--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1842 to 1843. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 4 number: 19 published: 1843-08-15 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Mormon Delusion,” *Times and Seasons* 4, no. 19 (August 15, 1843): 295–296." printed_title: MORMON DELUSION. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-08-15_4_19 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v4n19.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-08-15_4_19 start_page: 295 end_page: 296 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1843 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-08-15_4_19 publication_year: 1843 --- # Mormon Delusion The above cognomen is an epithet that a few years ago used to be very familiar in our modern schools of divinity. There was very few of our theologians but were conversant with it; it was used with sublime eloquence by our pulpit orators, while performing their sacred functions, and talked of by all the religious people of the day. The editors caught the new phrase, being informed by the ministers, and it was heralded to the four winds, until from Maine to Missouri, you would scarcely hear any thing else talked about but 'Mormon delusion.' But if you were to ask editors, priests, or people, the meaning of the term, they would be in the same predicament as the Yorkshire man who went into a store and ask for some hidrophobia [hydrophobia]. 'What is that, said the shopkeeper.' 'I dont know,' replied Hodge; 'but it is an article much talked about.' So in regard to our new term, after all the bluster about 'Mormon delusion,' none of the above dignitaries could give any better exposition; it would sometimes vary to 'false prophet,' 'imposture,' &c.; but the signification was generally the same. This continued for a time, until our editors, who, by the by, are generally a more intelligent class than the ministers, grew ashamed of such incoherent nonsense, and turned their attention to things that were more rational. It continued however in the pulpit for some time, until our reverend worthies, ashamed of the too frequent repetition of the same term and unable to exist without calumny, sought for a fresh people to abuse, and with one consent turned upon Parson Miller. 'Mormon delusion' has now nearly got out of date, and none but the truly pious ever make any mention of it. Sometimes however some of there truly devout, who feel very much interested in their master's cause; now and then refer to the old subject, to stir up the pure minds of the people by way of remembrance. As we had a paper forwarded us lately with a communication in it having a tendency to show what 'Mormon delusion,' or, 'Mormon perversion' is, we thought that we would lay it before our readers that they might have some knowledge of this awful imposition. The article alluded to may be found in an extremely religious paper called the 'Morning Star,' published in Dover, New Hampshire, by the trustees of the Freewill Baptist Connection, and edited under their direction; in speaking of its being extremely religious, we think that we shall be sustained by some remarks quoted from it; "3; All we have or possess is to be heartily dedicated to the service and honor of God; our affections, our bodies, our talents, our friends, and our property." "A salvation from all sin; victory over, or freedom from our corrupt and wicked propensities," &c. &c. From such a paper, under the direction of such a body, and the advocate of such principles, we may expect to receive true intelligence; and this 'Morning Star' may be a light unto our feet until the day dawns. But now for the article: