Scrap Book of Mormon Literature, Volume 2 (of 2). Religious Tracts
Religion
Scrap Book of Mormon Literature, Volume 2 (of 2). Religious Tracts
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saints
Among the innumerable unfounded false popular impressions regarding
the Latter-day Saints is one to the effect that they do not believe
in the teachings of the Old and New Testaments. Some of the more
ignorant people go so far in misconception of their true character as
to be imbued with the utterly preposterous idea that they do not even
believe in the Savior at all. The very name of the organization--the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--a title we claim to have
been given by revelation from God, should be enough to explode the
latter fallacious view. And in regard to the belief of the Saints
in the teachings and doctrines of the Bible, the organism of the
ecclesiastical body should be evidence enough on that point. All the
officers and councils named in the New Testament are included in it;
hence there are apostles, high priests, {203} seventies, elders,
bishops, priests, teachers and deacons, the duties and functions
of those several offices of the genuine priesthood being clearly
understood and defined. It is required that every officer should
understand the character of his position and the relationship he
sustains in it towards all other authorities, producing the most
desirable unity and beautiful harmony.
This symmetrical perfection, this shapely figure, the result of the
most exquisite niceness of organization and completely detailed
definition of the functions of each portion of the body-religious is,
in our view, a very decided evidence of the divinity of the mission
of the great prophet of the nineteenth century. It accords with the
frequently recurring scriptural figure by which the true Church of
Christ is compared, in its perfection of parts and harmonious blending
of divisions, to the human body. The preservation of this completeness
is an absolute necessity. How can the human bodily structure be deemed
perfect when it is decapitated, when denuded of its extremities, or
when the trunk is lacerated or divided into pieces? No detached part
can, in its separate capacity, be denominated a body, neither can the
organism be called perfect when deprived of even the most inferior of
its members. How then, on the same ground, can a church, as compared to
a body, be called the Church of Christ if it repudiate or is devoid of
apostles, prophets, high priests, seventies and other vital parts that,
according to New Testament teachings, comprise necessarily the most
important portions of that harmonious organization inaugurated among
men by the Savior of the world and His ancient apostles?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account