Part 17

Chapter 174,017 wordsPublic domain

After the departure of Jesus, the apostles began strenuous missionary labors. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost came upon them, and through their testimony of Christ risen, many who heard them believed and were baptized. From that day forth, the apostles traveled and preached and baptized and confirmed. Many miracles, too, did these apostles perform, in literal fulfillment of the promise of Jesus that they should be {322} able to do the works that He had done. And everywhere in their missionary travels, the apostles organized branches of the Church--or Churches as they were called. To carry on the work of the churches the apostles ordained high priests, seventies, elders, bishops, priests, teachers, deacons,--the regular officers of the priesthood--and left these officers in charge of the local ministry while they themselves continued their larger service. But it must not be imagined that the apostles met with no opposition. On the contrary, wherever they went, the apostles found enemies, and were maligned and persecuted. Often they were haled before magistrates and governors, and not infrequently they were imprisoned. But they persisted in preaching, and in bearing their profound testimonies. Finally most of the apostles were done to death by their enemies. Peter, it is said, was crucified at Rome. James was beheaded. John was banished to the isle of Patmos. Andrew was bound to a cross and thus slain. Philip was crucified. Bartholomew was flayed alive. Thomas was pierced by a lance, Matthew was killed with a battleax. James, the Less, was beaten to death. 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.]

And the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ--commonly called Mormonism--is destined to conquer the world, for it meets and satisfies all the needs of human kind. In the first place, Mormonism is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the perfect presentation of what Jesus taught. We have learned in the preceding lessons many of the truths that He gave to His followers. The world has considered these truths, too, but has not comprehended them. This truth, however, nearly the whole world has learned to accept: Jesus is the Christ, the bread of life. His teachings are true. Any religion that would aspire to conquer the world must, then, be based at least upon what Jesus taught. But Mormonism is that very truth itself, restored with power and authority, and favored with the living presence of "the bread of God . . . . which . . . . giveth life unto the world."

[Sidenote: A comprehensive religion.]

Then, Mormonism is comprehensive; it accepts and includes all truth, no matter whence the knowledge of that truth may come. It renews the teachings of Jesus concerning right living and right thinking. It {325} emphasizes the necessity of acquiring a full knowledge of truth--the necessity of reading and studying, and of gaining intellectual power. It outlines what Jesus taught of man's duties in life--his duties toward God: his duties toward his fellowmen; his duties to himself. It prescribes anew man's obligations and responsibilities in the family, in the state, and in the Church. In short, Mormonism meets every need in physical life, in mental life, in economic life, in social life, in spiritual life. You have heard people speak of a one-day religion--of a religion remembered on Sunday and forgotten on the other six days of the week. Mormonism is not such a religion, for the doctrine of Jesus is not such a doctrine. Mormonism--or what Jesus taught--is a practical religion that enters into the work of every day--into every calling and profession no matter how humble or exalted that calling or profession may be. It teaches that every day should be a Christ-like day. It teaches that we should partake freely every day of the bread and water of life everlasting, and take less thought of the loaves and fishes that fill but satisfy not. Mormonism is both a system of religion and a system of ethics; for so are the teachings of Jesus. The whole man must be saved. Mormonism--or what Jesus taught--holds forth such ideals and such standards of life--physical and spiritual--that the noble, unselfish aim of Jesus may be accomplished. Only a religion thus enwarped and enwoofed in what Jesus Himself has taught, can hope to conquer the world.

[Sidenote: A Church of authority.]

It is the duty of everyone to learn to know God, and His Son, Jesus Christ. To teach men to know {326} God was in part the mission of Jesus to this earth. But such knowledge will not come through the mere satisfying of the bodily appetites. That religion is not worth while which feeds only loaves and fishes. The hunger which must be satisfied is the hunger of the spirit. That religion only is worth while which guides and directs in temporal life, and affords complete satisfaction and contentment in the intellectual and spiritual life. Mormonism does this; for it is what Jesus taught. In no other church than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may one find today the uncorrupted teachings of Jesus and the authority of His priesthood. Mormonism is distinctly, then, the religion worth while.

[Sidenote: The bread of life.]

The stone which the builders rejected has become the Christ, the Savior of the world. He is the Keystone, of our salvation. He is our Master, our Teacher, our Friend. He has restored His Gospel to us with all its blessings and privileges. Him will we follow, and His commandments will we keep; for it was He Himself who said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

{327}

THE REFERENCES

Mark 6:30-44. John 6:22-35.

THE QUESTIONS

1. What is the bread that endures unto everlasting life?

2. What did Jesus leave with the apostles?

3. How did the apostles carry on the work of Jesus?

4. What happened to the Church after the apostles had passed away?

5. How was the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth?

6. Why will Mormonism ultimately conquer the world?

7. In what sense is Mormonism a comprehensive religion?

8. Show that Mormonism is what Jesus taught.

{328} Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.--Eccl. 12:13.

{329}

INDEX

Abel, occupation, 197; offering accepted, 198; slain by Cain, 199.

Abou Ben Adhem, 221.

Abram, Abraham, 21; strove to find God, 21; seized by idolatrous priests, 21; God delivered and spoke to him, 21; learns to know God; father of Isaac and grandfather of Jacob who served God; from them sprang the Children of Israel, 22; wavered not, 101.

Adam was like us, 23; taught by an angel, 24.

Aesop, fable of, 227.

Alms should be given in secret, 85.

Anger, fruits of, 199-200.

Apostasy, 323.

Apostles sent to preach, 291; slow to understand that the Gospel was for all mankind, 292; their acts, 321; their deaths, 322;

Architect, figure of, illustrating Church of Christ, 153-4; 161; plans and specifications of, 161; necessary, 162.

Articles of Faith, 129.

Ascension, 283.

Atonement of Jesus not understood by His disciples, 271; necessary, 272; theories regarding, 274; true theory, 275; Nephite explanation of, 276.

Authority, divine, test of true Church, 153; Jesus bowed to His Father's; must be conferred, cannot be assumed, 155.

Baldwin, Matthias, an illustration of faith, 113-5; a liberal man, 175.

Baptism of Jesus, 41; essential; taught by Jesus to Nicodemus; a rebirth, 130; necessity for it; case of Naaman; proof of obedience and humility, 131-2; illustrated by chemical experiment, 132; Jesus taught baptism and its proper mode; immersion, 133; purpose of; should follow repentance; baptism of infants wrong, 134; summary of Jesus's teachings regarding, 135; baptism of the Spirit, 137.

Beatitudes; high ideal of life, 192; great beatitude, 193. {318} Beelzebub, Jesus's miracles attributed to, 263.

Book of heaven, 163.

Bread of Life, 326.

Brother of Jared cut sixteen small stones; asked God to touch them and make them shine; saw the finger of the Lord; struck with fear, 45; the Lord commends him for his faith; sees the Lord who was in the form of a man; saw the body of God's spirit, 48.

Cain, story of, 197; offering not accepted; angry, 198; controlled by Satan, slew Abel, 199.

Centurion's servant healed, 256-7.

Church organization necessary, 145-6; shown by parable of wheat and tares, 146-7; meaning of the parable, 147; Church and Kingdom of God, 148; Church to be built on rock of revelation, 148-9; Church officers, 149; Jesus architect of His Church, 154; one test of true Church is principle of revelation, 154; another is divine authority, 156; two priesthoods, 156; architect's plans and specifications, 161; a third test is presence and practice of the Gospel, 161; the three marks, 163; membership in the Church a supreme privilege, 167; conditions of membership, 168; what it teaches, 233; established anew through the Prophet Joseph Smith, 323-4; Church of authority, 326.

Comforter promised, 39; is the Spirit of truth, 39, 42; is the Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead, 42; came to disciples on day of Pentecost, 43.

Commandment, great, 191.

Communities must exist, 228; must be organized, 228-9.

Cornelius, case of, 293.

Darkness covers the earth, 160.

Dead, gospel preached to, 285.

Defile, things that, 194.

Devil, power of evil; who is he? Lucifer the Lightbringer; volunteered to be a Savior, 57; his plan rejected; he rebelled and became Satan, the father of lies; a murderer from the beginning, 58; tempts Jesus, 61-2; entered into Judas Iscariot, 63; necessary that the devil should tempt men, 65.

{329} Dickens, comment on parable of the prodigal son, 78.

Disciples learned about God, 31; overwhelmed when Jesus was crucified, 38; received Holy Ghost on day of Pentecost, 43; knew they were sons of God, 72; why they could not cast out a devil, 108; regarded Jesus as earthly King; could not understand atonement, 271; told by Him of his coming death, 271-2.

Divorce, Jesus's teachings on, 230.

Duty to the state, 231; the Church, 232.

Emerson on Christ, 313.

Enemies, right attitude toward, 216.

Eternal life, greatest gift, 17; what is eternal life, 17; defined again, 23; again, 24; conditions of, 25.

Eternal loss is to fail to find God, 84.

Evil always present, 56; how evil came into the world, 56; 58; devil is power of evil, 57; why evil is in the world, 63-5.

Faith, power of; fig tree withered by faith; mountains may be removed by faith, 105-6; interpretation of this saying; victory comes by faith, 107; Jesus walking on the water, 107-8; Peter failed for lack of faith, 108; impossible to please God without faith, 109; Matthias Baldwin, an illustration, 113-5.

Fall of Adam made savior necessary, 24.

Family basis of society. 227-8; sacred, 229.

Fast, how to, 86.

Faults in others, 208-9.

Fault-finding wrong, 209-10.

Feast, call the poor to, 240.

Finding and losing one's life, Jesus's strange saying, 83.

Forgiveness should accompany prayer; unless we forgive God will not forgive us, 106; law of, 214-15; must forgive to be forgiven, 216-17.

Free agency of man, 65.

Fundamental principles, 321.

Girls, two, story of, 205-7. God, work and glory of, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man," 16; what it means to know Him and Jesus Christ, 21; God speaks to {330} Abraham, 21; worshiped by Children of Israel, 22; first commandment forbids idolatry, 22; false conceptions of God, 22; what it means to know God, 23; what kind of a being is God? 29; Jesus's explanation, "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father," 30; God is a person, 31; called "Father" by Jesus, 31; mankind are His children and He loves them, 32; to know God gives joy and comfort, 32; what Saints know of God, 33; God is a spirit, 36; His love for the world, 69; notes the sparrow, 70; no respecter of persons, 71; an exalted man, 71; reason for His love for man, 73; willing to forgive, 80.

Gospel, possession of, test of true Church, 161; through it we learn of God, and our duty, 162; fundamental principles of it, 162-3; men judged by it, 163; was for the Gentiles, 292.

Hail used as illustration, 29.

Harmony with our environment, 84.

Holy Ghost, member of the Godhead, the Comforter and a special witness, 42; duties are many, 43; rested on the twelve in America, 43; conferred by laying on of hands, 129-138-40; baptism of necessary, 137-9; what is the gift of the Holy Ghost? 141-2; conditions on which it is obtained, 142-3.

House divided, cannot stand, 263.

Humility taught by Jesus, 168; necessary, 239-40.

Indian's speech, 159.

Impurity, causes of, 194.

Jerusalem, place to worship, 36.

Jesus, almost universally acknowledged, 13; no other man has exerted so profound an influence, 13; twelve years old, 14-5; a normal boy, 14; attended school, 14; was serious, 14; duties, 15; goes with parents to Jerusalem, 15; route, 15; missed by parents, 15; found in temple with doctors, 15; zeal for knowledge, 15; astonishes His hearers, 16; reproved by His mother He says, "I must be about my Father's business", 16; strange {331} saying not understood, 16; came to do His Father's will, not His own, 16; His "Father's business" explained, 17; defines eternal life, 17; nature of His mission, 17; a preacher's view of Him, 23; had not learned to know Him, 23; our Elder Brother, 24; chosen to be the Savior, 24; assumed the sins of mankind, 24; gave His life to redeem them, 24; was more than a great leader, teacher and philosopher, 24; was the Only Begotten of the Father, 24; to know Him, is to accept His mission, 24; like the Father, 30; called "The Word", 31; like ordinary men, 31; people astonished who knew His family, 31; image of His Father's person, 31; called God "Father", 32; goes to Sychar in Samaria, 35; talks with Samaritan woman, 35; able to give living water, 35; declares Himself the Christ 36-7; answers messengers of John the Baptist, 37; tells the high priest He is the Christ, 38; tells Pilate He is King of the Jews, 38; after being crucified He appears to disciples on the way to Emmaus, 38; will send the Comforter, 39; subject to His parents, 41; increased in wisdom and stature, 41; baptized by John the Baptizer, "to fulfill all righteousness", 41; full of the Holy Ghost, 43; showed the body of His spirit to brother of Jared, 48; His pre-existence, 49-50; chosen to be the Savior, 58; fasted 40 days, 61; tempted by the devil, and resists, 61-2; triumphed by overcoming evil, 65; commands us to love one another, 69; combatted sin, 79; pictured God as a forgiving Father, 79; derided by scribes and Pharisees; rebuked them, 80; strange saying about finding and losing one's life, 83; tells how to give alms, pray and fast, 85-6; gives the Lord's prayer, 91; analyzed 91-4; door to the sheep fold, 135; taught baptism and its proper mode, 133; taught persistency in prayer, 99; and to pray for the things of the Kingdom, 99-100; and resignation, 102; cursed the fig tree; taught that faith would remove mountains, 105; His meaning, 106-17; we should pray believing; walked on water; saved Peter from sinking; {332} cast out a devil; why the disciples could not cast it out, 108; wrought miracles, 115; promised same power on condition, 116; comments on those killed when tower fell, and those killed in temple by Pilate, 121; taught repentance, 121-4; bowed to His Father's authority, 154-5; called little children to Him, 168; teachings about riches, 175-8; all should improve their talents, 185; what defiles, 194; forbade anger, 201; judge not, 209; with the lawyer, 222; marriage, 229-30; new law, 237; a perfect man in every way, 253-4; divine power and marvelous works; unnumbered miracles, 254-5; environed by wickedness and poverty, 255; His a mission of love; three miracles, 256-8; not honored in Nazereth; His own home, 259; scribes attribute His miracles to Beelzebub; He refutes them, 263; foretold His own death, 271-3; came to cause division in families, 272; significance of His death, 273-5; institutes sacrament, 273; why He submitted to His enemies, 276; new testimony concerning Him, 277; His resurrection and many appearances after it, 281-3; evidence, 283; had been in Paradise, 284; preaching to the spirits in prison, 285; sends apostles to preach, 291; visited Nephites, 296-7; exalted, seen by Stephen on right hand of God, 302-3; mission not finished on earth, 303; our advocate in heaven with the Father, 303; is King of Kings and Lord of Lords; will come again, 305; is the Living Christ; worshiped by untold millions, 311; influence grows stronger with lapse of time, 313; what He has done, 314.

John the Baptist sends messengers to Jesus, 37; baptizes Jesus, 41; saw Spirit of God like a dove rest on Jesus 41-2; bore his testimony, 42.

Jones, Mary, story of victim of slander, 206-7.

Joseph goes with Mary and Jesus to Jerusalem, 15; route 15; Joseph and Mary start to return, 15; miss Jesus, 15; find Him in temple with doctors, 15; Mary reproves Him, 16; His reply, "I must be about my Father's business", 16; parents did not understand Him, 16.

{333} Judas Iscariot, Satan entered into him, 63.

Judge not, 209-213.

Knowledge of Christ, how gained, 39.

Knowing God and Jesus Christ, 17, 22, 24, 25; how to know God, 25; should be aim of all education, 25.

Latter-day Saints have strong testimonies, 314-5; they have the Holy Priesthood and fulness of the Gospel; they know that Jesus is the Christ and the object of His life-work, 315.

Law and Gospel compared, 237.

Lawyer and Jesus, 222.

Lazarus raised, 257.

Lilies of the field, 99-100.

Living alone impracticable, 227.

Living water given by Jesus, 35.

Locke, John, on the Savior, 312.

Lord's prayer, 91.

Love, law of, 221-2-5.

Loyalty taught by Jesus, 168-9; 171; four reasons why men should be loyal to Him. 171-2.

Man, what is he? 69; God values man, 70; divine possibilities of; offspring of God, 71; may become a god; owes duties to God and himself, 72; must make sacrifices; man the crown of creation; should reverence God; is the temple of God, 73.

Mammon, cannot serve God and, 169; what is serving Mammon, 170.

Marconigraph, 266.

Marriage a sacrament, 229; should be solemnized in a temple, 230.

Mansions, many, or degrees of glory in heaven, 304-5.

Miracles, many, performed by Jesus, 254-5; attributed to Beelzebub by scribes, 263; what a miracle is, 264; telephone, 265; miracles of science, 266; power of the priesthood; purpose of miracles, 267; they come by faith; privilege of sick to be healed, 268; feeding of 5000 people; spiritual food more wonderful, 319-20.

Moses, revelation to, 16.

Naaman healed of leprosy, 131.

{334} Napoleon's Testimony of Christ, 13; revered Him, 18; further testimony, 311.

Neighbor, who is my? 223.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus, what Jesus told him, 43; taught baptism by Jesus, 130.

Opinions of great men on Christ, 312-3.

Opportunity should be improved, 183-5-6.

Palestine, condition of, in Jesus's time, 255-6.

Parable of the sower, 56; the lost sheep, 70; the prodigal son or the forgiving father, 77-8; the Pharisee and the publican, 80; borrowing three loaves; the judge and the widow, 98; the house built on a rock, 115; barren fig tree, 121; wheat and tares, 146-7; treasure hid in a field; pearl of great price, 167; earthly treasures, 170; light of the body, 171; unjust steward, 178-9; rich man and Lazarus, 183; the talents, 183-4; unforgiving servant, 215; good Samaritan, 222; humility, 239-40; laborers in the vineyard, 245-6; leaven, 291; householder and husbandmen, 300.

Paradise, Jesus in, 284; what it is, 286-7; Paul says Jesus was image of His Father, 31.

Paul and Barnabas traveled and preached to the Gentiles, 294.

Peter's vision, 293; taught him Gospel, was for Gentiles, 294.

Pilate constructs conduit; tower falls killing 18 men; seizes temple treasures; attacked by mob, 119; killed many in the temple; excitement, 120.

Political duty, 231.

Praise, love of, 85.

Pray, how to, 86; 94.

Prayer, should be persistent; hymns quoted, 97-8; urgent desire and implicit trust necessary in, 99; things of God's Kingdom should be prayed for, 99-100; God's will be done, 101-2; implicit reliance in God and spirit of forgiveness essential in prayer, 105-6; prayer of faith efficacious, 107; wisdom obtained by prayer, 109.

Pre-existent state; pre-existence of Jesus and mankind, 49-50; proved in man blind from birth, 50-1; gospel taught there; council of the spirits; Savior called for; {335} Jesus and Lucifer volunteer, 57; Lucifer's plan rejected; he rebelled and became Satan, the father of lies, 58.

Psalm, 1, quoted, 129.

Pure in heart, to see and associate with God, 193.

Rabbis did not teach forgiveness of sin, 79.

Reconciliation, law of, 213.

Religion that satisfies, 324; comprehensive, 325.

Repentance taught by Jesus, 121-2; He upbraided certain cities for not repenting; universal principle, 123; things to be repented of, 124-5.

Rewards, Jesus's doctrine of, 239-41; promised, 241; spiritual, 241-2.

Rich man, entering Kingdom of Heaven, easier to pass through eye of needle, 175-7; and Lazarus, 183.

Riches, Jesus's teaching about, 175-8; should be righteously acquired, 178; how used; not riches but love of them is evil, 180.

Rich young ruler and Jesus; unwilling to give up riches, 176-7.

Restoration of the Gospel and Priesthood to the Prophet Joseph Smith, 323.