| 68 the commandments of God. Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day.-And thus it is. Amen.
AN ADDRESS
By Judge Higbee and Parley P. Pratt Ministers of the gospel, of the Church of Jesus Christ of "Latter-day Saints." to the citizens of Washington, and to the public in general.
FRIENDS AND FELLOW-CITIZENS: Aware of the anxiety of the public mind in relation to the faith and principles of our society, and of the many erroneous notions which are abroad concerning them, and which are calculated to prejudice the mind before we can obtain a hearing, we cheerfully offer this address, in order to give some imformation [information] of our real principles, and hope it will be perused in the spirit of candor in which it is written.
The "Latter-Day Saints" believe in the true and living God, and in Jesus Christ, the son of God, who was crucified, according to the Scriptures, and who rose from the dead the third day, and is now seated at the right hand of God as a mediater [mediator].
We also believe in the Holy Scriptures of the prophets and apostles, as being profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, and that all mysticism of private interpretation of them ought to be done away. The Scriptures should be taught, understood, and practised [practiced] in their most plain, simple, easy, and literal sense, according to the common laws and usage of the language in which they stand-according to the legitimate meaning of words and sentences precisly [precisely] the same as if found in any other book.
Words are but signs of ideas; and if the Deity would communicate ideas to mankind by words, he must of necessity do it according to the laws of the language; otherwise the communication would be unintelligible or indefinite, and therefore unprofitable.-The prophetical and doctrinal writings contained in the Bible are mostly adapted to the capacities of the simple and unlearned-to the common sense of the people. They are the common sense of the people. They are designed to be understood and practised [practiced]; without which no one can profit by them.
The gospel dispensation revealed and established one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one Holy Spirit; in short one system of religion, one church, or assembly of worshippers united in their doctrine, and built upon the TRUTH; and all bearing the general name of Saints. God is not the author of jarring and discordant systems. His Kingdom is not divided against itself; and for this reason we have no confidence in the sects, parties, systems, doctrines, creeds, commandments, traditions, precepts, and teachings of modern times, so far as they are at variance with each other, and contrary to the Scriptures of truth. We have, therefore, withdrawn from all these systems of error and delusion, and have endeavored to restore the ancient doctrine and faith which was once delivered to the saints, and to build society upon the truth, in its purity and fullness, hoping thereby to enjoy the peculiar gifts and blessing which were so abundantly bestowed upon the church in ancient times.
In saying this we do not call in question the morality, the sincerity, or the spiritual enjoyment of individuals belonging to any religious system. On the contrary, we feel assured that there are many sincere and zealous persons in every denomination. It is the Principles we reject, not men. It is the System that we wish to see established in purity, that those who are builded upon it may be pure also. It is the fountain that should be pure, and then the stream is easily kept so.
But if any persons prefer their own doctrines to those which we consider to be true, and we cannot by reason and argument convince them of the correctness or ours, we wish them to have the privilege of enjoying their religious rights unmolested. We have no disposition to persecute them.
We hold it as the duty of all men to believe the gospel to repent of their sins, and to be immersed in water in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins. And we hold that all who do this in a proper manner, and under proper authority, are legally entitled to the remission of sins, and to the gift of the Holy Ghost, according to the Scriptures.-Now faith and repentance go before baptism as a necessary qualification; and, therefore, infant baptism is of no use. All penitent believers should be baptized with the faith and expectation of receiving remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost, as much so as Naaman the Assyrian washed seven times in Jordan with the expectation of being healed of his leprosy; or as much so as the Israelites sounded the trumpets around the walls of Jericho with the expectation of their being thrown down; for the same God who attached a promise to the performance in these cases, has attached a promise to the conditions of the gospel. (See Acts, chapter 2.)
But now, concerning authority in the administrator. When a minister from England comes to our Government to do business as an ambassador, he must be commissioned by his Government, or all his transactions will be null and void, and England would never fulfil [fulfill] any promise which he might make in her name, however sincere our nation might be in believing him sent.
And so it is with the ambassador of Christ. He must be specially sent, or commissioned to minister in his name, or all his baptizing and other ordinances will be null and void, so as never to entitle the candidate to remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost according to promise.
The "Latter-day Saints," after immersion, lay on hands, in the name of Jesus, for the gift of the Holy Ghost according to the ancient pattern. They are then considered saints, or members of the Church of Christ, in full fellowship and communion. They are
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