PUSHING THE BOOK OF MORMON STILL
A Western religious paper which does not always speak wisely on Mormonism, reprints a statement by a college president saying that the Bible is now used more and the Book of Mormon less than years ago. There is just enough of fact behind the first half of the statement to make Mormonism take notice, it may be and work harder against such changes as we all would like to in that line. At any rate, there has never been, in our thirty-five years of experience with Mormonism, any such amount of matter in the Mormon press on the Book of Mormon, as has been printed during the last year or so! And the most of it consists of reports of addresses, many given over the radios belonging to Mormonism, both Utah and Josephite. The material is just the same old stuff that has been heard for ten decades or so, and answered completely in every decade and probably every year or month from almost the beginning! But those who believe in the book do not hear the replies, and so the delusion goes on, and on—as yet. We never find anything new in such arguments, though we scan them somewhat well. Constant reiteration of even untruths makes people believe them firmly, though there be no shred of fact behind them. If every friend of truth would send LIGHT to those whom they know as Mormons, that would help; likewise several of our tracts. It is a pity for people to go on believing such things, and thus detracting from their estimate and use of the Bible; and its effects on character cannot but be bad. Hence we issue the following:
We challenge any one to bring any proof, such as would stand legal scrutiny in court on other matters, on these points:
- That the Book of Mormon is in any sense divine, save as to the parts taken from the Bible without change.
- That the Book of Mormon ever existed, in any form or place, before the time of Joseph Smith: this not referring to quoted parts, or to writings of Solomon Spaulding, but to substantially the present book.
- That the common Mormon story of its origin has any basis of fact whatever. This includes the story of the two “visions,” the finding or existence of any “plates,” and their professed “translation.”
- That there is any truth in the claim that the book “proves the Bible,” “is foretold in the Bible,” or adds the least proof “to the convincing of Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ,” (this last statement claims to be the words of God), or that it reveals even one new religious truth.
ITS TITLE-PAGE DISPROVES THE BOOK!
Mormons are constantly claiming that the Bible has no such strong evidence to prove that it was given by God as the Book of Mormon has; often adding that the archaeological support of the latter is vastly stronger than anything had for the Bible. Such statements show at their best only egregious ignorance of the real facts. The cut herewith shows (reduced somewhat) the title-page of the first edition of the Book of Mormon, which we had engraved; the fine print and words above are claimed to be inspired by God. But many errors can easily be seen in it, about forty changes having been made in this title-page between this original edition and the latest, dated 1923; and over 2,000 changes have been made in this whole book to make it readable, besides many which the first typesetter had to put in to make even sense! How can it be that God sent a man to reveal his will who did not know enough to write the language in which God was to speak to man? The very idea is absurd! In the title-page herewith, notice the fine print carefully, thinking of the errors, etc., and of the extreme improbability of the whole. Note the statement below the center that Joseph Smith is the “Author and Proprietor” of this book which claims to be from and by God in the fine print above and elsewhere, and is advocated with such claims by all Mormon authors. How then can Smith be “Author”; and if it be God’s book, how can he be the “Proprietor”? Note the statement at bottom of the page that it was printed “for the author”; and then, in the book itself (if opportunity ever offers), turn the leaf and find the statement that he claims to be the author, in the copyright notice; then that he signs the Preface as “The Author”; and to crown the whole the solemn sworn “testimony of the Eight Witnesses” tells again that he is “the author.” But plainly if Smith was the author God was not, and we need not bother about the book at all; and the claims of Mormonism are gone with this one fact. And the more one studies the case the more this ignorant human authorship, though not really Smith’s in great degree, becomes evident; and the more utterly the impossibility that God wrote the book is evident. Instead of being divine, the book is very poor even as literature, and “reveals” absolutely nothing at all.
We were once asked by one of the Utah Mormon “apostles” what we thought of the Book of Mormon. We replied by giving some of these facts, and stating, as above, that we did not need to think much of the book, according to its own testimony. He replied that Smith had made the false claim so as to get the copyright and sell the book! For full brief statement of facts about the title-page and Book of Mormon, see our tract “Mormonism Proclaiming Itself a Fraud” (No. 4, List, last page this issue).
UTTERLY MISLEADING STATEMENTS
The food which is given the Mormon reader by both the Josephite and Utah Mormon press may be judged from the following, which comes to hand in the Eastern Brighamite paper. It is the more significant from being in an editorial:
“The last quarter century has witnessed the denial by the leading churches of modern Christianity of nearly every basic doctrine of the Christian faith. The most vital of all is the denial of the Divine Sonship and of his atoning death for the sins of the world. . . . several of the leading churches have gone on record as believing that the only vital thing in the Gospel is its ethical teachings.” — Liahona, March 20. Similar statements are common.
Such writers should know the facts before making terrible assertions like these. The only truth in them is that now, as in many earlier years, certain erratic individuals who dishonorably stand in pulpits of orthodox denominations, are guilty of statements somewhat like the above. But that is quite a different thing from “the leading churches of modern Christianity” doing anything of the kind. The case might be illustrated thus: Supposing we should say that both kinds of Mormonism advocated the infamous doctrine of “wife sacrifice” which was advocated by numbers of Mormons in a district near Salt Lake a few years ago—which meant simply trading wives under supposed divine revelation to do so, and which was a sort of natural outcome of the shocking even to good Mormons, and was suppressed, as far as we have ever heard, at once. If we had advertised this as a general fact among Mormon wards, we would have done just about what the above editor has done regarding the various Christian denominations. His statement has just the fact behind it that we have stated; as a general statement every well-informed Christian knows it is false, and repudiates any source of such slanders. The one way to know what a denomination believes is open easily to every one; its own adopted standards of belief, truthful and framed on purpose to tell the world what the church stands for. And our editor would seek in vain for a single one evangelical denomination which repudiated or affirmed what the above says the leading ones do. But the readers of the statements are deceived into believing the slander, as a means of upholding the superior character of Mormonism; which itself has as untrue doctrine of Christ and all the fundamentals of the true Bible faith as has ever been held in modern times! For, as has often been said, there is not ONE of the peculiar teachings of Mormonism which is not contrary to the Bible and good reason both, or has ever been held by the genuine Christian churches! And practically the same is true of eastern or Josephite Mormonism, since their doctrines are nearly the same. And we ought to remember that such things as the above are now a large part of the stock in trade of both kinds of Mormon emissaries, of whom there are probably 2,200 going around, seeking to make converts to such errors and to undermine the Christian churches and ministry by exactly such statements as the above. Everybody should be posted and able to meet these falsehoods with the truth. Be ready!
STRANGE MORMON POSTER
The extreme of deception to which Mormonism can lead its victims is illustrated in the following poster, which was put up all day on a Sunday last December to advertise a regular Mormon meeting. And it was not in some backwoods place, but on a prominent street in a large Eastern city. How deluded must its author be! In size it was perhaps two by three feet, lettering black on white cardboard; the largest letters about six inches high.
This notice, while unusually frank, is correct Mormon doctrine, with all its implications against Christianity as teaching that God has had no “dealings” with men since early days of our faith, and that Joseph Smith was the “resuming” prophet through whom He again communicated with man. A friend to whom we showed the above guessed that it was painted by a convert whom he knew, who a few years ago was a member of a prominent Christian church there. If so, it shows how this false system can get complete mastery of a soul if given a chance; and likewise how important it is that church members should be posted by pulpit and press to prevent such calamities from happening. A single issue of LIGHT should be enough to keep any one out of such a snare; but without knowledge of the deception, any unsuspecting and honest soul is in danger from it. And if churches do not inform their own people, who is to blame for such great and perhaps eternal loss?
THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST SCIENTIFICALLY TRUE
A belief is scientifically true when it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt. The proof may come by irrefutable testimony, by actual experience, by unanswerable logic, or by historical results. The Biblical teaching about Christ is proven in either of these ways.
The doctrine briefly stated would include these points:
- That He was the Son of God; not in any physical sense, as Mormonism and other wrong systems make Him, but in the spiritual and figurative sense which is common in the use of that word regarding other matters. (See hundreds of such instances in the Word, of which many are given in our booklet “Teachings of M. and C. Compared,” No. 25 of List, page 8.)
- That He was also the Son of Man; this also figurative, as the typical and perfect human being; this and the divine nature being united in a double nature while on earth. (See Phil. 2.) Since Christ had no human father, this very title is a striking instance of the figurative use of the word “Son.”
- That He lived the only perfect, sinless human life on earth. (I Pet. 2:22.)
- That He was the greatest religious teacher the world has ever seen, by example and precept. (Matt. ch. 5, 6, 7 and 8.)
- That He was the last priest and sacrifice of the Jewish church, and came to earth to be such: all Jewish economy pointing forward to him in this way. (Heb. 9:14, 26, 28; I Cor. 5:7; I Pet. 1:18, 19.)
- That He died on the cross to make our salvation from sin and eternal ruin possible, through faith in Him alone. (Isa. 53:6, 12; Matt. 1:21; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20.)
- That He rose the third day triumphing completely over sin, Satan and death, both physical and spiritual. (I Cor. 15:1-12; Rom. 1:4, 6:9; Rev. 1:5.)
- He ascended to heaven, where He is now our Advocate. (Acts 1:4-9; I John 2:1; II Tim. 5:6.)
- He will return again, and will finally close up the affairs of this world. (I Thess. 4:15-16; Ac. 17:1; 11:42.)
The Unanswerable Testimony which scientifically proves these beliefs may be stated as twofold. First, That they are all essentially taught in the Bible, which is the Word of God. We have not room to enlarge on each point and give many references, but have placed one or two after each point; and volumes devoted to such proofs will add many others. We would urge for this purpose Inglis’ Bible Text Cyclopedia as the best; though there are many others. Since the Bible, as we have shown, is God’s word, definite proof texts are a sufficient basis for our belief, amounting almost or quite to mathematical proof, and hence such proof is as truly scientific as are the references to law books which decide in court trials.
Secondly, The testimony of history proves beyond question that such a person as the Bible Christ must have existed. As President Fairchild used to tell us in Seminary, if we did not know that there had ever been such a being as Christ, and knew the facts of history as to the great changes in human affairs which began at about that time, we would be compelled to place such a character there to account for them. Things do not happen without cause; and the only adequate cause for these things is a God come down among men, living and dying as Christ Himself did. (For these changes in human affairs consult such works as “Gesta Christi,” by Brace; “The Divine Origin of Christianity Indicated by its Historical Effects,” by Storrs.) So great have these changes been that if one of us in this age were to awaken back in heathen Rome 2,000 years ago he would think himself insane as soon as he had sensed his surroundings. And the most of the difference can be traced to the Life and its effect upon the hearts and minds of men. This miracle of the ages is the greatest miracle of all time; it is still in progress, and we may suppose will so continue.
Third, The testimony of personal experience of Christ. “Lo, I am with you alway” is just as true as when spoken; and every real Christian can have the personal fellowship and experience of Christ now as really as did the Disciples, though not as evidently. The worldling has no place in his heart for the indwelling Christ; he has never listened when He “stood at the door and knocked,” nor has he opened to Him, hence the Lord has not been invited in and cannot “sup with him and he with me” in closest fellowship, as he would gladly do with all. Hence comes all denial of His presence now in the heart, all making salvation depend on works, all making the church a mere religious club, all minimizing prayer and the Word and genuine efforts to save souls, all disbelief in experimental religion, all subjecting spiritual realities to physical or mathematical tests and denying the greatest facts of time and eternity because they are not observable by such means. But the soul which has truly “believed on” Him by utter surrender in love to Him as revealed in the Word, KNOWS by experience that a great change has come to him, just as the Apostle Paul said:
“… If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” —II Cor. 5:17 and references.
God saves people from their past sins, removing the record and penalties that would keep them out of heaven, by genuine repentance through Christ in the Atonement; “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” (I. J. 1:7.) And by genuine believing in Him as present with his children we are saved from present sinning through the new heart given and the realization that He is with us, seeing and helping as we need. The Holy Spirit has also the same work; the members of the Trinity cannot be separated in such things, but the promises are closely alike for both, and for God the Father as well. (John 14:10, 11, 16-26, and references.) The poet Whittier beautifully expresses the fact of the experimental evidence of Christ in these verses:
“In joy of universal peace, or sense
Of sorrow over sin,
Christ is his own best evidence.
His witness is within.No fables old, nor mythic lore,
Nor dream of bard or seer,
No dead fact stranded on the shore
Of the oblivious years–But warm, sweet, tender even yet
A present help is He:
And faith has yet its Olivet,
And love its Galilee.”—From the poem “Our Master.”
It depends, of course, on us as to whether we keep this evidence clear and warm in mind and heart, or let it get clogged and covered over by worldliness and even sinful conduct—or even by the sin of neglect. What one gives no attention to soon becomes foggy and unreal, and loses its power, though it is really just as strong and beautiful in itself as ever. Here comes the duty of personal religion, attending to spiritual things in the soul; and everybody who feeds his soul properly keeps himself bright and clear in the faith and love of God. These things, like all other good ones, must be taken care of or they will not prosper. They are sensitive plants, not bramble bushes.
No matter how much evidence science of any kind may present, the decision to believe, with both the head and heart, rests with the individual. We believe that disbelief in almost all cases comes from rebellion of will instead of from lack of evidence; if everybody were willing to accept Christ in utter surrender of heart and life to Him whose they are, everybody who knows of Him would quickly become a genuine Christian, and unbelief would soon be banished from the earth! How important, then, is it that every one who reads these words should accept the foregoing facts and the Lord and Master they set forth just NOW! And how glad we would be to know that some one had become His from these words of loving interest! If the reader is already His by the great change, perhaps he can point some one else to these truths, and lead them to know the blessed experience of sins forgiven through Christ!
THE HOME MISSIONS COUNCIL’S APPROVAL
The Home Missions Council of Churches is an organization for mutual counsel and study of home missionary problems. It had a large meeting in Cleveland January 20-24. We were given opportunity to tell about our work and the Mormon gospel need, and Dr. Hutchinson of the United Presbyterian Home Board of Pittsburgh, co-operating with us, who has been in the wagons, and Dr. Charles L. White of the Baptist Home Board, New York, also spoke, as did others. After this the following vote of approval and co-operation was unanimously passed:
“VOTED that the Home Missions Council commend the Rev. Mr. Nutting and his work to the favorable consideration of our constituent boards and societies, and to refer this item to the Administrative Committee of the Home Missions Council with suggestion that the Council link up with this movement in a consultative capacity.”
We are grateful for this expression, and trust that actual co-operation may result in needed ways as soon as possible. We are doing a part of the work of the churches of Christ, which they cannot do otherwise; our organization is needed just as the Sunday School was needed as a new branch of the church when that was started, or as young people’s societies and Y. M. C. A.’s were needed when they were started, through the Spirit of God. Our work is always operated in fullest sympathy with all true churches; three such have grown out of our work, and several Sunday Schools also. We like to think of ourselves as like the disciples whom Christ sent forth two and two “into every city whereto himself would come”—advance agents for other kinds of work. We believe that nothing is more important for the churches themselves in Mormonland than that our work shall be done by the best men and frequently in every field. With men and means enough we could reach every point every other year; and any proper co-operation would make that possible very soon. Will friends not pray and work for this?
A GREAT CHANCE!
Multitudes of young men are graduating into actual life this spring; and almost every one would like to find “a great chance,” unless he has found it already. We wish every Christian man of this pulsing crowd would remember these things:
- “All is not gold that glitters.”
- Those things that will seem great 100 years hence are the really great ones to choose now!
- “The things which are not seen are eternal—the enduring, really great ones.”
The great chance we are thinking about is, first of all, Great in its effects on the man himself. Some chances are blighting on the one who takes them, though seemingly very bright when taken. In a few years, often sooner, such men have plainly deteriorated, in mental, spiritual and perhaps in physical condition. Finances may be good still, and a plenty to have and to do with still remains; but old friends in spiritual things begin to say—”What’s the matter with Jones? he’s not the man he used to be.” No man should thus take chances on himself and his soul! The chances we are thinking of will do just the opposite of this for any man who is true to them, will make him grow in everything good, from the ground up, and help him in anything he must turn his hand to later.
Secondly, this chance is great in its effects on others and the world. It is tackling one of the world’s great jobs in religious and moral lines; by which more people than one dreams of are affected, and which is growing greater and more urgent every year because people fail to understand it and meet the need! The things which build a man are not the easy jobs that ask little of him, but those which tax his resources heavily and so build up his strength; just as with the athlete or ball player. The man who shuns a hard job is the one who signs his own death warrant in more ways than one! Any man who has watched graduates for many years will testify to this. Many a plodder of moderate ability outstrips the “rocket” who astonishes by his graduation brilliancy, just by faithfully keeping at it! Christ said “except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone.” The price of success is often such almost-dying for one’s cause, or “chance.” The man who “don’t like crosses” thereby turns away from the very thing that could make him his utmost and would bless the world by his best efforts. Yet how many do this very thing! And how many friends encourage them to do it, blindly enough! If Christ had done that he would today be forgotten; so with Luther and all the galaxy of men who have made their mark on the world for good: they did it by sacrificing lesser things, in almost supreme devotion to the one call of GOD to them! And turning their backs to their “cross” would have spoiled it ALL, for just a little “easier” time, perhaps. The Master said that one who was not willing to take his cross and follow His way of trial, if need be, was not worthy to be called His disciple—because He went straight to the greatest Cross of all for us!
The chance we speak of will enable one to influence 12,000 to 15,000 souls a year, mostly in two or three ways, and in respects which are vital for both worlds and almost entirely dependent on the one who does the work. Issues national and even world-wide depend on the work being done, and there is no other known way to do it. 125,000 square miles of territory here present the conditions requiring it, and it is needed across the water nearly as much as here. No man is too good or able to meet its call; and none can fail to grow larger while faithfully doing it!
We mean the work of the Utah Gospel Mission, in the West, but needed all over. The gigantic Mormon problem and people call as loudly as any other field in the world, to those who understand, and offer the great chance. Fifty years hence may show that the whole solution depended now on a few fine men taking this great opportunity for God and souls and country NOW! Any man who is worthy of the name of Christ and is free to give a year or more, should find out the facts at once. Write today, giving details about yourself. It is a man’s job, and a happy one for faithful men; and every good man who has done the work is thankful for having helped in it. We ourselves have put in thirty years without salary and with we could have as many more!
A HAPPY WORK OURS SHOULD BE
Sometimes people think of our work as rather hard and gloomy, instead of being a happy and grand one, as it should be. We sometimes fear that our new descriptive and directing booklet errs in not saying more of the happy side, which is always possible if men live for it. Some folks think of the work as a cross; though that ought not to hinder them coming, for crosses are our greatest blessings if rightly borne, and are duties even otherwise. But really, both the calling and preaching parts of the work make one feel happy in the best sense, exalted in the thought of helping needy souls and lifting them up to higher things. We always feel that way in the work, unless extremely tired with unusual burdens which sometimes fall to us. If one loves people and souls, he is constantly getting in touch with new friends, and cannot but feel the joy of at least trying to help and to honor to Christ he loves. Then, too, he is always dealing with the greatest truths of the universe, and seeking to help minds untrained and who have no other like chance, to see these and feed on them; it is some like feeding a starving child. Health of body and mind will be good, if one takes sensible care of himself; and with one of the greatest chances to do good and to grow in highest things, what more can one ask?
Of course a man who lets a grouchy or fault-finding spirit rule will not be happy and may hinder others’ contentment. But we seek the other kind of men, and to help one of this kind out of any such fault. The work is trying sometimes, but so is every work that is of any importance. Who wants a “soft snap”? If one can stay more than a year, so much the better. If the reader cannot come himself, perhaps he can think of some one who can, and let us know.
MISSIONARIES NEEDED
We MUST have about eight new men to fill up the force this summer and the year ahead. Several of them should begin late in June; others somewhat later. Just the call of nearly 500,000 Mormons and others who get almost no gospel but what we bring them ought to be enough to bring more men than we can use. But when we remember that these same people are the most potential force in spreading the sinful beliefs which compose Mormonism, a force of about 1,000 going out every year for that work as against the few whom we ask, the case is vastly more urgent—indeed, tremendous. And adding to this the value of even a year in the work to the worker himself as experience and training without cost, the urge to come is still greater. No one can afford to miss a year with us if possible to come. While there is no salary, there is no cost, either; all expenses being provided. Just the year’s trip alone would cost towards $1,000. And everybody who is fit and can come ought to feel his responsibility for the work, as we believe God sees it. Every such man should write for details, giving the same about himself, as soon as possible. Address Rev. J. D. Nutting, Secretary, 9277 Amesbury Ave., Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A.
WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT IN THE WEST
We have often felt the need of a manual of our work, both for men who were thinking of going to help and to instruct and incite the missionaries themselves to the highest work. This has at last been issued, making a pamphlet of 20 pages. We give some extracts that will help in understanding the aims and spirit of our work. The whole booklet will be mailed to any friend on receipt of stamp, free.
THE REASONS FOR THIS WORK
First, because the last command of Christ was to preach his gospel—of course meaning the real article, not any mere notions of men (see Paul’s statement in I Cor. 15: 1-11, etc.)—to every creature; and this surely includes the Mormons. Second, because ordinary church methods cannot reach Mormons to any great extent; the message must be taken directly to them, in their homes and by meetings and printed matter, men and methods especially adapted to their state of mind. (See tract “Special Difficulties.”) Ordinary methods of work were planned for very different people, and do not fit; though of course the content of the message must be the same for all peoples, and local church work is also very important.
WHAT WE DO IN THE WORK, AND HOW
The gist of the idea is to go to the people instead of expecting them to come to a church, against which they have always been trained and which they will not attend. We live in great gospel wagons, each planned for three men the year around, and fitted with stove, beds, cooking arrangements and everything needed for a nice camp home; moving from town to town as the work in each is done. Each also carries a supply of booklets to give away in calling, Bibles, etc., for sale, and a small library of necessary books for use, including song-books for meetings. The most essential part of the missionary work is the house-to-house calling, by which we can be sure to reach almost every family, sometimes even those who are absent. Each missionary has a small grip, filled with Bibles, etc., for sale, and our specially prepared booklets to explain and to give in calling. Calls should take about half an hour, selling Bibles at its close and taking the family name for our records of work and to see again if wise. The other main feature is the gospel meetings. During feasible weather, these are usually held at the best place on the street, with planks and boxes for seats; in cold weather we get Mormon meeting houses when possible, or dance-halls, schools, homes or Christian churches. The town is billed beforehand, with a list of interesting subjects; also a large notice at the place of meeting, and newspaper notices if possible. The subjects are the greatest in human thought, the very foundation truths of the Bible; each used with the double purpose of instruction—Mormons usually have no other chance of learning about them but from us—and of leading every soul to the great surrender to Christ and for salvation. Personal talks wherever the opportunity offers, and sometimes questions after meetings, are also valuable. Reports are made every Saturday night by each man to the office, with frequent letters, to which helpful replies are returned; with the purpose of mutual brotherly helpfulness in the life and work.
THE SPIRIT OF THE WORK
Some people imagine that the work is just to “fight Mormonism”; but this is far from the case. Its main purpose is constructive, for the salvation of souls and lives. Paul and Christ were in the presence of perhaps just as great evils, but theirs was not the “fight” spirit, though when occasion demanded they did not mince words in condemning evils, both of doctrine and practice. Every man in our work should always try to keep the following facts and qualities true of himself:
- Spirituality of vision and motive; living close to God, free from every sin, especially selfishness. Mormonism is a terrible false religion, essentially materialism; and no one who is himself out of touch with God and eternal things can help its people as they need. And one in such condition will also be the one most likely to be out of harmony with his brothers in the wagon life, and so to make trouble. Our morning worship together, with private Bible reading and prayer, proper reading and thought on Sunday, and a holy determination not to be in the least unfaithful, should enable anyone to keep “in the Spirit” always. Nothing is more important than this. Allowing a grouchy spirit, dwelling on things which seem not to be the best, or in anything putting self first, will prevent both the good human and the divine Spirit from keeping control. Most careful watch should be kept of these danger-points. (See Phil. 2:1-7 and references. Remember “Lo, I am with you always.”)
- Love for souls in danger and need, and for brethren in the work. If one remembers that every soul around him is destined “for glory or despair,” and that what he himself can do in our work may decide that destiny forever, surely he ought to be kept in the right spirit of yearning to save and instruct every soul! The blindness and darkness into which Mormonism plunges its followers is astounding, and ought to keep every soul of us awakened in Christian compassion, and zealous effort to help. And this is entirely consistent with a most lively hatred of the terrible SYSTEM which has caused their evil state, and with earnest efforts for its change or replacement. While Christ did not hate the Pharisees whom he scathed in Matt. 23:13-33, or Paul Simon Magus in Acts 8:20-23, both the Master and the disciple spoke words which almost hissed in abhorrence of the SINS which had nearly strangled their victims. The more we know of the evil of Mormonism and the more we love its people, the more we shall yearn for those who have been ensnared in it—usually without so much fault of their own. We would be just about as they are if brought up in the same way. Remember that almost the only chances they have ever had to know better things have been those brought by ourselves; and that their salvation from it and sin still depends mainly on just ourselves being fit in spirit. What a responsibility!
- Utter faithfulness and loyalty in everything; not allowing the least known drop from duty. Faithfulness is what everybody can have, if his heart is right with God; and if that is not right, he can give up to God, wholly, NOW, and get the great change from Him at once! We must be faithful to every one and to every duty, whether the humblest work about the wagon life or the greatest in preaching or anywhere; “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much;” Luke 16:10. Faithfulness is just honesty—being true in things trusted to us; and unfaithfulness is dishonesty, whether towards God or one another, if intentional. Faithfulness is one of the highest virtues; the word is used even of God, and occurs about fifty times in the New Testament. The faithful man always grows and is trusted, and it is a pleasure to commend such when we are asked about them; and it has also been very painful to reply otherwise when necessary sometimes. And this latter kind of a man always retrogrades; unfaithfulness is always on the down grade!
A CALL FROM A MORMON ELDER
A number of Mormon elders from the West are working in Cleveland this winter, calling from house to house as they always do. One was calling on our street, not knowing that we lived there; and at last by request came the fourth time, when we could be there to talk with him. We would gladly give the gist of the conversation, but without notes it is impossible to state more than outlines. We gave him about five hours of pleasant conversation; not argument or antagonism, but first of all most earnest effort to help him see the Bible truth about his own soul and to get right with God if he was not.
He was a fairly intelligent young man of 20, a graduate of high school in Salt Lake City, his home, where he lived within the shadow, almost, of the Presbyterian college and church; but said he had never been in the college and probably had not seen the inside of the church, either. He was out without salary, his one living parent and a brother and sister meeting his expenses for the two years he was obliged to stay in the work. There were five such men working in this city—two more than the little force we have been enabled to find and keep in all Utah-Idaho the present winter!
Aside from friendly queries about himself and family—he was one of nine children—and his home, we sought to press the matter of salvation as closely and kindly as we could; for there was hardly one chance in a thousand that any one who knew his errors of doctrine and the real truth had ever tried to help him before. We quickly found that on every point of doctrine he had the universal Mormon beliefs; salvation was to be earned by deeds, he quoting the passage “work out your salvation,” but stopping right there, as all do, leaving the facts that the persons addressed had already been saved and that God had worked this in them and was now urging them to work the new life from God out in daily life—facts which would of course have completely reversed his doctrine, and which make salvation God’s work within, when we give Him the chance. He also, as all do, quickly got round to baptism as being necessary for salvation. It is a saying among us in the Utah work that “within about three minutes a Mormon will try to get us into the water” in such a talk. We tried to make these points clear: That sin is always rebellion, whether in the child against the parent, the older person against law, or any one against God. 2. That our part of the cure of this sinning could not POSSIBLY be anything less than changing this rebellious spirit into the loving, surrendered one which is repentance; and that this MUST be the work of the person himself, by the help of the Holy Spirit, since the will is free and not controlled by any outside power. 3. That even this is not the actual salvation, but only placing oneself into the hands of the Great Physician for the real forgiveness of sin and change of heart so that we will be freed from guilt, will not choose to sin hereafter, and will have the power within to resist temptation. He was impressed; and we urged him to make the test with God right then, and find out that salvation would come thus, from his own knowledge of changed relation towards God. We can only hope that something was made plain so that this effect really came to him.
At the dinner table and afterwards he talked of other things; bringing in the Mormon doctrines of God, whom he asserted had a flesh and bones body and a wife-god, since we were his children; of authority to preach, which he had and only such as he could have, by laying on of Mormon ordaining hands. We replied that we did not wish to argue, but just to help him; but that the Bible from beginning to end was entirely against any such ideas; that no evangelical church held them, and that it was impossible to believe that the whole Christian world for nineteen hundred years, including the ablest and most prayerful and Christ-like students of the Bible through all the ages since Christ, had found the opposite teachings in the Bible, when they were not there! As to authority, we showed that when God told us all to tell others, just as the Mormon hymn “Shine on” says, which can mean nothing but to let the truth we have be known, and Christ said not to hide our light under a bushel, and to “Go preach the gospel to every creature,” it made no difference who said the opposite, my duty was plain and I expected to do it. We are not sure that we asked him about the several places in his own books where it is said that “If ye have a desire to serve God ye are called to work . . . and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might . . . bringeth salvation to his soul,” but that should have been said, being one of the many instances of total contradictions in the Mormon books.
We later wrote offering our book on the Bible (No. 11 List), but soon learned that he had been transferred to another part of the State—possibly for fear of influence. This was not an ordinary Mormon call, for we directed it ourselves for the purpose stated, and the young man seemed above the average. But even he would surely usually have tried to weaken faith in the pastor and church sooner or later (as this man did somewhat), to make place for the Mormon “church” and officials; likewise to weaken faith in the one Bible by teaching that it is not enough to make room for the Mormon books as necessary to give the real truth about God and religious things. They usually call a series of times, especially if given any encouragement, leaving different printed matter each time, and seeking to lead people on gradually and craftily till they are split off from the real church and Bible and landed in the terrible bonds of Mormon doctrine!
We attended one of their meetings later, held in a lodge room which used to be the prayer-meeting of a Presbyterian church. Being anxious to help these souls from Utah and also any possible ones who were being misled, we sent notice to the stand that we would like to talk ten minutes after their meeting, on what we must do to be saved. No move was made thus; after the meeting I talked with the elders a little and a member of a Christian church came up and berated us soundly for doing what we had!—evidently under Mormon influence, dangerously.
HOW TO DEAL WITH MORMON EMISSARIES
First, Do not treat them rudely or make them angry if possible to avoid it. Remember that you would have been believing the same if brought up as he was. Remember the terrible doctrines taught to every Mormon, about all the great truths of the Bible, the church and ministry. Tell him that you know much about his system, and wish he was out of it; but that you do not care to talk such matters over with him—this unless you are better prepared to talk with such men than most people are. We know no reason why our people should not know enough to defend their own beliefs—quite as much as almost every Mormon knows about his. But if you cannot do this, it is always in your power to politely say you cannot take more time, and ask him to leave, if he does not do so without, as sometimes is the case.
But the greatest need in meeting Mormonism is that our people should be posted about Mormon and Christian doctrine, so that they will thus be able to defend the Bible teachings, at least as well as Mormon people generally are theirs. Why should we not be? The Apostle Peter urges us to “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (I Pet. 3:15); and there perhaps never was an age when this advice was more needed than in our own. Anybody can study up by our booklets, costing a few cents, and become well grounded in Bible truth as well as against all kinds of insidious error. Send for No. 1, 6, 11, 25 or others from our List on past page of Light, and get the blessing of understanding these great matters and using them effectively. Every Christian, and even others, ought to know these things as matters of common intelligence; they are a thousand times as important as any newspaper or ordinary book.
Nutting, John D., ed. The Utah Gospel Mission, Vol. VI, No. 4, Whole No. 24. Cleveland, OH, Jan.–Mar. 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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