John A. Widtsoe (1872-1952), while acting as a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, published a small booklet in Great Britain explaining the basic tenets of the faith:
John A. Widtsoe, What is Mormonism? An Informal Answer (1928)
Here are some excerpts from this rare work that some might find interesting:
All truth is accepted by the Latter-day Saints and incorporated into their system of religion. There is no quarrel in the Mormon Church between science and religion. The people are urged to keep fully abreast with the increasing knowledge of the age. At the same time the people are warned as all people should be, to distinguish carefully between facts of observation and hypothesis of inference. The former, if correctly made, do not change; the latter are bound to be modified as facts increase. (p. 9)
There is no priesthood class within the Church. Every member, man and woman, is expected to know the doctrines and claims of the Church well enough to explain and defend them. (p. 12)
Mormonism frankly admits its belief in an unseen universe inhabited by conscious, personal beings. Of these, the greatest is God. There are countless others, lesser ones, engaged in intelligent progress. Men upon earth may be helped and guided by the beings of the unseen world; but appeal is made only to the Lord. The beings in that other world may reach out, and, as it were, touch the living upon the earth, to help glorify life. We do not walk alone. Around and about is the unseen world, of which we are really a part. We are not afraid of that world, for from out if it comes help, love, peace, understanding. The existence of the unseen world is a basic doctrine upon which every explanation of Mormonism must rest. (p. 33)
By the so-called “fall of man,” humanity became subject to death. Therefore, it became necessary for some act to be performed that would release man from this bondage. It was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that in some mysterious manner united the wires broken by the first parents. All these acts were foreseen and necessary in the accomplishment of the plan and in full accord with its terms. By the “atonement” the resurrection became possible. (p. 37)
The Mormon people are far from perfect, but they possess a perfect system of truth. Mormonism—another term for Christianity—possesses an entrancing, encompassing philosophy, which points the way out of present difficulties to future peace and safety . . . through this Church, and through it only, can be administered the ordinance necessary for salvation . . . What is Mormonism? It is the pure gospel of Jesus Christ; the everlasting plan of life and salvation; the path to happiness on earth and in heaven. It is the heaven-ordained means for making men strong in all righteousness endeavour, for leading them to happiness, through self-conquest and the conquest of surrounding forces. It is the power by which men may increase daily in the likeness of the Lord. They who accept this eternal truth, and conform to its requirements, will become the victors of the earth. (pp. 56, 58)
