Chapter II: Preface: To Second Edition

The reception of this book far surpassed the hopes of the publishers. The first edition of fifteen thousand was soon exhausted. The second edition of ten thousand is the same as the first edition except for some minor letter corrections.

THE PUBLISHERS.

Feb. 15, 1926.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

THE GOSPEL DEFINED

Composed of Eternal Laws--Embraces all Truth--Increasing Knowledge of Gospel--Holds Power of Priesthood--The Gospel of Life and Salvation--Offers Salvation to All--A Guide in Daily Life--A Fountain of Truth--We Need a Practical Religion--Temporal Labors are Necessary--We Need a Present Everyday Religion--We Must Learn to Support Ourselves

CHAPTER II

THE GODHEAD

Our Father in Heaven--Personality and Fatherhood of God--The Son of God--the Holy Ghost

CHAPTER III

THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GOD AND MAN

The Spirit of God--Revelation--Angels--Prayer

CHAPTER IV

PRE-EXISTENCE, THE PLAN OF SALVATION

Time--The Organized Universe--Man and Matter Eternal--Man the Offspring of God--The Spirit of Man--The Council in Heaven--The Plan of Salvation

CHAPTER V

FREE AGENCY

Definition of

CHAPTER VI

THE POWER OF EVIL

Lucifer--False Spirits--Priestcraft--Sin and Wickedness--Temptation--Apostasy

CHAPTER VII

THE LAW OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION

Object of Mortal Life--Man to Endure Forever--The Business of life--Prepare to Live--Eternal Increase--Blessings are Proportioned to our Capacity

CHAPTER VIII

THE DESTINY OF MAN

The Gift of Eternal Life--Eternal Increase--The Celestial World--Opposition to Death

CHAPTER IX

DISPENSATIONS OF THE GOSPEL

The Earth--Adam and Eve--Enoch and Moses--Jesus on Earth--The Apostasy--The Restoration--The Book of Mormon

CHAPTER X

THE LAST DAYS

Confusion of the Last Days--Ultimate Triumph of Righteousness--Return to Jackson County--Coming of Christ--The Millennium--Rapid Movements in the Last Days--Zion--The Land of Zion--The City of Zion--Purpose of Gathering--The Jews and Jerusalem--The Indians or Lamanites

CHAPTER XI

THE SCRIPTURES

The Bible--the Standard Church Works--The Use of the Scriptures

CHAPTER XII

THE PRIESTHOOD

The Priesthood--The First Presidency--The Apostle and Melchizedek Priesthood--The Bishop and the Aaronic Priesthood--Church Organization and Government

CHAPTER XIII

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE GOSPEL

Importance of the Principles of the Gospel--Need of Ordinances--Faith--Repentance--Baptism--The Gift of the Holy Ghost--Healing the Sick

CHAPTER XIV

THE SABBATH; MEETINGS; THE SACRAMENT

How to Spend the Sabbath Day--Worship on Every Day--Preaching and Listening in Meetings--Testimony Meetings--The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

CHAPTER XV

TITHING; THE UNITED ORDER

The Law of Tithing--The Lord has Given All--People Not Compelled to Pay Tithing--Use of the Tithing--The United Order

CHAPTER XVI

THE WORD OF WISDOM

Moderation--The Word of Wisdom--Live Long--Eating for Health--Living Out-of-Doors--Exercise and Mental Vigor--Physiological Differences--Feeding Children--The Giving of the Word of Wisdom

CHAPTER XVII

THE FAMILY

Virtue--Marriage--Do Not Marry Unbelievers--Birth Control--The Husband--The Wife--Children--Family Life--Importance of Early Training--Influence of the Mother--Teach Children the Gospel--Parents Should Teach by Example--Guides for Child Training--Need of Parent Training

CHAPTER XVIII

SOME WOMANLY DUTIES

The Housewife--Woman's Fashions--Some Duties of the Relief Societies

CHAPTER XIX

OBEDIENCE

Counsel--Obedience--Effect of Obedience--Obedience and Free Agency----Effects of Disobedience

CHAPTER XX

GRATITUDE, HUMILITY, DEVOTION, LIBERALITY, HONESTY

Gratitude--Humility--Devotion to the Gospel--Give Freely--Be Honest--Honest in Labor--Consistency and Sincerity

CHAPTER XXI

HAPPINESS AND SOCIAL ENJOYMENTS

Saints Should be Happy--Social Amusements--Dancing--The Theater--Excursions

CHAPTER XXII

EDUCATION

Knowledge and Intelligence--A Religion of Improvement--Knowledge to be Sought--Continuous Education--Effects of Education--Educate Our Children--Establish Schools--What to Study--Religious Education--Science and Religion--the Body and the Mind--Studies in Sunday Schools

CHAPTER XXIII

SELF CONTROL

The Will of Man--Self-Control Necessary--Check your Words--Cease your Anger--Learn to Know Ourselves--Let us Mind our own Business

CHAPTER XXIV

OUR FELLOW-MEN

Love Each Other--Let us be Merciful--Show Charity--Establish Confidence--Avoid Contention--Do not Deal Judgment--Respect for Neighbors--Lady and Gentleman Defined--The Negro--The Generous Nature

CHAPTER XXV

UNITY AND CO-OPERATION

Be of One Mind and One Heart--Perfect Oneness will Save a People--Unity in God's Work, the Strength of Zion--Advantage of Temporal Unity--Unity Does not Mean Individual Uniformity--the Co-operative Movement

CHAPTER XXVI

THRIFT AND INDUSTRY

Faith and Works--Time Should be Spent Wisely--Labor Indispensable--Let Nothing go to Waste--We Must be a Self-sustaining People--The Elements of Wealth are Around Us--Agriculture--Manufacturing--Commerce--Capital and Labor--Build Good Houses and Beautiful Cities--Accumulate Property--Debt

CHAPTER XXVII

WEALTH

Wealth Belongs to the Lord--Uncertainty of Temporal Possessions--The Sin of Covetousness--True Riches--Gold is not Wealth--How to Become Wealthy--Wealth Must be Used--Wealth Brings Happiness Only When Used for the Gospel--Some Dangers of Wealth--The Poor

CHAPTER XXVIII

MISSIONARY WORK

The Gospel to be Preached to all Men--Help to Save Every Person--Words to Departing Missionaries--Advice to Missionaries in the Field--The Returned Missionary--The Gospel is Preached with Authority--The Spirit, not Logic or Debate, Makes Converts--Humility and Devotion, the Essentials--Preach only that which is Known--Hints to Teachers

CHAPTER XXIX

VISIONS, MYSTERIES AND MIRACLES

Visions of a Personal Matter--Leave Alone Mysteries--Providences of God, all Miracles--Miracles for Believers--Faith not Dependent on Miracles

CHAPTER XXX

TRIALS AND PERSECUTION

Trials are Necessary--Purpose of Persecution--Persecution May be Expected--Meet Trials Cheerfully--Cause of Persecution--Disobedience Causes Persecution--Result of Persecution--Cannot Overtake Falsehood--Danger of Persecuting the Saints--Persecution Comes from Efforts of Few

CHAPTER XXXI

POLITICAL GOVERNMENT

Theocratic Government--Republican Government--God and Governments--Fitness of Rulers--Labor and Politics--Saints and Politics--The Constitution of U. S. an Inspired Document--The Saints Will Yet Save the Constitution--Religious Liberty Should be Observed--Opposed to Corrupt Administrators of Law--The President of the U. S.--Political Parties--States' Rights--Forebodings of the Civil War--War--Woman Suffrage

CHAPTER XXXII

DEATH AND RESURRECTION

The Body Must Return to Mother Earth--Man Should Live out His Days--We Should Not Mourn for the Righteous Dead--Our Identity will be Preserved--Our Bodies will be Resurrected--Jesus, the First Fruits of the Resurrection--The Resurrected Body--Resurrection Necessary to Full Salvation

CHAPTER XXXIII

THE SPIRIT WORLD

All go to the Spirit World--Where is the Spirit World--Labors in the pet World--Life in the Spirit World

CHAPTER XXXIV

ETERNAL JUDGMENT

Judgment According to Works--Honesty in Action Will Temper Judgment--Hell Defined--The Second Death--Measure of Human Judgment

CHAPTER XXXV

SALVATION

Universal Salvation--The Way to Salvation--Salvation an Individual Work--Many Degrees of Salvation--Exaltation Proportioned to Capacity--The Celestial Kingdom

CHAPTER XXXVI

TEMPLES AND SALVATION FOR THE DEAD

Saints Always Commanded to Build Temples--Temples Indispensable for Higher Ordinances--Endowments Given in Temples--Vicarious Work for the Dead in Temples--Who Should Represent the Dead--Saviors on Mount Zion--Powers of Evil Opposed to Temple Building--The Salt Lake Temple--Address at the Laying of the Corner Stone of the Salt Lake Temple--St. George Temple

CHAPTER XXXVII

MAN'S SEARCH FOR TRUTH AND SALVATION

Man Desires Salvation--Humanity Loves Truth and Righteousness--Human Family Alike in Sentiments--A Variety of Human Gifts--Man's Powers are Limited--Man Must have Confidence in Himself--Man Always Dependent--We Must Fight Our Battles--How to Know Oneself--Our Good Character Must be Cherished--The Need of Leaders--Duty and Responsibility of Man

CHAPTER XXXVIII

TESTIMONY OF THE TRUTH

All Latter-day Saints May Know the Gospel is True--How a Witness of the Truth is Won--Why Some Men Reject the Gospel--Testimony Not Built Upon a Man--Joseph Smith a Witness of the Truth--A Duty to Listen to the Truth

CHAPTER XXXIX

THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH

Israel--The Church and the Kingdom--An Object of the Church--The Kingdom of God to Develop Gradually--The Effect of the Kingdom of God--It Will Continue--The Business of Latter-day Saints--Individual Labor Required in the Kingdom of God--The Kingdom of God or Nothing

CHAPTER XL

SOME EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL

The Nature of the Gospel--Some of the Effects of the Gospel--His Personal Joy in the Gospel--Blessings Continued Upon Good Works--Increasing Blessings--Personal Blessings Upon the People

CHAPTER XLI

JOSEPH SMITH THE PROPHET

Joseph Smith, a Prophet of God--Joseph Called and Directed by God--The Development of the Prophet--What Joseph Taught--Results of the Prophet's Labors--Persecutions of the Prophet--The Prophet Harassed by Law-suits--Joseph of Good Character--Why the Prophet was Killed--Joseph's Work in the Spirit World--Nature of the Prophet and His Family--The Twelve, the Successors of the Prophet--Some Sayings of the Prophet

CHAPTER XLII

THE SETTLEMENT IN THE WEST

The Journey Across the Plains--The Mormon Battalion--Settlement in the Great Salt Lake Valley

{1}

Discourses of Brigham Young