Mormon History
Mormon Polytheism - 1845
Times and Seasons. City of Nauvoo, February 15, 1845. the Living God., Times and Seasons, vol. 6 (January 15, 1845-February, No. 3. Nauvoo, Illinois, Feb 15, 1845 Whole No. 111., p.808-809
There is no subject, among men, that engrosses so much time and attention, and, at the same time, is so little understood, as the being, knowledge, substance, attributes, and disposition of the living God. In the first place, christians and believers in christianity, with a few exceptions, believe in one God; or perhaps we should say, in their own language, that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, (are one God). But to be obedient unto the truth, we will not thus transgress upon reason, sense and revelation.
It will then be necessary to treat the subject of the `Living God,' in contra distinction to a (dead God), or, one that has, `no body, parts, or passions,' and perhaps, it may be well enough to say at the out set, that Mormonism embraces a plurality of Gods, as the apostle said, there were `Gods many and Lords many.' In doing which, we shall not deny the scripture that has been set apart for this world, and allows one God; even Jesus Christ, the very eternal Father of this earth; and if Paul tells the truth, `by him the worlds were made.'
It was probably alluded to by Moses, when the children of Israel were working out their salvation with fear and trembling in the wilderness, at the time that he spake these words: [Deut. v: 23-26.] "and it came to pass when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders. And ye said, Behold, the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory, and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?"
The facts embraced in the foregoing verses, destroy the belief of all christendom without remedy. The divines, or in deference, we will say the `learned clergy,' publish to all people, that `no man hath seen God, at any time; that no man can see God and live; and that John the Evangelist said: [St. John vi: 46.] "Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father."
Again, Moses in the before mentioned quotation uses our text, the `living God;' and who will undertake to say that he meant any other person than Jesus Christ, the holy one of Israel? `Before Abraham was, I am.' `Oh,' say the learned world, `the scripture is a mystical matter, we must let it remain, till some commentator fathoms the mystery.' In all probability that meant Christ, for there is but one God.
It has been said that troubles never come single, and mysteries, in like manner, rarely meet us (one) at a time. In Matthew we learn: [Mat. xvi: 13-16.] "When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
Now, (two facts), making two worldly mysteries, meet the mind in the foregoing passages. Jesus says (he is the `Son of man),' and Peter says, (he is the `Son of the living God).' O, ye great men, and wise men, and ye who wear the sacerdotal robes, how can Jesus have two fathers; or how can the scriptures be true without he has two? Again, how could Moses use the term `living God,' as the Holy one of Israel, and Peter declare that Christ was the (Son) of the `Living God?' This makes two `Living Gods,' because the Savior never once said that he begat himself, or came into the world of his own accord, or upon his own business; but upon the contrary, He came to do the (will) of his father (who sent him).
What shall we say then, to make Moses', Jesus' and Peter's words true? We will say that Jesus Christ had a father and mother of his Spirit, and a father and mother of his flesh; and so have all of his brethren and sisters: and that is one reason why he said, `(ye are Gods);' or that Isaiah prophesied: [Isa. XLI: 23.] `Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are Gods; yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.' In fact, `the Gods,' in old times, was common intelligence. Satan, in his first sectarian sermon to Adam and Eve, told them, if they would eat of the forbidden fruit, they should become as `the Gods,' knowing good and evil.
This is not all: the first line of Genesis, purely translated from the original, excluding the first (Baith) (which was added by the Jews,) would read: (Rosheit) (the head) (baurau), (brought forth,) (Eloheim) (the Gods) (ate) (with) (hah-shau-mahyiem) (the heavens) (veh-ate), (and with) (hauaurates), (the earth.) In simple English. The Head brought forth the Gods, with the heavens and with the earth. The `Head' must have meant the `living God,' or Head God: Christ is our head. The term `Eloheim,' plural of Elohah, or ale, is used alike in the first chapter of Genesis, for the creation, and the quotation of Satan. In the second chapter, and fourth verse, we have this remarkable history: "(These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth, when they were brought forth; in the day that the Lord of the Gods made earth and heavens)." The Hebrew reads so.
Truly Jesus Christ created the worlds, and is Lord of Lords, and as the Psalmist said: `Judges among the Gods.' Then Moses might have said with propriety, he is the `living God,' and Christ, speaking of the flesh could say:-I am the son of man; and Peter enlightened by the Holy Ghost;-Thou art the Son of the living God, meaning our Father in heaven, who is the Father of all spirits, and who with Jesus Christ, his first begotten son, and the Holy Ghost, are one in power, one in dominion, and one in glory, constituting the first presidency of this system, and this eternity. But they are as much three distinct persons as the sun, moon, and earth are three different bodies.
And again the `twelve kingdoms' which are under the above mentioned presidency of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are governed by the same rules, and destined to the same honor; [Book D. C., page 135 13.] For "Behold, I will liken these kingdoms unto a man having a field, and he sent forth his servants into the field, to dig in the field; and he said unto the first, go ye and labor in the field, and in the first hour I will come unto you, and ye shall behold the joy of my countenance: and he said unto the second, go ye also into the field, and in the second hour I will visit you with the joy of my countenance; and also unto the third saying, I will visit you; and unto the fourth, and so on unto the twelfth."
Without going into the full investigation of the history and excellency of God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in this article, let us reflect that Jesus Christ, as Lord of Lords, and king of kings, must have a noble race in the heavens, or upon the earth, or else he can never BE as great in power, dominion, might, and authority as the scriptures declare. But hear; the mystery is solved. John says: [Rev. XIV: 1.] `And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.'
`Their Father's name,' bless me! that is GOD! Well done for Mormonism; (one hundred and forty four thousand GODS, among the tribes of Israel, and, two living Gods and the Holy Ghost, for this world! Such knowledge is too wonderful for men, unless they possess the spirit of Gods. It unravels the little mysteries, which like a fog, hides the serene atmosphere of heaven, and looks from world to world; from system to system; from universe to universe; and from eternity to eternity, where, in each, and all, there is a presidency of Gods, and Gods many, and Lords many; and from time to time, or from eternity to eternity, Jesus Christ shall bring in another world regulated and saved as this will be when he delivers it up to the Father; and God becomes (all in all). `And,' as John the Revelator said: [XXII: 3, 4.] `there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.'
`His name in their foreheads', undoubtedly means `God' on the front of their crowns; for, when all things are created new, in the celestial kingdom, the servants of God, the innumerable multitude, are crowned, and, are perfect men and women in the Lord, one in glory, one in knowledge, and one in image: they are like Christ, and he is like God: then, O, then, they are all `Living Gods,' having passed from Death unto Life, and possess the power of eternal lives!