Mormonism Exposed

Excerpt from Mormonism Exposed: Joseph Smith an Imposter and the Book of Mormon a Fraud The people known as Mormons, or Latter Day Saints, are among the most aggressive religionists of the present time. Their missionaries are to be met with in all parts, and manifest a zeal that is certainly worthy of a better cause. We say better cause, because we feel their cause is not good, and we are as conscious of our ability to demonstrate the truthfulness of the propositions embodied in our caption as we are of our ability to move the pencil with which we are now writing. It has been said that knowledge and thought govern the world. As to whether this is true may be a question, but the thinking part of humanity will agree that such should be the case. Religiously, however, the majority seem to move without thought. It is a fact that most religionists give the subject of religion but little thought, and as a consequence, what ideas they have are in the main, second hand. Upon the part of those who think, and presume to think for the people, there is but little independence of mind, for they do not allow themselves to think outside of certain paths marked out by predecessors. It being conceded that man should be governed by thought, it should not be a difficult matter to decide as to whose thoughts should govern him. Thought designed for the government ofman should be such as to tend wholly to the betterment of man's estate. In order to a proper conception of the thought necessary in order to the desired end, we need to enquire for the purpose of religion. The word means a binding back, carrying the idea of reuniting severed ties. Worship is designed to bring the worshipper into conformity to the Obj ec't worshipped. Thought, hence, to accomplish the desired end, must lead to and give a truer knowledge of God. Man cannot, however, by searching, find out God. Therefore, no line of finite thought can answer the purpose. A knowledge of God can not come from man but must come from God. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

"The most detailed study yet of early Mormon thought about the ""end times,"" The Millenarian World of Early Mormonism shows how Mormon views of Christ's imminent second coming exerted a profound influence on Mormonism between 1830 and 1846. By exploring how early LDS interpretation of the Bible and the Book of Mormon affected, and was affected by, Mormon millennial doctrines, Grant Underwood provides the first comprehensive linkage of the history of early Mormonism and millennial thought. He also probes LDS perceptions of the institutions and values prevalent before the Civil War, reassessing Mormonism's relationship to the dominant culture and placing Mormon millennial thought in the broader context of Judeo-Christian ideas about the end of the world."