In our perusal of the pamphlet, we endeavored to find out the object of the author, and the only reasonable conclusion we could arrive at was, that it was a strained attempt on his part to display some talent and learning. He is ambitious to make quotations from history, heathen mythology, and from the Hebrew language. But it would be far better for a man to be entirely divested of talents, than to use them in endeavoring to prove the inefficiency of the atonement of Christ, and striking at the fundamental principle of salvation, as he has done.
The author introduces himself to his readers by lamenting because of having "to labor under great disadvantages while propounding what he conscientiously believes to be a correct solution of this very important subject, as the views which he holds are diametrically opposed to those entertained by Christians of almost all denominations; at least (he says) since the foundation of the Romish Church until now, the belief has been tenaciously adhered to amongst professors of religion, that Jesus Christ came into the world to suffer an ignominious death for, or instead of, Adam and his posterity."
We would remark that he would have labored under equal disadvantages, as far as professors of the religion of heaven were concerned, had he lived contemporary with the Messiah Himself and His apostles, or at any period, however remote, subsequent to that time; and that this doctrine was not one of the many false fabrications or dogmas of men introduced to make void the designs of God, or lead the minds of the people away "after seducing fables and doctrines of devils;" but that it was not only a theme on which the ancient prophets and servants of God delighted to dwell, but the mainspring of all their hopes, and the source from which they drew strength and support, when called to pass through trials of an overwhelming nature; to substantiate which we will make a few quotations from Scripture.
The Apostle Paul, after treating at some length on the faith with which the ancient worthies were endowed, speaks of Moses refusing the honors which Pharaoh's daughter sought to confer upon him, and "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward"—Hebrews xi: 26. And after enumerating the sufferings of others, he informs us that their reason for not accepting deliverance was, "that they might obtain a better resurrection" (Hebrews xi: 35), which could only be brought to pass through the redemption wrought out by the Son of God, as we shall be able fully to prove.
The same apostle, in writing to the Galatians, endeavors to impress this doctrine upon their minds, by proving that the law given through Moses was introduced because of transgressions, and was inadequate to accomplish their salvation, but merely served as a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ, and that it could not disannul the covenant that was made before of God in Christ (Galatians iii: 17); thereby proving that Abraham and his successors were conversant with the gospel of Christ and the doctrine of redemption through Him. And Job, while suffering under extreme agony, seems to have been supported by this hope, when he exclaims, "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth" (Job. xix: 25). It is also evident that the faith of which they were in possession was efficacious, for we are informed by Matthew xxvii: 52, that many of the Saints which slept arose with Christ at His resurrection, who must of a necessity have been some of the prophets and saints who had lived prior to His coming. Moreover, we would remark that unless this doctrine had been believed in by the ancients, they were without the means of obtaining salvation; for Peter says (Acts iv: 12), "there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we can be saved." In fine, the continuation of sacrifices from the days of Abel to John was typical of the great and last sacrifice offered up in the person of Jesus Christ.
After this introduction, the author labors to show the absurdity and unrighteousness of the doctrine that the Almighty should require "the very heart's blood of His own well-beloved Son Christ Jesus, to satiate His thirst for vengeance." As far as we or our principles are concerned, he might have saved himself this trouble, as we do not believe that such was the object of God in the sacrifice of His Son. The Scriptures are too explicit on this point to be misunderstood. We are informed by the Savior Himself, what object His Father had in view in His coming into the world. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life; for God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him might be saved." (John iii: 16-17.)
The revelations that God has given to man abundantly prove that God and the eternal worlds are governed by a celestial law; and in order that man might enjoy the same glory with Himself, it was requisite that he should keep the same law, "that which is governed by law is also preserved by law, and perfected and sanctified by the same," etc., etc. (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 7, Par. 8); but man, having transgressed the law of God, justly entailed upon himself the curse of this disobedience, from which he was incapable of redeeming himself, neither could any less than infinite sacrifice atone for his fall. The effect of his disobedience, it is well known, was death, and this curse has been hereditary to all the posterity of Adam. Let it be borne in mind that man, while submitting to this punishment, does so without any inherent power, independently in himself to accomplish his resurrection and restoration to the presence of God and His glory. He is now under the jurisdiction and within the dominion of death, and to achieve a victory over death it was necessary that some one more holy and pure than the being who had become the transgressor should enter into his dominion, in order that he might thereby have that dominion destroyed; and unless this be done, the control which death will hold over mankind must be eternal. It will require little argument to prove that the Son of God was, in every way, competent to perform this task, being pure, holy, and unspotted; and that he was the individual appointed to accomplish this, is fully substantiated by the testimony of John concerning him, "Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world" (John i: 29), that "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (I Corinthians xv: 22.)
The next step taken by the author is to prove that it was unnecessary for Jesus Christ to shed His blood, or that He came into the world at all to atone for the transgression of Adam. To use his own language—"Now, seeing that death, misery, pain, and privations have been the legacy handed down in the human family from generation to generation, I for my own part, could not see any justice on the part of Deity did He demand a victim in our stead. Can any person, possessed of his reason, after recounting the sufferings that Adam and his children have undergone because of his and their own sin, avoid coming to the conclusion that man has indeed suffered for himself." And then, after endeavoring to prove that because death has followed all men, the atonement of Christ was incompetent, and did not accomplish the end for which it was intended, he sums up by stating that the mission of Messiah was, merely to be a Savior of men by becoming a preacher of righteousness, and that He fell a martyr to the truth only, as did the prophets who were slain previous to His coming. With all his learning and self-sufficiency to attain to what he calls "correct views of real heavenly theology," he has proven himself, through taking the foregoing stand, either entirely ignorant of the Scriptures, or wilfully unacquainted with them, as the following quotations will fully prove. "For this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Mat. xxvi: 28). "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts ii: 23). "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood" (Acts xx: 28). "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forebearance of God" (Romans iii: 24-5). "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians i: 7). "For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell: and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself: by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven" (Colossians i: 19, 20). "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews ix: 28). "Then, said I, lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God; by the which will we are sanctified to the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all" (Hebrews x: 7-10). "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without a blemish and without a spot. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you; who by him do believe in God that raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God" (I Peter i: 18-21). "And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (I John ii). "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Rev. i: 5).
Having made the foregoing quotations from the New Testament, we shall next introduce a few, on the same subject from the Book of Mormon (first European edition).
"And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world. Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and fallen state, and ever would be, save they should rely on the Redeemer" (Page 19).