Mormonism Exposed (Hancock)/Chapter 9

As we have seen, the Divine arrangements are that our faith should rest in the power of God, by resting in the word that the apostles delivered. If it should rest in anything else it cannot rest in God's power. God has arranged for His people to have the strongest consolation possible. The promise to Abraham, "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed," is the foundation promise in the gospel of Christ. We are told that, in order to our having a strong consolation, God confirmed that promise with an oath, thus giving His promise upon oath. The apostle says: "For God, when he made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, swear by himself, saying, "Verily blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee;" and so, having steadfastly endured, he obtained the promise. For men, indeed, swear by the greater; and their oath establisheth their word, so that they cannot gainsay it. Therefore God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of His counsel, set an oath between Himself and them; that by two immutable things, wherein it is impossible for God to lie, we that have fled [to Him] for refuge might have a strong encouragement to hold fast the hope set before us."—Heb. 6: 13–18. Conybeare. The Christian resting his faith in the word delivered by the apostles, and confirmed, as recorded in the New Testament rests in the power of God, and has as his surety the two immutable things, the promise and oath of God. His promise should be sufficient, but in our behalf He backed His promise by His oath, that our consolation might be doubly strong. How strange it is that people claim to have faith in God, but refuse to take His testimony on oath! How the warnings of God, though given in Infinite mercy, are unheeded!! The first Christians, we are assured, continued steadfastly in ​the apostles' doctrine. Acts 2: 42. Through John the Lord says to His people: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." II. John 9–11. That doctrine being designed for God's people till the end of the world, since it was delivered by heaven's chosen ministry, the apostles of Christ, not a single revelation has been granted to man, and not a miracle has been wrought by the authority of heaven. That God never granted a miracle in attestation of any other doctrine is just so certain as that the Bible is true. And that He never granted a revelation of acceptance to anyone who refused to rely on His testimony is just as certain as that the Bible is true. We give the following:

1. The doctrine for the people of God is recorded in the New Testament, and God warns them against the reception of any other doctrine.
2. But the Mormon doctrine not being recorded in the New Testament it is another doctrine.
3. Therefore, God warns His people against the reception of the Mormon doctrine.

That some have, and may yet receive an inspiration; and that apparitions, signs and wonders have been, and may yet be, will not be denied. But that these, any of them, are by the authority of heaven is positively denied. But, upon the other hand, that they are all by the working of his Satanic Majesty's power, in so far as there is anything beyond an epileptic affection or an excited imagination, we positively affirm. We invite attention to the following scriptures. "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming; even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all ​deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they receive not the love of the truth [the apostles' doctrine], that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion; that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."—II. Thess. 2: 8–12. Again, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."—Matt. 24: 24. Once more, "And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image."—Rev. 19: 20.

Is it to be wondered at that after God had done so much for man, when he will not accept his Creator's counsel, will not rely upon His testimony though backed by His oath, but prefers his own imaginations to the testimony of God, that delusions from the infernal regions should be permitted to come upon him? That Joseph Smith's commission, if he had any, was from beneath is just as certain as that the Bible is true. By virtue of his commission, we are told; he was to restore the TRUE priesthood. Well, what was done to accomplish this? John the Baptist came down from heaven to ordain Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the true priesthood! What priesthood? The Aaronic! So, the Baptist laying his hands upon them said, "Upon you, my fellow-servants, in the name of the Messiah, I confer upon you the priesthood of Aaron." Such unblushing impudence and downright lying might be equaled by the devil, but could not be surpassed. God had a controversy, through Moses, with some of his ancient people upon one question, namely, Was the Aaronic priesthood to be limited to the tribe of Levi, and to the family of Aaron? The Almighty thought that by the sinking into the pit the company of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, the destruction of the fourteen thousand, and the budding of Aaron's rod the controversy was ​settled. See Numbers sixteenth and seventeenth chapters. Such angels, however, as visited the prophet of Mormonism could readily show the mistakes of the God of the Bible!

The author of the Hebrew epistle, governed in his utterances by the inspiration that was from the God of the Bible, gives us to understand that the tabernacle established by Moses was, in its priesthood, its furniture, and its service, shadowy, hence, temporal, and, as a consequence, to be abolished in order to the establishing of the new, the perfect tabernacle, the true priesthood, and the spiritual service in Christ. But, it is said, "Authors differ."

The truthfulness of this is shown by the Bible and the Book of Mormon; for their authors contradict each other, from beginning to end. While Christ was on earth we are told, Heb. 8: 4, He could not be a priest, for He was of the tribe of Judah. Heb. 7: 13, 14. The law was abrogated, the shadowy priesthood was abolished and the true priesthood was established. Christ was made priest, "Not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." The shadowy being abolished Christ was consecrated priest by the oath of God. Thus, the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law." Heb. 7: 12. The Aaronic, the temporal, was abolished, the true and everlasting was established. No, gentle reader, Christ the Son of God, because He was of the tribe of Judah, could not be admitted to the Aaronic priesthood. But these uncircumcised Gentiles, Joseph and Oliver, by an angel from heaven, were ordained to that priesthood?! Can any sane man really believe such stuff? Those who officiated in the Aaronic priesthood were confined in their ministrations to the tabernacle service, and beyond that they had no rights nor privileges. Of the Christians it is said, "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle." Heb. 13: 10. Those who were clinging to the Aaronic priesthood when the Hebrew epistle was written, though according to the law of that priesthood they were in ​their legitimate service, could not, by virtue of that fact, have any right to the altar in Christ. Why should a professed Christian seek an interest in a priesthood that would debar him from the privileges of a child of God?! It is positively certain that the angel of Mormonism was characterized by woeful ignorance or fearful dishonesty. The Aaronic priesthood having answered its purpose it was abolished by Jesus Christ, and to ignore that fact by seeking to perpetuate that office is to ignore the positive authority of God.

The next step, however, in order to restoring priesthood Peter, James and John appeared in order to ordain these same fellows to the Melchizedec priesthood!! Heaven did not know that such a wonderful person as Joseph Smith was to appear in the Latter days, who would bring to bear an inspiration superior to that by which the ministry of Christ spake and wrote?! There are several facts that show the statement of Mormon inspiration regarding the ordination of Joseph and Oliver by Peter, James and John to be an unmitigated falsehood! Peter gave his unqualified endorsement of Paul as an inspired writer. Feeling assured that the endorsement has never been withdrawn, we cite the following: "For this Melchizedec, King of Salem, priest of the most high God,' who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all,'—who is first by interpretation, King of Righteousness, and secondly King of Salem, which is King of Peace—without father, without mother, without table of descent—having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God—remaineth a priest forever."—Heb. 7: 1–3. Conybeare. Here is a priest, not of the typical order, but of the anti-typical. As a priest he was made like unto the Son of God. Our comments, however, upon this language of Paul must be reserved for the next chapter.