No. 6, Vol XXIX.

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What is the word of God? The different sects of modern Christendom, though divided upon almost every religious principle, would unite in their answers to this question. The reply would be, the Bible is the word of God. Any person who would contradict this answer, would be counted almost an infidel. Yet, when we reflect upon the matter, by the light of reason and the aid of the Bible itself, we find that the definition is really incorrect. For, while it is true that the Bible contains some of the words of God, spoken to ancient Prophets, or rather the uninspired renderings of those words in modern languages, it is also a fact that it contains a great deal of merely historical matter, written according to the best knowledge of the circumstances which the writers could obtain. Some of the Bible historians have, in narrating the same occurrences, made considerable discrepancies in their statements; each writer evidently striving to give the best account he was able, from the information at his command. It would be wicked and blasphemous to charge the Almighty with the errors and contradictions which are to be found in the

historical portion of the Book, consequently it is exceedingly inconsistent to call it "the word of God."

The Bible contains the words of many very wicked men and women, and even the words of the Devil. How then can it, with any degree of propriety, be called the word of God? But the question may be asked-If all the words in the Bible are not absolutely the words of God, were not the writers of the book inspired of God? and if so, is not the Bible in that sense the word of God? To which we reply, there is no evidence to prove that many of the books in the Bible were written either by inspiration or commandment. What evidence of inspiration is to be found in the book of Esther, in which the name of God is never mentioned? What in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which contain several numerical discrepancies? What in the books of Judges and Ruth, of Kings and Chronicles? Did the writers of these books, whoever they may have been, profess to have been commanded of God to write them? And, coming down to the New Testament, did the writers of those important books, called "the four Gospels," re

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ceive any commandment from God to record the occurrences which they have related? They do not say so.

Let us hear what one of them says himself as to the reason of his authorship. "Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth, in order, a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed." (Luke i, 1-4.)

In the same way Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles, as a continuation of his "former treatise," which, though not professing to be written by inspiration or commandment, is a more connected and succinct account of the important events attending the ministry of the word, than is given by either of the other writers of "the Gospels." Modern religious teachers will take isolated texts from these writings, and quote them as the word of God, when they only profess to be the words of Luke, who has given us as good an account as he was able to give, according to his understanding of the circumstances. That he was not always entirely correct, might easily be proved by comparison. We will give one instance of this from his Acts of the Apostles. In relating the conversion of Saul, he says, "and the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. (chap. 9, verse 7.) But he reports Paul's own account of the occurrence in these words, " And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me." (chap. 22, 9 verse.)

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A great deal of what is quoted by the clergy as the sublime and inimitable language of inspiration in the Book of Job, turns out, upon investigation, to be the language of those three men who have become popularly known as "Job's comforters," and whom the Lord himself rebuked for using that very language. "The

Lord said unto Eliphaz the Temanite, my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends, for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath; therefore, take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for him will I accept, lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job." (Job xlii, 7, 8.) In the churches and chapels of the present day, the words of these men, which God calls "folly," are very frequently taken as texts for sermons, and are greatly admired for the beauty of their style, which is taken as a token of their inspiration; and any person who should have the temerity to doubt their divinity, would be shunned as infidel and dangerous.

These remarks are not intended to depreciate the value of the Bible, but rather to place it in its proper position before the world. It has been taken out of that position, and exalted to the place of that which it is only given to lead us unto, that is, individual and present inspiration, even the living word of God.

The true guide for mankind is not the Bible, nor any other book in existence; the Bible itself teaches this. By reading that book we learn, that God's guide to his presence, in all ages of the world, was his living word, conveyed through the living oracles. Prophets, Apostles, &c., were called by revelation, and being properly authorized and appointed, came with "the burden of the word of the Lord." Their words were words of life to the obedient, and words of death to the disobedient; and they invariably labored to bring the people to the same fountain from which they obtained the living streams of truth; to kindle in the people the living fire that glowed in their bosoms; to light up in the hearts of the obedient, the lamp of inspiration, that they might see and understand for themselves, not depending upon books or men for light, but drawing nigh unto the Sun of Truth themselves, they might personally walk in the glory of his rays, and

be in communion with him. It is true that some of the ancient Prophets wrote the word of the Lord which came unto them, and that they left their writings for the benefit of after generations; but there is a great deal of misunderstanding on this point. A great many of the prophetic writings have entirely disappeared from among mankind, and the Bible, which is supposed by many to comprise the complete canon of Scripture, in reality contains but a few of the things written by the Prophets. Among the most ancient records which are now lost to the world, is the book of Enoch, alluded to by Jude in his general epistle. (verse 7.) Enoch evidently predicted the course of events down to the latest generations, even till the second advent of the Savior.

In the account which is given of Joshua commanding the sun and moon to stand still, we are informed that the history was written in the book of Jasher, from which book the author of the book of Joshua, whoever he was, most likely obtained the particulars which he recorded. In the same book, reference is also made to the book of the wars of the Lord. In 1 Chron. xxix, 29, and 2 Chron. ix, 29, we read of the books of Nathan the Prophet, of Gad the Seer, of Ahijab the Shilonite, and of Iddo the Seer; all of which, being written by eminent and faithful Prophets, would no doubt be exceedingly interesting and instructive, if they had been preserved, and might be of considerable more benefit to the people of the present day, than such books as Solomon's Songs, containing the love ditties of an old and foolish king, who had departed from the ways of the Lord, or the book of Esther, which, however entertaining as a story, cannot be pointed to as in any way conducing to spiritual enlightenment.

In the New Testament we also read of several books which are missing, and which would no doubt throw great light upon many things which are now obscure. Luke, as referred to before, speaks of many who had written concerning the history of the Savior. Paul, in what is called 1st epistle to the Corinthians, (c. 5, v. 9,) speaks of a former epistle he had written to them;

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he speaks also of an epistle to the Laodiceans, in writing to the Colossians, (c. 4, v. 16,) and which he considered of so much importance, that he wished the Colossians to read it; and Jude, in his one little chapter, which contains all of his writings we have left, speaks of an epistle he had written about the common salvation." (3rd v.) These, and no doubt a great many more, of the writings of inspired men, are lost to the world ; they are not contained in the Bible, therefore the Bible does not comprise the "complete canon of Holy Writ,' and in that sense cannot claim the title of "the whole word of God."

If all these valuable writings had been preserved, although they would have been of very great benefit to the human family in the present day, they would not constitute a perfect guide to salvation. Each generation requires instructions and commandments from the Lord, suited to the peculiar and special circumstances of the times, which vary with every generation, and which are continually altering during the period of each generation. Therefore, Bible or no Bible, whether we have a few of the ancient revelations or all of them, we need the living oracles that we may receive the living word, suited to present times, present people, and present circumstances.

Dependence on the letter of the word revealed to former dispensations, has brought death to each successive age, for "the letter killeth, it is the spirit that maketh alive." Jesus said to the Jews, who boasted of having the writings of Moses and the Prophets, "The words which I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." So it is with his servants whom he inspires: their words contain the germs of spiritual life, and when they fall upon good ground, they germinate and spring up, bearing fruit to the glory of God, and planting in the soul that receives them, the life and light of the Gospel.

Let thanksgiving and praise be ascribed unto the God of Israel, for send+ ing again, in these times of darkness and spiritual death, the living oracles

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inspired Apostles and Prophets, to guide mankind to his presence! let all the world know that, in very

deed, God has again visited the children of men, in his goodness, by opening up the way of life, and that his servants are now going forth having light, power, and authority, to teach this generation the things of God.

Let those who go forth in the name of the Lord, seek earnestly for the power of God, that life may be in the words they speak; and let those who have been "born, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed, even the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever," strive to grow up unto him who is their spiritual head in

all things, even Christ; not placing their whole and entire dependence upon those men who are placed in the Church "for the perfecting of the Saints," but seeking to the Lord for a continual outpouring of "the anointing from above which teacheth all things," that they may have within themselves, that more sure word of prophecy, which is like a light shining in a dark place," the lamp of life, the true and unerring guide, the source of joy, the messenger of peace, the living word of God.

A dream of the night, helped by a rush of water from the hill-side, (not larger than the Xenil, which gave life to Granada, and changed the barren vega into a garden,) fixed the site of the New Jerusalem. Brigham Young tells me, that when coming over the mountains, in search of a new home for his people, he saw, in a vision of the night, an angel standing on a conical hill, pointing to a spot of ground on which the new Temple must be built. Coming down into this basin of Salt Lake, he first sought for the cone which he had seen in his dream; and when he had found it, he noticed a stream of fresh hill-water flowing at its base, which he called the City Creek. Elder George Smith, and a few pioneers, led this creek through and through a patch of likely soil, into which they then stuck potatoes; and having planted these bulbs, they took a few steps northward, marked out the Temple site, and drew a great square line about it. That square block, ten acres in extent, is the heart of the city, the "Mormon" holy place, the haram of this young Jerusalem of the West.

The site of the new city was laid between the two great lakes, Utah Lake and Salt Lake-like the town of Interlachen between Brienz and Thunthough the distances are here much greater, the two inland seas of Utah being real seas when compared against

the two charming lakelets in the Bernese Alps. A river now called the Jordan flows from Utah into Salt Lake; but it skirts the town only, and lying low down in the valley, is useless, as yet, for irrigation. Young has a plan for constructing a canal from Utah Lake to the city, by way of the lower benches of the Wasatch chain; a plan which will cost much money, and fertilise enormous sweeps of barren soil. If Salt Lake City is left to extend itself in peace, the canal will soon be dug; and the bench, now covered with stones, with sand, and a little wild sage, will be changed into vineyards and gardens.

The city, which covers, we are told, three thousand acres of land, between the mountains and the river, is laid out in blocks of ten acres each. Each block is divided into lots of one acre and a quarter; this quantity of land being considered enough for an ordinary cottage and garden.

As yet, the Temple is unbuilt; the foundations are well laid, of massive granite; and the work is of a kind that bids fair to last; but the Temple block is covered with temporary buildings and erections-the old tabernacle, the great bowery, the new tabernacle, the temple foundations. A high wall encloses these edifices; a poor wall, without art, without strength; more like a mud wall than the great work which surrounds the temple platform