The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-12-06

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N STATEMENT. Historical and ArSnmen,
] ntIyc. About Their TheOry-Their hue'
| of the origin and Destiny ofthe Ih"i""'
Newell A. Brown and A. NJ, Baker
of Lehi and Mcndon, Utah, tho Mormon
! Elders. who are in Londonderry look
ing up the genealogy of their ahcos,
/ fray. ma described in the Rcformer OF
two weeks ago, write, stating that lles
are here not only for that purpose Dut 10
promulgate the gospel according TO the
Mormon view. They inaugurate the
latter work with a lengthy statement,
and il is instructive enough so that
we are willing to give them all the ben
eft it will do them in their proselytlng,
in order to lay before our readers
their clear presentations of the
IDEAS. purposes and theories Of Nor
monism. Ct.
Elder Browns ancestors are natives
of Vermont About 1880 his father
moved from this state to Ohio where
N. A. Brown was born IN the year 1917,
Elder Bakers ancestors are natives OF
New England, having settled mere
shortly after the arrival of the Plisrim
Fathers.
The Latter Day Saints or Mormons'
according to their statement, beiie'e
that there has been an apostacy from
the true gospel of Christ, that when
the ancient apostles were martyred anu
the church of Christ driven into the
wilderness through persecution, etc.'
the authority of God to officiate IN the
ordinance of the Gospel was taken
from the earth, or at least from the
eastern continent. They further be,
lieye that the Holy priesthood ana
authority of the gospel thus lost by
the apostacy of the primitive church
was to be restored through revelation
from God In the later days in fulfil
ment of the predictions of the prophets
as found in Dan. , Oh. 44'4o also Kew.
IA Oh. 81.
The Latter Day Saints bear tes-
timony to the world of the fulfilment
of these predictions. That God has
again spoken from the heavens in this
day and age of the world and raised
nm n prophet in the person of Joseph
Smith, Jr., who has testified to the
inhabitants Of the world. IAN angel OF
God, whose name was Maroni and an
ancient prophet who lived on the
American continent, appeared into Mr.
Smith in the evening OF Sept. list,
1923. unfolding the scriptures to his
understanding. telling him OF many
future cvents--which were about to
take place on the earth preparatory
to the second coming OF Christ.
Naroni also revealed to the youthful
prophet the place of deposit of the
sacred records of his forefathers who
once inhabited this land, Maroni hay,
ing buried them in a hill called
Cumorah 420 4. ID. This hill Is sit
uated four miles south of Palmira,
New York state. The following day,
Sept. 22d. Joseph Smith visited the
hill and was shown these ancient re
cords by tn heavenly messenger.
These records were engraved on metallic
plates having the appearance Of gold
the characters were engraved in what
the angel called the Reformed Egyp-
tian language. Joseph Smith was in
formed that four years must elapse
before they should come forth but
if he remained faithful he should
have power to bring these things
forth unto the children of men.
On Sept. -, 1927. Maroni delivered
these plates to Joseph Smith and he
through the power Of God and the aid
of the Vrim and Thummim, which
was found with the plates translated
what is known to the world. the Book
of Mormon.
This record reveals to the world the
ancient history of this the American
continent showing who the ancestors
of the American Indians were. their
forcfathers having been led by the
Lord from Jerusalem to this land 600
a l,.,, IL ri " n
Joseph who was sold into Egypt. The
Saviour established the gospel amongst
this branch of Israel the same as
among His chosen people at Jerusalem.
But through transgresslon and turning
from the gospel of Christ wickedness
became general amongst them which
led to civil wars among this people,
leading to the destruction of nearly
the entire nation about 400 y. y. The
remainder Of this people dwindled in
unbnlief from this time down to tho
discovery Of America by Columbus in
1892 The dark skin which the
American Indian Of today is marked
with came upon him from a curse
placed upon him by the Lord for
transgreseions, but u promise to them
is that in the near future it will be
removed and they will become a white
and delightful people.
The Book of Mormon was first pub
lished in 1880. The authority to-
in the ordinances of the
gospel and establish the church of
Christ on the earth in this dispense
ton did not come through the Book
of Mormon unto Joseph Smith. He
received this authority through the
administration of angels having
power to confer this authority by ordi !
nation.
In May, 1929. John the Baptist who
held the keys of the oranic priesthood !
came and ordained Joseph Smith unto
this priesthood in the same year Peter,
James and John holding the keys of
the apostleship came and conferred |
this calling upon him. Hence he had
the authority through divine revela- |
ton to be an instrument in the hands |
of God of orangiAing the church again |
on the earth, which was organized at
Fayett, Seneca County New York, on
April 9th, $780, under the title of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints.
We believe it is necessary now as
anciently, to live in obedience to the
laws and requirements of the gospel
and that all people must have chance
Of hearing and accepting the gospel.
And az there have been periods of
time when the gospel has not been on
the earth and many honest people have
died without hearing the gospel
and as all are to be judged
according to the gospel. therefore we
believe that people in the spirit world
have the gospel preached to them
thus having a chance of receiving or