The Washington herald., 1918-01-20

tempt II was on the morning or a
beautiful, clear day. carly in the
spring OF eightheen hundred and
twenty. II was the first time in my
life that 1 had made such an at
tempt. for amidst all my anxieties
l had never as yet made the at
tempt to pray vocally.
After 1 had retired 10 the place
where I had previously designed 10
go. having looked around me. and
finding myself alone. ! knecled dOwa
and began TO offer up the desires
OF my heart to God. 1 had scarcely
dcne so. when Immediately ! was
seized upon by some power which
Entirely overcame me. and had such
an astonishing influence over me -
tc bind my tongue so that I could
not speak. Thick darkness gather
e5 around me. and il seemed TO me
for a time as IL 1 were doomed TO
Sudden destruction.
But. eXerting all my powers 70 call
upon God to deliver me out OF the
power OF this enemy which had seized
upon me, and at the very moment
when was ready TO sink into despair
and abandon myself TO destruction
not TO an ina Einary ruin, but 10 the
power OF some actual being from the
unseen world. who had such marvel
Gus power as I had never before felt
in any being-just at this moment OF
great alarm. I saw a pillar OF liChC
exactly over my head. above the
brightness OF the sun, which descend
ed gradually until it fell upon me.
TT no sooner appeared than found
myself delivered from the enemy
which held me bound When the
light rested upon me saw two per
sonages, whose brightness and glory
! defy all description. standing above
me in the air. One OF them spakN
unto me, calling me by name, and
said. pointing to the other-THIS Is
MY BELOVED SON, HEAR HIN,
My object in going to inquire OF the
Lord was TO know which Of all the
sects was right. that might know
which to Join. No sooner, therefore,
did get possession OF myself, so as
TO be able to speak. than asked the
personages who stood above me in
the light. which of all the sects was
right-and which should join.
Il was answered that I must join
none OF them for they were all
wrong; and the parsonage who ad-
dressed me said that all their creeds
we're an abomination in his sight:
that those professors were all cor
rupt: that they draw near TO me
with their lips. but their hearts are
far from me; they teach for doctrines
the commandments OF men. having
form OF godliness, but they deny the
power thereof" CSee Pearl Of Great
Price, Writings OF Joseph Smith
2:s-ls).
Thus ended the long night OF spirit
ual darkness in which man had CROP
ed for centuries. Thus was begun the
dispensation OF which the ancient
prophets had spoken, in preparation
for the coming of the Christ to reign
on earth as Lord and King.
This glorious and unprecedented
manifestation Of the Father and the
Son to a mortal was followed in later
years by visitations of angelic per-
sonages, through whom the Holy
Priesthood was again restored to earth
and under whose direction the Church
Of Jesus Christ OF Latter-Day Saints
was established in April. lSs0. JOS
EPH SMITH WAS A PROPHET OF
THE LIVING GOD. His testimony
Is before the world The saving ordi-
nances OF the Gospel are again ad-
ministered under Divine authority and
the means OF salvation are offered
freely to all mankind.
For literature Of the Church OF Jesus
Christ OF Latter-Day Saints apply to
any Of the Missions. among which are:
Eastern States Mission. 1I40 Bedford
avenue. Brooklyn. n. Y, and Bureau
Of Information. Salt Lake City. Utah.
ADV.