"We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet"

Because God loves His children and wants us to be happy, He has provided prophets for us through the ages.  The first prophet was Adam, through whom God revealed His gospel.  God also gave Adam His priesthood--the power and authority given to man to act in God's name for the salvation of His children.  Prophets learn their responsibilities and the gospel through revelation from God.  They teach what they have learned and testify to the divinity of Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer.  Their teachings are found in the scriptures.

Whenever people choose to disregard, disobey or distort God's word, they distance themselves from God.  If not corrected, this leads to a condition called apostasy.  When apostasy becomes widespread, God withdraws his priesthood authority to teach and administer the ordinances of the gospel.

The above pattern of calling a prophet who is later rejected may be observed in the Bible.  Each time a prophet is called he heads a new dispensation, a new revelation of the gospel.  We see that Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses were each called to begin a new dispensation of the gospel.  To each of them God gave priesthood authority and revealed eternal truth.  Unfortunately, each of them faced rejection leading to apostasy.

When the Savior came on earth, He once again established His Church on earth, initiating another gospel dispensation.  He organized the Church with a "foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2:20). He ordained his Apostles, giving them His priesthood authority.

After the death of Jesus Christ, the Apostles and Church members were persecuted and many were killed. When the Apostles were killed, priesthood authority was taken from the earth.  Without the Apostles, the doctrines and ordinances of the gospel became corrupted and the Church fell into apostasy, precipitating a period referred to as the Dark Ages.

After many years, when the time was right, Heavenly Father once again established His gospel on the earth by calling a young man named Joseph Smith as prophet.  Through him the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to earth.

Many in our day reject the reality of a living prophet among us.  They contend that shortly after the death of Christ, when all of the Apostles had been killed, God ceased to speak through prophets.  In considering this concept, please consider the questions raised in the the narrative below.

The following account was shared by President Hugh B. Brown of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  (commonly referred to as the Mormon Church):

Prior to his service in the First Presidency, President Brown spent some time in England working as a barrister, or attorney. He befriended a prominent Englishman who was a member of the House of Commons and a former justice of the supreme court of Britain. The two men often discussed various subjects, including religion.

In 1939, when it appeared that World War II would soon break out, the English gentleman called Brother Brown into his office. He asked Brother Brown to defend his religious beliefs in the same way he would discuss a legal problem. In a general conference address, President Brown recalled part of their conversation:

“I began by asking, ‘May I proceed, sir, on the assumption that you are a Christian?’

“‘I am.’

“‘I assume that you believe in the Bible—the Old and New Testaments?’

“‘I do!’”

The English gentleman said that he believed the biblical accounts of the Lord speaking to prophets. However, he maintained that such communication had stopped soon after the Resurrection of Christ. The conversation continued with another question from Brother Brown: “Why do you think it stopped?”

“‘I can’t say.’

“‘You think that God hasn’t spoken since then?’

“‘Not to my knowledge.’

“‘May I suggest some possible reasons why he has not spoken. Perhaps it is because he cannot. He has lost the power.’

“He said, ‘Of course that would be blasphemous.’

“‘Well, then, if you don’t accept that, perhaps he doesn’t speak to men because he doesn’t love us anymore. He is no longer interested in the affairs of men.’

“‘No,’ he said, ‘God loves all men, and he is no respecter of persons.’

“‘Well, then, … the only other possible answer as I see it is that we don’t need him. We have made such rapid strides in education and science that we don’t need God any more.’

“And then he said, and his voice trembled as he thought of impending war, ‘Mr. Brown, there never was a time in the history of the world when the voice of God was needed as it is needed now. Perhaps you can tell me why he doesn’t speak.’

“My answer was, ‘He does speak, he has spoken; but men need faith to hear him’” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1967, 117–18; or Improvement Era, Dec. 1967, 36–37).

To the testimony of President Brown, I add my own.  God does speak through a prophet today.  The first prophet of the latter-days was Joseph Smith.  Since his death, other prophets have been called in an unbroken chain to our current prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  God speaks to us through Him, giving us counsel to help us to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.  Through the priesthood keys that he holds we can receive the saving and exalting ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know this is true, through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost--the only way we can be certain of discerning eternal truth.