Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 4/The Gospel. No. IV.

THE GOSPEL. No. IV.

Continued from page 39. 

There never ought to be a dispute in the world about what the gospel is among those who profess a belief in the bible; for if it is not told in the scriptures plainly, and without leaving it a matter of contention, the bible is not a safe guide, neither could any thinking man trust his salvation on its teachings, unless they were easily understood: for if the gospel is designed for the salvation of all men, it certainly ought to be very plain; for there are a great many in the world who cannot understand any thing, unless it is very plain and easy of understanding. There is no subject ever addressed to the understanding of man, that needs to be so plain and easy of comprehension as the gospel, if we may credit the persons who have promulged [promulgated] it. They profess to have had a commission to proclaim it to every creature in all the world.—In taking so wide a range, there would be many persons of very weak capacities, who are not able to understand but very little, and that little must be exceedingly plain, or else they would not be able to understand it. There is no person who will suffer his mind to reflect on the nature and design of the gospel, but will be led to see that it must be the plainest of all messages; for it was to effect every creature in all the world; and if so, it must be suited to their capacities to make it a scheme of mercy and benevolence; for if they could not understand it, it would be worse than folly to present it to them.

This is one reason why so few, either believe or embrace it. It is too simple and foolish, according to their estimation, to be of any consequence to them. It was so considered in the days of the apostles who immediately followed the Savior; and to such an extent did this feeling prevail, that an apostle said, if a man would be wise he must become a fool: that is, to be wise, he must believe and practice those things which the world consider the most perfect foolishness, and too simple and degrading, to be believed, by any rational being. And yet, notwithstanding its foolishness and simplicity, it had power to save them that believed; for says the apostle, the, or in other words, this foolishness of God, is wiser than men, and this weakness of God is stronger than men: "For when, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe." 1st. Corinthians 1st. chap. Or, by the foolishness of the gospel which he proclaimed, to save those that the world with all its wisdom, could not save: for after all the wise men of the world had said, or could say, and all the wisdom they had or could get, with it all, they could not know God. But the apostle, with the foolishness of his preaching, could make men acquainted with God. From what is said on this subject in the new testament, we can see that such was the contempt in which the gospel was held in that age of the world, that a man of talents or understanding to profess to believe it & receive it, was to expose himself to the certain contempt of the wise ones, so colled [called]-to expose himself to their bitterest feelings and severest contempt; even to so great an extent did those feelings prevail, until they that killed them thought they were doing God service; John 16:16. doubtless thinking that they were knaves and rascals, and not fit to live. Such were the feelings which existed in the minds of the people, in the days of Paul, Peter, John, and James, in relation to the gospel which they preached, and such are the feelings which prevail now, both concerning the gospel and those who receive it.

Since the coming forth of the everlasting gospel, contained in the book of Mormon, the very same feelings prevail among the would be wise ones.—It is called a "simple and a foolish mess!" too simple to be believed or received by any person of sense: And every man of that description in the estimation of the world, must be a knave, say they; for surely they know better: for any person of a spark of sense, must know that it is an imposition.—But notwithstanding all this tumult of words and great exertions, the persons who embrace it in sincerity and truth, learn, as the saints of former years, that it has power to save; and that the foolishness of God is wiser than man, and the weakness of God stronger than men: God saves them that believe:—And as this last proclamation has the same effect on the enemies of God in these days, as the former proclamation had in the former days, so this last proclamation has the same effect on those who receive it, as the former had on those who received it, and the same fruit follows. They receive the same spirit, and that spirit brings forth the same fruit, at one age, that it did at another; and the same gospel will always secure the same blessings to those who receive it.

Upon this subject there appears to be something very strange to me, in the world; it is this: all men who believe, or who profess to believe, in the gospel, say that as far as the gospel proposes eternal blessings, they will be enjoyed by all who receive it, but as to the blessings proposed to be enjoyed by the saints in the flesh, these are limited to a few individuals, or a few individual churches. The fruits of the spirit which were brought forth in former days, notwithstanding they were the effects of receiving the gospel, were limited to a small period of the world; fot [for] though men receive the same gospel, now, yet these fruits have ceased; but still the eternal blessings are the same: they will all get to the same heaven and rejoice in the same glory. It matters not how much they may differ in this world, they will be all alike there.

The great query with me is this, how can the gospel still have power to save in the kingdom of glory, since it has lost its power on earth? Those who were saved by it in former days, and made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, were made partakers of its power on earth, and we have no account of its saving any in the heavenly kingdom, only those who were made partakers of its power on earth. But according to the opinions of the world, it has lost its power on earth, but still retains power sufficient to save men in the everlasting kingdom—this may be, but I must confess I have serious doubts about it, and should not be surprised if it should be found, that those who never receive its power on earth, should likewise fail of its glory in eternity.