Example in this ebook Three quarters of a century have passed away since Joseph Smith first declared that he had received a revelation from God. From that revelation and others that followed there has sprung into existence what men call a new religion—"Mormonism;" and a new church, the institution commonly known as the "Mormon Church," the proper name of which, however, is THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. Though it may seem a small matter, the reader should know that "Mormonism" is not a new religion. Those who accept it do not so regard it; it makes no such pretentions. The institution commonly called the "Mormon Church," is not a new church; it makes no such pretensions, as will be seen by its very name—the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This of itself discloses what "The Mormon Church" claims to be—the Church of Jesus Christ; and to distinguish it from the Church of Jesus Christ that existed in former days, the phrase "of Latter-day Saints" is added. "Mormonism," I repeat, is not a new religion; it is the Old Religion, the Everlasting Gospel, restored again to the earth through the revelations received by Joseph Smith. At a glance the reader will observe that these claims in behalf of "Mormonism" pre-suppose the destruction of the primitive Christian Church, a complete apostasy from the Christian religion; and hence, from the standpoint of a believer, "Mormonism" is the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored; and the institution which grows out of it—the church—is the Church of Jesus Christ re-established among men. During the three quarters of a century that have elapsed since the first revelation was announced by Joseph Smith, the world has been flooded with all manner of rumors concerning the origin of "Mormonism," its doctrines, its organization, its purposes, its history. Books enough to make a respectable library, as to size, have been written on these subjects, but the books, in the main, are the works of avowed enemies, or of sensational writers who chose "Mormonism" for a subject because in it they supposed they had a theme that would be agreeable to their own vicious tastes and perverted talents, and give satisfactory returns in money for their labor. This latter class of writers have not only written without regard to truth, but without shame. They are ghouls who have preyed upon the misfortunes of an unpopular people solely for the money or notoriety they could make out of the enterprise. That I may not be thought to overstate the unreliability of anti-Mormon literature, I make an excerpt from a book written by Mr. Phil Robinson, called Sinners and Saints. Mr. Robinson came to Utah in 1882 as a special correspondent of The New York World, and stayed in Utah some five or six months, making "Mormonism" and the Latter-day Saints a special study. On the untrustworthiness of the literature in question, he says: "Whence have the public derived their opinions about Mormonism? From anti-Mormons only. I have ransacked the literature of the subject, and yet I really could not tell anyone where to go for an impartial book about Mormonism later in date than Burton's 'City of the Saints,' published in 1862. * * * But put Burton on one side, and I think I can defy any one to name another book about the Mormons worthy of honest respect. From that truly awful book, 'The History of the Saints,' published by one Bennett (even an anti-Mormon has styled him 'the greatest rascal that ever came to the West,') in 1842, down to Stenhouse's in 1873, there is not to my knowledge a single Gentile work before the public that is not utterly unreliable from its distortion of facts. Yet it is from these books—for there are no others—that the American public has acquired nearly all its ideas about the people of Utah." To be continue in this ebook

"This volume, the first of six, devotes serious attention to the foundational questions: (1) What is a useful approach to Book of Mormon geography? (2) What contributions can archaeology, anthropology, and ethnohistory make to Book of Mormon questions? (3) What constituted Nephite theology in these first generations? (4) What were Mormon's sources and how did he organize his work? One of the most exciting insights of this volume is its reconstruction of the politics behind the Deuteronomic reforms of King Josiah. These reforms deemphasized an earlier Messiah-centered theology that more fully acknowledged the council of the gods, the war in heaven, Yahweh's feminine consort, originally worshipped in the temple, and Isaiah, the poet-prophet who foretold the Messiah's coming. Did Lehi's acceptance of this earlier, Christ-centered religion explain the death threats against him in Jerusalem? If Laman and Lemuel accepted those reforms, did this intrafamily disagreement produce a thousand years of hostility between Nephites and Lamanites in the New World? Other contributions of this volume are a fresh look at what the Book of Mormon actually says about skin color, the pressures of local polytheistic culture on Nephite theology, and the Isaiah-based egalitarian ideal of Nephite culture."--Bk. jkt.

A New Witness for God is a three volume treatise by B. H. Roberts, one of the leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who wrote this work as a recapitulation of 75 years of the existence of "Mormonism" and "Mormon Church." The author's purpose was to prove that the world was in need of a new God's witness, and that Joseph Smith, a great modern prophet, was that witness. Dividing the work in thesis he firstly proves that the world was in necessity of a New Witness; then moves on to the state of the Christian church and how it was destroyed and there was an apostasy from the Christian religion; third thesis deals with the Scriptures declaring that the Gospel will be restored to the Earth; final thesis suggest that Joseph Smith is the New Witness for God who re-established the Church of Jesus Christ on Earth. Following these theses is the study of the Book of Mormon.

This book presents a vision of Christ and the church. It then goes on the emphasize the need to experience this Christ as the Spirit in our spirit and to practice the church life on the ground of oneness.

Much of what is preached and taught among Christians today concerns the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus, that is, the work He did during His life on the earth. However, just as the person of Christ has two aspects, so does His ministry. While He was on earth, He was the man Jesus. Since His ascension into heaven, however, He is the glorified Christ. His earthly ministry lasted for only a limited time, but His heavenly ministry is eternal; it will never end. What is Christ doing now? In this book, Witness Lee answers this question, opening up the second part of Christ’s ministry, the heavenly ministry, the ministry that continues today.

It is easy to understand that man has needs, but do we have a sense of God’s need? Indeed, we may even wonder, “Who has a greater need, man or God?” In this book, Witness Lee presents his burden that we would “turn our eyes from the earth to heaven to see a need that is immensely greater than man’s need—God’s need. Without seeing God’s need, it is difficult for people who do not have a sense of need to be saved. Furthermore, without seeing God’s need, it is difficult for those who are saved to have a heavenly living or to obtain power and faith. May these words lead us to see the need on God’s side so that our attention can be shifted from man to God.”

The most important work of God on earth is the speaking out of His word through man. In the Old Testament God's word was released through the ministry of the prophets, and in the New Testament it was released through the ministry of the Lord Jesus and later through the apostles. Even though God is pleased to allow us to speak His word, the greatest measure of our usefulness as a minister of the Word is not the amount of our Bible knowledge or even the ability to eloquently present the truth; rather, it is the degree to which our inward parts have been molded and shaped by the Holy Spirit. The Ministry of God's Word contains a series of messages given by Watchman Nee in 1948 and 1949 after nearly thirty years of ministry. These messages are deep, profound, subjective, and full of light, revealing both the depth of his experience and extent of our need to open to the Holy Spirit's inward operation.

Explores ancient beliefs about life after death, highlighting the fact that the early Christians' belief about the afterlife belonged firmly on the Jewish spectrum, while introducing several new mutations and sharper definitions, forcing readers to view the Easter narratives not simply as rationalizations, but as accounts of two actual events: the empty tomb of Jesus and his "appearances." Simultaneous. Hardcover no longer available.