A New Witness for God (Volume 1 of 3)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
A New Witness for God (Volume 1 of 3)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
No sooner had he begun calling upon the Lord than there sprang upon
him a being from the unseen world, who so entirely overcame him, and
bound his utterance, that he could not speak. Thick darkness gathered
about him, and it seemed to the struggling boy that he was doomed to
sudden destruction. He still exerted all his power to call upon the
Lord to deliver him from the power of the enemy who had seized him.
But still his unseen though none the less real enemy continued to
prevail. Despair filled his heart. He was about to abandon himself to
destruction when at the moment of his greatest alarm he saw a pillar
of light exactly over his head, above the brightness of the sun, which
descended gradually until it fell upon him. No sooner did this light
appear than he was free from the enemy which had held him bound. As the
light rested upon him he saw within it two personages whose brightness
and glory defy all description. They stood above him in the air, and
one of them pointing to the other said: "JOSEPH, THIS IS MY BELOVED
SON, HEAR HIM."
The object of the lad in going to that place to engage in secret
prayer was to learn of God which of all the sects was right, that
he might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did he recover
his self-possession than he asked the personage to whom he was thus
introduced, which of all the sects was right--which he should join. He
was answered that he must join none of them; for they were all wrong
Their creeds were an abomination in God's sight; the professors of
them were all corrupt--"They draw near me with their lips," said the
personage, talking to him, "but their hearts are far from me; they
teach for doctrine the commandments of men; having a form of Godliness
but denying the power thereof." Again he was told that he must join
none of them.
Many other things were said to him on that occasion which the Prophet
has not recorded, except to say that he was promised that the fullness
of the gospel would at some future time be made known to him. [7]
With this the vision closed, and the boy on coming to himself was lying
upon his back looking up into heaven. He arose to his feet and looked
upon the place of his fierce struggle with his unseen though powerful
enemy--the place also of his splendid vision!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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