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Early Leaders of the Reformation and their Desire for the Fullness of the Gospel |
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Said
Henry Shaefer, “…Martin Luther, like many other men of the Reformation Period,
did their part in preparing the way for the great restoration of all things,
spoken of by all the prophets, (Acts 3:21).
All these men were honest. None
of them ever claimed to have restored, but had just reformed, just patched
it up to the degree of light they had…” 1 What did the reformers have
to say? · “If the primitive gospel
would come again God would have to speak from heaven.” -Martin Luther, (History
of the Reformation, Vol. 2, P. 111). 2 · “The times which we have
reason to believe are at hand, (if they are not already begun) are what pious
men have termed “the latter day glory;” meaning the time wherein God would
gloriously display his power and love.” -John Wesley, founder of
Methodistism (Sermon 71). 3 · “..Please send forth new
apostles, let the last prophet come…” -Charles Wesley, brother of
John Wesley, in a hymn of prayer. 4 · “We want the old gospel back
that is sustained by the ancient order of things.” -John Campbell of the
Christian Church, (Campbell, Christian System, p. 250). 5 · “He denied that any ministry
existed in his time which is truly authorized to act in the name of
Christ. For he continues that the
apostasy of antichrist had so far corrupted all, so that there can be no
recovery out of that apostasy until Christ shall send forth new Apostles to
plant the Church anew.” -Roger Williams of the Baptist movement, (Struggles
and Triumph of Religious Liberty, pp. 238, 239). 6 In summary, the spirit of God worked in the lives of our nations mighty leaders also, to prepare the way for the restoration. This statement from our nations third President: ·
“…The
genuine and simple religion of Jesus will one day be restored; such as it was
preached and practiced by Himself. Very
soon after His death it became muffled up in mysteries, and has been ever since
kept in concealment from the vulgar eye…” -Thomas Jefferson, in 1820
(the year of Joseph Smith’s first vision) 7
1,2,3,4,5,6 Schaefer, Henry, I will
always be with you, 1978, pp. 11-12. 7 Stewart, John, Thomas Jefferson Forerunner to the Restoration, 1997, p. 85.
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The Reformers Foretold The
Restoration In addition to the many Bible references that
prophesy that God would return the New Testament church to the earth in the
last days, the great men of the Reformation testified of such a need for the
restoration - for each one of them came to sense that his reforms, important as
they were, could not "bring the old gospel back," but that God would
do so. Here are some of the important statements made by the great reformers,
that: 1. THERE WAS AN APOSTASY (a FALLING AWAY or DARK
AGES) BAPTIST: Roger Williams declared: "...the apostasy of
Antichrist hath so far corrupted all that there can be no recovery out of that
apostasy till Christ shall send forth new apostles to plant churches
anew." Struggles and Triumphs of Religious Liberty, - pg. 238-239 Roger Williams "denied any ministry now exists
which is authorized to preach the gospel to the impenitents or to administer
the ordinances." Cramp's Baptist History - pg. 238-239 METHODIST: "We seldom hear of the manifestations of the
gifts after the third century. From this time they almost entirely ceased. The
cause of this was not... 'because there was no more occasion for them,' ...The
real cause was, 'the love of many, almost all Christians, so-called, was
waxed-cold.' The Christians had no more of the Spirit of Christ [during the
dark ages] than other heathens... The Christians were turned heathens again,
and only a dead form left." - John Wesley, Sermon 89 CHRISTIAN (Disciples of Christ) and Church of
Christ: Alexander Campbell - "We argue that all
Christian sects are more or less apostatized from the institutions of the
Savior; that by all the obligations of the Christian religion, they that fear
and love the Lord are bound to return to the ancient order of things in the
spirit and truth." - Christian Baptist, vol. 5, pg 402 Campbell continues: "The worshipping
establishments now in operation... are not the Churches of Jesus Christ, but
the legitimate daughters of that mother of harlots, the Church of Rome."
(see Rev. 17:5) - Uriah Smith, Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, pg 796. Campbell insisted "some new revelation or some
new development of the revelation of God must be made, before the hopes and
expectations of all true Christians can be realized, or Christianity save and
reform the nations of the world. We want the old gospel back, and sustained by
the ancient order of things." - The Christian System, pg 250. CATHOLIC: (They here admit that the Pope and the
Roman Church are not equal to the New Testament church and its apostles.) "Infallibility does not mean that the Pope is
inspired. The Apostles and Evangelists received this gift, and their writings
are accepted as the revealed Word of God, but the [Catholic] church does not
teach that the Pope is inspired, or that he receives a divine revelation
so-called." "For the Holy Spirit was not promised to the
successor of Peter in order that they might spread abroad new doctrine which He
reveals, but that... they might... explain the deposit of faith handed down by
the Apostles." - Rev. John A. O'Brien, Ph.D., LL.D., approved by Cardinal
O'Connell, Faith of Millions, Credentials of the Catholic Religion, 1938, pg
123. OTHERS: "The old time Gospel and the gifts are
therefore are lost. False doctrines prevail in all churches on the face of the
earth. All we can do is exhort the people to be just, fear God and shun evil,
and pray." - Christophilus Gratianus, (leader of Swiss Pietism), Die
Hoffnung Zions, (Zion's Hope), 1732, 1756, University Library of Bazel,
Switzerland. 2. THAT THERE WOULD BE A RESTORATION, and that God
would RESTORE His Church Himself: METHODIST: "The times which we have reason to believe are
at hand, (if they have not already begun,) are what many pious men have termed
'the latter day glory'; meaning the time wherein God would gloriously display
his power and love... yet the wise men... can see no signs at all of God's
arising to maintain his own cause, and set up his kingdom over the earth!"
- John Wesley, Sermon 71 LUTHERAN: "Luther perceived that the ancient and
primitive church must, on the one hand, be restored in opposition to the papacy
by which it has been so long oppressed." - D, Aubigno's History of the Reformation,Vol.
2, pg 111. CHRISTIAN CHURCH and CHURCH OF CHRIST: Alexander Campbell says: "The primitive gospel
in its effulgence and power is yet to shine out in its original splendor to
regenerate the world." - Hayden's History of the Disciples, pg 36. CONGREGATIONAL: John Bunyan: "...I read, that before the
bridegroom came, there was a cry made, 'Behold the bridegroom cometh,' which
cry doth not seem to me to be the ordinary cry of the ministers of the gospel,
but a cry that was effected by some sudden and marvelous awakening, the product
of some new and extraordinary revelation." - Tomlin's Interpretation,pg
516. OTHERS: Sir Isaac Newton, English scientist and theologian,
"About the time of the end, in all probability, a body of men will rise
up, who will turn their attention tot he prophecies, and insist upon literal
interpretation in the midst of much clamor and opposition." - Isaac
Newton, Observations on the Prophecies, pg 250-251. "I will tell you, God will have spoken within
one hundred years. He will restore the old church again. I see a little band of
people led by a Prophet and faithful leader. They are persecuted and burned out
and murdered. From every nation shall true believers be gathered by speedy
messengers and then shall the Almighty God speak to the disobedient nations
under thunder, lightning and destruction, such as men have never known
before." - Christophilus Gratianus 1732 EPISCOPALIAN: The reverend William Ward taught that the end of the
1260 days (years) as mentioned in Revelation 12:16, would bring us to 1830, and
that this year would be "a year of spiritual revival and triumph, the
greatest year in the calender of the world." - Rev. William Ward, between
1810 and 1820. Prophetic History, Vol 5, pg 18,32,68,74; Vol 5, pg 266-267. Yes, the reformers failed to bring back the New
Testament church and the Kingdom, so God performed a "marvelous work and a
wonder" by restoring them himself in 1830. (The exact year that the
scriptures promised.) Today, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints, stands alone as the fulfillment of all these tremendous prophecies.
It is the only church which is identical to the New Testament church. In addition to all these scholastic proofs, you can
really know the truth of these things by asking God in prayer, for "If any
of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally..." - James 1:5. God wants you to be a part of this great cause,
for now "the kingdom of God is preached, and every man who seeketh truth,
presseth into it." - Luke 16:16. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Permission to reprint this by: Liahona Research * 16101 Salisbury Road *
Independence, Missouri * 64050
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