| 932 making an honest confession of those peculiarities which separate them as widely from the Baptists, as from every other denomination of the christian church.-This was certainly prudent; but as the Baptists feel themselves dishonoured [dishonored] by such an alliance, they would be unjust to themselves were they to leave unanswered such a libel upon their denomination. The following very prominent marks of difference will enable your readers to judge for themselves.
I.-The Saints admit all persons indiscriminately to baptism, encouraging them to pass through that rite, with the promise that great spiritual improvement will follow. They baptize for remission of sins, without waiting for credible evidence of repentance for sin. But the Baptists admit none to that ordinance who do not exhibit this qualification in the most satisfactory manner; and if they found a candidate looking to the water of baptism as having virtue to cleanse him from sin, he would be put back until better instructed.
II.-After baptism the Saints kneel down, and their priest laying on his hands, professes to give them the Holy Ghost. If effects similar to those produced by the laying on of the Apostles' hands were seen to follow, skepticism must yield to the force of such evidence; but in their case no such effects are produced; the baptized sinner is a sinner still, though flattered and deluded with the epithet "Latter-day Saint." The Baptists regard such mummery with as much disgust as all Christians do.
III.-Having, as they suppose, the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, the Saints consistently pretend to have the power of working wonders, and profess to heal the sick with Holy Oil; also to the power of prophecy. As most moral evils bring with them their own remedy, these lofty pretensions will ruin them in due time, by opening the eyes of the most deluded, as in the case of the countless sects of imposters [impostors] who have appeared upon the stage before them. It need not be added, that the Baptists stand far removed from such conceits, and have no part in them.
IV.-Not satisfied with the Bible, as complete revelation from God, the "Latter-day Saints" have adopted a romance written in America, as a fresh revelation, and have added a trashy volume of 600 pages to the Book, which we are forbidden to add to, or take from, under the most awful penalties! But even this is not enough for their impious presumption. They have published a monthly magazine, in which "new revelations" are served up fresh as they arrive, for the use of all who can swallow them.-The disgust with which the Baptists regard such a melancholy exhibition of human folly and wickedness, separates them to an impassable distance from such people.
V-In order to carry on this order of things, the Latter-day Saints have appointed two Priesthoods. "The lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood, is to hold the keys of the Ministering of Angels, and to administer in outward ordinances." "The power and authority of the higher, or Melchisedeck Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the Spiritual Blessings of the Church-to have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven-to have the Heavens opened to them-to commune with the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn; and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and of Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant." (See page 13.) So that in this wonderful priesthood, they have provided for an ample supply of new things in endless variety, and without end, from the hands of wretched men, who blasphemously aspire to a dignity which belongs alone to Him who is the only "Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck."
The fear of trespassing upon your valuable columns, Mr. Editor, prevents my enlarging upon these and very many other points of difference; but enough has been done to shew [show] your readers, that no two sects can differ more widely from each other, than the Baptists and Latter-day Saints; and that to confound them in any way together is not only unjust to the former, but involves them in the disgrace of being partakers in a bold imposition, or a pitiable delusion, which they regard with equal abhorrence and disgust.
A BAPTIST.
Hanley, Feb. 16, 1841.
The foregoing article attempts to show the difference between the Baptists and Latter-Day Saints. We will now attempt
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