The Vitality of Mormonism: Brief Essays on Distinctive Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsTalmage, James E. (James Edward)
Religion
The Vitality of Mormonism: Brief Essays on Distinctive Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Talmage, James E. (James Edward)
Latter Day Saint churches; Latter Day Saints
The prophet Enoch testified further: "But God hath made known unto our
fathers that all men must repent. And He called upon our father Adam
by His own voice, saying: . . . If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken
unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and
be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son,
who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name
which shall be given under heaven whereby salvation shall come unto the
children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (p. 33).
Enoch taught the same Gospel and administered baptism to repentant
believers, and Noah, duly ordained, labored in similar ministry: "And
it came to pass that Noah continued his preaching unto the people,
saying: Hearken, and give heed unto my words. Believe and repent of
your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
even as our fathers, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, that ye may
have all things made manifest; and if ye do not this, the floods will
come in upon you; nevertheless they hearkened not." (p. 48).
So, from Adam to the Deluge, which came because of the unbelief and
apostasy of the race, the ordinances of the Gospel were known and
administered. Reverting to Biblical Scripture we read that the Gospel
was preached unto Abraham, with the assurance that all who would abide
therein should be accounted as Abraham's children. See Gal. 3:6-18.
Through the prophet Joseph Smith a fuller account of Jehovah's promise
to Abraham is given us, the Lord saying: "I will bless them through
thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy
name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless
thee, as their father"; and the particularity of the blessing wherein
all families of the earth might share through the lineage of Abraham
was to be "the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of
salvation, even of life eternal." (Pearl of Great Price, p. 58).
As Abraham's posterity became sinful, the lesser law, which when
codified came to be known as the Law of Moses, was prescribed instead
of the Gospel, which had been preached aforetime and which was later
taught by the Lord Jesus Christ. Following the apostolic administration
apostasy again darkened the world; and now, in the current or last
dispensation, the Gospel has been restored anew with all its ancient
authority, power, and blessings. The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints proclaims these glad tidings to the world. This
Gospel is new only in the fact of its restoration to earth according
to prophecy. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which was preached to
and by Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and a host of other men of God who
ministered anciently; it is the Gospel that was taught by the Savior
Himself and by His Apostles; it is the Eternal Gospel brought again to
earth in preparation for the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
-- 88 --
THE ORIGIN OF SACRIFICE
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