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Show (2(uvc(l OVevvS EDITORIAL ' PAGE huoroniAnd Space Christ, His voice was heard over the whole not a loud voice, yet one which evland heard. Critics said this was impossieryone of old was taught astronomy Creator himself. He learned about the stars and the planets and knew of their movements. He spoke of one called Kolob, which governs all orbs of the same classification to which our earth belongs. It is out in space, near the throne of God. Today we note the anniversary of Moronis appearance to Joseph Smith in the little farm home near Palmyra, New York. He came from the presence of God, out in space. Were our moon astronauts the firat ' , space men? Moroni was a real man. He had lived an earthly existence and was physically resurrected after his death. He came to Joseph Smith from the presence of God. Therefore, at some time he must have gone to the presence of God, inasmuch as the Deity lives in space. Were our astronauts the first space men? ' John the Baptist came as an angel from the prence of God and he ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic Priesthood. If John came from the presence of God, as he did, he too came through space to perform this mission. And likewise Peter, James and John, and later Elijah, and Moses, and Elias. Abraham SPACE IS NOTHING new to God. He made it, and He uses it day by day for IBs great purposes. We are just beginning to learn of space through our scientists, but the prophets knew about it thousands of years ago. With the background furnished by our astronauts it becomes more than ever enlightening to read the Book of Abraham and note there what he was taught about ble. And yet our moon men were not only heard by people all around the world, but they were seen as well, and this from an orb a quarter of a million miles out in space ! OUR MOON MEN went into space, , . BOOK OF MORMON PROFILBS Joseph The Prophet inside. . The Prophet Joseph Smith wrote In his history under the date Sunday, Nov. 28, 1841: I spent the day in the council with the Twelve Anostles at the house of President Young, conversing I told the with them upon a variety of subjects - brethren that the Book cf Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding ' by its precepts, than by any other book. , If any man knew this to be a fact, Joseph Smith Jr. did. As a boy, he had been visited by God the Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ. He had been given the Gold Plates by Moroni, an angel, and by the power of God, the plates had been translated. The Book of Mormon was "most correct Joseph knew. Through the medium of the Urim and Thum-mi- n I .translated the record, by the gift and power of - God. Such a claim could be made for no other book ; - on earth. With insight, Joseph used the word keystone to describe the importance of the Book of Mormon. A keystone is the highest, the crowning point of an arch, regarded as binding the whole together. So the Book of Mormon! As the Angel Moroni had told him: the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it. . . . Without the Book of Mormon, Joseph Srpith understood, the Saints would not have the full IT IS INDEED interesting to read of their studies and their hypotheses. We hope they find the truth. But they are still in the hypothetical stage. However, it is interesting to note that more and more they conclude that creation is a result of a planned act by a superintelli-gen- t Creator. God did make the heavens! He did make space and all that moves within it! If man can speak from space to earth, then God can do at least as well. If man can traverse through space then God can, and He can command His immortal servants to do likewise, even Moroni who came to Joseph Smith 146 years ago. Moroni was just as real as Neil Armstrong, only he traveled farther, and faster, and on a far more important mission! ... 1 . . space. Many other things in our inspired religion are made more clear also. Some have criticized the Book of Mormon because it says that during the period of darkness incident to the crucifixion of they spoke from space, and returned from space. If puny mortal man could do this, could not the Creator of the heavens do at least as well? . And could He not send His angelic ministers from orb to orb by His divine power without the use of such' earthly devices as interplanetary missiles? God is a space personage. His angels, like Moroni, John and others, are space travelers. How they travel we do not know. We are still in the kindergarten in space studies. But the exploits of our space men make the sacred occurrences in our religion much more realistic and understandable to us. Scientists now are beginning their study of the rocks brought back from the moon by the astronauts, and are speculating about their age, and whether the moon is a cold orb or whether it is still volcanic and hot . Heaven And Earth Joined Irani an aMraaa hr EMar Exni tr w. Hunter el WirM Cenferanee Mew el Return. A vs. I lfcJ. , The inspired building and proper use of temples is one of the great evidences of the divinity of the Lords work. Withou revelation they can neither be built nor used. Where there are temples, with the spirit of revelation resting upon those who administer therein, there the Lords people will be found; where these are not, the Church and kingdom and the truths of heaven are not. (Mormon Doctrine p. 705) , Thus the temples of today echo the temples of the past as Houses of tiie Lord. They are of greater 16 CHURCH significance than cathedrals or synagogues, or any other edifices of worship, they are sacred to the closest communion between the Lord and the Holy Pries thoood, and devoted to the highest and most sacred ordinances. in heaven, and which are on earth. (Eph. ). WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 27, 1969 The Prophet Joseph Smith brought forth the - - 1:9-10- It is In the temple that those of the earth are joined things with the things of heaven. In a letter written by Paul to the Saints at Ephesus, he made a very significant statement about our day in these words: Having made known unto us the mystery of his will That in the dispen- -' sation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are gospel. " The doctrine that all creation will ultimately be united in Christ is the major theme of this epistle. The things of earth will become one with the things of heaven. The great family of God will be muted through the saving ordinances of the Gospel The living and the dead will be united vicar-- . iously in the same manner in which Christ became the Savior of the world by giving His life that all men may arise from the grave to everlasting life. This vicarious work and ordinances for the living are the purposes of temples. . ' ' - Book of Mormon as a new witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, the , . Christ, and that He lives. From the hour he walked from the Sacred Grove after being visited by the Father and the Son in 1820, untfl he was killed 24 years later by a painted-face- d mob, Joseph Smith so testified. Translation Statement Corrected The Book of Mormon profile published last week contained a description accredited to David Whitmer of how Joseph Smith translated the Golden Plates. The Church .News has been informed by the Church Historians Office that the source of the material is not reliable and the account is not accurate. The plates were translated by the gift and power of God by the aid of the Urim and Thummlm. - |