MORMON DOCTRINES--Their idea of God--Plurality of gods--Mormon Sunday-school hymn concerning Smith--The pre-existence of souls--The doctrine of Polygamy--Practised on the plea of self-sacrifice and ambition--Necessity of preaching their gospel to all--Preaching to the dead--Baptismal regeneration--Baptism for the dead--Mormon priesthood necessary to salvation--Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods--Mormon Endowments--Blood Atonement--Doctrine of "The Fulness of Times." Having thus considered the sources of Mormon doctrine--the ways in which God has revealed His will and purposes unto them--let us consider in the second place some of their II. DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES. 1. _Their idea of God is materialistic._ While they profess to believe the Trinity, they say that God was once a man, who has advanced in intelligence and power so much that now He may be called perfect; but He has still the form and figure of a man. One of the standard Mormon works is called a "Key to the Science of Theology," written by Parley P. Pratt, who, while he lived, was one of the Twelve Apostles. It is now used as a text-book among the people. In confirmation of the statement that they hold grossly corporeal ideas concerning God, it says: "God has an organized individual tabernacle embodied in material form and composed of material substance, in the likeness of man, and possessing every organ, limb, and physical part that man possesses." Christ, too, is believed to have been the offspring of the material union on the plains of Palestine of God and the Virgin Mary. Yet Christ is believed to have had a previous existence, and His worship is enjoined as Lord of all. The Holy Ghost, or Paraclete, is also material. Thus do they lower the divinity to humanity instead of lifting up humanity to the divinity. 2. Another doctrine is that of _Plurality of gods_. Though there is one God supreme, there are many other beings entitled to the name because possessed of the attributes of God, such as creative power. All these gods were once men, and all men are potential gods. The book of Parley Pratt, already quoted, says: "It will be recollected that the last chapter recognizes a family of gods, or, in other words, a species of beings who have physical tabernacles of flesh and bones in the form of man, but so constructed as to be capable of eternal life.... A general assembly, quorum, or grand council of the gods, with their president at their head, constitute the designing and creating power.... Wisdom inspires the gods to multiply their species and to lay the foundation for all the forms of life to increase in numbers, and for each to enjoy himself in the sphere to which he is adapted."