Fourthly,
it is claimed that “God has imperatively forbidden any addition to what is
written in the Old and New Testaments and the Book of Mormon is an addition,
therefore we must reject it.” In proof of this claim the following texts are
quoted:--Deut. 4th chapter. 2nd verse; and Revelation 22nd chapt. 18th verse;
the first reads as follows: Moses speaking to the children of Israel says, “You
shall not add unto the words which I command you, neither shall ye diminish
aught from it;” and the second reads as follows: “For I testify unto every man
that heraeth the words of the prophesy of the Book, if any man shall add unto
these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book.”
In answer to this I would remark, that these two texts say nothing concerning
the Old and New Testaments at all. The one speaks of Moses writing only, not at
all including the writings of the Prophets, for they were not the commands of
Moses, and were not in existence when Moses wrote; and the other speaks
exclusively of the “words of the Prophesy of this Book,” (the Book of the revelation
of St. John,) which was not then compiled with any other book under heaven.
Therefore, if these texts destroy the validity of the Book of Mormon, they also
destroy the validity of every Book in the Bible, the writings of Moses and the
Book of the Revelation of St. John only excepted. But I would here state, that
the Book of Mormon is not an addition to the writings of Moses neither to the
Book of the Revelation of St. John; but it contains the great things of God’s
law written to Ephraim, (see Hosea 8th, 12th,) a remnant of the tribe of Joseph
dwelling in America. But it may be asked, “what would be adding to these
things?” I answer, to write any thing that was not therein contained when the
above texts were penned and publish it as the writing of Moses, or as the words
of the prophesy of the Book of the Revelation of St. John, would be “adding
unto these things.” But to write the revelation given unto me or any other
person since then or before, and publishing it as such, would not be “adding
unto those things.” Therefore, writing the revelations which God gave unto
the Nephites, the seed of Joseph in America, and publishing it as such, it not
adding unto the writings of Moses neither the Book of the Revelation of St.
John. Hence this objection against the Book of Mormon is also refuted. (Charles
Thompson,
Evidences in Proof of the Book of Mormon [Batavia, N.Y.: D. D.
Waite, 1841], 162-63)
Further Reading:
Not By Scripture Alone: A Latter-day Saint Refutation of Sola Scriptura