Many people question whether Mormons are Christians. The purpose of this presentation is to compare various beliefs of Christians and Mormons, then allow. - ppt download

Many people question whether Mormons are Christians. The purpose of this presentation is to compare various beliefs of Christians and Mormons, then allow. - ppt download: God’s Holy Word, preserved by his power throughout the centuries. 1)Book of Mormon, revealed to Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni. 2)The Doctrine and Covenants 3) Pearl of Great Price 4)The Bible, insofar as it is correctly translated. (Generally The King James Version.) 1)Book of Mormon, revealed to Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni. 2)The Doctrine and Covenants 3) Pearl of Great Price 4)The Bible, insofar as it is correctly translated. (Generally The King James Version.)

faulty pc

 

The Errors of Soul Sleep.

 

The Errors of Soul Sleep by Keith Piper

Question: Where do spirits go after death? Answer: The spirit and soul of a saved person go to heaven. The spirit of a lost person goes to hell. This happens immediately at death. The soul does not go to sleep, losing consciousness. The body sleeps in the grave, but the soul remains conscious, either in heaven or in hell. MAN'S MAKEUP IS BODY, SOUL and SPIRIT because: 1. Man's being consists of body, soul and spirit. "... I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23) 2. "The Word of God ... piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow." (Hebrews 4:12) This shows man's nature to be trichotomous: soul, spirit, body. 3. Paul discusses three kinds of men as natural (following body impulses), carnal (following soul impulses) and spiritual (following spiritual leading of the Holy Spirit). (1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4) 4. "The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground (body), and breathed into his nostrils the breath (spirit) of life; and man became a living soul (soul)". Genesis 2:7. It is not said that man became spirit and soul; but rather, that God inbreathed spirit, and man became a living soul. God's life took possession of clay, and as a result man had a soul. 5. God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ... so God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him ..." (Genesis 1:26-27) As God has a spirit, soul and body, so does man have a spirit, soul and body, in God's image. As God is a Trinity, so is man a Trichotomous being. See example below: Note: The Holy Spirit corresponds to our spirit. Jesus Christ with a resurrection body corresponds to our body. As the Father directs the Son and Holy Spirit, so does the soul (mind) direct our body and spirit to obey its decisions. This explains how Jesus as God, obeys His Father, in the same way that our body obeys our mind's directives. Jesus Christ submits to the Father, and our body submits to our mind. Jesus Christ is still as 100% God as His Father, and our body is still as 100% human as our mind. WHAT HAPPENS TO US AFTER DEATH? At death, the soul and spirit leave the body. 1. Unbelievers. In the Old Testament, the spirit and soul of an unbeliever went immediately to the torment of hell, which is inside the earth. Notice these verses showing that people are conscious in hell, and that hell is inside the earth. 1. The sorrows of hell compassed me about. (Psalm 18:5) Note: Hell has sorrows. 2. The pains of hell got hold of me. (Psalm 116:3) Note: Hell has pains. 3. The wicked shall be turned into hell. (Psalm 9:17) Note: Hell is for the wicked. 4. It is as high as heaven ... deeper than hell. (Job 11:8) Note: Hell is deep. 5. A fire ... shall burn to the lowest hell. (Deuteronomy 32:22) Note: Hell has fire. 6. Hell and destruction are never full. (Proverbs 27:20) Note: Hell is like destruction. 7. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. (Proverbs 23:14) 8. Hell from beneath ... stirs up the dead for thee. All they shall speak and say unto thee, art thou become weak as we? (Isaiah 14:9-10) Note: People's souls in hell can stir, speak and say. This proves that soul sleep is false for unbelievers. 9. Unto the nether (lower) parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit. (Ezekiel 32:18) Note: The pit and hell are in the lower parts of the earth. 10. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell. (Ezekiel 32:21) Note: People in hell can speak, showing that they are not asleep. 11. The Zidonians which are gone down with the slain ... Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword. (Ezekiel 32:30-31) Note: Pharaoh, after being killed in battle is comforted in hell by seeing the Zidonians, who have also been killed in battle, enter hell with him. People can see in hell, have comforting thoughts of other people suffering and thus, are not sleeping. 12. The rich man in Hell, could see, hear, taste and touch. Four times it says that he is tormented. "And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeing Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom (v.23). And he cried and said, father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame (v.24). But Abraham said, ...now he (Lazarus) is comforted, and thou art tormented (v.25). Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment (v.28)." (Luke 16:19-31) 2. Old Testament Believers. In the Old Testament, the spirit and soul of a believer went immediately to the comfort of paradise in the lower parts of the earth. a) Now he (Lazarus) is comforted. (Luke 16:25) b) Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in paradise. (Luke 23:43) Note: The Jehovah's Witness translation of this verse is utterly childish. Jesus is supposed to have said, "verily I say unto thee today". Well of course He said it today. When else would He be saying it? Yesterday? "I say" is present tense. c) Samuel's spirit came up out of the earth after his death to tell Saul that tomorrow Saul, Jonathan and his other sons would be killed in battle, and would be with Samuel in paradise. "... The woman said to Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth ... What form is he of? And she said, an old man cometh up: and he is covered with a mantle. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? ... Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me." (1 Samuel 28:12-19) Note: Samuel was resting in paradise in the earth, and resented Saul disturbing him by bringing him up. Samuel was not asleep, just resting, not soul sleep, but conscious. When Jesus died, He descended into the lower parts of the earth, and after preaching to spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19), He led all Old Testament believers out of paradise (inside the earth) and up to heaven. " ... when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive ... (now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?)" (Ephesians 4:8-9) By which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison. (1 Peter 3:19) Jesus would not waste His time preaching to spirits imprisoned in the underworld if they were sleeping and could not hear Him. You only preach to those who are conscious. 3. New Testament Believers. In the New Testament, the spirit and soul of believers go immediately upon dying to heaven. We know this because of these reasons: a) To depart and to be with Christ in heaven is far better. "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and TO BE WITH CHRIST; which is far better." (Philippians 1:23) Paul desired to depart his body by dying, so that he could be with Christ IN HEAVEN, which is far better than staying on the earth. It is far better to go to soul consciousness with Christ in heaven. b) When we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord in heaven. "... knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:6, 8) When we are out of our body (death), we are present with the Lord. Where is the Lord now? In heaven. Therefore believer's spirits and souls go to heaven on dying. c) Spirits of just men made perfect are now in heaven. "But ye are come unto ... the heavenly Jerusalem ... to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the SPIRITS of just men made perfect." (Hebrews 12:23-24) This clearly tells us that when believers die, their spirits go to heaven immediately. d) Christ at the Second Coming brings departed believers' souls with Him to the air. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 tells us that the spirits of believers who have died, are waiting in heaven until the day when Jesus Christ will bring their spirits and souls with Him at the second coming in the air to be rejoined with their resurrected bodies. "... them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." Their dead bodies, buried in the grave will be resurrected to rejoin their spirits and souls which Christ will bring with Him from heaven. Christ bringing their spirits and souls, shows that they are with Christ in heaven after death awaiting the resurrection. e) Souls of departed believers are in heaven crying out for revenge. After the rapture (catching away of believers to heaven) many people get saved in the seven year tribulation. Many of these are killed by the Antichrist. Do their souls go to soul-sleep in the grave? No! Their souls are seen under the altar in heaven: "I saw under the altar the SOULS of them that were slain for the word of God ... they cried with a loud voice, saying ..." (Revelation 6:9-10) These souls of dead believers are in heaven. They can cry out with a loud voice. They have memory of their death on earth, crying for revenge. They are not unconscious or soul-sleeping in the grave. Objection: Some verses come close to saying that the dead are unconscious (e.g. Psalm 30:9, 115:17, 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Isaiah 38:18-19). These say that a dead body can't praise God, but the soul is still alive. How do we understand these verses in the light of the vast majority of verses that teach that human souls are conscious after death? 1. "What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? (Psalm 30:9) Answer: The Old Testament saints had a gloomy view of death. Death to them was seen as an interruption in their communion with God, even for believers. They saw death as a continuation of existence (Isaiah 14:9-11), but on terms which robbed it of all that deserves to be called life. David shared the common view, and he uses it as part of his appeal to God. 2. "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord." (Psalm 115:17) Answer: Jesus had not yet brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel." (2 Timothy 1:10) Believers now have eternal life and an immortal soul. The Holy Spirit used Old Testament believers' limited understanding of the afterlife to urge them to praise God while they could. 3. "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts6250 perish." (Psalm 146:4) Answer: When a person dies, his earthly plans, ambitions and thoughts perish with him. When you are dead, you cannot contribute anything to fulfill your earthly ambitions. "Thoughts" in Hebrew mean "polished, sleek, plans formed in the mind". "His thoughts perish" means that his ambitions perish. "Eshtonah"6250 from "ashath"6245 is only ever used of "thoughts" here in Psalm 146:4. "Thoughts" most commonly used in the Old Testament is "machashabah"4284, a different Hebrew word to that word used in Psalm 146:4. "Thoughts that perish" are the wicked man's plans and purposes which come to naught at his death. The thoughts which go to the grave are his vain projects. (e.g. the thoughts of the rich fool of building bigger barns and of many years of ease and prosperity.) All his selfish, worldly schemes, perished in that same night. (Luke 12:16-21). Luke 9:30-31 show that Moses and Elias lived after death to talk with Christ on the Mount Transfiguration. Luke 20:38 "He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him." Colossians 3:2 The New Testament tells believers to "set your affections on things above." This means that we go to heaven at death. 4. "... the dead know not anything ..." (Ecclesiastes 9:5) Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished." (Ecclesiastes 9:6) "There is no work, no device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where thou goest." (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Answer: Ecclesiastes 9:4, 6, 10 is written from the standpoint of knowledge "under the sun", from the viewpoint of natural man who lives without thoughts for God. This restates the philosophy of unbelievers that "when you're dead, you're dead." "For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth." (Isaiah 38:18) The term "sleep", when applied to death, refers to death of the body only. After the resurrection of Christ, believers went into the presence of Christ at their death. CONCLUSION. The "soul sleep" error is held by Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christadelphians. Use these Scriptures to refute this error.

Proof that mormon founder joseph smith was arrested AND CONVICTED for fraud.

 It is not new the fact that joseph smith, the founder of the mormon cult was arrested for "glass looking".

This was taking money from people and pretending to "see" by occult means treasure buried on that persons' land.

But, what mormons WON'T tell you is that joe was not only arrested but CONVICTED of this crime.

They will say he was arrested and not convicted, or they will play the "persecution" or "people had a grudge against him" cards.

Now, these mormons are either ignorant of the incident or are flat out lying to you.

Here i present PROOF by witnesses and OFFICIAL COURT DOCUMENTS which has been discovered that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that joe was a con-man.

Hiel and Joseph Lewis: "Some time previous to 1825, a man by the name of Wm. Hale, a distant relative of Uncle Isaac Hale, came to Isaac Hale and said that he had been informed by a woman by the name of Odle, who claimed to possess the power of seeing under ground (such persons were then commonly called peepers), that there were great treasures concealed in the hill northeast from Isaac Hale's house, and by her directions Wm. Hale commenced digging. But, being too lazy to work and too poor to hire, he obtained a partner by the name of Oliver Harper, of New York State, who had the means to hire help. But after a short time operations were suspended, for a time, during which Wm. Hale heard of PEEPER Joseph Smith, jr., and wrote to him and soon visited him, and found Smith's representations were so flattering that Smith was either hired or became a partner with Wm. Hale, Oliver Harper and a man by the name of Stowell, who had some property. They hired men and dug in several places.”

"But while he was engaged in looking in his peep-stone and old white hat, directing the digging for money, and boarding at Uncle Isaac Hale's, he formed an intimacy with Mr. Hale's daughter, and after the abandonment of the money-digging speculation, he consummated the elopement and marriage to the said Emma Hale, and she became his accomplice in his humbug Golden Bible and Mormon religion.". Ibid. p. 78, 79. Close relatives of Emma Hale Smith.

My Video on this lesson

HOW TO UNDERSTAND ADVERSITY

Bible Reading: Hebrews 12:1-15.

Aim: To understand God’s purposes for adversity.

Key 1: Our first response to adversity should not be to try to remove it, but to allow adversity to reveal our true weakness.

Introduction: Adversity can be our greatest motivation for spiritual growth or our deadliest means of discouragement. The difference depends on us understanding God’s purposes in adversity.


What does adversity do for us? What does God achieve through adversity?

1. Adversity is God’s Way of Getting Our Attention.
The cares of the world can choke out the Word of God and drown out the voice of the Holy Spirit. While we are busy with our plans, goals, projects and friendships, God patiently reminds us in Jeremiah 35:14, “I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto us.”

When adversity comes, we are suddenly faced with problems and pressures that are too big for us to resolve. Our inward response should be, “Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.” Psalm 25:1,2.

As adversity continues and our human strength is drained, Christ’s invitation becomes more attractive, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

God’s ultimate purpose in getting our attention is to conform us to the image of Christ. Because of this, all adversity works together for our good (Romans 8:28,29).

Through it we learn of Christ, who is meek and lowly. His burden is light.

2. Adversity is our Assurance that God Loves Us.

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth” Hebrews 12:6,7,10,11. Three results of chastening:

1.    We give God reverence. 12:9.
2. Our profit, to be partakers of God’s holiness. 12:10.
3. It yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. 12:11.

When we recognise God’s love in adversity, we can:

i) Lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees. v.12. This means to get back serving God with our hands and legs.

ii) Make straight paths for your feet. v.13.
This means to get back on the path of righteousness. “He leadeth me.” Psalm 23:3.

iii) Follow peace and holiness with all men. v.14.
This means that right relationships are restored with men and God.

iv) Avoid failing of the grace of God or bitterness will follow. v.15.

Failing of the grace of God means that one can not respond with the grace of God, but with envy, bitterness, nervousness, then carnality.

3. Adversity is God’s Call for Self Examination.

“If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 11:31,32.

God requires that we search out, confess and forsake every sin.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper.” Proverbs 28:13.

God established the Lord’s Table as the time and place for self-examination. If this is neglected, God may give physical adversity as a further motivation for self examination. 1 Cor. 11:28-30.

-If things are not going well for us, the reason may be that we dishonoured our parents “Honour thy father and mother..…that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:2,5.

-If it seems that evil will not depart from our household, it may be because we have rewarded evil to those who did good to us, “Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.” Proverbs 17:13.

4. Adversity is God’s Way of Conquering Our Pride.

-The adversity of contention reveals pride.“Only by pride cometh contention.” Proverbs 13:10.

-The adversity of destruction is the result of pride in a person.

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18. -The adversity of shame is God’s means of humbling us.

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2.

“A man’s pride shall bring him low.” Proverbs 29:23.

“Whoso exalteth himself shall be abased &he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” Luke14:11

“God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” James 4:6,7.

5. Adversity is a Reminder of Our Weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

When all is going well, we are tempted to think that we don’t need God. If we have a thorn in the flesh (v.7), Christ’s grace is sufficient (v.9) and we learn to glory in our unchangeable features (v.9). We then experience the power of Christ upon us (v.9). When I am weak, then am I strong (v.10). I take pleasure in infirmities (weaknesses), reproaches and necessities (v.10).

6. Adversity Motivates us to Cry Out To God.

God responds to the cry of His children when we are in adversity.
“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth,and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17.
We should cry out in the right ways:

1. Cry out to God with our voice. “I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.” Psalm 3:4.

2. Cry out to God in humility. “He forgetteth not the cry of the humble.” Psalm 9:12


Key 2: Our second response to adversity should be: Not to focus on outward circumstances, but to realise that we are dealing with unseen spiritual powers.

7. Adversity is Evidence of Spiritual Warfare.

Note:  If  we  do  not  recognise  when  adversity  is  spiritual  warfare,  we  will  be overwhelmed and tempted to give up. When adversity takes the form of confusion, suspicion , division, and anger, then spiritual warfare is on. Paul encouraged Christians to be strong, courageous, and prepared to be good soldiers. Matt 7:24-27

8. Adversity is God’s Method of Purifying our Faith. This leads to Patience. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Hebrews 11:6.

FAITH may need to be tested in the fires of adversity. “the trial of your faith.” 1 Peter 1:6,7. Faith is essential for living the Christian life.


Why? Because the ways of God are opposite to the natural inclinations of man. Adversity may come from: 1. Those who mock God’s principles, or

2. Because we violate God’s principles.

In either case, adversity will strengthen our faith. PATIENCE comes from adversity.

“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” James 1:3.

With this kind of faith and patience, we can obtain the promises of God.

“Followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews6:12.

9. Adversity Increases our Hatred for Evil.

When God exposes secret sin, He allows others to see it’s devastating consequences, such as:

Islamic terrorist bombings, Saddam Hussein; Homosexuality, Aids; Fornication, Divorce; Childhood lying, President Nixon’s Lies. In this way, the simple (ignorant) are warned not to be fooled by Satan focusing our eyes on “the pleasures of sin which last for a season.” Hebrew 11:25

God will not be mocked with our sin. Galatians 6:7,8. Our hatred of evil should increase as we realise how:

1. Sin (as a thief) robs us of our potential for achieving & enjoying what God had planned for us;

2. Our sins damage the lives of those whom we love. We don’t hate evil because we don’t realise its final cost. Sin brings death.

Adam and Eve did not realise the cost of their sin to all mankind.

10. Adversity reminds us to Pray for our Authorities.

God teaches us that a quiet and peaceable life is related to intercessory prayer for those in authority over us. 1 Timothy 2:1,2.
Note: Those who are in positions of responsibility provide spiritual protection for those under their care, such as parents, pastors. When there are failures in the life of a leader, the “umbrella of protection” develops “leaks”. Satan is given greater freedom to defeat those who are under that authority. Therefore it is important in order to be a good leader to submit to authority yourself. Even a little leak in a roof can let in a great deal of water. Spiritual leaders are judged by a higher standard. James 3:1.When we experience temptations, so do church leaders. They need our prayers.

11. Adversity is a Signal to Re-evaluate our Priorities.

Wrong priorities may result in much painful adversity, not only for us, but also for those who are affected by our lives.

Type 1: When we fail to spend proper time with the Lord in memorising His Word, meditating and praying, we rob others of spiritual encouragement and direction. Instead, we become vulnerable to transgression. Psalm 107:17,19.

God saves us out of our distress with His Word. Psalm 107:20.

Type 2: When we try to do more than God intended us to do.

“Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work.” Exodus 20:9.

12. Adversity is God’s way of Testing Our Work.

Every spiritual house that is built must be tested to prove that it is founded on truth. “rain descended (to test the roof), the floods came (to test the foundation), the winds blew (to test the structure),and beat upon that house,and it fell not:for it was founded upon a rock.”

“The fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” 1 Corinthians 3:13-15.

13. Adversity is God’s way of Testing our Friendships.

It will reveal which friends are concerned about getting. It will reveal which friends are concerned about giving.

“A true friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17. For example, The Good Samaritan’s commitment to his neighbour, who had fallen among thieves, continued until the man’s needs were met. Luke 10:30-37. Contrasting example: The Prodigal Son while spending money, had many friends, but when his money ran out, and hardship came, all his friends then left. On the other hand, Jonathan was loyal to David in bad times.

Key 3: Our third response to adversity should be:

Not to live for Christ in our own efforts, but to realise that Christ must live in us through the power and filling of the Holy Spirit.

14. Adversity is God’s Call to Identify with Christ.

Adversity causes us to want more of Christ’s power in our lives. Galatians 2:20. Paul suffered the loss of all things to win more people to Christ and to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection. God’s power becomes a reality to us from Romans 6-8.

-Romans 6. We learn to know that we are crucified with Christ. We learn how to reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God. We learn how to yield ourselves to God and our members as instruments of righteousness to God. (Romans 6:6,11,13).

-Romans 7. We discover a new problem. We are still overcome by the demands of the Law. We try to live according to God’s principles, but we can’t do it. We learn that our death in Christ also caused us to die to the Law, so that we are free to be controlled by God’s Spirit in order to bring forth spiritual fruit. (Romans 7:1-6).

-Romans 8. We learn our source of power over sin. This is the indwelling Holy Spirit of God based on our position in Christ. As we walk in God’s Spirit rather than in our own flesh, God is able to fulfil the righteousness of the Law in us. (Romans 8:2-4).

15. Adversity is Motivation for Open Accountability to God and Others.

Aim to be blameless as we will be accountable to God. God’s key to life, peace, wisdom and achievement is a moment-by-moment awareness of our accountability for all our words, thoughts, actions, attitudes and motives. This awareness is the fear of the Lord. It is the beginning of wisdom. When we lose our continual awareness of God, we think and act as if God did not exist. God responds by allowing adversity into our life. Judges 2:20-22.

16. Adversity Prepares us to Comfort Others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 2 Corinthians 4:8-10. Irritations are God’s way of increasing our sensitivity to the needs of others, increasing our opportunities to serve God, and developing inward qualities. When God achieves His purposes through an irritation, He is then free to remove that irritation from our lives.


CONCLUSION: How do you respond to adversity? Will adversity make you better or bitter? If we continually retreat from adversity, we force God to raise up new irritations or to set aside His best plan for our lives. Permanent irritations have a permanent benefit in our development and ministry.

The Tabernacle 2

The Tabernacle

Joseph Smith proved a conman

Mormons love "testimonies" and "witnesses".

So, let's see some of these witnesses:

EYEWITNESS STATEMENTS

Peter Ingersoll: "Smith told me the whole affair was a hoax; that he had no such book and did not believe there was such a book in existence; ‘But,' said he, ‘as I have got the damned fools fixed, I shall carry out the fun.'"[1]


Thurlow Weed

In 1825, when I was publishing the "Rochester Telegraph," a man introduced himself to me as Joseph Smith, of Palmyra, New York, whose object, he said, was to get a book published. He then stated he had been guided by a vision to a spot he described, where, in a cavern, he found what he called a golden bible. It consisted of a tablet which he placed in his hat, and from which he proceeded to read the first chapter of the Book of Mormon. I listened until I became weary of what seemed to me an incomprehensible jargon. I then told him I was only publishing a newspaper, and that he would have to go to a book publisher, suggesting a friend who was in that business. A few days afterward Smith called again, bringing a substantial farmer with him named Harris. Smith renewed his request that I should print his book, adding that it was a divine revelation, and would be accepted, and that he would be accepted by the world as a prophet. Supposing that I had doubts as to his being able to pay for the publishing, Mr.
Harris, who was a convert, offered to be his security for payment.

Meantime, I had discovered that Smith was a shrewd, scheming fellow who passed his time at taverns and stores in Palmyra, without business, and without visible means of support. He was about five feet eight inches in height, had regular features, and would impress one favorably in conversation. His book was afterward published in Palmyra.[2]


Dr. John C. Bennett: "Shortly after I located in Nauvoo, Joe proposed to me to go to New York and get some plates engraved and bring them to him, so that he could exhibit them as the genuine plates of the Book of Mormon, which he pretended had been taken from him, and "hid up" by an angel, and which he would profess to have recovered. He calculated to make considerable money by this trick, as there would of course be a great anxiety to see the plates, which he intended to exhibit at twenty-five cents a sight. I mentioned this proposition to Mrs. Sarah M. Pratt, on the day the Prophet made it, and requested her to keep it in memory, as it might be of much importance." When asked by me in the spring of 1885 about this statement of John C. Bennett, Mrs. Pratt confirmed it fully and stated also that Bennett had reported to her this conversation with Joseph on the very day when it happened.[3]


Mrs. Abigail Harris: "In the early part of the winter in 1828 I made a visit to Martin Harris, and was joined in company by Joseph Smith, Sen., and his wife. The Gold Bible business, so-called, was the topic of conversation, to which I paid particular attention, that I might learn the truth of the whole matter.

They told me that the report that Joseph Smith, Jun., had found the Golden Plates was true, and that he was in Harmony, Pa., translating them. The old lady said, also, that after the Book was translated, the plates were to be publicly exhibited—admittance, twenty-five cents."[4]


Hiel and Joseph Lewis: "The statement that the prophet Joseph Smith made in our hearing at the commencement of his translating his book in Harmony, [Pa.] as to the manner of finding the plates was as follows:

He said that by a DREAM he was informed that at such a place in a certain hill, in an ironbox, were some gold plates with curious engravings, which he must get and translate, and write a book; that the plates were to be kept concealed from every human being for a certain time, some two or three years; that he went to the place and dug till he came to the stone that covered the box, when he was knocked down; that he again attempted to remove the stone, and was again knocked down. This attempt was made the third time, and the third time he was knocked down. Then he exclaimed: ‘Why can't I git it?' or words to that effect, and then he saw a man standing over the spot, who, to him, appeared like a Spaniard, having a long beard down over his breast to about here (Smith putting his hand to the pit of his stomach), WITH HIS (the ghost's) THROAT CUT FROM EAR TO EAR, AND THE BLOOD STREAMING DOWN, who told him that he could not get it alone; that another person whom he (Smith) would know at first sight must come with him, and then he would get it; and when he saw Miss Emma Hale he knew that she was the person, and that after they were married she went with him to near the place and stood with her back towards him while he dug after the box, which he rolled up in his frock, and she helped carry it home; that in the same box with the plates were spectacles; the bows were of gold and the eyes were stone, and by looking through these spectacles all the characters on the plates were translated into English."[5]


Levi Lewis: "Know Smith to be a liar. Saw him intoxicated at three different times while pretending to translate the Book of Mormon."[6]


Mrs. Sarah Pratt: "A good deal of whiskey was consumed in Nauvoo. Joe himself was often drunk. I have seen him in this state at different times. One evening one of the brethren brought Joseph to my home. He could not walk and had to be led by a helpful brother. The prophet asked me to make some strong coffee, which I did. He drank five cups, and when he felt that he could walk a little better, he went home. He dared not come before Emma in this state. Joseph was no habitual drunkard, but he used to get on sprees. When drunk he used to be ‘awfully funny.' He sometimes went to bed with his boots on."[7]


C. G. Webb: "Whisky, good whisky, was then 25 cents a gallon. No wonder that Joseph sometimes went to bed with his boots on, or that he slept, as he sometimes did, in a ditch. He was a right jolly prophet. No sanctimonious humbug about him."[8]


From History of Chenango County, N.Y.: Joe Smith, the founder of Mormonism, operated quite extensively in this town [Afton, N.Y.] and vicinity during the early years of his career as a prophet. The reputation of the family was very bad and Joe was considered the worst of the whole. Somewhere about 1828 or 1829 Smith made his appearance in Afton and attended school in District No. 9. Here his supernatural powers manifested themselves by telling fortunes or "foretelling futurity." This was done by placing a stone in his hat and then looking into it drawn over his face so as to exclude the light. He first organized a society at the house of Joe Knight, on the south side of the river, near the Lobdell House, in Broome County. Excavations were made in various places for treasures, and rocks containing iron pyrites were drilled for gold. Previous to digging in any place a sheep was killed and the blood sprinkled upon the spot. Lot 62 was the seat of one of these mining operations.

To convince the unbelievers that he did possess supernatural powers he announced that he would walk upon the water.

The performance was to take place in the evening, and to the astonishment of unbelievers, he did walk upon the water where it was known to be several feet deep, only sinking a few inches below the surface.

This proving a success, a second trial was announced which bid fair to be as successful as the first, but when he had proceeded some distance into the river he suddenly went down, greatly to the disgust of himself and proselytes, but to the great amusement of the unbelievers.

It appeared on examination that planks were laid in the river a few inches below the surface, and some wicked boys had removed a plank which caused the prophet to go down like any other mortal.

After pretending to heal the sick, cast out devils, etc., he gained quite a number of followers, but at length came to grief by being prosecuted as an impostor. He was tried before Joseph P. Chamberlain, a Justice of the Peace. Two pettifoggers, by the name of John S. Reed and James Davidson, volunteered to defend him.

Three witnesses were examined on the occasion, all of whom
testified that they had seen him cast out devils. They saw ‘a devil as large as a woodchuck leave the man and run across the floor'; one of them saw a devil leave the man and ‘run off like a yellow dog.' These witnesses were Mr. Knight and son, and Mr. Stowell, all of whom subsequently went west with Smith.[9]


Henry Harris: "The character of Joseph Smith for truth and veracity was such that I would not believe him under oath. I was once on a jury to a Justice's Court, and the jury could not and did not believe his testimony to be true.[10]


Mrs. Abigail Harris: ". . . Martin Harris and Lucy Harris, his wife, were at my house [early part of winter, 1828]. In conversation with the Mormonites, she [Lucy Harris] observed that she wished her husband would quit them, as she believed it all false and a delusion. To which I heard Mr. Harris reply: ‘What if it is a lie; if you will let me alone I will make money out of it!' I was both an eye- and ear-witness of what has been above stated, which is now fresh in my memory, and I speak the truth and lie not, God being my witness."[11]


Lucy Harris: "Whether the Mormon religion be true or false, I leave the world to judge; for its effects on Martin Harris have been to make him more cross, turbulent and abusive to me. His whole object was to make money out of it. I will give a proof of this. One day at Peter Harris' house (Abigail Harris' husband) I told him he had better leave the company of the Smiths, as their religion was false. To this he replied, "If you would let me alone, I could make money out of it.' It is in vain for the Mormons to deny these facts, as they are well known to most of his former neighbors."[12]


Joseph Capron: "The whole family of Smiths were notorious for indolence, foolery and falsehood. Joseph at length pretended to find his plates. This scheme, he believed, would relieve his family from all pecuniary embarrassment. He gave me no intimation at that time that the book was to be of a religious character, or that it had anything to do with revelation. He declared it to be a speculation,
and said: "When it is competed, my family will be placed on a level above the generality of mankind!"[13]


Peter Ingersoll: I was once ploughing near the house of old Joseph Smith. When about noon, he requested me to walk with him a short distance from his house, for the purpose of seeing whether a mineral rod would work in my hand, saying at the same time he was confident it would. When we arrived near that place at which he thought there was money, he cut a small witch-hazel bush and gave me direction how to hold it. He then went off some rods, and told me to say to the rod, "Work to the money," which I did in an audible voice. He rebuked me severely for speaking it loud, and said it must be said in a whisper. While the old man was standing off some rods, throwing himself into various shapes, I told him the rod did not work. He seemed much surprised at this, and said he thought he saw it move in my hand. . . . Another time he told me the best time for digging money was in the heat of summer, when the heat of the sun caused the chests of money to rise near the top of the ground. "You notice," said he, "the large stones on the top of the ground— we call them rocks, and they truly appear so, but they are, in fact, most of them, chests of money raised by the heat of the sun."[14]


Lucy Smith: "A man by the name of Josiah Stoal came from Chenango County, N.Y., with the view of getting Joseph to assist in digging for a silver mine. He came for Joseph on account of having heard that he possessed certain keys by which he could discern things invisible to the natural eye. Joseph endeavored to divert him from his vain pursuit, but he was inflexible in his purpose, and offered high wages to those who would dig for him in search of said mine, and still insisted upon having Joseph work for him. Accordingly, Joseph and several others returned with him and commenced digging. After laboring for the old gentleman about a month, without success, Joseph prevailed upon him to cease his operations, and it was from this circumstance of having worked by the month at digging for a silver mine, that the very prevalent story arose of Joseph having been a money-digger."[15]


Hiel and Joseph Lewis: "Some time previous to 1825, a man by the name of Wm. Hale, a distant relative of Uncle Isaac Hale, came to Isaac Hale and said that he had been informed by a woman by the name of Odle, who claimed to possess the power of seeing under ground (such persons were then commonly called peepers), that there were great treasures concealed in the hill northeast from Isaac Hale's house, and by her directions Wm. Hale commenced digging. But, being too lazy to work and too poor to hire, he obtained a partner by the name of Oliver Harper, of New York State, who had the means to hire help. But after a short time operations were suspended, for a time, during which Wm. Hale heard of PEEPER Joseph Smith, jr., and wrote to him and soon visited him, and found Smith's representations were so flattering that Smith was either hired or became a partner with Wm. Hale, Oliver Harper and a man by the name of Stowell, who had some property. They hired men and dug in several places.

The account given in the history of Susquehanna County, p.580, of a pure white dog to be used as a sacrifice to restrain the enchantment, and of the anger of the Almighty at the attempt to palm off on Him a white sheep for a white dog, is a fair sample of Smith's revelations, and of the God that inspired him. Their digging in several places was in compliance with ‘Peeper' Smith's revelations, who would attend with his peep-stone in his hat, and his hat drawn over his face, and
tell them how deep they would have to go; and when they found no trace of the chest of money, he would peep again and weep like a child, and tell them that the enchantment had removed it on account of some sin, or thoughtless word, and finally the enchantment became so strong that he could not see, and the business was finally abandoned. Smith could weep and shed tears at any time if he chose to.

"But while he was engaged in looking in his peep-stone and old white hat, directing the digging for money, and boarding at Uncle Isaac Hale's, he formed an intimacy with Mr. Hale's daughter, and after the abandonment of the money-digging speculation, he consummated the elopement and marriage to the said Emma Hale, and she became his accomplice in his humbug Golden Bible and Mormon religion."[16]


Porter Rockwell: "Brother Joseph, how is it in the other world?" Joseph said in answer: "Don't you bother, Brother Rockwell, about the other world; try to be as comfortable as possible in this and make the most of it; nobody knows what the other world will be."[17]

FOOTNOTES: [1] Cake, Lu B., Peepstone Joe and the Peck Manuscript, p. 52 Old acquaintance [2] Scribners Monthly, August,
1880. Vol. XX. p. 614. (Affidavit - New York, April 12th, 1880) [3] Wyl, Dr. W., Mormon Portraits, p. 21 Joseph's Nauvoo Accomplice
[4] Cake, Lu B., Peepstone Joe and the Peck Manuscript, p.33. Member of the Society of Friends, and universally respected [5]
Wyl, Dr. W., Mormon Portraits-Joseph Smith. p. 80. Relatives of Emma Hale Smith [6] Ibid. p. 20. Neighbor [7] Wyl, Dr. W., Mormon
Portraits-Joseph Smith, p. 22. Wife of Orson Pratt [8] Ibid. p. 22 (attributed Mr. W.) [9] Ibid. pp. 13-15. [10] Ibid. p. 20 (Affidavit
before Jonathan Lapham, Justice of the Peace) [11] Cake, Lu B., Peepstone Joe and the Peck Manuscript, p. 34. [12] Ibid. p. 35.
(Affidavit Palmyra, N.Y., November 29, 1833) [13] Ibid. p. 34. [14] Wyl, Dr. W., Mormon Portraits-Joseph Smith, p. 18 (Affidavit
dated Palmyra, December 2, 1833.) [15] Ibid. p. 78. Joseph Smith's mother, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet
[16] Ibid. p. 78, 79. Close relatives of Emma Hale Smith [17] Ibid. p. 20. (As related by Mr. Johnson) Joseph Smith Jr.'s Coachman
and Factotum