Recounting a discussion with Mr. Crowzey, an English missionary (Protestant):
He wisht to know what sect I
belong to. I told him to the Latter-day Saints. He wisht to know why we were
called so. I told him because we bore a strict resembleance to the former-day
Saints, or like the church that was established by Jesus Christ and his
apostles. He asked if I taught from the Bible. I told him I did teach from that
strictly and as Jesus and his apostles taught the gospel.
He asked if I had not got another
book I called the Bible. I told him I had not. He asked if I had not some book
in which our principles were taught. I told him I had. He asked its name. I
answered the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. He wisht to see it and I shewed it
him. He asked if the Saints were building a city they called the New Jerusalem.
I told him “No.” He asked what they were building. I told him a place of residence,
like all other civilized citizens of the world. He asked if we believed in a
New Jerusalem? I told him we did, but John told us it should come down from God
out of heaven. He then asked about the gathering, and I quoted various passages
from Genesis, Deuteronomy, and various of the prophets, which he allowed to be
all figurative. Said I, “Then what portion of the Bible is there that is not figurative.
Is all that Jesus Christ said figurative?” I then turned to Mark and read in
the 16th chapter from the 14th to the 19th verses. “Is that figurative?” “Oh!
but that was in the days of the apostles.” “So it was,” said I, “But the
promise was to all that believed and are you not a believer?” “But do they all
follow you?” said he. “If they do then let me hear you speak in tongues. Come,
let us talk German together, or if you like Hebrew, or Greek, or Latin” and
then boasted of his great learning. I told him I had no great learning to boast
of, the Bile was all I was sent out to know. “But, if you have all those gifts
you can speak in tongues.” “All of these gifts are in the church, and I am a
witness to it, but I did not tell you that I possess’t them all.” I then turned
to the 12th chapter of 1 Cor. and read a part of it, and shewd him that these
were to be divided among the members of the Church. “But which of them do you
possesst?” said he. I told him I did not feel under any obligation to tell him
which of them I possess. Two of the American brethren were standing by,
listening to the conversation, at this moment, for the first time, they both
spoke, and said they were witness to a number of sick people being healed by
the laying on the hands of Br. Pratt. (Addison Pratt, Journal, September 16,
1845, in The Journals of Addison Pratt, ed. S. George Ellsworth [Salt
Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1990], 240-41, spelling in original
retained)
