Norwich bulletin., 1920-03-19

taken eonjoint1y with the Bible by both Latter Day Saints and Mormons. It includes no new doctrine. nor any thing, apparently which conflicts with the teachings of the Bible, and 1t should be noticed that the Book of Mormon condemns polygatny- Smith organized the church after the pat
 tern of the Christian church, as first
 instituted in Jerusalem. with twelve apostles, prophets, teachers, evange-
 lists, pastors, etc, and claiming the
 miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit,
 Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith. Healing,
 Miracles. Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Unknown Tongue and Inter- pretation of Tongues.
 Smiths activity and success in gaining converts and followers, brought persecution on him and his company, so leaving New York state they journeyed west facing continual opposition from the populaee with ever increasing numbers of followers. | Finally Smith was slainl in an en- counter with mob, and Brigham l Young, one of the apostles, and a
 man of great energy was chosen as | leader and eventually reached the site of Salt Lake City, Utah, which be-
 came the home of tbe Mornons. also | called Latter Day, Saints, and fio- | torious as the great center of organ I ized po1ygamy which Young called 1 sealing wives"
 l Prior to Smiths death, prophecy was given stating that Joseph Smith, l IT,, then a small child, should be his l fathers successor as head of the , church. so a minority of Smiths fol- 1 lowers, relying on this prophecy. re- ] fused to recognize Young, but with drew from his company with the widow of Joseph Smith and family and l finally settled in Lamont, Iowa. Jo- seph Smith, Jr., many years after wards became head of the reorganized church of Latter Day Saints, thus full l filling the prophecy made concerning \ him. / This branch Of the church re- pudiated the Utah church and never taught or practiced polygarny.
 The present reorganized church oi the Latter Day Saints is very exclu-
 sive, choosing to recognize no Chris.
 tians as such unless received and bap- tized in their creed, claiming for theil leaders the succession of the priest
 hood of Aaron, conferred on Josepl Smith by the angel who revealed tt
 him the hidden plates on which wer,
 inscribed the records composing the
 Book of Mormons. They claim exclu
 sive Jurisdiction over the despensini
 of the gospel, recognizing no one al
 having authority to preach, un1es
 through a call given in their church This seems to be at variance with
 Smiths original teaching, for it recorded in their book of doctrine an, 7 covenants, which is composed of mum erous revelations and prophecies give, by the Holy Spirit to Smith and hi
 co-laborers, that any one who feels burden and desire to preach tn Gospel of Christ is called of God fo /. this work. Many of these people ar active and earnest Christians Twin in the numerous communities in whic . they have churches established. Tn miraculous gift of Tongues with in depreciation, prophecy and other gift : are believed in and displayed in thei [ assemblies. The Utah church, with tn l exception of polygamy, claims to be lieve practically the same as the re f organized church. To the witel
 the claims concerning the Book O l Mormon is shrouded in mystery, bu T insofar as the church teaches an, : breaches the New Testament he rec f ognizes therein the hand of God. 2 T. L. c. s Norwich, March 1T, 1920.