The Hidden Things of Darkness
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The Hidden Things of Darkness by Christopher S. Bentley The Hidden Things of Darkness An Exposé of the Enemies of Christ by Christopher S. Bentley Copyright © 2001 by Christopher S. Bentley 1st edition 2001 2nd printing 2006 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, whether by graphic, visual, electronic, filming, microfilming, tape recording, or any other means, without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the author, title and ISBN are mentioned. This book is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All opinions expressed herein are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the publisher or of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For additional copies: www.freedomslight.net Cover design by SunRise Publishing www.SunriseBooks.com Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 0-9717909-0-6 v Contents Introduction Keeping All Of The Commandments 1 Chapter 1 Another Look At The War In Heaven 13 Chapter 2 The Church Of The Devil 29 Chapter 3 Corrupt Jaredite And Nephite Kings 43 Chapter 4 Rome In The Meridian Of Time 51 Chapter 5 The Whore Of The Latter Days 61 Chapter 6 Satanocracy 71 Chapter 7 Secret Combinations 99 Chapter 8 Secret Works Of Darkness 115 Chapter 9 Kingdoms And Glory 135 Chapter 10 Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 151 Of Secret Combinations Chapter 11 Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 173 Chapter 12 The Book Of Mormon Warns 195 The Latter-day Gentiles Conclusion Getting Out From Under Condemnation 219 Appendix 1 The Meaning Of “Two Churches Only” 235 Appendix 2 Further Commentary On Satanocracy 243 vi Appendix 3 Textual Evidence For The Importance 263 Of The Subject Of Secret Combinations Figure 1 Scriptural Frequency Of Secret 269 Combinations In The Book Of Mormon Author’s Note 275 Index 285 “…it is an imperative duty…that we should waste and wear our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them…” ---D&C 123:7, 13 “…the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ.” --- President Ezra Taft Benson “I [the Lord] will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.” --- Alma 37:25 Introduction Keeping All Of The Commandments “Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments?” --D&C 58:30 Obedience to God’s Commandments The importance of obedience to God’s commandments can hardly be overstated (D&C 59:21). Indeed, one of the major overarching messages of the standard works is the need for strict obedience to all of Heavenly Father’s commandments (D&C 98:11). Yet the world at present, if it obeys God’s commandments at all, usually approaches such strict divine requirements with a relativistic set of ethics, and a lackadaisical, “moderation-in-all-things” attitude (2 Nephi 28:7-9; Mormon 8:31). The Prophet Joseph Smith boldly preached to a congregation of non-members the folly of such an attitude towards God’s commandments, as if people can pick and choose which ones they want to keep like they were some kind of smorgasbord of divine rules. In words as applicable to today as ever, the Prophet Joseph said, “to get salvation we must not only do some things, but everything which God has commanded.”1 Expressing what his personal motto was, he said, “the object with me is to obey and teach others to obey God in just what He tells us to do.”2 Demonstrating his commitment to such a stand (and as was evidenced by his life’s example itself), no matter what the cost, he declared, “it mattereth not whether the principle is popular or 1 Joseph Fielding Smith, ed., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), p. 332. 2 Ibid. 2 The Hidden Things Of Darkness unpopular, I will always maintain a true principle, even if I stand alone in it.”1 On another occasion he stated, [I]n obedience there is joy and peace unspotted, unalloyed; and as God has designed our happiness—and the happiness of all His creatures, he never has—He never will institute an ordinance or give a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness which He has designed, and which will not end in the greatest amount of good and glory to those who become the recipients of his law and ordinances.2 But to those who will not obey, the Lord queried, “Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments” (D&C 58:30)? Some Commandments Well Received, Others Not The world at present, as it plunges deeper and deeper into spiritual darkness and wickedness, is unarguably turning a collective deaf ear toward God’s divine teachings (D&C 5:8). But how do Latter-day Saints fare, who are members of Christ’s true Church, are beneficiaries of the priesthood, and have the Holy Ghost for guidance? Besides what ancient prophets saw in vision (see 2 Nephi 28:14), a cursory look at Church history plainly shows that the prophets’ pronouncements have been received with mixed attitudes of acceptance. While Joseph Smith was viewed as a prophet by almost all of the Latter-day Saints, his revealing of the principle of polygamy was too much for some members of the Church to handle. Many apostatized and became his enemies. The reverse happened under President Wilford Woodruff’s administration. When polygamy was abandoned, some members could not let the principle go, even though the Lord had once declared, “I…command and revoke, as it seemeth me good” (D&C 56:4). President Heber J. Grant taught the Saints many beautiful truths about the gospel, and its principles, but when he spoke out 1 Smith, p. 332. 2 Ibid., p. 256-257. Keeping All Of The Commandments 3 against government “old age assistance,” some members thought that he “ought to keep his mouth shut.”1 Many members were undoubtedly motivated at hearing President David O. McKay’s famous declaration that “every member is a missionary.” But when he said, “Next to being one in worshipping God, there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States,”2 many refused to listen. Even now today, certain members think that America’s Constitution is out-dated and that its independence and sovereignty should be scrapped in favor of joining a world government. President Spencer W. Kimball was well received when he declared that every “worthy young man” should serve a mission, and that members of the Church must “lengthen their stride.” Yet, how many rejoiced at his plea for mothers to stay in the home and raise their children? Or, how many took seriously his admonition for families to fix up their homes and to garden, and to obtain a year’s supply of food? President Ezra Taft Benson received accolades for reemphasizing the Book of Mormon, but how many listened to him as he spoke about the Constitution of the United States of America, and the evils of a secret combination that is seeking to “overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries”?3 Of how many blessings have members been deprived, by failing to obey God’s commandments that He has revealed through His servants the prophets? And for that matter, since God will not hold “guiltless” those who do not keep His commandments, what price will Latter-day Saints have to pay for ignoring prophetic counsel (1 Nephi 10:20)? While the exact answers to these questions are probably only understood and known by God, a little pondering of the following verse of scripture might well provide a heavenly response that would generate a flood of understanding. The Lord 1 Elder Marion G. Romney, General Conference, April 1953. 2 President David O. McKay, The Instructor, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1956), vol. 91, p. 34. 3 President Ezra Taft Benson, “I Testify,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, November, 1988), p.87. 4 The Hidden Things Of Darkness said, “I command and men obey not; I revoke and they receive not the blessing” (D&C 58:32). Other scripture is more blunt. To those who half-heartedly attempt to follow divine counsel, the Lord said, “But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with a doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned” (D&C 58:29). If they who follow divine counsel with a “doubtful heart” and with “slothfulness” are “damned,” what is to be said about they who willfully disobey? In the sections and chapters that follow, special consideration is given to certain commandments that will have far-reaching negative effects if members of the Church continue to ignore them (see D&C 1:33), or outright disobey them. Those effects will be far more amplified if they who seek to obey those commandments are mocked, ridiculed, and thwarted by those who do not.