Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 2 of 2)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 2 of 2)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches
"No domination of the state by the Church;
"No church interference with the functions of the state;
"No state interference with the functions of the church, or with
the free exercise of religion;
"The absolute freedom of the individual from the domination of
ecclesiastical authority in political affairs;
"The equality of all churches before the law."
Again I read from the review, and this time I deal with a passage
which the reviewers themselves say "dwarfs everything mentioned in the
Address." We shall see what comes of it:
"Apparently the foundation of the 'Mormon' Church is in the Book
of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price,
and the testimony of the living oracles delivered from time to
time. But whoever digs down to the lowermost foundation will find
that, at last, everything rests upon the reported visions of
Joseph Smith. When any matter of vital importance is presented
for the belief of mankind, if that matter, either in its nature
or the circumstances attending it, lies very much outside the
ordinary, a due regard for human intelligence demands that,
whatever testimony is produced in support of it shall be buttressed
by corroborative evidence. But here we have a system of religion
which claims sole authority as being alone divinely accredited.
It asks for the acceptance of mankind on the ground of being so
accredited. It anathematizes all who finally reject it. Yet this
religion, making such an astonishing claim, is founded upon the
unsupported assertion of a young person whose probity was never so
well established that his naked word would be taken concerning any
matter transcending ordinary observation and experience; and that
assertion touches supernatural appearances, and messages which, if
true, are of the most profound importance to mankind; and yet that
assertion is wholly without corroborative evidence."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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