The Teacher in his Study.

MORMONISM.

No. VI.

Its Principles.

OUR readers will, we doubt not, be surprised that the only passage in our Articles on Mormonism which has drawn forth the animadversion of its advocates, is the one contained in the opening of our last Number. We have received an indignant expostulation, accusing us of forging a "quotation from an address, shewing a relaxed and more liberal principle than generally put forward by the Church;" and our correspondent continues, "Now, sirs, I call upon the writer to produce the evidence for the gross misstatement and perversion of truth, put forward only to deceive." We need hardly say, that to be corrected in a mistake is what we desire to make a gross misstatement is furthest from our wishes; while, with regard to the quotation alluded to above, the charge of perversion of truth, or intention to deceive, can, we think, hardly be brought against us with fairness, at least by a Latter-day Saint. But we will leave our readers to judge, premising for the information of our correspondent, that we quote from an address "To the Saints throughout the Earth," sent from the Council of the Twelve Apostles, and from Council Bluffs, which, if he has not been permitted by his principals to see, we must say that he has been hardly dealt with, inasmuch as it is one of the longest addresses of which the world has had the benefit; containing a history of the Saints, from their desertion of Nauvoo to their arrival at the Salt Lake; and "such information and instruction as the Father hath in store, and which He has made manifest by his Spirit." Claiming therefore, as it does, to be a revelation from heaven, we think our correspondent has been hardly dealt with if he has never had it put into his hands. We know, indeed, that second editions have made wonderful alterations, even in the Book of Mormon itself; it is possible, therefore, that this epistle, or address to the saints, may have been clipped of some of its revealed truths in its passage to London. We will then quote from it, in extenso, the passage which we have been charged with forging; and our readers will, we trust, appreciate the reason why we did not in our last Number give the quotation entire. We desire to state the truth, and the whole truth; but we were not careful in this case to introduce what we now insert from the address, inasmuch as the marrow was what we wanted; the

principle was what we wished to expose, and we kept back the worst from the desire of avoiding (as we trust we shall continue to do) all unnecessary exposure, and of sparing rather than exaggerating the delusion and the deluded. The quotation then, as it stands in the address before us, really is as follows (we must ask our readers to take the trouble to compare the two, vide Sept. Number for 1852, Vol. V. p. 209):—"The kingdom of God consists in correct principles; and it mattereth not what a man's religious faith is, whether he be a Presbyterian, or a Methodist, or a Baptist, or a Latter-day Saint, or Mormon, or a Campbellite, or a Catholic, or Episcopalian, or Mahometan, or even Pagan, or anything else, if he will bow the knee," &c., &c. We leave this with our readers; but can hardly venture to hope that the additional information now provided will have the effect of producing any impression upon our correspondent. We have seen enough to convince us that corruption of heart, in the case of really intelligent individuals, makes the present Mormonite. Given over to a strong delusion, he believes a lie; pride fosters it, self-sufficiency feeds it; the deluded one is puffed up with self-conceit; true vital religion finds little or no place in his practice or his prayers; the Word of God, if read at all, is read only to find arguments in support of a theory or system; the Saviour is virtually cast aside because sin is not felt; gifts are put in the place of graces; baptism in the place of regeneration. Christian friends may entreat, expostulate, or argue, but self-will carries the day; parent, friends, minister, all are despised; the deluded one is seldom brought to his senses until his self-will is thwarted, his self-conceit injured, his self-sufficiency attacked, or his pride offended by his new friends. We think we shall be borne out in these assertions by all who have watched the progress of Mormonism, who have taken the trouble to sift the character of its adherents, or traced the steps whereby any of them have been recalled from error.

But we have been forced to a digression by our indignant correspondent. We must return to our subject of the principles of Mormonism. Our readers will remember its doctrines of the future state, of the second advent, of baptism, and remission of sins,-these we called the strongholds of the delusion. Pretensions to conformity with apostolic practice, to the literal interpretation of Holy Scripture, and to direct intercourse with the powers of heaven, these we called the grand levers of the system. Let us not however do them injustice,— a creed they profess, and this it is ::

We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.

We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.

We believe that, through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

We believe that these ordinances are-1st, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; 2nd, Repentance; 3rd, Baptism by immersion, for the remission of sins; 4th, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost; 5th, The Lord's Supper.

We believe that a man must be called of God by prophecy, and by laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive Church, viz., apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists, &c. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpreting of tongues, &c.

We believe the Bible to be the Word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the Word of God.

We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal; and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

We believe in the literal gathering of Israel, and in the restoration of the ten tribes; that Zion will be built upon this continent (America); that Christ will reign personally upon earth; and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisaic glory.

We claim the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of our conscience, unmolested, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how or where they may.

We believe in being subject to kings, queens, presidents, rulers, and magistrates; in obeying, honouring, and sustaining the law.

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, temperate, benevolent, virtuous, and upright, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul,-we "believe all things ;': we "hope all things;" we have endured very many things, and hope to be able to "endure all things." Everything virtuous, lovely, praiseworthy, and of good report, we seek after; looking forward to the recompense of the reward.”

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Now, the first article of this creed would strike any Christian reader as denying the doctrine of the Holy Trinity; nor with the material notions of God, asserted by Mormon commentators, is it possible that the Trinity in unity, and unity in Trinity, can be acknowledged. The second denies the Scriptural doctrine of original sin. The third mixes up the atonement of Christ with obedience to the laws of the Gospel for man's salvation. The fourth is a strange jumble of principles with ordinances-of gifts with commandments. The fifth carries the priestly office, in the case of every individual so

appointed, into the very courts of heaven; and, certainly, if "ordinances" here mentioned refers to the previous article, faith and repentance are placed in the hands of the minister equally with sacraments. The sixth and seventh, with their et ceteras, open a wide door to those desiring employment and office, to say nothing of the opportunities offered to every species of fancy and imagining. The eighth at once undermines the authority of the Word of God, and argues very little in favour of the knowledge of the saints, as to the original language in which the Word of God was written; while we do not hesitate to say, that it raises the Book of Mormon above the Scriptures. As to the ninth, we cannot but congratulate its professors upon the possession of a perpetual earth; nor can we be surprised that with such an article required of their adherents, they should arrive at the elimax-"We believe all things." With regard to the other articles, objects of faith are strangely confounded with claims and promises, and hopes and assertions; while the permission to all the world to worship according to the dictates of conscience is certainly liberal, to say the least.

Now we have not been able to ascertain the precise date of the formation of this creed. Development is of course admitted and carried out to its fullest extent; all hangs on revelation, present and future; as to the past, we are enabled to gather up crumbs now and then; but what Mormon principles may be to-morrow, or next year, we imagine that few would be bold enough to assert. Give them however their due, in the creed above recited there is something tangible, as we trust we have shewn, But in vain have we looked for any doctrine or principle in their books, addresses, or revelations, bearing any similarity with those essential ones of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which the renewed heart recognizes as Divine,-on which the soul of the believer in Jesus rests. Justification by faith, the very life-blood of the true Gospel, has no place in their creed or expositions. Their remission of sin is not by applying the atonement, but by obeying the commandments, or mere water baptism. Renewal of heart seems to be unknown; the doctrines of gifts are all-pervading with them, the doctrines of grace unheeded. Again, talk of priestly assumption! why they have not only one high-priest, but seventy. Talk of succession! why they fly far above such things of earth,-all ministers, objects of revelation, direct prophecy, immediate sanction from above, Talk of powers! why popes, in the plentitude of their exaltation, never claimed a tenth part of theirs; nor man's wildest dreams of ambition ventured to hope for them. Mahomet never promised half so much to his most ardent followers. Listen to Latter-day Saint extravagance and blasphemy:-"The weakest child of God which now exists on earth will possess more dominion, more property,

more subjects, and more power and glory, than is possessed by Jesus Christ, or his Father; while, at the same time, Jesus Christ and his Father will have their dominion, kingdom, and subjects increased in proportion."

Not that such promises have always been prominent in authorized Mormonite preaching, for, as we saw in the case of the first preachers, care was to be taken to confine themselves within narrow and very simple limits; so there have been periods when orders have been given from head-quarters to be very careful in stating claims and assumptions. For instance, in the address from which we quoted above, and from which we must quote again, though at the hazard of offending our correspondent, we find this passage:-"We wish the travelling elders throughout the world to remember the revelations of the doctrine and covenants, and say nought to this generation but repentance; and if men have faith to repent, lead them to the waters of baptism, lay your hands upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost, confirm them in the Church of the Latter-day Saints, comfort their hearts, teach them the principles of righteousness and uprightness between man and man, administer to them bread and wine in the remembrance of the death of Jesus Christ, and if they want further information, tell them to flee to Zion; there the servants of God will be ready to wait upon them, and teach them all things that pertain to salvation; and anything beyond this in your teaching cometh of evil; for it is not required at your hands, but leadeth you into snares and temptations, which tendeth to condemnation. Should any ask-Where is Zion? tell them-In America; and if any ask, -What is Zion ? tell them-The pure in heart.”

This extract opens we think to us a view of the two-face principles of Mormonism. We cannot, however, dismiss the delusion with merely these outside husks unfolded; nor will the pride of the Mormon advocate allow him to confine himself to these; they have golden visions to offer, and they will offer them; claims they have been indulged in entertaining, and they must assert them. Not merely for the initiated are the promises, but for all; and they have made good use of them too. They have attracted each wild one in fancy or conceit; they have, by means of these promises and extravagance of claims, picked up the rolling stones of hundreds of congregations; caves of Adullam have been their head-quarters in each district visited, and thereout have they sucked "no small advantage." Now, it would be tedious indeed to wade through the shallows, much more the depths of Mormon principles. We have too, we trust, given our readers to know their leading feature. Not that it would be a difficult task to shew that there is not a single doctrine of Holy Scripture left intact by them, wherever they have had occasion to