"If you have no objections, I would like to read to you the words of a wise man on this subject, which will illustrate my meaning in a much clearer way than it is possible for me to express it myself. The quotation is not long and you will all especially my legal friend--see the force of his argument. He uses these words: "'Now, in order to come at this subject in plainness, let us examine the constitution of earthly governments in regard to the authority and laws of adoption. We will say, for instance, the President of the United States writes a commission to A. B., duly authorizing him to act in some office in the government, and daring his administration, two gentlemen from Europe come to reside in this country, and being strangers and foreigners wishing to become citizens, they go before A. B., and he administers the oath of allegiance in due form, and certifies the same, and this constitutes them legal citizens, entitled to the privileges of those who are citizens or subjects by birth. After these things A. B. is taken away by death, and C. D., in looking over his papers happens to find the commission given to A. B., and applying it to his own use, assumes the vacant office; meantime, two foreigners arrive and apply for citizenship, and being informed by persons ignorant of the affairs of government that C. D. could administer the laws of adoption, they submit to be administered unto by C. D., without once examining his authority; C. D. certifies of their citizenship, and they suppose they have been legally adopted, the same as the others, and are entitled to the privileges of citizenship. But, by and by, their citizenship is called into question, and they produce the certificates of C. D.; the President inquires, 'Who is C. D.? I never gave him a commission to act in any office, I know him not and you are strangers and foreigners to the commonwealth, until you go before the legally appointed successor of A. B., or some other of like authority, who has a commission from the President direct in his own name.' In the meantime C. D. is taken and punished according to law, for practicing imposition, and usurping authority which was never conferred upon him. And so it is with the kingdom of God. The Lord authorized the Apostles and others, by direct revelation, and by the spirit of prophecy, to preach and baptize, and build up His church and kingdom; but after awhile they died, and a long time passed away; men reading over their commission, where it says to the eleven Apostles, 'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,' etc., have had the presumption to apply these sayings as their authority, and, without any other commission, have gone forth professing to preach the gospel, and baptize, and build up the church and kingdom of God; but those whom they baptize never receive the same blessings and gifts which characterized a Saint, or citizen of the kingdom, in the days of the Apostles.