give wisdom unto all who ask in faith, and fill with the Holy Spirit such as obey His commandments. The ordinance of laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, is philosophic, scientific, scriptural and consistent. Of course we know that the administrator must in and of himself possess this power, or he can never impart it unto others. This authority to administer in the ordinances of the Gospel, is given unto all who are called of God, either by direct revelation, or as Aaron was called. Paul says: "No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron." (Heb. 5:4.) The administrator must possess the power, and the applicant be thoroughly prepared for its reception by faith, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins. THE SOUTHERN STAR. Abstracts from Correspondence. 307 existence of wind. So everyone who is We have seen, then, that the gift of the Holy Ghost is given after the same order as was the gift of healing in the instances related in previous number; namely, by touch or contact, or better, rather, as Paul says, "by the laying on of hands." Some admit that the Jews should receive the Holy Ghost by the imposition of hands, but claim that the Gentiles would receive Him without the imposition of hands. We have shown heretofore that God made "no difference" between Gentile and Jew (Acts 15:9). and again, we would draw your attention to the fact that Timothy's mother was a Jewess, while his father was a Greek.velopes beauty of person, form and feavet Paul laid his hands upon him for tures. It tends to health, vigor, animathe gift of the Holy Ghost. tion and social feeling. It developes and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being." (Parley P. Pratt.) The ecclesiastical historians of the early centuries have made special mention of this ordinance, and we will take the liberty of quoting from their writings a few brief extracts: Turtullian says (in the second century) "After baptism succeeded the laying on of hands, with prayer, calling for the Holy Ghost." Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, says (in third century), "They obtain by our prayer and imposition of hands the Holy Ghost." Mosheim, speaking of the third century: "The Bishop, by prayer and the imposition of hands, conferred the Holy Ghost." Augustine said (in the fourth century), "We still do what the Apostles did when they laid their hands on the Samaritans and called down the Holy Ghost upon them." Eusebius says (p. 113), speaking of Novation, after admitting that sprinkling was not baptism: "Nor was he sealed by the Bishop's imposition of hands; which, if never received, how did he receive the Holy Ghost?" ifestations of the Spirit, for the Lord did Elder W. J. Sloan writes us from Salt Lake City, under date of Aug. 12, 1900: Dear Brethren-Permit me to thank you for having furnished me many hours tells the news of the mission field in of pure joy in reading the paper which which I spent two happy years. Each week I look for the Star as letter from dear friends. a sweet Your brother. Obedience to this ordinance of laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost is requisite to the salvation of the sons of men, as obedience in all other requirements is essential to our exaltation and well-being. Obedience means to perform the act required, not to do something else, and suppose all is well. Saul, the mighty king of ancient Israel, was sent by the voice of the Lord down to Knowing that you have among the the city of the Amalekites for the pur- people of the south many readers who pose of utterly destroying those wicked are not members of the Church, I enclose people who had caused the children of a question to them, should you deem it God such trouble when they came up out wisdom to publish the same. of Egypt. He went, commanded to "slay Wishing you God-speed in your noble both man and woman, infant and suck-work of converting the honest in heart, ling, ox and sheep, camel and ass,' but I remain, he did not strictly obey, for we read that These historical notes give added evi- he spared Agag the king, together with dence to the scriptural declarations al- the "best of the sheep, and of the oxen, ready quoted. The sacred historians and of the fatlings, and the lambs." For bear record of this ordinance, and the this he was rejected, his kingdom given profane writers chronicle the same facts to another, and sternly rebuked by the in on the pages of history. They join hand Prophet Samuel these impressive in hand in proclaiming to the earnsst in-words: "To obey is better than sacrivestigator for truth the order of affairs fice (for his excuse for sparing the catpracticed and pursued under the diree- tle was that he might make sacrifice unto tion and supervision of "Living Oracles," the Lord), and to hearken than the fat and as we, kind reader, are seeking to of rams." (I Samuel 15.) put ourselves in harmony with God and We may profess to serve God and folHis laws, that we might through obedi- low Christ, but if we do not keep His ence obtain His greatest gift unto fallen words, and obey every ordinance He has man, it behooves us to weigh this all-ordained, we show to the world that we important subject in the scale of divine truth, and in humble prayer seek wisdom at the throne of our Father in Heaven. We may not be able to define this blessed gift, this heavenly power, the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is a testimony to the senses, and all who receive the same are able to bear record of its benign and peaceful presence. We cannot tell others just how it operates and comes, or goes. Jesus, in His conversation with Nicodemus, said: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8.) We cannot see the wind, but we feel it, and breathe it. It is within us, and round about us. We also perceive its effects on other objects. The gentle swaying of the trees, the motions of the quivering leaves, the rapid moving of the passing clouds, are all evidences of the have not the mind of Christ, for the mind an The words of the Lord through His servant Paul are fitting in conclusion of this subject: "But though we, or angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:8, 9.) (To be concluded.) Here is Elder Sioan's question, and a good question it is. All should study the same, with deliberation and earnestness, striving to please God, and glorify His name.-Ed. Oftentimes in this life (and I fear that, with many, it will be more so in the next) we find out when too late that our belief and faith has been in vain. No matter how much we may believe that we are right, our faith does not make us so. One night a boat steamed up to a landing on the Mississippi river. A man, who wished to go ashore, stepped out upon what he supposed to be the gang-plank, leading from the steamer to the shore. What he supposed to be the plank was only a shadow cast upon the water from the smoke-stack. He fell into the river, and it was some moments before he was rescued from what might have been a watery grave. He was honest, he was sincere; yet no amount of faith would ever construct the mere shadow into a gang-plank, by which he could reach the shore in safety. And thus it is in real life, no amount of faith, no matter how honest it may be, can make right that which is erroneous and false. We are walking from the steamer berth of this life to the shores of eternity. The man in the river was saved, but when we reach the great white throne it will be too late to throw out the lifeline. Is our footing solid, or are we walking on a shadow? ARTICLES OF FAITH OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF 1. We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. 8. We believe that men will be punished for their own sine, and not for Adam's transgression. 8. We believe that, through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordi. Dances of the Gospel. 4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: First, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sine; fourth, Laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. 6. We believe that a man must be called of God, by "prophecy, and by the laying on of hands," by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer in the ordi. nances thereof. 6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church-namely, Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, etc. 7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc. 8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. 9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. 10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be built upon this (the American) continent; that Christ will reign person. ally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory. 11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. 12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates; in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law. 18. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul, "We believe all things, we hope all things," we have endured many things, and bope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these Sing JOSEPH SMITH.. ATTENTION, SUBSCRIBERS! brutes. Is this Christianity? Did Jesus do thus and so? If you were following in His steps would you be found doing so? Then why persist in such inhuman conduct, and even if you don't engage IS THIS CHRISTIANITY? In another column of this issue will be found an article headed, "Forced to Leave a Christian (?) Burg," which gives a brief account of the harsh and alto-your efforts in the outrage, why stand gether un-Christian behavior of some of the good citizens of our sister StateSouth Carolina. We desire to call the attention of our many readers to this wonderful fact, relative to South Carolina, that according to the last census she is said to have a larger proportiou of professed Christians than any other State in the Union. In order to make the subject of this census clear and reliable. we quote from the Christian Observer of very recent date the following: census, has the honor of having a larger stantly to our shores. We must evangelize by with dumb souls, mute lips, and helpless hands when the same is being perpetrated? Are there not enough men in the Sunny South State to arise in the dignity and manliness of American patriotism, and say, "We will grant unto all the privileges and blessings accorded by our nation's constitution?" Has the freeman's blood of '76 and 1812 become frozen in your veins that ye have no heart or life for liberty and freedom? South Carolina-the palm leaf Statewhy permit your citizens to brandish weapons of oppression, and wield implements of violence at the very zenith of your advanced and enlightened Christian civilization? Have you forgotten words of the Master to the resolute Pe the a ter, "Put up the sword; they that take oppression, then the gory hand of vio with human blood. Oh, Christendom, where are thy charms, Is it not a remarkable fact that this very state of boasted supremacy in Christian evangelism should permit its citizens to expel from their midst two unarmed, defenseless Mormon Elders? What is their crime, fellow-Christians? What have they done? Why resort to such lawless' and cowardly practices, Than live where thou reignest supreme! when you have statutes and laws for the While the American battleship is on government of your commonwealth, and her way to the Orient, that Baptist and the punishment of criminal offenders? other missionaries may be protected from Have they broken any law, violated any the onslaughts of the Chinese Boxer, the statute, or stepped beyond the precincts Religious Boxer of South Carolina is atof your municipal leniency? Are you tacking and mobbing Mormon Elders prepared to conscientiously and truth-right here in our home land. Is it a good fully answer these questions before the flaming bar of God's eternal justice? Know you their message, their mission, and their plea? Have you deliberately considered the import of their claims, and the magnitude of the Gospel they bring unto you? Or have you spurned from you the means whereby you might see, and know, and comprehend; only to welcome the religious blatherskite, with his falsehood and misrepresentation, who would blind you with error, and persuade you to madly rush, blindfolded and hoodwinked, to the consummation of wicked schemes, diabolical plots, devilish measures, and Satanic enormities? Is this what you call Christianity? Whence came such a sudden metamor phosis, and transformation? Christ, whom The "subscription letters" recently sent you profess to worship as your glorified out from this office, seem to be misun- head, never instituted such a state of derstood by some of our patrons. The affairs. It has a later inception than amounts specified in your letters when His day. Christianity in His day was paid will entitle you to the Star until persecuted, its followers driven, houndthe expiration of Vol. 2, which closes ed and scourged; but trust you will understand, and thankging and scourging. Lowell says, "New you all for past favors shown. today so-called on Nov. 24th of the present year. We Christianity is persecuting, driving, dog "Let your light shine forth in righteousness; your thoughts be pure with holy love; your words seasoned with the good spirit, and your deeds manly with fervent zeal."-W. T. Davis. Doing things as well as they can be done is not only the quickest way to advancement, but it has a very great influence upon one's character and self-respect. If for no other motive than to maintain our self-respect, we should never allow ourselves to get into a habit of half-doing things.-August Success. occasions teach new duties," and being and holy law that will permit the executive of the nation to send warships into foreign waters, and land soldiers on foreign soil to defend a Baptist preacher in his legal rights as an American citizen, and at the same time prohibit him from vindicating and protecting the rights and privileges of a Mormon Elder in South Carolina, who also is an American citizen? WHO WOULD RECEIVE HIM? Every age has had its special developments in some line or branch of knowledge. They have had their virtues, as well as their vices; their good qualifications, as well as their evil failings. The past centuries were often crimsoned with bloody military conquests, and civil rebellious strifes; still they acquired great learning in the arts and sciences, and maintained a lofty standard in literary accumulation and composition. This age is marked by what is known as religious toleration, by which people have a right to worship and believe as their consciences may dictate, providing such a course does not trample upon the privilges of others, or break the governmental laws. Were it true that such a glorious state of religious liberty existed in our land today, what a blessing, what a joy, what a comfort it would be! But the topics of the times indicate to the contrary. Instead of religious freedom, we are comThink of it! South Carolina, who tow-pelled to confess that in many instances ers above all other States in the Union religious oppression holds sway, and the in Christian profession, being guilty of hand of brute force and violence is used allowing two humble servants of the Master, Jesus, to be driven and ordered about as criminals, slaves, or dumb to suppress differences of belief. This age has become a mighty power in scientific discovery. The inventions of the present day are beyond the conception of the masses, and are only understood by the few great minds whose genius and skill have brought them into effect. But have the religious faiths kept abreast with the swelling tide of science in its mighty surge? We will have to say, Nay! Had the spiritual kept pace with the intellectual, we would not be confronted with scenes of burning, mobbing, and inflicting punishment because of religious differences, and contrary beliefs. No man has a legal, moral, any other kind of right to apply might as a means of supporting what he supposes to be right. There is a cause for every effect; then what are the causes conducive of this spiritual dwarfism or decline? Why has so-called Christianity fallen to the rear of advanced science. and been compelled to admit, contrary to her own confessions and creed, the truths explored, and the facts demonstrated? Her place is in the lead, and not in the rear of the van. or The reason is this: She has made her formal creeds, her jailor, who has shut her up in the dungeon of narrow-mindedness, completely excluding the gems of divine revelation, and forever refusing to accept the bright rays of truth which illumine and inspire the scientific world. How can she advance in such a prison cell? The turnkey will only let her out, as the prescribed creed permits, and this would keep her imprisoned until "Doom's Day:" for the rules of her faith and practice prohibit new revelation, and they have spiritualized and mangled the od until it suited their belief, so that it becomes next to an impossibility for progression to be made under such man-constructed, uninspired articles of confes sion as at present rule the sects. THE SOUTHERN STAR. are they who believe in divine revelation, "all that He has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and that He will yet reveal, many great and important things pertaining to His Kingdom." This is scriptural, reasonable, consistent, and logical. God has declared that the things of His Kingdom can only be understood by the spirit of revelation. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in Him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." (1 Cor. 2:11.) This is an all-important subject. Who would receive Him? To be in readiness when He cometh, obey the Gospel, re ceive His Holy Spirit-the Comforter, add to your faith virtue and knowledge, wisdom and love, hope and charity, gentleness and temperance, then the mercy of God will abound. His righteousness reign supreme, and His glory cover the earth as the waters now cover the mighty deep. The Lord speedily cometh, blessed are they whom He finds watch ing; He will receive them, and they shall be redeemed and sanctified. Who will receive Him? The Love of Excellence. If I could give but one word of advice Nothing has more to do with forming It is "Oh, that is good enough!" has been the young is the secret of innumerable fail- A habit of half doing things, or of 309 If the characters of tramps, of the great army of unemployed criminals, of and side-tracked people, were to be analyzed, it would be found that most of them have been accustomed to half-do son who does whatever he undertakes to things. It is very seldom that a perdo as well as it can be done, who does not slur over his work, is out of a situation, unless he possesses some other serialthough there are hundreds of thouous character defect. It is a fact that, sands out of employment, almost every great concern in the country is constantly on the lookout for better employes, better clerks, more careful bookkeepers, better stenographers, better everything. It is more difficult than one would imagine to find employes who are thoroughy conscientious in their work, who do of their ability, and who are resolute in everything they atempt to the very best their determination not to slight anything. When an employer wishes to promote any of his clerks, he always looks for the one who does his work in the most complete and satisfactory manner. This employer dislikes slipshod and slovenly is usually the great test of fitness. Every methods. He wants orderly, systematic, painstaking employes. Doing things as well as they can be done is not only the quickest way to adVancement, but it has a very great influence upon one's character and self-remaintain our self-respect, we should nev spect. If for no other motive than to of half-doing things. er allow ourselves to get into the habit If we were to ask employers all over the greatest impediment to the advancethis country what, in their opinion, is ment of young people, I believe the majority of them would say, "the habit of nalf-doing things. half done, done in a careless manner, is This is a slipshod age. Poorly done, fall down almost before they are comwritten all over modern life. Buildings pleted, clothing comes to pieces before it is half worn out, because not half made, sional life the same slipshodness is visiand all through mercantile and profes ble. ima anything-who thinks, guesses or She can never grow unto the perfect measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, save she discharge her jailor, look unto the Father; receive divine revelation, and join the Kingdom of the Lord. Will she ever come to the unity of the faith? Will she ever give up her useless forms, rituals, and solemnities? Is she ready to accept the Lord? Would doing them in a slipshod manner, will very far in this world. It is the accurate she receive Him? Has she undergone soon leave its demoralizing mark on the the preparation, kept the faith once de-character. livered to the Saints, and believed that, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secrets unto His servants, the Prophets?" To all these inquiries we can give but one answer, and that is, No! The Prophet hath said; "The Lord whom we seek, shall suddenly come to His temple." Has modern Christianity erected a temple dedicated unto the Lord? No! Then she is not yet prepared to receive Him, and what is more, she never will be so long as she continues to fight, and persecute the Saints, and reject the angelic message given in these last days. Search all Biblical history, and you will find that when the current of divine revelation or communication has ceased customed to low ideals, and little by lit- things just right. It is a perpetual tonic who skims through his The boy who half learns his lessons, who is slovenly in his habits, lacks sysexaminations, tem and order, who does things in a half-hearted way, is almost sure to be a failure in life. boyhood characterize the man. The habits formed in continually looking for something, and He is He never knows where he stands. nexer knows exactly where anything is. whether he is solvent or not. books are inaccurate, and he cannot tell His little late at the bank; his paper goes to He is a Such a man is not only a failure, but he he goes on, blundering all through life. protest, and he loses his credit; and so about him. His employes fall into slovdemoralizes everything and enly ways, and never think it worth while employer does not do so himself. They to do anything just right, because their become careless, inaccurate, and habitu everyone to be enjoyed by man, they have drifteding the character, and bringing all the ally negligent. These defects and weak for better and higher work. I should advise a youth starting out far from the truth, become dwarfs relig tion." The people who would receive the Lord manner. nesses permeate the whole establishment, until, finally, the man's business goes to ruin. Then he is unable to trace the himself as a victim of ill luck.-Selected. blame to its true source, but bemoans Gen. Lees Punctuality. At the close of the meeting we could hear some say: I'll help get up a mob and drive them out, and the following Monday, when at the home of a friend, we received a note, ordering us to leave the town within twenty hours. Tuesday morning we again called on the Mayor and showed him the note. He said he was sorry anything like that had occurred, and that he would grant us our rights. ty-five or one hundred armed men came "My father was the most punctual man I ever knew. He was always ready for family prayers, and at all meal times, and met every engagement, business or social, on the moment. He expected all of us to be the same, and impressed upon us the use and necessity of formWe, feeling safe with this assurance, ing such habits for the convenience of al! proceeded with our work again unmolestconcerned. I never knew him late fored, until about 9 o'clock at night sevenSunday service at the post chapel. He appeared in uniform some minutes before anyone else, and would jokingly rally my mother and sisters for being late, or forgetting something at the last moment. When he could wait no longer, he would say, 'Well, I'm off,' and march away to church by himself, or with any one of us who was ready. Then he took his seat, well up in the middle aisle; and, as I remember, he got always very drowsy during the sermon, and sometimes caught a little nap. At that time this drowsiness of my father's seemed something awful to me. I knew that it was very hard for me to keep awake, and frequently I did not: but why he, who I believed could do everything that was right without any effort, should sometimes be overcome, I could not understand, and did not try to do so." Forced to Leave a Christian (?) Burg. Elder E. G. Anderson writes the following account of evil treatment received in the civilized State of South Carolina: At the close of our conference held July 21st and 22d, at Society Hill, Elder Joseph H. Lewis and I were assigned to labor in Chester county, for which place we started after having a spiritual feast, determined not to leave any stones unturned that would advance the cause of truth. Before leaving, our President advised us to enter Chester City and work it before doing any canvassing in the country. Upon our arrival in the city we found three families of Saints, who pleased to meet us. were We first visited the Mayor and asked his permission to work the city by tracting, selling books, holding street meetings, etc. After listening to our request he decided he could not give us any answer until he met the City Council and learned their feelings relative to our work. To make a lengthy story short, he met with the Council and they gave us per mission to proceed with our work, with the exception of street meetings. He also guaranteed us protection while we were under his jurisdiction. Accordingly we proceeded with light hearts to do the will of Him who sent us, met many who opposed our teachings and told us we had ought to be drummed out of the town. We paid little or no attention to the insults hurled at us by those who knew little or nothing about us. We went out to see what they wanted, before 10 o'clock. We could not learn The next morning I called at the home We promised to leave when we saw that there was no reason whatever in the crowd. They said, If we can't put you out by reason we can by force. Thus we have brought to our minds very forcibly this fact, that with all the skill the devil has he cannot overthrow the truth by reason. This can only be done by brute force. We felt to say. Father, forgive them, for they know not that they were rejecting a message from the Lord, and closing the door of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who would be willing to accept the Gospel in its purity. The Star is a regular visitor, and the gems that adorn its pages are of lifelong benefit to the earnest seeker after truth. PARALLEL EVENTS. higher and higher, until the highest mountains are covered and everything upon the earth is destroyed. Borne upon the surface of the mighty flood rides a solitary ark; in it is the Prophet of God and seven other souls-all who would listen to the heaven-sent message. They, alone, of all the earth are saved. How sad it is to think that so many of the sons and daughters of God would thus reject the counsel and advice of a kind and merciful Father, spurn the message so full of love and mercy sent to them by His authorized servant, and rush blindly to their own destruction. But were it possible to stop here and record that succeeding generations had profited by the knowledge of the awiul destruction which overtook the antediluvians, the sad thought would be robbed of a portion of its sadness, but alas! such is not the case, as a further examination of the world's history will amply demonstrate. Two thousand years have been added to the roll of time since the mighty flood devastated the earth. The world is again peopled by millions of human beings; in the land of Palestine dwell a portion of the descendants of Abraham-the chosen people of God. Moses, the great law-giver, and the many mighty prophets who succeeded him have long since laid their bodes in the silent tomb. If we examine the religious belief of this chosen people of God, we find that they are divided into numerous sects and parties, all sharply contending among themselves over doctrinal points. They are a nation of hypocrites. For pretense they stand upon the street corners and in the synagogues and pray long and loud to be seen and heard of men. In fact, their religion consists of an outward show of sanctity, while within it is full of rottenness and corruption. They garnish the tombs of the dead prophets and stand ready to kill and persecute the living. They say: "Had we lived in the days of the Prophets we would not have persecuted them as did our fathers; had we lived in the days of Noah we would have accepted his message and been found among the saved." Ah, ye hypocrites! God is about to send you a message by the Greatest Prophet the world has ever seen, and what will you do with it? In the midst of the confusion and contention existing among the Jews a babe BY ELDER JOSEPH H. LINES. is born in Bethlehem of Judea. Angels Almost two thousand years have come wend their way to earth and in the presand gone since Adam and Eve were driv-ence of the humble shepherds give voice en forth from the Garden of Eden to sub- to that heavenly song, "Peace on earth, due the thorns and briers and earn their good will to men." And well might the daily bread in the sweat of their faces. angels sing, for that little infant wrapped Their sons and daughters have multiplied in swadling clothes and lying in its manuntil they have become a mighty multi-ger cradle, is the Son of God-the only tude. As they grew in numbers, wicked- Begotten of the Father, who has been ness increased among them, until, we are sent to this wicked and sin-stained world told in the Bible narrative, that the with a message of Divine love; a message thought of their hearts was only evil conthat breathes of life and salvation to all tinually. So terribly corrupt had they who will receive and obey it. become that God in His sore displeasure resolved to destroy them by a mighty flood. But God is just and merciful, and He will not destroy His children without giving them a chance to repent. So He sent them the Prophet Noah, who, for one hundred and twenty years, lifts up his voice in solemn warning to that wicked their sins, and warning them of the great On Sunday, Aug. 12th inst., we attended a meeting held by Rev. H. C. Buck-people; calling upon them to repent of holz, subject discussed, "Mormonism as It Is" (?). After very grossly misrepresenting our faith for an hour and a quarter, we asked permission to speak, which he would not permit us to do in his meeting, as he knew, or we suppose he did. that we could prove to him and his audience that he had not fairly represented our faith, but we cannot expect anything better from the adversary of truth. The Son of God grows to manhood: He goes forth among His brethren and sisters and in meekness and humility points out to them the narrow way that leads to eternal life. He heals the sick. casts out the devils, makes the blind to see, the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak. He binds up the broken-hearted. and brings consolation and comfort to the oppressed and sorrowful. He makes the honest in heart to rejoice in the glorious truths of the everlasting Gospel. They reject the message; they scorn He rebukes the fawning hypocrite and and ridicule the Prophet and count him preaches repentance to the straying sinan imposter. As a result of their un- ner. Gazing upon the proud city of Jebelief and wickedness, God opens the win-rusalem and the beautiful temple, He dows of heaven; the fountains of the foretells their utter destruction because great deep are broken up; the rain pours of the wickedness of the people, and gives down in torrents; the angry waters rise His followers a sign that when they shall see it come to pass they may take warning and flee to a place of safety. Surely the Jews will accept this divinely sent message, and listen to the warning voice of this mighty Prophet of the living God and lay hold upon eternal life. Let us see. 'Tis the year 33 A. D. Mighty crowds are surging back and forth in the streets of Jerusalem-a man is on trial for his life before Pilate, the Roman Governor; in mockery they have clad him in a gorgeous robe and placed upon his brow a crown of thorns; he is insulted, mocked, spit upon; but he bears it all without a murmur. He is accused of sedition; of perverting the nation; of being a blasphemer, in that he being a man, proclaims himself the Son of God. The evidence has been produced; is he guilty? Let Pilate speak : "Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people; and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him. * * I will therefore chastise him and release him." But the people, led on by the chief Priests, who are loudest in the outcry against him, will not have it so, and with one voice they cry, Crucify him! Crucify him! The dread sentence is passed; they take him to Calvary's hill, and there between two thieves they crucify him. The cruel nails are driven through his hands and feet; the spear of the Roman soldier pierces his side; and there, upon the cross he yields his soul to God. Who is this man? Why is he hated by his fellow man, and why, though innocent of any crime, has he been condemned to die? Ah, reader, this is he, who thirty-three years ago first saw the light of day in the stable manger at Bethlehem; this is Christ, the Son of God, the only Begotten of the Father; He who was sent to the earth with a message of divine love, and to point the way to eternal life. And this is the way He has been received: hated; ridiculed; persecuted; driven from city to city, from synagogue to synagogue; a hiss and a byword among His fellow men. His teachings scorned; His counsel and advice disregarded; His warning unheeded. History has repeated itself; and as was the case with the antediluvians, the rejection of the heaven-sent message is followed by dire calamity. In fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus the Roman army enters Palestine and lays siege to Jerusalem, and the horrors of that siege are beyond the possibility of mortal tongue to describe. To such extremities are the inhabitants of the city reduced that mothers are forced to eat the flesh of their own children. At last the defenders of the city are overcome, and Jerusalem is in the hands of the Roman legions. They raze the walls of the city level with the ground, and so effectually destroy the temple that not one stone is left upon another. Over a million Jews have perished. Ninety-seven thousand are taken captive; thousands of these are sold into slavery; thousands more lose their lives in the arenas of Rome fighting as gladiators, or are torn to pieces by wild beasts to furnish sport for the heathen inhabitants of the Roman cities. And all this sorrow has been brought upon the Jewish people because of their rejection of the Savior and the message He brought them, while the few who did accept Christ were gathered to a place of safety and thus escaped the dreadful horrors attending the siege and capture of Jerusalem. Thus has God again brought death and destruction upon those who rejected His servants; and as in the case of the antediluvians, we were unable to record that THE SOUTHERN STAR. succeeding generations had profited by 311 Through the Prophet the Lord gives numerous revelations for the guidance of His people, and directs the sending forth of numerous Elders to cry repentance to a sin-stained and unbelieving world, and to promise to repentant baptized believers thaa the same gifts and blessings that The wheels of time slowly revolve; gen- followed the disciples of Christ in the eration succeeds generation, until almost early dawn of the Gospel light will follow another two thousand years have passed. them now. The Elders go forth and the It is the time of the restitution of all promise is verified; the sick are healed; things spoken of by Peter; the time when the eyes of the blind are opened, and the the kingdom of God is to be set up, as ears of the deaf unstopped. Thousands toreseen by Daniel. The world is slowly are gathered out from among the ungodemerging trom the long night of spiritually and are made to rejoice in the glorious darkness that followed the overflow of truths of the restored Gospel. The Prophthe early Christian Church, and while re- et gazes upon the land of his birth and ligious liberty is enjoyed throughout a sees thousands of human beings toiling in large part of the civilized world, false slavery. More than this; he sees religdoctrines prevail in all lands. The nu- ious liberty trampled in the dust. The merous religious sects, offshoots of the gift of prophecy rests upon him in mighty great Roman Catholic Church, are clash- power; he foresees that trouble is coming ing and contending over doctrinal points; to the nation if it persists in such a "confusion worse confounded" reigns su- course; he sees the war clouds gathering preme. In the midst of this confusion a and points out to the people of this mighty man child is born in the village of Sharon, republic how such a calamity may be Windsor county, Vermont, who is des- avoided. Surely such a great and gloritined to be an instrument in the hands of ous work as described above will meet God to usher in the dispensation of the with the approval of all men who love fullness of times. His parents are poor, to serve God and keep His commandbut honest and God-fearing country folk; ments. Surely the people will rejoice that as he grows up he has to toil early and the gift of prophecy is once more upon late to help keep the wolf from the door. the earth. And as this wonderful work On account of the poverty of his parents is being inaugurated in a day when rehis education is very limited. At the age ligious liberty is being almost universally of fourteen he becomes very much con- enjoyed, and in a country the supreme law cerned for the welfare of his soul; and of which guarantees to every man the being unable to gain any degree of satis- right to worship God according to the faction from the conflicting religious dictates of his own conscience, we should creeds of the day, he determined to take be able to record that the followers of the wise counsel of the Apostle James: this modern Prophet are permitted to en"If any of you lack wisdom let him ask joy, to the fullest extent, the blessings of of God, who giveth to all men liberally civil and religious liberty; that they are and upbraideth not, and it shall be given permitted to worship God in peace and him." So, on a beautiful spring morning to preach the "glad tidings of good he seeks the seclusion of the woods and things" unharmed and unmolested. But, pours out the desire of his soul to God in alas! such is not the case; for the people earnest prayer. In answer to his humble living in the dawn of the nineteenth cenpetition a glorious vision bursts upon his tury, though boasting a high degree of view; he beholds two heavenly beings civilization, and of being followers of the standing above him in the air, and is told lowly Nazarene, with the love of God and in answer to his question, "Which of all their fellow man burning in their bosoms, the denominations are right?" that they have proven themselves possessed of the are all wrong and that he must join none very spirit of anti-Christ. of them; but that if he will wait and remain faithful he shall be an instrument in the hands of God to restore to earth the fullness of the everlasting Gospel. He is subsequently visited by an angel, who tells him of the existence of an ancient record, which lies hidden in a hill near his home; and which contains the history of a people who had once dwelt upon this continent, and of the dealings of God with them; also the fullness of the Gospel as taught them by the Savior Himself. No sooner does this boy Prophet announce that he has seen a vision than he is made the object of ridicule and persecution; he is hated and despised; an outcast among his fellow men, who delight to point at him the finger of scorn. As the years go by and followers gather round him, the hatred and persecution increases; numerous attempts are made upon his life. At midnight he is dragged from his bed by an inhuman mob, tarred and feathered and beaten almost to death. The record is finally delivered to the False charges are made against him that keeping of this boy Prophet, and through they may deprive him of his liberty; forthe gift and power of God he is enabled ty-eight times he is dragged before the to translate it into the English language, courts on trumped up charges, and fortyand the work of sending it, with its glo- eight times he is acquitted; but with the rious message, into all the world is at dogged persistence of the Jews, who once begun. In the meantime the heav-hounded the Savior to His death, his eneens have again been opened; John the mies still seek his destruction. Baptist, now a resurrected being, comes "The law will not reach him," they to earth and confers upon the Prophet say, "but powder and ball shall." And and his assistant, Oliver Cowdery, the just as it was in the days of Christ, the Aaronic Priesthood, giving them the right spiritual leaders of the people, the proto preach the preparatory Gospel and fessed ministers of the Gospel, are his bitbaptize for the remission of sins. After-terest foes and are first to cry, kill him! ward came Peter, James and John, who confer upon them the Melchesidec Priesthood. They also ordain them Apostles of the Lord Jesus and confer upon them the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Under and by virtue of this authority the Prophet organizes the Church of Christ upon earth according to the ancient pattern, with Apostles and Prophets at its head. kill him! At last they get him in their power; and while confined in Carthage jail, with the honor of one of the great commonwealths of this mighty republic, pledged, through its chief executive, to his protection, the jail is suddenly surrounded by a masked and painted band of human devils, and the Prophet of the nineteenth century is murdered in cold blood. Now, while his murderers are fly. |