Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 2 of 2)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 2 of 2)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
There is one thing particularly offensive, in this ministerial review,
a misrepresentation put in the most offensive form. Not only do the
reviewers set forth that we deny the existence of divine authority
in their churches, and the nonexistence of the church of Christ for
centuries in the earth, but they say that our attitude involves the
validity of all ministerial functions, including the right to solemnize
marriages. They are not, I take it, responsible for the headlines of
their review as they appeared in the public press, but in order to make
the attitude of the "Mormon" Church as offensive as it could be made,
the headline said, "Gentile Marriage Ordinances Illegal Before God."
Now in justice to us I think this matter should have been put fairly,
and the exact status of the matter given. It should have appeared that
we regard marriage as a civil as well as a religious contract, and
our attitude with reference to divine things nowhere involves us in a
contradiction as to the validity of marriage as a civil contract, nor
as a relationship wholly sanctioned and approved by the divine favor
and blessing of God in this world. The extent to which we, in any way,
in thought or word, invalidate marriage ordinances is in saying that
marriage contracts formed in this world, either by civil authority or
by the authority of sectarian churches, do not extend the marriage
covenant beyond the period of this life. These gentlemen ought to have
been a little more careful, if not a little more honest in stating our
position upon this question. Allow me to do it for them.
Turning to the revelation on the subject of marriage, this is to be
found:
"Verily I say unto you that the conditions of this law are these:
All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows,
performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that
are not made and entered into, and sealed, by the holy spirit of
promise of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all
eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment
through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on
the earth to hold this power * * * are of no efficacy, virtue,
or force, in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all
contracts that are not made unto this end, have an end when men are
dead."
Again,
"And every thing that is in the world, whether it be ordained of
men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name,
whatsoever they may be, that are not by me, or by my word, saith
the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are
dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your
God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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