The angel Moroni further stated, that the record contained the fulness of the everlasting Gospel. Here we have all the conditions necessary for the fulfilment of the prophetic vision of St. John, regarding the restoration of the Gospel in the latter times.
The angel repeated to Mr. Smith the fifth verse of the last chapter of Malachi, thus: "Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." In Doc. & Cov., 110. 13, 14, we find an account of the fulfilment of this prophecy, by the appearance of Elijah to Mr. Smith. He stated that he had come in fulfilment of this prediction of Malachi's.
The angel Moroni quoted the sixth verse as follows: "And he shall plant in the hearts of the children, the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers; if it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming." "Therefore," said the prophet Elijah to Joseph Smith, "The keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands."
After receiving authority from the prophet Elijah, Mr. Smith made it the business of his life to lay the foundation for accomplishing the great work committed to him. He has left the world most important instructions on this subject, in Doc. & Cov. sec. 128.
After referring to the prophecy of Malachi, he says "It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse, unless there is a welding link of some kind or other, between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other, and behold, what is that subject? It is baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we, be made perfect, without those who have died in the Gospel also;" verse 18. It is necessary that all things be connected and welded together in one glorious and complete union, from Adam down to the present time.
To accomplish this it is necessary that the hearts of the fathers and children be turned towards each other, by understanding the promises made in the Gospel. We have no information that the Christian world has had any knowledge of these glorious principles for the universal redemption of man, from the time of the primitive church until they were revealed through Joseph Smith, Jun.
In the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon, through the agency of an angel, we find the fulfilment of Psalm 85. 11, "Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven;" and also of a parallel prophecy of Enoch's, P. of G. P. page 21. "Righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth." What for? "To bear testimony of mine Only Begotten."
Truth came forth out of the earth, in the Book of Mormon, through the ministration of the angel Moroni, and righteousness came down out of heaven through the blessings and ordinances of the holy Priesthood, as restored to the earth by John the Baptist, when he appeared to J. Smith, Jun., and O. Cowdery, and conferred upon them the Priesthood of Aaron, "Which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the Gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins;" Doc. & Cov. 13.
And by Peter, James and John, who were sent to Jos. Smith, Jun., and others, and who ordained them to be apostles and especial witnesses of Christ. 27. 12. Through these ordinances and blessings came the power to work righteousness on the earth.
Here we have all the conditions for the fulfilment of the prophecies of Enoch and David, through the agency of Mr. Smith. We find, by comparison, that there is no antagonism in doctrine between the Book of Mormon and Bible. Christ said, "This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come;" Matt. 24. 14.