The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-25

This, however, will close the contro-
versy-so far as The Forum is on
ccrned.)
To The Forum:-I have recently
been informed Of a public challenge,
through your issue Of Oct. "a, to dis
cuss certain religious questions with
w. Shackow of you city. The oc-
casion of the challenge was a ermon
I preached to u English Lutheran
conference in st. Marks church on
Oct. Z, in which I made reference to
certain false prophets, Joseph Smith,
! the founder of Mormonism, being
among the number. 1t seems that Mr..
presumably Mr. Shackow is not
pleased with said reference, and being
a Mormon Of the Josephite variety, l..
e. Of the Iowa branch or Reorganized
Church Of Latter Day Saints Of Jesus
Christ, he evidently desires to cham
pton their cause.
Now, Mr.. Editor, I have no burning
desire to enter a public controversy
with Mr.. Shackow. or any one else, On
this subject; not because 1 am unable
to meet the assertions made by him,
or defend the Lutheran church and
her doctrines; but because Of the in
convenience of attempting it and at
this distance, and also because Of a
nesttancy to enter the lime-lighu Of
such q discussion in public. However,
the truth demands hat something be
said to counteract the wrong impress
sion Mr., Shackow's rejoinder might
have.
In the first place, let me say that
the Luthean church needs no defense.
The Word Of God-the Christian BIZ
BILE, is her foundation; the doctrines
Of her confession are firmly rooted in
that Word; and her honorable his
tory Of almost four centuries with the
millions upon millions Of souls she
has led in the way Of life in Jesus
Christ, is her vindication. Nor am I
alarmed as to her future, as Mr..
Shackow seems to think. True, there
are some here and there who are I'M
t~hinkingly led astray from her fold by
even such prophets as Joseph Smith.
But We expect it, n would wonder
If it were not so, for Jesus says:
(Matt. xiv, 24,) For there shall arise
false Christs, and false prophets, and
shall show great signs and wonders;
in SO much that. if 1t were possible,
they shall deceive the very elect" and
Peter writes G Pet. Ii, - But there
were false prophets also among the
people ven as there shall be false
teachers among you who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even de-
nying the Lord that bought them,
and bring upon themselves swift de-
struction." Surely we pastors have a
duty to warn u people against such
as these. We do not believe our Lu-
theran church loses more than other
orthodox churches to the radical sects;
in fact, we are quite certain hat this
sloughing process is not as great as
with most others. However, this is
| 1~% n 1@-SSn oF 49, ~ H-.& -
saving souls. And to teach men false
ly and from false books is to imperil
their lives.
But Mr.. Shackow is not satisfied
with the Bible, he must have the Book
Of Mormon. The revelation Of Jesus
| Christ in the Bible is not full enough
for him, he must add to it that of
Joseph Smith from the so-called Gold
en- Bible. The gospel Of Peter and
John and Paul does not meet his
wants; he must have his good news
from the Latter Day Saints. Yet Paul
writes (Gal. /, 81, But though we or
an angel from heaven, preach any
other gospel unto you than that which
we have preached unto you, let him
be accursed," and John closes Revela-
ton saying: Grew. xxi, 18-19,) "For
I testify unto every man that heareth
the words of the, prophecy of this
book: IF any man shall add unto
these things, God shall add unto him
the plaques that are written in this
book: and if any mar shall take away
from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his
part out Of the, book of life, and out
Of the holy city, and from the things
which are written in this book"
The Lutheran church adhereS to
the old gospel Of Jesus Christ and His
Apostles, and she objects to any other
or new revelation. The Book Of Nor
mon claims to be such another and
new revelation. We protest against
1t just as Luther protested gaainsl
Munzer and the other false prophets
Of his day.
But Mr.. Shackow mentions several
doctrines as taught by his newly
found prophet and Bible. which quite
clearly illustrate the point at issue.
The Mormon conception Of God is ma
fnr-fo Itct{n ~ that's II ofooLs-x. A..