# Mormonism Exposed (Hancock)/Chapter 8

The apostolic ministry being God's especial ministry, established for the specific purpose of delivering the faith for the people of God-no one could have any part in that ministry only such as were specially called of God for that purpose. I could as easily credit the claims of all the Mormon factions to miracle working power as I could the claims of the various ​sectarian parties of the present time, that God specially calls men to their ministries.
The New Testament ministry was an inspired ministry, and to it, of necessity, belonged the miracle working power. The Holy Spirit was not only with them as the Spirit of inspiration, but also as the Spirit of confirmation. Inspiration was ever for the purpose of giving the counsel of God to man. It was not only necessary for that counsel to be revealed, but highly essential that it be confirmed. The inspired messengers of heaven, hence, were always prepared to demonstrate the truthfulness of their message by miraculous attestation. Thus Paul could say: "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."—I. Cor. 2: 4, 5.
We are here told the purpose of all miracle working power. It was to demonstrate the source and truthfulness of the heavenly message. The faith of God's people resting in the word thus confirmed rests in the power of God. Man's faith resting in anything else it rests in the mechanism of men and demons. Of the apostles it is said: "And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following."—Mark 16: 20. Not a man since the apostles' day could say as Paul said to the Corinthians, neither can it be said of any set of men since that day as was said of the apostles in Mark 16: 20. It would have been ridiculous, in the extreme, for an apostle to have gone to Asia, Africa or Europe, and, as proof of what he preached, told the people that a certain miracle was wrought in Judea, and one in Samaria. The ridiculousness of these modern pretenders to apostolic power beggars description! They are false apostles, deceitful workers. We need not be surprised that such are at work, for Satan, we are told, is transformed into an angel of light. If we could get all these modern pretenders to miracle ​working power together they could not give a demonstration of a single genuine miracle, if it was to save them from the infernal regions. Some time back I was in a neighborhood where Smith and his associates spent considerable time. An elderly gentleman whose word was at par with all that knew him, told me of his associations with Smith. Upon a certain occasion Smith was to preach, and there was to be an exhibition of their power to speak with tongues. Although Smith was out of humor on account of some things that had occurred in the neighborhood, he preached, but language he used I would not dare give. It could only be relished by the vulgar in the lowest circles. After the sermon Smith and other leading ones stood up before the crowd to show their gift of tongues. As their utterances were not rapid, a gentleman present wrote them, so as to examine them afterwards, and it was shown that they had repeated a certain chapter in the book of Genesis backwards! That gentleman did not need inspiration in order to interpret their tongues! Neither does any thinking man need inspiration in order to tell from what source the inspiration of Smith & Co. came. My informant was not in sympathy with what I taught. There was, however, a company there that believed in Smith. Among the questions that were given us to answer during our series of meetings there, was the following: "Do the signs mentioned in the latter part of the sixteenth chapter of Mark follow today?" My reply was: "It is not necessary for me to answer that question, for my answer would not, doubtless be satisfactory to those who propounded the question. You can settle that question. It will not cost you much to do so. Just get all in the Mormon family that claim miraculous power together, set them a dinner, and give each a dose of "Rough on Rats," and if it don't hurt them you may know that those signs follow, but if the dose hurts them you will know that they don't follow. I can give you my opinion and it is just what you are doubtful it would be. You would have an entire new set of officials to select. The apostles of Christ were poison ​proof, and if your officials are what they claim to be they are poison proof. If they are imposters the people ought to know it.
Regarding the purpose of miracles the following is pointed: "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book; but these are written that ye might believe."—John 20: 30, 31. This affirms that miracles were for the purpose of confirming the testimony of God. This being done the purpose for which they were granted was accomplished, and they ceased. We now invite attention to the following: "For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both by signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.—Heb. 2: 2, 3, 4.
If language can settle any point, this settles the purpose of all signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost that were granted the New Testament ministry. They were for the purpose of confirming unto the people of God the word that was spoken by the Lord. With the full revelation of that word God pronounced His work in order to man's redemption perfect. With the reaching of that perfection Paul affirmed that miracles would cease. I. Cor. 13: 8–11. In the Ephesian epistle it affirmed that with the delivering of the one faith the church would reach its manhood. We give the following:
1. When the church reached its manhood in Christ all miraculous endowments were to cease.
2. But the church reached its manhood with the perfection of the revelation through Christ.
3. Therefore, with the perfection of the revelation through Christ all miraculous endowment ceased.
This authorizes the following:
​1. All miraculous endowments were to cease with the perfection of the revelation through Christ.
2. But the perfection of the revelation through Christ was reached with the ministry of the apostles of Christ.
3. Therefore since the ministry of the apostles of Christ no miraculous endowments have been granted.
If any man undertakes a work and in that work reaches his own ideal, unless convinced of a mistake, and that an improvement can be made by an addition, subtraction or alteration at some point, he will not make any change in that work. That the Almighty, in the development as revealed in the New Testament, reached His own ideal in order to man's redemption is just so certain as that there is meaning in the language He used. "All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."—II. Tim. 3: 16, 17. Paul's "All Scripture" includes the Old and New Testament, no more, no less. Here we have perfection affirmed in point of revelation. Of the one institution of God, the church, the same apostle says: "And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all."—Eph. 1: 22, 23. Again, "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God."—Eph. 3: 8, 9, 10. In these Scriptures it is affirmed that in the Bible we have perfection in revelation, and in the gospel as recorded in the New Testament we have the revelation of the unsearchable riches of Christ, that in the New Testament institution we have ​the fulness of God and the manifold wisdom of God. In the one institution of the New Testament and the revelation contained in the Bible, we have God's ideal in order to man's redemption. Did God make a mistake? Has anyone convinced Him of an error? If not He has given no additional revelation or made any change in His institution either by addition, subtraction or alteration.
1. God had nothing for man beyond his own perfection.
2. But the perfection of God is embodied in what is revealed in the Bible.
3. Therefore, beyond what is revealed in the Bible God had nothing for man.
It is strange, remarkably strange, that man should seek anything beyond the perfection of the Almighty!
1. Any production beyond the perfection of God that claims inspiration is a fraud.
2. But the Book of Mormon is a production beyond the perfection of God that claims inspiration.
3. Therefore, the Book of Mormon is a fraud.
There is no security nor favor for any creature outside of the truth of God. If all the creatures of God had abode in His truth there would have been no rebellion in the universe, and sin would not have been known. But Satan left the truth of God and became the author of sin.
The Savior gave to man the truth that was essential in order to the freedom of the human soul, essential to the sanctification and preparation of man for the association of his Creator. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that truth was delivered by the apostles of Christ. Within that truth man is in the light of God. So thorough and complete are God's arrangements in that truth there is no demand for the revelation of a single idea, on any point, since the completion of the apostles' work.