Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows. Simon was crucified. Mark was dragged to death in the streets of Alexandria. Paul was beheaded by order of Nero. Barnabas was stoned to death by the Jews. Thus the apostles and the chief leaders of the apostolic church were all tortured to death--save one--and sealed their testimonies with their life's blood. The various churches scattered here and there in the land were left with only their local leaders. {323} [Sidenote: The great apostasy.] After the passing of the apostles, troubles arose among the local churches, and it was not long before a complete apostasy had taken place. Strangely enough, while the apostles organized all the local churches in full, they did not perpetuate the quorum of apostles. Dissension therefore arose among the churches themselves as to which one was the chief and leader of all. Then, after some years of unpopularity and persecution, the Christian church was suddenly raised to favor by an edict of Constantine the Great. To satisfy now the desires of the heathens, many pagan customs were taken into the Christian service. The doctrines of the church were corrupted; the ordinances and ceremonies were perverted; the church organization was distorted. In a relatively short time, the accepted Christian church of the world was no longer like the church that Jesus Himself had instituted. It lacked all three marks of the true church. It denied continual revelation. It had lost the authority of the priesthood. It preached a corrupted Gospel. [Sidenote: The restoration of the Gospel.] After many years of spiritual darkness and of strife, the Lord again revealed His will to man. A boy was chosen to become an inspired prophet, an authorized leader, and a divinely instructed teacher. To Joseph Smith appeared the risen Redeemer as He had appeared nearly two thousand years before to the apostles at Jerusalem. To Joseph Smith were revealed anew all the sublime teachings that Jesus had presented during His own ministry upon the earth. Upon Joseph Smith was conferred the Holy Priesthood, with all its keys {324} and authorities, and through him was established anew the Church of Jesus Christ. It is founded upon the doctrine of revelation; it is fortified and directed by the complete organization of the priesthood of God; it is guided by what Jesus Himself taught--by the Gospel in its fulness, omitting not a single detail that Jesus made a part of the God-shaped plan. To us is given the religion worth while, the bread of life. [Sidenote: A religion that satisfies.]