Gospel Themes: A Treatise On Salient Features Of "Mormonism" - free ebook by Orson F. (Orson Ferguson) Whitney

Gospel Themes A Treatise on Salient Features of "MORMONISM"

Written for, and Dedicated to, the High Priests, Seventies and Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints By ELDER ORSON F. WHITNEY Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 1914...

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PREFACE AND DEDICATION.

This little book was written and compiled at the request of the General Priesthood Committee, under the sanction of the First Presidency of the Church, for the use and benefit of the Priesthood Classes, throughout the Stakes and Wards of Zion. The treatise, "Gospel Themes," represents the best effort I could make under the circumstances in which that effort was put forth. Many interruptions occurred, consequent upon the performance of other duties, and I had no opportunity to submit the manuscri

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CHAPTER I.

A Divine Plan for Human Progress. The Gospel Defined. —The English word "Gospel" comes from the Anglo-Saxon "Godspell," or God-story—the story of God. It derives its significance from that great central idea of the Christian faith—the coming of God as the Son of God to redeem and save mankind. The joyful intelligence of the advent of the world's Redeemer, proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds on the Judean hills (Luke 2:10), furnishes another name for the gospel—"good tidings," or, as it is

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CHAPTER II.

Eternal Nature of Gospel Principles. Gospel Code and Fundamentals. —The gospel, as a code or System of laws and ordinances, is a creation, a work of God; but like all other creations it was organized out of materials already existing. "Intelligence or the light of truth was not created or made, neither indeed can be (D&amp;C 93:29). Truth, "eternal, unchanged, evermore"—such is the gospel in its fundamental principles. These were never created. God did not make them; he "instituted" them, re

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CHAPTER III.

The Fall and Redemption. Essentials to Progress. —The story of God embraces the fall as well as the redemption of man. Both these mighty vicissitudes are steps in the march of human progress. The fall was just as necessary as the redemption, in order to make operative and effective the laws and ordinances of the gospel. In other words, the fall prepared the way for the redemption. How could redemption have been, had there been nothing to redeem? Of what use were a gospel of salvation where nothi

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CHAPTER IV.

The Gods in Council. Fore-ordination. —The parts played by Adam and Eve in this sublime tragedy were doubtless cast at the same time that the pre-eminent role was assigned to the Redeemer and Savior. Likewise, is it just as reasonable to infer that other great ones were forechosen for service in the cause of humanity. It is more than an inference; it is a revealed fact. What other meaning can be attached to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah (1:5): "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; a

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CHAPTER V.

Creation of the Earth. Two Creations. —There were two creations—the first spiritual, the second temporal. This truth is taught inferentially in the first and second chapters of Genesis, King James's Translation; but more plainly and pointedly in the Book of Moses, a reproduction of the Book of Genesis, revised and amplified by the spirit of revelation in Joseph the Seer. Here is the modern rendering of the passages bearing directly upon this point: As Related in the Book of Moses. —"And now, beh

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CHAPTER VI.

Elect of Elohim. In solemn council sat the Gods; From Kolob's height supreme, Celestial light blazed forth afar O'er countless kokaubeam; And faintest tinge, the fiery fringe Of that resplendent day, 'Lumined the dark abysmal realm Where earth in chaos lay. Silence. That awful hour was one When thought doth most avail; Of worlds unborn the destiny Hung trembling in the scale. Silence self-spelled, and there arose, Those kings and priests among, A power sublime, than whom appeared None nobler 'mi

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CHAPTER I.

The Law of Obedience. Man Helpless. —When Adam and Eve had transgressed the divine command by partaking of the forbidden fruit, it was as if the human race had fallen into a pit, from which they were powerless, by any act of their own, to emerge. They could not climb out, for they did not know how to climb; and even had they known, there was no means by which to climb. Human endeavor, unassisted, could accomplish nothing in the way of deliverance. Man in his mortal condition needed spiritual enl

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CHAPTER II.

Faith. The First Requirement. —Faith, however, not repentance, is the first requirement. The probable reason why Peter omitted to mention faith at that time, was because he perceived that the multitude already had faith, already believed what he had told them of the crucified Redeemer. Had it been otherwise, they would not have been "pricked in their heart." and would not have anxiously inquired, "What shall we do?" Belief was the first requirement made by the Savior, through his chosen twelve,

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CHAPTER III.

Faith, Continued. Faith Founded on Evidence. —The second of the Lectures on Faith is a discussion of the object upon which faith should rest; that object being God, the evidences of whose existence, as the foundation of all rational belief, are abundantly shown. Lecture Third contains these paragraphs, pertinent to the point now raised: Essentials for a Perfect Faith. —"Three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.

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CHAPTER IV.

Repentance. The First Fruit of Faith. —The first fruit of faith is repentance. Repentance follows faith as naturally as kindness follows love, as obedience springs from reverence, as a desire to be congenial with, succeeds admiration for, one whose example is deemed worthy of emulation. God commands all men everywhere to repent. A desire to please him and become acceptable in his sight, leads the soul of faith of repentance. A Gift from God. —No repentance is possible, however, without the Spiri

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CHAPTER V.

Water and Spirit Birth. The Initial Ceremony. —As faith is the first principle of the gospel of Christ, so baptism is the initial ceremony. Baptism is twofold, corresponding to the soul, its subject, which is both spiritual and temporal. It signifies for that soul rebirth and illumination. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:3,5). So said the King of that kingdom, the on

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CHAPTER VI.

Purpose and Effects of Baptism. For the Remission of Sins. —Baptism is the divinely instituted process by which sins, when truly repented of, are remitted; that is, forgiven and washed away. All men have sinned; and in order to bring them back into his pure presence, where nothing sinful can come, it is necessary that they first be cleansed from sin. Water baptism is the beginning of the cleansing process. Means and Accessories. —Water, of itself, cannot, of course, wash away sin. It was not wat

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CHAPTER VII.

Mode and Meaning of Baptism. Use of the Figurative. —When Jesus told Nicodemus that a man must be born again—born of water and of the Spirit—he virtually declared the meaning of the ordinance and prescribed the mode of its administration. Our Savior was not a mere rhetorician, ornamenting his speech for the mere sake of ornament. A true son of the Orient, naturally given to the use of figurative language, he was not a flourisher of phrases, a flaunter of vain show. His parables are poems, but th

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CHAPTER I.

Divine Authority. "Priest" Defined. —The English word "Priest" is generally derived from the New Testament term "presbyter" (Elder), which means "to preside." Aristotle's definition of "Priest" is, "presiding over things relating to the gods." Similar to this is Paul's understanding of the term, as expressed in Heb. 5:1: "Every high priest taken from among men is constituted on the behalf of men, with respect to their concerns with God, that he may present both gifts and sacrifices for sins." In

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CHAPTER II.

Divine Authority, Continued. A Twofold Power. —In an article on Priesthood, prepared by the Prophet Joseph Smith, and read at a conference of the Church in Nauvoo, Illinois, October, 1840, the following sentences occur: "There are two Priesthoods spoken of in the scripture, viz., the Melchizedek and the Aaronic or Levitical. Although there are two Priesthoods, yet the Melchizedek Priesthood comprehends the Aaronic or Levitical Priesthood, and is the grand head, and holds the highest authority wh

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CHAPTER III.

The Church Organization. An Incomparable System. —The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is conceded to be an almost perfect system, even by men outside its pale. Such a one has said of it: "It is the most perfect organization in existence, except the German army." The eulogy involves an anticlimax—as if one were to affirm: The sun is the brightest luminary in the heavens—except the moon. The German army represents, perhaps, the quintessence of human military wisdom: but like the moon,

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CHAPTER I.

Introductory One Plan of Salvation. —As there is but one Savior, so is there but one plan of salvation. There never was, and there never can be, another "I marvel," wrote Paul to the back-sliding Galatians, "that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we ha

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CHAPTER II.

The Adamic Period Adam Holds the Keys. —The Prophet Joseph Smith treats thus the theme of the Gospel dispensations: "Commencing with Adam, who was the first man, * * * the first and father of all, not only by progeny, but the first to hold the spiritual blessings, to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the salvation of his posterity unto the end, and to whom Christ was first revealed, and through whom Christ has been revealed from heaven, and will continue to be revealed from hencefor

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CHAPTER III.

Enoch and Zion "The Seventh from Adam." —Enoch was contemporaneous with Adam, and was ordained and blessed by him (D&amp;C 107:48). The period in which Enoch figured was prolific of wonderful events, but the two standing out most prominently are: (1) The successful practice of the law of consecration, resulting in the founding of Zion, the City of Holiness, which was taken into heaven by translation. (2) Enoch's vision of the future—past Noah and the deluge, past Christ and the crucifixion,

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CHAPTER IV.

Noah and the Deluge The Son of Lamech. —Noah was the son of Lamech, who was a grandson of Enoch, and after him "the next great grand patriarch who held the keys of the priesthood." Lamech was ordained under the hand of Seth, the third son of Adam, who received from his father a blessing similar to the one afterwards pronounced upon Abraham, to the effect that his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord. Seth seems to have succeeded to the position held by Abel, whom Cain slew (Gen. 4:25). He

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CHAPTER V.

Abraham The House of Israel. —The Abrahamic period was signalized by the founding of the house of Israel, of which Abraham is the earthly head; Christ, or Jehovah, the God of Israel, being its heavenly head. This house was established upon the earth that the Savior of the world might have a fitting lineage through which to come, and that the Lord might have a worthy people through whom to promote his wise and benevolent purposes toward the whole human family. The Israelitish subject is reserved

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CHAPTER VI.

Moses and Aaron "The sons of Moses, and also the sons of Aaron shall offer an acceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord, which house shall be built unto the Lord in this generation, upon the consecrated spot, as I [the Lord] have appointed; "And the sons of Moses and of Aaron shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, upon Mount Zion in the Lord's house, whose sons are ye; and also many whom I have called and sent forth to build up my church; "For whoso is faithful unto the obt

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CHAPTER VII.

The Lamb of God A stranger Star that came from far To fling its silver ray Where, cradled in a lowly cave, A lowlier Infant lay; And led by soft sidereal light, The Orient sages bring Rare gifts of gold and frankincense, To greet the homeless King. O wondrous grace! Will Gods go down Thus low that men may rise? Imprisoned here the Mighty One, Who reigned in yonder skies? Hark to that chime!—What tongue sublime Now tells the hour of noon? O dying world, art welcoming Life's life—Light's sun and m

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CHAPTER VIII.

Dawn of the Last Dispensation THE MESSENGER OF MORN. Wake, slumbering world! Vain dreamer, dream no more! The shadows lift, and o'er night's dusky beach Ripple the white waves of morn. Awake! Arise! Ocean of dispensations—rivers, rills, Roll to your source! End, to thine origin! And Israel, to the rock whence ye were hewn! For He that scattered, gathereth his flock, His ancient flock, and plants their pilgrim feet On Joseph's mountain top and Judah's plains; Recalls the Children of the Covenant

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CHAPTER I.

A Chosen People. History and Destiny. —"He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock." In these words of Jeremiah the Prophet, are summarized the past and future, the history and destiny, of God's chosen people; a people from whom the Latter-day Saints claim lineal descent. "Prince of God." —The name "Israel" means "Prince of God," and is first used in the Scriptures as the surname of Jacob, grandson of Abraham, and father of the twelve patriarchs, from who

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CHAPTER II.

Israel's Mission. Privileges and Requirements. —It was intended that the children of Israel should have "room to dwell;" and it was of the utmost consequence that they should have. They were to be the oracles of God, the custodians and dispensers of heavenly wisdom. Upon them devolved the high duty of keeping alive on faith's altar the fire of divine truth. They were not to worship idols, as did the heathen nations around them, but were to worship the true God, the invisible Jehovah, "walking by

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CHAPTER III.

To the Ends of the Earth. A Decadent Empire. —Joshua, succeeding Moses as the leader of Israel, conquered the land of Canaan and divided it among the twelve tribes. Then followed the reigns of the Judges, during which period Israel began to depart from God, and to invite, by rebellious conduct, the national calamity that had been predicted. The glories of the monarchy founded by Saul, David and Solomon being past, the curse, long suspended, fell, and the Israelitish empire hastened to its decay.

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CHAPTER IV.

The Call of the Shepherd. "Come out of her, my people."—(Rev. 18:4.) All in Christ. —The Savior's personal visits to the various branches of the house of Israel were preliminary to a general gathering of the sheep into one fold, with himself as the Shepherd over all. The prophets who predicted the dispersion, likewise foretold the return of God's people to their own lands, after "the times of the Gentiles" should be fulfiled. It was to be in the latter days, when God has purposed to "gather toge

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CHAPTER V.

The Author to the Reader. And now, a word to the brethren—particularly the young brethren—who will read this book. I have endeavored to impress upon you the relationship that you bear to heaven and to earth, the duty that you owe to God and to your fellow men. You are among the chosen spirits that constitute the house of Israel. You are of the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and consequently lawful heirs to all the promises made to your great progenitors. You are of Ephraim, most of you—Ephra

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