A series of pamphlets on the doctrines of the gospel

Preface

'TSHE labors of the late respected and beloyed Orson Pratt, A some of whose writings we herewith present to the public, are too well known to require any extended comments from us. His voice has been heard in various parts of the earth bearing a faithful testimony to the truth of the gospel, and in many places where he never was seen, his precious writings have been perused with pleasure and profit by the honest in heart. Thus has his name become familiar and honored among the people of God.

The first edition of his “Works,” published in England,

ve, of late years, been very scarce, and this is one reason why we have been led to republish them. We trust that this book will find a place in every home and be studied by both old and young, so that all may see the beauty of the truths therein explained.

That the Spirit of God may enlighten the minds of those into whose hands this work may come so that they may com¬ prehend and heed its teachings, and that Brother Pratt, though dead, may yet live in the hearts of the people, are the sincere desires of

The Publishers.

DIVINE AUTHORITY

OR THE QUESTION,

WAS JOSEPH SMITH SENT OF GOD?

BY ORSON PRATT,

ONE OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.

A FEW days since, Mrs. Pratt and myself, together with Some others, were kindly invited to take tea with a very respectable gentleman of this town -(Liverpool), who, though not connected with our Church, yet was, with his family sincerely enquiring after the truth. They seemed to be fully convinced in relation to the most important features of our doctrine, and were desirous of extending their investigations still further. We hope that their researches may happily result in a full conviction of the truth, and that they may obtain that certainty, so much to be desired, as to the divine authority of the great and important message now revealed from heaven — a message which must assurdly prove a savor of l life or death to the generations now living. This message is beginning to awake the attention of the honest, virtuous and upright among all classes of society. They seem to be aroused from the slumber of ages.

A message of simple truth, when sent from God— when published by divine authority, through divinely inspired men, penetrates the mind like a sharp two-edged sword, and cuts asunder the deeply-rooted prejudices, the iron-bound sinews of ancient error and tradition, made sacred by age and rendered popular by human wisdom. It severs with undeviating exact¬ ness between truth and falsehood — between the doctrine of Christ and the doctrines of men ; it levels with the most per¬ fect ease every argument that human learning may array against it. Opinions, creeds invented by uninspired men, and doctrines originated in schools of divinity, all vanish like the morning dew — all sink into insignificance when compared with a message direct from heaven. Such a message shines upon the understanding like the splendors of the noon-day sun; it whispers in the ears of mortals, saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” Certainty and assurance are its constant companions; it is entirely unlike all plans' or systems ever invented by human authority, it has no alliance, connection or fellowship with any of them ; it speaks with divine authority, and all nations, without* an exception, are required to obey. He that receives the message and endures to the end will be saved; he that rejects it will be damned. It matters not what his former righteousness may have been— none can be excused.

As a specimen of the anxious inquiry which now pervades the minds of many in relation to this Church, we publish the following extract from a letter, which was kindly read to us during our afore-mentioned visit, by the gentleman who received it from his friend in London. We were struck with the apparent candor, the sound judgment, and the correct con¬ clusions of the author of the letter, and earnestly solicited the privilege of publishing it. Permission was granted on condi¬ tion that we would withhold names. We here present it to our reac&rs, and shall endeaVor, in the same spirit of candor, to • answer the all-important inquiries contained in it.

WAS JOSEPH SMITH SENT OF GOT)' 9

July 1 Mi 1848.

My Dear Sir:— I have been expecting, time after time, to be able to return you the “Letters” you so kindly left- with me. As I informed you in my last, I cursorily read through

the letters, and then handed the book to Mr. - . With

him it is at the present time. The impression made thereby on his mind is very remarkable, and he requests me to inform you, that if you will allow him, he means to keep the book, if you will please to let him know the price thereof. He and 1 concur in our views of “Mormonism” at present. Do you inquire what those views are ? I will then proceed to state them. We consider that the proofs which “Mormonism” gives of the apostasy are, without question, clear and demonstrative ; we entirely concur also in the personal appearance and reign of our Lord; we are persuaded that all the preachers and teachers of the day are without authority — that their teachings and interpretations are uncertain as to the truth— that the transla¬ tions of the scripture, being done without inspiration, arc also uncertain. All is uncertain ! melancholy thought . a deplora¬ ble picture but a true one! — the different teachers doing the best they can! — all jarring-- all contending! The resultdivision, multiplied division ! And they have a right if they think proper to divide from an authority merely human. But their multiplied division is a multiplied proof that they are wrong — that they are without that spirit who guides into truth, and truth is one.

My. dear sir, the Saints have made out a strong and irrefragable case to show that ‘authority to teach” is nowhere, if not with them ; but the proposition that they have author¬ ity to teach , interpret , etc., is one that at present does not

create a conviction in Mr. - - or my mind. We admit that

it is very reasonable to suppose that, under such circumstances, God would raise up and send one invested v:ith authority . Whether Joseph Smith was such a one is the alhimportant question. I also admit, that so far as I am acquainted with his history, there is something very remarkable about him ; perhaps I should be fully convinced if I were more fully read in writings relating to him. I wish I lived near to you. and then I would read more fully on the subject; I confess my mind is much concerned to arrive at a clear conclusion upon the point.

Mr. — - wishes you, if you will be so good, to select a few

books that you think clearly prove the divine mission of Joseph Smith, and send them in a parcel to him with the prices, he will feel much obliged, and will send you a post-office order for the amount; he believes your selection will be a judicious one. I have heard Mr. Banks twice since I saw you, and other individual teachers also. There is much in their public services I approve. I am struck with the simplicity of their celebra¬ tion of the ordinances. * * -One result of my conversation with you and Banks, and perusing the letters, is, that 1 can be no longer connected with any sect. So far as I see, lean with¬ out difficulty confound in argument — plain scriptural argument — any into whose company I am at any time thrown. The Methodist system. I am convinced is the worst, because its pre¬ tensions are highest. I start'd, therefore, fully alone. I declare I should be glad to' be convinced that “Mormonism” is what it professes to be; 1 would join it to-day if my mind could be convinced that its Elders had c authority to baptize me for the remission of sins , and lay hands on me for the gift of the Holy Ghost . These sacred ordinances I would obey gladly, if I knew men having authority to administer them. To have these ordinances administered without divine authority is mere child’s play. Thus you see my position. A Methodist leader, an old friend, said to me the other day, “Are you connected with the church of Christ now? — I hear you are not with us now.” 1 answered, Where is the church of Christ?” . He replied it is found among the different sects. 1 then inquired, “Are you in the church of Christ? for if you are, you must be a member of all the sects. v This rather puzzled him. I then asked him “Show me the sect that resembles the church at the beginning; does any one of them, or do they all put together resemble the church at the beginning?” He said certainly not. I enquired why not. He was shrewd enough to be silent and to See that his own mouth must condemn his sect and all the sects. Observe, in the absence of the spirit, men must do as well as they can. This 1 am trying to do, only I confess that I am poor, and blind, and naked, bereft of the glory of the certainty of the authority and truth of the church of Christ. The sects, however, are satisfied, though “poor, blind, and naked,” to boast of increase of goods, chapels, rich friends, preachers, etc., etc. So much for my present views and standing. I suppose by this time you have acted on your convictions, aqd are joined to the Saints ; in all honesty you ought, I confess. The moment the conviction that divine authority and certainty of teaching is with them, that moment will I join them. * * * Farewell. My respectful regards

!to Mrs.— — , and ever believe me, my dear sirr yours very truly,

First.— The author of the above detter has carefully examined the present state of the world, and declares himself fully convinced of the awful apostasy' which now so universally prevails. He unhesitatingly admits that all authority to teach —to administer ordinances— to Imild up the church tof Christ,

WAS JOSEPH SMITH SENT OE GOD? 11

has entirely ceased from the earth— that “all is uncertain.” He also admits that “it is very reasonable to suppose that Under such circumstances, God would raise up and send one invested with authority. Whether Joseph Smith was such a one is the all-important question.” Yes,, indeed, it is en important question, and one that involves the fate of the present generation. If Joseph Smith was not sent of God, this. Church cannot be the Church of God, and the tens of thousands who have been baptized into this Church are yet in their sins, and no better off than the millions that have gone before them. The form , without the power and authority, is no better than the hundreds of human forms that have no resemblance to the ancient pattern ; indeed, it is more danger¬ ous, because better calculated to deceive. Other churches do not profess to have inspired apostles, prophets, prophetesses, evangelists, etc., hence we know , if the New Testament be true, that they cannot be the church of God. But the Latter-day Saints profess to have all these officers and gifts among them, and profess to have authority to administer in every form, ordinance and blessing of the ancient church ; hence we know, that so far as the officers, doctrines, ordinances, and cere¬ monies are evidence, this Church can exhibit a perfect pattern. In these things, then, both ancient and modern Saints are exactly alike. By the New Testament then we cannot be con¬ demned.

If the Latter-day Saints are not what they profess to be, one thing is certain, that no one ever will be able to confute their doctrine by the scriptures ; however, imperfect the people may be, their doct^ne is infallible. Can this be said of any other people who have existed on the eastern hemisphere during the last 1700 years? No. Their doctrines have been a heterogenous mixture of truth and error, that would not stand the test one moment when measured by a pattern of inspiration; some disparity could be seen and pointed outsome deviation either in the organization or in the ordinances of the gospel could be shown to exist. And now after so many centuries have elapsed, and when human wisdom has been exerted to its utmost strength, and the most exalted and gigan¬ tic talents displayed to lay a stable foundation whereon to build, we awake and behold all an empty bubble — a vain show —a phantom of man’s creation, with scarcely a vestige of the ancient formy to say nothing of the power. In the midst of all this thick darkness, a young, illiterate, obscure and inexperi¬ enced man announces a message from heaven, before which darkness flees away ; human dogmas are overturned ; the tradi¬ tions of ages are uprooted , all forms of church government tremble like an aspen leaf at its approach, and the mighty fabric of popular sectarianism is convulsed and shaken to its very foundation. How happens all this? If Joseph Smith were an impostor, whence his superior wisdom? What power inspired his mind in laying the foundation of a church accord¬ ing to the ancient order? How could an impostor so far sur¬ pass the combined wisdom of seventeen centuries as to origin¬ ate a system diverse from every other system under heaven, and yet harmonize with the system of Jesus and His apostles in every particular? What! an impostor discover the gross darkness of ages, and publish a doctrine perfect in every respect, against which not one scriptural argument can be adduced! The idea is perposterous- f The purity and infal¬ libility of the doctrine of this great modern prophet is a pre¬ sumptive evidence of no small moment in favor of bis divine mission.

We do not pretend that a perfect doctrine is an infallible evidence in favor of the divine authority of the one who teaches it. We can conceive it possible, though not probable, for a man to teach a doctrine un mixed with error, and yet be without authority to administer its ordinances. Swedenborg, Irving and many others, taught, doctrines in some respects true, in other respects false : hence their authority should be rejected, even though they should perform miracles. We have no examples on the records of history, of a doctrine perfect in every respect, being taught ' by any person or persons, unless they were inspired with divine authority. If Joseph Smith taught a doctrine in any respect false, he should be rejected as an impostor, though he should, like the magicians of Egypt, turn rivers of water into blood, or create frogs in abundance, or even raise the dead like the witch of Endor. On the other hand, if he taught a true and perfect doctrine, he might be

Sent of God, though he himself should perform no miracle, like John the Baptist, or the Prophet Noah, or many other prophets of the Old Testament.

In ancient times, many great prophets were sent of God, and we have no record of their doing miracles, yet their respective messages were of infinite importance, and could not be rejected without condemnation. Where is there a man, no matter how great his attainments, that can show Mr. Smith’s doctrine'to be false? Did the ancient saints teach baptism to the penitent believer for the remission of sins? So did Mr. Smith. Did they teach the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Spirit? So did Mr. Smith. Did the former-day saints teach that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, deacons, bishops, elders, etc. , all inspired of God, were necessary in the church? So did Mr. Smith, Did the ancient saints teach that dreams, visions, new revelations, ministering of angels, healings, tongues, interpretations, and all other spiritual gifts were necessary in the church? So did this modern prophet. Where, then, is the discrepancy between the ancient and modern teachings? Nowhere. The teaching of the one is as perfect as the other; and we again assert that this perfect coincidence in teaching, in every point, is a strong presumptive evidence that Mr. Smith was sent of God.

Second — In what manner does Joseph Smith declare that a dispensation of the gospel was committed unto him? He testifies that an angel of God, whose name was Moroni, appeared unto him ; that this angel was formerly an ancient prophet among a remnant of the tribe of Joseph on the con¬ tinent of America. He testifies that Moroni revealed unto him where he deposited the sacred records of his nation some four¬ teen hundred years ago; that these records contained the “everlasting gospel’ ’ as it was anciently taught and recorded by this branch of Israel. He gave Mr. Smith power to reveal the contents of those records to the nations of the earth. Now how does this testimony of Joseph Smith agree with the book of John’s prophecy given on the Isle of Patmos? John testi¬ fies that when the dispensation of the gospel is again committed to the nations,' it shall be through the medium of an angel from heaven. Joseph Smith testifies that a dispensation of the

14 DJVINE AUTHORITY, OR,

gospel for all nations has been committed to him by an angel. The one uttered the prediction ; the other , testifies its fulfill¬ ment. Though Mr. Smith had taught a perfect doctrine, yet if he had testified that his doctine was not restored by an angel, all would at once have known him to be an impostor. How came Mr. Smith, if an impostor, to not only discover a perfect doctrine, but also to discover the precise medium through which that doctrine should be restored to the earth? .Did Swedenborg, Irving, Wesley, or any other person, not only teach a pure S3Tstem, but at the same time did they declare that it was committed to them by an angel from heaven? If not, however pure and holy their teaching, they were not divinely authorized to administer in ordinances. If Mr. Smith had professed to have accidentally discovered those records, and that he was inspired to reveal their contents through the Urim and Thummim ; or if he had professed to have received a message of the gospel through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, or the Urim and Thummim, or in any other way but that of the ministering of an angel, we should, without further inquiry, have known him to be without authority. How came Mr. Smith, if a deceiver, to think of all this? Did Martin Luther, Wesley, Whitfield, Swedenborg, or Irving think of this? Whence his superior intellect — his depth of undern standing — his extensive foresight — that- he should so far sur¬ pass all former impostors for 1700 years? John testifies that when the everlasting gospel is restored to the earth it shall be by an angel. Mr, Smith testifies that it 'was restored by an angel^ and in no other way. This is another pvesmptive evidence that he was sent of God.

Third. — A revelation and restoration to the earth of the everlasting gospel through the angel Moroni would be of no benefit to the nations, unless some one should be ordained with authoriry to preach it and administer its ordinances. . Moroni might reveal a book containing a beautiful and glorious system of salvation, but no one could obey even its first principles without a legally authorized administrator, ordained to preach ? baptize, lay on hands for the. gift of the Holy Ghost, etc. Did Moroni ordain Mr. Smith to the apostleship, and command him to administer ordinances? No, he did not. But why not

WAS JOSEPH SMITH SENT OF GOD?

confer authority by ordination, as well as reveal the everlasting gospel? Because in all probability he had not the right so to do. All angels have not the same authority — they do not all hold the same keys, Moroni was a prophet, but we have no account of his holding the office of an apostle ; and if not, he had no right to ordain Mr. Smith to. an office which he himself never possessed. He no doubt went as far as he was author¬ ised, and that was to reveal the “stick of Ephraim” — the record of his fathers containing the “eyerlasting gospel.” How then did Mr. Smith obtain the office of an apostle, if Moroni had no authority to ordain him to such office? Mr. Smith testifies that Peter, James: and John came to him in the capa¬ city of ministering angels, and by the laying on of hands ordained him an apostle, and commanded him to preach, bap¬ tize, lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and admin¬ ister all other ordinances nf the gospel as they themselves did in ancient days. Bid Swedenborg — did Irving’s apostles— or did any other impostors during the long age of darkness — pro¬ fess that the apostleship was conferred upon them by those who held it last — by any angel who held the office himself? No: and therefore they are not apostles, but deceivers. Jf Mr. Smith had pretended that he received the apostleship by the revelation of the Holy Ghost, without an ordination under the hands of an apostle, we should at once know that his pre¬ tensions were vain, and that he was a deceiver. If an impostor, how came Mr. Smith to discover this? Why did he not, like the Irvingites, assume the apostleship without an apostle to ordain him? How came he to possess so much more wisdom than Irving, as to discover that he could not be an apostle without beiug ordained under the hands of an apostle? If Mr. Smith be a false apostle, it must be confessed that he has exhibited far more judgment than all the false apostles who have preceded him, learned and talented as they were. Is not this another presumptive evidence of Joseph Smith's divine mission ? Such a correctness upon matters of so great a moment, and upon subjects on which millions' have heretofore erred, indicates something more than human — it indicates inspiration of the Almighty. The purity of Mr. Smith’s docrine— the perfect coincidence of his testimony with that of

DIVINE AUTHORITY, OR.

John's, in relation to the manner of the restoration of the everlasting Gospel to the earth, and the consistency of his testimony in relation to the manner of the restoration of the apostleship, are strong presumptive evidences that beautifully harmonize with and strengthen each other; the evidence is therefore accumulative, and increases with every additional condition or circumstance in a multiplied ratio, and seems almost irresistibly to force conviction upon the mind.

Fourth.—- Joseph Smith not only professes, through the medium of angels, to have received a dispensation of the gos¬ pel, and the power and authority of the apostleship, but he also professes to have received through revelation and com - mandment from God, a dispensation for the gathering of the Saints from all nations. Now the doctrine of the gathering of the Saints in the last days must .either be false ox true; if false, then Joseph Smith must be an impostor. It matters not how cor¬ rect he may have been in all other points of his system, .if this one point— the doctrine of the gathering be false, he must be a deceiver. Why? Because he professes to have received this doctrine by direct revelation and commandment . On the other, hand, if the doctrine of the gathering of the Saints be a true doctrine and scriptural, this will be another presumptive evi¬ dence that Mr. Smith was sent of God.

Now a doctrine may be true and not be scriptural; as for example, Newton’s doctrine or law of universal gravitation is a true doctrine, but not a scriptural one ; that is, it can neither be proved nor disproved by the scriptures. So,_ Noah’s doc¬ trine of gathering into ah ark — Lot’s doctrine of fleeing out of Sodom — Christ’s doctrine to depart out of Jerusalem and flee tQ the mountains to escape destruction, were all true; but neither of them could be proved or disproved by any scripture given to any of the former prophets. So likewise Mr. Smith’s doctrine of the gathering of the Saints in the last days might be true, even though there should be no former scripture that predicted such an event; but in this case such a doctrine. would be- no evidence that Mr.* Smith, who advocated it, was sent of God; but if such a doctrine can be proved to be a scriptural doctrine, that is,, if the gathering of the Saints Was predicted in ancient scriptures as an eyent to take place in a certain age, in a certain way, and through certain means, and Mr. Smith comes iri that age , professing to have a message to gather the Saints in such way , and by such means as the scriptures have foretold, then the exact and perfect agreement between the professed message of Mr. Smith, and the scriptural predictions relating to such a message or work, would be a presumptive evidence of great weight in favor of his divine mission.

The doctrine of the gathering of the people of God, includ¬ ing Israel, is one So clearly predicted by the inspired writers, that it seems almost superfluous to refer to the numerous passages relating to it. The dispensation in which the people of God were to. be gathered in one, is called by the apostle Paul, “the dispensation of the frillness of times;” which he represents as being an event then in the future. John, nearly one hundred years after the birth of our Savior,' saw the won¬ derful events arid sceneries of unborn generations displayed in majestic and awful grandeur before him. He saw the churches of Asia, then under his own personal watch-care, lukewarm* corrupted, and about ready to be moved out of their place. He saw the universal apostasy that was soon to succeed arid hold dominion for ages over all kindred and tongues, under the name of the Mother of Harlots— the great Babylon that should make all nations drunk with her wickedness. He saw that after the nations had been thus overwhelmed in thick darkness for ages, without the church of God, without apostles, without prophets, without the ministering of angels, without one cheer¬ ing message from heaven, that there would be one more pro¬ clamation of mercy made to all people^-one more dispen¬ sation of glad tidings from the heavens, to be ushered iy by an angel restoring the everlasting gospel, which was to receive a universal proclamation to all the inhabitants of the earth, fol¬ lowed with a loud cry, that the hour of Gods jugdment is come.

He, saw the universal proclamation of this warning message immediately -followed by another angel, proclaming the complete overthrow and downfall of Babylon. Between the interval of the flying of these two angels, he “heard another voice from heaveri, saying, Come out of het\ my people, that ye be not partakers of* her sins., and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remebered her iniquities/* Remember, that this voice, commanding the people to come out of Babylon, was to be a “voice from heaven.” It was not to be cunningly devised plan of uninspired man, brought about by human ingenuity, but it was to be a voice from heaven — a message sent from God — a new revelation, commanding the Saints to come out of Babylon previous to its downfall. How came Mr. Smith, if an impostor, to get, not only all the other particulars which we have mentioned, perfectly exact, but also to discover that there must be a gathering of the Saints out of Babylon, and that that work must immediately follow the introduction of the gospel by an angel? Why did he not say, my doctrine is true, and if you will embrace it you can be saved, and still remain where you are? It:matters not how correct this doctrine might have been in all other points, if he had told his disciples to remain among the corrupt nations, and not gather together — this alone would have exposed the cloven foot, and proved him to be a deceiver. Swedenborg, Wesley, Irving and a numerous host of others, during the last seventeen hundred years, have entirely neglegted the gathering, which proves that they were without authority — that a dispensation of the gospel was neVer committed to them — that the voice from heaven to come out of Babylon had never saluted their ears. Previous to the restoration of the gospel by an angel, God had no people in Babylon, and therefore he could not call them out. An unauthorized uninspired priesthood, preaching a perverted gospel, never could raise up a people of God in Babylon ; for t hey themselves are Babylon, and all their converts or children are begotten after their own likeness with Babylonish inscrip¬ tions upon their foreheads. It is only when the gospel, apostleship, and power are again restored in the way and manner pre¬ dicted, that a people of God can be raised up among the nations. It is then, and not till then, that the voice is heard from heaven, calling that people out from among the nations. Mr. Smith did not forget this. It is marvellously strange, indeed, that he should be an impostor, and yet embrace in his system every particular that was to characterize the great dis¬ pensation of the latter times. It matters not how diverse the points of his doctrine were to the popular current among the