The situation of the religious world is beautifully depicted in poetic verse on page forty-one of the Latter-day Saints' Hymn Book, in a hymn from Wesley's collection. In speaking of the golden age of the apostles and prophets, when the Saints were endowed with spiritual gifts and graces, the writer says: "Where shall we wander now to find Successors they have left behind? The faithful whom we seek in vain Are 'minished from the sons of men. Ye different sects who all declare: 'Lo! here is Christ' or 'Christ is there!' Your stronger proofs divinely give, And show me where true Christians live." I will now quote from the Bible to illustrate how plainly the prophets foretold what the writers from whom I have quoted clearly show to have been verified: "Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea and from the north even to the east they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." (Amos viii: 11, 12.) We learn from this that the time was coming when men should seek to the four points of the compass, and in all directions, and yet fail to find the word of God; but we find the Bible in every direction, and that is said to contain the word of the Lord. Very true, but that word was directed to past generations and is a record of the dealings of our Heavenly Father with His children in bygone days. The sacred record states: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secrets unto His servants the Prophets." (Amos iii:7.) From this we learn that if there are no prophets of the Lord, then our Heavenly Father is doing nothing in a religious sense among the people of this earth; but if He is doing a work among them for their redemption, then there must be prophets. By this it will be easy to ascertain whether the prediction of Amos has been verified or not. Who, previous to the year 1827, for many centuries has found in his researches an inspired prophet who could stand in the midst of the people and say, "Thus saith the Lord?" Have not the people denied the prophets and visions of heaven? We learn from the nineteenth chapter of Revelations that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Therefore, if any have had this testimony they have been inspired with the spirit of prophecy. And again, we are informed by the Savior, as written in the sixteenth chapter of John, that the "Spirit of truth shall guide into all truth," and "show you things to come." Who has seen things to come? And where is the word of the Lord? Surely not with those who deny prophets and apostles.