| 640 TIMES AND SEASONS.
"Truth will prevail."
Vol. V. No. 17.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. SEPT. 15, 1844. [Whole No. 101.
HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH.
(continued)
COMMON SCHOOLS.
The disciples should lose no time in preparing schools for their children, that they may be taught as is pleasing unto the Lord, and brought up in the ways of holiness. Those appointed to select and prepare books for the use of schools, will attend to that subject as soon as more weighty matters are finished. But the parents and guardians in the Church of Christ need not wait-it is all important that children, to become good should be taught so. Moses, while delivering the words of the Lord to the congregation of Isrrel [Israel], the parents, says, And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.-If it were necessary to teach their children diligently, how much more necessary is it now, when the Church of Christ is to be an ensign, yea, even a sample to the world, for good? A word to the wise ought to be sufficient, for children soon become men and women. Yes, they are they that must follow us, and perform the duties which, not only appertain to this world, but to the second coming of the Savior, even preparing for the sabbath of creation, and for eternity.
"The Star Office is situated within twelve miles of the west line of the state of Missouri; which is at present the western limits of the United States, and about 120 miles west of any press in the state, in about 39 degrees of north latitude, and about 17 1-2 degrees of west longitude; two and a half miles south of Missouri river; 280 miles by land, or 500 by water west of St. Louis; nearly 1200 miles west of Washington; 1300 miles from New York, and more than 1500 miles from Boston."
In August we were again delighted to receive the Star. The following is extracted from the second number.
THE ELDERS IN THE LAND OF ZION, TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
SCATTERED ABROAD.
Brethren, we think it proper to give you some general information respecting the present state of the church in Zion, and also the work of the gathering. Notwithstanding that nearly all christendom doubts the propriety of receiving revelations for the government of the church of Christ in this age, and generally adopt the scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the only rule of faith and practice, yet we believe, from the scriptures of truth, that to every church in the past ages, which the Lord recognized to be his, he gave revelations wisely calculated to govern them in the peculiar situation and circumstances under which they were placed, and to enable them by authority to do the peculiar work which they were to perform. The bible contains revelations given at different times to different people, under different circumstances, as will be seen by editorial articles in this paper. The old world was destroyed for rejecting the revelations of God, given to them through Noah. The Israelites were destroyed in the wilderness for dispising [despising] the revelations given to them through Moses: and Christ said that the world, in the days of the apostles, should be condemned for not receiving the word of God through them: thus we see that the judgments of God in the past ages have come upon the people, not so much for neglecting the revelations given to their forefathers, as for rejecting those given immediately to themselves. Of the blessings of heaven it may be said they have always rested upon the heads of those to whom they were promised: Therefore, seeing that it not only was, but as long as God remains the same, always will be the privilege of the true church to receive revelations, containing blessings and cursings, peculiarly adapted to itself as a church. We conclude that it is a mistaken notion that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the only rule of faith and practice; nevertheless, inasmuch as the precepts and examples contained in them are truly applicable to us under our particular circumstances, we are bound to be governed by them; and we also can receive much benefit from such prophesies as point out the events that shall take place in our day and age: of these there are many, both in the Old and New Testament. They speak plainly of great things that shall be accomplished in the last days;-such as preaching of the everlasting gospel to all nations; the gathering of the elect from the four winds of heaven; the building up of Zion and Jerusalem, or the gathering of the remnants
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