--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Thomas, Seth H. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 6 number: 2 published: 1902-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Seth H. Thomas, "Many Ways to Heaven," *Improvement Era* 6, no. 2 (December 1902): 128–131.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0602unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0602unse start_page: 128 end_page: 131 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1902-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0602unse publication_year: 1902 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1902, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Many Ways to Heaven MANY WAYS TO HEAVEN. BY SETH H. THOMAS, CARDSTON, CANADA. Perhaps no one is furnished with more and better opportuni- ties for ascertaining the religious thought of the individual than the "Mormon" elder, in the missionary field abroad. It is there he meets with all classes and types of humanity; and, as he is travel- ing among them in the interest of religion, it is to that subject he mainly directs his remarks, and the one, too, upon which few hesitate to express an opinion; but, it may be added, the opinions are as multifarious as the persons, even among those belonging to the same denomination. Those who may feel to question this statement, I am sure will cease to do so if they will travel among the people in the way the elders of the Church do, and ask each individually his belief in regard to the doctrines of Christ and the Apostles, as set forth in the New Testament. When it is under- stood that Christians of the same denomination are so divided in their religious opinions, the fact that there are many sects ceases to be a perplexing question. However, it looks as if this multi- plicity of sects would be a subject for graver consideration, on the part of the thinking class at least, than seems to be the case. I cannot understand how anyone can peruse the New Testa- ment carefully without being struck with the inconsistency of placing so many interpretations upon it. I am aware that the Bible is not altogether clear regarding many things, but many passages, concerning which there should be no controversy, are twisted and distorted by reason of there being many sects — that MANY WAYS TO HEAVEN. 129 each may have scriptural bearing for its particular belief — until the clearly evident meaning of the inspired writer is lost sight of entirely, in many instances. Of course, some of the sects take the position that there can be but one true church; -but I think a large majority of the Prot- estants believe otherwise, and seem to attach no particular sig- nificance to the lack of unity and harmony respecting points of. doctrine, to say nothing of the jealousy, envy and malice which will naturally arise as a result of such conditions. There are some who deprecate this increase of sects and creeds; but, there being no available remedy, they are obliged to accept existing conditions, no matter how unsatisfactory, and make the best of them. Others, again, seem to glory in the idea of having many ways to Let anyone contemplate a mo- heaven. ment, and draw a mind picture of the body religious, with its multiplied sects and ceremonies, the differences of opinion, the lack of unity, one sect teaching that a certain principle is right, another opposing that principle and setting forth still another in opposition to it, all claiming to be in possession of that Spirit that guides to all truth —and the conclusion that something is wrong will easily be arrived at. All this is so different from the simple plan of the gospel as taught and practiced by the primitive saints. It was my privilege, recently, to occupy a cushioned pew, and listen to a very oratorical divine. The reverend gentleman chose for his text I Cor. 12:12, which contains the following: "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." The gentleman placed a very upon his text, so liberal construction liberal, in fact, that not a denominational opponent under the sound of his voice was given the slightest cause for offense. He explained that just as all the members of the human body are re- quired to make a perfect whole, so all the various Christian denominations were required to make the Church of Christ. He said that although they differ regarding many points of doctrine, and on many dogmas stand apart, yet they all converge to one point — the cross of Christ. He seemed to glory in the varying forms called beliefs, and to favor the difference of opinion that breeds contentious thought, because he believed it a potent factor along the line of advancement. By reading the entire chapter from which the text in question was taken, it will be clearly seen that Paul was comparing the Church of Christ with a perfect- human body, putting every limb and joint in its proper place, describing the office of each, and proving each to be a necessity, the absence of even a finger ren- dering the body incomplete; "for," he said, "the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say. Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say. Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? But now are they many mem- bers, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more th:se members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be hon- ored, all the members rejoice with it." Perhaps a little paraphrasing will not be out of place here, though, as I have already remarked, the meaning of Paul's lan- guage is very clear. He is explaining the organization of the Church with its various officers and gifts, to the saints at Cor- inth, and uses a very beautiful figure, as a means of doing so. He gives us to understand that it would be just as consistent for the priest to say, "because I am not an elder, I am not of the Church," as for the foot to say, "because I am not the hand, I am not the body." As well might the seventy say, "because I am not an apostle, I am not of the Church, and therefore not nedeed," as for the ear to say, "because I do not possess the power of sight, I am therefore not a part of the body." If so seemingly insignifi- cant a member as the little finger is affected, the whole body sympathises with it. The sting of a wasp, on the end of that member, will drive sleep from the eyes, and the whole human organism be made to suffer. So, in like manner, every part of the body is in sympathy with every other part. If for any reason the deacon's quorum is disorganized, or fails to perform the duties devolving upon it, that ecclesiastical organization known as the Ward is not and cannot be in perfect working order, until the MANY WAYS TO HEAVEN. 131 mistakes are corrected. If the office of teacher remains vacant, no one being authorized to act in that capacity, the Church as a body would suffer great loss by being deprived of the services of so important an officer. The comparison of a man with a withered arm would not be too strong — would cling to him, yet be use- it less. Jus as the unfortunate individual gropes about in the darkness, liable at any time to fall into the ditch, so the churches, without divinely inspired apostles and prophets to guide, cannot know the mind of the Lord, and cannot avoid being "tossed to and fro, any carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." Paul, by his logical reasoning, makes it very clear that every limb, joint and muscle, is necessary to complete the wonderful structure we call the human body; and he also makes it equally clear that every officer and every gift is required to complete the Church of Christ. The reverend gentleman was very careful not to enter into details and explain thoroughly the argument of Paul, because the weakness of his position would have been too manifest. He would have had to say: "The Presbyterian cannot say to the Methodist, 'we have no need of you;' nor again the Baptist to the Church of England, 'we have no need of you;" because, according to the gen- tleman's own argument, all these churches are indispensably neces- sary to complete the Church of Christ. It is perhaps needless to add that that is exactly what he did say in effect. To consider such a statement from the standpoint of necessity, would be ridiculous, in the eyes of the average person, because it is a pretty generally known fact that many Christian churches existed and flourished long before others were born. So long as professed teachers of God's word reject new rev- elation, and rely on their own twisted and distorted interpretations of the scripture, as their sole guide, disunion and dissatisfaction will exist, and opinions and sects will multiply.