Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon"Rich, Ben. E. (Benjamin Erastus)
Religion
Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon"
Rich, Ben. E. (Benjamin Erastus)
Latter Day Saints -- Fiction; Salt Lake City (Utah) -- Fiction
instead of fighting against God, I was willing to accept His doctrine,
in order to obtain His blessings.
"I state to you my friends that since the day I entered this Church I
have rejoiced exceedingly. I have found proofs upon proofs. I have had
reason to rejoice in consequence of the manifestations of God's power,
confirmatory of the doctrines, and I can say that the Church of Christ
is set up, its doctrines are taught, its practices are practiced, its
promises are fulfilled, and the evidences of its divine power are
manifested in the midst of this people.
"I would like to say a few words in regard to another point. I have
just said that I had been taught a religion by men whom God _had not
sent_. I would like to explain. You will excuse us if we seem to be
very extreme in our views. We have taken the liberty to teach you the
truth, just as we have it, and when we say something that comes in
contact with what you have received, excuse us. There is no bad feeling
at all, or unfriendliness in the least. But we believe in persons
being invested with the proper authority to preach the gospel. Paul
says, speaking of the authority of the Holy Priesthood, 'No man taketh
this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron.'
(Heb. v: 4.) 'Faith cometh by hearing, and how can we hear without a
preacher?' (Rom. x: 14-17. ) 'No man taketh this honor unto himself,
except he be called of God as was Aaron.' Now that is very plain,
and what does it mean? Simply what it says. That no man has a right
to administer in the ordinances of religion except he be sent of God
as was Aaron, for how can a man preach except he be sent? (Rom. x:
15.) If that be admitted, of course the next question of importance
is, How was Aaron sent? By turning to the history we have of God's
dealing with Moses, in reference to the gathering of the Israelites,
from Egpyt, you will find that God instructed Moses to call Aaron to
be his helper. (Ex. iv: 15, 16.) Here is the proof. No man can preach
the gospel simply because he feels inclined within himself to be a
preacher. No man can preach the gospel--that is with God's approval and
authority--unless God commission him. God commissioned every one of his
preachers in ancient times. He spoke from heaven. He directed those who
held this authority to call others. Christ called the Apostles as He
was called. His Father called Him; He called the Apostles, and He said,
'As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.' (St. John xx: 21). 'He
that receiveth you receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth Him
that sent me.' The authority was here, you see. God called Moses; He
instructed Moses to call Aaron; so that Aaron stood exactly in the same
relation to God as did the Apostles; the latter being called of God the
Father through Christ. That would be evident, because one whom God had
authorized to act as His servant was instructed by Him to call Aaron.
Now, you observe, no man has a right to exercise the authority of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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