Daily Thoughts

In the P of GP we read about how Martin Harris took a copy of some of the characters from the plates to Professor Charles Anthon who attested to their authenticity and signed a statement to that effect.  However, when Martin Harris told him how Joseph had found the plates, Mr. Anthon said that there was no such thing as the administering of angels and he tore up his statement.   Joseph Smith History 1:63-65 "Sometime in this month of February, the aforementioned Mr. Martin Harris came to our place, got the characters which I had drawn off the plates, and started with them to the city of New York. For what took place relative to him and the characters, I refer to his own account of the circumstances, as he related them to me after his return, which was as follows: "I went to the city of New York, and presented the characters which had been translated, with the translation thereof, to Professor Charles Anthon, a gentleman celebrated for his literary attainments. Professor Anthon stated that the translation was correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian. I then showed him those which were not yet translated, and he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyriac, and Arabic; and he said they were true characters. He gave me a certificate, certifying to the people of Palmyra that they were true characters, and that the translation of such of them as had been translated was also correct. I took the certificate and put it into my pocket, and was just leaving the house, when Mr. Anthon called me back, and asked me how the young man found out that there were gold plates in the place where he found them. I answered that an angel of God had revealed it unto him.  "He then said to me, 'Let me see that certificate.' I accordingly took it out of my pocket and gave it to him, when he took it and tore it to pieces, saying that there was no such thing now as ministering of angels, and that if I would bring the plates to him he would translate them. I informed him that part of the plates were sealed, and that I was forbidden to bring them. He replied, 'I cannot read a sealed book.' I left him and went to Dr. Mitchell, who sanctioned what Professor Anthon had said respecting both the characters and the translation."

In the New Testament we read that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He does not change.  If He spoke to men and performed miracles in days gone by, He does so today.  If certain things were sins years ago, they are still sins today.  Men may change and the precepts of men change through time, but God does not.  Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that to be true disciples of Christ, we must bear His cross and follow Him.  To be a follower of Christ demands our loyalty to Him over anything and everyone else.  It requires our obedience and willingness to sacrifice.  It requires our remaining committed to the end.  Luke 14:27 "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."