The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-01-22

we again assert. had been largely lost
and buried under the corruption and
traditions Of what is known as the
dark ages. In the course of three
years the Lord sent an angel to JOS
eph Smith, and that angel brought to
him the knowledge Of a record, which
he afterwards received, "The Book of
Mormon" which is the history of
people who formerly inhabited this
Western Continent, part of whom
were Israelites, and SO we find in the
ruins of several ancient cities, both
North and South, of that part which
is known as Central America, very
recent discoveries, more and more au-
thenticate the B. of NJ story.
After fourteen years of arduous
labor, during which this church met
with much serious opposition, many
being unjustly deprived of their prop
erty, some of their lives, amongst the
rest the leader of the church, who was
foully assassinated at Carthage by
mob, June 81, 1874, and which finally
resulted in the members being scat
tered into different parts of the coun-
try, under different leaders, most of
them, however, have since been incor-
porated into the Reorganized church,
except that body known by US as the
utah" or "Brighamite" faction,
whose peculiar and distinctive corner
stone IS polygamy, and which they
have UNANIMOUSLY attempted to foist
upon the uniformed, as an original
tenet of the church, but which the tes-
timony of living witnesses, the writ
ings Of Joseph Smith, and the Book
of Mormon itself plainly condemns. A
book which is worthy to be perused
by all who have desire to learn OF
God and his dealings with the people
of whom it treats. When | first came
in contact with it's teachings, like
many others, was somewhat preju
diced, and not having opportunity to
fully investigate at that time, but
having full confidence in the Bible, for
two full years, I preached and baptiz-
ed number, and at the end Of that
time, after a diligent and prayerful
search, l found it not only appealed
to my intellectually, but that it's NOR
al tone was pure and sublime, and
above all, that the same Holy and
spiritual desires which came to me
when reading the Bible, accompanied
the reading of this volume. In some
respects it is more full and complete,
in others more lucid, never contradic-
tory: but at all times corroborative,
being true, it harmonizes with all 9TH
er known truth, one of the reasons
for it's existence, as given in the pre-
face, being that "The remnant of the
house of Israel, may know,
* y and also to the convincing of the
Jew and, Gentle that Jesus is the
Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting
himself to all nations. The book Of
Doctrine and Covenants" is compi-
lation of the revealments given to us
in this generation, relating to the
government, and organization of this
church, as we'll as to individual con-
duct.
Now, what was the nature of the
church which Joseph Smith founded ?
/ believe you will all agree with me
that the church of the Penticost was
of Divine origin. When Jesus Christ
assembled to Heaven, He told His dis
ciples at that time they should swat
for the promise of the Father, the
Holy Ghost from on High" and you
remember when the stipulated time
had expired and they were gathered
in that upper room, after earnest
prayer the room was filled with the
| power and spirit of Almighty God,
, and that power rested upon them in
dividually, they were accepted of God
and He manifested Himself to them
/ in various ways, but always by the
power of His Spirit, and we claim,
and our Testimony is to all the world,
that in seeking after the same God,
we receive the same testimonies, and
our earnest desire is that all man
kind may receive the same blessings.
So much for What we are" and now,
"What do we stand for?" We stand
for the Bible as the word of God, a
guide to human conduct, we stand for
the strictest code Of morality. We
stand for the observance of the law
of the land one Of our notices being,
keep the law of God, and the law of
the land We stand for temperance IN
all things, and the total abolition of
all Intoxicating beverages, and back
| it up by our vote, whenever oppor-
tunity permits.
We stand for humanitarianism,
having homes for the aged and de-
pendent, a Children's. Home or or
phans, not paupers' refuge, but our
aim is to make it as near the ideal
home as circumstances will permit.
! We stand for patriotic, intelligent
American citizenship.
We stand for consecrated service
to God and humanity, no church can
stand, and stand permanently, that
does not have the altruistic spirit of
service, not desire for notoriety or
applaud, but the loving spirit Of the
Master. This church is going to grow,
and come out from under the cloud of
prejudice and misunderstanding, and
| it will be because of good deeds, pure
living, because we are in line with the
revelations of the past, because we
are seeking His guidance and receiv-
ing His counsel today, and if we are
faithful to our mission, will continue