Which Side Are You On A Voice Of Warning

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Can I say the same for my friends on the ward? Can I trust them to disbelieve the words of someone they believe is an apostle of Jesus Christ when his words don't match up with reality? Will they even try to verify what he said? Will they learn the lesson he should have taught instead of the lesson he actually taught? I know a few people in my ward will do that and a few people who definitely won't. I don't know about the rest. I can NOM up damaging false dichotomies very effectively, but I can't trust others I have or might want to have meaningful relationships with to do the same.

So I emotionally disconnect, keep my distance, and put up walls. What about the youth in the Church whose hungry minds are gobbling up this poisonous bile? What about the youth in my own home? I would rather they watch porn than absorb the divisive filth they're exposed to in so many Sunday lessons and in talks like this. Porn would lead them to denigrate at most half of the world instead of almost all of it. Porn stars don't demand to be followed on pain of losing your immortal soul. Porn might even be less addicting. The Church's divisive rhetoric - which includes parts of this talk but is much more widespread - forces me and people like me to protect ourselves from our own families and friends.

I can hardly think of anything more offensive than that. My intro Love before dogma. In a shame culture you know you are good or bad by what your community says about you, by whether it honors or excludes you. The guilt culture could be harsh, but at least you could hate the sin and still love the sinner. We trust that especially you of the rising generation, youth and young adults on whom the Lord must rely for the success of His work in future years.

Lee "I struggle now with establishing my faith that God may always be there, but may not always need to intervene" Heber Many people carefully guard their words, afraid they might transgress one of the norms that have come into existence. Those accused of incorrect thought face ruinous consequences. When a moral crusade spreads across campus, many students feel compelled to post in support of it on Facebook within minutes.

If they do not post, they will be noticed and condemned. Some sort of moral system is coming into place. Some new criteria now exist, which people use to define correct and incorrect action. The big question is: What is the nature of this new moral system? This tells me that you're probably right about that analogy going too far.

I've got to defend the poison bit, though. One of the main reasons people who leave the Church or even just stop believing lose relationships with believers is that those believers have bought into the false dichotomies and other divisive rhetoric. So I don't feel like I'm exaggerating when I call that rhetoric poison. The fact that it isn't intended to be poison doesn't change what it is.

The fact that we've learned to spit it out doesn't change what it is. Could the apostles and those who came after them who had the holy priesthood atone for the sins of the people by baptizing for the forgiveness of sins according to those rules and in the way that Jesus set up in his Church? Or could the priests of God—who had the Aaronic Priesthood—atone for the sins of the people with those sin sacrifices which God had appointed, which were in the similitude and a model of the Savior?

Did not God forgive sins in this way? We answer, yes, assuredly. In the same fashion God forgives sins with his holy priesthood and authority, which he gave to the earth in these last days, by obeying those laws and fundamental principles of the faith which Jesus instituted in his Church. This strange fire—which is spoken of here—means that they did not take the fire from the holy altar which sanctified the fire to burn their incense as the Lord had commanded.

And is this enough to frighten and judge those who have altered the laws of the New Testament in like fashion? They have taken strange fire to burn their incense. They have had the command of man with which to sanctify it. They have not taken the fire from that holy altar of Jesus Christ to come before God with. And if they had had the holy priesthood, then [it] would have occurred just so with them. Then he comes in power and glory. But let us go back, dear reader. And in the fourth and fifth centuries, many young children were baptized by immersion.

Many doctrines of men were introduced by the Catholics, such as prayers for dead persons, incense in their houses of worship, crosses in official acts, candles burned in their churches by day, lamps burned in the path of martyrs. Communion was given to young children and those who were come near unto death and to some who were dead see Thomas Vestlek, p. And I believe that the Catholic Church has borrowed to some degree from its mother, with regards to the baptism of babies, lights in churches and crosses, and in giving communion to dying and old persons.

After the priests, monks, kings, and the powerful in the land had signed and approved these idiotic ceremonies, the common person was forced to go along by the sword and threat of death, and many thousands were killed. In the sixth century were found 2, in England and Wales who held fast to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Bishop Gregorious in Rome sent a monk there by the name of Augustine, who, in the end, destroyed them with the sword and by fire. Among them was one woman which would not give up her faith. This woman was pregnant and was in bonds a long time.

And when she bore the child, it had the marks of the bonds on its hands. Later she was put in the stocks and from there taken by night and placed in a sack and submerged under the ice. Another woman, who was burned, gave birth to a child in the fire before she died Thomas Vestlek, p. Many were burned and tortured unto death who spoke and wrote against the baptism of little children. He published one book in in London in England which is a small part of the historical and instructive books concerning the teachings of Christ. Eight learned men signed the book to confirm the truthfulness of it.

John Arason, born in , was chosen to be a bishop in , was ordained in Norway, and came again to Iceland in They killed the highest authorities of the land, both of the spiritual and secular classes. Where have the many Protestant churches—her daughters—received the authority to do the same? Jesus says, Bless them that curse you, do good unto them that hate you, and pray for them which. They deny all godly revelation, so they cannot have it from God, but rather from the devil, who was a liar and murderer from the beginning.

Some will say, God commanded the people of Israel to destroy the people in the land of Canaan. But who can argue what is right or wrong with God? Is it not the same whether he destroys by flood, famine, disease, or the sword? Does he not have the right to punish in the manner that he wishes? There are thousands of proofs to confirm that the baptism of little children was not known before the third century, because all needed to understand their faith before they were baptized, just as children in our day are not confirmed before they can know their so-called Christian religion.

So, none were taken into the congregation of Christ before they knew and believed the teachings of Christ. After the so-called godparents—or the mother of light—have convinced the priest that the child will believe in the Trinity—or the Godhead—and renounce the devil and all his evil by saying yes for the child, are they, though, not more answerable for the instruction and upbringing [of the child] than others, though the parents depart this life?

What then are children taught when they reach the years of accountability? That God is a spirit; for ought not they who worship him do it in the right spirit? And that is right. The word of God says the same. Then it is the greatest foolishness and error to ask God for that which he cannot give, so you destroy and make into nothing that which you yourselves teach—on the one hand that he has no form; on the other hand that he has both countenance and face.

God encourages us to know him through his words, which may be read in the holy scriptures. But what do they say about God? God said, We will make man in our own image and likeness. And God created man in his own image Genesis 1: This is the genealogical history of Adam. When God created man, he made man after his own image Genesis 5: Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: The Lord says that he himself has a face and a countenance though you teach that he has them not.

Do you know better than the Lord? Can you receive any better proof than his own word that he has no body? If not, then is your knowledge false. And the Lord appeared unto Abraham as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. And Abraham washed his feet and gave him food to eat. Stephen saw the heavens opened and the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Father Acts 7: The apostle said that Jesus was ascended, and sits on the right hand of the Father; In the right hand of him who sat on the throne I saw a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals Revelation 5: Jesus says that he is the Son of Man.

He was so like his Father that he said to Phillip, when he asked him to show unto him the Father, he who sees me, sees the Father. There is nothing clearer or more obvious to understand from the scriptures than that God has a body, and it is perfectly shown and proven through his own word. Is it possible that those learned Christian theologians could be teaching the people that which is expressly against the scriptures? Have the customs and habits of the past centuries blinded the eyes of their understanding that they consider the conjecture and notions of foolish men—which have no foundation—to be more reliable than those holy scriptures?

It seems to be so regarding that true God, who created man in his own image. But let us turn our attention to additional doctrines and laws of the Lutheran church. Children are not called Christian before they are confirmed. Confirmation is not a teaching of Christ, nor of Luther. Rather, [it is] a royal decree and is years old. The king Christian VI established it on January 9, , and it would have been established as law in Iceland eight years later on May 27, see the report of the eighteenth century, p.

I consider the most noteworthy [examples] available of his reign to be the following decrees and royal letters about confirmation of children. Such is the inexperience of the Christianized concerning the obeying of royal decrees. The Christian takes his name from Christ, but if he does not have the teachings of Christ, then it is nothing more than the name of Christ.

These doctrines are employed in place of baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sins and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, as it was before in the first Christianity. Has Jesus slackened and recalled these fundamental articles of his holy Church? No; how then are they become of no worth? Does it take other doctrines and laws to save man in the kingdom of God in our day than it did in the days of the apostles? Have not those Catholic religious villains confused the sentences, confused the commandments, and made nothing of the new and everlasting covenants?

Yes, assuredly; have the men of the Lutheran faith taken up and obeyed those first laws of the Church of Christ? Jesus says to his apostles: Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: That is to say, if they specifically the Jews and Gentiles had held fast to his teachings, then would the same blessings and bounties have been in Christianity in our day, as earlier.

But the beast promised to [wage] war on the saints and overcome them and therefore was given power over all kindreds, tongues, and nations Revelation That is to say that the true Church of Jesus Christ was destroyed. He, without doubt, meant his body, or himself. For, if the bread and wine had been for the forgiveness of sins, then Jesus would not have needed to suffer death. As well might Moses have said that offerings and sacrifices in olden times were the body and blood of Jesus. But this is an abominable distortion and [is] backwards.

My blood is shed for the forgiveness of sins, for many. So it was not bread and wine. It is real flesh and blood. But I say the tasting of bread and wine causes this in no way; that is, the forgiveness of sins. Many have, without doubt, thought to ask as Pilate, what is truth? Bread and wine are symbolic representations of his body and blood. Symbolic representations of that new covenant of peace—or the New Testament—which are the laws and regulations which he gave his apostles.

The Old Testament is those laws and contracts for peace which God gave Moses and was a great prefiguration of the Savior. But Jesus was not come to destroy the law, but to perfect and fulfill it. He did not destroy the ten commandments but perfected the prophets who had spoken of him. Is this not treating the blood of the covenant as common—or useless?

Is it not the blood of Jesus which cleanses us of all sin? The saints came together often in the days of the apostles to partake of the bread and water, [but] not for the forgiveness of sins. For the Apostle Paul says: Do this in remembrance of me. He says in another place: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Without being born anew of water and spirit ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

It is not [simply] each who receives bread and wine in remembrance of the body and blood of Jesus who will be saved, or enter into the kingdom of God. Well has Viddalin said: Thus do men bring this blind currency before the altar of the Master to eat and drink judgment unto themselves. And therefore they have an excuse before God until they hear the truth. And God was patient at this time of ignorance, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent Acts And the same may be said of today. God has again given the same gospel to the earth which we find in the holy scriptures.

When the scriptures teach us perfectly and clearly all that we need to know for our true welfare, then you ought not to have other teachings than those the scriptures teach. He who believes or teaches differently than the word of God requires, he it is who profanes the name of God. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables 2 Timothy 4: Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up Matthew That is to say, that these teachings which cannot be found in the Bible are plants which shall be pulled up by the roots.

It is these superstitions which the apostle speaks of. And the so-called Christian has thus, with his personal views, destroyed the laws of God. If the worship of God was in vain in the olden days by teaching the commandments of men, so it may be the same in these days, for God is the same yesterday and today, and [is] unchangeable and constant. After the person has obeyed these doctrines of men, they are then compelled to swear oaths in matters and according to regulations, even if they are disinclined.

You should never swear, but let your communication be, yea, yea; Nay, nay: And the Apostle James says: But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: They who are doctors of theology—can they not heal this? Can they not see this as a terrifying evil? Is not this one of the snares which the devil has inspired evil and foolish men to lay for hardened and unprincipled human beings to imprison them in the net of damnation.

Multitudes of people have been destroyed in this fashion and are eternally lost. The so-called Christian admits to the ten commandments being from God, though Sundays are sold, two hours excepting. It was the word of God that sanctified the Sabbath day and not Sabbath day services. Some who labor on the Sabbath day wish to justify themselves by saying that God has not insisted on Sunday. Then they ought to keep holy Saturday, the seventh day of the week which God himself established among the people of Israel, if they want to have a day of rest. Sunday, or the first day of the week, is established and accepted by Christians as a day of rest and of the Sabbath.

Jesus rose up on the first day of the week. On the first day of the week, then, the apostles were gathered together to break bread. Paul spoke to them, for he planned to leave the next morning, and he stretched out the talk until midnight Acts This was the day of gathering—or of the Sabbath—for the saints.

Jesus said that he is the Lord of the Sabbath day. He was with his apostles for forty days after his Resurrection and taught them those things that pertained to the kingdom of God. Jesus ascended to heaven on the fifth day and on the tenth day—which was another Sunday from then [on]—the Comforter, that Holy Spirit, came upon the apostles Acts 2.

I said that Sundays were sold, excepting two hours, and we see that such is the case. One little part remains of the holy day of rest and the Sabbath. Does not this resemble that which the pope did, selling forgiveness-of-sins letters? Only those who have purchased these empty promise letters know whether or not the legal authorities give out forgiveness-of-sins letters, for if they need to pay both in this and the life to come, then would it clearly become too expensive.

For I am certain that this sin is not atoned for before God by purchasing these empty promises. This is the will of God which humans understand, completely and clearly by reading in the scriptures, which is acknowledged of those so-called Christian through words, but not through deeds.

But faith without works is dead [James 2: But now let us examine the officials from the Lutheran church and compare them with officials in the first Christian church. In the so-called Christian church, the highest person, so to speak, is, first, the pope, then cardinals, archbishops, bishops, archdeacons, and priests.

In the Church of Jesus Christ, first apostles, next prophets, then teachers, then those who do miracles, next those who have gifts to heal, lead, and speak a diversity of tongues 1 Corinthians The same has made 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 edifying of the body of Christ—namely his Church. 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 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 Ephesians 4: This shows that all these were necessary and indispensable to the leaders in the first Christian church.

If Christians have not come to a unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, then these leaders—namely, apostles and prophets—are necessary unto the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ, to no longer be children tossed about by the false commands of men or winds of doctrine, their craftiness or cunning, their shrewd deceptions.

For the body is only one body though it has many parts. That is, the true and correct Church and faith is one, though it has many leaders and members. But all these limbs of this one body—which are many—are one body, just as all the leaders and members in the Church—which are many—are one Church. The eye may not say unto the hand, I have no need of thee, or the head unto the feet, I have no need of thee. The apostle cannot say to the missionary, I have no need of thee. The prophet cannot say to the evangelists and pastors, I have no need of thee.

The Spirit is given by the laying on of hands, but the Spirit gives different levels of gifts. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery 1 Timothy 4: Quench not the Spirit. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good 1 Thessalonians 5: These gifts and religious officials, with all these laws and regulations, are marks, or signs, of the true Church of Jesus Christ.

The first limbs on this body that is to say of the officials of the Church are apostles and prophets, which we can call the mouth and eyes of the Church, or the body. The apostles were as the mouth of God to deliver his will to the people, and as his representatives to unloose and bind on earth. The prophets foresaw things that were to come.

They saw the past and the present and the future and warned the people of God of his coming wrath and chastisements. The so-called Christian church has never had eyes to see with and has wandered in darkness ever since the apostles and prophets were taken away; and the gift of the Holy Ghost and those first laws were no longer to be found. It had, rather, no mouth to speak of the hidden designs of God, and just as the natural body could not live without a mouth through which all nourishment must pass, [the Church could not be nourished].

Neither can the body of Christ—or the Church—live without eyes and a mouth—that is—apostles and prophets, which have the holy priesthood and power to give the Holy Ghost. Your church has never had the natural movements of life and the glorious gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is dead and does not have the most necessary sensory organ, or the before mentioned religious officials [or representatives].

One of the spiritual gifts was healing the sick. These were the laws among the saints in those days. But if someone is sick among the so-called Christians today, they send for the doctors, which give them poison-blended medicines in their own names. Those who do not acknowledge the gifts of the Spirit, the officials, and those first commands and commandments as being necessary today, just as in the first Christian church, those have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.

Let us now say a few words about the Apostasy and those false teachings. When men break the new and everlasting covenant and the commandments of God, then it shall be the same with people as with the priest. All have gone astray from the truth, and if the blind leads the blind, both fall into the pit. If God punished the Jews thus in olden times for altering his commands and confusing the scriptures, and the priests taught for hire and the prophets divined for money, then it is likely that he does the same today, after the people have been warned. It will be proven true which the Apostle [Peter] says: For if God has not spared the natural branches meaning the Jews , then it is likely that he will not spare the modern-day Christian or those who have altered the commandments and sell their knowledge for money, just as others were [not spared].

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: These doctrines of men are the deceiving teachings which are sold for a price. But endure in what? In the superstitious and deceptive rules of men? No, rather in the apostolic doctrines.

The Apostle [Paul] calls them grievous wolves which arise with perverse doctrines. He is speaking of the apostasy and those false teachers to come in the later centuries. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: This is to say that the Catholic church—and the pope—which is the largest religious organization in the world, it is he who the Lord Jesus will destroy and bring to nought with the brightness of his coming.

Yea, with the spirit of his mouth, with the bitterness of the sword of truth and his holy words will he bring them to nought. They have destroyed his apostles and church and broken the new and everlasting covenant. He says in the same chapter and in the fifteenth verse, Brethren stand therefore firm and hold fast to those doctrines which ye have received, whether by our teaching or by letter.

None ought to call themselves Christian who has other doctrines than this. It should be easy to tell which is which. If you, dear reader, want to know more about the apostasy, read 2 Timothy 3—15; Titus 1: But where have the modern-day teachers received their priesthood and authority to preach their doctrine which they themselves have invented?

When God has needed an instrument to send out his will, then he has revealed it unto his servants, the prophets, and unto them whom he has called.

He called Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, with revelation to spread his will and wisdom-filled direction. Moses and Aaron were called to the priesthood by the Great Jehovah; the seventy elders, by revelation to help Moses. Joshua was called by the word of the Lord—through Moses—to lead Israel; the judges, by visions, revelations, angels, and inspiration of the Holy Ghost; Samuel, by the voice of God. And all the prophets by the word of God. Men were called in a similar fashion, all until the last, Malachi, in the first Church.

John the Baptist was called before he was born by the spirit of prophecy by an angel of God who appeared to his father, Zachariah Luke 1: Jesus was chosen by God to be a high priest. It is very meaningful that Jesus had received the priesthood when he was transfigured on the mountain and Moses and Elias appeared to him. Jesus, who was an apostle and high priest, chose the Twelve Apostles and said unto them: I have chosen you. When Judas fell, the apostles chose two men, Barsabas and Matthias, and prayed to the Lord to show which of them should be chosen.

And the lot fell upon Matthias Acts 1: After that, the Lord chose other seventy and sent them out Luke Paul and Barnabas were both apostles Acts Timothy, the first bishop in Ephesus, was selected by prophecy and the laying on of hands 1 Timothy 4: Titus, the first bishop among the Greeks in Crete, was commanded of Paul to ordain elders in all places that the saints were Titus 1: This shows clearly that all the representatives or apostles of the Church of God must be called of God.

For none can take this honour unto himself namely the priesthood except he be chosen by God. But where have the modern-day teachers received their priesthood? The echo cries out where, but then does there come no reply? They are all called of men to preach the commandments and superstitions of men, which I have seen and proven by the scriptures. Such is their worship of God—vain and useless. For they teach the commandments of men which they themselves have been taught. It is shouted among the people, that the Mormon faith is the worst in the world, without having any fundamental reasons or proofs from holy writ to confirm [such a claim].

He who judges before he knows is not wise. If the Mormon faith is foolishness and error, then the priests and powerful teachers ought to show and confirm it by the word of God and the scriptures. Do they do it? But they allow the lying and fearful attacks of anger thunder in all directions. This is the only remedy they have to protect themselves, and thereby scare the people from hearing and examining our doctrines. They would rather lose their reward because of their nonsensical and deceptive teachings, [of] which the Apostle says: Therefore do they hold fast to the lies, just as the Jews in former days.

When Jesus rose from the dead, the men of the guard were paid to lie to hinder the work of God. So it is with the true gospel today. First, he is the father of lies. Then, the lie is his daughter, and she has done harm to all, both spiritual and physical. This cannot mean the disgraceful commandments of men which were instituted some centuries later—the same which is now taught by the so-called Christian faiths. John and the saints could not hold fast to that which did not exist and to that which no one knew of in their day.

But [this] is enough to say unto all those who allow others to think and speak for them and who are blinded by customs and habits. This shows clearly that if the saints had allowed themselves to be deceived away from the doctrines of the apostles, then they have lost their crown, that is, their exaltation and salvation in the kingdom of God; so all who do not have the apostolic doctrines have no crown to hope for, and can therefore lose nothing. It is possible to know the true and correct faith from the wrong if we believe the word of God which we have in holy scripture.

It is our leading light. Dear reader, was it the doctrine of Jesus Christ that the apostles taught? Was [the doctrine] necessary and the only way to salvation? Apostles, prophets, and all the glorious blessings and signs, which were found in the first Church, were they necessary or were they not? Are you not a religious villain and a heretic and not better than the heathen? Or the New Testament lies and means all together something else than it says, and it is then not holy. But everything else which Jesus taught and instituted [is considered] to be unnecessary.

And that which men have instituted will suffice in place of the commands and doctrines of Jesus, which are now set aside. Those blessings which belong to the Church of Jesus Christ, in this life, are wisdom, knowledge, joy, the gift of healing, miracles, the gift of tongues and the interpretation of such, revelations, visions and dreams, the ministry of angels, the gift of prophecy, the casting out of devils, and all others which are spoken of in the scriptures—or the New Testament. These signs shall follow them that believe see Mark Those who believed in the apostolic doctrines and accepted them, believed this.

For, wherever the holy priesthood and authority of God are, these signs will be found. But wherever they are not, the Church of God is not. No one need be unsure about whether or not he is in the Church of Christ. For these signs show and confirm it perfectly. For the natural, great and eternal law is that the same causes and reasons have the same consequences and results. By your fruits ye shall know them. And so it is with the Church of Jesus Christ. If these signs have not sufficiently shown themselves among the Latter-day Saints—which the world calls Mormons—then so many thousands would not have—of all nations and tongues—received our doctrines.

Seek after spiritual gifts, but above all else, the gift of prophecy 1 Corinthians But you deny all those spiritual gifts, just as all others who were in the first Christian faith. The word which I spoke will judge them at the last day. It is the sharp, two-edged sword which went out of his mouth Revelation 1: It will put to death, with the second death, all those who have not repented after having known his will and the path which leads to his kingdom. I have done the same with the Apostasy and those false teachers, and the mark [they have made], and how they are called of men to preach the doctrines and inventions of men.

For no one who has his full senses will allow himself to consider that the more or less different religious groups are [all] the true Christian faith and Church. This shows that there is not but one faith and baptism which are right or efficacious before God. If the religions are [the] way unto life, then it would not prove true what Jesus says: The way is strait and few there be that find it. If they were born and raised in the way of life and taught the doctrines and commands of Jesus Christ, then they have found the right way.

They all cry out and say: Here is the right way. If ye are not one, ye are not mine. Are these many religions one in faith, hope and charity? And therefore they cannot be the Church of Jesus Christ. I cannot bear looking at it in this way because it makes the whole of Christianity look immature and as charlatans, and it is true.

When and where has God recalled and made void the doctrines of the apostles? To whom has he revealed it and where is it written? Blind leaders, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. They pretend to be learned in the law, though they neither understand themselves what they are saying, nor that which they teach others 1 Timothy 1: It is written that they worship him in vain, by teaching the commandments of men, which they themselves had been taught Matthew There are none who acknowledge its necessity, excepting the Latter-day Saints.

One faith and one baptism, says the apostle. Some sprinkle water over the one being baptized. Some only moisten the crown of the head or the forehead of young children to give them a name, and they call it baptism. But baptism means immersion, as before has been said, baptism by immersion, or being buried with Christ in baptism, foreshadowing the grave and death, as well as the death of the sins, to rise up out of the water and live anew, foreshadowing the resurrection and eternal life. He gave us these laws, as well as himself, and each is equally necessary and indispensable.

The so-called baptism for young children is one of those false commandments of men which has caused the nations to be heedless [of God] and has become a custom and a habit.

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Sin, sorrow, difficulty, death, and all evil came into the world. So as you can see, dear reader, all that was lost by disobedience has been returned by obedience to those fundamental teachings which have so often been spoken of.

These four laws, or fundamental principles, are the doors to the Church and kingdom of God. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin if we obey these laws together with all others that he has commanded. What then shall we do, dear reader? Their hearts depart from the Lord who do not believe his words and those laws which he gave after having had a chance to hear the true gospel, which now is preached wide and far in the world. It would be good, dear reader, if you would build your faith on your own research as did they in Berea anciently [Acts We need to search the scriptures to see whether or not that which we have been taught is right and ask God through his Spirit to understand correctly.

But let us be mindful, dear reader, of how the gospel should be preached in the last days. When John the Apostle was on the isle of Patmos, the angel told him he would show him that which would later come to pass Revelation 1: One of the glorious things that he saw was an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel unto them that dwell on the earth, to every nation, tongue, and people.

He called out with a loud voice and said: Fear God and give glory unto him for the time of his judgement is come Revelation This is spoken in clear words and not as a parable. Jesus came with the true gospel when he came to dwell here on earth. But thereafter an angel should come with it. And this should be in the last days. For the angel says: But if the true gospel—that Jesus came with and that he taught and preached—had been on the earth, then God would not have needed to send it to the earth.

For the gospel which the angel came with shall be sent to all nations, tongues, and people. Thereafter shall another angel cry out that Babylon is fallen and become the habitation of devils and the prison for all kinds of abominable spirits. Babylon means godlessness and discord. The wine of her fornication means the sins, the damage caused by false faiths and the commands of men, through which all nations have become drunk and which kings and leaders have established. But before Babylon is destroyed, the people of God are called out from her. So there will be a gathering together of the people of God at that time, as the angel comes with the eternal gospel.

And it will be a symbol of his coming and of the end of the world. So when the angel comes with the everlasting gospel—if it is the same as Jesus taught—then all may know that it is the same as John saw and the same [gospel], about which Jesus said it would be a testimony of his coming. For the gospel which Jesus taught has not been openly taught in its fulness in 1, years even if the Church of God was not fully taken from the earth and the saints [were] not in all ways destroyed before the sixth century, as has been stated.

Was Joseph Smith sent from God? He says that one angel from God has revealed himself and given [the gospel] to his emissary in its fulness and the message to all nations and tongues, to follow it in the same way that Jesus taught it, and we read it in the New Testament. How could Joseph Smith—if he was a heretic and a false teacher—bring forth the true gospel?

Was he wiser than all the heretics and founders of religious groups for the last 1, years? And being uneducated, could not Svedenborg, Irving, Vestle, Calvin, Hvitfield, Luther, and many others come forth with the true gospel? There was one angel who would come with it to the earth, and the time had not come yet.

So there are two great proofs Joseph Smith was send from God. First, that an angel revealed the gospel in its fulness to him. Second, that it was the same as Jesus taught. He was also [commanded] by the angel to gather together all who received this message, which is the third proof that he was sent from God. Come out of the city, my people. That is, out of the false denominations. The gathering of Israel in the last days is so clearly discussed by the prophets see Isaiah The Jews, to some degree, have experienced a blindness, until the fulness of the Gentiles—or the gathering—be come in.

What blindness have the Jews experienced? Namely, not believing in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world and the building up of old Jerusalem, which they will do in the last days see Zechariah 12— This will happen through all the prophets, both great and small. But before this happens, the Gentiles will gather together. Thirty-eight years have passed since they began to gather together under the name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from all nations, tongues, and corners of the earth.

The people and the kingdoms should come together to serve the Lord. And this is the second reason; therefore, they were called out from Babylon, to loose the children of death. If they had received the plagues of Babylon, then they were the children of death. But he says to release them, so they might live and serve the Lord. And therefore they were called out of Babylon. It is an ungodly world. Fifty years have passed since the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was given to Joseph Smith and [since] he was tutored by the angel of God concerning the holy history—or record—which the Book of Mormon is translated from, which contains the gospel of Jesus Christ, as can be read in the New Testament.

And in the same manner [it contains] a history of the ancient Jaredites, who fled to that westerly continent—namely America—approximately 1, years after the creation of the earth. People think this is a great, wondrous event. It is something that the greater part of human beings did not expect, something that our forefathers had no idea concerning—that God would send an angel from the heavens. An angel from the heavens in the last days!

Yes, even though the people consider it a wondrous event. If people today are told that God has sent an angel and revealed his will to man, they are quickly willing to make light of and disdain it. Such are the views which the two to three hundred million beings espouse who call themselves Christians. Where have they received such information? Did God reveal it to them sometime? Is this not the fruit of their own imagination? Have you heard any man, yea even the most learned and wisest among them confirm this out of the Bible?

Have you heard that any preacher or priest has proven this to be the consensus and the rationale? No man shall find such no matter how learned or educated he is in the holy writings, or who can come forth with any proof to confirm this opinion. The Latter-day Saints first came forward forty-eight years ago and bore witness that God had sent an angel from the heavens, however amazing it seemed to the people, however unusual an event for the time.

Because we are so enlightened. We have read the scriptures and know so perfectly their contents [that] we need no further guidance from the Almighty. The light of the gospel shines so brightly before us that we can get by with human knowledge without revelation from the heavens. This is their opinion.

History teaches us that before the flood, angels spoke to the people, just as one man speaks to another, so that Abraham and Enoch and many others spoke with God. After the flood we find that God gave great and glorious promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—promises concerning heavenly and earthly things. Angels came to them and enlightened them about the words of eternal life. And so, too, we can follow Moses and the children of Israel in the land of Egypt through time.

Did the Lord bless them? By speaking to them and by sending angels to minister among them and by giving revelations. While the children of Israel traveled in the wilderness, they were taught by revelations concerning all their ceremonies. And through revelation they raised a sanctuary in the wilderness, so that when the Lord said unto them to put up their tents in one place they remained there until another revelation was given. Such was the way of things among them until some time before the birth of Christ. Then came a time when no angel was sent, no revelation, no prophet like before.

Because of the wickedness of the people. And the consequence was such that when the Savior came and preached the gospel unto them, they were so wicked that they stained their hands with his blood. And one of the apostles exhorted the saints to be hospitable in the process, for in that way some had unknowingly entertained angels. We find that in the first hundred years of the Christian church angels were often sent to the saints and revelations were given to direct the church by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, which rested upon the apostles.

This is a clear proof that these holy and glorious beings from the heavens—they who lived in the presence of God—were sent as fully commissioned servants of God to those who lived on the earth and who ought to inherit salvation. But after the first hundred years had passed, the heavens again began, little by little, to close over their heads. The power of the Holy Ghost stopped working among the people, and the ministration of angels was no more. Neither visions nor revelations, but darkness shall fall upon them as a consequence of their disbelief and apostasy from the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Their understanding became darkened so that they could no longer view the glorious future. The people have been comfortable with this truth, even if there was not the least proof or evidence that it was so. And this has been propagated as the accepted view and tradition which has nothing to support it. But the long silence has been broken. The voice of angels has again sounded to mortal man on earth, and this in fulfillment of the prophecy that John gave while in exile on the isle of Patmos.

The Lord showed him in a vision what events would occur on the earth, among other things, and after a specific time period, the heavenly gospel [would be returned] to the inhabitants of the earth. In the fourteenth chapter [of Revelation] we are enlightened as to how this would occur. However wondrous this may seem, it is an angel that is spoken of, who comes to the earth with the eternal gospel. And God has given authority to man to preach it before all nations and people.

And this same gospel has been preached now for fifty years, unto many nations and people, so that all would be given the opportunity to hear the message of freedom and warning. You say that an angel has come, but we know not whether it is true. You say that he has come with the eternal gospel, but we know nothing of this. What proof can you give us so we can be assured of this, that an angel from heaven has come with this message?

I will tell you how you can know for a surety, how all who now live can know, whether or not the godly message, namely, the eternal gospel, has been sent by an angel to the inhabitants of the earth. Hast thou commanded him to preach unto all people, nations, and tongues under the heavens? Will God give us wisdom in our day by calling on his name in prayer? 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.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering James 1: Has not God, from the earliest times, revealed knowledge of the truth to his children? Assuredly he has done so. The same God who directed his people in olden times wants also to give you knowledge if you will pray to him concerning such and commit to doing his will. He did not allow the Book of Mormon to be sent unto the nations to be declared before all people before he had given a testimony to certain witnesses.

We have here four witnesses. What does Jesus say? With two or three witnesses shall all things be established [2 Corinthians Joseph Smith, one of these witnesses, says that an angel came down from the heavens, whose face shown like a light, and the glory of God surrounded him. There he would find the ancient records, plates of gold, containing the everlasting gospel as it was taught anciently to the inhabitants of this land namely, America.

He obeyed his command and went to this place and found the records in the same place that he was told to look by the angel in the revelation. Was it possible that Joseph was deceived? Perhaps some will say that Joseph Smith was uneducated and could not have translated the Egyptian writings and language which the most learned could not translate, and that is true. He could not have done it had not God given him the holy tools, the Urim and Thummim! And if you wish to ask what it is, it is the holy tool which the Lord has possessed to reveal his will to his servants and which listens to the holy priesthood, and he gave an answer to these things see Exodus This holy tool was given to Joseph Smith to translate the writings that were on the plates, but this is mocked and belittled by modern teachers and the so-called Christians.

They compare it to a telescope or magnifying glass or some such [thing], but they may as well mock God who has made holy and [has] prepared this tool. Joseph Smith was fifteen years old when he received the first revelation and God called him by an angel. You would perhaps dispute this, dear reader, and say that it is unbelievable that God should call so young a man or boy to erect his Church.

There are many [other examples] that show this. Let us now refer back to Joseph Smith. He perfected the translation from the year to by employing that holy tool, the Urim and Thummim. Could he be deceived when he had the plates in his own hands with the greatest gift of sight being used to ponder over the wondrous text that was on them?

Any man with his reason intact can see that under such circumstances it would be impossible to be deceived, but instead know that the witness is true, and the message, of God. Now with regard to the other three witnesses.

They witness that, in the year , after the plates were translated, an angel of God showed himself unto them clothed in light and glory and held the plates in his hands, and turned the pages one by one, and showed them the writings which were thereon. And they witness further that while they pondered over this glorious thing, they heard a voice from the heavens which said that the writing on the plates had been correctly translated by the gift and power of God, and that they should bear testimony of what they saw and heard.

Allow me to ask, was it possible that they could have been deceived? We could say as well that all they in earlier days who said they had seen angels have been deceived. But I cannot see how anything could be more true and reliable. The promise was brought forth that three witnesses should come forth to bear witness of these things.

The Lord, in reality, sent his angel. They saw him come down from the heavens. They saw the light and the glory which shown from his face.

Appendix B: A Voice of Warning and Truth

They saw the plates in his hands and could understand the writing which was on them. To have been deceived under such circumstances is impossible. Here are the four witnesses, who all bear witness of the divinity of this work, as I too have claimed. Jesus says out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall all things be established. Therefore the Lord did not establish his Church before he had given enough proofs to the men he had chosen to bear witness of the truth.

Joseph Smith was further commanded of the Lord to show these plates to eight other men—besides those already mentioned—who were also witnesses to these things. And their revealed testimony is that they saw the plates and touched them, and they saw the curious writing which was on them.

Even though some of them have fallen away and are removed from association with the Latter-day Saints, not even one of them denied the testimony which he had borne concerning this. Here are twelve witnesses. Are they not enough proof to bring peace to all men whose hearts are humble before God? But I would direct you to even greater witnesses.

When this book namely, the Book of Mormon was published, the Lord called these men to go out among the people to preach the gospel which they had received, promising them that all they who would show obedience to it should receive the Holy Ghost and he should confirm the testimony of the believer. And when the Holy Ghost came upon people, they received a witness for themselves that these men were the living servants of God. And the power that rested upon them was the Holy Ghost of whom they have read in the scriptures.

But how did they know this?

Because the Holy Ghost shared with them marvelous gifts. He gave them power to lay hands upon those who were sick and to [cast out] evil in the name of Jesus. And the sick were made immediately well. Perhaps some will say that positive thinking had the most to do with it. The ill person had imagined to themselves that they were better. The servants of God in this way have been in a position to convince the people and lead them unto a knowledge of the truth.

And those who have taken our faith can of themselves bear witness of the divine truths. Thus people have received a knowledge of these things, which they bear testimony of, and this testimony is in power before the whole world whether each human being will accept it or not. I have now laid before you proofs which are enough to awaken the belief in your hearts.

It is the testimony of twelve men, [aside from that] of many thousands of men and women, who have received the Holy Ghost which gives them knowledge of this latter-day work and power to witness of its truths. And the testimony of these people speaks with a loud voice to the nations that God has spoken from the heavens and sent an angel to the earth with the everlasting gospel. If the powerful testimonies of these twelve men—in conjunction with a great multitude of men and women—is not enough to awaken a belief in you hearts that God has verily begun his great and unique work in our day, what then can awaken the people to a knowledge of these things?

There can be no excuse for them that hear and reject these testimonies of elders. They have lifted up their voice for many years, which can have a striking effect on the hearts of all honorable men. For the promise is that if you have faith to call on the Lord in prayer, you shall receive a witness for yourselves; yea, you will receive an assurance in your hearts that the Lord has assuredly come to the earth by his angel in these last days, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living God, and our doctrine is not of men, rather of God and will become a sweet savour of life unto life for all who receive it, but the savour of death unto death for those who reject it 1 Corinthians 2: Therefore, as I said, one great, glorious, and joyous event has occurred in our day.

The work and power of the Holy Ghost rests upon the servants of God, and his strength is made known among the various nations, as in days of old. The sick are healed, the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf hear, and the Spirit of God is given unto the children of men, just as in the world in olden times. Is this not enough to awaken those who have a humble heart before the Lord? If it is not enough, then I know nothing that can do it.

When none but the just be left on the earth, it will become a testimony which they cannot oppose, but such a testimony does not provide freedom in and of itself.

Do you find Elder Christofferson's Voice of Warning GC talk inspiring? (up to 2 selections allowed)

It is the testimony of judgement which shall fall upon them at a time when they cry peace and security. When the unfortunate, disobedient, and godless people began to be destroyed in the flood, then they could say: We know that Noah was a prophet and that the message which he declared to our ears is from God. But it was too late.

They rejected the message and treated it with disinterest and disdain. They did not want to call upon God with a sincere heart but chose, rather, to consider Noah a deceiver, and the consequence was such that they were destroyed by the great flood. If they had, their condemnation would have been much greater. They had the testimony of no more than four men, nonetheless they were destroyed for their disbelief. The prophet Isaiah, in Here a nation is discussed that will be destroyed but will speak out of the ground. Her story—or record—was taken from out of the earth by Joseph Smith and is called the Book of Mormon after the last prophet, Mormon, who wrote most of their history which he gave to his son, Moroni, who wrote the end of the book.

This book speaks of people in America who were destroyed more than 1, years ago—or around four hundred years after Christ—because of their disbelief and godlessness. The wild Indians are their descendants. They are of the blood of Joseph who was sold into Egypt. This book also speaks of the destruction [in the Americas] when Jesus was crucified.

And there was darkness as in the land of the Jews and earthquakes. So many places sank, and some were burned by fire from heaven. They had internal wars from the beginning, and the ungodly were destroyed with the judgement of the guilty suddenly, in a twinkling of an eye, as [it] says in [1 Corinthians Jesus, after his Resurrection, set up his Church in this land and chose twelve apostles.

But it was sealed and hidden from him. But the Lord says that this people—meaning those who live on the earth when the book was given—draw near unto me with their mouth but their hearts are far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men, in all ways the same as it stands today among the nations, in spiritual things and matters of faith.

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