Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon"Rich, Ben. E. (Benjamin Erastus)
Religion
Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon"
Rich, Ben. E. (Benjamin Erastus)
Latter Day Saints -- Fiction; Salt Lake City (Utah) -- Fiction
"I have not the slightest objections, and will be glad to have all the
light possible thrown upon the different doctrinal points that I do not
believe, and mainly because of which I am not at present a member of
any Christian church."
"Then, Mr. Brown," said Fitzallen, "let us commence our voyage in
search of eternal truth. What particular part of the Christian faith
appears to you as being most difficult to understand?"
"I confess there are many. However, let us commence with one of the
principles of your belief. I will refer to some of the literature of
the Church of England. The first article of religion contained in the
Church of England Prayer Book is: 'There is but one living and true
God, everlasting; without body, parts or passions; of infinite power,
wisdom and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both
visible and invisible; and in the unity of this Godhead there are three
persons of one substance, power and eternity,--the Father, Son and the
Holy Ghost.' According to this, then, your belief is that the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost are one person, without body, parts or passions."
"You have certainly quoted correctly from the prayer book; I fail to
see anything wrong with that. What fault have you to find with it?"
"None whatever if you really believe it, because there does not seem
to me much variance in our conclusions if you believe in such a God as
this; I can not conceive of a just God who has neither body, parts nor
passions. So far as the Bible is concerned, I fail to see from what
part of that book you obtain such a conclusion."
"Well, Mr. Brown, using your own language, 'so far as the Bible is
concerned,' let us do as Isaiah commands, go 'to the law and to the
testimony,' (Isaiah viii: 20) and I will soon convince you that the
Bible plainly sets forth the fact that the Father and the Son are one.
In fact, Jesus Himself declares that He and His Father are one. (John
x: 30.) Is this not true?"
"Excuse me," said Durant, "but is it not more reasonable for us to
believe He meant that He and His Father were united in all things as
one person?--not that they were actually one and the same identity?"
"Certainly not," said the reverend, "our Savior meant just what He said
when He declared that He and His Father were one."
"I must certainly differ from you," said the stranger, "for He also
asked His Father to make His disciples one, even as He and the Father
were one, as you will see by reference to John xvii: 20 and 21, and by
your argument it must have been His wish for those disciples to lose
their separate and distinct identities. I am afraid you are not making
a very favorable impression on Mr. Brown's mind."
"Stranger," said Mr. Brown, "your view of the case, I must confess,
appears to be very reasonable. Looking at it from any other standpoint
would not be in accord with sound reason."
"Let me ask," said the preacher, "did not Jesus say, 'He that hath seen
me, hath seen the Father?'" (John xiv: 9.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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