Transcript Document

The Restoration
1
2
. . . I will build my church.
Matthew 16:18
3
APOSTASY
For I know this, that after my
departing shall grievous
wolves enter in among you, not
sparing the flock. Also of your
own selves shall men arise,
speaking perverse things, to
draw away disciples after
them.
Therefore watch, and
remember, that by the space
of three years I ceased not to
warn everyone night and day
with tears.
Acts 20:29-31 4
5
Roger Williams (1603-1683):
In writing to John Winthrop as early as
1636, Williams bemoaned the spiritual
nakedness of New England’s churches but
added the hope that within a few years
the Lord would reveal “the first and
most ancient path” more plainly “to you
and me.” More than a dozen years later, in
a letter to Winthrop’s son, Williams
indicated that he found no churches
organized “after the first pattern” . . .
Edwin S. Gaustad, Liberty of Conscience: Roger Williams in
America (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 91.
6
After Constantine, a true ministry no
longer existed, and none but God could
now bring it back. Williams did not come
to this position easily, nor did he find it
easy to persuade others that recreating
the true church of Christ was a vain
pursuit – apart from direct divine
intervention.
Edwin S. Gaustad, Liberty of Conscience: Roger Williams in
America (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991), 91-92.
7
John Wesley (1703-1791):
“What could God have done which He hath
not done, to convince you that the day is
coming, that the time is at hand, when He will fulfill His
glorious promises; when He will arise and maintain His own
cause, and to set up His Kingdom over all the earth?”
John M. Wesley, Sermons on Several Occasions, Vol. 2
(New York: B. Waugh & T. Mason, 1830), 98.
8
SECOND GREAT AWAKENING (1790-1840)
This was a Protestant revival movement that many
believed would usher in the millenial reign of Christ.
Membership in all
churches rocketed
upward. Methodists were
probably the most
successful, adding about
200,000 new members.
It was in the context of
this dramatic spiritual
revival that the restored
gospel was revealed to
Joseph Smith, Jr.
9
SECOND GREAT AWAKENING (1790-1840)
It was the hope of Christians that a wave of conversions and
social reform would cleanse the nation and usher in the
millenial age. Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians were all
very active. Methodist circuit riders, assigned districts, would
preach in a different town
every day of the week.
Preaching and camp
meetings were the most
exciting things that
happened. In New York,
camp meetings were
generally held in the warm
weather between June and
September. This was
a welcome relief for most people who led extremely
lonely and tedious lives.
10
SECOND GREAT AWAKENING (1790-1840)
In the Second Great Awakening, Protestants claimed to have
converted over one million people to Christianity. In 1800,
one in 15 people in the United States were members of a church.
By 1850, it was one in seven! This was at a time when there
were 24 states (shown in red below) and the U.S. population was
as follows:
1790 – 3,929,214
1800 – 5,308,483
1810 – 7,239,881
1820 – 9,638,453
1830 – 12,866,020
1840 – 17,069,453
1850 – 23,191,876
11
GOSPEL RESTORED
BY ANGELIC
MINISTRY
And I saw another
angel fly in the midst of
heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to
preach unto them that
dwell on the earth, and
to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue,
and people.
Revelation 14:6
12
PALMYRA, NEW YORK
Joseph’s recollection of
events in 1818:
“At about the age of twelve
years my mind become
seriously impressed with regard
to the all important concerns
for the welfare of my immortal
Soul which led me to searching
the scriptures believing as I
was taught, that they contained
the word of God . . .“
(Joseph Smith’s 1832 account
of the First Vision)
13
Joseph Smith:
“The Presbyterians . . .
Baptists and Methodists . . .
used all their powers of
either reason or sophistry
. . . to make the people
think [others] were in
error . . . In the midst of
this war of words and
tumult of opinions, I often
said to myself, What is to
be done? Who of all these
parties are right?”
14
In spring 1820, Joseph was
reading James 1:5:
“While I was laboring under the
extreme difficulties caused by
the contests of these parties of
religionists, I was one day
reading the epistle of James,
first chapter and fifth verse,
which reads, "If any of you
lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth unto
all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given
him." Never did any passage of Scripture come with more power
to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine.”
15
First Vision
“I kneeled down and began
to offer up the desires of my
heart to God . . . I saw a
pillar of light exactly over my
head, above the brightness
of the sun; which descended
gradually until it fell upon
me.”
16
“When the light rested
upon me I saw two
Personages (whose
brightness and glory
defy all description)
standing above me in
the air. One of them
spake unto me, calling
me by name, and said,
(pointing to the other,)
"This is My beloved Son,
hear Him. "
17
“. . . I asked the
Personage who stood
above me in the light,
which of all the sects was
right, (for at this time it had
never entered into my
heart that all were wrong,)
and which I should join. I
was answered that I must
join none of them, for they
were all wrong . . . they
teach for doctrine the
commandments of men,
having a form of
godliness, but they deny
the power thereof.“
18
Stephen Saw Two Personages as Well
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly
into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing
on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right
hand of God.
Acts 7:55-56
19
They Deny the Power Thereof
A few days later, Joseph shared his vision experience with a
Methodist preacher:
“I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my
communication not only lightly, but with great contempt,
saying it was all of the Devil; that there was no such thing
as visions or revelations in these days; that all such
things had ceased with the apostles, and that there
never would be any more of them.”
20
Joseph’s account of
his September 21,1823
experience:
“. . . after I had retired to
my bed for the night, I
betook myself to prayer
and supplication to
Almighty God for
forgiveness of all my sins and follies, and also . . . that I might
know of my state and standing before him . . .
21
“While I was thus in the
act of calling upon God
I discovered a light
appearing in the room,
which continued to
increase until the room
was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage
appeared at my bedside.”
22
“He called me by name, and
said unto me that he was a
messenger sent from the
presence of God to me, and
that his name was Moroni.
That God had a work for me to do, and that my name should
be had for good and evil, among all nations, kindreds, and
tongues . . .”
23
“He said there was a book
deposited written upon gold
plates, giving an account of
the former inhabitants of
this continent, and the
source from whence they
sprang. He also said that
the fullness of the everlasting gospel was contained in it, as
delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants.”
24
The next day onSeptember 22,
1823:
“Convenient to the village of
Manchester, Ontario County,
New York, stands a hill of
considerable size . . . On the
west side of this hill, not far from
the top, under a stone of
considerable size, lay the
plates deposited in a stone
box.”
25
September 22, 1823
(continued):
“I made an attempt to take
them out, but was
forbidden . . . until four
years from that time; but
he told me that I should
come to that place
precisely in one year . . .
I went at the end of each
year, and at each time I
found the same
messenger there . . .”
26
Inscriptions on Metal Plates
These records of Darius the
Great, King of Persia, were
found in 1936. They are
inscribed on gold and silver
plates which were written
about 516 B.C.
27
Inscriptions on Metal Plates
These thin gold plates on display at Monte Alban, Mexico show
that the ancient inhabitants of this continent used such metal
plates for their records.
28
Inscriptions on Metal Plates
Photograph of one of the silver scrolls
While excavating a burial tomb
near Jerusalem in 1979, Gabriel
Barkay uncovered the oldest
known copy of Old Testament
scripture. The priestly blessing,
recorded in Numbers 6:24-26,
was discovered on two small
silver scrolls dated to the
seventh century B.C. (time of
Lehi’s departure from Jerusalem
in the Book of Mormon).
Gary D. Myers, Baptist Press:
News With a Christian
Perspective, Feb 27, 2004.
29
Scrap of paper on which were written some of the
characters that appeared on the gold plates that
were given to Joseph Smith.
30
HARMONY, PENNSYLVANIA
In October 1825, Joseph, who
was 19 years old, went to work
for Josiah Stoal.
Mr. Stoal had been digging in
Harmony, PA to find a silver
mine that Spaniards allegedly
created there. While in
Harmony, Joseph boarded with
Mr. Isaac Hale.
31
Joseph Smith and Emma Hale
Joseph married Emma, Mr.
Hale’s daughter, on January 18,
1827. After working at his
father’s farm in Manchester,
persecution became so intense
that they left there and
eventually bought a small farm in
Harmony, PA.
32
GOLD PLATES
DELIVERED TO JOSEPH
September 22, 1827
“ . . . having went as usual
at the end of another year
to the place where [the
plates] were deposited, the
same heavenly messenger
delivered them up to me . . .
33
TRANSLATION PROCESS
In Harmony, PA, Martin Harris
served as scribe for the translation
process from April to June of 1828,
but the first 116 pages were lost.
Translation ceased for ten months.
On April 7, 1829, the work of
translating resumed with Oliver
Cowdery acting as Joseph’s
scribe.
34
Oliver Cowdery:
“These were days never to be
forgotten – to sit under the sound
of a voice dictated by the
inspiration of heaven, awakened
the utmost gratitude of this bosom!
Day after day I continued,
uninterrupted, to write from his
mouth, as he translated, with the
Urim and Thummim, or, as the
Nephites would have said,
‘Interpreters,’ the history , or
record, called ‘The Book of
Mormon.’”
35
Aaronic Priesthood
Conferred by John the
Baptist:
The work of translation
continued until May 15, 1829.
Joseph stated: “we . . . went
into the woods [by the
Susquehanna river] to pray and
inquire of the Lord respecting
baptism for the remission of
sins . . . “
That day, John the Baptist
appeared and conferred the
Aaronic priesthood upon
Joseph and Oliver. He then
instructed the men to be
baptized.
36
Oliver Cowdery:
“ . . . the angel of God came
down clothed with glory, and
delivered the anxiously
looked for message, and the
keys of the gospel of
repentance! What joy! What
wonder! What amazement! . . .
We listened – we gazed – we
admired! ‘Twas the voice of the
angel from glory . . . Where was
room for doubt? Nowhere:
uncertainty had fled, doubt had
sunk, no more to rise, while
fiction and deception had fled
forever!”
37
Baptism in the
Susquehanna River
“No sooner had I baptized
Oliver Cowdery than the
Holy Ghost fell upon him
and he stood up and
prophesied . . . as soon as
I had been baptized by
him, I also had the spirit of
prophecy . . . ”
38
FAYETTE, NEW YORK
In early June 1829, David
Whitmer brought Joseph,
Oliver and Emma to his
father’s home in Fayette, NY.
They stayed with Peter
Whitmer until the translation
was completed.
Replica of Peter Whitmer home in Fayette, New York
.
39
THREE WITNESSES
“. . . an angel stood before us
(Joseph, Oliver and David). In his
hands he held the plates . . . He
turned over the leaves one by one, so
that we could see them, and discover
the engravings thereon . . . We heard
a voice from out of the bright light
above us, saying, ‘These plates have
been revealed by the power of God,
and they have been translated by the
power of God; the translation of them
which you have seen is correct . . .”
Martin Harris and Joseph then had
this same experience. (June 1829)
Church History, p. 45-47
40
Testimony of Three
Witnesses
Oliver Cowdery
David Whitmer
Martin Harris
“Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people . . .
that we . . . have seen the plates . . . and we also know that they
have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice
hath declared it unto us: wherefore we know of a surety, that the
work is true. And we also testify that we have seen the
engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been
shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man. And we
declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came
down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes,
that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon.”
41
EIGHT WITNESSES
“Be it known unto all . . .
that Joseph Smith, Jr.,
the translator of this
work, has shown unto
us the plates of which
hath been spoken, which
have the appearance of
gold; and as many of the
leaves as the said Smith
has translated, we did
handle with our hands:
and we also saw the
engravings thereon . . .”
(June 1829)
Church History, p. 48
42
Write Upon the Stick of Joseph and the Stick of Judah
Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon
it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then
take another stick, and write upon it, for Joseph, the stick of
Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions. And join
them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in
thine hand . . . Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold,
I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in
the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of
Israel his fellows, and will put them with
him, even with the stick of Judah, and
make them one stick, and they shall be
one in mine hand. And the sticks whereon
thou writest shall be in thine hand before
their eyes.
Ezekial 37:16-17, 19-20
43
Melchisedec Priesthood
(Fayette, NY in 1829)
“. . . we got together in the chamber of Mr. Whitmer’s house .
. . we had not long been engaged in solemn and fervent prayer
when the word of the Lord came unto us in the chamber,
commanding us that I should ordain Oliver Cowdery to be
an elder in the Church of Jesus Christ, and that he also
should ordain me to the same office, and then ordain others
as it should be made known unto us.”
44
Melchisedec Priesthood
(continued)
“. . . we were, however, commanded to defer this our ordination
until such times as it should be practicable to have our brethren .
. . assembled together, when we must have their sanction to
our thus proceeding to ordain each other . . . and then attend
to the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost upon
all those whom we had previously baptized.”
Church History, p. 60-61
45
TRANSLATION PROCESS
The Book of Mormon
translation was completed in
Fayette, NY by August 1829,
or perhaps earlier.
The manuscript that you see
in this photograph, which is
missing some pages, was
delivered to E.B. Grandin, a
printer in Palmyra.
The Book of Mormon was
published in March 1830.
46
Church of Jesus Christ
established in Fayette,
NY on April 6, 1830
47
. . . I will build my church.
Matthew 16:18
48
Christ’s Church Restored
In Fayette, NY and Kirtland, OH, the gospel principles, gifts of
the Spirit, priesthood and holy ordinances of Christ’s church
that followed the pattern in the New Testament were once
again instituted. It is the responsibility of God’s ministers to
administer the ordinances as a blessing to his people.
Examples include:
• Water Baptism
• Baptism of the Holy Spirit
• Communion
• Administration to the Sick
• Marriage
• Blessing Children
• Ordaining Ministers
• Patriarchal Blessing
49
SIDNEY RIGDON OF MENTOR, OHIO
Sidney Rigdon was a fiery orator and perhaps
the leading figure for Alexander Campbell’s
Restoration movement in the entire Western
Reserve. He believed very strongly in trying to
establish the “ancient order of things” as found
in the New Testament church. However,
Rigdon had recently parted company with the
Campbellites of Mentor, Ohio partly because
Rigdon disagreed with Campbell’s view that
miracles and spiritual gifts ended in an
apostolic age. Having cut themselves off
from the Campbellites, Rigdon and over
1,000 followers were now desperately
seeking for a church that believed as he
did.
50
Parley Pratt was a devoted follower of Sidney Rigdon in Ohio.
Pratt went to visit relatives in New York. While there, he read the
Book of Mormon and was baptized by Oliver Cowdery on
September 1, 1830 and ordained an elder. In October, he was
asked by Joseph Smith to join a four-man missionary team to
take the gospel to the American Indians. On their way, the four
men stopped at Mentor, Ohio. They baptized Rigdon and 127
members of his congregation within three weeks of their
arrival, and that number soon increased to 1,000. Upon
examining the Book of Mormon, Rigdon was delighted to read
Moroni 7:29 which said that “miracles had not ceased.”
51
KIRTLAND, OHIO (1831 to 1838)
• The saints needed to move westward
toward the land where Zion would
eventually be.
• In January 1831, there were about 70
converts in New York and
Pennsylvania, but over 1,000 in Ohio.
• Joseph Smith and the church
headquarters moved to Kirtland, Ohio
in February 1831, and it remained the
headquarters until January 1838.
• They were commanded to build a
temple in Kirtland, and by great
sacrifice, it was done. The temple was
dedicated on March 27, 1836.
52
MAP: NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA and OHIO
This map gives us an idea as to where various church
history sites were located.
53
Rapid Growth of the Church
In Kirtland Temple, elders of
the church received such an
endowment of God’s Spirit
that they taught with the
power and authority of God.
They did missionary work in
several countries. By 1844, the
saints numbered around
200,000 people, including
several thousand in England.
54
INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI (1831 to 1833)
• In the summer of 1831, some saints started moving to
Independence.
• August 2, 1831, the land of Zion was dedicated by missionary
elders. On August 3, the temple lot was dedicated.
• Between 1831 and 1833, more than 1,200 saints moved to
Jackson County, MO, making up about one third of the total
population in that county, with the power to vote!
• Several factors combined to make local residents agitated:
The saints, who were rapidly growing in number, were largely
northerners, favored abolition, were kind to the Indians who
had just been driven into Kansas, and they believed in modern
revelation.
55
INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI (1831 to 1833)
• In April1833, the saints were driven from Jackson County. They
were forced to permanently abandon their homes and
possessions and tried to quickly escape across the Missouri
river to Clay County.
56
MISSOURI LOCATIONS
• INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI
(1831 to 1833)
• CLAY COUNTY
(1833 to 1836)
• CALDWELL COUNTY
(1837 to 1838)
• DAVIESS COUNTY
(1837 to 1838)
57
FAR WEST, MISSOURI (1837-1838)
• In late 1836, Caldwell County was created specifically for
church members to settle because of their losses in Jackson
and Clay counties. There was a rapid influx of about 10,000
saints to Caldwell and Daviess counties in 1837 and 1838.
• In January 1838, Joseph Smith moved from Kirtland, Ohio to
Far West in Caldwell County, making Far West the church
headquarters for only one year.
• Haun’s Mill Massacre: 20 miles east of Far West, 17 men were
killed, women were shot in the back, two little boys were
executed at point blank range (one took five weeks to die), and
the wounded were brutally
hacked with large corn knives.
58
FAR WEST, MISSOURI
(1837-1838)
In November 1838, Governor
Lilburn Boggs issued an
“extermination order” to remove
the saints from Missouri and
surrounded Far West with 2,500
troops from the state militia. His
order stated, “The Mormons must
be treated as enemies, and must
be exterminated or driven from
the State, if necessary, for the
public good.” This extermination
order was not rescinded until
1976.
59
EXODUS FROM MISSOURI
The church agreed to leave Missouri in November 1838, and in
early 1839, there was a major exodus from the state.
Hundreds of homeless families walked eastward in the snow
and crossed the Mississippi river at Quincy, Illinois.
Surrender at Far West
Exodus from Missouri
60
Approximately 300 people lost
their lives as a result of the
expulsion from Missouri.
61
LIBERTY JAIL
On December 1, 1838, Joseph
Smith, Lyman Wight, Sidney
Rigdon, Caleb Baldwin, Hyrum
Smith and Alexander McRae
were imprisoned in Liberty jail,
and “were treated with the
utmost contempt.” The leaders
were accused of treason for advocating that the saints defend
themselves. In Liberty jail, they were placed in chains and
exposed to the cold, winter weather through an open window
with bars. They remained there for four and a half months.
They were not afforded a trial in which they could defend
themselves. Finally, a deputy, who recognized the unfairness of
their situation, let them escape to Illinois.
62
63
In 1839, the saints founded a city in Illinois, on the
Mississippi river, called Nauvoo. Previous attempts to
settle this area had been unsuccessful because much of it
had previously been a malarial swamp.
64
NAUVOO, ILLINOIS (1839-1844)
• In 1839, the Smiths lived in a small log cabin
by the Mississippi river and then gradually
built this homestead around it.
• Because there were endless visitors from all
over the country, the Smiths had to move
from the homestead to the mansion house
hotel across the street.
Homestead
Mansion House
• Joseph made his living by running the red
brick store shown here. Joseph’s office and
the church headquarters were upstairs.
Red Brick Store
65
NAUVOO, ILLINOIS
• By 1844, Nauvoo
grew to a population
of at least 12,000
people and was one
of the largest cities in
the west (One source
identifies Chicago as
having a population of
8,000 in 1844.)
• Nauvoo had a university, a militia, and a state charter that
afforded protection from persecution.
• From 1830 to 1844, the church had grown to have 200,000
members, primarily in the U.S. and England.
66
67
CARTHAGE, ILLINOIS MOB
JUNE 27, 1844
68
Alpheus
Cutler
James J.
Strang
William
Smith
Brigham
Young
Charles
Thompson
Nauvoo
Sidney
Rigdon
Lyman
Wight
At the death of
Joseph Smith, Jr. in
June 1844, a number
of men claimed to be successors and led groups of
people to follow them in several different directions.
69
In 1842, John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago
Democrat, asked Joseph Smith, Jr. for a
description of church beliefs. This was Joseph’s
response, and it is our Epitome of Faith:
We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus
Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not
for Adam's transgressions.
We believe that through atonement of Christ all mankind may be
saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
70
We believe that these ordinances are, first, faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third,
baptism by immersion for the remission of sins;
fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy
Ghost.
We believe that a man must be called of God by "prophecy, and
by laying on of hands" by those who are in authority to preach
the gospel and administer the ordinances thereof.
We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive
church; viz., apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists,
etc.
We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions,
healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.
71
We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as
it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of
Mormon to be the word of God.
We believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now
reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and
important things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration
of the Ten Tribes, that Zion will be built upon this continent, that
Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will
be renewed and receive its paradisaic glory.
72
We claim privilege of worshiping Almighty God
according to the dictates of our conscience, and
allow all men the same privilege, let them worship
how, where, or what they may.
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous,
and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that we follow
the admonition of Paul, "we believe all things, we hope all
things," we have endured many things, and hope to be able to
endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good
report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
73
Joseph Smith III
When his father was
assassinated in June 1844,
Joseph Smith III was 11 years
old. He had been designated
as his father’s successor on
four separate occasions. In
1860, he was led by the Lord
to assume leadership of the
Reorganized Church. See
appendix for his testimony.
Joseph III served as prophetpresident from 1860 to 1914.
74
Church headquarters were in Plano, IL from 1868 to 1880.
75
Church headquarters were in Lamoni, Iowa
from 1880 to 1920, at which point they were
moved to Independence, MO.
This was the publishing
house for the Saints’
Herald in Lamoni, Iowa.
In 1895, the church
founded Graceland
College in Lamoni, IA.
Joseph Smith III
Prophet-President
1860-1914
In 1930, Charles Hyde
and David Vredenburg,
members of the RLDS
Church, opened the
first Hy-Vee store in
Lamoni, IA.
76
Frederick M. Smith
1915-1946
Israel A. Smith
1946-1958
W. Wallace Smith
1958-1978
Wallace B. Smith
1978-1996
Reorganized
Church of
Jesus Christ
of Latter Day
Saints
Church Auditorium in Independence, Missouri.
Groundbreaking 1926
Construction completed 1958
Church Headquarters
Saints’ Herald
1860 to present time
77
Doctrinal Changes in Christianity and the RLDS Church
From the 1960s to the 1990s, the Reorganized Church went
through a time of tremendous upheaval. The culture and morals
of society were rapidly changing. Church leadership wanted to
be more “relevant” to the secular culture and enjoy greater
acceptance from mainstream Christian denominations. James
Hitchcock describes this phenomenon in the larger culture:
“Gradually liberals devised what might be called a concentriccircles strategy. Briefly, it amounted to a series of decisions to
abandon, one after another, certain dimensions of Christian
teaching which were regarded as no longer credible, for the
purpose of protecting other more central dimensions. Liberals,
in effect, decided to save Christianity through a series of
strategic retreats, until they reached what they thought would
be high and unassailable ground.”
Dr. James Hitcock, What Is Secular Humanism? (Ann Arbor: Servant Books, 1982), p. 120
78
Restoration Branches
When there was turmoil in 1844, faithful saints remained loyal to
the original principles of Christ’s church in small, independent
branches until God moved in power to restore its leadership in
1860.
Beginning in the 1980s, saints who wanted to remain faithful to
the original doctrines of Christ’s church were forced out or
balkanized in a handful of isolated congregations. In response to
this, the Restoration movement of independent branches
afforded saints an opportunity to worship and fellowship with
those who held to more traditional beliefs.
A branch will generally use the name: “Church of Jesus Christ –
Restoration Branch” because they still believe that Christ
restored his gospel and his church.
79
Therefore whosoever heareth these
sayings of mine, and doeth them I
will liken him unto a wise man, which
built his house upon a rock. And the
rain descended, and the floods came,
and the winds blew, and beat upon
that house: and it fell not: for it was
founded upon a rock.
Matthew 7:26-27 80
Behold, I stand at the
door, and knock: if any
man hear my voice,
and open the door, I
will come in to him,
and will sup with him,
and he with me.
Revelation 3:20
81
82
APPENDIX
83
Testimony of the Three Witnesses
84
Oliver Cowdery
David Whitmer
Martin Harris
These three witnesses never wavered or recanted any portion
of their testimony. Until the end of their lives, in hundreds of
interviews, all three witnesses steadfastly maintained that their
testimony of the Book of Mormon was true in every respect.
In 1848, two years before he died, Oliver Cowdery said:
“I wrote, with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a
few pages), as it fell from the lips of the Prophet Joseph
Smith, as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by the
means of the Urim and Thummim . . .
85
Oliver Cowdery (continued):
“I beheld with my eyes and handled with my hands the gold
plates from which it was translated. I also saw with my eyes and
handled with my hands the ‘holy interpreters.’ That book is true.
Sidney Rigdon did not write it. Mr. Spalding did not write it. I
wrote it myself as it fell from the lips of the Prophet.” He died in
Richmond, Missouri on March 3,1850. David Whitmer testified
that he was there and that Oliver’s last words were, “Brother
David, be true to your testimony to the Book of Mormon.”
Martin Harris died in Clarkston, Cache County, Utah on July 10,
1875. In November 1870, he wrote a letter to a Mrs. H.B.
Emerson in which he said: “ . . . concerning the plates: I do say
that the angel did show to me the plates containing the Book of
Mormon. Further, the translation that I carried to . . . (next slide)“
86
“Professor Anthon was copied from these same plates; also, that
the Professor did testify to it being a correct translation . . .”
On September 15, 1853, Daivid Dill of Ogden City, Utah spoke
to Martin Harris at his residence. Martin said: “I was the right
hand man of Joseph Smith, and I know that he was a prophet of
God. I know the Book of Mormon is true . . . I know that the
plates have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his
voice declared it unto us; therefore I know of a surety that the
work is true; for did I not at one time hold the plates on my knee
an hour and a half, while in conversation with Joseph . . . And
as many of the plates as Joseph Smith translated, I handled with
my hands, plate after plate . . .”
Church History, vol. 1, p. 50-52
87
David Whitmer died in 1888 in Richmond , Missouri. Prior to his
death, he gave this testimony:
“It is recorded in the American Cyclopedia and the
Encyclopedia Britannica, that I David Whitmer, have denied my
testimony as one of the three witnesses to the divinity of the
Book of Mormon; and that the other two witnesses, Oliver
Cowdery and Martin Harris, denied their testimony to that
book. I will say once more to all mankind, that I have never at
any time denied that testimony or any part thereof. I also testify
to the world, that neither Oliver Cowdery or Martin Harris ever
at any time denied their testimony. They both died reaffirming
the truth of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon.”
Church History, vol. 1, p. 50
88
Martin Harris and Professor Anthon
89
Martin Harris:
“I took a transcript of the characters of the plates to Dr. Anthon,
of New York. When I arrived at the house of Professor Anthon, I
found him in his office and alone, and presented the transcript to
him, and asked him to read it. He said if I would bring the plates,
he would assist in the translation. I told him I could not, for they
were sealed. Professor Anthon then gave me a certificate
certifying that the characters were Arabic, Chaldaic, and
Egyption. I then left Dr. Anthon, and was near the door, when he
said, ‘ How did the young man know the plates were there?’ I
said an angel had shown them to him. Professor Anthon then
said, ‘Let me see the certificate!’ Upon which, I took it from my
waistcoat pocket and unsuspectingly gave it to him. He then tore
it up in anger, saying there was no such things as angels now, it
was all a hoax. I then went to Dr. Mitchill with the transcript, and
he confirmed what Professor Anthon had said.”
Church History, vol. 1, p. 52
90
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! . . . And thou
shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground,
and thy speech shall be low out of the dust . . . And the vision
of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is
sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying,
Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed.
And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying,
Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned . . .
Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work
among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for
the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the
understanding of their prudent men shall be hid . . . Is it not
yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a
fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book,
and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of
darkness. Isaiah 29: 1,4,11-12,14,17-18
91
Scrap of paper on which were written some of the
characters that appeared on the gold plates that
were given to Joseph Smith.
92
93
Testimony of Four Missionaries to
the American Indians
94
In October 1830, Elders Parley Pratt, Ziba Peterson, Oliver
Cowdery and Peter Whitmer embarked on a missionary
journey to the Cateraugus Indians near Buffalo, New York,
the Wyandots of Ohio, and the Delawares west of Missouri.
They stopped at Kirtland, OH for a time. This is Parley Pratt’s
account of their journey:
“In the beginning of 1831 we renewed our journey; and, passing
through St. Louis and St. Charles, we traveled on foot for three
hundred miles through vast prairies and through trackless wilds
of snow – no beaten road; houses few and far between; and the
bleak northwest wind always blowing in our faces with a
keenness which would almost take the skin off the face.”
95
“We traveled for whole days, from morning till night, without a
house or fire, wading in snow to the knees at every step, and the
cold so intense that the snow did not melt on the south side of
the houses, even in the midday sun, for nearly six weeks. We
carried on our backs our changes of clothing, several books, and
corn bread and raw pork. We often [ate] our frozen bread and
pork by the way, when the bread would be so frozen that we
could not bite or penetrate any part of it but the outside crust.”
96
“After much fatigue and some suffering we all arrived in
Independence, in the county of Jackson, on the extreme western
frontiers of Missouri, and of the United States. This was about
fifteen hundred miles from where we started, and we had
performed most of the journey on foot, through a wilderness
country, in the worst season of the year, occupying about four
months, during which we had preached the gospel to tens of
thousands of Gentiles and two nations of Indians; baptizing,
confirming, and organizing many hundreds of people into
churches of Latter Day Saints.”
97
“Two of our number now commenced work as tailors in the
village of Independence, while the others crossed the frontier line
and commenced a mission among the Lamanites, or Indians.
Passing through the tribe of Shawnees we tarried one night with
them, and the next day crossed the Kansas River and entered
among the Delawares. We immediately inquired of the residence
of the principal chief, and were soon introduced to an aged and
venerable looking man, who had long stood at the head of the
Delawares, and been looked up to as the Great Grandfather, or
Sachem of ten nations or tribes . . . “
98
“He was at first unwilling to call his council; made several
excuses, and finally refused; as he had ever been opposed to
the introduction of missionaries among his tribe. We continued
the conversation a little longer, till he at last began to understand
the nature of the Book. He then changed his mind; became
suddenly interested, and requested us to proceed no further with
our conversation till he could call a council. He dispatched a
messenger, and in about an hour had some forty men collected
around us in his lodge . . .”
99
“We continued for several days to instruct the old chief and many
of his tribe. The interest became more and more intense on their
part, from day to day, until at length nearly the whole tribe began
to feel a spirit of inquiry and excitement on the subject . . . The
excitement now reached the frontier settlements in Missouri, and
stirred up the jealousy and envy of the Indian agents and
sectarian missionaries to that degree that we were soon ordered
out of the Indian country as disturbers of the peace; and even
threatened with the military in case of non-compliance.”
100
“We accordingly departed from the Indian country, and came
over the line, and commenced laboring in Jackson County,
Missouri, among the whites. We were well received, and listened
to by many; and some were baptized and added to the church.
Thus ended our first Indian Mission . . .”
101
102
Persecution in Ohio
103
Joseph recalls his experience on March 25, 1831:
[The Smiths had adopted two twins] “The twins . . . which had
been sick with measles for some time, caused us to be broke of
our rest in taking care of them, especially my wife . . . In the night
she told me I had better lay down on the trundle-bed, and I did
so, and was soon after awoke by her screaming ‘Murder!’ when I
found myself going out of the door, in the hands of about a dozen
men; some of whose hands were in my hair, and some hold of
my shirt, drawers, and limbs . . . I made a desperate struggle, as
I was forced out, to extricate myself, but only cleared one leg,
with which I made a pass at one man, and he fell on the
doorsteps. I was immediately confined again; and they swore by
God, they would kill me if I did not be still, which quieted me.”
10
4
Joseph recalls his experience on March 25, 1831:
“As they passed around the house with me, the fellow that I
kicked came to me and thrust his hand into my face, all covered
with blood, (for I hit him on the nose,) and with an exulting horselaugh, muttered: ‘Ge, gee, God damn ye, I’ll fix ye.’ They then
seized me by the throat, and held on till I lost my breath. After I
came to, as they passed along with me, about thirty rods from
the house, I saw Elder Rigdon stretched out on the ground,
whither they had dragged him by the heels. I supposed he was
dead. I began to plead with them, saying: ‘You will have mercy
and spare my life I hope.’ To which they replied: ‘God damn ye,
call on yer God for help, we’ll show ye no mercy;’ and the people
began to show themselves in every direction: one coming from
the orchard had a plank, and I expected they would kill me, and
carry me off on the plank.”
105
Joseph recalls his experience on March 25, 1831:
“. . . They returned after a while, when I learned that they had
concluded not to kill me but pound and scratch me well, tear off
my shirt and drawers, and leave me naked . . . They ran back
and fetched the bucket of tar, when one exclaimed, ‘God damn it,
let us tar up his mouth;’ and they tried to force the tar-paddle into
my mouth; I twisted my head around, so that they could not; and
they cried out: ‘God damn ye, hold up yer head and let us give ye
some tar.’ They then tried to force a vial into my mouth, and
broke it in my teeth. All my clothes were torn off me except my
shirt collar; and one man fell on me and scratched my body with
his nails like a mad cat, and then muttered out: ‘God damn ye,
that’s the way the Holy Ghost falls on folks.’”
106
Joseph recalls his experience on March 25, 1831:
“They then left me, and I attempted to rise, but fell again; I pulled
the tar away from my lips, etc., so that I could breathe more
freely, and after awhile I began to recover, and raised myself up,
when I saw two lights. I made my way towards one of the them
. . . When I had come to the door, I was naked, and the tar made
me look as though I had been covered with blood . . . My wife . . .
fainted . . . I called for a blanket, they threw me one and shut the
door; I wrapped it around me and went in . . . My friends spent
the night in scraping and removing the tar, and washing and
cleansing my body.”
107
Joseph recalls his experience on March 25, 1831:
“This being the Sabbath morning, the people assembled for
meeting at the usual hour of worship, and among them the
mobbers . . . With my flesh all scarified and defaced, I preached
to the congregation as usual, and in the afternoon of the same
day baptized three individuals . . . During the mob, one of the
twins received a severe cold, and continued to grow worse till
Friday, and died. The mobbers were composed of various
religious parties, but mostly Campbellites, Methodists, and
Baptists, who continued to molest and menace Father Johnson’s
house for a long time.”
108
109
Could You Write the Book of
Mormon?
110
Could You Write the Book of Mormon Under the Same
Conditions that Joseph Smith Wrote It?
(excerpts from pamphlet circulated in 1948)
1. You must be twenty-three years old.
2. You cannot be a college graduate. In fact, you can have only
three years of formal schooling.
3. Whatever you write must be on the basis of what you know
and not what you learn through research.
4. You must write a history of an ancient country, such as Tibet,
covering a period from 2200 BC to 421 AD.
5. You must write a book with 102 chapters, twenty-five of them
about wars, ten about history, twenty-one about prophecy,
thirty-two about doctrines, five about missionaries, and nine
about the mission of Christ.
111
6. You must include in your writings the history of two distinct and
separate nations, along with histories of different contemporary
nations or groups of people.
7. Your writings must describe the religious, economic, social,
and political cultures and institutions of these two nations.
8. You must weave into your history the religion of Jesus Christ
and the pattern for Christian living.
9. When you start to produce this record covering a period of
over 2,600 years, you must finish it in approximately eighty
days (less than three months).
10. When you have finished, you must not make any changes in
the text. The first edition must stand forever (this does not
include grammatical errors, etc.).
112
11. After pauses for sleep and food, if you are dictating to a
stenographer, you must never ask to have the last paragraph
or last sentence read back to you. You must start right where
you stopped previously.
12. Your history or record must be long, approximately 777 pages
with over 500 words per page.
13. You must add 180 proper nouns to the English language
(William Shakespeare added thirty).
14. You must announce that your "smooth narrative" is not fiction,
but true, yes, a sacred history.
15. In fact, your narrative must fulfill the Bible prophecies, even in
the exact manner in which it shall come forth, to whom given,
and its purpose and accomplishments.
113
16. You must publish it to every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people, declaring it to be the Word of God.
17. You must include with the record itself this marvelous promise:
"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you
that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of
Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a
sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will
manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy
Ghost."
18. Tens of thousands must bear record to the world for the next
that they know the record to be true. Because they put the
promise to the test, the truth is manifested to them by the
power of the Holy Ghost.
19. Thousands of great men, intellectual giants, and scholars,
must subscribe discipleship to the record of its movement,
even to the point of laying down their lives.
114
20. There can be no flaw, whatever, in the entire book (except in
grammar, or other errors of man in transcribing, etc.).
21. Your descriptions of the cultures in these civilizations, of which
you will write about, is not known when you publish your
manuscript.
22. Yet, you must not make any absurd, impossible, or
contradictory statements.
23. Even so, many of the facts, ideas, and statements given as
true in your record must be entirely inconsistent with, even the
direct opposite of, the prevailing belief of the world. Yet very
little is even claimed to be known about these civilizations and
their thousands of years of history.
24. You must invite the ablest scholars and experts to examine the
text with care. You must strive diligently to see that your book
gets into the hands of all those most eager to prove it a forgery
and who are most competent to expose any flaws in it.
115
25. After 164 years of extensive analysis, no claim or fact in the
book is disproved, but all are vindicated. Other theories and
ideas as to its origin rise and fall, leaving your claims as the
only possible ones.
26. Thorough investigation, scientific evidence, and
archaeological discoveries for the next 164 years must verify
your claims and prove even the minutest details of your
history to be perfectly true.
27. Internal and external prophecies must be confirmed and
fulfilled .
28. Three honest, creditable witnesses must testify to the whole
world that an angel from heaven appeared to them and
showed them the ancient records from which you claim your
record was translated.
29. You must hear out of heaven the voice of the Redeemer
declaring to you and those three witnesses that your record
is true, and that it is their responsibility to bear
testimony of it and that they do.
116
30. Eight other witnesses must testify to the world that they saw
the ancient records in broad daylight, and that they handled
them and felt the engravings thereon.
31. The first three and the second eight witnesses must bear their
testimony, not for profit or gain, but under great personal
sacrifice and severe persecution, even to their deaths.
32. You must talk a friend into financing your book with the
understanding that he or you will never receive any monetary
remuneration from it. This person must mortgage his farm to
have it printed. You must sell the book at cost or less.
33. Finally, after suffering persecution and revilement for twentyfour years in the process of producing and defending this
book, you must give, willingly, your own life for your testimony
that the record is of God.
117
118
Succession of Joseph Smith III
119
Joseph Smith III:
"About my selection by my father to be his successor in office, I
remember of being called in his office, or into a room adjoining
his office, and receiving the laying on of hands, and a prophetic
blessing or setting apart, whatever it may be called. I remember
that, and also remember that just before his departure for
Carthage, with a number of others, I was called into a room in
the Mansion House, and there again received the laying on of
hands, and the blessing. I was also present at a meeting in the
grove near the temple, and I remember my father laying his
hands on my head, and saying to the people that this was his
successor, or was to be his successor.”
12
0
Joseph Smith III:
"During the year 1859 the question of my connection with my
father’s work was finally determined. I became satisfied that it
was my duty. The queries heretofore referred to were one by
one being settled; until the final one, where and with whom
should my life labor lie? was the only one left. This was
determined by a similar manifestation to others that I had
received to this effect: ‘ The Saints reorganizing at Zarahemla
and other places, is the only organized portion of the church
accepted by me. I have given them my Spirit and will continue to
do so while they remain humble and faithful.’”
121
“Having received the revelation of God’s will, Joseph Smith III
proceeded to fulfill his promise. April 6, 1860, he went to the
conference of the Reorganized Church held at Amboy, Illinois.
He presented himself to the people and indicated his willingness
to accept and serve as their leader if they so wished. His speech
of acceptance is a witness of his humility, faith, and devotion. In
this he bore testimony that he came not of himself but by the
influence of the Spirit. He pledged to follow no man or set of
men but to " be dictated by the power that sent me." He attested
his abhorrence of the doctrine of polygamy and said he could
not believe that his father had anything to do with it. He stated
his belief in "the doctrines of honesty and truth" and professed
his faith in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and
Covenants. He closed his remarks by saying, " if the same Spirit
which prompts my coming, prompts my reception, I am with
you."
122
123
Camp Meetings in Palmyra Area
124
In the past few decades, detractors of the restored gospel
have attempted to suggest that there never was a revival or
camp meeting in the Palmyra area from 1818 to 1824 because
they were unable to find any reference to such activity in
newspapers or church records from that time period. However,
they did not look hard enough. Following are references to
meetings in the Palmyra area that occurred in 1818 and 1820.
125
The published diary of
Methodist minister
Aurora Seager said
that the Methodist
church conducted a
three-day camp
meeting in the
Palmyra area in June
1818, which likely
sparked Joseph’s
interest in religion at
twelve years of age.
126
Joseph’s recollection of
events in 1818:
“At about the age of twelve
years my mind become
seriously impressed with regard
to the all important concerns of
for the welfare of my immortal
Soul which led me to searching
the scriptures believing as I was
taught, that they contained the
word of God . . .“ (Joseph
Smith’s 1832 account of the
First Vision)
127
Critics of Joseph Smith say that his first vision account makes
a claim that he went to pray in the woods “early in the spring
of 1820,” when it would have been too cold in New York for
such activity. The point is also made that there would not have
been any camp meetings until June, and there was no record
of a camp meeting in June 1820 in the Palmyra area.
The official account of the First Vision that is used most often
was given by Joseph in 1838, 18 years after the experience.
Spring officially lasts until June 21. Perhaps it was not “early,”
but there is definitely a record of a very large conference of
Methodist ministers who met in the first week of June 1820,
and it was their habit to preach at such conferences. It seems
likely that the first vision would have occurred in the month of
June 1820.
128
In the first week of June 1820, the Methodists of the Genesee
Conference met in Vienna (later Phelps), New York, thirteen
miles southeast of the Smith farm.
This was a gathering of about 110 ministers. It was frequently
their practice to preach between sessions. This is what likely
precipitated Joseph’s experience in the Palmyra grove.
129
Wesley Walters and the Tanners contend that a revival never
took place in the Palmyra area at the time that Smith identified
because they could not find any record of a revival in Palmyra
160 years later. But Smith's exact words were:
Some time in the second year after our removal to
Manchester, there was in the place where we lived an
unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It
commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general
among all the sects in that region of the country, indeed the
whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great
multitudes united themselves to the different religious
parties....
Church History, vol. 1, p. 7
It is important to remember that this account was written in 1838
about an experience that occurred in 1820. Smith did not
describe what he specifically meant by "unusual excitement
about the subject of religion.
130
Milton Backman, in his book, Joseph Smith's First Vision, quotes
two Palmyra residents who knew Smith in 1820:
One contemporary of Joseph Smith, Orsamus Turner, who
resided in Palmyra for several years prior to 1822, wrote that
"after catching a spark of Methodism, in the camp meeting,
away down in the woods, on the Vienna road, he [Joseph
Smith] was a very passable exhorter in evening meetings.
Another contemporary who lived in Palmyra in 1820, Pomeroy
Tucker, verified the religious excitement that was occurring in
that part of America at the time of the First Vision. "Protracted
revival meetings," he wrote, "were customary in some of the
churches, and Smith frequented those of different
denominations....."
Orsamus Turner, History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve, Rochester,
1852, p. 214 and also Pomeroy Tucker, Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism, New York, 1867, pp. 17-18 as found
in Milton Backman, Joseph's First Vision, Bookcraft, p. 199.
131
132
Melchisedec Priesthood Restored
133
“It is not safe then to write historically that Joseph Smith and
Oliver Cowdery were ever ordained literally under the hands
of Peter, James, and John. He who does so writes
recklessly and without sufficient evidence upon which to
base his conclusion.”
The History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints, vol. 1, p. 65.
Note: Apparently, a revelation refers to Peter, James and
John “by whom I have ordained you . . .” However, this
simply means they directed, appointed or arranged for them
to receive the Melchisedec priesthood. However, LDS
believe that this referred to a literal ordination by laying on
of hands by the three apostles.
13
4
135
American Exceptionalism
136
John Winthrop speaking to the Puritans in 1630:
“The Lord will be our God, and delight to dwell
among us, as his own people, and will command a
blessing upon us in all our ways . . . For we must
consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The
eyes of all people are upon us.”
137
. . . after the waters had receded from off the face of this
land [American continent], it became a choice land above all
other lands, a chosen land of the Lord . . . Wherefore the
remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built up upon this
land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall
build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of
old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end
come, when the earth shall pass away.
Ether 6:2 & 8
138
139
George Washington’s Thanksgiving Declaration:
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th
day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these
States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the
beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be;
that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and
humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of
this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal
and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His
providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the
great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have
since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which
we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government
for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one
now lately instituted
14
0
George Washington (continued):
for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and
the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;
and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has
been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our
prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations,
and beseech Him to pardon our national and other
transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private
stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and
punctually . . .
141
142
RLDS Church
in Recent Decades
143
The following are a series of excerpts from the writing of
James Hitchcock, professor of history at St. Louis
University. He is describing events in the larger culture,
but this is exactly what happened in the RLDS Church
from the 1960s to the 1990s.
“Theologian Frederich Shleiermacher addressed himself to
Christianity’s “cultured despisers.” Schleiermacher’s aim was
to overcome their contempt and make secular intellectuals
take religion seriously . . . The problem lies in how the effort to
persuade the skeptic is made. Schleiermacher’s method,
generally followed by religious modernizers ever since, had
two possibly fatal flaws. It approached the skeptic, as it were,
hat in hand, placing Christianity in a deferential and selfdeprecating posture.”
144
“Religious liberals tended to develop a spirit of resistance or
hostility towards the very idea of religious orthodoxy and
religious authority . . . Gradually, liberals at the turn of the
twentieth century came to believe that all religious formulations
-- Scripture, creeds, confessional statements, moral principles
– were the products of a developing human consciousness
which changed through history . . . They thought of their work
as that of making Christianity more credible to skeptics and of
protecting it from attack by removing the objects of those
attacks.”
145
“Gradually liberals devised what might be called a concentriccircles strategy. Briefly, it amounted to a series of decisions to
abandon, one after another, certain dimensions of Christian
teaching which were regarded as no longer credible, for the
purpose of protecting other more central dimensions. Liberals,
in effect, decided to save Christianity through a series of
strategic retreats, until they reached what they thought would
be high and unassailable ground . . .”
146
“Liberalism had its second great flowering during the 1960s
. . . In this second great flowering, religious liberalism has, to a
great extent, also abandoned any claim that it is attempting to
save classical Christianity or to win over the skeptics. Many
religious liberals no longer have enough interest in classical
Christian teachings even to bother reformulating or denying
them. They take for granted their irrelevance. Many of them
also do not think the church worth saving in anything like its
traditional form. Many liberals are now more or less frank
emissaries from the secular culture to the church, seeking to
win the church over to the secular agenda . . . Present-day
liberals do not truly believe that God revealed himself to man
or that man finds meaning in life through obedience to the
divine plan.”
147
“The liberal habit of looking over the shoulder to see what the
skeptics think has become a general surrender to secular
authority. The church is kept in a perpetual state of judgment
before the world, repeatedly apologizing for its past errors and
promising to do better in the future . . . By a strange irony, the
churches themselves are among the principal agencies of
secularization in America. The reasons for this strange state of
affairs are complex. Briefly, they arise from the fact that for a
long time, in most denominations, the education of clergy and
other church leaders has been carried on in seminaries which
look primarily to the secular intellectual world for their authority.
Not uncommonly, seminary professors are more respectful of
the reigning authorities in psychology, philosophy, or sociology
than they are of the authority of the church itself. It is perhaps
in the seminaries where the habit of always glancing over
one’s shoulder at Christianity’s ‘cultured despiser’ is most
deeply ingrained.”
148
“Such attitudes perpetuate themselves throughout most
denominations at official conferences, in official publications, in
national and regional offices. For the most part denominational
posts are filled by people who have accepted a secularized
Christianity almost completely, who feel uneasy in the
presence of more conservative church members, and who feel
it their duty to win over the ‘backward’ to newer points of view
. . . There is no finer irony than this, that the people who have
been so sure that they were making Christianity ‘relevant’ to
the modern world turn out to be those who are losing followers,
while the supposedly outmoded denominations are attracting
them . . .”
James Hitchcock, What is Secular Humanism?
(Ann Arbor, MI: Servant Books, 1982)
149