Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-03-17

STOW the ApustIcship once more upon
men. Aitor the Aaronic Priesthood had
been conferred, therefore. and John the
Baptist had transmitted that power
(which had been taken from the earth
through the wickedncss Of men and the
shedding Of the blood OF those who bore
it) again TO the earth, others came from
the mansions OF bliss aud committed 10
men once more In the flesh the KEYS
and the authority which they had held
when they were in the flesh. and which
keys and authority were necessary 10
complete the great work Of God IN the
last days. The Lord. when He was
upon the earth, said unto Peter 81 will
give unto thee the Keys Of the Kingdom
OF heavens and whatsoever thou shalt
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatsoever thou shalt loose on
earth shall be looscd IN heaven" Peter,
James and John were the three prcsid.
ing High Priests over the Church Of
Christ, after the Slyiors departure: and
these three Apostles descended from
the mansions OF glory and laid their
hands upon the heads OF these two
young servants Of God IN this day aud
ordained them 10 the authority which
they held, committing unto them all the
keys and powers OF Priesthood which
they had received IN their day, and
which had not been transmitted by them
TO any Others, because OF the wicked.
ness Of the children OF men. Joseph
smith and Oliver Cuwlcry were or
daincd 20 the Apostcship OF the Son Of
God by Peter and his fellow Apostles.
and thus was restored TO the earth once
more that great authority aud glorious
power which the Son Of God had be.
slowed when In the flesh. ] doubt not
that the angelic hosts rcioiccd and every
heart that surrounded the throne Of
God was gladdencd a. the thought that
once more on earth we're men TO be
iound clothed with the eternal authority
OF the everlasting Priesthood. By means
OF which men should be led from the
lowest depths OF ignorance and sin back
into the presence OF the Great Eternal I
No doubt pcans OF Joy rcsounded
throughout the vaultcd heavens when
that event took place; Tor IL was an
event pregnant with more importance
TO the children Of men than any which
had taken place since the days OF the
Savior. When that authority was r..
stored In is iulncss, then the Church
was organized. Men and women were
baptized and received the Holy Ghost.
and officers were ordained IN the Church.
The organization was not completed all
at once; but the authority to complete
the organization was there, and as the
Saints Increased In numbers, so the or.
ganization OF the Church increased In
perfection. each officer being appointed
aud ordained as the necessity arose for
that Office TO be filled.
Now, II was a new thing In the earth.
Il startled ChrHendOm. Tn 10 that
time no one had pretended 10 say-at
least very iew-that there was not all
necessary authority on the earth. The
religious world looked TO the Bible
They asserted that II contained the en-.
tire word OF God. Nothing more was
necessary. God had completed the
canon OF scripture, There would be no
more revelation from Him Everything
had been given that was necessary FOR
mans salvation. Aud the inference was
that God, having done this, had retired
from any active participation la the
affairs Of the earth, and had LETT the
whole business to men, Therefore, Il
was q startling declaration to have any.
one say that God himself, accompanied
by His Son Jesus Christ, had revealed
himself to man once more; and equally
startling was the statement that angels
had come, and that the authority OF the
Priesthood had been restored again to
the earth. These were astounding de.
claratiOns TO the great bulk OF the PEG.
Pile. OF course, there were honest souls
who reioiced at this proclamation. They
had been searching Tor the truth. Dis.
satisfied with the existing order OF
things, they were yearning for the
restoration OF that power, and were
anxious TO ind men who held and
exercised il. Therefore, their hearts
were gladdened by the intelligence that
God had spoken. Il was almost too
good to believe But they investigated
Il. They prayed unto the Father about
il. The result was they received testI-
monies concerning IT,, and embraced the
Gospel. But al that day-sixty.iour
years ago-thefe were very few men Ia
Christendom who dared to say that
God would speak from the heavens, or
who believed that such thing was pos
sible. Revelation from God was a thing
OF the past. Il belonged to ages an
terror to this. The ministers Of religion
coniented themselves by making these
statements.
How was this new declaration re.
ceived3 Let me call your attention to
this. During the FIRST persecution against
the Saints OF God In Jackson County
one OF the main charges made by the
mob was that Joseph smith was ac-
cepted by the "Momons" as a prophet,
and that they believed iu revelation from
God. Ii was about as strong an appeal
as could be made TO the preludlces OF
the age, to arouse intense hostility
against the people, THIS shows how
the people felt at that time But heard
Joseph Smith predict that the day would
come when there would be false spirits
go forth among the children OF men,
and that they would deceive them, ]
remember on one occasion bis speaking
about the false prophet that should call
down fire from heaven, and he warned
the people In the mos, impressive and
solemn manner against being u-eeNeu
by these works that should DE wrought
to deceive the children OF men, IL was
only two years after bis deall lhat
splritrapping commenced 900 Rochester,
New York. We had been driven OUT
here In the wilderness, and we ana NOT
know much that was transpIuns IN tne
eastern world but / happened, While
on the Sandwich Islands In la5L to.geI
hold OF book that had been issued oy
'plrituallsts, and ! was surprised ~ 'ne
manner In which they presented 'nelI
claims TO the public. Arguments tha'
our Elders used they had taEea ana re-
vamped, so to speak, and adapted mem
to Their ideas. a more deceptive DON