hemisphere.

By this science their sick were healed, demons were expelled, the lame walked, the blind saw, the dumb spake, the deaf heard, and their dead were raised.

By this science three of those Apostles, having a change wrought upon them, tarried in the flesh upon the earth, ministered the Gospel and its blessings nearly four hundred years, and then withdrew from the people because of their iniquity, took away the keys of Apostleship and of the Gospel, and its powers, sealed up the records, and caused the work of healing, and of gifts and miracles, to cease from among the people, because of iniquity, bloodshed, and persecution.

By this science they yet live in the flesh upon the earth, holding keys of Apostleship and power upon the western hemisphere, being now about one thousand eight hundred years old.

By this science (being held in reserve above the powers of mystery Babylon,) they will soon go forth, prophesying, preaching the Gospel, and doing mighty signs and wonders in the midst of all nations, in order to complete and mature the Gentile fulness, and restore the tribes of Israel. Nor is this all—John, the beloved disciple among the Jews, is yet alive in the flesh, and is held in reserve, to "prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings" as it is written.

But to return to our history of the western hemisphere. After the science of Theology had ceased to be cultivated and enjoyed among this branch of Israel, terrible wars and bloodshed ensued. Governments and civilization were broken up, cities and countries were overthrown, all records and vestiges of truth were diligently sought and destroyed, as far as obtained.

And, finally, the whole face of the country was soaked, as it were, in blood, and strewed with the dead and dying.

The wild beasts of the forest and fowls of heaven devoured their flesh, and their bones were left to moulder unburied.

In other instances bodies were heaped up, and covered with mounds of earth.

All government became extinct, and the countries overrun by tribes and bands of robbers at war with each other.

In this situation the records of Moroni leave them, in the fifth century of the Christian era, and much in the same situation, with some exceptions, the Europeans found them after the lapse of another thousand years.

Oh! who can contemplate the disgusting deformity, the dark features, the filthy habits, the idleness, the cruelty, the nakedness, the poverty, the misery, the sufferings, the ignorance of the descendants of this once favoured branch of the royal blood of Abraham and Joseph, and not weep for very anguish, while his bosom yearns, and the fountains—the depths of his inmost soul, are stirred and moved within him!

Reader, all these things have come upon them, on account of the abuses, the consequent decline, and final loss of the keys and powers, of the science of Theology.

But comfort your heart, their redemption is at the door.

CHAPTER V.

KEYS OF THE MYSTERIES OF THE GODHEAD.

    Eternal Father, Being without end!
    Thy glorious fulness who can comprehend!
    Thine own infinitude alone is fraught
    With attributes to swell a human thought,
    To grasp thy knowledge, or thy nature scan.
    As Father of the endless race of man.

"This is life eternal: to know the only true and living God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent."

Since the decline of the science of Theology, a mystery, dark and deep, has shrouded the human mind, in regard to the person and nature of the Eternal Father, and of Jesus Christ, His son.

Councils of the fathers, and wise men of Christendom, have assembled again and again, in order to solve the mystery of Godliness, and fix some standard or creed upon which all parties might rest and be agreed.

This, however, was not in their power. It is impossible for the world by its wisdom to find out God. "Neither knoweth any man the Father save the son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him."

The key to the science of Theology, is the key of divine revelation. Without this key, no man, no assemblage of men, ever did, or ever will know the Eternal Father, or Jesus Christ.

When the key of revelation was lost to man, the knowledge of God was lost. And as life eternal depended on the knowledge of God, of course the key of eternal life was also lost.

Oh the mysteries, the absurdities, the contentions, the quarrels, the bloodshed, the infidelity, the senseless and conflicting theories, which have grown and multiplied among sectaries on this subject!

Among these theories, we will notice one, which is, perhaps, more extensively received by different sects than any other. The language runs thus—"There is one only living and true God, without body, parts, or passions; consisting of three persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

It is painful to the human mind to be compelled to admit, that such wonderful inconsistencies of language or ideas, have ever found place in any human creed. Yet, so it is.

It is but another way of saying, that there is a God who does not exist, a God who is composed of nonentity, who is the negative of all existence, who occupies no space, who exists in no time, who is composed of no substance, known or unknown, and who has no powers or properties in common with any thing or being known to exist, or which can possibly be conceived of, as existing either in the heavens or on the earth.

Such a God could never be seen, heard, or felt, by any being in the universe.

There never has been a visible idol worshipped among men, which was so powerless as this "God without body, parts, or passions."

The god of Egypt, the crocodile, could destroy.

The images of different nations could be felt and seen.

The Peruvian god, the Sun, could diffuse its genial warmth, light, and influence.

But not so with the God without "body, parts, or passions."

That which has no parts, has no whole.

Beings which have no passions, have no soul.

Before we can introduce the keys and powers of practical Theology to the understanding of men in this age, we must, of necessity, place within their comprehension some correct ideas of the true God.

It is written that, "without faith it is impossible to please Him." Those who do not please Him, can never partake of the powers and gifts of the science of Theology, because the keys and powers of this science emanate from Him as a free gift, but they are never given to those with whom He is not well pleased. The individual who would partake of this power, must therefore have faith in Him. But how can he believe in a being of whom he has no correct idea?

So vague, so foreign from the simple, plain truth, are the ideas of the present age, so beclouded is the modern mind with mysticism, spiritual nonentity, or immateriality in nearly all of its ideas of the person or persons of the Deity, that we are constrained to use the language of an ancient Apostle, as addressed to the learned of Athens—"Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship. Him declare I unto you."

Although there are facts in our own existence, which are beyond our present comprehension or capacity, which is true, in a higher sense, in relation to the Godhead, still the limited knowledge we are able to