New Witnesses for God (Volume 3 of 3)Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Religion
New Witnesses for God (Volume 3 of 3)
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Book of Mormon; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
It is notorious that this cry was raised--and even now is raised at
times--against the Book of Mormon. It was relied upon not only as
the chief but also the all-sufficient argument against accepting the
book, as is abundantly proved by reference to the arguments of the
Elders in answer to the objections urged against it. [35] For example
in Orson Pratt's most excellent work, "Divine Authenticity of the Book
of Mormon," there are such headings as these--and in the body of this
work under the respective topics he meets and entirely overthrows all
sectarian argument that the Book of Mormon ought to be rejected because
it claims to be a new revelation: "To Expect More Revelation is not
Unscriptural;" "To Expect More Revelation is not Unreasonable;" "More
Revelation is Indispensably Necessary."--(a) for Calling the Officers
of the Church--(b) To Point out the Duties of the Officers in the
Church--(c) To Comfort, Reprove and Teach the Church--(d) To Unfold
to the Church the Future; "The Bible and Traditions Without Further
Revelation an Insufficient Guide." From these topics may be gathered
the class of objections urged against the Book of Mormon; and as Elder
Pratt so admirably treats that subject, I do not deem it necessary to
enter into that field, since all may inform themselves how complete
the victory of the Elders has been in that controversy by reference to
Elder Pratt's works. I am interested in the matter here only to the
extent of pointing out the fact that the prophecy that the Book of
Mormon would be met with the cry--"A Bible, a Bible, we have a Bible
and there cannot be any more Bible," has been fulfilled. [36]
Closely associated with the sectarian notion of the cessation of
revelation and miracles is also the idea that the Hebrew scriptures
comprised all the records in which God had vouchedsafed a revelation
to man. That is, the Hebrew volume comprised the whole of sacred
scripture. In 1829 at the city of Cincinnati, during the very great
debate which there took place between Alexander Campbell and Robert
Owen--an unbeliever in the Bible,--on the Evidences of Christianity,
the following very positive question was submitted in writing to Mr.
Campbell:
Are the books composing the Old and New Testaments the only books
of divine authority in the world?
To this question Mr. Campbell gave this very emphatic answer--and up
to that time at least, I do not hesitate to say that he voiced the
sentiments of all Christendom; and this was the answer of Mr. Campbell:
"I answer, emphatically yes." [37]
The "yes" Mr. Campbell writes in italics.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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