---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Smith, Joseph F., Jr.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 7
number: 3
published: 1904-01
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Joseph F., Jr. Smith, "Our Standard Church Works," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 3 (January 1904): 201–207.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0703unse
  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: improvementera0703unse
start_page: 201
end_page: 207
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-01)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0703unse
  publication_year: 1904
  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 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Our Standard Church Works

<!-- page:201 -->

OUR  
        STANDARD  
        CHURCH  
        WORKS,
BY 
        JOSEPH 
        F.  
        SMITH,  
        JUN.
One 
        of 
        the 
        Articles 
        of 
        Faith 
        of 
        the 
        Church 
        of 
        Jesus 
        Christ 
        of
Latter-day 
        Saints 
        reads: 
        "We 
        believe 
        all 
        that 
        God 
        has 
        revealed, 
        all
that 
        he 
        does 
        now 
        reveal, 
        and 
        we 
        believe 
        that 
        he 
        will 
        yet 
        reveal
many 
        great 
        and 
        important 
        things 
        pertaining 
        to 
        the 
        Kingdom 
        of
God." 
        The 
        words 
        of 
        God 
        delivered 
        both 
        in 
        ancient 
        and 
        modern
days 
        have 
        been 
        given 
        to 
        the 
        Saints 
        for 
        their 
        profit 
        and 
        learning
        —
for 
        the 
        purpose 
        of 
        giving 
        unto 
        them 
        a 
        perfect 
        understanding 
        of 
        his
commandments, 
        and 
        of 
        his 
        will 
        concerning 
        the 
        inhabitants 
        of 
        the
earth. 
        We 
        have 
        been 
        greatly 
        blessed 
        in 
        having 
        revealed 
        unto 
        us
the 
        record 
        of 
        God's 
        dealings 
        with 
        ancient 
        inhabitants 
        of 
        America,
in 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon, 
        and 
        in 
        having 
        his 
        will 
        concerning 
        us, 
        in
the 
        Dispensation 
        of 
        the 
        Fullness 
        of 
        Times, 
        made 
        known 
        in 
        the 
        Doc-
trine and 
        Covenants. 
        The 
        Pearl 
        of 
        Great 
        Price 
        also 
        reveals 
        unto
us 
        many 
        important 
        truths 
        concerning 
        the 
        antiquity 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel,
which 
        in 
        the 
        past 
        were 
        kept 
        hid 
        from 
        the 
        world, 
        because 
        of 
        unbelief
and 
        wickedness, 
        and 
        the 
        promise 
        has 
        been 
        made 
        that 
        other 
        records
and 
        other 
        truths 
        shall 
        be 
        made 
        known 
        in 
        the 
        due 
        time 
        of 
        the 
        Lord,
when 
        we 
        are 
        prepared 
        to 
        receive 
        them.
I 
        sometimes 
        wonder 
        how 
        it 
        is 
        that 
        some 
        of 
        the 
        Latter-day
Saints 
        apparently 
        forget 
        the 
        importance 
        of 
        these 
        records, 
        and
how 
        we 
        can 
        possibly 
        neglect 
        to 
        study 
        them, 
        and 
        fail 
        to 
        become
thoroughly 
        acquainted 
        with 
        the 
        mind 
        and 
        will 
        of 
        God 
        as 
        revealed
to 
        us, 
        when 
        we 
        know 
        that 
        "the 
        glory 
        of 
        God 
        is 
        intelligence," 
        and
that 
        "no 
        man 
        can 
        be 
        saved 
        in 
        ignorance." 
        We 
        have 
        been 
        com-
manded to 
        teach 
        one 
        another 
        words 
        of 
        wisdom 
        out 
        of 
        the 
        best
books, 
        even 
        by 
        study 
        and 
        faith, 
        and 
        also 
        to 
        teach 
        one 
        another 
        the
doctrine 
        of 
        the 
        kingdom. 
        To 
        my 
        mind 
        it 
        would 
        be 
        impossible 
        to 
        find

<!-- page:202 -->

202 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
•
better 
        books 
        than 
        the 
        standard 
        works 
        of 
        the 
        Church, 
        and 
        in 
        no 
        better
way 
        can 
        we 
        learn 
        the 
        doctrine 
        of  
        the 
        kingdom 
        than 
        by 
        applying-
ourselves 
        to 
        the 
        study 
        of 
        the 
        scriptures, 
        especially 
        to  
        the 
        revela-
tions which 
        have 
        been 
        given 
        directly 
        to 
        us 
        in 
        this 
        day.
The 
        Lord 
        said 
        to 
        the 
        prophet 
        Nephi: 
        "I 
        command 
        all 
        men, 
        both
in 
        the 
        east 
        and 
        in 
        the 
        west, 
        and 
        in 
        the 
        north 
        and 
        in 
        the 
        south, 
        and 
        in
the 
        islands 
        of 
        the 
        sea, 
        that 
        they 
        shall 
        write 
        the 
        words 
        which 
        I
speak 
        unto 
        them, 
        for 
        out 
        of 
        the 
        books 
        which 
        shall 
        be 
        written 
        I 
        will
judge 
        the 
        world, 
        every 
        man 
        according 
        to 
        that 
        whicl^ 
        is 
        v/ritten."
(II 
        Nephi 
        29: 
        11.) 
        If 
        the 
        world 
        is 
        to 
        be 
        judged 
        according 
        to 
        the
word 
        of 
        the 
        Lord 
        which 
        is 
        written, 
        how 
        much 
        greater 
        will 
        be 
        the
condemnation 
        of 
        the 
        Latter-day 
        Saints 
        when 
        brought 
        to 
        judgment,
if 
        they 
        do 
        not 
        understand 
        the 
        things 
        which 
        have 
        been 
        revealed
unto 
        them! 
        We 
        should 
        not 
        treat 
        lightly 
        the 
        things 
        which 
        have
been 
        revealed, 
        for 
        if 
        we 
        do, 
        we 
        Vv'^ill 
        come 
        under 
        condemnation.
No 
        Latter-day 
        Saint 
        home 
        should 
        be 
        without 
        these 
        books, 
        and
no 
        member 
        of 
        the 
        Church 
        should 
        fail 
        to 
        study 
        them 
        and 
        reflect
upon 
        their 
        teachings. 
        That 
        there 
        are 
        many 
        families 
        holding 
        a
membership 
        in 
        the 
        Church, 
        who 
        have 
        not 
        a 
        complete 
        set 
        of 
        the
Church 
        works, 
        cannot 
        be 
        denied, 
        and, 
        perhaps, 
        there 
        are 
        others,
who, 
        although 
        they 
        have 
        the 
        books, 
        do 
        not 
        read 
        them. 
        I 
        maintain
that 
        where 
        a 
        family 
        ot 
        this 
        class 
        can 
        be 
        found, 
        without 
        exception,
they 
        are 
        non-progressive, 
        and 
        do 
        not 
        comprehend 
        the 
        principles 
        of
the 
        Gospel. 
        The 
        Gospel 
        of 
        Jesus 
        Christ 
        is 
        progressive. 
        The
Prophet 
        Joseph 
        Smith 
        said, 
        under 
        the 
        spirit 
        of 
        inspiration, 
        that
"Whatever 
        principle 
        of 
        intelligence 
        we 
        attain 
        unto 
        in 
        this 
        life, 
        it
will 
        rise 
        with 
        us 
        in 
        the 
        resurrection; 
        and 
        if 
        a 
        person 
        gains 
        more
knowledge 
        and 
        intelligence 
        in 
        this 
        life 
        through 
        his 
        diligence 
        and 
        obe-
dience than 
        another, 
        he 
        will 
        have 
        so 
        much 
        the 
        advantage 
        in 
        the
world 
        to 
        come" 
        (Doctrine 
        and 
        Covenants 
        130: 
        18, 
        19).
If 
        we 
        look 
        around 
        us, 
        we 
        will 
        see 
        that 
        the 
        man 
        who 
        devotes 
        him-
self to 
        the 
        study 
        of 
        the 
        principles 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel 
        is 
        the 
        active 
        man
in 
        his 
        ward 
        or 
        stake, 
        and 
        that 
        he 
        has 
        a 
        better 
        understanding 
        of 
        the
Gospel, 
        and 
        can 
        defend 
        it, 
        teach 
        it, 
        and 
        live 
        it 
        better, 
        than 
        the 
        man
who 
        is 
        passive 
        and 
        devotes 
        very 
        little 
        of 
        his 
        time 
        to 
        these 
        things
This 
        is 
        most 
        natural.
When 
        Alma 
        and 
        Amulek 
        were 
        preaching 
        to 
        the 
        inhabitants 
        of
the 
        city 
        of 
        Ammonihah, 
        they 
        were 
        opposed 
        by 
        a 
        learned 
        lawyer,.

<!-- page:203 -->

OUR 
        STANDARD 
        CHURCH 
        WORKS. 
        203
Zeezrom, 
        who 
        tried 
        to 
        catch 
        them' 
        in 
        their 
        words, 
        that 
        they 
        might
be 
        judged 
        according 
        to 
        his 
        interpretation 
        of 
        the 
        law. 
        Failing 
        in
his 
        designs, 
        he 
        began 
        to 
        consider 
        the 
        teachings 
        of 
        these 
        servants
of 
        the 
        Lord. 
        The 
        more 
        he 
        reflected 
        the 
        more 
        he 
        was 
        con-
vinced that 
        they 
        spoke 
        the 
        truth. 
        This 
        caused 
        him 
        to 
        fear 
        and
tremble 
        because 
        of 
        his 
        own 
        sins, 
        and 
        he 
        began 
        to 
        enquire 
        very 
        dil-
ligently 
        of 
        Alma 
        concerning 
        the 
        kingdom 
        of 
        God, 
        and 
        how 
        it 
        was
that 
        Alma 
        understood 
        these 
        things.    
        Alma 
        replied:
It 
        is 
        given 
        unto 
        many 
        to 
        know 
        the 
        mysteries 
        of 
        God; 
        nevertheless 
        they
are 
        laid 
        under 
        a 
        strict 
        command 
        that 
        they 
        shall 
        not 
        impart 
        only 
        accord-
ing to 
        the 
        portion 
        of 
        his 
        word 
        which 
        he 
        doth 
        grant 
        unto 
        the 
        children 
        of
men, 
        according 
        to 
        the 
        heed 
        and 
        diligence 
        which 
        they 
        give 
        unto 
        him; 
        and
therefore 
        he 
        that 
        will 
        harden 
        his 
        heart, 
        the 
        same 
        receiveth 
        the 
        lesser 
        por-
tion of 
        the 
        word, 
        and 
        he 
        that 
        will 
        not 
        harden 
        his 
        heart, 
        to 
        him 
        is 
        given 
        the
greater 
        portion 
        of 
        the 
        word, 
        until 
        it 
        is 
        given 
        him 
        to 
        know 
        the 
        mysteries 
        of
God, 
        until 
        he 
        knows 
        them 
        in 
        full; 
        and 
        they 
        that 
        will 
        harden 
        their 
        hearts,
to 
        them 
        is 
        given 
        the 
        lesser 
        portion 
        of 
        the 
        word, 
        until 
        they 
        know 
        nothing
concerning 
        his 
        mysteries; 
        and 
        then 
        they 
        are 
        taken 
        captive 
        by 
        the 
        devil,
and 
        led 
        by 
        his 
        will 
        down 
        to 
        destruction. 
        Now 
        this 
        is 
        what 
        is 
        meant 
        by 
        the
chains 
        of 
        hell 
        (Alma 
        12: 
        9-11).
This 
        is 
        in 
        strict 
        keeping 
        with 
        the 
        words 
        of 
        the 
        Lord 
        to 
        Nephi,
as 
        recorded 
        in 
        II 
        Nephi 
        28: 
        30:
For 
        behold, 
        thus 
        saith 
        the 
        Lord 
        God, 
        I 
        will 
        give 
        unto 
        the 
        children
of 
        men 
        line 
        upon 
        line, 
        precept 
        upon 
        precept, 
        here 
        a 
        little 
        and 
        there 
        a
little; 
        and 
        blessed 
        are 
        those 
        who 
        hearken 
        unto 
        my 
        precepts, 
        and 
        lend 
        an
ear 
        unto 
        my 
        counsel, 
        for 
        they 
        shall 
        learn 
        wisdom; 
        for 
        unto 
        him 
        that 
        re-
ceiveth, I 
        will 
        give 
        more; 
        and 
        from 
        them 
        that 
        shall 
        say, 
        We 
        have 
        enough,
from 
        them 
        shall 
        be 
        taken 
        away 
        even 
        that 
        which 
        they 
        have.
We 
        see 
        by 
        this, 
        that 
        we 
        cannot 
        stand 
        still,
        —
        we 
        must 
        either
swim 
        up 
        the 
        stream 
        or 
        be 
        carried 
        in 
        the 
        other 
        direction 
        to 
        destruc-
tion. The 
        great 
        difficulty 
        with 
        many 
        of 
        us 
        is 
        that 
        we 
        are 
        careless
and 
        indifferent 
        in 
        regard 
        to 
        the 
        study 
        of 
        the 
        scriptures. 
        Our 
        minds
are 
        continually 
        bent 
        to 
        worldly 
        things, 
        and 
        we 
        forget 
        that 
        the 
        Gos-
pel is 
        practical, 
        and 
        should 
        be 
        applied 
        in 
        all 
        things, 
        temporal 
        as
well 
        as 
        spiritual. 
        The 
        great 
        commandment 
        is 
        to 
        "Seek 
        first 
        the
kingdom 
        of 
        God 
        and 
        his 
        righteousness, 
        and 
        all 
        things 
        shall 
        be
added."   
        There 
        was 
        a 
        time 
        when 
        the 
        people 
        of 
        the 
        earth 
        had, 
        in 
        a

<!-- page:204 -->

204 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
degree, 
        to 
        depend 
        on 
        the 
        few 
        leaders 
        to 
        do 
        their 
        thinking; 
        but
that 
        time 
        has 
        long 
        since 
        past. 
        We 
        should 
        think 
        for 
        ourselves, 
        and
use 
        the 
        talents 
        God 
        has 
        given 
        us, 
        otherwise 
        we 
        cannot 
        expect 
        to
retain 
        his 
        Spirit.
If 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon, 
        the 
        Doctrine 
        and 
        Covenants 
        and 
        the
Pearl 
        of 
        Great 
        Price 
        were 
        as 
        thoroughly 
        studied 
        in 
        the 
        missionary-
field, 
        by 
        the 
        elders, 
        as 
        the 
        Bible 
        is, 
        there 
        would, 
        in 
        my 
        judgment,
be 
        a 
        greater 
        amount 
        of 
        good 
        accomplished. 
        When 
        the 
        first 
        elders
in 
        this 
        dispensation 
        went 
        forth 
        to 
        preach 
        the 
        Gospel
        —
        then 
        a 
        new
thing 
        among 
        the 
        people
        —
        they 
        took 
        with 
        them 
        several 
        copies 
        of
the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon, 
        and 
        whenever 
        the 
        opportunity 
        would 
        offer,
they 
        left 
        copies 
        at 
        the 
        homes 
        of 
        the 
        people, 
        with 
        the 
        understand-
ing that 
        in 
        the 
        course 
        of 
        a 
        week 
        or 
        two 
        they 
        would 
        call 
        again 
        for
them. 
        What 
        was 
        the 
        result? 
        Hundreds 
        were 
        converted 
        through
its 
        teachings, 
        and 
        received 
        a 
        testimony 
        of 
        its 
        truth, 
        as 
        they 
        are
promised 
        in 
        the 
        book 
        (Moroni 
        10: 
        4).
The 
        fact 
        is 
        that 
        quite 
        a 
        number 
        of 
        the 
        first 
        elders 
        received 
        a
testimony 
        of 
        the 
        truth, 
        and 
        some 
        were 
        baptized 
        before 
        the 
        organ-
ization of 
        the 
        Church, 
        April 
        6, 
        1830. 
        Naturally 
        they 
        were 
        filled
with 
        zeal, 
        and 
        were 
        anxious 
        to 
        go 
        forth 
        immediately 
        and 
        declare
these 
        things 
        unto 
        the 
        world, 
        before 
        they 
        had 
        received 
        the 
        Priest-
hood, and 
        been 
        endowed 
        with 
        power 
        from 
        on 
        high; 
        but 
        the 
        Lord
checked 
        them 
        by 
        telling 
        them 
        to 
        wait 
        a 
        little 
        longer, 
        until 
        they
should 
        have 
        his 
        rock, 
        his 
        Church 
        and 
        his 
        Gospel, 
        that 
        they 
        might
know 
        of 
        a 
        surety 
        his 
        doctrine: 
        "Seek 
        not 
        to 
        declare 
        my 
        words,
but 
        first 
        seek 
        to 
        obtain 
        my 
        word, 
        and 
        then 
        shall 
        your 
        tongue 
        be
loosened; 
        then 
        if 
        you 
        desire, 
        you 
        shall 
        have 
        my 
        spirit 
        and 
        my 
        word,
yea, 
        the 
        power 
        of 
        God 
        unto 
        the 
        convincing 
        of 
        men; 
        but 
        now 
        hold
your 
        peace, 
        study 
        my 
        word 
        which 
        hath 
        gone 
        forth 
        among 
        the 
        chil-
dren of 
        men, 
        and 
        also 
        study 
        my 
        word 
        which 
        shall 
        come 
        forth
among 
        the 
        children 
        of 
        men, 
        or 
        that 
        which 
        is 
        now 
        translating, 
        yea
until 
        you 
        have 
        obtained 
        all 
        which 
        I 
        shall 
        grant 
        unto 
        the 
        children
of 
        men 
        in 
        this 
        generation, 
        and 
        then 
        shall 
        all 
        things 
        be 
        added 
        there-
unto." When 
        the 
        Church 
        vv^as 
        finally 
        established, 
        and 
        the 
        elders
received 
        their 
        commissions 
        to 
        go 
        forth 
        and 
        preach 
        the 
        Gospel, 
        the
Lord 
        commanded 
        them 
        that 
        they 
        should 
        confine 
        themselves 
        to 
        the
first 
        principles 
        of 
        his 
        Gospel, 
        which 
        are 
        in 
        the 
        Bible 
        and 
        the 
        Book
of 
        Mormon, 
        in 
        which 
        is 
        the 
        fullness 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel.    
        (Sec. 
        42: 
        12.)

<!-- page:205 -->

OUR 
        STANDARD 
        CHURCH 
        WORKS. 
        205
By 
        this
        ' 
        we 
        see 
        that 
        they 
        were 
        commanded 
        not 
        to 
        go 
        forth
without 
        a 
        thorough 
        knowledge 
        of 
        the 
        books 
        and 
        the 
        revelations
they 
        had 
        received. 
        The 
        very 
        object 
        the 
        Lord 
        had 
        in 
        bringing 
        to
light 
        the 
        Nephite 
        record 
        was 
        that 
        the 
        "fullness 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel," 
        which
it 
        contained, 
        should 
        be 
        given 
        to 
        the 
        world. 
        The 
        Lord 
        commanded
the 
        elders 
        in 
        those 
        days 
        to 
        use 
        the 
        newly 
        revealed 
        truths 
        in 
        mis-
sionary work, 
        and 
        at 
        no 
        time 
        since 
        has 
        he 
        directed 
        otherwise.
In 
        later 
        years, 
        our 
        elders 
        have 
        depended 
        more 
        upon 
        the 
        Bible
to 
        establish 
        the 
        truth 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel, 
        and 
        to 
        some 
        extent 
        the 
        Book
of 
        Mormon 
        has 
        been 
        neglected 
        in 
        the 
        missionary 
        field. 
        We 
        have
lost 
        track 
        of 
        the 
        fact 
        that 
        God 
        has 
        said, 
        through 
        his 
        prophet, 
        that
the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        should 
        be 
        a 
        witness 
        for 
        the 
        truth 
        of 
        the 
        Bible,
and 
        should 
        establish 
        the 
        truths 
        of 
        the 
        Bible 
        (I 
        Nephi, 
        13). 
        This
neglect 
        on 
        our 
        part 
        led 
        a 
        minister 
        to 
        advise 
        his 
        fellow 
        laborers 
        not
to 
        discuss 
        with 
        the 
        "Mormon" 
        elders 
        from 
        the 
        Bible, 
        but 
        to 
        study
"their 
        own 
        church 
        works," 
        and 
        discuss 
        the 
        different 
        points 
        of 
        doc-
trine contained 
        therein, 
        for 
        our 
        elders 
        were 
        not 
        acquainted 
        with
their 
        own 
        books. 
        I 
        remember 
        also 
        a 
        remark 
        made 
        in 
        my 
        presence
by 
        one 
        of 
        our 
        missionaries 
        who, 
        after 
        performing 
        a 
        mission 
        in 
        the
world, 
        said: 
        "If 
        I 
        were 
        going 
        on 
        another 
        mission, 
        I 
        would 
        leave
all 
        books 
        at 
        home 
        but 
        my 
        New 
        Testament, 
        for 
        that 
        is 
        all 
        we 
        need
in 
        the 
        mission 
        field, 
        for 
        it 
        is 
        all 
        the 
        people 
        will 
        accept. 
        The 
        peo-
ple will 
        not 
        receive 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon, 
        and 
        we 
        have 
        to 
        meet
them 
        on 
        their 
        own 
        ground." 
        The 
        folly 
        of 
        this 
        was 
        clearly 
        demon-
strated by 
        other 
        missionaries 
        who 
        had 
        spent 
        their 
        time 
        almost 
        ex-
clusively with 
        the 
        Nev/ 
        Testament, 
        and 
        when 
        called 
        upon 
        to 
        defend
truths 
        in 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon, 
        were 
        so 
        ignorant 
        of 
        its 
        contents
that 
        they 
        utterly 
        failed. 
        I 
        know 
        these 
        records 
        can 
        be 
        used 
        to
great 
        advantage 
        in 
        the 
        mission 
        field, 
        and 
        that 
        the 
        honest 
        in 
        heart
will 
        as 
        v.'illingly 
        receive 
        a 
        truth 
        from 
        the 
        Doctrine 
        and 
        Covenants,
or 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon, 
        as 
        from 
        the 
        Bible. 
        If 
        a 
        person 
        does 
        not
want 
        the 
        truth, 
        the 
        evidence 
        in 
        the 
        Bible 
        that 
        may 
        be 
        brought 
        to
bear, 
        while 
        it 
        may 
        silence 
        him, 
        will 
        not 
        change 
        his 
        position 
        nor
cause 
        him 
        to 
        receive 
        the 
        truth. 
        It 
        is 
        the 
        Spirit 
        of 
        God, 
        after 
        all,
which 
        works 
        the 
        change 
        in 
        the 
        human 
        soul.
Another 
        argument 
        I 
        have 
        heard 
        raised 
        against 
        the 
        use, 
        in 
        the
mission 
        field, 
        of 
        the 
        records 
        revealed 
        through 
        the 
        Prophet 
        Joseph
Smith, 
        is 
        that 
        the 
        elders 
        are 
        likely 
        to 
        preach 
        on 
        the 
        streets, 
        and

<!-- page:206 -->

206 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
at 
        other 
        places, 
        before 
        strangers, 
        and 
        quote 
        from 
        these 
        books,
thinking 
        the 
        passages 
        were 
        in 
        the 
        Bible, 
        thereby 
        bringing 
        ridicule
upon 
        their 
        heads. 
        This 
        argument 
        is 
        so 
        foolish 
        that 
        it 
        is 
        astonish-
ing that 
        one 
        would 
        use 
        it. 
        It 
        is 
        seldom 
        that 
        an 
        elder 
        will 
        make 
        a
mistake 
        of 
        this 
        kind; 
        and 
        if 
        he 
        did, 
        in 
        regard 
        to 
        these 
        records,
would 
        he 
        not 
        be 
        as 
        likely 
        to 
        quote 
        from 
        one 
        Book 
        in 
        the 
        Bible 
        and
give 
        credit 
        to 
        another? 
        The 
        trouble 
        is, 
        these 
        records 
        are 
        not
quoted 
        from 
        and 
        used 
        enough. 
        I 
        firmly 
        believe 
        that 
        a 
        more 
        thor-
ough and 
        systematic 
        study 
        of 
        them 
        would 
        give 
        an 
        elder 
        a 
        better
understanding 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel; 
        hence, 
        he 
        would 
        be 
        better 
        able 
        to
preach, 
        to 
        teach, 
        and 
        to 
        defend 
        the 
        Gospel 
        in 
        the 
        world 
        than 
        the
man 
        who 
        depends 
        entirely 
        upon 
        the 
        Bible 
        for 
        his 
        knowledge; 
        for
many 
        principles 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel 
        which 
        are 
        somewhat 
        obscure 
        in 
        the
Bible, 
        because 
        of 
        the 
        precious 
        parts 
        which 
        have 
        been 
        taken 
        away,
are 
        set 
        forth 
        clearly 
        and 
        distinctly 
        in 
        the 
        other 
        records. 
        There 
        is,
on 
        the 
        other 
        hand, 
        no 
        principle 
        of 
        truth 
        taught 
        in 
        the 
        Bible 
        that 
        is
not 
        as 
        clearly, 
        and 
        as 
        forcibly, 
        upheld 
        and 
        taught 
        in 
        the 
        Book 
        of
Mormon, 
        Doctrine 
        aad 
        Covenants, 
        and 
        the 
        Pearl 
        of 
        Great 
        Price.
In 
        every 
        dispensation 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel, 
        God 
        has 
        spoken 
        to 
        his
children, 
        and 
        has 
        given 
        them 
        commandments 
        to 
        suit 
        their 
        time 
        and
conditions. 
        The 
        Pearl 
        of 
        Great 
        Price 
        contains 
        the 
        Gospel 
        as 
        it
was 
        preached 
        to 
        Adam, 
        Enoch, 
        Noah 
        and 
        to 
        Abraham. 
        The 
        Old
Testament 
        is 
        the 
        record 
        of 
        the 
        revelations 
        given 
        to 
        ancient 
        Israel.
The 
        New 
        Testament 
        is 
        a 
        record 
        of 
        the 
        re-establishment 
        of 
        the 
        Gos-
pel, in 
        the 
        dispensation 
        of 
        the 
        meridian 
        of 
        time, 
        and 
        of 
        the 
        minis-
try of 
        Christ. 
        The 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        contains 
        the 
        revelations 
        given
to 
        the 
        seed 
        of 
        Joseph 
        in 
        America, 
        also 
        the 
        record 
        of 
        the 
        Jaredites;
and 
        in 
        our 
        day
        —
        the 
        Dispensation 
        of 
        the 
        Fullness 
        of 
        Times
        —
        God
has 
        again 
        spoken, 
        and 
        we 
        have 
        his 
        commandments 
        in 
        the 
        Doctrine
and 
        Covenants. 
        None 
        of 
        these 
        records 
        can 
        be 
        discarded
        ; 
        they 
        all
contain 
        light 
        and 
        truth, 
        and 
        all 
        agree 
        in 
        doctrine. 
        We 
        must 
        have
a 
        knowledge 
        of 
        all, 
        in 
        order 
        that 
        we 
        may 
        properly 
        teach 
        the 
        Gos-
pel. Some 
        of 
        the 
        great 
        truths 
        which 
        are 
        revealed 
        to 
        us 
        in 
        these
books 
        may 
        be 
        mentioned:
In 
        the 
        Pearl 
        of 
        Great 
        Price, 
        we 
        are 
        given 
        a 
        knowledge 
        of 
        our
pre-existence, 
        and 
        we 
        learn 
        that 
        in 
        that 
        state 
        some 
        were 
        more
noble 
        than 
        others; 
        hence, 
        became 
        God's 
        rulers. 
        We 
        are 
        taught
that 
        the 
        same 
        identical 
        Gospel 
        which 
        we 
        have 
        received 
        was 
        taught

<!-- page:207 -->

OUR 
        STANDARD 
        CHURCH 
        WORKS. 
        207
to 
        Adam, 
        that 
        Adam 
        and 
        his 
        posterity 
        were 
        baptized, 
        and 
        received
the 
        Holy 
        Ghost; 
        that 
        Christ 
        was 
        the 
        law-giver
        —
        the 
        King 
        of 
        Zion—
in 
        that 
        day; 
        we 
        receive 
        the 
        prophecies 
        of 
        Enoch, 
        and 
        learn 
        of 
        the
translation 
        of 
        his 
        city; 
        why 
        sacrifice 
        was 
        instituted; 
        of 
        the 
        destiny
of 
        the 
        earth 
        and 
        its 
        inhabitants.
In 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        we 
        have 
        revealed 
        unto 
        us 
        the 
        record
of 
        Joseph; 
        we 
        learn 
        that 
        his 
        descendants 
        received 
        the 
        land 
        of
America 
        for 
        their 
        inheritance; 
        that 
        the 
        Nephites 
        were 
        the 
        "other
sheep" 
        of 
        the 
        house 
        of 
        Israel, 
        spoken 
        of 
        by 
        our 
        Savior; 
        that 
        Christ
visited 
        this 
        continent 
        and 
        established 
        his 
        Gospel 
        among 
        the 
        Neph-
ites; that 
        God 
        led 
        a 
        colony 
        from 
        Asia, 
        at 
        the 
        time 
        of 
        the 
        confusion
of 
        tongues, 
        according 
        to 
        his 
        commandment; 
        we 
        learn 
        that 
        the 
        New
Jerusalem 
        will 
        be 
        built 
        on 
        the 
        land 
        of 
        America, 
        and 
        that 
        America
is 
        a 
        choice 
        land 
        above 
        all 
        other 
        lands; 
        we 
        are 
        told 
        why 
        Adam 
        fell;
and 
        the 
        object 
        of 
        our 
        existence 
        in 
        this 
        life, 
        and 
        our 
        destiny; 
        that 
        it
is 
        an 
        abomination 
        in 
        the 
        sight 
        of 
        God 
        to 
        baptize 
        infants; 
        and 
        it 
        re-
veals unto 
        us 
        the 
        prophecy 
        of 
        Joseph, 
        son 
        of 
        Jacob.
In 
        the 
        Doctrine 
        and 
        Covenants, 
        we 
        have 
        revealed 
        unto 
        us 
        the
history 
        of 
        the 
        Priesthood; 
        we 
        are 
        taught 
        where 
        the 
        New 
        Jerusalem
will 
        be 
        built; 
        the 
        doctrine 
        of 
        Baptism 
        for 
        the 
        Dead, 
        and 
        the 
        use 
        of
temples; 
        that 
        the 
        elements 
        of 
        matter 
        are 
        eternal; 
        the 
        meaning 
        of
"eternal 
        punishment;" 
        the 
        eternity 
        of 
        the 
        marriage 
        covenant; 
        that
truth 
        and 
        intelligence 
        were 
        not 
        created 
        nor 
        made
        ; 
        we 
        have 
        revealed
the 
        land 
        where 
        Adam 
        dwelt; 
        the 
        united 
        order, 
        and 
        the 
        nature 
        of
the 
        second 
        death.
These 
        are 
        but 
        a 
        few 
        of 
        the 
        many 
        truths 
        which 
        these 
        records
contain, 
        which 
        in 
        the 
        version 
        of 
        the 
        Bible 
        v/e 
        have 
        received 
        are
indeed 
        vague, 
        if 
        taught 
        at 
        all. 
        God 
        has 
        given 
        us 
        these 
        records,
a,nd 
        has 
        commanded 
        us 
        to 
        search 
        them, 
        to 
        study 
        them, 
        and 
        to 
        pon-
der over 
        the 
        teachings 
        they 
        contain, 
        that 
        we 
        may 
        draw 
        nearer 
        un-
to him, 
        learn 
        of 
        his 
        ways, 
        and 
        the 
        better 
        keep 
        his 
        commandments.
It 
        is 
        our 
        privilege 
        to 
        receive 
        "the 
        greater 
        portion 
        of 
        the 
        word,"
until 
        it 
        is 
        given 
        unto 
        to 
        us 
        to 
        know 
        the 
        mysteries 
        of 
        God, 
        until 
        we
know 
        them 
        in 
        full. 
        If 
        we 
        do 
        not 
        take 
        advantage 
        of 
        the 
        opportuni-
ties thus 
        afforded, 
        we 
        are 
        in 
        danger 
        of 
        being 
        led 
        away 
        by 
        the 
        cun-
ning of 
        Satan, 
        or 
        the 
        craft 
        of 
        wicked 
        men 
        who 
        lie 
        in 
        wait 
        to 
        de-
<;eive.