(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE FORERUNNER AND THE CHRIST.

[Footnote A: St. John's Gospel gives the most complete account of John the Baptists' ministry, and hence is given precedency here. The same method is followed on other topics; that is, the evangelist or authority giving the fullest or most important information is given precedence.]

NOTES.

1. Meridian Dispensation: Meaning really the middle dispensation: the one that comes some where near midway between the first and the last. The first opened with Adam, the last closes with the triumph of the Christ. It would be more agreeable to the writer to call the Dispensation here to be treated the "Christian Dispensation," because Christ is not only the central figure of it, but in it also he lives his earth career, manifests God in the flesh, and opens the way of the resurrection. But since it is imperative that we recognize the real presence of the Christ in every dispensation, from the very first to the very last, it might lead to confusion to call this Meridian Dispensation the Christian Dispensation, and hence the less satisfactory name is used.

2. Treatment of the Meridian Dispensation: It is not the purpose of the lessons covering the period of this Meridian Dispensation to deal either in detail or succinctly with historical events. The general scheme of our present year's work precludes any such attempt. Equally distant is it from our purpose to attempt to treat exhaustively of Christian doctrine, or even the divinity of Christ. The intention of the lesson is merely to present sufficient historical and doctrinal matter as will hold the thought present to the mind that a dispensation of the Gospel was again given to men under the ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Christ, and in the birth, life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The aim of the Lessons dealing with this dispensation is merely to treat it as one of many dispensations of the Gospel given to men: not to emphasize its glory, or importance, or treat it as a culmination of ages, or of divine purposes. For that culmination of ages and purposes—"the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times," which will witness gathered together, "in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him;" the age in which the Christ shall be entirely triumphant is an age and dispensation future from the Meridian Dispensation, as we shall fully see before this division of our work closes. Here it is thought necessary only to guard the student against disappointment by cautioning him not to expect too much.

3. Literature of the Meridian Dispensation: "The history of the Meridian Dispensation divides itself into two chief parts: (1) The Revelation of the Gospel by Jesus Christ, including the accomplishment of his work of redemption; and (2) the Propagation of the Gospel, and full establishment of the Christian Church, after his ascension. The former history is written in the "Gospels," of the "Four Evangelists," the respective openings of which furnish us with four different, but almost equally important, starting-points for all that follows. St. Matthew, who writes with the most constant reference to the fulfillment of prophecy, begins by showing that Jesus Christ was, by his reputed father Joseph, the son of David, and the son of Abraham; the predicted king of the royal line of Judah; the promised seed, in whom all kindreds of the earth were to be blessed; the great object of Covenants made by God wih Abraham and with David. St. Mark, commencing at once with the public proclamation of Christ, dates "the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God" from the ministry of John the Baptist as his forerunner. St. Luke places in the forefront of his narrative its practical purpose, for the instruction of a convert to Christianity, and begins "to write in order" from the birth of John the Baptist, and of Christ himself. St. John, having his mind imbued with the mysteries revealed to the "disciples whom Jesus loved," goes hack to a "beginning" antecedent to all time, and displays the eternal and divine glory of that "Life and Light," which were, manifested by Christ when he appeared on earth.

And what is true of the beginning of the Gospel history applies to each step of its subsequent development. Critics may speculate on some common remoter source of the narratives of the four evangelists, till they learn to abandon the unprofitable search; harmonists may pursue their useful labors so far as to be in danger of confounding the separate characters, the four documents, in the artificial compound of their own making; but the student who rightly appreciates the purpose of God's providence, in entrusting the record to four writers instead of one, will trace the distinct spirit of each as really his own, and will find the truest harmony in the concordant spiritual impression they produce, under the guidance of the inspiration of the Holy Ghost." (Dr. Smith's New Testament History, p. 178.)

The Literature of the second part of the Meridian Dispensation, viz. "The Propagation of the Gospel" is found in the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles and treatis that make up the balance of the New Testament. History says:

"St. Luke's "Second Treatise" or Discourse, (The Acts) addressed to Theophilus, bears a title apt to mislead the reader; a title certainly not given it by its author. It contains no full account of the "Acts of the Apostles." Most of them are never mentioned even by name, after the list given in the first chapter; and the history of St. Paul is not brought down to his death. Its true subject is the fulfillment of the promise of the Father by the descent of the Holy Spirit, and the results of that outpouring, in the diffusion of the Gospel among Jews and Gentiles. It deals only with the beginning of this great theme; and, having shown us the full establishment of Christ's Church, first in the Holy Land, then in those Eastern and Grecian provinces of the Roman empire which the Jews were wont to regard as representing the whole Gentile world, and finally at Rome; it leaves all the future progress of the Gospel to be recorded by the Church itself.

"And the point where the sacred history thus breaks off is marked by a most striking change in the character of the records. There is a great gulf between the last verses of the 'Acts' and the last allusions in the Epistles of St. Paul, and the earliest authentic chapters of what is called 'Ecclesiastical History.' The chasm is only bridged over by traditions of uncertain value, in which even the martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul is disfigured by childish legends, and worldly principles are already seen at work in the kingdom of Christ." (Ibid, p. 378.)

It will greatly aid in understanding the doctrinal development of this dispensation if it is remembered that the Gospels of the New Testament were not written first, nor even the Acts of the Apostles; that most likely some of the epistles of Paul form the older written documents of the Meridian Dispensation (for the probable order in which these epistles were written see Seventy's Year Book, No. I. note, pp. 88-9); and, that while the Apostle of the Gentiles had the personal, verbal narratives of some of the Apostles who were companions of the Master to aid him in forming his conceptions of the Life and Mission of Christ, he had no such written treasury as we now have in the four-fold story of the Evangelists.

The literature of the Meridian Dispensation on the Western hemisphere is found in the Book of Mormon. Prophetically (and it should be remembered that prophecy is but reversed history) in the record on the small plates of Nephi (the first 157 pages of the book), as also in the abridged records of Mormon, more especially the Book of Alma (12, 13 and 42nd chapters); and Historically in III Nephi, which has not inappropriately been called "The Fifth Gospel," and "The American Gospel" (See Lecture on the subject, "Defense of the Faith and the Saints" pp. 371-399), because it details the ministry of the Christ in the western hemisphere, and adds largely to views of the world-mission of the Christ, the Christ.

4. The Spirit of the Age at the Opening of the Meridian Dispensation: The Editor of Dr. Jortin's "Remarks on Ecclesiastical History," in a foot note, Commenting on the remark of his author to the effect that it had often been observed that Christianity made its appearance in the most proper time, and under a favorable concurrence of circumstances, says: "With respect to the fitness of the time at which Christianity made its appearance, the civilization, which everywhere accompanied the progress of Roman conquest, was favorable to the extension of a religion which the arms of the Caesars had now achieved. The tendency of the Pagan superstitions to degrade the human mind, and the demoralizing effects of the prevailing Epicurism,—against which the severities of the Stoics and refinements of the Platonists exercised, if any, the most trifling influence,—had yet contributed to arouse all but the most abandoned to the necessity of a reformation, and thus to prepare the way for the reception of the doctrines of the Gospel, at a period when the union of so many nations under one power would facilitate their propagation. It has been said, indeed, that the gradual development of the powers of the human understanding resulted, as it were, spontaneously in the Christian system; but the time, however, fitted for the reception of the Gospel, was altogether inadequate to its production. Not only was Christianity before the age in which it appeared, but it has remained in advance of the highest moral perfection to which the mind of man has yet attained, or, without its aid, is capable of attaining." (Jortin on Ecclesiastical History, p. 1).

5. The Greatness of John the Baptist's Mission: "Among those that are born of women, there hath not arisen a greater prophet than John the Baptist: nevertheless, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

How is it that John was considered one of the greatest Prophets? His miracles could not have constituted his greatness.

Firstly. He was intrusted with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord. Whoever had such a trust committed to him before or since? No man.

Secondly. He was intrusted with the important mission, and it was required at his hands to baptize the Son of Man. Whoever had the honor of doing that? Whoever had so great a privilege and glory? Whoever led the Son of God into the Water of baptism, and had the privilege of beholding the Holy Ghost descend in the form of a dove, or rather the sign of a dove, in witness of that administration? The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the Devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of a dove, but in sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence.

Thirdly. John, at that time, was the only legal administrator in the affairs of the kingdom there was then on earth and holding the keys of power. The Jews had only to obey his instructions or be damned, by their own law; and Christ himself fulfilled all righteousness in becoming obedient to the law which he had given to Moses on the mount, and thereby magnified it and made it honorable, instead of destroying it. The son of Zachariah wrested the keys, the kingdom, the power, the glory from the Jews, by the holy anointing and degree of heaven; and these three reasons constitute him the greatest Prophet bom of a woman.

Second question: How was the least in the kingdom of heaven greater than he?

In reply, I asked—Whom did Jesus have reference to as being the least? Jesus was looked upon as having the least claim in all God's kingdom and was least entitled to their credulity as a Prophet, as thought kingdom, and was least entitled to their credulity as a Prophet, as though he had said—"He that is considered the least among you is greater than John—that is, myself." (Mill. Star, Vol. XX, pp. 455-6.)

6. The Manner of Christ's Teaching: "Next to what our Saviour taught may be considered the manner of his teaching; which was extremely peculiar, yet, I think, precisely adapted to the peculiarity of his character and situation. His lessons did not consist of disquisitions; of any thing like moral essays, or like sermons, or like set treatises upon the several points which he mentioned. When he delivered a precept, it was seldom that he added any proof or argument; still more seldom, that he accompanied it with, what all precepts require, limitations and distinctions. His instructions were conceived in short, emphatic, sententious rules, in occasional reflections, or in round maxims. I do not think that this was a natural, or would have been a proper method for a philosopher or a moralist; or that it is a method which can be successfully imitated by us. But I contend that it was suitable to the character which Christ assumed, and to the situation in which, as a teacher, he was placed. He produced himself as a messenger from Cod. He put the truth of what he taught upon authority. In the choice, therefore of his mode of teaching, the purpose by him to be consulted was impression; because conviction, which forms the principal end of our discourses, was to arise in the minds of his followers from a different source, from their respect to his person and authority. Now, for the purpose of impression singly and exclusively. (I repeat again that we are not here to consider the convincing of the understanding), I know nothing which would have so great force as strong ponderous maxims, frequently urged, and frequently brought back to the thoughts of the hearers. I know nothing that could in this view be said better, than 'Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you.' The first and great commandment is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God; and the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. It must also be remembered, that our Lord's ministry, upon the supposition either of one year or three, compared with his work, was of short duration; that, within this time, he had many places to visit, various audience's to address; that his person was generally besieged by crowds of followers; that he was, sometimes, driven away from the place where he was teaching by persecution, and at other times, thought fit to withdraw himself from the commotions of the populace. Under these circumstances, nothing appears to have been so practicable, or likely to be so efficacious, as leaving, wherever he came, concise lessons of duty. These circumstances at least show the necessity he was under of comprising what he delivered within a small compass. In particular, his sermon upon the mount ought always to be considered with a view to these observations. The question is not, whether a fuller, a more accurate more systematic, or a more argumentative, discourse upon morals might not have been pronounced; but whether more could have been said in the same room, better adapted to the exigencies of the hearers, or better calculated for the purpose of impression. Seen in this light it has always appeared to me to admirable. Dr. Lardner thought that this discourse was made up of what Christ had said at different times, and on different occasions, several of which occasions are noticed in Saint Luke's narrative. I can perceive no reason for this opinion I believe that our Lord delivered this discourse at one time and place, in the manner related by Saint Matthew, and that he repeated the same rules and maxims at different times, as opportunity or occasion suggested that they were often in his mouth, and were repeated to different audiences and in various conversations.

"It is incidental to this mode of moral instruction, which proceeds not by the proof but upon authority, not by disquisition, but by precept, that the rules will be conceived in absolute terms, leaving the application, and the distinctions that attend it to the reason of the hearer. It is likewise to be expected that they will be delivered in terms by so much the more forcible and energetic, as they have to encounter natural or general propensities. It is farther also to be remarked, that many of those strong instances, which appear in our Lord's sermon, such as, 'If any men will smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also:' 'If any man will sue thee at law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also:' 'Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain;' though they appear in the form of specific precepts, are intended as descriptive of disposition and character. A specific compliance with the precepts would be of little value, but the disposition which they inculcate is of the highest. He who should content himself with waiting for the occasion, and with literally observing the rule when the occasion offered, would do nothing or worse than nothing; but he who considers the character and disposition which is hereby inculcated, and places that disposition before him as the model to which he should bring his own, takes, perhaps, the best possible method of improving the benevolence, and of calming and rectifying the vices of his temper.

"If it be said that this disposition is unattainable, I answer, so is all perfection; ought therefore a moralist to recommend imperfections? One excellency; ought therefore a moralist to recommend imperfections? never mistaken, or never so mistaken as to do harm. I could feign a hundred cases in which the literal application of the rule, 'of doing to others as we would that others should do unto us,' might mislead us; but I never yet met with the man who was actually misled by it. Not withstanding that our Lord bade his followers not to resist evil, and 'to forgive the enemy who should trespass against them, not till seven times, but till seventy times seven,' the Christian world has hitherto suffered little by too much placability or forbearance. I would repeat once more, what has already been twice remarked, that these rules were designed to regulate personal conduct from personal motives, and for this purpose alone.

"I think that these observations will assist us greatly in placing our Saviour's conduct, as a moral teacher, in a proper point of view; especially when it is considered, that to deliver moral disquisitions was no part of his design,—to teach morality at all was only a subordinate part of it; his great business being to supply, what was much more wanting than lessons of morality, stronger moral sanctions, and clearer assurances of a future judgment." (Paley's View of the Evidences of Christianity, pp. 151, 2, 3.)

For further reflections upon the excellence of the manner of the Messiah's teaching, and especially for the consideration of added strength and beauties to the principles of the Sermon on the Mount, in the Book of Mormon, see Lecture on the Fifth Gospel (III Nephi) Defense of the Faith and the Saints, pp. 383-389.