Chapter XV: Letter XIV: Summary and Final Appeal (1)

_Liverpool, December_ 13, 1847.

Reverend and Dear Sir,--Having given you an epitomised view of the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in a short series of Thirteen Letters, I now make this SUMMARY AND FINAL APPEAL to you, and to all persons to whom the foregoing Letters may come.

Before parting with you, I will endeavour to obviate some objections that might be supposed to arise, and give some further confirmatory proof of the truths that have been advanced.

You may be ready to inquire with great earnestness, can it possibly be that the religious world have been so grossly mistaken and actually deluded for so many centuries? can so many divines of celebrated learning and devotion have been all this time in error? Is it possible that that illiterate young man, Joseph Smith, should be the first, after the lapse of so many ages, to break the spell of darkness, and pierce the clouds of error, and let in the sunshine of eternal truth upon the whole world? Is it possible that he whom we have been accustomed to regard as the blackest impostor--about whose moral character there hang so many shades of suspicion? can _he_ be, in very deed, a true prophet of God?

I do not wonder at your inquiries; but I do marvel that any good man should have a lingering doubt. Your inquiries and objections I will briefly answer.--Why should not the religious world be mistaken? do not the great mass of the human family profess to be religious? are not the millions of China and Asia religious? Here is nearly one half of the human family ardently devoted to their religion--they are sincerely devoted to their religion--the multitudes of their pagodas, and the great expense and sacrifice attending their worship, prove incontestibly their sincerity; and the long antiquity of their religion has rendered it venerable as yours.

You readily say, that the myriads of Asia are deceived and mistaken. But may they not retort upon you and say--how is it that we, whose religion is so ancient and so universally believed, should be (all of us) in such gross error? Now, may not the reply that would fit them be applicable to the advocates of modern christianity? They are all the children of Adam as much as you, and as much the offspring of our common parent. Their rulers and divines are as respectable among their own countrymen as yours are among your countrymen. It is no worse for modern christendom to be in error than for paganism. Paganism can boast of more learning and oratory, and of more universal, enduring, and mighty governments than modern christianity! Paganism can boast of more union and stability than modern christianity. But I am no advocate of either paganism or modern christianity. I believe that the whole world lieth in darkness, in consequence of transgressing the laws of God. Modern christianity has had a fair trial for success. Kings and potentates with vast and populous dominions, have been arrayed on its side. _Eighteen hundred years_ have testified to its ragged and crippled march. The sovereigns of Europe and rulers of America are on its side. But what a haggard picture of union does the theatre of modern Christianity present! A garment of as many colours as the various religious creeds of modern christianity, would constitute a phenomenon fit to be carried about as a curiosity.

In Catholic countries there is the largest share of unity of creeds. In Protestant countries every city, town, and village presents the picture of religious collision and jargon. Now, these contending parts must necessarily be wrong, for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. And if the constituent parts are wrong, the aggregate must also be wrong. But whether the balance of wisdom and virtue lies with Christians or Pagans, one thing is certain, that no man, by searching, can find out God or know the Almighty unto perfection! The world by wisdom know not God. No man can ever know God unless God reveals himself to him. Those whom God selects to communicate revelations to men are not the wise and mighty, but rather such as are accounted weak, and foolish, and unholy. This is the description of men that God generally chooses to do his work on the earth. Again, it is said that the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints may be good enough, but their characters are too reprehensible. Testimony from many reliable sources is against them; and we have seen with our own eyes a want of that fervent piety that ought to distinguish a people entrusted with the ordinances and gifts of salvation.--This, I think, is the most weighty and popular objection that is urged by the opposers of the Latter-day Saints:--if they were a respectable people, their doctrines could better be endured. Now I propose to consider this objection, and canvass it thoroughly, in order that no man shall ever raise the same objection again, with any hope of success; but before I try their character, let us inquire what is the proper standard or rule by which character is to be tested.

Some people consider that no man can have a good character who is not religious,--this is a common opinion among religious people. An infidel, say they, is odious, and feels no responsibility; and no one is religious unless his faith harmonizes with their own religious creed. In some countries, what would be accounted moral and virtuous, would in others be stamped as immoral, unvirtuous, and sacrilegious. Another, more plausible, says, "let all men do as they would be done by," and then their characters will be good. This, however, is a very vague rule indeed; for instance, the Emperor Charles Fifth of Germany, says: "If I were as great a heretic as Martin Luther or John Calvin, I ought to be banished, or even put to death." Thus the Emperor conscientiously carries out the rule, and orders the famous Reformer (heretic) to be put to death. The above rule, unaccompanied by the spirit of revelation, is often defective and made the pretext for deeds of blood-guiltiness. What, then, is the true and infallible standard of character? I answer, it is revealed in the Gospel. God is the only good being and standard of goodness; such as comply with his revealed will are good, and do good, and there is no iniquity in them.

Compliance with the divine will is the only true standard of character. To this test, then, let us bring the character of the Latter-day Saints, and that of their opposers. What is the faith of each? Let us inquire. According to their faith, so will be their works or their character. Says James, I will show my faith by my works. You may not only know a man's faith by his works, but his works are also known by his faith. If his faith is bad, his works will be also bad; and if his works are bad, his character is bad.

It was the faith of Christ to receive the revelations of God his father unto obedience in all things. This faith led him to work the works of God, which were healing the sick, prophecying, casting out devils, speaking in tongues, and doing many miracles, and revealing the will of his Father. But the pious Jews, chief priests, &c., had another sort of faith: they believed in the God of Abraham and Moses, but believed that the age of miracles was past, and they forbid to prophecy and speak with tongues. Their faith was, that there was no further need of new revelation, and that the canon of Scripture was full. They believed that the Sanhedrim established by Moses was sufficient for the perfection and government of the Church, without apostles, and prophets, and various gifts. Their faith was not the faith of God, nor of immediate revelation (although they said they believed in old revelations); neither was it the faith of miracles, and prophecyings, and tongues, and healing.

What, then, was the faith of those pious men that sent their missionaries over sea and land, and preached eloquently, and wept copiously over the pathetic doctrines of Abraham and Moses? Why, to be plain, sir, it was the faith of devils; and their anti-revelation doctrines were the doctrines of devils. Their works were of the devil, because their faith was opposed to immediate revelation, and their character was like their works--bad and abominable in the eyes of God, and saints, and holy angels; and yet these same pious Jews claim that they were the only true Christians! What a pity (thought they) that this arch impostor should succeed in misleading and deluding so many followers. It was due to his wickedness that he got killed, and it was a pity that his doctrines did not die with him. Doubtless some Solomon Spaulding story was current to prove that he was born of a harlot, and her husband, like another Judge Hale, was ready to swear that he was not the father of the child.

Now, sir, from the foregoing thirteen Letters, you will see plainly what is the acknowledged faith of the Latter-day Saints. It is precisely the same with the faith of the ancient apostles and prophets. They have proved before the face of mankind, and in the sight of angels, that they believe the doctrines set forth in these Letters and in the Scriptures, by persecutions, banishment, loss of goods, houses, and lands; yea, even of life itself; for they are a spectacle unto all men, and their characters are good in the sight of God, and angels, and saints, because they keep the commandments and ordinances of God, even unto death--not counting their lives dear unto them, in order that they may be found in the same faith for which apostles and prophets have contended earnestly and bled freely.

Their character is that of _compliance with the revealed will of God_, the only true standard of character. They have preached the word to the nations of the earth, under privations, and abuses, and perils hitherto unknown, since the days of the apostles. It is no vanity to say, there is none like them in all the earth. They fear God and work righteousness.

If any class of people were ever entitled to a good character, it is the Latter-day Saints. They have earned a title to it by conformity to the only true rule and standard of character that was ever revealed to man, viz., compliance with the doctrines and ordinances of heaven. On this platform, sir, I am willing to try the character of Latter-day Saints before any tribunal of impartial justice; and it is on this platform alone that all men must be tried, who have ever heard the gospel of Christ. When the Saints and their opposers are brought before this tribunal of high heaven, think you not that our accusers will not be filled with shame at their groundless accusations? This people, during the last seventeen years (since 1830) have endured the fatigue and expense of emigrating from their former homes; built cities, and towns, and farms, and been robbed of them. Many of them have journeyed, making their own bridges and roads, traversing prairies and mountains, and some have emigrated by ships around the greater half of the globe. They have preached the gospel to many nations, and brought some hundreds of thousands into obedience to it. In doing this, they have been unaided by any missionary funds or salary--been compelled all the time to face an incessant and pitiless storm of scandal and vituperation. The pulpit, and the bar, and the medical faculty have poured out upon them their grape and canister shot, and caused their combustible shells to burst thick around their pathway; still they survive, and the truth floats over every ocean, and converts to their standard are multiplying beyond the aggregate increase of long venerated denominations. What but the power of God could have secured these great and blessed results in the very teeth of boasting christendom? Pure, eternal, and almighty truth has done it.

Why should you marvel at the success of this religion, seeing it is based on the same principles as the religion of all the prophets ever since the foundation of the world. The Bible recognises no other religion than that of prophets and supernatural faith, and miracles, and immediate revelation. It is not possible to point out a single pious man or woman, whose name or piety is recorded within the lids of the Bible, that did not profess the same religion--the same gifts of supernatural faith, prophecyings, healings, tongues, that Latter-day Saints profess. Ancient saints believed in a similar administration by angels--ancient saints knew nothing of any religion that did not embrace immediate intercourse with God and angels, or that did not communicate the gifts of healing, tongues, and prophecyings. They knew, indeed, what it was to smart under the lash of false religions; but the ancient saints regarded no man as pious or acceptable to God, who did not profess to believe in the ministration of angels, and the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost. John, and Jesus, and the apostles, laid the axe at the root of all religions but their own; and they believed fully and heartily in these and such like things. And the great bone of contention between them and their pious adversaries was mainly about the gifts and blessings of a supernatural order;--the latter making a mock of tongues, and despising prophecyings, and miracles, as being needless in that day and age of the world;--the former maintaining that the faith of Daniel, Sampson, and Noah, were as necessary to salvation as they ever had been in the early age of the world. Indeed, if you will look through the whole Bible, you will find that every man of Bible piety believed in prophets, and angels, and visions, and miracles; and any one who did not believe as they did were accounted rebels, or hypocrites, and excommunicated accordingly.

I know, indeed, that out of the lids of the Bible, you may find pious creeds, that set aside all further revelation, and the further ministration of angels, and prophets, and represent the supernatural faith of Moses and Elijah as no longer needed; but no such representation can be drawn from any part of the contents of the Bible. Men of _supposed_ splendid piety can be found in modern churches, who know nothing of the gift of the Holy Ghost in prophecying and tongues, or healing, and who never dreamed of having the ministration of an angel; and would sneer at the whole system of prophets and angels, and present miracles. And what I ask of them is, that they will abandon all pretext of Bible authority for such piety. The Bible recognises no such piety, neither does it entertain any fellowship for it; but down to the day when the last revelation was uttered, it never breathed an intimation that the faith of miracles would cease, or the gifts of healing, except through transgression; but the ancient faith of Abraham and Moses was strenuously contended for, till the last man sealed his testimony with his blood.

The advocates of old revelations, and old prophets, and former day miracles, were very numerous in Paul's day; but they hated new revelation and the power of the Mosaic and Samsonic faith as they did poison.

The doctrine of constant revelation in the true Church, left them as barren of Bible piety as the fallen angels. Go back to whatever part of the history of Bible piety you will, you will never be able to glean up anything in the shape or likeness of modern piety; but you will pick up the hot indignation of apostles and prophets against all such pretended piety. The Bible wages an uncompromising war against modern piety that wears the mask of friendship for ancient revelations and miracles, while it resists the same faith and power in its own day. It is no new thing to have revelation and miracles cease: they were discontinued in consequence of transgression in several different periods of the world. Previous to the days of John the Baptist, and before the days of Moses and Abraham, revelation had ceased. These men were raised up as so many new revelators, in order to overthrow the false and discordant religions, and establish the knowledge of the true God on the earth. As soon as prophets have ceased to reveal the will of God, people have turned into jangling about creeds. The old revelations have been distorted and pulled all to tatters; manuscripts have been picked up; and uninspired men, with all pomposity and pedantry, have set themselves to adjudicate and determine what was genuine, and what was spurious revelation. You might as well set blind men without a telescope to examine the propriety of the local relationship of the starry bodies in the heavens. Alas! the eager folly of biblical researches! Send one, as well, in the darkness of midnight to search a hay-mow for a cambric needle! as though the Almighty could not hide himself from the gaze of transgressors, and withhold the key of knowledge from those that "despise prophecyings." But I turn from the vain and sickening labours of the erudite religionist. His pathway is a mazy labyrinth--the further he goes, the more inextricable his difficulties! The cost of his wearisome and fruitless labours overpowers the remnant of his veracity, and he seeks an inglorious reward for his labours in decoying others, as foolish as himself, into the same learned labyrinths of error. He tells what this man has said, and that man has written; but from God, the fountain of all truth, he has obtained no intelligence--he has heard nothing. Having felt a little of the mesh cords of this entanglement, in pity I turn away.

The faith of visions, miracles, angels, revelations, and prophets, is the only religion of the Bible. With what contempt would Abraham look upon the religion that immediately preceded the days of Moses? With what indignation would Moses and Elijah look upon the religion that immediately preceded John, and denied any further revelation!

How abhorrent to apostles must be the conduct of those who, having persecuted and slain the defenders of the faith of miracles, then turned round and said, "We need no more such faith,--miracles are done away." Their posterity approve their sayings, and teach the same theology. Blush, O, thou foul prince of darkness, at the consummate folly and credulity of thy followers! What would the revelator John say, to a grave assembly or synod of divines, that should meet together in solemn council to devise means how to check the doctrine of new revelation and miracles? After showing them that he was identified with the self same obnoxious advocates of such a doctrine, and that _his_ banishment, and the martyrdom of his fellow apostles, had sprung from the same spirit of anti-revelation and anti-miracles, that now convenes this grave council of bishops; with mingled pity and indignation he concludes a most touching remonstrance against their unhallowed opposition to prophets, by pointing the assembly to the tragic scenes of Calvary, where anti-revelation had matured a full cup. When men come to the knowledge of God through the principles of immediate revelation, and the power of the Holy Ghost, nothing can separate them from the love of God but their own transgressions; neither sword, nor famine, nor peril, nor principalities, nor powers, can separate them from the gospel. They know in whom they believe. Who could convince Jacob of the fallacy of visions, after what he experienced at Bethel? Who could dissuade Peter from the faith of miracles, after witnessing the lame man healed at the gate of the temple? Would David or his mighty men doubt the power of God, after a single individual had lifted up his spear and slew _eight hundred_ at one time? Would mobbing and imprisonment force Sampson to abandon his supposed delusion, after he had put to flight an army of thousands? No; vain hope of all the adversaries to miracles!

How long shall men wage a war of scandal, extermination, and massacre against the advocates of miracles? Yet the nineteenth century--blush to hear the undeniable charge!--yea, the christendom of the nineteenth century has espoused the old persecutor's warfare, as keenly as the persecutors of Stephen, Daniel, and Moses. Are they so forgetful of all sacred and profane history as not to know that they are fighting the battles of Cain, Esau, Jannes and Jambes, Judas and Herod, over again. The former persecutors fought against new revelations, and latter persecutors do the same--the former Saints were called lying, blasphemous impostors, and the Latter-day Saints are called the same. There always was an attempt to crush former saints by scandalizing their character, robbing and slaying them--the same luckless attempt is again renewed in the nineteenth century.

Almost anything can be tolerated sooner than the admission that the God of miracles and angels reigns again on the earth. Bible saints never lived in any other age than an age of miracles, visions, and angels. They knew that true saints never would live in any other age. They knew that the gospel _could not_ be communicated to any people of any age without revelation; for therein is the righteousness of God _revealed_ from faith to faith. A gospel without revelation is _no gospel_. A gospel without the gifts and power of the Holy Ghost, and the ministry of angels, is no gospel. There cannot be found the first instance of a true minister of God, throughout the whole record of inspiration, who did not possess the gift of inspiration and the spirit of prophecy. _No man_ can say that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Holy Ghost; and the Holy Ghost leads every man, who is loyal to his dictates, into all truth sooner or later. The deep things of God, and the keys of divine power, are available to him. By obedience he is sure to reach the measure of the power and wisdom attained by Christ himself--the _manifold_ wisdom of GOD, even, is to be possessed and shown forth by the Church.

Bible saints were always familiar with the ministration of angels. And it is only such as are wholly unlike Bible saints who are not familiar with the ministration of angels. Those who are unlike Bible saints have always, in all ages, denied the ministry of angels, and gift of prophecy and healing, in their own day. And it is a certain test and evidence, that a man is not born of the spirit when he denies these things; for no man that has the Spirit of God can speak lightly of God; but he will extol his power for himself, and not for another. Men that have not the Spirit of God may tell what great things faith wrought in former ages, but can tell nothing from their own experience of the same power. It is, indeed, a marvellous thing, that men should affect to regard "Bible piety" as a standard or copy, which all are bound to imitate, and at the same time adopt an inferior rule of piety that discards and abrogates all the more conspicuous and powerful features of primitive piety! How they can have the temerity and effrontery to impose upon community a system of religion, that is the counterpart of Bible piety, I am at a loss to conceive. A gospel without immediate and accompanying revelation! Who ever heard such a thing, except from transgressors sitting in the region and shadow of death? No Bible saint ever saw such a thing in his day. Neither Abel or Enoch, Abraham or Moses, David or Peter, ever saw such a gospel in their day. The only gospel that these men ever knew of or fellowshipped, was a gospel distinguished by revelations, visions, and angels. Such a gospel rejoiced their hearts, because it was the power of God, and wisdom of God. It nerved the arm of Sampson, so that scores and hundreds of men could no more stand before his might than before a volcanic eruption, or an avalanche from the mountain. It gave elasticity to David, so that he could leap a wall, or rush through a troop. It struck with blindness the mobbers of Sodom; opened prison gates to Peter; cursed Elymas with blindness; enabled men to walk unsinged through the fiery burning of the furnace, heated sevenfold hotter than usual! This, sir, is _the_ gospel, and the only gospel. It exhibits the power of God and the wisdom and might of God. Any other gospel is a curse to men, and a stink in the nose of God. Angels have once tried to preach another gospel; and what has been the result of their efforts? They have been hurled down and are even now reserved in chains under darkness, to the judgment of the great day; and those who _first_ began to preach modern christianity have doubtless shared a doom scarcely less awful.

The first step stone to modern christianity was laid on the smoking ruins of primitive christianity. The christian enemies to new revelations and miracles, actually waded through the blood of apostles and prophets, in order to establish the system of anti-revelation. And did their descendants and abettors realise the bloody and accursed origin of that system that wars against new regulations and prophets, and angels, many of them would shudder at their blind zeal and self-righteousness! God winks at the conduct of the latter, because they know not what they do; but He commands all men every where to repent, else He will hold them guilty of all the blood that has been shed from the days of righteous Abel till now. God is my witness that I speak the truth in Christ Jesus and lie not.

The history of modern christianity, from the day when the first martyr fell under its bloody hatred, is a history of contention, persecution, and massacre, that causes all heaven to weep. Rivers of blood have flowed in its wake. Crimination and re-crimination from the pulpit and the press, have agitated the people, from the throne down to the otherwise peaceful cottage. The battle field has been soaked with the blood of its victims, and it is difficult to tell whether Catholic or Protestant domination can count the most victims, except as one may have held a longer and stronger ascendency than the other. The first two or three centuries were bloody beyond description. All denominations recoil at the history of their pedigree during this early and bloody period. The links in the chain of supposed apostolic succession are so bloody, that even the "dark ages" cannot conceal their crimson hue. The period when this famous chain of succession has not been coloured with human gore, is short. The records of the suffering Waldenses, in the valleys of Piedmont, will always tell a tale of wo, at which humanity must blush. The history of the protestant reformation in Germany and England, including the massacre of sixty thousand protestants in France, at one time, is a serious comment on the pseudo apostolic line of priesthood. But when protestantism came into power, under Henry and Elizabeth, it proved to a demonstration that the protestants had the same priesthood handed down through seas of human gore; excommunicating, torturing and killing catholic heretics in like manner as the catholics had previously done to others.[A]

[Footnote A 1. It was death to make a new Catholic priest within the kingdom. 2. It was death for a Catholic priest to come into the kingdom from abroad. 3. It was death to harbour a Catholic priest coming from abroad. 4. It was death to confess to such a priest. 5. It was death for any priest to say mass. 6. It was death for any one to hear mass. 7. It was death for any one to _deny_ or not to _swear_, if called on, that this woman (Elizabeth) was the head of the church of Christ. 8. It was an offence punishable by heavy fine _not_ to go _to the Protestant church_, £250, equal to £3,250 of present English money.--_Penal Statutes passed in the reign of Queen Elizabeth_.]

The United States of America were first settled by fugitives from the intolerance and bigoted persecution of the mother country; and it now becomes no wonder that after all this tragic drama of inhuman and brutal outrages for near eighteen hundred years, that the children of them that slew the prophets, should deny the need of any further revelation, and also of any more apostles and miracles! But, sir, the Heavens are more compassionate. The Heavens feel the need to give further revelation, lest the whole earth be speedily destroyed through the abomination of this mother of harlots and her numerous progeny.

There are thousands of honest hearted people that deserve a better destiny than to be made the deluded prey and spoil of such abominations, under the flattering name of christianity. It is to such these letters are designed to be a benefit. It is in vain for Protestants to charge the bloody axe of persecution against the Catholics, or for one sect of Protestants to charge and vilify another sect. Knox and Calvin were relentless, if not actually murderous enemies of the Catholics: and there is scarcely a consequential Protestant sect in England, or the United States of America, that has not proven out their shameful and bloody pedigree by acts of banishment, hanging, confiscation of property, or proscription of cast.

These charges against the christianity that has sprung up since the days of revelation, are capable of the most undeniable proof. It is no marvel that intelligent and high-minded men in every country have become so sceptical towards the prevailing religions of the day. The scepticism of France was a misnomer; it was not in reality a warfare against the true Bible, but against the horrid impositions supposed to be deducible from the Bible. If the Bible had been fairly represented by the true church, France would never have waged such a bloody war against it as it did in the days of its revolution. The illuminati of France had sense enough to detect the fooleries and impositions of priestcraft, and the nonsensical notion of a God without body or parts, and in their misguided rage they mistook the Bible to be the source of these false religions.

The foregoing is only a cursory hint of the bloody character of modern christianity, from the time when it slew the apostles who held the keys of revelation, and has ever since denied the need of any further revelation; for a hundred volumes of the size of the Bible, would not suffice to detail each instance where men and women have been whipped, hung, ripped open, or gibbeted, or burnt, or their ears bored, and their faces branded with hot irons. The massacres of France, half-murdered Ireland, Germany, and England, if written in detail, would make an imposing library. Fortunate for humanity's sake, that no one religious power has any greater predominance than it has; else the want of religious checks and balances would even now be as fatal to the minority as the exhalations of the Upas. Yet, after all this, christianity claims to be tolerant and catholic; and her bishops, enthroned in a salary of more than £27,000 sterling per annum, claim a regular succession from St. Peter. They might better have said from the murderers of St. Peter. Oh, shame on the cry of apostolic succession! What a transformation Peter must have undergone by this chain of succession! His gifts of discernment and healing gone! The spirit of prophecy and tongues have left him! The power to open prison doors, and of converse with angels, have left him impotent as other men! Marvellous falling off of every thing but salaries and pomp and persecution! Many suppose that Christ's Church must have been perpetuated on the earth, because it is said that the gates of hell should not prevail against it. Strange and fallacious argument for the continuance of the Church! Can it be supposed for a moment, that the Church is prevailed against, because it is removed from the earth? Jesus was removed from this life and gave up the ghost, but was he therefore prevailed against? Did he not triumph over death, and ascend up on high, and lead captivity captive? Did he not thereby acquire the possession of all things in heaven and upon earth?

It should not be supposed, that because all the saints were put to death, or became extinct from the earth, that they have any less dominion over wicked men and fallen angels; on the other hand, by removal they increase in power and glory, and have authority increased upon their heads. The generations of the wicked have been prevailed against, ever since the Church left the earth. The curses that have followed the Jewish and Gentile enemies of the Church, from the days of the primitive Church till now, are perfectly visible to any but such as have eyes and see not, and ears and hear not. The Jews and Gentiles are like two inebriates, each sees clearly how very drunk the other is, but discovers not his own intoxicated and besotted condition. The Gentiles say that the Jews, through transgression, have lost the Urim and Thummin, and Ephod and Teraphim, and been proscribed and banished, and thousands killed and scattered, as a bye word and proverb, among all nations. On the other hand, the Gentiles have lost the gifts and blessings of the Spirit, with all the holy order of apostles and prophets; and wiping the slush from their bloody hands, say they have no need of them.

Alas, sir, when shall the veil that covers all nations (both Jews and Gentiles) be removed, and self-righteous religionists confess that their sins have separated, between them and their God, and hid his face from them? When will the sectarian priesthood that now arrogantly say, we are rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing, have humility enough to confess that they are blind, and naked, and destitute of all things, seeing that they are without the gifts of the Spirit, and the key of knowledge (revelation) and the authority of the priesthood.

I know it is very difficult to convince sectarians that they are not a pious people. Why, say they, do we not manifest much more fervency of spirit, and studied sacredness of deportment, and punctilious exactness, in observing the Sabbath than Latter-day Saints? Do we not show to all men great self-abasement in confessing our sins to be like crimson and scarlet, and our iniquities to be like mountains in magnitude. Are we not scrupulously guarded against all levity and trifling conversation? Are not our preachers very grave, and apparently devoted and holy in their bearing? Do not their frequent sighs and insuppressible groans, as their spirits are weighed down under the conviction of the worth of souls, and the vast responsibility of the Lord's watchmen, indicate profound piety? Do they not fast often and pray much? Are they not orthodox and evangelical, insisting much upon the new birth and a radical change of heart? How can it be that a people of this description are not pious and exceedingly holy? The preachers speak, and even walk in measured carefulness and peculiarity of manner, so that a preacher is generally known by his walk, and dialect, and sober, grave countenance.

Now, sir, when I have conceded most liberally to the above, what does it all prove? Why, sir, one act of obedience to God is better than the most rigid conformity to all the precepts of men. The more devoted and sincere people are in error, so much more agreeable to the prince of darkness. What a meagre atonement does a demure countenance, and sanctimonious sighs and groans, and self-loathings make, for transgressing the law of God, and changing an ordinance. Take, for instance, the ordinance of laying on of hands for healing the sick. Had this ordinance been perpetuated in the Church, millions upon millions of the human family might have been saved from premature death. Through this ordinance, Jesus Christ has said, "_they shall recover_." Through the sceptical abandonment of this ordinance countless millions have not lived out half of their days. How much compensation does it afford to the countless victims of disobedience, for men to assume a grave long face, and strive to elongate the name of God by gracious sounds, as though the name of God was too short without being stretched for such holy lips.

Take another ordinance, viz., the gift of the Holy Ghost, by laying on hands. What a flimsy and miserable equivalent for the absence of the Comforter, and spirit of prophecy and revelation, are seminaries of learning, and a multitude of oblations, and prayers, and frequent fasting! It is too much, sir, like the drunken boy, who, having broken his master's bottle, boastingly claimed credit for saving the cork!

Neglect of the weighty matters of laws and ordinances are to be atoned for, by pious breathings in private journals for posthumous publication; and by elaborate sermons and comments, they make plain things profoundly obscure; and every year increases the necessity of additional learning, in order to disentangle the profound knottiness of theological disquisitions and exegetical comments. The very religious opposers of Jesus Christ, whose hands were accessory to his death, had a most fervent and devout spirit, and were eminently pious; but the doctrine of new revelations, and the gifts of healing, tongues, and prophecyings, disturbed the equanimity of their devout hearts, and their rage rose to the pitch of desperation and blood-guiltiness.

No matter how much men confess, and pray, and sacrifice,--no matter how sincere and conscientious they are in error, if their religion does not lead them to keep the commands and ordinances of the true and living God, their worship is vain and their faith is vain. Except they hearken to the law of God and the testimony of God, there is no light in them. Sincerity is nothing without obedience; both wicked men and devils are sincere in many things which God abhors. A man coming to the forks of four roads might pray months and years to be guided in choice of the right road, but if he would not believe the testimony of the Lord's servant who should tell him the only true road, he would still remain in doubt and fear.

Well, says a very strenuous objector, now to end all controversy, just show us one real genuine miracle, and I will thereupon believe, and be baptized, and for ever after hold my peace. Aye, indeed! a very common sentiment, but a strange one coming from the lips of a professed believer in the Bible. He that is no hypocrite, but a true believer in the Bible, has the explicit promise of God's own word, that miraculous signs _shall_ follow them that _believe_. Now, if they do not follow believers, then God is a liar, and no longer worthy of confidence; but if God is true, and the signs do not follow, then your faith is vain, and will not save from damnation. But, says the objector, miracles were anciently wrought to prove the divine mission of the servants of God. Now prove to me that you are a servant of God, by the attestation of an indisputable miracle, for in apostolic days, even wicked men said, a notable miracle hath been done, and we cannot deny it. Yes, very true, and other wicked men have testified to the same in these days, and sometimes they would deny it, and alternately confess it, according to the spirit that was upon them. Saul, the king, could tell the truth about David at one time, and at another deny it--at one time worship the youthful supplanter, and at another thirst for his blood. Miracles may sometimes have been the occasion of leading persons to believe the word of God, but their prominent design was never in any age of the world to introduce new revelation.

Moses was a believer before God spoke to him in the burning bush. John the Baptist, who introduced the christian dispensation, and was the harbinger of Christ, probably never saw any miracle, except at the descent of the dove, at the baptism of Jesus. "John wrought no miracle." Joseph Smith was a believer before the angel which John and the other prophets spoke of, ever visited him. Miracles may confirm the faith of such believers as have the Holy Ghost confirmed upon them, whereby they are able to distinguish between true and false miracles. To others they often prove a snare and a trap.

While miracles confirmed the Hebrews in the faith of God, miracles also confirmed the Egyptians in the faith of satan. Many who witnessed the miracles of Jesus were as keen for mobocracy and murder as the bloodiest. This parade about miracles, being designed to introduce christianity, and confirm and attest all genuine revelation, is a humbug that has always been started whenever a new revelation was given to man. The pious Jews insisted constantly that the disciples should prove their authority by miracles. It was about the first and last thing that they ever said to Jesus: WORK A MIRACLE! come down from the cross and we will believe. He told them, in language of the keenest rebuke, that they should not be seeking after "signs." He told them that it indicated a wicked and adulterous spirit to ask him to give them miraculous signs. The devil and devout Jews fairly made game of Christ and his disciples, because when they were asked to do miracles they refused. But still the devil, and many ministers and churches, continued to demand signs and miracles, and stormed and raged greatly because these men would never work miracles in a way to satisfy them.

These sagacious and pious adversaries of Jesus were always able to detect some flaw--some cunning artifice or trick of the devil--in whatever Christ or the apostles did (as they said). Now modern divines and churches, taking up this old cudgel against the saints, have even asked Latter-day Saints to drink a cup of poison. Drink it, says one--now drink it, or we will not believe you are sent of God. Aye, now we know you are not sent of God to preach! Forgetting that the first sign-seeker once said, if you are the Son of God, "cast thyself down from this pinnacle, for it is written, that he shall give his angels charge concerning thee."

Now, sir, if irony were admissible on a subject of this nature, I would tauntingly add--how satan did trap this impostor! He drove him into an extremity for pretending to work miracles; didn't he? But I forbear; let him that hath ears to hear, hear what the Spirit saith unto the sign-seekers!

It may seem marvellous to some if I should say that satan can work signs and wonders far surpassing the greatest knowledge of men. The power of satan has probably never been fully exhibited to men on the earth. The grand adversary of heaven and earth has not warred against even the throne of the Eternal God, without acquiring some acquaintance with those powers and keys of knowledge with which he has been baffled by the Almighty from the beginning. If believers had to contend _only_ with flesh and blood, or mere men in mortal flesh, they might rejoice in the hope of a far more speedy victory; but, on the other hand, they have to contend against principalities and powers of a supernatural order. Spirits as much superior in power and cunning to the worst men in the flesh, as the full grown man is to the slender child. Men have acquired some knowledge of the laws that govern fire, air, and water; and some imperfect knowledge of the laws that govern minds, or the spirits of men; but the knowledge of fallen angels and outcast spirits, is sufficient to astonish and confound the wisest of men that are not inspired with the wisdom of God. The satanic powers have always excited the greatest wonders contemporaneous with the wonders wrought by the servants of God. In the days of Moses, and also of Jesus Christ, men were inspired by satan with more than mere human powers; and in this last dispensation, wicked men that yield themselves to become the willing instruments of unrighteousness to the devil, will again acquire skill in cunning and deceivable arts, whereby they will bring down fire from heaven, and confound all those who know not the laws and powers of spirits, and the extensive influence that the prince of the power of the air has over the natural elements. Men who do not need power from God to cast out devils, will find themselves made fast in his chains, beyond the power of extricating themselves. But while the saints have not power of themselves to detect the lying wonders of satan, and withstand them--yet, through faith, and the keys and gifts of revelation from God, they will be able to stand and overcome; and the power of God will be greater than the cunning of the devil. But sign-seekers and the enemy of new revelations will be arraigned under the banner of the father of lies, and believe a lie that they may be damned. Jesus found foul spirits and devils so thick, in his days, that he had occasion frequently to cast them out of persons, and also to empower others to cast out devils. Some instances are recorded where many of these fallen spirits took possession of a single person at one and the same time. No less than seven occupied one female. Now modern christianity must be highly favoured, if they are so much better than primitive saints, that they can escape the annoyance of these multiplied and troublesome spirits.

How is it, sir, that devils do not trouble modern churches, as they did the primitive saints? Are _they_ done away too? Miracles and devils done away! The canon of the scriptures closed! miracles and devils ceased! Happy christianity; thy warfare has ceased,--thy troubles are ended! Blessed rest! Joyful reign of righteousness! As many ways to heaven now, as there are eyelets in a seive! Oh, brother, blush for thy theology, and for the doleful conclusions to which thy creeds have brought thee!

The reign of Satan, for near eighteen hundred years, has almost effaced every relic of Bible truth from the earth. Every thing that is valuable and powerful in the ancient system of prophets is done away, and the devil himself is supposed, by many, to be merely the evil passions of men. But, sir, the devil is not dead nor done away. But the gospel of apostles will rouse him up again; and knowing that his time is short, he will show his spite again on those bodies from which he shall be expelled by the apostolic priesthood, in choking, tearing, and casting them down to the ground. And who shall be able to stand, when deceptive miracles, and lying wonders far greater than have ever been known since the foundation of the world, shall be practised, and deceive many?

Now, sir, before I close this appeal, suffer me to allude to the intolerant and cruel persecution of the Saints, in Illinois. The nineteenth century, and the great republic of the United States of North America, must have the pages of its history blackened with the record of a persecution that classes with the bloody acts of Nero and Caligula. From fifteen to twenty thousand citizens of the United States were forced in an illegal, violent, and inhuman manner to forsake their homes and possessions in the state of Illinois, the greater part of them during the inclemency of the winter of 1846. A large and populous city of eleven thousand and thirty-five souls of men, women, and children, has been compulsorily evacuated, under the dread of inevitable massacre if they persisted to occupy their firesides and homes.

Continued acts of house-burning and mid-day assassinations, and midnight murder, and large gatherings of armed and lawless forces, with heavy pieces of artillery necessitated this numerous people to leave their flourishing city, merchandise, and farms, in the most inclement period of the year, for the purpose of self preservation.

This glaring act of expatriation, robbery, arson, and assassination, was not done in a corner. It did not occur among the barbarous and half civilized portions of the globe. It did not transpire in the dominions of the Ottoman, where the Coran and Islamism must father such inhuman deeds. It was not done in the jungles of Africa, where kidnapping and inhuman enslavement of men have called forth the repudiating censure of all nations. It was not done by clannish wandering Arabs, whose hands are proverbially against every man as a profession. Neither was it done in Papal dominions, or under the despotic sway of the sublime Porte or the autocrat of Russia.