with the central nucleus, strike the surface of the same obliquely, which would give rise to a rotatory movement: and this rotation would change the form of the nucleus from that of a ness or eccentricity of the spheroid would depend upon the final resultant velocity of the rotation at the time that the particles were all collected. ries without beginning. But this event | tion towards foreign bodies, they was sudden, not the effects of slow would, at the time of their contact and imperceptible changes, operating for an indefinite number of ages. Jehovah spake the elements came rushing together, not by their own power, but under the action of the self-moving forces of His Spirit, asso-sphere to a spheroid; and the oblateciated with the particles to be moved. That this all-powerful spirit performed its operations in a definite and fixed manner, according to certain prescribed laws, there is no doubt. And if In the morning of our creation the any of our modern Philosophers had gathering together of the particles been present on that grand occasion, was accomplished under such reguthey undoubtedly would have beheld lar, harmonious and systematic laws, every particle moving toward the great that there were no elevations of the common centre with a resultant force, land above the water. All the sucvarying inversely as the square of its cessive strata seemed to have ardistance from every other particle.-ranged themselves in a perfect spherThey would have called it the law of oidal form, comforming to the laws of gravitation while those better ac-gravity and rotation, as if they had quainted with the origin of the force would have called it the law by which the Spirit of God moves together the particles of matter. : been a fluid substance. So perfect was this arrangement, that the land was completely enveloped in a flood of water: no portion thereof was seen. We are not to suppose that these But soon the commandment came elements, before they were collected, for the waters to be gathered together were formed into solid masses of into one place, and for the dry or solid rocks and other hard substances: and land to appear. This great event was that these came rushing together unquestionably brought about under a rocks being piled on rocks, breaking, system of fixed laws, no less definite crashing, and rending into millions of than that of gravitation; but perhaps fragments. But no doubt through the not so well comprehended by man. operation of antecedent forces, there The Spirit of God in association with had been a complete disorganization the elements, not only produces all or dissolution of the bodies, composed the phenomena of gravitation, but of these elements in that prior state of also causes the elements to act upon existence anterior to the foundation of each other, cohesively and chemicalthe present globe this being the ly, when the particles are brought incase, the elements being separate, and sensibly near to each other. It could apart, and widely diffused, were in a hardly be expected, therefore, that condition to come together in a state such a great mass of elements could of particles, instead of aggregate mass-be brought together from the surroundThese particles, under the law of force ordained, would collect in the form of a sphere, arranging themselves according to their specific gravities in strata at different distances from the es. centre. : ing spaces, without producing chemical operations of such force and power as to disturb the whole globe. Such forces would cause the upheaval of the dry land in some places, and a corresponding depression in others, to If these particles, while collecting which thwa ters would rush; or the from the surrounding spaces, were un- dry landmight be made to appear, der the influence of no foreign forces, and the waters be gathered together, they would form a perfect sphere, by a very different process, namely, having no tendency to rotate; but if by a variation of the period of the they were disturbed by their gravita- | earth's rotation. The original position of the land | Bridegroom; go ye, go ye out to meet and water in regard to the surface of Him, for behold, He shall stand upon the earth, as it existed immediately the Mount of Olivet, and upon the after their separation, we have no mighty ocean, even the great deep, means of determining only by revela and upon the islands of the sea, and tion. It is certain, however, that it upon the land of Zion; and He shall was entirely different from the present utter His voice out of Zion, and He arrangement; and that it remained so shall speak from Jerusalem, and His sufficiently long for extensive marine voice shall be heard among all people, deposits to be formed, which, by the and it shall be a voice as the voice of great eruptions and changes that have many waters, and as the voice of a since taken place, exhibit themselves great thunder which shall break down in the interior of continents, and in the mountains, and the valleys shall locations highly elevated above the not be found; He shall command the sea level. great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land, and the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided. And the Lord, even the Saviour, shall stand in the midst of His people, and shall reign over all flesh." (Doc. and Cov., 108: 5.) From the revelations which God has given, there is no doubt but there has been a most wonderful change. By them we learn that the Eastern and Western Continents were one; whilst the waters occupied the polar regions of our globe. America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and many Islands of the sea, were all one land. The dividing of the earth into continents and islands, was mostly accomplished The great deep is to be driven into in the days of Peleg, who was born the north countries-the islands are 101 years after the flood, and died to become one land—the land of Jeru339 years after that memorable de-salem and the land of Zion (meaning struction. Many changes were made the Eastern and Western Continents) upon the earth in the days of Enoch: and no doubt the flood occasioned still greater; but we must look to the days of Peleg for the division of the earth into continents and islands, and the letting in of the waters upon the equatorial regions. Since the grand division of the earth, many great changes have happened to the various divisions of land by volcanic action and earthquakes; the greatest of which transpired at the crucifixion of Christ, when all the face of this land was broken up and changed; many mountains becoming valleys, and many valleys becoming mountains. Without further revelation it is impossible for us to give any thing like a correct idea of the geographical condition of the earth before the days of Peleg. Some of its general features may be very correctly determined from the following revelation, concerning the second coming of Christ, which reads thus: "Prepare ye for the coming of the are to be turned back into their own place, and the earth to be restored to its ancient geographical position. John the revelator prophesies of the same convulsions, and says that "every mountain and island were moved out of their places." He saw that when the seventh angel poured out his vial of the wrath of God that "There were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And every island fled away and the mountains were not found." Rev. 16: 17-20. The same tremendous convulsion is predicted by Isaiah (24:17-20) in the following language: "Fear, and the pit, and the snare glory." (Ps. 97: 3-6.) From this passage we learn that this intense fire will attend the presence of the Lord at His coming, and appears to be of the nature of "lightning," which is to " enlighten the whole world." We can form some idea of its intensity from the fact of its melting hills like wax," and "dis solving the earth." are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth" do shake. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly; the earth shall reel to and fro, like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again." If we had an antediluvian map, we should be able to point out the future geographical positions of the land and water as it will exist during the Millennium; or in other words, an antediluvian map would answer very well the purpose of a Millennial map. For the earth is to be restored to its former condition. The convulsion of the earth at the time of its restoration to its antedilu vian condition, will exceed all former In order to maintain the present convulsions, not excepting the great ellipticity of the earth, and its present one which took place at the time of diurnal period of rotation, and at the its division into continents and islands; same time retain the seas in the polar hence, John describes it as the great-regions, it will be necessary that the est earthquake that had ever happened solid portions, now submerged besince men were upon the earth, not neath the equatorial sea, should be only affecting the surface by casting upheaved or lifted up. This could down mountains, and exalting valleys, not be done without producing a corbut causing the very continents and responding depression around the islands themselves to flee away; they poles, and the waters would thus, are not annihilated, but as John says, under the present laws of gravitation, "moved out of their places." It will be obliged to rush from the equatorial not be merely the exterior strata of to the polar regions. Although it is the earth that will be broken up, but done by the direct command of God, the very "foundations," as Isaiah says, yet He generally accomplishes His shall shake. This latter-day earth- purposes through the medium of laws quake will be attended with intense which are in operation. For aught heat, melting and separating the very we know the raising up of the equaelements, or as Isaiah says, "The torial bed of the ocean may be acearth is clean dissolved;" and as the complished by the internal forces of Psalmist predicts: "A fire goeth be the earth, with which we are entirely fore Him, and burneth up His enemies unacquainted, only as we now and round about. His lightnings enlight- then behold their effects in the earth. ened the world: the earth saw and quake and volcano. But whatever be trembled. The hills melted like wax those internal forces, it is certain that at the presence of the Lord, at the they will be controlled intelligently presence of the Lord of the whole so as to arrange the continents and earth. The heavens declare His right- islands in their ancient position. eousness, and all the people see His REPENTANCE. BY THE EDITOR. (Concluded.) their crimes have been exposed, or Many other evils might be mentioned of which it is needful for you to repent; but as you have much of the word of God pointing them out to you, it is not necessary, for me in this article to describe every particular evil. Many of you are guilty of blaspheming that Holy Being who gave you existence, and of continually using his name in vain. Many of you are guilty of defrauding and taking the advantage of your neighbor; of bear- Others have a species of sorrow, ing false witness; of slandering, re- arising through fear. They are conviling, and speaking evil of one anoth- vinced that they have, in numerous er; of oppressing the poor; and of instances, violated the law of God, being lifted up in great pride; and of and they greatly fear the consequences withholding your riches and your in the great judgment day; but ye: substance from the widow and the they feel no disposition to reform.— fatherless, and from the poor and They are sorry that there is a law of needy, while you and your false teach- God, or a punishment in the world ers revel in the luxuries of the earth, to come. They love wickedness, and and adorn your chapels, and your are sorry that they must one day give synagogues, and your churches with an account before God for all their all manner of costly ornaments and evil deeds. They are sorry that they you clothe yourselves in silks and sat- cannot continue to cheat and defraud ins, and in fine twined linen, and re- their neighbor, and heap up riches, member not that God has given these without being harassed with the idea things to you, that you might not on- of future punishment. Many are conly be blessed yourselves, but that you vinced in their hearts that the Book might bless the sick and afflicted. of Mormon is a divine revelation : Of all these things, and of many oth- and they are sorry that God should er evils, you must repent, or you can again speak to man; they are sorry in no wise inherit the king lom of God; that there is not some more popular for the cries of the poor and needy way of being saved; they are sorry will ascend up before God against you. that they must subject themselves to Having set forth the evils or which the scorn and ridicule of the world you are guilty, we now come to the in order to receive the message which second part of our subject, namely-God has now sent into the world.— The nature of the sorrow connected Finally, there are many things which with true repentance. There are dif- create sorrow in the world. erent kinds of sorrow. Thieves, robbers, murderers, adulterers, &c., are frequently sorrowful because they have been detected in the crimes which they have committed. They are not sorrowful, because they have sinned against God, or because they have injured others; but they are sorry that But the sorrow that is acceptable in the sight of God is that which leads to true repentance, or reformation of conduct: it is that sorrow which arises, not only through fear of punishment, but through a proper sense of the evil consequences of sin; it is that sorrow which arises from a knowledge of our own unworthiness, and from a con- no particular benefit, unless we were trast of our own degraded and fallen determined to forsake them Without a condition with the mercy, goodness, covenant or promise before God that and holiness of God. We are sorry we will forsake sin with an unshak n that we should ever have condescendetermination, that we will henceforth ded to do evil. We are sorry that we yield to no evil, our confession and reshould ever have rendered ourselves pentance will be vain, and we must so unworthy before God; we are sor-not expect to be pardoned; for the ry at the weakness of our own fallen Holy One of Israel cannot be deceivnature. This kind of sorrow will leaded, and will not pardon those who us to obey every commandment of merely confess their sins, and still God; it will make us humble and make no resolution to forsake them; childlike in our dispositions; it will a confession of sins, unaccompanied impart unto us meekness and lowli with the resolution to forsake, is a ness of mind; it will cause our hearts solemn mockery before Him and will to be broken and our spirits to be con- add to our guilt, and increase the distrite; it will cause us to watch, with pleasure of heaven against us. There great carefulness, every word, thought, are many who are afraid to make a and deed; it will call up our past promise that they will sin no more, dealings with mankind, and we will lest they should break it. Now such feel most anxious to make restitution thoughts are not right; for without to all whom we may have, in any way, entering into such a covenant, how injured. It will lead us to sympathize can such ones expect to be forgiven with the poor and needy, and, if we and obtain salvation? If you were in have riches, to administer to their a house, enveloped with flames, and wants; it will cause us to visit the had the privilege of escape, would sick and afflicted, and to do all that you still remain for fear that some futhe gospel requires to alleviate their ture evil might happen to you? No: sufferings: these, and many other you would gladly accept the only posgood things, are the results of a God-sible means of safety. Oh, then, why ly sorrow for sin. This is repentance not in word but in deed; this is the sorrow with which the heavens are well pleased. Third, The confession necessary for the penitent, in order to render him still more acceptable in the sight of God. is something that should not be overlooked by those who are desirous, not only to reform, but to obtain for giveness of past sins. Though we may break off from our sins, and reform our conduct, yet we cannot expect a forgiveness of our past sins without a humble confession of the same. we have trespassed against any of our neighbors, it is our duty, not only to make restitution but to make a suitable confession and seek their forgive ness. If suffer the devil to cheat you out of the only possible means of salvation through fear of some imaginary evil which you have the power, through the grace of God, to ward off? If you linger behind, and enter into no covenant with God for fear you may break it, you are sure to perish in your sins. Whereas, if you exercise your agency and repent, entering into a solemn covenant to sin no more, the grace of God will be sufficient for you to sustain you in the hour of temptation and trial. We have now pointed out all the prominent principles, connected with true repentance. And it can easily be seen by every honest heart, that God requires mankind, first to seek diligently to discern good from evil and to ascertain what sins and evils they are guilty of; secondly, to be exercised And Fourth, this confession should with a Godly sorrow that they have be accompanied with a promise and ever sinned against so great and good determination to sin no more. To con- a Being as God: thirdly, to make fess our sins before God would be of suitable confession before God for all We should also confess our sins to God with a Godly sorrow and contrition of spiri'. |