"And also Elijah, unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children, * * * and also with Joseph and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, your fathers, * * and also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days.
"And also with Peter, and James, and John, * * * by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be Apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry, and of the same things which I have revealed unto them: unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the Gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth;" 27. 5-13.
On a certain occasion, when the Nephite disciples of our Savior were engaged "in mighty prayer and fasting," he appeared in their midst and asked them, "What will ye that I shall give unto you? And they said unto him, Lord, we will that thou wouldst tell us the name whereby we shall call this church; for there are disputations among the people concerning this matter.
"And the Lord said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing? Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day. * * * Therefore whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name;" 3 Nephi 27. 2-7.
In the above Jesus plainly told his disciples that his name was Christ, and that his church should be called Christ's Church, not Christian, Catholic, Campbellite or Episcopalian.
When Jos. Smith, Jun., organized this church, on the 6th of April, 1830, it was organized as the Church of Jesus Christ, in obedience to the instructions of Jesus Christ, some 1800 years before.
The prophet Nephi, speaking of the gathering of Israel, says, that the Lord "Will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity, and out of darkness;" 1 Nephi 22. 12.
The Book of Mormon, brought forth through the agency of Jos. Smith, Jun., reveals to the world the fact that the millions of aboriginal Americans scattered over the American continent, from Cape Horn to the Arctic Ocean, are of the house of Israel.
The keys of the Patriarchal Priesthood enable those on whom they are bestowed, to know, by revelation, the lineage of the Latter-day Saints, and tens of thousands of Ephraim, and thousands of Manasseh, are being gathered, who were not known before the days of Jos. Smith, Jun., as portions of the house of Israel. Thus the great work of bringing the tribes of Israel, out of obscurity and darkness, and of developing their existence to themselves, and to the world, has been inaugurated by Jos. Smith, Jun. The work must continue until they are gathered from all parts of the earth, in fulfilment of the words of the prophets, and of the promises made to their fathers.
The following promise was made to Joseph who was sold into Egypt, "The fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write;" and that which shall be written, "Shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter-days; and also the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord;" 2 Nephi 3. 12. Jos. Smith, Jun., has brought forth the Book of Mormon, the writing of the fruit of the loins of Joseph through Ephraim and Manasseh, and has placed it, side by side, with the writing of the fruit of the loins of Judah—the Bible—the one establishing the truth of the other, and thus has literally fulfilled this prophecy.