
BY OSBORNE J. P. WIDTSOE, A. M.
FOREWORD.
INTRODUCTION.
The Restoration of the Gospel - I. A RELIGIOUS REVIVAL.
II. A VISION OF THE FATHER AND THE SON.
III. SEVEN MARKS OF THE GREAT APOSTASY.
IV. THE RESTORATION PREDICTED.
V. AN ANGEL FLYING.
VI. HIDDEN GOSPEL RECORDS.
VII. THE LESSER PRIESTHOOD.
In this clear‑sighted study, the author explores why a fresh restoration of the gospel was felt to be essential in the early nineteenth century. Drawing on historical patterns and contemporary religious thought, he asks whether the original church and its priesthood truly endured, or whether a profound loss demanded divine renewal. The work lays out the theological arguments that point to a universal drift away from the teachings of the Savior, setting the stage for a new dispensation.
Originally prepared as lessons for a young women’s improvement association, the book weaves together doctrinal explanation with practical guidance on organizing priesthood quorums, auxiliary societies, and family life. Readers are invited to consider how restored authority reshapes both personal devotion and communal worship. The tone is scholarly yet accessible, offering a thoughtful foundation for anyone curious about the origins and early development of this modern religious movement.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (349K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by the Mormon Texts Project (MormonTextsProject.org), with thanks to Renah Holmes and Andy Hobbs
Release date
Jul 27, 2019
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1877–1920
An early 20th-century educator and Latter-day Saint writer, he is best remembered for clear, practical religious books shaped by both scholarship and faith. His life was brief, but his work linked teaching, missionary service, and devotional writing in a way that still feels direct and accessible.
View all books
by Osborne J. P. Widtsoe

by Order of the Eastern Star. General Grand Chapter

by John Gibson Paton

by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps

by John Henry Newman

by Henry Adams

by Robert Lewis Dabney

by H. Clay (Henry Clay) Trumbull