Joseph Smith: Creator of the Fourth
Abrahamic Faith; Mormonism
G. Richard Jansen, Emeritus Professor
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado, 80521
September 15, 2007
Introduction
Much has been made, especially by those why try to
blur the very serious differences that exist among Judaism,
Christianity and Islam, that all three derive from the Jewish patriarch
Abraham. These three have been discussed more extensively elsewhere ( Three Abrahamic Faiths.)
There is, however, yet a fourth Abrahamic faith; The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormon Church. The theology of
Mormonism is drastically different from Judaism, Christianity or Islam
yet claiming descent from Abraham. Although claiming to be a
“Church of Jesus Christ” it is in fact not a Christian Church. The
founder of the Mormon Church was Joseph Smith. Although Mormonism and
Islam are not even remotely similar, as will be discussed, there are
striking similarities in their respective origins from
revelations claimed to have come directly from God; to Muhammed on the
one hand and to Joseph Smith on the other. The theologies of
Judaism and Christianity will briefly be reviewed before giving
significant more attention to the last two Abrahamic faiths; Islam and
Mormonism.
Abraham
In Genesis, the first book in the Bible, it is
stated that Abram, later to be known as Abraham, and his wife Sarai,
later to be known as Sarah , moved from Ur in the Chaldees of southern
Mesopotamia north to Haran and then, on command of the Lord, south to
the Land of Canaan on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean
Sea: The LORD had said to
Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and
go to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great
nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will
be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever
curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed
through you." So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and
Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set
out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the
possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in
Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there
(Genesis 12:1-5) . Abraham traveled south
to Egypt and later returned to Canaan. The Lord made a covenant
with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the
river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- the land of the
Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites,
Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."
Genesis 15: 18-21).
Sarai later had a son who was named Isaac. God
made a covenant with Abram and he was renamed Abraham and his wife was
renamed Sarah. Abraham asked God to bless Isaac and this was done
as described in Genesis 17: 1-27 : When Abram was
ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God
Almighty ; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my
covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your
numbers." Abram fell face down, and God said to him, "As
for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many
nations. No longer will you be called Abram ; your name
will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I
will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and
kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as
an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after
you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your
descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are
now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your
descendants after you; and I will be their God."
Later one of Isaac’s son named
Jacob, renamed Israel, had twelve sons who gave rise to the
“twelve tribes of Israel”:
All these
are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to
them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to
him. Then he gave them these instructions: "I am about to be
gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field
of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre
in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the
Hittite, along with the field. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were
buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I
buried Leah. The field and the cave in it were bought from the
Hittites. "(Genesis
49: 28-32)
Judaism and Christianity
The obvious point to be made is that Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob were and are patriarchs of Judaism. Jewish theology is based
on the Jewish Bible which includes the Torah or the law, books of
Jewish history, wisdom books and books of the Prophets. Later came the
Talmud, or the commentary on the law and the prophets. Obviously,
Judaism is the first Abrahamic faith. Christianity is based on
the life, teachings, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth,
a Jew who lived mostly in the Galilee during the first century A.D.
Christians believe that Jesus the Christ, the “Anointed One”, was
divine by virtue of his resurrection and is part of the Christian
Triune Godhead. The Christian God includes the Jewish creator God
the Father, Christ his Son and the Holy Spirit. This separated
Christianity theologically from Judaism, primarily in terms of
the divinity of Christ. The Christian Bible includes the Jewish Bible
as the Old Testament, God’s covenant with the Jews and Christians
as well, and a New Testament which presents God’s New covenant with all
mankind through Christ. Just as obviously, Christianity is the
second Abrahamic faith.
Islam.
Origins of Islam: Muhammed
There are no contemporaneous written accounts of
either Muhammed’s birth or his life. The earliest written
biographies were written at least 100 years after his death, much
longer than is the case for Christ. What is known and what is
excerpted in this essay comes from oral traditions, anecdotal comments
in the Hadith and from the Koran itself.
Muhammed was born around 570 AD in Mecca in that
part
of western Arabia along the Red Sea referred to as the Hejaz. His
mother died when he was quite young and he was raised by his
grandfather, a prominent member of the Hashim family in the Koraysh
tribe. Mecca was a trading center with a developing relatively
wealthy merchant class. Muhammed married a wealthy widow named
Khadija who was an unknown number of years older than he, and as long
as she was alive he took no other wives. She owned a trading
company and Muhammed became first her business agent, and then her
husband.
In and around Mecca and in the Hejaz lived Jewish
and Christian tribes, as well as pagans who were for the most part
polytheistic. However apart from these non-Jewish, non-Christian
tribes there were others that were already monotheistic, thus Muhammed
did
not bring monotheism to the Arabian peninsula although he obviously
greatly strengthened and expanded monotheism, the belief in a single
all-powerful God. These monotheists before Muhammed were known as
Hanifs and included Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians, as well as Arabs
who claimed descent from Abraham as later did Muhammed.
The tradition says that Muhammed was introspective
by nature who spent time by himself meditating. He became upset
at the corruption, idolatry and polytheistic worship that was
predominant in the Korysh tribe, his tribe, that basically ran
Mecca. Among other such experiences, while alone he went to the
Cave of Hira to meditate when he heard a voice of and saw a vision of a
man, subsequently identified as the Angel Gabriel who recited to
Muhammed the revelations from Allah that form the earliest chapters or
suras in what became in time known as the Holy Koran. After this
he had multiple visions and seizures and with Khadija’s help and
encouragement became convinced he was the prophet of Allah or God with
the mandate to reveal God’s will to all mankind.
In 621 a group of twelve men took an oath with
Muhammed not to worship idols, lie, commit adultery or kill their
infant daughters. They also pledged to obey Muhammed and thereby
became his twelve disciples analogous to the twelve apostles of
Christ. This may be said to be the beginning of what became known
as Islam; submission to Allah and Muhammed as his prophet.
However, Muhammed’s message and his ideas were not well received in
Mecca and most of his at this time several hundred followers either
lived in or went to live in Yathrib, a town now known as Medina located
approximately 250 miles north of Mecca. Muhammed and his few
remaining converts fled from Mecca to Medina at night in June 622, an
event referred to as the hegira or flight. This term also refers
to the last ten years of Muhammed’s life 622-232, the beginning of
Muhammed’s ministry and the beginning of the Muslim era, Islam.
Muhammed was faced with the task of establishing a
base of power and authority in Medina where resided already a number of
powerful tribes. He accomplished this in relatively short
order. In February 623, only months after his arrival in Medina
Muhammed organized and led raiding parties against Meccan caravans thus
adding considerably to the wealth he had inherited from his wife
Kadija. A bloody victory under Muhammed’s direct command was won at
Badr, where 350 of his men fought and defeated 700 Meccans. After
this the raiding parties against Meccan caravans increased in
frequencies until finally the Meccans attacked and defeated Muhammed
and his men in the Battle of Ohod where 74 of Muhammed’s men were
killed along with 19 Meccans. However, the Meccans did not
followup this victory and Muhammed resumed his raids on the Meccan and
other caravans thus greatly adding to his wealth and that of his men.
The Religion of Islam
Islamic religious beliefs are based on the Koran and
the Hadith. These beliefs are summarized in the Pillars of Islam
and the Pillars of Faith in Islam. The Pillars of Islam are the
five duties required of all Muslims: 1) the profession of faith that
“there is no God but Allah: Muhammed is the last prophet of Allah, 2)
ritual prayer five times a day with the face turned toward the shrine
of the Ka’bah in Mecca, 3) paying the alms tax levied to benefit the
poor and needy, 4) fasting from sun-up to sun-down during the holy
month of Ramadan, and 5) at least one pilgrimage to Mecca, i.e. the
Hajj.
The six Pillars of Faith in Islam are: 1) belief in
God (Allah), 2) belief in Allah’s angels, 3) belief in Allah’s
revealed books including the Koran, the New Testament, Psalms of David,
and the Pages of Abraham, 4) belief in Allah’s messengers including
many of the prophets of the Jewish scriptures as listed below,
Jesus, John the Baptist and previous Arab prophets such as Hud and
Salih, 5) belief in the Last Day, a belief very similar to Christian
eschatology including an intercessory role for Jesus, and a belief in a
prophetic figure, the Mahdi, to come after Jesus, and 6) belief
in Allah’s determination of affairs whether good or bad, as in “it was
the will of Allah.”
The Koran
The Koran is considered by Muslims to be the word of
God, Allah, as revealed to his prophet Muhammed. It is believed by
pious Muslims to provide revelation from God that is complete,
unalterable and final, and is not subject to change or amendment.
The intermediary in these revelations to Muhammed was the Angel
Gabriel. It is clear that Muhammed’s understanding of these
revelations was influenced by his knowledge of the Jewish Scriptures,
the Christian Old Testament, as well as the teachings of Jesus.
It was his view that the Jews from the time of Jacob, i.e. Israel had
gone astray and that his revelations expressed the true word of God in
the lineage from Abraham to his son Ishmael via Hagar.
According to the Islamic tradition Abraham traveled
to Medina in the Hejaz with his Egyptian servant Hagar and their son
Ishmael. God asked Abraham to offer up his first son Ishmael as a
human sacrifice which Abraham was prepared to do until divine
intervention produced a sheep to be used in Ishmael’s place. In
this tradition, Ishmael became the progenitor of all the Arabs.
In the Biblical tradition God asked Abraham to offer up his second son
Isaac as a human sacrifice and who was subsequently spared. Isaac was
the progenitor of the Jews and his son Jacob took the name
Israel. Thus the importance of Abraham to the Jewish, Christian
and the
Islamic tradition.
Revelations of God to Muhammed
Muhammed claimed to have received his first of many
visitations from the angel Gabriel in the cave of Hira in 610 A.D. He
was 40 years of age. These visitations continued off and on until his
death in 632 A.D. Prior to 622 they occurred while he was under attack
from members of his own tribe in Mecca. They continued in Medina
where he established his power base and conquered the entire Arabian
peninsula for his newly created religion, Islam. These revelations
provided to Muhammed by Gabriel are claimed to be the direct word of
Allah, i.e, God, as relayed to Muhammed by Gabriel. When taken
together these revelations are the holy book of Islam, the Koran.
The Koran includes many passages taken directly from
the Jewish scriptures. For example 24 out of 25 prophets in the
Koran are Jewish prophets. The Koran also includes some stories from
the Christian Gospel particularly about Mary and Jesus. In the
Koran Jesus is an apostle of Allah and a prophet. He is not divine and
not part of the Godhead. The claim is made that these revelation
from Allah are transcriptions taken from golden pates that have
existed since the beginning of time.
The Koran also includes events that occurred during
Muhammed’s life, for example the Battle of Badr against the Meccans, as
well as many instructions for faithful Muslims to follow in their daily
lives. Since the Koran is claimed to have existed since the
beginning of time it predates the Jewish scriptures and the Christian
Bible. In the Koran Abraham and indeed all the Jews were born
Muslim. Since the Koran includes many historical events
that couldn’t have existed from the beginning of time, it is clearly
impossible to credit such claims.
Mormonism
Joseph Smith
The following is a brief summary of the life of
Joseph Smith Jr. for the purpose of providing enough information to
help the reader understand Mormonism as a fourth Abrahamic faith.
For a comprehensive review of his life read the excellent book No Man knows my History
by Fawn Brodie (Knopf, New York, 1971.)
Joseph Smith Jr. was born December 23, 1805 in
Sharon, Vermont. It is interesting that Brigham Young and John Humphrey
Noyes, founder of the Oneida Community in upstate New York, also were
born in Vermont. Joseph Smith Sr. lost considerable money in
speculative business ventures putting the family in near poverty and
resulting in seven moves in the first fourteen years of Joseph Smith’s
life. Around the year 1810 his family settled in Palmyra New
York, just north of the finger lakes, and not far from the Oneida Free
Community. He was limited in education and training, had little
interest in farming or other types of work, and his interests moved
into the spiritual and mystical realms. He spent a fair amount of time
searching for buried treasure claiming miraculous powers but not
succeeding.
In his autobiography “The Pearl of Great
Price”, Joseph Smith relates that he became disturbed by the
religious squabbles among Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians in the
community and indeed in his own family. He elected to follow advice he
had found in James 1:5 “If any of you lack
wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” In the spring
of 1820 Smith went to the woods to pray and to seek God. In his words
he was sized by a “great power that left him speechless and in
darkness.” He called on God for deliverance and then saw a great light
over his head and heard a voice saying “This is my beloved son, hear
him.” His next visit occurred three years later on
September 21, 1823 when he was visited by an Angel named Maroni who
directed him to a nearby hill where he would find a hidden book written
on gold plates along with information on how to translate the inscribed
words. The translated book became the Book of Mormon.
In 1829 Smith and his friend baptized each other and
were visited, in his account, by John the Baptist who conferred on them
both the Priesthood of Aaron. Later that year, although the date
is uncertain, they were visited by the Apostles Peter, James and
John who conferred on them both the both the Priesthood of Melchizedek,
the King of Salem (Jerusalem) who lived during the time of the
patriarch Abraham. As described in the Doctrines and Covenants of the
Mormon Church Smith continued to receive revelations from God until his
death.
In 1830 Joseph Smith established his Church in
upstate New York and called it initially the Church of Christ. Later he
moved his Church to Kirtland, Ohio, then Caldwell County, Missouri and
in 1839 to Nauvoo Illinois. As a result of events that happened in
Nauvoo, to be discussed below, he was arrested, moved to a jail in the
county seat, Carthage where he and his brother Hyrum were
assassinated by an angry mob.
History of Mormonism
The organizational meeting of the Church of Christ,
the forerunner of what became the Mormon Church was held April 6, 1830.
Smith and Cowdery met with a small number of their
followers. A lay ministry was ordained with a priesthood and
offices of deacon, teacher, and elder. Smith and Cowdery were
ordained as Apostles of Jesus Christ and as first and second elders
respectively. In 1831 the Church moved to Kirtland. Ohio and its name
was changed to the Church of Latter Day Saints. Sidney Rigdon, a
prominent restorationist minister and follower of Alexander Campbell
converted to Mormonism, joined Smith’s nascent Church and brought
a large number of “Cambellites” along with him. The Church of Latter
Day Saints doubled in size. A Mormon temple was built in
Kirtland. At that time a second Mormon gathering place was
established in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri. Smith declared
that the “City of Zion” would be built at that site. Construction was
started but the temple was never built.
By 1837 the Church in Kirtland was unraveling with
apostasy among the leadership and members, and with major financial
irregularities in a bank Smith established. Smith, Rigdon and
some of their followers fled from Kirtland to Missouri in the
middle of the night. Dissenters in Kirtland reestablished the original
Church of Christ and took possession of the temple. In 1836 the
Mormon legislature had established the town of Far West, in Caldwell
County as a place for Mormons to settle and so they did immediately. In
1838 Smith and Rigdon moved to Far West, Missouri and had to struggle
for Church
leadership with Mormons already there and in
Independence,Missouri. Church
leaders Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and William Wines Phelps were
excommunicated by Smith and eventually fled from Far West under threats
for their lives. Cowdery and Whitmer were two of the three who claimed
they had seen the golden plates. The Mormon Church now again
under the leadership of Joseph Smith was reestablished and renamed the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, its present name.
In Far West Smith organized a paramilitary
organization called the Danites, named in honor of the Jewish tribe of
Dan of which Sampson had been a member. Its role was to enforce
religious
conformity and protect the Mormons against the non Mormons.
Secret instruction given the Captains of the Danites were described by
Smith as follows: “Know
ye not, brethren, that it will soon be your privilege to take !your
respective companies and go out on a scout on the borders of the
settlements, and take to yourselves spoils of the goods of the ungodly
Gentiles? for it is written, the riches of the Gentiles shall be
'consecrated to my people, the house of Israel; and thus you will waste
away the Gentiles by robbing and plundering them of their property; and
in this way we will build up the kingdom of God, and roll forth the
little stone that Daniel saw cut out of the mountain without hands, and
roll forth until it filled the whole earth. For this is the very way
that God destines to build up His kingdom in the last days. If any of
us should be recognized, who can harm us? for we will stand by each
other and defend one another in all things. . . . I would swear a lie
to clear any of you; and if this would not do, I would put them or him
under the sand as Moses did the Egyptian; and in this way we will
consecrate much unto the Lord. . . . And if one of this Danite society
reveals any of these things, I will put him where the dogs cannot bite
him.”
This militancy, combined with claims of almost
universal authority by Smith and Rigdon and the behavior of the Mormon
settlers in Missouri led to much resentment on the part of the
non-Mormons, now called “Gentiles”. In fact the Church militancy
led Thomas B. Marsh, President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles to
break with Smith and to establish his own Church, the Church of Jesus
Christ, the Lambs Wife. President Governor Boggs of Missouri
issued an order that the Mormons should be exterminated and driven from
Missouri. Among other things this led to a brutal and bloody attack by
200 Missouri militiamen on a Mormon settlement at Haun’s Hill.
Many Mormons were killed. The fighting in Caldwell county became
so intense that it is referred to as the Mormon Wars. It took 2500
Missouri militiamen to put down the rebellion. Governor Boggs ordered
that Smith should be executed for treason. This outrageous order
fortunately was never obeyed but the charge of treason remained. Smith
and other Church leaders were arrested and imprisoned in a jail in
Liberty, Missouri. They were allowed to escape to and moved to an area
in Illinois on the Mississippi river across from Iowa. Smith named his
new town Nauvoo.
The Mormons regrouped in 1840 and by 1844 Nauvoo was
the second most populous city in the State of Illinois. Joseph Smith’s
vision of a Kingdom of God under his leadership came to full flowering
in Nauvoo. Nauvoo had received a charter from the State Legislature
allowing them to raise a well organized militia. Joseph became
the Mayor, Chief Justice of the Nauvoo Municipal court and Lieutenant
General and Commander of the Nauvoo militia. This militia contained
close to 3000 troops compared with 8500 troops in the United States
Army at that time.
In 1842 Smith established a new Anointed Council
for the Church, a select group of individuals who received their
endowments directly from Smith. In 1844, three months before his death
Smith established the ultra-secret Council of Fifty which
promptly named him King, Priest and ruler over Israel on earth. Smith
had now been practicing plural marriage, i.e. polygamy, for some time
but he now authorized plural marriage for all Mormons. This is
remarkable because plural marriage is explicitly condemned and declared
to be an abomination in the Book of Mormon (Book of Jacob 2: 24, 27).
He also instituted baptism for the dead and re-baptism in the Church.
Smith declared in a public sermon on May 12, 1844 “I calculate to be one
of the instruments of setting up the Kingdom of Daniel by the
word of the Lord, and I intend to lay a foundation to revolutionize the
world”. These events and others led to the development of
a strong dissenting movement led by William Law, one of the previous
strongest supporters of Smith. On Sunday May 26, 1844 Smith gave a
public response to the dissenters:
“God
is in the still small voice. In all these affidavits, indictments, it
is all of the devil——all corruption. Come on! ye prosecutors! ye false
swearers! All hell, boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your
lava! for I will come out on the top at last. I have more to boast of
than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to
keep a whole Church together since the days of Adam. A large majority
of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus
ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The
followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never
ran away from me yet. You know my daily walk and conversation. I am in
the bosom of a virtuous and good people. How I do love to hear the
wolves howl! When they can get rid of me, the devil will also go. For
the last three years I have a record of all my acts and proceedings,
for I have kept several good, faithful, and efficient clerks in
constant employ: they have accompanied me everywhere, and carefully
kept my history, and they have written down what I have done, where I
have been, and what I have said; therefore my enemies cannot charge me
with any day, time, or place, but what I have written testimony to
prove my actions; and my enemies cannot prove anything against me. They
have got wonderful things in the land of Ham. I think the grand jury
have strained at a gnat and swallowed the camel.” In this
statement he also denied plural marriages when the fact is he had
anywhere from 30 -50 wives at that time.
The dissenters established an opposition newspaper
the Nauvoo Expositor. The paper criticized the developing
theocracy and autocracy in Nauvoo, and also criticized the newly
established doctrine of plural marriage to which they took great
exception. Smith ordered the Expositor’s printing presses
destroyed and for this he was arrested by order of Governor Ford of
Illinois. Smith was subsequently imprisoned in the jail at Carthage,
the county seat. Unfortunately but not by design Joseph Smith was
not provided with adequate protection by the governor’s forces and on
June 27, 1844 he was
murdered in his cell along with his brother Hyrum.
After the death of Smith, on April 5, 1845
Brigham Young became President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. On
April 6, 1845 under Young’s leadership the Twelve Apostles issued the
following declaration. For its audacity and scope it deserves to be
read in full:
PROCLAMATION
OF
THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST, OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.
To all the King's
of the World;
To the President
of the United States of America;
To the Governors
of the several States;
And to the Rulers
and People of all Nations:
GREETING:
KNOW YE:——
THAT the kingdom
of God has come: as has been predicted by ancient prophets, and prayed
for in all ages; even that kingdom which shall fill the whole earth,
and shall stand for ever.
The great Eloheem
Jehovah has been pleased once more to speak from the heavens: and also
to commune with man upon the earth, by means of open visions, and by
the ministration of HOLY MESSENGERS.
By this means the
great and eternal High Priesthood, after the Order of his Son, even the
Apostleship, has been restored; or, returned to the earth.
This High
Priesthood, or Apostleship, holds the keys of the kingdom of God, and
power to bind on earth that which shall be bound in heaven; and to
loose on earth that which shall be loosed in heaven. And, in fine, to
do, and to administer in all things pertaining to the ordinances,
organization, government and direction of the kingdom of God.
Being established
in these last days for the restoration of all things spoken by the
prophets since the world began; and in order to prepare the way for the
coming of the Son of Man.
And we now bear
witness that his coming is near at hand; and not many years hence, the
nations and their kings shall see him coming in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory.
In order to meet
this great event there must needs be a preparation.
Therefore we send
unto you with authority from on high, and command you all to repent and
humble yourselves as little children, before the majesty of the Holy
One; and come unto Jesus with a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and
be baptized in his name, for the remission of sins (that is, be buried
in the water in the likeness of his burial and rise again to newness of
life, in the likeness of his resurrection), and you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit, through the laying on of the hands of the
Apostles and elders, of this great and last dispensation of mercy to
man.
This Spirit shall
bear witness to you, of the truth of our testimony; and shall enlighten
your minds, and be in you as the spirit of prophecy and revelation. It
shall bring things past to your understanding and remembrance; and
shall show you things to come.
It shall also
impart unto you many great and glorious gifts; such as the gift of
healing the sick, and of being healed, by the laying on of hands in the
name of Jesus; and of expelling Demons; and even of seeing visions, and
conversing with Angels and spirits from the unseen world.
By the light of
this Spirit, received through the ministration of the ordinances——by
the power and authority of the Holy Apostleship and Priesthood, you
will be enabled to understand, and to be the children of light; and
thus be prepared to escape all the things that are coming on the earth,
and so stand before the Son of Man.
We testify that
the foregoing doctrine is the doctrine or gospel of Jesus Christ, in
its fulness; and that it is the only true, everlasting, and
unchangeable gospel; and the only plan revealed on earth whereby man
can be saved.
We also bear
testimony that the "Indians" (so called) of North and South America are
a remnant of the tribes of Israel; as is now made manifest by the
discovery and revelation of their ancient oracles and records.
And that they are
about to be gathered, civilized, and made one nation in this glorious
land.
They will also
come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and of the fulness of the
gospel; and they will embrace it, and become a righteous branch of the
house of Israel.
And we further
testify that the Lord has appointed a holy city and temple to be built
on this continent for the endowment and ordinances pertaining to the
priesthood; and for the Gentiles, and the remnant of Israel to resort
unto, in order to worship the Lord; and to be taught in his ways and
walk in his paths: in short, to finish their preparations for the
coming of the Lord.
And we further
testify, that the Jews among all nations are hereby commanded, in the
name of the Messiah, to prepare, to return to Jerusalem in Palestine;
and to rebuild that city and temple unto the Lord:
And also to
organize and establish their own political government, under their own
rulers, judges, and governors in that country.
For be it known
unto them that we now hold the keys of the priesthood and kingdom which
is soon to be restored unto them.
Therefore let them
also repent and prepare to obey the ordinances of God.
And now, O ye
kings, rulers, and people of the Gentiles: hear ye the word of the
Lord; for this commandment is for you. You are not only required to
repent and obey the gospel in its fulness, and thus become members or
citizens of the kingdom of God, but you are also hereby commanded, in
the name of Jesus Christ, to put your silver and your gold, your ships
and steam-vessels, your railroad trains and your horses, chariots,
camels, mules, and litters, into active use, for the fulfillment of
these purposes. For be it known unto you, that the only salvation which
remains for the Gentiles, is for them to be identified in the same
covenant, and to worship at the same altar with Israel. In short, they
must come to the same standard. For, there shall be one Lord, and his
name one, and He shall be king over all the earth.
The Latter-day
Saints, since their first organization in the year 1830, have been a
poor, persecuted, abused, and afflicted people. They have sacrificed
their time and property freely, for the sake of laying the foundation
of the kingdom of God, and enlarging its dominion, by the ministry of
the gospel. They have suffered privation, hunger, imprisonment, and the
loss of houses, lands, home, and political rights, for their testimony.
And this is not
all; but their first founder, Mr. Joseph Smith, whom God raised up as a
Prophet and Apostle, mighty in word and in deed, and his brother Hirum,
who was also a prophet, together with many others, have suffered a
cruel martyrdom in the cause of truth; and have sealed their testimony
with their blood. And still the work has, as it were, but just begun.
A great, a
glorious, and a mighty work is yet to be achieved, in spreading the
truth and kingdom among the Gentiles——in restoring, organizing,
instructing and establishing the Jews——in gathering, instructing,
relieving, civilizing, educating and administering salvation to the
remnant of Israel on this continent; in building Jerusalem in
Palestine; and the cities, stakes, temples, and sanctuaries of Zion in
America; and in gathering the Gentiles into the same covenant and
organization——instructing them in all things for their sanctification
and preparation; that the whole Church of the Saints, both Gentile, Jew
and Israel, may be prepared as a bride, for the coming of the Lord.
And now, O ye
kings, rulers, presidents, governors, judges, legislators, nobles,
lords, and rich men of the earth; will you leave us, to struggle alone,
and to toil unaided in so great a work? Or will you share in the
labors, toils, sacrifices, honors and blessings of the same?
Have you not the
same interest in it that we have? Is it not sent forth to renovate the
world——to enlighten the nations——to cover the earth with light,
knowledge, truth, union, peace and love? And thus usher in the great
millennium, or sabbath of rest, so long expected and sought for by all
good men? We bear testimony that it is. And the fulfillment of our
words will establish their truth, to millions yet unborn: while there
are those now living upon the earth who will live to see the
consummation.
Come, then, to the
help of the Lord; and let us have your aid and protection——and your
willing and hearty co-operation, in this, the greatest of all
revolutions.
Again, we say, by
the word of the Lord to the people, as well as to the rulers: your aid
and assistance is required in this great work, and you are hereby
invited, in the name of Jesus, to take an active part in it from this
day forward.
Open your Church,
doors, and hearts for the truth. Hear the Apostles and elders of the
Church of the Saints, when they come into your cities and
neighborhoods. Read and search the scriptures carefully and see whether
these things are so——read the publications of the Saints, and help to
publish them to others. Seek for the witness of the Spirit, and come
and obey the glorious fulness of the gospel: and help us build the
cities and sanctuaries of our God.
The sons and
daughters of Zion will soon be required to devote a portion of their
time in instructing the children of the forest. For they must be
educated, and instructed in all the arts of civil life, as well as in
the gospel. They must be clothed, fed, and instructed in the principles
and practice of virtue, modesty, temperance, cleanliness, industry,
mechanical arts, manners, customs, dress, music, and all other things
which are calculated in their nature to refine, purify, exalt and
glorify them, as the sons and daughters of the royal house of Israel,
and of Joseph; who are making ready for the coming of the bridegroom.
Know assuredly,
that whether you come to the help of the Saints in this great work, or
whether you make light of this message, and withhold your aid and
co-operation, it is all the same as to the success and final triumph of
the work. For it is the work of the great God; for which his WORD and
OATH has been pledged, from before the foundation of the world. And the
same promise and oath has been renewed unto man from the beginning,
down through each succeeding dispensation: AND CONFIRMED AGAIN BY HIS
OWN VOICE OUT OF THE HEAVENS IN THE PRESENT AGE. Therefore he is bound
to fulfil it; and to overcome every obstacle.
The loss will
therefore be on their own part, and not on the part of God, or of his
Saints, should the people neglect their duty in the great work of
modern restoration.
There is also
another consideration of vast importance to all the rulers and people
of the world, in regard to this matter. It is this: As this work
progresses in its onward course, and becomes more and more an object of
political and religious interest and excitement, no king, ruler, or
subject, no community or individual, will stand neutral. All will at
length be influenced by one spirit or the other; and will take sides
either for or against the kingdom of God, and the fulfilment of the
prophets, in the great restoration and return of his long dispersed
covenant people.
Some will act the
part of the venerable Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses; or the noble
Cyrus; and will aid and bless the people of God; or like Ruth, the
Moabitess, will forsake their people and their kindred and country, and
will say to the Saints, or to Israel: "This people shall be my people,
and their God my God." While others will walk in the footsteps of a
Pharaoh, or a Balak, and will harden their hearts, and fight against
God, and seek to destroy his people. These will commune with priests
and prophets who love the wages of unrighteousness; and who, like
Balaam, will seek to curse, or to find enchantments against Israel.
You cannot
therefore stand as idle and disinterested spectators of the scenes and
events which are calculated in their very nature to reduce all nations
and creeds to one political and religious standard, and thus put an end
to Babel forms and names, and to strife and war. You will, therefore,
either be led by the good Spirit to cast in your lot, and to take a
lively interest with the Saints of the Most High, and the covenant
people of the Lord, or on the other hand, you will become their
inveterate enemy, and oppose them by every means in your power.
To such an extreme
will this great division finally extend, that the nations of the old
world will combine to oppose these things by military force. They will
send a great army to Palestine, against the Jews; and they will besiege
their city, and will reduce the inhabitants of Jerusalem to the
greatest extreme of distress and misery.
Then will commence
a struggle in which the fate of nations and empires will be suspended
on a single battle.
In this battle the
governors and people of Judah distinguish themselves for their bravery
and warlike achievements. The weak among them will be like David, and
the strong among them will be like God: or like the angel of the Lord.
In that day the
Lord will pour upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace
and supplication, and they shall look upon the Messiah whom they have
pierced.
For lo! he will
descend from heaven, as the defender of the Jews: and to complete their
victory. His feet will stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives,
which shall cleave in sunder at his presence, and remove one half to
the north, and the other to the south; thus forming a great valley
where the mountain now stands.
The earth will
quake around him, while storm and tempest, hail and plague, are mingled
with the clash of arms, the roar of artillery, the shouts of victory,
and the groans of the wounded and dying.
In that day all
who are in the siege, both against Judea and against Jerusalem, shall
be cut in pieces; though all the people of the earth should be gathered
together against it.
This signal
victory on the part of the Jews, so unlooked for by the nations, and
attended with the personal advent of Messiah, and the accompanying
events, will change the whole order of things in Europe and Asia, in
regard to political and religious organization, and government.
The Jews as a
nation become holy from that day forward; and their city and sanctuary
becomes holy. There also the Messiah establishes his throne, and seat
of government.
Jerusalem then
becomes the seat of empire, and the great centre and capital of the old
world.
All the families
of the land shall then go up to Jerusalem once a year, to worship the
King, the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the feast of Tabernacles.
Those who refuse
to go up, shall have no rain, but shall be smitten with dearth and
famine. And if the family of Egypt go not up (as it never rains there)
they shall be smitten with the plague. And thus all things shall be
fulfilled according to the words of the holy prophets of old, and the
word of the Lord which is now revealed, to confirm and fulfil them.
In short the
kings, rulers, priests and people of Europe, and of the old world,
shall know this once that there is a God in Israel, who, as in days of
old, can utter his voice, and it shall be obeyed.
The courts of
Rome, London, Paris, Constantinople, Petersburgh, and all others, will
then have to yield the point, and do homage, and all pay tribute to one
Great Centre, and to one mighty Sovereign, or, THRONES WILL BE CAST
DOWN. AND KINGDOMS WILL CEASE TO BE.
Priests, bishops,
and clergy, whether Catholic, Protestant, or Mahomedan, will then have
to yield their pretended claims to the priesthood, together with
titles, honors, creeds and names; and reverence and obey the true and
royal priesthood of the order of Melchisedech, and of Aaron; restored
to the rightful heirs, the nobility of Israel; or, the dearth and
famine will consume them, and the plague sweep them quickly down to the
pit, as in the case of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, who pretended to the
priesthood, and rebelled against God's chosen priests and prophets, in
the days of Moses.
While these great
events are rolling on the wheels of time, and being fulfilled in the
old world, the Western Continent will present a scene of grandeur,
greatness, and glory, far surpassing the scene just described.
The Lord will make
her that halted a remnant; and gather her that was driven out and
afflicted; and make her who was cast afar off, a strong nation; and
will reign over them in Mount Zion from that time forth and for ever.
Or, in other
words, He will assemble the Natives the remnants of Joseph in America;
and make of them a great, and strong, and powerful nation: and he will
civilize and enlighten them and will establish a holy city, and temple,
and seat of government among them, which shall be called Zion.
And there shall be
his tabernacle, his sanctuary, his throne, and seat of government for
the whole continent of North and South America for ever.
In short, it will
be to the western hemisphere what Jerusalem will be to the eastern.
And there the
Messiah will visit them in person; and the old Saints, who will then
have been raised from the dead, will be with him. And he will establish
his kingdom and laws over all the land.
To this city, and
to its several branches or stakes, shall the Gentiles seek, as to a
standard of light and knowledge. Yea, the nations, and their kings and
nobles, shall say, Come and let us go up to the Mount Zion, and to the
temple of the Lord; where his holy priesthood stand to minister
continually before the Lord; and where we may be instructed more fully,
and receive the ordinances of remission, and of sanctification, and
redemption; and thus be adopted into the family of Israel, and
identified in the same covenants of promise.
The despised and
degraded son of the forest, who has wandered in dejection and sorrow,
and suffered reproach, shall then drop his disguise, and stand forth in
manly dignity, and exclaim to the Gentiles who have envied and sold
him: "I am Joseph: does my father yet live?" Or, in other words: I am a
descendant of that Joseph who was sold into Egypt. You have hated me,
and sold me, and thought I was dead. But lo! I live, and am heir to the
inheritance, titles, honors, priesthood, sceptre, crown, throne, and
eternal life and dignity of my fathers who live for evermore.
He shall then be
ordained, washed, anointed with holy oil and arrayed in fine linen,
even in the glorious and beautiful garments and royal robes of the high
priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God; and shall enter
into the congregation of the Lord, even into the Holy of Holies, there
to be crowned with authority and power which shall never end.
The Spirit of the
Lord shall then descend upon him, like the dew upon the mountains of
Hermon, and like refreshing showers of rain upon the flowers of
Paradise.
His heart shall
expand with knowledge, wide as eternity; and his mind shall comprehend
the vast creations of his God, and His eternal purpose of redemption,
glory, and exaltation, which was devised in heaven before the worlds
were organized; but made manifest in these last days, for the fulness
of the Gentiles, and for the exaltation of Israel.
He shall also
behold his Redeemer and be filled with his presence, while the cloud of
his glory shall be seen in his temple.
The city of Zion,
with its sanctuary and priesthood, and the glorious fulness of the
gospel, will constitute a standard which will put an end to jarring
creeds and political wranglings, by uniting the republics, states,
provinces, territories, nations, tribes, kindred, tongues, people, and
sects of North and South America in one great and common bond of
brotherhood.
While truth and
knowledge shall make them free, and love cement their union. The Lord
also shall be their king and their lawgiver; while wars shall cease and
peace prevail for a thousand years.
Thus shall
American rulers, statesmen, citizens, and savages know, "this once,"
that there is a God in Israel, who can utter his voice, and it shall be
fulfilled.
Americans! This
mighty and strange work has been commenced in your midst, and must roll
on in fulfilment.
You are now
invited, and earnestly intreated, to investigate it thoroughly, and to
aid and participate in its accomplishment.
You ask, What can
be done?
We answer: Protect
the Saints; give them their rights; extend the broad banner of the
Constitution and laws over their homes, cities, fire-sides, wives, and
children; that they may CEASE to be BUTCHERED, MARTYRED, ROBBED,
PLUNDERED, AND DRIVEN, and may peaceably proceed in the work assigned
them by their God.
Execute the Law
upon the offenders, and thus rid your garments of INNOCENT BLOOD.
Pass acts, also,
to indemnify them in the millions they have lost, by your cruel and
criminal neglect.
Contribute
liberally of your substance for their aid, and for the fulfilment of
their mission.
Let the Government
of the United States also continue to gather together, and to colonize
the tribes and remnants of Israel (the Indians), and also to feed,
clothe, succor, and protect them, and endeavor to civilize and unite;
and also to bring them to the knowledge of their Israelitish origin,
and of the fulness of the gospel which was revealed to, and written by,
their forefathers on this land; the record of which has now come to
light.
It is these
records, together with the other scriptures, and the priesthood and
authority now conferred upon the Saints, that will effect their final
conversion and salvation; while the creeds of man, and the powerless
forms and dogmas of sectarianism will still remain powerless and
inefficient.
The Lord has
spoken, and who can disannul it? He has uttered his voice, and who can
gainsay it? He has stretched out his arm, and who can turn it back?
Why will not the
government and people of these States become acquainted with these
Records? They are published among them for this purpose.
They would then
begin to know and understand what was to be done with these remnants,
and what part they have to act in the great restitution of Israel, and
of the kingdom of God. They would also know the object of the labors,
and the final destiny of the Latter-day Saints as a Church and people.
And this very subject has been a source of wonder and conjecture, and
sometimes even of anxiety among the people, ever since the first
organization of the Saints in the year 1830.
And more than all
this, they would know the destiny of this Republic, and of all other
Governments, States, or Republics in America——and the purpose of God in
relation to this continent, from the earliest ages of antiquity, till
the present, and from this time forth till the heavens and the earth
shall pass away, and be created anew. All these subjects are made plain
in these ancient Records, and are rolling on in fulfilment.
If the rulers and
people will now inform themselves on these momentous subjects, and
fulfil the duties we have just pointed out to them, they will then be
entitled to a continuation of the great national blessings and favors
they have heretofore enjoyed; yea, and to more abundant favors from His
bountiful hand, who first raised them to national greatness. They will
in that case be prospered and enlarged, and spread their dominions wide
and more wide over this vast country, till not only Texas and Oregon,
but the whole vast dominion from sea to sea, will be joined with them,
and come under their protection as one great, powerful and peaceful
empire of Liberty and Union. Millions of people would also come from
all nations, their silver and their gold with them, and would take
protection under our banner, till in less than half a century from the
present time we would have upwards of a hundred millions of population,
all united and free, while civilisation, arts, cultivation and
improvement would extend to the most wild regions of our continent,
making our "wilderness like Eden and our deserts like the garden of the
Lord." Or, if they will go still further, and obey the fulness of the
gospel, they would then be entitled, not only to temporal blessings,
but to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and thus be prepared to receive
their king, Messiah, and to dwell for ever under his peaceful
government in this happy country.
But, so long as
they remain indifferent and ignorant on these subjects, and so long as
they continue to breathe out slanders, lies, hatred and murder against
the Saints and against the remnants of Israel, and to speak evil of and
oppose the things which they understand not, so long the blood of the
Saints and of the martyrs of Jesus must continue to flow, and souls to
cry from under the altar for vengeance on a guilty land, till the great
Messiah shall execute judgment for the Saints, and give them the
dominion.
It is in vain to
suppose that the sword, the musket, the thunder of cannon, or the
grating and rattle of chains, bolts and bars, will take away the faith,
hope or knowledge of a Latter-day Saint. They know some facts——and
these will continue to be known facts when death and war in their most
horrid forms are raging around them. They cannot shut their eyes upon
these facts to please either governors, rulers, or the raging
multitude.
We would now make
a solemn appeal to our rulers and other fellow-citizens, whether it is
treason to know? or even to publish what we know? If it is, then strike
the murderous blow, but listen to what we say.
We say, then, in
life or in death, in bonds or free, that the great God has spoken in
this age.——And we know it.
He has given us
the Holy Priesthood and Apostleship, and the keys of the kingdom of
God, to bring about the restoration of all things as promised by the
holy prophets of old.——And we know it.
He has revealed
the origin and the Records of the aboriginal tribes of America, and
their future destiny.——And we know it.
He has revealed
the fulness of the gospel, with its gifts, blessings, and
ordinances.——And we know it.
He has commanded
us to bear witness of it, first to the Gentiles and then to the
remnants of Israel and the Jews.——And we know it.
He has commanded
us to gather together his Saints on this Continent, and build up holy
cities and sanctuaries.——And we know it.
He has said, that
the Gentiles should come into the same gospel and covenant; and be
numbered with the house of Israel and be a blessed people upon this
good land for ever, if they would repent and embrace it.——And we know
it.
He has also said
that, if they do not repent, and come to the knowledge of the truth,
and cease to fight against Zion, and also put away all murder, lying,
pride, priestcraft, whoredom, and secret abomination, they shall soon
perish from the earth, and be cast down to hell.——And we know it.
He has said, that
the time is at hand for the Jews to be gathered to Jerusalem.——And we
know it.
He has said, that
the Ten Tribes of Israel should also be revealed in the North country,
together with their oracles and records, preparatory to their return,
and to their union with Judah, no more to be separated.——And we know
it.
He has said, that
when these preparations were made, both in this country and in
Jerusalem and the gospel in all its fulness preached to all nations for
a witness and testimony, He will come, and all the Saints with him, to
reign on the earth one thousand years.——And we know it.
He has said that
he will not come in his glory and destroy the wicked, till these
warnings were given and these preparations were made for his
reception.——And we know it.
Now,
fellow-citizens, if this knowledge, or the publishing of it, is treason
or crime, we refuse not to die.
But be ye sure of
this, that whether we live or die, the words of the testimony of this
proclamation which we now send unto you, shall all be fulfilled.
Heaven and earth
shall pass away, but not one jot or tittle of his revealed word shall
fail to be fulfilled.
Therefore, again
we say to all people, Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ, for remission of sins; and you shall receive the Holy Spirit,
and shall know the truth, and be numbered with the house of Israel.
And we once more
invite all the kings, presidents, governors, rulers, judges, and people
of the earth, to aid us, the Latter-day Saints; and also, the Jews, and
all the remnants of Israel, by your influence and protection, and by
your silver and gold, that we may build the cities of Zion and
Jerusalem, and the temples and sanctuaries of our God; and may
accomplish the great restoration of all things, and bring in the
latter-day glory.
That knowledge,
truth, light, love, peace, union, honor, glory, and power, may fill the
earth with eternal life and joy.
That death,
bondage, oppression, wars, mourning, sorrow, and pain, may be done away
for ever, and all tears be wiped from every eye.
In fulfilment of
the work assigned them, let the Saints throughout the world, and all
others who feel an interest in the work of God, forward their gifts,
tithes, and offerings, for the building of the temple of the Lord,
which is now in progress in the city of Nauvoo, in the State of
Illinois.
Let them also come
with their gold and silver, and goods, and workmen, to establish
manufactories and business of all kinds, for the building up of the
city; and for the employment and support of the poor, and thus
strengthen the hands of those who have borne the burden and heat of the
day, and who have made great sacrifices in laying the foundation of the
kingdom of God, and moving on the work thus far.
We also make a
solemn and an earnest request of all Editors of newspapers, both in
this country and other countries to publish this proclamation. It
certainly contains news, such as is not met with at all times, and in
every place, and cannot fail to interest the reading public, especially
those who have prayed every day of their lives for the Lords kingdom to
come; and for his will to be done on the earth, as it is done in
heaven.
President Wilford
Woodruff, who superintends the publishing department of the Latter-day
Saints, in Liverpool, England, is also requested to give this
proclamation a wide circulation throughout England, Scotland, Ireland
and the Isle of Man.
Elder Jones, our
minister to Wales, is hereby instructed to publish the same in the
Welsh language, and circulate it widely through that country.
It should also be
translated into German, by some of our German elders, and published
both in this country, and on the continent of Europe. Also in Spanish
and in French.
Our Norwegian
elders in the branch at Norway, Illinois, should also translate and
publish it in their language, both in this country and in Norway, in
Europe.
Elder Adison
Pratt, our missionary to the Sandwich Islands, should also translate
and publish it there.
We also rely on
our friends, the Jews, throughout the world, to give it a wide
circulation in all their tongues and languages.
And last, but not
least, we would invite the Editor of the Cherokee Advocate, and others
of the remnant of Joseph, to publish the same as extensively as
possible in the Indian tongues.
We also will
endeavor on our part, to publish at our office, No. 7 Spruce street,
New York, one hundred thousand copies of this work, to circulate in
this country, gratis. And will do our best endeavors to send them to
all presidents, governors, legislators, judges, postmasters, rulers,
and people, not forgetting the clergy.
All persons who
wish to aid us in so doing, will please forward us contributions for
that purpose, directed to our office, No. 7, Spruce street, New York.
All who wish a
number of copies for distribution, will obtain them at the above-named
office, at 50 cents per hundred.
The world are also
informed, that further information can be had by applying to the
following general publishing offices of the Latter-day Saints.——Mr.
John Taylor, "Times and Seasons" office, Nauvoo, in the State of
Illinois; Messrs. Pratt and Brannan, "Prophet" office, No. 7, Spruce
street, New York; Mr. Wilford Woodruff "Millennial Star" office, No.
36, Chapel street Liverpool, England. Also, of our travelling elders,
and in our religious meetings throughout the world.
New York April 6,
1845.
This statement has been reaffirmed by
the Mormon Church. In November, 1975, in a renewed message to the
world, Ezrz Taft Benson, President of the Council of 12 quoted
extensively from the 1845 proclamation and said this: "we should reraffirm
the great truths pronounced in this proclamation and that we should
proclaim them anew to the world." Benson also said this: "I know that God in his
goodness has again revealed himself from the heavens and that Joseph
Smith was called of God to reestablish that kingdom—The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints."
Brigham Young eventually led nine of the
Twelve Apostles with their followers to Salt Lake City, Utah where the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was re-established and
where it has remained since that time. The remaining three together
with Smith’s widow Emma and most of his family remained in Illinois. In
1860 the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was
established. In 2001 this Church reverted to the restorationist
movement of the 1830's and became a Christian denomination renamed the
Community of Christ. The statement of beliefs for the Community of
Christ Church is fully consistent with the Apostles and Nicene creeds
although this Church, like some other Christian denominations considers
itself to be non-creedal.
Mormon Theology
What is discussed here briefly is the theology of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with its headquarters
in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Church teaches that after the death of
Jesus there was a Great
Apostasy. In its own words:
Following the death of Jesus Christ, wicked people persecuted and
killed many Church members, and other Church members drifted from the
principles taught by Jesus Christ and His Apostles. The Apostles were
killed and the priesthood authority including the keys to direct and
receive revelation for the Church was taken from the earth
Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority and
revelation, error crept into Church teachings. Good people and much
truth remained, but the gospel as established by Jesus Christ was
lost.This necessitated a Restoration of the Church which
took place starting in 1820 with the first vision of Joseph Smith
Jr, followed by Smith’s discovery of the golden plates and the
inscribed Book of Mormon, and many subsequent revelations claimed
by Joseph Smith. The Priesthood authority (first Aaronic then
Melchisedek) was conferred on Joseph Smith by Christ’s Apostles Peter
James and John. As a result Smith now claimed to possess the Fullness
of the
Gospel.
Joseph Smith clearly was a Bible scholar, otherwise
he would never have known about Melchizedek, a rather obscure figure in
the Bible. The Priesthood of Mechizedek is mentioned only in three
books of the Bible; Genesis, Psalms and Hebrews. In Genesis 14
Abram, after rescuing Lot in battle, is blessed by Melchizedek, king of
Salem ( Jerusalem), who is described as a "priest of God Most High." In
return Abram gives King Melchizedek a tenth of his spoils of battle. In
Psalm 110 the psalmist states that his personal lord has been made by
the Lord on High a "priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."
The unknown author of Hebrews in chapters 6-7 identifies Jesus as a
"priest forever in the order of Melchizedek." Further this author
claims that the Melchizedek Priesthood is superior to the Aaronic or
Levitical Priesthood by virtue of Abram giving Melchizedek a tenth of
his spoils of battle, thus implying the superoirity of Christianity
over Judaism. Obviously the author of Hebrews makes quite
different theological points than does Joseph Smith.
On April 6, 1844 in the King Follett Discourse
Joseph Smith described his view of the nature of God (Journal of
Discourses vol 6):
God himself was once
as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits enthroned in yonder
heavens. That is the great secret. If the vail was rent to-day, and the
great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds
and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,-I say, if you
were to see him to-day, you would see him like a man in form-like
yourselves, in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam
was created in the very fashion, image, and likeness of God, and
received instruction from, and walked, talked, and conversed with him,
as one man talks and communes with another.
In order to
understand the subject of the dead, for the consolation of those who
mourn for the loss of their friends, it is necessary that we should
understand the character and being of God, and how he came to be so;
for I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and
supposed that God was God from all eternity, I will refute that idea,
and will take away and do away the vail, so that you may see.
These are
incomprehensible ideas to some; but they are simple. It is the first
principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God
and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with
another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself the
Father of us all, dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself
did; and I will show it from the Bible. I wish I was in a suitable
place to tell it, and that I had the trump of an archangel, so that I
could tell the story in such a manner that persecution would cease for
ever. What did Jesus say? (Mark it, Elder Rigdon.) The Scriptures
inform us that Jesus said, "As the Father hath power in himself, even
so hath the Son power"-to do what? Why, what the Father did. The answer
is obvious-in a manner, to lay down his body and take up again. Jesus,
what are you going to do? To lay down my life, as my Father did, and
take it up again. Do you believe it? If you do not believe it, you do
not believe the Bible. The Scriptures say it, and I defy all the
learning and wisdom and all the combined powers of earth and hell
together to refute it.
Here, then, is
eternal life-to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to
learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God,
the same as all Gods have done before you,-namely, by going from one
small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one,-from
grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the
resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings
and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting
power. And I want you to know that God, in the last days, while certain
individuals are proclaiming his name, is not trifling with you or me. These views of God expressed by Joseph
Smith have not been
disavowed by the Mormon Church. In 1857, at
the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City Brigham Young said this: I want to tell you,
each and every one of you, that you are well acquainted with God our
heavenly Father, or the great Eloheim. You are all well acquainted with
Him, for there is not a soul of you but what has lived in His house and
dwelt with Him year after year; and yet you are seeking to become
acquainted with Him, when the fact is, you have merely forgotten what
you did know. I told you a little last Sabbath about forgetting
things. There is not a person here to-day but what is a son or a
daughter of that Being. In the spirit world their spirits were first
begotten and brought forth, and they lived there with their parents for
ages before they came here. This, perhaps, is hard for many to believe,
but it is the greatest nonsense in the world not to believe it. If you
do not believe it, cease to call Him Father; and when you pray, pray
to some other character.
Young
also said this: Now to the facts in
the case; all the difference between Jesus Christ and any other man
that ever lived on the earth, from the days of Adam until now, is
simply this, the Father, after He had once been in the flesh, and lived
as we live, obtained His exaltation, attained to thrones, gained the
ascendancy over principalities and powers, and had the knowledge and
power to create-to bring forth and organize the elements upon natural
principles. This He did after His ascension, or His glory, or His
eternity, and was actually classed with the Gods, with the beings who
create, with those who have kept the celestial law while in the flesh,
and again obtained their bodies. Then He was prepared to commence the
work of creation, as the Scriptures teach. It is all here in the Bible;
I am not telling you a word but what is contained in that book.
Things were first created spiritually; the Father actually begat the
spirits, and they were brought forth and lived with Him. Then He
commenced the work of creating earthly tabernacles, precisely as He had
been created in this flesh himself, by partaking of the course material
that was organized and composed this earth, until His system was
charged with it, consequently the tabernacles of His children were
organized from the coarse materials of this earth. This is
the origin of the Mormon concept of great numbers of spirit babies,
sired by God, that oblige Mormon women to provide earthly
bodies for.
In Mormon theology God the Father
and God the Son,
i.e. Jesus Christ, are two distinct persons each with glorified perfect
bodies of flesh and blood. The body of God looks human in appearance
but is perfect beyond description. Christ is the Jehovah of the Old
Testament and created the world. God is the father of Jesus’ spirit
body but also is the literal father of Jesus’ physical body. Mormons
believe in the physical resurrection of Christ and that after his
resurrection his spirit and physical bodies reunited and he is the
living head of the Church. Mormons believe that in the Great Apostasy
the Priesthood of Christ was lost. In fact, at the time of Christ’s
resurrection there was no Priesthood connected to or
associated with Christ or any of his Apostles or followers.
Although Mormon theology contains some
elements of Christianity it is not Christian theology nor does it
reflect Christian
understandings of the nature of God and Christ. In addition nor
does it
reflect Christian history. Indeed it is diametrically opposed to
what is known historically about Christianity. Joseph Smith said
to his followers “Ye
are the children of Israel and of the seed of
Abraham.” Mormonism can best be understood as a fourth Abrahamic
faith,
as will be discussed.
Revelations of Joseph Smith Jr.
The revelations of Joseph Smith are found primarity
in two
locations: 1) the Book of Mormon and 2) Doctrines and Covenants.
Book
of Mormon
In 1830 Smith was directed by an encounter with the
angel Moroni to a location near Palimyra, New York on a hill
subsequently named Cumorah where he found golden plates These plates
were miraculously translated by Smith which revealed that it was
the Book of Mormon that had been inscribed on these plates. Only a
small handful of Smith’s followers were allowed to see the
plates. Smith published his translation in 1830 and the angel
Moroni subsequently took the plates back.
The Book of Mormon describes the migration by boat
of several Jewish tribes from what we now call Israel to what we now
call the New World of North and South America 600 years before Christ.
Two of these tribes were named the Nephites and the
Lamanites. The Lamanites are described as marked by God with a
darker skin color to identify their state of wickedness. After
Christ’s resurrection he visited the New World and the Nephites and the
Lamanites subsequently had several centuries of peaceful co-existence
and cooperation. This ended with a massive battle on the hill
Cumorah in which the Nephires were destroyed by the Lamanites.
Mormons believe that American Indians are descendants of the Lamanites.
In the Book of Ether, one of the books in the Book
of Mormon, a people described as the Jaredites are described. Thes
people were present at the Tower of Babel when human language was
confounded but they fortunately escaped such confounding of their
language. Approximately 2500 years before Christ the Jaredites by barge
migrated to the New World. They grew to a civilation of two million
people before they destroyed themselves by their own behavior just
prior to the arrival of the Nephites and Lamanites.
This all is, of course, a fabulous fable for which
there is not even minimally convincing archeological, anthropological
or historical evidence. However to say it is a creative fable written
by an individual with an exceptionally imaginative mind would be an
understatement.
Documents
and Covenants
There are 138 documents in the Documents and
Covenants of the Mormon Church. Of these all but three describe
revelation from God received by Joseph Smith. Thirteen of these
that help the reader understand the theology of Smith presented below
are taken from the Doctrine and Covenants found on the website of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
1. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, during a special
conference of elders of the Church, held at Hiram, Ohio, November 1,
1831. Many revelations had been received from the Lord prior to this
time, and the compilation of these for publication in book form was one
of the principal subjects passed upon at the conference. This section
constitutes the Lord’’s Preface to the doctrines, covenants, and
commandments given in this dispensation.
The voice of
warning is to all people; Apostasy and wickedness precede the Second
coming. Joseph Smith called to restore to earth the Lord’’s truths and
powers The Book of Mormon brought forth and true Church established;
Peace shall be taken from the earth;, Search these commandments.
5. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony,
Pennsylvania, March 1829, at the request of Martin Harris.
This generation
shall receive the Lord’s word through Joseph Smith; Three
witnesses shall testify of the Book of Mormon; The word of the
Lord will be verified as in previous times; Martin Harris may repent
and be one of the witnesses.
21. Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Fayette, New York,
April 6, 1830.. This revelation was given at the organization of the
Church, on the date named, in the home of Peter Whitmer, Sen. Six men,
who had previously been baptized, participated. By unanimous vote these
persons expressed their desire and determination to organize, according
to the commandment of God; They also voted to accept and sustain
Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery as the presiding officers of the
Church. With the laying on of hands, Joseph then ordained Oliver an
elder of the Church; and Oliver similarly ordained Joseph. After
administration of the sacrament, Joseph and Oliver laid hands upon the
participants individually, for the bestowal of the Holy Ghost and for
the confirmation of each as a member of the Church.
Joseph Smith
is called to be a seer, translator, prophet, apostle, and elder; His
word shall guide the cause of Zion; , The saints shall believe his
words as he speaks by the Comforter.
28. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Oliver
Cowdery, at Fayette, New York, September 1830. Hiram Page, a member of
the Church, had a certain stone, and professed to be receiving
revelations by its aid concerning the upbuilding of Zion and the order
of the Church. Several members had been deceived by these claims, and
even Oliver Cowdery was wrongly influenced thereby. Just prior to an
appointed conference, the Prophet inquired earnestly of the Lord
concerning the matter, and this revelation followed.
Joseph Smith holds
keys of the mysteries, and only he receives revelations for the Church;
, Oliver Cowdery is to preach to the Lamanites; , Satan deceived Hiram
Page and gave him false revelations.
38. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Fayette, New
York, January 2, 1831. The occasion was a conference
of the Church.
Christ created all
things; , He is in the midst of his saints, who shall soon see him; ,
All flesh is corrupted before him; , He has reserved a land of promise
for his saints in time and in eternity; , The saints are commanded to
be one and esteem each other as brethren; , Wars are predicted;
The saints are to be given power from on high and go forth among all
nations; The Church is commanded to care for the poor and needy,
and to seek the riches of eternity.
76. A vision given to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon, at
Hiram, Ohio, February 16, 1832. Prefacing his record of this
vision the Prophet wrote: ““Upon my return from Amherst conference, I
resumed the translation of the Scriptures. From sundry revelations
which had been received, it was apparent that many important points
touching the salvation of man had been taken from the Bible, or lost
before it was compiled. It appeared self-evident from what truths were
left, that if God rewarded every one according to the deeds done in the
body, the term ‘‘Heaven,’’ as intended for the Saints’’ eternal home,
must include more kingdoms than one. Accordingly, while translating St.
John’’s Gospel, myself and Elder Rigdon saw the following vision. It
was after the Prophet had translated John 5: 29 that this vision
was given.
The Lord is
God; , Mysteries of the kingdom will be revealed to all the faithful; ,
All shall come forth in the resurrection of the just or the unjust; ,
Inhabitants of many worlds are begotten sons and daughters unto God
through the atonement of Jesus Christ; , An angel of God fell and
became the devil; , Sons of perdition suffer eternal damnation; all
others gain some degree of salvation; , The glory and reward of exalted
beings in the celestial kingdom; Those who shall inherit the
terrestrial kingdom; Status of those in the telestial, terrestrial, and
celestial glories; All the faithful may see the vision of the
degrees of glory.
84. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland,
Ohio, September 22 and 23, 1832. During the month of September,
elders had begun to return from their missions in the eastern states
and to make reports of their labors. It was while they were together in
this season of joy that the following communication was received. The
Prophet designates it a revelation on priesthood.
The New Jerusalem
and the temple shall be built in Missouri; , Line of priesthood is
given from Moses to Adam; , The greater priesthood administers the
gospel ordinances; , The lesser priesthood administers the preparatory
gospel; , Men gain eternal life through the oath and covenant of the
priesthood; , The Spirit of Christ enlightens men, and the world lies
in sin; The saints must testify of those things they have
received; , They are to preach the gospel, and signs shall follow; ,
Elders are to go forth without purse or scrip, and the Lord will care
for their needs; Plagues and cursings await those who reject the
gospel; , The new song of the redemption of Zion; , Let every man stand
in his own office and labor in his own calling; , The Lord’’s servants
are to proclaim the abomination of desolation of the last days.
90. Revelation to Joseph Smith the Prophet, given at Kirtland, Ohio,
March 8, 1833. This revelation is a continuing step in the
establishment of the First Presidency (see heading to, and as a
consequence thereof the counselors mentioned were ordained on March 18,
1833.)
Keys of the
kingdom are committed to Joseph Smith and through him to the Church; ,
Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams are to serve in the First
Presidency; , The gospel is to be preached to the nations of Israel, to
the Gentiles, and to the Jews, every man hearing in his own tongue; ,
Joseph Smith and his counselors are to set in order the Church; ,
Various individuals are counseled by the Lord to walk uprightly and
serve in his kingdom.
93. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland,
Ohio, May 6, 1833.
All who are
faithful shall see the Lord; , John bore record that the Son of God
went from grace to grace until he received a fulness of the glory of
the Father; , Faithful men, going from grace to grace, shall also
receive of his fulness; , Those who are begotten through Christ are the
Church of the Firstborn; , Christ received a fulness of all truth, and
man by obedience may do likewise; , Man was in the beginning with God;
, The elements are eternal, and man may receive a fulness of joy in the
resurrection; , The glory of God is intelligence; , Children are
innocent before God because of the redemption of Christ; , The leading
brethren are commanded to set their families in order.
107. Revelation on priesthood, given through Joseph Smith the
Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, dated March 28, 1835. On the date named the
Twelve met in council, confessing their individual weaknesses and
shortcomings, expressing repentance, and seeking the further guidance
of the Lord. They were about to separate on missions to districts
assigned. Although portions of this section were received on the date
named, the historical records affirm that various parts were received
at sundry times, some as early as November 1831.
There are two
priesthoods: the Melchizedek and the Aaronic; , Those who hold the
Melchizedek Priesthood have power to officiate in all offices in the
Church; , The bishopric presides over the Aaronic Priesthood, which
administers in outward ordinances; , The Melchizedek Priesthood holds
the keys of all spiritual blessings; the Aaronic Priesthood holds the
keys of the ministering of angels; , The First Presidency, the Twelve,
and the Seventy constitute the presiding quorums, whose decisions are
to be made in unity and righteousness; , Patriarchal order established
from Adam to Noah; , Ancient saints assembled at Adam-ondi-Ahman, and
the Lord appeared to them; , The Twelve are to set the officers of the
Church in order; , Bishops serve as common judges in Israel; , The
First Presidency and the Twelve constitute the highest court in the
Church; Priesthood presidents govern their respective quorums.
110. Visions manifested to Joseph Smith the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery
in the temple at Kirtland, Ohio, April 3, 1836. The occasion was
that of a Sabbath day meeting. The Prophet prefaces his record of the
manifestations with these words: ““In the afternoon, I assisted the
other Presidents in distributing the Lord’’s Supper to the Church,
receiving it from the Twelve, whose privilege it was to officiate at
the sacred desk this day. After having performed this service to my
brethren, I retired to the pulpit, the veils being dropped, and bowed
myself, with Oliver Cowdery, in solemn and silent prayer. After rising
from prayer, the following vision was opened to both of us.””
The Lord Jehovah
appears in glory and accepts the Kirtland Temple as his house; , Moses
and Elias each appear and commit their keys and dispensations; , Elijah
returns and commits the keys of his dispensation as promised by
Malachi.
115. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Far West,
Missouri, April 26, 1838, making known the will of God concerning the
building up of that place and of the Lord’’s House. This
revelation is addressed to the presiding officers of the Church.
The Lord names his
Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; , Zion and her
stakes are places of defense and refuge for the saints; , The saints
are commanded to build a House of the Lord at Far West; , Joseph Smith
holds the keys of the kingdom of God on earth.
132. Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo,
Illinois, recorded July 12, 1843, relating to the new and everlasting
covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, as also
plurality of wives. Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, it is
evident from the historical records that the doctrines and principles
involved in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831.
Exaltation is
gained through the new and everlasting covenant; , The terms and
conditions of that covenant are set forth; Celestial marriage and a
continuation of the family unit enable men to become gods; , The strait
and narrow way that leads to eternal lives; , Law given relative to
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; , Promises of eternal increase and
exaltation made to prophets and saints in all ages; , Joseph Smith is
given the power to bind and seal on earth and in heaven; The Lord
seals upon him his exaltation; , Emma Smith is counseled to be faithful
and true; Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.
Joseph Smith and Muhammed
Joseph Smith and Muhammed each claimed to be the
last, not merely the latest, but the last Prophet of God. Each created
a Holy Book to support his claim and a new religion to implement his
claim in the world. In creating the Koran Muhammed plagiarized
extensively from the Old Testament of the Bible. In fact of the
twenty five Prophets of Islam twenty two are in the Bible including
Adam, Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joseph, Isaac, Jacob and Jesus. In creating
the Book of Mormon Joseph Smith also borrowed extensively from the
Bible. But in addition he wrote an incredible fable of the
migration of Jewish tribes to the New World 600 years before Christ.
Muhammed and Joseph Smith each believed that his
religion would one day control the entire world. In Islam this
was to be done via a jihad, or holy war waged against all the infidels,
non-Muslims, in the world until all surrendered to Islam. To Islam
alone has been granted the truth: there is no possibility of salvation
outside it. It is the sacred duty-an incumbent religious duty
established in the Koran and the traditions of all Muslims to bring
Islam to all humanity. Jihad is a divine institution, enjoined
specially for the purpose of advancing Islam. Muslims must strive,
fight, and kill in the name of God, as mandated in these verses from
the Koran.
2.256: ‘But they
who believe, and who fly their country, and fight in the cause of God
may hope for God's mercy: and God is Gracious, Merciful. It is a grave
sin for a Muslim to shirk the battle against the unbelievers those who
do will roast in hell.’
9.5-6: ‘Kill those
who join other gods with God wherever you may find them.’
4.76: ‘Those who
believe fight in the cause of God.’
8.12: ‘I will
instill terror into the hearts of the Infidels, strike off their heads
then, and strike off from them every fingertip.’
8.39-42: ‘Say to
the Infidels: If they desist from their unbelief, what is now past
shall be forgiven them; but if they return to it, they have already
before them the doom of the ancients! Fight then against them till
strife be at an end, 'and the religion be all of it God's.’
8.15, 16:
‘Believers, when you meet the unbelievers preparing for battle do not
turn your backs to them. [Anyone who does] shall incur the wrath of God
and hell shall be his home: an evil dwelling indeed.’
In the words of David Bigler, author of the book The Forgotten Kingdom;
The Mormon Theocracy in the American West 1847-1896 (Utah State
University Press, 1998) the grandiose goals of the Mormons were as
follows: "Accepting
any suffering or hardship, its people set out to accomplish an
incredibly ambitious and confrontational purpose. This was to
sweep away all other nations of the world and make ready for the coming
of the Lord, and to do this within their own lifetimes. “For the
destiny of the Mormon kingdom was to roll forth to world dominion, to
prevail over the kingdoms of the earth, as a condition of Christ’s
return to inaugurate his millennial reign.” "
Both Muhammed and Joseph Smith claimed to have been
visited by Angels. In the case of Muhammed it was the Angel Gabriel
who, not coincidentally was the Angel in the Gospel of Luke who told
Mary of the coming birth of Jesus. In the case of Smith it was the
Angel Moroni who in the Book of Mormon had been a member of one of the
Jewish tribes that had come to the New World so many years before
Christ.
Islam and Mormonism both experienced succession
crises on the death of the founder. In Islam the succession went to Abu
Bakr a close follower of Muhammed and not to a family member Ali,
husband of Fatima Muhammed’s daughter. This led to the split in Islam
to the Sunni and Shia traditions. In the case of Joseph Smith the
succession went to a close follower of Smith, Brigham Young’s, and not
to Smith’s son Joseph Smith III. The Church split into the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Reorganized Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints. The latter movement in 2001 became the
Community of Christ a Christian denomination.
Joseph Smith was well aware of the life of Muhammed
and the “Sword of Islam.” In a sworn affidavit a close followerof
Smith,Thomas B. Marsh, made the following comments:
“They
have among them a company, considered true Mormons, called the Danites,
who have taken an oath to support the heads of the Church in all things
that they say or do, whether right or wrong. Many, however, of this
band are much dissatisfied with this oath, as being against moral and
religious principles. On Saturday last, I am informed by the Mormons,
that they had a meeting at Far West, at which they appointed a company
of twelve, by the name of the 'Destruction Company,' for the purpose of
burning and destroying, and that if the people of Buncombe came to do
mischief upon the people of Caldwell, and committed depredations upon
the Mormons, they were to burn Buncombe; and if the people of Clay and
Ray made any movement against them, this destroying company were to
burn Liberty and Richmond.”
“The Prophet inculcates the notion, and it is believed by every
true Mormon, that Smith's prophecies are superior to the laws of the
land. I have heard the Prophet say that he would yet tread down his
enemies, and walk over their dead bodies; and if he was not let alone,
he would be a second Mohammed to this generation, and that he would
make it one gore of blood from the Rocky mountains to the Atlantic
ocean; that like Mohammed, whose motto in treating for peace was, 'the
Alcoran or the Sword.' So should it be eventually with us, 'Joseph
Smith or the Sword.' These last statements were made during the last
summer.”
In 1847 Brigham Young moved with his followers to
what is now known as Utah, then part of Mexico, established his
Kingdom of God on earth and named it Deseret. He claimed land from the
Rocky Mountains in present day Colorado to the Sierra Nevada in
California. The violence associated with the Mormon Church
disappeared after this fifty year theocracy in Utah, from 1847
-1896. The better part of this period was characterized by violence and
rebellion against federal officials and indeed against the
authority of the United States government. In May,1862 the War
Department of the United States government ordered a regiment of troops
from California under the command or Colonel Connor to Utah territory
to protect the overland mail route. General Halleck, commanding officer
of the U.S. army in Washington D.C issued the following order to
Connor: "all arms and military munitions intended for use against the
authority of the United States are liable for seizure." Coming just
three years after the remnants of the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre
had been viewed by U.S. troops, it is clear that this order was
directed at the Mormon rebellion and not protecting the overland
mail route. Colonel Connor, soon to become General Connor, established
his camp on the heights above Salt Lake City with his guns trained on
the city below. Brigham Young ordered his Navoo Legion to
bring canon in to protect the city and his house. Fortunately
Connor's guns and Young's cannon trained on each other were never
fired.
In 1896 the Mormon
Church gave up polygamy and made other
concessions in its political and theological structures in order
to became a State in the United States of America. Today Mitt Romey, a
Mormon whose great grandfather moved to Mexico from Utah territory with
his plural wives to escape from the authority of the United States
government, is running for President of the United States as a
Republican. Mormons in the State of Utah are as loyal to the United
States government as any other population group in the country. In
strong contrast, in the case of
Islam, violence has not disappeared but has intensified. Jihad or holy
war
against all infidels,
which was instituted in the earliest days of Islam, was re-invigorated
by events in the 1920's, the period following World War I. Today the
global Islamic jihad is a serious national security threat to the
United States and indeed to the rest of the world.
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