Editorial.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
We are a bit late with this wish, but it is none the less genuine towards every reader. And by “happy” we mean not merely the pleased emotional nature which is often the content of such expressions, but the solid good and usefulness, both spiritual and temporal, which they ought to mean. In such a state of heart even suffering will be good, and with Paul we can “Count it all joy” when such experiences befall us. Only so can we enter the year with the faith and trust which will make Romans 8: 28 possible to come true—see verses 26 to end. We know of no better wish than that this may be realized in every soul.
The editor returned from Idaho Nov. 24, after an arduous summer and fall in the field work. Stops made at Denver, Topeka, Parkville, Kansas City and Chicago seemed valuable for the work, including four addresses to a total of perhaps 700 students and ministers. In the West he conducted 84 meetings in 121 days, mostly on the street, in 10 places, with a total of 13,000 present, preaching at 67 and speaking some at the others. In one place of about 2,000 people, we had 2,900 present at nine meetings, with closest attention and evident effect. The population of the whole region visited was probably 95% Mormon; but we found very little of the old, harsh spirit, though it cropped out in two opposition meetings held just after ours had closed, to which we responded immediately with replies to errors and slanders.
A NEW MORMON TEMPLE IN ARIZONA
This was dedicated by Mormonism on Oct. 23 last, with great ceremony, at Mesa, not far from Phoenix, Arizona; making the seventh expensive building of the kind in existence. These are as follows, and they were dedicated in the order named: St. George, Utah, 1877; Logan, Utah, 1884; Manti, Utah, 1888; Salt Lake City, Utah, 1893;; Hawaiian Islands, Laie, 1919; Cardston, Alberta, Canada, 1923; Mesa, Arizona, 1927. The Mesa building, like some of the others, is of strange appearance, being only one story high for the main part, 124×184 feet, with a central square portion rising to the height of only 55 feet, or about double the height of the flat portion above it; the effect bettered by many columns; the whole built of concrete; the cost not given in account we have seen, but otherwise stated as half a million. It has no approach to a spire or even a gable. The inside furnishings are said to be as usual very expensive, to increase the effect of the ceremonies carried through in its terrible ritual. For these see our tract No. 14 in List on last page of Light.
The dedicatory “prayer” by Pres. H. J. Grant, which was said in the report to have been “repeated” by him, would make about three pages of this size. It is a labored attempt, evidently more addressed to men who should read it than to God, but thus rehearsing to “God” much of made-up Mormon “history,” including words which it states that Christ spoke to Joseph Smith and the people in Kirtland temple when he was sent to visit them there, and that Joseph Smith “was and is a prophet of the true and living God”—whom Mormonism flatly denies in its doctrine! When one thinks of the purposes for which the building is erected, in the secret ceremonies which have been sworn to again and again during many years (including the testimony before the U. S. Senate Committee), he wonders how any one could use such words to God, if indeed they were really so addressed in heart! And if God would accept that building, he would also accept any heathen temple with its worship of “gods many and lords many” taught in such religions, which also often have their secret ceremonies; and He would thus sanction the very false worships which he has so severely condemned in the Word, and the immoralities which result from them. We may be sure that He would do no such thing, and that hence He could not accept this professed dedication. While no doubt very many who took part were sincere, that fact does not alter this truth, though making it our duty to expose the danger and vast error of such an attempt to pass off Joseph Smith and the Mormon system as the special proteges of the Almighty, while denying nearly all His teachings in both doctrine and practice. GOD IS OPPOSED TO MORMONISM, as surely as He has revealed any truth to man; and no amount of fine buildings and imposing ceremonies can change this fact! “In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. . . . Full well ye reject the commandments of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” These words were probably never more applicable than in regard to Mormon temple ceremonies; as are these others also, in Hosea 8: 14; “For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples.”
THE PURPOSE OF MORMON TEMPLES
Most people suppose that Mormon temples are for purposes of worship, like our churches. But such is entirely wide of the fact. Public services are never held in them, and only the initiated can gain admittance at all. A Mormon work describing temples, especially the one at Salt Lake, entitled “The House of the Lord,” occupies 24 good sized pages telling what temples are for, teaching the following untrue doctrines, among others:
- Repentance of unsaved after death as both possible and required by God.
- Christ visited and preached repentance to such lost souls for their salvation, telling them of the ordinances provided for their salvation, as baptism.
- “Baptism is required of all men as a condition of entrance into the kingdom of God.” There is no salvation without this ceremony, performed by a Mormon elder and by immersion. “They who . . . are not baptized in water, in my name, for the remission of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned.” “Compliance with the laws and ordinances of the Gospel is an absolute and irrevocable requirement for the securing of individual salvation to the souls of men . . . if any soul has failed . . . to render obedience to these requirements the obligation is not removed by death.”
- “The necessary ordinances may be performed for the dead by their living representatives, the mortal subject acting as proxy for the departed one.” As Christ became our Saviour, “so may each of us, by opening the way to our departed dead whereby they may be brought within the saving law of the gospel, become in a small measure saviours unto those who would otherwise be left in darkness.”
- Thus “it becomes the duty and privilege of every Mormon to labor for the salvation of his dead.”
- Spirits “are at liberty to accept or reject the ministrations in their behalf”; they “will derive no . . . benefit therefrom if he has not yet attained faith . . . or still be unrepentant.” “Missionary work is in progress there—work compared with which the evangelistic labor on earth is but a small undertaking. There are preachers and teachers . . .”
- Malachi 4: 1, 2, 5 and 6 are quoted as implying that the lost fathers must be baptized for by their children here, and are waiting for that ceremony! (This author strangely fails to quote the reference in I Cor. 15: 29, as is usually done, as Bible proof of such ordinance in the early Christian church.)
- These ordinances “are acceptable to the Lord, and therefore valid only when administered in places specially provided, set apart, and dedicated for these and kindred purposes; that is to say, such ordinances belong exclusively to the House of the Lord”—meaning these “temples.”
- The ordinances to be performed in these temples are stated as follows in Chapter IV of the same book:
- “Baptism, specifically Baptism for the Dead.
- Ordination and associated Endowments in the Priesthood.
- Marriage Ceremonies.
- Other ‘Sealing Ordinances.’
Each of these ceremonies or ordinances may be performed either for the living, present in person, or for the dead who are represented each by an individual, living proxy.”
This chapter then goes on at length to explain, covering up things not desired to be generally understood, affirming marriage for eternity by living parties, marriage by proxy for the dead by living representatives passing through the ceremony. In proof of this last, the plain teaching of Christ in Mark 12: 18-27 is utterly twisted and made to teach its direct opposite and so to help the Mormon ceremonies. It further affirms that children of Mormons married only “for time” can be “sealed” to them for eternity provided they have at the time been married “for eternity”; and says that “husbands and wives who are dead are married or sealed to each other by proxy ministration, and their children are similarly sealed to them in the family relationship.”
The foregoing quotations and facts show the purpose of Mormon temples as not worship, but the blinding and ensnaring of souls by forms and ceremonies taught to be necessary for salvation, but entirely contrary to the Bible; thus placing their eternal destiny in the hands of a false “priesthood,” and leading them to trust in these men and ceremonies instead of in Christ. The vast sin and evil of this whole system is seen in the fact that of all the above statements and teachings about these ceremonies NOT ONE IS TRUE by the tests of either Bible or good reason; all are CONTRARY to both these tests. It would seem that any reasonable soul would revolt at them, even as carefully quoted from their own authorities above. And as more fully stated in our tract about them and in other revelations of the same, they are still more offensive to any right mind.
Yet these same temple ceremonies and obligations are the one thing that holds Mormonism together more than probably any other. One reason for this lies in the following quotation from the Mormon book Doctrine and Covenants, 78: 8. Speaking of the records of ordinances performed in these temples, this professed book of revelations from God says:
“For out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their own propria persona, or by the means of their own agents, according to the ordinances which God has prepared for their salvation . . . according to the records which they have kept concerning their dead.”
The more one reads about these “temples” and their work, and talks with Mormons about them (they will almost never talk of the ceremonies themselves, being forbidden to reveal by their oaths) the more he feels the terrible obstacle they are to the real cause of Christ. And also, the more it becomes clear that the only remedy for this evil is the stronger pressing of the real truth of God among them by the only methods which can largely reach them, which are those we are using. These temples must have cost perhaps $7,000,000; one of them has been officially reported as putting a thousand people through ceremonies in one day: 768,546 ordinances were officially reported as performed in 1922-3, and this is probably far too small for the present. One small boy told us before others that he had been “baptized” for 900; another for 150, and a Mormon business man that he had been immersed completely for fifty dead relatives in one day! What mockery of the genuine baptism for repentant sinners established by Christ! And what sin to lead people to trust in such falsities for salvation instead of in Christ by genuine faith! And how every Christian ought to be anxious to help dispel this sinful fog of falsehood by helping send the real truth to such people!
THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE TO ONE MINISTER
We know a rich valley in our Western field which is over forty miles long, has 35,000 people, in 33 places large enough for Mormon meetings, AND ONLY ONE MINISTER, who drives 27 miles to hold another service every other Sunday afternoon; and the total attendance at all three preaching services would hardly average 100, with Sunday schools adding a few more. And these services are in places aggregating about 13,000 population; and the pastor is a hard-working, earnest man. An Episcopal minister comes rarely from 150 miles away for a service in that church. The total Christian membership is less than 100 out of the 35,000. The population of this valley is probably 95% Mormon, organized into over 50 “wards” with officers and regular meetings. In hardly one other place is there material for even the start of a church or Sabbath school; though years ago there were fourteen such places occupied, with about 20 schools and meetings.
These facts illustrate the following truths of experience and logic, which we discovered in our own actual work nearly thirty years ago, and which showed then as now the need of our traveling work:
- Mormonism long ago fortified itself against all Christian organizations, by slanders teaching its people that ministers and churches were all frauds working for money and sect—”base counterfeits of the true and heavenly coin,” as one of their most important tracts puts it.
- Mormons multiply and remain in localities, while non-Mormons do not find the situation, religiously or otherwise, to their liking, and hence sell out or otherwise find it wise to leave.
- The mission schools, which should have been at least partially continued (as many of us long ago strove to have them) were entirely discontinued, leaving plants going to ruin and all Christian work stopped save in a few of the places where there were organized churches with pastors. The school and similar work could reach many Mormon children, and through them some parents, which church work could not do, from reason 1 above; hence the church work dwindled and everything finally stopped in twelve of the fourteen places enumerated above; likewise in Mormon places generally.
- Now there is only ONE way known in which the Mormon people can be given any large chance to even hear or read the gospel. This is by a special traveling work, practically such as we have been carrying on for 26 years. NOTHING else reaches more than a very few Mormons in this whole valley or anywhere else where they predominate. And we have been enabled to reach them, from paucity of men and means, only about once in every five or six years! We ought to visit all not less than once in three, or even two, years; as has always been our plan. Surely this little chance would be small enough. Being the ONLY systematic effort or method known, and based on all the experience ever had, this work ought to be pushed to the limit. It should extend over the whole Mormon region, including north far into Canada, east into Wyoming and Colorado, west into Nevada and south into Arizona and New Mexico and if possible into the Mormon settlements in Old Mexico itself. The need is thus gigantic: in Arizona the new half-million dollar “temple” indicates the number of people needing our work there, and mostly untouched thus far, while further West there are many more.
This valley in Utah-Idaho is not by any means unique, though perhaps the largest sample; there are many more only less striking. Everywhere the need is the same, both in methods and messages. Knowledge of the facts gives one the deep heartache for these mistrained, deceived people, with no other human means of getting the light of God! We have always been cramped for both men and means, and each need accentuates the other. CANNOT friends by special effort break the spell that has hindered and make possible what is needed? We shall be glad to reply to inquiries from any friend, or to visit such if necessary and feasible. And we ask earnest prayers as well as efforts.
Have you sent in that new subscriber or church club yet? The cause needs it, and the church; and multitudes of souls in danger!
MISSIONARY MEN NEEDED
The startling facts about the religious destitution in Utah regions and the impossibility of reaching the people by any other means than such as ours, ought to overwhelm us with applications for a chance to serve in this urgent work. We shall need an unusual number of new helpers beginning with next June or July and shall be glad to hear from devoted, able men who are free enough from other obligations to serve in the gospel wagons for one or more years. Mormonism drafts fully 1,000 men and girls yearly to proselyte for itself, finding their own expenses, staying two or more years and making about four perverts each per year from Christian people to their evil system. The Mission only asks at present for a constant force of nine fine men in its gospel autos and wagon, with all expenses met, including fares out and back, for one or more years each of faithful service.
If the reader might go or can suggest some suitable man, please write us with details of age, experience, education, health, etc., and references, as soon as convenient. Steadfast, consecrated, unselfish, adaptable men are needed, and will find the work a blessing to themselves as well as others. Address the Mission at 9277 Amesbury Ave., Cleveland, Ohio.
PAUL’S METHOD OF DEALING WITH FALSE RELIGIONISTS
Sometimes our western work is criticized because one of its main points is making plain the errors of Mormonism to those who hold them. We try always to do this in utmost kindness, and without unnecessary offense: and feel sure, after long experience and watching hundreds of congregations, that we succeed so that very few have any unkind feelings toward us. But the objection is still made that presenting the positive truth is all that is needed, and is more apt to win. We have long ago given the subject most careful attention, and cannot at all accede to this view; briefly for these reasons: First, because the only way anyone can intelligently change a wrong position is by understanding why and how it is wrong and what the right one is. Second, the example and precept of Bible prophets and preachers of the gospel is all the other way, including that of Christ himself. Third, that men in other Christian work find plainness in making the needed issue the best if not the only way to succeed for God and souls. We wish here to present some facts about the method of Paul, the greatest preacher of the gospel if not the greatest human character of New Testament times, in meeting just the same issues which we find, and with the same kinds of people.
The great sermon of Paul on Mars Hill is the most extended example of his preaching which we have. And it was addressed to people who had almost exactly the same false and sinful ideas about God which Mormonism teaches today. (See Acts 18: 16-34.) Here are the main points of the sermon:
- The Introduction is complimentary and of personal interest, but leads directly to the radical differences he must present in the sermon—no dodging these at all.
- It gives the true doctrine of God in strong contrast to their false beliefs, stating plainly the oneness, omnipresence, omnipotence, creatorship, spirituality, personality and fatherhood of God in opposition to their contrary and idol-worshipping ideas; and it confirms these by reference to their own books.
- It gives the true doctrine of men, likewise, against their false ones; the unity of all races and hence the brotherhood of all; their location by Him, living in and cared for by Him; proven by their own poets.
- It argues against idolatry; since we are like Him He cannot be an idol.
- It tells them plainly God’s demand for instant repentance, for sins of both belief and conduct.
- It teaches future judgment as the great reason for repentance.
The results of this sermon, as usual, were that some believed, others wanted to hear him again; but he left for the next city, Corinth.
This sermon is both entirely logical and wholly adapted to the peculiar needs of his hearers; meeting the very heart of their heathen doctrine with the definite truth of God, in love and wisdom. It is our main model in our own work.
Next we find Paul at Corinth, some 20 miles from Athens, and with the same errors to meet. (Acts 18: 4-11.) Here he is said to have “reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks,” and “testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.” “Reasoned” and “persuaded” both refer to kindly argument to convince—which is usually the only way that truth can be brought home to any opposers. The effect of this kindly arguing and testimony is said to have been that the synagogue Jews “opposed themselves and blasphemed,” so that he left them and went to the Gentiles in the city, doing the same kind of work for eighteen months; and many of these people believed. Next he went to
Ephesus. (Acts 18: 19.) Here also he “entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews”—kindly arguing, as before. On a second visit (Acts 19: 8-10) he again spoke boldly in the synagogue, “disputing and persuading the things concerning the Kingdom of God”; and when certain ones were antagonistic, he left them and with his disciples was for two years occupied with “disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.” The result given is that “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” Soon the stir against him came, led by Demetrius, whose argument against Paul also graphically sets forth both Paul’s method and its result as “saying that they be no gods which are made with hands, so that the whole worship of Diana is likely to be destroyed”—by Paul’s “persuading” argument. (Acts 19: 26, 27.)
In Thessalonica also, we are told this (Acts 17: 2, 3): “And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them (in the synagogue) and three Sabbath days reasoned (kindly argued) with them out of the Scriptures “that this Jesus whom I preach unto you, is the Christ.” This is thus shown to be his usual method of doing his work for Christ. Result, the Jews were angered and made great uproar, so that Paul was sent away by night for safety to
Berea. Here he did the same work, but the nobler people “searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed”; but enemies from Thessalonica followed and soon compelled him to leave this field also.
At Lystra, Paul also preached so plainly against idolatry and about the true God that, even after having worked a great miracle, Jews from other places led the people to stone and supposedly kill him (Acts 14: 8-19.)
Long before these events, and immediately after his conversion, he had begun this same method of work for Christ, and “preached Christ in the synagogues . . . and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the very Christ.” (Acts 9: 20-22.) Such words can refer to nothing but most forcible though kindly argument and persuasion.
The great Apostle’s restrospect of his life work in II Tim. 4: 7 is also valuable in this connection; “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course;” see also references. It is thus placed beyond question that a prime element in Paul’s preaching of the gospel, both to heathens of extremely wrong and vicious doctrines and to opposing Jews who persisted in rejecting Christ, was that of discussion, argument, persuasion, by presenting the facts in contrast upon which alone could any attitude and action rightly be based. Paul’s gospel was no merely “goody-goody” affair; it had backbone. It dealt with the greatest truths of the universe, and was often in conflict with the greatest errors of ignorant or opposing humanity; his truths were presented in strongest contrast with prevailing errors, and always in the kindest way possible, yet they often resulted in violent persecutions, as well as also in much gospel success. And we find the same facts true also in the work of the other apostles, and in that of Christ himself.
In His life we note the same quality, evident whenever occasion demanded. Recall his denunciations of scribes and Pharisees; the parables which they perceived were “spoken against them”; the keen replies to their smart “questions,” intended to trap him but turned into traps for themselves instead; his scourging the profaners out of the temple, his treatment of the accusers in the case of the woman taken in adultery; his discussion with enemies in John 8: 12-end, when He was threatened with death by them but “escaped out of their hand,” as he had done miraculously before. Even the Crucifixion was humanly because his clear, penetrating truth had made his murder supposedly the only safety for his determined opponents. If He had been the namby-pamby personage that some would picture Him, nothing of the kind would have taken place; and neither would any Atonement have been made or any New Testament dispensation have been ushered in, with its infinite blessing and power!
The argument from the opposition sometimes aroused in our own work is thus seen to be of no value whatever against our method; rather might it be considered some index of our success in impressing souls and thus endangering the kingdom of Satan.
And is not genuine love perhaps the greatest quickener of perceptions of religious conditions and giver of courage to speak needed truth? Is not the best surgeon he who is most loyal to perceive and meet the needs of his patient, at whatever cost of mere feelings?
For such reasons we cannot avoid believing that our methods have been true, and that, with any adaptations which future wisdom may suggest, they are the ones which alone can be successful in meeting the needs of our field. The changes which have already taken place in the Mormon people are great, and we believe are very largely, if not mainly, due to our making this very contrast between truth and error. Indeed, no man can really preach the gospel of Christ to Mormons without doing this in some way; and to most of our hearers this contrast must be made very plain or it will not be seen at all.
WHAT OUR WORK NEEDS
Not for itself—we do not mean that; but for the great cause it serves; for Christ and his multitudes of souls in darkness.
The first need is that of MEN to do the work in the field. Mormonism sends out about one thousand missionaries each year to spread itself, each finding his own expenses; and they have to stay two years, and average three or four converts from our people each year. Why should we not be deluged with applications to help in the gospel wagons for one year, with all expenses provided and a nice wagon home to live in? We believe there is NO good reason! If the reader might help, or can suggest some one else, will he not write at once, giving details? We shall need several fine, strong men beginning in the spring or summer. See article “Thirty-five Thousand People to One Minister” elsewhere in this issue. If the men will not come there is no alternative but to let the people go on in darkness!
The second need is funds to meet expenses and extend the work. It is not easy or wise to be always compelled to economize too closely, holding back work urgently needed both in the office and field; yet such has too often been the case in the past. Mountains of work both East and West are waiting, undone for lack of means and men!
The third need is a greatly enlarged list of readers for LIGHT. It could be by far our greatest missionary, if churches and individuals would only use it largely. Any issue has light enough to keep any rational person from going into Mormonism, to help any such Mormon see the error of the system and get out if already in it, or to stir a Christian up to lend a hand to the cause. Every reader is asked to help; get others to come into our family, especially churches for free clubs, so their whole communities may get informed. A prominent pastor recently paid for two clubs of 100, one to go to some other church. There is no end to the good that might be done in this way. Will you help? A concerted effort might double our list in a week! See first column, fine print.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN SEPTEMBER LIGHT
Some may have been disappointed at not finding replies to the list of questions by a Mormon in our last issue. But a part at a time is all we can take room for, if all are worth treating at all. Here are some answers and others may be expected in future issues.
1. “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the very son of God . . . in the same sense that you are the son of your earthly father?”
Of course not; nor can any one else who believes the Bible and knows what it says, or uses good reason. Mormonism teaches that Christ was in the other world the physically sex-begotten son of Adam-god and Eve, who was “one of his wives”; and coming to earth-birth the same Adam-god provided by the same means with unmarried Mary the body he was to enter—thus making him twice, according to Mormonism, the sex-begotten child of this “god” and goddess Eve. And the questioner asks if I believe this wicked stuff, borrowed from heathenism and palmed off as the “only real Christianity”! We answer, with all the vehemence there is in us, NO! A THOUSAND TIMES NO!! We would die before professing belief in such wicked teaching! If our questioner wishes the origin of such doctrines, let him study back in ancient heathenism about Jupiter, or the Greek Zeus, or other like heathen deities, and thus see where any one should be classified who believes such terrible things! And if he intends to be a Christian, then let him abhor and utterly forsake such sinful things forever, and accept the Christian belief that there is only ONE God—no “mother God” or sex or any thing of the kind in heaven. And also let him believe that this is one of the multitude of passages in the Bible, paralleled also in every language, where “son” is used of spiritual or figurative likeness instead of physical as Mormonism would make it. This is explained somewhat fully, with many references, in our booklet called “The Teaching of Mormonism and Christianity Compared according to the Bible and Sound Reason,” pages 32-34. If our questioner has not received a copy, it will be mailed for ten cents if he will send his address to ours as given at the top of our first column.
2. “Do you believe that Adam and Eve were created out of nothing?” The Bible says nothing of the kind. Genesis 2: 7 tells us that “the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into him the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” It must of course have been the material part, or body, of man which was formed from the dust; lifeless, waiting the life or soul, perhaps lying on the grass there in Eden. Next the soul, or spirit, was “breathed” into the body, directly from God; notice that no pre-existence is possible, as Mormonism teaches; and that instantly, then and not before, “man became a living soul” or human being. If Adam had been in pre-existence before, as Mormonism teaches, it could not possibly be true that he “became living” then; hence such doctrine cannot possibly be correct. This book of Genesis, also, is giving the ORIGINS of things; and this is its history of the origin of man—his body created before soul, and both created here on earth. As to Eve, we are told that she was made from a rib of Adam (Gen. 2: 21); there is no reference to “nothing” in either account of the creation of the first human beings, hence no reason why any one should believe such an idea. Careful study of the Bible will always give the correct ideas; and we try to advance no teaching that is not thus correct.
PUSHING THE BOOK OF MORMON
Mormonism seems especially anxious recently about belief in its Book of Mormon. Articles, sermons and S. S. subjects are extra numerous. We hear of Book of Mormon classes and Doctrine and Covenants classes organized among new converts and others. Of course the present arguments for these books are just the same as have been annihilated hundreds of times; and the mere reading of the books themselves is enough to show any person of literary or religious judgment that they are merely human, and of very poor quality at that, though giving some truth along with great errors. And the Mormonism of today flatly contradicts the greatest true teaching of these very books, and usually does not even know that it is doing so. The Book of Mormon, being mainly written by an ex-minister, as a novel, contains the genuine truth about God; the Doctrine and Covenants gives the same in most places, but in its latter part questions and even contradicts this somewhat; the other “inspired” book of Mormonism, the “Pearl of Great Price,” has only the true doctrine on this subject save in a very few pages near the close; yet Mormonism today rejects all this truth in its own books and strongly teaches its very opposite, everywhere.
JOSEPHITE MORMONISM
Is unusually active in urging Book of Mormon study, as well as the Brighamite kind. A pledge to read the book through this year, prize essays on subjects assigned, and much publicity in their press, are characteristic features; also celebrating on Sept. 27 the hundredth anniversary of what never happened, the handing of the “golden plates” to the “prophet” Joseph Smith. A late issue gives a cut of “The sacred grove where the vision appeared to the prophet, Joseph Smith Farm, Palmyra, New York.” In this cut we see no trees appearing to be more than a foot through, which would make them hardly fifty years old instead of full grown a hundred years ago, as the statement would imply! And we have several other published pictures of the same grove, of which this fact is likewise true. The simple FACT is that there is NO evidence that we have ever been able to get hold of in examining everything advanced by Mormonism on this whole subject, which affords one iota of proof that anything of the kind affirmed ever really happened at all, except the bare statement, made long after, of what Smith said occurred there when he was a small boy of fourteen! Is that anything whatever of evidence to base a new religion on? Surely not; especially taking into account the possibilities of even an honest boy being imposed upon by Satanic wiles, by hypnotic agencies, dreams, etc.; and also the notoriously untrue character of the Smith boy as known to his neighbors. (See our tract, “Why I Could Never Be a Mormon,” for the sworn evidence; No. 6 of List, last page of this issue.) And any amount of “evidence” would be instantly upset by reading the book itself, with its misspellings, bad grammar and style, and instances of camp-meeting language utterly unknown until early American history; besides its many blank contradictions, and the falsehoods put in the mouth of God in Smith’s account of the vision, which he said occurred in the grove. It is pitiful to see people so deceived by an entirely palpable fraud. Our tract, “Mormonism Proclaiming Itself a Fraud,” shows some of these facts, which ought to be known to every one. And as long as Mormonism keeps its 2,000 or so of emissaries out misleading our own people and others, ought not everybody to keep posted and to help post others about these things? LIGHT will do this, and tracts, written largely for this purpose and costing little.
THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY SCIENTIFICALLY TRUE
Perhaps some one will think that we are getting beyond our depth in tackling this most difficult doctrine of evangelical Christianity to show that it is truly scientific. But let such an one read below. The belief is not easier for us than for some others; but we have had to deal with it vastly more than most, and believe our title expresses the exact provable truth, which many need to know.
We believe in the Holy Trinity for two main reasons: First, because the Bible plainly teaches it, both directly and by necessary implications; second, because other facts make is so necessary that we must accept it or throw all revealed religion away and become infidels.
We have shown in our first article that the Bible is the Word of God; hence what it plainly teaches, in its ultimate sense, must be accepted; we cannot reasonably do as some do unreasonably, pick and choose what we will believe, independent of the evidence in and out of the Word, or on merely subjective reasons, such as “People do not believe such and such things any more, they’re out of date.” The multiplication table, gravitation, love and righteousness and a million other things are old, and every year that has passed has proven them more true. That is just why they have been kept till they are old; also because God made things as they indicate, so they are the evident expression of Him and will endure while He lasts. It does not do to make light of such things!
The Bible teaches most plainly that there is only ONE GOD; and does this in a multitude of passages—see ten in Isaiah 45 alone. This teaching is fundamental, and beyond possible question. On the other hand, in fewer passages by far, and some of them a bit uncertain as to textual matters, it teaches that He is also a three-one Being—see I John 5: 8 (Revised); Isaiah 48: 16; Matt. 28: 19; John 15: 26; Acts 10: 38; II Cor. 13: 14; Titus 3: 45, and others, stating or implying the threefold nature of God. These are plain and cannot be done away with. Hence it is plain that the supreme oneness of God must be in some way consistent with this threeness.
At this point all the ridicule of small or ill-informed minds has come in, to the effect that they cannot see how three can be one and one three, that any such statement is contradictory, etc.—ghastly ridicule at best, regarding Bible statements, if not really profane; and without real basis, also, as we shall see. The great Webster in the height of the first Unitarian controversy, made one good answer: “I take it, gentlemen, that we do not understand the arithmetic of heaven.” Another is that, since we cannot understand a little blade of grass or flower yet well know that earth is covered with them from the hand of God, we would best be very careful in denying anything at all just because we do not see how it could be. The modern electrical discoveries put to shame any such argument instanter, and statements of them would have been ridiculed a few years ago, as would the automobile and many other things which have now become every-day facts with all of us. Ridiculing statements of the Bible is always not only foolish but wicked; though reverent inquiry may always be in order.
But the most satisfactory illustration of how the Trinity may be explained is one which scientific psychology, or even every-day observation of humanity, will supply. Man was created “in the image of God”—of course in his spiritual or mental nature, not the physical, as Mormonism wrongly makes it. And this higher nature which is finitely like God’s nature, is itself triune, with three kinds of powers together composing one triune human being. With our intellect or reason we can think and study out things; with our emotional nature we know of feelings aroused by the facts of which we think; and last and highest of all, we have power to choose what to do regarding the facts and different courses presented thus to us; deciding for the good or the bad, the attractive or the repulsive, just as we please. And these powers are always ours, unless we weaken or destroy them by evil choices; and so our whole character is gradually decided for time and eternity by our actions as the trinities which we really are, in the image of God who made us to so act. Every time we look in the glass we see the house in which such a trinity dwells; and we realize that we have the power to make it better or worse as we choose to do, and that God has given us motives to lead us aright if we will to be led! Why should anyone doubt the Trinity of God when he is himself a living example of such a nature, along with trillions of others like him? A moment’s thought will also let him see that he himself uses this same trinity in others, when he seeks to influence them to any course of conduct; he first presents the facts, or seeks to predispose their view of these by first creating favorable feelings toward him and his errand; then by other facts seeking to arouse favorable feelings, and then to secure favorable decision by the will in view of all the facts, or motives like facts, which he has presented. Just so God does with us, in everything, spiritual or otherwise, through the Bible or in other ways; always by suitable motives to influence the WILL through the other parts of his nature, so that he will decide rightly and avoid the wrong. Just so every prayer to God is framed, including the Lord’s Prayer and that of Christ in the Garden; implying that God is a Being of like nature with us, only infinite; and thus He himself says, in like view of himself and us, “Come, let us reason together.”
In view of the whole constitution of human nature thus, as well as of the statements direct and indirect of the Word of God itself, we cannot but think that the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is scientifically proven by all the facts in the case which apply. As has been said before, we have no whit of patience with the too common idea of “science” as if it applied to physical things alone. It applies exactly as much, if not more, to spiritual things, as we think we have shown; and it includes everything which can be proven by the facts of the case, so that it can rightly be considered as scientia, or something known. And Paul was not mistaken when he exclaimed, “I KNOW in whom I have believed.” Religious experience can be just as real and scientific as any other kind of experience, as shown by its effects in character and life, individually and collectively.
We hope to present another teaching as scientific in our next issue. Brief questions on the subjects presented will be in order from anyone.
PRESENT CONDITIONS IN MORMON-LAND
Generalizations about these are matters of hesitation, after one has had long acquaintance with the facts and knows how these may differ so largely in one town, or even one group, from the next one studied. But the whole impression of the season, though its field has usually been one of the most strongly Mormon and antagonistic, is that the attitude is really improving. While the same old questions and arguments are used in support of the same old and really pagan ideas which are still at the bottom of Mormonism, they have usually been urged with less vehemence and rancor, and the usual questions have been on a higher plane. The system is doing its utmost to keep all its people in the belief of a many gods with fleshly bodies, sex and all the rest, which really wreck every essential of Christian belief. But the diminishing of faith in all religion and influence by it seems evident, and is often mourned by the better Mormons, who sometimes seem really Christian in their attitude. One good woman in a store, who greeted us warmly from recollection of previous visits in the town, lamented this fact among the young. We replied that she must not be offended if we gave one reason which would come close home; and she agreed not to be. Then we said that we did not see how any system with such an idea of God could possibly hold the allegiance or even respect of any person who stopped to think at all; and went on to explain how the many-god, flesh-and-bones god ideas were utterly absurd in themselves and could not possibly be held by any thoughtful person, and must inevitably cut the tie of such to Mormonism, and leave them only nominal adherents for social or financial reasons, without heart in it otherwise. We added something about how much we wished them to study their Bibles and the helps we gave them and change such wrong ideas as rapidly as possible. She was not in the least offended, but agreed with much we said; seeming to be a really pious woman, and of more than usual intelligence. Bishops have also lamented the condition of things likewise, and have listened to the same partial explanation with some assent. The leaders are working hard to keep hold of their youth; in the place first mentioned, every meeting-house had its movies weekly, as well as its dance and other entertainments.
A new style of meeting-house has been evolved for these purposes, of which we saw several examples, either finished or in course of erection. In this the meeting-house is one unit, and is connected with the other unit, of the same size and cost and called the “Recreation Hall” or such like name, by a connecting wing in the rear. In one such case the cost was $60,000, both buildings being alike in size and style. Their effect must be, it seems to us, to still further minimize the importance of the religious side of Mormonism, and to still further increase that of the merely secular and worldly side which has already caused so much trouble from undue emphasis. We see no hope whatever of religious improvement in that direction, but only in so changing teachings of Mormonism that it shall bring its people into genuine, heart relations with God.
HAS THE HOME ANY DEPENDABLE BASIS? IF SO, WHAT IS IT?
We had supposed that the laws of the home based on monogamous and life marriage were so evidently rooted in necessity and based on the law of God that to persons of average thought they were inviolable. But the nauseating stuff which was carefully published in most daily papers in November about a certain boy of 20 and girl yet in high school planning and completing an arrangement called a new kind of “marriage,” to be without responsibility and in defiance of both human and divine laws regarding such things; with parents aiding and encouraging, and later planning to be “remarried” themselves similarly, perhaps needs a word further.
The first characteristic of real marriage is that it is to establish a home, assuming, as far as may be, all the obligations of separation from all others and into the new and holy relationship as long as life shall last, including raising of children if such shall be given them. This new affair is thus not really marriage at all, specifically denying its great purpose and all its obligations which may not minister to their personal gratification, especially repudiating those of parenthood and of permanence, and calling it “companionate” marriage.
If such relationship does not strike at the very foundation of the home and family, we can hardly see what could. Even polygamy would not be worse. The noted Mormon elder, B. H. Roberts, who was excluded from Congress for having three families in polygamy, recently said in Salt Lake City some very true things about this affair; especially these: “It means that we shall canonize the sex vices by legalizing them.” It “means in its effects, free love legalized.” That is just the real fact; and it is one reason why every friend of Christianity and the home should be up in arms against any such sinful idea. According to Judge Lindsay’s own statement, it was born of the gross sins which his court revealed, and is a lowering of the standard of righteousness to make it possible for these sinners to sin respectably and to help them do this without incurring family responsibilities and stop all “marital” relations when they get tired of each other. And what next will happen in society, if such things become common? Relations terminated by whatever process of sham legality, one can almost imagine many first, second and third relations of such kind between different parties, and even “rummage sales” of such cast-off husbands and wives—horrible indeed, but not worse than reports from Russia today make things there!
Is there really any basis for permanence in the family relation? There is just one, and all the Lindsays and soviets and other anarchistics begin with repudiating this only hope. THE LAW OF GOD IN THE BIBLE tells just the solution of the problem. Read Genesis 2: 24 and its references, and we have the fundamental law of the home, forever binding upon all humanity in spite of all tricks to evade it, re-enacted by Christ Himself because of such tremendous importance and itself the one cure for all troubles in that line. Instead of pandering to the vices of high-school youngsters or any one else, the law must be enforced and all taught that sin is sin and must be punished, in these as other lines, and that the Christian family is too fundamental to the welfare of all human beings to be trifled with, by “judges” least of all. The farmer who should let down the bars because unruly stock was jumping over would be wise compared with the author of this terrible scheme. Put them up higher! Lindsayism is based on repudiation of the Bible. “Teach the Word!”
Sometime, if ever time can be found, we want to make a study of the Mormon books according to their doctrines, which often grossly contradict each other; believing that such doctrinal stratification will be evident as will also show the diverse and wholly human authorship of all the books, except as they quote from the Bible. Another urgently needed tract ought to point out plainly these and other direct contradictions, so that anyone can examine them and see that since contradictaries cannot both be true one GOD could not possibly have given these opposite statements on the same subject—especially about Himself and His conditions of salvation. On both of these subjects Mormonism is now teaching the direct opposite of the early doctrines in its books. There are no such contradictions in the real Word of God! These differences are often as plain as if the multiplication table said “twice two is four” and then “twice two is six”; there is no possible reconciliation between them, and they seem to wreck completely all claim to either identity or divinity of authorship—or would do the latter if there was anywhere the least evidence of such to be wrecked.
Nutting, John D., ed. The Utah Gospel Mission, Vol. VI, No. 3, Whole No. 23. Cleveland, OH, Oct.–Dec. 1927. PDF.
The above was transcribed with the help of ChatGPT. Administrative details, subscription information, and publication listings have been removed for brevity.
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