142 The Fundamentals the characteristics of Mormonism, has been a setting forth ef its false and anti-Scriptural teachings on the four important subjects of prophecy, revelation, Divine authority of the bogus priesthood, and the bogus apostles. The Mormon Church does not publish its peculiar teachings and beliefs. I f it did, it would gain no more converts; it waits until its converts are thoroughly entrapped before its peculiar doctrines are dis closed. Its whole system is carried on, so far as new converts are concerned, by means of the most systematic deception. Its missionaries wear black frock coats and white cravats so that the people are deceived into supposing that they are Christian ministers. In the Spring of 1844, when the Mormon Church was being severely condemned all over the country, John Went worth, who was publishing a paper in Chicago, asked Joseph Smith to state what the Mormons believe. Smith and some of his associates put their heads together, and sent out thirteen articles as a summary of Mormon belief. I t is simply another piece of deception, for these articles do not contain one doc trine peculiar to Mormonism, but are rather a summary of doctrines held by the Christian denominations. And yet they stand today as representing Mormon belief. When we come to test these articles by the official books of Mormonism, we find they are thoroughly deceiving. Let us take up the first six or seven of these pretended articles of belief, and see how misleading they are. ARTICLE 1. WE BELIEVE IN GOD THE ETERNAL FATHER, AND IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, AND IN THE HOLY GHOST. " " 1. By God the eternal Father, the Mormon officials mean Adam. (For convenience we will use the following abbrevia tions: B. of M. for Book of Mormon; D. & C. for Doctrine and Covenants; P. G. P. for Pearl of Great Price; Comp, for Compendium of Mormon Doctrine; Key, for Pratt’s Key to Theol.; J. of D. for Journal of Discourses—volumes of Mor mon Sermons; and M. C. for Mormon Catechism.) Brigham
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