The visit of the Savior of the world, his crucifixion and resurrection
from the dead, the proclamation of the gospel through the nations by
his disciples and apostles brought the subject to the attention of a
great portion of the world. The Savior, himself, is represented as
going to his own—to his own nation, to His own people, and they
received Him not. He came to them with the words of life, light and
salvation, but they could not appreciate them. They conspired against
Him and put Him to death. He says in relation to this that it must
needs be that offenses come, but woe to him through whom they come, it
were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he
cast into the depths of the sea. The offenses did come. His
servants went forth and preached, and, according to the histories that
have come down to us, they were all martyred with but one exception,
that is John, who is represented to have been cast into a cauldron of
oil. We find, however, in the New Testament, that the writings of John
are the last that are handed down to us by King James' translators as
inspired writings. His three epistles, written almost a hundred years
after the birth of the Savior, are the last books that King James'
translators would give to us as inspired writings. Perhaps you have
reflected upon this matter. King James' translators were learned men
selected by the King to translate the Scriptures. They translated the
writings of the various apostles and prophets, and then took a vote
among themselves to decide which were inspired and which were not. You
will remember that not one among this body of learned divines even
professed to have the inspiration of God upon him. They were learned
in the languages, sciences and the opinions of men, and their vote was
the only test by which they decided which of these books were given by
revelation and which were not. And it was perhaps only a single vote
that saved the books of James, and perhaps only a single vote that
cast out the books of the Apocrypha.
Now, this is calculated to make men reflect upon the position of a
church without an inspired leader, without a man at its head who can
ask the Lord for guidance and obtain an answer. The Church of England
made no pretensions to inspiration. It had protested against the
Church of Rome as being the "beast," the "false prophet," the
"mother
of harlots and abominations of the earth," and everything that was
corrupt, and had inaugurated a reformation, and established the
Protestant Church of England, with the King for its head; but it had
no inspiration. And this body of learned men passed their votes on
these sacred books without any pretense whatever to inspiration from
the Almighty. Yet "no man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit
of God."
Soon after the death of the apostles, divisions occurred in the
Christian churches on a variety of topics. They had commenced to
engraft into the religion of Jesus idolatrous ideas, after the
similitude of an idolatrous worship. These ideas gradually crept in
for some three or four hundred years, the Christian religion being
held in a subordinate position by the State; and several times the
whole power of the Roman Empire was exerted to exterminate it from the
earth. This course of things finally terminated in a political change,
during which the first Christian Emperor arose and stopped the
persecution of the Christians. This was Constantine the Great. He was,
by no means, the most pious of Christian Sovereigns, but he was the
first Christian Emperor, and by means of the cross for his banner he
had been able to wade through the blood of his competitors and set
himself on the throne of the Roman world. In the year 306 he
established the Christian religion as the religion of the State, and
suppressed the time-honored rites of Pagan temples and heathen modes
of worship.
This change produced a tremendous influence, not only upon the Pagan,
but also upon the Christian portion of the Empire. Up to that period
the Christians had been oppressed and trampled down, and had even been
under the necessity or burying their dead in secret. Many portions of
the city of Rome are honeycombed with subterraneous catacombs
excavated in the rock where thousands of Christians were secretly
entombed during the time that to bury after the Christian manner was a
violation of the laws of the Roman Empire; and when to adhere to this
mode of burial or to acknowledge themselves Christians was liable to
cost them their lives, the confiscation of their property, or liberty.
This change, however, was not wrought at once. Unfortunately for the
progress of Christianity and the peace of mankind, the Emperor Julien,
the Apostate, in 361 attempted to reestablish the Pagan religion in
the empire. This brought on a bloody struggle, which resulted in an
amalgamation of Christianity and Paganism. Idol worship had always
existed in Rome. The gods of the Greeks and Romans, and the gods and
goddesses that were manufactured for the occasion had temples built to
them, and their worship not only directed but enforced by the laws of
the Empire. But when Christianity became the religion of the State,
these rites were banished and a vast amount of Pagan property was
confiscated.
The rites and ordinances of the Christian religion were few and
simple, when compared with the ostentatious display observed in the
worship of Pagan idols. It might not be amiss in enquire what the
religious ceremonies of the early Christians really were. They
believed in the divine mission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
and endeavored to follow his precepts. The Savior said, "Let him who
will be my disciple take up his cross and follow me." When the Savior
commenced His mission He went to the waters of the Jordan and was
baptized by immersion, thereby setting an example to all to follow
Him. His dis ciples preached faith, repentance, and baptism for the
remission of sins, and the ordinance of laying on of hands for the
reception of the Holy Ghost, and the administration of what is termed
the sacrament. In these were comprised the principal portion of the
outward ordinances and ceremonies that were observed by the early
Christians. They met on the Sabbath day to worship, receive instruction
and to call upon the name of the Lord and to partake of the emblems of
the death and sufferings of our Lord and Savior, and to witness unto
him thereby that they were determined to keep His commandments unto
the end.
Their places of worship were generally private houses, or such retired
places as they could obtain so as to be free from the interruption of
their enemies. And in connection with the ordinances to which I have
referred, their religion consisted in the observance of a strict moral
code. When a man entered the church by the door, that is by faith,
repentance, baptism for the remission of sins and the laying on of
hands, he was required to live in strict obedience to the principles
laid down in the teachings of our Savior, to sustain and uphold the
truth and to lead a pure and upright life, and "to do unto others as he
would that others should do unto him." These, in short, were the
prominent religious observances that existed at the time of the
Apostles of our Lord and Savior, who had established branches of the
church in nearly all parts of the known world. But these simple
principles were soon trespassed upon by philosophers. Paul, in warning
the members of the church of this, says: "beware lest any man spoil
you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ."
The religion of the Pagan world was made up in a great measure of
ostentatious display. Offerings and sacrifices of various kinds were
made in temples of great magnificence, some of which were kept
constantly open for this purpose. A great number of persons devoted
their lives to the service of these gods. They worshipped the images
of almost every creature that could be imagined, and the planets,
which were generally represented by colossal statues of exquisite
workmanship. The influence of these deities over the people was
universal. Nations dare not go to war without consulting these
oracles. Some of their temples were dedicated especially to war. There
was one in Rome which was kept constantly open in time of war and shut
in time of peace. And there was one period in which war was so
prolonged, that this temple, dedicated to the god of war, was kept
continually open for a hundred years. And everything that a zealous
love of the marvelous and the wonderful could do to sustain the
tottering empire of Paganism was done, and to enforce the observance
of pagan rights. And to ensure respect to their ancient mythology,
thousands of the disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus were put to death.
This is but a glance at the difference of the two systems. But at the
time of Constantine the religion of Jesus had varied very materially
from what it was two hundred years before.
Some writers dispute in relation to Constantine's conversion. Some say
that he was baptized by immersion in the old church of St. John
Lateran, at Rome, which was originally a heathen temple, dedicated to
the goddess Faustina, one of the Roman Empresses, who, by some
historians is asserted to have been one of the most lewd women that
ever lived in Rome; but who was regarded as a paragon of purity by her
Imperial husband, who caused her to be proclaimed a goddess; and the
virgins of Rome, especially those of patrician blood, were required to
go into the presence of her statue to offer their vows previous to
marriage. Saint John Lateran also contained, it is said, the font in
which Constantine was baptized. But some assert, and I think Eusebius
is among the number, that Constantine was a little careless in regard
to the matter of baptism, and deferred it, as many persons do the
making of their wills—until after their death.
This, however, matters not so much as the effect produced by this
grand political change, which not only had a tendency to suppress
Paganism, but it also degenerated Christianity. Thousands and
thousands of Pagans—men dedicated to the Pagan service, now found it
to their interest to seek employment under the new religion; and in
order to make it permanent and to give it the appearance of
consequence it was deemed necessary to incorporate into it some of the
Pagan rites and ostentatious display. Degeneracy, almost universal
degeneracy was the result. In a few centuries the religious power had
grown almost equal to the former civil power of Rome.
A division occurred between the patriarchs of Constantinople and those
of Rome, as to the right of supremacy. The patriarchs of
Constantinople would not acknowledge those of Rome as superior in
authority. The result was the establishment of the Greek Church—an
organization which exists at the present day, at the head of which is
the Emperor of Russia. The rest of Europe, with the exception of the
Eastern Empire of the Romans, what was called the Greek
empire, adopted the western faith—the Latin Church. This Latin faith
became almost the law of the land throughout western Europe, and was
also planted in America, especially in South and Central America and
Mexico, and in Canada. It was planted in America by means of the
sword. There were in Europe a great many conscientious men who could
see most terrible corruption in this Latin Church, and they were not
satisfied. In 1160 Peter of Waldam, a town of France, obtained the
translation of the four gospels into French, and with his followers he
commenced vigorously preaching against the corruptions of the Roman
church, denying the supremacy of the Pontiff. One of the Reformers
painted on one side of a large room Christ riding to Jerusalem on an
ass; and on the other side the Pope making a triumphal entry into Rome
to receive his consecration, and this called attention to the marked
contrast.
A great many Christians wanted to visit the Holy Sepulchre, which was
in the hands of the Mahommedans. One, Peter the Hermit, made this
pilgrimage, and was treated roughly by the Mussulmen. He returned
home, and commenced to preach the redemption of the Holy Sepulchre. He
aroused nearly all the western nations of Europe into a furor to
redeem the Holy Sepulchre. In 1095, 30,000 men started the first
crusade led by this fanatic Peter. On their way they inflicted great
cruelty on the Jews wherever they passed them. The expedition failed,
however, and most of these who composed it perished. But the spirit to
redeem the Holy Sepulchre was thoroughly awakened among the western
nations of Europe, and a number of princes, warriors and men of wealth
and great renown espoused the holy cause. They led magnificent armies;
and hundreds of thousands bled and died on the plains of Palestine
around Jerusalem. In 1099 Godfrey de Bouillion, succeeded in taking
the city of Jerusalem, and the Mosque of Omar was dedicated as a
Christian Church. The Crusaders kept possession for about ninety
years, when it was wrested from their hands by Saladin, Caliph of
Egypt, who is said to have washed the Mosque of Omar with rose water
and re-dedicated it to the worship of Mahomet.
This made the nations a great deal acquainted with each other. The
knights of England, France, Spain, Germany and Italy were side by side
in those campaigns, which were repeated about 150 years—costing the
lives of two millions of men. They fought in the common cause, and it
had a tendency to make them acquainted with each other, and probably
perpetuated, to some extent, that universality of sentiment which
existed for so many years in regard to the Catholic faith. However,
divisions arose, and the northern nations of Europe became Protestant
under Calvin and Luther. Scotland became Protestant under the lead of
certain very devout divines. England became Protestant under Henry
VIII, who first wrote a work in defense of the Catholic faith, which
caused the Pope to confer upon him the title of "defender of the
faith." He put many to death for not strictly observing the Catholic
religion. He then renounced the Catholic faith through a personal
quarrel between him and the Pope, and assumed to be the head of the
church, and put men to death for not believing in his spiritual
supremacy, so that he killed men on both sides of the question. This
continued during his lifetime, and during the short reign of his son, Edward. Then she who is called "Bloody Mary" came to the
throne. She endeavored to reestablish the Catholic faith, and men
were put to death because they would not desert Protestantism. We all
remember when we were children seeing a picture of John Rogers, a
minister of the Gospel, who was the first martyr in Mary's reign. He
was burnt at the stake in Smithfield.
When I visited London, I went to the same place to preach, but the
police would not let me. They said that the Lord Mayor, by the advice
of the Bishop of London, had, the evening before, issued orders to
prohibit street preaching. Preaching within the limits of the city had
always been allowed before, but we were not allowed to do so. I
believed that this prohibition was in consequence of the publication
of our intention to visit London for the purpose of establishing the
gospel. I do not know that it was so, but it was the first time that
any Protestant had been deprived of the right to preach in Smithfield
Market and in the streets on Sunday.
As soon as Queen Mary died England became Protestant again. Mooney in
his history of Ireland asserts that "When Elizabeth undertook to
establish the Protestant religion in Ireland, the Irish people could
not understand what it was; they said the religion of England had been
changed four times in thirty years."
Now we are told by the Protestant world that they have authority which
has descended to them from the Savior and His apostles. But when the
division took place between the Protestants and the Church of Rome the
Pope excommunicated them. He issued what were called "bulls of
excommunication," and consigned these Protestants to the lowest hell,
and deprived them of every particle of authority, if they ever had
any. Now, if the Catholic Church had any authority, those who
dissented from them were thus deprived of every vestige of it; and if
the Catholics had no authority, then those who went out from them had
none. The result was that in either case the Protestants had none; and
the Protestants all tell us that the Catholics had none, that they had
degenerated and apostatized, and had become corrupt and wicked and had
lost their power, and it was necessary to make a general reform. A
stream cannot rise higher than its fountain, and the result is there
was no authority among any of them. Not one of these Reformers even
professed to have inspiration from the Lord, and that is the condition
of the religious world today.
Are the Latter-day Saints any better off? Let us refer to the origin
of this work. God called His servant Joseph Smith and conferred upon
him the authority and power of the priesthood, that the work of God
might be reestablished on the earth. This was necessary, because the
Lord, in answer to his prayers, told him that all the sects were
wrong, and that it was consequently necessary that the Lord should
reveal Himself anew to the children of men. The Lord accordingly
conferred the priesthood and apostleship upon Joseph, by which he
could preach faith, repentance and baptism for remission of sins, and
lay his hands on those who believed and obeyed, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost; and also ordain men to go forth and preach the
gospel to others. Joseph Smith was an obscure individual, a young man
who had limited opportunities for education. But he was sent of God to
preach the simple principles of the gospel of Jesus, as they were
taught by His disciples. And the principal argument with which
he was met was ridicule, tar and feathers, tearing down houses,
driving women and children from their homes, and robbing them of their
inheritances, and murdering the Elders, and depriving the Latter-day
Saints of every right, human and divine. These were the arguments used
against the testimony and mission of Joseph Smith and his fellow
laborers. They were effective to a certain extent in destroying the
mortal lives of apostles and prophets, and in bringing sorrow, grief
and mourning to the bosoms of many. And when Joseph Smith fell by the
hands of wicked men, the authority he held rested on the head of
Brig ham Young. And by the inspiration of God he was enabled to lead
Israel from the midst of their trials into the heart of this great
mountain desert where God has blessed, prospered and preserved them.
And from the day that God first communicated His will to man until the
present, the power, wisdom and inspiration of the eternal God have
never been more manifest than through President Young in the discharge
of these great duties. The mantle of Joseph fell upon him, and
thousands of persons were witnesses that this spirit came upon him,
and that he was inspired of the Almighty to lead, guide, and bear off
the kingdom.
- George A. Smith