1. 1843 December, pp. 370–71—A Letter from America—mentions Captain Jones
2. 1844 July, pp. 213–15—The Mormons or the Latter-day Saints in America
3. 1845 November, p. 356—prophecy that the world would end in a week
4. 1846 August, pp. 137–43—A Paraphrase of Mormonism—Nodach Chambers
5. 1847 May, pp. 144–46—The Deceiving Mormons by A Hater of Deceit
6. 1847 July, pp. 212–13—The False Prophets by A Hater of Deceit from Blackwood
7. 1847 September, pp. 286–87—The False Prophets—Who Are They?
8. 1847 December, p. 391—Mormon Miracle—See PJ 1848, p. 3 for DJ reaction.
9. 1848 January, pp. 12–13—Letter from Benjamin Job Davies to his brother Thomas Job
10. 1848 February, p. 68—a brief paragraph by Dewi
11. 1849 July, p. 226—a brief paragraph entitled “the Saint in distress”
12. 1849 September, p. 289—“The Mormons in California” S. S. Snow, Millerite
13. 1850 February, p. 68a—Latter-day Saints being fined for illegally fishing
14. 1850 February, p. 68b—“The Saints”—paragraph & 16 lines of poetry
15. 1850 March, p. 100—Elder in a Predicament
16. 1850 October, p. 323—meaning of “Mormon” is “humbug” [also Baptist 1850, October, p. 324]
17. 1850 November, p. 356—paragraph quoting Evan Jones, Miner, Pennsylvania
18. 1851 February, p. 66—a brief paragraph “Emigration of the Merthyr Mormons
19. 1851 May, p. 162—how Mormons get paid in food for their preaching
20. 1851 June, pp. 176–77—Eta Delta laments that Mormons are converting so many
21. 1851 August, p. 258—Virtue of the Saints—2 elders stole a blanket
22. 1851 September, p. 290—woman from Carmarthenshire became wife of Dan Jones
23. 1851 December, pp. 298–300—Liars and Deceivers of the Latter Days—Eta Delta
24. 1852 March, p. 100—article New York Daily Times about Elder Snow and two wives
25. 1852 March, p. 100—H. C. Kimball has many wives
26. 1852 May, p. 164—“Mormon Miracle”—about a boilermaker
27. 1852 August, pp. 243–46—The Present Times—Gwesyn’s critique of J. Lewis’s article
28. 1852 August, pp. 246–47—A review of “Y Doniau Gwyrthiol”—by the editor
29. 1852 September, p. 253—focuses on John Jones, Llangollen
30. 1852 September, pp. 272–75—The Present Times—response of J. Lewis to Gwesyn
31. 1852 November, pp. 339–44—Gwesyn rebuts J. Lewis again—quote from the MS
32. 1852 December, pp. 376–77—Review of “Lectures on the Deceit of Mormonism”

Revivalist, December 1843—pp. 370–71

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2195622/13#?xywh=-62%2C0%2C2303%2C3521

A Letter From America

A section of the letter by John, son of the Rev. S. Griffiths, Horeb.

Cincinnati, July 26, 1843.

Dear Parents,—It gives me great pleasure to write to my dear father and mother, who lovingly reared me, and instructed me in the right way.

I thank God for having good parents, not only to provide me with food and clothing, when I was young, but also, you took care early on to plant the principles of the Christian religion in my mind—I shall never forget them; the innumerable pieces of advice I received from you, they are in my mind, and before my eyes; they have been of much benefit to me many a time; concerning my religious experience, I am neither very cold, nor very fervent. I receive continual pleasure in the ways of religion; in this way, between hope and fear, I trust that I may come presently to land in the heavenly Canaan. Pray for me, that I may follow the example of the Great King, and adorn the ways of religion in the wilderness of the damp west.

We all are well, and contented, getting enough food and clothing, and enough paid work. Opportunities to worship are frequent, twice during the week, and four times on the Sabbath. On the fourth of July, we held a temperance meeting in the woods, about three miles out of town, 25 joined for the first time. Despite the cheapness of alcohol here, I am glad to say that almost all the Welsh are abstainers. You can see that we don’t need any goodness, everything being almost as we would wish it. May the Lord pour his Spirit on us, that we may feel our poverty as sinners, and that we may pray earnestly for forgiveness.

I shall recount a little of my journey to Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois. I left this town on the 7^th of March, and because the mate was a Welshman, I was allowed to go as a hand on the ship, to load and unload;—I wasn’t thinking of going further than St. Louis, but because the weather was too cold to go to Iowa, I started out on the first of April to Missouri, a 600-mile journey; I saw a lot of Indians in the woods—some of them came to the steamboat. When I was in Llandysul, I heard tell that there were Welsh Indians around the Missouri river. When they were speaking together, I listened to hear what language they were speaking, but to my disappointment, they spoke neither Welsh nor English—­their clothing was of wild cattle skins, loose like a cloak. After having gone about 600 miles I went to a small village, and I was greatly surprised to see some people from north Wales there; but now, I have been led to understand that some Welsh have gone to every part of this country, where white men have gone. After three weeks I returned to St. Louis. By this time the Welsh I had left there had gone to have a look at Iowa; Captain Jones, the brother of Rev. Jones, Rhydybont, offered to take me on his vessel, 150 miles upriver, and along the Des Moines River, but I didn’t go. A Welshman by the name of Roberts and I went about five or six hundred miles along the Mississippi river, to Galena and Dubuque; there I met three Welsh people, who had been searching out the quality of Iowa—­they didn’t think much of the country; they thought that there was too much open land (prairie) there, and too little wood—and that it was too inconvenient to trade; therefore the researchers returned home, each one to his old abode;—I worked there for four weeks; for the meeting on the Sabbath I was going to Galena—there were some very good sermons there, even though they weren’t in my mother tongue; I was able to understand them very well; three of us returned to St. Louis. On our journey we landed in a town called Nauvoo, where Joe Smith, the Mormon, and his followers are to be found; it is not yet three years since the place was established, and there are about 25,000 Mormons there already. Recently Joe was going to perform miracles to deceive the people by walking on the water; in the night he positioned some kind of benches with steps, with about a foot between them and the surface of the water—­but some rascal came to know about this, and he pulled one of the benches away;—the next morning crowds came to see the miracle. Joe started to walk easily, thinking to cross safely but abruptly went head over heels to the bottom. It is a wonder how ready men are to disregard the Son of God, and to follow heretics. I heard that Joe was in prison; I was in St. Louis for a month. There were Catholics wherever I went; however the Presbyterians, the Baptists and the Wesleyans were far more numerous, and gaining ground more quickly. I say from my heart, may they succeed in eradicating all the heresies, and may the name of the Man who was crucified become the object of praise through the whole world. Your loving son,

John Griffiths.

Revivalist, July 1844, pp. 213–15

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The Mormons or the Latter-day Saints in America

Mr. Editor—The following lines are a quotation from a letter received lately from persons in Merthyr, from a friend by the name of Thomas Williams, from America (the State of Ohio), to reveal the deceit and arrogance of those wretches who falsely call themselves Latter-day Saints or Mormons. Strange how easy it is to sow and reap heresies in this age, and that to some extent because of the idleness of those who have abilities to work, and the deviation of the teachers of the congregations from the commandment to, “Teach all the nations, and preach the gospel to every creature, etc.” I was prompted to put these things before the public, through the means of your praiseworthy publication, with respectable zeal for the truth, and because of the destructive and damnable heresies that have reached many of the areas of south Wales, and because some brazen-faced rascals are vigorously sowing these destructive tares in the neighborhood in which I reside. The account as it follows is as close as I was able to understand it; it was extremely difficult to read it because of the effort of the writer to record many things in a small amount of space:

The Rev. Solomon Spaulding, who was well known for his lively imagination, and his great fondness for history, was living in New Salem (a town in the State of Ohio), and in that place there were numerous mounds and ruins of forts of a race now extinct. These ancient relics arrest the attention of the settlers, and objects of research for the curious; numerous implements and arms were found, which showed the great skill in the arts of those who made them. Now, Mr. Spaulding being an educated man, and passionately fond of history, took a lively interest in these developments of history; and in order to beguile the hours of his retirement, and to furnish employment for his lively imagination, he conceived the idea of giving an historical sketch of this long-lost race, etc. And he wrote in the most ancient style, and as the Old Testament is the most ancient book in the world, he imitated its style as nearly as possible.

His sole object in writing this historical romance was to amuse himself and his neighbors. This was about the year 1813. As he progressed in his narrative, the neighbors would come in from time to time to hear portions read, and a great interest in the work was excited among them. It claimed to have been written by one of the lost nations, and to have been recovered from the earth, and assumed the title of Manuscript Found. Mr. Spaulding died in the year 1816. After the Book of Mormon came out, a copy of it was taken to New Salem, the place of Mr. Spaulding’s former residence, the very place where the Manuscript Found was written. A woman preacher appointed a meeting there, and in the meeting copious extracts were read from the book of Mr. Spaulding. The historical part was immediately recognized by the older inhabitants, as the work of Mr. S., which had been deeply impressed on their minds years before. Mr. John Spaulding, the brother of the said Solomon Spaulding, an eminently pious man, and he recognized the work of his brother. He was amazed when he realized that the work of his sainted brother had been used to so wicked a purpose; his grief found vent in a flood of tears, and he arose on the spot and expressed in the meeting his deep sorrow and his deep regret that the writings of his brother should be used in such a way. Consequently, the excitement in New Salem became so great that the inhabitants sent Dr. Philastus Hurlbut, one of their number, to repair to this place to obtain the original manuscript of Mr. Spaulding for the purpose of comparing it with the Mormon bible, to satisfy their own minds, and to prevent their friends from embracing such deceit; this took place in the year 1834. Mr. Hurlbut brought with him, when he came, a request for the manuscript, signed by Henry Luke, Aaron Wright, and others. This historical romance, with the addition of a few pious expression from parts of Solomon’s manuscript, was made into a new bible given to a company of deluded fanatics as a divine book! Thomas Williams said that he saw the book and that it was the size of the Dual-language Testament. The Mormons now say that it is the book spoken of in Isaiah 23:11, 12. These heretics are going forward very successfully, deceiving and being deceived. They have raised up a strong party which has (they say) gone to the land of promise, their Canaan, which is on the banks of the Mississippi River. When they arrived there they began to take possession of the lands of the inhabitants and carried out a great slaughter. The government of Illinois gave notice of a reward for catching Joe Smith, their mayor, which was in vain to a certain extent; its capital city is Nauvoo (similar to Jerusalem). The organization of Nauvoo at present is completely under charter after receiving it from the government of Illinois. They have a Senate, the actions of which are an echo of the wish of the prophet. I shall give two examples of their legislation, which are at present in full force in the city; namely an excellent statute for the excellent case of Joe Smith and others. (A preface addresses the difficulties of Smith with Missouri.) First paragraph. “Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Nauvoo, according to the intent and meaning of the Charter for the benefit and convenience of Nauvoo, that hereafter, if any person or persons shall come with process, demand, or requisition, founded upon the aforesaid Missouri difficulties, to arrest said Joseph Smith, he or they so offending shall be subject to be arrested by any officer of the city, with or without process, and tried by the Municipal Court, upon testimony, and, if found guilty, sentenced to imprisonment in the city prison for life; which convict or convicts can only be pardoned by the Governor, with the consent of the Mayor of said city. Passed, December 8, 1843, Joseph Smith, Mayor, William Richards, Recorder.” Such an excellent government! The right to pardon from the governor!! A life in prison from the legislation of the city!! Another one of less danger; legislation for the health and comfort of travelers and others. Part 1. “Be it ordained by the City Council of Nauvoo, that the Mayor of the city be and is hereby authorized to sell or give spirits of any quantity as he in his wisdom shall judge to be for the health and comfort, or convenience of such travelers or other persons as shall visit his house from time to time. Passed December 12, 1843. Joseph S., Mayor; W. R., Recorder.” The primary purpose of the latter is to give to the Mayor of the city, J. S., who is a tavern keeper, an independent merchant, the right to sell spirits to travelers, etc., without a license!! Wicked and deceitful men who become worse and worse by deceiving and by being deceived. February 26, (Ohio Observer), about 150 persons landed who had drunk deeply of Satanic Mormon drugs before coming from Nauvoo, and who left the following day to go to New Orleans, likely on their return to England, from which place the majority had come, after having had so much of their fill of Joseph Smith and his wizardry. Success to the pure gospel of the New Testament to go forward in its invincible strength, to drive every unscriptural tradition and every heresy that may arise in its proper place.

Merthyr.

R. P. D.

Revivalist, November 1845, p. 356

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2196431/31#?xywh=-184%2C-202%2C2631%2C4024

Much more strange—One of the “Latter-day Saints” a few days ago prophesied in Devonport that the world would end in a week. Having proclaimed his prophecy, he went to a cobbler to order a pair of good, strong shoes; the craftsman having taken the order said that he had enough work for a week already, and looking at the shoes on the prophet’s feet, told him that he didn’t think that he would need the shoes, as those that were on his feet would be able to last a week. Despite the prophecy, and the cobbler’s opinion, he ordered him to make the shoes. Such is the saintliness of the latter days.

[The odd “title” for this paragraph is because of the previous 4-line paragraph which reads: Something Strange—One William Mills lives near Londonderry, over one hundred years old, healthy and joyful, and lives comfortably with his eighth wife!]

Revivalist, August 1846, pp. 137–43

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2196729/8#?xywh=-1216%2C1290%2C4694%2C3589

Paraphrase of Mormonism

Nodach Chambers

There is a common saying “Too much of anything is not good,” and perhaps there is no kind of excess more dangerous than an excess in a kind of exaggerated saintly feeling. With respect to excess or extremes in religion, that which originates either from deception, or from some intense passion, it can be said that mankind has witnessed many frightful examples. During the last thousand years [1] no fewer than twenty false Christian religions have appeared, besides countless hosts of men who have proclaimed themselves to be prophets sent from God in a special manner. History is filled with the behavior of these audacious deceivers, and their short-lived success in stealing the confidence and trust of their followers. In order to give a rough overview, and to put the weak-minded on alert, lest he be charmed by the lies and deceit of such dangerous charlatans, we are inclined to present to the reader who might be susceptible to be charmed in this manner, a little of the history of the founder of the false and deceptive religion, which is known these days by the name of Mormonism, or the Latter-day Saints.

This party is called, or, rather, calls itself by the name of Mormons, derived from a work which is called the Book of Mormon, which they say is the fruit of continuous inspiration and revelation; and as such is received as a standard work and Bible of the sect.

The beginning of the Book of Mormon, which has been printed two or three times in North America, and once in Britain, in 1841, is similar to this: A few years ago, a young man by the name of Joseph Smith, the founder and apostle and prophet of the Mormons, in the United States, became unusually well known in the art of digging for gold and silver. It was commonly believed by the ordinary folk of that republic, that great sums of money, and great piles of gold plates, had been hidden in the earth by the Buccaneers [2], as well as those who cooperated with them in the revolution, after the time of the Buccaneers. He had undertaken to reveal such treasures, through some enchantments, a stratagem that is normally approached by the destitute and crafty; and Joseph Smith, as we have a highly reliable witness, distinguished himself particularly in such art. While he was engaged in this art, and its like, his own tale says that he received some revelations from heaven, in the environs of the religious denominations of the age. When he was thus honored the first time, he had gone to plead for divine enlightenment to clarify to him as to which one of all the religious denominations, which existed at that time, he should adopt as the purest denomination. In the meantime, says the account, a bright light appeared above his head; and he was taken up in the midst of it; and in the midst of the light he saw two angelic beings who told him that all his sins were forgiven him, that the whole world, with respect to their religious topics, had gone astray, and that he would have the truth revealed to him in due time. It happened that a second similar revelation told Smith that the remnants of the nation of Israel were the Indians who inhabited the continent of America, and that prophets and inspired men had been at one time in their midst, by whom the inspired records were hidden in a secret place, in order to preserve them from the hands of wicked men. On the morning of the twenty first of September, 1823, a third revelation told Smith that those records were to be found in a cavern [3] on a high hill, from the east side on the way of the mail [4] from Palmyra, Wayne County, the State of New York. Thus Joseph Smith immediately began to dig for the hiding place, and according to him, he found a stone chest which contained plates similar to gold, about eight inches in length and seven inches wide, and not completely covered with common tin. On those plates was inscribed the Book of Mormon, which book was called the Book of Mormon from the assumption that Mormon was the name of the sect which inscribed it and which hid it. Smith did not have permission to take the book from that place, until he was sufficiently educated in Egyptian, or of a later dialect of it, in which the engraved book had been composed. Finally, however, in September of the year 1827, Smith was judged to have sufficient skill as a linguist to translate the gold places; and he turned the Egyptian characters into English, and he published the English translation of the entire book in 1830. The work caused considerable commotion among the lower classes of the United States, and soon thereafter a sect was formed which was named “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” In preparing, or at least in publishing these deceitful revelations, Joseph Smith was assisted by his father, by someone named Harris, and by Rigdon, and others. At first there was but very little attention created about the deceit; but after he appeared to be digging at the root of religion and the religious practices of the common folk, especially the most unlearned of them, a bunch of the residents of Palmyra and Manchester [5], where the Smiths lived earlier, decided that their duty was to make the true character of the Smiths known to the world. Thus, about fifty of the gentlemen, of the professions [6], and of differing religious ideas, agreed to compose an affidavit [7], which reads as follows:

“Palmyra, New York, the fourth day of December, 1833. We, the undersigned, have been acquainted with the Smith family, for a number of years, while they resided near this place, and we have no hesitation in saying, that we consider them destitute of that moral character, which ought to entitle them to the confidence of any community. They were particularly famous for visionary projects, spent much of their time in digging for money which they pretended was hid in the earth; and to this day, large excavations may be seen in the earth, not far from their residence, where they used to spend their time in digging for hidden treasures. Joseph Smith, Senior, and his son Joseph, were in particular, considered entirely destitute of moral character, and addicted to vicious habits. Martin Harris was a man who had acquired a handsome property, and in matters of business his word was considered good; but on moral and religious subjects, he was perfectly visionary: sometimes advocating one sentiment, and sometimes another. And in reference to all with whom we were acquainted, that have embraced Mormonism from this neighborhood, we are compelled to say, were very visionary, and most of them destitute of moral character, and without influence in this community; and this may account why they were permitted to go on with their impositions undisturbed. It was not supposed that any of them were possessed of sufficient character or influence to make anyone believe their book or their sentiments, and we know not of a single individual in this vicinity that puts the least confidence in their pretended revelations.” [8]

A similar witness is given against the Smiths by a learned and respected man from Manchester. With respect to one who assisted Smith in the deceit and this ungodly ploy, it is shown in the affidavit in front of us, that he is a heedless and worthless wretch, who deserves neither the credibility or the trust of anyone—his name is Oliver Cowdery. Another name that is mentioned is Whitmer, another member of the satanic alliance, just as shameful as the others. It appears that the religion these miserable impostors intend to organize, is mixed with Christianity, taken from selected parts of the authorized English translation of the scriptures, and the whims of a bigoted and undersized mind. The Book of Mormon, on which the deceitful doctrines of this sect are founded, is similar in size and content to the Old Testament; and, to be exact, it contains two stories, or rather two different accounts.

The history or account of the Nephites, part of the tribe of Joseph, who, as it is claimed, emigrated from Jerusalem, under the direction of a prophet by the name of Nephi, and who were miraculously guided to America, fills the first part of the book. The account says that the Nephites were the ancestors of the Indians. It is said also that many years after their arrival they would obtain the records of the Jaredites, a lost nation, which came across to America about the time of the building of the Tower of Babel. The revelations of several prophets of these Jaredites and Nephites, and the continuous divine discussions about “my servant Joseph Smith,” an Apostle of this age, make up the sum and substance of the Book of Mormon. One of the main objectives, if not the only objective of the deceit, was to elevate Joseph Smith to be like the supreme president of the church, and for other offices to be filled with creatures who are subject to his will, and participants of the spoils of the unfortunate deceived. This sect has two different holy orders. One is the order of Melchizedek, or the high priesthood; and the other is the order of Aaron, or the lower priesthood, which includes bishops, priests, teachers, and deacons. The higher order is to have charge of the spiritual edification of the church; and the other order is to have charge of the temporal affairs, and procedures of the church. There are three holders of the Melchizedek priesthood or high priests who are appointed presidents, to preside over the entire church throughout the world; and these leaders are called the office of the three Melchizedeks. Also, there are lower leaders to preside over the towns and areas; and those who hold these offices are called stakes. [9]

The harangues [10] of the Mormon preachers, being full of references to the holy scriptures, are woven in a very cunning way for the purpose of deceiving and confusing the minds of the ignorant listeners; but if they are carefully examined it will be seen that the claims contained in the entire system appear to be remarkably absurd and evil. The Book of Mormon from its beginning to its end is full of lies and deception. The peculiar style of the holy writings is borrowed throughout the entire book; and with respect to the words and names there are many different languages that are used, which proves clearly that the false contemporary author and all the business of our age are before him. The difficulty as to how the Indians came to possess red skin, which is so different from that of the Jews, is explained immediately, and very easily, by means of a miracle. It is said that their skin became read as a punishment for their sins. Things are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, and we know very well that such things were not invented until much later. For example, it is said by the prophet Nephi, in reference to some conflict that took place while on his voyage to America, as follows: “And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass [11], and it did work whither I desired it.” It is clear that the writer, here, besides antedating the magnetic polarization of the compass by many centuries, misunderstands completely the usefulness of the compass. Once when rather hard pressure was put on one of the Mormon elders about this mistake, he referred to the account of Paul’s voyage, where there is a sentence similar to this in the English translation: [original in English] “We fetched a compass and came to Rhegium.” But the Welsh translation reads as follows: “After going around and around, we came to Rhegium.” It is quite clear that a misinterpretation of a section that does not contain any more than sailing around, was the cause of the blunder [12] portrayed in the place in question by the author of the Book of Mormon. In a story in the newspaper called Atheneum, “the account of the figurative Israelites continues through the Book of Enos, the Book of Jarom, the Book of Zeniff and others; and through them all, we have remarkable proof, not only of deceit, but also of the ignorance of the deceiver, being visited by some particular stiffneckedness. Every prophet thereafter foretells the coming of Christ. The writer succumbs to the common error of mistaking the name of an office for a proper noun; for, as every scholar knows, the word Christ is not considered a proper noun, rather as a title of an office, signifying Anointed, which, in fact, is nothing but the translation of the Hebrew Messiah. It is true that the word Christ, in later ages, and through corruption which has now become customary and established, is used by western Christians as if it were a proper noun, or at the very least as a word with an untranslatable meaning; but such an error is not only a later error but also one which has been avoided by the majority of the eastern churches. Now the use of a Greek word, in an age when Greek was not being used, and by a people for whom it was impossible for the Greeks to have any kind of dealings with them; and also by some with a native language of such a peculiar construction, so that it did not suffer any kind of foreign mixture, we would suppose this to be a very clear sign of deceit and fabrication, so that it should have, long before this, betrayed the whole system. Nephi, the second, takes up the account at a time that is contemporaneous with the happenings that are mentioned in the New Testament. He affirms that our Lord, after his resurrection, appeared to the Nephites; and the words he attributes to him betray all the more clearly the ignorance of the deceiver. They are as follows: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God—I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.” And again, “I am the light of life and of the world. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” In addition to the foregoing clumsiness, with respect to the word “Christ,” we have here the word Jesus in its Roman clothing, and not “Jehovah,” as the Hebrews called him; but besides that, we also have here the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet, given as a description of eternal existence, and that to a nation who had never heard of the Greek language. It is clear that the writer has mistaken Alpha and Omega for some mystic [13] and sacred sounds, which he supposed had some special saintliness associated with them; and he wrote them in his book and failed to notice that by so doing he offered such definite proof of fiction that children learning the alphabet could not fail to perceive. The story, which we quoted above, gives a hint about the beginning of all the Mormon deceit; for Joseph Smith, as we shall presently show, was a man so illiterate that he could hardly have invented even the madness that is in the Book of Mormon. Some priest by the name of Solomon Spaulding, after putting aside his ministry, went to a place called Cherry Valley in New York, to manage and deal with some business in which he failed [14] in 1809. In the meantime. burial mounds in North America were causing some commotion and remarkable interest. That struck an idea in Spaulding’s head that he could solve all the world’s confusion by composing a novel about the relationship that existed between those burial mounds and the ten lost tribes of Israel, which, the Mormons say, populated America. Spaulding, intending to call his work, “The Manuscript Found,” and he wrote it in the manner of the old Hebrew structure. In 1812, [15] the work was taken to a printer by the name of Lambdin, who lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; but before any kind of order could be made of the work toward its printing, the author died; then Lambdin also died in 1826. Before his death Lambdin loaned the manuscript to a man by the name of Sidney Rigdon; and it appears that this man, together with his friend Joseph Smith, formed the first concept of sending such a novel to the work as a new revelation. The manuscript was precisely on target in accomplishing its evil purpose; and certainly they were able to make such changes as were necessary for their service. That is the true source of the Book of Mormon which is proved by the testimony of his wife and brother, and his partner [16] and several friends of Spaulding, since they had heard him reading several parts of the manuscript; and they recognized many of the names and the teachings which were mentioned in the Book of Mormon, from their having been mentioned in the Spaulding forgery. It appears that the impossibility of the paper of one kind continuing so long without being discovered, which placed the strange additional invention on the head of Joseph Smith, the money-digger, [17] with respect to the golden plates. Sidney Rigdon is now the scribe of the “Prophet.” And for that matter, he and a few other friends are the only ones honored to have had a look at the so-called gold plates. One would think that so much as that of a description of what we have at hand is sufficient except that the Mormon deceit has been spread abundantly across North America, and even over many of British Christians themselves. In the year 1831 Joseph Smith and his Mormon band settled on the bank of the Missouri River; but they were soon driven from there because of their lawless [18] and wicked behavior.

After that they migrated to Illinois, where they built a town or a city by the name of Nauvoo, near the Mississippi River; and this city now, they say, has about 1,700 [19] mighty men, besides women and children. There is a very large number who are directing their footsteps toward this place, yes, even from England, if not from Wales as well. And if anyone wishes to know what kind of creatures are found under the vestments of the prophet and his associates, let him read the following lines, which are quoted from the work of Mr. Caswell, who visited the city of the Mormons in the year 1842; he paints the following picture [20] of Joseph Smith.

“I met Joseph Smith at a short distance from his dwelling, and was regularly introduced to him. I had the honor of an interview with him who is a prophet, a seer, a merchant, a “revelator,” a president, an elder, an editor, and the general of the “Nauvoo legion.” He is a coarse, plebeian person in aspect, and his countenance exhibits a curious mixture of the knave and the clown. His hands are large and fat, and on one of his fingers he wears a massive gold ring, upon which I saw an inscription. His dress was of coarse country manufacture, and his white hat was enveloped by a piece of black crape [21] as a sign of mourning for his deceased brother, Don Carlos Smith, the late editor of the “Times and Seasons.” His age is about thirty-five [22]. I had not an opportunity of observing his eyes, as he appears deficient in that open, straightforward look which characterizes a genuine—sincere—guileless man. He led the way to his house, accompanied by a host of elders, bishops, preachers, and common Mormons. On entering the house, chairs were provided for the prophet and myself, while the curious and gaping crowd remained standing. I handed [23] the book to the prophet, and begged him to explain its contents. He asked me if I had any idea of its meaning. I replied, that I believed it to be a Greek Psalter [24]; but that I should like to hear his opinion. “No,” he said [25]; “it is not Greek at all; except, perhaps a few words. What is not Greek, is Egyptian; and what is not Egyptian, is Greek. This book is very valuable. It is a dictionary of Egyptian Hieroglyphics.” Pointing to the capital letters [26] at the commencement of each verse, he said: “Those figures are Egyptian hieroglyphics; and that which follows, is the interpretation of the hieroglyphics, written in the reformed Egyptian. Those characters are like the letters that were engraved on the golden plates.” Upon this, the Mormons around began to congratulate me on the information I was receiving. “There,” they said; “we told you so—we told you that our prophet would give you satisfaction. None but our prophet can explain these mysteries.” Such an error as taking the Greek Psalter as showing Egyptian hieroglyphics immediately exposes and betrays the ignorance of Joseph Smith, and proves his disingenuous inadequacy to be an interpreter of mysteries.

Mr. Caswall, in another part of the booklet, relates some unusual accounts, which were obtained from very credible witnesses, about the brave man under consideration: but they contain such hideous inebriation and ungodliness to the point that we consider them too filthy to repeat here. We believe that sufficient has been said here to expose the character of this ungodly deceiver; and to keep some from among our laborers from spending their meager earnings to obtain the vague and ethereal promises of such a man. We have a letter now before us, from a cotton weaver from Lancashire, which shows us how essential this caution is. Mormon preachers, in England, described Nauvoo to him as a land flowing with milk and honey, and where the great Being commanded that his temple be built, which was to be the refuge of all mankind. Whatever of that, Joseph Smith no doubt commanded that, as will be seen from the following of his indisputable writings, “And again, verily I say unto you, let all my saints come from afar, and send ye swift messengers, yea, chosen messengers, and say unto them, ‘Come ye, with all your gold, and your silver, and your precious stones, and with all your antiquities; and with all who have knowledge of antiquities, that will come, may come, and bring the box tree, and the fir tree, and the pine tree, together with all the precious trees of the earth; and with iron, with copper [27], and with brass [28], and with zinc [29], and with all your precious things of the earth; and build a house to my name, for the Most High to dwell therein; for there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood.’” The poor cotton weaver, through such absurd balderdash—blasphemous—deceitful as this, as the majority of other wicked men, are deceived by directing their footsteps to the lands flowing with milk and honey, namely Nauvoo, where he, like others who have fallen prey to gullibility, was treated deplorably by them.

It is needless for us to enlarge on this matter, since every single witness thus far brought forth assists in exposing Mormonism as hideous and repugnant deceit, and unworthy of any kind of attention except to learn of the dangers which have been exposed here.

News has just reached England that Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, has been killed by lawless villains on the 27^th of June, 1844, in the state of Illinois. We ought to be very sorry for this, not only because it was an atrocious murder, but because such a murder will be considered, by the bigoted followers of the deceased, a martyrdom because of his religion, and in no way will it tend to weaken and eradicate the Mormon deceit.

BRODAWR

References [translated words and phrases from Welsh]

¹ Thousand years

² Buccaneers

³ Cavern

⁴ Mail

⁵ Manchester

⁶ Professions

⁷ Affidavit

⁸ See Rise, Progress, and Causes of Mormonism, by Professor J. B. Turner, New York: 1844 Jonathan Baldwin Turner (1805–98)

⁹ Stakes

¹⁰ Harangues

¹¹ Compass

¹² Blunder

¹³ Mystic

¹⁴ Failing

¹⁵ 1812

¹⁶ Partner

¹⁷ Money-digger

¹⁸ Lawless

¹⁹ 1700

²⁰ Picture

²¹ Crape

²² 35

²³ Handed

²⁴ Psalter

²⁵ Notice the grammatical language of the prophet—“No, it ain’t Greek at all, except, perhaps, a few words. What ain’t Greek is Egyptian, and what ain’t Egyptian is Greek—Them figures is Egyptian hieroglyphics, and them which follows is the interpretation of the hieroglyphics—Them characters is like the letters that was engraved on the golden plates.”

²⁶ Capital letters

²⁷ Copper

²⁸ Brass

²⁹ Zinc

Revivalist, May 1847, pp. 144–46

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2852804/14#?xywh=189%2C7%2C1907%2C2916

The Deceiving Mormons

Since those who are called “The Latter-day Saints” claim impossible things, and assert that they are accomplishing things that were never accomplished by them, and by their assertions and false testimonies, attract so many people in their ignorance to believe in their deception, and to join with them; and since it is in secret that they introduce their destructive heresies, I think it is high time for everyone to wake up, and strive to root out these secrets, and steadfastly proclaim them clearly—“For they bring upon themselves swift destruction”—lest we should see our fellow men under this destruction; and their plans to act in the years to come are proof of what Peter refers to,—“Through covetousness shall they . . . make merchandise of you.” (Of such things they inform no one.) Because of that let no one be silent who wishes to deliver himself and his fellow-countrymen from oppressions. Let not the reader think that it is because of jealousy towards the “Saints” that I am writing, nor that I am saying that which I do not know, nor anything except that which my eyes saw and my ears heard; and that out of love for my fellow-countrymen. Since I, by following them so much, have had better opportunities to understand their deception, I have decided to strive as far as I have it in me, to set out the things I know to be deceptions.

They assert that they have the ability to perform miracles, namely to heal the sick—to prophesy—to speak a number of languages, etc. I saw them a few times endeavoring to heal sick people, but failing to succeed. They failed to give sight to Dark Daniel from Cardiganshire, despite all their efforts, he having joined them; and many others that could be named. I saw one elder from Victoria endeavoring to heal the child of one of his fellow deceivers; and he asked the mother if her faith was sufficiently strong that her child would be healed? She said that it was, because she believed that it was he who had healed the other child; and after a long search in the house, a bottle of salad oil was found, and the elder drank some of it, and poured some on the child’s head; and having said the prayer of faith, he said that the child was healed. Perhaps he was at the time, since he was totally unconscious. I visited him the following Wednesday, and there was not a single sign of his having been healed then.

They say that they have received the spirit of prophecy—that they know things that have been and are to come. However, whether they do or not, I can prove some of their prophecies false. One of them said to me one day that he had prophesied that four would be baptized the following Sunday night, and he named them, and that thirty would be baptized in the three consecutive weeks; but the prophecy came to a totally different conclusion, no one was baptized that Sunday night, and only one of those he named has been baptized up to now; and they have succeeded in getting only six of the thirty-four to become fellow deceivers with them so far. Elder Jones once prophesied that one by the name of W. T. would believe their deception, and that God would call him to be a priest, but this prophecy turned out totally to the contrary again. Fortunately, Mr. Thomas understood their deception, and now he is explaining the deception to everyone with all his energy, until they are not able to deceive anyone in that district anymore.

There is also great unreasonableness in their prophesies; after they have baptized someone, they call a council; in this council they prophesy to which office God has called that person. If their prophesies are true, then very unsuitable men are being called to serve in such offices. They prophesied once that God had called T. Smith to be a priest, and he was ordained immediately; and he faithfully deceived, and bore witness to untruthful things, for a short time, but before two months were up he became drunk, and became even more ungodly than ever, if that were possible, and they excommunicated him. And therefore, can anyone see any reason in those things? It is reasonable that omniscient God, who knew of “Twm Smith’s” bad thoughts, should call him to officiate in the sacraments of the gospel, and give him those spiritual talents that “Twm” testified to have received? No, nothing but deception and false prophecy. Everyone can say without fear that they are false prophets and false teachers, because it is false prophesies that they are prophesying, and false doctrine they are preaching.

They assert that they can speak foreign languages. If they said that they were able to babble a few strange words, it would be easier to believe them; if it is languages they speak, they are languages that none of them understand saving Beelzebub himself. I remember one meeting in particular last summer, in which there were two priests, a teacher, and a deacon; and having read and prayed, and having strived to color their deception in the most attractive way in order to entice the listeners to love it, and having threatened them terribly for having loved the darkness more than the light that they were showing to them, the priest went to the fountain to fetch water, and the deacon to fetch bread, and they brought them to the priest; and once the priest had blessed them, he gave them to the teacher to share amongst the members, in remembrance of the death of Jesus—(a simple thing, is it not?). Having done this, one of the priests beseeched his brothers to pray together that God might grant an enlightening of the Spirit. At the end of the meeting, after everyone had sat down quietly, the priests fell into a deep sleep, snoring very loudly for close to half an hour; and the deacon, believing that they had forgotten their work, kicked the foot of one of them; and at this start the priest straightened up in surprise, starting to babble Tororo, Tardri, Pontararam, Pantardro, for, I warrant about a minute, and he fell asleep again; and because the ro, ri, raram, had sounded so loud, the other priest awoke and sang something similar to this: Salane, Solono, Peninsula, Salanai, for about three minutes. When the meeting had finished, I asked them what was the language, and what were the words they had spoken? They answered that they did not know. I asked them why they needed to go sleep before speaking these languages? They answered that they had to lose their own spirits so that the Holy Spirit might find room to enter into them, and to borrow their tongues to speak as it wished. Is there any consistency in such things as those? Was it ever heard that the apostles spoke Hebrew to Greeks, or English to Jews, or any foreign language where no one understood it? Never; it would have been of no benefit. But these fanatics assert that they are the successors of the apostles. Yet, no Welshman can speak English miraculously, nor any Englishman speak Welsh; but these people can babble some words which are impossible to understand; so that it is plain for all to see that they are deceivers, and that everything to do with them is deception. And although their deception is now satisfying their sweet appetites, it will turn into bitter cups in the end; and if they succeed in spreading more of their deception, not only they themselves shall have to suffer, but everyone, because they suffer such things to go on without striving against them; because it is they who make “merchandise of you.” Can the old godly believers of Wales be silent while seeing their children, perhaps, believing the heresies and deception of these people, who with all their efforts plot to deceive? “Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”

A Hater of Deceit

Blackwood

Revivalist, July 1847, pp. 212–13

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2852874/16#?xywh=-306%2C271%2C2543%2C3889

The False Prophets

Concerning the truths I related in the “Revivalist” in May, page 141, I received quite harsh treatment from the Leader. Although I refrained from relating many things that I should have related, and although he could not give any proof that those things which I related were not true; despite that I was proclaimed to be a deceiver, a deist, and an infidel, etc.; until it is obvious that it was through Beelzebub that they are casting out devils, if they do, and by that showing how little of the principle of the Saints is being shown. However, I give thanks to him; my only wish was to have him oppose me, and he and his religion may show their true colors before long. Remember the old proverb: “When thieves fall out, honest men come by their own.” But because their whole wrangling is beneath mention, I will not tire the reader, this time, by taking any notice of them; rather I shall strive to show that it is they (that is, the “Mormons”) of whom it was foretold that they would turn away (in the last days) from the truth, by rising up as false prophets, dreamers, and as testifiers of untruth; to this God did not lead them, but they ran as their own fancy took them. Paul beheld, 1781 years ago, the time when some would turn away from the truth. According to their deeds they are known; 2 Tim. 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (such as shall be preached by those whom God adapts to the work), but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, (not those whom God endows, etc, that they may be suitable to instruct; no: but “after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves” a mass of senseless fanatics having no suitability), because they have itching ears.” Verse 4, “And they shall turn their ears away from the truth (reviling those who have true principles as deists, infidels, deceivers, and merchants of souls, &c.,) and shall be turned unto fables;” that is, unto the empty fables, and the false prophecies and the deceptive dreams of that JOE SMITH. Who sent them? “I have not sent them, saith the Lord!” What does the prophet Jeremiah say about these people? “In the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. I have not sent (says God) these prophets; yet they ran” (after that deceptive monster, namely JOSEPH SMITH) asserting that they had received the spirit of prophecy, saying, “The Lord hath said, you shall have peace;” . . . however, “I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied . . . “false dreams, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them, saith the Lord.” Like the dreams of Joe and Hyrum Smith, when in prison, and M. Serrine, in Bolton, and the empty dreams of Captain Jones, the leader of the Welsh dreamers. Prophets of the deceit of their own hearts are those who shout, “I have dreamed dreams;” let us beware of them. Matt. 7:15, “Beware of false prophets (those who have turned away from the truth), which come to you in sheep’s clothing (telling their deceptive dreams, and causing them to err with their lies, etc.), but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Peter tests the same people in chapter 2, verse 1: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you (not those sent from God, but those who are heaped up by false desires); who privily (namely those “in sheep’s clothing”) shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them,” etc. The Mormons proclaim victory on these words, continually shouting Lord, Lord; but by their fruits shall we know them. Yet, perhaps they do not deny the Lord in their profession, but they deny him in fact, those who are the worst kind of men, for all they do is full of deceit. “Whoever says that he loves God, but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Verse 2, “And many shall follow their pernicious ways.” The fruits of the Mormons are again proof of this prediction, since there are about 301,000 now following this destruction, fellow false witnesses, and striving together to deceive: “By reason of whom (it is a pity to think) the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” And when they become sufficiently numerous, then will their fruits prove that to which Peter refers in verse 3, “Through covetousness . . . shall they make merchandise of you.” Who? Those who refuse sound doctrine, because they have itching ears; and one may judge knowingly (according to their traditions) that they are the Mormons. Who, then, is making merchandise of the gospel? Is it those who stand in the council of God and proclaim their truths to the people so they will return from their wicked ways, and from the wickedness of their deeds, receiving for their work only the good will of those men who understand that “the laborer is worthy of his reward?” Or is it the aforementioned “false prophets” who, being too lazy to work, who for their livelihood depend on wandering and deceiving, and who receive from others unworthily? Or, were we to look ahead to the time when they gather in their strength, and when the Shareholders of the Joint Stock Company are sufficiently numerous, then the principle of Mormonism shall be seen, and it will shall be clear at that time just who are those who make merchandise of the gospel; and the time will soon come when everyone will know that the things I have related are true; and whosoever does not strive against these deceivers shall repent when the aforementioned time comes.

Dear Wales! can you sleep while seeing your fellowmen turning away from the truth; and while seeing, perhaps, your closest relatives charmed by their lightness, to gallop towards the land of woe? Awake for the sake of your souls, and stand firm by the principles of the true religion. Show courage against the false prophets, and strive to persecute false prophesies to annihilation

You nearly all the inhabitants of the world,
Who wish to see the Jubilee,
Join together, come you all merrily,
To the struggle with me.
Let us attack the “deceivers,”
Through exertion we shall overcome them,
When deception we shall chase away,
We shall have the lovely Jubilee.

Though some of the sleepers of our age may say, like Gamaliel of old, ‘Let them alone, if they are deceivers they will not last long. Quite true,

Southcott and Courtney and Miller
Are now dead, though their cry was loud;
If they are dead, where are they now?
I fear that they are not in heaven.
All the pageantry of Becca-ism has ended,
Chartism became tasteless, under a veil—
All the supporters of Mormonism shall be hidden,
Their latter days shall come to an end.

Despite that, since the light of the world is the church of God, it is the duty of all the members of the church to strive to reveal every deception that is kept in darkness, such as the deception of Mormonism, clearly to everybody, in order to prevent them from galloping along the road to destruction; and because the scriptures show that they are “bringing upon themselves swift destruction,” what man of honest principle, then, can refrain from striving to persuade them to turn away from their evil ways, and away from the iniquity that is in their hands, and to humble themselves before God, “who can tell if he will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that [they] perish not?”

A Hater of Deceit.

Blackwood

[We do not know what Mormonism is like in other places, but here it is the most innocuous little thing we have ever seen; it would be a pity to pay any attention to, or chastise a few, little, illiterate men who wish to draw the attention of the world to themselves—let them alone, and they will die. All the school children here make fun of them. We are far from being of the same opinion as our correspondent, that one inspired prophet, or one prophecy has made something so insignificant the object of attention. We need only pretend not to hear them to kill them. Editor.]

Revivalist, September 1847, pp. 286–87

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2852940/16#?xywh=-104%2C25%2C2746%2C4200

“The False Prophets—Who Are They?”

Many things come to the world under the name of “deceit”, and which very often turn out to be “true;” and many things under the name of “truth”, which turn out to be “false.” That teaches us, when we meet with something new and strange under the name of truth or falsehood, not to hate or love such a thing, according to the common voice, but to strive our best to prove it. In the Revivalist for last July, one “Hater of Deceit” from Blackwood, attacks the Mormons, those who from the start have had to wear the name of “deceivers”; and it seems to me that it is because of that that he is a “Hater of Deceit.” But let us hear what he has to say for himself. “I shall strive to show,” he says, “that it is they (namely the Mormons) of whom it was foretold that they would turn away (in the latter days) from the truth, by rising up as false prophets (amongst the true, perhaps), as dreamers, and as witnesses of falsehoods. “We are ready to believe that those who turn away from the truth are those deceiving ones of whom Paul spoke; but we are not willing to say that they are the Latter-day Saints, without proving that first. We should insist on knowing what “truth” is spoken of by the apostle; and that is easy enough for the children in Llanelli to find out. It is obvious that it is the truth that Paul himself possessed that is meant, and I believe that Mr. Hater of Deceit thinks that himself. Paul says the following to the Galatians: — “Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” It is believed, is it not, that Paul preached the same things as his fellow officers. Now then, we can test the Saints whether they deny that which Paul said on the day of Pentecost,—“Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost: for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all.” No, they preach the same words exactly. Well, are there any other denominations that baptize for a sign, for an example, etc.? Are there any who preach that the promise of the Holy Ghost is not for “everyone”, being bestowed in this age, in the same way as before? Let the reader search for himself. The Saints say that all should be the same now as it was before. It was the practice of the disciples of old to lay hands upon someone in order to receive the Holy Ghost, according to the promise; the Mormons do the same thing. Do not all the other believers do that? Paul would say to his brethren, “Covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.” The Mormons still say the same thing; but every other denomination says the opposite, arguing that they are not necessary, and that they have ceased. Paul also said that speaking and prophesying “in part,” as was done in his era, was to continue until that which was “perfect” came, when one would “see face to face,” instead of “through a glass” (1 Cor. 13:8–12). Well, the Mormons happen to be still of the same creed as the apostles, while the other denominations are the complete opposite. Facts such as these are very likely to make us believe that the Saints are not preaching anything that Paul did not preach, and that the other denominations are preaching a variety of things differently. Are not those who preach differently the “deceivers?”

Furthermore, Mr. Hater of Deceit brings forward several prophecies about “deceivers,” and while hating the Mormons (I think), as such, he puts all these prophecies like caps on their heads, without giving any proof as to whether they fit or not. He cites 2 Tim. 4:3—“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers,” etc. “Sound doctrine” are those words of Christ, namely, “And these signs shall follow them that believe,” etc. Are they not to believe something, I wonder? To believe the gospel, most certainly. Do not the Saints endure those words now, namely that the signs will follow those who believe the gospel? Yes, they do. Well, do other believers endure them? No, they do not. Who are the ones who “do not endure sound doctrine” now, then? Let the reader answer. Again, this idea is connected with the above prophecy, in the previous verses, about those who would “have a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof”—“ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” I ask, what power do the Mormons deny? and how is it that “a small group of illiterate men” are “ever learning,” and despite using the means of learning, “never able to come to the knowledge of the truth?” Foolish work, is it not, to go to the academies. But what is the use of my wasting needless words, for we discover that Mr. Editor, in his short note at the end of the article, sees with his much keener insight, that the prophesying caps which Mr. Hater of Deceit has placed upon the heads of the Saints, do not fit them, for he says the following:—“We are far from being of the same opinion as our correspondent, that one inspired prophet, or one prophecy has made something so insignificant the object of attention.” We shall say nothing more about that at present.

“He who says he loves God, and keeps not his commandments,” by prohibiting the speaking in tongues, scorning prophecies, and saying that the words of Christ are no longer valid for heaven or earth, “is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” It is comforting to think that many say that they love God, and, instead of pursuing the destruction of someone, encourage the speaking in tongues, and prophesying, etc., in this age; and all that, with making merchandise of anyone, by leaving the one church in order to obtain a higher wage in the other.

Now, I must end, and reveal my name. Did I say, my name? An unknown name, to be sure; for what if Mr. Hater of Deceit should get hold of me, and take me for a “deceiver!” It could be dangerous, for often he is a sniper through the hedges. A word of poetry, now, and then an unknown name:

We should prove all things that exist,
And we should hold fast that which is good;
And we should not hate everything as if it were “deceit,”
For those who are wise do not do so.

A Prover of Deceit.

Revivalist, November 1847, pp. 349–54

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2853006/14#?xywh=0%2C-1810%2C4745%2C7257

[The doctrinal discussions have not been translated.]

Who are the False Prophets?

A question such as this one deserves to be answered, not only because it is asked by one of the Latter-day Saints, but also because John says (1 John 4:1), “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world;” and because Paul tells of the effect false prophets would have on the world (1 Tim. 4:1), “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” and because God has commanded us not to believe them (Jer. 29:8–9), “For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; let now your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed: for they prophesy falsely unto you in my name; I have not sent them, saith the Lord.” But the question, as well as the above quotations from the scriptures, show us that—

[Each of the following headings is followed by a discussion and explanation.]

1. That false prophets have been, and continue to pretend, to teach the world in the name of the Lord.
2. It is also supposed that true prophets, and true teachers, are to be had.
3. We are not to receive any religious teaching without testing it to the extreme.
4. We are to test them, and nothing more.

"Who are the False Prophets?"

1. Reason is to be on the throne.
2. The Bible is to be the standard for all who acknowledge it as the only and complete revelation from God.
3. The competence of the teacher must be proven.
4. The prophets also must be judged by their reputation.
5. The prophets and the teachers must be proven by the inclination of their teaching.
6. The teachers must be proven by the prominence of their teaching.

[Each of the final three paragraphs is begun with a statement that is followed by a brief discussion.]

1. We have observed false teachers and true teachers, and were it not for the false teachers the true teachers would not have dug half as deep for the truth.
2. There has never been a flood of falsehoods come into the world except as a punishment for disbelief of the truth.
3. We are grateful for the immovable foundation of God which this zeal has.

Revivalist, December 1847, p. 391

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2853039/23#?xywh=2406%2C208%2C1589%2C2430

Mormon Miracle

The Ottawa Free Trader gives the following account with assurance of its truth:—“It appears that the prophet Strang needs a house, and he decided that his followers get to build it; and after calling them together, he said, if they would build the house for him, that the Lord would authorize him to promise them an uncommon gift. The house was built immediately, and the gift was requested; the prophet took them to the church, and after going through several ceremonies, of washing feet, anointing the head with oil that smelled funny, he took them to a dark room, and when they were all there, all their heads were shining as if with the brightness of the sun, and great was their joy; but the prophet William suspected a deceitful trick, and he took some of the oil, and found out that it was nothing but oil and phosphorus mixed. He availed himself of the first opportunity to expose the deceit before all the brotherhood. Strang did not deny it, rather he admitted the whole deceit, and he preached a sermon to justify the deceit, and to prove that all the miracles of Moses and Jesus Christ were accomplished the same way, through natural means. William broke off all relations with him, but Strang was snug in his house despite that.”

Revivalist, 1848 January, pp. 12–13

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2196895/8#?xywh=816%2C1309%2C1249%2C1910

History of Joseph Smith

In a Letter from America

Honorable Editor—If you judge the following as being worthy of publication, we wish to inform the public that its author moved to America several years ago; and that the extent of his social circle, his broad knowledge, his impartiality, and his exceptional observance of things, are what have prompted us to send to the public the questions to which he refers in his letter.

The Mormons

The Story of Joseph Smith, in a Letter from America

My Dear Brother Thomas Job,

I am pleased to have an opportunity, and to be able to answer your questions, which I shall do as accurately as I can, namely to give the story of Joseph Smith, and his followers, in America. I am very familiar with them, and I knew Joseph Smith quite well. In fact, without deception, Joseph Smith was the son of a poor man, and poor himself with regard to his circumstances, and too lazy to work for himself; but he went from place to place wherever he thought he would get a bite to eat. People in general did not consider him sensible, because of his spiritless and lifeless appearance. He was a great lout and very fat, about six feet four in height; but despite that, he paid careful attention to everyone and everything -- quite cunning in his way; and as he increased in years, he also increased in deceit and cunning.

“There was in that community, that is Ohio, a very rich man, a good and sensible scholar, who had set everything aside, devoting himself to study; and he was writing a book, but no one knew its contents. His friends tried to find out what he was studying; but he did not tell anyone; and he had no book but the Bible. This man died before finishing the book, and his widow was not willing to show his library to anyone; but, after a time, his widow married another man, and that man got hold of the first husband’s library, and he read the new book he had studied, which was Additions to the scriptures, and revelations of several wonders of divine origin, signs of the thousand years, together with a way to perform miracles to make his book divine, etc. But this man could not see how to put the book into circulation; but he knew of Joseph Smith that he was cunning, and he sent for him. Joseph came, and another man with him, in secret to see the book. The book was bound magnificently in gold, and Joseph and his friend judged that it was better to hide it in the ground, and for Joseph to take it 500 miles to bury it in a deserted place. After Joseph returned, he and the man he had, agreed to stay in Ohio, and that the other should go hundreds of miles away from him, and that each should prophesy and dream about a book of divine origin, etc. Then Joseph started to prophesy and dream; and after a time, behold another was prophesying and dreaming nearly the same things, until everyone was talking about the men, and their story in the newspapers, and how certain things were about to come to pass -- that men were prophesying, and saying that the end of the world was at hand, etc.

“But after prophesying for a while, Joseph announced that he had had a revelation in a supernatural form, from the Spirit of the Lord, about addictions to his will and his word; and that a book had come from God, and that it was a golden book, set it the earth in a remote place; that he should send a man to seek it, and that the Spirit of God would serve to instruct him how to find the book in the wilderness. So, Joseph sent his partner to go and look for it, because he knew where Joseph and himself had placed it; and that man, and other people with him, went to look for the book, and it was found. (Joseph was a Baptist.) Then, after finding the book, no one was worthy to open it, nor untie its seals, except Joseph Smith. After Joseph got the book, he went to preach; and whoever believed the doctrine of Joseph, and the book, was baptized. And Joseph and all his followers said that they could perform miracles, like Christ and the apostles (Mark 16: 17, 18); that they could cast out devils in his name, and speak every tongue; that they could lift up serpents, drink poison without sustaining harm, etc.; and in order to prove the truth of his doctrine, Joseph said the Holy Ghost, when his disciples were baptizing, would come in the form of a dove on the water, and that everyone could see it. Thousands gathered to his baptism, in order to see the Holy Ghost; and suddenly a big white dove, almost as big as a horse, came slowly to the spot, standing by the water, and laying down its wings (for the dove was walking). There was immediately a host of witnesses there, and they asked the dove, ‘How do you do?’ But the dove made no answer. After investigation, Joseph Smith himself had dressed up in a costume like a dove, -- and Joseph was the dove. [This has more point in Welsh as the word ‘colomen’ (pigeon or dove) is used as a mild term of abuse, roughly, ‘silly fool’.]

“Another day, Joseph went to walk on the water: he crossed a hundred-yard wide lake on foot without sinking. But within three days it was found out that he had planks under the water out of sight; and by the second time, the middle plank was taken away, and Joseph went in over his head, and nearly drowned.

“After that, Joseph started to say that the land was too sinful; and he prophesied about the holy city, and the promised land; he said that it was in the State of Illinois, on the bank of the Mississippi river. He and his followers went there; and a temple has been erected there, with the twelve oxen, and the molten sea, and the ark, and the sanctuary, and the cherubs, and the holy of holies, etc.; and it is at present a large town, with about thirty thousand inhabitants. I am a two-day journey by steam boat from this city, namely the ‘heavenly Jerusalem.’ Finally, Joseph Smith began to say he was immortal, that he would live for a thousand years, and that he was the king of the holy city, and that he was reigning for Christ for a thousand years, and that none of his true followers would die; but the people were dying from day to day. Then a rebellion arose against Joseph Smith, and they threatened to shoot him for his trickery. Joseph said that there was not a bullet that could touch him, and that neither poison nor anything could harm him; but a hail of bullets was fired at him all at once, in a second, until he was like a cabbage net, full of holes like a lantern! And this was the end of Joseph Smith, in fact, my dear brother Thomas.

Benjamin Job Davies

Formerly of Pant-teg, near Carmarthen

P.S. The author of the above letter is a close relative of Mr. Job Job, Pantteg. The original is available, and it will be sent to any part of the Principality by sending for it to Pan-tteg, together with payment for its expense.

Revivalist, February 1848, p. 68

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2196928/31#?xywh=-37%2C-247%2C2272%2C3555

Tricks of a Saint—A Saint from Neath took a journey lately over the mountain to see the master of works, and accepted a job to dig five hundred tons of ore, and he took 20 workers to complete the task, promising good wages to them at the end of the month. At the end of the month he went to the master to ask for the money to pay the workers, and after receiving it he thought that the Saint needed a little fair play, and that there was no harm in robbing some rascals who had never before had the opportunity to associate with angels, as he had done a week before that; and that the best way to practice his religion was to remove himself and the money as well and leave the poor workers to ponder about Saintliness.

C-m-a-v

Dewi

Revivalist, July 1849, p. 226

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2197490/31#?xywh=16%2C1507%2C1178%2C1842

The Saints in a Dilemma

A carnage investigation was held in the neighborhood of Aberdare for the body of John Pugh, who with several others was burned in the Gwerfa coal works. It is likely that the Saint did not allow himself to receive treatment in circumstances such as these in the same way as other men, or to use the medicine that heals others; but it was under the quackery of the Saints’ apostle that John Pugh died. The doctor testified that it would have been far more remediable had he been permitted to treat him as warranted, but which under the guidance of the apostle he refused. The jurors were very close to returning a verdict of manslaughter against the apostle, and the coroner warned him to be careful in the future not to pretend to have the ability to cure through miracles; but the apostle placed all the blame on the faith of John Pugh, and he claimed that had his skin and his bones been removed from his arm, he would have mended like putting one hand in the other.

Revivalist, September 1849, p. 289

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2197556/30#?xywh=-147%2C220%2C2324%2C3554

The Mormons in California

These religious fanatics have now come to the field against President Taylor. Not all of them are digging for gold in the great valley of the Salt Lake, but the rest of them are in New York. They are not inclined to give sleep to their eyes, nor sleep to their eyelids, until they have transported the President to perdition. The following is their first proclamation:—Proclamation! by the authority of the King of Kings! Since a declaration has been put forth by Zachariah Taylor, the so-called President of the United States, designating the first day of August next as a day of fasting, humility, and prayer, on account of the adversity with which Almighty God, in a righteous judgment, has visited on this country, which is so ripe in iniquity, pride, and loathsome hypocrisy—and since the said Taylor calls on all those who profess religion to refrain from their customary vocations on that day, and gather in their churches, there to beseech God to turn away his threatening judgments, namely the contagious scourge of cholera! Therefore, I, Samuel S. Snow, the Prime Minister of Jesus Christ, who is King over all nations, by the authority given to me by the Almighty Jehovah, declare the said Zachariah Taylor to be an odious hypocrite, a thief and a bloody murderer, and a usurper of power and authority which do not belong to him. I also declare that his proclamation and his recommendation to hold a general fast to be invalid and frivolous, and having no binding obligation or duty whatsoever. And I hereby petition the fiery curse of Jehovah to be on everyone who observes the day according to his recommendation. May God hasten the war, the famine, and the plague, and the destruction of all those who are wicked! Amen.

Samuel S. Snow

Mount Zion

July 22, 1849

[Samuel S. Snow had probably never even heard of Mormonism as he was a Millerite. Nevertheless, he is labeled a Mormon by the Welsh press.]

Revivalist, February 1850, p. 68—item 1

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2197724/31

The Latter Saints

Four of these were caught fishing, in an unlawful way, in Ammon. Three of them took off: but the other one was seized, and the following day he was fined 20 shillings. It is dangerous for the fish when the Saints fish, for one can command the other to throw the net for all the fish in the river—the Saints can work miracles.

Revivalist, February 1850, p. 68—item 1

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2197724/31

“The Saints.— There was a great rumpus in the Saints’ meeting here last Saturday (Jan. 27), according to one of them who was there. Nick came there, and took hold of one of them, but we did not hear if it was a male or female saint, and squeezed him until he was as flat as a board, and if David Williams, and another brother had not been able to collar the old fellow, it is likely that he would have completely done away with one of this brotherhood, if he had not taken the head of the house into the bargain. Why is Nick so fond of meeting the saints? Does he feel that some of them are a little too forward with his majesty, does he say, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you.’ Evan, we suspect, is not much mistaken.

What are the saints of the Mormon religion? [See below]
If not a gutter for the vomit of the world,
A dunghill of the dregs of the churches.
The cattle gnats of the Pharoah all together;
A family curse, the plague of the neighborhood,
A tribe cursing the people of God,
The servants of slander, abominable deists,
The chaff of society, living maggots.

Biting fleas, gadflies,
Friends of the heart to suck blood;
Dogs barking at the man in the moon,
Murderers of love, in the image of their father;
A wretched company to forge lies,
Flies from hell, halfpenny a quart,
A hornet’s club, a bustle of riff-raff,
A shop of idiots—that’s smart.

From yonder town.
EVAN.

Revivalist, March 1850, p. 100

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2197757/31#?xywh=1030%2C185%2C922%2C909

Elder in a Predicament

A few days ago it happened that one of the Mormon brotherhood went inside a tavern in the neighborhood of St. David’s, near this town; and according to their custom always, he began to refer to the tenets of his religion, as if he thought that it was necessary to say a lot before men could see its glory; and after a while he called on the Bible to prove the truth of the Mormon religion!! And as many are aware, there is one in that family who has lost her senses, who was extremely wise at one time. She referred to the book that was in the hand of the elder, who commanded her to stop, since her master had permitted her, who he said had been possessed by a devil. The mad woman was taken up to her bedroom, and she began to sing and to blaspheme in alternating fashion. The elder, who was stirred in his spirit on seeing the boldness of whom he had called a devil, said, “Uncle Thomas, may I go up and cast it out of her?” “Yes, Davey,” was the answer, “you are welcome to do so.” David, the elder, walked up in full strength, and he placed his hands on the head of the woman; he prayed, and performed many other ceremonies; he authoritatively commanded the devil to go out, and he looked tenderly at the face of the sufferer. But after the woman, poor thing, had caught her breath following the anguish, she blasphemed as badly as ever, and she sang in the same way. Davey returned to his uncle, and said, “I gave him (namely the devil) a good rebuking; but I do not have authority this side of the Tafen (a small river in that place); Walter is the one who has the authority this side of the river; Uncle Thomas, you must take her to the house of her cousin on the other side, and I will write to Merthyr for authority to finish the task I have taken upon me, and do a tidy job.” Oh! blessed Merthyr, you have lowered yourself to cast out your own devil with the authority you have for the devils of Llanelli. Paul and Peter, and all the apostles, take note, for your instruction, the manner in which David, the elder, has gotten the better of Dick through the authority of Merthyr, after finding himself on the other side of the river. To obviate any hesitation concerning the authenticity of these lines, and trouble for the Editor, you may inquire of the father of the sufferer, namely Thomas Jones.

Revivalist, 1850 October, p. 323

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2197988/30#?cv=30&m=199&h=mormon&c=0&s=0&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F2192687%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=712%2C1537%2C1738%2C1609

Mormonism

No doubt many have been giving more than just a little thought as to what the meaning of the word Mormon might be. It is difficult for us now to clarify what it is. Mormo, or Mormon, is the Greek word for humbug, or goblin; and it is used periphrastically for fraud and dissembling. Little did the fraud Joe Smith suppose, when he gave the name “Book of Mormon” for the standard work of his religion, how appropriately the “cap fitted.” From now on our readers will know that the Welsh name for the “Book of Mormon” is the “Book of Deceit” or “The Book of Humbug.”

Revivalist, November 1850, p. 356

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198021/31#?xywh=-178%2C-201%2C2619%2C4005

Counsel of an Apostate Saint

Remember me to my brothers, and I would like for you to give me a little of their condition, whether they are with the Saints or not? I would be glad to hear that they have turned against that deceitful and lying doctrine which was conjured up by Joe Smith, under the influence of his devil father. With sadness I must tell you that I myself was beguiled, when in their midst, to give credence to his heresy; but with joy I notify you that I have had the honor of leaving the Satanists through being convinced of their deceit, and have joined the Saints of the Bible.

EVAN JONES, Miner, Pennsylvania.

Revivalist, February 1851, p. 66

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198121/31#?xywh=89%2C1857%2C1075%2C1676

Emigration of the Merthyr Mormons

It is our understanding that great preparations are being made by these fanatics in Merthyr Tydfil to go to their imaginary heaven in California; these people have never considered that it is in another country where the old godly ones were beckoning them, namely a heavenly one and not an earthly one, as their city; the carpenter and builder of this one is the impostor Joe Smith. The devil is making the best of these lunatics, namely exiling them from the world, since they are too great of fools to leave them in enlightened Britain. They will be under the leadership of six of the most well-known from among their fanaticism and their foolishness, and who are now living comfortably in Aberdare! Can any of the prophets inform them how many of them will be dead on the sea, New Orleans, or other places before reaching the end of the journey?

Revivalist, May 1851, p. 162

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198220/31#?xywh=859%2C408%2C1269%2C1940

Mormons

The Mormon preachers boast often about their work of preaching the gospel for free, and it must be admitted that it is seldom heard that they have accepted money for their work. But they have their way of taking spoils in the most cruel and merciless way, namely by going on the Sabbath to totally eat their neighbors out of house and home, in swarms of locusts together. A poor man in Ffynonddrain had slaughtered a pig some time before for the needs of his starving family. The Saints heard about that, and because he was inclined to favor their party their preachers went there at once; and it was not long before they had devoured the pig, for “the laborer is worthy of his food.” Harry, the Tea, from Carmarthen was living comfortably before going to them, but having left his old brothers in Heol-Awst, the Saints were not long in eating up his living, so that he has gone very poor in his old age. A farmer near Nebo, near Abergwily, has gone to them lately, despite his wife and his friends; and the Saints are going there in plundering hordes and in all likelihood it will not be long before the full corn crib of Blaencwm, both hay and corn, and the cattle and the pigs, and everything, in some way will be driven one after the other in a strong troop down the wide open mouth of the Saints. The man of the place consoles himself in his scorn in face of the truth that good men are being persecuted without remembering another truth just as important that there is a world of men laughing at these half-witted fools. For the sake of his family it would be nice to hear that he is going back to Ffynonnewydd and leaving his fanaticism with many others, before going to total destruction.

Revivalist, June 1851, pp. 176–77

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198253/14#?xywh=697%2C1079%2C1644%2C2515

[This is an article by Eta Delta [Evan Davies] entitled “Observations on the Catholic Religion and the Religion of the Bible”. It begins on p. 174. A stream of negative comments about Catholicism. On p. 176 he calls Nonconformists to repentance for being complacent about the threats of Catholicism and Mormonism and says that Mormons are a thousand times worse than Catholics.]

As Nonconformists and other Dissenters in Wales, we have cause to lament, to humble ourselves, and to repent, especially before God, for the apathetic and stagnant condition of the churches in our midst, and because of the darkness and ignorance of the country in general. We have no room to boast or take comfort; rather to be ashamed, to weep, and to fear greatly! Despite all the houses of worship, the schools, ministers, preachers, deacons, Sabbath School teachers, all the hundreds of manifold congregations, and thousands of religious communicants or those who profess religion—yet many are seen turning to Catholicism, yes, different kinds of Catholicism! And worse, and even more contemptible than the Catholics are the MORMONS—they choose to call themselves “Latter-day Saints.” It is my understanding that there are hundreds of Welsh who have accepted Mormonism, to their worldly and eternal ruin! Joe Smith, in America, its founder—the “Mormon Book,” revelations and imaginings, instead of the word of God—fake miracles and lies to beguile and deceive the country—they say that God the Father has a body like that of a created being—they are IDOL WORSHIPPERS, of the worst of the worst kind and the most hideous! The most worthless men—too lazy to work, the most uneducated, the most impudent and arrogant, going across the country, and lying, promising to work miracles, and claiming that if only they can immerse men, they will be reborn after coming out of the water and will receive visions from heaven, etc. The Catholics fancy that Wales is a splendid and fruitful field before them, and they intend to send missionaries, and use every means at their disposal to turn the faces of our nation and our country toward Catholicism—and to be sure, as far as the general teaching, respect and good behavior, and virtuous things, worldly beauty, and outward conduct go, Catholicism is a thousand times superior to Mormonism.

And, as Nonconformists in Wales, are we overly lazy, and too ready to amuse one another, or debate one another, for meaningless things, instead of opposing the sins of the age, and work together in the kingdom of Christ? And to be sure, there ought to be a great deal more concern, counseling together, feeling, and keeping vigil, and praying, with a keen eye on raising up preachers, choosing students, and ministers.

Newmarket
Eta Delta

Revivalist, August 1851, p. 258

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198319/31#?xywh=151%2C1311%2C1269%2C1940

Virtue of the Saints

In Merthyr Tydfil, on the 12^th of July, two Saints were brought up on the suspicion that they had stolen a blanket, one of which is a preacher, if not an apostle, with the Saints. It appears that the two brothers were overcome with desires of the flesh, and that they had wandered from the Saintly fold, to a well known place in Merthyr, which is called China, and had been charmed to such an extent by the fairness of two young women, that they decided to spend the night with them; but hardly had these men-Saints closed their eyes in sleep before the two ladies began to search the saintly clothing, and they found six shillings sixpence hidden in the shoes of the preacher; and since the two Saints could not find their money in the morning, they took possession of the blanket. They were obliged to return the blanket and go on their way. They had been in an important conference the previous day with their brethren. How long will the innocents of Wales continue to be hoodwinked by these dreadful knaves?

Revivalist, September 1851, p. 290

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198352/31#?xywh=-159%2C-202%2C2631%2C4024

The Saints

The Swansea Herald for August 20^th says the following on the authority of a completely truthful man who went out from Aberdare: “I am sorry that so many of my compatriots are being deceived by hypocrites, and allow themselves to become fools and voracious oppressors. The closest market is 1,000 miles from Salt Lake, and the way is such that I would not wish for anyone to travel it except such a rascal as Captain D. J., who succeeded in getting a number of Welsh to go out with him, who are now far worse off than prisoners. Among them is a respectable woman from Carmarthenshire, who sold her belongings, and who left her husband at home without a penny, going with D. J., and is now his concubine, or what is called a ‘spiritual wife.’ The president has 25 such women in his home. I saw these things for myself.”

Revivalist, December 1851, pp. 298–300

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198451/13#?xywh=328%2C543%2C2382%2C2096

Liars and Deceivers of the Latter Days

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” —CHRIST. John 8:44.

They call themselves “Saints”—but who else calls them that? There is nothing noteworthy to say about this Sect, except that it is founded on a lie, and all the superstructure is lies. It appears that the head liar is the most famous preacher, the highest officer, and the most enlightened professor!

1. Joseph Smith, the Founder, was an evil, lazy, and lying man. He rose to prominence in America in about 1823; he was a wanderer, a dreamer, and a searcher of silver and treasures in the earth. Some old manuscripts of a half-crazy man were put in the hands of Joe Smith; and Smith, together with someone by the name of Harris, plotted together to hide the manuscripts in a secret place in the earth, and that the two of them dreamed on the same evening, the same thing, about a strange book in the earth—or writings on plates, they said. This is one o the first lies. The writing, or the above writings, appeared on the book called, “BOOK OF MORMON,” their Bible, in about 1830. This book is nothing but a mixture of lies and contradictions—Judaism, Paganism and a bit of Christianity, to charm the ignorant.
2. Pratt, “One of the Twelve Apostles,” says in a book he calls “The divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon,” that there are many more proofs and witnesses of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, than there are about the truth of the Bible! There are many more witnesses of the truth of the Book of Mormon than there are witnesses of the truth of the Bible, he says! Throughout his book he does not establish very well his point, but he tries with all his might to debase and to disparage the Word of God. He says as well that it is the word of men—that perhaps the best things were lost, and bad things were inserted. He says that no trust can be placed in the Bible, that at best it is pertinent to other ages; thus, it is out of date now. He says that there are no correct and authoritative revelations anywhere in the world but with them. All of the will of God was lost, for two hundred and fifteen years, they say—i.e., from the apostolic age until the call of Joe Smith!
3. They say that God reveals strange and new things to them continually—that their prophets have the spirit of prophecy, to predict and proclaim secret things, and that they are still receiving new things, similar to the Book of Mormon! They come up with every scheme, distortion, and lie; and they ascribe and attribute it all to God; and they claim to be completely infallible.
4. They take upon themselves great names and titles, such as Apostles, Prophets, High Priests, Priests, Elders, etc. In their lying and blasphemous manner of preaching, they proclaim everyone else to be heretics and deceivers—there have been no authorized ecclesiastical officers for seventeen hundred years, except for them only!
5. They say and assert boldly and shamelessly that they have the gift of miracles, like this—“And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues, etc., Mark 16:17. A woman pretends to go into some kind of a hysteric fit; then she will go into contortions and speak in tongues; then someone else steps forward to interpret, etc. They pretend to raise the dead, and to heal the sick, by putting “holy oil” on him—anointing the sick—getting oil from the Druggist, etc. We are bound to co-testify boldly that it is all lies and deceit. Neither they, nor anyone else, can prove, beyond doubt, that they have ever performed as much as a single public miracle; and they have never had proof, in this entire area, that God answers them, and gives remarkable signs through them, as in the apostolic age.
6. They consider BAPTISM BY IMMERSION as being essential and necessary; not as a sign, to set out the order of God, but as substance; as if one were reborn in the water—that the Holy Ghost is given, as if in connection with man’s obedience to the water baptism—as if depending more on their own obedience than on obedience to the death of Christ!
7. They say that Christ reigns on the earth, personally, in California, for a thousand years, in a temple that will be built to him there; that Christ is an earthly and a spiritual king; and that they, the Mormons, only, will be with him; for everyone will be destroyed but them. That is what they still preach. But instead of destruction on others, a sign of judgment and wrath of God is clearly seen on them already—the impostors of preachers, from South Wales, are idle, eating the food of the poor, promising to repay them by working miracles; but there is not a single miracle to increase the loaf, nor oil to pay the debt for food in the shops—all of it a lie!

Hundreds of Welsh have gone to California already. Some have died on the way; others have been disappointed, and persecuted from place to place, like unprincipled and perilous lunatics.

Their books contain language similar to the language of the Bible—God speaks in visions to Joe Smith and others. In reflecting, it is difficult to determine whether they are imitating the Bible, to deceive, or to scorn, like pagans. It is pointless to go on, by quoting from their books; that would offend the tender minds of our readers; for their language is so strange, presumptuous, shameful, and completely blasphemous—for example, “Thus the Lord speaks to his servant Joseph Smith—to his handmaiden Emma Smith—to O. Cowdery—to J. Murdock,” etc., etc. They use the solemn manner of the Bible. It is God who speaks to them constantly in REVELATIONS, they say—in their books there is not much of an attempt to enlighten and indoctrinate the unlearned; and if it is said that they err, they attribute everything to God, his revelations to them; and thus everything is completely INFALLIBLE! Their books, for the most part, are in the English language, their FOREMOST Book, the “Mormon Book,” etc. Thus, those who are enticed and deceived to go to them, understand but little of their principles, if it can be said that they have any kind of principles.

It is intensely lamentable that our Nation is so blind, unconcerned about the truth, and religiously unfeeling. It is said that our Magistrates grant licenses to them to preach the gospel, as if they were proper Christians! Rooms are rented to them, and houses are given to them to convert to Chapels, with a kind of Christian chapel-goers, quite destitute of feelings and godly zeal for the glory of God.

Since they themselves, call themselves “Latter-day Saints,” it is taken for granted, without examining their principles, that they are a religious denomination, like other denominations!!

It appears that hundreds or thousands of the Welsh have converted to them, and to the Catholics, quite recently. No one can boast that our Nation has enlightened them and rooted them in scriptural knowledge about the way of salvation.

If there are those who wish to have more information about them, and about the truthfulness and correctness of the foregoing remarks, let them inquire of respectable and recognized men in the areas where they have been congregating for years.

“Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.” It is for certain that the kingdom of Satan stands on this lie—or that Satan has hung his kingdom on this lie until today, as the late Christmas Evans used to say. Thus, it is for certain that Mormonism is hanging on the lies of Joe Smith and his friends in every country and land, from 1823 until this very day!

“The Smithites say nothing that is true,
They do not acknowledge the One who made sea and land;
They eat and drink unperturbed,
Without thinking of the judgment that comes.”

ETA DELTA

See “The Book of Mormon;” “Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, by Orson Pratt;” Doctrines and Covenants;” “The Revelations of God, by Joseph Smith, President;” “The Star;” etc., etc.

Revivalist, March 1852, p. 100—item 1

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198551/31#?xywh=-42%2C-1%2C2346%2C3589

An Honest Saint

The New York Daily Times says that Elder Snow, on the 28^th of September, as he addressed a gathering in Utah prior to his departure as a missionary to England, made the following admission about his plural marriage: “Brethren,” said he, “I have two wives, and what is that to anyone else?” The comment was received with smiles among the ladies, and shouts of approval by the men.

Revivalist, March 1852, p. 100—item 2

Mormonism

The newspaper that is called The New York National Gazette publishes a number of disgusting accounts relating to the conduct of this sect by the Salt Lake. That paper says, “The system of plural marriage is very popular here. President Young has 90 wives; a short time ago he was driving along the road with 16 of them in a large carriage, 14 of them with a small child in their laps. It is said that Heber C. Kimball, the second person in the Trinity, has close to an equal number, and in their number are a mother and two daughters; every man is allowed to have as many wives as he can support, that is, after the woman is chosen and approved by the most prominent men. Volumes could be written about the repugnant and loathsome stories about the circumstances of these things.” It is a lamentable truth that even now there are hosts of men leaving Great Britain to join with the Mormons despite all the repugnant revelations made about them.

Revivalist, May 1852, p. 164

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Mormon Miracle

It appears that a boiler maker, who was a Mormon, and who had met with an accident of being struck in his eye and having it destroyed, was urged to go to Dr. Neill, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, an excellent doctor, to ask for help; but since the man was a faithful Mormon, he preferred going to the elders so they could lay their hands on him, so that he would be healed. The elders saw the impossibility of it, and they counseled together, and one of them said to him in a Yankee accent, “Well, do you have work masters?” “Yes,” was the answer. “Well, what did they tell you to do?” Answer, “They counseled me to go to Dr. Neill.” “Very well,” replied the elder, “go to Dr. Neill, and whatever he chooses to do, he has our blessing, and God will bless him as well.” He went to Dr. Neill; but whether he received his natural eye or not, his eye was opened in another way, so that he was able to see enough of Mormonism to the point of leaving it.

Revivalist, August 1852, pp. 243–46

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The Present Times

To the Rev. J. Lewis, Henllan

Sir—Perhaps you will not be unwilling to hear a word from one who is a stranger to you at present, on the topic, which in your opinion and that of your friends, as I suppose, is closest to your hearts, and has such great importance. I consider the knowledge of my age as being very important, and I believe firmly that there are remarkable things in the present times that call for serious and prayerful attention, conversation about them in a loving and friendly way, and writing honestly and strongly about them in the press; but, at the same time, I cannot persuade myself to believe that the publication of a book by the name of “The Present Times,” is one of the best signs of this remarkable time, or sufficiently important to create a period in philosophical or religious literature of our country. I have never had the honor of conversing with you. I have heard various people speak of you. Everyone agrees in setting you out as a good man, learned, and full of zeal for the glory of God, and a benefit to our fellow countrymen; consequently, I must believe that you are serious when in writing “The Present Times,” that you have the same purpose in view which is attributed to you by all. I wish for you to receive me in the same light, for I assure you that I do not write merely to write, or for lack of something to do. I strive to be as fair and conscientious as possible; and if I write anything offensive, I know that your mind is sufficiently refined to look past any errors, for I say nothing purposefully to hurt your feelings or those of anyone else. I do not imply that there is need for an apology, except that I am a stranger to you. As much as an advantage I have ever had to form an opinion about you separate from the witness of others, is the limited opportunity I had by reading your writings. Your writings bring to mind the description which Gulliver gives in his travels, of the inhabitants of the suspended Island which he visited, who were so fond of abstractions, so that it was necessary for them to keep servants to give them a light slap on their senses whenever it was necessary to turn their attention to the world outside. It appears to me that it would be good for you, when you write, to have someone at your side now and then, to bring to mind that there is a world and being outside your personal existence, and that there are abundant areas besides the area of Henllan, in which there are men who think as well as you do. Your writings are similar to those of a man who had chosen a subjective world to portray, instead of portraying the objective and the factual. I must admit that the subjective portrayal in your mind corresponds in large measure to the objective; but it is not entirely the same kind, and the natural result is, when you write your portrayal of the subjective, and try to adapt it to the objective, the corresponding portrayal is not correct.

[Gwesyn then proceeds to critique various parts of Lewis’s book, beginning with page 5, line 11. This critique for page 24 of Lewis’s book is about Lewis’s observations on Mormonism.]

Where is the suitability of Mormonism for the spiritual feelings of man? Mormonism appears to me to be a completely different thing. It is a system of Materialism. A powerful and useful God is their God. Heaven on earth is their heaven: see the works of Orson Pratt and the Millennial Star. It is better for you to have a second look at Mormonism before reporting anything further about it. I conclude one of two things—either you have not had the opportunity to become acquainted with real Mormonism, and consequently you have formed an ideal of it in your own mind, which is completely contrary to the real, as contradictory as are substance and spirit, or else you have been blinded by the fair look which it wears on the outside, without paying any attention to its component parts. I think that its suitability for the feelings of the natural and corrupt man, are due to the acceptance which Mormonism has in Wales, and not its suitability in any way for the spiritual feelings of man. It is difficult to imagine a system which has so little harmony between it and the moral or spiritual part of man. It does not require a change in his behavior, only that he receive his baptism. It appears to me to have been developed by Orson Pratt, as being something made up of Spinoza Pantheism, Priestley Material Socinianism, the miraculous faith of the Roman Church, and a second-birth baptism of Oxford Puseyism; and everyone knows that the above systems are very far from offering up the needs of the immortal soul.

[The following are Gwesyn’s final remarks at the end of the article:]

Your manner of writing tends to produce in the mind of the reader, that which, I hope, is completely contrary to that which was in the mind of the writer. —— [?] It would be good for you to take fewer topics, or more space. There is a variety of additional things in the book, which I would love to comment on if other obligations permitted. Perhaps you will hear from me again when I have a respite. Wishing you a long life and great success to reform the world, I am your fellow laborer.

Gwesyn

Revivalist, August 1852, pp. 246–47

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198716/17#?xywh=0%2C-1796%2C4577%2C7180

THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS AS THEY ARE PORTRAYED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, with Observations on several other matters associated with Miracles. By John Davies, Llanelli. Brynmawr: printed by John Davies.

The second printing of this useful, little book has appeared on our desk to demand some attention. The author says that he delivered the substance of the book in the form of a sermon in the house of worship where he ministers, and that the congregation, at the end of the Sabbath, at the urging of one and a second of another, revealing their wish for the sermon to be printed. That was as it should have been. Frequently, the best sermons of many deep thinkers pass by without anyone seeing anything exceptional in them, or making any mention of them. That the congregation requested a printing of the contents of this pamphlet, is obvious proof that their eyes are in their heads, that they have respect for their minister, and love for the truth. As is said in the Foreword to the second printing, the work has been divided into chapters, namely—I. Description of a miracle, and the need for it.—II. Particulars and criteria of genuine miracles.—III. Is Satan able to work miracles.—IV. Miracles of the New Testament.—V. Spiritual gifts of the primitive churches.—VI. Disappearance of the gifts from the churches.—VII. History of men pretending to work miracles follow the apostolic age.—VIII. Rise and deceit of Mormonism.

It would be good for the printer to be more careful with his work; there are several orthographic errors that spoil his pages. Also, there are some ideas in it that we cannot believe; but that does not prove that they are not true. According to the description of a miracle on page 6, we cannot see how he portrays the plan of salvation as a miracle on page 7, unless he means what he calls the natural order, restricted to this world only. He says that that the order of nature was planned and completed before the fall of man, and prepared only for the condition of innocence. Was the natural order changed when mercy was given to man? Is not the system of moral grace the plan of salvation, to have a moral effect on reasonable beings, which is shut out of the idea of a miracle, except the incarnation of the Mediator?

We enthusiastically recommend this book as very necessary and suitable for the circumstances of the present times, when there are so many of the wavering children being confused by the baseless assertions of the hare-brained impostors. We are confident that the churches will strive to spread the book among the people in general; and if, after reading it, the fools decide to be offended, plundered, deceived, defiled, and destroyed, body, soul, and circumstances by the Mormons or anyone else, they will be free to say loudly as God said, “That which dies, let it die.” [A quote from Zachariah 11:9]

Revivalist, September 1852, pp. 272–75

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198749/12#?xywh=-315%2C77%2C2649%2C4051

“The Present Times”

It appears that I have failed to make myself understood to Gwesyn in some references made in the above Lecture regarding the philosophy of the age, its morals, and its religion. Also it requires a clarification about some words used therein. Let us begin first with its Vocabulary.

[Lewis comments on several words and then proceeds with a second section entitled “Philosophy,” in which he brings in Locke and Kant. The third section is entitled “Morals and Religion” in which he makes the following comments about Mormonism:]

Before writing my views about Mormonism, I had used the means that were within my reach toward understanding its spirit and its principles, and I have not found reason to think that my opinion is incorrect concerning them. I look on it as an important Phenomenon in the moral world, and as a fact overflowing with important teachings and resolute warnings. It is cause for lament that it has not been viewed in a more philosophical spirit. It strives to persuade us that there are none but men who are destitute of common sense and of common honesty who believe it, and that in its absurd views about Deity, etc., lies the secret of its influence. They do not wish to believe that there are some, who are considered sensible and responsible believers, who have enlisted among the disciples of Joe Smith. What is in the Mormon religion that will have influence on this group? There must be something in it that appears good, and is similar to the truth. Here is a serious man, but unlearned, a holder of strong convictions; his fears about his spiritual status awakened, and causing daily torment to his soul. There is in him a thirst for the happiness and the peace which are promised to the faithful, but which he has never before experienced. He understands that there are great and very precious promises which he has never enjoyed. His tribulation is enormous. If he opens his breast to his brothers, some will fail to understand him, others will mock him, and others, in trying to instruct him, will show that they know nothing about the actuality of spiritual thought. He will be convinced that there are none in his church who are acquainted with religious influence in their hearts. In this condition, he meets a Mormon. He tells him that if he is but immersed by him, that he will be freed from his fears—that he is a child of God—that he will receive daily proofs that his prayers are heard and that he will have continual association with God—and that he will be filled with spiritual comfort. Such things cannot help but have influences on him. Those are the things he needs. He understands that he has never heard anyone from the church he belongs to professing such feelings, and he cannot help but see that all those things are essential to true religion, according to the scriptural portrayal of it. He is further assured that the Holy Ghost gives powerful manifestations of his power to the Mormons by endowing them with divers kinds of tongues, gifts of healing, the spirit of prophecy, etc. Such a manifestation of Godly influences cannot help but appear lovely and pleasing to him. There are spiritual feelings within him; there is a wish for spiritual influences within him. Since his thirst is great, he drinks from the cup given him by the Mormons, without careful scrutiny of their character. Upon beginning to drink from it, he will not finish until he has drunk it all. The promises of comfort, of peace and rest, of proofs of prayers being heard, of association with God, etc., are those things which answer the spiritual feelings of man in the Mormon religion, but they are deceitful promises.

If we wish to understand the genius of Mormonism, we ought to look at it as it relates to the best class of those who profess it, as well as the worst class. That is only fair. The spirit of the age toward this heresy is not only irreligious, but also unphilosophical. If we examine its content and its success, it is, as already indicated, overflowing with warnings and teachings worthy of attention. We have had proofs that there does not exist a heresy too absurd and outrageous for men of common sense to believe. It is time for the ministry and the churches to wake up. We have clear proofs that the dangers are great. If a heresy by some idiot* of a devil, which was portrayed and truly stated by Mr. Rees, Liverpool, is received by many, what kind of reception would a religion fashioned by some genius of a devil be likely of getting?

[The following footnote is by Lewis.]

*I have seen before such a criticism by “Gwesyn” on the elements of “Mormonism.” It seemed to me that the critic is as ignorant as Joe Smith himself of Spinoza Pantheism, and Priestley Material Socinianism. Spinoza denies the personal existence of Deity, whereas Mormonism acknowledges it. Priestley acknowledges the spiritual nature and endlessness of Deity, whereas Mormonism denies it.

Revivalist, 1852 November, pp. 341–44

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198815/16#?xywh=-391%2C271%2C2589%2C2153

“The Present Times” Again

Religion

1. Mormonism

I fail to account for the tenderness Mr. Lewis feels toward the Mormon deceivers. He complains because of the behavior of the age toward them, while he himself sets them out, without exception, as unprincipled deceivers. Some of his statements pertaining to them appear to me as new, strange, and erroneous, and some of his arguments as defective. What does Mr. Lewis think of the following sentences: “It is cause for lament that it has not been viewed in a more philosophical spirit. . . The spirit of the age toward this heresy is not only irreligious, but also unphilosophical.” The general behavior of the age, I believe, as a rule, is to leave Mormonism unobserved. The exception is that some pay attention to it, and end up believing it. Consequently, we gather that the foremost behavior which is blamed by Mr. Lewis, is that it is not only irreligious, but also unphilosophical. Also, it is not the age that has persecuted the Mormons; they have received the freedom to go everywhere they wish, stay as long as they like, and leave whenever they see fit; at least, that is the general rule. Consequently, I think that the proper meaning of the words of Mr. Lewis is as follows: The fact that the age has left Mormonism so unobserved, is a cause for lament, and reveals a spirit unworthy of the disciples of Christ. What other meaning there is for the words, I am unable to decipher. And if we have deciphered the proper meaning of the words, I think that Mormonism will never receive better praise from the mouth of its best friends than is given to it here, and whosoever leaves it unobserved behaves in a way that is unworthy of a Christian and a man. Whatever means that were within the reach of Mr. Lewis, and whatever propriety was in them toward enabling him to understand the spirit and principles of Mormonism, I do not know; but I suspect they were of a kind that is out of reach to anyone else. His respect for Mormonism could not be greater, I think, than had it been discovered in the deep and original thoughts of Locke or Kant. I believe that none of the disciples of Swedenborg has risen from the works of his master with greater zeal for his wild doctrines than that which Mr. Lewis manifests for Mormonism. I am ready to acknowledge that the success of Mormonism is an important fact in the moral world—that the zeal and diligence of the Mormons is worthy of note and imitation of other denominations; and yet I fail to discern, despite all that Mr. Lewis says in support of the statement, anything in Mormonism suitable for the spiritual feelings of man. Mr. Lewis says that sensible and responsible men (what is to be understood by responsible believers, I do not know) have joined ranks with the disciples of Joe Smith; and then he asks, What is in the Mormon religion to influence this group? That is the issue. How will Mr. Lewis respond to that query? By putting forth an example. “Here is a serious man, but unlearned,” etc. Why unlearned? Why did Mr. Lewis not give an example from among the responsible, sensible, honest, and learned group, those who are, he says, very numerous and have enlisted under the banner of Joe Smith? No, an unlearned man is brought before us, and yet his lack of learning is of a very strange nature. Does he know what believers should be; does he know what is truly essential for a religion; does he know that there are some very great and valuable promises that he does not enjoy; does he know that happiness and joy are promised to the faithful, although he has never before experienced them, etc. In what way is he unlearned, then, I cannot decipher, except that he is unfamiliar with the Bible, where all the above things are explained to him very clearly. If so, how has he found the knowledge that he has, since he did not hear anyone from the church he belongs to saying such things, since they know nothing about them, and that this is the first time, as I suppose, for him to become acquainted with a Mormon. It seems to me that the believers referred to are very unacquainted with the Bible, or else Mr. Lewis is determined to set things out in the worst possible manner to prove his point—“If he opens his breast to his brothers, some will mock him,” etc. Oh, such barbaric believers! Not enough of humanity, not to mention godliness, to teach him to sympathize with a weak brother in distress because of his condition! The scene must be too dark. No wonder the man, poor thing, has become convinced that they know nothing of religious influence on their hearts. Very little to convince him that they are not men, but some of the pit dwellers transformed. I am hardly surprised as I go forward. Here is a man for whom the promises of the Bible provided no answers, although he knew about them, and who was satisfied with such promises from the mouth of the Mormon, without ever receiving the fulfillment of them. It seems to me that either the Mormons prove the things they profess to be, or else that the man in question is very content to be deceived; and Mr. Lewis himself says that they are deceptive promises, and yet are the means of answering the spiritual feelings of man. Now, let us look at them; what suitability are in them for the spiritual feelings of man. By the way, I forgot to ask Mr. Lewis, what does he mean by the spiritual feelings of man? What I mean by them is the moral feelings, with which religion mainly deals. If I am mistaken, I have only to wait to be set straight. What, then, is in Mormonism that is suitable for the moral feelings of man? The Mormon tells him to receive his immersion from him, and then he will have relief from his fears, proof that he is a child of God, together with daily proofs that his prayers are heard, and continual communion with God—he will be filled with spiritual comforts. I suspect that I have not made any progress with Mr. Lewis by changing a little of the above sentence; for if I have not shown forth his meaning, I do not understand him. I cannot discern the superiority of this Mormon from anyone else, except the immersion. I do not know whether Mr. Lewis wishes to show forth the Mormon as promising the above things as natural consequences of his obedience to the immersion (although the intention of his words clearly has that meaning, I take it for granted that is not what is meant); for if it is, I think that he has done an injustice to the Mormon, without greatly elevating Mormonism as a suitable thing for the spiritual feelings of man. If this is not the case, in what way are the promises of the Mormon superior? Do not others teach the man, that love for God is proof that he is a child of God—if he continues to pray, he will have an answer and communion with God as a result—if he but lives a godly life, he will be filled with spiritual comforts; and he need not wait long before experiencing the truth of these promises, if he but lives up to the conditions, while, according to the confession of Mr. Lewis himself, that the promises of the Mormon are never fulfilled. It must be, then, that the impudence and shamelessness of the Mormon in giving the promises, are what prepares them for the spiritual feelings of the seeker, since the deceit that is in him can never be more suitable than the truth. In short, there is not in him any kind of suitability, except only to satisfy impure passions, and lull the conscience to sleep; consequently, it is the men, and not the system, who are superior. We think that the Mormon preachers will never receive greater praise than this, namely that they, with deceit, are able to fulfill that which others fail to do with the truth. We expect before long to see the Millennial Star quoting the REVIVALIST to encourage the Mormons to go forward in their deceit.

We think for certain that Mr. Lewis does not believe in the continuation of the spiritual gifts in the church after the apostolic age; and if they ceased at the death of the successors of the apostles, if not at the death of the apostles themselves, the Leader must not have meant for them to be necessary for the nurturing of the spiritual feelings of the members, otherwise they would have continued in the church, at least, until their corruption in the fourth century. If we do not have proofs that they continued past the apostolic age, that leads us to the conclusion that they are not suitable to nurture the spiritual feelings of man, which, no doubt, is the purpose of the gospel. We see Simon Magus yearning for them; but what was the condition of his spiritual feelings? Was he not under the influence of the Spirit of mercy, in the gall of bitterness and an untruthful obligation? What is the most natural effect for us to expect from the promise of spiritual gifts to man? Is it to make him more humble and selfless? Most certainly not, but completely to the contrary, it fills him with pride and selfishness: see 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14. Consequently, it is obvious that there is nothing in a promise of the miraculous gifts that is appropriate for the spiritual feelings of man.

In a note, Mr. Lewis says—“I have seen before such a criticism by Gwesyn on the elements of Mormonism.” I am at a loss to know when or where Mr. Lewis saw such a criticism, since I do not remember having written anything about Mormonism before. If I were to throw the ball back, I would say that Mr. Lewis appears to me to be ignorant of Mormonism as it is taught by the leading men of the sect, to whom, says he, we should go in order to have a correct vision of the system. Taking for granted that there is no need to mention books, since Mr. Lewis is acquainted with them, I say that Mormonism does not acknowledge the personal existence of the Deity, nor does Priestley admit the spirituality and immortality of the Trinity. Mormonism acknowledges the personal existence of the Father and the Son; but it says that the Holy Ghost is but an essence pervading all space. If Mr. Lewis has not seen this before, and if he has not the means within his reach for him to prove the truth of the statement, and acknowledge his ignorance, I will let him know in which book the doctrine is revealed. I hope that he learns not to think that the sure sign of ignorance is that men fail to agree with him; otherwise we believe there has never before been such a mass of ignoramuses in Wales as there are at present. Since I have not tried to persuade Mr. Lewis, or anyone else, that only men destitute of sense, or common honesty, who believe Mormonism; yet since Mr. Lewis wishes to make it clear to us that such a statement is incorrect (even though the statement is not mine), I am ready to prove its truthfulness, and say that those who believe Mormonism are fools, or knaves, or then both of the two. Now I present a short piece of the work of Captain Jones, formerly of Merthyr, so that the readers of the REVIVALIST can judge for themselves concerning the appropriateness of a system which requires such a heap of blasphemies and foolishness to hold it up, about the spiritual feelings of man:

[Dan Jones, Millennial Star 11:38–42] “In the afternoon meeting on the 31^st of December, 1848, the power of God and also the power of darkness showed a wide and marvelous contrast. Whilst I was describing the beauties of Zion, together with the importance of building up there a temple to the Most High God, and the resulting consequences thereof to the Saints’ glory and the overthrow of Babylon, the prince of darkness thought that I was getting to be too traitorous in the midst of his dominions; he could not bear such good and powerful truths, so he sent a legion of evil spirits into the hall at that time, as though he was determined with one grand rally to storm our little fortress, and demolish our citadel with impunity. In five minutes after their arrival, which was seen by some, three females were possessed and many more nearly as bad; however, I perceived the enemy’s design, and having command of the post, I lost no time in returning him a heavy broadside with the artilleries of heaven by commanding every evil spirit in the place to depart in the name of Jesus Christ, which was responded to by all the audience with such powerful Amens! that the neighbors thought it thundered, that all the devils, except three, [had] run away in a fright; and the echoes opened the windows of heaven, so that the power of God was felt and seen by all others in the place, and some of our worst persecutors, having come there with evil intent, confessed that God was with us, and shouted Amen as loud as any. There were hundreds of young Saints who had never witnessed the like and who were rather timid, which caused me to maintain the platform for more than an hour to teach them the wiles of the devil, and to encourage them to be brave in the power of God, &c. In the mean time I had sent some elders to those possessed, to rebuke the spirit, who were all this time making the loudest noise with me and each other, calling out—’Old Captain, have you come to trouble us? d—d old captain we will hold you a battle.’ Many other expressions used would be indecent to utter and others useless I suppose; but some spoke English through one that knew no English of herself, and revealed many mysteries; others spoke in tongues, praying for a re-enforcement of their kindred spirits, and chiding some dreadfully by names, such as Borona, Menta, Philo, &c. &c. for not obeying their mandates with greater alacrity and courage. The spirits left one of the three females at the first rebuke, but the others cursed all the elders, calling many by names, with whom the females were totally unacquainted. They said they were at Carthage in the slaughter of the prophets; we compelled them to acknowledge the authority of the priesthood, loudly, to the astonishment of all. They swore that they would not depart without “Old Brigham Young, from America, [and that if he] would come, that they would have to obey him; but that they held an office higher than any others.” I questioned one of them on that, whether he had ever possessed any other person in Wales? “Yes, very many!” was the reply. I asked “did you ever leave one unless compelled?” He replied “No, nor will I go from here either.” Then I rebuked him for telling a falsehood, inasmuch as that Brigham Young had never visited Wales, and that he had better business than to come and wait on such beings as him, at which he sneered and laughed, that echoed through the hall and alarmed many; at the same time the streets were crowded with strangers and policemen, drawn there by the noise, and shortly the whole town was in an uproar, like Ephesus of old.”—Translation from the Millennial Star, Vol. 7, pp. 39–40.

Without making any further comments, I will leave to Mr. Lewis the task of persuading the readers of the REVIVALIST to believe that a religious system whose chief leaders write such lying rubbish, are unfairly dealt with by the age through leaving them unobserved—that it is cause for lament that it has not been viewed in a more philosophical spirit—that those who embrace it are sensible and honest men—and foremost of all, that the system itself is suitable for the spiritual feelings of man. If he can believe these things after reading the foregoing quotation and its like, we believe that that he will have great difficulty in getting one in a hundred readers of the REVIVALIST to believe the same thing with him.

2. On listening to Mr. Lewis speaking so mournfully, and appealing to the public as one who is being misunderstood and misrepresented, reviled and scorned, as if about to suffer martyrdom because of his views, I was about to transfer my pen from my hand, and finish, until I saw the following sentence: “They cannot help but feel sad when they hear the country echoing with shouts of those who are proclaiming, Peace,” etc. Since Mr. Lewis complains to such an extreme about those who fail to agree with him, I do not see where the fairness to him is, and to those who hold the same views as he, to be allowed to misrepresent others. I believe that the ministers who refuse to accept the opinion of Mr. Lewis as a standard, are preaching just as sharply against sin, and setting out the gospel of peace in its abundance, its spirituality, and its appropriateness for the world, as does he himself. They are no doubt just as conscientiously opposing his views as he is in promulgating them; and as a result, it is unfair for him to set himself out as one who is misunderstood and misrepresented, while the entire matter is merely his views being weighed on the correct scales and found wanting. I wish for Mr. Lewis to pay particular attention to the following sentence of his creation: “They cannot rejoice as they look on their fellow immortals as they go in a procession toward destruction,” etc. What? does Mr. Lewis mean that everyone is headed for destruction who does not believe the statements of the oracle of Henllan? What other meaning can be placed on the words I fail to comprehend. Those who cannot rejoice are those who are misunderstood, and misrepresented, and, consequently, those who make up the processions must be those who are not in agreement with him. That is Mormonism itself. The Mormon says no more than whosoever refuses to believe his doctrine is going toward destruction. I am very grateful to Mr. Lewis for his counsel. I have carefully read his writing and his lecture over and over, and have interviewed others as to their opinion as they have read them; but for the life of me, I cannot discern in what way I have wronged him; I have done nothing more than draw fair conclusions from the premises which he has set down. Mr. Lewis is frightened at the conclusions, but he stands by the premises. That is what Cousin does, and every other writer I have seen in the Speculative and Mystical Schools. I am glad that the church of Henllan has not drawn the same conclusion from his lecture which I have, and I hope they will never do so; but I know that some good and unbiased thinkers have done so, and I believe that the conclusion is quite fair.

Gwesyn

Revivalist, December 1852, pp. 376–77

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2198848/19

Lectures on the Deceit of Mormonism by Thomas Hughes (T. ab Gwilym). Price two pence.

There is nothing before us now but the first lecture which was delivered in the Rhuthin Town Hall, September 3, 1852, which, says the lecturer, is to be followed by five others. The first lecture professes “to expose the deceit of the beginning of Mormonism.” Mormonism is such a moral epidemic in the country, that it will not be cured by making local superficial adjustments; for the structure has risen from general debility. The skilled doctor, most often, heals the sick, and cures external injuries to the human body, by giving something to the sufferer to take, and not by any outward application. Mormonism is made up of such elements, so that it cannot be killed by curing only the head. The deism, Catholicism, and the worldliness that pertain to it are incurable, except through an inner adjustment of the religious truths in the church, until it improves as a body, and then Mormonism will die in its own stench; for from corrupt churches, or from the corruption of the churches its ranks are filled. Who but the most fallible, the most unspiritual, and the most ignorant of the Divine Roll, are seen embracing the Book of Mormon. We receive this attempt from Mr. Hughes with gratitude, and every other attempt which speaks to some purpose, for that will produce some thought; the churches of men who are devoid of spirit, work, knowledge, and a desire for anything spiritual will be purified only by those who fill the ranks of the Saints; thus we challenge the Saints to make fools of the irreligious world.

Revivalist, January 1857, p. 31

https://journals.library.wales/view/2192687/2200470/26#?xywh=848%2C2395%2C1585%2C1200

[Under Obituaries]

Lately in Cincinnati, North America, John Jones, “Llangollen.” Mr. Jones left two beautiful and devoted daughters to mourn his loss; also a grieving widow who rightly and naturally feels devastated. The three of them had the opportunity which would be desired by every relative of watching death pull down the house of dust. And it is very likely that two sons, also somewhere, would have been glad to have the same opportunity. Whether they are in Wales or in this country no one here knows except for the family themselves. What the reason may be for this secrecy is not known. The two daughters are carrying forward the Millinery Business which provides a comfortable living for them and their mother.

Mr. Jones’s funeral was officiated by the Reverends Howell Powell, (T. C.); Thomas Edwards, (A) and J. Storrs, (A) in English. At his death Mr. Jones belonged to Mr. Storrs’s congregation and had presented his appeal to be a church member.

De mortuis nihil nisi Bonum. (Of the dead nothing but good is to be said.)

After all is said and done, we are glad that he received the respect due to every man, namely sympathy in times of trouble and a fit and proper burial.

[John Jones died 18 November 1856]