Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-05-27
Errors of Mormonism.

As Mormonism has been of late receiv-
ing considerable attention in the secular
papers, the following summary of errors
may be of interest.
"First. The Mormon church unchurches
all Christians. 1t recognizes itself alone as
the church. 1t teaches that Christians Of
every name and nation and century, since
the Apostolic church, are in state ofapos-
tacy, without authority to teach, preach CT
administer the sacraments, and that saliva
ton and 'exaltation are to be found alone
in the church organized by Joseph Smith |,
They thus not only unchurch, but disfel'
lowship all Christians, and demand that
we must yield to the authority Of the flor.
mon priesthood or perish.
''Second. The Mormon church places
the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and
Covenants on par with the Bible and re-
quires subscription to the inspection and
authority of these books, as a condition Of
acceptance with God and fellowship with
his people.
"Third. The Mormon church makes
faith i'll the pc rson and mission of Joseph
Smith an essential article of faith; so much
so that the man who rejects the claims Of
the modern prophet is rank hereto.
"Fourth. The Mormon church makes
faith in the doctrine of the Mormon priest
hood and submission so the same essential
to mans future blessedness, and unbelief
in this priesthood damning sin.
'Fifth. The Mormon church teaches a
doctrine of God that Is antagonistic to the
scriptu, es, dishonoring to the Divine Be-
ing, ard debasing to man. It teaches that
God is an exalted man who was once as
we are now, and who is forever changing,
ever advancing, becoming more and more
perfe 1t, but never reaching the condition
of absolute perfection.
"Sixth. The Mormon church teaches
that Adam is God, the creator of this
world, and our God, and the only God
with whom we have anything to do.
Seventh. The Mcrmons are polytheists.
They believe in plurality Of Gods. They
thus place themselves on par with the
heathenism of old Greece and Rome.
Eighth. The Mormon church teaches
mongrel and mlscriptural doctrine Of sal
walton. 1t uses the atonement of Christ
to cover original sin, the sin of Adam, and
teaches its adherents to depend on their
OVID righteousness or good works as the
basis of pardon for actual personal sin.
ninth. The Mormon church believer
in Polygamy. The doctrine is both sacred
to them and fundamental The mantle sto
was not, and did not pretend to be repu-
diation of the doctrine of celestial marriage.
1t was, as all honest Mormons freely con-
fess, only "a suspension of the practice for
the time being, They hold the principles
to be as eternal as God himself.
"Tenth> The Mormon church teaches
that God is poiygamlst; tine neutral
father Of all intelligent beings IN heaven,
earth and hell; that angels, men ar ID devils
are bis offspring by precreation, or natural
generation, and that Adam is the father of
Christ's human nature, as Brighs IN Young
was the father of his children.
'They have also asserted tha4 Christ was
a polygamist, Mary, Martha, Magdalene,
etc., being his wives.
Eleventh. The church claims toreceive
inspired revelations, and these are more
binding than those Of the bible."- G..
S., Salt Lake City, Utah, in Lutheran Wis
itor, Newberry, S. c.