The following is taken from A Marvelous Work and a Wonder by Legrand Richards.....the highlights are my own. This accurately sums up which church is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today......it has to be either the Catholic Church or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons. Here's why in a simple language that should be understood by all.
The Christian churches of today may be generally classified as follows:
1. The Catholic Church, which contends that it has had an uninterrupted existence upon the earth since it was originally founded by Jesus Christ.
2. Protestant churches founded by reformers who contend that the original church fell into apostasy, and who, therefore, through a study of the Bible, have attempted to return to the original teachings and practices of the church. The number of these churches is evidence of how impossible it is to agree upon the teachings of the Bible when left to the wisdom of man to interpret and understand them. Because of this lack of unity, churches have continued to multiply in a further effort to return to what they consider the original teachings of the Christ.
3. Those who believe that the church established by Jesus Christ while he was upon the earth fell into an apostate condition as predicted by the apostles, and that the church could not be reestablished upon the earth merely through a reformation, but only through a restoration.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands alone in this latter classification.
In considering these claims, it is obvious that if the first is true, there is no excuse for the existence of any other Christian church. If the original church had gone astray, could a reformation restore its power? Can a living branch be taken from a dead tree? Or must there be a new planting, a restoration?
The issue is really between the Catholics and the Mormons. If the Catholics are right, then Mormonism is wrong. If Mormons are right, then Catholicism is wrong. The Protestants don't have a leg to stand on, because if the Catholics are wrong, so are they, for they were originally a part of the Catholic Church. Today, the Catholics consider Protestants as apostates whom they cut off a long time ago.
Based on this logic, it is either the perpetuation of the gospel from ancient times by the Catholic Church, or the restoration of the gospel in these latter days by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nothing less. Nothing more. IMHO
