The announcement of these truths, coupled with that other truth proclaimed by the Son of God, viz.: that none of the sects and churches of Christendom were acknowledged as the church or kingdom of God, furnish the elements for a religious revolution that will affect the very foundations of modern Christian theology. In a moment all the rubbish concerning religion which had accumulated through all the centuries since the gospel and authority to administer its ordinances had been taken from the earth, was grandly swept aside—the living rocks of truth were made bare upon which the Church of Christ was to be founded—a New Dispensation of the gospel was about to be committed to the earth—God had raised up a witness for himself among the children of men.
Footnotes
[1]. Joseph Smith the prophet was born in Sharon, Windsor County, state of Vermont, 23rd of December, 1805.
[2]. Pearl of Great Price, p. 86. (1888 edition always quoted).
[3]. See Joseph's reasoning upon this subject, published in his account of the rise of the church, written for Mr. John Wentworth, proprietor of the Chicago Democrat (1842), This article is also found in a pamphlet published by Geo A. Smith, entitled Answers to Questions, p. 37.
[4]. Hist. of Joseph Smith, Supplement to Millennial Star, Vol xiv.
[5]. His reasoning set down here is paraphrased from his own account of what he thought. See Hist. of Joseph Smith, Millennial Star, Vol. xiv.
[6]. The exact date of this occurrence is not known.
[7]. Answers to Questions, p. 37.