“Believe, be baptized, and repent.”
“Do you mean that no one can be saved hereafter, without faith, baptism, and repentance in this world?”
“I have no evidence that any can.”
Alas! I mentally exclaimed, how selfish, contracted and partial are the creeds of men. The Catholic consigns all to hell outside of his church; the Methodist sends all to perdition who do not believe that Jesus is the eternal God; the Presbyterian condemns all to everlasting burnings, but the elect few; the Campbellite has no hope for any beyond the grave, who do not adhere to his creed, and take water. The truth concerning salvation, is all embraced in a few words. Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, and strength, and thy neighbor as thyself.” And one of his apostles testifies that “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” Whoever lives in harmony with this law is saved, let his faith be what it may, and let him belong to what party he may, or to no party. This is my faith with reference to salvation, and does it not infinitely better correspond with reason, and the character of God, than the narrow contracted systems just stated by their advocates?
Where I stopped over night, I heard a Mormon deliver a discourse in defence of Mormonism. He was an able man, well educated; and he proved as clear as mud that the Latter-Day Saints are heaven’s peculiar favorites. Every good Mormon, when he dies, we were told, is transported to one of the stars, and becomes its king, and will there reign over its inhabitants in regal splendor forever and ever. But anti-Mormons are consigned to the infernal regions of Pluto, to be his subjects eternally. He also told us, that Christ would come to this earth personally within a few years. “I expect,” said he, “to live to witness his second advent. He will be a Mormon, and will empower us to destroy the Gentiles; and when the work shall be well done, the Saints will possess the land. I warn you to flee from the wrath to come; accept of mercy while mercy is offered you; for when Jesus comes, he will shut the door, and your doom will be sealed.” He pretended to be able to work miracles, and an old gentleman in the congregation arose and wished him to restore his sight. “Do you believe I can?” asked the speaker. “I will believe you can when you do the work,” the old gentleman replied. “But do you believe now that I can?” “No, sir.” “Then I will not restore your sight.”
As soon as he was through the crowd cried, “Manford! Manford! Manford!” I begged to be excused, but the people insisted that I should pitch into Mormonism, and I finally spent an hour in reviewing it, and the discourse just delivered. I commenced by remarking, that I wished to make one statement, and to ask the speaker one question. Jesus told his disciples on one occasion, that some of them would live to see him come the second time, (Matt. xvi. 28) and he intimated to Peter that John would be living when he would come. (John xxi. 23). “Now you,” addressing the preacher, “told us, that coming has not taken place, but will take place in a short time. The question I wish to ask is this:
“Is John now living?”
“He is,” replied the Mormon.
“Where is he?” I inquired.
“Up North, somewhere. We know he is living, for we have a document signed by him.”