Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-03-18
MORMONISM.
An Address Delivered in the 2nd
Baptist Church GOldsborO,
Thursday Evening March
18th. 1897, by the Pastor j.
w. Rose

I1Jn. 1891, Dy the PaStOr j..
w. Rose
The Mormons generally intro>
duce themselves as Latter Day
Saints.
The Mormon church was estab-
lished by Joseph Smith, Jr, who
was recognized by the Mormons
to be a prophet He was born at
Sharon, VT, Dec. 23d, 1905.
At the age of ten his parents
moved to Palmyra, N. Y. He
grew up without education, lead
ing an idle, immoral life. He
claimed to have visions at fifteen
years of age. On Sept. 21st,
1923, he claimed to have been Wis
tied by an angel, whom he called
Moroni, informing him that God
had a work for him to do. And
at certain place few miles away
be would find some gold plates
with inscriptions on both sides in
ancient dead languages. Also
pair of spectacles which he called
Urim Thummim, through which
he was enabled to read the inscrip-
ton. The plates he described as
being 7x8 inches, connected with
rings so as to form volume about
six inches thick. Four years La
ter he dictated in English the in
scriptions to one Oliver Cowdery,
who transcribed it. The plates
themselves mysteriously disap-
peared as they were translated.
The manuscript was printed at
Palmyra, N. Y, in 1880. and
called the "Book of Mormon, Jos.
Smith, Jr, author and proprie
tor Cowdery and two others
gave their certificate as having
seen the plates, but later, fell out
with Smith and declared it all to
be a fraud.
He was soon joined by Sidney
Rigdon, printer by trade. They
soon gained a small following, and
in 1881 went to Kirkland, Ohio,
where they built a temple and es-
tablished a fraudulent bank. ere
Brigham Young joined them, who
13 years later proved to be their
second leader. They left Ohio in
1888 and went to Missouri, where
Smith had planned to build the
New Jerusalem, but the people
having heard about them, would
give them no encouragement to
settle among them, so they left
Missouri and went to Hancock
county, H., and in the bend OF
the Mississippi they started town
they called Nanvoo. In six years
it grew to be city of Is, 900 in
habitants.
Here Smith had quite a follows
ing, his organization he called the
"Church of Jesus Christ of the
Latter Day Saints. ="
Their board of officers formed a
complete priesthood, the highest
officer is president, which is also
called prophet, He has supreme
power over the church.
Smith was the first president
The next officers were apostles, u
in number. Next 70patriarchs,
and then followed highpriests, els
ders, bishops, priests, teachers,
and deacons.
Smith claimed to have received
this doctrine about 1881, but did
not teach it publicly to his church
until 1913. 1t was practiced by
Smith and other officers of the
church long before it was taught
publicly to the other members.
The doctrine dose not only
grant polygamy, but teaches that
it is means of promotion. The
number of a mans wives and
children will increase his honor
and glory in the world to come.
/ We are warned in Gods word
against false prophets, if there
ever has been a false prophecy, !
think this is one.
| La Rev. %, 1919, we read,
i"For / testify unto every mar
THAT heareth the word of the pro.
phecy of this book, if any mar
shall add unto these things Goo
shall add unto him the plaques
that are written in this book. Ane
if any man shall take away from
the words of the book of this pro
phecy, God shall take away hi
part out of the book of life, ant
out of the holy city, and from th'
!, things which are written in thi'
book Smith, the Mormon lead
er has added to Gods divine reye
, Iation (Which is the Bible)the bool
of Mormon, continuous revelation
{ and the pernicious doctrine Q
/ polygamy which the New Testa
J ment condemns, also questions tn
correctness of the translation o
], the Bible. If the above Scrip
! ture will not apply to him, wh
! will it apply to? In 1914 at Nan
|, VOC, ILL.,, some of Smiths follow
ers became disousted at his i'm