An Angel Ministereth to Cornelius

Acts 10:1-8; "God's messengers, those individuals whom he sends (often from his personal presence in the eternal worlds), to deliver his messages (Luke 1:11-38); to minister to his children (Acts 10:1-8, 30-32); to teach them the doctrines of salvation (Mosiah 3); to call them to repentance (Moroni 7:31); to give them priesthood and keys (D&C 13; 128:20-21); to save them in perilous circumstances (1 Nephi 3:29-31; Daniel 6:22); to guide them in the performance of his work (Genesis 24:7); to gather his elect in the last days (Matthew 24:31); to perform all needful things relative to his work (Moroni 7: 29-33)—such messengers are called angels." (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., p. 35.)

Acts 10:1-8; "'Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.' (2 Nephi 32:3.) They are ministers of Christ. 'They are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness. And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.' (Moroni 7:30-31.)

Acts 10:1-8; "By the ministering of angels to men in modern times the Lord's great work of restoration is being accomplished. By this means the Book of Mormon came forth (D&C 20:8-12); by it the gospel of salvation was restored to earth. (Revelation 14:6-7; D&C 20:35; 133:36-40.) It was under the hands of angelic ministrants that the Aaronic and Melchizedek powers were conferred again upon men (D&C 13; 20:12-13); because they heard the voice of angels men again were commissioned to use the keys of the kingdom (D&C 110:11-16; 128:20-21); and by the ministering of angels the world is called to repentance. (D&C 43:25.)

Acts 10:1-8; "Indeed, from Adam to the present moment, whenever men have had sufficient faith, angels have ministered unto them. So in varying is this principle that it stands forth as the conclusive test of the divinity of any organization on earth. If angels minister to a people, they are the Lord's people, and his kingdom is with them. If angels do not minister unto them, they are not the Lord's people, and his kingdom is not with them. (Moroni 7:27-38.)" (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed., p. 503.)

Acts 10:1; 1. Cornelius, a centurion] "A Roman legionary officer commanding a century (i.e. from 50 to 100 men, the hundredth part of a legion), and occupying the social position of a modern sergeant or non-commissioned officer." (Dummelow, p. 653.)

Acts 10:2-6; 2-6. Here stands a man who is prayerful, pious, devout, and godfearing; whose charitable deeds are had in remembrance before the Eternal Throne; whose faith and godly conduct enable him to see within the veil and to converse with heavenly beings—and yet this man is not a candidate for salvation; he is not so much as on the strait and narrow path leading to eternal life!

Acts 10:2-6; How then can any man hope for salvation? The angel answers: 'Send for Peter. He will teach you the gospel; he will baptize you in water and bring you into the fold of Christ where you can become a new creature by the power of the Holy Ghost, thus putting off the natural man and becoming a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.' What a message thunders forth to the pious and good among all churches from this heaven-directed experience of Cornelius!