ON THE DOCTRINES OF THE GOSPEL BY THE LATE ELDER ORSON PRATT ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST PRINTED FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES MISSION, CHATTANOOGA, TENN. 1899. THE KINGDOM OF GOD PREFACE. HE labors of the late respected and beloved Orson Pratt, some of whose writings we herewith present to the public, are too well known to require any extended comments from us. His voice has been heard in various parts of the earth bearing a faithful testimony to the truth of the gospel, and in many places where he was never seen, his precious writings have been perused with pleasure and profit by the honest in heart. Thus has his name become familiar and honored among the people of God. In addition to the compilation, as published in 1891, we have placed in this edition an article written by the same author on the Universal Apostacy, being a graphic exposition of the decline and ultimate spiritual darkness of primitive Christianity. Also a beautiful article on the Latter-Day Kingdom, which shows the necessity of laws, subjects, officers and King to establish a true Kingdom of God in the earth. That the Spirit of God may enlighten the minds of those into whose hands this work may come so that they may comprehend and heed its teachings, and that Brother Pratt, though dead, may' yet live in the hearts of the people, are the sincere desires of THE PUBLISHERS. THE KINGDOM OF GOD. BY ORSON PRATT, ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. CHAPTER I. THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF THE KING THE CHARACTER AND REQUISITE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE SUBORDINATE OFFI CERS. The kingdom of God is an order of government established by divine authority. It is the only legal government that can exist in any part of the universe. All other governments are illegal and unauthorized. God, having made all beings and worlds, has the supreme right to govern them by His own laws, and by officers of His own appointment. Any people attempting to govern themselves by laws of their own making, and by officers of their own appointment, are in direct rebellion against the kingdom of God. The antediluvians were overthrown by a flood, because they rejected the government of the Almighty, and instituted their own governments in its stead. Noah and his family were the only loyal and obedient subjects to the legal power: they alone were saved. The universal desolation and utter abolishment of all the unauthorized man-made governments of the old world, should have been an everlasting warning to all future generations to avoid the same rebellion, and to establish no governments on the earth of human origin. But alas! the posterity of Noah soon revolted from the only legal, rightful power, and set up for themselves forms of governments of their own inventions. The rebellion soon became so general, that all the inhabitants of the earth, except Melchizedek, Abraham, Lot, and a very few others, engaged themselves in it, supporting and upholding kings and other officers in their usurped authority, and suffering themselves to be governed by |