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Show LEGITIMACY AND ILLEGITIMACY. 363 priest upon the head of the murderer of their husbands and their fathers ? It is impossible that there can be any legitimate rule, government, power or authority, under the face of the heavens, except that which is connected with the kingdom of God, which is established by new revelation from heaven. In a conversation with some of our modern reformers in France, one of their leaders said, " I think you will not succeed very well in disseminating the principles of your religion in France." I replied, " you have been seeking to accomplish something, for generations, with your philosophy, your philanthropic societies, and your ideas of moral reform, but have failed; while we have not been seeking to accomplish the thing that you have, particularly, and yet have accomplished it." We began with the power of God, with the government of heaven, and with acknowledging His hand in all things; and God has sustained us, blessed and upheld us to the present time; and it is the only government, rule and dominion under the heavens that will acknowledge His authority. Brethren, if any of you doubt it, go into some of those nations, and get yourself introduced into the presence of their kings and rulers, and say, "Thus saith the Lord God." They would at once denounce you as a madman, and straightway order you into prison. What is the matter ? They do not acknowledge the legitimacy, the rule and government of God, nor will they inquire into them. They receive not their authority from Him. Nations honor their kings, but they do not honor the authority of their God in any instance, neither have they from the first man-made government to the present |