The Evening and The Morning Star/2/23

The Evening and The Morning Star
Volume 2, Number 23

Source document in Mormon Publications: 19th and 20th Centuries online archive: The Evening and The Morning Star Vol. 1-2

Note: Some headings and bracketed texts are editorial and not part of the original text.

THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR
Vol. 2.	Kirtland, Ohio. August, 1834	No. 23.

COMMUNICATIONS.

Millenium. NO. VIII.

[Continued from our last.]

Having seen from the clearest possible evidence, that the world at the time of the Savior's second advent will be in a state of apostasy, if we can credit the testimony of the Savior, of the prophets and apostles, let us compare the people of the apostasy, with the pure saints of God, and the societies of the last days, with the societies which were built by the immediate direction of the inspired men whom God sent into the world for the purpose of building up his kingdom; and in order to get the subject fairly before us, let us take a view of the kingdom of God or of heaven, as established among men. In the 21st chapt. of Matthew and 43rd verse, the Savior says to the Jews, "Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." From this declaration of the Savior, we learn two things. First, that the Jews had the kingdom of heaven among them. Second, that they did not at that time bring forth the fruits of that kingdom. God by the mouth of Moses had promised to the Jews that if they would obey his voice and keep his covenant that they should be unto him a kingdom of priests, a peculiar treasure above all people; (see Ex. 19 chapter, 5 and 6 verses;) but notwithstanding this promise, the Jews broke the covenant, and did not obey the voice of the Lord; but corrupted and defiled the kingdom of heaven so exceedingly, that in the days of the Savior, he said it should be taken from them and be given to another people, that the fruits thereof might be brought forth. We are told by the Psalmist David, that so completely did the Jews corrupt the kingdom of God which was among them, that there was none of them doing good, no, not so much as one: they had all gone out of the way and become unprofitable together. See the 14 ps. [Psalms] 2 and 3 verses: also Rom. 3 chapter, from the 10 to the 18 verse. Thus the Jews had corrupted themselves so exceedingly as that all of them had got out of the way, and were considered transgressors before God, and at last became ripe for destruction, and the wrath of God came on them to the very uttermost; the kingdom of God was taken from them, and given to another people, and for the best of all reasons, because they did not bring forth the fruits thereof, and were unworthy to enjoy it.

In order therefore to see from whence the Jews had fallen, let us inquire a little, what are the fruits of the kingdom of heaven, and what was the former condition of the Jews before they had rendered themselves unworthy of the divine favor?

Paul says that the kingdom of God is not meet and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Rom. 14 chapt. 17 verse.-As the kingdom of heaven is a distinct empire of its own, the subjects of it have privileges which belong to none other: this was the case with the Jews before their great apostasy: they were distinguished from all other people. When the Jews were first organized, they were all under the same order of things; their worship the same; the same priest or teacher taught them all; the same prophet prophesied to them all; they worshiped [worshipped] at the same temple; offered sacrifices on the same altar; the same Law-giver directed them all; they all prayed for the same things, with every man's face toward the same temple. At the times for their great feasts, they all met at the same place and enjoyed their festivities together; among them there was one prophet, one priest, one temple, one altar, one Law-giver, one hope of their calling, one God and Father of them all, who was through them all, and over them all, and in them all, and round about them all; whose glory shone in their temple; whose grace enlightened their minds; whose power guarded their persons, and defended their lands, and whose wisdom guided them by night and by day. The order of things which God established among that people, when attended to, would silence every cavil, allay every contention, put an end to all strife, and bring them to be of one heart and of one mind, seeing eye to eye, having but one desire: in a word, it would have made them one. Such was the real tendency of the kingdom of heaven established among the Jews, and as long as they continued in this order, the fruits of the kingdom were manifest-it brought forth prophets and prophetesses, and a host of inspired men and women; they received revelation upon revelation, instruction after instruction-the angels of heaven ministered unto them, and the power of God was exerted in their behalf. Their prophets could tell what their enemies were doing in their bed chambers-all things were revealed unto them that they were willing to receive, and there was nothing withheld from them that they would receive. Such were the fruits of the kingdom, as established among the Jews; and may we not ask where is the kingdom of heaven and take these fruits away? or were not these the fruits of the kingdom of heaven? Surely every person in the least degree acquainted with the kingdom of heaven as revealed in the scriptures, knows that these fruits are found no where else but in the kingdom of heaven? And who does not know, that if these fruits had continued with the Jews, that they would have continued until this day as the people of God? for who could have overthrown them? for if God was for them, who could be against them? Every thinking man must see, that if the Jews had continued to bring forth the fruits of the kingdom of heaven, that it never would (nay could) have been taken from them; for God could not fight against himself; his power was pledged to them while they obeyed his voice and kept his covenant; it was only therefore their ceasing to bring forth the fruits of the kingdom, that could overthrow them; for where the power, the wisdom, and the presence of God is, there is safety, there is salvation, & there is deliverance-the kings of the earth may set themselves, and the rulers take counsel, the heathen may rage and the people imagine a vain thing, but it is all unavailing, for where the fruits of the kingdom of heaven are, there no power, nor combination of powers can prevail, for God is there. Had the Jews therefore continued to brought forth the fruits of the kingdom of heaven, it never would have been said to them. "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." But when they ceased to bring forth the fruits of the kingdom, God said it should be taken from them.

The apostle Peter in his 2nd epistle, 2nd chapter and 1st verse, traces this apostasy of the Jews to its proper ultimatum, that is, "to deny the Lord that bought them." Let us inquire a little what a people must do, in order to deny the Lord that bought them? No people could deny the Lord that bought them, who continued to receive the messengers that he sent unto them; for if they received them, they received him who sent them, this was the Savior's maxim. See Mat. 10th chapter 40th verse. But whenever they rejected the messengers God sent unto them, they rejected him; when they denied them, they denied him. Hence came the Savior's complaint against the Jews, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickings [chickens] under her wings, and ye would not. Behold your house is left unto you desolate:" see Matthew, 23rd chapter, 37th and 38th verses. Let the reader notice particularly, that the Savior says, if they had not killed the prophets and stoned them that he sent unto them, he would have gathered them as a hen gathereth her chickings [chickens] under her wings; but in consequence of their having rejected them, they could not be gathered, consequently, "their house was left unto them desolate." In the 34th and 35th verses of this same chapter, the Savior says, "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, to the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias whom ye slew between the temple and the altar." Who can read and not see, that in rejecting the messengers whom God sends unto a people, they reject him, and bring upon their own heads the wrath of heaven? for in so doing they refuse the teachings of heaven, and reject his counsel, and thereby deny the Lord that bought them, and bring upon their own heads swift destruction. Second Peter, second chapter, and second verse.

This was the situation of the Jews when the Savior said unto them: "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Instead of their being of one heart, and of one mind, receiving and rejoicing in the messengers whom God sent unto them for their edification and benefit, they killed some, and stoned others, and refused-utterly refused, to have an inspired man among them! And instead of their being united in one society, they were broken up into parties and sects, or heresies, which is the same thing. They were Pharisees, Sadducees, & Herodians, with a multitude of other parties & sects, or heresies. Instead of prophets and prophetesses, they had lawyers, doctors, and rabbis; & instead of the pure word of God, they had got the traditions of the elders, and of the fathers, tracts, homilies, &c. &c. And in consequence of these things, the power of God had withdrawn from them, and they were left in darkness to grope their way to destruction; fulfilling the declarations of the Psalmist, that there was none doing good no not one: for though they had much religion, and many, yea, very many societies, still there was not one of them organized according to the order of things established among their fathers by the inspiration of heaven: they had many teachers, but they were all of their own making; for a messenger that God sent, they would not have: them they would stone and kill.

If any rational being will only take the pains to compare the state of the Jews, in the days of the Savior, with their state and condition as organized by Moses through the inspiration of heaven, he cannot but see the force of the Savior's declaration, that the kingdom of God should be taken from them, and be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Behold them with their prophets, their prophetesses, their judges, their counsellors [counselors], their seers, their revelators, with their one temple, and their one altar; the harmony of their worship, the regular order of their priests, their lips keeping knowledge, & the people receiving the law at their mouth, & to crown

177

________________________________________

the whole glory, the ministering of angels, and the power of God with them and round about them, with miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, I say, let any man contemplate these natural fruits of the kingdom of heaven, and behold what the kingdom of heaven is, when it is not corrupted and defiled, and then compare it with the state of the Jews in the days of the Savior, with their Pharisees, their Sadducees, their Herodians, their lawyers their doctors, their rabbis, their strifes, their contentions, their traditions & their heresies; the power of God having fled from them, his glory ceased to over shadow them, and his angels to minister to them! I say, let any rational being but for a moment view it, and he would exclaim with the Psalmist "There are none of them doing good, no, not one."

Having taken a brief view of the kingdom of heaven among the Jews, both in its pure, as well as corrupt state, let us look at it in the hands of the Gentiles, to whom it was given after it was taken from the Jews.

We have previously seen that it was to be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, after it was taken from the Jews. The query is this, did the Gentiles, after they had received the kingdom, bring forth the fruits of that kingdom? and if so, what were the fruits which they brought forth? We have seen that the Jews, before they corrupted the kingdom, brought forth a fruit that was among no other people, even that of inspiration, revelation, miracles, &c. and when that kind of fruit was not found among them, the kingdom was taken from them, and they were condemned to destruction, and this reason assigned, that they did not bring forth the fruit of that kingdom.

Let us follow the apostles, and see the fruit that the Gentiles brought forth, when the kingdom was transferred from among the Jews to them, and we shall see that they brought forth the same kind of fruit the Jews did, before the kingdom was corrupted in their hands, even a host of inspired men and women-prophets & prophetesses, healings, miracles, and the gifts of the Holy Ghost, not only in one church, but in all the churches. The apostle Paul thanked God that the church of Corinth came behind in no gift. 1st Corinthians, 1st chapter, from 4th to 8th verse. "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Now, if the church at Corinth came behind in no gift, they must have had all the spiritual gifts ever given to any people, or else they would have come behind in some gift. The same apostle says to the Ephesians, 1st chapter, and 3rd verse, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." Notice here, that the apostle says that they were blessed with ALL spiritual blessings, if so, they also came behind in no gift. Peter, in his 2nd epistle, 1st chapter, 2nd and 3rd verses, says, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of him who hath called us to glory and virtue." Mark, that the apostle says here, that ALL things were given unto them that pertain to life and godliness, and if ALL things that pertain to life and godliness were given unto them, they were behind in no gift; for spiritual gifts are among the "ALL things which pertain to life and godliness." But in the 12th chapter, of the 1st epistle to the Corinthians, these spiritual gifts are enumerated and described. The chapter is too lengthy for insertion here, but let the reader peruse it, and he will there see what the apostle meant by the "ALL things which pertain to life and godliness;" the "ALL spiritual blessings" with which the Ephesians were blessed; and the gifts in which the Corinthians had come "behind in none."

If we can credit these testimonies of the apostles, the case is a very clear one, that the Gentiles, when they received the kingdom of heaven, brought forth the fruits thereof; and that the Jews, previous to the time the kingdom was taken from them, had ceased to bring forth the fruits of the kingdom.-We have seen that the Jews, when the kingdom was given to them, at the first, brought forth a fruit which in latter times they did not bring forth, and that the Gentiles, when they received the kingdom, brought forth the same fruit that the Jews did at first, before they transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, and broke the everlasting covenant: that is, a host of inspired men-apostles, prophets and prophetesses, evangelists, pastors, teachers, healings, gifts, miracles, &c. &c. So it was with the Jews at the first-there were prophets, prophetesses, revelators, seers, healings, gifts, miracles, &c. Who that will look at this subject with any candor, but must see and understand what the fruit of the kingdom of heaven is? for this is fruit which is peculiar to the kingdom of heaven, and to be found no where else but there. Who then will say, that we hazard much in saying, that where these fruits are not found, whether among Jews, or Gentiles, that people are not in favor with God? Let them have what else they may, if they lack these, it is proof direct, that they are in a state of apostasy; for if God (as the Savior testifies) took the kingdom from the Jews because they did not bring forth these fruits, and devoted them to destruction, can he save, redeem and acknowledge another people who are as destitute of these fruits as the Jews were when the kingdom was taken from them? I answer no; unless he is both partial, and a respecter of persons.

We have seen from the most incontrovertible evidence, what the fruits of the kingdom of heaven were, both among the Jews and Gentiles, and what a people must bring forth in order to bring forth the fruits of that kingdom; and as well might a people try to be saved by another gospel, as to palm any thing else upon God for the fruits of his kingdom. In the 11th chapter to the Romans, Paul gives the reason why the Jews did not bring forth these fruits. He says it was because of unbelief, see the 19th and 20th verses "Thou wilt say then, [notice reader that he is speaking to the Gentiles, to whom the kingdom had been given, after it was taken from the Jews] the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded but fear." Notice that the apostle says, that the Jews were cut off because of unbelief. The Savior says that the kingdom was taken from them because they did not bring forth the fruits of it. Now put them both together, and the matter stands thus: If the Jews had not fallen into unbelief but had continued in faith, they would continued to brought forth the fruits of the kingdom; and if they had continued to bring forth the fruits of the kingdom, they would not have been cut off; but when they fell into unbelief, and lost their faith, they ceased to bring forth the fruits of the kingdom, and were in consequence thereof cut off. This must put the subject forever at rest, in every candid mind, and we plainly see that without faith, the Jews could not bring forth the fruits of the kingdom of heaven, that if there were prophesyings, healings, and miracles among them, it was done by their faith, and that whenever they lost their faith these things ceased among them, and they were cut off, and the kingdom of heaven taken from them.

TO BE CONTINUED.

FAITH OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN THESE LAST DAYS. NO. VI.

[Continued from our last.]

An honest man, who has one correct view of the divine character, must believe, that there will be a consistency in all the proceedings of God in relation to his creatures, that his dealings will be in righteousness, without partiality, or hypocrisy, that when he comes to judge the world, his righteousness will shine as the heavens, and his glory as the noon day, so that every mouth will be stopped, every tongue stilled, and all creation acknowledge in the equity of the divine proceedings. But no sooner does a man admit these facts, than he sees the folly and weakness of the sectarians of this generation, yea, of all of them, for there is no exception, neither is there a difference; for they come short of the glory of God; nor has one of their societies ever reached the point of perfection, which entitles them to the promises of God. If the bible is to be our guide in matters of religion, and if the world is in any way to be judged by it, or if it has any thing to do with the future destinies of men; the question is forever settled, that this generation of sectarians is in a state of apostasy, every one of them, of all sects and parties, in all the world, and are ripening for destruction, both here and hereafter; for there is no rule of judging laid down in the bible which will not condemn them: neither is there any thing said in the bible which does not go to show plainly, that God never approved of them: all the admonitions and instructions given to the saints in all the revelations of God, extant, proves to a demonstration, that the sectarians of the nineteenth century, and the saints of God are so little like each other, that the same system of teaching is in no respect suited to them both: indeed nearly all the use the bible is to the sectarians of this generation is, that they claim to themselves the promises which were in former days given to the saints, entirely regardless of the way the saints obtained them, and also of the principle on which they were given to them. For instance, they (the sectarians) read what is said to the Romans, 8th chapter, 35th verse, and onward, where the apostle says in writing to that church: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (As it is written; for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter?) Nay, in all things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angles, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," and when they read, they exult greatly that they cannot be separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, as though the apostle had spoken, or written these things to them; or, as though they had a right to claim them and call them their own. They never seem to consider the great difference there is between them and the saints at Rome; for a small degree of attention must convince the most blind, that there is nothing in the situation of the sectarians of the nineteenth century to entitle them to the promises made, and the assurances given by the apostle to the saints at Rome, in the first century, particularly, if sufferings for Christ's sake have any thing to do with the salvation of men; for if it is through sufferings that the saints approve themselves to God, surely the sufferings of the saints at Rome, in the first century,

178

________________________________________

and that of the sectarians of the nineteenth century are very different: the former had to suffer all things for Christ's sake, the other suffer nothing for his sake, but are themselves persecutors, like those who made the saints of the first century to suffer for Christ's sake. Where is the man that can, in truth, say to any sectarian society of the nineteenth century as Paul said to the saints at Rome? "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ: shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword. Nay for I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." I say, where is the man who can in truth apply these sayings to any society of sectarians in the nineteenth century? Have they been put to the test, to know whether these things would separate them from the love of Christ? No! Well, how does he know that they would endure sufferings as the saints at Rome, for Christ's sake? There are but two ways by which he could know it, either by seeing them tried, or else by getting a revelation from God, testifying that they would suffer these things for Christ's sake.-But he has no such testimony; for their are none of the sects that have been tried. And all their leaders; yea, and the led too, declare that there are no revelations to be had in these days! And yet, marvelous to relate, they pass decision on men's heads as though they were all apostles and prophets! Let us ask, does any man living know that he can, himself, endure nakedness, famine, peril, sword, persecutions, the opposition of principalities, and of powers, and of angels, and yet remain steadfast and immovable in the love of Christ? I say no man can know that he himself can endure all these things, until he is tried, or else receives a revelation from God, testifying to him that he can and will do it. What Paul here said to the saints at Rome, were founded on the clearest possible evidence, not only their being tried, but his having power to get revelations: he had the testimony of both God and man, and could not be mistaken! what a vast difference between Paul's saying this to the saints at Rome, and a sectarian saying it to the sects of the present day: the former having the testimony of both God and man, but the latter being without testimony, having neither the testimony of God or man! For man is not in a situation to give testimony, being untried; and they all say that God does not, nor will not give any, and yet they act and decide as those who had the testimony of both; yea, as apostles themselves; for no being is able to tell what any man will endure for Christ's sake, but him who knows the thoughts, searches the hearts, and tries the reins of all living: he knows what men will endure for his sake, and what they will not endure; and those know to whom he reveals it, and none others. And because Paul said this to the Romans, it does not follow of course that this would be the case with all who had called themselves after the name of Jesus Christ, or that took upon them the name of saints. And because the saints at Rome had offered themselves unto God, in the before mentioned trials, and afflictions, persecutions, and tribulations, it is no proof that all men, to the end of time, who make profession of the faith of the saints, will approve themselves in like manner to God.-So that the application of these assurances to any sectarian society is, without authority: there being no principle in the divine proceedings which would authorize it-God has given no such license, nor has he authorized any being to make any such application.

Strange as it may appear, yet it is no more so than true, that the sectarians of the nineteenth century, flatter themselves, that they will be accepted of God without their approving themselves to him in any thing, and on this principle they claim to themselves the promises made to a people who commended themselves to God in all things, both in life and in death.-Hear Paul declare to the Corinthians, 2nd epistle, 6th chapter, from the 4th to the 11th verse, how the saints of his day approved themselves to God: "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." So says the apostle we approved ourselves to God, and having done so became heirs of promise.-But when and where have the sectarians thus approved themselves to God? the answer is at no time, and in no place. There is not a sectarian in the world who has approved himself to God. And on what principle then, does he claim the promises made to a people who had approved themselves in all things? more particularly, as these promises were made to them, because they had approved themselves to God in the manner set forth in the scriptures? and had they not thus approved themselves to God, they would not have been the heirs of promise; for instead of receiving promises, they would have received cursings, if they had not approved themselves to God in the manner set forth in the scriptures. So that there is no principle in the economy of God, with men, that entitles the sectarians of this generation to claim to themselves the promises made in the scriptures to the saints; for surely the saints of the new testament, and the sectarians of this generation are very diverse from one another: the closest observer will not be able to trace the least resemblance between them, but a great disparity in every thing-one was persecuted, the other is persecutors; one was reviled, the other reviles; one was evil spoken of, the other evil speakers; one was full of faith, the other without faith; one suffered the loss of all things for Christ's sake, the other suffered the loss of nothing; one took joyfully the spoiling of their goods; the other's goods were never spoiled; one was in necessities, stripes, imprisonments, poverty and want, for Christ's sake; the other have riches, honor, wealth and affluence for their own sake; one received in this world evil things, the other their good things; but notwithstanding all this, they are both to be rewarded alike in the eternal world! and yet, God is to reward every man according to the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or evil. So says the sectarian world; but who in the exercise of his reason and common sense can believe it?

In examining the scriptures carefully, it will be found, that those churches which were far superior to any of the modern churches, were called upon to repent, or else to suffer the displeasure of God, instead of their being flattered with the promises of heaven; and they, though far in advance of any of the sectarian churches, were in danger of the wrath of heaven, and would surely feel it unless they repented. There is surely something in the management of the professors of these last ages which is strange beyond comprehension. We are frequently saluted with the voice of a reformer, professing to reform the world, to correct their errors, and to bring them back to pure principles. For instance, the Methodists, profess to be reformers, they feel a great anxiety to reform the errors of Calvinism, calling it a false doctrine, and they even go so far as to say that it came form [from] hell; but notwithstanding they say that Calvinism is a doctrine of devils, still the believers in this doctrine, if they are honest, will be saved, that is, they believe there is purity enough in that system to save men: but we ask, if there is purity enough in the system of Calvinism to save men, why do Armenians feel so mnch [much] zeal to reform them? can they more than save them? if they cannot, the Calvinist is as well off as the Armenian. But says the Armenian, "it hinders a great many from being saved, and therefore we try to put it down." This is marvelously strange, the Calvinist is teaching a doctrine which will send thousands to hell, but will save himself. When any man, or set of men, present themselves before the world in the attitude of reformers, and yet declare to the world, that the people can be saved, without his, or their, reformation, they virtually say to the world, that their pretended mission is a fable; for who does not know, that they cannot do more than save men! The God of heaven never so insulted the common senses of men as to send a reformer into the world, unless the world would have been damned without him; nor would he insult the man by sending him on any less important errand. There never was a messenger sent of the God of heaven to the world, who was not received, without God rejected them. It is worse than folly for a man to pretend to be sent of God to reform the world, when the world can be saved without him; and it is equally nonsense for Methodists to try to reform Presbyterians, & Baptists, when they are equally heirs of eternal life with them, without their assistance.

TO BE CONTINUED.

-> Conference notice.-Our brethren, (the elders,) of the church of the Latter Day Saints, residing in this section, are hereby notified, that a conference will be held in Norton, Medina Co. Ohio, on Monday the 8th of September, next. On Sunday the 7th, public preaching may be expected at such place as the brethren may appoint. It is expected that some of the elders from the church at Kirtland will attend, if providence permit. It is hoped that such of the elders abroad as can arrange their business so as to attend, will. We have expressed our opinion upon the great utility of conferences, heretofore, and would again recommend to all the elders, the propriety of embracing every opportunity to obtain instruction in the great and glorious principles of the religion we profess.

Certainly, there can be nothing more appropriate and requisite for the servants of the Lord Jesus, than to make such disposition of their time as to enlarge upon their information and intelligence, that they may be able to instruct others also; and though a conference is short, yet we may learn of the prosperity of the cause in different parts of the country, from the lips of those whose testimony we can cheerfully receive, and become more familiar with each other, and be preparing our hearts for the great day approaching, when every servant will be called to give an account of his stewardship, and the faithful receive an everlasting crown. The church at New Portage [Norton] is large, and have always manifested a cheerfulness in entertaining their brethren from a distance. We cannot but feel grateful to our Father, on every remembrance of these personal kindnesses received, and are with joy reminded of these precious words of our Lord: "Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least you have done it unto me!"-[Ed. Star.]

179

________________________________________