Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-01-10
LATTER DAY SAINTS.
An Explanation and Defense Of the
Religious Belief

Who is Preaching in This City
A Historical Sketch of the Found.
ing and Progress of the New Re-
igion.
NJ. T. Short. of Illinois, evangelist for
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, who is conducting meetings at
the Pythian Castle prepared for the Reg
lister the following explanation and de-
Tense of the doctrines which he teaches:
BY divine direction. and agreeable to
the law of the land Mr.. Joseph Smith or
ganized, and set on foot and in motion.
the religious institution that bears the
above named title. He was born of honor
able parentage in Sharon, Winsor county,
Vermont. December 2Sd, 1905.
While quite young the family emigrated
into New York and located convenient to
Manchester. In the spring of 1920 three
Of the village churches and the surround
ing country became deeply interested in
a series of union revival meetings. How
ever on the settling of converts and the
assigning of honors and benefits strange
complications arose. Religious controver-
sizes were common and at times the best
of feeling and unbounded patience was
not the rule. Smith could not satisfy his
mind in regard to the place to go or the
fat- IL, or n
ness here and obtain eternal life in the
beyond. lie finally wisely concluded to
take the advice of St. James, the olden
apostle. and ask God for wisdom. He re-
paired TO the solitude of the forest and
then and there sought FOR divine instruc-
ton in humble prayer.
Presently a pillar of light, exceedingly
bright. descended upon and enveloped this
youthful worshipper in a halo of glory
akin to the vision of Saul of Tarsus The
Father. God. and his dear son, Jesus
Christ. were actually literally present in
their own proper persons, surrounded with
the most exquisite brilliancy that belong
TO and attend glorified beings. The deity
forbade him TO attach himself to any
church eXtant because of their enormous
attitude to primitive Christianity, and all
human creeds were rejected as worthless
and INJURIOUS. The sacred scriptures were
expounded 10 him, and many prophesies
in the Old Testament and the doctrine Of
the New were made plain TO him. He
was admonished of sins, and enjoned to
lead temperate. honorable. upright, pure
religious life.
The denizens Of the celestial world,
even the angels of heaven administered
10 him from time to time till he was final
'ly ordained by John the Baptist, to bap-
tie. and authorized to set apart co-work-
e~s. Ultimately the Melchisedec Priest
hood was duly conferred by the direction
of Peter. James and John.
The church was established on April 9Th.
1880. This neuclus was formed in Seneca.
Fayettc county New York. \ great many
i'm the Old Empire State soon became obedi-
ent to the faith. which was, and IS moth
ing more or less than the old Jerusalem
gospel restored. in all it's fullness and
piety. That fall a goody number es-
poused the doctrine in and around hlrt-
land. Ohio. where the saints erected
large temple in a very few fleeing years.
This House of the Lord is in good
state Of preservation. and is occupied by
our people to-day as a place to worship
the Most High and to advocate the cause
Of redeemng love. 1t is one Of the his
torical mile-stones of the Church, and
wonder TO many noted visitors.
The God the Latter Day Saints adore
and worhip is a material parsonage. and
man is in His image and likeness or form
and shape. He is. however, omnpotent,
aU-wise and eternal. Jesus Christ is his
dearly beloved Son. as well as our inter
cessor. reconcilator advocate, redeemer
and savior The Holy Spirit is everlast-
ing. omnipresent. ever-beholding. and our
abiding comforter and guide. The prim-
eval fall or the Adamic sin entailed. or
involved the race in mortality with all the
attendant evils of pain. sorrow anguish
and death. The infinite atonement OF the
euileless Lamb of God brought life and
immortality TO light through the gospel.
We are censured for our own misdemean-
ors and not for the transgression Of the
first pair. or any one else. We secure sal
walton for our good behavior; yea for our
faithfulness and diligence in keeping the
commandments of God; and not through
the superabundant goodness and merits Of
NOUS people or glorified humanity. The
perfect law Of liberty, which is Gods plan
of life and salvation. or the doctrine OF
Christ was. is. and ever will be adequate
TO redeem mankind with a fullness OF
glory and superlative bliss. 1t must ever
be disseminated with authority and power;
yea in demonstration of the Holy Spirit
i'm order for the message TO either accuse
or excuse the people.
This saving up to life through obedience
or condemning to death by rejecting the
true light. necessitates a duly authorized
ministry. called of God, as was Aaron
Set apart and ordained by those to thus
act. and inspired to rightly divide the
word of the Lord, as in days of old
In coming from Natures darkness INTO
the light of God the alien must believe III
the Father. Son and Holy Ghost. as also
the glad tiding of great JOY, or the gospel
of the kingdom of heaven: repent deeply
and fully of all his past sins; be MINERS
ed by an authorized ADM istralor for the
remission of sins. and receive the laying
on of the bonds of the eldership or min
istry, for the baptism of the Holy Spirit
The organization of the one body. or
Church of Christ incluces and contains
living. holy. divinely inspired apostles ana
prophets. bishops and seventies; as well
as high priests and elders, priests teach
ers and deacons. The unerring spirit OF
inspirafion and revelation not only call
.,,os, MON not women to these various