Year:1947-1958
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8 minute talk by Presiding Patriarch Elbert A. Smith given around January 5, 1948. He states, "And thus after the long apostasy the Church began to come forth out of the wilderness and was restored in its original organic form with apostles and prophets. It was restored with all the gifts and blessings, the doctrines, ordinances, and sacraments of the old Jerusalem church. It comes to us bearing in its hands the three witnesses of the written word; the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, the last named representing the still open canon of scripture, unique and unlike anything else in the modern religious world. These three books agree in one. In the beginning of the Restoration then one voice was heard in prayer and then in testimony, but the voice behind the veil from time to time called others. And so they came one by one saying here am I Lord, send me. The voice is still calling, calling your name, and mine, and others in many lands."
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Unpublished article by C. J. Hunt in which he discusses several individuals who have functioned with delegated authority as a "Mighty and Strong One."
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Autobiography of Christina Salyards. She was the wife of Richard S. Salyards and both served in the RLDS Church for many years.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2018 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.
The author states, "Divine healing is one of a group of spiritual gifts, such as faith, knowledge, wisdom, miracles, prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, discerning of spirits, and revelation, which God has placed in his church."
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This electronic file was made from an old recording from 1952; the quality of the recording is not very good in some areas of the recording.
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Baptism. "About no other ordinance or doctrine of the Christian church is there so much disagreement, so much argument, or so much scoffing indifference, as there is about the ordinance of baptism...All Christians are agreed on one thing; that man is powerless to save himself, and that salvation is to be had only in and through the atonement of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Man cannot save himself. He is helpless, completely dependent on Christ for his salvation. Therefore he is in no position to dictate the terms on which he will be saved. Christ, the only person who can save him, dictates the terms. To try to change them to suit the individual fancy, or simply to ignore them scornfully and still expect a full salvation, is rebellion. It is an expression of the very attitude which sinful man must repent of and discard if he expects the atonement of Christ to be effective for him."
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Original script for sermon #11 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Baptism. "About no other ordinance or doctrine of the Christian church is there so much disagreement, so much argument, or so much scoffing indifference, as there is about the ordinance of baptism...All Christians are agreed on one thing; that man is powerless to save himself, and that salvation is to be had only in and through the atonement of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Man cannot save himself. He is helpless, completely dependent on Christ for his salvation. Therefore he is in no position to dictate the terms on which he will be saved. Christ, the only person who can save him, dictates the terms. To try to change them to suit the individual fancy, or simply to ignore them scornfully and still expect a full salvation, is rebellion. It is an expression of the very attitude which sinful man must repent of and discard if he expects the atonement of Christ to be effective for him."
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Discusses who has authority to represent God. "I have not been able to discover a single case in the New Testament where the minister for Christ simply felt his personal call and went to work." And, "Jesus sought the will of his Father, and delegated that authority only as God revealed his will to him after a night of prayer. Notice again that it was not the men who decided on the basis of an inner call that they were to be the twelve. Jesus said, 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you' (John 15:16)."
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Original script for sermon #25 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry. He states, "I have not been able to discover a single case in the New Testament where the minister for Christ simply felt his personal call and went to work." And, "Jesus sought the will of his Father, and delegated that authority only as God revealed his will to him after a night of prayer. Notice again that it was not the men who decided on the basis of an inner call that they were to be the twelve. Jesus said, 'Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you' (John 15:16)."
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17 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on The Bible Promises Other Scriptures, given on July 5, 1953. Brother Fry states, "The history of the Jews who dwelt in Jerusalem has always been an open book -- the Bible. But there was a colony of Jerusalem's inhabitants who came to America, developed a great civilization, and later fell into destruction. This is the civilization pointed out in verse 2 [Isaiah 29], which says 'It (or other translations read "she") shall be unto me as Ariel.' The record of these people, the Nephite colony from Jerusalem, is contained in the Book of Mormon, which for centuries was buried in tho ground, and which now speaks low out of the dust, out of the ground."
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Original script for sermon #27 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 17 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on The Bible Promises Other Scriptures. Brother Fry states, "The history of the Jews who dwelt in Jerusalem has always been an open book -- the Bible. But there was a colony of Jerusalem's inhabitants who came to America, developed a great civilization, and later fell into destruction. This is the civilization pointed out in verse 2 [Isaiah 29], which says 'It (or other translations read "she") shall be unto me as Ariel.' The record of these people, the Nephite colony from Jerusalem, is contained in the Book of Mormon, which for centuries was buried in tho ground, and which now speaks low out of the dust, out of the ground."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry about The Body of Christ. "It is one of the tasks of the church, as the body of Christ, to take men of a lower or earthly kingdom, and by means of the new birth, through the saving ordinances of the church to transmute that lower life to the life of Christ's kingdom....Because the church of Christ is his body, it is more than an organization. It is an organism. It must have life, or it is a dead body which can do none of the work which a body is supposed to do. If a group of men neet together and effect an organization which they call a church; it may be a good organization, but it cannot be an organism; it cannot be the body of Christ. Like produces like. Men can put into a church only the life which is within themselves --which is no life at all except a fleeting mortality. The body of Christ is formed only as the life of Christ, the intelligence of Christ, the will of Christ moves to call out, select, and organize the constituent human elements needed to make a church, and then endows them with his life, and sets them in proper organizational relationship with each other, and commissions them to perform his work on earth."
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Original script for sermon #15 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry about The Body of Christ. "It is one of the tasks of the church, as the body of Christ, to take men of a lower or earthly kingdom, and by means of the new birth, through the saving ordinances of the church to transmute that lower life to the life of Christ's kingdom....Because the church of Christ is his body, it is more than an organization. It is an organism. It must have life, or it is a dead body which can do none of the work which a body is supposed to do. If a group of men neet together and effect an organization which they call a church; it may be a good organization, but it cannot be an organism; it cannot be the body of Christ. Like produces like. Men can put into a church only the life which is within themselves --which is no life at all except a fleeting mortality. The body of Christ is formed only as the life of Christ, the intelligence of Christ, the will of Christ moves to call out, select, and organize the constituent human elements needed to make a church, and then endows them with his life, and sets them in proper organizational relationship with each other, and commissions them to perform his work on earth."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Book Of Mormon Doctrines, given on August 16, 1953. He states, "The Book of Mormon teaches that there is one God, who is omnipotent, supreme over heavens and earth, God above all. This God is eternal, everlasting, the same yesterday, today, and forever, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He is perfect, just, merciful. He is all-wise; he knoweth all things. He is a God who is still at work, whose work will never be finished, for he is eternal, and his course is one eternal round. This God is the creator of all things, both the heavens and the earth; he is the Father and Creator of man. This creation was accomplished through the instrumentality of his Son, Jesus Christ, who for this reason is also called a Creator, and the Father of heaven and earth. God is unchangeable; his decrees are unalterable. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; in him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. His power is undiminished, and always will be; he is still a God of miracles, of might, of wonder, of power. He is impartial; he remembers one nation like unto another; he is mindful of every people, and every man is precious in his sight. "God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being, but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity."
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Original script for sermon #33 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on August 16, 1953. He states, "The Book of Mormon teaches that there is one God, who is omnipotent, supreme over heavens and earth, God above all. This God is eternal, everlasting, the same yesterday, today, and forever, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. He is perfect, just, merciful. He is all-wise; he knoweth all things. He is a God who is still at work, whose work will never be finished, for he is eternal, and his course is one eternal round. This God is the creator of all things, both the heavens and the earth; he is the Father and Creator of man. This creation was accomplished through the instrumentality of his Son, Jesus Christ, who for this reason is also called a Creator, and the Father of heaven and earth. God is unchangeable; his decrees are unalterable. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever; in him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. His power is undiminished, and always will be; he is still a God of miracles, of might, of wonder, of power. He is impartial; he remembers one nation like unto another; he is mindful of every people, and every man is precious in his sight. "God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being, but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Book Of Mormon Evidences, given on August 2, 1953. He states, "One of the mysteries which never ceased to puzzle the early Spanish fathers, was the seeming familiarity of the native Americans with Christian doctrines and ordinances. They practiced baptism; they had something very closely resembling the Lord's Supper; they venerated the cross; they had a higher and lower priesthood; they worshipped a bearded white God whose features were depicted in carvings as semitic in cast. This God, who was known under a variety of names such as Quetcalcoatl, KulKulKan, and Wiracocha, was always described in the same terms. He was white in contrast to the darker Indians; he was bearded, while the Indians were beardless; he had not been born among them, but suddenly appeared out of the east; he required no blood sacrifices of either animals or men; he had been slain on a cross but rose to life again; he was the giver and originator of much of their religion and culture; he left without dying, 'promising to return again.' These traditions agree most remarkably with the Book of Mormon story of Christ's visit to America, and make a fascinating and inexhaustible study for those who have time and inclination to follow it."
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Original script for sermon #31 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry, given on August 2, 1953. He states, "One of the mysteries which never ceased to puzzle the early Spanish fathers, was the seeming familiarity of the native Americans with Christian doctrines and ordinances. They practiced baptism; they had something very closely resembling the Lord's Supper; they venerated the cross; they had a higher and lower priesthood; they worshipped a bearded white God whose features were depicted in carvings as semitic in cast. This God, who was known under a variety of names such as Quetcalcoatl, KulKulKan, and Wiracocha, was always described in the same terms. He was white in contrast to the darker Indians; he was bearded, while the Indians were beardless; he had not been born among them, but suddenly appeared out of the east; he required no blood sacrifices of either animals or men; he had been slain on a cross but rose to life again; he was the giver and originator of much of their religion and culture; he left without dying, 'promising to return again.' These traditions agree most remarkably with the Book of Mormon story of Christ's visit to America, and make a fascinating and inexhaustible study for those who have time and inclination to follow it."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Book Of Mormon Witnesses, given on August 9, 1953. He states, "It will surprise you, if you will think a moment, to discover how much of what you know is dependent on the testimony of someone else. We rely on the record of witnesses to establish the facts of history which we have not experienced, the existence of persons and places we have never seen. We rely on witnesses to convict or acquit those charged with crimes or misdemeanors in a court of law. We depend on witnesses to establish the signatures on wills and other legal documents. When Jesus wanted to establish the fact of his resurrection, he committed that testimony to twelve faithful witnesses. To some it is given to know, and to others it is given to believe on the testimony of others."
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Original script for sermon #32 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on August 9, 1953. He states, "It will surprise you, if you will think a moment, to discover how much of what you know is dependent on the testimony of someone else. We rely on the record of witnesses to establish the facts of history which we have not experienced, the existence of persons and places we have never seen. We rely on witnesses to convict or acquit those charged with crimes or misdemeanors in a court of law. We depend on witnesses to establish the signatures on wills and other legal documents. When Jesus wanted to establish the fact of his resurrection, he committed that testimony to twelve faithful witnesses. To some it is given to know, and to others it is given to believe on the testimony of others."
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14 minute radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on February 22, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. "Did Adam know anything about Christ? The Inspired Version of the Bible tells us that he did. We are told that Adam and Eve were commanded to worship God, and to offer the firstlings of their flocks for an offering unto the Lord...The scriptures go on to tell how Adam was commanded that he must be born again, of water and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by the blood of the Only Begotten who was to come in the meridian of time; how he was caught up by the Spirit and baptized in water; how he was then baptized by the Spirit, and told that he was now after the order of priesthood of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, and a newborn son of God. Adam taught this gospel of faith, repentance, and baptism to his sons; and those of them who were obedient handed it down to their sons."
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Original script for sermon #8 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 14 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on The Christ of The Old Testament. "Did Adam know anything about Christ? The Inspired Version of the Bible tells us that he did. We are told that Adam and Eve were commanded to worship God, and to offer the firstlings of their flocks for an offering unto the Lord...The scriptures go on to tell how Adam was commanded that he must be born again, of water and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by the blood of the Only Begotten who was to come in the meridian of time; how he was caught up by the Spirit and baptized in water; how he was then baptized by the Spirit, and told that he was now after the order of priesthood of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, and a newborn son of God. Adam taught this gospel of faith, repentance, and baptism to his sons; and those of them who were obedient handed it down to their sons."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Christ's Other Sheep, given on July 12, 1953. He states, "Last week we reviewed for you some of the Bible prophecies which we believe point definitely and positively to the Book of Mormon. Today we want to examine at some length another Bible prophecy -- one in the words of Jesus himself -- which we believe points definitely and unequivocally in the same direction. It is the statement we have just read about Jesus' 'other sheep.' We believe that these 'other sheep' -- or at least some of them -- were descendants of Joseph of Egypt, who had migrated from Jerusalem to ancient America in 600 B.C."
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Original script for sermon #28 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on July 12, 1953. He states, "Last week we reviewed for you some of the Bible prophecies which we believe point definitely and positively to the Book of Mormon. Today we want to examine at some length another Bible prophecy -- one in the words of Jesus himself -- which we believe points definitely and unequivocally in the same direction. It is the statement we have just read about Jesus' 'other sheep.' We believe that these 'other sheep' -- or at least some of them -- were descendants of Joseph of Egypt, who had migrated from Jerusalem to ancient America in 600 B.C."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry about The Christian Ethics of Marriage. "Man and woman are two parts of one unity. Man alone, or woman alone, is only half a personality. Each one complements and supplements the other, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Each one finds in tho other his fullest opportunity for self fulfillment. Ideally, as they grow together in the family, they become one in thought, in purpose, in ideals, in motives, in actions. They find fruition in their children, in whom they truly become one flesh."
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Original script for sermon #37 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry about The Christian Ethics of Marriage. "Man and woman are two parts of one unity. Man alone, or woman alone, is only half a personality. Each one complements and supplements the other, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Each one finds in tho other his fullest opportunity for self fulfillment. Ideally, as they grow together in the family, they become one in thought, in purpose, in ideals, in motives, in actions. They find fruition in their children, in whom they truly become one flesh."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A Fry on Contemporary Scriptures, given on September 6, 1953. He states, "The Book of Doctrine an d Covenants can teach any open minded man marvelous truths concerning the nature, will, and purpose of Deity; can teach him of the mysteries that lie beyond death and the grave, of judgment, of reward and punishment, or resurrection and eternal life. More important perhaps than any of these is the knowledge that whenever the church has need, whenever it is confronted by a problem which human wisdom cannot solve, we have an officer in the church whose duty and function it is to receive the will of God when God chooses to speak, to supply our need, and to help in solving our problems. The gift of prophecy, which may be diffused throughout the membership as each individual has need, is implemented through a prophetic office to bring instruction, edification, and counsel to the church. We invite you to read, to study, to investigate our contemporary scriptures, and to share with us in the benefits which flow from them to those who are willing to receive."
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Original script for sermon #36 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on September 6, 1953. He states, "The Book of Doctrine an d Covenants can teach any open minded man marvelous truths concerning the nature, will, and purpose of Deity; can teach him of the mysteries that lie beyond death and the grave, of judgment, of reward and punishment, or resurrection and eternal life. More important perhaps than any of these is the knowledge that whenever the church has need, whenever it is confronted by a problem which human wisdom cannot solve, we have an officer in the church whose duty and function it is to receive the will of God when God chooses to speak, to supply our need, and to help in solving our problems. The gift of prophecy, which may be diffused throughout the membership as each individual has need, is implemented through a prophetic office to bring instruction, edification, and counsel to the church. We invite you to read, to study, to investigate our contemporary scriptures, and to share with us in the benefits which flow from them to those who are willing to receive."
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First radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on Sunday, January 4, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio at Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Brother Fry states, "There are times when belief matters very much--when it is much more important to be right than to be popular--when correctness is more to be desired even than unity--yes, when such correctness is absolutely essential to continued existence." 13 minutes sermon.
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Original script for sermon #1 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 13 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry called Does My Belief Matter? "There are times when belief matters very much--when it is much more important to be right than to be popular--when correctness is more to be desired even than unity--yes, when such correctness is absolutely essential to continued existence."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Equality Through Agency, given on October 11, 1953. He states, "The basic problem of the world today is the problem of social and economic equality and justice. The races and nations and individuals who have been denied a proper share in the natural resources, the rights, the freedoms, the privileges, the wealth of the world, are stirring in revolt. They see the wealth which other men have amassed; they see others enjoying the rights and privileges of freemen, and they are demanding a share in those good things for themselves....new and deceptive means of exploitation have been seized upon by ruthless, selfish, godless men, who in the name of justice and equality have fastened the fetters of slavery even more tightly upon great masses of the world's population. Wherever Fascism, Naziism, or Communism have gone, the blight of poverty, misery, slavery, and woe have gone with them, eventually leaving the people who sought for freedom and prosperity and justice many times worse off than they were before."
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Original script for sermon #41 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon from October 11, 1953 by Evan A. Fry on the topic of Equality Through Agency. He states, "The basic problem of the world today is the problem of social and economic equality and justice. The races and nations and individuals who have been denied a proper share in the natural resources, the rights, the freedoms, the privileges, the wealth of the world, are stirring in revolt. They see the wealth which other men have amassed; they see others enjoying the rights and privileges of freemen, and they are demanding a share in those good things for themselves....new and deceptive means of exploitation have been seized upon by ruthless, selfish, godless men, who in the name of justice and equality have fastened the fetters of slavery even more tightly upon great masses of the world's population. Wherever Fascism, Naziism, or Communism have gone, the blight of poverty, misery, slavery, and woe have gone with them, eventually leaving the people who sought for freedom and prosperity and justice many times worse off than they were before."
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Original script for sermon #9 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a sermon by Evan A. Fry about Faith. "Faith is a saving principle. It can lift a man out of his sin and degradation and helplessness to a new life, through the power of Jesus, his redemption, and his atonement. We have characterized it in today's sermon subject as the 'key to salvation.' The buoyancy of a life preserver is a saving principle; but the drowning man who hasn't enough faith in the saving power of a life preserver to grab hold of it and hang on, cannot be saved by it. Faith in the ability of the life preserver to save him is the key to his salvation. The sinner who has no faith in Christ or in his saving power -- who refuses to lay hold on Christ and cling to him until the end -- that sinner cannot be saved by Christ; and since he cannot save himself, he is lost. In a very real sense then, faith is the key that unlocks and makes available to men all the rich treasure of salvation."
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16 minute radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on February 15, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. "Agency requires at least four factors before it can be truly called agency. First, there must be two or more alternatives between which a choice can be made. Second, there must be a knowledge of which alternative is right and which is wrong, or which is better and which is best. Third, agency requires freedom of choice. If there are two or more alternatives, but you are forced or coerced into making one, and forbidden to make any other, there is no agency, and no real choice. And fourth, agency requires accountability. Somewhere, somehow, sometime, the consequences of choice, its rewards or punishments, must be given to those who choose; there must be a judgment and an accounting."
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Original script for sermon #7 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Free Moral Will Or Agency. "Agency requires at least four factors before it can be truly called agency. First, there must be two or more alternatives between which a choice can be made. Second, there must be a knowledge of which alternative is right and which is wrong, or which is better and which is best. Third, agency requires freedom of choice. If there are two or more alternatives, but you are forced or coerced into making one, and forbidden to make any other, there is no agency, and no real choice. And fourth, agency requires accountability. Somewhere, somehow, sometime, the consequences of choice, its rewards or punishments, must be given to those who choose; there must be a judgment and an accounting."
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14 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry called The Fullness Of The Gospel, given on December 13, 1953. He states, "You are entitled to a fullness of the gospel today. No condensation or simplification of it will do. All of it is necessary to a complete and full and satisfactory salvation. Many churches today offer the gospel in part. Like the incomplete book which I bought, their doctrine is all right as far as it goes; their organization to implement that doctrine is all right as far as it goes. But something is always lacking, or the emphasis is too much on one aspect of the gospel, while other equally essential parts are soft-pedalled or omitted entirely. Some preachers will tell you that all you have to do is to believe on Christ, and be saved. That is partly true, but it is not all the truth. Some churches place most of their emphasis on ritual, ceremony, and ordinance. That is good, but it is not all. Some churches base almost their whole philosophy on a belief in and practice of spiritual and divine healing. Some emphasize diet; some Sabbath observance; some authoritarian government; some democracy in church government; some social service; some foreign missions; some education; some a belief in the survival of spirits. None of us would quarrel with any of these beliefs; but we might safely dispute with any man or any church which stresses one to the exclusion of others, or omits even one essential portion of the gospel of Christ, and then purports to sell it as the fullness of the gospel."
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Original script for sermon #50 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 14 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on December 13, 1953. He states, "You are entitled to a fullness of the gospel today. No condensation or simplification of it will do. All of it is necessary to a complete and full and satisfactory salvation. Many churches today offer the gospel in part. Like the incomplete book which I bought, their doctrine is all right as far as it goes; their organization to implement that doctrine is all right as far as it goes. But something is always lacking, or the emphasis is too much on one aspect of the gospel, while other equally essential parts are soft-pedalled or omitted entirely. Some preachers will tell you that all you have to do is to believe on Christ, and be saved. That is partly true, but it is not all the truth. Some churches place most of their emphasis on ritual, ceremony, and ordinance. That is good, but it is not all. Some churches base almost their whole philosophy on a belief in and practice of spiritual and divine healing. Some emphasize diet; some Sabbath observance; some authoritarian government; some democracy in church government; some social service; some foreign missions; some education; some a belief in the survival of spirits. None of us would quarrel with any of these beliefs; but we might safely dispute with any man or any church which stresses one to the exclusion of others, or omits even one essential portion of the gospel of Christ, and then purports to sell it as the fullness of the gospel."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on The Gift Of Healing, given on May 31, 1953. He states, "Why should the Church of Christ be concerned with healing? First, because, as we have seen, Christ set the example by setting gifts of healing in the church, and commanding his ministry to heal the sick. Second, because a ministry of mental and spiritual healing is needed to supplement and complement the treatments prescribed by men of medical science."
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Original script for sermon #22 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry called The Gift Of Healing. "Why should the Church of Christ be concerned with healing? First, because, as we have seen, Christ set the example by setting gifts of healing in the church, and commanding his ministry to heal the sick. Second, because a ministry of mental and spiritual healing is needed to supplement and complement the treatments prescribed by men of medical science."
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15 Minutes sermon by Evan A. Fry on the Gift of Miracles. He states, "Christianity is a religion of miracles. Christianity begins with the appearance of angels to a betrothed virgin and her husband-to-be, announcing the birth of the Son of God, who is to be the Savior of the world, the promised Messiah. His birth was a miracle. Miracles marked the ministry of this Messiah from beginning to end, and his resurrection from the dead (which we have discussed in a previous sermon) is the greatest miracle of all time. Miracles continued in the ministry of the apostles who followed him, and were promised to men of faith to the end of time. Christianity is also a religion of salvation. If there are no miracles, there can be no salvation. If Christ was not the miraculously conceived Son of God, if he did not demonstrate by means of saving miracles his power to save, if he did not miraculously overcome death, and if his miraculous power is not still available to overcome sin and death, then there is no salvation. Yes, Christianity is a miraculous religion. Take the miraculous out of it, and there would be little or nothing left."
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Original script for sermon #21 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 Minutes sermon by Evan A. Fry on the Gift of Miracles. He states, "Christianity is a religion of miracles. Christianity begins with the appearance of angels to a betrothed virgin and her husband-to-be, announcing the birth of the Son of God, who is to be the Savior of the world, the promised Messiah. His birth was a miracle. Miracles marked the ministry of this Messiah from beginning to end, and his resurrection from the dead (which we have discussed in a previous sermon) is the greatest miracle of all time. Miracles continued in the ministry of the apostles who followed him, and were promised to men of faith to the end of time. Christianity is also a religion of salvation. If there are no miracles, there can be no salvation. If Christ was not the miraculously conceived Son of God, if he did not demonstrate by means of saving miracles his power to save, if he did not miraculously overcome death, and if his miraculous power is not still available to overcome sin and death, then there is no salvation. Yes, Christianity is a miraculous religion. Take the miraculous out of it, and there would be little or nothing left."
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Original script for sermon #19 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a sermon by Evan A. Fry called The Gift Of Prophecy. "When Jesus neared the end of his earthly ministry, he gave to his disciples several promises concerning the Comforter, the Holy Sprit of promise, which is the Spirit of prophecy and the revelation of God to man. That Comforter was to teach them all things, to bring all things to their remembrance, to testify of Jesus so that they might also bear witness of him to others. It was to guide them into ALL truth. It was to glorify Christ. It was to take the things of God and show them unto men. It was the intention of God and of his Son that this gift of revelation and prophecy should continue to bless men until they should be brought again into God's presence in a resurrected and glorified body, capable of understanding and appreciating and abiding in the infinite brightness and glory and majesty of their Creator."
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Original script for sermon #20 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a sermon by Evan A. Fry called The Gift Of Tongues. "First perhaps, we should make clear what we mean when we speak of the 'gift of tongues,' so that you will not be thinking of one thing while we speak of another. The gift of tongues is a spiritual gift. It is given, not by the will of men, but by the Spirit of God, and the will of God. That gift is not a mere emotional upheaval or ecstatic excitement within the person speaking, but is a definite manifestation of a power from outside himself. This power does not render the speaker unconscious, nor does it seize hold of him and take over control of his body or his mind. Rather does it quicken, stimulate, enlarge and augment his own mental and spiritual powers, so that with ease he can speak that which could normally be impossible for him. The gift of tongues does not proceed from morbidity, from insanity or disease. It is properly exercised by normal men in full vigor of strength and health, in full possession of all their senses and faculties. It is preceded by no frenzy, and followed by no exhaustion."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on the Gifts of Wisdom and Knowledge. "In previous sermons we have discussed the church as the body of Christ, and have stated it as our belief that if the body of Christ is truly alive and functioning as it should be, there will be certain signs of life. These will be the signs which Jesus promised should follow the believer; they will be the spiritual gifts which Paul enumerates and discusses in the 12th, 13th, and 14th chapters of I Corinthians. Near the head of his list of spiritual gifts, immediately following the gift of a testimony that Jesus is the Christ, Paul places the gifts of wisdom and knowledge. Although we cannot be certain, we may infer from this placement that Paul considered wisdom and knowledge to be the most important signs of life which could be manifested by the body of Christ."
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Original script for sermon #18 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on the Gifts of Wisdom and Knowledge. "In previous sermons we have discussed the church as the body of Christ, and have stated it as our belief that if the body of Christ is truly alive and functioning as it should be, there will be certain signs of life. These will be the signs which Jesus promised should follow the believer; they will be the spiritual gifts which Paul enumerates and discusses in the 12th, 13th, and 14th chapters of I Corinthians. Near the head of his list of spiritual gifts, immediately following the gift of a testimony that Jesus is the Christ, Paul places the gifts of wisdom and knowledge. Although we cannot be certain, we may infer from this placement that Paul considered wisdom and knowledge to be the most important signs of life which could be manifested by the body of Christ."
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14 minute sermon by Evan A Fry on The Glory Of God Is Intelligence, given on September 27, 1953. He states, "If the glory of God is intelligence; if God is the source of all intelligence, which is eternal and uncreated even as God himself is eternal and uncreated, then all of our efforts to gain intelligence, wisdom, or knowledge must be God-centered. 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' Any man who would be God-like must become intelligent as God is intelligent -- must partake of his creative, intelligent Spirit -- the Spirit which teaches men all things, and guides them into all truth. Man cannot be ignorant, and be truly religious."
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Original script for sermon #39 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 14 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on September 27, 1953. He states, "If the glory of God is intelligence; if God is the source of all intelligence, which is eternal and uncreated even as God himself is eternal and uncreated, then all of our efforts to gain intelligence, wisdom, or knowledge must be God-centered. 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' Any man who would be God-like must become intelligent as God is intelligent -- must partake of his creative, intelligent Spirit -- the Spirit which teaches men all things, and guides them into all truth. Man cannot be ignorant, and be truly religious."
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15 minutes sermon by Evan A. Fry on the topic of government. He states, "Because God is ruler over all, every earthly ruler and every earthly government exists by his sufferance; and each one is judged as to the way worldly government is administered and executed. Nations and their rulers rise and stand, or crumble and fall according to whether or not they rule wisely, righteously, and well -- in keeping with the laws of the great overseeing Ruler, God. Why do governments exist? There are three principal theories which we want to examine briefly. The first is that governments exist for the benefit of the rulers, who because God gave them their strength, their cunning, and their wealth assume that God meant them to rule, and use their gifts and their position to enrich themselves and entrench themselves in power for their own selfish aggrandizement. A second theory of government is that the state is the all-important thing, that the citizen exists only to serve, to support, to defend, and to enrich the state -- that the state is the end and aim and purpose of all human existence. And the third theory of government, which is the theory upon which all democracy is based, is that governments are instituted among men for the sole purpose of preserving, protecting, and defending the rights, privileges, liberties, freedoms, and prerogatives which are an inherent part of every man's birthright."
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Original script for sermon #38 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 minutes sermon by Evan A. Fry on the topic of government. He states, "Because God is ruler over all, every earthly ruler and every earthly goverrnnent exists by his sufferance; and each one is judged as to the way worldly government is administered and executed. Nations and their rulers rise and stand, or crumble and fall according to whether or not they rule wisely, righteously, and well -- in keeping with the laws of the great overseeing Ruler, God. Why do governments exist? There are three principal theories which we want to examine briefly. The first is that governments exist for the benefit of the rulers, who because God gave them their strength, their cunning, and their wealth assume that God meant them to rule, and use their gifts and their position to enrich themselves and entrench themselves in power for their own selfish aggrandizement. A second theory of government is that the state is the all-important thing, that the citizen exists only to serve, to support, to defend, and to enrigh the state -- that the state is the end and aim and purpose of all human existence. And the third theory of government, which is the theory upon which all democracy is based, is that governments are instituted among men for the sole purpose of preserving, protecting, and defending the rights, privileges, liberties, freedoms, and prerogatives which are an inherent part of avery man's birthright."
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15 minute radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on March 29, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. "When a man is 'born again of water and of the Spirit,' his life in God's kingdom is not complete, nor mature, nor perfect; it is not finished; it is only just begun. He has not arrived; he has only started his journey...One of the misconceptions of the spiritually infantile mind is that when we are 'born again', we have arrived, that henceforth we have reached the goal, and that we never more need to strive or struggle or grow or repent."
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Original script for sermon #13 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on being born again. "When a man is 'born again of water and of the Spirit,' his life in God's kingdom is not complete, nor mature, nor perfect; it is not finished; it is only just begun. He has not arrived; he has only started his journey...One of the misconceptions of the spiritually infantile mind is that when we are 'born again', we have arrived, that henceforth we have reached the goal, and that we never more need to strive or struggle or grow or repent."
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14 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Implementing Social Righteousness, given on October 18, 1953. He states, "We come now to a consideration of how man's desire for social righteousness is to be implemented. If men are to share as stewards over the good things of earth which God has placed within our reach, there must be some machinery, some organization, some implementation set up or established whereby men can accomplish these ends together in an orderly, reasonable, equitable fashion. If a good steward owes an accounting to God and fellow man, and if he owes a debt to God as tangible acknowledgement of his stewardship, there must be some authoritative means established whereby the accounting can be received in the name of God, and the tithe paid to God's representative and used for the purposes of God and his kingdom. If there is to be a voluntary sharing of the proceeds of labor, so that some men are not forced to live in poverty in spite of all their best efforts, while others live in idle ease by the sweat of another's toil, there must be some sort of organization or framework or mechanism established by which men can combine their efforts as stewards to insure the well-being of all."
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Original script for sermon #42 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 14 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on October 18, 1953. He states, "We come now to a consideration of how man's desire for social righteousness is to be implemented. If men are to share as stewards over the good things of earth which God has placed within our reach, there must be some machinery, some organization, some implementation set up or established whereby men can accomplish these ends together in an orderly, reasonable, equitable fashion. If a good steward owes an accounting to God and fellow man, and if he owes a debt to God as tangible acknowledgement of his stewardship, there must be some authoritative means established whereby the accounting can be received in the name of God, and the tithe paid to God's representative and used for the purposes of God and his kingdom. If there is to be a voluntary sharing of the proceeds of labor, so that some men are not forced to live in poverty in spite of all their best efforts, while others live in idle ease by the sweat of another's toil, there must be some sort of organization or framework or mechanism established by which men can combine their efforts as stewards to insure the well-being of all."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Jesus Is Coming Soon, given on November 15, 1953. He states, "Is Jesus coming again? Twenty of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament teach the second coming of Christ, and the authors of those books which do not expressly mention it (Paul for instance) teach it in their other writings. It can therefore be truthfully said that every writer who contributed to the New Testament believed in and taught the second coming. It is mentioned, according to one student, three hundred eighteen times in two hundred sixty chapters. And in addition, there are many references in the Old Testament to a Messiah who should come to gather the dispersed remnants of Israel, and the believing Gentiles, and to reign over them in glory -- promises which were never fulfilled by Christ's first advent as a babe. There are several glib but unscriptural and unsatisfactory explanations offered by those who do not believe in a personal, physical, literal second advent for Christ. One is that his return is to be only a spiritual return; that his second coming is the coming of his Holy Spirit to the believer. The recital of one simple historical fact disproves that theory. Every word of the New Testament was written after the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to the Christian Church; and yet that New Testament, as we have said, promises in three hundred eighteen verses and in two hundred sixty chapters that Jesus will come again. Why keep renewing the promise, if the promise was already fulfilled on the day of Pentecost?"
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Original script for sermon #46 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on November 15, 1953. He states, "Is Jesus coming again? Twenty of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament teach the second coming of Christ, and the authors of those books which do not expressly mention it (Paul for instance) teach it in their other writings. It can therefore be truthfully said that every writer who contributed to the New Testament believed in and taught the second coming. It is mentioned, according to one student, three hundred eighteen times in two hundred sixty chapters. And in addition, there are many references in the Old Testament to a Messiah who should come to gather the dispersed remnants of Israel, and the believing Gentiles, and to reign over them in glory -- promises which were never fulfilled by Christ's first advent as a babe. There are several glib but unscriptural and unsatisfactory explanations offered by those who do not believe in a personal, physical, literal second advent for Christ. One is that his return is to be only a spiritual return; that his second coming is the coming of his Holy Spirit to the believer. The recital of one simple historical fact disproves that theory. Every word of the New Testament was written after the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to the Christian Church; and yet that New Testament, as we have said, promises in three hundred eighteen verses and in two hundred sixty chapters that Jesus will come again. Why keep renewing the promise, if the promise was already fulfilled on the day of Pentecost?"
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16 minute radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on April 5, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. "The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central fact of the Christian religion -- the most important article of the gospel -- the demonstration and proof of all the rest. If the resurrection is not true, if Jesus does not live now in a glorified, but tangible, physical body, then he was no better than any other good man; he possessed no power by which we may overcome sin and death, and we have no hope of anything beyond the grave.
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Original script for sermon #14 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A Fry about Jesus Christ. "The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central fact of the Christian religion -- the most important article of the gospel -- the demonstration and proof of all the rest. If the resurrection is not true, if Jesus does not live now in a glorified, but tangible, physical body, then he was no better than any other good man; he possessed no power by which we may overcome sin and death, and we have no hope of anything beyond the grave."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Judgment Is Eternal, given on November 1, 1953. He states, "We may hide our sins from the eyes of man. We may commit crimes and seemingly get away undiscovered and unpunished. But every act, good or bad -- every thought and wish -- leaves its impress to judge us. Every act, every thought, every wish either conforms to and obeys law, or defies and flouts it. It therefore follows that every act, thought, and wish leaves its impress upon us, has its inevitable effect and influence upon our total character. We are what we do; we become the kind of people that our actions make us. God's laws are eternal; the consequences of obedience or disobedience to those laws are eternal; therefore God's judgment is eternal, or in other words, is eternal judgment. It is judgment which shall endure through all eternity, for never can we escape from the consequences of our many choices -- the sum-total of which make up our character."
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Original script for sermon #44 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on November 1, 1953. He states, "We may hide our sins from the eyes of man. We may commit crimes and seemingly get away undiscovered and unpunished. But every act, good or bad -- every thought and wish -- leaves its impress to judge us. Every act, every thought, every wish either conforms to and obeys law, or defies and flouts it. It therefore follows that every act, thought, and wish leaves its impress upon us, has its inevitable effect and influence upon our total character. We are what we do; we become the kind of people that our actions make us. God's laws are eternal; the consequences of obedience or disobedience to those laws are eternal; therefore God's judgment is eternal, or in other words, is eternal judgment. It is judgment which shall endure through all eternity, for never can we escape from the consequences of our many choices -- the sum-total of which make up our character."
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Original script for sermon #16 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a sermon by Evan A. Fry on The Lord's Supper. "There are four principal concepts of the communion among Christian people...The Latter Day Saint belief most nearly resembles the fourth of these concepts that the bread and wine are merely symbols; that there is no physical presence of Christ in those symbols; that the partaking of this sacrament is a memorial of Christ; and last but not least, that it is a memorial of the covenant the believer has made with Christ through the ordinances of baptism and the laying on of hands. The keynote or key word of the whole ordinance to us is remembrance -- remembrance of the sacrifice, the suffering, the broken body and spilled blood of our Lord, and remembrance of the covenant we have made with him to keep his commandments, a remembrance that we have taken his name upon us and been adopted into his family."
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Radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on Sunday, February 1, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio at Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Brother Fry states, "It was the spirit, and not the body of man that was made in the image of God. Because man is made in God's spiritual image, and contains a spark of the divine; he is akin to God; at his best he is capable of associating with God, talking with him, loving him and being loved by him, and living eternally with him. The spirit of man is the life-giving element. "The body without the spirit is dead," says James. It is the spirit, the intelligence of man, which has dominion over the material elements of the body, and over the earth, and over all lower forms of life on the earth. Spirit is the element which gives unity to the body. It determines that the body shall act as one--that every part shall cooperate with every other part."
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Original script for sermon #5 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 13 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry about man's nature and destiny. "It was the spirit, and not the body of man that was made in the image of God. Because man is made in God's spiritual image, and contains a spark of the divine; he is akin to God; at his best he is capable of associating with God, talking with him, loving him and being loved by him, and living eternally with him. The spirit of man is the life-giving element. 'The body without the spirit is dead,' says James. It is the spirit, the intelligence of man, which has dominion over the material elements of the body, and over the earth, and over all lower forms of life on the earth. Spirit is the element which gives unity to the body. It determines that the body shall act as one--that every part shall cooperate with every other part."
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Original script for sermon #24 of the Hear Ye Him radio series by Evan A. Fry. He states, "It was not God's will or intention that the church and the gospel which disappeared from the earth as a result of this apostasy should remain forever in the wilderness, lost to mankind. An indication of his purpose to restore them in due time is found in Revelation 14:6,7: 'And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountain of waters.' Several facts seem evident from a little study of this verse. If the gospel were still on the earth; if the gospel which had been preached on earth for 1900 years after Christ was the true and everlasting gospel, what need would there be for an angel to bring it again to earth in the last days? But the gospel was not to be found in any nation, or among any tongue or kindred or people; therefore the angel had to bring that gospel and restore it to earth again, that it might be preached for a witness in all the earth before the hour of his judgment -- or the end of the world -- should come."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on The Millenial Reign, given on November 22, 1953. He states, "Men have no power within themselves to overcome wickedness and sin and evil, alone and unaided, and bring about the golden age. Even if we grant that a group of very good men and women could perfect themselves as a group, there would always be those outside the group, if not within, who would make peace impossible and righteousness most difficult. Human wickedness must be restrained and judged in all its forms and in all places before we can have the golden age, This is a task for Deity. Man can help in many ways, through organized religion, through education, through various social and philanthropic organizations, through the efforts of government. Nevertheless history does not record the story of a single nation or group of people who alone and unaided have been able to build and maintain a golden age. On the contrary, Toynbee, one of the greatest of modern historians, says that sixteen out of the twenty-six great world civilizations known to history have already perished, that there is little hope for nine of the ten remaining, and grave danger even for the tenth one -- our own Western civilization. When men do reach the heights through their own efforts, leaving out God, they become lifted up in their pride and self-sufficiency, which inevitably lead them down to destruction. Jesus taught that his coming would usher in the millenial reign -- not follow it."
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Original script for sermon #47 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on November 22, 1953. He states, "Men have no power within themselves to overcome wickedness and sin and evil, alone and unaided, and bring about the golden age. Even if we grant that a group of very good men and women could perfect themselves as a group, there would always be those outside the group, if not within, who would make peace impossible and righteousness most difficult. Human wickedness must be restrained and judged in all its forms and in all places before we can have the golden age, This is a task for Deity. Man can help in many ways, through organized religion, through education, through various social and philanthropic organizations, through the efforts of government. Nevertheless history does not record the story of a single nation or group of people who alone and unaided have been able to build and maintain a golden age. On the contrary, Toynbee, one of the greatest of modern historians, says that sixteen out of the twenty-six great world civilizations known to history have already perished, that there is little hope for nine of the ten remaining, and grave danger even for the tenth one -- our own Western civilization. When men do reach the heights through their own efforts, leaving out God, they become lifted up in their pride and self-sufficiency, which inevitably lead them down to destruction. Jesus taught that his coming would usher in the millenial reign -- not follow it."
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Hubert Case served as a General Church Appointee for the RLDS Church starting in 1894. He and his wife Alice (Montague) Case traveled as missionaries to Tahiti in 1894. Many testimonies and experiences of Brother and Sister Case are shared, including an experience in which Hubert Case saw all of the Three Nephites. Brother Case labored in Oklahoma where many Native Americans were converted to the gospel.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2016 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.Hubert Case served as a General Church Appointee for the RLDS Church starting in 1894. He and his wife Alice (Montague) Case traveled as missionaries to Tahiti in 1894. Many testimonies and experiences of Brother and Sister Case are shared, including an experience in which Hubert Case saw all of the Three Nephites. Brother Case labored in Oklahoma where many Native Americans were converted to the gospel.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2016 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.
15 minutes sermon by Evan A. Fry on Our American Scriptures, given on July 19, 1953. He states, "The Book of Mormon is not intended to displace the Bible, but to establish it more firmly and securely as the word of God. The Book of Mormon brings an added witness to the divinity of Jesus, in a time when many modern philosophies are doubting his divinity, and watering down his deity to make him just a great man who was many centuries ahead of his time. The Book of Mormon is an added witness to the impartiality and unchangeability of God, whose Only Begotten Son came as the Savior of all men, and whose message of salvation is for all nations."
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Original script for sermon #29 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 minutes sermon by Evan A. Fry given on July 19, 1953. He states, "The Book of Mormon is not intended to displace the Bible, but to establish it more firmly and securely as the word of God. The Book of Mormon brings an added witness to the divinity of Jesus, in a time when many modern philosophies are doubting his divinity, and watering down his deity to make him just a great man who was many centuries ahead of his time. The Book of Mormon is an added witness to the impartiality and unchangeability of God, whose Only Begotten Son came as the Savior of all men, and whose message of salvation is for all nations."
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Radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on Sunday, January 18, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio at Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Brother Fry states, "We believe in a Christ who came to reveal God to men, to show God's love and all the other attributes of his nature in such a way that man could comprehend; to show that God was a God at hand, and not a God afar off; to show that he was actively, personally, lovingly, interested in and concerned about the destiny of man."
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Original script for sermon #3 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 14 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry called Our Belief in Christ. "We believe in a Christ who came to reveal God to men, to show God's love and all the other attributes of his nature in such a way that man could comprehend; to show that God was a God at hand, and not a God afar off; to show that he was actively, personally, lovingly, interested in and concerned about the destiny of man."
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Radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on Sunday, January 11, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio at Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Brother Fry states, "We have said that God is love, that he is a God of mercy. He is also a God of justice. He could not maintain his laws unless obedience to those laws always brought certain desirable consequences, and disobedience always brought undesirable consequences or punishments. We can rely on his love and mercy only if we obey his laws."
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Original script for sermon #2 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 14 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry called Our Belief In God. "We have said that God is love, that he is a God of mercy. He is also a God of justice. He could not maintain his laws unless obedience to those laws always brought certain desirable consequences, and disobedience always brought undesirable consequences or punishments. We can rely on his love and mercy only if we obey his laws."
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Radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on Sunday, January 25, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio at Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Brother Fry states, "Perhaps the most important function of the Holy Spirit is to bear witness to the divinity and the resurrected and continuing life of Jesus Christ. Paul says that no man speaking by the Spirit of God can call Jesus accursed. John says that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. Jesus said that when the Comforter came it would testify of him."
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Original script for sermon #4 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry called Our Belief In The Holy Ghost. "Perhaps the most important function of the Holy Spirit is to bear witness to the divinity and the resurrected and continuing life of Jesus Christ. Paul says that no man speaking by the Spirit of God can call Jesus accursed. John says that the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. Jesus said that when the Comforter came it would testify of him."
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15 minute Audio sermon by Evan A. Fry on the Bible. He states, "Latter Day Saints believe the Bible more fully, more completely than many other peoples who conveniently ignore or overlook whatever does not agree with their hereditary doctrine and teaching." And, "The Bible is, and will continue to be, our standard of belief, against which we check all doctrine, all church organization, all ritual, all morality and ethics. The Bible is and will continue to be the compass that points us to God, the manual which we follow in our striving and seeking for eternal life."
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Original script for sermon #25 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry. He states, "Latter Day Saints believe the Bible more fully, more completely than many other peoples who conveniently ignore or overlook whatever does not agree with their hereditary doctrine and teaching." And, "The Bible is, and will continue to be, our standard of belief, against which we check all doctrine, all church organization, all ritual, all morality and ethics. The Bible is and will continue to be the compass that points us to God, the manual which we follow in our striving and seeking for eternal life."
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Original script for sermon #10 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a sermon by Evan A. Fry about Repentance. "Repentance is not a single act or a single event, or a single experience, but a lifetime process. We don't repent of everything today, and waken tomorrow morning to find that our repentance is complete, and that we are new creatures. We may be new in the sense that our allegiance has been shifted to God, and that the direction of our life has been changed. But reversing direction when we first discover that we are on the wrong road does not bring us immediately to our destination. We must often slowly and painfully retrace our steps by the way we have come, until we find the right road--the right path. Then we must not be content merely to sit down in the road. A road is to be travelled, not sat upon. Having set our feet in the strait and narrow way, we must walk that way; we must go on to perfection."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on The Resurrection Of The Body, given on November 8, 1953. He states, "Are there any logical reasons why we should believe in a resurrection of the body? Yes! Nature teaches us that nothing can be lost or destroyed, that there is a natural conservation of energy and matter. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Matter can be chanced into energy, but matter can never be completely destroyed, no matter how it is changed in form....Another argument for a resurrection is the continuity of personality in a constantly changing stream of body cells. Old body cells are constantly dying and being replaced by new materials, and yet the real life and personality which reside in and find expression through the body remain unchanged through three score years and ten! Is it not reasonable to suppose that the life and personality that called together, organized, enlivened, and for many years directed and governed all this constantly changing stream of material will have power through Christ and his resurrection to call together, organize, and govern the material of a perfected, glorified body in the resurrection?...The deeds of this life are done by body and spirit in union and in cooperation with each other. If there is to be a judgment, it is necessary to justice that spirit and body be judged together for the deeds done together in this life. This then runs through all of scripture. The rewards and punishments meted out by the righteous judge at the great day of final judgment will be meted out in accordance with the deeds done in the body, and will be received by the redee
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Original script for sermon #45 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on November 8, 1953. He states, "Are there any logical reasons why we should believe in a resurrection of the body? Yes! Nature teaches us that nothing can be lost or destroyed, that there is a natural conservation of energy and matter. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Matter can be chanced into energy, but matter can never be completely destroyed, no matter how it is changed in form....Another argument for a resurrection is the continuity of personality in a constantly changing stream of body cells. Old body cells are constantly dying and being replaced by new materials, and yet the real life and personality which reside in and find expression through the body remain unchanged through three score years and ten! Is it not reasonable to suppose that the life and personality that called together, organized, enlivened, and for many years directed and governed all this constantly changing stream of material will have power through Christ and his resurrection to call together, organize, and govern the material of a perfected, glorified body in the resurrection?...The deeds of this life are done by body and spirit in union and in cooperation with each other. If there is to be a judgment, it is necessary to justice that spirit and body be judged together for the deeds done together in this life. This then runs through all of scripture. The rewards and punishments meted out by the righteous judge at the great day of final judgment will be meted out in accordance with the deeds done in the body,
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Baptism. Brother Fry states, "Ye must be born again! It takes a new man, a new creature in Christ Jesus, to live a new life. If we are ever to have that brave new world about which prophets and seers and statesmen have dreamed, we can have it, not by changing the world but by changing ourselves. Men who are unregenerate, who live by their carnal, sinful nature, simply take all the wealth, the science, the invention, and the education which we have devised in this enlightened age and turn it to hellish and destructive purposes, or use it as a means of exploiting each other? Things in themselves are neither good or bad. They become good or bad only as they are used for good or evil purposes by good or evil men. A race of reborn men, who had repented of their sin, covenanted in baptism to serve Christ, and then received of his life, his Spirit, could take the same materials, the same inventions, the same scientific achievements which are making our world a hell today, and make the world a heaven almost overnight. The responsibility for today's world lies not in the things which surround us, but in ourselves, in the character of men everywhere who need to be born again from above."
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Original script for sermon #12 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Baptism. Brother Fry states, "Ye must be born again! It takes a new man, a new creature in Christ Jesus, to live a new life. If we are ever to have that brave new world about which prophets and seers and statesmen have dreamed, we can have it, not by changing the world but by changing ourselves. Men who are unregenerate, who live by their carnal, sinful nature, simply take all the wealth, the science, the invention, and the education which we have devised in this enlightened age and turn it to hellish and destructive purposes, or use it as a means of exploiting each other? Things in themselves are neither good or bad. They become good or bad only as they are used for good or evil purposes by good or evil men. A race of reborn men, who had repented of their sin, covenanted in baptism to serve Christ, and then received of his life, his Spirit, could take the same materials, the same inventions, the same scientific achievements which are making our world a hell today, and make the world a heaven almost overnight. The responsibility for today's world lies not in the things which surround us, but in ourselves, in the character of men everywhere who need to be born again from above."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Spiritual And Ethical Levels Of The Book Of Mormon, given on August 23, 1953. He states, "In our scripture lesson we have already laid down a principle which will be the text or thesis of this sermon -- that whatever persuades, exhorts, and entices men to do good, and to love God, and to serve him and fellow man, is of God. Perhaps this principle needs some qualification or limitation, but it is essentially true. Sometimes a perfectly good act, done from evil motivation, and for evil purposes, is evil. The devil may entice man to do what seems to be good, and what if done by any other man under any other circumstances would be good, but if the ultimate purpose of that good act is evil, the act itself is evil, and the enticement to do it for that end or purpose was evil. The truth still remains, then; whatsoever enticeth men to do good, AND to love and serve God, is of God. I have yet to hear of the devil or any of his cohorts striving to persuade men to love and serve God."
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Original script for sermon #34 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on August 23, 1953. He states, "In our scripture lesson we have already laid down a principle which will be the text or thesis of this sermon -- that whatever persuades, exhorts, and entices men to do good, and to love God, and to serve him and fellow man, is of God. Perhaps this principle needs some qualification or limitation, but it is essentially true. Sometimes a perfectly good act, done from evil motivation, and for evil purposes, is evil. The devil may entice man to do what seems to be good, and what if done by any other man under any other circumstances would be good, but if the ultimate purpose of that good act is evil, the act itself is evil, and the enticement to do it for that end or purpose was evil. The truth still remains, then; whatsoever enticeth men to do good, AND to love and serve God, is of God. I have yet to hear of the devil or any of his cohorts striving to persuade men to love and serve God."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on These Signs Shall Follow, given on April 26, 1953. He states, "Signs are the result of Christian life and growth -- not the cause of it. Signs are granted only to those who can be trusted to use them for the good of all -- to those who 'abide in the vine.' The promise is that if ye abide in the vine ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Faith comes not by signs, but signs come by faith. When a man is born again, when he receives the new life which is resident within the body of Christ -- his church -- and when he becomes a living, functioning, cooperating part of that body, receiving its benefits and making his contribution to the general welfare, he may rightfully expect signs to follow -- just as when a body is properly constituted and organized and functioning under the direction of the life that is in it, certain signs of life must ensue. A body that had no pulse, no heartbeat, no respiration, no speech, no motion, no warmth, no reflexes, no intelligence manifested, could be nothing but a dead body. Any body or organization which purports to be the body of Christ, but which fails to manifest any of the signs of spiritual life which Jesus promised to the body, the church, is a dead church. When a man becomes a part of the body of Christ, he may rightfully expect to receive the life of that body, and to have that life attested by the signs which follow the believer."
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Original script for sermon #17 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a sermon by Evan A. Fry called These Signs Shall Follow. "If the signs do not follow today, it is because men have not fulfilled the prerequisites and requirements; they have not believed; they have not had faith. God has not changed; if he has, he has ceased to be God, for God is unchangeable, without variableness or shadow of turning. His laws are eternal. All science is based on the premise that law is dependable -- that identical causes will produce identical results for any man, any time, anywhere in the universe. It is preposterous to say that God's physical laws are stable and reliable, but that his spiritual laws are here today and gone tomorrow, or that they work to produce signs and wonders in one age, but can't be made to work in another. If obedience to certain laws produced certain results for Peter and John and Paul, the laws are still there; and the same quality of obedience under the same conditions will produce the same results today. God has not changed, nor have any of his laws passed away or become obsolete and outmoded."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Thy Kingdom Come (Zion), given on October 25, 1953. He states, "It is significant that when John the Baptist came preaching, he did not say that the kingdom of heaven was going to be available in some far off, distant day and time; it was available then. 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Jesus expressed the same idea somewhat later when he said, 'The kingdom of God is within you.' Some people have interpreted this verse to mean that the kingdom is in the individual heart. Since Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, it is not plausible to believe that the kingdom of which he was speaking was within them, or in their hearts. A marginal note in the King James version reads, 'Or among you.' Another version says 'The kingdom of heaven is in the midst of you.' Still another says, 'The kingdom of God has already come unto you.'....Whichever of these renditions you prefer, the idea runs through them all that the kingdom of God is not some far-off, impossible-to-be-achieved ideal, but a reality which exists now. On another occasion Jesus himself said, 'The Kingdom of God is come unto you.' Christ is the King of this Kingdom, His laws are the laws of the Kingdom. His subjects will obey his will and his commandments. We can be citizens of his kingdom NOW, at this very moment, or any time we choose to accept him as King, and obey his laws completely, unreservedly, sincerely, instead of half-heartedly, fearfully, with reservations and backward looks at the kingdoms of this world in which we have heretofore trusted. The kingdom is available NOW; is at hand, is among you, has already come unto
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Original script for sermon #43 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on October 25, 1953. He states, "It is significant that when John the Baptist came preaching, he did not say that the kingdom of heaven was going to be available in some far off, distant day and time; it was available then. 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Jesus expressed the same idea somewhat later when he said, 'The kingdom of God is within you.' Some people have interpreted this verse to mean that the kingdom is in the individual heart. Since Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, it is not plausible to believe that the kingdom of which he was speaking was within them, or in their hearts. A marginal note in the King James version reads, 'Or among you.' Another version says 'The kingdom of heaven is in the midst of you.' Still another says, 'The kingdom of God has already come unto you.'....Whichever of these renditions you prefer, the idea runs through them all that the kingdom of God is not some far-off, impossible-to-be-achieved ideal, but a reality which exists now. On another occasion Jesus himself said, 'The Kingdom of God is come unto you.' Christ is the King of this Kingdom, His laws are the laws of the Kingdom. His subjects will obey his will and his commandments. We can be citizens of his kingdom NOW, at this very moment, or any time we choose to accept him as King, and obey his laws completely, unreservedly, sincerely, instead of half-heartedly, fearfully, with reservations and backward looks at the kingdoms of this world in which we have heretofore trusted. The kingdom is available NOW; is at han
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry called The Voice Of Warning, given on December 6, 1953. He states, "If Joseph Smith was a prophet of God (and we confidently believe that he was) then we of this generation are in peril, as individuals, as a nation, and as a world, Our lives, our wealth, our freedoms, our government, our civilization itself are all in jeopardy. Many other men -- good and wise and studious men who claim no particular prophetic insight, but who base their conclusions on fact of history -- are telling us the same things. There have been so many calamity-howlers in the past twenty years or so that people have shut their ears against them in self-defense. We have lived under the tensions of fear for so long that we have become wearied, and have calmly gone to sleep, only to be awakened by another rumor of war, or the hue and cry of another witch hunt, or the announcement of a new kind of bomb many times more destructive than the last. But remember that the people of Noah's day got a little weary of warnings too and as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man."
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Original script for sermon #49 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on December 6, 1953. He states, "If Joseph Smith was a prophet of God (and we confidently believe that he was) then we of this generation are in peril, as individuals, as a nation, and as a world, Our lives, our wealth, our freedoms, our government, our civilization itself are all in jeopardy. Many other men -- good and wise and studious men who claim no particular prophetic insight, but who base their conclusions on fact of history -- are telling us the same things. There have been so many calamity-howlers in the past twenty years or so that people have shut their ears against them in self-defense. We have lived under the tensions of fear for so long that we have become wearied, and have calmly gone to sleep, only to be awakened by another rumor of war, or the hue and cry of another witch hunt, or the announcement of a new kind of bomb many times more destructive than the last. But remember that the people of Noah's day got a little weary of warnings too and as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry called Was Joseph Smith A Prophet?, given on November 29, 1953. He states, "Was Joseph Smith a prophet? The world says "No;" but many people who have investigated his work and his message would answer "Yes!" We ask you to listen for a few moments to some of the affirmative reasons why we believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that he accomplished God's work. As a theme text at the beginning of this sermon we read for you the words of Amos, who declared that God would do nothing without revealing his secret unto his servants, the prophets, It is a rule which can be traced through the Bible from beginning to end, that whenever God has been about to move to accomplish some great purpose, he has raised up prophets -- one or more -- has revealed to them that purpose, and commanded them to tell forth that purpose to the people. Whether his purpose was the destruction of wickedness, as in the days of Lot or of Noah, or Nebuchadnezzar or Titus, or the release of his people from captivity, as in the days of Moses; or the sending of his Son into the world as it was foretold by many Old Testament Prophets and announced by John the Baptist -- God has always revealed his secret unto his servants, the prophets. There is no reason to believe that he has ever rescinded that policy."
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Original script for sermon #48 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on November 29, 1953. He states, "Was Joseph Smith a prophet? The world says "No;" but many people who have investigated his work and his message would answer "Yes!" We ask you to listen for a few moments to some of the affirmative reasons why we believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that he accomplished God's work. As a theme text at the beginning of this sermon we read for you the words of Amos, who declared that God would do nothing without revealing his secret unto his servants, the prophets, It is a rule which can be traced through the Bible from beginning to end, that whenever God has been about to move to accomplish some great purpose, he has raised up prophets -- one or more -- has revealed to them that purpose, and commanded them to tell forth that purpose to the people. Whether his purpose was the destruction of wickedness, as in the days of Lot or of Noah, or Nebuchadnezzar or Titus, or the release of his people from captivity, as in the days of Moses; or the sending of his Son into the world as it was foretold by many Old Testament Prophets and announced by John the Baptist -- God has always revealed his secret unto his servants, the prophets. There is no reason to believe that he has ever rescinded that policy."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry. He states, "There is a startling unanimity of opinion among church historians that before three centuries had passed, the church which still claimed to be the church of Christ bore slight resemblance to the original. The conversion of the Emperor Constantine lifted Christianity from the status of a persecuted or tolerated religion to the status of a popular, court-favored, state religion?Paganism took over the Christian church. Henceforth, it was only a matter of time until church and state combined into one entity. Then the offices in the church, which had once been filled by the Spirit of God speaking through godly men set in the church, began to be filled by political maneuverings and secular appointments. Priesthood began to seek after the titles, the dress, and the emoluments of worldly princes and to forget their earlier ideals of service, humility, and unswerving morality. To put it bluntly, and yet as kindly as we may, we believe that the church went into apostasy."
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Original script for sermon #23 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry. He states, "There is a startling unanimity of opinion among church historians that before three centuries had passed, the church which still claimed to be the church of Christ bore slight resemblance to the original. The conversion of the Emperor Constantine lifted Christianity from the status of a persecuted or tolerated religion to the status of a popular, court-favored, state religion....Paganism took over the Christian church. Henceforth, it was only a matter of time until church and state combined into one entity. Then the offices in the church, which had once been filled by the Spirit of God speaking through godly men set in the church, began to be filled by political maneuverings and secular appointments. Priesthood began to seek after the titles, the dress, and the emoluments of worldly princes and to forget their earlier ideals of service, humility, and unswerving morality. To put it bluntly, and yet as kindly as we may, we believe that the church went into apostasy."
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15 minute sermon by Evan A Fry on What Is Christian Stewardship?, given on October 4, 1953. He states, "A good steward is obligated to work, to be diligent in improving, enlarging, and expanding his stewardship to the limit of his capacity, by every legitimate means. God has created the potentialities of wealth, but man has wealth only as he joins his efforts with God's efforts, and works to improve and enlarge his stewardship. The Lord has a right to expect that the good steward will have an increase to show on the investment which is made in him when the final accounting is called for. The good steward will earn his own bread by the sweat of his own brow. He will make his own way, insofar as that is physically possible; he will refuse to be a complete burden on someone else....The good steward will be progressive, willing to venture, to experiment, to study, to search out new ways of improving his stewardship and serving his fellow man more efficiently, more economically, more productively. He will be unwilling to tolerate waste of time or money or material wealth in any form. He will know how to control his own wants, so that he does not spend money needlessly or profligately, on frivolous, foolish, wasteful, harmful, or unnecessary things. The good steward will know how to budget his expenditures of both time and money, so that he will know where and how his assets are used. The good steward will refuse to allow his properties or his talents to be used in any way which will degrade or debauch or exploit or harm another of God's stewards. The production of things which destroy men's bodies, enslave their minds
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Original script for sermon #40 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on October 4, 1953. He states, "A good steward is obligated to work, to be diligent in improving, enlarging, and expanding his stewardship to the limit of his capacity, by every legitimate means. God has created the potentialities of wealth, but man has wealth only as he joins his efforts with God's efforts, and works to improve and enlarge his stewardship. The Lord has a right to expect that the good steward will have an increase to show on the investment which is made in him when the final accounting is called for. The good steward will earn his own bread by the sweat of his own brow. He will make his own way, insofar as that is physically possible; he will refuse to be a complete burden on someone else....The good steward will be progressive, willing to venture, to experiment, to study, to search out new ways of improving his stewardship and serving his fellow man more efficiently, more economically, more productively. He will be unwilling to tolerate waste of time or money or material wealth in any form. He will know how to control his own wants, so that he does not spend money needlessly or profligately, on frivolous, foolish, wasteful, harmful, or unnecessary things. The good steward will know how to budget his expenditures of both time and money, so that he will know where and how his assets are used. The good steward will refuse to allow his properties or his talents to be used in any way which will degrade or debauch or exploit or harm another of God's stewards. The production of things which destroy me
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15 minute radio sermon in the Hear Ye Him radio series of the RLDS Church. Given on February 8, 1953 at 8:30 a.m. on KMBC and KFRM radio in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Brother Fry states, "What was the atonement?...It was man who had to be brought back to the Creator before whom his sin had made him unworthy to stand. It was man who had to be redeemed from the power of death, and reconciled to God, so that he could be restored to God's presence. It was man's heart that had to be softened to repentance, not God's."
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Original script for sermon #6 of the Hear Ye Him radio series, a 15 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry about the atonement. "What was the atonement?...It was man who had to be brought back to the Creator before whom his sin had made him unworthy to stand. It was man who had to be redeemed from the power of death, and reconciled to God, so that he could be restored to God's presence. It was man's heart that had to be softened to repentance, not God's."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Who Closed The Canon Of Scripture?, given on August 30, 1953. He states, "One of the most popular and widespread of all beliefs among Christian people is the belief that the Bible is a closed book, complete in itself, undisputed as to authority, never to be added to or taken away from; or in other words, that the canon of scripture is closed for all time; that in the Bible is contained everything which is essential or desirable or necessary for man's salvation. The fact that this is a widespread and popular belief does not necessarily make it true. There was a time when everybody not only believed, but KNEW that the world was flat; but the world was round just the same. Who closed the canon of scripture? Perhaps it would be wise to begin our discussion with a brief examination of how the Bible came to us -- how the 66 books now comprising it came to be selected and approved as sacred literature."
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Original script for sermon #35 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on August 30, 1953. He states, "One of the most popular and widespread of all beliefs among Christian people is the belief that the Bible is a closed book, complete in itself, undisputed as to authority, never to be added to or taken away from; or in other words, that the canon of scripture is closed for all time; that in the Bible is contained everything which is essential or desirable or necessary for man's salvation. The fact that this is a widespread and popular belief does not necessarily make it true. There was a time when everybody not only believed, but KNEW that the world was flat; but the world was round just the same. Who closed the canon of scripture? Perhaps it would be wise to begin our discussion with a brief examination of how the Bible came to us -- how the 66 books now comprising it came to be selected and approved as sacred literature."
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16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry on Why Believe The Book Of Mormon, given on July 26, 1953. He states, "We should believe in the Book of Mormon because it has a special witness and promise for the scattered peoples of Israel. There is no more pathetic people in the world today than the Jews, who for 4000 years have been enslaved, oppressed, afflicted, persecuted, tortured, robbed, massacred, and driven from place to place, with no home, and no country they could call their own. It is well to remember, however, that the Jews are only one tribe of Israel--the tribe of Judah--and that since 586 B.C. ten and a half tribes of Israel have been sifted among all nations, 'scattered, peeled,' lost to history. God has not forgotten his covenant with his people, Israel. The Bible bears witness in prophecy time and time again that all Israel shall be gathered together again and brought to a knowledge of her Redeemer--that the breach between Israel and Judah shall be repaired. The Book of Mormon is one of the means provided by an all-wise Father to assist in bringing about this happy result. The gathering of a few Jews back to Palestine is wonderful, but at best, it is only a partial fulfillment of prophecy, for the promise is that ALL ISRAEL shall come to a knowledge of her Redeemer, and be gathered in one."
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Original script for sermon #30 of the Hear Ye Him Radio series, a 16 minute sermon by Evan A. Fry given on July 26, 1953. He states, "We should believe in the Book of Mormon because it has a special witness and promise for the scattered peoples of Israel. There is no more pathetic people in the world today than the Jews, who for 4000 years have been enslaved, oppressed, afflicted, persecuted, tortured, robbed, massacred, and driven from place to place, with no home, and no country they could call their own. It is well to remember, however, that the Jews are only one tribe of Israel--the tribe of Judah--and that since 586 B.C. ten and a half tribes of Israel have been sifted among all nations, 'scattered, peeled,' lost to history. God has not forgotten his covenant with his people, Israel. The Bible bears witness in prophecy time and time again that all Israel shall be gathered together again and brought to a knowledge of her Redeemer--that the breach between Israel and Judah shall be repaired. The Book of Mormon is one of the means provided by an all-wise Father to assist in bringing about this happy result. The gathering of a few Jews back to Palestine is wonderful, but at best, it is only a partial fulfillment of prophecy, for the promise is that ALL ISRAEL shall come to a knowledge of her Redeemer, and be gathered in one."
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Conference Daily Edition of The Saints' Herald for the 1954 General Conference held at The Auditorium, Independence, Missouri, USA from April 4 to April 11, 1954. Includes 8 numbers.
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Minutes for the 1954 General Conference held at The Auditorium, Independence, Missouri, USA from April 4 to April 11, 1954.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2017 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.Minutes for the 1954 General Conference held at The Auditorium, Independence, Missouri, USA from April 4 to April 11, 1954.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2017 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.Minutes for the 1954 General Conference held at The Auditorium, Independence, Missouri, USA from April 4 to April 11, 1954.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2017 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.
62 minute sermon by Apostle Arthur Oakman. "My friends, tonight, I bid you to come with me to Calvary in the power of the Spirit. It won't be a pleasant sight; it'll hurt you. But if you're brave enough to stay you'll never be the same again. The center and the meaning of the universe rests in a figure on a cross so dreadful in his solitude and spiritual loneliness, so marvelous in his willing submission to those who killed him and for whom in his agony he prayed and so altogether glorious in his utter dependence upon his Father who did not leave his soul in hell, but delivered him. Can the Church in this day bear the site?"
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35 minute sermon by President Israel A. Smith on The Work of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was given on June 26, 1955 at 11 a.m. at the Stone Church, Independence, Missouri, USA. He states, "Now John [the Baptist], as a prophet of God, ushered in one of the principle dispensations, and that was the dispensation of the Messiah. And we believe that Joseph Smith [jr.] ushered in another dispensation, and in that respect, they are equal to each other. But I would not attempt to compare them becuase comparisons are, they say, invidious. But I believe that we have a right to assume that from this little story, this little account, in the 11th chapter of Matthew, that the Lord was indicating at least three things in respect to a prophet that probably were esential, to a prophet."
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Conference Daily for the 1956 RLDS General Conference. Includes 8 numbers, from April 8 to April 15, 1956.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2017 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.
Minutes for the 1956 RLDS General Conference held at Independence, Missouri, USA from April 9 to April 15, 1956.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2017 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.Minutes for the 1956 RLDS General Conference held at Independence, Missouri, USA from April 9 to April 15, 1956.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2017 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.Minutes for the 1956 RLDS General Conference held at Independence, Missouri, USA from April 9 to April 15, 1956.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2017 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.
40 minute sermon by President of the Twelve Apostles, Paul M. Hanson given at the RLDS World Conference, April 9, 1956 at the Stone Church, Independence, Missouri, at 7:30 p.m. Brother Hanson states, "The Church that we have the honor to represent is very fortunate in having three volumes wonderfully inspired of God; The Bible, The Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. The Bible is a treasury of religious truths. It teaches how to live nobly and to die with the bright hope of the hereafter. It leads to revolt against tyranny and proclaims liberty. It teaches the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man and in the new testament do we find writings by four different distinguished ministers of the Church established by Christ giving a record of his ministry on earth. Of his death and his rising triumphant and gloriously from the grave...And I turn to the Book of Mormon, a record of God's dealings with great nations that flourished in pre-Columbian times in America, to the record of three colonies divinely led from Asia, tells of their development into nations here in America; the forces that led to their prosperity and happiness and greatness, and the causes of their deterioration and decline. This record was inscribed on metal plates by the ancient prophets and historians and translated by the young prophet Joseph Smith from metal plates by the gift and power of God."
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Brother Curry states, "While working on the third floor of the Kirtland Temple during 1957, taking my own time, for two hours each morning for more than three months, that which follows opened up to me in answer to my concern and prayer." Includes 10 questions and 10 characteristics regarding the endowment.
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Includes 8 numbers from October 5 to October 12, 1958.
This electronic publication created with the express approval of the original copyright holder: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints (Community Of Christ). Copyright © 2015 LatterDayTruth.org; All Rights Reserved.
49 minute sermon by Apostle Arthur Oakman. He talks about Jesus Christ and the last supper. He also talks about agency and states, "We are free, for the origin of our actions is ourselves, but we are bound hand and foot because from ourselves there is no deliverance, unless it be through the mercy and the merits and the grace of Jesus Christ, who declares the love of God to us in those terms by which he is able to come to us and take us and lift us off of ourselves as center and re-center us in God."
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53 minute sermon by Apostle Arthur Oakman, given at the 1958 RLDS General Conference. He states, "He is our light, indwelt by the glory of the divine love. For all of us share a common humanity, just as every continent is secretly joined beneath the depths of the sea, joined to every island of the sea, is related to and joined to every other part of the earth; so every man in the depths of his personality is joined to every other man."
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