"Mormon" Doctrine Plain and Simple; Or, Leaves from the Tree of Life

by Charles W. Penrose

SEVENTH LEAF.

Restoration of the Gospel—Ministration of an Angel—Divine Knowledge and Divine Authority—Keys of Former Dispensations Revealed—Rebuilding of the Church of Christ—The Signs Following—Coming of Elijah—Dispensation of the Fullness of Times—Triumph of the Truth.

Having shown the universal apostasy from the Church established by Christ and His Apostles, we now turn with pleasure from the dark picture of error, strife, confusion and priestcraft, painted in sombre hues during a long succession of centuries, to a more cheering and truly delightful subject.

The same inspired apostles who foretold the general departure from the "way of truth," also predicted the restoration of the gospel, the ushering in of a later and final dispensation, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom upon the whole face of the earth. After seeing the dominion of the mother of abominations extending to all the kingdoms of the world, John, the beloved, beheld her entire destruction. This was preceded in the vision by the coming of an angel from heaven with the everlasting gospel for every nation, kindred, tongue and people, and the cry from heaven, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues."

We are able to state, with the most positive assurance, that the angel with the gospel has come, and that the voice from heaven has been uttered as a warning to all nations; that the gospel will be preached and the warning will be sounded, by divine authority, to every tribe, and nation, and tongue. Joseph Smith was the chosen instrument in the hands of God to receive the glad message and direct its promulgation to all the world. Angels do not travel and preach to mankind in person; when they bring tidings from on high they deliver the heavenly mandates to a chosen man who, in turn, makes them known to his fellows.

But though the ministry of angels is not general, all people may know thereof of a surety by obedience to the commandments revealed, which is followed by a divine witness of their truth and of the fact of the manifestation. Thus, while Joseph Smith was selected to receive direct divine communications, every one who in faith obeys them, obtains a satisfactory testimony that the message is true and that the messenger was authorized to declare it.

But receiving the gospel, whether by angelic ministrations or otherwise, is one thing, and obtaining authority to preach it and administer its ordinances is another. Knowledge, light and revelation may be enjoyed, and yet the favored recipient of these blessings may be without any authority to perform any official act in the name of the Lord. Joseph Smith not only received the ministrations of the angel bearing the everlasting gospel, but also obtained the right to officiate in all its ordinances, rites, ceremonies and endowments. He did not receive this authority from man. As we have already shown, it had departed from the earth centuries before. No amount of learning would bring it. No college, prelate, potentate or priest could confer it. All the wealth of the world could not purchase it. It does not come by the will of man.

How did Joseph Smith gain it? Holy men of old, who held the keys of this power in former dispensations, came to earth as ministering spirits and ordained him to the same offices which they held in mortality. First came John the Baptist, who was beheaded for the truth's sake, bearing the keys of the Aaronic or lesser Priesthood, and ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the authority thereof, with the right to preach the gospel of repentance and administer baptism for the remission of sins. But as John did not hold the power when on earth to confer the Holy Ghost, he did not presume to bestow it upon others. Next came Peter, James and John with the keys of the Apostleship, of the holy Melchisedek Priesthood and of the dispensation of the fullness of times, which they conferred upon Joseph and Oliver, giving them authority to ordain others to this ministry and to confirm baptized believers by the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The lesser Priesthood holds the power of the ministration of angels and authority to administer in temporal things. The greater Priesthood holds the power of communion with the Highest and of attending to all things, spiritual and temporal; for the salvation and exaltation of man till he reaches the actual presence of the Eternal God, and shines forth in the fullness of the attributes of his Almighty Father.

Thus power was restored to rebuild the Church of Christ, to preach the true gospel; to baptize penitent believers for the remission of sins; to bestow upon them the Holy Ghost, bearing witness of the Father and the Son and of acceptance with them; to appoint and ordain all the various ministers necessary for the publishing of the truth to all nations, the work of the ministry, the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying and government of "the body of Christ."