In similar manner has the work of God come forth in the dispensation of the Fulness of Times. God raised up unto himself a witness in the person of Joseph Smith, the prophet, and revealed himself and his Son Jesus Christ unto him in the full light of an all-glorious day, making known the reality of the existence of God, the kind of a being he is, the fallen-away status of the world with respect to their knowledge of God and the religion of Jesus Christ; also he declared his purpose to rebuild the fabric of his Church again in the earth, for the last time, and the Fulness of Times.

This revelation was supplemented by the revelation of, and the bringing forth of, the Book of Mormon, by which a veritable cloud of new witnesses was brought forth to testify of the same truths as found in the Old and New Testaments, which, in the aggregate, make up the gospel of Jesus Christ, especially certifying to the resurrection of Jesus, and of all men; also setting forth the gospel as the power of God unto salvation. To the truth of this new volume of scripture God raised up three special witnesses, besides the first, lo whom was shown the original plates of the record by the power of God; to whom also God testified of the truth, and commanded them to witness it unto the world. Later also God commanded these three witnesses to search for and find other witnesses among the believing disciples of the new dispensation, even twelve, to become the Twelve Apostles of the new age of dawning faith, that they might be sent into all the world with the great message of the fulness of the gospel restored. And this was done.

Since the new dispensation was to be preached in all the world, however, — "to every nation, tongue and people," — it is quite evident that the One, the Three and the Twelve Witnesses will not be adequate to the work of bearing witness to what had been brought forth of God in the new age; at least, not with sufficient rapidity to answer the purposes of God in consummating his great work of restoring all things which had been "spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:19-21. ) Hence, a greater number of special witnesses were called, to be organized into groups of seventy, with seven presidents to preside over each group of seventy, and the seven presidents of the first group to be the presidents of all these groups, however numerous they might become; though they be increased to seven groups, or seventy times seventy (Doc. and Gov. Sec. 107) , or until they number one hundred and forty and four thousand seventies, if the work of the ministry requires it. (See His lory of the Church, Vol. II, p. 22 1 and notes. ) That is the only limit fixed for the number of these groups of witnesses — the requirements of the work of the ministry in all the world. But besides these arrangements for special witnesses of the work of God, all who receive any measure of the power of God through having his Priesthood conferred upon them — certainly the high priests and the elders, organized into quorums as standing ministers in the stakes of Zion — have such right and power. So also the quorums of the lesser priesthood may teach the truth, bear witness of it, and persuade all men to come unto Christ. (Doc. and Gov. Sec. 20:28-59.) This is the privilege also even of the membership of the Church (Doc. and Gov. Sec. 88:81) ; but, of course, all things must be done in order; and the various ordinances of the gospel may be administered only by the respectively designated officers in the organized priesthood of the Church, as therein provided. Here I am merely pointing out the broad base from which the "Mormon" missionary rises. He is born of the system of truth for the promulgation of which he labors. The Church has had deposited with it, through the revelations of God, the truth and the fulness thereof. It knows the truth necessary to be received of men; the ordinances essential to salvation; and has both authority to act, and commission to proceed with the evangelizing of the world with its message from God. A dispensation of the gospel has been committed unto the Church; and wo! be to the Church, if it preach not the gospel! Hence the "Mormon" missionary, with his enthusiasm, his zeal, his earnestness, his self-sacrifice of time and means and family association that he might carry this message of a restored gospel to the world, prompted thereto by a love of fellow-men, and a sense of gratitude and of duty towards God.