Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-06

state. The welfare OF tho entire state
was entrusted TO them They were mid
for their services. and fined for neglect
They had a right to speak and TO vote,
under certain rules and regulations
To understand rightly what the
church OF Christ IL In the world, we
must consider that ancient prototype.
only the church OF the Redeemcr IL n
eivine institution. II is Gods form OF
| spiritual government Of the world. The
members OF the Church OF Christ are
called by Him to ait in that great
| parliament % man representative of
tho human family. That IL the funda-
mental idea Of the Church as con-
stitutcd by the first apostles Of our
Lord They were TO reign with Him,
| TO come with Him In His glory; 70 be
Judges" with Him. among the twelve
| tribes.
The Church in the first centuries OF
our era became power in the world
before which the world was gradually
reconstructed, Though not OF the
world II became a regenereting force
10 tho world. II gave the death wound
to slavery, so FAR as ts influence went
II lifted up women to the level OF man
II laid the foundation for human bro
therhood. 1t slowed the seeds of truth,
righteousness. love and peace.
The church as visible organlya-
ton was, however abolished very
early That is to say the form Of gov
ernmcnt established by the Lord was
abolished and another form substi-
tuted Instead or aposiies. prophets.
evangelists. pastors and teachers there
came all kinds OF dgnitaries. and
moreover these, instead OF being the
humble servants of the people. under
the Master became "hierarchs." rulers
and princes.in Imitation OF worldly pot
entates. And the church dignitaries
even revolted from the authority OF the
Lord and surrendered to heather en-
peror, when at the Council OF Nice.
325. A. D., they permitted him to judge
between them in disputes concerning
doctrine, The church was abolished
Gods form OF government was as com
pletely changed. as IL this Republic
should abolish Congress and establish
absolutlsm.
But the church was again restored,
we claim when the Lord called the
Prophet Joseph TO deliver to the world
His wonderful message and proclaim
the second advent of our Lord This.
we claim. is the Church OF To-Day. and
we invite all men to fair and impair
tial investigation of this claim The
Lord has second time set His hand to
redeem His pcople-the children OF men
and the agency Is, as always His
Church. The definition OF Clemens Alex
andrinus Is this: II think 1t is mani
fest there Is one true church. which Is
gathered who are righteous according
to tGod's) purpose. into the unity OF
one faith, according to their own COW
enant at different times. by the will OF
one God. through one Lord. having
gathered those that were already APP
pointed, whom God predestined know
ing before the foundation of the world
who viii be just" And this definition
1t seems to us, describes the church
of today as we'll az that OF former
age.
In the New Testament the name
Kingdom of Cod and Kingdom OF
heaven sometimes appears to be sy-
nonomous with church but the term
''kingdom' refers rather TO the moral
aspect OF Christianity while the term
church" refers to the religious gov
eminent of the Kingdom 1t will be
noticed that the Kingdom" was pro-
claimed IN near with advent of The
Messiah, and II commenced with His
appearance, Those who attached them
His moral laws and precepts, were
His loyal subjects" The citizenship
In this ''kngdom was not obtained
merely by an enforced obedience to
outward ordinances hut by life IL
righteousness proceeding from the pow
er of God within-a life acting through
the influence OF love of God and fellow
men. The church was the complete
organization Of the religious govern
ment OF this kingdom. 1t took form
after the king" had assembled and the
Holy Spirit was poured out Then
first, were His followers qualified for
their world mission. That was the
power for which they were to tarry at
Jerusalem. Being thus endowed they
We're In position to be witnesses, and
TO all the nations OF the
world