COWLEY'S TALKS ON DOCTRINE By Elder M. F. Cowley. _One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints._ PUBLISHED BY BEN. E. RICH, CHATTANOOGA, TENN. 1902. TIMES PRINT, CHATTANOOGA, TENN PREFACE. _Notwithstanding what has already been written upon the principles and doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Latter-Day Saints, I feel an assurance that this little work will be received with no little pleasure and a great degree of satisfaction by members of the true Church, as well as those who are seeking light upon religious topics._ _The style in which the articles comprised in this little volume are written, is pre-eminently plain, and peculiarly adapted to the reading public. Loaded as the articles are, with careful thought and numerous scriptural quotations and references, itself not only a thought gatherer but a thought generator, it will come as a valuable aid to our missionaries and theological organizations, and also to the many investigators throughout the civilized world. Truth in studied brevity has been aimed at, without seeking the least embellishment of diction._ _With an intense desire to impart the truth to mankind as widely as possible, this little messenger is sent forth, trusting that it may prove a blessing to thousands who are as yet grovelling in darkness and superstition and lead them to the sunlight of truth._ THE PUBLISHER. _Chattanooga, Tenn., February, 1902._ TABLE OF CONTENTS. Apostasy Restoration of the Gospel The Church Church Organization Divine Authority Personality of God Revelation Faith Repentance Baptism Reception of the Holy Spirit Pre-Existence Salvation for the Dead The Gathering of Israel Tithing Eternal Rewards and Punishments Obedience Charity The Resurrection The Book of Mormon Marriage The Millennium APOSTASY. The subject of Apostasy occupies the minds of people of modern times but very little. This, however, is not surprising when we consider their views regarding the Church of Christ; for they claim a continuation of divine authority and the plan of salvation from the apostolic age to the present time, the idea prevailing among them being, that the Bible alone is a sufficient guide without immediate and continued revelation. In this respect, the position of the Latter-day Saints differs widely from that of all other religious organizations. The Saints bear no relationship to any, but declare in words of soberness, that our Heavenly Father has restored the Gospel by modern revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith. This being true, there must have been a departure from the proper order of the Gospel.