of answer to the charge would it be to say, that the best of men had been calumniated. 
 In his opinion it would be preferable to reply to the particular allegation, and if he 
 did not he was in a fair way to go to gaol. It was too late to attack General Ben- 
 nett's motives for joining the Mormonites, as it unfortunately happened that Joe Smith 
 declared that he had a special revelation touching Bennett, and that Bennett was a 
 ■person worthy of very great trust, and much honoured by the Almighty. If Bennett 
 Avas a bad man, as Mr. Taylor described him, then Joe Smith's revelation was mis- 
 taken. But we had not had a.ll Joe Smith's revelation, for Orson Pratt declared that 
 Joe had a revelation, that all persons, who, from 1832, refused to believe in his mis- 
 sion, would be damned for ever and ever. Why did not Mr. Taylor put this in his 
 manifesto in the Boulogne Interpreter. He (Mr. Cater) had asked this before, but 
 ■could get no answer. Another revelation told Joe to charge a dollar-and-a-half for 
 the Book of Mormon, and again to charge a dollar for it. But the most unfortunate 
 of all revelations was that about the plates. These plates were a mill-stone round the 
 neck of that system, and the humbug about them must be its destruction. Joe, it 
 seemed, had been acquitted, but many rogues and many thieves were often acquitted. 
 ,He (Mr. Cater) denied utterly that he had ever said that we had in om* Bible all that 
 
 ■Ood chose to reveal of his word; we had all the information necessary for salvation, 
 and had the lost books been thus necessary, we should have had them. He did, he 
 confessed, not entertain much respect for the two pieces of glass which Joe Smith had 
 in the ei-own of his hat, and by which he made a pretence of divination. One fallacy 
 ran through this entu-e fabric of Mormonism. These people seemed to think that thei'e 
 ought to be a perpetual repetition, and mimickry of early christian events and ceremo- 
 
 - mies. They seemed to fancy that there was a pei-petual necessity for repeating early 
 .events and rites ; but, who dared to say that it was necessary to repeat the law, the 
 crucifixion, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Nor had the -signs been always given, 
 -/or Philetus was left by Paul at Miletum sick, though by the system of the MormOn- 
 jtes he ought instantly to have been cui'ed.* Dare these men attempt to show mira- 
 cles ? One of them, indeed, had told him (Mi-. Cater) that he had a little servant gn-l 
 
 -■who spoke Hebrew to a Jew through the gift of tongues, but unfortunately the Jew 
 
 aaid there were two kinds of Hebrew, only one of which he understood, and the child 
 
 . .spoke the kind he did not understand. (Loud laughter.) There was a gi-eat deal of 
 
 - tainning in this Mormonism, and a great deal of ambition, the raising of a new society 
 and community at the Great Salt Lake, in America; for the last thing required of the 
 converts would be to go there. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I was in hopes these gentlemen would have brought forth some- 
 
 * The Keporters have erred here; Mr. Cater used no such argumeat. 
 
J>CBLIC DISCUSSION. IS 
 
 t&aag tangible ; W we have nothing but a few of the thoughts of othef men and a 
 •jjTeat many statements without any kind of evidence or testimony, which I find Mr. 
 -Cater is very prolific in. He tell us, that it is now « too late to attack G«n. Ben- 
 nett's motives for ioining the Chvurch ? Did I ever attack Gen. Bennett's motives for 
 joining the Church ? This is one of ydur dreams, Mr. Cater, and resembles many 
 •more of them. I stated concerning Gen. Bennett, that at one time he was a, good 
 
 man ; but that he fell into iniquity, and was cut oif fi-om the church for adultery, and 
 -"then commenced his persecutions. If I had my books here I could have shown an 
 -affidavit made before the city cooncilj about the time he was cut oif, stating that he 
 Imew nothing evil or bad of ^Joseph Smith. An affidavit that I heard him make 
 ■myself. Mr. Cater tells ^^s that « Joseph Smith saw no angel." Will he inform us 
 -how he came by this intelligence ? Who asked him for his testimony on this subject? 
 
 1 knew before I commenced that neither he nor his iHends professed to believe it, but 
 'to tell us positively that he saw no angel is another thing. Did he ever see Joseph 
 -ISmith ? if not, Mr. Cater, did you ever have a revelation, shewing to you that Joseph 
 iSmith never.had one ? '-If you never had, what do you know about it ? 
 
 Mr. Cater.-r-Does Orson Pratt say that all who since 1832 do not believe in Joe 
 
 Smith, will be damiftd for ever and ever ? 
 
 ' Elder Taylor.— GsA you.produce the passage ? 
 
 Mr. Cater. — ^No ! I have not got it here. Does he say so ? 
 Elder Taylor. — ^Produce your testiinony or'quotations, and I will answer. I will 
 quot answer" your statements. We are again told about impostors. Do impostors 
 
 come with the fulness of the Gospel, Do they teach pure, good, virtuous, and hofy 
 
 principles ? Do they teach men to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus^'and 
 tthey shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ? Do they tell them that it is produo- 
 
 tive of the same effects as it was in the days of Jesus ? Does the poWer of God attend 
 •their ministrations? Where is it? Shew me the church having these things. You 
 
 cannot 'find it ; and yet an impostor has revealed that which all Christendom does not 
 
 •Mr. Cater. — ^Where are the plates ? llave you seen them ? 
 ' Elder Taylor. — THo. Concerning the plates, Joseph had them in his possession 
 ■for some time ; he only translated pait of them, the other part contained things -of 
 .great moment which were to come forward at a future period for the accompliskoignt 
 of the purposes of God, and were not to be translated at that time. Furthermore, 
 •'Joseph Smith was persecuted and mobbed;- he never could go out in safety; his 
 liouse was beset by mobs and searched a number of times ; ailid he was pursued Seota 
 'place to {dace wMe he had them in his possession ; when he got lihrongh translating, 
 they were delivered again to the angel. 
 Mr. Cater.— Tha.tfa it. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — Is Ishere any ' thing extraordinary in that ? We read of Moses 
 having the ark of the covenant; that there were in it two tables of stone, a pot -of 
 manna, and Aaron'sTod that budded. Who could look at them ? Who dared 'look 
 into the ark ? 'Nobody htit the high priest could go into the Holy of Holies, and that 
 -only once a year. When the ark Was on its way back from the Pbilistiries, oertaia 
 men were struck dead for attempting to look in. When David was bringing it from 
 'Kitjath Jiearim, TJzzah stretched out Ks hand to steady it, when the oxen stumbled, 
 and he was struck dead. Will Mr. Cater explain this to me ? Why cduld he not 
 steady the ark ? Why coidd not the others look into it ? Daniel had a revelatioa 
 that he was commanded not to make known. " O, Daniel, shut up the words, add 
 seal the book even to the time of the end." (Dan. xii. 4.) St. John in the reve- 
 lations ^eaks also of a hobk that was s^bd,'and that the seals were to be opened ak 
 diiferent times. When these gentlemen eifplain these things in the Bible, I will enter 
 into a detail of those of asimflarUnd, connected with the Book of Mormon. Con- 
 cerning Joseph Smith, as there has beien a good • deal said about him, I am now gcditg 
 to introduce't^iinony about his cliara«ter, -^at no one will be able to gainsay. '& 
 is not the report of IMS' man, that or the other, but positiveliviflg testimony jsuchi|« 
 ■would be r*;dved by any court, and it is all I shsJl say on that siiibject. In the 'ft^ 
 .place, Igiveltiyown, as I did before. I testWy thatl'wasacquaihted with Jos^h 
 ■^mith for years. I have travelled with him ; I have heien ■mthhiaamfrfi^ate aAdm 
 
24 PUBLIC DISCUSSION, 
 
 ^blic ; I have associated with him in councils of all kinds ; I have listened hundrfe& 
 of times to his public teaching, and his advice to his friend and associates of a more 
 ]>rivate nature. I have been at his house and seen his deportment in his familj. I 
 liave seen him arraigned before the tribunals of his country, and seen him Jionourably 
 acquitted, and delivered from the pernicious breath of slander, and the machination& 
 sad falsehoods of wicked and corrupt men. I was with him living, and with him 
 when he died, when he was murdered in Carthage gaol by a ruthless mob, headed by 
 a Methodist mmister, named Williams, with their faces painted. I was there and 
 -was myself wounded: I at that time received four balls in my body. I have seen 
 iim, then, under these various circumstances, and I testify before God, angels, and 
 3uen, that he was a good, honourable, virtuous man — that his doctrines were good, 
 -scriptural, and wholesome — that his precepts were such as became a man of God — 
 tthat his private and pubUo character was unimpeachable — and that he lived and died 
 as a man of God and a gentleman. This is my testimony ; if it is disputed, bring me 
 ja person authorized to receive an affidavit, and I will make one to this effect. I 
 therefore testify of things which I know and of things which I have seen. I will now 
 (ipall upon Mr. Pack.- 
 
 Eider Pack being called upon to bear witness said, I rise — 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — I can't allow Mr. Pack. Mr. Taylor was to conduct the dis« 
 jjussion for them. 
 
 Chairman. — If that is the case, of course it is out of order. 
 
 Elder Pack. — You, sir, proposed when we met to arrange the discussion, that acj 
 of us should have the privilege of speaking. It was your proposition, sir, not ours. 
 
 Chairman. — That alters the case. 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — I imderstood that if they wished to occupy part of the nightj 
 4ihey could have it, but not part of the same time. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — This was distinctly understood, sir, and was your own proposi^ 
 4ion ; besides, I think I have a right to occupy my own time as I think proper. 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — I object to it. 
 
 Chairman. — If Mr. Robertson objects, I suppose we are to consider it irrelevant. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — If this is the case, all I have to say is, that these gentlemen have 
 -called upon me for testimony ; that when I am prepared to give it they -will not re- 
 .«dve it, and that they do not want truth but contention. I submit to the people. 
 ,i(Cries, " Go on ! go on ! ") 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — I shaJl not object if I am permitted to ask questions. Will you. 
 .answer me, Mr. Pack ? 
 
 Elder Pack. — I will if I agree to. Our honourable opponents have seen proper 
 4o speak evil of Joseph Smith. I was acquainted -with him almost from the com- 
 3uencement of his religious career, and I speak that which I know, and not my 
 -opinion. I know that Joseph Smith's character was good — as good as any man's ! 
 Those statements made about him are false. Joseph Smith was a just, honourable, 
 and upright man, and I know it ; neither do I know any evil of him. I know that 
 he was persecuted for his religion, and the Saints have always been persecuted. I 
 iaiow that religious men have generally been at the head of these persecutions. I 
 have seen the Saints persecuted when blood has stained their paths. I am not afraid 
 ,4o testify that the mob was headed by Reverend di-vines. I was once taken by a mob 
 :inyself. , I was travelling with my -vsofe about eighty miles from home, in the State of 
 3Iissouri. . They came to me and stopt my carriage, and asked me if I was a Mormon, 
 I told them. Yes ! I am a full-blooded Mormon ! They dragged me from my wife 
 into a wood, and told my wife to take a last farewell of me. Sashial Woods, a 
 Baptist or Presbyterian minister, headed this company: he was their leader. He 
 asked me if I would forsake the Mormons, and deny Mormonism. I told him, No ! 
 I would not ; I knew that it was true, and I would not give up my faith. They con- 
 demned me to death. Sashial Woods then took ten men, and led me into the 
 iroods to shoot me, but no one could be found to do it. They quarrelled among 
 themselves, and after some time I was liberated. These things that I have spokm 
 are true ; I bear my testimony to them before God and man. I know Joseph Smith 
 iras a good, -virtuous, honourable man ; and, as Mr. Taylor offered, so do I — ^bring 
 ^ iortb your officers and I will make oath to it. 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 25 
 
 Mr. RoherUon. — Did you ever see Joseph Smith work a miracle ? 
 
 Elder Pack.— Yes ! 
 
 Mr. Robertson. — Did you ever see him heal the sicli? 
 
 Elder Pack.— Yea.\ 
 
 Mr. RoherUon. — Of what diseases ? 
 
 Elder Pack. — All kinds of diseases. I have seen some lying at the point of deatli, 
 given up by physicians. I have seen them healed immediately after Joseph Smitli 
 had laid his hands on them, and rise from their beds and go fortii. 
 
 Mr. RoherUon. — Where did this take place ? 
 
 Elder Pack Everywhere that he resided : in Missouri, in Ohio, in Illinois, in 
 
 hundreds of cases. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — Mr. Bolton will now testify (Great confiision which lasted 
 
 several minutes.) 
 
 Elder Bolton. — I will say, that I am not surprised that these gentlemen wish to 
 prevent me from speaking. Truth and testimony are not what they want. Since I 
 am permitted to speaJc, however, I testify that I personally knew Joseph Smith. I 
 have lived with him in his family ; was with him morning, noon, and night, early and 
 late. I saw him in iflost trying situations, with friends and enemies ; and in all the 
 time that I remained in his family, I never saw the slightest act, nor heard one word, 
 unbecoming a man of God — a just, upright, pure, prayerful prophet of God ; and in 
 these matters I consider myself as good a judge as any man in this hall, or in this 
 city. I have been as well educated as any man in this hall, or in this city, and am as 
 well brought up ; and if any man doubts my word, let him apply to me, and I will 
 furnish him with most satisfactory references, dither in Prance, England, or America. 
 Concerning the character of Joseph Smith, if my word is doubted, as my brethren 
 have offered to do, so do I — bring a person empowered to receive an affidavit, and I 
 will swear to the truth of what I have said. 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Groves said, that they had brought the discussion for the night ta 
 a close with what success they best knew. He would only repeat his exhortation to 
 sincere and fervent private prayer by all who heard him, that good might come of 
 what they had heard ; that if any were under a delusion they might be enlightened, 
 and that if ever repeated it might be dispelled. 
 
 THIED NIGHT S DISCUSSION. 
 
 The chair having been taken at seven o'clock, it was agreed that the question for 
 the night should be, after the accusing party had spoken half an hour on the autho- 
 rity of Mr. Taylor, that Mr. Taylor should answer, and then go on to examine the- 
 futh and calling of his opponents. 
 
 Mr. C'lter proposed to read a document, that he said he had forgotten to read on a 
 previous night, concerning the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I object, it is out of order. 
 
 Chairman. — It certainly is out of order. 
 
 Mr. Cater. — It is an important document, and I wish to read it. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I certainly shall object ; I do not think it proper. My opponents 
 have had two nights to examine my principles ; they certainly had time to bring forth 
 their documents. 
 
 Mr. Cater. — Mr. Chairman, it is a document of importance, and I wish to read it. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I have already given this party half an hour which belongs to me, 
 on the plea of finishing important things ; it will, of course, take me half an hour to 
 reply. I then ody have an hour to examine their doctrines. I will not give way.. 
 I believe it is introduced for the purpose of preventing my examining their doctrines.. 
 
 Chairman. — I must decide that to read tie document is irregular, though it shews- 
 Kttle desire for inquiry to object to it. 
 
 Mr. Cater would not press the reading of the document, but could only say, that 
 bad he been permitted to read it, it would have proved all he had alleged against Mr. 
 Taylor on that particular point. To him it appeared that the Mormonites belonged 
 to two classes — tiie deceived and the deceivers. He did not doubt but that Mr. Tay- 
 
"26 ■ PUBLIC bisdussioN. 
 
 lor belonged to the formef class, though he was a little too fond of titles and distuic- 
 tions. They had on the previous night a new title : Mr. Pack had said he was a 
 ■" full-blooded Mormon," and for this he had been about tp" be shot. He could not 
 but think that all the story of Mr. Pack being condemned to death must have been 
 done for what the Americans call a " hoax." :But, as Mr. Pack was a " full-blooded 
 Mormon," perhaps he could give them a specimen of his speaking with tongues. He 
 liad tbld them of the miraculous cure of the sick, but there was nothing more usual 
 than for such cures to be performed by imagination, as lame persons have been known 
 -to run at the cry of fire. Nor is there anything more easy than to simulate disease ; 
 and could not Joseph Smith, who had the hardihood to say that angels came down 
 from heaven to tell him to ride a black horse with a switch tail, be capable of having 
 .sickness simulated? Agkin, he demanded why there was the guilty. concealment as to 
 the doctrine of all being damned who did not beUeve in Joseph Smith since 1832. It 
 ■would appear also from their books, they did not believe that God knew anything 
 that was going on upon the earth, except by means of angels or personal descent ; 
 and whaffid the audience think was their notion of an angel ? Martin Harris said, 
 an angel was " an old man in a grey coat with his throat cut!" Now, \<ith all se- 
 riousness, he (Mr. Cater) declared that it was one of the grossest impostures that 
 «ver was placed on man by the enemy of souls ; enough to disturb the ashes of our 
 ancestors in their graves. He reminded his opponents, severaUy, that they must all 
 appear at the judgment seat of Christ to answer for the deeds done in the body. 
 •What he said of their ^stem, he said without any feelings of animosity to themselves ; 
 and might God grant that they might all obtain mercy when the secrets of all hearts 
 should be laid open. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — Ladies, gentlemen, and friends, I rise, as on all former Occasisns, 
 -■with confidence, knowing in whom I trust, and the cause in which I am engaged. 
 These gentlemen complain of not having time ; they tell us they have a newimpOrta- 
 ■ tion of stories, and they should like to have a time to bring them forth ; they com- 
 plain that they have not had' an opportunity of bringing forth such testimony as they 
 «ould have obtained. I would ask why they challenge me to discuss those principles, 
 if they were not prepared to do so. - 1 might make the same excuse ; I am here with- 
 out books too. If I had had time,.I could ha-ve had books also to have met evray 
 scumlous story that they have brought, and all that they can bring ; testimony, too, 
 that would have made them voniit up again those filthy statements that they have 
 swallowed so greedily, unlessindeed they had lost aU sense of decency. But, in the 
 absence of much testimony that I might have had, I was not afraid of meeting those 
 ■champions; I knew that 1 had testimony and truth to satisfy every hon^tlnan, and 
 •the others I care nothing for. But, to satisfy the feelings of those gentlemen, only 
 let me have time to obtain documents, and they can get as many as they please, and I 
 ■will meet them, or any person here present, for as long a time as they please, and in- 
 i"Vestigate principle by principle with them closely, with as much scrutiny as long as 
 they please. Ifc. Cleeve spoke aboiut this system coming forth with boldness. Mr. 
 Cleeve, truth makes a man bold : it is never afraid of falsehood, superstition, or error. 
 One of their late importations is a report — a report of an " angel viath its throat 
 cut!" Shame!, gentlemen, shame on such statements ! What is said concerning 
 1 Jesus ? That his disciples stole "him away by night. And when the Pharisees fa&ird 
 1 that Jesus was risen, they thought it would not comport with some of their former 
 stories, and that it would militate against them ; therefore they went to the soldiers, 
 and told them to report that his disciples 'had stolen Wm away by night, and they 
 would give them money. Well but, say the soldiers, we shall be in danger of being 
 killed for it. Yes, but, say these pious men, we are respectable, we are known to' be 
 so ; and if it comes to the governor's ears, and our pious fraud shall be in danger of 
 iieing found out, we will persuade him, and secure you. If we depend on sepoWs, 
 gentlemen, the groundwork of the Christian religion is all' falsej ■aild the resuiTe<Stion 
 of Christ is all a farce. So think the Jews, who got their reports from their fathess, 
 to this day. Mr. Cater laughs at the idea of a gentteman, Mr. Pack, being tsken \y 
 a mob, headed by a Christian minister : being dragged from his -wife and sentenced to 
 be shot, under the directions of aEeverend di^rine, when the only thing 'that saved hii 
 ■ life was, that he oould not, even in a Missouri mob, get a person to carry 'ont tos 
 
.TUBLIC DiSCCSSION, '27 
 
 bloody designs. It is the lirst time in my life that I have met any person who would 
 -attempt at apology for such an act ; but here I find a man, calling himself a Christian 
 minister, stand before a congregation and unblushtngly call it a " hoax ! " What 
 ■does it shew, but that such persons would be partalters with those wretches if they 
 had the power and opportunity ? We read m the History of the Reformation, of 
 -men being put to the rack and burnt for their religious principles— of the Puritans 
 ■fleeing from England, and the Presbyterians in Scotland being hunted lilte wild 
 beasts. Every feeling, humane, honourable man shudders at the idea of such horrid 
 deeds ; but Mr. Cater, a Christian minister, I suppose would laugh at it, and call it 
 all a " hoax ! " Mr. Cater would try, but not very ingeniously 1 must say, to reason 
 away Mr. Pack's and other testimony concerning the healing of the sick. He says, 
 -there is such an aifinity between mind and body that the sick have sometimes been 
 healed by the cry of fire. Who does not know that ? Again, that there was such 
 power in drugs that they sometimes healed almost death itself. Well, Mr. Cater, 
 
 • what then ? Does it follow that no one was ever healed by the power of God ? or 
 ■ what inference would you draw ? Would you tell us, sir, that when the deaf heard, 
 ■the lame leaped for joy, devils were cast out, and the sick were healed, under the ad- 
 ministration of Jesuf and his apostles, that it was all an illusion — some fallacy of the 
 mind, or the effect of drugs ? Mr. Cater would make a very good infidel, providing 
 
 'he was a little more intelligent. My opponents have called on me to speak in 
 '^ tongues, hut if I were they would say it was an illusion : the most positive testimony 
 Twill not satisfy them ; they would tell me that I had learned it. But suppose I could, 
 ■it would not prove the doctrine true ; if I could not, it would not prove it false. I 
 . must instruct these gentlemen a little on this matter. St. Paul says, to one is given 
 the gift of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues, to another the gift pf 
 prophecy, to another the gift of wisdom | to another the gift of knowledge, to another 
 
 • the gift of healing, &c., &c. The Spirit (God) dividing to each man severally as he 
 
 - vuill. But he again says. Do all prophesy ? do all speak in tongues ? do all interpret ? 
 &o. Now, gentlemen, suppose I had the gift of interpretation, or prophecy, or heal- 
 ing, or knowledge, oi: wisdom, aiid not the gift of tongues, would it prove either my 
 doctrine false, or the scriptures ? for you ai-e attacking the scriptures as well as my 
 doctrines ? It is your own Bible, that you profess to believe in, that tells us of these 
 things. You say it is necessai-y that a man should speak in tongues to prove his mis- 
 
 . sion ; if this be indeed so, which I'do riot believe, perhaps you will give us a specimen 
 
 to prove the authenticity of your Bnission, for I really believe you have no authority to 
 
 '•preach. I am next called on for a sign or miracle. Do these gentlemen reflect or 
 
 - realise for a moment the position they place themselves in ? They will believe if I 
 show them a miracle I suppose. They have been stating here for three nights that 
 
 : they believed certain storifertrue, which represent the most iniquitous disgusting 
 scenes imaginable about white veiled sisters, and sisters with the green veil ; of angels 
 with throats cut, and false doctrines, and blasphemy ! They have told us about the 
 Book of Mormon being a hatched up story ; that the Latter-day Saints were rogues, 
 
 • thieves, and jugglers ; yet only do a miracle and aU these things are correct ! Touch- 
 «d with the magic wand, the green and white sisters disappear, blasphemy becomes 
 holy truth, the angels' thi-oats are healed, the hatched up story becomes sacred reve- 
 lation, rogues, thieves, and jugglers become honest men and Christians — the most 
 daring impostiire' that was ever palmed on the world is metamorphosed into pure 
 Christianity, virtue, and holiness ! Perform a miracle ! Satan is the first person that 
 we read of requiring a miracle. He took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple, arid 
 told him to cast himself down, and wished him to command stones to be made into 
 bread. I suppose if Jesus had done it he would have been converted ! The Phari- 
 sees came to J«sus and demanded of him a sign — " What sign shewest thou ?" Jesus 
 said, " A wicked and an adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and no sign shall 
 be given unto them but the sign of the prophet Jonah. If they believe not Moses 
 arid the prophets, neither will they believe if one should rise from the dead." Je^lis 
 called sign seekers wicked and a!dulterov,s men. St. Paul speaks of a wicked one 
 ■who^e coming is after the working of Satan, with all deceivableness and signs, and 
 lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, 
 
 c.^^we tliey reotived not the love of the, truth that they might be saved. And for 
 
28 PUBtTC DISCUSSION. 
 
 this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that 
 they aU might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighte- 
 ousness. When, therefore, these gentlemen shall see these miracles and signs, they,, 
 of course, ■will be prepared to receive them, and to teach their flocks the same prin- 
 ciples. St. John in the revelations speaks of one of the greatest calamities that ever 
 befel the human family being brought about by such a power, — " And he doeth 
 great v>fonders, so that he maketh fire come down from God out of heaven on th& 
 earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the eai-th by the means 
 of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast." — Rev. xiii. 
 13, 14. And again, "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the- 
 mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the- 
 false prophet, for they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto- 
 the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the 
 great day of God Almighty." Here, then, are gentlemen rejecting truth, and cal- 
 ling for those very things which the Spirit of God pointed out should be sent to those- 
 who loved not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, as a delusion and curse- 
 which they should merit because of their unbelief. Truth, eternal truth, is the 
 groundwork of the Christian's hope : it is the only sure rock on which he can build. 
 Forsaking that to support some favorite dogma, he falls into the mazes of infidelity, 
 scepticism, error, and delusion, and is on the highway to destruction. The power of 
 God will always attend those who love the truth and keep it ; while miracles will 
 never, of themselves, prove a false doctrine true. I have been asked from whence I 
 obtain my authority : I can answer that in short — ^I obtained it by an ordination from 
 the authority given to Joseph Smith ; and if he had no revelation, I profess to have no 
 more authority than, gentlemen, — 
 
 Chairman. — I put the question hypothetically. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — T have already given y@u testimony concerning the vision and or- 
 dination that Joseph Smith had, and I base my authority on the truth of that, or ac- 
 knowledge I have none. 
 
 Chairman. — I put the question categorically. Are the ministers of the Mormon- 
 ites sent of God by Divine appointment ? 
 
 Elder Taylor.— Yes ! 
 
 Chairman. — That is an answer. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — ^In relation to character, that these gentlemen still seem so strenu- 
 ous about, if they go upon that they destroy the foundation of the Christian religion, 
 and uproot the Bible. Moses was chosen of the Lord to do a great work, yet we are 
 told of him, that he slew an Egyptian and hid him in the sand. He commanded the 
 Israelites to borrow jewels of the Egyptians, and they took them off with them into 
 the -wilderness. Noah was a good man, and the Lord saved him and his family, when 
 the world was destroyed. Yet we find Noah indulging in wine until he was drunk. 
 
 Mr. Robertson rose to a point of order ; he thought it wrong to attack the scrip- 
 tures, that this was irrelevant. 
 
 Chairman. — I think, certainly, that to attack the Bible, is, to say the least of it, very- 
 delicate, particulai'ly in a mixed congregation, where the people may not be competent 
 to judge, it may be productive of injury. I shall certainly dissolve the meeting if we 
 have remarks of that kind. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I am a little amused to here those gentlemen make the remarks they 
 do about the scriptures. I do not want to hide anything that is in them, nor anything that 
 is in the Book of Mormon, nor in any of our works ; I do not believe that the Bible will be 
 sustained by hiding it, or its principles. If called upon I am prepared to substantiate the- 
 doctrines of the Bible. I believe it to be true, and preach its doctrines. But what is the- 
 matter? The character of Joseph Smith has been attacked, that is the only ground 
 they profess to build their objections to this work upon ; I say that the position is false ? 
 they affirm that it is a true position. I, then, go to prove from the scriptures, that 
 if it be true they destroy their own book and the very religion they profess to believe 
 in. Mr Robertson tells me it is irrelevant ; I must confess I do not see the uTele- 
 vancy, but one thing I do see, and so -will every intelligent man, that it strikes, at the 
 root of all their arguments ; and proves that the very weapon which they use against 
 me would destroy their own system. I say their arguments are wrong and i^del. 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 29 
 
 <tliis proves that tliey are ; for if proving Joseph Smitli's character to be bad would 
 ilesti-oy the ti-uth of his principles, and the validity of his mission, then as a natural 
 consequence, if the characters of Noah, Moses, David, Peter and others were olgec- 
 tionable, the ti-uth of their principles, and the validity of their missions would also b^ 
 destroyed, and the axe be laid at the root of the Christian religion. The scriptures do 
 not want bolstering up ; they bear the impress of Jehovah, and stand forth in bold 
 relief as the testimony of the servants of God ; although there are things in them which 
 i-equire investigation, in order satisfactorily to account for their propriety. Men, too, 
 have had their weaknesses and imperfections, and the scriptures make a faithful record 
 'of them. I might refer here to David, Peter and others, but sufficient has already been 
 said to shew the fallacy of these gentlemen's remarks, and that they have built their 
 house on a sandy foundation ; that their arguments are weak, powerless and futile ; 
 and that they have utterly failed to prove Joseph Smith's character to be bad — the 
 Book of Mormon to be false, or that the teachers of the religion are " daring impos- 
 tors and blasphemers." I shall now proceed, as by arrangement, to examine their 
 doctrines and calling, and see how their's will stand the test. In doing this I shall 
 not assail the character of the reformers, which I could easily do, having testimony in 
 iny possession ; neithei: shall I attack the character of the Methodists, Independents or 
 Baptists. Because, in the first place, I do not think, as I have abeady stated, that tht 
 truth of a system depends upon the character of an individual, and again, I consider 
 it too degrading for a gentleman to engage in. If their system and calling would 
 stand the test of the scriptures, I should certainly be glad ; at any rate those and rea- 
 son are the only weapons I shall use against them. So, gentlemen, I shall not trouble 
 jou with looking for testimony as to character. Here are three gentlemen who have 
 thought proper to take upon themselves the office of censor ; sit in the judgment-seat 
 on my doctx'ines, how far they are competent for the task will be seen by examining 
 their own faith and calling ; for they profess to be reverend gentlemen, to be called 
 to preach the gospel, and to administer in the name of the Lord, (Name signifies au- 
 thority). Hence a minister plenipotentiai'y, or any other officer of England or France 
 goes in the name, or by virtue of the authority which he has received from his nation. 
 Whatever business he transacts is recognized by the nation, for he is the representa- 
 tive and authorized agent of that nation. If any dishonour is done to him it is done 
 to the nation whom he represents, and resented by them ; if any benefit accrues 
 through his administration, the nation receives the benefit ; it is done by him in the 
 name of the nation ; but suppose I were to present myself to the English or French 
 court, in the name of the United States, or of any other nation, and had no creden- 
 tials to show that I was legally sent, and begin to officiate in the name of that nation, 
 they would either consider me insane, or take me up for an impostor. In either case, 
 my administrations would not be acknowledged, neither by the nation I came to, nor 
 the nation from which I professed to be sent. The same would apply in any mercan^- 
 tile transactions. If a person was to go in the name of any house or firm and make 
 use of their name without authority, he would be punished as a swindler, or hung for 
 forgery. Yet I have before me three ministers, who profess to be sent of God, and 
 to administer in the name of Jesus, who positively assert that God has not spoken nor 
 given any revelation for 1800 years. To use the words of one of them, " the awful 
 voice of prophecy has spoken for the last time and the cause of inspiration is closed." 
 And they, too, come in the name of Jesus, and would have us believe that they are 
 empowered by him to preach the gospel. But how do they know that they are called 
 to pi-each, they have had no revelation, God has not spoken, mspiration has ceased, 
 and he has never made any communication to the children of men for the last 1800 
 years. Perhaps, gentlemen, you will be able to tell me how you obtained yom- infor- 
 mation ; for I must confess that I know of no other way except by lineal descent, 
 •which two of these gentlemen do not even profess, unless (ieh- names are written in 
 the Bible, and after searching the Bible diligently I have not met with them. There 
 are only three ways that I know of to convey power or authority to make a covenant, 
 or hold communication with another. 1st. By speaking : 2ndly, by writing, and Srdly, 
 J)y sending a messenger out of these, and 1 know of no other. I wiU suppose the 
 mayor of Boulogne to have been absent for some time, and a person comes into the 
 ball with a message from the mayor, he is immediately asked if the njayor has returned ? 
 
30^ PUBLIC DISCUSSION, i 
 
 No. Have you seen him ?' No! Has he sent a letter? No! Has he sent a mes- 
 senger! No! What makes you say you are sent? Oh! I believe 1 am sent : such' 
 a man would be looked iipon as an idiot. Yet my opponents are precisely in this situ- 
 ation. Perhaps they will be able to explain, however, by what sort of legerdemain- 
 they are sent. One of the gentlemen, At. Cleeve, I believe, professes to have receivei 
 auother ordination : he, I think, has been ordained by the Church of England ; his,; 
 therefoi-e, is another case, and will have to be examined separately. He is now, how- 
 ever, I understand, associated with the Methodists, who believe in ordinations or not,. 
 just as it suits their convenience. But as Mr.Xleeve professes ordination, we shall 
 have to examine its validity. Mr. Cleeve has, I understand, been ordained by a 
 bishop of the Church of England, and consequently believes in a direct line of priest- 
 hood from the Apostles' days until the present. But it will be necessary to make a 
 few inquiries here. From whence did the Church of England'obtain their authority? 
 From the Church of Rome. Why did the Church of England leave the Church of" 
 Home ? Because they say it was corrupt ; according to their own statement, then, 
 they have their authority from a corrupt church. Can an unpure fountain send forth 
 pure streams ? can a bad tree bring forth good fruit ? Jesus says no. In a conver- 
 sation which I had with the Rev. Mr. James, a, Church of England clergyman, a 
 number of yeai-s ago, when pressed on this subject, he said that they might retain the-, 
 power, although they had lost the virtue; We will examine this tlieory then for a- 
 moment. The scriptures say that " whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound, 
 in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." If the: 
 Church of Rome had power to give, they had power to take away ; if they had powei- 
 to seal, they had power to loose ; and they cut off all protestants and excommunicated 
 them, consequently it makes no difference which horn of the dilemma you take hold 
 of. If the Church of Rome had power to give authority they also had power to take* 
 it away, which they did, and if they had not the power, they could not confer a thing 
 which they did not possess. This, then, is the situation of Mr. Cleeve. The other 
 two gentlemen, to use an American expression, " have started on their own book,"' 
 and belong to that class that St. Paul speaks of — which are men — ^made preachers. 
 The Apostle prophesied of a time of corruptions, when men would make then- o^ti' 
 teachers. " After their own lusts heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, who 
 shall turn their ears from the truth, and they shall be turned into fables." But as my 
 time is expired, I shall leave their fabulous stories and false doctrine to be examined- 
 in my next remarks. 
 
 Mr. Cleeve did not intend to degrade himself by repljang to what they had heardj 
 He had, however, that to submit to the meeting that, he thought, could settle the 
 character of Mormonism. It was supposed that these persons worship the same God 
 as we do. That was untrue. They deny the Supreme Being. Nay, they ridicule 
 and cai'icature him. What he was about to read was by Orson Pratt, one of the 
 Twelve Apostles of the Latter-day Saints. 
 
 Here the Rev. gentleman read a long extract, maintaining the materiality of the 
 Godhead, and treating the Christian doctrine, that God is a Spirit, in a tone of ridi- 
 cule and banter. (As they have not published this quotation, I will insert it. — J. T.) 
 
 " I will now tell you the reason why the King has kept silent so long. It is because he 
 has had no subjects to converse with ; all have turned away from him and advocated other 
 governments as being the rightful and legal authority. They killed off and utterly de- 
 stroyed every true subject of his kingdom, and left not a vestige of it upon the earth; and 
 to add to their guilt and wickedness, they have introduced idolatry in its worst forms, and 
 utterly turned away from the true and living God. They have introduced a ' God vnthont 
 BODY, PARTS or PASSIONS.' They have had the audacity to call this newly.Tinventgd god by 
 the same name as the God of the ancient Saints, although there is not the least resemblancs 
 between them. Indeed there could be no resemblance between them ; for a bodiless god with- 
 out 'parts orpasHons,' could resemble nothing in heaven, on earth, or in hell. This imaginarj 
 modern god has. become exceedingly popular. It is to him that a va^t number of churches 
 hare been erected. It is not to the, true and living God that they send forth petitions, bni 
 it is to this imaginary being. No wonder that they have received no communication from 
 him ! no wonder that he has not honored them with a visit. As he has no • parts,' he 
 could neither be felt nor seen if he should visit them. Such a being could not speak, fof 
 Jie has j>9 'parts 'to speals with. 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 31 
 
 *' There have been various specie) of idolatry in different ages of the world. The gan^ 
 mooD, stars, beasts, crocodiles, frightful serpents, images of wood, of stone, and of brsss^ 
 haye been erected into gods and worshipped by innumerable multitudes. But the system 
 of idolatry invented by modern Christianity far surpasses in absurdity anything that we 
 have ever heard of. One of the celebrated worshippers of this newly-discovered god,'in 
 his 'Physical Theory of Another- Life,' says, ' A disembodied spirit, or we should ratbep- 
 say, an nnembodied spirit, or sheer mind, is nowhebe. Place is a relation belonging to 
 extension; and extension is a property of matter: but that which is wholly abstracted 
 from matter, and in speaking of which we deny that it has any property in common there- 
 with, can in itself be subject to none of its conditions ; and we might as well say of a pnr& 
 spirit that it is hard, heavy, or red, or that it is . a cubic foot in dimensions, as say that it 
 is here or there. It is only in a popular and improper sense that any such aiSrmation i^ 
 made concerning the Infinite Spirit, or that we speak of God as cveryioAera present. Go4 
 Js in every place in a sense altogether incomprehensible by finite, minds, inasmuch as his 
 relation to space and extension is peculiar to infinitude. Using the terms as we use them 
 of ourselves, God is not here or iherCt any more than he exists now and then.' This species 
 of idolatry, according to the foregoing quotations, approaches so near to Atheism, that 
 no one can tell the diiference. Header, can you see the difference 7 A god ' without a 
 hody ! ' A god • without parts !' A god that cannot be ' here or there ! ' A god that is 
 ' NOWHERE 1 ' A god ifhat cannot exist ' now and tben 1 ' A god that exists in kg time T 
 A god that has no txtension — no 'parts ' — no conceivable relation to time or space ! O, 
 blush for modern Christianity I — a pious name for Atheism ! Some perhaps may think that 
 I have not suflicient charity. But why should I have charity for a god that has no 'parts' 
 !— no relation to space? Let him first have charity for himself. But this would be im- 
 possible ; for he is a god ' without passions' He can have no charity nor love for himself 
 nor any one else. There is no danger in offending him ; for a passionless god is not capa- 
 ble of anger. One of the persons of this imaginary god, is said to have been crucified. 
 But this must be a sad mistake ; for it would be impossible to crucify a portion of somer 
 thing that had no ' parts.' The reason, then, why the people have not received any word 
 from the Great King, is because they have petitioned the wrong god. AVould you expect 
 her majesty, the queen of England, to answer your petition if it were directed to some Af- 
 rican prince ? Would you expect the God of heaven to answer a petition that was ad- 
 dressed to a Hindoo god ? If, then, your petitions are addressed to the bodiless, passiou'- 
 less god of modern Christianity, you must not be surprised if the true God does not pay 
 any attention to them. You need not expect that the true God will make any reply to 
 petitions offered to any other being. 
 
 " The true God exists both in time and in space, and has as much relation to them as 
 man or any other being. He has extension, and form, and dimensions, as well as man. He 
 occupies space ; has a body, parts and passions ; can go from place to place — can eat, drink, 
 and talk, as well as man. Man resembles him in the features and form of his body, and he 
 does not differ materially in size. When he has been seen among men, he has been pronounced, 
 even by the wicked, as one of their own species. So much did he look like man, that some 
 supposed him to be the carpenter's son. Like man, he had a father ; and he was the ' ex- 
 press image of the person of the Father.' The two persons were as much alike in form, in 
 size, and in every other respect as fathers and sons are of the hnman race ; indeed the hu- 
 man race are ' his offspring^ made in his likeness and image, not after his moral image, but 
 after the image of his person. There is no such thing as moral image. Such an image 
 cannot exist. Morality is a property of some being or substance. A property without a 
 substance or being to which it appertains is inconceivable. A property can never have 
 figure, shape, or image of any kind.;^ Hence, a moral image never had an existence except 
 in the brains of modern idolators," '*' 
 
 Now he (Mr. Cleeve) had just another matter tO' call the attention of ihe meeting 
 to. Mr. Taylor had said that he guessed a manuseript to be Greek when it was of- 
 fered to him by Professor Caswell. Now he would submit ■ three sentences to hin^ 
 and ask which was Greek. Which of these three is Greek ? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — This, I think; (pointing to the first). 
 
 Mr. Cleeve. — There is not a letter of Greek in it ; it is a verse of Japanese. 
 (Laughter and confusion.) . 
 
 Elder Taylor. — That certainly has the appearance of Greek. 
 
 Mr. Groves. — I declare it is much more hke Hebrew; nobody understanding any 
 tlinig «f the Greek language could mistake it for a moment to be Greek. 
 
 * kingdom of God Part X, page 3^. 
 
32 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 A Cfentleman in the meeting. — Let me see it. I am a graduate of Oxford, and I 
 declare that there are Greek characters in it, and that any person not familiar with 
 the language could easily mistake it for Greek. — (Cries : " It is all a trick ! shame ! " 
 and much confusion.) 
 
 Gentleman. — Here is the Greek letter ij (Eta). 
 
 Mr. Groves. — The letter the gentleman has marked bears certaitily a strong re- 
 semblance to the letter Eta ; but I merely say, that no one knowing the Greek al- 
 phabet could possibly mistake these lines for Greek. — (Great confusion between Mr. 
 (Groves and another gentleman.) 
 
 Second Genthman. — It is written to imitate Greek, and is evidently done so with 
 nn intention to deceive. 
 
 Mr. Cleeve. — There is not a letter of Greek in it. 
 
 First Gentleman. — I declare there is, sir, and I will not be contradicted. — (Con- 
 fusion.) 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I never declared that I knew Greek; but I am somewhat ac- 
 quainted with the Greek characters, and could readily distinguish between it and He- 
 brew. I know that these characters have a resemblance to Greek. What I said in 
 relation to this matter was, that Mr. Caswell showed me an old manuscript, and 
 wanted to know what it was ; I told him that I believed it was Greek. In his book 
 that he published against the Latter-day Saints, he acknowledged that it was a Greek 
 psalter. 
 
 Mr. Robertson at length recapitulated the discussion, pressing for explanations 
 about Joseph Smith's seraglio, and his dispute with Sidney Rigdon. Mr. Taylor had 
 contented himself with a mere denial of all this, and had blinked the question of au- 
 thority altogether. Why the signs are not now in the church ? was not the question 
 there ; but what proof was there that the signs were amongst the Mormonites. As to 
 the question of tongues, it would have been easy to have given us a specimen. Here 
 are the missionaries of a faith who profess to have the gift of tongues, and they come 
 to Prance and cannot speak French. It may be true that they will not descend to 
 indulge the meeting by exhibiting the gift of tongues, but they should speak French 
 to the French if they have the gift. As to the gift of healing, one of them had said 
 that his wdfe had that gift, but he had not furnished us with an instance. He (Mr. 
 Kobertson) had, however, heard from one of them some particulars about the casting 
 out of devils. It appeared that it was only upon Saints that mu-acles were performed, 
 fcut this person said devils had been cast out of some strangers. How, then, did they 
 inow they were Saints ? Oh ! they discovered that ; and had Saints sometimes de- 
 vils ? occasionally. He (Mr. Robertson) believed blue devils; but would some of his 
 opponents give an account of some of these miracles ? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — As there have been remarks made by these gentlemen, in regard 
 to signs following the gospel that we preach, I will call upon Mr. Howell. 
 
 Elder Howell. — This same gospel, has been preached by the servants of the Lord 
 in Wales, and thousands have embraced it. Mr. Taylor visited Wales four years ago, 
 and preached the same principles that he preaches here. All the branches of the 
 jChurch in Wales are edified, more or less, by the various spiritual gifts the members 
 ■possess. Having myself lately baptized upwards of a hundred in the principaUty of 
 "Wales, I can testify before the Lord, that some enjoy the gifts of wisdom and know- 
 ledge, others have visions, dreams and revelations, shovidng them things past, present, 
 land to come, thi-ough the Spirit of God. Some have the gift of faith, and the gift of 
 healing ; others the gift of miracles and discerning of spirits, the gift of tongues, and 
 ihe gift of interpretation thereof. A person of the name of John M'Manmouth, from 
 Hindostan, intimately acquainted with Dr. Cary, a Baptist Missionary, at Calcutta, and 
 a member in his church, understanding seventeen oriental languages, came to reside 
 in the neighborhood of Myrthr TydvU, he was induced to attend a Saints' meeting ; 
 in that meeting he understood seven languages, spoken in by the gift of tongues by 
 the brethren and sisteirs present. He testified that the young servant girl I had, 
 •prayed in the Malabar tongue. The said girl on another occasion prayed in the He- 
 brew tongue. A Jew present stating he understood what she said, but not the whole, 
 she having spoken in the ancient Hebrew and not the modern ; and what Mr. Cater 
 -said concerning this matter is false. Seeing the Rev. gentlemen and audience pre- 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 33 
 
 sent malting light of the gifts and blessings promised by God to his Church, made me 
 think of the fox endeavouring to smile and grin at the grapes, and say that they were 
 sour becauje he could not reach them. These gentlemen seek a sign, — I will give 
 them a sign. Notwithstanding their opposition to the gospel, it will march through 
 this nation gloriously, and thousands will believe and obey the truth and become 
 members of the Church. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I cannot but express my surprise at the com-se taken by my op- 
 ponents ; it seems they have learned to play only one tune, and that we must hear 
 every time they rise. What about their calling ? Are we to have no answer on this 
 subject ? I have positively proved and demonstrated that they have no authority to 
 preach, and they never attempted to disprove it, but have given us another rehearsal of 
 the old ditty. Gentlemen, you sit down very quietly with the appellation of false 
 teachers ; of course, we must believe that you are such, unless you prove to the con- 
 trary. Mr. Robertson, indeed, honestly says that he has no authority. Then God 
 has nothing to do with him or his calling. - He, of course, acknowledges that he is 
 administering in the name of one who never sent him. We shall take him at his 
 ■word, and set him down as a teacher whom God has not sent. In France or Eng- 
 land they would punilh persons as impostors, for committing an act of forgery. But 
 the judgment of those who administer falsely in the name of Jesus, has not yet come; 
 but the time will come when some will come to him and say, we have preached in thy 
 name; and he will answer, depart from me, I never knew you. (Confusion.) We 
 shall set Mr. Cater on the stool as Mr. Robertson. Mr. Cleeve will not degrade him- 
 self by investigating this matter ! Will he tell me why he, as a gentleman, undertook to 
 discuss a subject, and published that engagement, which he is now disgusted with ? and 
 why he did not express his feelings of disgust before he heard the arguments ? I pre- 
 sume a criminal would express his disgust at an executioner for being so unpolite as 
 to put a noose round a gentleman's neck. But it is there, and there it must remain, 
 Mr. Cleeve, until it is removed by you. It needs some more formidable weapons than 
 disgust and contempt to remove it ; and we shall still say that you have no authority, 
 that you are a false teacher, and that God has not sent you, unless you can show some 
 reason to the contrary. (Confusion.) God never had an acknowledged priesthood on 
 the earth, unless they were sent of him ; all the Prophets came with the " Burden of 
 the word of the Lord," except some that God had not sent and who prophesied in 
 their own name, and said that God sent them. When Jesus came he said " I came 
 not to speak my own words, but my Father's who sent me." Jesus said again, " ye 
 have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you ; " and even after he had 
 called them, and chosen them, he told them not to go and preach till after they were 
 endued with power from on high. Why ? because the words they were going to 
 preach, would either damn men or save men. " He that believeth and is baptized 
 shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." If ever men were pre- 
 pared to go on their own authority the Apostles were, for they had been with Jesus ; 
 they had seen his miracles, heard his teaching, been with him in cities and on the 
 mountain ; they had seen him living, dying, and living again ; yet they were told to 
 tarry at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. Yet we find 
 people here, professing to be ministers of the same religion, who vrill unblushingly 
 tell us, that they sent themselves. (Interruption.) How was St. Paul called ? He 
 tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ spake to him, and told him that he had a work for 
 him to do ; he was afterwards ordained to this work. Timothy was a minister of the 
 liord, how was he called ? St. Paul says, " neglect not the gift that is in thee, which 
 "was given thee by prophecy, and by laying on of hands." Timothy, then, had a gift, 
 he was a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ. There were also prophets in the church ; 
 one of these prophesied that he should be called to the ministry. He was afterward 
 ordained to this ministry by the laying on of hands, by those having authority. 'We 
 are told by St. Paul " that no man taketh this honor upon himself, but he 1^*, lisi 
 called of God as was Aaron." How was Aaron called ? Moses, who was a pnoghef^ 
 called him by the revelations of the Almighty. No man then taketh this honoBuatoi 
 himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron ; he further adds that Christ diS 
 not, " neither did Jesus glorify himself to be a High Priest, but he that said unto 
 iiim thou ait my son, this day .have I begotten thee." St. Paul, however, tells- us t£ 
 
 c 
 
34 PUBLIC DISCUSSION, 
 
 a.time, whetl men wottld go without authority, and malce teachers of their own, when 
 tiney would heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, who would turn away 
 their ears from truth and turn them unto fables. There should he heaps of such, 
 teachers. And what should they do ? turn away their ears from truth and turn them 
 raato fables. Hence we have had three ministers .here for three nights, trying with 
 3,11 their energy to avoid and turn away the people's ears from a scriptural investiga- 
 tion, and to turn them to newspaper stories and to the false statements of wicked 
 men — absolutely to fables. (Confusion.) We will now examine the doctrines which 
 they teach, and in doing so 1 shall first trace the doctrines taught by Jesus and his 
 disciples, for I consider that to be the correct test. For we are told that " he that 
 fciransgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God, but he that abideth 
 in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son." If, then, we can find out the 
 Gospel of Christ, we can compare and see how far the doctrines of these gentlemen 
 agree with that. When Jesus was about to leave the earth after his resurrection, he 
 *l»ld his disciples to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, " he 
 that believeth and is baptized shall he saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned ; 
 and these signs shall follow them that believe : in my name they shall cast out devils, 
 they shall speak with new tongues, if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt 
 them, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover, St. Mark xvi. 15, 18. 
 We shall now see what doctrines the apostles taught ; for after casting out devils,. 
 Ijealing the sick, preaching and baptizing, Jesus tells them, " to teach all things what- 
 .soever he had commanded them ; " they were told to tarry at Jerusalem until they 
 were endued with power from on high. We will, therefore, follow them to the day 
 «»f Pentecost, the time when they were to be fully prepared to preach the Gospel, 
 being endued with power from on high. Here we find that the disciples were assem- 
 bled in one place, in an upper room, that the " Spu'it rested upon them as cloven 
 tongues of fire, and they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit of God 
 gave them utterance. Then Peter stood up and told them, that this same Jesus 
 vhom they had crucified, God had made him both Lord and Christ ; when they 
 leard this they were pricked to the heart, and said, men and brethren, what shall we 
 ilia? " Here was a congregation, then, needing teaching, and hei-e were apostles pre- 
 pared to teach them. It was a time when corruption had not had time to creep into 
 the church ; when they could not teach false doctrines, for they were under the im- 
 mediate inspiration of the Spirit of God. What did they teach ? Did they tell the 
 people to put their names on a class paper ? No. Did they tell them to pray and 
 perhaps they would be forgiven ? No. Did they tell them to unite with the church, 
 manifest a desire to be saved, and that, after they were converted they might be bap- 
 tized ? No. Did they tell them to come to anxious seats or mourner's bench and be 
 prayed for ? No. What did they say ? " Repent and be baptized every one of you 
 in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the 
 JIc% fihost ; and the same day were added unto the church about thi^ee thousand 
 SDuis.'' Tfee apostles taught faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism for 
 awmission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
 IBut why, it may he asked, did not St. Peter tell the people to believe first ? because 
 they already believed; St. Peter had told them that "that same Jesus, whom they 
 liad crucified, God had made both Lord and Christ, and when they heard this they 
 i»rere pricked to the heart." Why were they pricked to the heart? because they 
 Relieved they had crucified the Saviour in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Hence 
 tiiey had faith in him; the next thing was to repent and he baptized for re- 
 mission of sins. This they attended to, and then came the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
 This was administered according to scriptm-e by the laying on of hands. Hence 
 uplaen PhiUp had been baptizing in Samai-ia, the apostles " sent down Peter and John, 
 ■who, when they came laid their hands on them, and they received the gift of the Holy 
 sGhost, and they spake with tongues and prophesied. St. Paul describes the doctrine 
 iijlCIirist to be as follows :— r" Therefore leaving, the principles of the doctrine of Christ 
 .let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead 
 -works, and of faith towards God, of the doctrine of baptisms,; and of laying on of hands, 
 a»d of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." (Heb. vi.) Her.e, then, 
 ^sne have the same principles taught and the laying on of hands is among them. When 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION, S^ 
 
 fhey received the gift of the Holy Ghost it jfroduced the same effects as Jesus said it 
 would, it led them unto truth, brought things past to their remembrance, and showed 
 them things to come. It was to cause their old men to dream dreams, their young' 
 men to see visions, to rest on the servants and handmaidens, and cause them to jtto- 
 phesy. Says Jesus, "these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name they 
 shall cast out devils, speak with new tongues ; if they drink any deadly thing it shall 
 mot hm-t them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Yes, but say 
 some, this was the apostles. The scriptures do not say s6 ; they state that they were 
 to follow those that believed and obeyed the apostles. But, says another, theSe were 
 confined to the apostles days. This is only an assertion. The Gospel was to be! 
 preached to all the world, and these signs were to follow it. But Jesus never said 
 that these signs should follow another Gospel, and if we really are in the world, we 
 have as much right to have those signs now as at any other time ! if these gentlemen, 
 however, will prove to us that we are not in the world, I vvill admit that these pro- 
 mises do not apply to us. St. Paul says, " to one is given the gift of wisdom, to an- 
 other the gift of faith, to another the gift of healing, to another the working of mira- 
 cles, to another prophecy ; the Spirit dividing unto each man, severally as he will." 
 Hence, the Spirit led Wito all truth, brought things past to remembrance, shewed of 
 things to come, gave the spirit of prophecy, healing, &c., gave revelations and put 
 men in possession of eternal certainty. This, then, is the doctrine of Christ and his 
 apostles. Then there were apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers 
 placed in the church. Yes, but say some, this was in the apostolic age and only in- 
 tended for them. St. Paul tells us that " God placed them in the church for the 
 perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body 
 of Christ, until we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of 
 Crod, uxito a perfect man, unto the fulness of the measure of the statm-e of Christ." 
 Have we arrived at this yet ? No. If we have not we need those things to perfect 
 lis, to unite us, to put us in possession of the truth, and make us one. One thing 
 was the unity of the faith, but here I have three different ministers with three di£ 
 ferent faiths, preaching three different gospels, and all of them unauthorized. 
 
 Mr. Cater. — So you say. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — You have not proven anything to the contrary, although you have 
 had the opportunity of -doing it ; however, perhaps we shall hear. Now let us exa- 
 mine how this doctrine agrees with that of these gentlemen, for, be it remembered, 
 that St. John says, " He that transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ' 
 hath not God, but he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and 
 the Son." (2 John 9). Now have they Apostles? No. They ridicule the idea of them. 
 Have they Prophets ? No. They tell us there is to be no more prophecy. Have they 
 evangelists, pastors, and teachers, insjfired men ? No. They don't believe in inspiration, 
 and tell us that the cause of inspiration has ceased. Do they speak in tongues? No. You 
 have heard it turned into ridicule time and again. Do they have prophets among them 
 who prophesy ? No. This they call a delusion. If any are sick, do they do as St. 
 James says, " send for the elders of the church that they may pray for them, and anoint 
 them with oil in the name of the Lord ?" No. That they call fanaticism. Do they 
 baptize in the name of the Lord for remission of sins ? No. Do they lay on hands 
 for the gift of the Holy Ghost ? No. What have they got that m tfie least resem- 
 Hes the Gospel ? They have not even got a clumsy counterfeit. How will they 
 stand the test? " He that abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God." I 
 •will not, however, call them impostors, that I shall leave, and I will go on to examine 
 4heir doctrines more in detail. First, I will commence with Mr. Cleeve. He pro- 
 fesses to be a Methodist minister. I am somewhat acquainted with their doctrines. 
 Their ministers are not all ordained as Mr. Cleeve is ; they have their class leaders, 
 local preachers, exhorters, and itinerant preachers, made just at random, according to 
 convenience. But I vrill here take Mr. Cleeve and Mr. Cater and compare their doc- 
 trines. Ml". Cleeve beheves in sprinkling ; Mr. Cater in immersion ; neither of them 
 believing in baptism as St. Peter did'for remission of sins. (Interruption). But the 
 Methodists have arranged the matter more conveniently, for according to the discipline 
 of the Methodist episcopal church in America, they have three different modes of bap-^ , 
 tism,— they will baptize either by sprinkling, poui'ing, or immersion. This is the doo-^' 
 
 C3 
 
36 FUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 trine of the Episcopal Methodists in America ; so that after teaching a person, what 
 ihey call the plan of salvation, they, do not know as teachers how to baptize, but must 
 apply to the person whom they are teaching. Thus Mr. Cleeve would 
 
 Mr. Cleeve. — I am not a Methodist, sir. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I certainly understood you were a Wesleyan Methodist. 
 
 Mr. Cleeve. — I have nothing to do with the Wesleyan Methodists either directly or 
 indirectly. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — Then I must say that I am labouring under a mistake; this was 
 certainly my understanding. , I will therefore turn to Mr. Cater. I understand that 
 he is a Baptist minister. 
 
 Mr. Cater. — I am not a member of the Baptist Association.* 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I was certainly told and understood until now, that youwere». 
 ST. Pray, gentlemen, what are you? (Great laughter, and no answer). 
 
 The Rev. Mr. Long, a clergyman of the Church of England, rose and said : — " I 
 am not ashamed of my profession, sir; I am a clergyman of the Church of England."" 
 (Great laughter). 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I certainly think that the gentlemen have taken a strange position, 
 they seem to be afraid of acknowledging what their profession is. However I wiU' 
 proceed. . I have three different ministers to do with of some persuasion, for they alL 
 call themselves Revds. Now do their doctrines agree with the scriptures ? Hava 
 they the organization, ordinances, gifts, prophecy, revelations, visions, tongues, apos- 
 tles, and prophets ? No ! This they cannot deny, for they have all of them opposed 
 these things ; yet all of these things were associated with primitive Christianity. Their 
 offices, their doctrines, their calling, their teaching, their ordinances are all incorrect^ 
 they are devoid of the blessings, powers, unity, certainty and revelation, and are left 
 struggling in the mazes of confusion, division, strife, uncertainty and error. They 
 inow not God nor the power of God. (Interruption). There is scarcely a principle- 
 that these gentlemen have that is correct, even the doctrine of baptism for the remis- 
 sion of sins they treat lightly ;• yet Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch — when he. 
 lieUeved, he immersed him in the water ; John baptized in Jordan because there wast 
 vnuch water there ; St. Paul was told to " arise and be baptized, and wash away his 
 »ns," and Jesus says that, " except a man he born of water and of the Spirit, he can 
 in no wise enter the kingdom of God." 
 
 Chairman (to Mr. Taylor). — ^Do you wish to continue, the gentlemen on the oppo- 
 jHte side are satisfied that it rest here ? 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I certainly did not anticipate this. I expected to investigate their 
 principles further, according to agreement. 
 
 Chairman. — They do not vrish to say any more. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — If they have no reply to make, of course I must let it rest. 
 
 There were three chairmen chosen, the Rev. K. Groves chosen by the challengers^ 
 Mr. Luddy chosen by myself, and Mr. Charles Townley, LL.D., chosen by the other- 
 two. Mr. Groves was the officiating chairman. 
 
 Mr. Luddy arose and said, I presume my friends may be surprised to find me here. 
 Mr. Taylor called upon me with a letter ; he informed me that he was a stranger, and 
 ■what he wdshed of me was to see fair play. I do not believe that good very often, 
 results from meetings of this kind. I certainly expected to hear something of tha- 
 doctrines of these gentlemen, but I leave the room as ignorant as I entered it. L, 
 thought it necessary thus to explain my position. I do not believe that many have- 
 received the principles, and I must say that I am very much pleased with the good 
 spirit manifested by tha audience. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — As I had not an opportunity in the meeting, I shall take the 
 -Opportunity now to answer these gentlemen's remarks. I would here ask Mr. Luddy ,_ 
 Teiy respectftilly, what doctrines he expected to hear. Those doctrines contained in, 
 
 * Since the discussion I have been at Bath, and am informed that Mr. Cater offieiatei. 
 -for ten years in York Street Chapel in Bath, as a Baptist minister. Mr. Marchant, a gen- 
 Cleman in Bath, asked a Mr. Cos, a Baptist minister, who also said be was, and was preach— 
 log at Boulogne! 
 
PUBUC DISCUSSION. S'j^ 
 
 the Bible with which I tested the doctrines of my opponents, are the doctrmes that I 
 believe in and teaph. If the challengers had not shrank from further investigation I 
 shoidd have explained more of them. If Mr. Ludd/s expectations concerning us were 
 that we entertained some foolish unscriptural doctrines, I can only say that he laboured 
 under a mistake. I certainly anticipated myself that the challengers would hare 
 entered more into the Book of Mormon and the Scriptures, which I should gladly 
 liave done with them ; but as I was on the defence, Mr. Luddy must see that I had 
 to follow, not to lead, — to answer, not to ask questions — to reply to, not to make objec- 
 tions ; and as they sang only one song, viz., Joseph Smith and his character, with all 
 courtesy, gentlemen ought not to complain of me if I had to confine myself more or 
 less to the chorus. 
 
 Dr. Townley — Perhaps it may be necessary for me to make a few remarks, and 
 to make an explanation for my being here. Those other two gentlemen being chosen. 
 Called upon me as a third, in case of difference of opinion ; but the unity of the other 
 two have rendered it unnecessary for me to act. I was myself a little concerned about 
 some of the soriptm-es mentioned by these gentlemen ; I was of the opinion that we 
 -ought to have more revelation, prophecy, &c., but I had my mind informed in relation 
 to this matter. A niSnber of years ago I told a gentleman of my acquaintance in 
 Liverpool, my feelings and views, when he said he could easily satisfy my mind on that 
 matter : he quoted to me the following Scripture, in Daniel xii. 4 — " But thou, O 
 Daniel, shut up the words, and seal up the book, even unto the time of the end." (E 
 think, however, what the gentleman referred to is in Isaiah, and not in Daniel as he 
 said, and I would not vnsh to give a misquotation where there may be merely a slip 
 of the tongue. Is. viii. 16. •' Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disci> 
 j)les.") This perfectly satisfied my mind, I never have had any doubt or trouble in rela- 
 tion to this matter since. I think it presumption to look for such things, and I would 
 warn the people against what we have heard. Dr. Bows, of Liverpool, wrote of 
 French prophets : they were men that were self-deceivers ; they attached a great deal 
 of importance to their mission. They came to England and the government did nofc 
 know what to do with them ; but, finally, they were permitted to go a-head. They 
 tried to raise the dead, but failed ; I would therefore advise you to be very careful how 
 you listen to these things. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — The first thing that I shall refer to in reply is the passage 
 quoted, " But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time 
 of the end." If this be the gentleman's quotation, I should like to know what rele-r 
 vancy this passage had to the subject in hand ? What had this to do with the Gospd, 
 or the gifts associated with it ? it refers merely to Daniel's vision, there is not th» 
 slightest aJlusion to anything else ; would he say we were to have no revelation since ? 
 if he did, what would he make of the testimony of other prophets who prophesied since 
 him ? of the testimony of Jesus and his Apostles ? But suppose we look at the other 
 Scripture, " Bind up the testimony, seal up the law among my disciples." What of 
 this, Mr. Townley ? What is law ? Is it prophecy, healing, gifts, tongues, miracles ? 
 Johnson calls it a rule of action, a decree, edict, or statute — he calls testimony prooi^ 
 profession ; the Scriptures themselves call it " the Scriptures," " to the law and to 
 the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light 
 in them." (Isaiah viii. 20.) What would Mr. Townley make of this ? Would he 
 tell us that the Scr5j)tures were to be sealed up ? if he would, what are we doing withr 
 them ? and why does Isaiah in the next breath tell us to try false prophets and wizards 
 ly them ? He certainly cannot mean that the Scriptures are to be done away, and 
 there is not the slightest allusion to anything else. Yet one of these passages h» 
 assures us has satisfied his mind that there was to be no more prophecy, visions, reve- 
 lations, apostles, prophets, healings, &c. I must confess that his mind is very easily 
 satisfied. But then, Mr. Bows has told him that there were some French prophets 
 that had visions, &c. ; well, but he ought to have done with them as Isaiah recom- 
 mended, to have taken them " to the law and the testimony," and if they did nofe 
 ^eak accordingto that, condemn them; or does he think it is sealed up. Again,li£ 
 there were false prophets, is that a proof that there were never to be any true ones? 
 Does Mr. Townley infer from this that the 'Scriptures are false that speak of these 
 things ? Wodd Mr. Townley infer that if a quack doctor gave a portion of medicineii- 
 
S8 PUBLJd DISCUSSION. 
 
 ■^haJt, caused the death of a patient, that, therefore, all doctors were quacks, and all^ 
 • jnedicine injurious, Mr. Townley voluntarily offered his opinion, I will give him 
 jcomfi ^s freely. I think that he would have displayed more wisdom and obtained 
 ifftore credit by being silent, than by obtruding his foolish remarks where they were 
 uncalled for. ' 
 
 After some remarks, the Bev. Mr. Groves* (the chairman), then rose and said, 
 that though at that l^ite hour he could not, as he intended, perorate the whole pro- 
 ceedings, yet a two-fold sense of duty, that of chairman, and that of a minister hav- 
 ing the care of spuls in the town, pairifully obliged him to notice apart from the merits 
 or demerits of the discussion itsetf, some of the many fallacies which as it appeared 
 to him had been put forth during it, he did not say designedly ; and this he did solely 
 on prophylactic considerations, and not vyith any view to judge, far less condemn, 
 ^nd, first, he thouglit strict moral conduct essential to substantiate pretensions in 
 any one who claimed to have ai new commission from on high to mankind, and to be 
 the author of a new revelation. They must render their asserted commission proba- 
 ble in the first instance, by a pure and holy life. He, at all events, knew of no excep- 
 tion to this rule, and that, therefore, inquiry into character was not only legitimates- 
 put obligatory, agreeably to apostolic authority. " Try the Spirits." (1 Tim. iv. 1.) 
 Such inquiry was fatal to Mahomet. How far it might affect Joseph Smith was for 
 lie meeting to judge, and not for the chairman to decide. [The Ahnighty God is said 
 to be limited to apeak to man in three ways ; but God speaks to man's spirit before we 
 ?tre ordained ; it is asked of us, " do you feel moved upon by the sjarit to preach 
 the Gospel."] The Chairman next adverted to miracles, giving it as fis opinion that 
 t^e passage (Mark xvi. 17, 18) so often referred to during the discussion, was not to be 
 applied to the present time ; masmuch as a critical examination of the passage itself 
 as also a heedful comparison of it with Luke xxiv. 49 ;' and yet again the arguments 
 derived from what we know of God's deaUngs, and from natural analogy, as supplied 
 from the treatment we ourselves observe to our infants, bearing in mind however that 
 heaven is not prodigal of miracles, — ^but that they are, properly considered, an im- 
 posed necessity, and to a certain extent inconsonant with His moral government 
 ipasmuch as their tendency must be to command the judgment, and coerce the will ; 
 all this will lead to the conclusion that miracles, (i. e. divine miracles), were limited 
 to the apostolic age, or at furthest, that they entirely ceased when kings and queens 
 feecame nursing fathers and nursing mothers of the church. [Miracles I verily believe 
 in my heart were confined to the apostolic age. I wish I laiew every thing. Learning 
 ijjakes the man. I am now past the meridian of life, and have studied for forty years 
 and I never was more convinced of the necessity of learning to prepare a man to preach, 
 the Gospel.] In the next place the chairman adverted to the deduction put forth, 
 that because certain books mentioned in Holy Scripture were lost, that, therefore, the 
 canon was defective, and that there was room for an added revelation. This he con- 
 adered a fallacy, the error of which was, if possible, exceeded by its dangerousness. 
 It was as if upon a plethoric man's being bled, any one should assume from that cir.* 
 cumstance, that the patient was deficient in blood. [We do not want any more Gospel^ 
 Those books were not wanted, and therefore not preserved. Scripture was complete 
 without them — and beii^ at once a finality and totality, appealed to him to need no^ 
 additions whatever. [We know of no other way of judging a new revelation but by 
 miracles.] The Chairman then glanced at testimony, as to its nature, its nicety, the 
 tjxiiTejRe difficulty of weighing it, &c., &c., supplying as it does in these respects a. 
 jjot easy branch of legal study. [As soon as the child is old enough to walk, then 
 signs, miracles, apostles, prophets, were not to follow : it is plain that these things 
 were done away immediately. A passage was read, giving an account of a beautiful, 
 happy land that Rasselas sought in vain, but this was given by Orson Pratt. He 
 then proceeded to observe that Orson Pratt was an interested witness, and reminded 
 the meeting of the old ad^ge, fere libenter homines id, gifod valimi, cr-edunt.} Yet 
 again, the !^ev. Speaker observed that persecution, though it often siilistantiates, does 
 Dot create tr^th ; that that is not true which is persecuted, because it is persecuted $. 
 
 * The report in the newspaper ig very imperfect. I insert some remarks jnade by Mr,. 
 ^syes in braQkets, 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 39 
 
 but that it must first be shown to he truth, and then the persecution is ancillary t«» 
 the proof. Lastly, the Chairman noticed Mr. Taylor's assertion that the Book of 
 Mormon was mentioned in many parts of the Scriptures, by reminding his respectabli- 
 auditory, that Mahomet had similarly claimed passages as prophetic of himself, and 
 his pretensions ; yes, but even blasphemously dared to announce himfelf to be thie 
 Parackte or Comforter whom om* sole matchless and ever-to-be-adored Redeemer hail 
 pi'omised to his disciples. [It is decidedly profane to dare to impose hands to heal the 
 sick. There are inward spiritual miracles, the inward ear, eye, &c., and the tongue' 
 that was once dumb is made to speak, &c.] The Chairman having, as he said, thtis. 
 offered such remarks as his paramount sense of duty obliged, and time permitted, 
 would now leave all decision with the meeting, and would conclude by again urging: 
 to earnest individual prayer for the Divine Blessing, and to the largest possible exer- 
 cise of Christian love, forbearance, and brotherly Idndness, never more honored ia 
 the exercise, and never, he was bold to say, more acceptable to a God who is lore, 
 than when exhibited towards those who may differ the most widely from us in creed 
 and opinion. 
 
 Elder Taylor. — I must confess that in having Mr. Townley and Mr. Gtotcs 
 brought into the fiel(i^ I have more champions to contend with than I bargained for. 
 I was not aware that I should have had to discuss with these two chainnen ; as it is, 
 I, of course, must take up the subject. The first statement that I shall refer to fo 
 the one whei-e Mr. Groves takes up the position of my opponents, wherein he says, 
 he thinks that strictly moral conduct is necessary for a man to substantiate his preten- 
 sions to a new revelation, and that an enquiry into character is not only legitimatt 
 but necessary. I can see no objection myself to a man being moral, nor to an honor- 
 able enquiry into character being made ; but for men to descend to .such means as i»T|r 
 opponents have done, I consider too degrading for gentlemen, much more for men 
 calling themselves by the name of Reverend ; neither have they proven anything- 
 against Joseph Smith's character, nor can they. I defy the world to prove anything: 
 against him. If that is the test, Mr. Smith is acquitted, but as I have stated and proven 
 before it is not. What would become of the Psalms with such a test? David 
 not only committed adultei'y, but murder. For certain designs of the Lord, Hosca 
 was told to take unto him a wife of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms. Shall 
 we reject his testimony because of this? We read of Elijah taking four hundred and 
 fifty of the prophets of Baal, and slaying them at the brook Kishon, this certainly was 
 a bloody deed ; are we to reject his testimony for this? Joseph Smith never slew so 
 many false teachers. What would you say of Joshua and Samuel hewing prisoneji* 
 down in cold blood ? What of the disciples wishing to call down fire from heaven to 
 slay their enemies ? What of Peter smiting off the man's ear, and of his cursing and 
 swearing, and saying that he did not know Jesus ? These, together with other cases 
 that I mentioned before, and many more that I might do, are all facts recorded bj- 
 the Scriptures. What becomes of Mr. Grove's statements in opposition to such testi- 
 mony ? but if we come to reports, they said that Jesus was born of fornication ; that 
 he was the associate and friend of publicans and sinners ; a gluttonous man and a 
 wine bibber; that he was a blasphemei-, a sabbath-breaker, a deceiver, an impostor; 
 that he had a devil ; that he was associated with Beelzebub, the prince of devila. 
 When he rose, they said that his disciples stole him away. They whipped St. Pete* 
 and St. John, banished St. John to the Isle of Patmos, whipped and imprisoned St. 
 Paul, and killed all of the Apostles except St. John, because they were every where 
 spoken evil of. Are we to reject their testimony because of this ? Mr. Groves wonld 
 say, no. Are we to reject Joseph Smith's testimony on account of false reports ? I 
 say, no, unless we reject the others on the same ground. I do not, as Mr. Grorcs, 
 profess to be learned, but I do profess to be able to understand that if false repoiSs 
 ■would condemn Joseph Smith, the same would also condemn the Apostles, and I ais© 
 know, in regard to some of the other acts of the Prophets, that would be condemned 
 by Mr. Groves, had they been done by Joseph Smith, that they are strictly correct. 
 Mr. Groves states that I say there are only three ways of communicating with manj 
 this I admit, but, says he, " we know there ai-e internal communications." Froai 
 whence do these come, Mr. Groves ? Prom the Lord, of course, for they are commm.; 
 nioations from Him. But how can He communicate without revealing? If He re. 
 
40 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 vsals nothing there is no communication. If there be a communication, there is 3 
 revelation, and Mr. Groves positively denies new revelation. Here, then, is a mys- 
 tery ; but we have it solved in the following — he says, " before we are ordained, it is 
 asked of us ' do j'ou feel moved upon by the Holy Ghost to preach the Gospel ?' " 
 Then the Holy Ghost reveals to them something that they did not know before, which 
 is, that they are to preach the Gospel, and it is a new revelation. Mr. Groves and 
 ihe Church of England, I must confess, have got a new way, but not according to 
 iis own statement, without revelation. Formerly, the Lord and the Holy Ghost used 
 to first manifest it to others. St. Paul was called by the Lord when he felt moved ' 
 tipon to persecute the Saints. Timothy was called by prophecy ; there were prophets 
 ■who prophesied th^t he should be set apart for that service. He did not move him- 
 self. St. Paul says, " No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that was called 
 of God, as was Aaron." But these gentlemen feel moved upon themselves, how is 
 it? Is not, the following the case? A gentleman has four sons, one of them is edu- 
 cated and designed for the bar, one for the navy, one for the army, and another for 
 the clergy ; the clergyman having a living carved out for him by his paxents, " feels 
 iHoved upon to preach the Gospel." How is it that the Holy Ghost does not move 
 upon the legal, naval, or military gentlemen ? I suppose it knows that their father 
 has carved out another living for them, and does not trouble about them. The Holy 
 Ghost used formerly to designate fishermen, tentmakers, and taxgatherers, as well as 
 ministers, without consulting their parents. The next statement made by Mr. Groves 
 is " miracles and revelations, I verily believe, were confined to the apostolic age." 
 He then tells us what he thinks to be a wrong translation in the 16tb of Mark. I would 
 answer Mr. Groves that the Bible which we now have was translated by seventy minis- 
 ters of his own church. The testimony of seventy ministers ought to be teken before that 
 of one, except that one be more leai'ned than the whole seventy. However, if Mr. 
 Groves could dispose of this, he would have a great many more scriptures to serve in 
 the same way. We will notice this first: The disciples were to go into all the world 
 to preach the Gdspel to every creature, these signs were to follow the belief of, and 
 obedience to it. Where was the Gospel to be preached ? in all the world. Where 
 were these signs to follow ? where the Gospel was believed and obeyed, " these signs 
 shall follow them that believe." St. Paul says, Eph. iv. 12, 13, " And he gave 
 some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and 
 teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edify- 
 ing of the body of Christ, until we all come in the unity of the faith and of the know- 
 ledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measm-e of the stature of the 
 fulness of Christ." Here were prophets and apostles to contiuue ; how long ? Until 
 ■we all come in the unity of the faith to a perfect man, to the fulness of the measure of 
 the stature of Christ, and of the knowledge of the Son of God. If there are pro- 
 phets, they will prophesy, and we shall have more revelation. Have we all come in the 
 jinity of the faith ? or is not the world split up into sects, parties, creeds, and opinions. 
 Jarring contention and strife ? How much more the system of God is adapted to 
 regulate the affairs of His church than the systems of men ! Apostles, prophets, reve- 
 lations, and visions, these with men inspired and taught of God, are much more com- 
 petent to govern His church, than the notions, creeds, and theories of men. What 
 does St. Paul to the Corinthians say on the same subject ? (1 Cor. xii.) No more 
 revelation ! why the very genius of the Gospel is revelation ; " therein," says the 
 Apostle, " is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." The very "tes- 
 timony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." No more miracles ! Why, Mr. Groves, 
 I can prove from the Scriptures that we shall have greater manifestations of power in 
 the last days, and greater miracles than ever were wrought in any other days. I will 
 quote a few passages from scriptures. "And the Lord shall utterly destroy the 
 tongue of the Egyptian sea, and with his Almighty wind shall he shake his hand over 
 the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod. 
 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left from 
 Assyria, like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of tlie land of 
 j^gypt." When did this take place ? It has yet to be fulfilled if the scriptiu-es are 
 true. " I will lift up mine ensign to the nations, and set up my standard to the 
 people. I 'Svill reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And I vrill biing 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSSON. 41 
 
 you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead to you face to face, lite 
 as I plead with your fathers in the wilderness, in the land of Egypt." See Jer. xxxiii. 
 and Ezekiel xx. 33, 38, Isaiah xlix. 22, 26, Isaiah xi, Zechariah x. 6, 12, Ezekjel 
 xxxvi, xxxviii, and xxxix, and see half of the Bihle. " Then the Lord shaiU go forth 
 to 6ght against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle, and his feet shall 
 stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is iJefore Jerusalem on the east, 
 and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof, toward the east and toward 
 the west, and there shall be a very great valley, and half of the mountain shall remove 
 toward the north, and half toward the south, and ye shall flee to the valley of the 
 mountain, for the valtey of the mountains shall reach to Azal ; yea, ye shall flee like 
 as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah." Zech. 
 xiv. 3, 5. Here, then, is a mountain to be divided by the power of God, and a great 
 valley to be made. The Mount of Olives is now standing where it did when this pro- 
 phecy was uttered. The Lord is to plead face to face with his people, smite the Bgyp- 
 tiaji sea in the seven streams, and bring the peojd& over dry shod, lift up a standard 
 and an ensign, and divide a mountain : yet Mr. Groves has told us we are to have no 
 more miracles nor revelation ; so great, however, are to be the manifestations to Israel 
 in the last days, thatlShey will forget the former, — for the prophet says, " Behold the 
 days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said the Lord liveth that brought 
 tip the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt ; but the Lord liveth that brought 
 up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither 
 he had di'iven them." Now the children of Israel have never returned since they were 
 carried captive by Salmanezer, king of Assyria. St. John speaks of an angel "'flying 
 in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to those that dwell on 
 the earth, and to every nation and kingdom, and people and tongue, crying with a 
 loud voice, fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come." 
 Uev. xiv. 6. In the 11th of the same book we have an account of two prophets pro- 
 phesying, " And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a 
 thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth ; and if any man will 
 hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouths and devoureth their enemies ; these 
 have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy, and have 
 power over waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues as 
 often as they will." Here, then, we have an account of prophets prophesying, with 
 power to call for fire from heaven as did Elijah, to turn water into blood as did Mo- 
 ses, and to smite the earth with plagues at their discretion, whereas Moses had power 
 only over Egypt ; yet, with the Bible in his band, a professedly learned divine will 
 absolutely tell us that he verily believes in his heart that we shall have no more mira- 
 cles. Mr. Groves then tells us " that learning makes the man. I am now past thie 
 meridian of life, I have pained my head with study for near forty years, and I never 
 was more convinced of the necessity of a person being learned to prepare him to preach 
 the Gospel, than I am at the present." I believe, with Mr. Groves, that learning and 
 intelligence are good, and I would recommend it to all, and say with Solomon, with all 
 thy getting get wisdom ; but as to its necessity to prepare a person to preach the 
 Gospel I should very much 'doubt that; Jesus was of a different opinion, he chose 
 unlearned men, and taught them by his Spirit ; how far learning will do without that 
 ■we have had a fair specimen, both in the gentlemen I have discussed with and also 
 in Mr. Groves. We are next told that " we do not want any more Gospel." This I 
 can easily believe, I think the Gospel we have already is altogether too much for the 
 faith of these gentlemen. Mr. Groves says, " We know of no other way of judging 
 a new revelation than by miracles." A little while ago Mr. Groves told us, that we 
 were to have no mu-ables ; now he would have us try a new revelation by them. Mr. 
 Groves, have you had no testimony about miracles ? However, I will inform Mr. 
 Groves on this subject, Isaiah knew of another way, viii. 19. "And when they shall 
 say unto you, seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, 
 and that mutter : should not a people seek unto their God ? for the living to the dead ? 
 'ffo the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to that, it is because 
 there is no light in them." " Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doc- 
 trine of Christ hath not God ; he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the 
 Fad^er and the Son," 2 John, 9. This is the way the scriptures point out to try pro- 
 
42 PUBLIC DISCUSSION, 
 
 feasors with. It is all I require at any time. Miracles are a very uneertain stand* 
 ard. John the Baptist came with a new revelation ; Jesus says there never was a 
 greater prophet, " nevertheless John did no miracle," yet Mr. Groves's test would- 
 condemn him. What miracles did Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, Hosea, 
 Malachi, or Joel do? they all came with'" new revelations." Will Mr. Gi-oves reject 
 their testimony ? The Rev. gentleman next ■ misconstrues an argument made use of 
 hy me. He states that I brought forth certain passages of scripture, giving an ac- 
 count of lost books as a proof that we were to have no more revelation. I brought 
 those forward to disprove a statement made by Mr. Cater, that the word of God waa 
 complete and perfect. Mr. Groves states that these books are not needed. Where 
 did he get his information from ? There are books of prophets, seers, and revelations, 
 visions, prophecies, epistles, and doctrines, the word of the Lord : who has a right to 
 say the word of the Lord is not needed ? if it is not, why then were these things given? 
 Did the Lord or Mr. Groves know best ? He has also misconstrued another argu- 
 ment of mine ; I did not say that persecution proved the truth of a doctrine, Mr. 
 Groves ; I stated what I now say, that a man may be a good man, and yet be perse- 
 cuted. We are next informed that " the primitive church might be compared to a 
 child, that as soon as the child was old enough to walk, the gifts, miracles, prophecy* 
 apostles, &c. , were not to follow. It is plain these things were done away immedi- 
 ately." Did it never occur to you, sir, that these things were part of the child, its 
 limbs, eyes, ears, hands, head, feet — every thing ? 1 Cor. xii. " No man can say that 
 Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but 
 the same spirit, there are differences of administrations, but the saine Lord; and 
 there are diversities of operations, but the same God that worketh all in all ; but the 
 manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal ; for to one is given 
 by the Spu'it the word of wisdom ; to another the word of knowledge by the same 
 Spirit ; to another faith by the same Spu-it ; to another the gift of healing by 
 the same Spirit ; to another the working of mu-acles ; to another prophecy ; to 
 another discerning of Spirits ; to another divers kinds of tongues ; to anothei' 
 the interpretation of tongues : but all these worketh that one and the self- 
 same Spii'it, dividing to each man severally as he will, for as the body is one and 
 hath many members, and all the toiembers of that one body being many, are 
 one body, so also is Christ; for by ojie Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whe- 
 ther we be Jews or Gentiles ; whether we be bond or free ; and have all been made to 
 drink into one Spirit ; for the body is not one member, but many ; and the eye cannot 
 say unto the hand, I have no need of thee ; nor again the head to the feet, I have no 
 need of thee. .* * * And God hath set some in the church, first, apostles ; secondarily, 
 prophets ; thirdly, teachers ; after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, govern- 
 ments, diversities of tongues, &c." This is St. Paul's description of the body of Christ 
 complete. Mr. Groves would expect the child, when it got old enough, to walk withr 
 out these things ; he would strip it of its limbs, arms, legs, &c., and tell it to walk. I 
 think the child is dead, and the fig.m'e of a decrepit, maimed, old man, who has been 
 in the wars, is substituted in its place ; so deformed is the representation that it cannot 
 be recognised. I think if the old gentleman was not bUnd, as well as maimed, he 
 never would present himself as the full grown body of that perfect infant ; why not 
 acknowledge that these blessings were removed because of corruption ? Why seek to 
 make the scriptures bend to your corrupt systems ? Why not as honest men acknow- 
 ledge the truth ? Mr. Groves next tells us of " a passage being read, giving an ac- 
 count of a beautiful happy land which Rasselas sought in vain ; but this was given' 
 by Orson Pratt, an interested witness." Mr. Groves, Mr. Pratt copied it from the- 
 liiverpool Mercury, and that journal copied it from the New York Herald, and 
 you knew it ! I told you that it was taken from these papers. The trouble is, it i» 
 given by a gentleman, and not by a minister ; but I never knew that a strange gen- 
 tleman was an interested witness. You have before attempted to throw discredit upon 
 my testinnony. I will now answer it. What kind of testimony have we of Jesus ? 
 His apostles were his witnesses ; were they not interested ? Was not their reputation, 
 their honour, and theu- prospects, both in time and in eternity, based on the divinity 
 of Jesus, and on the truth of their testimony ? Who testified of the apostles ? Them- 
 selves ; were they disinterested witnesses ? yet their own writipgs are their testimo* 
 
FtJBLIC DISCUSSION. 43 
 
 Tiials. I will give you the testimony of another gml^eman, Col. Kane, of Philadel- 
 phia, son of Judge Kane, of the supreme court of the United States in Pennsylvania. 
 
 IHE MOKMONS. 
 
 (JFrom tlie MUsowi Republican.'*^ 
 
 " We notice in the papers of Philadelphia, that T. L. Kane, Esq., delivered a lecture on 
 Tuesday last, before the Historical Society of this city, on which occasion he reviewed the 
 history of the Mormon people from the period of their ejection from Nauvoo, to the time 
 of their settlement in Deseret. Mr. Kane has, himself, visited the Mormons in their new 
 home, and, therefore, in the descriptive portion of his lecture, speaks from personal ob- 
 servation. 
 
 " Much has been said for and against this people, and the unprejudiced, well-balanced 
 mind, is at times at a loss to determine whether they have been traduced or not. Upon 
 the maxim, however, that communities as well as individuals, are to be presumed inno- 
 cent until proven guilty, we have hitherto refrained from condemning the Mormon peo- 
 ple, and shall continue to do so except upon strong proof of their criminality. One cir- 
 cumstance which weighs in their favour is, that the charges made against them, when not 
 proceeding from parties directly interested in decrying them, have generally been anony- 
 mous. We, with mOre confidence, therefore take hold of any responsible disinterested 
 evidence for or against them ; and of such a character we judge Mr. Kane's lecture to be. 
 The Philadelphia Inquirer gives the following synopsis of Mr. Kane's discourse. 
 
 " 'The lecturer in a journey westward, arrived at their capital the day after the disper- 
 sion of its inhabitants, and well described the melancholy aspect of the deserted street — 
 the desolate mansion — the untenanted workshop. He journeyed onwards, and came up 
 with a band of frightened fugitives ; he mingled with them, observed their admirable dis- 
 cipline in the conduct of their march, their tenderness to the sick, the devoted care with 
 •which by compass, chain, and well known landmarks, they ascertained and registered for 
 future recognition the burial places of their dead. The description of the hardships this 
 people have endured, as given by the speaker, was well calculated to win a feeling of sym- 
 pathy — a sentiment he took care to improve by testifying in the most unqualified manner, 
 as to the faithfulness, affection and devotion of the Mormon women in their relations of 
 daughters, sisters, and wives. 
 
 " • Mr. Kane's opportunities of observation wercj we think, as commented on by himj 
 well calculated to remove in the minds of his hearers the prejudice existing against this 
 people. Their hospitality to Oalifornian emigrants, and unvarying kindness to all who 
 sought shelter and protection at their hands, were facts of which the prints bore constant 
 proof ; and that their enterprise, sagacity, and industry were elements which composed 
 their character, and were fast elevating them into a great and thriving race ; and that they 
 had already assumed a position which entitled them to admission into the Union. Some of 
 Mr. Kane's descriptions were felicitous ; we regret that we are unable to give them in 
 their very words, a circumstance indispensable to a jnst appreciation of their merits.' 
 
 " In conclusion the lecturer held this language. 
 
 " ' I have given you in terms, the opinion my four years experience has enabled me to 
 form of the Mormons, preferring to force you to deduce it for yourselves from the facts. 
 But I win add, that I have not yet heard a single charge against them as a community — 
 against their habitual purity of life, their willing integrity, their toleration of religious dif- 
 ferences of opinion, their regard for the laws, their devotion to the constitutional govern- 
 ment under which we live — that I do not, from my own observation, or upon the testimony 
 of others, know to be unfounded.' 
 
 " The discourse throughout was deeply interesting, and was listened to with the closest 
 attention." 
 
 "We are told that it is decidedly profane to dare to impose hands to heal the sick. 
 " There are inward spiritual miracles, the inward eye and ear, and the tongue that 
 was once dumb is made to speak." Mai-k xvi. 17. Jesus says, "And these signs shall 
 follow them that believe, in my name shall they cast out devils, they shajl speak with 
 iiew tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they di-ink any deadly thing it shall 
 JB,ot hurt them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shaJl recover." James v. 14 
 says, ' " is any sick among yoUj let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them 
 pray over him, anointing hjm with oil in the name of the Lord ; and the prayer of faith 
 shall heal the sick, and the Lord diaU raise him up ; and if he have committed sins 
 
 * Tins Paper is publi^ed in a St^te from whence we were driven. 
 
44 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 they shall be forgiven him." " Confess your faults, one to another, and pray, one 
 for another, that ye may be healed." The more we examine the doctrines of these 
 gentlemen, the more we unravel their nonsense, absurdity, and folly. What strange 
 perversions of the word of Gpd ! Jesus and James.teach us to pray for and lay hands 
 on the sick, and they shall recover. Mr. Groves uriblushingly tells us that it is deci- 
 dedly profane to do so : are we to believe Jesus and James, or Mr. Groves ? What 
 has he given us as a substitute ? He tells us, " there are inward spiritual miracles ; 
 the inward ear, eye, and tongue, that was once dumb is made to speak." We read 
 of Jesus healing two blind men, and " their eyes were opened ;" curing a person that 
 had a withered hand ; making the lame to walk ; raising the dead ; casting out devils." 
 Would Mr. Groves tell us it was the inward eye, the inward ear, and the inward spi- 
 ritual tongue ? The apostle did not heal in this way when Peter and John healed the 
 sick man at the temple, " he leaped up and stood, and entered into the temple, walk- 
 ing and leaping, and praising God." But where is the necessity of multiplying more 
 passages ? the doctrine of Mr. Groves is too absurd to be believed for a moment. 
 What have we had displayed in all his remarks, as well as those of his coadjutors, but 
 absurdity, folly, and nonsense ; an evident desire to blind people's eyes and pervert the 
 word of God ? How truly in them is fulfilled the saying of the apostle Paid to Timo- 
 thy : " For the time wiU come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their 
 own lusts heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their 
 ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." Here, then, we have had men 
 without authority from God, striving assiduously to lead men's minds from the Bible, 
 to pervert the word of God, and to do away with the gifts and powers of the Gospel, 
 and would substantiate in the room, inward eyes, ears, spirituality, absurdity, nonsense, 
 — ^turn them to the follies and vagaries of men to ideal visionary phantoms ; says the 
 apostle, " they shall be turned unto fables." I, therefore, as a seryant of God, caU 
 upon them to repeit and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, 
 and they shall receive the Holy Ghost, and know that there is power in the Gospel of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 In consequence of Mr. Groves having identiiied himself with my opponents in tak- 
 ing up the arguments which they declined, in answer to a letter to Mr. Cater's, I pub- 
 lished the following : — 
 
 " TO THE EDITOB OP THE ' INTEKPBETEE.' 
 
 " Boulogne-sur-mer, July 16, 18S0. 
 
 " Sir, — I perceive by the Boulogne Gazette of to-day, an article from the Rev. Philip Cater, in 
 which he impugns my motives for having prevented him from reading a long communica- 
 tion, said to be written by a Mrs. Matilda Davieson, but which the following will shew was 
 never written by her; but was a base forgery, and of a piece with the other scurrilous, 
 base, and false reports brought by him and his colleagues, in the absence of truth, to in- 
 jure the character of an honorable man. The facts in regard to this pretended interrup- 
 tion are as follows. 
 
 " The gentlemen associated with Mr. Cater had agreed, as per advertisement, that I should 
 have the privilege of investigating ' their faith and calling.' I had the same right to in- 
 vestigate their doctrines as they had mine, they had spent two nights in examining my prin- 
 raples, and justice and honor would have dictated that I should have had one night to in- 
 vestigate theirs. This, however, was denied me. I then conceded them half an hour of 
 what ought to have been my time in the third night. They then wished to introduce stories 
 of this kind, evidently for the purpose of occupying my time in answering, that I might 
 thus be prevented from having time to investigate theirs according to agreement. They 
 occupied about three-and-a-half hours in the discussion of my principles. "Whilst I had 
 only forty minutes to investigate theirs ; during which time I was incessantly interrupted, 
 and to which they did not, nor can they reply. Two of the chairmen, however, undertook 
 to reply, for what reason is best known to themselves. One of them is a clergyman ; and 
 I, of course, was deprived of the liberty of replying. Is this equity ? 
 
 "Now I do not court discussion; I was in this instance the defending party ; but at the 
 eame time as the Eev. Mr. Groves has identified himself with my opponents, and replied to 
 me in their stead, I will meet Mr. Groves alone, or those gentlemen along with hini» 
 and discuss with him, or with him and them on the following terms. 
 
PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 45 
 
 "let. That one night we shall treat on my principles alone, and the next on theirs 
 alone. 
 
 " 2nd. That the; sustain the doctrines as contained in the Chnrch of England prayer 
 hook, and the authorized publications of the Church of England, and that I sustain the 
 doctrines contained in the Book of Mormon, and our authorized publications. The au- 
 thorized version of the Church of England Scriptures being the standard. 
 
 " Srd. I will compare his authority with mine. 
 
 " 4th. If he wishes to enter into character, I shall be prepared with documents and will 
 compare the character of Joseph Smith with that of the reformers of your church. 
 
 " 6th. If these other gentlemen will dare avow to what society they belong, I will com- 
 pare my doctrine with theirs. 
 
 " I fear not the most rigid scrutiny, and on these terms will discuss as long as thej 
 please. 
 
 " Tours, &c., 
 
 "John Tatlob." 
 
 " N.E. — Mr. Cleeve denied publicly being a Wesleyan minister, or being in any wise 
 connected with the "Wesleyan Society. "What means the following sign over the door o£ 
 bis chapel ' 'Wesleyan Chapel,' And also the following notice inside : ' 'Wesleyan Station 
 at Boulogne.' Mr. Cafj^r denied belonging to the ' Baptist Association ; ' if they are ashamed 
 of their societies I am not of mine. I am an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter 
 day Saints. ' "J. T." 
 
 " No. 15, Btie de la Lampe," 
 
 « The quotation above alluded to, is from the Qumey Whig, Quincy, Illinois. 
 
 " ' Our readers will remember that there has lately appeared in many newspapers air 
 account professing to be a history of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. How far 
 that account went to fulfil the object of the writer, and what were his motives, I will not 
 now look into ; but I will here give the other side of the story, rendered very clear and^ 
 plain by the following letter. This I do that the public may understand and see the mo- 
 tives of his treatise. 
 
 " ' Copy of a letter of Mr. John Haven, HoUiston, Massachusets, to his daughter Mrs» 
 Elizabeth Haven, living at the town of Quincy, Illinois, dated July 17, 1842.' 
 
 "Your brother Jesse passed through Monson, (where the widow of Spaulding resided) 
 where he was in company with Mrs. Davieson (widow Spaulding) her daughter, Mrs. Mo- 
 Kinestry and Dr. Ely, for many hours, during which he put to her the following questions 
 and received the following answers, in the presence of Dr. Ely. 
 
 " Question. — Did you, Mrs. Davieson, write a letter to Mr. John Storrs, containing an 
 account of the commencement of Mormonism? Answer : No: I did not ! and I never 
 saw the letter until I saw it in the Boston Recorder with my name to it. The letter was. 
 never brought to me to be signed. 
 
 " Question. — Had yon anything at all to do with that letter ? Answer : Dr. Austin came 
 to my house and asked me a few questions, and he wrote down something. 
 
 " Question. — Is what that letter contains true ? Answer : There are some things that 
 I told him. 
 
 " Question. Have you read the Book of Mormon ? Answer : I have read a little of it. 
 
 " Question. Is there any similarity between Mr. Spaulding's manuscript and the Book 
 
 of Mormon ? Answer : Not ant, with the exception of some names, something similar 
 the one to the other. 
 
 " Question. ^Did the manuscript desc^e an idolatrous or a religious people ? Answer : 
 
 An idolatrous. 
 
 " Question. 'Where is the manuscript ? Answer : Mr. Hurlburt came here and took it, 
 
 away, promising to publish it, and said that I should have half the proceeds. 
 
 " Question.— Did Hurlburt publish the manuscript? Answer : No 1 he informed me by 
 letter, that the manuscript after having been examined did not read as they expected, and 
 that they would not publish it. 
 
 "Question. 'What is the size of the manuscript? Answer: About the third part of 
 
 the Book of Mormon. 
 
 " QuestiAn. — Put to Mrs. McKinestry. 'What was your age when your father wrote the 
 manuscript ? Answer : Five years old. 
 
 "Question. — Have you read the manuscript? Answer: 'When I was about twelve 
 Tears old I used to read some parts for pleasure. 
 
 " Question. — ^Did the iuanuBcript describe an idolatrous or a religions people ? Answei ; 
 An idolatrous people, 
 
46 PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 
 
 " Question. — Do you think that thel-e is any similarity between the manuscript and the 
 Book of Mormon ? Answer ! No ; hot a word ! 
 
 "Did yoti give yoar consent thAt your name should be put to the statements of Mr. 
 Storrs in the Boston Recorder ? Answer : No ; and I liad no idea that my name should 
 appear in connexion with such a thing, and it grieved me very much to see it there 1 
 
 " You will perceive by the above that Mr. Austin, in his great zeal to destroy the Book 
 •of Mormon, and to .show his animosity against the Saints, asked a few questions of Mrs. 
 Davieson, so that he might get something to write his own thoughts to Mr. Storrs in her 
 name." 
 
 The foUovfing communication fi-om Mr. Groves, in reply to the above challenge, 
 appeai-ed in the foUovfing week's paper : — 
 
 " 10 IHE EDIIOK OF THE " INTEKPBETBB. 
 
 " Sir, — That I may not appear discourteous to Mr. Taylor, permit me through the co- 
 lumns in which it appeared, to decline his challenge to me of further discussion. I do not 
 see that any good could arise from such a proceeding. Enough, in my opinion, has been 
 already advanced to enable the public to judge for itself, and that, though I, as chairman, 
 was compelled by the lateness of the hour to omit many salutary observations, among them 
 one especially, to the effect that though our Divine Redeemer led his followers to ex- 
 pect yiifee prophets (see Matt. vii. 16, and xxiv. 24), he nowhere leads to the expectancy of 
 another true prophet in the flesh at all, much less of one as the author of an added revela- 
 tion, and, in so far, coadjntory not to say supersessory, to himself. Now Moses did do 
 this (Dent, xviii. 15 and 18), whereas he whom Moses thus predicts, held out only the 
 ■liope, expectation and anticipation of his own second advent jn glory aud in power. 
 
 " I am. Sir, 
 
 " Your faithful servant, 
 
 "Ktnastok Groves." 
 
 Monday, July 22. 
 
 As I have replied to those scriptures that he has quoted above, and shown positively 
 that we were to have more prophecy and revelatioiis, I refer the reader to those re- 
 inarks as an answer to his letter ; but would merely obs^.ve in addition, that St. Paul 
 prophesied after this ; he was a true prophet ; John prophesied, James prophesied, Pe- 
 ter prophesied. Were they all false prophets? Was Agabus a false prophet ? The 
 testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy ; will the two witnesses referred to 
 above be false prophets ? Mr. Groves, the doctrine of your church says that " you are 
 not bound to believe anything but what is in the scriptures, nor can be proved there- 
 from, so I shall take the liberty, according to your own acknowledged laws, of disbe- 
 lieving what you say. 
 
 The following appeared in the Boulogne Interpreter, July 25, from the editor to 
 Mr. James Robertson : — 
 
 " We have received hjs letter impugning our condensed report of the Mormonite discus- 
 sion. We decline to print the document from the coarseness in which the statements are 
 therein couched, and beg to assure that gentleman that it was no slight task to put into in- 
 telligent shape the exceedingly rambling remarks we were obliged to hear. To challenge 
 a number of men, (however absurd their pretensions), to a public discussion, and then to 
 demand of the challenged party to tell the challengers what it was that they (the challengers) 
 denied and denounced was an exploit reserved for Mr. Bobertson and his friends." 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 As John C. Bennett was one of the prmoipal authors that my opponents referred 
 "to, I shall bring testimony from him, before his apostacy, concerning the character of 
 •Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints. 
 
 " It is well known t^at the ' Church of Jesns Christ of Latter-day Saints ' have longf, 
 very long, grievously suffered unhallowed oppression, unjust persecution, and unprovoked 
 rrobbery, at the hands of the uncircumcised Philistines of Missouri." — Communication to 
 Times and Seasons, Nauvoo, vol. 2, p. 106. 
 
 " Why, my heart is filled with indignation, and my blood boils within me, when I contem- 
 plate the vast inj ustice and cruelty which Missouri has meted out to that great philanthropist 
 and devoted Christian, Joseph Smith, and his honest and faithful adherents, the Latter-day 
 Saints, or Mormons." — Titnes and Seasons, Jan. 20, 1842. 
 
 The following conversation took place in the city council, and was elicited in conse- 
 quence of its being reported that the doctor had stated that Mr. Smith had acted in 
 an indecorous manner, and given countenance to vices practised by the doctor and 
 others. 
 
 " I have no diflSoulty with thg heads of the ohnroli, and I hope to continue with you, and 
 hope the time may come when t may be restored to full confidence and fellowship and my 
 former standing in the church ; and that my condact may be such as to warrant my resto- 
 ration ; and should the time ever come that I may have the opportunity to test my faith, 
 it will then be known whether I am a traitor or a true man." 
 
 Joseph Smith then asked : " \yill you please state definitely whether you know anything 
 against my character, in public or private ? " 
 
 Gen. Bennett answered " I do not ; in all my intercourse with Mr. Smith, in public and 
 in private, he has been strictly virtuous," 
 
 Alderman N. K. WHiiNEr, Counsellor Willard Bichaeds, 
 
 „ HiR\M Kimball, „ Geo. A. Smith, 
 
 „ Obson Spenoeb, „ Wilson Law, 
 
 „ GosT. Hills, „ B. Young, 
 
 „ G. W. Habkis. „ John Tavlob, 
 
 „ H. C. Kimball, 
 
 „ W. WOODRDFF, 
 
 „ John P. Green. 
 
 JAMES SLOAN, City Becobdeb. 
 May 19, 1842. 
 
 State of Illinois, ) Personally appeared before me, Daniel H. Wells, an Alderman of said 
 City of Nauvoo. ) City of Nauvoo ; John C. Bennett, being duly sworn according to 
 law, deposeth and said : That he never was taught anything in the least contrary to the 
 ■strictest principles of the Gospel, or of virtue, or of the laws of God or man, nnder any 
 ■circumstances, or upon any occasion, either directly or indirectly in word or deed by Jo- 
 seph Smith ; and that he never knew the said Smith to countenance any improper conduct 
 whatever either in public or private; and that he never did teach to me in private that 
 an illicit intercourse with females was, under any circumstances, justifiable ; and that I 
 sever knew him so to teach others. 
 
 John C. Bennett. 
 
 Sworn to and subscribed before me, this 17 th day of May, 1842. 
 
 DANIEL H, W£LLS, Alsebuax. 
 
48 APPENDIX, 
 
 When Gen. Bennett commenced pubKshiijg his exposures many of the public jour- 
 nals gave their opinions about it. The following I give from the St. Louis Oazette, 
 August 1, 1842. 
 
 FBOM THE " ST. LOUIS GAZETTE," AUGUST 1, 184:2. 
 
 " We think it does. Oh, the villians I and a hundred others. A great deal of money 
 lias been made by the sale of documents and papers, pretending to give accounts of tha 
 Iatxek-day Saints. Novr unless General B. can give some information to the proper 
 authorities, whereby the deeds of these men can be exposed, we are entirely opposed to 
 tlie publication of any books on this subject. Our country is flooded with enough of such 
 hnmbugs. We want no more of them. You can scarcely pass an auction stand or ped- 
 lar's case, without seeing in staring colors " Awful Disclosures," &c. Now we say again 
 if they have been guilty of any crimes, and Gen. B. must have been privy to the facts, he 
 can bring them to justice by turning States' evidence." 
 
 As there were reiparks made about some difficulty that Joseph Smith had witfr 
 Mr. Rigdon, I insert the following. Mr. Bigdon was in the church until after Jo- 
 seph Smith's death. 
 
 "times and seasons," SEP. 15, 1842. 
 
 " Elder Rigdon observed, that there had been many idle tales and reports abroad con- 
 cerning him, stating that he had denied the faith, but he would take the opportunity to 
 state that his faith was and had been unshaken in. the truth. It has also been rumoured 
 that I believed that Joseph Smith was a fallen prophet : In regard to this, I unequivocally' 
 state that I never thought so ; but declare that I know he is a prophet of the Lord, called- 
 and chosen in this last dispensation, to roll on the kingdom of God for the last time. 
 
 « S. Bigdon." 
 
 Further testimony concerning Joseph Smith's character. 
 
 The following is an extract from a speech delivered in Warren county, lUinors,- 
 June 9, 1849, by the Hon. O. H. Browning, when an attempt was made to take J. 
 Smith to Missouri. 
 
 Mammauth, Warren County, Illinois, June 9, 1849. 
 
 " The Honourable O. H. Browning then concluded his remarks by saying, that to teU. 
 him (Joseph Smith) to go to Missouri to trial, was adding insult to injury. He then said, 
 • Great God, have I not seen it? My eyes have beheld the blood-stained traces of inno- 
 cent women and children in the severe winter, who had travelled hundreds of miles bare- 
 foot, through frost and snow to seek a shelter from their savage pursuers. It was a scene, 
 of horror sufficient to enlist sympathy from an adamantine heart. And shall this unfortu- 
 nate man, whom their fury has seen proper to select for sacrifice, be driven into such a 
 savage land and none dare to enlist in the cause of justice ? If there was no other voice 
 under heaven ever to be heard in this cause, gladly would I stand alone, and proudly 
 spend my latest breath in defence of an oppressed American citizen.' " 
 
 FROM THE " JULIET OOUEIEB," MONMOUTH, COUNTY ILLINOIS. 
 
 " Since the trial I have been at Nauvoo, on the Mississippi, in Hancock county, Illinois, 
 and have seen the manner in which things are conducted among the Mormons. In the 
 first place, I cannot help noticing the plain hospitality of the prophet Smitli^to all strangers 
 visiting the town, aided as he is in making the stranger comfortable by his excellent wife, 
 a woman of superior ability. The people of the town appear to be honest and industrious, 
 engaged in their usual avocations of building up a town and making all things around 
 them comfortable. On Sunday I attended one of their meetings, in front of the Temple 
 now building, and one of the largest buildings in the State. There could not have been less 
 than 2600 people present, and all vrell appearing as any number that could be found in 
 this or any other State, 
 
 " Mr. Smith preached in the morning, and one could have readily learned then the magic 
 l)y which he has built np this society ; because, as we say in Illinois, they believe in him 
 and in his honesty. I wanted to hear Elder Bigdon, of whom so much has been said by*- 
 the talkers and slanderers of this society. His name is closely identified with Mr. Smith 
 as one of the persecuted and builders up of the Mormons, a word I am happy to learn is 
 no longer a word of reproach ia this free land." 
 
" It has been a matter of astonishment to me, after seeing the Prophet, as he is called. 
 Elder Rigdofl and many other gentlemanly men, any one may see at Nauvoo who will visit 
 there, why it was that so many professing to reverence the sacred principles of our con- 
 stitution, which gives free toleration to all, have slandered and persecuted this sect of 
 Christians." 
 
 If there is an error (and who is to decide that), let freedom of opinion confront it. 
 
 Now a little concerning the Rev. Mr. Caswell, another of my opponents' humane au- 
 thors. First, let me request my readers to refer to the speech of the Hon. Mr. 
 Browning, for a specimen of the cruelties practised upon Joseph Smith, and the 
 church generally ; and then read the following extract from Caswell's Prophet of the 
 19th century, p. 178: — 
 
 " A court martial was next held upon the prisoners, under Gen. Lucas, the members of 
 the commission consisting of nineteen militia officers, and seventeen preachers of various 
 sects, who had served as volunteers against the Mormons. This singular court came to 
 a determination that our prophet and bis comrades should be taken into the public square 
 of Far West, and there shot in the presence of their families. Here was a decison worthy 
 of the court that sat in judgment, at the thought of which, decreed by such authorities, 
 and to be put in execution under such circumstances, makes our blood almost curdle in our 
 veins aR we read ; yet mark the sympathy it meets with from Mr. Caswell, and his expres- 
 sion of apparent regret that it was not inflicted. ' Has this decision been enfobced 
 
 MVRIADS MIGHT HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM THE INFAMY OP MoKMONISM, AND SmITH WOULD 
 HAVE GONE INTO ETERNITY UNDER A LESS ONOBOUS BURDEN OF UNPARDONABLE GUILT.' 
 
 Here, then, were seventeen ministers who, having failed by scripture and argument to 
 resist the truths we teach, joined with a murderous band to execute with the sword, the 
 bayonet, and the rifle ball, what they were unable to do by argument ; and the meeh fol- 
 lower ofChristf and favorite author of my opponents, only regrets their designs were not 
 put into execution. But as Joseph Smith has since been assassinated, together with his 
 brother Hyrum, I suppose his sanguinary appetite is now in some measure satisfied." * 
 
 I will close with an extract from the speech of the Hon. Truman Smith, deli- 
 vered in the senate of the United States, July 8th, 1850, published in Washington. 
 Gideon and Co., printers, 1850. 
 
 After reading a letter from Dr. Bernhisel, of whom he says, " Dr. Bernhisel is the 
 agent of the people of Deseret, he is a native of the city of New York, a gentleman of 
 respectability and intelligence, and worthy of all confidence," he continues, " The 
 statement of Dr. Bernhisel touching the wonderful progress made by the people of 
 Deseret, within a space of time, incredibly brief, is abundantly confirmed by a letter 
 which I received fi'om General John Wilson, dated at Salt Lake City, Sept. 6th, 
 1849, from which I submit the following extract ; — 
 
 " A more orderly, earnest, industrious, and civil people I have never been amongst than 
 these, (meaning the inhabitants of Great Salt Lake City), and it is incredible how 
 much they have done here in so short a time. In this city which contains now, as I be- 
 lieve, about four to five thousand inhabitants, I have not met in a citizen a single idler, 
 or any person who looks like a loafer. Their prospects for crops are fair, and there is a 
 spirit and energy In all that you see that cannot be equalled in any city of any size that I 
 have ever been in, and I will add, not even in old Connecticut. Gen. Wilson is now navy 
 agent at San Francisco, and is a citizen of the first respectability." — page 26. 
 
 * Sec milennial Star, vol. 3, page 199, where more particulars respecting Mr. Caswell's book are 
 stated. 
 
 JIOTF,. As this pamphlet has already extended to a greater length than I at first anti- 
 cipated, I am unavoidably compelled to omit all evidence upon the Book of Mormon, and 
 refer the reader to a series of pamphlets, the first of which is now out, upon "The Di- 
 vine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon," by Orson Pratt, of the Twelve Apostles, and 
 may be obtained at the same office as this, and of agents throughout Great Britain. 
 
 R. JAMES, PRINTER, 39, SOUTH CASTLE STREET, LIVEBFOOL. 
 
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