The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901Linn, William Alexander
History
The Story of the Mormons, from the Date of Their Origin to the Year 1901
Linn, William Alexander
Latter Day Saints -- History; Utah -- History
The other source of Mormon belief--the teachings of their leading
men--has been no more consistent nor infallible than Smith's
"revelations." Mormon preachers have been generally uneducated men, most
of them ambitious of power, and ready to use the pulpit to strengthen
their own positions. Many an individual elder, firm in his faith, has
travelled and toiled as faithfully as any Christian missionary; but
these men, while they have added to the church membership, have not made
its beliefs.
Smith probably originated very little of the church polity, except the
doctrine of polygamy, and what is published over his name is generally
the production of some of his counsellors. Section 130 of the "Book of
Doctrine and Covenants," headed "Important Items of Instruction, given
by Joseph the Prophet, April 2, 1843," contains the following:--
"When the Saviour shall appear, we shall see him as he is. We shall see
that he is a man like ourselves....
"The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son
also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a
personage of spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in
us."
An article in the Millennial Star, Vol. VI, for which the prophet
vouched, contains the following:--
"The weakest child of God which now exists upon the earth will possess
more dominion, more property, more subjects, and more power in glory
than is possessed by Jesus Christ or by his Father; while, at the same
time, Jesus Christ and his Father will have their dominion, kingdom and
subjects increased in proportion."
One more illustration of Smith's doctrinal views will suffice. In
a funeral sermon preached in Nauvoo, March 20, 1842, he said: "As
concerning the resurrection, I will merely say that all men will come
from the grave as they lie down, whether old or young; there will not be
'added unto their stature one cubit,' neither taken from it. All will
be raised by the power of God, having spirit in their bodies but not
blood."*
* Millennial Star, Vol. XIX, p. 213.
In "The Latter-Day Saints' Catechism or Child's Ladder," by Elder David
Moffat, Genesis v. 1, and Exodus xxxiii. 22, 23, and xxiv. 10 are cited
to prove that God has the form and parts of a man.
The greatest vagaries of doctrinal teachings are found during Brigham
Young's reign in Utah. In the way of a curiosity the following
diagram and its explanation, by Orson Hyde, may be reproduced from the
Millennial Star, Vol. IX, p. 23:--
[Illustration: Order and Unity of the Kingdom of God
162]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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