The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-10-31
Sermon Preached at the Methodist
Church on Sunday, October 28,
1917, by DR.. Watson B. Duncan.

Text: Beloved, believe not every
spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the world"
/ John Al.
Mormonism and all kindred move
mcnts are made possible by the amaZ-
ing credulity of the common people,
and most of us belong to that class.
We are naturally inclined to receive
with a considerable degree of toler-
ance almost any representative of a
religious movement. From infancy
we have been taught, to respect the
messengers of any religious sect. 1t
matters not what may be the char
acter of the creed presented almost
any man may formulate any kind of
theory under the guisc of religion and
there will always be found adhercnts.
Frequently the appeal is made to dis
affected clements of the organizations
already existing. In every dcnomi-
nation there arc members who are
more or les dissatisfied with the ordi-
nary state of affairs In their own
church, hence they are ready for
some irregular movement. Generally
the leaders in these irregular move
mcnts are shrcwd enough to put a
great deal of Scripture in their liter
aturc. This is for the purpose of
deceiving the unwary
So we see the absolute neecd Of an
alert mind and careful discrimination
IN regard to all these enterprises.
The eNhortation of our text is emf
nently appropriate at all times-"Bc-
loved, believe not every spirit, but
Try the spirits whether they are of
God: because many false prophets
are gone out into the world" This
discrimination is essential for the
welfare of the church and the safety
OF our own spiritual beings. Without
1t we become the easy prey of all
sorts Of false doctrines and philoso
phies. The application of this prin-
clple of careful examination does not
indicate spirit of irrevercnce, but
the failure to obey the injunction of
the text shows an intellectual and
spiritual Incidence which is not in
harmony with the energy of the
Christian religion.
The Masters iest-"Judge tree
by its fruit'-must be our invariable
rule. This great principle is appli-
cable to all systems of philosophy, to
all religious crceds, to all institutions,
and to all persons When we find the
harvest produced by any system or
organization we may easily ascertain
the character of the agency produc
ing the harvest. The philosophy of
Treltschke was the inspiration of the
bloody world struggle now on
IN Europe. We may easily see why
the Judgment of the Great Day will
be based upon character.
brief history of Mormonism may
ne or interest to us upon this occa-
sion. The sect Of Mormons was found
ed IN this country in 1880 and claims
to be called Of God to gather within
Its fold the people of the entire
world by the authority of a new dis
pensation, which is to be the last
given to man in his present existence
The adherents of Mormonism stvle
themselves "Thc Church of Jesus
hhriSt OF Lattcr-Day Saints" The
sect was founded by Joseph Smith,
"h" was born in the town of Sharon. |
windsor County, Vermont, December
Z3, 1903. This founder profcsscd |
great visions and revelations. He
claims l." nave seen a great light, |
"t2ics descended upon him and thrill
ca DIS entire being. He was then told |
ina, all Christians were teachinr
1alSc doctrines, and he was command
ca not to go after them. He seems
to have fallen from grace, for soon
after this we find him cntanylcd in
the affairs OF the world and guilty. of
immoral practices.
The second light appeared Scptem-
Der n, 1923. At this time Mr.. Smith
ciamS to have seen person who pro-
fcSSed to be an angel sent from Cod
Also that this angel communicated TO
hun the following facts: The Cove
nant made with ancient Israel was
about to be fulfilled; that the great
preparatory work for the coming Of
the Messiah was then to begin: that
the true Gospel was to be preached in
all the world in order to get pcople
n t,.pt, g..