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Show BPvi 'PIDBR D!SC0rJ?iSS3 r -. ON "THE FIFIH-gOSPEL" Extracts From "Third Book of NcpM" Read as Prelude Pre-lude to Sermon on Mormon Story. this gospel according to Nephl a Fifth Gospel?" His Idea was to let the passages speak for themselves, without criticism on his part. Some of them, quoted at length, were the account of the death of GiddJanhi, the robber chief of the secret society of Gadeanton, and the hanging of his succesexr, Zemnariah, the description of the great and terrible storm ' which occurred on the day of Christ's crucifixion and the woeful cries which were heard out of heaven. He also read from the various discourses dis-courses credited to Christ during the three days' ministry, making special note of the emphasis given to baptism by immersion and the lost tribes of Israel, and calling attention to the new beatitude which Introduces the sermon on the mount as quoted by Nephl. Ae- : cording to Nephl the sermon begins: "Is Third Nephl a Fifth Gospeir The subject of a powerful sermon by the Rev. Dr. William M. Pad en, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, was this. . The church was crowded, many Mormons Mor-mons being in the audience. Dr. Paden gave a brief account of the Book of Nephl for the benefit of those who had not studied It, The text was las follows: "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you Into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel which Is not another." an-other." I. Oalatlana, vl., . "The third Book of Nephl claims to be a partial record of events which c-curred c-curred on this continent during the first three years of the Christian era. It takes its name from one Nephl, who, according to the book, was made leader of the twelve when Christ appeared to the ancient Americana This Nephl, It is claimed, wrote an extended account of the events leading up to and Including Includ-ing the appearance of Christ on this side of the sea. This account is abridged or edited by one Mormon, who Is supposed sup-posed to have lived during the Fourth century, and forms a part of the Book of Mormon, and Is accepted by many of our neighbors as casting a divine light on the life of Jesus. If the claims made In this book are true It deserves to be accepted as a Fifth Gospel. "Is it such a Gospel? Is the Gospel according to Nephl a worthy addition to the Gospels accepted by Christendom? "Some account of the contents of this supposed Gospel may aid us in answering answer-ing this question. As the book Is longer than any of the Gospels commonly received re-ceived and Is unfamiliar to the majority major-ity of you. I must ask your patience while I speak of Its contents." Dr. Paden then read many long passages pas-sages from the book, and without comment com-ment upon them, frequently asked, "Is "Blessed are ye If ye shall give heed to the worda of the twelve." III. Nephl. xll, 1. ... A few of the most striking passages read were those describing the awful wickedness prevailing. among the. Nephl Ne-phl tes prior to 'Christ's appearance. Some of these were as follows: "And thus in the commencement of the thirtieth year the people v were in a state of awful wickedness." III. Nephl. vl., 17. "Now, behold, there was no man among them save he had much family and many kindreds and friends." III. Nephl. vl!., 4. ' ' "And the regulations of the Government Govern-ment were destroyed because of the secret se-cret combinations of the friends and kindreds of thoe who murdered the prophets." III. Nephl, vll., . "And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like a dog to his vomit," etc. IIL Nephl. Ne-phl. vli., 8. "Was this a prophecy V the speaker demanded, "or Is It a part of a record to be received as the Fifth Go!"peI?" Next Sunday evening Dr. Paden will preach another sermon In continuation of the above. Having considered it sufficient suf-ficient for last ' night to explain and-summarize and-summarize the so-called "Fifth Gospel," he will then comment upon and, It may be safely presumed, criticise It. |