“The Gospel.” The Evening and the Morning Star (Independence

“The Gospel.” The Evening and the Morning Star (Independence, Missouri) 1, no. 11 (April 1833): [81–83].
THE GOSPEL.
BY a reference to the last number of the Star, it will be seen that the plan of salvation, was revealed to Adam, after he was driven out of the garden of Eden. To show further concerning this subject, we make an extract from a revelation concerning him, after he had been driven out: For after that he had been driven out, he began to till the earth and to have dominion over all the beasts of the field, and to eat his bread by the sweat of the brow, as the Lord had commanded him; and Eve also, his wife, did labor with him, and he knew her, and she bare unto him sons and daughters, and they began to multiply and to replenish the earth. And from that time forth, the sons and daughters of Adam began to divide two and two in the land, and to till the land and to tend flocks; and they also begat sons and daughters. And Adam called upon the name of the Lord, and Eve also his wife, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way towards the garden of Eden, speaking unto them and they saw him not, for they were shut out from his presence.—And he gave unto them commandment, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord. And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying, why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him, I know not, save the Lord commanded me. And then the angel spake saying, this thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forever more. And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which bore record of the Father and the Son, saying, I am Jesus Christ from the beginning, hence forth and forever; that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed; and all mankind, even as many as will. And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying, blessed be the name of God for my transgression, for in this life I shall have joy, and again in my flesh I shall see God. And Eve his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying, were it not for our transgression we should never had seed, and should never had known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient. And Adam and Eve, blessed the name of God; and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters. And satan came also among them, saying, I am also a son of God, and he commanded them saying, believe it not: and they believed it not, and loved satan more than God. And men began from that time forth to be carnal, sensual and devilish. And the Lord God called upon men by the Holy Ghost every where, and commanded them that they should repent; and as many as believed in the Son and repented of their sins, should be saved; and as many as believed not and repented not, should be damned: and the words went forth out of the mouth of God in a firm decree; wherefore they must be fulfilled. And Adam ceased not to call upon God, and Eve also, his wife. And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord; wherefore he may not reject his words. Thus we have the assurance, and so also may all the world of mankind, that Adam had the gospel preached unto him, and he believed, and was baptized, and became a son of God, and was ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to preach repentance unto his seed, and teach them the things of the kingdom. From this time till Enoch, from Enoch till Noah, from Noah till Melchizedek, and Abraham, and from Abraham till Moses, the order of the high priesthood, on earth, continued, and the gospel was preached. Adam, according to the commandment, taught his children the plan of salvation, and some of them believed, for Abel was righteous and the Lord had respect unto his offering. Enoch, after he had gathered the people of the Lord, continued his preaching in righteousness, and they builded a city, even Zion. For one proof that the order of the high priesthood was on earth between the days of Adam of Moses, we refer to the time when Abraham returned from the slaughter of the kings: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: It cannot be authentically disputed, that Moses was not a high priest after this same order, for Peter said, when speaking of the Savior, This is he of whom Moses spake, saying, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you. Moses also says, the Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken. The Lord also said by Moses: I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Moses preached the gospel, and sought diligently to sanctify the children of Israel, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord: even the same good tidings that Adam taught his children; for Paul said, in his letter to his Hebrew brethren, while speaking of the children of Israel: For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. The gospel, according to the best knowledge we have, means good, or glad tidings, and is the power of God unto salvation to all that believe; for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; and it is held forth, the gift of God to all men, who are transgressors of his law; and is in the plan of redemption laid from the foundation of the world for all who embrace it, that they may have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of the resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal; and this because of their faith in him according to his promise. The gospel, then, according to sacred history contained in the scriptures, and also the revelations which we have given us by the power of the Holy Ghost, has always been given, or preached to men, that they must repent, and become better, by obeying the commandments of the Lord, that hey might be saved in the celestial kingdom. The gospel to Adam, was: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized even by water, in the name of mine only begotten Son, which is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men: and ye shall ask all things in his name; and whatever ye shall ask, it shall be given. The gospel that Enoch preached was the same, for he called upon the people to repent, and he received a commandment to baptize, &c.; and when men repented and were brought into the kingdom of God, he continued his preaching in righteousness, that the saints might know the mysteries of the kingdom; even see and know for themselves, and through the power and manifestation of the Spirit, while in the flesh, they might be able to bear the presence of God in the world of glory; for Enoch and all his people walked with God, and were translated, even taken up into the bosom of God. The gospel that Noah preached to the inhabitants before the flood, was the same that had been preached to his fathers before him; for he was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and walked with God. To show still further, and more plain respecting the calling and preaching of Noah, we give an extract from his history, as it has been given of him in these last days: And it came to pass, that Noah and his sons hearkened unto the Lord, and gave heed, and they were called the sons of God. And when these men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of men saw that their daughters were fair, they took them wives even as they chose. And the Lord said unto Noah, the daughters of thy sons have sold themselves; for behold mine anger is kindled against the sons of men, for they will not hearken to my voice. And it came to pass, that Noah prophesied and taught the things of God, even as it was in the beginning. And the Lord said unto Noah, my Spirit shall not always strive with man, for he shall know that all flesh shall die; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years; and if men do not repent, I will send in the floods upon them. And in those days there were giants on the earth, and they sought Noah to take away his life; but the Lord was with Noah, and the power of the Lord was upon him. And the Lord ordained Noah after his own order, and commanded him that he should go forth and declare his gospel unto the children of men, even as it was given unto Enoch. And it came to pass, that Noah called upon men, that they should repent: but they hearkened not unto his words; and also, after they had heard him, they came up before him, saying, behold, we are the sons of God: have we not taken unto ourselves the daughters of men? and are we not eating and drinking, and marrying and given in marriage? Our wives bear unto us children, and the same are mighty men, which are like unto them of old, men of great renown. And they hearkened not to the words of Noah. And God saw that the wickedness of men had become great in the earth; and every man was lifted up in the immagination of the thoughts of his heart, being only evil continually. And it came to pass, that Noah continued his preaching unto the people, saying, hearken, and give heed unto my words, believe and repent of your sins, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, even as our fathers did, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things made manifest; and if you do not do this, the floods will come in upon you. Nevertheless they hearkened not, and it repented Noah, and his heart was pained that the Lord had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.—And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping things, and the fowls of the air: for it repenteth Noah that I have created them, and that I have made them; and he hath called upon me; and they have sought his life. [81]