"If a faith will not bear to be investigated; if its
preachers and professors are afraid to have it examined,
their foundation must be very weak." — LDS Apostle,
George A. Smith
Few of these claims are made as openly or as vigorously
today. That is understandable given the Mormon Church's
attempts to mainstream itself and become accepted as another
"Christian" Church. However, the fact remains that the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints considers itself
the only true church on the earth today and the only one
with the right and authority to speak and act for God.
Click on links below to see scans of the actual
documents.
Authority Claims of the LDS Church
- Joseph Smith - "And whatsoever they shall speak when
moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture ..."
Doctrine and Covenants 68: 3-5 (November 1831)
- Joseph Smith - "Wednesday, 8 —This morning, I read
German, and visited with a brother and sister from
Michigan, who thought that 'a prophet is always a
prophet;' but I told them that a prophet was a prophet
only when he was acting as such ...'"
History of the
Church, vol. 5, p. 265 (1843)
- Wilford Woodruff - "There are a few thoughts that I
wish to present to the congregation touching one
principle that has been alluded to by the brethren,--
namely, in regard to following the instructions and
counsels of those who lead us.
"... if the Prophet of God should tell me that a certain principle or theory which I might have learned was not true , I do not care what my ideas might have been, I should consider it my duty, as the suggestion of my file leader, to abandon that principle or theory." Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p. 83 (1857)
- Orson Pratt - The authority held by the Mormon
church is "the true and only standard here upon the face
of our earth; and to this standard all people, nations,
and tongues must come, or be eventually taken from the
earth" Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 372
(1860)
- Brigham Young - "Every intelligent person under the
heavens that does NOT, when informed, acknowledge that
Joseph Smith, jun. is a Prophet of God, is in darkness,
and is opposed to us and to Jesus and his kingdom on the
earth." Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, p. 223
(1860)
- Brigham Young - "The Lord Almighty leads this
Church, and he will never suffer you to be led astray if
you are found doing your duty. You may go home and sleep
as sweetly as a babe in its mother's arms, as to any
danger of your leaders leading you astray, for if they
should try to do so the Lord would quickly sweep them
from the earth." Journal of Discourses, vol. 9,
p. 289 (1862)
- Brigham Young - "This generation, however, is not
left without a test. I have taught for thirty years, and
still teach, that he that believeth in his heart and
confesseth with his mouth that Jesus is the Christ and
that Joseph Smith is his Prophet to this generation, is
of God; and he that confesseth not that Jesus has come
in the flesh and sent Joseph Smith with the fulness of
the Gospel to this generation, is not of God, but is
antichrist." Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p.
312 (1862)
- Brigham Young - Mormonism is the "only system of
religion known in heaven or on earth that can exalt a
man to the Godhead"
Journal of Discourses, vol.
10, p. 251 (1863)
- Brigham Young - "What man or woman on earth, what
spirit in the spirit-world can say truthfully that I
ever gave a wrong word of counsel, or a word of advice
that could not be sanctioned by the heavens?"
Journal
of Discourses, vol. 12, p. 127 (1867)
- Brigham Young - "I will take up the text again -- I
am responsible for the doctrine I teach. ... If they
will hear it, well; if they will not, I am clear of
their blood." Journal of Discourses, vol. 13, p.
4 (1869)
- Brigham Young - "I will make a statement here that
has been brought against me as a crime, perhaps, or as a
fault in my life. Not here, I do not allude to anything
of the kind in this place, but in the councils of
nations -- that Brigham Young has said 'when he sends
forth his discourses to the world they may call them
Scripture.' I say now, when they are copied and approved
by me they are as good Scripture as is couched in this
Bible, and if you want to read revelation read the
sayings of him who knows the mind of God."
Journal of
Discourses, vol. 13, p. 264 (1870)
- Brigham Young - "I know just as well what to teach
this people and just what to say to them and what to do
in order to bring them into the celestial kingdom ... I
have never yet preached a sermon and sent it out to the
children of men , that they may not call Scripture. Let
me have the privilege of correcting a sermon, and it is
as good Scripture as they deserve. The people have the
oracles of God continually."
Journal of Discourses,
vol. 13, p. 95 (1870)
- Wilford Woodruff - "... In my public teaching I
never permit my mind to follow in any channel except
that which the Spirit dictates to me, and this is the
position we all occupy when we meet with the Saints ...
" Journal of Discourses, vol. 15, p. 275 (1873)
- Charles W. Penrose "Our organization is a very
glorious one. It is a perfect organization -- perfect --
because it is divine. It was not made by man. It was not
originated by Joseph Smith, or by any of his associates.
It came down from above, direct from eternal worlds. It
was not taken out of the Bible. It was not taken out of
the Book of Mormon, or any other book"
Journal of
Discourses, vol. 24, p. 304 (1883)
- "When our leaders speak, the thinking has been done.
When they propose a plan — it is God's plan. When they
point the way, there is no other which is safe. When
they give direction, it should mark the end of
controversy. God works in no other way." Ward Teachers
Message, Desert News, Church Section, p. 5 (May
26, 1945)
- Joseph Fielding Smith - "What is Scripture? When one
of the brethren stands before a congregation of the
people today, and the inspiration of the Lord is upon
him, he speaks that which the Lord would have him speak.
It is just as much scripture as anything you will find
written in any of these records, and yet we call these
the standard works of the Church." Doctrines of
Salvation, vol. 1, p. 186 (1954)
- Joseph Fielding Smith - "Mormonism as it is called
must stand or falls on the story of Joseph Smith. He was
either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly
commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this
world has ever seen. There is no middle ground."
Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 1, p. 188 (1954)
- "It was the Lord Himself who installed prophets in
this modern Church. ... This, too, has He done for the
successors to the Prophet Joseph, even down to our
present wonderful and humble leader. He, too, is
inspired of God. He, too, is a revelator. He, too, is
the voice of the Almighty to the saints of this day."
Editorial, Church News, September 26, p. 12
(1981)
- "Words of Our Living Prophets — In addition to these four books of scripture, the inspired words of our living prophets become scripture to us. Their words come to us through conferences, Church publications, and instructions to local priesthood leaders. 'We believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God' (Articles of Faith 1:9)." Gospel Principles, p. 55 (1992)
Condemnation of Other Churches
- Joseph Smith - Joseph claims God told him all
churches of his day were wrong, all creeds an
abomination in his sight and all professors were
corrupt. Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith -
History 1:18-19 (1842)
- Orson Pratt - Roman Catholic church never had
authority, it was founded by the Devil. Protestant
reformers did not restore the church, their
authority came from the Catholics who only had
authority from the Devil.
The Seer, p. 205
(1854)
- Orson Pratt - "Baptism is just as essential to
salvation, as Faith and Repentance. — Without being
immersed in water no man can enter into the fulness
of Celestial glory. ... But who in this generation
have authority to baptize?" Only the Latter-day
Saints. "Both Catholics and Protestants are nothing
less than the 'whore of Babylon'"
The Seer,
p. 255 (1854)
- John Taylor - "We talk about Christianity, but
it is a perfect pack of nonsense. ... It is a
sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal; it is as
corrupt as hell; and the Devil could not invent a
better engine to spread his work than the
Christianity of the nineteenth century."
Journal
of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 167 (1858)
- Bruce R. McConkie - "It is also to the Book of
Mormon to which we turn for the plainest description
of the Catholic Church as the great and abominable
church. Nephi saw this 'church which is the most
abominable above all other churches' in vision. He
'saw the devil that he was the foundation of it' and
also the murders, wealth, harlotry, persecutions,
and evil desires that historically have been a part
of this satanic organization. (1 Nephi 13:1-10)"
Mormon Doctrine, p. 130 (1958)
- Bruce R. McConkie - "Harlots. See Church of the Devil, Sex Immorality. Literally an harlot is a prostitute; figuratively it is any apostate church. Nephi, speaking of harlots in the literal sense and while giving a prophetic description of the Catholic Church, recorded that he 'saw the devil that he was the foundation of it.' ... Then speaking of harlots in the figurative sense, he designated the Catholic Church as 'the mother of harlots' (1 Nephi 13:34; 14:15-17), a title which means that the protestant churches, the harlot daughters which broke off from the great and abominable church, would themselves be apostate churches." Mormon Doctrine, pp. 314-315 (1958)
Leaders Invite Challenges to Mormonism
- Joseph Smith - "Wherefore, confound your
enemies; call upon them to meet you both in
public and in private"
Doctrine and Covenants
71:7 (1831)
- Orson Pratt - "convince us of our errors of
doctrine, if we have any, by reason, by logical
arguments, or by the word of God, and we will be
ever grateful for the information"
The Seer,
p. 15 (1854)
- George A. Smith - "If a faith will not bear
to be investigated; if its preachers and
professors are afraid to have it examined, their
foundation must be very weak."
Journal of
Discourses, vol. 14, p. 216 (1871)
- Brigham Young - "I have had many
revelations; I have seen and heard for myself,
and know these things are true, and nobody on
earth can disprove them. ... I say to the whole
world, receive the truth, no matter who presents
it to you. Take up the Bible, compare the
religion of the Latter-day Saints with it, and
see if it will stand the test."
Journal of
Discourses, vol. 16, p. 46 (1873)
- Brigham Young - "I am here to give this
people, called Latter-day Saints, counsel to
direct them in the path of life. ... If there is
an Elder here, or any member of this Church,
called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, who can bring up the first idea, the
first sentence that I have delivered to the
people as counsel that is wrong, I really wish
they would do it; but they cannot do it, for the
simple reason that I have never given counsel
that is wrong; this is the reason."
Journal
of Discourses, vol. 16, p. 161 (1873)
- Wilford Woodruff - "I am willing to exchange
all the errors and false notions I have for one
truth, and should consider that I had made a
good bargain. We are not afraid of light and
truth. Our religion embraces every truth in
heaven, earth or hell; it embraces all truth"
Journal of Discourses, vol. 18, p. 117
(1875)