Spurgeon Thursday - On Mormonism

LDS Defined

What shall we say of Mormonism, the haggard superstition of the West? (Nov 5, 1854)

LDS and Polygamy

Then what will ye choose? Shall it be Mahometanism? Will ye choose that, with all its fables, its wickedness and libiditiousness? I will not tell you of it. Nor will I mention the accursed imposture of the West that has lately arisen. We will not allow Polygamy, while there are men to be found who love the social circle, and cannot see it invaded. We would not wish, when God hath given to man one wife, that he should drag in twenty, as the companions of that one. We cannot prefer Mormonism; we will not, and we shall not. (May 27, 1855)

The 1855 Plague of Locusts

 A little while ago some of us were fretting about this Mormonism, and we said, “It will never be broken up.” Some stupid fellows in America began to kill the poor Mormonites, and so carve them into saints, which was the very way to establish them. Christians trembled, and said, “What can this be? We shall have Sodom over again.” 

But did you read the Times newspaper of Thursday last? You will there see a wonderful instance of how God can scatter the clouds and make them dust of his feet. He has caused to come out of the ground, near Salt Lake, at Utah, thousands of crickets, and all kinds of noxious insects, that devour the crops; creatures that have not been seen in Utah before, with swarms of locusts, have made their appearance; and the people, being so far from civilized nations, cannot of course carry much corn across the desert, so that they will be condemned to starve or else separate and break up. It seems to all appearance that the whole settlement of the Mormonites must entirely be broken up, and that by an army of caterpillars, crickets, and locusts. (Aug 19, 1855)

A Transparent Delusion

Take again the increase of Mormonism. What has been its strength? Simply this—the assertion of power from heaven. That claim is made, and the people believe it, and now they have missionaries in almost every country of the habitable globe, and the book of Mormon is translated into many languages. Though there never could be a delusion more transparent, or a counterfeit less skillful, and more lying upon the very surface, yet this simple pretension to power has been the means of carrying power with it. (Apr 27, 1856)

Victorian Universalism

That seems to me to be the right spirit, but where do you find it now-a-days? The modern spirit mutters, ‘We are all right, every one of us.’ He who says, ‘yes,’ is right, and he who says, ‘no,’ is also right! You hear a man talk with mawkish sentimentality which he calls Christian charity. ‘Well, I am of opinion that if a man is a Muslim, or a Catholic, or a Mormon, or a Dissenter—if he is sincere—he is all right.’ They do not quite include devil worshippers, thugs and cannibals yet—but if things go on they will accept them into the happy family of the Broad Church. Such is the talk and cant of this present age, but I bear my witness that there is no truth in it and I call upon every child of God to protest against it and, like Moses, to declare that he can have no complicity with such a confederacy! (July 28, 1872)

Mike Drop (oh yeah!)

And, last of all, though much more might be said, what happiness this brings to a man to know that he is a child of God. I remember, some 22 years ago, being waited upon by a Mormon who wanted to convince me of the Divine mission of Joseph Smith. And after hearing some of his talk, I said, ‘Sir, would you kindly tell me what you have to offer me and how I am to get it? I will listen to you if you will let me tell you afterwards what I have to offer you and the way to it.’ I heard him with a great deal of patience. He listened to me not quite so patiently, but when I had done he saluted me thus, ‘If what you say is true, you ought to be the happiest man in the world!’ To which I replied, ‘Sir, you are correct. I ought to be and, more, I am!’ And so I left him. (Sep 21 1875)

A Disclaimer

One of the most modern pretenders to inspiration is the Book of Mormon. I could not blame you should you laugh outright while I read aloud a page from that conglomeration. (April 25, 1891)

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