How should Christians view the book of Mormon?

We have already seen what unpardonable liberties the Mormon teachers take with the Holy Scriptures, undermining the very fundamentals of the Christian faith, and substituting for them their own blasphemous and unclean teaching. Not only are they guilty of this, but they put the Book of Mormon, a religious novel with no foundation in fact, on an equality with the Bible. Nay, still further, they put the words of a President, and of writings of Mormon origin, as of equal value with the Holy Scriptures. Surely such statements as these should be sufficient to open the eyes of those blinded by this emanation of the bottomless pit.

We have purposely refrained from quoting at length Mormon teaching. The little we have extracted is more than sufficient to condemn Mormonism out of the mouths of its accredited leaders and teachers. They stand utterly condemned by what they themselves say.

Mormonism began in America in the beginning of the 19th century. The infidelity of Mormonism is peculiar. The Mormons profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in repentance, etc.; but their infidelity spite of their "faith" which scarce exceeds the eastern delusion appears in this article of their creed, — "We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the book of Mormon to be the Word of God." To add to God's word is no less infidelity than to deny any part of it. The difference as to this, between the ancient and the modern delusion, is one of degree, not of kind. The ancient says that though there may possibly be some part of the Bible true, no belief is to be placed in the copies held by christians. The later delusion accepts the Bible as christians have it, "as far as it is translated correctly." Thus Gnosticism, Mohammedanism, and Mormonism have this in common — the insufficiency of the Word of God. Each more or less sanctioned corruption; for the denial of the Word of God, whether in the form of taking from it, or of adding to it, opens the door for every fleshly wickedness.

The bulky volume which bears this name, and claims to be a translation of the writing found on the golden plates, is a fictitious history written in imitation of the Bible, composed of various books, each bearing the name of its writer, beginning with Nephi, a Jew, who lived in Jerusalem B.C. 60, and ending with Moroni, who claims to have lived after Christ, and had been charged to give an account of the order and ordinances of the church, to be used for guidance of the Latter Day Saints. Its weird and frivolous stories are utterly groundless, and although interwoven with Scripture, can deceive none save the “simple” (Rom. 16:18), and such as are “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Eph. 4:14). Mormons claim that the book was written by “inspired men” and is “a volume of Scripture” of equal value at least with the Bible, which is acknowledged to be “the Jewish Scriptures,” for saints of the Eastern hemisphere, while the Book of Mormon is “also the Word of God of equal authority with the Bible,” especially for the Western hemisphere, of whose early saints the Bible knows and says nothing. The Bible, according to the Mormon creed, is a very faulty book, full of inaccuracies and errors, with whole books omitted, and at best it is only one of many “Revelations” given to men, “the Book of Mormon, the Book of Covenants and Doctrines,” and other works of the prophets being equal in authority. Isaiah, Paul, Joseph Smith, and Brigham Young are all “Revelators,” the latter, if anything, being of a higher order than the former. The following, culled from many such deliverances in Salt Lake Tabernacle, gives the acknowledged position of the Mormon Prophets, Revelators, and Bible makers: “Joseph Smith was a prophet, Brigham Young was a prophet, Wildford Woodruff is a prophet, and I know that he has a great many prophets around him, and he can make Scriptures as good as those in the Bible.” And Joseph Smith's revelations are evidently of far greater value in the Mormon Church than those of the Apostles, for it is declared by Brigham Young, his successor, that “if any make light of, or treat them with indifference,” they will prove their “damnation.” Nor need we wonder when we are told that Joseph Smith was not only an inspired prophet, but “he spoke by the authority of an endless priesthood which was upon him,” and all who “hold the priesthood possess Divine authority thus to act for God; and by possessing part of God's power, they are in reality part of God.” Prodigious! This is surely the “spirit of Antichrist,” of which Scripture warns, which begins by men claiming to have Divine authority, and culminates in “THE Antichrist” claiming to be God, and demanding to be “worshipped as God” (2 Thess. 2:4). Any sect which claims to be receiving continuous revelations through its priests and prophets, which are to be regarded as the voice of God, equal to or greater in authority than the written Word, has in its hands a weapon whereby it can deceive its votaries to any extent, and hold them in its chains. Rome, whose “Tradition” is of equal authority with Scripture, was the first to introduce this deception, and in her hand it succeeded so well that every upstart sect has copied it, and must have in some form its “revelations” through pope, priest, or prophet, making as of old “the Word of God of none effect” (Mark 7:13). Irvingites, Spiritualists, Christian Scientists, Perfectionists, and numerous smaller sects, while differing in much, agree in this, that there is something besides, something beyond Scripture, through which God now speaks, supplementing, and in many instances overturning the Holy Scriptures He aforetime gave, whereas the Word claims for itself that it is complete—filled full (Col. 1:25), that nothing is to be added to it (Prov. 30:6) or taken from it (Deut. 12:31), under awful penalties (Rev. 20:18-19), and that it has within it ALL that is required for all stages of Christian life, from the making wise of a “child” unto salvation, unto the full equipment and furnishing of “the man of God” for “every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17).

It may be asked, How do we know that the Book is complete? If the Spirit of God is in the Church, why may He not give further revelations? One scripture answers that question, and disposes of all such blasphemous imitations as the book of Mormon, for instance: "Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil (or complete) the word of God" (Col. 1:25). The body of revelation was completed with the scriptures of Paul. No further unfolding of truth remains. In that which set forth the glories of Christ, and the Church as His body and bride, God's counsels are fully brought to light. Peter and John, in rounding out their ministry doubtless did write later than Paul, but they were simply finishing a ministry already begun, and adding no fresh line of truth. All was complete and all remains for us to read and ponder, to wonder at and praise God for, while we ourselves are transformed by its truths.

Little wonder then that we find here the exceedingly solemn, yet deliberate pronouncement, "Even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed." The truth of God allows for no respect of persons. Paul says in effect, "If I myself were to change my message, you would be responsible to refuse me, for I would fall under the curse of God." "Or an angel from heaven!" Is there a claim, a profession of a new revelation from God which throws a different light on the gospel? Let the one who brings it be accursed; for even though such were an angel from heaven, it is not the voice of God! How dreadful a condemnation of Mormonism, Christian Science (falsely so-called) and many other human or satanic inventions that pervert the gospel! Supernatural manifestations are commonly regarded as only coming from God, but even a fallen angel preaching another gospel is immediately the object of the curse of God. Satanic power is supernatural too.

(Vv. 8, 9.) Before proceeding further, the Apostle, with intensely solemn and ardent words, pronounces a curse upon any who preach as glad tidings anything contrary to that which they had received through his preaching. If the Apostle himself, or even an angel, preach any other gospel, let him be accursed. These are words which completely exclude all development or further light, of which men speak, that would set aside the alone sufficiency of the work of Christ to secure the salvation of everyone that believes.

The Christians in Galatia had been bewitched by a perverted gospel, which is a very popular gospel today, but in reality is no gospel at all, for it had removed them from Him who had called them to the grace of Christ. This false gospel was, that while, of course, Christ cannot be left out of the question, yet it is necessary that a man bring in his own works in order to be fully right with God. He may begin with Christ but he must trust to himself also and bring in the law and his keeping of its enactments. It was a mixture of grace and law, which won't mix, for if a man could be justified by the works of the law, there would be no need for grace at all, and Christ has died in vain.

The Gospel, as “sent forth by the hand of Joseph Smith,” consists of first principles and ordinances as follows:—First, Faith; second, Repentance; third, Baptism for the remission of sins; fourth Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost,” and “All mankind may be saved by obedience to these laws and ordinances.” Men are to be punished for their own sins, but not for Adam's transgression,” and if any die unrepentant and especially unbaptized, they can be hunted up in the “spirit world” by Mormon prophets, who go preaching the Joseph Smith Gospel there, and relatives on earth may be baptized as “proxies” for them, so as to keep intact the “ordinances” which are so essential to salvation. But all this is “another Gospel,” which the apostle declares, if he or “any man,” or even “an angel from heaven”—such as Joseph Smith's Moroni claims to be—preaches, “let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:6-8). The Gospel of God, which is His “power unto salvation” to every one that believes it (Rom. 1:16), has no “ordinances” added to it. It needs no “hands” of man laid on to make it effectual. No “Sponsors” or baptism by proxy are required to complete its work. It brings the good news of a present, known, and enjoyed salvation, which is immediately the possession of all who believe it (Acts 16:30), and every sinner who as such comes to the Lord Jesus Christ is received by Him and never cast out (John 6:37). When did the dying thief receive baptism for the remission of his sins? Will any say in the face of Luke 23:43, he did not go to be “with Christ” for want of it?

“We believe the Bible to be the word of God, so far as it is rightly translated; WE ALSO BELIEVE THE BOOK OF MORMON TO BE THE WORD OF GOD.”

It is alternatively called Mormonism after their Book of Mormon, which they put on an equality with the Holy Scriptures of truth. We cannot put their claims to a better test than that laid down by our Lord, “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matt. 12:37).