Review of Parley P. Pratt, A Voice of Warning

              Review of Parley P. Pratt, A Voice of Warning. Christian Examiner (November 1838): 270–
72.

A Voice of Warning and Instruction to all People, containing a Declaration of the Faith
and Doctrine of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, Commonly called Mormons. By P. P.
PRATT, Minister of the Gospel. New York: Printed by W. Sanford. 1837. 24mo. pp. 216.—Here
is one of the precious quackeries of our time and country; one of the most extraordinary, and
threatening to be one of the most mischievous and fatal impostures, which ever disgraced a
civilized people. There seems to be no end or bound to the gullibility of men. When we first
heard of the golden plates of Mormon, which on Joe Smith pretended to have found and
interpreted, and were told that a number of persons had become converts to the delusion, we
supposed that but a very small number could be seduced by such barefaced fabling, and that
Mormonism would soon die out and be forgotten. But now the newspapers are informing us that
the Mormons, or Mormonites, are collected in great force at the West, and that with arms in their
hands they are carrrying on hostilities with the other inhabitants. Latter Day Saints indeed! We
trust that they are the last saints, of that complexion, whom we shall be doomed to hear of in our
day.
It would be a wearisome task to recount all the solemn fooleries which are crowded into
the little book of Mr. Parley P. Pratt, but for the satisfaction of those who may like to know what
Mormonism is, or pretends to be, we will give a few extracts from it, which will contain the
substance of his explanations. “But what,” he supposes some inquirer to ask, “is that wonderful
book, about which there is so much said? what do these strange men testify, that causes so much
excitement? let them speak for themselves.” Then follows the answer.
“Well, hearken, my reader. The Book of Mormon was found in the year of our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, in Ontario county, New-York. Was translated and
published in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty. It contains the history
of the ancient inhabitants of America, who were a branch of the house of Israel, of the tribe of
Joseph; of whom the Indians are still a remnant; but the principal nation of them having fallen in
battle, in the fourth or fifth century, one of their prophets, whose name was Mormon, saw fit to
make an abridgment of their history, their prophesies, and their doctrine, which he engraved on
Plates; and afterwards being slain, the Record fell into the hands of his son Moroni, who being
hunted by his enemies, was directed to deposit the record safely in the earth, with a promise from
God that it should be preserved, and should be again brought to light in the latter days, by means
of a Gentile nation, who should possess the land. This deposit was made about the year four
hundred and twenty, on a hill then called Cumora, now in Ontario county, where it was
preserved in safety, [270] until it was brought to light by no less than the ministry of angels, and
translated by Inspiration. And the Great Jehovah bore record of the same to chosen witnesses
who declare it to the world.” —pp. 128, 129.
This being the history in brief of Mormonism, we will give our readers a touch of its
evidences.
“But what are the evidences which we gather from Scripture concerning the coming forth
of this glorious work? We shall attempt to prove—first, that America is a promised land to the
seed of Joseph; second, that the Lord would reveal to them his truth as well as to the Jews; and
third, that their Record should come forth and unite its testimony with the Record of the Jews, in
time for the restoration of Israel in the last days.
“First, Gen. xlviii., Jacob, while blessing the two sons of Joseph, says, ‘Let them grow
into a multitude in the midst of the earth:’ and in the same blessing it is said of Ephraim, his seed
shall become a multitude of nations. Now put the sense of these sayings together, and it makes
Ephraim a multitude of nations in the midst of the earth. In Gen. xlix. it is prophesyed
concerning Joseph, (while Jacob was blessing him,) that he should be a faithful bough by a well,
whose branches run over the wall, the archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and
hated him, yet his bow abode in strength. Again he further says, ‘the blessings of thy Father have
prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors, unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills;
they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from
his brethren.’ Now I ask who was Jacob’s progenitors, and what was the blessing they conferred
upon him? Abraham and Isaac were his progenitors, and the land of Canaan was the blessing
they conferred upon him—or that God promised them he should possess. Recollect that Jacob
confers on Joseph a much greater land than that of Canaan; even greater than his fathers had
conferred upon him, for Joseph’s blessing was to extend to the utmost bounds of the everlasting
hills. Now reader stand in Egypt, where Jacob then stood, and measure to the utmost bounds of
the everlasting hills, and you will land somewhere in the central part of America. Again, one of
the prophets says, in speaking of Ephraim, ‘when the Lord shall roar, the children of Ephraim
shall tremble from the west.’ Now let us sum up these sayings, and what have we gained; first—
that Ephraim was to grow into a multitude of nations in the midst of the earth; second—Joseph
was to be greatly blest in a large inheritance, as far off as America; third—this was to be on the
west of Egypt or Jerusalem.
“Now let the world search from pole to pole, and they will not find a multitude of nations
in the midst of the earth, who can possibly have sprung from Ephraim, unless they find them in
America; for the midst of all other parts of the earth is inhabited by mixed races, who have
sprung from various sources; while here an almost boundless country was secluded from the rest
of the world, and inhabited by a race of men, evidently of the same origin, although as evidently
divided into many nations. Now the Scriptures cannot be broken, therefore, these [271]
Scriptures must apply to America, for the plainest of reasons—because they can apply no where
else.” — pp. 131-133.
Very plain, indeed; and as the second and third positions are established in an equally
convincing manner, we will omit the arguments in proof of them, and pass over to the practical
part of the subject.
“So much then we have produced from the Scriptures, in proof of a work like the book of
Mormon, making its appearance in these days; to say nothing of Isaiah xxix., which we have
already noticed in a former part of his work.—But says one, what use is the book of Mormon,
even if it be true?—I answer, first it brings to light an important history before unknown to man.
Second, it reveals the origin of the American Indians, which was before a mystery. Third, it
contains important prophesies, yet to be fulfilled, which immediately concerns the present
generation, and their very existence depends on an immediate understanding of them. Fourth, it
contains much plainness in regard to points of doctrine, insomuch that all may understand, and
see eye to eye, if they take pains to read it.”—pp. 135, 136.
In the midst of all these high and cloudy pretensions of the Mormons there seems to be a
political end in view, which it may not be amiss for us to keep in mind, as the events of our
Western history are transpiring. This end is expressed in the following, among other passages of
Mr. Parley P. Pratt’s Voice of Warning.
“And here is the end of the matter; and I would only add, that the government of the
United States has been engaged for upwards of seven years, in gathering the remnant of Joseph,
(the Indians,) to the very place where they will finally build a New Jerusalem; a city of Zion;
with the assistance of the believing Gentiles, who will gather with them from all the nations of
the earth; and this gathering is clearly predicted in the Book of Mormon, and other revelations,
and the place before appointed, and the time set for its fulfilment; and except the Gentiles repent
of all their abominations, and embrace the same covenant, and come into the same place of
gathering, they will soon be utterly destroyed from off the face of this land: as it is written by
Isaiah, the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee, shall perish.” [272]