The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Philosophies of Men

Editor's note: This is number 18 in a series of posts by Dennis Horne, sharing quotes from his book, Determining Doctrine: A Reference Guide for Evaluating Doctrinal Truth. You can read the introductory post here. The first part of each post is a new introduction, placing the quotes in context with contemporary issues. The quotes that then follow are from the Determining Doctrine book, which contains many quotes that are not readily available elsewhere or are exclusive to the book.

            One reason the New Testament Church fell into apostasy was because it was overcome by false Greek philosophy. Today, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is under attack by many different philosophies, but they all pretty much boil down to the same kind of thinking: there is no God, no right and wrong, no sin or evil or righteousness, and whatever a person wants to do is just fine. Or, if there is a god, he/she/it is remade in the image of men/women, and not men made in the image of God. In other words, God becomes what each person wants him to be for their own purposes. This is why there are so many different churches today; one for whatever set of doctrines suites a particular group. (And we haven’t even mentioned the unrelenting and vigorous Satanic attack on religious freedom throughout the United States and the world.)

With the restored Church of Jesus Christ, there is constant pressure from inside and outside to follow suit, to change the doctrines and reinterpret the scriptures to accommodate the vain philosophies of men. Mingling a little scripture with these modern philosophies/societal norms is an old game of the Adversary (who has pulled it off repeatedly in the past; hence the need for new dispensations). Therefore, whether it be gay/lesbian lifestyles/marriage, ordaining women/extreme feminism, promoting doubt of God as good, revising the narrative of the apostasy and restoration, or feuding with feds, it’s all man/woman-made philosophies. Whatever gets or keeps people out of the Church, or if not that, out of the temple, gives the devil a victory.

Instead, we should follow the prophets and apostles in their teaching the scriptures, so “that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils” (D&C 46:7).

From Determining Doctrine:

Mormon Book Bits #6: B. H. Roberts, Life of John Taylor

Editor's note: This is the sixth in a series of posts by Dennis Horne about collectible books. The introduction is here.

            Truman G. Madsen wrote of this book:

“In December 1890 Roberts had been given a kind of temporary release from his duties as a member of the First Council of the Seventy ‘to sustain his family,’ which was now composed of ‘three wives and six children.’ President Cannon remarked that ‘a man's first duty is to his family.’ Roberts continued to write semiweekly editorials for the Herald and installments of the history of President John Taylor, which ‘enabled me to meet my current expenses.’…

            “For some time Roberts had been working on his biographical study of President John Taylor. On January 20, 1891, he had written to L. John Nuttall, who had served as President Taylor's secretary, requesting details of the passing of President John Taylor at Kaysville in 1887, ‘as I have reached that stage in my work when I need it.’ It became the last chapter of the book.

            “Apparently he had been gathering material on this subject since the 1880s, just after his mission to Britain. In February 1891 he wrote to the Taylor family to say he had completed seven chapters and had presented them to the First Presidency (Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith) for ‘review, examination and correction.’ Elders John Jacques and L. John Nuttall, who had served as President Taylor's secretaries, were assigned to carefully scrutinize the manuscript. For nearly a month they met frequently with Roberts and made suggestions. By late March nine chapters were completed and approved, and the book was published early in 1892.

“The book is the most laudatory in tone of Roberts's writings. It begins with the preface that ‘the author loved the subject’ and ends with the pronouncement, ‘he was one of the great ones of the earth.’…

Church Leaders' Counsel for Dissidents and Apostates

Editor's note: This is number 17 in a series of posts by Dennis Horne, sharing quotes from his book, Determining Doctrine: A Reference Guide for Evaluating Doctrinal Truth. You can read the introductory post here. The first part of each post is a new introduction, placing the quotes in context with contemporary issues. The quotes that then follow are from the Determining Doctrine book, which contains many quotes that are not readily available elsewhere or are exclusive to the book.

In Salt Lake City, Utah, (or really anywhere their website can be read) there is a newspaper with a reporter that continually pushes and promotes extreme feminist causes within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—especially the ordination of women to the priesthood. The main publicized organization that pushes for such to occur is viewed by Church leaders as apostate and therefore they are largely ignored as a nuisance. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "But meddle not with any man [or woman] for his religion: all governments ought to permit every man to enjoy his religion unmolested. No man is authorized to take away life in consequence of difference of religion, which all laws and governments ought to tolerate and protect, right or wrong. Every man [or woman] has a natural, and, in our country, a constitutional right to be a false prophet, as well as a true prophet." (History of the Church, 6:304.)

            So the women (and men) involved in any of these extremist movements have the constitutional right to be false leaders and teachers and to agitate for false or foolish causes. The Salt Lake newspaper, as annoying as it sometimes is, also has the right to cover (really promote) false prophets, deceitful voices, and activist/extremist causes and support the agendas of deceivers and excommunicants.

But having allowed for that as the Prophet did, such certainly does not mean that we must listen to or support or follow them to hell. They make for sensational press and maybe some talk around the watercooler, but when all is said and done they are but the latest players in a long line of dissidents and malcontents and detractors whose personal causes became more important to them than eternal life. They therefore let go of the iron rod and drift away into mists of darkness, but are sure to make noise as they do so. Sometimes their loved ones and friends tragically follow them into those dark and foggy mists and become lost as well. The prophets or their local leaders call after them to repent and return; some do but most do not, for they have lost the Spirit. Such are the times we live in (the last days) and such are the reasons why the principles taught by Church leaders in the quotations in this blog series are so very critical; eternal life is at stake and we must hold on and stay in the boat:

Mormon Book Bits #5: Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, 4 Volumes, Part 2

Editor's note: This is the fifth in a series of posts by Dennis Horne about collectible books. The introduction is here.

Note: this is the second of a two-part blog on Orson F. Whitney’s seminal History of Utah. I originally wrote part one’s material around 2007, before I did the research for my biography of Whitney. That publication, “Orson F. Whitney: Bishop, Poet, Apostle,” issued in 2014, contains a chapter, reproduced below as this blog part, about the creation of History of Utah with further detail than is given in the first blog part. There is some repetition of materials from the Abraham H. Cannon diary in both parts, but this second part has material about the project from Orson F. Whitney’s own diary. It also has a few excerpts from the journal of George Q. Cannon, which has been and still is unavailable to most researchers. [Editor's note: the Church just put the first installment of the journals online a week ago.] Writing and publishing the history was a complex, lengthy, involved, and difficult venture, reading both blog parts will give the fullest explanation of this work that exists.

Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, 4 Volumes:

            By the latter half of May, 1890, President Lorenzo Snow’s promise to Whitney that “means” (money) would flow to him as he had need of it was fulfilled when he learned that he had been chosen as author for a new literary project of expansive scope: “Today at a meeting in the Gardo House, I was appointed to write a History of Utah. The publisher is one Dr. Williams, formerly with Bancroft, who puts up the money and will be the proprietor of the work—he to employ me as the author of the same. Pres. Woodruff, Joseph F. Smith, F[rankling]. D. Richards, George Reynolds, Prof. Maeser, Dr. Talmage, Dr. Williams, and myself were present. Dr. W[illiams] proposes to pay me $200 a month while I am working on it, plus 25% of the net proceeds from sales. The History is to be written from a Mormon standpoint and has the full sanction and approval of the Authorities of the Church. I begin work next month.”[1]

            This taxing and time-consuming endeavor would become Ort’s most voluminous work, and would rank with his Life of Heber C. Kimball in importance. A few days later, he noted: “[I] wrote my prospectus of the proposed History of Utah, and a few lines of Chap. I.”[2] Then:

Additional Witnesses of the Coming Forth and Content of the Book of Mormon

By Dennis B. Horne

            As Joseph Smith was dictating the translation of the Book of Mormon to Oliver Cowdery, they learned that the gold plates were to “be hid from the eyes of the world” in general. Nevertheless “three witnesses” would be enabled to view the book or plates “by the power of God” in addition to Joseph—“him to whom the book shall be delivered.” These three witnesses would then “testify to the truth of the book and the things therein” (2 Nephi 27:12; see also Ether 5:2-4 and D&C 5:11, 15).

            It is well known that Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris were granted the privilege of becoming these three designated special witnesses (see D&C 17, including section intoduction). Their signed statement of solemn testimony has been printed with each edition of the Book of Mormon.

            Further, the prophecies of the Book of Mormon indicated that “none other[s]” would be able to view it, “save it be a few according to the will of God,” and that the purpose of these others would be “to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men”—the world. This would allow the prophets and saints of the Book of Mormon to “speak as if it were from the dead” (2 Nephi 27:23).

            These “few” others are generally thought of as the “eight witnesses,” and include members of the Whitmer and Smith families that helped Joseph by providing board and room and financial assistance.[1] The testimony of these eight, who saw, hefted, and closely examined the gold plates, is also printed in the Book of Mormon: “[Joseph Smith] has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work.” And, “we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken.”

Personal Apostasy

Editor's note: This is number 16 in a series of posts by Dennis Horne, sharing quotes from his book, Determining Doctrine: A Reference Guide for Evaluating Doctrinal Truth. You can read the introductory post here. The first part of each post is a new introduction, placing the quotes in context with contemporary issues. The quotes that then follow are from the Determining Doctrine book, which contains many quotes that are not readily available elsewhere or are exclusive to the book.

            As prophesied by Jesus (in Matthew 24:24), personal apostasy is a great tragedy and sign of our times, the last days. The Salt Lake Tribune and various bloggers dutifully keep readers posted on the names of the latest publicity seeking malcontents/apostates to resign or be excommunicated. (This is a curious development indeed. Many decades ago the Church News used to list the names of those excommunicated as a way to warn members against evil and apostate influences; now they don’t do that but the excommunicants and resigners themselves do. After all what good is it to resign if you don’t do it noisily and with fanfare in some protest or online?)

            Yet personal apostasy is a deeply serious matter with eternal consequences for the deceived individual and whomever he or she deceives and convinces to follow them. Their disbelief or anger changes nothing; they are still subject to the buffetings of Satan in this life and in the next (see D&C 82:21; 104:9-10). Elder Boyd K. Packer warned: “Remember: When you see the bitter apostate, you do not see only an absence of light; you see also the presence of darkness” (as quoted in Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled, 115.) Personal apostasy is a serious and grave matter indeed. Not that long ago, the First Presidency issued a letter, likely directed toward extremists and activists, in which they gave counsel and also defined personal apostasy. Because of the negative, devilish demeanor exuded by many bitter apostates and also the common mockery of the sacred, I have heard some very experienced and capable church leaders say that they would rather work with ten adulterers than one angry apostate.

            From Determining Doctrine:

Mormon Book Bits #4: Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, 4 Volumes

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of posts by Dennis Horne about collectible books. The introduction is here.

Note: this is the first of a two-part blog on Orson F. Whitney's seminal History of Utah. I originally wrote the below material around 2007, before I did the research for my biography of Whitney. That publication, “The Life of Orson F. Whitney: Bishop, Poet, Apostle,” issued in 2014, contains a chapter about the creation of History of Utah containing further details than that given below and constitutes part two of this blog on the history. There is some repetition of materials from the Abraham H. Cannon diary in both parts, but the second part has material about the project from Orson F. Whitney’s own diary. Writing and publishing the history was a complex, lengthy, involved, and difficult venture, reading both blog parts will give the fullest explanation of this work that exists.

Orson F. Whitney, History of Utah, 4 Volumes:

Whitney’s History of Utah is little known today outside book-collecting and Mormon or Utah historical circles, but for its time it was a tremendous undertaking. Today it is considered a prize to those who can find a set and afford its considerable price. It consists of four large, heavy, beautifully bound volumes, three containing a comprehensive narrative of the history of Utah and a fourth with short biographical sketches of prominent Utahns. The fourth volume is now the rarest and most valuable, and was published well after the others as a “gift” volume, meant as a reward for those who paid for their original three volumes. This final volume’s preface contains an explanation that financial difficulties had delayed its issuance.

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

Editor's note: This is number 15 in a series of posts by Dennis Horne, sharing quotes from his book, Determining Doctrine: A Reference Guide for Evaluating Doctrinal Truth. You can read the introductory post here. The first part of each post is a new introduction, placing the quotes in context with contemporary issues. The quotes that then follow are from the Determining Doctrine book, which contains many quotes that are not readily available elsewhere or are exclusive to the book.

            Although the counsel given below by Church leaders was given long before the advent of the internet, it applies equally well today, perhaps more so. It becomes quickly apparent that many (though by no means all) of the bloggers in the so-called Mormon bloggernacle-blogosphere is made up of such wolves (sometimes wearing the best fine-twined sheep’s linen). This was proven when some seventy of these bloggers signed a petition asking the Church not to keep the inner vessel clean (not to excommunicate vociferous apostates and unrepentant homosexual sinners). Or, as many other bloggers did and yet do, raise their blogging voices to oppose and criticize prophets and apostles and local church leaders. They claim that there is room in the Church for all (what some call “big-tent Mormonism”). Of course, making room in the Church for those who would fill it with sin or the vain philosophies of men or their own extremist causes, is how the New Testament church fell into apostasy and was taken from the earth. Such will not happen in our day. One might say that promoting vain philosophy is done in vain with Jesus’ church.

If The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints let Satan’s spokespeople have free reign to influence members as they pleased, the Church might well someday simply become another organization of men and women of the world; good for nothing (in matters of salvation) except to be cast aside as dross. If people want that, they can find any number of other churches they can join that will have theology and practices that match their personal desires and views. In the meantime, let us be evermore wary of wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Mormon Book Bits #3: Hugh Hewitt, Searching for God in America

Editor's note: This is the third in a series of posts by Dennis Horne about collectible books. The introduction is here.

Hewitt explained: “Ten years ago…I had gone to work for the public broadcasting system in

Los Angeles as the co-host of a nightly news and public affairs show called ‘Life and Times.’ And in the course of that, because I was the person of faith most obvious on the set I would always be assigned the religion stories. … And we always found that religion moved the needle. When you talk about faith, audience went up significantly. So after the election in 1994 and PBS was sort of in a panic to find any conservative, anyone that could do some television for them so that they could show it just wasn’t Bill Moyers wall to wall; the phone rang and they said: ‘What would you like to do?’ And I said, ‘I’d like to do a series of programs on what people believe, and why, with faith leaders.’ And out of that came ‘Searching for God in America,’ a 1996 eight-part series which showed in the summer of that year. It involved lengthy conversations edited down to 30 minutes with high profile people. … And right there in the middle came Neal Maxwell. …

“When I prepared to go to Salt Lake City, I began from the premise that I did not know anything about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I don’t think I knew a Mormon. I certainly didn’t know a Mormon in Warren, Ohio, where I grew up; I didn’t meet any Mormon at Harvard; I didn’t know any Mormons at the University of Michigan law school, and I didn’t know much about the story other than the fact that they believe in the Book of Mormon and once in a while someone would show up at your front door.

Dealing with False Revelation and Doctrine

Editor's note: This is number 14 in a series of posts by Dennis Horne, sharing quotes from his book, Determining Doctrine: A Reference Guide for Evaluating Doctrinal Truth. You can read the introductory post here. The first part of each post is a new introduction, placing the quotes in context with contemporary issues. The quotes that then follow are from the Determining Doctrine book, which contains many quotes that are not readily available elsewhere or are exclusive to the book.

            Many years ago I read a story, that I cannot now relocate, told by one of President Joseph Fielding Smith’s children. If memory serves, it went like this: one of his adult children had gone into his private office on some errand and had noticed a paper laying on his desk that looked like a revelation. Being filled with curiosity, it was read and found to contain interesting and sensational items. It was soon whispered about to his other grown children that were present for some family function. When Elder Smith came home, he noticed his family filled with suppressed excitement. One confessed to what they had seen and how all had by then read it. President Smith then told them that it was a forgery; that they had been taken in by a faked revelation that someone had sent him.

            Such an occurrence is far too common. I recall another episode, again from memory, regarding Hyrum L. Andrus (now deceased), for many years a well-respected and prominent member of the BYU religious education faculty and author. As I heard the story, he had a student in a class that showed him written revelations that she had purportedly received. He read them and was fooled; taken in. He sent them to President Spencer W. Kimball so that the prophet of the Lord could be informed and act accordingly. Not long afterward Andrus was relieved of his teaching duties, given a new obscure office out of the way and some likewise-obscure new research duties until retirement. A fourth and final volume of a successful series was never published.

Mormon Book Bits #2: Thomas S. Monson, On the Lord’s Errand: Memoirs of Thomas S. Monson

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of posts by Dennis Horne about collectible books. The introduction is here.

            Perhaps the rarest and most expensive of the personal autobiographies by a high Church leader, this book wasn’t even known to exist by most of the LDS collecting world until after 2000. When it finally surfaced (after being privately published in 1985) it quickly created a demand for itself, especially when President Monson became the President of the Church. In 2009, when someone brought to President Monson’s attention the fact that a copy had just sold on the internet for $3,600, he joked that he “should have had more of them printed”, and observed that he had written it for family and close friends. As these friends age and then pass away, it is thought that a few more copies may eventually trickle their way into the rare LDS book market. However, it remains to be seen how this possibility— along with the issuance by Deseret Book of an official biography meant for public consumption—will affect its price and collector demand.

            The fact that this work was not meant for public consumption had the fortunate consequence of allowing it to contain information that would otherwise probably have been removed. A small sampling of these items include the following:

False Revelations Occasionally Floating Around the True Church

Editor's note: This is number 13 in a series of posts by Dennis Horne, sharing quotes from his book, Determining Doctrine: A Reference Guide for Evaluating Doctrinal Truth. You can read the introductory post here. The first part of each post is a new introduction, placing the quotes in context with contemporary issues. The quotes that then follow are from the Determinining Doctrine book, which contains many quotes that are not readily available elsewhere or are exclusive to the book.

            Between internet-related transmission, the missionary grapevine, and books sold by commercial publishers, it seems there is no shortage of sensational stories, rumors, and false revelations that may appear authentic. Church authorities seem particularly intent on holding back such misinformation. An unfortunate fad today is the same-sex attracted people and gay activists and their supporters who claim to be receiving answers/personal revelations contrary to that given by the Lord to His prophets and apostles. In such cases the simple question to answer for ourselves is whether those involved in sin or supporting sinners are better positioned to receive the mind and will of God, or, if His prophets are. Where might such “revelation” come from that contradicts that received by the Prophet of the Lord?

From Determining Doctrine: