Church

Evangelical Protestantism really began with John Wesley, arguably one of the most charismatic, thoughtful and persuasive of the new brand of preacher appearing in America in the 18th century.  The Methodist movement was built around an idea directly opposed to the Calvinist concept of pre-destination.  What Methodism centered on was the idea that anyone could be ‘saved’.  But, as that concept was Arminian, that salvation is possible only through Grace, and that grace could not be earned through acts of humanity.

John Wesley introduced and championed the idea that it was possible to elevate the human heart and mind, through communion, prayer  and spiritual meditation, to a state of ‘Christian Perfection’.  At the turn of the 20th century, in addition to all of the other fundamental changes in society including the industrial revolution, the rise of American power in the world, and the end of slavery and the pacification of the South, religion and religious belief had again become a central part of American life.

Into this flux, and in an effort to resolve the growing crisis of conflicting faiths and an increasing splintering of Methodism, a unifying theology appeared.  Combining all of the Methodist Pentecostal denominations and the Holiness Church of Christ and five other denominations, the Church of the Nazarene emerged under the combined umbrella of Harding and the Holiness Movement – neither of which had been combined previously on such large scale.   The new Church of the Nazarene, which combined churches in Europe, North and South America began expanding while simultaneously absorbing other holiness churches and upon very active missionary that continues today.  It is the purpose of this paper to present the state of the Church of the Nazarene and how its missionary history helped it to continue to grow and expand into the twenty-first century.

The Nazarene Church missions have, historically, placed themselves directly in the center of crises.  It is no coincidence that all of the denominations that came together to form the Church of the Nazarene were missionary churches.  At the beginning, “the Nazarenes had 52 churches with 3,827 members, while the Pentecostals numbered 47 churches with 2,371 members. The union made a combined list of 99 churches and 6,198 members,”[1].Harding’s message was that while God had chosen to give every human being a certain quality of pure grace that could not be removed or augmented by human action, it was within our grasp to become closer to God through the rituals of faith.

The Church of the Nazarene took up the Great Commission, that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3) and, in the final chapter of Matthew, “Go and make disciples of all the nations of the world, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded to you,” (Matthew 28:18-20).  It then began to spread itself vigorously to every corner of the world seeking to fulfill that very mission[2].  Indeed, it would later become the requirement that all senior members of the church and, in particular, all ministers, complete missionary work.

Nazarene Church missions have taken several different forms over the course of the past century.   The first, clearly, was the outreach missionary work that followed the traditional lines of church work.  The second, was the establishment of Nazarene Church colleges throughout the world.  The third, was the combined efforts of all Nazarene churches and associations throughout the world under one charter and mission, to keep the Great Commission.

The first Nazarene Church missions began taking place shortly after the creation of the institution. As the main centers of the church, at the time of inception, were on the East and West coasts of the United States.  From the Eastern churches emerged Susan Fitkin and her partner Harrison F. Reynolds.  Fitkin and Reynolds based their missions upon a divine revelation of Fitkin’s – that she had been selected by God to spread His word throughout the world and that missionary work was the most powerful and significant of the works that any human could perform for God.

Fitkin then stirred up the passions of the church for missions and, in particular, missions to traditionally non-Christian nations.  Fitkin’s work directly influenced the direction of Nazarene missions then and today.  It was because of Fitkin that the Nazarene Church made missionary work the centerpiece of the expression of their faith.

Following upon Fitkin’s example, Dorothy Fay Davis took up the leadership reins at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital and Nazarene Nursing School in Bremersdorp, Swaziland in the 1950’s[3].  Her missionary work, like Fitkins, began with a “calling” from God.  Davis built churches, preached her sermon, and brought the Nazarene form of faith to Swaziland and to the whole of South Africa and, following also in the footsteps of Florence Nightingale, she began a movement of teaching Swazi women how to be Christian nurses[4].

Davis lived and worked in Swaziland as a spiritual leader, the college headmaster, and as a minister in her many churches until the mid 1980’s- a career that pned four decades and her works continue to be influential in terms of the Nazarene missions.

Missionaries were not the only Nazarene members making missions. One of the most influential Nazarene members was C. Warren Jones.  Jones had become one of the executives managing foreign missions in the mid 1940’s.  Under his leadership, the Nazarene Church raised more than one-million dollars to support their missions.  His influence was felt throughout the world as the money raised became the foundation of countless churches, the travel and living expenses of missionaries, and the foundation of the Nazarene schools and colleges[5].

These people, and countless others, worked together over the past one-hundred years of the Nazarene church have built a legacy of missionary work.  What began with a small number of missions has become a sweeping program of ministry, education, health-care, social services, and all forms of community involvement both domestically and abroad.  As a true world-wide organization, the Nazarene Church succeeds in bringing together Christians from nearly every nation into a singular network that has no national anchor.

The missionary work now centers on exactly the same mission as when the church started, “To make (form and bring into being through transforming grace) Christlike (holy, righteous) disciples (continual, reproductive followers of Christ) in the nations (a sent, international church). A Church whose primary motive is to glorify God,[6]”.  To that end, the Nazarene Church also maintains radio and television programs, supports Christian film productions, operates publishing houses throughout the world, manages youth-ministries, and health clinics[7].

The Nazarene Church began with a very clear intent – to spread the Word of God throughout the world in following the Great Commission.  In this, the Nazarenes have been exceptionally successful.  Their work and their missionaries have demonstrated a true zeal for their pursuit and have demonstrated an unwavering conviction.

Their Wesleyan / Holiness foundation made the Nazarene church uniquely ideologically and scripturally suited to the kind of missionary work they do now.  By placing themselves in the places of greatest need in the world, they have also succeeded in walking the walk of the true spiritual guide to those in need.  Each member has been tasked with one primary goal – not to raise money, not to falsely inflate their sense of purpose, but to guide others to embrace God and Christ.

Bibliography

Corbett, C.T. Our Pioneeer Nazarenes. Kansas City, MO: Holiness Data Ministry, August 1997 Edition.

Cowles, C.S. A Woman’s Place? Kansas City, KS: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2002

Elliott, Susan. “The Legacy of Dorothy Davis Cook”. International Bulletin of Missionary Research, (2004), 13:2.

Miller, Basil. Twelve Early Nazarenes, Kansas City, MO: Holiness Data Ministry, April 1998 Edition.

Nazarene World Mission, Go…Into All the World; available from http://www.nazareneworldmission.org/regions.aspx.; Internet, accessed 30 April 2007.

What Led the Community to Construct the Parish Church of Zejtun?

Prior to the bing parish church of Zejtun, there was what is now called the Old Parish Church of Zejtun,or more normally known as the Church of Saint Gregory, a mention name gained due to the presence of a statue of Pope Saint Gregory the Great situated near to the church. The inside informations refering the building of this church are unknown, but several architectural parts of the church indicate that parts of it were built in the 15 century while others have been constructed in the undermentioned century. By the terminal of the 17 century and the early old ages of the 18 century, the population of Zejtun has seen considerable growing. This growing resulted in the so parish church of Zejtun to go non fit for intent, therefore serious idea started to be made about the demand of a church which could function a turning population.

The primary event that set on paths the thought of the building of a new parish church started all due to a ground that the so baronial 1s of the community strived to go good known. Therefore, with the want of going known and besides for centuries, it was Gregorio Bonici who signed a contract which showed that a land known astal-Chasirawas to be donated to the church to function as the site to raise what would go the new parish church of Zejtun. This contract can be said to hold been a really generous one, as the donated site, which besides had the advantage of being in the Centre of Zejtun, could non merely be the topographic point for a new monumental church, but it besides had the infinite for a vestry, an oratory, and besides a broad church square. To reaffirm the importance that helpers gave towards their privation to be remembered during these ages, in the instance of the parish church of Aejtun, apart from Gregorio Bonici there was before besides another citizen whom donated land to the church, but this land was considered as non being a preferred one due to the constrains it held and besides because of its distance off from the Centre of the town, which was truly of import at that clip since it had to function for the whole community at a clip in which there was no dependable manner of transit. Besides, the Testaferrata household, the inheritors of Gregorio Bonici, owned an communion table in the chief crypt of the church. But for baron Bonici this was non his last contribution, he wanted to be certain that this undertaking moved swimmingly and reached its’ phase of completion, therefore he continued to shoot money towards the funding of the undertaking up to a upper limit of 30 old ages after he and his married woman had died, as is found written in his secret will.

The first measure to do this undertaking materialise saw its induction by the design of the celebrated designer Lorenzo Gafa’ . This can be seen in the trial study of Cocco Palmier of 1693, naming Lorenzo Gafa’ as the interior decorator of the program of the new church and which by that clip he had already started working on the eastern side of the church. Almost nil can be said sing the old ages that followed, as the consequence of research that has been made in this respect is that there are no studies on what was go oning and the advancement of the undertaking. Another of import point which leaves a nothingness when it comes to discoursing about the primary phases of building, an point which most likely has been lost, is the original set of programs of Lorenzo Gafa’ What has besides seldom been given adequate importance, is that several old ages have passed from when the undertaking started until it was wholly finished to the current signifier it is today. Throughout these old ages, the leading of this undertaking has been transferred from one individual to another, and with such alteration that already by itself brings a alteration in the manner the undertaking director thinks and plants, there is besides the factor of what became stylish and aesthetically more preferable at the clip of a certain building stage. When such factors are given equal importance in a published literature, so one can get down to do comparings sing the architectural designs and cosmetic inside informations that came out at different periods and under different undertaking directors.

To give a farther different position, this paper will be laid out as if one doing a circuit around the parish church of Zejtun, of which foremost the outside will be discussed and so the focal point will turn about the inside of the church.

Outside

As stated already earlier, the parish church of Zejtun has the signifier of a Latin-cross, it is a church which has a size which is well bigger than those churches which have been antecedently built. One might believe that this thought of edifice in the signifier of a Latin-cross was due to the influences brought to us by the Knights of St. John. This is true, but there was besides an thought which emmerged from one of the most of import oecumenic council of theRoman Catholic Church, the Council of Trent. Although the council didn’t give instructions on the manner in which a church had to be built, it gave a form in which the chief altar-space had to be flanked by transepts which were normally made externally seeable. When discoursing about the parish church of Zejtun, one can debate about whether the church still holds a true typology of a Latin-cross or non, and this is chiefly due to the ulterior add-ons of the oratory edifice and besides the side isles which made the outside of the church look wholly different so it was intended to be by Lorenzo Gafa.

Facade

A characteristic which is frequently recognized sing the facade, is the proportion between the breadth and the tallness, in which the horizontality is greater than the breadth with a entire ratio of 1.51:1, composed of seven bays divided vertically in two equal parts ( while excepting the bell towers and the frontispiece ) . The verticalness gained through the usage of Doric pilasters on the lower grade and the Ionic pilasters straight above, which reach along the whole facade making the already celebrated seven bays, is lessened with the presence of uninterrupted entablature, therefore beef uping the already strong horizontality feature. It should be noted though that if we excluded the late extension of the sides, the facade would hold most likely consisted of merely the in-between three bays, therefore the sense of horizontality would hold been wholly non present with a tallness to width ratio wholly the antonym from the current bing facade. All three doors of the facade along with the two statue niches above the little side doors have a triangular pediment, while the stained glass window above the chief door has an arched pediment, besides it can be said that the frontispiece has a broken arched pediment. The frontispiece is made of a marble tablature written in the twelvemonth 1720, and it serves to mark the dedication of this church towards Saint Catherine of Alexandria. This frontispiece stands in the center of two statues, stand foring Saint Peter and Saint Paul, in which at first were the lone statues decorating the facade of the Zejtun Parish Church. It was around the eightiess that the facade was besides ornamented with two other statues in the niches straight above the little side doors, allegorically portraying religion ( ‘Fede’ ) and hope ( ‘Speranza’ ) .

Side-aisles

It was around 1779 that the side-aisles of the Zejtun Parish church were constructed, therefore traveling from the initial three in-between bays, to the current bing seven bays facade. At the clip during the 18 century, it was a known factor that churches wanted to portray a genuinely greater dominant visual aspect over the surrounding, therefore the easiest manner this could be gained, since besides the site permitted for such undertaking particularly in the instance of the parish church of Zejtun, was the add-on of the side-aisles. The proposal for such undertaking wasn’t granted permission based on the thought that the church wanted to tag farther monumental laterality, but the issue of serious demand of sidelong support support was brought frontward based on the fright that there was the possibility that the nave could fall in. This was the idea of Giuseppe Bonnici together with a figure of designers. Although this big extension was certainly non wholly needed to merely reenforce the nave supports, when the factors of ; viability, need for enlargement due to the turning community and besides the aesthetically pleasing visual aspect this undertaking could hold provided, were taken into consideration, the permission was to the full granted. This extension of the side-aisles brought with it several alterations, such as the little domes on the sides, which have the map of allowing visible radiation into the church along with the several stained glass Windowss on the sides of the nave. Besides there was the building of an arched buttress screen. This undertaking has normally been understood that it had been completed on the 3 of May 1779 due to the fact that one can happen this day of the month engraved on one of the winging buttresses, which most likely was the last flying buttress to be built.

Bell Towers

What remains to be discussed when it comes to the west side of the church are the bell towers. It must be understood that even as said before, ab initio the facade of the parish church of Zejtun was wholly different due to the fact that merely the nave was existing, though this doesn’t mean that there were no bell towers. When looking at the thickness of the transept walls, at their internal handbill walls it is noticed that these could hold been what remains of the bell towers that existed at the transepts.

The architectural thought of making two bell oarsmans on the frontage was non really popular in the early seventeenth-century churches and Gafa’s subsequently church designs, but the Maltese were made to alter their head as this characteristic of a two-towered western frontage was implemented to the Mdina Cathedral.

The ground for which the location of the bell towers of the parish church of Zejtun was changed to the current place, is seen to be a forceful one, and the chief cause was due to the bad province in which the bell towers had ended. It is said that the component which air current forces from the north-west way. The figure of bells which have been placed in these bell towers goes up to fourteen, crossing merely over three hundred old ages. Today, the bell tower on the right houses the five to the full working bells, four of which have been produced in 2005, while another ( ‘Antonia’ ) was founded in 1947 and shill has a good tonal sound, all of which have been done by the British company John Taylor.

Dome

Although it has been said that the bell towers have been severely affected by the air current, up to the point of necessitating Reconstruction, on the contrary, at that clip the dome was still to the full structurally stable and didn’t demand to be changed or restored. But the current dome of the Parish Church of Zejtun isn’t the original one which was designed by Lorenzo Gafa, alternatively, the old lantern-less dome had to be dismantled and rebuilt, based on the design of Joseph Zahra. It was in early 20 century that the original dome was deemed to be structurally non safe, and was therefore dismantled, with Zahra’s design taking over. Though the dome has been reconstructed ( while wholly non following Lorenzo Gafa’s design ) , the original dome membranophone has been kept. It can be easy noticed that the current dome design followed no geometrical order so as to do it a incorporate component together with the Lorenzo’s dome membranophone. The diameter of the dome has been recorded to be approximately 11.61m, merely about 0.04m less than the dome of the Mdina Cathedral.

External Ornamentation

Apart from the two rock sculptures stand foring allegorical figures of Faith and Hope which have already been discussed, one can happen another exclusion made to figurative sculptural ornament. On the North and south frontages of the church one can happen bull-like antefixa. These figures, although they are H2O spouts which have been modified, can be compared to the well-known “tongue-masks” , which are figures that are created so as to assist in maintaining off evil liquors. These type of “tongue-masks” , with broad and convex eyes and a level and widened nose have become widely popular in Malta during the stay of the Order of Saint John. During the early 19 century this sculptural tradition, together with its symbolic significance, started to lose its popularity within the Maltese community.

Interior

Upon come ining into the parish church of Zejtun, one can recognize the big proportions of the inside. When compared to churches organize the primary coevals, it can be said that the proportions of the parish church of Zejtun are of significant difference and the nave can be considered as a good illustration. The nave normally had an country which covered a p which was twice every bit long as it was broad, but in the instance of Zejtun’s church, the measuring ratio is 1:2.46, giving a stronger eastern impulse when standing on the interior. A greater nave tallness and internal light was obtained due to the attack adopted for the roofing system, which was introduced into the Maltese community by Francesco Buonamici. What can besides be noticed about the nave of the parish church of Zejtun is that it has a feature of continuity. This characteristic is present due to the Attic pilasters that follow the same perpendicular lines as those created by the elephantine pilasters at the nave degree, making a strong signifier of integrity between the lower and upper portion of the church.

During the clip in which the side-aisles were non constructed, the arches that open from the nave, integrated communion tables in them. These communion tables were subsequently moved backwards due to the extension of the side-aisles. All the side-aisles communion tables are composed in the same manner, built all in a niche-like composing, with the sidelong sides of these ‘niches’ decorated with pictures. One interesting characteristic is that they are placed within the thickness of the side-aisles’ walls, a characteristic which makes the side-altars different from the communion tables at the transepts and those of the choir.

Some characteristics are common for all the communion tables of the church, even the chief communion table. All the communion tables are elevated by two stairss, keeping a symbolic significance that one must look or make upwards, doing the perceiver spiritually feel that there is a force which is much greater than him. Besides all communion tables have their ain, or portion between them, a cupola, in which instance the side-aisle’s communion tables have one cupola each, which is the same as those of the choir and the transepts, but of a smaller graduated table and which are less adorned. Eleven of the communion tables have a pleasing signifier of architectural and sculptural model, of which can be in some manner considered as being of a Baroque manner, although the communion tables of the choir and the transepts are a bit over-elaborated to be wholly considered as of the Baroque manner.

Decision

In decision, it can be said that when one Tours about and inside the parish church of Zejtun dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria, one is touring a church of which throughout its building has fallen in the custodies of several interior decorators, most of which have influenced the concluding signifier of the church. The different custodies, and the old ages taken for the completion, have resulted in the building of a monumental edifice, a edifice of which certainly can break function as the new religious meeting topographic point for the community of Zejtun, and a memorial which the local community thinks that is the edifice which genuinely honours its dedication to Saint Catherine of Alexandria.

1. Confirmation of cost to Second Speaker

Bishop Neil Ellis presented a statement of costs and expenses for air fare and accommodation for two persons and requested the conference to support reasonably. He also reiterated  as to how  the  LORD lifted him to serve him.

The members confirmed the same.

1. Second speaker cost was not conformed 

Zhavago Lange, cost was not confirmed and has been set aside by the members for more discussions .

3.Election of Speakers for Tuesday and Wednesday was made by members.

Chair: discussions around the table with day Speakers.

Details of the discussions spoken by each Speaker are as follows:

Pastor Ronald Mcintosh: It is a good opportunity  for us to deploy someone from abroad. We can use in one of our own and General Superintendent  in one of  the session.

Pastor Silbert Mills: Some International organisations have more than one speaker, they allocate 15 minutes of time for inspirational speakers.

Deacon Jenson :Depending on budget, one can go abroad or stay in-house.

Pastor Knowles : said that they  are going in-house for two days.

Bishop Swain said that convention is the highest acme, and a best speaker must be put forward to able to satisfy visitors and motivate in-house. At the end of the convention there must be a good conclusion.

Elder Mcbride  shared the same views mentioned above.  He explained, if people go away from conference, it lessens the prestige of local speaker. People must form part of budget. The protocol is all those who speak will receive a  stipend.

Pastor Antoine Joseph: Agrees to avail speakers on the opening sessions of week days.

Chair: Inspiration for the members and followers.

Traditionally friendship was the host of Tabernacle church. In the past it was said as Friendship Tabernacle Church convention. We would like to see a balance on one fellowship of all Abaco churches combined. Establish working relationship to help one another. It went bad when we broadcasted as a Northern Distict. We have to announce as the Bahamas Evangelical Church Abaco convention.

Roland Swain said that convention is the highlight of assemblies.

Chair: Do you have any comments on arranging two speakers per night ;one inspirational and the other as main speaker?:

The following were the comments made by the Members:

Mcbride: He must be in flow with the main speaker.

Roland: He doesn`t see anything wrong : It will leave space for the old and the new.

Pastor Knowles: Agrees to inspirational speaking that it will show case the younger men and women.

Deacon Jenson Edgcombe says Amen.

Pastor Ronald Mcintosh: If a leader is given an opportunity, it does good to people and convention. It appears that, excepting in-house people, outsiders recognition has not been attained.

4.Election of Speakers for the Next Meeting

Chair: Please inform who are the speakers for Next Meeting.

Paula V. Morley :The excitement with which a plan is made for the night speaking, the same enthusiasm must be shown towards the day session too.

Pastor Roland Mcintosh: It seems to be a problem with people attending the day session. ,  People must be encouraged to take vacation, lunch hour or few days off.  When a good speaker is invited, congregation must be benefited from the speeches delivered by them.

• JensionL Sam has been elected as Speaker from night for the day session.

• Rev Kennth Knowles has been elected for night session.

Bishop Roland Swain : Workshop encouraged people to take time off and go on vacation.

Mcbride: Shared the views of Pastor Knowles; Keep the same team as many people don`t know what family is all about. It is good to know what their passion is.

Pastor Antoine Joseph: He agrees with Pastor Knowles.

Pastor Kenneth Knowles: The time has come to change the mindset of our people. In other orgnizations members will fill in pen and pencil on their calendar the date of conference and begin to sell it to their congregation so that they can take vacation. The leader of each church must do that. For convention to be successful, the members have to set aside time to participate in this. Whatever is necessary to get the family involve and do it.

Pastor Mills: Why not have target subjects, then speakers can come in and speak on various subjects.

1. Minister of Social Services: Can address our convention in one session.
2. Church Council:

• : Will deal with family crimes,
• spouse abuse and
• managing your finances.

If we are dealing with the family: what is the family challenge? It must create the most effective speaking.

Pastor Roland: Not political

Deacon Jenson: No, He had the previous experience of sharing outside. It is good to have these people come in , we have our people who can deal with some of these subjects.

Remember, we are thinking different, we do not want to stay in the box.

Rev Knowles: Social Service is the deacon in our church and that is no problem.

Rev Roland Swain: If they know the Lord, this is a spiritual setting.

Elder Mcbride : Agreed same. Give him an agenda. Pastor Knowles is passonate about the family.How people need to act at home, where it hurts, I can take on people and need to find out what is the real issue in our congregation.

5.A workshop is on the following :

1 People who can deal with family issues.

• Couple need to know how to deal with family.
• An approximate schedule

• Tuesday – Wednesday Pastors Summit or Conference.
• Wednesday : Social services.
• Thursday :Workshop.

Suggestive Themes:

• Family Crisis.
• Restoration for the family.
• There is hope for the family.
• Where are the family.
• Fight for the family.
• Who deserve your family.
• Defining the family.
• Leader in the family.
• Abuse in the family.

Primary topic

• Monday Night : Defining the family.
• Thursday : There is hope in the family.
• Faliure in the family :Scripture Texts Matt 19:5;Deut 29:18;Gen 12:3 ;Eph. 3:15 and Psalm68:5-6.

Pastor Knowles concluded the Meeting and informed all the Members to join next meeting on April 22,2006.

The topic of my research paper is the Mormon religion. Particularly the original form of the religion as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With this paper I will answer the following questions as to where did the religion started, who were/are the main leaders and places of worship for the religion, are there any divisions or sects that are associated with the religion, how has the religion changed over time, and what does the future hold for this religion? To find my answers I searched many online articles, books, and magazine articles.

I found that the Mormon religion is a lot more complex than I believe many people think it is and there are many misconceptions made about the religion. Mormonism is not only a religion but a way of life for the people that call themselves LDS (Latter Day Saints). The religion was founded by Joseph Smith Jr. and has devout followers worldwide. “Mormonism, is the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ; of which I myself am not ashamed. ” This quote by Joseph Smith summarizes how true and pure the follows of this religion believe it is.With this paper I will give a brief history of the Mormon religion and try to address key issues and topics surrounding this controversial religion.

Joseph Smith established the Mormon religion in 1830 after a vision from God. He said that while praying in the woods God came to him in a vision and instructed him to start a new true religion. When God appeared, Joseph asked him what was the right religion to follow. “The Lord answered that he must join “none of them, for they were all wrong” and “all their creeds were an abomination in his sight. He said that they had a “form of godliness,” but they denied “the power thereof” (Ingleton,2005). With this new found understanding and the power of God’s words Joseph started The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church was founded with just six followers to start; many of which were Joseph’s family members.

(Ingleton, 2005) Three years after the First Vision, God sent Joseph a messenger to instruct him. The messenger, Moroni told Joseph of gold tablets that had the word of the Lord, the everlasting gospel written on them they were buried in the hills.Joseph found the templates and began translating them. The finished product would be known as the Book of Mormon. (Joseph Smith, Jr. Wikipedia) Joseph used the Book of Mormon as a secondary Bible. He still believed the words of the Bible but this was what came after the times described in the Bible.

He did believe although that this was a better version of the Bible from God. He states, “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book. (McConkie, 1959) He began to preach to people using the Book of Mormon as his basis. Many were not happy with Joseph’s ideas and they drove him and his people out of the east. Joseph claimed the only place the Mormon faith would survive is in the mountains. He said he had a vision of a place they would call Zion and he would lead his people there. With his teachings he drew the attention of a man named Brigham Young.

Brigham Young studied the Book of Mormon for two years before he was convinced that this was the one true book and religion.Therefore, after Joseph Smith died Brigham felt compeled to carry out the vision of Joseph Smith. Young was the one who lead the people to find the Zion in what is now Salt Lake City, UT in search of religious freedom. This is where the Mormon religion has been based since July, 1859 when the settlers petitioned for statehood. (Joseph Smith Jr. Wikipedia) Joseph Smith had visions of a Holy Temple that would be built at the Zion where his people could worship without religious persecution and God had commanded he build the House of God. Four days after entering the Salt Lake Valley on 24 July 1847, Brigham Young designated where the temple would be built, and on 6 April 1853, he laid the cornerstone of the temple foundation.

That event marked the beginning of a long construction process. Work on the temple stretched from years to decades until finally, 40 years after it was begun, the temple was completed and dedicated on 6 April 1893” (Abanes, 2003). The Church now has many temples, or Houses of God. The Latter Day Saints view building these temples as the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Malachi 3:1. Abanes, 2003) “As of Dec 2008, there are 129 Temples in operation, 9 temples under construction, and an additional 8 temples announced for construction in the near future. These figures give a grand total of 146 Temples that will be or are in operation in the near future” (Abanes, 2003). The temples differ from the church meeting houses that are used for weekly worship.

They are only used for special occasions such as endowment ceremonies and marriages to be sealed. A weekly meeting house or church can be found every few blocks. There is one church or meetinghouse for every ward.A ward consists of 200 to 500 active church members that live within a reasonable distance from the meetinghouse (Abanes, 2003). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) is technically considered a type of Christian religion. Mainly this is because they believe in God and his son Jesus Christ. Beyond that their beliefs differ and the LDS follow different religious leaders.

There are many prophets of God, such as Joseph Smith that the church looks to for guidance. These prophets also serve as Presidents of the Church and direct the affairs of the Church.There have been sixteen church Presidents since the beginning of the LDS Church. There isn’t a term to their presidency and many remain President until their death. The current President is Thomas S. Monson and he has served as the Church President since 2008 (Mormonism, Wikipedia). There are many sects associated with the original Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Before migrating to the Utah Valley the church split into a few different groups because they didn’t believe in some of Joseph Smith’s practices such as plural marriage. The largest of these, the Community of Christ (originally known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), was formed in Illinois in 1860 by several groups uniting around Smith’s son, Joseph Smith III.Most denominations existing today that follow the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr. have some historical relationship with the movement. ” There were five main denominations of the LDS Church which include, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But none of these have caused quite the stir as the most recent denomination that split from the Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1935. FLDS, Wikipedia) The split occurred largely because of the LDS Church’s renunciation of polygamy and its decision to excommunicate practitioners of plural marriage, who would not discontinue the practice.

The current headquarters can be found in Eldorado, Texas where the FLDS Church built their temple. The FLDS have been in the news in recent years surrounding the controversy of the polygamy practiced by their members. Not only were they marrying multiple women but they would marry women that were under age.The youngest bride of the leader of the FLDS was just 14 years old. As you can imagine, this caused many people to look upon the Mormon faith in a negative way. Polygamy is no longer practiced within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or its other sects. The only group to follow this way of teaching that stems from Joseph Smith are the FLDS.

(FLDS, Wikipedia) This is just one of the changes that have taken place over time within this religion. The LDS religion as we know it today is very widespread due to the increasingly large numbers of missionaries.Every boy at the age of eighteen is encouraged to go on a mission trip for two years. This makes up a large portion of the missionaries. Also now that there are temples it is favorable of the LDS member to be married and sealed together in the temple. Tithing is a big part of the Church as well. You are to give one-tenth of the money you earn to the church to help build up the church and spread the Lord’s word (Oakes,1994).

The changes that have taken place in the church are all for the benefit of a growing religious community. The future of this religion looks bright.On the cover of the November, 2007 issue of US News & World Report was an article about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the growing popularity of the Mormon religion. One of the article’s main points is the remarkable growth of the Utah-based religion, and the interesting observation that the emergence of Mormonism represents the first world-wide invention of a new religion since the prophet Mohamed gave the world Islam. Among the article’s more remarkable statements is a prediction about the growth in Church membership.It says: “If current trends hold, experts say Latter-day Saints could number 265 million worldwide by 2080, second only to Roman Catholics among Christian bodies. Mormonism, says Rodney Stark, professor of sociology and religion at the University of Washington, “stands on the threshold of becoming the first major faith to appear on Earth since the prophet Mohammed rode out of the desert” (Sheler, 2007).

With this prediction I feel it is safe to say that this may become one of world religions that students in the future will study more closely in their World Religion classes.