1842-08-26-Boston Recorder-Dublin and Peterborough
Dublin and Peterborough
Boston Recorder, v27 n34, 26 August 1842, p. 134
- New Ipswich, Aug. 13, 1842.
Mr. Editor,—I proceed, according to my promise, to give you a notice of some other places in this vicinity.
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PETERBOROUGH.—This is one of the most flourishing towns in this vicinity. The Contocook river passes through this place, and furnishes a large water power. This water power is to a considerable extent improved. There are several large manufacturing establishments. This is one of the few towns in N. H. into which the Unitarian heresy has made tis way. Abiel Abbot who some 40 years ago renounced the Orthodox faith in Coventry, Connecticut, has nearly ever since been minister in this town. Unitarianism has taken deep root in this place. Universalism, its twin sister, has reared its temple on the opposite side of the way from the Unitarian house. The Orthodox Church is 104 years old. Its strength has been much increased of late. Within the last two or three years its numbers have been doubled. Its present Pastor is the Rev. Mr. French. During the past winter, this place has been visited with a revival. The number of hopeful converts is between 80 and 100. Since the commencement of the present year, 43 have been added to the church by profession, 7 by letter, and 9 now stand propounded, making in all 59. A considerable number have also been added to the Baptist and Methodist churches. But it has been now as it was in times of old. When the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan also came among them. Mormonism has made its appearance. This is one of the newest invented delusions of the devil. And it appears, in some places, well to answer his purpose of destroying souls. He has put on the appearance of an angel of light. It has drawn away some from the regularly organized churches. But this is no new thing under the sun. The same took place in the apostolic churches. They went out from them, but they were not of them; for if they had been of them, they no doubt would have continued with them. If we can credit the declarations of this new delusion of the devil, six miracles have been wrought in Peterborough. One of the converts said, "I know that miracles have been wrought here as great as that wrought by Jesus Christ, when he made clay, anointed, and opened the eyes of the blind." But none of the unbelievers in the town have yet seen a man that was born blind, who has had his sight restored. No dead man has at yet been raised to life. They havea process of confirming their disciples. They believe that baptism by immersion, and the laying on of the hands by a Mormon priest, are absolutely necessary to salvation. No one can be a Christian without—consequently, they teach that the penitent thief did not reach heaven; that he can never enter there till he is raised from the place where he now is, and immersed in water for the remission of sins by some one of the Nauvoo priesthood. The ceremony which follows immersion, i.e., the laying on of hands and imparting the Holy Ghost, is called confirmation. At the close of an harangue against the church and hireling priesthood, one of the Elders remarked, "that they should then proceed to the ceremony of laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost; and that sometimes during the laying on of hands God revealed to the individual officiating the knowledge of the future course and events of the life of the individual on whom hands were laid." The subjects of confirmation were then called forward. The Elder then laid his hands on the head of one, and confirmed himby a prayer in substance as follows: "By virtue of commission given me by the Lord Jesus Christ, I lay on hands that thou mightest receive the Holy Ghost, which shall confirm unto thee all the blessings which are promised to the faithful and obedient; and we pray that the Spirit may lead thee into all truth,enlarge thy understanding, and give thee a sound mind." Then came the revelation of the prophecy, "If thou art faithful, thou shalt have visions, and wilt be called to preach in languages which you have never learned, and will be called to preach the gospel to the people;" and after confirming another, he prophesied over him, saying, "If thou art faithful, thou wilt be a mighty counsellor, and will be called to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth."
Over a female whom he confirmed, he used the following language. "We lay on hands that thou mayest receive the Holy Ghost, which shall give thee a mind wide as eternity, an enlarged understanding, and make thee sound in body and mind; and from this moment, thy health shall improve and be confirmed unto thee—I rebuke the disease that is within thee; henceforth thou shalt enjoy all the blessings of health, if thou continue faithful."
Such are some of the pretensions of these famous followers of Joe Smith. When we see men led away by such delusions, we pity poor human nature. Into which shape the grand deceiver will next turn, we do not know. We should beware of the wiles of the devil. He will, if it is possible deceive the very elect.
- M.
