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D. A. PARSONS

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 31, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 53.

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D. A. PARSONS

By D. A. PARSONS

Mormonism— No. 4

D. A. PARSONS

WITH all this array of unscriptural teachings and practise before us, we are urged by the Mormon Church to have implicit faith in the truthfulness, holiness, and purity of her prophets, because, it is claimed, some of their predictions have proved true. But it is a fallacy to argue that a successful prophecy is positive proof of divine inspiration. This important fact has evidently been overlooked by our Mormon friends, although it is so clearly stated in the following words of Scripture:—
“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods . . . thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet.” “There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders.” “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? . . . Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Deut. 13: 1, 2, 3; Matt. 24: 24; 7: 22, 23.
In these scriptures we are warned not to accept a “sign,” nor even the fulfilment of a prophecy, as final proof of a true prophet. We are counseled to take into consideration his life and the general trend of his teachings. If they are not in harmony with the Word of God, it is because the seer is not an ambassador of Christ. Were the doctrines taught by Joseph Smith and Brigham Young in accord with the Holy Bible? Did the lives of these men reveal the sweet and tender influences of the spirit of Jesus? Their own statements, quoted verbatim in former articles, have answered these questions in a positive manner, and have certainly borne witness against them.
“Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord,” is the counsel given in his Word. And in the light of this counsel, we ask you to read the following boast made in public by Brigham Young, and published in his church literature for the uplifting and edification of his followers:—
“The teasers who come all the time after women, and soon get tired of them and want to divorce them, I make pay ten dollars for each divorce; and that ismy individual bank.”—Journal of Discourses, Vol. VIII, page 202.
Thus this leader, this “prophet,” this champion of Mormon righteousness, encouraged the lust of vile men, and bartered with Satan the virtue and happiness of women, for the paltry sum of ten dollars each to supply his “individual bank”! Was he a servant of God? Will he stand the Bible test of a true prophet?

The Sabbath Binding

If it be asked, What are the Bible tests of a holy prophet? let it be answered: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8: 20. The application of this test alone is fatal to the proud and boastful claims of the Mormon seers, for upon the confession of their own “Compendium of Doctrines” they disobey the sacred law of God. We quote from the last-mentioned work:—
“The Sabbath was to be a perpetual covenant between the Lord and the children of Israel. ‘Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.’ Verse 16. In verse 17 they are commanded to observe it as a sign that they remember that the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested on the seventh day.
“In these quotations from Exodus 31. and in the decalogue, the most positive and weighty reasons are given by the Lord to the fathers of the house of Israel for keeping the Sabbath day. The obligation is evidently as binding upon the Latter-day Saints as it was upon their fathers, and they, in like manner, will reap the reward of obedience.”—Compendium, page 244.
The essay from which this quotation is taken contains no hint of a change of day. It begins by showing that the seventh-day Sabbath was hallowed at creation, and given to the human race as a memorial of that event. The hallowed day is then skilfully traced through the patriarchal age to prove that it was not a new institution given Israel when they left Egypt; and much stress is laid on those verses which affirm that the seventh-day Sabbath was a sign between God and his people. Then follows the above statement, that it “is evidently as binding upon the Latter-day Saints as it was upon their fathers.”
But the Mormon Church does not obey the fourth commandment. On the contrary, she teaches men to violate this portion of the sacred decalogue. It therefore follows that, tested by their own publications, the Latter-day Saints are either guilty of rebellion against God, or guilty of the deliberate intention to appropriate to Sunday his positive command to observe Saturday, the seventh day.
It matters not to us which horn of this dilemma the Mormon Church hangs upon. The one acknowledges rebellion; the other, the handling of God’s Word deceitfully.

Consecration of Prophets

It seems almost unnecessary to add proof to that already given of the spirituality and consecration of the Mormon prophets. However, the following confessions of “apostle” Lyman are so much to the point that we venture to give them. They were made on oath before the United States Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections, which convened in 1905 to consider the vigorous protest entered against permitting the Mormon senator, Mr. Reed Smoot, to retain his seat in the Senate.
We do not call attention to these confessions to unveil to public view the standing of one man before his Maker, but to show the spiritual attainment necessary to be an apostle of the Mormon religion, and heir to the title of Prophet, Seer, and Revelator in the Mormon Church. The testimony mentioned was, in part, as follows:—
“Senator Hoar: I am not asking you about that. You have said, more than once, that in living in polygamous relations with your wives, which you do and intend to do, you knew that you were disobeying this revelation? [that is, the manifesto of 1890].”
“Mr. Lyman: Yes, sir.”
“Senator Hoar: And that in disobeying this revelation you were disobeying the law of God?”
“Mr. Lyman: Yes, sir.”
“Senator Hoar: Very well. So you say that you, an apostle of your church, expecting to succeed, if you survive Mr. Smith, to the office in which you will be the person to be the medium of divine revelations, are living, and are known to your people to live, in disobedience of the law of the land and of the law of God?”
“Mr. Lyman: Yes, sir.”
“Senator Hoar: And that in disobeying this revelation you were disobeying the law of God?”
“Mr. Lyman: Yes, sir.”
“Senator Hoar: He says ‘Yes.’ That is all.”
The above is taken from “The sworn Testimony Given in the Reed Smoot Case,” page 219. On page 231 the following questions and answers are found:—
“Senator Hoar: I would like to ask one more question. Have you communicated to your associate apostles, or any of them, what you have stated to me, namely, that you disobeyed the commands of the Lord, and that you have not yet repented?”
“Mr. Lyman: No; I have not told them.”
“Senator Hoar: Any of them?”
“Mr. Lyman: No; I have not told them.”
“Senator Hoar: So far as you know and believe, is not the fact of your disobedience, which has been spoken of, well known in that community?”
“Mr. Lyman: Yes, sir.”
From these confessions, taken on oath, it is evident that the standard of Mormon righteousness will permit men to act as highest officials who are known to be living in violation of what they claim are the laws of God. Therefore Mormonism is not the faith of Jesus our Saviour, nor is that church the true church of Christ.
Asheville, N. C.