I found this timely article from the Woman’s Exponent. The testimony of one can stand for a testimony of all.

“We believe what is written in the Old and New Testament; we fully believe in all the words spoken by the Savior and the testimony of His Apostles. We believe in the fullness of the everlasting Gospel; a crucified and risen Redeemer, and in all the gifts and graces of the Gospel, and in the fulfilling of prophecy; that not one jot nor tittle shall fall short of its fulfillment.  “Though the heavens and earth shall pass away, not one word shall fail which I have spoken,” saith the Lord.

Then, it stands us in hand to read and find out what has been fulfilled, and what has not been fulfilled.  Has the Gospel been preached to every nation, kindred, tongue and people, as spoken by John in Revelation 14:6?    

And when He administered the wine He told the disciples. “For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God shall come.” (Luke 22:18) So, we see by this language that the Kingdom of God was not continued. “And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matt. 24:14) In 2 John, verses 9,10,11, speaking or writing to the elect lady, to receive no other doctrine than that which had been taught.

We may examine the doctrine of Christ, as our Savior taught it. He set the example by being baptized by John, in Jordan; after this the Holy Ghost rested upon Him. He then commanded His disciples to baptize and this after His resurrection from the grave.

“And He said unto them, go ye unto all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16).  

Now, the Sectarian’s believe that the signs are all done away with. They persecute the Latter-day Saints because we believe they are essential to our salvation, and necessary to make the Church of Christ perfect. We can give the proof by reading the entire chapter of 1 Cor 12 where God has set in the Church apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healing, etc. “For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:12).

May I ask how long? “Till we all come in the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man; unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). “That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” (Eph. 4:14).

“That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26). “That He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27).

Now, we believe that this same kingdom will be set up again upon the earth, according to the vision of Daniel,”given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” (Dan. 7:27).

We know that in former days a great many prophecies have been literally fulfilled.  The scattering of the Jews; but in the last days God would remember them in great mercy, and they would gather back again upon their own lands and build up Jerusalem, for they are of the true olive tree, and God’s ancient covenant people.  The Gentiles were grafted into the tame olive tree, but inasmuch as they transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, and will not receive it in its truth and purity, they will not be spared, but be cut off, and the house  of Israel will come up in remembrance before the Lord. The little stone is now cut out of the mountain without hands, and will roll forth until it fills the whole earth, and will break in pieces all other kingdoms. And the God of heaven would set up His Kingdom and it should not be destroyed, nor given to another people. We know the kingdom which Christ and His disciples desired to establish was destroyed; a great apostasy and falling away took place.  Whereas, the Jews sought not the law by faith, which was a law of carnal commandments; but by works it became to them a stumblingstone; the Savior fulfilled this law and offered to them a higher law, which they did not receive, but rejected as a nation. Then Paul said, “Lo, I turn to the Gentiles and they received it gladly.” But this little stone of which I have spoken, which is the word of God, is now a stumblingstone to the Gentiles, and if the Lord spared not the natural branches because of unbelief how much less will He spare the wild ones in unbelief.  “And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you” (Acts 3:20).

Verse 21 says, “Whom the heavens must receive until the time of the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” His gospel must be declared unto all that will receive it, to prepare the way for His coming, to build temples and to send forth messengers to say, “Come unto me all ye ends of the earth and receive my Gospel and be saved in my Kingdom.”  

The women of this church are called ignorant, and it is said of us we are dragged into measures by a crafty and cunning priesthood. This is an untrue assertion. We have the same privilege to investigate and seek knowledge for ourselves as the men of this Church have. We receive the gifts and blessings of the Spirit, which confirm us in the gospel, which they teach, and if it did not agree with scripture, we have sense enough to detect an error and disown it. This is our right and privilege. But the more scripture we read, and the more we investigate, the stronger is our faith, and the more thoroughly are we convinced of the truth; and if we would be called Abraham’s children we must do the works he did. We believe and accept the truth wherever it is to be found, and our opponents must not condemn us because we cannot believe the opinions of men. We want the law and the testimony of the scriptures, and if they speak not according to this it is because there is no light in them. We have been thoroughly conversant with the divided opinions and schemes of Christendom, which pointed out diverse ways, but not to the straight and narrow way, that but few find.  

Our friends abroad want us to forsake the one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and His word, for their views, which they divide and subdivide, firstly, secondly and thirdly, all nicely written down on paper and put between the leaves of the Bible, and when it is read to the people on Sunday it sounds no more like Bible doctrine than a wolf looks like a sheep.  Do they think for one moment we could retrograde and throw away truth for fables to please their notions of things? Why don’t they advise the reformers to turn back to their standard, the older churches which they came out from, because of their inconsistencies? But we came not out from any of them. The priesthood was revealed to Joseph Smith in its primitive form and purity. It is far in advance of all sectarian dogmas, it is the true and everlasting Gospel, wherein no change has taken place, and this gospel of the kingdom will prevail over all error and superstition, and if our opponents can dethrone Jehovah, bring to naught His work, and overthrow His Kingdom that He has set up for the last time, if they can fight Him they may then bring into subjection to their will the Latter-day Saints and scatter us to the four winds.

                                                                      Written by Mary Ann M. Pratt

                                                                      Woman’s Exponent, April 1, 1884