Part 1

Produced by the Mormon Texts Project (http://mormontextsproject.org), with thanks to Bill Lund and Renah Holmes

"MORMON" DOCTRINE,

PLAIN AND SIMPLE,

--OR--

Leaves from the Tree of Life.

By CHAS. W. PENROSE.

PUBLISHED BY THE JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR OFFICE, Salt Lake City, Utah. 1888.

INTRODUCTION.

There is no subject of popular comment on which there is so little general information as that called "Mormonism." This little work is designed to explain, in a simple way, leading features of "Mormon" doctrine. The terms "Mormon" and "Mormonism" are not strictly correct as usually applied. They are inappropriately derived from the Book of Mormon, which is a work containing the history of the former inhabitants of the American continent, written at different times by various persons and finally compiled by a prophet named Mormon and inscribed upon metallic plates, which were hidden in the earth to come forth in the latter days, for the enlightenment of mankind in relation to the origin of the Indian tribes of this land, and as a testimony that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified by the Jews, is indeed the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

This record, giving an account of the dealings of the Almighty with the people it describes, and whose origin and travels, wars and industries, customs and religion, progress and decay it graphically relates, was taken from its hiding place by Joseph Smith in obedience to the revelation and commandment of God and was translated into the English language through a heavenly gift bestowed upon that favored man. Those who believe in the divinity of the book are commonly called "Mormons," and the doctrines which they hold are known as "Mormonism." But it is as inconsistent to call people "Mormons," who believe in the writings of Mormon, as it would be to call them Isaiahs, or Jeremiahs, or Peters or Pauls, because they believe in the scriptures written by those inspired men.

The Church which has been organized under direction from the same heavenly Power that revealed the Book of Mormon, is entitled the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its members, then, should not be called "Mormons," but Latter-day Saints. The members of the church established by Jesus and His apostles, as will be seen by reference to the New Testament, were called Saints. The term "Christians" was applied to them in derision, and was first used at Antioch. The members of the restored Church of Christ are called Latter-day Saints to distinguish them from their brethren and sisters of former times. But as "Christians" came to be the common appellation of the former-day saints, so "Mormons" has come to be the title generally bestowed upon the Latter-day Saints, and is used herein only in that sense.

In the twelve leaves which are plucked from the tree of life and herewith sent forth for the healing of the nations from the effects of error and false doctrine, will be found a sweet and sovereign balm for spiritual disorders. And by receiving them, a desire will be created for further gatherings of the same foliage. They will serve to open the eyes of those who have been in spiritual darkness and are yet anxious for the light, and as a preparation for the attainment of that vital power which makes all things new, and quickens and animates earthly beings with celestial life and light.

We ask for the principles here presented, the careful consideration of thoughtful minds, and confidently invite comparison with those utterances of the Jewish prophets and apostles which are contained in the Bible. References to those scriptures will be found at the end of this work, arranged to correspond with each chapter or "leaf."

The young people among the Latter-day Saints will obtain, by a perusal of this little book, an understanding of the fundamental principles of the system which has cost the blood of martyred Prophets and Apostles to establish. And it will be found useful in the missionary field, as a sower of those seeds of truth which, if widely scattered, will surely fall upon some good ground and bring forth fruit for the service of the Master.

We invoke upon this little work the Spirit of the most high God, to whose cause it is dedicated, that wherever it may go light may spring forth to the joy of those who desire the truth, and that by its means many people may be directed into the way which leads to the tree of life, enjoy its luscious fruit and gain the gift of endless lives wherein redeemed man is exalted and the eternal God is glorified.

C. W. P.

CONTENTS.

FIRST LEAF.

Value of Truth--Only One True Religion--Faith the First Principle--Faith a Principle of Power--How Faith Comes--No Man can Find out God--Diety must Manifest Himself--God the Father of the Race--Personality of God--The Great Lawgiver Governs Himself by Law

SECOND LEAF.

True Repentance the Consequence of Faith--Original Sin and Actual Sin--The Work of Redemption--Universal Redemption from Original Sin--Conditions of Salvation from Actual Sin--Baptism, its Object, Mode and Effect--A New Creature in Christ Jesus

THIRD LEAF.

The Holy Ghost, its Nature, Office and Power--Conferred through the Laying On of Hands--Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit--How Obtained--Their Object and Design--Effects of its Withdrawal--Infinite Riches of its Full Inspiration

FOURTH LEAF.

Divine Authority--Without it all Gospel Administrations Vain--It Cannot be Acquired--The Priesthood, its Antiquity, Power and Blessings--The Priesthood of Melchisedek--The Aaronic Priesthood--Priestcraft--The Authority of God must Come from God--Ordination--Value of the Priesthood.

FIFTH LEAF.

The Church of Christ--Its Unity--Christ's Church under His Personal Supervision--Rules of Admission--No Others Available--Apostleship the Chief Authority--Other Authorities and Ministers--Necessity of These--The Church Progressive--It Casts Off Evil-Doers--Brotherhood of its Members--Mission of the Church.

SIXTH LEAF.

Apostasy from the Primitive Church--When it Commenced--The Apostles Predicted it--The Apostasy Universal--The Woman Clothed With the Sun, and the Scarlet-Clothed Harlot-What they Represent--The Reformation--Spread of Truth but Lack of Authority--Multiplication of Sects--No Voice from Heaven.

SEVENTH LEAF.

Restoration of the Gospel--Ministration of an Angel--Divine Knowledge and Divine Authority--Keys of Former Dispensations Revealed--Rebuilding of the Church of Christ--The Signs Following--Coming of Elijah--Dispensation of the Fullness of Times--Triumph of the Truth.

EIGHTH LEAF.

Apparent Doom of the Majority of Mankind--No Salvation but by Jesus Christ--Is the State of Man Fixed at Death?--The Common Belief Incorrect--Preaching to the Dead--The Spirit Without the Body Sentient--Nature of Paradise--All People to Hear the Gospel Either in this Life or the Next.

NINTH LEAF.

Decrees of God Fixed in the Spiritual as in the Natural Universe--Ordinances Essential--The Living may be Baptized for the Dead--The Principle of Proxy--The Place for the Administration of Vicarious Ordinances--Revelation of Elijah, the Prophet--Connection With the Spirit World--True Order of Communication--Blessed Results of Work Done for the Dead.

TENTH LEAF.

Universality of Death--Results of the Transgression of Law--Dissolution of the Body not the End of Existence--What is Resurrection?--The Spiritual Body of Jesus--All to be Raised from the Dead--The Order of the Resurrection--Necessity of an Immortal Body--Ignorance of the Laws of Nature--Matter Indestructible--Possibilities of Creative Energy--Life and Immortality Brought to Light.

ELEVENTH LEAF.

Man or Woman Alone Imperfect--Marriage Ordained of God--Sanctity of Proper Sexual Relations--Matrimony a Part of Religion--The First Pair Immortal--Marriage for Eternity--Keys of Celestial Marriage--Condition of Those who Marry Only for Time--Man the Head of the Woman--Plurality of Wives--Continuation of the Righteous Forever--Eternal Family Organizations--Everlasting Increase and Dominion.

TWELFTH LEAF.

Christ's Work Continued After His Death--The Perfect Science of Human Redemption--What was Lost in the Fall--What is to be Regained in the Restoration--Justice Tempered with Mercy--Loss Sustained by the Disobedient--Doom of the Sons of Perdition--The Celestial, Terrestrial and Telestial Glories--Redemption and Glorification of the Earth--Salvation of the Whole Race--The Finished Work of Christ--Universal Dominion of the Father.

"THE LATTER-DAY KINGDOM," a Poem.

APPENDIX.

Scriptural References to all the subjects treated upon in the body of the work.

"MORMON" DOCTRINE,

OR

LEAVES FROM THE TREE OF LIFE.

FIRST LEAF.

Value of Truth--Only One True Religion--Faith the First Principle--Faith a Principle of Power--How Faith Comes--No Man Can Find out God--Deity Must Manifest Himself--God the Father of the Race--Personality of God--The Great Lawgiver Governs Himself by Law.

There is nothing more valuable than truth. Religious truth, or that which relates to God, our duty to Him, His laws and purposes, and the means by which we may now come to Him and eventually be exalted in His presence, is really priceless. To obtain a knowledge of religious truth, both young and old should be willing to make every exertion and to offer any sacrifice.

There are many systems of religion in the world, but only one can be correct, for the simple reason that there is but one God for the inhabitants of the earth to worship and obey. If there were many true Gods to whom mankind owed reverence there might be several true religions. God is the author or revealer of true religion. Men may invent and arrange methods of worship, imagine and think out doctrines, and formulate and enforce creeds; but they are of no value as a means of salvation. God must be approached and served in the way which He ordains, or the worship and service will not be accepted.

The first principle of true religion is faith. This is the beginning of righteousness. It is the very root of the tree of life, and its sap runs through all the branches. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." And "Whosoever cometh to God must believe that He is." Faith, in its simplest sense, is the assent of the mind, and its assurance of the existence of things unseen by the natural eye. This is belief. In another sense, faith is a motive power, a principle of action. Examination into the secret springs that prompt us in the common affairs of life will show that faith moves us to exertion and incites us to perseverance. It is the assurance we feel of the existence or attainment of things unperceived by the senses, which urges us onward and inspires us with energy. In a higher sense, faith is a spiritual force. It reaches up to the heavenly spheres. It lays hold upon eternal things. It acts upon the grosser elements, and moves spiritual essences and immortal intelligences.

It is in its fullness all powerful. By its exercise God made the worlds, bringing order out of chaos, light out of darkness and visible things out of the invisible, all moved by that spiritual energy called faith. By its power Christ stilled the winds and walked upon the waves, healed the sick and raised the dead. Elijah, by faith closed the heavens, that they rained not, and overcame the might of death, passing with his body into the mansions on high. By faith, Job beheld the coming of the Redeemer, and Paul ascended to the third heaven. And by faith men and women can overcome the influences of earth and time, and rise to communion with angelic beings, and even with God, the highest and holiest of all.

Man must have faith in God in order to become exalted into His presence. No man knows of himself how to reach that position, nor how to obtain salvation from sin and its effects, among which are sorrow and pain, and death as the ultimate. To learn anything in relation to these important matters he must be taught of God, and faith is therefore absolutely necessary in the outset of any attempt to learn of Him.

This faith "comes by hearing," or in other words is developed by testimony. Through the testimony of men divinely appointed to speak in the name of the Lord, faith is awakened in the human heart. It is a principle existing in every soul, but in the condition of fallen humanity is measurably dormant, until quickened by a divine influence. The word spoken by inspired men, accompanied by the influence of the spirit of truth, arouses faith in the soul of man, and by its force he is led to call upon the Lord, and by its light to see his way to repentance and obedience.

No man by his own researches can find out God. He may, by reason and reflection, by observing and pondering upon the wonders of creation, by studying his own internal and external nature, come to the sure conclusion that there is a God, and to a very small extent make an estimate of His character. But without the Almighty manifests Himself in some manner, finite man can never obtain a knowledge of infinite Deity. The speculations of human beings concerning God are many and various, and a vast number of their conclusions inconsistent and vain. Human learning, no matter how extensive, and human research, no matter how profound, are of necessity inadequate alone to the acquisition of a knowledge of divine things. Hence an unlettered person enlightened direct from God, will know more of Deity than the most erudite collegian who has not received this divine illumination.

Some conception of God is necessary to proper faith in Him. On this account He has, at different periods of the world's history, manifested Himself to chosen persons, whom He has deputed to bear witness of His existence and attributes to others, and declare His will and commandments. The history of some of these manifestations and revelations given in olden times is recorded in the Bible. Those that have been vouchsafed to man in the latter times are embodied in what is popularly known as "Mormonism," but which should be called the Everlasting Gospel, renewed on earth.

By these we learn that God is the Father of the human race. As every seed in nature bears its own kind, it is reasonable to conclude that man bears some semblance to the Being from whom he sprang. And this idea is confirmed by the divine declaration that "God made man in His own image." Our Father in Heaven, is then, a personal Being. He is a Spirit. But He is also enclothed in a tabernacle. In other words, He is an immortal Spirit dwelling in an immortal tabernacle. Every faculty and power to be found in mortal man exists in the fullness of its perfection in the person of Deity. Those glorious qualities which make so wide a distinction between man and the lower animals are undeveloped photographs, or rather, embryotic duplicates of the perfected attributes of the Eternal Father.

Being an individual, God, in His personality, cannot be omnipresent. But by the Holy Spirit, which proceeds from His presence and permeates all things throughout the immensity of space, He can see, and know, and influence all things. Yet the Being who has power over all His creations proceeds by law, and while giving laws to all His creations is Himself governed by law and never violates the eternal principles of truth, justice and mercy. The "laws of nature" are the laws of God, and He is consistent with them and those higher laws which pertain to the spiritual spheres.

The Fatherhood of God is a glorious truth that must at some time be impressed upon every one of our race. It involves the brotherhood of man. It is full of ennobling and elevating suggestions, and prompts those who are impressed with its majesty to deeds worthy of so exalted an origin; leads to humility and obedience, and influences all the sons and daughters of the Eternal Father to mutual help, forbearance, charity and affection, as brothers and sisters of a family, whose destiny is connected with the glory, and dominion, and matchless power of the Almighty framer and governor of the universe.

SECOND LEAF.

True Repentance the Consequence of Faith--Original Sin and Actual Sin--The Work of Redemption--Universal Redemption from Original Sin--Conditions of Salvation from Actual sin--Baptism, its Object, Mode and Effect--A New Creature in Christ Jesus.

Faith in God once quickened in the human heart, conscience is awakened and the mind is self-convicted of sin. Repentance follows as the consequence. This includes sorrow for the past and determination for the future. This first of these without the second is not genuine repentance. It is barren and fruitless, and is therefore unacceptable to God. Resolutions of future rectitude are naturally accompanied by grief for past wrong-doing, but regret may exist without reform, and such is not saving repentance, the virtue of which is in turning from evil and cleaving to good. Tears, self-reproaches, lamentations, self-abasement in language or in gesture do not constitute repentance, no matter how loudly they may be indulged in or how conspicuous they may appear, but it is evidenced by forsaking things one knows to be wrong and practising that which one is satisfied is right. Humility is one of its chief characteristics and this prompts obedience.

As repentance follows faith, so baptism succeeds repentance. For the wish to work righteousness in future implies a desire for forgiveness of past guilt, and baptism is ordained for the remission of sins. This opens the broad questions of sin and redemption and the doctrine of the atonement.

There are two general divisions of sin, viz., original and actual. Original sin is that which was committed by the parents of the race, the consequences of which pass upon all of their posterity. Actual sin is that committed by each individual and for which he is personally responsible. Adam and Eve broke the divine law given to them in the garden, the penalty for which was death, natural and spiritual; the first being the separation of the spirit and the body, and the second, banishment from the presence of God. The taint descended to their offspring. Death is the common lot, and a vail is drawn between man and his Maker. Thus mankind are prone to do evil, and the consequence is that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." "The wages of sin is death."

Redemption is rescue from the results of the fall. This can only be achieved by the raising of the race from the dead and restoring them to the presence of God. To effect this, Christ came. Doing no sin, He gave Himself as a ransom for those who sinned. He upon whom death had no claim gave Himself to death that he might satisfy eternal justice and give mercy room to act. Death came by Adam, life comes by Christ. Through one act death entered the world, through one act life will come to all that death has grasped. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Good and bad, believer and unbeliever, male and female, young and old will be raised from the dead and brought into the presence of the Eternal Father. This is the work of Jesus of Nazareth, who shed His blood in this great atonement to redeem all mankind from the fall.

But this was only part of His work. He died not only to atone for original sin but for actual sin, and to become the mediator between God and man. "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin;" this is the law. His blood was shed for the sins of the whole world. For original sin unconditionally, for actual sin conditionally. Mankind had no part in the commission of the original sin, they perform nothing in the redemption therefrom. Its effects came through no acts of theirs; those effects will be removed without anything they may do. No conditions are required as preliminaries to redemption from original sin; it was committed by Adam, it was atoned for by Jesus Christ. But as each person is guilty of his own sins, so he must comply with the conditions which will entitle him to the full benefits of Christ's atonement for his own sins. Among these conditions are faith, repentance and baptism.

Saving faith must necessarily include the Son as well as the Father in its objects, because salvation comes from the Father through the Son, and as Christ died for all, there is no other name but His given under heaven whereby man can be saved. Repentance, as we have shown, includes humility, which leads to obedience, and baptism follows, in which is given to the repentant believer that remission of sins, obtained through the shedding of Christ's blood in the place of the blood of the sinner.

Baptism as a part of the gospel is the complete immersion in water of a repentant believer, by a man having authority to act "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." All this is essential to its validity. The candidate must believe and repent. The administrator must have divine authority. The ordinance must be performed correctly. There is but "one baptism," as there is but "one Lord and one faith." Any other kind of baptism is spurious and of no effect.

The believing, repentant sinner, after making covenant with God to forsake evil and keep His commandments, is taken down into the water by the duly authorized and ordained representative of the Lord Jesus, and, being dead to his old sins by repentance, is buried from his old life by immersion in the watery grave; and then, raised up again to newness of life, is "born of the water," and stands on earth a new creature in Christ Jesus. He is clean before God. He is as pure from guilt as a new-born babe. Though his sins were as scarlet, he is now washed whiter than wool, and is prepared for the next step on the straight and narrow path which leads to life eternal. Happy indeed is he. Joy unspeakable fills his heart. Peace indescribable dwells in his bosom. Purity shines in all his nature. He has entered by the door, into the sheep fold, and is one of the flock of Christ. The load of his past misdeeds is rolled from his shoulders and he is free. The liberty of the gospel is his. Henceforth he should be the servant only of the King of Kings, and a soldier of the cross.

But he has a warfare to fight which will require all his strength, resolution and fortitude. For he has come out from the world and the world will hate and persecute him, and malign him, and try to despitefully use him. The flesh of his own being will be in conflict with his spiritual nature now brought into actual life. And Satan, the great adversary of the children of light, with his hosts of emissaries will take special pains to tempt and try to allure him from the path of salvation. But God will be on his side, and if he holds true to his baptismal covenants he will come off more than conqueror over all, and obtain the full and complete benefits of the atonement wrought out by the spotless and merciful Savior, who henceforth is his loved and loving Lord.

THIRD LEAF.

The Holy Ghost, its Nature, Office and Power--Conferred Through the Laying on of Hands--Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit--How Obtained--Their Object and Design--Effects of Its Withdrawal--Infinite Riches of Its Full Inspiration.

The repentant, baptized believer arises from the tomb of water cleansed from sin and washed pure of iniquity. He is spiritually resurrected. His old life is gone. He is born again. This is a type of the bodily resurrection to come. He is now prepared to receive the Holy Ghost, which "dwelleth not in unclean tabernacles."