PETER'S EVIDENCE.
The World:—Your name is Simon Peter?
Peter:—It is.
The World:—Are you also one of Christ's disciples?
Peter:—I am one of His Apostles.
The World:—Prior to your call to the ministry what was your occupation?
Peter:—I was a fisherman.
The World:—How did you receive your call to the ministry?
Peter:—I was called by Christ Himself.
The World:—Is there a record of your ordination?
Peter:—There is. You will find it recorded in the Gospel according to Saint Mark, as follows: "And lie ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach." (Mark 3: 14.) I am one of the Twelve.
The World:—Do you believe that God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Ghost are three Persons in one substance?
Peter:—I do not.
The World:—Can you furnish evidence that they are separate Personages?
Peter:—I can.
The World:—We will listen to your evidence.
Peter:—On one occasion Jesus took James and John and me up into a high mountain apart by ourselves, and there He was transfigured before us. His face shone as the sun and His raiment became as white as snow. We beheld two heavenly messengers come to Jesus and talk with Him. They were Moses and Elias. They spoke to Him of His death which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. We were very much astonished at the things which we saw, and as soon as Moses and Elias had departed I went to Jesus and said to Him, "Master, it is good for us to be here: let us make three tabernacles: one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." (Luke 9: 33.) While I was speaking a cloud came and overshadowed us, and there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son: hear him." (Luke 9: 34, 35.)
The World:—Was there a record made of what took place on the occasion of which you speak?
Peter:—There was. It is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9.) I also made a record of it in my second general epistle, as follows: "For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount." (II. Peter 1: 17, 18.) Jesus, in speaking to us on one occasion, said: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." (John 16: 28.) Now, surely you would not have me interpret Jesus' saying as meaning that He had come from Himself and was going to return to Himself? I was with the Savior during that awful night in the Garden of Gethsemane when in the anguish of His soul He prayed, "Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt." (Mark 14: 36.) I did not understand Jesus on that occasion to be praying to Himself.
The World:—The witness is excused.
The Latter-day Saints:—Here are James and John, who will corroborate the testimony of Peter.
The World:—James, you have heard the testimony of the Apostle Peter, what have you to say concerning it?
James:—I corroborate it in every particular. I was also on the mount and heard the voice of God bear testimony that Jesus was His Only Begotten Son.
The World:—The witness is excused.
The World:—John, you have listened to the testimony of your fellow Apostles, what have you to say concerning it?
John:—It gives me pleasure to corroborate it. They have spoken the truth, and nothing but the truth. I also heard the voice of the Father saying, "This is my beloved Son, hear ye him."
The World:—That is all. (To the Latter-day Saints):—Have you any more witnesses?
The Latter-day Saints:—We have one more, a man who laid down his life for the truth's sake; his name is Stephen.