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Source: Church History Vol. 3 Chapter 34 Page: 648 (~1872)

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648 upon the line of which salvation would be granted, then it would be less difficult for them to accede to the terms prescribed, and accept the salvation proffered.

"Everlasting life, life in perpetuity, is the great offer made in the gospel. This is the 'life and immortality,' the 'immortality and eternal life brought to light through the gospel;' nor is there anything better or higher than this, through the entire range of human research, or divine revelation, made known to man since the Savior came. This is the burden of all the promises; the real vital energy of every one of them. Christ came to offer it; he was content with offering nothing less, he was not authorized to offer anything more. All through the New Testament, from the declaration of John the Baptist that the kingdom of heaven was at hand to the latest declaration therein contained, everlasting life is made the underlying promise. Christ accepted the condition, and bears record to the validity thereof by stating that 'whatsoever the Father commanded' him, that he spoke, and he knew that 'his commandment' was 'life everlasting.'

"There has always been more or less stress put upon the value of any law supposed to come directly from God in the form of a command; the virtue of the command being, as it is supposed, in the divine character of the one from whom it comes. The terms of the gospel are commanded of God; so at least do all Bible believers admit, the Latter Day Saints more earnestly, if possible, than all others. Does the virtue of these terms lie in this fact alone that they are commanded of God? It is so supposed. We are forced to conclude, however, that if this idea obtains to the exclusion of every other consideration that might possibly give weight to the terms imposed, there is not a proper basis laid for a compliance with those terms. And when we inquire what those terms are, we think we shall find some very pungent reasons besides, which, if not of primary importance, are so completely necessary as secondary or auxiliary ones, that they cannot be dispensed with without impairing the harmony of the whole.

(page 648)

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