The short essays following have been published at weekly intervals through two years; they number therefore one hundred and four. Concise rather than exhaustive treatment has been attempted. No apology is offered for reiteration of quotations or comment; repetition seemed preferable to the introduction of cross references. JAMES E. TALMAGE. Salt Lake City, Utah, February 3, 1919. CONTENTS 1. The Mustard Seed and the Tree--Development, not Growth Alone 2. What the "Mormons" Believe--Their Articles of Faith 3. What's in a Name?--Is "Mormonism" Misunderstood because of Its Unpopular Title? 4. "Mormonism"--A Distinctive Religious System 5. Direct and Sure--The Church Bold yet Tolerant 6. Wheat and Weeds--Successive Apostasies from the Gospel 7. A New Dispensation--Authority by Restoration not Through Succession 8 Divine Command and Human Agency--The Church a Democracy 9. The Holy Trinity--Unity of the Godhead 10. Original Sin--Are All to Suffer from it Eternally? 11. The Cooperative Plan of Salvation--Christ Alone Cannot Save You 12. The Need of a Redeemer--Man Cannot Exalt Himself 13. Christ's Unique Status--As Redeemer and Savior of the World 14. Philosophy of the Atonement--Its Two-fold Effect 15. How Does Christ Save?--His Plan Combines Justice and Mercy 16. Heaven and Hell--Graded Conditions in the Hereafter 17. In the Realm of the Dead--Paradise--What of the Spirits in Prison? 18. Why Are They Baptized for the Dead?--Elijah the Prophet on the American Continent 19. Obedience is Heaven's First Law--Conditions of Citizenship in the Kingdom of God 20. The Devils Believe and Tremble--Faith not Mere Belief 21. The Voice of John the Baptist Again Heard--Repent Ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand! 22. Arise and Wash Away Thy Sins--The Only Way 23. Are Babes to be Damned?--A Horrible Misconception 24. The Watery Grave--And the New Birth 25. The Baptism of Fire--Power of the Spirit 26. In the Name of God, Amen!--Authority of the Holy Priesthood Again Operative on Earth 27. For Time Only or for Eternity--Human Institutions and Divine Authority 28. Apostles and Prophets Necessary--The Primitive Church and the Church of Latter Days 29. When Darkness Covered the Earth--The Long Night of Apostasy 30. The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee--Light of the Gospel Again Shines 31. The Beginning or the End--Ushering in of the Last Dispensation 32. A God of Miracles--Wonders Wrought by Devils 33. Is the Bible Sufficient?--Scriptures of Many Peoples 34. A Messenger--From the Presence of God 35. Scriptures of the American Continent--The Book of Mormon 36. By the Mouth of Witnesses--Shall the Truth be Established 37. Voices of the Dead--A Testimony from the Dust 38. A New Witness of the Christ--An Independent Scripture 39. When Christ Stood on American Soil--His Church Established Among the Ancient Americans 40. East and West in One Acclaim--That Jesus is the Christ