The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-05-16
'THEPEOPFL.,EI'''S'Fii'ORUjlNiiI.

1 MllILlsl6Ll..UJIELLfo 5lBUMUlM
Arguments ta)5 Against The BOOK d
Mormon. n
Rev: Ira G. Moore has been con.
tributing 10 the West virginlan, pub.
lished at Fairmont. West Virginia, ar.
ticles intended TO show that the Book
Of Mormon is an lmposture. We have
seen only one Of them, which was
clipped and forwarded by frieni,
but II 1t isa fair sample OF what It's
author is capable OF producing IN the
way Of logical reasoning, he is a very
childish antagonist In \ lebate.
His chief and almost his only argu.
ment t?) Is this: The Book OF Nor.
mon, claims that descendants Of Jo.
seph, who was sold into Egypt, lived
upon the American continent for sis
years before Christ. and kept
the law Of Moses "in all things" dur.
Ing that time. The law Of Moses re-.
qulred every male OF the children OF
Israel TO assemble at Jerusalem three
times In the year" II was a physica,
impossibility for descendants OF Israel
upon the American continen, TO conf.
ply with this law, therefore the Book
Of Mormon is false.
The law Of Moses never embraced
any such provision as Mr.. Moore
cites. That law was given long be.
fore the children Of Israel ever enler.
ed Palestine. or ever saw Jerusalem.
II going TO Jerusalem three Il ies u
year was necessary In ordc: to con-
form 10 the law Of Moses, then Moses
himself broke his own law. for he
never went 10 Jerusalem IN his l.fe,
So too with the whole congregation Of
Israel for years and years. %hile they
dwelt in the wilderness, ard while
they were conquering thci: enemies
and were receiving the most wonder.
full marks Of the Lords favor; the
males were all the time jreaking the
law Of Moses because they did not
leave their camp in the wilderness or
the quarters OF their army, traverse n
region thickly populated by ferocous
enemies. and enter the then pagan
city Of Jerusalem!
The law of Moses was the law Of
the Lord. Is II conceivable that the
Lord would give a law fer the guild.
ance and salvation OF any nation or
people which could h. Ubeyed only by
individuals living within convenient
distance Of a certain city? What was
10 hecume Of lsraeli!es whit lived in
parts remote from Je'n1ilem' Anu oil
those who led n sea:arins life And
OF al others 10 whom u journey to
Jerusalem three times 4 gear was I'm
pcssihie: Inc ignorance or reckleSs'
ness, or noth' which are SHOWN in THIS
attempt 10 rel'ile the BOOK OF Mormon
are both amazing and shocking, esne'
ciaiiy when displayed In the pulpit
Hht Mr. Moore bases n TWO ana Il nall
column article almost wholly on Inc
ridiculous assumption which is here
reinted, anu OF course the whoie
STRUCTURE ne ms reared collapses.
WINE Judea was roman province
mere was civil law winch required
inc aunt males among lis inhabiahts
to go mp TO Jerusalem" periodically
to he counted and taxed; but there was
never Incorporated into the iaw OF
Moses, ny proper authority any pro
VISION which could not be FULLY COIN
pied win by a worshipins consreSa
ton In any part OF the world, provided
they had among them priests who were
divlhe'y authorized to take the lead in
ihelr worship, Us was the case VIII,
Inc descendants OF Joseph In America
MI Moore cfiftms to have presented,
In n previous article, proof that the law
or Moses made the requirement OF
all male lsraelites that they so to
Jerusalem Three times year. With
out having seen his other article, and
without inc least Idea MS TO the ma
Tire or tho 'nr0nf' hn n1s pIvpD wl