1838-11-01-Christian Examiner and General Review-A Voice of Warning

A Voice of Warning and Instruction to All People

Source: Christian Examiner and General Review, v25 n2, Nov. 1838, p. 270

A Voice of Warning and Instruction to All People

A Voice of Warning and Instruction to All People, containing a Declaration of the Faith and Doctrine of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, Commonly called Mormons. By P. P. Pratt, Minister of the Gospel. New York: Printed by W. Sanford. 1837. 24mo. pp. 216. — Here is one of the precious quackeries of our time and country; one of the most 
extraordinary, and threatening to be one of the most mischiev
ous and fatal impostures, which ever disgraced a civilized people. 
There seems to be no end nor bound to the gullibility of men. 
When we first heard of the golden plates of Mormon, which 
one Joe Smith pretended to have found and interpreted, and 
were told that a number of persons had become converts to the 
delusion, we supposed that but a very small number could be 
seduced by such barefaced fabling, and that Mormonism would 
soon die out and be forgotten. But now the newspapers are 
informing us that the Mormons, or Mormonites, are collected in 
great force at the West, and that with arms in their hands they 
are carrying on hostilities with the other inhabitants. Latter 
Day Saints indeed! We trust that they are the last saints, of 
that complexion, whom we shall be doomed to hear of in our 
day.

It would be a wearisome task to recount all the solemn fooleries which are crowded into the little book of Mr. Parley P. 
Pratt, but for the satisfaction of those who may like to know 
what Mormonism is, or pretends to be, we will give a few ex
tracts from it, which will contain the substance of his explanations. "But what," he supposes some inquirer to ask, "is that 
wonderful book, about which there is so much said? what do 
these strange men testify, that causes so much excitement? let them speak for themselves." Then follows the answer.

"Well, hearken, my reader. The Book of Mormon was found in the 
year of our Lord. one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, in 
Ontario county, New-York. Was translated and published in the year 
of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty. It contains the 
history of the anciont inhabitants of America, who were a branch of 
the house of Israel, of the tribe of Joseph; of whom the Indians are 
still a remnant; but the principal nation of them having fallen in 
battle, in the fourth or fifth century, one of their prophets, whose name 
was Mormon, saw fit to make an abridgment of their history, their 
prophesies, and their doctrine, which he engraved on Plates; and 
afterwards being slain, the Record fell into the hands of his son Moroni, 
who being hunted by his enemies, was directed to deposit the record 
safely in the earth, with a promise from God that it should be preserved, and should be again brought to light in the latter days, by 
means of a Gentile nation, who should possess the land. This deposit 
was made about the year four hundred and twenty, on a hill then called Cumora, now in Ontario county, where it was preserved in safety, until it was brought to light by no less than the ministry of angels, 
and translated by Inspiration. And the Great Jehovah bore record of 
the same to chosen witnesses who declare it to the world." — pp. 128, 
129.

This being the history in brief of Mormonism, we will give 
our renders a touch of its evidences.

"But what are the evidences which we gather from Scripture con
cerning the coming forth of this glorious work? We shall attempt to 
prove—first, that America is a promised land to the seed of Joseph; 
second, that the Lord would reveal to them his truth as well as to the 
Jews; and third, that their Record should come forth and unite its tes
timony with the Record of the Jews, in time for the restoration of Isra
el in the last days.

"First, Gen. xlviii., Jacob, while blessing the two sons of Joseph, 
says, 'Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth:' and 
in the same blessing it is said of Ephraim, his seed shall become a mul
titude of nations. Now put the sense of these sayings togetller, and 
it makes Ephraim a multitude of nations in the midst of the earth. 
In Gen. xlix, it is prophesyed concerning Joseph, (while Jacob was 
blessing him,) that he should be a faithful bough by a well, whose 
branches run over the wall, the archers have sorely grieved him, and 
shot at him, and hated him, yet his bow abode in strength. Again he 
further says, 'the blessings of thy Father have prevailed above the 
blessings of my progenitors, unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting 
hills; they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the 
head of him that was separate from his brethren.' Now I ask who was 
Jacob's progenitors, and what was the blessing they conferred upon 
him? Abraham and Isaac were his progenitors, and the land of Canaan was the blessing they conferred upon him — or that God prom
ised them he should possess. Recollect that Jacob confers on Joseph 
a much greater land than that of Canaan; even greater than his fathers 
had conferred upon him, for Joseph's blessing was to extend to the 
utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. Now reader stand in Egypt, 
where Jacob then stood, and measure to the utmost bounds of the ever
lasting hills, und you will land somewhere in the central part of America. Again, one of the prophets says, in speaking of Ephraim, 'when 
the Lord shall roar, the children of Ephraim shall tremble from the 
west.' Now let us sum up these sayings, and what have we gained; 
first—that Ephraim was to grow into a multitudo of nations in the 
midst of the earth; second—Joseph was to be greatly blest in a large 
inheritance, as far off as America; third—this was to be on the west of Egypt or Jerusulem.

"Now let the world search from pole to pole, and they will not find 
a multitude of nations in the midst of the earth, who can possibly have 
sprung from Ephraim, unless they find them in America; for the midst 
of all other parts of the earth is inhabited by mixed races, who have 
sprung from various sources; while here an almost boundless country 
was secluded from the rest of the world, and inhabited by a race of 
men, evidently of the same origin, although as evidently divided into 
many nations. Now the Scriptures cannot be broken, therefore, these Scriptures must apply to America, for the plainest of reasons—because they can apply no where else."—pp. 131-133.

Very plain, indeed; and as the second and third positions 
are established in an equally convincing manner, we will omit 
the arguments in proof of them, and pass over to the practical 
part of the subject.

"So much then we have produced from the Scriptures, in proof of a 
work like the book of Mormon, making its appearance in these days; 
to say nothing of Isaiah xxix., which we have already noticed in a for
mer part of his work.—But says one, what use is the book of Mormon, 
even if it be true?—I answer, first it brings to light an important history before unknown to man. Second, it reveals the origin of the 
Amorican Indians, which was before a mystery. Third, it contains im
portant prophesies, yet to be fulfilled, which immediately concerns the 
present generation, and their very existence depends on an immediate 
understanding of them. Fourth, it contains much plainness in regard 
to points of doctrine, insomuch that all may understand, and see eye to 
eye, if they take pains to read it."—pp. 135, 136.

In the midst of all these high and cloudy pretensions of the 
Mormons there seems to be a political end in view, which it 
may not be omiss for us to keep in mind, as the events of our 
Western history are transpiring. This end is expressed in the 
following, among other passages of Mr. Parley P. Pratt's Voice 
of Warning.

"And here is the end of the matter; and I would only add, that the 
government of the United States has been engaged for upwards of 
seven yenrs, in gathering the remnant of Joseph, (the Indians,) to the 
very place where they will finally build a New Jerusalem; a city of 
Zion; with the assistance of the believing Gentiles, who will gather 
with them from all the nations of the earth; and this gathering is 
clearly predicted in the Book of Mormon, and other revelations, and 
the place before appointed, and the time set for its fulfilment; and ex
cept the Gentiles repent of all their abominntions, and embrace the 
same covenant, and come into the same place of gathering, they will 
soon be utterly destrored from off the face of this land: as it is written by Isaiah, the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee, shall 
perish."