CHAPTER V.
THE VOICE, AND THE MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT.
And there came one as a "voice crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord!"
Thus ever!
A coming to Israel with "a new and everlasting covenant;" this was the theme of the ancient prophets, now unfolded.
There was the voice crying in the wilderness of Ohio, just before the advent of the latter-day prophet.
The voice was Sidney Rigdon. He was to Joseph Smith as a John the Baptist.
The forerunner made straight the way in the wilderness of the virgin West. He raised up a church of disciples in and around Kirtland. He led those who afterwards became latter-day saints to faith in the promises, and baptized them in water for the remission of sins. But he had not power to baptize them with the Holy Ghost and with fire from heaven. Yet he taught the literal fulfillment of the prophesies concerning the last days, and heralded the advent of the "one greater than I."
"The same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."
That is ever the "one greater than I," be his name whatever it may.