1842-06-28-New York Tribune-Discussion on Mormonism
Discussion on Mormonism.
Source: New York Tribune, 28 June 1842, pg 1
- BOSTON, June 25, 1842.
Considerable excitement has been created here during the past week by a public discussion of the subject of Mormonism. It closed last night, having been continued five evenings. The disputants were Dr. West, an English gentleman, and Elder Adams, a minster of the Mormon sect.�The former is a man of strong and well cultivated intellectual powers, and, when excited, an effective speaker. He came here, as I have been informed, from New-York, for the purpose of delivering lectures in refutation of Infidelity, and is highly recommended by some of the leading clergymen of that city as well qualified for the proposed task. Elder Adams is a man of strong but uncultivated mind, and possesses no small amount of tact and ingenuity. As a speaker, he is rough and uncouth, and treats the King's English as unmercifully as he does his own lungs.�Precisely how the parties came in conflict, I cannot tell you; but I believe the Mormon was the challenger. Marlboro Chapel was the scene of conflict, and the tickets of admission were sold for 12� cents. The audience at first was small, but it increased as the controversy went on, until the Chapel was at last pretty well filled.
Dr. West affirmed that the doctrines and principles of the Mormons involved hypocrisy, lying, fraud, treason, plunder, murder, blasphemy, &c.; and these charges he endeavored to substantiate by quotations from their writings, and by proofs drawn from other sources. The laboring oar, consequently, was in his hands, while his opponent stood in an attitude of self-defence. The former had the prejudices, and generally the deep-rooted convictions of his audience, in his favor, while the latter enjoyed, as an offset, that sympathy which the human heart involuntarily feels when a fellow man is on trial for a serious offence. In this respect, perhaps, the advantages of the conflict were as equally divided as they could have been before an audience whose opinions were chiefly on one side of the question.
During the first three evenings I was not present; but those who were, assure me that I heard the pith of the discussion on Tuesday and Friday evenings. On the former evening, the chair was occupied by "Father Taylor," as he is familiarly called, the well-known Seaman's preacher. The debate was opened by Dr. West at 8 o'clock, and closed by Elder Adams at 10; the parties occupying twenty minutes each, alternately.
Dr. West requested the Secretary to read from the Mormon Book the account of the mysterious discovery of the golden plates, and of their subsequent translation by commandment of the Lord. From this it appeared that the Mormons claim the power of working miracles, and affirm that they are directly inspired by God. Dr. West contended that this was blasphemy, and an attempt to impose upon the credulity of the people. Elder Adams admitted that it would be blasphemy if the claim were not founded in truth; but he contended that there were living witnesses that miracles had been performed by Joseph Smith and others; and he affirmed that it was contrary to Scripture to suppose that the day of miracles had gone by. To support his views, he quoted the declaration of Christ, "these signs shall follow them that believe," affirming that it was not merely a promise to the Apostles, but to the whole body of believers. He quoted for the same purpose James v. 14, 15: "Is any sick among you, let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." The modern church, he said, was false and spurious on its own confession, as it did not even pretend to do the works which Christ said would be done by believers, and its ministers did not claim to speak from inspiration.
Dr. West ridiculed this claim of miraculous power on the part of the Mormons, and read a statement of some thirty or forty citizens of Palmyra, N. Y., and vicinity, intended to show that Joseph Smith and his associates were men destitute of moral character, and therefore unworthy of confidence. He stated also, on the authority of an individual who assisted in printing the Mormon Bible, that when it was going through the press, the workmen purposely concealed one of the sheets in order to see whether Smith could supply it by another translation from the golden plates, and thus test the genuineness of the book. This caused a great flurry, but Smith pretended to furnish another copy verbatim. On comparing it, however, with the first, it was found to be a very different affair. This account raised a tremendous laugh at the expense of the Elder. The Doctor also told the following story to illustrate the Mormon method of working miracles. Two priest of that sect were traveling somewhere at the West. One of them, by agreement, went forward of the other, and put up at the house of a farmer for the night. After going to bed, he feigned severe sickness, and before morning apparently died. The next day the other priest also called at the same house, as a stranger, and being told of the death of his companion, avowed himself a Mormon, and told the host that he could raise the dead man to life. The farmer suspected some trick, but acquiesced in the proposals of the priest, and called his neighbors to witness the miracle. The arrangement being completed, the farmer inquired of the Mormon if he could restore a man to life who had been dead for a long time. "O yes," he replied. "Could you do it if his head were cut off?"�"Certainly," said he, "that would make no difference. "Well then," said the farmer, lifting his axe, as if he intended to be as good as his word, "I'll cut off this man's head before you begin." No sooner had he said this, than the dead man sprang to his feet, without any miraculous assistance whatever, exclaiming, "I ain't dead�don't murder me?" The noise which followed this story was tremendous. The audience was convulsed with laughter, and made the house ring with applause.
Elder Adams declared that there was not one word of truth in these stories. They were lies, made out of whole cloth, and intended to substitute ridicule for argument. Let the part of the Mormon Bible which was concealed by the printers be compared with that book as it stands, or else let the story be branded as a silly falsehood, concocted by the priests. Let the name of the farmer alluded to, and also the names of the Mormon Elders who practised the deception alleged by his opponent, be stated. Let him give to the story a local habitation. He dared him to do it; and if he did, he (Mr. A.) would pay the expenses of bringing the persons concerned before the audience.
Dr. West said the whole question would be settled in a few months. Let his opponent work a miracle on the spot, if he had the power, and thus convince the people that he was no deceiver, but an honest man. He demanded this as a means of settling the whole controversy. A large portion of the audience appeared to consider this a reasonable demand, and the most intense curiosity was exerted to know how the Elder would get out of the difficulty. He did so, however, in a manner which fairly turned the laugh against his opponent. He affirmed that neither Christ nor his Apostles ever wrought miracles on the demand of unbelievers, as a means of convincing them of the truth; and he offered, if the Dr. would refer him to a case where the Apostles had done any thing of the kind, to do the same thing himself. It was an ungodly and adulterous generation which demanded "a sign" from Christ; but he told them that no sign would be given them, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas. Dr. West did not attempt to refer to any instance in which the Apostles had wrought a miracle, on the demand of unbelievers; and the feeling was strong throughout the audience, as I thought, that on that point, where he had so confidently expected to nail his opponent to the wall, he had signally failed. Father Taylor, however, was so excited that he pronounced the conduct of Elder Adams to be wholly unjustifiable, and declared he would no longer preside over such a discussion; and then the meeting broke up in confusion.
Last evening, considerable time was spent in endeavoring to get some one to take the chair. Several persons were chosen, but they all declined; whereupon it was voted that the Secretary preside. The discussion then proceeded, but it was made up chiefly of positive assertion on one side and equally positive denail ont he other. Most of those present, with all contempt for Mormonism, must have felt, I am sure, as I did, that the Doctor's arguments were exceedingly lame and illogical, and scarcely worth a moment's thought in connection with the serious charges which he undertook to support. He had evidently entered upon the discussion with a somewhat too high opinion of himself, and a too mean estimation of the powers of his opponent. Thinking that he would have to deal with a very gross error, he evidently had not prepared himself for the contest as he ought to have done; while his opponent was armed at all points, and found it no difficult task to answer him. The issue was not well made up. The Doctor's charges were so sweeping as to produce a feeling in the audience that they were extravagant and unjust, even if Mormonism were ever so gross a delusion. By attempting to prove too much, he failed to prove any thing clearly.
Elder Adams has determined to seize upon this as a favorable moment to spread the Mormon faith in this city, and has accordingly announced his intention to preach at Boylston Hall next Sabbath.
- REVILO.
