University of Edinburgh THE MORMON DOC URINE OF SALVATION And The NINETEENTH CENTURY BACKGROUND A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Divinity in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Ph. D, degree May 15, 1956 Brio Lawton Clitheroej A. B.j B. D. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION; i - vi PART QMS; ORIGIN AND BACKGROUND OF MORMONISM 1-58 Chapter I The Origin of Mormoniam 1-20 1. Orthodox Mormon Account 2 2. Synthetic or Fraudulent View 10 5. Psychological Theories 16 Chapter II The Early Nineteenth Century 21 - 58 I. Sources of Mormon Doctrine 21 - 26 II. Intellectual Heritage and Background: 1. Post War Religion in America 27 2. Revivalism 28 5. Clerical Education 29 4. Restoration of "Primitive Christianity" 5° 5. Repudiation of "Human Creeds" 51 6. "Restorers of Primitive Chri^Hanity" 55 7. Name of the "Only True Church" 57 8. Perfectionism 59 9. "Spiritual Gifts" and "Spiritism" 44 10. Restorationism and Universalism 45 11. Salvation through Works 48 12. Doctrines of God and Christ 49 15. "Spiritual" Materialism 51 14. Church Polity and Gospel Ordinances 54 15. Israelitish Origin of the American Indian 56 16. Summary Conclusion 57 FAP/T TV/0; THE MORMON DOCTRINE OF SALVATION 59 -. 200 Chapter III Theoretical and Formal Aspects of Salvation ft. Theory or Philosophy of Salvation: A. Anthropology 59 B. Design of Human Existence 64 II. Formal Aspect of Salvations 65 A. The Wprk of Christ 66 B, The Works of Man 70 1. Ceremonial or Religious Works 71 2. Ethical Works 81 a. Asceticism 82 (1) Tho Word of Wiadorn 82 (2) Fantine C0 b. Bonovolont and Philanthropic Acto 09 3. Socular V/orlco 91 Chapter IV Formula of Salvation 95 ~ 156" I. Faith 96 A. Distinctive Elements of Mormon Faith 98 B. The Objects of Mormon Faith 105 1. Godhead 105 2. Priesthood 112 5« Continual Revelation 114 II, Repentance 121 III. Baptism for the Remission of Sins 121 A. Immersion 121 B. The Remission of Sins 126 IV. The Gift-of the Holy Ghost. 151 A. Grace 155 B. Charismatic Gifts 154 Chapter V The Agents and Agencies of Salvation 157 - 168 I. The Agents of Salvation: A. Adam 157 B. Revealing and Ministering Angels 144 C. Peripatetic Immortals D. Other Agents of Salvation II. The Agencies of Salvation: A. The Church and the Priesthood 150 B. Education 158 C. Social Salvation 162 Chapter VI Temple Salvation 169 - 187 I. Teraples 169 II. Temple Work iy4 A. Baptism for the Dead 175 B. Celestial Marriage and "Sealirg u of Children 178 0,'Endowment Ceremony 182 III. Conclusion Ohaptar VII The Future 188 - 200 1. Preparation for the Second Advent 189 2. The Second Advent and Millennium 191 5. The Last Resurrection 195 4. The World of Spirits 19^ 5. The Future States 195 a. The Celestial Glory 196 b. The Terrestrial Glory 197 c. The Telestial Glory 198 6. Punishment and Hell 198 7. Eternal Progression 200 Chapter VIII Conclusion 201 - 217 1. The Jewish Nature of Mormonism 202 2. The Scriptures and Mormon Doctrine 204 5. Nature of the Religious Life 205 A. The Vitality of Mormonism 210 APPENDIXES: I. Brigham Young on Pre-existence 218 II Brigham Young and B. H. Roberts on Blood Atonement 219 III Brigham Young's Adam Sermon 222 BIBLIOGRAPHY 225 ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Joseph Smith - The Mormon Prophet ~ Before page I 2. Statue of the Angel Moroni --------- • " 5 5. Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Oowdery ------ " "10 4. Facsimile of Book of Mormon title page - - - " "20 5. Map --------------------- » « 55 6. Presidents of the Mormon Church ------- " " 114 7. Temples of the Church ----------- • » 172 INTRODUCTION The writer's interest in Mormoniam began in infancy since his parents, at the time of his birth, were recent English converts to the Latter-Day Saint faith. Although never actually a baptized and confirmed member of the church, the writer, until he was almost fourteen years of age, attended Mormon services regularly, lived in a community more than ninety-nine percent Mormon, and was thoroughly indoctrinated by Mormon ideas. For the next four years he was subjected to both Mormon and Protestant influences. At eighteen he became a Protestant and, eventually, studied Theology. These brief facts may help .to throw light on the writer's interest in the subject which occupies the pages which follow. This back­ ground, we believe, is an advantage rather than a disadvantage when it comes to making a fair estimate and exposition of Mormon Theology. Our aim in writing this essay on Mormonism is two-fold: first, to make an exposition of the religious teachings of Mormonism from what we believe to be its central and moat inclusive doctrine—the doctrine of Salvation; secondly, to show that, for the most part, the content of this doctrine is neither new, original, nor unique as most individuals, particularly Mormons, suppose. In this discussion of Mormon doctrine we propose to deal only with * the doctrine of the Utah church which is by far the largest and most aggressive Mormon body. The Utah group has perpetuated the traditions of its prophet more consistently than have the other groups. At the present time there are two main branches of the Mormon church. They are commonly differentiated by - ii - the terms Utah Mormons and Missouri Mormons. The former is officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints while the incorporated name of the latter is The Re-Organized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, The "re-organization" was motivated by the refusal of a group of Mormons subsequent to the death of the Mormon Prophet to accept polygamy or polytheism or to admit that Joseph Smith ever taught the two rejected doctrines. These monotheistic-monogamous Mormons accept the Book of Mormon! their own version of the Doctrine and Covenants which continues to grow as revelations are added .from time to time, and the Joseph Smith or "Inspired" Translation of the English Bible as their standards of faith and hold that "the polygamous and polytheistic scriptures of the Utah Mormons are forgeries which Utah Mormons deceptively attribute to Joseph Smith. The Missouri group is commonly known as "The Josephites" while the Utah branch is often termed "The Brighamites" after Brigham Young who followed Smith as head of the largest Mormon faction. The Utah church has had its minor schisms most of which have entirely disappeared. The Re-organized church has had a greater number of apostate off-shoots several of which, though small and weak, exist today. The tension between the Utah and Missouri churches is stronger than the feeling which exists between Mormon and Denominational groups even though the Mormon groups all give their allegiance to Joseph Smith and his work. It is a rather whimsical fact that Utah and Missouri Mormons send missionaries to one another in a serious attempt to make converts. According to recent statistics there are 700,000 Utah Mormons. Add to this the combined number of Josephites, Hedrickites, Bickertonites, Fetting- ites and whatever other "Ites" may e.xist and the total number of individuals - iii - who profess faith in the prophetic ministry of Joseph Smith would not be far short of a million souls. As source material for this study we have confined ourselves largely to the scriptures which Mormons recognize as official standards of faith. These sources are the English Bible "as far as it is translated correctly," the Book of Mormon.! the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Most Mormons still agree with their Prophet's statement when he said: "I believe the Bible as it read when it came from toe pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing or corrupt priests have committed many errors." 2 Yet no less influential a Mormon theologian than Apostle Talmage says of the Bible: "The Church . accepts the Holy Bible as the foremost of her standard works, first among the books which have been proclaimed as her written guides in faith and doctrine."5 <phis statement, unless it refers merely to the tabulated order in which the "standard works" generally appear, is sheer nonsense, for Smith's thirteen articles of faith (part of the official Pearl of Great Price) place a restriction upon belief in the Bible while no such restriction is placed upon the Book of Mormon. If Talmage means that the Bible comes before the other three "standard works" as "A" comes before "Z" in the alphabet, his statement is pointless. If he means what his language ought normally to convey, it is a matter of Apostle Talmage's personal judgment against the judgment of the Mormon Prophet himself. Smith, speaking to the twelve apostles, described the Book of Mormon as "the most correct of any book P. of G. P., p. 58, art. 8. F. Parry, ed. Teachings of Joseph Smith, p. 17 5 J. E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith, p. - iv - on earth and the keystone of our religion" and added that "a man would get near to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." Further­ more, let it be remembered, the Bible was in the hands of an apostate church for nearly fifteen hundred years. The popular or actual theology of the church has been influenced and formed by extra-canonical writings such as sermons and treatises by various church presidents, apostles, elders, etc. Moat important of these are the miscellaneous teachings of Joseph Smith, the discourses of Brigham Young, the philosophical treatises of the two Pratts. Within more recent years the writings of Elder B. H. Roberts who accepted as authoritative a much wider circle of Mormon literature upon which to base his uncompromising conclusions than do most other mentally alert Mormons, have exerted a powerful influence upon the thinking of the church.