Scrap Book of Mormon Literature, Volume 2 (of 2). Religious Tracts
Religion
Scrap Book of Mormon Literature, Volume 2 (of 2). Religious Tracts
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saints
We see the same careful protection thrown around the principle of
authority throughout the different states of the union; throughout
the different counties of the state, and throughout all the different
cities of the various counties. All will admit that without this
strict attention to authority, there would be no law, no order and no
protection. Out of all known governments the great government of God,
according to our opinion, is the only one that treats the principle of
authority in a careless and reckless manner. Anciently a prophet of
God, through the principle of revelation, called Aaron to the ministry;
at a later period, an Apostle of Jesus {144} Christ said that no man
was to take this honor unto himself save he be called of God, as was
Aaron. Yet men of our day will read where men were commissioned by
Jesus Christ eighteen hundred years ago, with authority to initiate
foreigners into the great government of God, and by virtue of that
authority, given to others, they take the honor unto themselves; while
declaring that the great God has sealed up the system of revelation;
and through the heavens, as you say, being as brass above our heads,
no man can be called, as was Aaron. In the face of all this, any man
purchasing a Bible, which contains that commission once given to
others, imagines he is called of God to preach the Gospel; and the
result is we are living in a babel of confusion; God says "He is not
the author of confusion."
Of course I realize these words of mine will have no weight upon you,
but they may be read by some fair-minded, thinking man, who may stop,
ponder and investigate.
By innuendo you advocated mob violence in your sermon last Sunday
night. Do you think it was becoming to a man who professes to be a
representative of the meek and lowly One whose mission was peace on
earth and good will to man? In carefully looking over the history
of this Mission for a number of years back and noting the number of
mobbings to which our Elders have been subjected, and the number is not
small, we find by careful comparison that 90 per cent of the mobbings
have been led in person or inspired by so-called Christian ministers.
Do you think you were serving God on the Sabbath when you so nearly
sanctioned brute force against a people who have never harmed you or
any of the good people of Chattanooga? Do you really believe that such
a course will make you popular with the liberty-loving and law-abiding
population of your new home? Think over the matter carefully and
perhaps you will admit you over-reached yourself a little.
You took for your text, "Answer a fool according to his folly." In
closing allow me to respectfully present you with the words of our
Master, "He who calleth his brother a fool is in danger of hell fire."
Respectfully,
Ben E. Rich.
{145}
MORMONS AND MORMONISM.
The Mormon People, Their Industry, Education and Morals--What is
Thought of These People by a Non-Mormon of Many Years' Residence Among
Them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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