[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]
I was born of goodly parents who
spared no pains in instructing me in the Christian religion. Father was obliged to
labor hard for the support of a large family. It required the exertions
of all that were able to render any assistance. There was in the place where
we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. Brothers and sisters, let me
make this perfectly clear. Before the world
was, God determined which of you would be
saved and which would not. I often asked myself,
What is to be done? Who of all these
parties is right? God has not determined the
final fate of his children. That doctrine places
responsibility on God and excuses man. It cannot be reconciled with
the doctrine of free will. How do I know who's right? It cannot be understood by
the finite mind, Joseph. Faith is the gift to believe. You must pray for faith, and
God will manifest His will. I was one day reading
the Epistle of James. "If any of you lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and
it shall be given him."
Never did any
passage of scripture come with more power
to the heart of man than this did at
this time to mine. At length, I came to the
conclusion that I must either remain in darkness
and confusion, or else I must do as James
directs--that is, ask of God.
It was on the morning of
a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of 1820. After I had retired to a
place where I had previously designed to go and
finding myself alone, I kneeled down and
began to offer up the desires of my heart to God.
I had scarcely
begun to do so, when I was seized upon by some
power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing
power over me as to bind my tongue so that
I could not speak. [INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
Just at this moment of great
alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head,
above the brightness of the sun, which
descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon
me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory
defy all description, standing above me in the air.
One of them spake unto
me, calling me by name and said, pointing
to the other--
This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him! [SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]
