Statement by the Presbyterian Church
Presbyterians and Latter-day Saints
Presbyterians in many parts of the United States live in close
proximity with Mormon neighbors. Historically, these contacts with one
another have often involved mutual difficulties. Today Presbyterians
are challenged to apply the learnings we are gaining about interfaith
relations to our relationships with Latter-day Saints.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.), declares allegiance to Jesus. Latter-day Saints and
Presbyterians share use of the Bible as scripture, and members of both
churches use common theological terms. Nevertheless, Mormonism is a new
and emerging religious tradition distinct from the historic apostolic
tradition of the Christian Church, of which Presbyterians are a part.
Latter-day Saints understand themselves to be separate from the
continuous witness to Jesus Christ, from the apostles to the present,
affirmed by churches of the "catholic" tradition.
Latter-day Saints and the historic churches view the canon of
scriptures and interpret shared scriptures in radically different ways.
They use the same words with dissimilar meanings. When the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speaks of the Trinity, Christ's death
and resurrection, and salvation, the theology and practices related to
these set it apart from the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant
churches.
It is the practice of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to receive on
profession of faith those coming directly from a Mormon background and
to administer baptism. Presbyterians do not invite officials of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to administer the Lord's
Supper.
Revelation
The Reformed tradition believes that the canon of scripture is closed
and the Bible is complete, although the Holy Spirit continues to lead
the Church into deeper understandings of God's revelation. Reformed
Christians test new understandings against the content of the central
revelatory events recorded in the Bible. Latter-day Saints speak of
receiving new revelations. Revelatory events not found in the Old and
New Testaments are recounted in additional Mormon scriptures.
God
The historic apostolic creeds of the church remind Christians how
difficult it is to speak about God. Reformed Christians have described
the person of God as invisible, without body or passions. God's
otherness is overcome in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Mormon
teachings speak about God in literally anthropomorphic terms.
Latter-day Saints understand that all souls live a premortal life as
spirit children of Heavenly Father and say that humans may become gods,
"as God is." They define themselves as monotheists since they give
allegiance only to Heavenly Father, creator and ruler of this world.
Salvation
For Latter-day Saints, salvation through Christ's atonement is a first
step toward sanctification and exaltation — an eternal progression that
is in the hand of each person and family — thus explaining the special
importance of obedient living, marriage, or baptism for the dead. The
Reformed tradition understands both the initiative and completion of
the plan of salvation to rest on God's grace. Nothing is required but
acceptance of God in Christ, from which a life of gratitude flows.
Presbyterian Banner – February 12, 1879
THE MORMON PROBLEM.
In another column will be
seen what there is much reason to believe is a true history of the origin of the
Mormon Bible." It will be read with the closest attention.
Polygamy was not one of the original features of the delusion, but was
afterwards engrafted upon it. And to this day the Mormon emissaries in Europe
are careful to conceal their peculiar and distinct views with regard to
marriage; otherwise they would prevent their success in obtaining new recruits
almost altogether. It is only after their arrival in Utah that the greater part
of deceived Europeans learn how purity, law and decency have been set aside in
the matter of marriage, John Taylor, now President of the Mormon Church, when in
France in 1853, although he then had no less than five wives, denied the
existence of polygamy among the Mormons, and had a denial printed in pamphlet
form in French and circulated in large numbers. Now this same John Taylor
declares that the revelations concerning polygamy came directly from heaven;
that is his religion, and neither Congress nor the Supreme Court of the United
States which declared the act of 1862 forbidding polygamous marriages in the
territories of the United States constitutional, will have no effect except to
unite, confirm and strengthen Mormons in their faith. And it is well known that
leading Mormons have taken additional wives since the decision of the Supreme
Court was given. In direct contempt of the opinion of the court, John W. Young
has married his fifth wife, James Welch his second wife and John White his third
wife. At the same time Mormon women are beseiging the President and others in
authority and Delegate Cannon and representatives of the Mormon Church are
petitioning for amnesty and promising obedience to the law.
In view of the state of things it is not strange that a petition has been
addressed to Congress by the anti-polygamists in Utah, praying that instead of
rendering the law against polygamy more lenient, Congress would amend the act of
1862 by making living together in polygamy under the general reputation of
marriage sufficient to constitute the offence, as otherwise the statyte will be
practically inoperative. In this movement the law-observing and purity-loving
people of Utah should have the co-operation of all opponents of the iniquitous
institution, in all parts of the country. Thorough work should be made in
delivering the people of the United States from the charge of tolerating a
degrading system of concubinage. Too much confidence must not be placed in
Congress, without watchfulness on the part of the people; its members ought to
be made to feel that the public eye is always upon them, and they will be held
to strict account for neglect of duty.
MORMONISM.
_____
BY ALFRED CREIGH, LL., D.
_____
The recent decision of the
Supreme Court of the United States, sustaining the constitutionality of the law
of Congress, enacted in 1862, punishing bigamy in the Territories with fine and
imprisonment, has attracted public attention anew to the most stupendous
delusion of the nineteenth century. Thank God for the decision! It is a step in
the right direction to crush out a system destructive of good morals,
patriotism, the marriage relation and the principles of liberty.
The facts in regard to the origin of the Book of Mormon have been frequently
published. They were detailed by the present writer in his "History of
Washington County," published
in 1870. Briefly they are as follows:
Rev. Solomon Spaulding, a graduate of Dartmouth College, became a resident of
New Salem (sometimes called Conneaut), in Ashtabula County, O., in the early
part of the present century. Here he was compelled by the state of his health to
desist from active labors. To occupy his hours of leisure, he amused himself by
writing a historical romance, containing a record of the wanderings and the
varied fortunes of the race that reared the mounds so numerous throughout the
West, and many of which were to se seen in the vicinity of his residence. This
was about the year 1812. The romance, purporting to be written by one of the
lost race and to have been recovered from the earth, was entitled the
"Manuscript Found." Mr. Spaulding, as his work progressed, frequently read it to
his neighbors, many of whom became interested in it and familiar with the events
and names recorded. From New Salem Mr. Spaulding removed to Pittsburgh and
deposited his manuscript in the printing office of Mr. Patterson for
examination, with a view to publication. It is supposed that Sidney Rigdon, one
of the originators of the Mormon delusion, had come across this manuscript
whilst in the office, became acquainted with its contents, and possibly made or
obtained a copy of it. After some time the manuscript was returned to Mr.
Spaulding, who soon after removed to Amity, Washington County, Pa., where he
died in 1816. About 1830 the Book of Mormon appeared; a Mormon preacher visited
New Salem and in a public meeting read copious extracts from the book, which
were immediately recognized by the older inhabitants present as the identical
work of Mr. Spaulding; and his brother, being present, arose on the spot and
with tears expressed his sorrow that the work of his sainted brother should be
used for so shocking a purpose. The inhabitants of New Salem held a meeting and
deputed one of their number, Dr. Hurlbut, to repair to Monson, Mass., where Mr.
Spaulding's widow (who had married a Mr. Davidson) resided, to obtain the
original manuscript for comparison with the Mormon Bible. This was in 1834. Mrs.
Davidson afterwards wrote a full
statement of the facts, of which the above is but an outline. This statement
(given in full in the "Hist. of Wash. Co." pp. 91-93, was published in 1839, and
elicited from Mr. Rigdon the year a published denial of all knowledge on his
part of Mr. Spaulding's manuscript. In connection with Mrs. Davidson's
statement, a letter from Joseph Miller, Sr., dated
March 26, 1869, is given in the "History above referred to. Mr. Miller
(still living at Amity, being 88 years of age) was well acquainted with Mr.
Spaulding, waited on him in his last illness and assisted at his burial. Mr.
Miller had heard Mr. Spaulding read portions of his novel entitled the
"Manuscript Found," and afterwards on hearing the Book of Mormon read,
recollected several passages as the same he had heard Mr. Spaulding read. One
passage he remembers distinctly, where the Amalekites had marked themselves with
red on the foreheads to distinguish them from the Nephites. The singularity had
fixed it in his memory.
To the testimony of which the above is a brief sketch, the following facts may
be added as not devoid of interest in connection with the history of this
colossal fraud:
Mr. McKinstry, a son of the late Dr. McKinstry of Monson, Mass., and the
grandson of Rev. S. Spaulding, says that his grandmother came East from Ohio to
live with her daughter at Monson many years ago, bringing the manuscript of his
grandfather's romance with her. Before her death a plausible young man from
Boston came to see and get the Spaulding writing. It was a time of considerable
excitement concerning the Mormons, and he claimed to represent some Christian
people who wanted to expose Mormonism. He therefore begged the loan of the
manuscript for publication. Much against the wishes of Mrs. Dr. McKinstry, the
daughter of Mrs. Spaulding (now Davidson) she consented to let her husband's
unpublished romance be taken away. Nothing was ever heard of it again, and the
family have always considered that the bland young gentleman was an agent of
Brigham Young to destroy this convincing evidence that Joe Smith's Mormon Bible
was of very earthly origin.
The widow of Mr. Spaulding and her daughter, Mrs. Dr. McKinstry, had compared
the Mormon Bible with the romance of the "Manuscript Found," and stated that
they were essentially the same -- that the similarity was so overwhelming as to
leave no doubt on their minds but that Joe Smith or Sidney Rigdon had copied it
in full and made out of it bodily, the divine revelation -- as a special
revelation from God on plates of gold engraven by his own hand -- and that after
being translated they were taken back to heaven.
The Springfield (Mass.) Republican gives its testimony in these words:
The story of how the Rev. Mr, Spaulding came to prepare his romance, which Mr
McKinstry remembers as a child to have seen, is very interesting. Mr. Spaulding
was out of the active ministry in Ohio, and employed his leisure moments in
weaving a romance. It was at the time when the Mound Builders were creating wild
excitement and interest -- the implements of cookery and war being unearthed
showing the existence of a forgotten race. This furnished the inspiration for
the chronicles of the story writen. He entitled the production the "Manuscript
Found," the idea being that the romance written by Mr. Spaulding was dug up out
of one of the mounds in the region. It was a history of Ancient America, not all
written at once, but as leisure and fancy occurred to him, Mr. Spaulding would
add to it. His writing was no secret in the neighborhood. In that then frontier
region, with few opportunities for literary enjoyment. Rev. Mr. Spaulding was
prevailed upon to read to his neighbors. It was written in Bible phraseology and
made as quaintly old as possible, so as to carry out the idea of its alleged
mound origin.
I might add in this connection that Joe Smith was born on Vermont in 1805, and
his friends claim that when he was fifteen years of age he was informed by an
angel in a vision of the apostacy of the Primitive church. On September 22, 1827
he received from the hands of a messenger from the Lord the golden plates
containing the ancient history of this continent, written by various prophets
and concealed by Morni [sic] in the year 420. He was informed that he was the
chosen instrument to restore God's church to its former purity and holiness.
Accordingly he proceeded to translate the golden plates and the church was
organized in 1830.
Three witnesses, viz: Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris, testify
that an angel of God came down from heaven and he brought and laid before our
eyes that we beheld and saw the plates and the engraving thereon;" and I may
add, to complete the imposture, that Joe Smith exhibited these plates to
Christian Whitmer, Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jr., John Whitmer, Hiram Page,
Joseph Smith, Sr., Hiram Smith and Samuel H. Smith, and that they "had the
appearance of gold and the engraving was of curious eorkmanship and was handled
by their own hands."
We can readily account for the reason why the Whitmers and the Smiths are the
principal witnesses -- because the book itself says that "Morni, a son of
Mormon, was authorized to show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring
forth this work and unto three shall they be shown (viz: Cowdery, Whitmer
and Harris) by the power of God wherefore they shall know of a surety that these
things are true."
Such is the stupendous fraud and imposture which has been imposed not only on
the American people, but upon foreign countries to which emissaries have gone,
bringing back ignorant people by the ship load to become American citizens.
Note 1: Alfred Creigh's article in the Banner was quickly reprinted in
the
Feb. 14th issue of his home-town paper, the Washington Reporter. For
Alfred Creigh's earlier account of the Spalding claims for Book of Mormon
authorship see
pp. 89-93 of his 1870 History of Washington County, Pennsylvania.
Note 2: The John A. McKinstry statement in the Springfield Republican,
referred by Mr. Creigh is known by its reprint in the New Haven Connecticut
Palladium of
Sep. 3, 1877. The same reprint was also carried by the Syracuse Journal
on that same date. Creigh's paraphrase of the McKinstry statement changes the
original wording considerably. Also, it should be noted here that the 1877
McKinstry statement conflates the two separate visits of D. P. Hurlbut (in 1833)
and Jesse Haven (in 1839) into a single, somewhat jumbled account.
Note 3: Rev. Robert Patterson, Jr., the secondary "editor and proprietor" of the
Banner Robert Patterson, Jr., was at least marginally involved in
investigations of the Spalding claims as early as November of 1878, when the
Rev. Samuel Williams contacted Patterson about his father's contact with
Spalding in Pittsburgh c. 1812-1816. Through Williams Patterson soon came into
contact with the highly motivated Spalding claims researcher, James T. Cobb of
Salt Lake City and much of Cobb's enthusiasm for this line of research seems to
have quickly rubbed off onto Patterson. Whether Patterson solicited the Feb. 12,
1879 article from Creigh, or whether it was Creigh who first approached
Patterson on that matter remains unknown. At the very least the interests of
both Creigh and Patterson regarding the Spalding authorship claims appear to
have converged early in 1879. For a contemporary letter by Patterson on this
subject, see the Commercial-Gazette of
Feb. 17, 1879. From this point forward it was Robert Patterson, Jr. who
carried forward most of the new research on the Spalding authorship claims (at
least he was the primary researcher of this subject in western Pennsylvania in
the early 1880s). For example, in August of 1879 Patterson was inspired to seek
out and interview the aging D. P. Hurlbut at Gibsonburg, Ohio and obtain a
statement from him (printed in the Leader
in Feb. 1880 ) regarding the man's involvement in the 1833 effort to recover
the writings of Solomon Spalding. It was probably his frustrations and
subsequent realizations, developing out of his failed effort to obtain useful
information from Hurlbut that motivated Patterson to continue and expand his
search for the facts underlying the old Spalding claims.