From: Francis Harper
wbfrmsup@iowatelecom.net
Francis Harper Message for 12/7/2018
Dear Ones,
Those who question the validity of The Book of Mormon being the word of God and a second witness of Jesus Christ need to know that the number of non-Restorationists who accept The Book of Mormon as scripture is growing year by year. Every religiously inclined person who has a sincere desire to know the truth should claim the promise given in The Book of Mormon: “. . . if ye shall ask with a sincere heart with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost; and by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5).
On January 9, 1993, I recorded this testimony: Ed Rust, a Catholic and an employee of the Quaker Oats Company, occasionally stopped at our store. After doing business we often discussed passages of scripture from the Bible. The Book of Mormon was never mentioned. One night during his travels Ed found a copy of The Book of Mormon in his motel room. As he read that evening the Holy Spirit bore witness that it, like the Bible, is the word of God. The following morning he called me and with an excited voice said, “Francis, The Book of Mormon is the word of God.” I responded, “Ed, did I ever share my Book of Mormon testimony with you?” His answer was “no.” The promise is true: “ . . .by the power of the Holy Ghost you may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5).
On April 29, 2013, I met Benezer, Napatutan at the Doha International Airport on the Persian Gulf. We were returning from mission twelve in Nepal and Northeast India. I was studying the Bible during our seven hour layover. As I studied, Benezer an airport employee, interrupted me as he said, “you are the only person I have ever seen studying the Bible in this airport.” At this point, I reached into my brief-case and pulled out The Book of Mormon. As I held it up, I said, “I believe The Book of Mormon is holy scripture too.” He nodded as he said, “yes, it is a second witness of Jesus Christ and supports the Bible.” I asked, “who are you?” He answered, “I am a Seventh Day Adventist from the Philippines.” Surely our meeting in the heart of the Islamic world was a divine appointment. Richard Hahn, priest, of Maysville, Missouri, was with me during this mission and witnessed this conversation.
In a 1973 “missionary” copy of the Book of Mormon, the foreward was written by Dr. Marcus Bach, former head of the School of Religion at the University of Iowa. Dr. Bach is not a member of any church teaching the Book of Mormon. Here are a few quotes from Dr. Bach’s testimony: “Ever since its unprecedented appearance in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been one of the most controversial, engrossing, and thought-inspiring Scriptures among the revealed religions of the world. . . “Here, then, is a new scripture, discovered in America, presenting to all a book intended to supplement the Bible rather than supplant it, designed to complement previous revelations, rather than compete with them, written to prove the divinity of Christ rather than deny it. With this in mind, the Book of Mormon is indispensable to all religiously oriented people who have their secret questions about the interplay of God and man and who seek their own honest answers to a living faith in these modern “latter days.”
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, wrote: “And, as much as in me . . . I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth . . .” (Romans 1:15-16).
The pure unadulterated [untampered by man] gospel of the kingdom needs to be preached until the end comes (Matthew 24:32 IV; 24:14 KJV). We, like Paul, can say without equivocation and a single moment of hesitancy, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth . . .!”
The Book of Mormon is tangible evidence that Joseph Smith, Jr., was a prophet, called of God, to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days.
My Love to All,
Francis Harper
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Be Not Ashamed
My first employer was a farmer who lived about thirty miles from our home. My board and room was furnished as part of my wages. My parents came to visit me one Sunday and brought me a church book for my 17th birthday. I recall that I was somewhat embarrassed by, or ashamed of the gift! I must have been concerned about what my employer might think. This incident in my adolescent years has taught me how sensitive we are to the response of our acquaintances on matters of our faith and beliefs. Some may be intimidated by fear of being rejected by family or friends.
This issue of being ashamed of our faith is addressed in the Scriptures. Jesus said, “Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son on Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:41 IV; Mark 8:38 KJV). “And they shall not have part in that resurrection [resurrection of the just] when he cometh” (Mark 8:42).
It is written in The Book of Mormon that some of those who had tasted of the fruit of the tree of life had become ashamed due to the scornful behavior of those who were in “a great and spacious building” which “was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceeding fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers toward those who had come at, and were partaking of the fruit. And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost” (1 Nephi 2:73-76). “And great was the multitude that did enter into that . . . building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me, and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not . . . for as many as heeded them had fallen away” (1 Nephi 2:82-84).
These words from The Book of Mormon are a warning to those who might be influenced by some of their friends who are making some disparaging remarks about Joseph Smith, Jr., the angel Moroni, the golden plates [The Book of Mormon] or who may be calling the Restoration Branch Movement a “religious cult.” Remember the words: “We heeded them not.”
We should never forget that Jesus was “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief . . . he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth . . .” (Isaiah 53:3, 7). He heeded them not!
Many people have been warned to shun the teachings of the Restoration and The Book of Mormon. After being rebuffed a few times, Restorationists tend to neglect sharing their testimony. Both sides often remain aloof from one another. This hinders our witnessing.
Once again the words of Paul are appropriate. He wrote: “Brethren, the gospel preached of me is not after man, neither was I taught it, but by revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12). We can say the same, the Restoration gospel is not of man, it came by the revelation of Jesus Christ and the ministry of angels.
Paul wrote: “God hath chosen the foolish [considered foolish] things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised [like The Book of Mormon] hath God chosen” (1 Corinthians 1:27-28). Be not ashamed.
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