Another Gladden Bishop?

by Art Bulla

Sun, April 8, 2012

Am I, as judged by Van Hale another Gladden Bishop, a foolish apostate in the days of Joseph and Brigham or am I the one prophesied to come? Over the decades of my experience with men and the visions and revelations of the Lord and such, beginning with my first vision either I am the biggest liar, or a man of shattered understanding, or it is true. This was also the issue in the days of Joseph, "Could any man have written this book?” So it is with myself. Mormons, after reading The Revelations of Jesus Christ, especially Section 2, must ask themselves, "Could any man have written this?' and if they are acquainted with scripture and the voice of the Lord, must conclude "it is true!" But most of them, I fear, are as Mr. Hale, a bigot who has not read or investigated properly.

“All should test their religious beliefs. But all such testing must be done in the right spirit and by the right method. Every testing must be a sincere and honest search for truth. The truth or the goodness, not the untruth or the evil, of a system must be sought; then untruth or evil, if it exists, is automatically discovered. There must be no bending of means or methods to bolster up prejudice. An honest seeker after truth must accept truth unhesitatingly when found, and yield full surrender to it. The truth-seeker must be single-minded -- for truth. Errors must be thrown out, however appealing they may be to man-made appetites.” (John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations, p.27)

But to address the objection raised by Mr. Hale, which is really nothing more than bigotry, he used this quote from Joseph Smith: "That man who rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives." Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.156

Jesus condemned the Jews by calling them "a generation of vipers". Does that mean he was on the high road to apostasy as Mr. Hale claims, for they were “the one true Church”? Was Isaiah on the high road when he said in Ch 28 "the priest and the prophet are out of the way" in connection with the advent of the One Mighty and Strong, was he an apostate? All of the prophets of Israel who have been critical of corruption within the Church, were always considered apostates by those who stoned and crucified them! Therefore Mr. Hale is also guilty of their crimes, for he has fostered the vilest slander of myself, merely for advocating The Revelations of Jesus Christ. Besides the character of the Church is changed from the days of Joseph and Brigham.

The Revelations of Jesus Christ: http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0-595-28287-3
"But we ask, does it remain for a people who never had faith enough to call down one scrap of revelation from heaven, and for all they have now are indebted to the faith of another people...does it remain for them to say how much God has spoken and how much He has not spoken?" Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Two 1834-37 Pg.60
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Six 1843-44 Pg.365
When a man goes about prophesying, and commands men to obey his teachings, he must either be a true or false prophet.
Our website: http://www.artbulla.com
"All men are liars who say they are of the true Church without the revelations of Jesus Christ and the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which is after the order of the Son of God." Joseph Smith; TPJS p. 376
"He that can mark the power of Omnipotence, inscribed upon the heavens, can also see God's own handwriting in the sacred volume: and he who reads it oftenest will like it best, and he who is acquainted with it, will know the hand wherever he can see it...." (T.P.J.S., p. 56)

· 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (New Testament | Galatians 1:10 - 12)