Mormonism Exposed (Hancock)/Chapter 6
Man as a being has wants beyond those of the mere animal. The secret of this we find in the fact that man possesses conscious moral responsibility, something that no mere animal possesses. Man, is hence, an accountable being. If we enquire for the extent of man's responsibility, it is just to the extent of his obligations. We state, but do not purpose to argue the proposition now, Man is responsible to his Creator. There is, however, but one way for man to meet that responsibility, and that is by making the will of God his rule of action. Had God, hence, withheld that will from man he could not justly have held him responsible, in case he failed to meet that responsibility. The principle of justice demanded that God's will, in its fullness and perfection, should be revealed unto man. This being done man would be left without excuse. It is, hence, that in this the honor and glory of God, and the eternal interests of humanity are involved. The Bible containing the perfect will of God to man, which it does or its claims are false, an effort to lead man to the adoption of any other production as a rule of action is only an effort to thrust something between God's will and man. In so far as man might be led to the adoption of something thrust between him and God's will he would be led away from that will, and in so far as man is led away from that will he is led away from God. An effort, hence, to thrust something between God's will and man is an effort, virtually, to thwart the purpose of God and prevent the salvation of man. This gives the secret of the severe anathemas of God resting upon any that pervert His will, either by addition, subtraction or alteration. If man is saved it must be by the grace of God. Man can never find a substitute for that grace, and God will never direct his creatures to a substitute for his own true grace. The apostle Peter writing to the saints of his day said, "By Sylvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand."—I. Pet. 5: 12. If we would know what the true grace of God is we only need to learn what the saints of the apostles' day stood in. Paul said: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved."—I. Cor. 15: 1, 2.
Peter testifies that the saints of the apostles' day stood in the true grace of God. Paul testifies that they stood in the gospel of Christ, as he preached it, as recorded in his epistles. Peter saw Paul's statement and approved of what he said. II. Pet. 3: 15, 16. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall everything be established. Therefore, by Peter and Paul we prove that the gospel of Christ as recorded in the epistles of Paul is the true grace of God. Paul testifies that grace had appeared unto all men. Titus 2: 11. In proving the above facts by Peter and Paul we prove the book of Mormon to have been dictated by a lying spirit, for, as we have seen, that book testifies that the true gospel of Christ is not contained in the New Testament.
We give the following:
- The true grace of God in order to the salvation of man was made known by the apostles of Christ.
- But the Book of Mormon was not made known by the apostles of Christ.
- Therefore, the Book of Mormon is not of the grace of God.
Again:
- Any book claiming inspiration is proven to be a lying document is the production of a deceiver.
- But it is proven that the Book of Mormon is a lying document.
- Therefore, the Book of Mormon is the production of a deceiver. This places Joseph Smith in his true light, and shows him to be an imposter.
Some things are impossible with God. As we are told that it is impossible for God to lie, it is impossible for Him to sanction a lying document. We have, however proven by the testimony of Peter and Paul, that the Book of Mormon is a lying document. Therefore we prove by Peter and Paul that it is impossible for God to endorse the Book of Mormon. This proves by the testimony of Almighty God that the Book of Mormon is a fraud. This shows beyond the possibility of a doubt that if there was any inspiration at work in producing the Book of Mormon it was from the infernal regions. It may be said that we use strong language. We reply, we have a severe case, and the demand is for strong medicine. I want these things to be seen in their true light. The claims of the Bible are involved. For that man who would approach me as a pretended friend, but while imparting a kiss would stab me under the fifth rib, honorable people can have no respect. When God had established the remedial system, brought to man his true grace, and provided for His people to enjoy His fulness, there was no demand for anything farther, nor could there be, unless there could be a demand for something beyond the true grace and fulness of God. To the Ephesians Paul said: "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."—Eph. 1: 22, 23. The testimony of Peter and Paul being true. a congregation of believers planted in the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in the New Testament enjoys the fulness of God and stands in His grace. The work of inspiration and revelation was in order to bring man to the enjoyment of these. That done and its work was complete. God said to Paul: "My grace is sufficient for thee." His grace as provided in Christ, which is enjoyed by being in the New Testament arrangement is sufficient for all, otherwise the whole thing is a failure.
As in the revelation given in the New Testament we have the perfection of God, we have in that book, of necessity, the perfect will of God beyond which revelation could not go. To the Romans Paul said, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God."—Rom. 12: 1, 2. In another place that same apostle says: "By the which will we are all sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Heb. 10: 10. That this perfect will is in the truth into which the Holy Spirit guided the apostles is affirmed in the following: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth."—John 17: 17.
It would be folly in man to think of limiting the Almighty, but the Infinite One is limited to and within his own perfections. Beyond those perfections the Almighty does not go. The apostle again says speaking of Christ: "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."—Eph. 1: 11. Those who obtain this inheritance are those that were predestinated thereto according to the foreknowledge of God. If we would know who it was that God foreordained to this inheritance, Paul tells in the following, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on [been clothed with] Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."—Gal. 3: 26–29.
When God made promise to Abraham he had foreordained that all, whether Jew or Greek, that would obey the gospel of Christ should be His heirs—should, hence, enjoy His fulness in the Beloved. Therefore Paul says: "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him."—Heb. 5: 9.
Nothing short of the perfection of God in Christ could bring man into the enjoyment of eternal salvation. And just so certain as that the Bible is true that perfection is in the New Testament arrangement. To that arrangement, hence, all heaven is limited. If man, therefore, would be with God he must be within the limitations of that one arrangement.
God has nothing for man beyond His own perfect will, neither could he have unless He could have something for man beyond His own perfection. Neither can He be found, in man's behalf, out of that will, unless He could be found out of His own perfection. We submit the following:
- Any production beyond the perfection of God in Christ, that claims inspiration, is of the devil.
- But the Book of Mormon is a production beyond the perfection of God in Christ, that claims inspiration.
- Therefore the Book of Mormon is a production from the devil.
As the perfection of God, in man's behalf is in Christ, He combines in Himself, in their perfection, the prophetic, the priestly, and the kingly offices. Christ combining in himself, in their perfection, the prophetic, the priestly, and the kingly offices, He is the antitype of all former prophets, priests and kings, that were by the authority of God. In Christ, as the Messiah of God, the prophetic, the priestly, and the kingly offices reached their perfection, with Him they cease. As perfection in these is only found in Christ, and as perfection cannot be supplemented, Christ can have no successor in any of these functions. To argue the necessity of a successor to Christ, in any of these offices, is to argue His deficiency as the Messiah!
The apostle says: "Love shall never pass away; though the gift of prophecy, shall vanish, and the gift of tongues shall cease, and the gift of knowledge shall come to nought. For our knowledge is imperfect, and our prophesying is imperfect. But when the fulness of perfection is come, then all that is imperfect shall pass away."—I. Cor. 13: 8. Conybeare. If perfection was not reached in Christ we are without a perfect Savoir. But in Christ we have a perfect Savoir. Therefore in Him perfection was reached. Previous to the coming of the great Prophet the representative of God on earth, and the giving of the perfect will of God through Him, all prophecy and miraculous impartations of knowledge were imperfect, for none of them nor all of them together could answer the purpose in view. They were all preparatory to one great end. The one great purpose being accomplished, preparatory means were no longer needed. We submit:
- When the fulness of perfection in Christ should be reached prophesying was to cease.
- But the fulness of perfection in Christ was reached in the New Testament arrangement.
- Therefore, with the completion of the New Testament all prophesying ceased. Again:
- All pretended prophets since the fulness of perfection in Christ was reached were imposters.
- But Joseph Smith was a pretended prophet since the fulness of perfection in Christ was reached.
- Therefore Joseph Smith was an imposter.