Produced by the Mormon Texts Project (http://mormontextsproject.org), with thanks to Bill Lund and Renah Holmes "MORMON" DOCTRINE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE, --OR-- Leaves from the Tree of Life. By CHAS. W. PENROSE. PUBLISHED BY THE JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR OFFICE, Salt Lake City, Utah. 1888. INTRODUCTION. There is no subject of popular comment on which there is so little general information as that called "Mormonism." This little work is designed to explain, in a simple way, leading features of "Mormon" doctrine. The terms "Mormon" and "Mormonism" are not strictly correct as usually applied. They are inappropriately derived from the Book of Mormon, which is a work containing the history of the former inhabitants of the American continent, written at different times by various persons and finally compiled by a prophet named Mormon and inscribed upon metallic plates, which were hidden in the earth to come forth in the latter days, for the enlightenment of mankind in relation to the origin of the Indian tribes of this land, and as a testimony that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified by the Jews, is indeed the Messiah, the Son of the living God. This record, giving an account of the dealings of the Almighty with the people it describes, and whose origin and travels, wars and industries, customs and religion, progress and decay it graphically relates, was taken from its hiding place by Joseph Smith in obedience to the revelation and commandment of God and was translated into the English language through a heavenly gift bestowed upon that favored man. Those who believe in the divinity of the book are commonly called "Mormons," and the doctrines which they hold are known as "Mormonism." But it is as inconsistent to call people "Mormons," who believe in the writings of Mormon, as it would be to call them Isaiahs, or Jeremiahs, or Peters or Pauls, because they believe in the scriptures written by those inspired men. The Church which has been organized under direction from the same heavenly Power that revealed the Book of Mormon, is entitled the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its members, then, should not be called "Mormons," but Latter-day Saints. The members of the church established by Jesus and His apostles, as will be seen by reference to the New Testament, were called Saints. The term "Christians" was applied to them in derision, and was first used at Antioch. The members of the restored Church of Christ are called Latter-day Saints to distinguish them from their brethren and sisters of former times. But as "Christians" came to be the common appellation of the former-day saints, so "Mormons" has come to be the title generally bestowed upon the Latter-day Saints, and is used herein only in that sense.