(Continued from p. 81.)

The Answer given by the Latter-day Saints, or Mormons

VI

Of all the crude and vulgar errors as to Christ, that of the Mormons, or as they generally style themselves, the Latter-day Saints, is perhaps the worst. To what extent the laity recognize the real teaching of their leaders, I cannot say. Generally when I have shown a Mormon what Brigham Young or some other leader had said or written on this theme, they professed utter ignorance of such doctrines and insisted that I must misunderstand their "prophets." But any one who will take the trouble to investigate can readily see for himself the truthfulness of what is here insisted on, however it may be perverted or even flatly denied by zealous "missionaries" or their deluded followers.

The evil sect founded by Joseph Smith is divided into two main branches, with lesser divisions in some parts. These two are generally known among the "initiated" as the Brighamites and Josephites, The former are, by far, the more numerous, and embrace those who accepted the authority of Brigham Young, who seems to be the father of most of the blasphemous tenets of this branch, The latter are the followers of the son of the "prophet," a second Joseph Smith, and are relatively free from the vilest errors of the Brighamites, but believe in salvation by baptism, the inspiration of Joseph Smith the prophet, the utter rejection by God of Christendom, and hope only in the Re-organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because of their refusal of the abominable practice of polygamy they are generally looked upon more favorably than the Utah Mormons; but both systems completely deny many foundation truths of Scripture,

In fact the Josephites are, in some respects, more difficult to deal with than the Brighamites, because they refuse to listen to any ordinary version of the Scriptures, basing their teaching on what they call the "Inspired Translation of the New Testament," supposed to have been divinely given to the prophet Joseph. This perversion of the Word of God is so utterly unbelievable that it is repudiated by all who know anything of the original Greek, as a clumsy forgery.

It is with the Christology of the main branch we have now to do, however; so I shall not attempt further to point out the unholy teachings of the lesser sect, only warning any meeting them to beware of their smooth, plausible statements, as the elders of both branches of Latter-day Saints are past-masters in the art of using speech to conceal thought.

Brigham Young taught as to Christ that He was the natural son of Mary and Adam, after the latter had been exalted to become the God of this world,-to use his own awful language, "Our God and Father, the only God and Father with whom we have to do." Parley Pratt says of him, "Our Father Adam shall sit (in the millennium) enthroned as the Ancient of Days," and then Christ Jesus is his son and heir.
Those arch-heretics teach that Christ (may He forgive the words) was a polygamist, wedded at Cana of Galilee to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and later to Mary Magdalene. They further hold that He was simply a superior-man who, by His devotion and faithfulness in His generation, was exalted to Deity and is now a God, second in glory to Adam. They believe in a vast number of gods, all of whom were once men. A favorite saying is, "As man is, God once was. As God is, all men may yet become."

Christ's death is said to have made atonement for Adam's sin, though Adam's sin is in itself considered a voluntary humiliation for our sake. "Adam sinned that men might be," is one of their proverbs.

Since Christ's death has balanced the sin of Adam, all men are now free to save themselves by repentance, faith, baptism, the laying on of an elder's hands, and complete submission to the authorities of the Mormon church, a tyrannical hierarchy that has only been outdone by that of Rome.

Needless to say, love for Christ is unknown among those fully given up to this doctrine of demons. It throttles all spiritual discernment and makes its dupes sensual and materialistic to the last degree.

When the Mormon elder offers the declaration of faith which they circulate so widely among the "Gentiles" (as all but Mormons are called), it is well to remember that this statement was prepared for proselytizing purposes, and is not a full account of the doctrines of this weird sect. To find these, it is necessary to read the Book of Mormon, The Doctrines and Covenants, The Book of Abraham and The Pearl of Great Price. Extracts, however, are available in tract form which show the true nature of this system and prove its antichristian character, "From such, turn away." H. A. I.

(To be continued in next number, D.V.)