Monday, February 24, 2020

Orson Pratt Warning Against Errant Appeals to Ancient Scripture to Support Doctrines Based on Modern Revelation


Many errant LDS think that they can proof-text the Bible and/or the Book of Mormon to support all the doctrines the Church teaches. This is problematic for many reasons, not the least is that it flies in the face of D&C 128:18.

In a sermon dated August 25, 1878, Orson Pratt said the following wherein he argues that the developed LDS doctrine of the hereafter is not to be found in the pages of the Bible and the Book of Mormon; instead, it comes from modern revelation:

Then again, what could we learn from either the Bible or Book of Mormon in regard to three glories—the celestial, the terrestrial and the telestial glories? What did we know concerning those that should inhabit these various worlds of glory? Nothing at all. It was merely referred to in Paul's writings, that there were three glories, "one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead." But Paul left us here; he did not tell us anything about the celestial, or anything about terrestrial, or telestial glories; he told us nothing about the inhabitants of these worlds, nor anything about the laws by which these different glorified worlds were governed. but merely referred to them in a few words and then dropped it. (JOD 20:70)