We have no party interest to serve, but write wholly in behalf of truth. We firmly believe the propositions embodied in the heading of which we write. Believing those propositions we can have no feeling toward the originators of Mormonism except one of mingled pity and contempt. It is evident, whatever else they may have believed, they certainly did not believe in a just judgment to come. As to the Book of Mormon, its claims place it on a level with the Koran. If it had no claims but that of a novel we could think more of it, but then one possessed of a refined literary taste could not have patience to read it. Its uncouth, illiterate, bunglesome manner would place it in the lowest grade. It gives evidence of being designed as a bait for the unwary, unthinking, reckless part of humanity. For such a book to claim to be given by the inspiration of heaven—to claim superiority over the Bible—to claim, hence, to be the proper guide for a man, in view of his present and eternal interests, is enough to make the demons blush and hang their heads in shame, if there could be blushes and shame in the infernal regions. But impudence and falsehood are the chief characteristics of those religions. That such are really the characteristics of Mormonism has been, and will be abundantly shown.
The book of Mormon submits as the basis of its claims as base a falsehood as it would be possible to utter, namely, that the New Testament does not contain the gospel of Jesus Christ. According to the book of Mormon, the people with whom it had its origin, and who are introduced to us as the especial favorites of heaven, began their career in lying, deception, robbery and murder, and ended the same in rapine and cannibalism. Lehi, the father of the Nephites and Lamanites, we are told was a Jew, born and raised in the city of Jerusalem, born of "goodly parents," and, of course, trained strictly in the righteousness of the law of Moses. This man, we are assured, was so upright in life that he was despised by the wicked Jews. Such a man, of course, carefully taught his children all the precepts of the law.
