Outlines of Ecclesiastical History. B. H. Roberts

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СКАЧАТЬ and prophets, seventies, and elders, bishops and teachers and deacons be needed; and since the kinds of work enumerated in the foregoing will always be necessary, we reach the conclusion that the Church organization as established by the apostles was designed to be perpetual. (See note 5, end of section).

      24. Officers of the Church to be Divinely Appointed.—Moreover it is apparent that these officers of the church were called of God. Concerning the apostles Jesus said: "Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you, and ordained you that ye may bring forth fruit."^[137] When seven men were chosen to look after the poor and minister to them they set them before the apostles, who, when they had prayed, laid their hands upon them and ordained them to their calling.^[138]

      25. So in the case of Paul. It was not enough that he saw and spoke with Messiah, for afterwards when the Lord would have him engage in the work of preaching the gospel and administering in the ordinances thereof, the Holy Ghost said unto certain prophets at Antioch,

      Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.^[139]

      26. Furthermore, as Paul went about confirming the souls of saints, he ordained elders in every church.^[140] He did not suffer men to take the authority on themselves to minister in the things of God; but warned the saints against such characters. "Take heed unto yourselves," said he to the elders of Ephesus, "and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the flock of God * * * For I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous wolves enter in, not sparing the flock. And of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."^[141]

      27. The general law of the church is expressed in the following:

      Every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. * * * And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron.^[142]

      The manner in which Aaron was called to the priest's office is recorded in the writings of Moses as follows: The word of the Lord came to that prophet saying:

      Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him from among the children of Israel that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazer and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.^[143]

      28. It may be objected that this was the law relating to the calling of high priests alone, but if high priests were to be called in this manner, is it not reasonable to conclude that all who administer in things "pertaining to God" must be called in the same manner—that is, of God? So far as the scriptures are concerned, and on subjects of this character their authority is conclusive, wherever we have an account of men administering in the things pertaining to God, and their administrations are accepted of him, they have either been called directly by revelation from him, or through inspiration in those who already had authority from God to act in his name; and to be called by a legitimate, divinely established authority is to be called of God. (See note 6, end of section).

      29. The Church on the Western Hemisphere.—The Book of Mormon is no more explicit in its description of the church organization than the New Testament. This is owing to the fact that the Book of Mormon is but an abridgement of the Nephite annals, and we are informed by Mormon, who made the abridgement, that not an hundredth part of the things which Jesus taught to the Nephites could be recorded in his abridged record—hence the meagre description of the church organization.^[144] From Mormon's abridged account of Messiah's visit and labors among the Nephites, however, it appears that Jesus chose from among the faithful men who believed on him, twelve apostles,^[145] unto whom he gave power to preach repentance, baptize for remission of sins,^[146] lay on hands for the Holy Ghost,^[147] and organize the Church.^[148] But the details of this work are not given. It is evident, however, that the twelve disciples ordained subordinate officers, since Moroni informs us of the manner in which they ordained priests and teachers; ^[149] and he also refers to the office of elders.^[150]

      30. Thus in the Book of Mormon, as in the New Testament, may be seen only the faint outlines of the organization, the church of Christ. A full description of it, together with the callings and authority of the respective officers and persons of which it is composed, will be reserved for Part IV of this work.

      31. The acceptance of the gospel by the Nephites was followed by the same results as when accepted by the Jews and Gentiles of the eastern hemisphere. The sick were healed, the dead were raised, the lame walked, the deaf heard, and the blind received their sight. Peace, love, sobriety, justice and an absence of greed and pride characterized the conduct of the saints of the western hemisphere; and here, too, they had "all things common among them, therefore they were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gifts."^[151]

      NOTES.

      1. The Redemption Unconditional.—We believe that through the sufferings, death and atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind without one exception, are to be completely and fully redeemed, both body and spirit, from the endless banishment and curse to which they were consigned by Adam's transgression; and that this universal salvation and redemption of the whole human family from the endless penalty of the original sin, is effected without any conditions whatsoever on their part; that is, that they are not required to believe or repent, or be baptized, or do anything else, in order to be redeemed from that penalty; for whether they believe or disbelieve, whether they repent or remain impenitent, whether they are baptized or unbaptized, whether they keep the commandments or break them, whether they are righteous or unrighteous, it will make no difference in relation to their redemption, both soul and body, from the penalty of Adam's transgression. The most righteous man that ever lived on the earth, and the most wicked wretch of the whole human family, were both placed under the same curse without any transgression or agency of their own, and they both alike will be redeemed from that curse, without any agency or conditions on their part.—"Remarkable Visions"—Orson Pratt.

      2. The Atonement Universal in its Application.—Transgression of the law brought death upon all the posterity of Adam, the restoration through the atonement restored all the human family to life. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." So that whatever was lost by Adam was restored by Jesus Christ. The penalty of the transgression of the law was the death of the body. The atonement made by Jesus Christ resulted in the resurrection of the human body. Its scope embraced all peoples, nations and tongues.

      For all my Lord was crucified,

       For all, for all my Savior died.

      —"Mediation and Atonement"—John Taylor.

      3. The Atonement a Mystery.—As stated elsewhere, in some mysterious, incomprehensible way, Jesus assumed the responsibility which naturally would have devolved upon Adam; but which could only be accomplished through the mediation of himself, and by taking upon himself their sorrows, assuming their responsibilities and bearing their transgressions or sins. In a manner incomprehensible and inexplicable, he bore the weight of the sins of the whole world; not only of Adam, but of his posterity; and in doing that, opened the kingdom of heaven, not only to all believers and all who obeyed the law of God, but to more than one-half of the human family who died before they came to years of maturity, as well as to the heathen, who having died without law, will through his mediation be resurrected without law, and be judged without law, and thus participate according to their capacity, works and worth, in the blessings of his atonement.—"Mediation СКАЧАТЬ