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Show LEGITIMACY AND LLLEGITIMACY. 36l Perhaps it may be well, at this stage of my remarks, to give you a short explanation of my ideas of government, legitimacy, or priesthood, if you please. The question, " What is priesthood ? " has often been asked of me. I answer, it is the rule and government of God, whether on earth, or in the heavens ; and it is the only legitimate power, the only authority that is acknowledged by Him to rule and regulate the affairs of His kingdom. When every wrong thing shall be put right, and all usurpers shall be put down, when he whose right it is to reign shall take the dominion, then nothing but the priesthood will bear rule; it alone will sway the sceptre of authority in heaven and on earth, for this is the legitimacy of God. In the absence of this, what has been the position of nations ? You have made yourselves acquainted with the political structure and the political intrigues of earthly kingdoms; I ask, from whence did they obtain their power ? Did they get it from God ? Go to the history of Europe, if you please, and examine how the rulers of those nations obtained their authority. Depending upon history for our information, we say those nations have been founded by the sword. If we trace the pages of history still further back to the first nation that existed, still we find that it was founded upon the same principle. Then follow the various revolutions and changes that took place among the subsequent nations and powers, from the Babylonians through the Medo-Persians, Grecians, Romans, and from that power to all the other powers of Europe, Asia and Africa, of which we have any knowledge: and if we look to America from the first discoveries by Columbus to the present time, where are now the original proprietors of 16 |