Our readers can look for a star number on April 1st. following articles, among others, will appear: by Lorenzo Snow. The (1841.) (1841.) "MATERIALITY" by Parley P. Pratt. (1845.) There will also appear an affidavit relating to the death of a taken to the cemetery. Note: imprecation his body was CAN YOU OBTAIN A SUBSCRIPTION FROM A FRIEND AND SEND IT TO THIS OFFICE THAT HE ALSO, MAY ENJOY THESE VALUABLE "GEMS"? Church and State. In discussing the controversy between the French government and the vatican, Senator Beveridge, of Indiana, in a speech at Carroll Institute at Washington, on the night of February 11, in part said: "With the purely governmental controversy between any state and its citizens or subjects, we Americans, as a nation, have nothing to do. On such questions we as Americans may have our personal opinion, but not an official opinion. But when any government on earth grounds its policy in an attack on religion itself, then it is time for all men who believe in the gospel to speak out in protest. For such an attack is the beginning of a movement against all religion and is to dethrone the Savior of the world as the sovereign of the spiritual and moral empire of mankind. It affects all the churches equally. I wonder if men who talk so boldly of exterminating our faith understand what would happen if that faith were dethroned. How long do you think the republic would last if all the churches were turned into factories and all the preachers and priests-ministers of the same gospel-ceased forever their holy vocation? How long would society itself endure? Men have rebelled against the intolerance of dogma; men should no less rebel against the intolerance of politics. Men have resisted intolerance of the church, both protestant and Catholic, men should no less resist the intolerance of the state, whether republican or monarchial." Senator Frazier of Tennessee made a most able address in the Senate in favor of state's rights, and then a few days afterward became the executioner of that speech by voting against Reed Smoot. State's rights may be very dear to Senator Frazier and he may have a broad and profound understanding of the subject, but to his mind the doctrine does not embrace the right of a sovereign state to choose its own senators unless such senators' religion is clothed with popularity. The Gospel to Children. FROM THE GOSPEL PRIMER, BY ELDER WILLIAM A. MORTON. IVINE AUTHORITY. "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." (Articles of Faith, par. 5.) In order for a man to acceptably preach the Gospel and administer in its ordinances he must first be called of God, "as was Aaron," and ordained under the hands of men holding the authority of the Holy Priesthood. No man can take this honor unto himself without incurring the displeasure of God. In every age of the world when the Lord required men for the work of the ministry He called them, either by His own voice or by the revelations of the Holy Ghost. Noah was called of God to preach repentance unto the Antediluvians; Abraham was also a chosen servant of the Lord, and had received the Holy Priesthood, by which he was enabled to see God and converse with Him face to face, for no man, except those who have been ordained to the Melchisedek Priesthood, can see the face of God and live. (See Doc. and Cov. Sec. 84, verse 22). Moses was called by direct revelation, the Lord appearing unto him in the burning bush at Mount Horeb. Moses was afraid to look upon the face of God, but the Lord told him that He had come down to send a deliverer to His children who were groaning in Egypt under the bondage of Pharaoh. And God called Moses and said unto him, "Come unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt." (Exodus iii 10.) Later Moses went up to Mount Sinai and received from the Lord the Ten Commandments, and other laws, for the guidance of the children of Israel. When the Lord desired Aaron and his sons to be ordained to officiate in the priest's office, he gave a revelation to that effect. He said to Moses: "Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazer and Ithamar, Aaron's sons." Exodus xxviii: 1.) But in our day men do not wait to be called of God, as were Aaron and his sons. Young men are sent to colleges, where they are made ministers by men. Having passed certain examinations, they are then sent out to preach, but without having been called of God or ordained under the hands of His authorized servants. How different from the way in which Christ called His ministers. Poor, unlearned fishermen were chosen by Him to be His apostles and special witnesses. men. "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And He said unto them, Follow me and I will make you fishers of And they straightway left their nets and followed Him. And going on from thence He saw two other brethren, James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee, their father, mending their nets; and He called them. And they immediately left their nets and their father, and followed Him." (Matt. iv:18-22. In like manner were the rest of the apostles called and ordained, and sent forth to preach the Gospel. When Judas, through transgression, lost his apostleship, Mathias was appointed by revelation to take his place (see Acts i:24-26); Barnabas and Saul were called to the ministry by the revelation of the Holy Ghost. (Acts xiii:1-3). No man can be called a minister of the Gospel who has not been called by revelation, and ordained by an authorized servant of God. The following instances will suffice to show how displeased the Lord is with those who undertake to officiate in offices to which they have not been called by Him or His servants: Uzziah, notwithstanding that he was king in Israel, was smitten with leprosy, and remained a leper until the day of his death, because he went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense, a duty which appertained not unto Uzziah, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron. (II Chron. xxvi chap). When David was fetching the ark of the covenant from Kirjath-jiarim to Zion, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put forth his hand to steady the ark, when the anger of the Lord was kindled against him, and God smote him for his error, and he died by the ark of God. (II. Sam. vi:6.) In the time of Paul, certain vagabond Jews undertook to cast out evil spirits in the name of the Lord. "There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priest, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded." xix: 14-16). (Acts After the death of the aspostles a great apostasy took place in all the churches. False teachers arose who perverted the Gospel of Christ, and finally the Lord took the Gospel and the Holy Priesthood from the earth. He promised, however, to restore them in the latter days. (See Rev. xiv:6). In the year 1827 the Gospel was restored to the earth, for in that same year an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph Smith, and delivered unto him the plates of the Book of Mormon upon which was written the fullness of the everlasting Gospel as preached among the Nephites, the ancient inhabitants of America. With the Gospel were also restored the Aaronic and the Melchisedek Priesthood. On the 15th of May, 1829, the angel, John the Baptist, appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, in Harmony, Susquehanna County, Pennsyl· vania, and ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood, saying unto them: "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering angels, and of the Gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness." Doc. and Cov. Sec. 13). In the year 1829 the apostles, Peter, James and John, appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and conferred upon them the Melchisedek Priesthood. Joseph was ordained an Apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the first Elder of this Church; Oliver was also ordained an Apostle, and called of God to be the second Elder of this Church. (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 20:2-3.) Soon after this, men were ordained and sent forth to preach the Gospel, and the Lord has ever acknowledged the labors of His faithful servants. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only Church. upon the earth which teaches the true and everlasting Gospel, and which has authority from God to administer in the ordinances thereof. (To be continued.) The torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake burning with fire and brimstone.-Joseph Smith. Review of Mission from January 15 to February 15. VIRGINIA. Much severe cold weather has hindered the Elders materially in their work; however, a number of counties have been canvassed and new ones opened. Considerable snow has fallen during the month. E. F. MARSHALL, President. KENTUCKY.-Considerable sickness has existed among the Elders, but not of a serious nature. Last reports bring the intelligence that better health now prevails among them. All the Saints in Christian county have been visited by Elders David Boam and W. B. Richins. JAMES A. CHRISTENSON, President. NORTH CAROLINA.--Sleeting snows have swept the counties along the coast. Several cities have been opened (the names of which were not given by the conference president) in which the mayors and police officers are very friendly. One baptism was performed. J. A. BERRETT, President. MIDDLE TENNESSEE. The Elders in the country districts are treated kindly in most instances. Many people who heretofore have been bitter are now friendly. The work in Memphis is still progressing encouragingly. One baptism was performed. WM. M. PATTEN, President. GEORGIA. Some of the Elders in this field have been somewhat afflicted during the past month with chills. But all are now improving rapidly. Elders Geo. M. Bartholomew and W. R. Messick sold fifty-one books in one week. This is the highest record made in the county for this conference. BRIGHAM NIELSON, President. EAST TENNESSEE.-President Lyman J. Ball and Elder John H. Batty are making a tour of the conference, visiting the Elders and Saints. Elder Batty will succeed President Ball, who will return home within a short time. A branch conference was held at Monterey on February 10th and 11th. Three public meetings were held. They were fairly well attended. LYMAN J. BALL, President. FLORIDA.-President C. A. Callis visited Tampa and Key West in the interest of the work being performed in these cities. He reports the people on the island as being practically free from prejudice, and says the conditions are full of bright possibilities. Elder L. W. Hardy received word of the sad death of his sister, who resides in Canada. Elders George L. Tate and J. E. Keller held a meeting in a school house at Hortense, Ga. Permission to use the building was given by a Methodist minister with whom they were also kindly invited to dine. Eleven baptisms were performed. C. A. CALLIS, President. SOUTH CAROLINA.-Elders M. T. Harmon and Joseph Nielson, while canvassing Orangeburg, were summoned to appear at the city hall on February 4th. They appeared at the place appointed at the proper time, and the chief of police informed them that reports had come to him to the effect that they had "insisted too much on the women to take their literature," and also that they were "visiting too much." The mayor interposed, saying that there was no law prohibiting them from canvassing, whereupon they were released. The brethren completed their work in the city and went to Branchville. Branch conferences were held at Islington, Horsegall and Ridgeland. JOHN H. GIBBS, President. ALABAMA.-A branch conference was held at Lamison. Four meetings convened and a most peaceful spirit prevailed at all gatherings. Ten Elders were present, all of whom were most hospitably entertained by the Saints and friends. The brethren are laboring now mostly in the southern part of the state. Elders David Larsen and Marion King, while returning from holding meeting at Beaver Meadows, were assaulted by some ruffians, who hurled a number of pine knots at them. They were not struck, fortunately, and the incident passed without further disturbance. Another branch conference was held at Loango, twelve Elders being in attendance. Eight meetings were held and all were well attended. H. P. SELLERS, President. OHIO. The brethren laboring in Cincinnati and Covington are much encouraged over the result of their work. Many friends are being won to the cause. Their meetings are well attended. Elders Myron Lance and Jesse L. Hibbard, stationed at Portsmouth, say that during the exceptionally high water there thousands of people were left homeless. The people of Dayton as a rule are broad-minded and |