FORTY YEARS IN THE MORMON CHURCH WHY I LEFT IT! BY BISHOP R. C. EVANS TOTONTO, CANADA PREFACE _______________ FORTY YEARS IN THE MORMON CHURCH My reasons for presenting this little volume to the public are: -- First, that because my sermons have gone over the world for many years, millions of them have been published by the Canadian and American press, and the church has constantly advertised them, the consciousness that the world has the right to know from me, why I have left the church, advises me to present the facts. Second, many books have been published by those who knew nothing of the inner workings of Mormonism. I have endeavored to give the true history of Mormonism, quoting very largely from their own works, and bringing into prominence the teaching of the Prophets, Seers and Revelators and other leading ministers. Third, having been ordained to seven different offices in the Mormon Priesthood, from Priest to the Presidency of the church, standing next to Joseph Smith himself in the Highest Council of the church, the world will be interested to read the facts from one who has escaped from the Mormon thraldom. Fourth, notwithstanding the cruel treatment that has been inflicted upon me by the leaders of the church from the moment they knew that I had determined to warn the world, I have tried to keep my heart from bitterness, but have, in this little volume, endeavored to show that Mormonism is the lying wonder of the Latter Days, with the hope that the honest in heart, now 'under the yoke of bondage will, like tens of thousands before them, make their escape and find peace and joy in the gospel of Christ as revealed in the Bible. My earnest prayer for the many honest people of the church is, that they will abandon Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, the Book of Abraham, the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, the Book of Commandments, and all the other fraudulent works of Mormonism and embrace Christ and the gospel as presented in the Word of God. The Reorganized "Mormon Church" does not teach or practice polygamy. Their great sin is in denying that Joseph Smith, their prophet, seer and revelator, received revelations commanding the church to enter into that God dishonoring and woman debasing doctrine under pain of eternal damnation, in denying that he taught, practiced and advocated it, privately, while he denied it publicly. If human evidence is to be relied upon, then this book proves that the leading presidents, apostles, bishops, high priests, including the celebrated "Three Witnesses," as also many of Smith's own relatives declare that he had revelations commanding the church to enter into the practice of polygamy, and tens of thousands certify that they had many wives in consequence of his example and commandments. When these testimonies were confirmed unto me, then I could no longer believe that God and Christ visited and conversed with Smith, that John the Baptist and Peter, James and John ordained him to the priesthood and that many other heavenly personages visited him, and I finally, under the blessing of God, came out to tell the world the facts. Yours sincerely, (signed) R. C. Evans Toronto, Ontario, Feb. 12th, 1920. Contents PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................2 CONTENTS ............................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Mormonism -- Its Early History ......................................................................................................... 10 My Childhood Faith ................................................................................................................................. 10 My First Doubt ........................................................................................................................................ 11 History of The Book of Mormon. ............................................................................................................ 12 Affidavit of Willard Chase. ...................................................................................................................... 14 Affidavit of Isaac Hale, Father-in-law of Smith. ...................................................................................... 15 Affidavit of William Stafford. .................................................................................................................. 15 Affidavit of Z. H. Gurley. .......................................................................................................................... 16 The Gold Plates ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Translation Perfect. ................................................................................................................................. 19 Many Parts Taken From The Bible and Other Books .............................................................................. 21 Early History of America. ........................................................................................................................ 23 The Spaulding Story, or Manuscript Found ............................................................................................ 24 Witnesses Leave the Church. .................................................................................................................. 32 Was Joseph Smith a Polygamist? ...................................................................................................... 36 Brief History of Smith and Mormonism .................................................................................................. 36 Churches All Wrong ................................................................................................................................ 36 Book of Abraham .................................................................................................................................... 37 Smith Vile, Yet True (So-Called) Prophet ................................................................................................ 38 Was Joseph Smith Immoral? ................................................................................................................... 41 Polygamy ................................................................................................................................................. 42 Mormon Excuse For Lying About Polygamy in Early Years of The Church. ............................................ 44 Three Witnesses. ..................................................................................................................................... 47 Joseph Smith, The Son of The Prophet. .................................................................................................. 50 Emma Smith. ........................................................................................................................................... 52 Isaac Sheen Testifies. .............................................................................................................................. 53 William Marks Testifies. .......................................................................................................................... 55 Joseph Smith's Last Revelation on Polygamy. ........................................................................................ 57 Joseph Smith's Idol--Polygamy................................................................................................................ 61 W. W. Blair Testifies. ............................................................................................................................... 61 J. W. Briggs Testifies. ............................................................................................................................... 62 Ebenezer Robinson Testifies. .................................................................................................................. 62 The Last Straw ......................................................................................................................................... 68 Mormons Teach That Both God and Christ Had Many Wives and That Polygamists Will Become Gods and Preside Over Worlds Like God. ........................................................................................................ 69 Statement Quoted From Book of Abraham. ........................................................................................... 70 Mormons Teach God and Christ Both Had Many Wives and Christ Was Not Begotten by The Holy Ghost But By Adam, Who is the God of This World................................................................................ 71 God and Jesus Polygamists. .................................................................................................................... 72 Mormonism Against the World ........................................................................................................ 75 There Are But Two Churches .................................................................................................................. 75 God and Christ Visit Joseph Smith. ......................................................................................................... 76 Reorganized Mormons Deny That God and Christ Appeared to Joseph Smith ...................................... 76 John