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Messenger and Advocate/2/6
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| Source document in Mormon Publications: 19th and 20th Centuries online archive: Messenger and Advocate Vol. 2
Note: Some headings and bracketed texts are editorial and not part of the original text. |
| LATTER DAY SAINTS' | ||
| MESSENGER AND ADVOCATE | ||
| Volume II. No. 6.] | KIRTLAND, OHIO, MARCH, 1836. | [Whole No. 18. |
Letters
Concaut Feb. 29th 1836.
Mr. Sidney Rigdon,
Sir, yours of Dec. 1835 was duly received, and has been candidly, and I think impartially examined, and as the subject of religion is one of infinit[e] importance, so it demands our most serious and prayerful consideration. To err on some minor points, is but the fruits of our imperfect judgments, but to be mistaken in some of the cardinal points of religion, may involve us in a dilemma awful in its nature, & eternal in its consequences, Hence, to know God's will, demands our most serious enquiry, and to do it calls for the most diligent application of all our powers.
While I acknowledge the kind spirit in which you have been pleased to notice my letter to my brother Ebenezer, I indulge the fond hope, that in the same spirit of christian kindness, you will answer two or three more of my interrogatories, founded on some remarks in your letter, remarks, which to me are new, and containing ideas of vast importance,-Ideas, on which, I have not been in the habit of reflecting, yet, ideas which I wish not to receive, or reject, without candidly examining. My queries, Sir, were originated by your remark "that the Gospel as proclaimed by the Savior and his Apostles, and as written in the new testament has disappeared."-You will therefore confer a signal favor on me, and satisfy my inquiring mind, by giving a definite answer to the following interrogatories. 1. What is the Gospel? Is what is now written in the New Testament the Gospel? Is it the whole Gospel? 2. Where is the Gospel? 3. Have the Mormons got the Gospel? Have they got the whole Gospel?
Dear Sir, as those queries engross my whole thoughts on this interesting topic, I hope you will indulge me with an explicit answer to each, when I pledge myself to notice candidly, your whole communication.
Hoping that this correspondence may result in God's glory, and our best interest, I subscribe myself.
Yours in Christian kindness,
S. Rigdon. O. Barr.
Kirtland, March, 1836.
Mr. O. Barr,
Sir:—Yours of February has come to hand by which you request me to answer a number of questions; this is something which I did not expect, as I intended in mine to you to be explicit as to have rendered your interrogatories unnecessary, particularly, on the points on which you have required information, in this, it appears by yours, I have failed.
You ask me, "What is the gospel?" In answering this question I think I will render it unnecessary to give a formal answer to the rest of your queries, as I shall answer them all by answering this one.
I answer then in the language of the New Testament Romans I:10, "The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, to all that believe:" or in other words, it is God's scheme of saving men, and this scheme is made known in the New Testament, which scheme of things (or gospel) consists in putting men in possession of the power of God; for it is God's power to save men, and how is it God's power unto salvation? Answer by putting those who receive it into possession of the power of God. Hence says the Savior when he commissioned the apostles at Jerusalem to preach the gospel. These signs shall follow them that believe, that is the power of God shall rest upon them. When Peter proclaimed the gospel on the day of pentecost; after he told the Jews that they must repent and be baptised for the remission of sins, he told them that they should receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and by that, they were to prophecy, dream dreams, see visions &c. plainly showing that they were to be made partakes of the power of God unto salvation.
And when the apostles went forth from Jerusalem to proclaim the gospel, those who received it at their hand, or from their mouth spake with tongues, and prophesied, shewing to all that they had received of the power of God.
In the 12th chapter of the 1st epistle to the Corinthians the apostle Paul sets this so plainly before the mind, that
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none need mistake, he says in the 28th verse "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers; after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."
Such then was the way by which God administered his power to the children of men as set forth in the New Testament, and such was the gospel proclaimed by those commissioned by the Savior himself, and this, and this only is the order of things set forth in the New Testament. When I say that this order of things has disappeared from among men, I say no more than you and all the protestant world says also; and if this is not the gospel order? pray what is it? and if it is the gospel order, you agree with me that is has disappeared.
The whole matter then comes to this, that the gospel as set forth in the New Testament, is an order of things through which men were made partakers of the power of God while in the flesh, and that by one man administering to another by the authority of God in the name of Jesus Christ, this is what is called the gospel in the New Testament. It was enjoyed by the ministry of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists &c. and through the ministry of these men the power of God was received; they administered to the believers by the laying on of the hands, and the power of God attended, and thus men in days of old received the power of God unto salvation, and it was because of this, that the gospel is called the power of God unto salvation.
You ask if we have the gospel, and where is the gospel?
I answer that the power of administering in the name of the Lord Jesus to men through which they were made partakers of the power of God, was never enjoyed by any of the human family but by the revelation of Jesus Christ as Paul got it, if we have got the gospel that is the way we have got it, and this power we profess to have, and we obtained it by the ministering of Holy Messengers.
Thus I have answered your queries in as few words as possible in order to cut the work short in righteousness.
I shall await you reply to my whole communication, hoping I shall not have to wait long.
Believe me, Yours in
the best of feelings,
S. Rigdon.
Dedication of the Kirtland Temple
- Dedication of the Kirtland Temple
- Gathering
- Hymn: Ere Long the Vail
- Hymn: O Happy Souls Who Pray
- Sidney Rigdon's Sermon
- Hymn: Now Let Us Rejoice
- Intermission
- Hymn: This Earth was Once a Garden Place (Adam-ondi-Ahman)
- Hymn: This Earth was Once a Garden Place (Adam-ondi-Ahman) (Continued)
- Vote to Affirm Quorums of the Church, Remarks by Joseph Smith, jr.
- Hymn: How Pleased and Blest Was I
- Dedicatory Prayer
- Hymn: The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning
- Vote to Accept Dedicatory Prayer
- Administering of the Eucharist
- Testimonies of the Presidents of the Church
- Closing Remarks, Hosanna Shout, Blessing
- Demeanor of Congregation, Donations
Letter from Warren Parrish
Messenger and Advocate
| THE LATTER DAY SAINTS' |
| Messenger and Advocate, |
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