Mormonism Exposed (Hancock)/Chapter 5

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Chapter Five.

We have briefly noticed the candlestick in the light of Zechariah's vision. The lessons gleaned, however, demonstrate the fact that God providentially guarded and directed the preservation of his revelations to man, till the Bible, in its matter and arrangement, gives just what God foretold should be given his people, pertaining to inspiration and revelation. It is readily seen that the statement of Orson Pratt relative to the collection of the manuscripts to constitute the Bible is utterly false—shown, hence, that the inspiration directing the first propagators of Mormonism was from a lying spirit. The lesson learned also shows the infidelity in what, by modern scribes, is called Higher Criticism.

If the inspiration and revelation afforded in order to the full development of the two covenants did not bring to man the necessary knowledge, did not, hence, afford the required light, we cannot claim inspiration for the Bible. Accepting, however, the statement of Christ, that a knowledge of the Father and the Son was all that was necessary in order to the desired end, we accept necessarily, the conclusion that with the perfection of that knowledge the work of inspiration and revelation ceased. Such is the lesson taught by the candlestick. Therefore, in the New Testament we have the true light of God. Christ is the true light of God, and as that light cannot be supplemented there has been no inspiration and revelation from God since the ​completion of the New Testament. In the light of that book we are in the light of God. Hence, Christ could truthfully say: "All things are delivered unto me of my Father." Surely, in the all things of god is given the knowledge essential in order to the desired end. Therefore Paul could say: "In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."—Col. 2: 3. There could be no demand for inspiration and revelation in addition to what was given through Christ, unless there could be a demand for something beyond all the treasures of God's wisdom and knowledge.

Christ is, hence, of inspiration and revelation, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. We give the following:

  1. Inspiration and revelation ending with Christ, all pretended inspiration and revelations since His were false.
  2. But the pretended inspiration and revelation of Joseph Smith were since Christ.
  3. Therefore, the pretended inspiration and revelations of Joseph Smith were false.

We have seen that the Bible as it is, with its seven divisions, is just what God's people were to have under the reign of Christ. Yet the Book of Mormon says it is minus the gospel of Christ. This being true it is minus the power of God; and hence, minus the light of God. This makes a positive contradiction between the Bible and the Book of Mormon. If the one be true the other is false. But the Bible is true. Therefore the Book of Mormon is false.

Christ said to His disciples: "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." The truth that was essential to the freedom of the human soul was in the treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are hid in Christ, and it could not come from any other source. It is, hence, that Christ could say: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." The truth is in the word that Christ delivered unto the apostles, and that was by them made known to all nations. Hence said: "Now ​they have known that all things whatsoever Thou hast given me are of Thee. For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me."—John 17: 7, 8. To His apostles the Christ said: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."—John 14: 26. Again, "Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you."—John 16: 13–15. In these Scriptures it is positively affirmed that all that the Father had for man, in the way of knowledge in order to eternal life, was given to the Son, and to be made known to the apostles, and the apostles were to make these things known, and to record them, that they might answer the purpose of man till the conclusion of time. We submit the following:

  1. The Holy Spirit guided the apostles into all truth.
  2. But the Holy Spirit did not guide the apostles into Mormonism.
  3. Therefore, Mormonism is not of the truth,

The statements of Christ that we have quoted from John authorize the following:

  1. All that is from the Father was given by the Son unto the apostles.
  2. But the Son did not give the Book of Mormon unto His apostles.
  3. Therefore, the Book of Mormon was not from the Father.

Paul said to Timothy: "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."—2 Tim. 3: 15. ​Man does not need anything beyond the knowledge that makes wise unto salvation. Hence, with the bringing of that knowledge to man the work of inspiration and revelation was perfected. The revelation contained in the New Testament thoroughly supplies that knowledge. It is therefore that the apostle Peter could say: "According as His divine Power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue."—II. Peter 1: 3. These scriptures authorize the following:

  1. The revelation of God's will as made known by the apostles of Jesus Christ contained all things that pertain to life and godliness.
  2. But that revelation did not contain the Book of Mormon.
  3. Therefore, the Book of Mormon does not pertain to life and godliness.

Christ having delivered to the apostles the truth that involved the glory of God and the eternal destiny of humanity, promised, in man's behalf, to be with that truth to the end of the world. He said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."—Matt. 28: 18, 19, 20. This authorizes the following:

  1. Christ is, in man's behalf, with what was delivered by the apostles.
  2. But the Book of Mormon was not delivered by the apostles.
  3. Therefore, Christ is not with the Book of Mormon.

This suggests the following:

  1. Any religious production that Christ is not with is a godless production.
  2. But Christ is not with the Book of Mormon.
  3. Therefore, the Book of Mormon is a godless production.

To bring man into the freedom of sonship—into the ​enjoyment of soul liberty, the highest relation and enjoyment possible on earth, was the purpose for which inspiration and revelation were vouchsafed to man. When the means that were necessary to the desired end were placed within the reach of man, the end for which they were given being reached, there was no demand for their further continuance. Christ said: "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."—John 8: 32. When that truth was brought to man the purpose of inspiration and revelation was accomplished. Paul said to the Galatians: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."—Gal. 5: 1. This affirms that the desired liberty was attained through the truth as delivered by Jesus Christ. Beyond the delivering of that truth to man there was no demand for the work of inspiration and revelation. We now give the following:

  1. The purpose for which man was favored with inspiration and revelation from God being reached, that work was complete.
  2. But that purpose was reached through the inspiration and revelation granted the apostles of Jesus Christ.
  3. Therefore, with the apostles of Jesus Christ the work of inspiration and revelation reached its completeness.

As the will of God given by Christ and recorded in the New Testament, involves His own glory and the eternal interests of man, it is sacredly guarded by the authority of heaven. We invite attention to the following scriptures: "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."—Rev. 22: 18, 19. Again, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be ​some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."—Gal. 1: 6–9.

These scriptures authorize the following:

  1. As the inspiration from God, gave through the apostles of Christ the truth of God, an inspiration that would give anything different or additional thereto would be from the infernal regions.
  2. But the Book of Mormon is something additional to and different from what the apostles of Christ gave.
  3. Therefore, the Book of Mormon was given by inspiration from the infernal regions.

The pure gospel of Christ was delivered by the apostles and recorded in the New Testament. We are assured, however, that any production giving anything different from or additional to what the apostles gave would be a perverted gospel—would be in the sight of God as another gospel. Upon such, we are assured, the curse of God would rest. These facts authorize the following:

  1. The curse of God rests upon any production that contains another gospel.
  2. But the Book of Mormon contains another gospel.
  3. Therefore, the curse of God rests upon the Book of Mormon.

When a boy, like other boys, we would often have a bow and arrow, and we always wanted a string that would be secure, one that would not break. We would, hence, get a strong line, then double and twist it. Then we knew that no boy could break it. We aim to pursue that course with this line of argument against modern inspirations. We do not purpose simply to give a strong line of argument, but we expect to double and twist it, and thus give a line of argument that will ​never be broken. Our task is to vindicate the claims of the Bible, and we expect to do so in a manner that will be satisfactory to all who can be reached by the force of reasoning.

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