Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-06-15

Now I read to you another passage
from this review. Complaint is made
against our address upon the ground
that 1t treats very brlefy--all too
briefly the doctrines of the Church. ]
do not know but what IL is open 10 just
criticism on that ground; for our doc
trines are but stated, as You may say.
in headlines. ! presume the presidency
of the Church did not think the occa-
sion called for an elaborate exposition
of the principles of our faith, with
chapter and verse given for warrant
of the authority on which they rested.
But the Church had been under the
fire OF severe criticism for a. period of
four years or more. Its doctrines had
been assailed, the practises of Its peo-
pie had been misrepresentOd. their
character traduced. and their whole
course of conduct reprobated and con-
dcmned." Taking these circumstances
under advlsement the presidency of the
Church thought, I presume, the time
prOpitiouS for an utterance which
would in outline tell the world what Nc
believed, and correct the misunder'
standing that obtained respecting our
past history and present position. The
address was not designed. as l under
stand il, to be complete exposition
of our faith, but declaration of our
present attitude.
ON the doctrine of the Godhead, these
Christian gentlemen, our reviewers,
think that the statement of the Address
To the effect that we believe in the God
head, comprising the three individual
personages-Fa Father. Son, and Holy
Ghosts q declaration that will not
perhaps suggest Tritheism or material
ism to Christians unfamiliar with Nor
mon theological terms" But" they
continue, when the full doctrine Of
the Deity, as taught in Mormon con-
gregations, is known, II will at once
be seen that no Christian can accept
it," IN fact" they say, 1.-THE Mormon
Church teaches that God the Father
has a material body of flesh and bone;
that Adam is the God of the human
race; that this Adam-God was physi-
cally begotten by another God; that
the Gods were once as we are now;
that there is a great multiplicity OF
Gods: that Jesus Christ was physically
begotten by the heavenly Father of
Mary, His wife; that as we have n
heavenly Father, so also we have a
heavenly mother; that Jesus himself
was married, and was probably
pOlygamist"
GRAPPLES WITH CHARGES.
Let me say. in treating this group
of statements that these gentlemen
nowhere support these allegations by
citations from our authoritative works
that the Church accepts as binding in
doctrine; but they do quote the COM
mentaries of men. which often express
only individual opinion. ! might dis
miss this group OF charges against the
Mormon Church therefore by this
statement of the case. the Church
is not bound 10 defend any doctrine
that is not explicitly found in the works
of the Church setting forth authorita-
lively her doctrines. But / do not pro-
pose to dismiss the charges In any such
fashion. l propose to Srapple with them
and meet them; | trust 10 your salts
faction and TO the satisfaction of these
gentlemen.
First, az TO God having body of
flesh and bOne-being a material per-
sonage | want 10 find out what there
is wrong, unscriptural unphiIosophica
or immoral about that doctrine, And
for the purpose of this discussion /
am going to put in contrast to our
belief that God Is a spirit inhahiting a
body of flesh and bone-an exalted, a
perfected man, if you will-thc state
ment of the belief of these reviewers as
10 the nature of God. And by the way,
they are so nearly at one upon this doc
irine that the Church OF England's
creed the statement of the Episcopal
church on the doctrine will be accept
able 1 doubt not to them all. on this
subject these gentlemen hold: "There Is
but one living and true God everlast-
Ing. without body''-and that term
body by the way, does not mean
to deny that God has a body in fashion
like mans but 1t means that He Is not
matter not material. Continuing then
without body, parts or passions: of
Infinite power, wisdom, and goodness
the Maker and Preserver of all things,
both visible and invisible. And in unity
OF this Godhead there be three Persons,
of one substance, power and eternity:
the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost"
OF Jesus the creed says:
The Son. which Is the Word of the
Father, begoiten from everlasting of
the Father, the very and eternal God
and of one substance with the Father
took mans nature In the womb of the
blessed Virgin. of her substance: 80
that two whole aud perfect natures,
that Is to say, the Godhead and Man
hood, were Joined together In one Per
son, never 10 be divided, whereof is
one Christ, very God, and very Man"
Again:
Christ did truly rise again from
death. and took again His body, with
flesh bones, and all things appertaining
TO the perfection of Mans nature:
wherewith He assembled Into heaven
and there sitteth. until He return to
judge all men at the last day"
THE RESURRECTION.
Mark what is said here Of Jesus.
! GU say mat the Godhead and man
hood in Jesus were Joined together i'm
one person." that Is His spirit and His
body are united, never 10 be severed or
disunlted. Now, / put TO you this quos-
ton Is the Lord Jesus Christ God?
Yes you must answer. Then Is not God
an exalted man according to your
creedY l-isten-and this is your belief
as expressed IN your creed-"Christ did
truly rise again from death, and took
again ms body with flesh, bones, and
All thlnss appertaining 10 The perfec.
ton OF mans nature; Whelewith no as
eended INTO heaven, ana there sitteth.
until lie return 10 judge all men at the
last day"
According to this statement Of tbe
matter. Jesus has not been dIssolyed
lIlo some spiritual, immateral essenoe.
and widely diftused throughout the uni
verse hs some spiritual presence. No,
lle 70 supsthuilal' resuIrccted person. |
age, united spirit and body: aud "The |
dodhead ana Manhood" that are united |
IN the person of the Christine humans
ny ana the diyinIty-are never ia bs |
divided; lie Is recognized and wor- !
Ahlped by YOU gentlemen as VERY God |
ana very man. This. OF course |
scarcely meets the description az |
the hrst paragraph OF The cree1 |
used here where God Is declared To- be- |
not matter, that Is without body. nsrts |
or passions But then that contradjr-
non Is your affair. your trouble. not |
ours II is enough that / call YOUR M
lehllon 10 ne fact that the second part
~ your creed leads you closely ia Tho !