1840-09-25-Christian Secretary-Mormonism

Mormonism

Christian Secretary, v3 n28, 25 September 1840, p. 2

Mormonism, a silly fabrication of falsehood and crime.—The following being an extract of a letter from a Baptist minister in Chester co., Pa., as an evidence of the spread of this imposition, and the success of its pretended claims to inspiration, upon the weak and credulous.

AUGUST 25, 1840.

"The Mormons are going ahead, baptizing every week; they heal the sick, cast out devils, &c.!" One of their preachers cast out a devil a few days past, and two men are qualified that they saw the devil run away!! He of course had feet and hands, head and eyes, &c.!!! We have documents from the recorder's office in the county where Mormonism first commenced, which prove the wickedness of Smith. We likewise can prove that Mormonism has been four times publicly discussed and proved to be false, twice legally investigated nd proved to be a delusion, and yet men are so infatuated as to be led away by it.

Surely we must be drawing near the last days."

Of all the modern impostures, and gross deceptions, with which Christendom has been inundated, Mormonism is by far the most absurd, and it is truly astonishing that its designing leaders should have been, in this enlightened age, so successful in seducing our citizens, and among them members and ministers of orthodox churches, to abandon "the light of the knowledge of the living God" as revealed in the Gospel, and to embrace their vile and shocking doctrines, which are the trinal production of cunning ignorance, wicked speculation, and religious credulity. Not only have they succeeded through the imposition of their prophets and leaders, together with their pretended gifts of prophecy and miracles and new revelations, in proselyting thousands to their Mormon faith, but they are putting forth the most indefatigable exertions, by itinerant missionaries, both in this country and in Europe, to spread their deluslive sentiments.

It is high time, therefore, that this monstrous evil, this "cunningly devised fable," was exposed, through the columns of our religious periodicals. In strict keeping with this opinion, we shall in our next number, lay before our readers, a history of the rise and progress of Mormonism, as published in a respectable exchange paper, and which was furnished by a clergyman of high standing in the episcopal denomination, from facts which came under his own eye, full fourteen years ago, while a resident in the town of Palmyra, N. Y., where this modern delusion originated, and where,near by, the wily Joe Smith, of vagrant memory, their high prophet, and ostensible actor in this wicked drama, first drew breath, in a shiftless family, renowned for their love of the marvellous and for their money digging propensity.—Ib.