| 122 their midst, and they placed under a "schoolmaster until Christ."
The great prototype of John the Baptist, Elijah, was a great prophet, the spirit of God rested upon him in a powerful manner, yet he could not do much; but had to exclaim, "they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine alters; and I am left alone and they seek my life."
John the Baptist came in his day as an Elias; a restorer. The angel Gabriel said that he came in the "spirit and power of Elias," and if the people would have submitted to his teaching and to the teaching of our Savior, the things that are spoken of in the prophets would have been fulfilled; hence says our Savior, 'if ye will receive it,' this is the Elias which was to come; but he goes on to tell them that they would not receive it. He says 'he that hath ears to hear let him hear, but whereunto shall I liken this generation?' it is likened unto children sitting in the markets and calling unto their fellows, saying; 'we have piped unto you and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say he hath a devil. The son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say behold a man gluttenous [gluttonous] and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.' Matt. XI, 14 and 19. thus they rejected John the Baptist, and although he was indeed the Elias, he could not be so to them, and hence, when they asked him 'art thou Elias?' he said 'I am not.' They forfeited the favor of Jehovah, the kingdom of heaven was taken from them, and the blessings of God withdrawn from their midst.
We do not attach blame to any of the ancient prophets, we believe they done their best: but they lived among a corrupt people who would not listen to the word of the Lord, besides, the time appointed by Jehovah had not come and they could not be made perfect without us, and we without them; it requires the priesthood in heaven, and the priesthood on earth combined, to bring about these things, and as the Lord has been pleased to reveal unto us the fulness [fullness] of the gospel, and he is about to gather his word into one, and his people into one, since we are favored with the faith of all the priesthood that have lived, as well as those that are now living. The faith and assistance of the fathers on the Asiatic continent, as well as the ancients on this continent, inasmuch as we are faithful, we may perhaps unite in singing this new song, saying:
'The Lord hath brought again Zion:
The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel.
According to the election of grace,
Which was brought to pass by the faith,
And covenant of their fathers.
The Lord that redeemed his people,
And satan is bound, and time is no longer:
The Lord hath gathered all things in one;
The Lord hath brought down Zion from above;
The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath;
The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength;
And truth is established in her bowels;
And the heavens have smiled upon her;
And she is clothed with the glory of God:
For he stands in the midst of his people:
Glory, and honor, and power, and might,
Be ascribed to our God, for he is full of mercy,
Justice, grace and truth, and peace,
For ever and ever; Amen."
As the Prophet observes, "Behold this is wisdom in me: wherefore marvel not for the hour cometh that I drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the book of Mormon, containing the fullness of my everlasting gospel; to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim; and also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing to pass the restoration of all things, or the restorer of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began, concerning the last days: and also John the son of Zacharias, which Zacharias he (Elias) visited and gave promise that he should have a son, and his name should be John, and he should be filled with the spirit of Elias; which John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith, jr. and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto this first priesthood which you have received, that you might be called and ordained even of Aaron: and also Elijah unto whom I have committed the keys of the power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers that the whole earth may not be smitten with a curse; and also, with Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham your fathers, by whom the promises remain; and also with Michael, or Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days:
And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry; and of the same things which I revealed unto them; unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the lasts times; and for the fulness [fullness] of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things both which are in heaven and which are on earth;"
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