The Brigham Young Center

President's Office
Gt. Salt Lake City
February 18th, 1867

Miss P. R. Chitty
Metamora Woodford Co. Ill's.

Miss:

Your note of the 28th instant has been received. Enclosed I forward you an epitome of our faith, which will give you an idea of some of our leading principles. The limits of a single letter would not suffice to make any very lengthy explanations respecting our doctrine, but I may say that we believe that God is the same today that He was yesterday, and that they who keep His commandments and do His will by obeying His gospel in these days, will receive the same blessings as were enjoyed by the ancient followers of Jesus. We believe that God withdrew His power from among men and ceased to bestow revelation upon them because of their cruelty to His servants and their rejection of every message which He sent unto them. A long night of darkness has since intervened, during which He sent unto them. A long night of darkness has since intervened, during which there has been no voice from heaven, revealing unto man the will of the Lord; the gifts which the disciples of Jesus enjoyed, have not been manifested, and churches calling themselves by His name have been guided by men's interpretation of the scriptures, these interpretations differing as much as their authors differ.

We testify that God has again spoken from the heavens unto man. He has also selected men to be His servants and given them authority to go forth and officiate in His name, baptizing men and women who repent of their sins, and laying hands upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost. The promise which we are authorized to make unto the people is, that if they will believe in Jesus, repent truly and sincerely of all their sins and be baptized for the remission of their sins by one having authority, they shall receive the Holy Ghost, which Holy Ghost will take of the things of God and show unto them, and also will be an evidence of the truth of the principle which they have embraced. Under such circumstances there is no chance for deception, for all can have the testimony for themselves and not be dependent upon others. It is by these means that the people have been gathered together in this country, and they dwell in peace and union, and have accomplished the labors which have devolved upon them.

Respectfully
Brigham Young