| 135 NOTICE.
We beg leave respectfully to state to our city subscribers, that in consequence of people calling frequently for their neighbors papers, without authority, and then not forwarding them to the owners, that they are often called for a second time, by the owners; which makes it unpleasant both to us and them. To prevent this difficulty, we shall not in future permit any person to take another's papers, without an order from the owner.
TIMES AND SEASONS,
CITY OF NAUVOO,
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1842.
PROSPECTUS.
It will be seen by the prospectus on the first page that we are proposing to enlarge the "WASP" to double its present size, which will make it a large and respectable paper, and interesting to our friends abroad as well as at home. As the enlargement of this paper will increase the amount of our expenses, we respectfully solicit the patronage and assistance of our elders, brethren and friends, in our arduous undertaking.
There are scores of neighborhoods abroad, where from five to fifty subscribers might be obtained if exertions were made for that purpose; and we think that a little exertion on the part of our friends would cause our paper to have as extensive a circulation, and raise it to as respectable a standing, as any in the Union.
By using our efforts in spreading our paper, we shall be instrumental in advancing the cause of truth, spreading the principles of intelligence and removing a large amount of prejudice, arising from misrepresentation, and ignorance, of our principles. Both our civil and religious policy, is more rational, more consistent, and more in accordance with the principles of common sense, than others, and needs only to be seen to be admired. Ignorance of our doctrines, principles and policy, is the great evil that we have to cope with, and the more generally we can spread our information, the more will the community appreciate our principles, and be attracted by our doctrines. And as we are commanded, "where we cannot go, to send," if we can make use of the press as a medium, through which to disseminate our principles and doctrines, we shall be forwarding the work of God and putting the people in possession of the principles of intelligence.
Let not any of our brethren think, that because this is not exclusively a religious paper it will therefore not promote the cause of truth; it will in part be religious, as will be seen by a perusal of the prospectus; but temporal and spiritual things are one with the saints; they are also one with God. The same God that made our spirits, and gave us intelligence, made our bodies also. Zion will be built up literally; and those who wish to be "hewers of wood, and drawers of water," will have to handle the axe [ax] and the pail litterally [literally]. If brethren would take our papers themselves, send them to their friends, and circulate them in their neighborhoods, they would do incalculable good to community, and remove a vast amount of prejudice.
We hope therefore, that all our brethren will assist us in our laudable undertaking and thus facilitate the advance of truth. We do not often mention these things, on account of delicacy; but we would remind our brethren however, of one of the sayings of old, "for lack of knowledge the people perish." Let the branches of the church unite and send us on their five, ten, twenty-five and one hundred subscribers, and they will assist us in our work, benefit themselves, be a blessing to their neighbors, and advance the cause of truth.
THE RELIGION OF THE ANCIENTS.
It has been supposed, by many of our modern theologians, that the ancients knew very little about religion; that if they possessed any information of a God, it was only in dark similitudes; in forms and ceremonies, in uncertainties and shadows; that the antediluvians lived in a day of darkness, or rather in the gloom of night; that the Patriarchs lived in the dawn of day, before the sun had made its appearance above the horizon; that the Mosaic dispensation might be compared to the sun's first rising on the world; that the time when our Savior made his appearance among men, and the gospel was preached by the apostles, was like the sun rising in majesty, dispelling the mist that brooded over the earth, and causing creation to rejoice; but that we are living in a day when sol has reached the meridian of his glory; in "the blaze of gospel day." These views are by no means uncommon, and yet it always has appeared singular to us, that men in this day and age of the world, when sectarianism has torn to pieces the religious world, and men's views on this subject are split up into ten thousand pieces, that they should arrogate more to themselves than what our Savior and his apostles enjoyed, when the church was in its primitive glory; whilst they were under the teaching of our Lord, and inspired apostles; before corruption, or false doctrine had obtained power in the christian church: and we can only account
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