Thou Hast Testified of Me – Scriptures and Quotes

Lesson 38: “Thou Hast Testified of Me” – Scriptures and Quotes

Reading 1 – Acts 21:10-15

Acts 21:17-19

Heber C. Kimball was the leader of the British Mission during the earliest days of the Church. He wrote the following in his journal: "The effect of the Gospel of Jesus Christ now began to be apparent, not only in the hearts of believers, but likewise in the hearts of those who rejected it. Our meeting in Preston being disturbed by the Methodist ministers, we got our hall licensed, and two gentlemen named Joseph Brown and Arthur Burrows, who were policemen, proffered their services to preserve the peace, and protect us from any further disturbance; which they continued to do as long as we stayed in that land. Many began to persecute us for preaching without a license from the authority of the nation. This idea of obtaining a license from the secular authority was somewhat novel to us; but after consulting our friends ... we found it was according to the laws of England. Brothers Hyde and I therefore made application to the Quarter Sessions and obtained licenses....
    "Having now obeyed the requisitions of the law, we felt ourselves tolerably secure, knowing that our enemies could not lawfully harm us. I wrote to Brother Richards that I had taken the oath to be true to Her Majesty and see that the laws were executed, also the abjurgation oath provided for foreigners who were not naturalized, and obtained a license as a preacher of the Gospel; and recommended him to do the same at Bedford: but they made him take the oath of allegiance before they granted him his license to preach. After we had obtained our licenses, to our surprise we found there were only a few licensed preachers in Preston; and when they abused me I told them if they did not cease their abuse I would see the laws put in force according to the oaths I had taken; and this generally silenced them." (quoted in Life of Heber C. Kimball, pp159-160)

Reading 2 – Acts 22:3-11

Reading 3 – Acts 23:11

Reading 4 – Acts 26:6-23

Acts 26:24-29

Reading 5 – Joseph Smith said, “However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.
“So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, it was true.” (JS-History 1:24-25)

Reading 6 – Joseph Smith said of Paul, “He is about five feet high; very dark hair, dark complexion, dark skin; large Roman nose, sharp face; small black eyes, penetrating as eternity; round shoulders; a whining voice, except when elevated and then it almost resembled the roaring of a lion.  he was a good orator, active and diligent, always employing himself in doing good to his fellow man.”(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 180)

Reading 7 – Acts 28:7-9