[This material was taken directly from an old book printed
in 1920 by R.C. Evans. You should read the Preface which
presents his reasons making this material available to the public. Page numbers from the
original book are indicated in brackets.]
Translated by Joseph Smith.
[page 98] This book was considered a revelation of God revealed through Abraham and Joseph
of Egypt, translated by inspiration, Joseph Smith using the Urim and Thummim with which to
translate it, the same as the Book of Mormon. This was the claim made by the old church,
and is still made by the main church of Mormons, and was not denied by the Reorganized
church till the fraud was exposed and made the laughing stock of the world, then they have
tried to lie out of it in the most clumsy way.
Next month we expect to give some extracts from the Book of Abraham-a relic of greater
antiquity than the Bible, written on papyrus and taken from the breast of an Egyptian
mummy now in the possession of and translated by Joseph Smith. Mill. Star, July, 1842,
page 32.
The history of the Book of Abraham is fully laid out in the paper, Smith and his people
having purchased several mummies from a man called Chandler. "The record is now in
course of translation by means of the Urim and Thummim and proves to be a record
written partly by the father of the faithful Abraham, and finished by Joseph when in
Egypt, preserved in the family of the Pharaohs and afterwards hid up with the embalmed
body of the female with whom they were found." Mill Star, July 1842, pages 45-46.
The entire Book of Abraham is printed in the book published by the Mormon Church
entitled "The Pearl of Great Price." Pages 46-70.
That this Book of Abraham was received as an inspired work, translated by the gift of
God through Smith was admitted by the Reorganized church for many years, as will appear by
the following, "But the Hebrew Patriarch (Abraham) has written his own history, it is
contained in the Book of Abraham, translated by Joseph Smith." This extraordinary
book has entered largely into Mormon Theology, and has given prominence to some of its
most beautiful themes." This reveals a Book of God." Joseph the Prophet, pages
166-169.
That Joseph believed in and taught a plurality of Gods, and that his translation of the
Bible and the Book of Abraham taught this doctrine and both the Bible and Book of Abraham
were not only considered inspired by the church in the days of Smith and the Utah church
today, but the Reorganized church admitted and taught it. This is made plain by the
following: "By the quotations from our Utah Correspondent from the New Translation of
the Bible, and from the Book of Abraham, it will be perceived that a plurality of Gods is
a doctrine of these books. [page 99]
It is a doctrine of the common version of the Bible too. The New Translation of the
Bible was commenced very soon after the church was organized, and therefore this doctrine
was a doctrine of the church at that time. The Scriptural evidences concerning the order
of the kingdom in the exaltation of the Sons of God, ,:how that the revelations in
the New Translation of the Bible and in the Book of Abraham concerning the Gods all
harmonize together: "And the Gods formed man from the dust of the
ground. And the Gods planted a garden eastward in Eden. Unto Abraham the Gods said,
Let us prepare the earth. And the Gods took ,council among themselves. And the Gods
said, let us make a helpmate for man. The Gods caused a deep sleep to fall upon
Adam. The Gods formed every beast of the field." Pearl of Great Price, pages
62-70. Herald, 1860, pages 280-285.
Now let us see how this Reorganized church misrepresented the facts about this Book of
Abraham. and the position Joseph Smith and the church took upon it from 1842 till some
time after it was proved to be a fraud.
"The church has never to our knowledge taken any action on this work, Joseph
Smith, as a translator is committed of course to the correctness of the translation, but
not necessarily to the endorsement of its historical or doctrinal contents." Ch.
Hist., Vol. 2, page 569.
"The Reorganized church has never endorsed the Book of Abraham or accepted it as a
standard church work. If he (Bishop Spaulding) is successful in proving that Joseph
Smith's translation is unreliable, that does not effect the Book of Mormon. There
is no vital connection between the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham. The
power to translate the Book of Mormon was a divine gift, the translation went on with
the aid of the Urim and Thummim. There is nothing to indicate that the divine help
was ever claimed in the translation of the Book of Abraham. Certainly the Urim and
Thummim was not used." Pres. A. E. Smith, Herald Oct. 20th, 1915, pages 106-107.
We doubt if a more deceptive misrepresentation was ever penned in so short a space as
this statement made by President Smith. Those who read the Book of Abraham, as found in
the Pearl of Great Price and Mill. Star, and the description of it and statements made
concerning it in the Mill. Star, and Saints' Herald as recorded above, and the history of
Joseph Smith, and they will be convinced that Smith claimed inspiration for it, and that
he was divinely inspired to translate it by the Urim and Thummim, as well as the Book of
Mormon. This has been the claim of every strip of Mormonism from the time Smith obtained
the Book of Abraham till the great fraud was exposed, then the Saints' Herald and
Historians of tile Reorganized church published their misrepresentations as cited above.
Did E. A. Smith know all this when he denied that Joseph Smith translated the Book of
Abraham by the use of the Urim and Thummim? The fact is that the Mill. Star that makes the
statement is quoted by him in his article, so he misrepresented the facts with the paper
before him. Having proved that Smith claimed to translate both the Book of Mormon
and the Book of Abraham by [page 100] inspiration through the Urim and Thummim, the proof
is apparent that both Books were frauds.
That Bishop Spaulding, Dr. Sayce, Dr. Petrie, Dr. Breasted, Dr. Mase are all leading
professors in decifering Egyptian Hieroglyphics, is world-wide admission. They have each
examined the work of Smith, and declare with one accord, that the translation of the Book
of Abraham by Smith is a "Farrago of nonsense from beginning to end." "None
but the ignorant could possibly be imposed upon by such ludicrous blunders." "It
may be safely said that there is not one single word that is true in these
explanations." La Rue, pages 115-123.
All this being true, it follows that Smith's claim to translate the Book of Mormon and
the Book of Abraham by the Urim and Thummim is false in all its parts, and stamps him as
an impostor of the blackest dye. The latest manifestation of downright misrepresentation
and hypocrisy on the part of the leaders of the Reorganized Church, may be read in The
Saints' Herald for, Nov. 19th, 1919. It seems that the Christian Advocate for Aug. 27th,
1919, has taken the position that Joseph Smith' claim to inspiration has been completely
exposed in the fraudulent translation of the Book of Abraham.
In continuing to try to deceive the people, the editor of the Saints' Herald, makes the
following false statements, regarding the Book of Abraham:
"The Book of Abraham was printed by the Utah Church in the Pearl of Great Price,
as our readers may well know, the Pearl of Great Price is accepted as one of the sacred
books of the Utah Mormon church. It was not so included by the original church in the days
of Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, nor is it so accepted by the Reorganized
Church." This monstrous statement is drawing a herring across the path, trying to
make out that the Book of Abraham being printed by the Utah Church in the Pearl of Great
Price, and therefore, it is not regarded as an inspired book by Joseph Smith or the
Reorganized Church.
The facts are, the Book of Abraham was printed in the days of Joseph Smith and by his
instruction and authority, while he presided over the very papers wherein it was
published, and it was, in those papers regarded as a revelation from God and printed from
the translation said to have been made by Joseph Smith through the Urim and Thummim, and
was regarded as a revelation from the Almighty. Times and Seasons, Vol. 3, page 704. See
also Mill. Star, for June, July and August, 1842.
First the editor of the Mill. Star, 1842, says: "The record (Book of Abraham) is
now in course of translation by the means of the Urim and Thummim, and proves to be a
record written partly by the father of the faithful, Abraham, and finished by Joseph when
in Egypt." Here is a direct claim that Smith translated it by the Spirit of
revelation from God, imparted by the Urim and Thummim, the same instrument and the same
way as came the Book of Mormon.
Leaving the Original Church and the Prophet Joseph Smith, let us come to the Saints'
Herald published by the Reorganized Church, and [page 101] we will show the unblushing men
of that paper's editorial staff and presidential force who have testified so falsely, that
the early editors and leaders of the Reorganized Church quoted the Book of Abraham as
equal with the Bible and Book of Mormon, and said that it was inspired of the Almighty.
"The Book of Abraham was translated through the 'gift and power of the Holy
Ghost by Joseph Smith. We learn from this revelation that the first woman was
not begotten and born of parents but Created out of the rib of Adam. Here we have four
witnesses, Joseph Smith, Abraham, Moroni and Alma, all bearing testimony they were created
from the dust of the ground." Saints' Herald, 1860, page 270.
"The new translation of the Bible (Smith's Bible), and the Book of Abraham both
teach the doctrine of a Plurality of Gods. Although it is an unpopular doctrine, it
is the doctrine of the common version of the Bible. The new translation of the Bible was
commenced very soon after the church was organized and therefore this doctrine was a
doctrine of the Church at that time. Some say if we believe in a plurality of Gods, why do
we not believe in Adam as a God. The scriptural evidences show that the revelations in
the New Translation of the Bible and in the Book of Abraham concerning the Gods all
harmonize together." Saints' Herald, Vol. 1, 1860. pages 282-283.
President W.W. Blair of the Reorganized Church, one of the leaders of that body for a
life time, writing of the revelations of Joseph Smith, says: "Now, we propose to
prove that all the revelations which Joseph Smith gave unto the Church we
are bound to give heed unto. If the first edition of that book (Doctrine and Covenants) is
divine all the subsequent revelations which are contained in the Book of Covenants, in The
Book of Abraham, etc., and which he gave to the church are equally divine." Saints'
Herald, 1860, page 63. That Pres. Blair wrote the article, is claimed by Elder Shook.
"True Origin of Polygamy." page 162.
Here we have the Presidency and editors of the Reorganized Church, endorsing the Book
of Abraham as a revelation from God, given to Joseph Smith by direct revelation, and that
it is equally divine with the revelations as given him in the New Translation of the
Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. Why the Reorganized Church
Editors and church presidents will willfully misrepresent this and try to cover up
the dirty thing, is one of the lying wonders of the Latter Days.
The Band Called Danites-Organized to Commit Murder.
That Joseph Smith controlled and organized a murderous band, bound under oath-bound
penalties to obey the Church leaders, is acknowledged by the leading men who have left the
church, and by some of the leading men of the nation who have evidence of such a band.
God Authorized Smith to Curse His Enemies.
According to Smith's revelations, Christ made him the supreme rule of the church and he
was in command of every part of it, and every member was under his control. [page 102]
He was a "Prophet, Seer, Revelator, Apostle, Translator." D.C. 19,1.
A High Priest, D. C. 104, 11.
President of the Church, Mill Star, Vol. 18-1 page 535.
Trustee for the whole Church, Nauvoo Neighbor, Dec. 27th, 1843
Treasurer of the Kirtland Bank. Journal of Hist., Vol. 2, No. 4. Grand Chaplain of Masonic
Lodge at Nauvoo, Mill Star, Vol. 19, page 152.
Lieutenant-General of the Nauvoo Legion, Mill Star, Vol. 19 page 135.
Judge of the Municipal Court of Nauvoo, Mill. Star, Vol. 19, page 135.
Mayor of the City of Nauvoo, Ibid. 19, 135.
Registrar of Deeds, Ibid. Vol. 19, page 135.
And was at the time of his death a Candidate for the Presidency of the United States,
Nauvoo Neighbor, June 26th, 1844. La Rue, pages 50, 51.
He was ordained a King, Herald, Vol. 51, No. 4; Wm. Marks records this.
The Lord is reported to have bound the church under a heavy curse if they rejected his
words, and he was the only one that the Lord would give revelations to for the government
of the church. He was in supreme control.
"Thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments. For his words ye shall
receive as if from mine own mouth." D.C. 19, 2.
"And this shall ye know assuredly that there is none other appointed unto you to
receive commandments and revelations, until he be taken" D.C. 43, 1, 2.
"And it shall be given thee in the very moment what thou shalt speak and write, and
they shalt hear it, or I will send them a cursing instead of a blessing."
D. C. 23, 3.
"No one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church
excepting my servant Joseph Smith-and thou shalt. be obedient unto the things which I
shalt give unto him." D.C. 27, 2.
"Therefore in as much as some of my servants have not kept the commandment, I have
cursed them with a very sore and grievous curse, for I, the Lord, have decreed in my heart
that in as much as any man belongeth to the order shall break the covenant with
which ye are bound he shall be cursed in this life and shall be trodden down by whom I
will. D. C. l01, 1.
Speaking of those who reject the commandments of Smith, the Lord is made to say,:
"Ye shall curse them and whomsoever ye curse I will curse and ye shall
avenge me of my enemies" D. C. 100, 5. Now we will show that a society was formed
to kill on command.
Governor Ford.
Governor Ford of Illinois, made a report to the State Legislature Dec. 17th, 1844. We
submit a few statements-"It was asserted that Joseph Smith, head of the Mormon
Church, had caused himself to be [page 103] crowned and anointed King of the Mormons. That
he had embodied a band of his followers, called Danites, who swore to obey Him as
God and to do his command, murder and treason not excepted." La Rue, page 38.
President Wm. Law.
Pres. Wm. Law: "Smith taught Polygamy, spoiling (robbing) the Gentiles, murder,
swindling, lying and many other evils. Joseph Smith told me that he sent a man to kill
Governor Boggs-the fellow shot the Governor through a window." Shook, Origin of
Polygamy, page 127
J.C. Bennett.
J.C. Bennett says: "Smith told me to sign that certificate or he would make
cat-fish bait of me, or deliver me to the Danites for execution." Ibid. page
58.
David Whitmer.
David Whitmer: "In June, 1838, at Far West, Mo., a secret organization was
formed, Dr. Avard was put in as leader of the band. A certain oath was to be
administered to all the brethren to bind them to support the heads of the church in
every thing they would teach." Whitmer's address. page 27.
Oliver Cowdery.
Oliver Cowdery said: "Sidney Rigdon influenced the Prophet, Seer and Revelator to
the Church of the Latter Day Saints into the formation of a secret band at Far West,
committed to depredations upon Gentiles, and the actual assassination of apostates from
the church. A society has been organized among them to inflict death upon those who are
deemed apostates, with the knowledge and sanction of the first elder." O. Cowdery's
Defence, Mormon Polygamy by Shook, pages 53-54.
Thomas B. Marsh.
Thomas B. Marsh, President of the Twelve, apostatized and swore, saying: "They
have among them a company consisting of true Mormons, called 'The Danites' who have
taken an oath to support the heads of the church in all things that they say or do,
whether right or wrong. I heard the Prophet say: ‘that he would yet tread down his
enemies and walk over their dead bodies and that he would make it one gore of blood from
the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, and that if he was not let alone he would be a
second Mahomet to this generation."
Apostle Orson Hyde, said he knew to be true most of the above statement. La Rue, pages
162-163.
Samson Avard.
Samson Avard, who was a leader in the band, after his apostasy, said: "A band
called the Daughters of Zion was organized by the members of the Mormon Church. I
considered Joseph Smith as the prime mover and organizer of this Danite Band. The
officers of the band were brought before him at a school house, together with Hyrum Smith
[page 104]and Sidney Rigdon, the First Presidency of the Church. Joseph Smith blessed them
and prophesied over them said it was necessary for the band to be bound together by
covenant and those who revealed the secrets of the society should be put to death."
La Rue, page 165.
Bishop Corrill.
Bishop Corrill, after he left the church, wrote: "I was afterwards invited to one
of these meetings where an oath, in substance the same as testified by Dr. Avard, was
administered. At the second or last meeting I attended, the Presidency (to wit, Joseph
Smith, Hyrum Smith and Sidney Rigdon) were present. The Presidency pronounced blessings
upon each member of the society. Smith threatened at this meeting to be a second
Mahomet." La Rue, page 165.
W.W. Phelps.
W. W. Phelps testified that D. W. Patton said he heard Rigdon say: "If any
man attempted to move out of the county, any man seeing him attempt to pack his goods should
kill him and haul him aside into the bush and that all the burial he should
have should be a Turkey Buzzard's guts." La Rue, page 165.
The above testimonies are from those who held the leading positions in the church under
Smith, who when they left him swore to the above in the trial at Richmond, Mo., when Smith
and others were tried for high treason, Nov. 12th, 1838, and is republished by Rev. La
Rue, who was a Reorganized Elder for many years, but left the church because of what he
knew.
Justice Morse.
Justice Morse, who was a Mormon in the old church and a High Priest in the
Reorganized Church, at the time he testified, March, 1887, as follows:
"In the year 1838 at Far West, Caldwell County, Mo., I was made a Danite
in an organized meeting held for that purpose. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and
Hyrum Smith were present frequently at our meetings, Brother Avard had charge of
organizing the band. We held our secret meeting in a deep ravine, in the year 1838.
We were instructed by Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and Hyrum Smith that the church could
not advance without means, we must get money and means, right or wrong, honest or
dishonest, that the church should suck the milk of the Gentiles. To take from Gentiles was
no sin." La Rue, page 167. Shook, True Origin of Mormonism, pages 108-171.
Rigdon made the Fourth of July speech at Far West, 1838. He said: "It shall
be between us and them a war of extermination, for we will follow them till the last drop
of their blood is spilled, or else they will exterminate us."
After this speech Smith was on the platform and led off with a shout of "Hosanna
and Amen." Church Hist., Vol. 2, page 165; La Rue, page 175.
[page 105] So we learn that the Mormons were the ones to talk of driving the Gentiles
out of Missouri, and milking them and that there would be a war of extermination. Here we
append a significant statement to confirm the above: "We are daily told, and not by
the ignorant alone, but by all classes of them, that we, the (Gentiles) of this county are
to be cut off, and our lands appropriated by them for inheritances." Mill. Star, Vol.
14, page 488.
The Utah Mormons are accused by the Reorganized Mormons of having the Danites still in
existence. The Mountain Meadow massacre is a sample, be that as it may, if Utah has the
Danites yet, they are but following Smith and the Church over which he had control, and if
the Reorganized Mormon does not commit murder, they defame the character, and lie about
all those who differ from them and are absolutely heartless and unfair to apostates.
Blood Atonement.
The President of the Reorganized Church, Joseph Smith, and son of the original, Joseph
Smith, in attempting to excuse the atrocious crimes and statements made by his father and
other leaders of the Danites makes the following statement:
"Whoever counselled or did evil in those times (in Missouri) are responsible
personally, therefore; but the church, as such, is no more responsible for it that were
the early Christians for Peter's attempt to kill the High Priest's servant when he cut off
his ear with a sword. The church, as such, should be judged by its authorized doctrines
and deeds, and not by the unauthorized sayings or doings of some of its members or
ministers." Blood Atonement, page 44.
"You take great pains to cover up the conditions prevailing which call forth such
extreme and in some instances unwise remarks. Conditions in some respects akin to those
surrounding the Saints in Missouri in 1838 and 1839, when other unwise remarks were made
by members of the leading quorums of the church, but in a sense justifiable and which
should be condoned under the trying circumstances that called them forth." Joseph F.
Smith in reply to R. C. Evans in Blood Atonement, page 43.
Thus we have the President of the Reorganized Church and son of Joseph Smith admitting,
as well as apologizing for the rash statements of his father and other leaders in the old
church, and then we have Joseph F. Smith of the Utah church using about the same argument
to excuse the language. and murderous conduct of the Danites in Utah. All we care to say
is reply to both of these descendants of the original prophet and organizer of the Danite
Band is, that when the leading members and officers of the church for many years teach and
practice, by threats and murders, ascribed to the Danite Band, then we believe the public
is justified in denouncing such language and conduct, and affirming it to be the doctrine
of the church. We will now quote from the Utah Mormon Church some leading statements made
in the public printed sermons of Brigham Young, his counsellors and apostles, regarding
the Danites and [page 106] their murderous conduct under the title of Blood Atonement.
These sermons were reported by G. D. Watt and published by the authority of the Mormon
Church in a work entitled "Journal of Discourses." Coming from their own church
leaders, published by their own church papers, there seems to be little opportunity to
deny the genuineness of these statements.
Brigham Young.
Brigham Young said, October 9, 1852: "What shall be done with the sheep that
stink the flock so? We will take them, I was going to say, and cut off their tails two
inches behind their ears; however I will use a milder term, and say cut off their
ears." Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page 213.
Brigham again said, March 27, 1853: "I say, rather than that apostates should
flourish here, I will unsheath my bowie knife, and conquer or die. Now, you nasty
apostates, clear out, or judgment will be pur to the line and righteousness to the
plummet. If you say it is all right, raise your hands (all hands up). Let us call upon the
Lord to assist us in this and every good work." Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, page
83.
President Brigham Young preached, February 8, 1857, as follows: "All mankind love
themselves; and let these principles be known by an individual and he would be glad to
have his blood shed. That would be loving themselves even to an eternal exaltation. Will
you love your brothers and sisters likewise when they have committed a sin that cannot be
atoned for without the shedding of blood" Will you love that man or woman well enough
to shed their blood? That is what Jesus Christ meant. He never told a man or woman to love
their enemies in their wickedness. He never intended any such thing.
I could refer you to plenty of instances where men have been righteously slain in order
to atone for their sins. I have seen scores and hundreds of people for whom there would
have been a chance in the last resurrection if their lives had been taken and their blood
spilled upon the ground, as a smoking incense to the Almighty, but who are now angels of
the devil, until our elder brother, Jesus Christ, raises them up, conquers death, hell and
the grave. I have known a great many men who have left this church, for whom there is no
chance whatever for exaltation; but if their blood had been spilt it would have been
better for them. The wickedness and ignorance of the nations forbid this principle being
in full force, but the time will come when the law of God will be in full force.
This is loving our neighbor as ourselves, if he needs help, help him; and if he wants
salvation and it is necessary to spill his blood upon the ground in order that he may be
saved, spill it." Journal of Discourses, Vol. 4, page 220, or Desert News, Vol. 6,
page 397.
Orson Hyde.
Elder Orson Hyde said, April .9, 1853: "Suppose the shepherd should discover a
wolf approaching the flock, what would he be likely to do? Why, we would suppose, if the
wolf was within proper distance,[page 107] that he would kill him at once-kill him on the
spot. It would have a tendency to place a terror on those who leave these parts, that may
prove their salvation when they see the heads of thieves taken off, or shot down before
the public." Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, pages 72, 73.
President J. M. Grant.
President J. M. Grant said, Sept. 21, 1856: "I say there are men and women
here that I would advise to go to the president immediately, and ask him to appoint a
committee to attend to their case, and then let a place be selected, and let that
committee shed their blood." Desert Vol. 7, page 235.
President Heber C. Kimball.
President Heber C. Kimball said, July 19, 1854: "It is believed in the world that
our females are all common women. Well, in one sense they are common-that is, they are
like all other women, I suppose, but then- are not unclean, for we wipe all unclean ones
out of our midst; we not only wipe them from our streets, but we wipe them out of
existence. And if the world wants to practice uncleanness, and bring their prostitutes
here, if they do not repent and forsake their sins, we will wipe the evil out. We will not
have them in this valley unless they repent, for so help me God, while I live I
will lend my hand to wipe such persons out, and I know this people will." Desert
News, August 15, 1854, and Mill. Star, Vol. 16, pages 738-9.
Fanny Stenhouse.
Fanny Stenhouse: "There was the murder of the Aikin party-six persons-who were
killed on their way to California. The same year a man named Yates was killed under
atrocious circumstances; and Franklin McNeil, who had sued Brigham for false imprisonment
and who was killed at his hotel door. There was Sergeant Pile, and there was Arnold and
Drown. There was Price and William Bryan at Fairfield; there was Almon Babbitt, and
Brassfield, and Dr. Robinson; there was also James Cowdy and his wife and child, and
Margetts and his wife; and many another, too, to say nothing of that frightful
murder at the Mountain Meadows." "Tell-It-All," page 319.
We could fill a volume with the history of the murders that have stained and scarred
the Mormon Church, both in Missouri, Illinois, Utah and elsewhere, the history of which
has made Mormonism a stench in the nostrils of civilization, and as one has said, has made
Utah a land of assassination and a field of blood.
Mormonism Regards All Other Churches As Corrupt.
Joseph Smith claimed that in his first vision, which was in the spring of 1820,
that after God had introduced Joseph to Christ, that Joseph asked Christ "Which of
all the sects is right?" That Christ made the following answer to him: "I was
answered that I must join none of them,[page 108] for they were all wrong' and the
personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight;
that those professors were all corrupt; that they draw near me with their lips but their
hearts are far from me, and they teach for doctrines the commandments of men having a form
of godliness but they deny the power thereof." Church Hist., Vol. 1, pages 9, 10.
"Is it any wonder then, that we say of priests of modern days, that they are of
Satan's own making, and are of their father the Devil? Nay, verily, nay, for no being but
a scandalous sycophant and base hypocrite would say otherwise. We shall see all the
priests who adhere to the sectarian religions of the day, with all their followers without
one exception, receive their portion with the devil and his angels.." Elders Journal,
59-60, August, 1838; La Rue, page 45.
"Respecting the Melchisedec Priesthood, the sectarian world never professed to
have it, consequently they never could save anyone and would all be damned together. The
sectarian world are going to hell by hundreds, by thousands and by millions." Mill.
Star, Vol. 22, page 54; La Rue, page 45.
"They have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and
most precious, and also many covenants of the Lord have been taken away-that they
might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men."
The above is part. of the preface of Smith's new Bible. The statement of the Lord to
Smith showed that the churches had become corrupt and taken away much of the Bible to
corrupt and deceive the people of the churches, and it was necessary for God to give Smith
the plain and precious things which the wicked Christian churches bad taken away from the
Bible when they translated the Authorized Version.
In the first revelation published in the book known as the Doctrine and Covenants,
Jesus Christ when speaking to Joseph Smith is reported to have said, speaking of the
Mormon Church, as "The only true and living Church upon the face of the whole
earth, with which I, the Lord, am welt pleased." D. C. 1, 5.
"Behold, there is, save it be two churches; the one is the church of the
Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the Devil. Wherefore, whoso belongeth not to
the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of
abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth." Book of Mormon, page 40;
First Nephi, 3 ch. v., 220-223.
Orson Pratt.
Orson Pratt, the most eloquent Apostle, and the greatest writer of Mormonism, says:
"Since the church with its authority and power has been caught away from the earth,
the great Mother of Harlots, with all her descendants, has blasphemously assumed authority
of administering some of the sacred ordinances of the gospel." Revelation Necessary
by O. Pratt.
Apostle W. H. Kelley.
[page 109] To the above may be added the statement made by Apostle W. H. Kelley, President
of the Apostolic Quorum of the Reorganized Church. "The Priesthood having been
caught up to heaven, no man on earth has authority to minister in gospel
ordinances, and hence the necessity for new revelation." Presidency and Priesthood,
page 224.
No Salvation Outside of The Book of Mormon and Mormonism
"I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct, of any book on
earth, and the keystone to our religion; and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by
its precepts than by any other book." J.Smith, in Mill. Star, Vol. 18, page 790; La
Rue, page 62.
The Book of Mormon claims to be a divinely inspired record. It professes to be revealed
to the present generation for the salvation of all who will receive it and for the
overthrow and damnation of all nations who reject it. The nature of the message in the
Book of Mormon is such that if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it." Apostle
Pratt, Divinity of Book of Mormon, No. 1, page 1; La Rue, page 81.
Brigham Young.
"Every spirit that confesses that Joseph Smith is a prophet, that he lived and died a
prophet, and that the Book of Mormon is true, is of God, and every spirit that does not is
of anti-Christ." Story of the Mormons, page 28; La Rue, page 81.
Reorganized Church.
"No book ever came before the race of mankind with such an august age as the
Book of Mormon." Saints' Herald, Nov. 6, 1918, page 1082.
Orson Pratt.
"They (the Ministry) have dishonored the name of Christ by calling their powerless
apostage filthy and most abominable, churches, the church .of Christ., the whole Romish,
Greek and Protestant Ministry, from the top down through every grade of office, are as
destitute of authority from God as the devil and his angels." More Revelation
Indispensable Necessary, page 19.
"All other churches are unauthorized of God. Their articles of -religion, their
creeds, their prayer books, their ordinations, their sacraments, their baptisms, their
various forms of worship, their preaching their religious assemblies are all an
abomination in the sight of Heaven." Evidence of the Book of Mormon and Bible
Compared, page 61.
"We are commanded to accept the Book of Mormon and renounce all the wicked
traditions of our fathers, as also the "Popish and Protestant Ministry, together with
all the churches which have been built up by them or that have sprung up from them as
being entirely destitute of authority, they should turn away, from all the priestcraft and
abominations [page 110] practiced by these apostate churches, falsely called
Christians." The Bible Alone and Insufficient Guide, page 334.
"And as every creature in all the world, who would not believe the chosen eye
witnesses of a risen Saviour were to be damned, so every living Soul who rejects the
testimony of the chosen witnesses of the ministry of the angel confirmatory of the Book of
Mormon, will be damned for thus saith the Lord spoken." Evidence of the Book
of Mormon and Bible compared, page 58.
"This generation has more than one thousand times the amount evidence to
demonstrate and forever establish the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon than
they have in favor of the Bible." Evidence of the Book of Mormon and Bible Compared,
page 64.
"The Book of Mormon contains the everlasting gospel in all its fullness and it has
been revealed to the inhabitants of our earth by an angel-let the nations know assuredly
that the hour of God's judgment is come, and that they have only one way of escape and
that is by embracing the Book of Mormon." Prophetic Evidence in Favor of the Book
of Mormon, pages 82-84.
We have shown in this article from leading Mormons, from Joseph Smith down, that
there is no salvation outside of the Mormon Church.
The Holy Scriptures Translated by Joseph Smith.
In a work published by the Reorganized Mormon Church, entitled "Three
Bibles Compared," we are informed that it took a King and forty seven scholars from
1604 to 1611, seven years to translate what is known as the King James translation, and
that eighty-two scholars were employed fourteen years of the Old Testament, and ten years
on the New Testament, when the Revised Version was given from 1870 to 1884.
These men had the wealth of the churches and the scholarship the world behind them,
while God commanded and directly inspired Joseph Smith, an illiterate young man of but
twenty-eight years of age surrounded with poverty and mobs, to translate the entire Bible
of Old and New Testaments in three years. He commenced the work June 1,830,
and finished it June, 1833.
The manuscript of this great work was preserved by the widow of Smith, and was given to
her son, who, with I.L. Rogers and E. Robinson formed a committee of the Reorganized
Mormon Church, to publish the New Bible. This was accomplished, and is now on sale by the
Reorganized Church Publishing House.
The reader will find published in the Preface of the Mormon Bible the following, which
in part disclosed the reason that Smith gave for [page 111] his translation,
"For behold they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are
plain and most precious and also many covenants of the Lord have been taken away, and
all this, have they done that I hey might pervert the right way of the Lord, that they
might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men wherefore thou seest
that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church,
there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of
the Lamb of God, and after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth
unto all the nations of the Gentiles."
The above is taken from the Book of Mormon. The church referred to as "great and
abominable" is considered the "Mother of Harlots and her daughters," or in
other words, the church of Rome and the Protestant churches. They have taken away the
plain and precious things in order to deceive the world, and now God has raised up Smith
to bring back these plain and precious things so that the honest people may be saved and
rescued from the "great whore of the earth," (Rome and Protestantism) and so
inspired Smith to give us the New Translation of the Bible.
The Lord further instructs Smith regarding this new Bible: "Thou shalt ask and my
scriptures shall be given as I have appointed, and they shall be preserved in safety, and
it is expedient that thou shouldst hold thy peace concerning them and not teach them until
ye have received them in full, and I give unto you a commandment that then ye shall teach
them unto all men, for they shall be taught to all nations, kindreds, tongues and
people." D.C. 42, 15.
"Ye shall hasten to translate my scriptures and all this for the salvation of
Zion." D.C. 90, 12.
"The Scriptures shall be given even as they are in mine own bosom to the salvation
of mine own elect." D.C. 34, 5.
Joseph was informed by the Lord that, "He should bring to light those parts of my
scriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity." D.C. 6, 12.
Those who wish to read this marvelous work, the new Bible translation by Joseph Smith,
by direct revelations will discover that he has not translated a single word, that he had
no manuscript of any kind, that he was an ignorant young man is admitted. There is
no evidence that he compared any originals with each other, nor could he have done so if
the originals were before him. The claim is that it was all done by direct
inspiration from the Almighty, but to call it a Translation is the height of
impudence and nonsense.
Let us present Smith's own account describing the method of receiving revelations and
translating: "But behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your own
mind. Then you must ask of Me if it be right? And if it is right I will cause that your
bosom shall burn within you, therefore you shall feel that it is right. Now if you had
known this you could have translated." D.C. 9, 3-4.
[page 112] Here is the secret of Smith's power to translate. He read the Bible,
thought that such and such a change should be made, either by adding a few verses, or
taking away a few verses. If he had the burning sensation in his bosom it was right, and
so he cut and slashed away at the Word of God to his heart's content, and the result is
the Mormon Bible.
We will take time to show one of thousands of changes that Smith has made by
inspiration. When God inspired Smith to translate the Lord's prayer in the Book of Mormon,
he translated it exactly as it in the Authorized Version, Matt. 6, 13, "and lead
us not into temptation." But when the same God inspired him to translate the
Bible, he inspired him to translate it as follows, "and suffer us not to be led
into temptation" Matt. 6, 14. We ask, is it right in the Authorized Version, if
so it is right in the Book of Mormon, but if right in the Authorized Version and Book of
Mormon, Joseph's burning bosom business in the inspired translation of his new Bible, got
him in wrong.
Closing this part of his marvelous work we now call attention to changes has
made in the first twelve chapters of the Bible, this will be sufficient to show, as a fair
sample of the entire translations, the monstrous work of Smith.
Christian Bible, First twelve chapters, Genesis, we find 319 verses.
Mormon Bible, First twelve chapters of Genesis, we find 454 verses. Joseph's burning
bosom business just invented an extra 135 verses.
Christian Bible, Gen. 4th chapter has 26 verses.
Mormon Bible, Gen. 4th chapter has 13 verses.
Christian Bible, Gen. 7th chapter has 24 verses.
Mormon Bible, Gen. 7th chapter has 75 verses.
In one chapter the Mormon Bible has just half as many verses as is found in the
Christian Bible, in the other chapter the Mormon Bible has more than three times as many
verses as the Christian Bible. But why prolong the agony. The general reader will ere this
conclude that Smith's burning bosom business was not the inspiration of God, but it was
the imposition of a vile and impudent, false prophet, and that it is in line with his
spurious revelations as recorded in his productions known as the Book of Abraham,
Book of Mormon, Book of Commandments, Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and other so-called
revelations which have dragged many thousands into the lying wonder of the latter
days-Mormonism.
Chapter 7:
United States vs.
Mormon Church
Back to Chapter 5 - The Proper Name of the Church
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