Articles of Faith/Differing versions/Text of various versions/1836 (Joseph Young)


Articles of Faith: 1836 (Joseph Young)



Source: Joseph Young cited in John Hayward, The Religious Creeds and Statistics (1836): 139-140; cited in John W. Welch and David J. Whittaker, "’We Believe…’. Development of the Articles of Faith," Ensign 9/9 (September 1979): 51-55.


‘This Church was organized on the 6th of April, 1830, in the State of New York, and its principal articles of faith are,

‘1. [1] A belief in one true and living God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, and in his Son Jesus Christ, who came into this world 1800 years since, at Jerusalem; was slain, rose from the dead, ascended on high, and now sits on the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens; [3] that through the atonement thus wrought out, all men may come to God and find acceptance; all of which they believe is revealed in the holy Scripture.

2.‘ [4] That God requires all men, wherever his gospel is proclaimed, or his law known, to repent of all sins, forsake evil, and follow righteousness; that his word also requires men to be baptized, as well as to repent; and that the direct way pointed out by the Scriptures for baptism, is immersion. After which, the individual has the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit…. This gift of the Holy Spirit, was anciently bestowed by the laying on of the apostles’ hands: [5] so this church believes that those who have authority to administer in the ordinances of the gospel, have this right and authority….

3.[10] That God will, in the last days, gather the literal descendants of Jacob to the lands anciently possessed by their fathers; that he will lead them as at the first, and build them as at the beginning…. [7] And that, as men anciently saw visions, dreamed dreams, held communion with angels, and conversed with the heavens, so it will be in the last days, to prepare the way for all nations, languages and tongues, to serve him in truth.

‘4. That the time will come when the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven, accompanied with ten thousand of his saints; that a mighty angel will lay hold on the dragon, bind him, cast him into the pit….

5. They believe in the resurrection of the body; that all men will stand in the presence of God, and be judged according to the deeds, or works, done in this life.’”