Mormon Scripture – Doctrine and Covenants/Part 5

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Mormon Scripture – Doctrine and Covenants Contents

Doctrine and Covenants and Church History is the title of a study manual published by the Mormon Church in 1999 for use in their Sunday Schools, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion. It declares, “We can have complete confidence that the Prophet appointed by God will always lead us correctly” (p. 218). Then it quotes Ezra Taft Benson, the 13th Mormon Prophet, who said, “Keep your eye on the (LDS) Prophet, for the Lord will never permit his Prophet to lead this Church astray.” The same page claims that Joseph Smith’s 1832 prophecy of the Civil War, recorded in Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 87, shows that he was a true prophet. But we showed earlier in this series of articles that Smith’s Civil War prophecy is full of false prophecy. Mormons think that Jesus’ warnings about false prophets in the last days (see Matt. 24:11 & 24) applies to everyone except Mormons, even though their Doctrine and Covenants has many false prophecies in it.

For example, Doctrine and Covenants Sec.104 claims to be a “Revelation given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet on April 23, 1834 concerning the United Order.” The United Order required Mormons to give all their property to the Church and then it would return enough to them for their needs and the remainder would be used by the Church. This revelation declares, “Verily I say unto you my friends, I give unto you counsel, and a com­mandment, concerning all the properties which belong to the order which I commanded to be organized and established, to be a united order, and an everlasting order for the benefit of my church, and for the salvation of men until I come—With promise immutable and unchangeable, that inasmuch as those whom I commanded were faithful they should be blessed with a multiplicity of blessings; But inasmuch as they were not faithful they were nigh unto cursing” (vs. 1-3). Notice that this was to be “an everlasting order—for the salva­tion of men” until the Lord returns. John Taylor, the third LDS Prophet declared, “Referring to the United Order, the Lord has given us to understand that whosoever refuses to comply with the requirements of that law, his name shall not be known in the records of the Church, but shall be blotted out; neither shall his children have an inheritance in Zion. Are these the words of the Lord to us?… It is the word of God to me; it is the word of God to you” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 21, p. 58). But Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie wrote, “Early attempts to operate various united orders failed” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 813). Not only did early attempts to establish a united order fail, but all LDS attempts to establish a United Order failed! Yet, not a single member’s name has been blotted out of the LDS records nor have their children lost any inheritance in Zion for not living the United Order! Thus, Mormons who believed LDS Prophets, Joseph Smith and John Taylor were misled in spite of LDS claims that their Prophet will always lead them correctly!

Another misleading prophecy is found in Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 111 which claims to be a “Revelation given through Joseph Smith, the Prophet, at Salem, Massachu­setts, August 6, 1836.” It declares, “I the Lord your God, am not displeased with your coming this journey, notwithstanding your follies. I have much treasure in this city for you, for the benefit of Zion, and many people in this city, whom I will gather out in due time for the benefit of Zion, through your instrumentality…. And it shall come to pass in due time that I will give this city into your hands, that you shall have power over it, insomuch that they shall not discover your secret parts; and its wealth pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours…. For there are more treasures than one for you in this city” (vs. 1, 2, 4, 10). The History of the Church, volume 2, pages 464-466 shows that Smith arrived in Salem in early August 1836 and left for Kirtland, Ohio, sometime in September with none of this prophecy fulfilled! Many people in Salem didn’t join them. Nor was the city given to Joseph so that he had power over it. Nor did he get any gold, silver or any other treasure from Salem! Even the heading over Sec. 111 declares that “no money was to be forthcoming” to Smith and his associates on that trip. Yet, according to this revelation the Lord told Joseph Smith, “I have much treasure in this city for you.” Joseph Smith died in 1844 and never saw any treasure from Salem, so he and his followers were misled if they believed this “revelation.”

Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 112 also claims to be a “Revelation given through Joseph Smith, the Prophet to Thomas B. Marsh, at Kirtland, Ohio, July 23, 1837.” It begins, “Verily thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Thomas… all thy sins are forgiven thee…. I the Lord have a great work for thee to do, in publishing my name among the children of men. Therefore, gird up thy loins for the work. Let thy feet be shod also, for thou art chosen, and thy path lieth among the mountains, and among many nations. And by thy word many high ones shall be brought low, and by thy word many low ones shall be exalted…. I know thy heart.... Verily I say unto you, my servant Thomas, thou art the man whom I have chosen to hold the keys of my kingdom, as pertaining to the Twelve, abroad among all nations” (vs. 1, 3, 6-8, 11, and 16). This revelation claims the Lord told Thomas: “I have a great work for thee to do; I know thy heart and thou art the man I have chosen to hold the keys of My kingdom.” But this LDS “Lord” didn’t know Thomas as well as He thought He did since only 15 months later Thomas was an apostate from the Mormon Church and Joseph Smith said that he had a “wicked heart” (History of the Church, vol. 3, pp. 166-167.) The God of the Bible “knows all things” (I John 3:20), but the God in LDS “revelations” seems to know only what Joseph Smith knows when Smith knows it!

Our next article will discuss some teachings in the Doctrine and Covenants that are not widely discussed outside of Mormonism. For more false prophecy in the Doctrine and Covenants we suggest For Any Latter-day Saint: One Investigator’s Unanswered Ques­tions by S. I. Banister, published by Star Bible Publications, Inc. in Ft. Worth, TX in 1988.