Subterfuges of Mormonism.
By John Harvey Waggoner
CONVERSING with Mormons recently we referred to Matt. 7 : 22, 23, as evidence that some professed to work miracles in the name of Christ to whom he will say, "I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." They denied the scripture, saying that other translations said, "You never knew me." Of course this did not meet the issue, for whether it reads, I never knew you, or you never knew me, the fact remains that some profess to work miracles in the name of Christ who do not the will of his father—who are workers of iniquity. But it is not true that other translations read, you never knew me. The Mormons have what they style an inspired version of the Bible, by Joseph Smith, in which it is made to read so. But we called attention to the fact that in the book of Mormon, wherein it is said that Christ came to America, after his ascension, and taught the people what he had before taught in Asia, the sermon on the mount is given as it is given in the authorized or common version. To this, reply was made that Joseph Smith was not responsible for what is written in the book of Mormon; he only translated what he found written on the plates. Now comes a query. They claim that Matthew perverted the sermon in his record, or else Matthew's record has been corrupted, and that Smith's later version is the true one. But it is surprising beyond measure that Nephi should record the preaching of the sermon in America, on the very opposite side of the globe, and that he should get it word for word according to the perverted copy of Matthew! It is plain to every one except the Mormons, for their credulity is beyond measure, that the writer of the pretended book of Nephi copied from the commonly received gospel of Matthew, and the later version of Joseph Smith was got up afterwards to suit a purpose. It is amazing that men of ordinary intelligence should ever be deceived by a system so replete with fallacies and falsities. J. H. W.