The Life of John Taylor: Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsRoberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
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The Life of John Taylor: Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches; Taylor, John, 1808-1887
Another minister delivered a course of lectures against him, to which
he replied in his own hall--the Wellington Rooms. Another--a Mr. J.
Curran--published a series of newspaper articles against Mormonism, to
which he replied. At the same time the Rev. Robert Heys, a Wesleyan
Methodist, published three pamphlets in opposition to his doctrines, to
each of which he published a reply. Unfortunately, only one of these
pamphlets--the second--has been preserved; but from it we may learn
something of Elder Taylor's power as a debater, the power by which
he earned his title of "Champion of Truth." It is not my purpose to
follow the discussion in all its details, or even give an outline of
it, but simply introduce a single paragraph that is a specimen of Elder
Taylor's cogent reasoning.
His reverend opponent stoutly objected to Mormonism because it was
based on a new revelation, and in his view the day of revelation had
passed--the volume thereof was complete; and he maintained that the
Bible itself forbids any more revelation being added to it, and as
Mormonism claimed to have come into existence through revelation, it
violated the prohibitions of the Bible, and therefore Mormonism was an
imposture.
In support of this argument, he quoted three passages of scripture:
First from Deuteronomy, "Ye shall not _add_ unto the word which I
command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep
the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you;" second from
Proverbs, "Every word of the Lord is pure, * * * _Add_ thou not unto
his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar;" lastly,
from Revelation, "I testify unto every man that heareth the words of
the prophecy of this book, if any man shall _add_ unto these things,
God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."
To this argument Elder Taylor replied:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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