The Mormons by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 11, 1876

FromThe Review and Herald, Review and Herald, Vol. 47, No. 19.

The Mormons.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

To M. E. C., of Missouri: Since the days of Christ there have been very many false movements, like that of Mormonism, which have come up and flourished for a generation or so and then disappeared. The prophecies do not specially and directly notice all these minor and more local movements. If they did, there would need to be a hundred prophecies where there is now one. We must not endeavor to hunt up or strain a prophecy to fit every passing event which happens to come before us. A thousand things have happened in the history of the church and of the world of much more importance than Mormonism, which, nevertheless, the Lord has not seen fit to notice in prophecy. I know of no special prophecy of Mormonism, unless it be Matt. 24: 26. Mormons come under the general description of the false prophets of the last days.

Where is the proof that the Mormons have wrought the miracles of which they boast so much? There is none, whatever, except their own oft-repeated assertion. My acquaintance with them has taught me that there is no reliance whatever to be put upon these stories. I have personally known some who could tell the most wonderful experiences in healing and being healed, &c., to be persons of the worst moral characters. Where are the reliable persons outside of their own ranks who have ever seen these miracles? Who sees them now? No one. They are simply fabricated stories to deceive the credulous. Of course there are honest souls among them who are deceived and really believe them. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” D. M. CANRIGHT.