This material is part of a Field Guide profile on Mormonism: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Click here to go to the main page of the Mormon profile.
A large collection of photo-
http://www.irr.org/mit/wdist/main.html
Many of the quotations included below are from the collection of documentation straight from Mormon sources cited in The Changing World of Mormonism (TCWOM) by Jerald and Sandra Tanner, Moody Press, Chicago IL 1980. The brief excerpts here represent only a small portion of the extensive documentation in the Tanners' excellent book. The entire contents of TCWOM is now available on the Internet for free download at:
http://www.utlm.org/onlinebooks/changecontents.htm
The Tanners' book, and the website version above, also include photo-
A number of Mormon leaders are quoted in the material below. For details on where they fit in Mormon history and in the Mormon hierarchy, see the Field Guide's Who's Who in the History of Mormonism
Red highlighting has been added to certain sentences and phrases below to call attention to some of the most significant statements.
From: "Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon," Orson Pratt (Mormon Apostle),
Liverpool, 1851, pp.1-
The Book of Mormon claims to be a divinely inspired record.... If false, it is one
of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-
If, after a rigid examination, it be found an imposition, it should be extensively published to the world as such; the evidences and arguments on which the imposture was detected, should be clearly and logically stated....
But on the other hand, if investigation should prove the Book of Mormon true ... the American and English nations ... should utterly reject both the Popish and Protestant ministry, together with all the churches which have been built up by them or that have sprung from them, as being entirely destitute of authority.
From: TCWOM p. 25-
Although Joseph Smith lived to be only 38 years old, the Mormon leaders claim that he had numerous visits from "glorious personages" from heaven.
Not only was he visited by God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, but by John the Baptist, Peter, James, John, Moses, Elijah, Elias, Michael, Raphael, Nephi, Moroni, Mormon and possibly others.
It should be obvious that Joseph Smith was either one of the greatest prophets who ever walked the face of the earth, or the whole thing is a fraud from beginning to end. John Taylor, the third president of the church, set forth the issue in these terms: "... if God has not spoken, if the angel of God has not appeared to Joseph Smith, and if these things are not true of which we speak, then the whole thing is an imposture from beginning to end. There is no halfway house, no middle path about the matter; it is either one thing or the other" (Journal of Discourses, vol.21, p.165).
Joseph Fielding Smith, the tenth president of the church, maintained that "Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground.
"If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who wilfully attempted to mislead the people, then
he should be exposed; his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be
false,... I maintain that Joseph Smith was all that he claimed to be" (Doctrines
of Salvation, 1959, vol.1, pp.188-
The Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt said that if the Mormon religion had errors in it
the members would be grateful if someone would point them out: ". . convince us of
our errors of doctrine, if we have any, by reason, by logical arguments, or by the
word of God, and we will be ever grateful for the information, and you will ever
have the pleasing reflection that you have been instruments in the hands of God of
redeeming your fellow beings from the darkness which you may see enveloping their
minds" (The Seer, pp.15-
Role of Joseph Smith in Salvation
From TCWOM p. 27
In the History of the Church (vol.7, p.287), Brigham Young even claimed that "Every
spirit that confesses that Joseph Smith is a Prophet, that he lived and died a Prophet
and that the Book of Mormon is true, is of God, and every spirit that does not is
of anti-
President Joseph Fielding Smith added that there is "no salvation without accepting
Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth....
No man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences,
for he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (Doctrines of Salvation, vol.1, pp.189-
From: TCWOM pp. 450-
Joseph Smith was a man of great physical strength. He enjoyed wrestling and other
sports where he could display his strength. Under the date of March 11, 1843, we
find this entry in the History of the Church, (vol. 5, p.302). "In the evening, when
pulling sticks, I pulled up Justus A. Morse, the strongest man in Ramus, with one
hand." Two days later we find this statement: "Monday, 13. -
…
Benjamin F. Johnson recalled how Joseph Smith sometimes lost his temper and resorted to physical violence:
And yet, although so social and even convival [sic] at times, he would allow no arrogance
or undue liberties. Criticisms, even by his associates, were rarely acceptable. Contradictions
would arouse in him the lion at once. By no one of his fellows would he be superceded.
In the early days at Kirtland, and elsewhere, one or another of his associates were
more than once, for their impudence, helped from the congregation by his foot....
He soundly thrashed his brother William.... While with him in such fraternal, social
and sometimes convivial moods, we could not then so fully realize the greatness and
majesty of his calling. But since his martyrdom, it has continued to magnify in our
view as the glories of this last dispensation have more fully unfolded to our comprehension
(Letter by Benjamin F. Johnson, 1903, as printed in Testimony of Joseph Smith's Best
Friend, pp.4-
Calvin Stoddard once testified that "Smith then came up and knocked him in the forehead
with his flat hand-
Mormon writer Max Parkin quotes Luke Johnson as saying that when a minister insulted Joseph Smith at Kirtland, Ohio, Smith "boxed his ears with both hands, and turning his face towards the door, kicked him into the street ..." (Ibid., p.268).
In Joseph Smith's history for the year 1843, we read of two fights which he had in Nauvoo: "Josiah Butterfield came to my house and insulted me so outrageously that I kicked him out of the house, across the yard, and into the street" (History of the Church, vol. 5, p.316).
"Bagby called me a liar, and picked up a stone to throw at me, which so enraged me that I followed him a few steps, and struck him two or three times. Esquire Daniel H. Wells stepped between us ... I told the Esquire to assess the fine for the assault, and I was willing to pay it. He not doing it, I rode down to Alderman Whitney, stated the circumstances, and he imposed a fine which I paid ..." (Ibid., p.524).
According to the History of the Church, Joseph Smith admitted that he had tried to choke Walter Bagby: "I met him, and he gave me some abusive language, taking up a stone to throw at me: I seized him by the throat to choke him off" (Ibid., p.531).
The reader will remember also that some material appears in Joseph Smith's diary that has been suppressed in the History of the Church. Under the dates January 1 and 2, 1843, Joseph Smith related that he had "whipped" seven men at once and on another occasion had "whipped" a Baptist minister "till he begged."
Brigham Young once made this evaluation of Joseph Smith: "Some may think that I am
rather too severe; but if you had the Prophet Joseph to deal with, you would think
that I am quite mild.... He would not bear the usage I have borne, and would appear
as though he would tear down all the houses in the city, and tear up trees by the
roots, if men conducted to him in the way they have to me" (Journal of Discourses,
vol. 8, pp.317-
From: TCWOM p. 456
Josiah Quincy related: "In a tone half-
A reporter who visited Joseph Smith wrote in 1843:
We spent about an hour conversing on various subjects, the prophet himself, with amazing volubility, occupying the most of the time, and his whole theme was himself. Let us give what turn we would to the conversation, he would adroitly bring it back to himself... he said: 'The world persecutes me, it has always persecuted me.... When I have proved that I am right, and get all the world subdued under me. I think I shall deserve something (The New York Spectator, September 23, 1843).
From: Mormonism 101, p. 106
Both former and contemporary Mormon authorities and scholars have upheld the prominent
place the Book of Mormon has in the Latter-
Almost all of the doctrines of the gospel are taught in the Book of Mormon with much greater clarity and perfection than those same doctrines are revealed in the Bible. Anyone who will place in parallel columns the teachings of these two great books on such subjects as the atonement, plan of salvation, gathering of Israel, baptism, gifts of the Spirit, miracles, revelation, faith, charity, (or any of a hundred other subjects), will find conclusive proof of the superiority of Book of Mormon teaching. (Mormon Doctrine, 99)
Ezra Taft Benson [Mormon Prophet] agreed, adding in a 1978 address, "There will be
more people saved in the kingdom of God-
From: The writings of Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt (1811-
God gave many revelations to Hebrew Prophets, in the Hebrew language.... The same revelations have been translated many times by different authors: ... These clashing translations are circulated among the people, as the words of God, when, in reality they are the words of translators; ... the Bible in ... all the languages of the earth, except the original in which it was given, is not the word of God, but the word of uninspired translators ... so far as the uninspired translators and the people are concerned, no part of the Bible can, with certainty, be known by them to be the word of God.
23. -
Many Protestants say they take the Bible as their only rule of faith ... What evidence
have they that the book of Matthew was inspired of God, or any other of the books
of the New Testament? The only evidence they have is tradition.... If it could be
demonstrated by tradition, that every part of each book of the Old and New Testament,
was, in its original, actually written by inspiration, still it cannot be determined
that there is one single true copy of those originals now in existence.... What shall
we say then, concerning the Bible's being a sufficient guide? Can we rely upon it
in its present known corrupted state, as being a faithful record of God's word? We
all know that but a few of the inspired writings have descended to our times, which
few quote the names of some twenty other books which are lost.... What few have come
down to our day, have been mutilated, changed, and corrupted, in such a shameful
manner that no two manuscripts agree. Verses and even whole chapters have been added
by unknown persons; and even we do not know the authors of some whole books; and
we are not certain that all those which we do know, were wrote by inspiration. Add
all this imperfection to the uncertainty of the translation, and who, in his right
mind, could, for one moment, suppose the Bible in its present form to be a perfect
guide? Who knows that even one verse of the whole Bible has escaped pollution, so
as to convey the same sense now that it did in the original? ... There can be no
certainty as to the contents of the inspired writings until God shall inspire some
one to rewrite all those books over again.... No reflecting man can deny the necessity
of such a new revelation (Orson Pratt's Works, "The Bible Alone An Insufficient Guide,"
pp.44-
From: TCWOM p. 378
Mormon leaders claim that the Catholics conspired to alter the Bible. In the Book of Mormon we read:
... thou seest the foundation of a great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.
And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.
Wherefore, thou seeth that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.
... because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an
exceeding great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them
(Book of Mormon, I Nephi 13:26-
Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr., son of the tenth president of the church, said that "The early 'Apostate Fathers' did not think it was wrong to tamper with inspired scripture. If any scripture seemed to endanger their viewpoint, it was altered, transplanted or completely removed from the Biblical text" (Religious Truths Defined, p.175).
Apostle Mark E. Peterson casts doubt on the reliability of the Bible: "Many insertions were made, some of them 'slanted' for selfish purposes, while at times deliberate falsifications and fabrications were perpetrated" (As Translated Correctly, p.4). "It is evident then that many of the 'plain and precious' things were omitted from the Bible by failure to choose all of the authentic books for inclusion, and by deliberate changes, deletions and forgeries ..." (p.14).
Although recent Mormon leaders have attempted to make excuses for the many thousands of errors in the original Book of Mormon manuscripts, the actual descriptions by early Mormons of the alleged method of translation by Joseph Smith leave little wiggle room for making excuses.
From: An Address All Believers In Christ, David Whitmer, Richmond, Missouri, 1887, page 12
(Whitmer was one of the"Three witnesses to the Book of Mormon")
"I will now give you a description of the manner in which the Book of Mormon was translated. Joseph Smith would put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man."
From: Edward Stevenson, "One of the Three Witnesses," reprinted from Deseret News,
30 Nov. 1881 in Millennial Star, 44 (6 Feb. 1882): 86-
"Martin Harris related an incident that occured during the time that he wrote that portion of the translation of the Book of Mormon which he was favored to write direct from the mouth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He said that the Prophet possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he then used the seer stone, Martin explained the translation as follows: By aid of the seer stone, sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet and written by Martin and when finished he would say "Written," and if correctly written that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place, but if not written correctly it remained until corrected, so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates, precisely in the language then used."
From: Saints’ Herald, vol. 26, no. 12 (June 15, 1879), pp. 190-
"When Joseph was translating the Book of Mormon [I] had occasion more than once to go into his immediate presence, and saw him engaged at his work of translation. The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating word after word, while the scribes — Emma, John Whitmer, O. Cowdery, or some other wrote it down."
From: TCWOM 132:
Although we must not overemphasize the changes in the Book of Mormon, even changes in spelling and grammar are important when we consider the claims concerning the translation which were made by Joseph Smith and the witnesses to the book. Smith claimed that the Book of Mormon was "the most correct of any book on earth," and Martin Harris said that the words which appeared on the seer stone would not disappear until they were correctly written. Oliver B. Huntington recorded in his journal that in 1881 Joseph F. Smith, who later became the sixth president of the Mormon church, taught that the Lord gave Joseph Smith the exact English wording and spelling that he should use in the Book of Mormon:
Saturday Feb.25, 1881, I went to Provo to a quarterly Stake Conference. Heard Joseph F. Smith describe the manner of translating the Book of Mormon ... Joseph did not render the writing on the gold plates into the English language in his own style of language as many people believe, but every word and every letter was given to him by the gift and power of God.... The Lord caused each word spelled as it is in the book to appear on the stones in short sentences or words, and when Joseph had uttered the sentence or word before him and the scribe had written it properly, that sentence would disappear and another appear. And if there was a word wrongly written or even a letter incorrect the writing on the stones would remain there.... and when corrected the sentence would disappear as usual ("Journal of Oliver B. Huntington," p.168 of typed copy at Utah State Historical Society).
Anachronisms in the Book of Mormon
It should be painfully obvious even by a cursory examination of the Book of Mormon that much of it is just a rehashing of events (and in many cases, wording) of the Bible, in the same archaic English used in the King James Version. Here are just a few samples of evidence of this from TCWOM. The Tanners provide many other instances of such obvious "borrowing" in the Book of Mormon.
From: TCWOM p. 115-
The Mormon leaders claim that the Nephites had the Old Testament books which were
written prior to the time they left Jerusalem-
One of the most serious mistakes the author of the Book of Mormon made was that of quoting from the book of Malachi many years before it was written. Below is a comparison of some verses which were supposed to have been written by Nephi sometime between 588 and 545 B.C., and some verses which were written by Malachi about 400 B.C. In Malachi 4:1 we read: "For behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up...."
In the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 22:15, Malachi's words have been borrowed: "For behold, saith the prophet, ... the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned."
There are also portions of 2 Nephi, chapters 25 and 26, which are taken from Malachi.
About 600 years after Nephi was supposed to have written these words, Jesus appeared
to the Nephites and said: "... Behold other scriptures I would that ye should write,
that ye have not" (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 23:6). Jesus then told the Nephites to
"write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he should tell unto
them.... And these are the words which he did tell unto them, saying: Thus said the
Father unto Malachi-
"For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up ..." (3 Nephi 25:1).
These words, attributed to Jesus, very plainly show that the Nephites could not have had the words of Malachi until Christ came among them. The Mormon writer George Reynolds acknowledged: "As Malachi lived between two and three hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem the Nephites knew nothing of the glorious things that the Father had revealed to him until Jesus repeated them" (Complete Concordance of the Book of Mormon, p.442). Now, if Nephi knew nothing concerning these words until the coming of Christ, how did Nephi quote them 600 years before?
From TCWOM pp. 188-
As we have already shown, the Nephites were not supposed to have had the books of the New Testament because they were written hundreds of years after they left Jerusalem. Nevertheless, we find many New Testament verses and parts of verses throughout the Book of Mormon. In the following list of parallels between the Book of Mormon and the New Testament we have tried to eliminate verses that also appear in the Old Testament. All of the verses from the Book of Mormon were supposed to have been written between 600 B.C. and A.D. 33. (In the following BM refers to the Book of Mormon and KJV refers to the King James Version of the Bible.)
KJV: That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you (1 John 1:3)
BM: to declare
unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard (1 Nephi 1:18)
KJV: that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not
(John 11:50)
BM: that one man should perish than that a nation should ... perish in
unbelief (1 Nephi 4:13)
KJV: the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts (Rom. 5:5)
BM: the love of God,
which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts (1 Nephi 11:22)
KJV: made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14)
BM: made white in the blood
of the Lamb (1 Nephi 12:11)
KJV: shall be saved; yet so as by fire (1 Cor. 3:15)
BM: shall be saved, even if it
so be as by fire (1 Nephi 22:17)
KJV: O wretched man that I am (Rom. 7:24)
BM: O wretched man that I am (2 Nephi 4:17)
KJV: death and hell delivered up the dead (Rev. 20:13)
BM: death and hell must deliver
up their dead (2 Nephi 9:12)
KJV: he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him
be righteous still (Rev. 22:11)
BM: they who are righteous shall be righteous still,
and they who are filthy shall be filthy still (2 Nephi 9:16)
KJV: endured the cross, despising the shame (Heb. 12:2)
BM: endured the crosses of
the world, and despised the shame (2 Nephi 9:18)
KJV: to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life (Rom. 8:6)
BM:
to be carnally-
[See TCWOM for many more examples of this obvious "borrowing."]
From TCWOM p. 122-
One of the most serious mistakes in the Book of Mormon occurred when Christ appeared to the Nephites after His crucifixion and told them He was going to quote the words of Moses. The words which He should have quoted are found in Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 and 19:
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; ... I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not harken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Instead of quoting these words from Deuteronomy, however, Jesus quoted from Peter's
paraphrase of Moses' words found in Acts 3:22-
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up
unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever
he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not
hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets
from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold
of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God
made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds
of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent
him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities (Acts 3:22-
In the Book of Mormon we read:
Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise
up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever
he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear
that prophet shall be cut off from among the people. Verily I say unto you, yea,
and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken,
have testified of me. And behold, ye are the children of the prophets; and ye are
of the house of Israel; and ye are of the covenant which the Father made with your
fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth
be blessed. The Father having raised me up unto you first, and sent me to bless you
in turning away every one of you from his iniquities ... (3 Nephi 20:23-
It is obvious, then, that the Book of Mormon follows Peter's paraphrase rather than the actual words of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy. Verses 24 through 26 of the third chapter of Acts, though slightly rewritten, are quoted in the Book of Mormon. These words have nothing to do with Moses, but are in reality the words of Peter. Peter spoke these words at the temple in Jerusalem some time after the day of Pentecost. While it is possible that these words could have been recorded at the time, the book of Acts was probably not written until twenty or thirty years later. George B. Arbaugh made the following statement Concerning this matter:
" 'Christ' in Book of Mormon Quotes Material Not Yet Written ... Simon Peter here paraphrases and condenses Moses' lengthy statement.... The wording is quite different from that in Deuteronomy, but the writer of the Book of Mormon failed to check on the original statement and assumed that Peter's report of it was a verbatim quotation. Therefore the Book of Mormon quotes Acts" (Gods, Sex, and Saints, p.36).
It is interesting to note that Nephi-
Another serious mistake made by the author of the Book of Mormon was that of having Jesus quote part of Revelation 21:6 to the Nephites. Following is a comparison of the way the words appear in the book of Revelation and the way they are found in the Book of Mormon.
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end" (Rev. 21:6).
"I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning
The words Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Apostle Bruce R. McConkie acknowledges this fact: "These words, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, are used figuratively ..." (Mormon Doctrine, 1966, p.31).
The Greek language was used throughout the Roman Empire at the time of Christ; therefore, the New Testament was written in Greek and the words Alpha and Omega were well understood. The Nephites, however, were supposed to have left Jerusalem 600 years before the time of Christ, and therefore they would not have been familiar with these words. If Jesus had told the Nephites that He was "Alpha and Omega," it would have had absolutely no meaning to them. When the author of the Book of Mormon lifted these words from the book of Revelation he evidently did not realize that they were from the Greek language. Mormon writers maintain that the Book of Mormon "does not contain any of the numerous words in the New Testament that are of Greek origin" (Contents, Structure, And Authorship of the Book of Mormon, By J. N. Washburn, p.161). This idea is certainly incorrect. The words Alpha and Omega are definitely of Greek origin.
Examples of poor grammar in the original Book of Mormon
From: TCWOM p.130
The first edition of the Book of Mormon plainly shows that it was written by a man who did not have a great deal of education, although we must admit that the writer had ability and imagination. On page 31 of the first edition we read: "... neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that state of awful woundedness.... " In modern editions (p.24, v.32) this was changed to read: "Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness...."
On page 214 of the first edition we read: "My soul was wrecked with eternal torment...." This was changed to read as follows in modern editions (p.188, v.29): "My soul was racked with eternal torment...."
One of the most frequent mistakes in the first edition of the Book of Mormon is the use of "was" instead of "were." The following are extracts from the first edition of the Book of Mormon in which "was" has been changed in later editions to "were":
"... Adam and Eve, which was our first parents ..." (p.15).
"... the bands which was
upon my wrists ... " (p.49).
"And great was the covenants of the Lord ..." (p.66).
"...
the arms of mercy was extended towards them; for the arms of mercy was extended ...
" (p.189).
"... the priests was not to depend ... " (p.193).
"... those that was with
him" (p.195).
"... there was seven churches ..." (p.209).
"... there was many ... "
(p.209).
"... I had much desire that ye was not in the state of dilemma ... " (p.241).
"...
they was angry with me, ... " (p.248).
"... there was no wild beasts ... " (p.460).
[See TCWOM for many more examples of the grammatical errors in the original Book of Mormon.]
From: TCWOM p. 173
By the year 1844 Joseph Smith had completely disregarded the teachings of the Book of Mormon, for he declared that God was just an exalted man and that men could become Gods. He stated as follows:
First, God himself, who sits enthroned in yonder heavens, is a man like unto one
of yourselves, that is the great secret.... I am going to tell you how God came to
be God. We have imagined that God was God from all eternity.... God himself; the
Father of us all dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself did.... You have
got to learn how to be Gods yourselves.... No man can learn you more than what I
have told you (Times and Seasons, vol. 5, pp.613-
From: TCWOM p. 175,177
The Mormon church teaches that God the Father had a Father, and that God's Father
also had a Father, and so on. President Brigham Young claimed: "He [God] is our Father-
Heber C. Kimball, who was a member of the First Presidency, made these similar comments: "... then we shall go back to our Father and God, who is connected with one who is still farther back; and this Father is connected with one still further back, and so on ..." (Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p.19).
"... for our God is a natural man, ... the first of all mechanics. Where did he get his knowledge from? From his Father, just as we get knowledge from our earthly parents" (Ibid., vol. 8, p.211).
Orson Pratt explains further: "The Gods who dwell in the Heaven ... have been redeemed from the grave in a world which existed before the foundations of this earth were laid. They and the Heavenly body which they now inhabit were once in a fallen state ... they were exalted also, from fallen men to Celestial Gods to inhabit their Heaven forever and ever" (The Seer, p.23).
"We were begotten by our Father in Heaven; the person of our Father in Heaven was begotten on a previous heavenly world by His Father; and again, He was begotten by a still more ancient Father; and so on, from generation to generation, ... we wonder in our minds, how far back the genealogy extends, and how the first world was formed, and the first father was begotten" (The Seer, p.132).
Brigham Young added further statements about men becoming Gods: "The Lord created you and me for the purpose of becoming Gods like himself ... We are created ... to become Gods like unto our Father in heaven" (Journal of Discourses, vol.3, p.93). "... man is the king of kings and lord of lords in embryo." (vol.10, p.223).
Milton R. Hunter, who was a member of the First Council of Seventy, had a great deal to say about the doctrine of a plurality of Gods:
Mormon prophets have continuously taught the sublime truth that God the Eternal Father
was once a mortal man who passed through a school of earth life similar to that through
which we are now passing. He became God-
... we must accept the fact that there was a time when Deity was much less powerful than He is today. Then how did He become glorified and exalted and attain His present status of Godhead? In the first place, aeons ago God undoubtedly took advantage of every opportunity to learn the laws of truth.... From day to day He exerted His will vigorously, ... he gained more knowledge.... Thus he grew in experience and continued to grow until He attained the status of Godhood. In other words, He became God by absolute obedience to all the eternal laws of the Gospel....
No prophet of record gave more complete and forceful explanations of the doctrine
that men may become Gods than did the American Prophet ... (Ibid., pp.114-
Bruce R. McConkie, who is now an Apostle, has also written on this subject: "... God ... is a personal Being, a holy and exalted man, a glorified, resurrected Personage having a tangible body of flesh and bones, an anthropomorphic Entity ..." (Mormon Doctrine, 1966, p.250). " ... as the Prophet also taught, there is 'a God above the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ' " (p.322).
Joseph Fielding Smith explains:
Some people are troubled over the statements of the Prophet Joseph Smith.... The matter that seems such a mystery is the statement that our Father in heaven at one time passed through a life and death and is an exalted man. This is one of the mysteries.... The Prophet taught that our Father had a Father and so on. Is not this a reasonable thought, especially when we remember that the promises are made to us that we may become like him? (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, pp.10, 12).
Apostle LeGrand Richards wrote a letter to Morris L. Reynolds on July 14, 1966, in which he stated: "There is a statement often repeated in the Church, and while it is not in one of the Standard Church Works, it is accepted as Church doctrine, and this is: 'As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.' "
From: TCWOM p. 193, 195
On April 9, 1852, Brigham Young publicly preached the Adam-
Now hear it, O inhabitants of the earth, Jew and Gentile, Saint and sinner! When
our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body,
and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this
world. He is Michael, the Archangel, the Ancient of Days! about whom holy men have
written and spoken-
This sermon was reprinted in The Latter-
"The above sentiment appeared in Star No.48, a little to the surprise of some of its readers: and while the sentiment may have appeared blasphemous to the Ignorant; it has no doubt given rise to some serious reflections with the more candid and comprehensive mind ... Adam is really God! And why not?" (Millennial Star, vol.15, p.801).
On page 825 of the same volume the following appeared: "It has been said that Adam is the God and Father of the human family, and persons are perhaps in fear and great trouble of mind, lest they have to acknowledge him as such in some future day. For our part we would much rather acknowledge Adam to be our Father, than hunt for another, and take up with the devil."
In volume 17, page 195, of the Millennial Star this statement was made: "...every
Knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that he is the God of the whole earth. Then
will the words of the Prophet Brigham, when speaking of Adam, be fully realized-
Elder James A. Little confessed: "I believe in the principle of obedience; and if I am told that Adam is our Father and our God, I just believe it" (Millennial Star, vol.16, p.530).
Brigham Young's Adam-
From: TCWOM pp. 204-
The revelation sanctioning the practice of plural marriage was given by the Prophet
Joseph Smith on July 12, 1843. This revelation is still printed in the Doctrine and
Covenants-
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have
inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching
the principle and doctrine of their having many wives and concubines-
Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter.
Therefore, prepare thy heart to receive and obey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same.
For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory....
And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation....
Then shall they be gods, because they have no end....
God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife....
Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it....
Abraham received concubines, and they bore him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness....
David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, ... and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me.
David's wives and concubines were given unto him of me....
And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God....
Let no one, therefore, set on my servant Joseph; for I will justify him....
And again, as pertaining to the law of the Priesthood-
And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery,
for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified (The
Doctrine and Covenants, published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
In the beginning Mormon church leaders claimed they did not believe in the practice of plural marriage. In the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, printed in 1835, there was a section which absolutely denounced the practice of polygamy.
In section 101:4 it was stated: "Inasmuch as this church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication, and polygamy: we declare that we believe, that one man should have one wife; and one woman, but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again."
This section was printed in every edition of the Doctrine and Covenants until the year 1876. At that time the Mormon leaders inserted section 132, which permits a plurality of wives. Obviously, it would have been too contradictory to have one section condemning polygamy and another approving of it in the same book! Therefore, the section condemning polygamy was completely removed from the Doctrine and Covenants.
Excerpts from: TCWOM: p. 222-
In the revelation on polygamy (Doctrine and Covenants 132:54) Emma Smith, Joseph's wife, is threatened with destruction: "... I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not my law." It is interesting to note, however, that it was Joseph who was destroyed. He was killed less than a year after this revelation was written, while Emma lived until 1879 and was a bitter enemy to polygamy.
The Doctrine and Covenants 132:64 reads: "And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, if any man have a wife, holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the law of my priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she believe and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord your God; for I will destroy her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my law."
Apostle John Henry Smith testified as follows in the case concerning "the application of John Moore, for naturalization":
"Q. Do you understand that revelation to be to this effect-
In section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants it is plainly stated that a man must obtain the consent of the first wife in order to be justified in taking more wives: " ... if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then is he justified..." (Doctrine and Covenants 132:61).
Joseph Smith certainly did not follow the rules of his own revelation, for he took plural wives without his first wife's consent. Emily Dow Partridge claimed that she was married to Joseph before Emma gave her consent:
... the Prophet Joseph and his wife Emma offered us a home in their family, and they treated us with great kindness.... I was married to Joseph Smith on the 4th of March 1843.... My sister Eliza was also married to Joseph a few days later.
This was done without the knowledge of Emma Smith. Two months afterward she consented to give her husband two wives, providing he would give her the privilege of choosing them. She accordingly chose my sister Eliza and myself, and to save family trouble Brother Joseph thought it best to have another ceremony performed. Accordingly on the 11th of May, 1843, we were sealed to Joseph Smith a second time, in Emma's presence.... From that very hour, however, Emma was our bitter enemy. We remained in the family several months after this, but things went from bad to worse until we were obligated to leave the house and find another home (Historical Record, vol. 6, p.240).
Joseph F. Smith, the sixth president of the church, was questioned as follows:
SENATOR PETTUS. Have there been in the past plural marriages without the consent
of the first wife?
MR. SMITH. I do not know of any, unless it may have been Joseph
Smith himself.
SENATOR PETTUS. Is the language that you have read construed to mean
that she is bound to consent?
MR. SMITH. The condition is that if she does not consent
the Lord will destroy her, but I do not know how He will do it.
SENATOR BAILEY. Is
it not true that in the very next verse, if she refuses her consent her husband is
exempt from the law which requires her consent?
MR SMITH. Yes; he is exempt from the
law which requires her consent.
SENATOR BAILEY. She is commanded to consent, but if
she does not, then he is exempt from the requirement?
MR. SMITH. Then he is at liberty
to proceed without her consent, under the law.
SENATOR BEVERIDGE. In other words,
her consent amounts to nothing?
MR SMITH. It amounts to nothing but her consent (Reed
Smoot Case, vol. 1, p.201).
Many other Mormons married without obtaining the consent of the first wife. Joseph Smith told Heber C. Kimball to take a second wife and not to let his first wife know anything about it. Heber C. Kimball's daughter related:
... my father, ... was taught the plural wife doctrine, and was told by Joseph, the
Prophet, three times, to go and take a certain woman as his wife; but not till he
commanded him in the name of the Lord did he obey. At the same time Joseph told him
not to divulge this secret, not even to my mother, for fear that she would not receive
it.... This was one of the greatest tests of his faith he had ever experienced. The
thought of deceiving the kind and faithful wife of his youth ... was more than he
felt able to bear... his sorrow and misery were increased by the thought of my mother
hearing of it from some other source, which would no doubt separate them, and he
shrank from the thought of such a thing, or of causing her any unhappiness. Finally
he was so tried that he went to Joseph and told him how he felt-
In Mormonism-
One thing that is very obvious when reading section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants is the fact that Joseph Smith was already in the practice of plural marriage before he ever inquired of the Lord to see if it was right. The first verse of section 132 tells that Joseph Smith inquired of the Lord to see if plural marriage was right, but verse 52 shows that he had already taken wives before the revelation was given, for it commands Emma (his first wife) to receive the other women that had already been given to Joseph: "And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, receive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph ..." (Doctrine and Covenants 132:52).
Some people have tried to excuse this by saying that the date on the revelation was only the date it was written down and not the date it was actually given, but anyone who honestly examines this argument must admit that it doesn't make any difference when the revelation was given. Whether it was given in 1843 or years before isn't important. Regardless of the date it was given, verse 52 plainly states that Joseph had already entered into the practice of polygamy.
It is interesting to note that section 132 not only says that plural marriage is justifiable in God's sight, but also concubinage: "Abraham received concubines, and they bore him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness ..." (Doctrine and Covenants 132:37).
The Mormon leaders seem to be puzzled as to why the Lord gave the revelation on polygamy to Joseph Smith. Apostle John A. Widtsoe stated:
"We do not understand why the Lord commanded the practice of plural marriage." (Evidences and Reconciliations, 1960, p.393). One of the most popular explanations is that the church practiced polygamy because there was a surplus of women. The truth is, however, that there were less women than men.
Apostle Widtsoe admitted that there was no surplus of women:
The implied assumption in this theory, that there have been more female than male members in the Church, is not supported by existing evidence. On the contrary, there seems always to have been more males than females in the Church....
The United States census records from 1850 to 1940, and all available Church records,
uniformly show a preponderance of males in Utah, and in the Church. Indeed, the excess
in Utah has usually been larger than for the whole United States, ... there was no
surplus of women (Evidences and Reconciliations, 1960, pp.390-
The sociologist Kimball Young says that "under polygamy some men would have to remain unwed.... it was not uncommon for a man to select a plural mate from among recent arrivals of converts in Salt Lake City" (Isn't One Wife Enough? 1954, p.124).
The Mormon leaders were evidently worried that the missionaries would take the best women. Heber C. Kimball, a member of the First Presidency, admonished: "I say to those who are elected to go on missions, ... remember they are not your sheep: they belong to Him that sends you. Then do not make a choice of any of those sheep; do not make selections before they are brought home and put into the fold. You under stand that. Amen" (Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p.256).
Stanley P. Hirshon adds this instructive information:
Kimball always kept an eye out for romance. "Brethren," he instructed some departing
missionaries, "I want you to understand that it is not to be as it has been heretofore.
The brother missionaries have been in the habit of picking out the prettiest women
for themselves before they get here, and bringing on the ugly ones for us; hereafter
you have to bring them all here before taking any of them, and let us all have a
fair shake" (The Lion of the Lord, New York, 1969, pp.129-
The shortage of women was so great that some of the men were marrying girls who were very young. Fanny Stenhouse stated: "That same year, a bill was brought into the Territorial Legislature, providing that boys of fifteen years of age and girls of twelve might legally contract marriage, with the consent of their parents or guardians!" (Tell It All, 1875, p.607).
The early Mormon leaders certainly did allow their young people to marry at an early age. Mosiah Hancock was only 11 years old when he was "sealed" to a "young girl." According to his journal, he was "born in Kirtland, Ohio, on April the 9th, 1834." ("The Mosiah Hancock Journal," typed copy, p.1). On pages 20 and 21 of the same journal, he recorded:
On about January 10, 1846, I was privileged to go in the temple and receive my washings and annointings. I was sealed to a lovely young girl named Mary, who was about my age, but it was with the understanding that we were not to live together as man and wife until we were 16 years of age. The reason that some were sealed so young was because we knew that we would have to go West and wait many a long time for another temple.
Stanley P. Hirshon provides this additional information:
"Make haste and get married," Remy heard Young preach. "Let me see no boys above
sixteen and girls above fourteen unmarried." ... In 1857 The New York Times, reporting
the sealings to old men of two girls aged ten and eleven, estimated that most girls
married before they were fourteen.... Troskolawsski knew one bishop who was sealed
to four of his nieces, the youngest thirteen years old... . On August 1, 1856, he
put on the stagecoach for Ohio twelve-
Women and Polygamy in the early LDS Church
Modern Mormon sources sometimes attempt to belittle any criticism of polygamy in the "old days" implying that all involved, including the multiple wives, were usually quite happy with the custom. This is not borne out in documents from the time–
From: TCWOM p. 227-
Zina Huntington, a wife of Brigham Young and a defender of the doctrine of polygamy, counseled:
It is the duty of a first wife to regard her husband not with a selfish devotion...
she must regard her husband with indifference, and with no other feeling than that
of reverence, for love we regard as a false sentiment; a feeling which should have
no existence in polygamy... we believe in the good old custom by which marriages
should be arranged by the parents of the young people (New York World, November 17,
1869, as cited in The Lion of the Lord, pp.229-
It is almost impossible to conceive of the sorrow that the Mormon women went through. Joseph Lee Robinson, who was himself a polygamist and a faithful member of the church, frankly admitted: "Plural marriage ... is calculated in its nature to severely try the women even to nearly tear their heart strings out of them ..." (Journal and Autobiography of Joseph Lee Robinson, p.50, microfilm in LDS Genealogical Library).
Kimball Young relates some of the heartaches of polygamy:
When James Hunter took his second wife, the first who had accompanied the couple to the Endowment House for the ceremony could not sleep and walked the floor all night as she thought of her husband lying in the arms of his new bride....
A person brought up in a polygamous household ... told this story: "There is one
real tragedy in polygamy that I can remember. One evening a man brought home a second
wife. It was in the winter and the first wife was very upset. That night she climbed
onto the roof and froze to death" (Isn't One Wife Enough? pp.147-
At one time conditions became so bad in Brigham Young's family that he offered to set all his wives free:
Now for my proposition; it is more particularly for my sisters, as it is frequently happening that women say they are unhappy. Men will say, "My wife, though a most excellent woman, has not seen a happy day since I took my second wife," "No, not a happy day for a year," says one; and another has not seen a happy day for five years....
I wish my own women to understand that what I am going to say is for them as well as others, and I want those who are here to tell their sisters, yes, all the women of this community, ... I am going to give you from this time to the 6th day of October next, for reflection, that you may determine whether you wish to stay with your husbands or not, and then I am going to set every woman at liberty and say to them, Now go your way, my women with the rest, go your way. And my wives have got to do one of two things; either round up their shoulders to endure the afflictions of this world, and live their religion, or they may leave, for I will not have them about me. I will go into heaven alone, rather than have scratching and fighting around me. I will set all at liberty. "What, first wife too?" Yes, I will liberate you all....
I wish my women, and brother Kimball's and brother Grant's to leave, and every woman
in this Territory, or else say in their hearts that they will embrace the Gospel-
Now recollect that two weeks from to morrow I am going to set you at liberty. But the first wife will say, "It is hard, for I have lived with my husband twenty years, or thirty, and have raised a family of children for him, and it is a great trial to me for him to have more women;" then I say it is time that you gave him up to other women who will bear children. If my wife had borne me all the children that she ever would bare, the celestial law would teach me to take young women that would have children....
Sisters, I am not joking, I do not throw out my proposition to banter your feelings, to see whether you will leave your husbands, all or any of you. But I know that there is no cessation to the everlasting whining of many of the women in this Territory; ... if the women will turn from the commandments of God and continue to despise the order of heaven, I will pray that the curse of the Almighty may be close to their heels....
Prepare yourselves for two weeks from to morrow; and I will tell you now, that if
you will tarry with your husbands, after I have set you free, you must bow down to
it, and submit yourselves to the Celestial law. You may go where you please, after
two weeks from tomorrow; but, remember, that I will not hear any more of this whining
(Sermon by Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, pp.55-
Jedediah M. Grant, second counselor to Brigham Young, depicted the tragic situation in similar terms: "And we have women here who like any thing but the celestial law of God; and if they could break asunder the cable of the Church of Christ, there is scarcely a mother in Israel but would do it this day. And they talk it to their husbands, to their daughters, and to their neighbors, and say they have not seen a week's happiness since their husbands took a second wife" (Deseret News, vol. 6, p.235; also Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p.51).
The Mormon apologist Hugh Nibley once boasted that "of all churches in the world only this one has not found it necessary to readjust any part of its doctrine in the last hundred years (No Ma'am, That's Not History, page 46, quoted by Tanners in TCWOM, p.14).
It is puzzling how Nibley could have come to this conclusion, as there is extensive
documentation widely available that the LDS Church has not only changed or "readjusted"
many of its doctrines, but it has actually changed its historical documents to take
attention away from these changes. The LDS Church has a large collection of original
documents or early copies of almost all relevant writings of its founder and early
leaders, including printed newspapers and booklets and books, and hand-
From TCWOM p. 29-
Mormon leaders have made many important changes in the policies and doctrines of the church, but since they do not want their people to know that such changes take place, they have often altered the church records.
A prime example of a policy change that caused a number of changes in Mormon records is the attitude of the Mormon leaders toward the "Word of Wisdom." The Word of Wisdom is a revelation given by Joseph Smith on February 27, 1833, forbidding the use of hot drinks, alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Mormon writer John J. Stewart wrote concerning the Word of Wisdom that "no one can hold high office in the Church, on even the stake or ward level, nor participate in temple work, who is a known user of tea, coffee, liquor or tobacco...
"The prophet himself carefully observed the Word of Wisdom, and insisted upon its observance by other men in high Church positions..." (Joseph Smith the Mormon Prophet, 1966, p.90).
In spite of this statement by John J. Stewart, the evidence shows that Joseph Smith
did not keep the Word of Wisdom, and at times he would even advise others to disobey
it. In a thesis written at the Mormon-
"Joseph tested the Saints to make sure their testimonies were of his religion and not of him as a personable leader. Amasa Lyman, of the First presidency, related: 'Joseph Smith tried the faith of the Saints many times by his peculiarities. At one time, he had preached a powerful sermon on the Word of Wisdom, and immediately thereafter, he rode through the streets of Nauvoo smoking a cigar. Some of the brethren were tried as was Abraham of old'" ("Joseph Smith As An Administrator," Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, May 1969, p.161).
Because of the importance that is now placed upon the Word of Wisdom, most members
of the Mormon church are thoroughly shocked when they find out that Joseph Smith,
the man who introduced the Temple Ceremony into the Mormon church, would not be able
to go through the Temple if he were living today because of his frequent use of alcoholic
beverages. In his history, Joseph Smith admitted several times that he drank wine,
and under the date of June 1, 1844, he stated that he had "a glass of beer at Moessers."
The statement concerning the glass of beer was obviously very embarrassing to later
Mormon leaders, for in recent editions of the History of the Church it has been deleted.
When Joseph Smith's statement was first published in the Latter-
When this statement was reprinted in the History of the Church (vol.6, p.424), seven words were deleted without any indication: "Then went to John P. Greene's, and paid him and another brother $200. Called at William Clayton's...."
Other important changes concerning the Word of Wisdom were made in Joseph Smith's History. At one time Joseph Smith encouraged some "brethren" to break the "Word of Wisdom": "It was reported to me that some of the brethren had been drinking whisky that day in violation of the Word of Wisdom.
"I called the brethren in and investigated the case, and was satisfied that no evil had been done, and gave them a couple of dollars, with directions to replenish the bottle to stimulate them in the fatigues of their sleepless journey" (Millennial Star, vol. 21, p.283).
When this was reprinted in the History of the Church, (vol. 5, p.450), the twenty-
Another important change was made in the History of the Church under the date of
June 27, 1844 -
This has been changed to read as follows: "Dr. Richards was taken sick, when Joseph said, 'Brother Markham,... go and get the doctor something he needs to settle his stomach,' and Markham went out for medicine. When he had got the remedies desired, and was returning to jail,..." (History of the Church, vol. 6, p.614).
Notice that the Mormon historians tried to make it appear that Joseph Smith was recommending "medicine" rather than "a pipe and some tobacco." It would appear from the reference as it was first published that Apostle Richards was accustomed to the use of tobacco, for tobacco would certainly not settle the stomach unless a person was accustomed to its use.
At any rate, recent Mormon leaders have been very embarrassed about the early leaders' disregard for the Word of Wisdom and they have made several important changes in the History of the Church and other publications to cover up this change in policy.
From TCWOM p. 45-
David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, gave this interesting information:
After the translation of the Book of Mormon was finished, early in the spring of 1830, before April 6th, Joseph gave the stone to Oliver Cowdery and told me as well as the rest that he was through with it, and he did not use the stone anymore. He said he was through the work God had given him the gift to perform, except to preach the gospel. He told us that we would all have to depend on the Holy Ghost hereafter to be guided into truth and obtain the will of the Lord (An Address To All Believers in Christ, p.32).
The fact that Joseph Smith was not planning on doing any other work besides the Book of Mormon is verified by the revelation given in March of 1829. This revelation was printed in the Book of Commandments as chapter 4. Verse 2 reads as follows: "...and he has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift."
By the year 1835, when this revelation was reprinted in the Doctrine and Covenants,
Joseph Smith had pretended to at least one other gift besides that of translating
the Book of Mormon. He had pretended to the gift of correcting the Bible (his so-
The basic meaning of this revelation was changed by these insertions, making it appear
that the Lord would grant Joseph other gifts besides that of translating the Book
of Mormon. David Whitmer observed: "The way the revelation has been changed, twenty-
Indians to become "white"
From: TCWOM p. 208-
In the Mormon publication Juvenile Instructor (vol. 3, p.157), the following statement appeared: "We will first inquire into the results of the approbation or displeasure of God upon a people, starting with the belief that a black skin is a mark of the curse of heaven placed upon some portions of mankind.... We understand that when God made man in his own image and pronounced him very good, that he made him white."
The teaching that a dark skin is the result of God's displeasure comes directly from Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon teaches that about 600 B.C. a prophet named Lehi brought his family to America. Those who were righteous (the Nephites) had a white skin, but those who rebelled against God (the Lamanites) were cursed with a dark skin. The Lamanites eventually destroyed the Nephites; therefore, the Indians living today are referred to as Lamanites. The following verses are found in the Book of Mormon and explain the curse on the Lamanites:
And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations (Book of Mormon, I Nephi 12:23).
And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity ... wherefore, as they were white, and exceeding fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them (2 Nephi 5:21).
And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression ... (Alma 3:6).
The Book of Mormon stated that when the Lamanites repented of their sins "their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites" (3 Nephi 2:15).
The Book of Mormon also promised that in the last days the Lamanites-
These teachings have caused the Mormon church some embarrassment. The anti-
Spencer W. Kimball, who on December 30, 1973, became the twelfth president of the church, feels that the Indians are actually becoming a "white and delightsome people." In the LDS General Conference, October 1960, Mr. Kimball stated:
I saw a striking contrast in the progress of the Indian people today ... they are fast becoming a white and delightsome people.... For years they have been growing delightsome, and they are now becoming white and delightsome, as they were promised.... The children in the home placement program in Utah are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation.
At one meeting a father and mother and their sixteen-
While Spencer W. Kimball seems to feel that the Indians are to be made white by the
power of God, Michael Marquardt, a student of Mormon history, learned that Joseph
Smith's 1831 revelation says they are to be made "white" through intermarriage with
the Mormons. Because of this fact Mormon leaders seemed to feel that it was necessary
to suppress this revelation. Only the most trusted men, such as Dr. Hyrum Andrus,
were allowed a copy of it. It was only after a great deal of research that Mr. Marquardt
was able to obtain a typed copy of it. We printed this revelation in its entirety
in Mormonism Like Watergate? (pp.7-
Verily, I say unto you, that the wisdom of man, in his fallen state, knoweth not the purposes and the privileges of my holy priesthood, but ye shall know when ye receive a fulness by reason of the anointing: For it is my will, that in time, ye should take unto you wives of the Lamanites and Nephites, that their posterity may become white, delightsome and just, for even now their females are more virtuous than the gentiles.
After the contents of the revelation are given, the following appears:
Reported by W. W. P. About three years after this was given, I asked brother Joseph,
privately, how "we," that were mentioned in the revelation could take wives from
the "natives" as we were all married men? He replied, instantly 'In the same manner
that Abraham took Hagar and Keturah; and Jacob took Rachel, Bilhah Zilpah; by revelation-
Location of the Garden of Eden
From: TCWOM p. 22-
After the Mormon church was organized, Joseph Smith gave a revelation which stated that the Saints were to gather at Jackson County, Missouri. To the Mormon leaders, this was no ordinary land; they taught that it was the place where the "Garden of Eden" was located. Apostle McConkie explains: "The early brethren of this dispensation taught that the Garden of Eden was located in what is known to us as the land of Zion, an area for which Jackson County, Missouri, is the center place" (Mormon Doctrine, p.20).
In Daviess County, Missouri, Joseph Smith found some rocks which he claimed were the remains of an altar built by Adam. McConkie continues: "At that great gathering Adam offered sacrifices on an altar built for the purpose. A remnant of that very altar remained on the spot down through the ages. On May 19, 1838, Joseph Smith and a number of his associates stood on the remainder of the pile of stones at a place called Spring Hill, Daviess County, Missouri" (Mormon Doctrine, p.21).
Oliver B. Huntington adds further details in an article published in the Mormon publication,
The Juvenile Instructor (November 15, 1895, pp.700-
Adam's Altar,...I have visited many times.... Joseph said, "That altar was built by our Father Adam and there he offered sacrifice." ...according to the words of the Prophet Joseph, mankind in that age continued to emigrate eastwardly until they reached the country on or near the Atlantic coast; and that in or near Carolina Noah built his remarkable ship, in which he, his family, and all kinds of animals lived a few days over one year without coming out of it.
TCWOM p. 23-
The Mormons claimed that Joseph Smith's power as a "seer" extended even beyond the earth. In February 1881 Oliver B. Huntington recorded the following in his journal:
Inhabitants of the Moon are more of a uniform size than the inhabitants of the Earth, being about 6 feet in height. They dress very much like the quaker Style & are quite general in Style, or the one fashion of dress. They live to be very old; comeing [sic] generally, near a thousand years.
This is the description of them as given by Joseph the Seer, and he could "See" whatever he asked the Father in the name of Jesus to see ("Journal of Oliver B. Huntington," book 14, original at Huntington Library, San Marino, Calif.; also vol.3, p.166 of typed copy at Utah State Historical Society).
For many years after Joseph Smith's death the Mormons continued to teach that the moon was inhabited. On July 24, 1870, Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon church, stated: "Who can tell us of the inhabitants of this little planet that shines of an evening, called the moon?... when you inquire about the inhabitants of that sphere you find that the most learned are as ignorant in regard to them as the ignorant of their fellows. So it is in regard to the inhabitants of the sun. Do you think it is inhabited? I rather think it is. Do you think there is any life there? No question of it; it was not made in vain" (Journal of Discourses, vol.13, p.271).
As late as 1892 the teaching that the moon was inhabited appeared in a church publication. In an article published in the Young Woman's Journal, O. B. Huntington stated:
Nearly all the great discoveries of men in the last half century have, in one way or another, either directly or indirectly, contributed to prove Joseph Smith to be a Prophet.
As far back as 1837, I know that he said the moon was inhabited by men and women the same as this earth, and that they lived to a greater age than we do, that they live generally to near the age of a 1000 years.
He described the men as averaging near six feet in height, and dressing quite uniformly in something near the Quaker style.
In my Patriarchal blessing, given by the father of Joseph the Prophet, in Kirtland,
1837, I was told that I should preach the gospel before I was 21 years of age; that
I should preach the gospel to the inhabitants upon the islands of the sea, and -
Unless otherwise noted, all original material on this Field Guide website
is © 2001-
Careful effort has been made to give credit as clearly as possible to any specific material quoted or ideas extensively adapted from any one resource. Corrections and clarifications regarding citations for any source material are welcome, and will be promptly added to any sections which are found to be inadequately documented as to source.
Return to Top of Page and the Navigation Bar
Revealing Quotes
from the History of Mormonism