September 1927
563
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Mormonism Tells On Itse lf B y J o h n D. N u tting
T HE boxed portion below is reproduced from the last page of the first edition of the Book of Mormon. It will enable you to see what the book said about itself before this portion was changed to its present and untrue form. The Testimony of the Eight Witnesses is greatly relied on by Mormonism to substantiate its claim that the Book of Mormon, in which the statement occurs, is really a revelation from God. But it tells quite the opposite when one studies it a little. Note its statement that Joseph Smith was the “Author and Proprietor,” near the top. But the book claims to be from God; hence Smith could not be the “Author,” and still less could he be the “Proprietor,” or owner! The evident untruth of
1829. Even if all the signers were living and had con sented to such change it would still have been a falsity, for such was not the testimony given, and sworn to in its con cluding words. We know of no reason for the change except to avoid the plain contradiction between the state ment and the claim that the book was from God. There was some, truth in the claim of being “Author and Pro prietor,” however; as Smith and Rigdon were together the ones who concocted the book in its present form out of the Spaulding story. But for the claim of “Trans lator” which succeeded this on the title page, there is no basis at a ll; there is no proof whatever that there ever were any “plates” to translate, and the claims for such are best refuted by the claims themselves; see cut and statements in first issue of LIGHT (April-June, 1922), page 3; or read the Braden-Kelly Debate, pages 175, 216, etc. Everyone should go by the evidence, not by anything less. Uy&i;■ JWe. Has God Revised His Plan ? I N their efforts to lead people into the Christian life the dominant theme and keyword of the Prophets of the Old Testament, the Apostles of the New Testament, the Reformers of the Dark Ages and the founders and fa thers of the Protestant Churches was, REPENTANCE. To them the word REPENTANCE meant a deep, godly sorrow for sins committed, forsaking and turning away from them, faith in God, and an inwrought work by the Holy Spirit transforming the life from that of a sinner to a saint. All classes understood clearly the mes sages of these men of God. Were this cloud of witnesses, covering many centuries of time and all the nations of the earth, mistaken in their conception of the essentials of the plan of salvation? Did they misunderstand God’s method of saving lost souls from perdition? Were they blind leaders groping in dark ness, waiting for modern leaders to show the world the true light ? If they were right, the trend of modern evangelism is wrong, for the basic theme of salvation is no longer what it used to be—REPENTANCE. When have you heard a sermon on that theme by a pastor or evangelist such as used to be preached by the mighty men of God? When have you seen an article on that subj ect in a church paper or Sunday-school periodical, such as the church leaders used to write? The church wheel has slipped a cog! God’s plan of salvation has not been revised. The awful grip of sin and the devil on man has not been changed. Hell is as real as heaven, and the devil is as real as Jesus Christ. Repentance and the new birth is as much of a necessity now as in any age of the world’s history. It is the only door into the Kingdom. Soul tragedies are bound to follow the substitution of ethics for holiness, and church membership for a Christian experience. —Robert L. Selle, Rogers, Arkansas, First Methodist Church.
And Also the Testimony of Eight Witnesses .
Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jr., the Author and Proprietor of this work, has shewn unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated, we did handle,with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this we bear record, with words of soberness, that the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety, that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen: and we lie not, God bearing witness of it. CHRISTIAN WHITMER, JACOB WHITMER, •PETER WHITMER, J r . JOHN WHITMER, • HIRAM PAGE, JOSEPH SMITH, S e n . HYRUM SMITH, SAMUEL H. SMITH,
this statement is acknowledged in the next edition, printed in Kirtland, and in all editions since then; for the words “Author and Proprietor” are taken out of this sworn tes timony, and “Translator” put in their place! But what must we think of one who will change the sworn testimony of witnesses to suit himself ? Is it an honest or truthful thing to do ? Is it not making the wit nesses swear to what they did not swear to? Is it not thus a falsehood of the most serious kind? And does a real prophet of God do such things? Yet this was done under the direct supervision of Joseph Smith, in Kirtland, in 1837. The sworn statement was given about June,
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