(10/1/03)
"The sacred record states: 'Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secrets unto His servants the Prophets.' (Amos 3:7.) From this we learn that if there are no prophets of the Lord, then our Heavenly Father is doing nothing in a religious sense among the people of this earth; but if He is doing a work among them for their redemption, then there must be prophets. By this it will be easy to ascertain whether the prediction of Amos has been verified or not. Who, previous to the year 1827, for many centuries has found in his researches an inspired prophet who could stand in the midst of the people and say, 'Thus saith the Lord? Have not the people denied the prophets and visions of heaven? We learn from the nineteenth chapter of Revelations that 'the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.' Therefore, if any have had this testimony they have been inspired with the spirit of prophecy. And again, we are informed by the Savior, as written in the sixteenth chapter of John, that the 'Spirit of truth shall guide into all truth,' and 'show you things to come.' Who has seen things to come? And where is the word of the Lord? Surely not with those who deny prophets and apostles." - Matthias F. Cowley, "Cowley's Talks on Doctrine," p. 23-24