"The fourth is, to receive the laying on of hands, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the gift of the Holy Ghost; and this ordinance must also be administered by the Apostles or the Elders, whom the Lord Jesus has called to lay on hands, nor then is it of any advantage except to those persons who have complied with the before-named three conditions. "We believe that the Holy Ghost is the same now, as it was in the apostolic days, and that when a church is organized, it is its privilege to have all the gifts, powers and blessings which flow from the Holy Spirit: "'Such, for instance, as the gifts of revelation, prophecy, visions, the ministry of angels, healing the sick by the laying on of hands in the name of Jesus, the working of miracles, and, in short, all the gifts mentioned in the scriptures, or enjoyed by the ancient Saints.' We believe that inspired apostles and prophets, together with all the officers as mentioned in the New Testament, are necessary in the Church in these days. "We believe that there has been a general and awful apostasy from the religion of the New Testament, so that all the known world have been left for centuries without the church of Christ among them; without a priesthood authorized of God to administer ordinances; that every one of the churches has perverted the gospel, some in one way and some in another. For instance, almost every church has ignored the doctrine of 'immersion for the remission of sins.' Those few who have practiced it have abolished the ordinance of the 'laying on of hands' upon baptized believers for the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Again the few who have practiced the last ordinance have perverted the first, or have denied the ancient gifts, powers and blessings which flow from the Holy Spirit, or have said to the inspired apostles and prophets, we have no need of you in the body. Those few, again, who have believed in, and contended for, the miraculous gifts and powers of the Holy Spirit, have perverted the ordinances. Thus all the churches preach false doctrines and distort the gospel, and instead of having authority from God to administer its ordinances, they are under the curse of God for corrupting it. Paul says (Gal. i: 8), 'Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.' "We believe that there are a few sincere, honest and humble persons who are striving to do according to the best of their understanding, but, in many respects, they err in doctrine because of false teachers and the precepts of men, and that they will receive the fullness of the gospel with gladness as soon as they hear it." "We believe in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and in living and continued revelation; but we also believe that no new revelation will contradict the old.