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
To understand the strength of the argument that the doctrinal teachings
of the Mormon Bible were the work of a Disciples' preacher rather
than of the ne'er-do-well Smith, it is only necessary to examine
the teachings of the Disciples' church in Ohio at that time. The
investigator will be startled by the resemblance between what was then
taught to and believed by Disciples' congregations and the leading
beliefs of the Mormon Bible. In the following examples of this the
illustrations of Disciples' beliefs and teachings are taken from
Hayden's "Early History of the Disciples' Church in the Western
Reserve."
The literal interpretation of the Scriptures, on which the Mormon
defenders of their faith so largely depend,--as for explanations of
modern revelations, miracles, and signs,--was preached to so extreme a
point by Ohio Disciples that Alexander Campbell had to combat them in
his Millennial Harbinger. An outcome of this literal interpretation was
a belief in a speedy millennium, another fundamental belief of the early
Mormon church. "The hope of the millennial glory," says Hayden, "was
based on many passages of the Holy Scriptures.... Millennial hymns were
learned and sung with a joyful fervor.... It is surprising even now,
as memory returns to gather up these interesting remains of that mighty
work, to recall the thorough and extensive knowledge which the convert
quickly obtained. Nebuchadnezzar's vision... many portions of the
Revelation were so thoroughly studied that they became the staple of
the common talk." Rigdon's old Pittsburg friend, Scott, in his report
as evangelist to the church association at Warren in 1828, said:
"Individuals eminently skilled in the word of God, the history of the
world, and the progress of human improvements see reasons to expect
great changes, much greater than have yet occurred, and which shall give
to political society and to the church a different, a very different,
complexion from what many anticipate. The millennium--the millennium
described in the Scriptures--will doubtless be a wonder, a terrible
wonder, to all."
Disciples' preachers understood that they spoke directly for God, just
as Smith assumed to do in his "revelations." Referring to the preaching
of Rigdon and Bentley, after a visit to Scott in March, 1828, Hayden
says, "They spoke with authority, for the word which they delivered was
not theirs, but that of Jesus Christ." The Disciples, like the Mormons,
at that time looked for the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. Scott* was
an enthusiastic preacher of this. "The fourteenth chapter of Zechariah,"
says Hayden, "was brought forward in proof--all considered as
literal--that the most marvellous and stupendous physical and climatic
changes were to be wrought in Palestine; and that Jesus Christ the
Messiah was to reign literally in Jerusalem, and in Mount Zion, and
before his ancients, gloriously."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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