--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Smoot, Reed collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 29 number: 9 published: 1926-07 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Smoot, Reed, “The Religion of the Latter-day Saints,” *Improvement Era* 29, no. 9 (July 1926): 825–830." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2909unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2909unse start_page: 825 end_page: 830 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2909unse publication_year: 1926 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1926, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Religion of the Latter-day Saints Improvement Era Vol. XXIX JULY, 1926 No. 9 THE RELIGION OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS* By Hon. Reed Smoot, United States Senator From Utah Note — The following article appeared in the March issue of The Herald of the Star, London, and is here reproduced by permission. Aj. published the article was accompanied by an editorial comment reading: "Mr. Smoot is Chairman of the National Finance Committee of the United States. Last Summer he was an honored guest of President Coolidge at his Summer residence. He is everywhere in the United States of America respected for his ability and integrity." It may be added that Senator Smoot is a figure of international prominence, and the high repute in which he is held abroad is equalled only by the esteem accorded him by his own countrymen. Not only is he in the front rank of American statesmen, but also occupies an exalted position in the ecclesiastical organization to which he belongs, being one of the) Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. — Editor Millennial Star, The Latter-day Saints are called "Mormons," and their religion "Mormonism," for the same reason that the ancient followers of the Chiist were called "Christians" and their religion "Christianism," or "Christianity." That reason was a desire on the part of those hostile to the strange creed to render it and its disciples ridiculous in the eyes of mankind. How far the desire was realized, history tells. Today, in all the civilized world, there is no name more honored than that of "Christian," and I confidently look for history to repeat itself in making the name "Mormon" equally well-esteemed. *This article with introductory editorial note appeared in tha Millennial Star, April 22, 1926. Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 2, 1918, $2 per annum. Address Room 40 6, Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah. 826 IMPROVEMENT ERA The true name of the followers of Joseph Smith is Latter-day Saints, in contradistinction to the former-day Saints — the "Christians" of Christ's time. The case is simply this: An ancient American prophet named Mormon wrote upon metal plates a religious history entitled The Book of Mormon, which Joseph Smith, by divine aid and direction, discovered, translated, and published to the world. From the first, those who believed in that book were styled "Mor- mons"— just why, let the logicians decide. It would be just as reason- able to dub the members of the Methodist Church "Wesleys" after the founder of that organization, or the Presbyterians "Calvins," as it is to term the Latter-day Saints "Mormons." But when the world makes up its mind to oppose a religious innovation, especially if it claims a divine origin, reason and logic are too often conspicuous by their absence. They are thrown to the winds, and clamor and mob- violence substituted. The case of "Mormonism" is no exception. Perhaps the commonest mistake made by its opponents is the supposition that it is a new creed, a modern development of religion. But "Mormonism" makes1 no such pretension. It proclaims itself the everlasting gospel, a restored religion, notf a new one. It harks back to the creation of the world, when God gave to the man, whom he had created in his own image, the knowledge of a previous life, the cbject of the present existence, and the destiny of the race after this life has been lived. In other words, to Adam, the first man, was revealed the gospel of Jesus Christ — a code or system of sacred laws or ordinances, instituted in the heavens before this world was created, and designed for man's uplift, eternal progress and glorious exaltation. The gospel was rendered operative unto this great end by Adam's fail and by Christ's redemption — two great steps in the onward march toward perfection. Adam's fall brought man's spirit into the world, and clothed it with a body of flesh and bone; Christ's atoning sacrifice nullified the universal death resulting from the original transgression, and made it possible for man, thus redeemed from the grave, to go on to everlasting glory. The first principle of the gospel is Faith in God: the second, Repentance; the third, Baptism; and the fourth, the Gift of the Holy Ghost. But this is only the doorway into the kingdom. Obedience to all divine commands must supplement those initial requirements, if one would inherit the highest degree of heavenly glory. Such were among the teachings of the modern prophet, and that they accord strictly with the doctrines inculcated by the Savior and his ancienr apostles is due to the fact that the gospel is the same in all ages. Joseph Smith taught no new doctrine. He brought back the ancient fa RELIGION OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS 82 7 arc concerned. Framed in the heavens, it was revealed first to Adam; after him to Enoch, to Noah, to Abraham, and to Moses, in a series of dispensations reaching down to the days of Christ, and on into these latter days, when it has come again, this time to prepare the way before the second appearing of the Lord and the winding up of his work as pertaining to this planet. Such is its ancient past and present purpose, as set forth in the sacred books of the Church. These books, in addition to the Bible, are the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, the latter two containing the revelations of Jesus Christ to his servant Joseph Smith. , When "Mormonism" came forth, the doctrine was being widely taught that men were either predestined to be saved or predestined to be damned, regardless of any good or evil done by them. Joseph Smith denounced this as a false doctrine, declaring that no man was predestined either to be saved or damned, but that every man was a free moral agent, with the right to choose between good and evil and take the consequences of his choice. Infant damnation was another popular tenet of that period. Little children who died without being baptized were consigned by the theologians to the infernal regions, and there was no hope of redemption. Said Joseph Smith: "Baptism is for the remission of sins, and little children are sinless; therefore they need no baptism, but are redeemed by the blood of Christ from the foundation of the world." It was also held that many of the best men and women of antiquity were eternally lost, simply because they had not lived on earth when the gospel was here. Joseph Smith maintained, with John the Revelator, that all men will be judged according to their works (Rev. 20:11-13) and that none will be held accountable for opportunities that they never possessed. Joseph went so far as to say that men will be judged, not only for their deeds, but for their desires, and that all who would have obeyed the gospel, had they been given the opportunity, will stand upon the same plane as those who do obey it, and are heirs of the celestial kingdom. All men will have an opportunity to receive the gospel, in this world or the next, and those who obey it here have the privilege of saving their dead ancestors, who prove worthy, through the performance of sacred ordinances in their behalf. For this purpose, among others, the Latter-day Saints build temples, wherein this vicarious work is done. There was one heaven for the righteous, and one hell for the wicked, according to the orthodoxy of Joseph Smith's day. But he pointed to the teachings of Jesus, who said to his faithful disciples: "In my Father's house are many mansions — I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there ye may be also." This promise was not to everybody, but only to those worthy of it; and the "place" referred to was but one of the "many mansions" of the Father. 82 8 IMPROVEMENT ERA Virtually the same doctrine was taught by Paul the Apostle, who said: "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial * * * There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another ,star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead." Joseph Smith amplified this doctrine, claiming to have had a vision of the three glories — celestial, terrestrial and telestial — constituting, with their various degrees, the "many mansions" spoken of by the Savior. Celestial glory, of which the. sun in the firmament is typical, is for those who obey (or would have obeyed) the gospel on earth; terrestrial glory, which is comparable to the moon, for those who receive not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards receive it; and telestial glory, symbolized by the stars, is the eternal abode of those who are redeemed after passing through hell, where they ate purged of their sins, and are then delivered from the spirit prison house and given a portion, but not the fulness, of God's glory. All men are to be saved, said Joseph Smith, except "the sons cf perdition," those who have had every opportunity, not only fot salvation, but for exaltation, and have proved recreant to every trust — men who have embraced the gospel and borne the Priesthood, who have known God and his Son, and have sinned against the Holy Ghost by denying and trampling upon all. Such in brief is "Mormonism," or, as it proclaims itself, the everlasting gospel, restored after an absence of ages, at the opening of the greatest and last of the gospel dispensations — the Dispensation of the Fulness of Timesk It is not a menace to mankind, any more than was primitive and pure Christianity, which "Mormonism" claims to be. Its purpose is to gather the scattered House of Israel, that they may be ready to meet their God, Jehovah, when he again appears. He will come first to Zion, the New Jerusalem, a sacred city yet to be built upon the North American continent, which, with South America, constitutes the Land of Zion. He will then go to Jerusalem, where the Jews, now gathering to that place, having rebuilt their ancient city, will recognize in him the long looked for Messiah, whom their forefathers rejected and crucified. They will fall at his feet,' worship him, and be converted to the truth. To effect these mighty purposes, Joseph Smith, claiming lineal descent from Joseph of old, through the loins of Ephraim, lifted the "Ensign" for the assembling of the dispersed House of Israel — the modern descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (Isaiah 11:12). In other words, he organized the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and sent a colony into western Missouri to begin the work of "building up Zion." He also dispatched an apostolic messenger to Palestine, to dedicate that land for the return of the Jews. This mission was accomplished, but the Missourian colony were not allowed to complete their work. They were driven by mobs from the lands RELIGION OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS 829 that they had purchased from the Government, and were not per- mitted to return. It may interest British readers to know that Orson Hyde, the apostle sent by the Prophet Joseph Smith to dedicate the land of Palestine, performed that duty in October, 1841, and prophesied, a little later, that Great Britain would be an instrument in the hands of Providence for the reclamation of that land and the return of Judah to his ancient heritage. This prediction was fulfilled in part when General Allenby, at the, head of a British army, in December, 1917, entered Jerusalem, drove out the Turks, made an English Jew Governor and established a British protectorate over the land of Palestine. Pending the rise of the City of Zion in America, the Latter-day Saints are establishing Stakes of Zion (outposts) in the region of the Pocky Mountains. Joseph Smith, shortly before his tragic death, predicted the coming of his people into these parts, and Brigham Young, the Prophet's successor, made good the prediction. Jackson county, Missouri, however, and not Salt Lake City, Utah, is the site of the future Zion of latter-day Israel. ', From the stakes of Zion approximately two thousand mission- aries of both sexes are sent forth annually — not to bring women to Utah, as is vulgarly supposed, but to acquaint the world with the true aims and purposes of the Latter-day Saints. Most of these missionaries are young people born and reared in "Mormon" homes, and the most careful combing of the earth would not bring together a cleaner and better lot of boys and girls. They pay their own expenses, and give their services without material compensation to a cause dear to them all. They are expected to lead pure lives, to preach the gospel by example as well as by precept, and give no reasonable cause for com- plaint to the people among whom they minister. These missionaries, like the ancient apostles, are sent "into all the world," to "preach the gospel to every creature," and, contrary to false reports, they make no special effort for the conversion of women. If more women than men join the Church, it is! simply be- cause women are more religious than men in general, as every student of the subject knows. Our elders are under strict injunction to baptize no married woman without the consent of her husband, nor any minor without permission from parents or guardians. The greater part of the Church membership is in the stakes of Zion, now numbering ninety-four, and extending from Canada to Mexico. The stakes are territorial divisions, sub-divided into wards, each stake and ward being so thoroughly organized as to constitute almost a church in itself. The general authorities, headed by the First Presidency, are the bond of union for all. Outside the stakes, there are upwards of twenty missions, comprising most of the coun- tries of the globe. The Latter-day Saints are loyal to any govern- 830 IMPROVEMENT ERA ment under which they live. Among our Articles of Faith are the following: "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrals, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law. "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. * * * If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." St. George Temple This beautiful view of the St. George Temple, taken April 23, 1926, shows a delightful, corner of the temple grounds. The picture below shows the employees and ordinance workers: two from Pan- guitch, two from Kanab, two from Beaver, two from Parowan, two from Moapa stake; the others are all from St. George stake. On the 24th of April, 1926, two special sessions were held in the temple to accommodate an excursion from the Parowan stake. During the two sessions 276 endowment ordinances were performed, the largest number in any one day in the history of the temple. Elder George F. White- head is the president of the St. George Temple. pa— ii^bw • wwwmm \iffk1tL$ * ?jl &fr<, JL JL ^ifti^ **/r -' •«■• #vs v -Tl ' ' ■ u / 1 v * mt EBHMW1H1U1 ""' * .