church excommunicated him and all his bishops and priests who fawned upon him and pandered to his unmeasured crimes. Thus they were deprived of the authority they held as dignitaries of the Catholic church and were stripped of every vestige of it by the highest authority therein. If that church did not possess the authority, then those bishops and other prelates had none, for all they had came from it. So in either case they were absolutely without the authority claimed to have been handed down from apostolic times. It is useless to argue, as some of them do, that many centuries previous to that time the gospel was preached in Great Britain by some of the early Christian fathers, for the Church of England, as will be seen, has entirely cut off every trace of effects from that tradition. This is beyond fair dispute. The Articles of Religion of the Church of England, "as by law established," which were compiled under authority and commandment of King Edward VI., by "the archbishops and bishops and the whole clergy," in Article 35 declare that the second book of homilies "doth contain a Godly and wholesome doctrine and necessary for these times, and therefore we judge them to be read in the churches by the ministers diligently and distinctly, that they may be understood of the people." Special mention is made in that article of the homily "against peril of idolatry." From it we copy the following:

"So that laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, all ages, sects, and degrees of men, women and children of whole Christendom-an horrible and most dreadful thing to think-have been at once drowned in abominable idolatry; of all other vices most detested of God, and most damnable in man; and that by the space of eight hundred years and more. And to this end is come that beginning of setting-up of images in churches; then judged harmless; in experience proved not only harmful, but exitious and pestilent, and to the destruction and subversion of all good religion universally." (Page 236.)

Mr. Bartlett goes into convulsions over the statement by the Latter-day Saints that the world has been without divine authority for a lengthy period, but they have never said anything on the subject so sweeping as that declaration from the church to which he belongs. With his usual deliberate falsification when he desires to misrepresent the Latter-day Saints, he pretends to quote from one of their tracts that they "actually judge, condemn, and penalize as impostors, usurpers, and wolves in sheeps' clothing, the whole Christian world." Reference to the extracts which he gives from those tracts will show clearly his mendacity. Two classes of persons performing ordinances among the Christian sects by merely human authority are designated; one is those who "devoutly, sincerely and piously" officiate in such ceremonies, and the other is those who "with wilful intent impose upon the ignorance and credulity of mankind." Mr. Bartlett can choose his own place in either of them, but gives evidence by his deliberate deception, his denunciation of people of whom he knows nothing,

and his general course in the attacks he has made, that he occupies a little niche in the latter category. The danger of a person of that class daring to do that "without first being authorized" is pointed out as rendering him "liable" to those penalties, but let it be observed, the question under consideration is divine authority, which is claimed by but a very small proportion of the millions in "the whole Christian world." It is those men who presume wilfully and impudently to take upon themselves authority to administer in the sacred names of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost without having any right so to do, who are alluded to in those tracts which Mr. Bartlett mutilates and misrepresents.

Starting with that false quotation, the Vicar lets himself loose and ejaculates, with big black type and notes of exclamation, apostrophes to the "British and Foreign Bible Society," The ten thousand European missionaries," "The Land of Uganda," "The Eastern Bible Women," "The millions of Christian ministers," and "The martyrs of Jesus," whom he holds out as guilty of "folly," of "labor in vain," of "not being converted," of "being all wrong"; says "the Bible is wrong," "religion a phantom," the clergy impostors," "the millions of loving, self-sacrificing lives spent in the service of God and man-well, inspired by nothing." Who is responsible for all that tonguey tirade? Why, the Vicar of St. Nathaniel's. This is a little of what he calls "irony." Attributing those conclusions to the writers of the tracts from which he made some extracts, he cannot find in them anything that justifies this overflow of froth and folly.

The Latter-day Saints have as high a regard for the noble men and women who have stood up for the truth, or have lost their lives in its defence in all ages, as this pretended priest can possibly have. It is stated in one of the pamphlets from which he quotes that there is truth in all the sects and denominations in Christendom, and that it is by the truth in them that they have been maintained. It goes further, and recognizes such truths as are to be found in heathendom, and it does not exclude that which is in the Roman Catholic organization, but which the church to which Mr. Bartlett belongs has utterly condemned as "the Scarlet Woman" making all nations drunk out of her golden cup, filled with filthiness and abominations as described in Rev. chaps. 17-18. More than that, as we have shown, his church at its inception committed "whole Christendom" including men, women, and children to "God's most high dishonor and their most horrible damnation," covering a space of eight hundred years and more. (P. of I. p. 260.) He thus speaks himself of the church: "Blinded by her sin, she had in the dark ages little light for the world. Still, now here, now there, twinkled the light of the truth as it is in Jesus." All he admits existed in the world during those eight hundred years alluded to is a little twinkle of light "here and there." That is going far beyond what the Latter-day Saints have claimed and

which he derides, for, while denying that there has been divine authority continuously from the days of the early apostles, they joyfully recognize the waves of light which from time to time swept over the world, to prepare the way for the coming of that great Millennium when the knowledge of God shall cover the earth as the waters cover the deep. It is a part of their creed that all truth, whether in religion or philosophy or science, in Christendom, in heathendom, or elsewhere, comes from God for the benefit of man. That, however, does not imply divine authority to administer in the ordinances and sacraments, or to perform any official act in the name of Deity.

Mr. Bartlett exclaims: "The Gates of Hell have never prevailed against His church!" Who says they have? He states that "this 'Mormon' growth would have us believe that our Lord's own words were false." Where does he find that in any of the oral or written utterances of the Latter-day Saints? If he simply infers from the proofs we give that the authority given by Christ to His apostles has not remained on the earth, let him tell us where that authority was during the "eight hundred years and more" when, as his church teaches, "whole Christendom" was "drowned in abominable idolatry," to "the destruction and subversion of all good religion universally." Can he not see how his soft solder, which he imagines is "irony," turns upon himself? Did the "gates of hell" prevail against the Church when its head was taken away through the wickedness of His murderers, or when the apostles and the early Christians suffered martyrdom, or when, as the Savior said, "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force," or when the prophecy of Daniel was fulfilled that the "horn" which he saw "made war with the saints and prevailed against them"?

Can he not understand that while all these prophecies were to be fulfilled, ultimately the Church is to conquer and to prevail, not only over "the gates of hell," but over false creeds, false teachers, assumed authority, the kingdoms of this world and over Satan and his hosts? The martyred Christ went to the very gates of hell and preached deliverance to the captives. All His authorized servants of that age did the same. The Church, for the times appointed, was taken away to a place prepared of God, as shown in Rev. 12. In her place arose that "mother of abominations," which the Church of England declares was that church out of which it came, that had sway over "whole Christendom" without solitary exception for the space of "eight hundred years and more," and every soul during that period “purchased to themselves God's wrath and utter indignation and everlasting damnation both of body and of soul." (B. of H. 260.) Where was the Church then, Mr. "ironical" Vicar? Where was divine authority then? This modern representative of so-called Christianity closes his abortive effort by making an appeal to England to follow the

example of some "continental nations" where freedom of speech is hampered and restricted and muzzled by arbitrary regulationsrelics of those times when the Church of England exercised her spurious authority by putting to death both Catholics and Nonconformists who would not bow to her baseless claims. Unable to meet the doctrines, arguments, and testimonies of the men whom God has called to the great latter-day work, he wants physical force employed against what he calls "this Mormon plague." He will find that his intolerance and incitements to persecution will be as utterly vain as his attempts at satire, and his coarse invective and repetitions of "Joe Smith," "Joe Smith's angel," "Joe Smith's apostles," and other and similar samples of clerical refinement.

As a contrast to his claim of divine authority, which his own church has proved in its own way did not exist on earth for "eight hundred years and more," prior to the so-called "Reformation" and the establishment of the Church of England by civil law with that apostate "Defender of the Faith," Henry VIII., as its visible head, we testify before God, angels and men that the authority which Christ gave to His apostles (Matt. 16: 18-19, also 18: 18) has been restored to earth by personal ministration of Peter, James and John; that it is here to remain and continue, until the Church brought forth "from the wilderness" shall prevail over everything beneath the sun which the Father has not planted, and which the Savior declared "shall be rooted up." The axe is again laid "at the root of the trees." The systems of men will perish. God's work will endure. Christ's Church will prevail over every foe. Sceptics may refuse to believe this testimony, and "cultured" clergymen may shoot their little paper wads at it, but sound reason will show that the claim of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is at least rational, while that of the establishment of which the Vicar of St. Nathaniel's is so feeble a champion, is condemned by its own proclamations and teachings, and is left without even a shadow of divine authority to stand upon. If the Vicar has any hope that he will be able to "fight Mormonism to the death," he will have to take up more potent weapons than he has used hitherto, and if he cannot he should at least learn to be decent.

C. W. P.

Death of Henry W. Naisbitt.-The Deseret News of the 26th ult. contains an account of the death of Elder Henry W. Naisbitt, which took place at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Alice Sneddon, 463 Fifth Avenue, Salt Lake City, on the afternoon of the above date, at the ripe age of eighty-one years. This veteran poet, preacher and writer was born in England, where he received the everlasting gospel, and emigrated to Utah in 1854. For many years he was employed in various capacities in Zion's Co-operative

Mercantile Institution. He was editor and publisher of Zion's Home Monthly, a magazine of choice literature, and his book of poems, "Rhymelets in Many Moods," and his "Quiet Chats on Mormonism" have been read with delight round many firesides in Zion. Elder Naisbitt performed two splendid missions in Great Britain. During the latter he acted as second counselor to President Platte D. Lyman. He was also associate-editor of the MILLENNIAL STAR and contributed many excellent, soul-inspiring articles to its pages. For the past three years Brother Naisbitt suffered from loss of sight, but bore his affliction with patience and resignation. He was a man of strong faith, which enabled him to surmount many difficulties. He was a true, loyal, devoted servant of the Lord, and his reward is sure.

FROM THE MISSION FIELD.

Conference Notice. The semi-annual meetings of the Scottish conference will be held on Sunday, March 22nd, 1908, in the Kingston Halls, 330 Paisley Road, Glasgow. President Charles W. Penrose will be present and address the conference. A large attendance is anticipated. The saints are requested to invite their friends.

Baptisms. We take pleasure in reporting a baptismal service held at the Lancaster Public Baths, February 26th, 1908. Elder F. E. Wadsworth spoke upon the principles of the gospel and exhorted the saints to prove true to the covenants they had made. Five converts were then baptized by Elder Roger W. Creer. Confirmations took place immediately after the baptisms.

It is most gratifying to learn of the progress of the work of the Lord in the Scottish conference. Four members were added to the conference on February 19th last, when a baptismal service was held in the Townhead Baths, Glasgow, President William A. Budge officiating. Another convert received the ordinance of baptism in the Corporation Baths, Dundee, on the 29th ult., at the hands of Elder John G. Bunnell. Other baptisms are expected soon. We are pleased to report that on Saturday, March 7th, 1908, eleven members were added to the Bristol branch of the Bristol conference. The service was held at the Hetling Baths, Bath, at which a number of saints and friends were present. President Charles G. Jarman explained the mode and object of baptism, and showed that the ordinance must be administered by divine authority. The candidates were then baptized by President Jarman and Elder James A. Cragun. Confirmations took place at the following Sunday evening meeting.

On Sunday, February 23rd, a baptismal service was held at the Turkish Baths, Blackburn (Liverpool conference). About ninety saints and friends were present. Timely remarks were made by