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THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS'

MILLENNIAL STAR

[ESTABLISHED 1840.]

22 96

"When you are in doubt tell the truth."--MARK TWAIN.

No. 1. Vol. LXX.

Thursday, January 2, 1908.

Price One Penny.

170 108

WHAT CHRISTMAS SUGGESTS TO A LATTER-DAY

SAINT.

BY THE FIRST PRESIDENCY.

CHRISTMAS, to the Latter-day Saint, is both reminiscent and prophetic-a reminder of two great and solemn events, which will yet be regarded universally as the mightiest and most wonderful happenings in the history of the human race. These events were predestined to take place upon this planet before it was created. One of them was the coming of the Savior in the meridian of time, to die for the sins of the world; and the other is the prospective advent of the risen and glorified Redeemer, to reign upon the earth ́as King of kings.

Something of a parallel is suggested by events leading up to the two mighty epochs in question.

A work of preparation was necessary before the Son of God came in the flesh, to give His life as a vicarious offering to atone for original sin-the transgression of Adam and Eve-and to make it possible for man to secure the remission of his own sins, through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. Even so, a preparatory work is necessary, and is now being performed, before the second advent of the Lord. Otherwise the earth would be consumed at His coming.

Preliminary to the first advent, a Prophet was raised up to herald the Savior's approach, and to administer ordinances of a preparatory nature such as water baptism for the remission of

sins unto all who were willing to repent, that they might be worthy to meet the Lamb of God, the "mightier One" who would "baptize them with fire and with the Holy Ghost." A Prophet also came forth at the beginning of the nineteenth century, to proclaim the ancient gospel, to call men to repentance, to lift an ensign for the gathering of Israel, and to lay the foundations of a work designed to prepare the world for the glorious advent of the Messiah, and the ushering in of the Millennial reign of peace.

The mission of John the Forerunner paved the way for the greater ministry of Christ, whose name, through the preaching of the Apostles and their associates, was heralded throughout the then known world, and has been perpetuated and revered all down the centuries by millions of sincere and honest worshipers. And this, too, in spite of the malign influences of Paganism, which early corrupted the Christian Church, and rendered necessary the restoration of the gospel, with the powers of the priesthood, and the re-establishment of the Church of Christ on earth. The mission of Joseph the Seer, who stands at the head of this dispensation, is destined to spread the fame of the Redeemer still wider, and eventuate in the founding of a kingdom that shall stand forever, whose King will sanctify the earth and prepare it for celestial glory.

John suffered martyrdom for what he did in preparing the way of the Lord-and Joseph laid down his life in the same great cause. For it is all God's work-the things accomplished in the meridian dispensation and in the dispensations preceding it, as well as the great achievements reserved for the dispensation of the fulness of times, when the Lord will complete the salvation of man, and consummate the work begun by Him when He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Adam fell that a world of waiting spirits who had kept their first estate, and were therefore worthy of promotion, might be "added upon" by being given mortal bodies in this their second estate, through which, if found faithful, they were to have "glory added upon their heads for ever and ever." The fall of Adam, while it brought death into the world, also gave opportunities for experience and development, by which perfection might be attained, while the atonement of Christ, in bursting the bands of death, made effectual man's strivings for that infinite perfection, giving the spirit, through the resurrection, a glorified body, as a means of endless increase, eternal progress and everlasting exaltation.

As already intimated, there have been various dispensations of the gospel, which was first revealed to Adam out of heaven, where it was instituted as the means the only means-of man's salvation. But the greatest dispensations are, without doubt, the two immediately connected with the resurrection, namely, the one in which Christ Himself rose from the dead, and the one in which He

will come in the clouds of heaven, simultaneously with the resurrection of the just, who are to reign with Him a thousand years. This final dispensation will witness the restitution of all things, the welding together of all the dispensations, the gathering into one of all things in Christ, things in heaven as well as upon the earth.

Such in brief is the divine program, as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the latter-day restorer of the religion of Jesus Christ, the pre-ordained plan of salvation. This also is the significance of Christmas, or it is what Christmas suggests to the mind of any thoughtful Latter-day Saint.

It is in honor of our Lord that we observe this day, one celebrated throughout Christendom as the birthday of the world's Redeemer. Christ is God, even Jehovah, the God of Israel, and as such we worship Him. And we also honor the memory of His faithful servants John and Joseph, who, in missions involving their martyrdom, went before His face, opening and preparing the

way.

In the light of these solemn facts, and in the spirit of charity and good-will exemplified and enjoined by our blessed Redeemer, we send forth to the Latter-day Saints and to all the world, a hearty and kindly Christmas greeting!

men revere.

Let no one suppose that "Mormonism," so-called, is here to make war upon men, or upon creeds, governments, and institutions that It sustains law, order, liberty and truth, the world over. The Latter-day Saints are friends, not enemies, to mankind. That we have a message to deliver we know; and, God being our helper, we will deliver it, come life or death, come weal or woe! But we purpose doing this in the spirit of peace, in the spirit of patience and brotherly love, forgiving our enemies, and returning good for evil; oppressing no man for refusing to listen to our testimony, nor ridiculing what he holds sacred, however false or foolish it may appear to us. The liberty of conscience is inviolable, and we stand ready to defend all men in the exercise of this sacred, God-given right. We may be abused and slandered for exercising this right ourselves, but heaven forbid that we should deny it to others! Despite the human weakness that all men possess, and which prompts them to retaliate when they feel themselves wronged, we will endeavor, with the help of the Lord, to follow His divine injunction: "When men revile you, revile not again." Our plain and simple duty is the preaching of the gospel, the gathering of scattered Israel, the redemption of Zion, and the salvation of the living and the dead. We have no warfare to wage against our fellow-men, no wrongs that we wish to avenge. We leave that to Him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." May He be merciful to those who misrepresent and bring trouble upon His people!

This gospel of the Kingdom was preached aforetimes as a witness

unto all nations; and it is now being preached again for the last time and for a similar purpose. The "end" foreseen and predicted by the Savior, that was to follow its promulgation in ancient times, came in the downfall of wickedness, represented by the Jewish Commonwealth which had rejected the Son of God, and the message of salvation. The greater "end," also foreseen and predicted by Him, that will inevitably follow the rejection of the gospel in modern times, will come in the destruction of wickedness throughout the world.

But these issues are all in the hands of the Lord. He will do His own work in His own time and way. Our mission is not to curse, but to bless; not to punish or threaten, but to persuade men to do right. We preach salvation, not damnation; and in this spirit we send forth this greeting, echoing, and, if possible, emphasizing the salutation of the angels to the shepherds, on the first great Christmas night: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

JOSEPH F. SMITH,

JOHN R. WINDER,
ANTHON H. LUND,

First Presidency.

MIRACULOUS ESCAPES FROM

DEATH.

OUT of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for His preserving care, I am penning this short article. By His Almighty power I have been saved from instant death a number of times, and I feel it my duty to put on record my testimony concerning His goodness and mercy to me.

One evening in the early part of November, 1907, as was my custom, I was on my way from South London to attend a cottage meeting which was held every Thursday evening at 97 Farleigh Road, Stoke-Newington, London, N. I was riding on a motor bus, and knowing that the conductors on those vehicles do not like to stop every few minutes to let passengers off, I decided to jump from the car while it was in motion, a very foolish thing for anyone to do. When the car reached the top of Farleigh Road, I sprang from it. I was sent across the street at a very rapid pace and landed in front of another motor bus going the opposite direction. I closed my eyes, feeling that my hour had come. The motor came to a sudden stop, and motorman and passengers rushed from the car expecting to find me ground to pieces. Not seeing me under the car or on the ground, they began to look around, when the conductor espied me clinging to a lamp-post on the corner of the street. He came over to me and asked me if I were hurt. I answered that I did not know. On recovering from my fright I found to my great joy that I had sustained no injury whatever. The passengers were filled with astonishment, as they

expected to see me picked up a corpse. How I got on the sidewalk I do not know; but I feel certain my guardian angel was present and assisted me, for it was a miracle to us all that I was not killed. One day, a few months later, as I was returning to London from Brighton, I met with another accident which, had it not been for the preserving power of God, would have ended my days on earth. My companion and I were riding our bicycles. As we entered the city, and while crossing the electric street car tracks, the chain of my bicycle broke and fell into the opening in the middle of the track through which the electric power comes from under the ground to propel the cars. Immediately a flash of fire shot up several feet in the air, and my chain began to burn like a piece of wood. Fortunately for me, the chain dropped entirely clear of the bicycle. Had it remained attached to the machine, I would have been electrocuted on the spot. When I thought of this, and also of the other miraculous escape chronicled above, my heart was again filled with thanks and praise to God for His great deliverance. A few weeks ago I was confined to my bed with a severe cold. One morning I awoke from a short sleep to find myself in great pain, accompanied by a high fever. I felt, as it were, a heavy weight upon me, which seemed to be crushing the life out of me. It seemed to me that I would not live much longer. I made an effort to call to the elders in an adjoining room to come and administer to me, but found my tongue tied so that I could not speak. I tried to move my hands but they also seemed to be paralyzed. I tried to get up to go to where the elders were sleeping, but could not move a muscle. Sweat was running from my body; I realized that I was in a serious condition, and that if help did not arrive soon my days on earth would shortly be ended. I remained in this condition for upwards of half an hour.

Realizing that my life depended on my getting up and procuring assistance, I made an effort to rise, praying to the Lord in my heart to deliver me from the power of the destroyer. I succeeded in getting half-way round in the bed, when I suddenly discovered that there was someone in the room, and on looking round I saw standing beside my bed, dressed in a beautiful, white robe, and with arms stretched over me, a personage of surpassing beauty. I wondered if I were in a trance; but no, I was wide awake. I looked at the messenger from the unseen world for a few seconds when the ministering spirit gradually withdrew from before me and the vision closed.

I lay for some time meditating upon this strange visitation, and then my mind reverted to my former critical condition. I found to my unbounded joy that my limbs had regained their strength and that my speech had also returned. The fever had disappeared and with it the intense pain. I was very weak however and felt as if I had been confined to bed for several weeks. But I shall never forget the sweet, peaceful feeling I experienced. Never in

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