Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon". Ben. E. Rich
who cannot understand its significance, and who already belong to the kingdom of heaven.
"We have now examined three of the fundamental principles of the gospel of salvation. There is one more that I wish to touch upon, after which we will discuss a subject that is of more interest to you, perhaps, than any of these. The principle which I wish to speak of now, is the gift of the Holy Ghost, which in olden times always followed the embracing of the principles we have discussed, and when once received brought with it some of the gifts of the gospel. When the first sermon was delivered after the crucifixion of Christ, at the time when the apostles were endowed with power from on high, a multitude of people were pricked in their hearts, and asked Peter and the rest of the apostles what they should do. Peter undertook to answer this all-important question, and so far as authority to do so was concerned, we must admit that he, of all men at that peculiar time, was fully capable, for he was in possession of the keys of the kingdom of God bestowed upon him by Christ Himself. He was the chief apostle and, with his brethren, had been endowed with power from above. Therefore, he, more than any minister of our day, occupied a place that enabled him to answer correctly, and with authority."
"You are stating the case properly, but what did he tell them?" queried the interested man of law.
"His answer is found in the second chapter of Acts, beginning with the 38th verse. You will observe that as soon as he discovered that they had faith, he immediately taught them repentance, then baptism for the remission of sins, and followed these doctrines with a promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost.
"Yes, commencing at the verse mentioned it says: 'Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.'"
"But how were they to receive the Holy Ghost?"
"By the laying on of hands. When Peter went down into Samaria for the purpose of bestowing this gift on those whom Philip had baptized, he did it by the laying on of hands. (Acts viii: 17.) Ananias conferred it upon Paul in the same manner (Acts ix: 17), and Paul did the same in the case of those who were baptized at Ephesus (Acts xix: 2–6); and when people received this birth of the Spirit (John iii: 5), they also received the promised blessings; they were entitled to the signs which He promised would follow; for said He, 'These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.' (Mark xvi: 17, 18.) We have now discovered the conditions: faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, with the promise of Christ that the signs will follow. Can you tell me now, which of all these different denominations has the gospel of Jesus Christ? Or as Wesley has questioned in one of his hymns which we may with profit quote in full: 'Show me where true Christians live.'"
"Happy the souls that first believ'd,
To Jesus and each other cleav'd,
Joined by the unction from above,
In mystic fellowship of love.
"Meek, simple foll'wers of the Lamb,
They liv'd, and spake, and thought the same;
They joyfully conspir'd to raise
Their ceaseless sacrifice of praise.
"With grace abundantly endued,
A pure believing multitude;
They all were of one heart and soul,
And only love inspir'd the whole.
"Oh, what an age of golden days!
Oh, what a choice, peculiar race!
Wash'd in the Lamb's all-cleansing blood,
Anointed kings and priests to God.
"Where shall I wander now to find
Successors they have left behind?
The faithful, whom I seek in vain,
Are 'minish'd from the sons of men.
"Ye diff'rent sects, who all declare,
'Lo, here is Christ,' or 'Christ is there!'
Your stronger proofs divinely give,
And show me where true Christians live."
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