Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 2 of 2)

by B. H. Roberts

FAITH IN THE GODHEAD.

I read these statements to show you that the negative statement is recognized as possessing great force; for these anathematizing clauses in the announcement of the councils are inserted to guard the Roman Catholic faith from error. I am of the opinion, let me repeat, that a negative statement by us, concerning some things that we do not believe, would have a certain force, and I am going to try to make an application of this principle just a little this afternoon, though in a somewhat informal way.

To begin with, take this doctrine so ably expounded by Elder Penrose in relation to our belief in God and in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost, the trinity of the Holy Scriptures and of our faith. We profess faith in that Godhead, and to that Godhead alone do we pay divine honors in holy worship; but it is extremely difficult to get the people of the world to believe that we are thus far Christians. We are accused, in some cases, of man-worship; we are sometimes accused of worshiping Joseph Smith. Because we proclaim his mission and the divinity of it, and say that through him there has been restored to the earth divine authority to speak and act in the name of this Godhead whom we worship—because we have emphasized his mission and have insisted upon its divinity—because we speak much about it and write much about it—the world has accused us of worshiping Joseph Smith; but that is not true. We worship this Godhead of the Christian scriptures alone; and if we may not say because of Christian charity, let him who accuses us of worshiping other God than this be anathema, let us at least say to those who assert that we worship other Godhead than the Godhead of Holy Scripture, that they misrepresent and slander their "Mormon" brethren.

So also in relation to our belief in the Savior of men. It has been explained here by Elder Penrose that we believe and accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Savior of men; that he was and is the Son of God, whom God gave to the world, that through faith in him, and obedience to his gospel, the world might be saved; and let those who say that we look to other source and have other expectations of salvation, than through him and his power, let them also know that they, at least, misrepresent the Latter-day Saints.

ERRONEOUS REPORTS.

Another matter, in connection with this, might be dwelt upon at greater length, and that is an accusation to the effect that we believe in what is called "blood atonement." So, indeed, we do; and so also do the Christian world. Is it not the belief of the Christian world that they will be saved through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God? Most assuredly; and so, too, do we believe in the atonement of the Christ—aye, and in the manner of the atonement of the Christ—that the very form of it was necessary to the salvation of men. We believe that there is no other means that could be devised to make adequate satisfaction to justice and preserve in its integrity the moral law of the universe. Just what was done in the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, his death, and the manner of his death, the shedding of his blood was necessary to the salvation of the world, for in the gospel, as in the law, "without the shedding of blood is no remission of sins." (Heb. ix:21). Yet it would appear that there are some things for which not even this atonement can bring forgiveness. For example, it is said by the Master himself, that "every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. If men speak a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven them, but if they speak a word against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven them, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." (Matt. xii:31-32); and that notwithstanding the atonement of the Christ. Again it is written, "The murderer hath not eternal life abiding in him." (I John iii:15). Again it is written, "He that sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." (Gen. ix:6). Blood for blood was the doctrine of that Scripture. Now we believe in that doctrine; that is, we believe that those who so far transgress that they imbrue their hands in the blood of their fellow men, that their lives are necessary to the complete atonement; and that their execution should be such that it admits of the shedding of their blood. And it is because of this belief that the laws of Utah permit such method of execution for capital offenses as sheds the blood of the murderer. But the reputation has gone out, the slander has passed from lip to lip, it has been printed from one book into another, until the report has gone out into all the world, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the "Mormon" Church, arrogates to itself the right to take human life for apostasy from the Church, and for certain other sins. That is a slander; it is not true. We do not believe the doctrine; we do not claim for the Church that it has the right of capital punishment, or the right of executing vengeance. We do not teach nor claim that the Church has the right to assassinate men for apostasy, even though they be murderers. However much we might believe them worthy of death, the Church claims no right to execute them. The doctrine of the Church in relation to that matter is found here in the Doctrine and Covenants. It is in a revelation given before the Church was a year old, and is found in section 42 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

REVELATION QUOTED.

"And now, behold, I speak unto the Church, Thou shalt not kill, and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come;

"And again, I say, thou shalt not kill, but he that killeth shall die."

Yes, but how? By whose hand? Read it in a subsequent verse, in the same revelation:

"And it shall come to pass that if any persons among you shall kill, they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the laws of the land; for remember that he hath no forgiveness, and it shall be proven according to the laws of the land."

And of course those who administer the laws of the land must become the executors of that law; the Church claims no right of executing such a law. That is our belief in relation to this subject. "Yes, but," some one will be ready to say, "is it not matter of record that some very emphatic and even vehement declarations have been made in relation to this matter by very prominent men in the Mormon Church, in years that are gone?" Yes, some very extravagant utterances, some very ill-advised expressions were used; but those exaggerated, those embittered and over-zealous words on the part of very well-meaning men, doubtless, did not announce in those instances the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The question will be asked, How are you going to account for these expressions which you declare are unwarranted by the law of the Church? How are you going to justify them? Well, I am not going to justify them at all, but I can account for them.