Brigham Young's sermon on the Mormon testimony - 8/11/1872
I have an anxiety to bear testimony to the truth, though it is well
known to many of my friends and acquaintances that it is not prudent
for me to exercise myself in this large hall, as I have in days past.
But I feel very anxious to speak to by brethren and sisters and to
their families, to my friends and neighbors, and the inhabitants of the
earth, concerning the Christian religion. I feel thus many times when I
am not able to do so, but I desire at this time to bear testimony to
the Gospel - the plan of salvation, to the holy Priesthood, that the
Lord has revealed in the latter days. I admit at once, without any
argument at all, that the whole human family are possessed more or less
of truth; they have a great many very excellent and pure ideas,
beliefs, faiths and sentiments, the adoption of which in their lives
would promote truth and overcome error, sin and iniquity in their
midst, and cause joy and peace to fill the hearts of individuals,
families, neighborhoods, cities and nations. (1)
Sometimes we take the liberty of defining the religions of the day,
known under the general name of Christianity. We have heard something
of this, this afternoon; and with regard to the philosophy of that
religion, we admit the truth of it. All have truth, all have good
desires - that is to say, as people and as communities. There may be
individuals who do not possess these principles, but there are many in
all communities of the earth professing Christianity who wish, in
reality, to know the truth, and to embrace it in their creeds, and most
of them desire most fervently that the professors of this Christianity
should live according to pure and holy principles. This we admit, and a
few of this number have received the Gospel. (2)
When I speak of the Gospel in this sense, I mean the fullness of the
Gospel of the Son of God as it has been revealed in our day. I do not
refer to the Gospel as a mere historical knowledge of the Savior and
his Apostles, and their doings upon the earth, but of the power of God
unto salvation. And when I contemplate the human family in their
present condition, and especially Christendom, I think what a pity it
is that we Christians cannot see far enough and understand enough to be
willing that every truth should take effect on the minds of the people,
for every truth that is taught, believed and practiced, is good for
mankind. It is good for the living, good for the dying, good for the
dead; and if we Christians would accept and embrace all truth in our
lives, instead of contending so much about what are called
"non-essentials," it would be much more to our advantage, and would
vastly increase peace and union in our midst. (3)
When we take up the religion that has been revealed - the Gospel in its
fullness, we find that it is simply a code of laws, ordinances, gifts
and graces which are the power of God unto salvation. The laws and
ordinances which the Lord has revealed in these latter days, are
calculated to save all the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve who have
not sinned against the Holy Ghost, for all will be saved in a kingdom
of glory, though it may not be in the celestial kingdom, for there are
many mansions. These ordinances reach after every one of the children
of our Father in heaven, and not only them, but after all the earth,
the fullness of the earth, all things that dwell upon it, to bring them
back into the presence of God, or into some kingdom or place prepared
for them, that they may be exalted to a higher state of intelligence
than they now dwell in. (4)
This may seem strange to many, but these are the ordinances and laws
that the Lord has instituted for the salvation of the children of men;
and when we compare the doctrines that we have preached to the
Christian world, with the doctrines of the Christian world, we find
that ours incorporate every truth, no matter what it is. If it belong
to the arts and sciences of the day, all the same, for every truth in
existence is embraced in that system of laws and ordinances taught by
the Later-day Saints - the Gospel that God has revealed for the
salvation of the human family. (5)
We want a little proof, a little evidence, a little testimony. This is
the testimony that we are in possession of this Gospel. Our witness is
upon the stand, before God and the people, testifying that the
Latter-day Saints have got something that no other people on earth
have. What is it? The oneness which we possess, according to the prayer
of the Savior. (6)
We sent an Elder from here to the East Indies; we send one or two to
Africa, and to the Asiatic continent, and distribute them to the
different nations, to Japan, to China, and so on. They preach the
Gospel to the Pagans, say to the Chinese. We will suppose that these
Elders learn the Chinese language so far as to be able to make
themselves understood by the people, and they preach to them the same
doctrines as are believed in by the Latter-day Saints, and they are
received into the hearts of honest Chinese - God reveals and manifests
to them that these doctrines and principles, this plan of salvation, is
true, and these Chinese would not differ with us on any point of
doctrine. They would say, "The proper mode of baptism is by immersion,
the Scriptures are plain upon this point." Here let me take the liberty
of saying, that if the whole Christian world were to adopt the method
of baptism by immersion, you would never hear a person raise an
argument about sprinkling or pouring. But leaving my witness, I say
these latter ideas are the cisterns which men hew out to themselves,
which will hold no water, for somebody or other is eternally scuttling
their vessels, and they are sinking. If every Christian denomination
would come to the house of worship on the Sabbath, and break bread and
partake of the bread and wine in testimony of their faith in Jesus
Christ, there would be no differences, contentions or arguments, and no
person could sink their vessel; but now, comparatively speaking, they
are sinking each other's vessels continually. (7)
But again to my testimony, to my witness. When the Chinese receives the
Gospel he is one with us. He does not want six months' teaching or
trial; he does not need to go to an academy or a seminary five or seven
years to learn that this mode of baptism is correct; but taking the
Bible he reads it, and, says he, "The Holy Ghost bears witness to me
that baptism by immersion is the correct mode, and that it is right to
break bread and drink wine in remembrance of, and to testify our faith
in him whose body was broken and whose blood was shed for the salvation
of the human family." There is no contention, and though only one Elder
may have gone there, and he has baptized but one, or ten, a hundred, a
thousand, or thousands, they are all of one heart and one mind; and if
we were to charge this Elder not to tell these Chinese that they must
gather to America, for that was the land of Zion – and America is the
land of Zion - the first this Elder would know, somebody or other would
be up in a meeting and telling that Zion was in america, and they had
got to emigrate there. The Elder might inquire why, and he would be
told, "It is revealed to me, and I do know by the manifestations of the
Spirit within me, through your preaching, that we are to assemble on
the continent of America, for that is the land of Zion." And if they
come here, they will not ask how many methods of baptism we have, or
how many of administering the Sacrament, or of dispensing the
ordinances of the house of God, for the Spirit makes them of one heart
and one mind with those on this continent, and from whatever nation
they come, they all see alike in reference to the ordinances of the
house of God. (8)
From China let us go directly to the Cape of Good Hope, and there an
Elder is preaching and baptizing people into the kingdom of God, and
when they get into this kingdom they begin to read and understand, and
to prophesy, and if they are not checked in the gifts, you will hear
them speak in tongues. Let me say here, to the Latter-day Saints, it is
frequently asked by our brethren, "Why do not the people speak with
tongues?" We do, and we speak with tongues that you can understand, and
Paul says he would rather speak five or ten words in a language that
can be understood, than many in a language that can not be. This is
what he conveyed. We speak with tongues that can be understood; but the
reason that we do not encourage this little, particular, peculiar gift,
which is for the edifying of some few in the Church, I have not time to
explain. But to my witness again, who is on the stand. You take men,
women and families from the cape of Good Hope, from the northern seas,
China, the East Indies, or the islands of the sea, and let them receive
the Gospel and come here, and, just as long as they live so as to enjoy
the Spirit of the holy Gospel they have obeyed, there are no questions
asked with regard to doctrine. We will now go a step further. (9)
Here is a great bone of contention with regard to political affairs.
The world say "Why do not these Latter-day Saints get up their mass
meetings, and sustain this, that or the other one, and be like other
people in a political point of view?" Why do we not sustain these
advocates who are now in the field, and join, and be one with, some one
or other of the political parties of the country? We have no desire to
do so, that is the reason. If we had the privilege of voting in,
independent of all other people on this land of America, or in the
United States, the man who should serve as president, we should cast
about to find the most suitable man, and he would be the nominee, and
when his name came before the people, every man and woman who had the
privilege of putting their vote in the ballot box would vote for that
man, asking no questions. Our friends in the political world say, "We
do not like this oneness." (10)
The ministers in the pulpit, the politicians in the bar room, on the
steam boat, in the rail cars, in the halls of Congress or in the
legislatures, say, "We do not like this oneness," and still the priest
and the deacon are praying continually, according to the Scripture
testimony, that the Saints may be one. Well, where will you have them
one? Just name those particular points wherein and how this people who
profess to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be one. How far shall
we go? If we had the privilege of voting for the presidential nominees
to-day, General Grant would solicit the vote of every "Mormon" man and
woman, and the cry would be, "Vote for me. Be one and vote unitedly. Do
not be divided in your votes, but vote for me." Mr. Greeley would
preach the same doctrine - "Do not vote for Grant, vote for me." And
when a governor, member of Congress, or any other officer was in the
field they would all contend for this oneness, but each one would say,
"I want you should be one with me." "Well, but your neighbor, your
competitor, is perhaps quite as good a man as you are." "That is no
difference, he is my enemy, my opponent, and I wish to beat him if I
possibly can, I want this place." But when you come to the Latter-day
Saints, if they can get the right man, the best man they can find, they
unitedly cast their ballots into the ballot-box to make that man
president, governor, representative, or any other officer; and if we
learn that he is not as talented as some other man, perhaps not so
capable of filling the office as his neighbor, better be united on and
with him, and give him your faith and your prayers, and he will answer
every purpose, and will fulfil his mission to your satisfaction, and
far better than if you were to quarrel, contend and argue over the
matter, for where they do this the inhabitants of the earth, if they
did but know it, have an internal influence to contend against. Take
for instance, the financial circles, the commerce of the world, those
business men, where they have their opponents they have an internal
influence to contend against, whether they know it or not; and that
power, with all the secrecy of the grave, I might say, will seek to
carry out their schemes unknown to their opponents, in order that they
may win. Like the man at the table with the cards in his hands, unseen
by any but himself, he will take the advantage as far as he can. So
says the politician. So say the world of Christendom, so say the world
of the heathens, and it is party upon party, sect after sect, division
upon division, and we are all for ourselves, and each one is willing
that we should be one in our faith, feelings and actions, if we will be
one with him. (11)
Well, this witness that is on the stand can not be set aside or
overcome; it is a witness that the world of mankind can not impeach,
neither the testimony which it imparts. Take people from China, India,
Africa, Europe, the North Pole or the South Pole, give them the Gospel
and they are one. It was not Joseph Smith, neither is it Brigham Young
that makes them one; it is neither the high council nor the First
Presidency that makes them one, but it is the power of God unto
salvation that makes the Later-day Saints one in heart, in spirit, in
action, in their religious faith and ordinances, and in their dealings,
where they are honest and live their religion. That makes them one, no
matter who they are, where they are, or upon what subject, if it be a
subject worthy the attention of the people. Our religion descends to
the whole life of man, although some, sometimes, say, there is divine
law, there is human law, and there are principles which pertain to our
religion and there are principles which pertain to the philosophy of
the world. But let me here say to you, that the philosophy of the
religion of heaven incorporates every truth that there is in heaven, on
earth, or in hell. (12)
Now, we wish to be one and to understand the Gospel. Receive the Gospel
and the spirit of it and we will be one. All Christendom would say,
'Come go with us, come go with us and we will do you good." We can say
the same - "Come go with us, and we will do you good." We will tell you
how to be saved. How far does the Christian religion go? Let every man
look at it, read, pray meditate, call upon the Lord, and judge for
himself. I say that that which is commonly called the Christian
religion is far from civilizing the world, and far from making the
Christian world one, far from bringing the disciples to be of one heart
and one mind. They say that there are a great many of these
nonessentials that we differ about. Very true, they are non-essentials,
and they are pretty much all of them non-essentials. Believing in the
Lord Jesus Christ is very essential; believing in God, his Father, and
our Father, is very essential; having faith in the name of Jesus is
very essential. On these points they all agree, and we agree with them,
and they with us; but it is very different when we come to the laws and
ordinances of the kingdom of God. (13)
It has been read to you here what Jesus said to his disciples - "I will
drink no more with you of this wine – the juice of the vine - until I
drink with you anew in my Father's kingdom." Jesus undertook to
establish the kingdom of God upon the earth. He introduced the laws and
ordinances of the kingdom. What was the result? After killing the Son
of God, they could not even let the Apostles live; they could not let
Paul live, who was not a believer in the days of Jesus, but an opposer,
and who, after the death of the Savior, hunted and sought all who
believed on him, for the purpose of imprisoning and punishing them, and
he was the very man who held the clothes of the young men who stoned
Stephen to death. (14)
What did they do with the rest of them? Crucified them, stoned them,
mangled them, and so on, with the exception, I suppose, of John. As
long as any of the disciples of the Savior was on the earth they were
hunted and persecuted, and the cry of their enemies was, "Do not leave
their track until they are exterminated," just as it is now with regard
to the Latter-day Saints - "Do not leave their track, go where they go,
introduce every iniquity you can, and do as they did in ancient days." (15)
How did they do then? You can read the account given of our first
parents. Along came a certain character and said to Eve - you know
women are of tender heart, and he could operate on this tender heart -
"The Lord knows that in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt not
surely die, but if thou wilt take of this fruit and eat thereof thine
eyes will be opened and thou wilt see as the Gods see;" and he worked
upon the tender heart of mother Eve until she partook of the fruit, and
her eyes were opened. He told the truth. And they say now, "Do this
that your eyes may be opened, that you may see; do this that you may
know thus and so." In the days of Jesus and his Apostles the same power
was operating, and, actuated by that, men hunted them until the last
one was banished from human society, and until the Christian religion
was so perverted that the people received it with open hands, arms,
mouth and heart. It was adulterated until it was congenial to the
wicked heart, and they received the Gospel as they supposed. But that
was the time they commenced little by little to transgress the laws,
change the ordinances, and break the everlasting covenant, and the
Gospel of the kingdom that Jesus undertook to establish in his day and
the priesthood were taken from the earth. (16)
But the Lord has again set his hand to gather Israel, to redeem his
people and to establish his kingdom on the earth, and the enemy of all
righteousness says, "We have got plenty of religion, we have got plenty
of followers, we have plenty of money, we have plenty of influence,
never leave the track of the Latter-day Saints until they are used up."
Well, it is God and them for it, as far as that is concerned; that is
not for me to say anything about. We are here, and the Gospel we have
got makes us of one heart and mind in all the affairs of life; and the
philosophy of our religion embraces all the true philosophy, every art
and every science there is on the face of the whole earth, and when
they step outside the pale of the Christian religion, the power of God
and the priesthood of the Son of God, they step out of the kingdom of
heaven, and they then have cisterns that will hold no water, systems
that will not bear scrutinizing. I know that a great many of the
scientific men of the world philosophize upon this, that and the other
thing. (17) Geologists
will tell us the earth has stood so many millions of years. Why?
Because the Valley of Western Colorado, here, could not have washed out
without taking such a length of time. What do they know about it?
Nothing in comparison. They also reason about the age of the world by
the marvelous specimens of petrification that are sometimes discovered.
Now we can show them plenty of places where there are trees, perfect
stone, running into the solid rock, and perhaps the rock is forty,
fifty, or a hundred feet above the tree. Yet it is a perfect tree.
There is the bark, there is the heart, and there is the outer-coating
between the heart and the bark, all perfect rock. How long did it take
to make this tree into rock? We do not know. I can tell them, simply
this - when the Lord Almighty brings forth the power of his chemistry
he can combine the elements and make a tree into rock in one night or
one day, if he chooses, or he can let it lie until it pulverizes and
blows to the four winds, without petrifying, just as he pleases. He
brings together these elements as he sees proper, for he is the
greatest chemist there is. He knows more about chemistry and about the
formation of the earth and about dividing the earth, and more about the
mountains, valleys, rocks, hills, plains, and the sands than all the
scientific men that we have. This we can say of a truth. Well, if it
takes a million years to make a perfect rock of one kind of a tree, say
a cedar tree, how long would it take to make a perfect rock of a
cottonwood tree? Let the chemists tell this, if they can, but they can
not tell it. (18)
Our religion embraces chemistry; it embraces all the knowledge of the
geologist, and then it goes a little further than their systems of
argument, for the Lord almighty, its author, is the greatest chemist
there is. Will any of the chemists tell us what the Lord did with the
elements in Wisconsin, and in Chicago, Illinois, last Fall? They made a
flaming fire of the heavens, the elements were melted with fervent
heat. This was a chemical process, but can any of our chemists tell how
it was brought about? I think not. But there were certain elements
which lost their cohesive properties, and a change occurred, and the
result was this terrible fire. So it will be when, as the Scriptures
foretell, "the elements shall melt with fervent heat." The Lord
Almighty will send forth his angels, who are well instructed in
chemistry, and they will separate the elements and make new
combinations thereof, and the whole heavens will be a sheet of fire.
Well, our religion embraces this; and we know of no laws, no
ordinances, no gifts, no principles, no arts, no sciences that are
true, but what are embraced in the religion of Jesus Christ, in this
Priesthood, which is a perfect system of government. (19)
If anybody wants to know what the priesthood of the Son of God is, it
is the law by which the worlds are, were, and will continue for ever
and ever. It is that system which brings worlds into existence and
peoples them, gives them their revolutions - their days, weeks, months,
years, their seasons and times and by which they are rolled up as a
scroll, as it were, and go into a higher state of existence; and they
who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ - the maker, framer, governor,
dictator and controller of this earth - they who live according to his
law and priesthood will be prepared to dwell on this earth when it is
brought into the presence of the Father and the Son. (20)
This is the habitation of the Saints; this is the earth that will be
given to the Saints, when they and it are sanctified and glorified, and
brought back into the presence of the Father and the Son. (21) This
is our religion, and I bear testimony to it; and this oneness which the
Latter-day Saints possess, which is now so much contended against and
hated by the christian world, in a political, financial, philosophical,
and every other respect and capacity, is the power of God unto
salvation, and is not produced by the influence or power of man, and
this witness cannot be impeached - it is impossible to impeach it. This
is our testimony, and this is one witness, one testimony that the
Gospel which we preach is the Gospel that God has revealed for the
salvation of the children of men, and it will bring all the sons and
daughters of Adam and Eve into a state of glory and happiness that is
far beyond their conception, or any ideas that thy have ever received
while in this wicked world; and this glory the Lord has prepared in his
mansion for his children. (22)
"Well," says one, if I am pretty sure to get a state of glory better
than this, I guess I will not take the trouble to inherit anything
more." Well, run the risk of it, every man on the earth has that
privilege. The Gospel is preached, sin revives, some die and some
contend against it - some receive it and some do not; but this is the
sin of the people - truth is told them and they reject it. This is the
sin of the world, "Light has come into the world, but men love darkness
rather than light, because their deeds are evil." So said Jesus in his
day. We say, Here is the Gospel of life and salvation, and every one
that will receive it, glory, honor, immortality and eternal life are
theirs; if they reject it, they take their chance. I hope and pray that
we may all be wise and receive the good part, that we may have the
benefit thereof. (23)
I say to the Latter-day Saints, Will you live your religion? You can
see people apostatizing from the Church, but what is the result? Ask
every apostate who ever received the spirit of this work, "Can you go
and enjoy any other religion?" Not one of them. Have you never known
persons leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and join
any other church? Certainly I have, and pretty good people. (24)
I recollect one old lady that we left in the States. She said she was
too old to gather up with the Saints. Her friends were Baptists, she
lived in the midst of them and joined their church. Sit down and talk
with her - "Sister, how do you feel?" "Just as I have always felt."
"Are you satisfied with this religion you have joined?" "I believe in
the work I embraced years ago. 'Mormonism' is true, and I believe it
just as I always have. But here are my home and my friends, and I
fellowship them as far as they do right - as far as they believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ. They want I should be a member of their church and I
do not know that it hurts me to be so." "Are you satisfied to accept
their religion and none else?" Says she, "I care no more about it than
I did while in the midst of the Latter-day Saints; but here are my
friends and home. By and by I shall sleep in the grave;" and there she
is today, sleeping with those who have laid their bodies down to rest.
This is one instance. But you take men and women with youth and vigor,
who apostatize from the truth, and are they satisfied with anything
else? No, and they are not satisfied with themselves. (25) They
are not beloved by God nor by Angels, nor by their families. Are they
beloved by the enemy of all righteousness and his fellow associates?
No. They say to the apostate, "You are a hypocrite, a traitor, a
deceiver, and if you are not a false witness we ask who is, for you
have testified hundreds and thousands of times, that, by the power of
God and the revelations of Jesus Christ, you knew Joseph Smith was a
Prophet, and that this latter-day work was true, and now you say it is
not true." "When did you tell the truth?" says Mr. Devil, "then or
now?" Says he, "I despise you;" and they hate themselves and everybody
else. They have no fellowship for their neighbors, for the Latter-day
Saints nor for any Christian denomination, and I do not know where in
the world they can be placed. This is the condition of an apostate. (26)
But while this is the condition of those who apostatize from our Church
how is it with those who leave any of the sectarian churches, after
having been a Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, or Congregationalist?
Why they go from church to church, and feel just the same as before? Is
not this true? Yes, I know it is; not that I have passed from one to
another myself, but I have been acquainted with those who have. Did I
fellowship them? I fellowshipped them no more than I do now. I
fellowship everything that is good and virtuous, everything that is
truthful and good; but sin I do not fellowship in them, nor in a
Latter-day Saint, or one who professes to be so. (27)
I fellowship all good, and we have it. It is all right, and if we have
error, it is because we do not live according to the Gospel that we
have embraced. If we have embraced error in our faith, it is because we
do not understand our own doctrine; if we have error in our lives, it
is because we deviate from the path of rectitude that God has marked
out for us to walk in. (28)
May the Lord help us to do right. Amen. (29)
1) Christians should never be ashamed of the good news of Jesus Christ.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of
God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also
for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from
faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:16-17.
2) Christians are people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for eternal life.
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of
faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have
confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1
Timothy 6:11-12.
3) Brigham Young did not preach the Christian message.
For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach
Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks
foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:22-24.
4) Christians are saved by faith while faithless Mormons are without Jesus Christ.
But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for
the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our
tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But
after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Galatians 3:23-25.
5) Faithless Mormons do not have the Christian Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to
you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you
are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless
you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I
also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third
day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then
by the twelve. 1 Corinthians 15:1-5.
6) Christians will have a testimony of Jesus Christ not an “oneness” of a cult.
He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who
does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed
the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony:
that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 1 John
5:10-11.
7) Not everyone who calls themselves Christians are Christians. For example Mormons.
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in
the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but
there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of
Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any
other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:6-9.
8) Baptism is not the Christian Gospel.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no
effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1
Corinthians 1:17-18.
9) The kingdom of God will not be physically located in Utah.
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would
come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with
observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed,
the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21.
10) Polygamist Mormons such as Brigham Young were career criminals.
The Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act (37th United States Congress, Sess. 2., ch.
126, 12 Stat. 501) was a federal enactment of the United States
Congress that was signed into law on July 8, 1862 by President Abraham
Lincoln. Sponsored by Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont, the act banned
bigamy and limited church and non-profit ownership in any territory of
the United States to $50,000.[1] The act was designed to target the
Mormon practice of plural marriage and the property dominance of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Utah Territory.
11) Christianity is a relationship between God and each person resulting in good works.
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the
blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus
Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every
lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for
good works. Titus 2:11-14.
12) The Christian witness is of Jesus Christ not of a religion.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His
servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and
signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the
word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that
he saw. Revelation 1:1-2.
13) Christians are saved by faith while faithless Mormons are without Jesus Christ.
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being
witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God,
through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there
is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God,
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood,
through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His
forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously
committed,
to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be
just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans
3:21-26.
14) The kingdom of God will not be physically located in Utah.
Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of
God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in
the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:16-17.
15) Mormon suffering was not persecution but the consequence of unjust slander.
And thus, even as I have said, if ye are faithful ye shall assemble
yourselves together to rejoice upon the land of Missouri, which is the
land of your inheritance, which is now the land of your enemies.
Doctrines and Covenants 52:42, June 7, 1831.
16) Confessing Christians have been on the earth in all ages since Jesus Christ.
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon
Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My
Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and
on this rock (confession) I will build My church, and the gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:16-18.
17) Confessing Christians have been on the earth in all ages since Jesus Christ.
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your
heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart
one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. Romans 10:8-10.
18) Creation scientists have proven that most change in the earth’s crust has occurred through catastrophes.
By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with
godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which
he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is
according to faith. Hebrews 11:7.
19) Jesus Christ wants a relationship with you not religious exercises.
This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after
He was raised from the dead. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus
said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than
these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said
to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon,
son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know
that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the
third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved
because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to
Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said
to him, “Feed My sheep.” John 21:14-17.
20) The Christian God is not the bogus Mormon priesthood and Brigham Young did not comprehend it.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through
Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life,
and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5.
21) The future habitation of Christians will be with God.
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the
first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John,
saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice
from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He
will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be
with them and be their God.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no
more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for
the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4.
22) The Christian witness is of Jesus Christ not of the bogus Mormon priesthood.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
23) Faithless Mormons are not saved despite the boastings of Brigham Young.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should
boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.
24) A relationship with Jesus Christ will not be found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My
word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our
home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the
word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. John
14:23-24.
25) A relationship with Jesus Christ will not be found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O
Lord, come! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be
with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. 1 Corinthians 16:22-24.
26) The Christian testimony of Jesus Christ stands in contrast to the Mormon testimony of Joseph Smith.
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was
given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by
Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ
was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly
waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also
confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the
fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9.
27) Christian fellowship is centered on Jesus Christ not upon an incorporated church.
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of
all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be
found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is
from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His
resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to
His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the
dead. Philippians 3:7-11.
28) Christian fellowship is centered on Jesus Christ not upon an incorporated church.
This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you,
that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we
have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not
practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His
Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7.
29) Brigham Young never did the work of God.
Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of
God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that
you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:28-29.