They are divided into two major groups - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah) .. and The Reorganised Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (with headquarters in Independence, Missouri. Each charge the other as being "schismatic" and each claim to be "the true church".

The Mormons are very zealous evangelists and encourage their young people to dedicate two years of their lives to missionary work on a self-supporting basis.

Mormons are strongly encouraged to live exemplary lives and to preserve their bodies in the best of health, avoiding the use of tobacco, alcohol, tea, coffee, etc. They are also great Temple and Chapel builders.

Temples (forbidden to "Gentiles" - i.e. non-Mormons) are reserved for the solemnisation of marriage, proxy baptisms for the dead and other secret rites.

Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, was born in 1805 and, at the age of fifteen, claimed to have seen a vision and received a call to become "a prophet of the Most High God".

In his book "The Pearl of Great Price" he claims that God the Father and God the Son had materialised and spoken to him personally, informing him that "a restoration of true Christianity" was needed and he had been chosen to launch the new dispensation.

In 1822 he further claimed to have received an angelic messenger (named MORONI) who told him that he would find a precious religious volume hidden in a hill called "Cumorah", near New York. This volume was said to be written on plates of gold and contained the history of the former inhabitants of the North American continent and "the full account of the Gospel" as delivered by Christ to the ancient inhabitants.

With the aid of special instruments given him by the angel, Smith was able to translate the hieroglyphics. (Both the golden plates and the special "spectacles" vanished once he had completed the translation!)

The English translation of what Smith claims was written on the golden plates is known as "The Book of Mormon", published in 1830, and regarded by the Mormons as a supplement to the Bible and of equal authority.

Smith claimed to have received over 135 direct revelations from God, but his neighbours held a dim view of the "prophet". They issued a statement (signed by 62 residents of Palmyra, New York) declaring that "Joseph Smith, Sr., and his son, Joseph, were particularly considered entirely void and destitute of moral character and addicted to vicious habits."  They were well-known in the neighbour-hood as "treasure hunters" and spent a great deal of time digging for hidden treasure.

A "direct revelation from God" led to the building of the Mormon metropolis in Nauvoo and it was here that polygamy was first introduced.

John C. Bennett in his publication "The Nauvoo Expositor" exposed the practice and the "General" (as Smith liked to be called) destroyed the newsheet. As a result he was arrested, but was murdered before he could stand trial.

BRIGHAM YOUNG took over leadership of the movement. He claimed that a revelation had been received that "the faithful" should migrate from Nauvoo.

Led by Young, the first party set off on a desert march of more than one thousand miles, finally reaching Salt Lake in July 1847. Others joined them and they built a great city and established a state of their own. In 1895 the State of Utah was admitted to the United States of America.

The church was rigidly organised in Salt Lake City and Brigham Young - a king in all but name - ruled Church and State for 30 years. Young, who had 25 wives, died in 1877.

Young claimed to have inherited the divinely appointed prophetic mantle of the first prophet and each succeeding President of the Mormon Church claims the same infallible prophetic anointing.

The history of the Mormons is a vast and complex subject, but those who have carefully studied and analyzed contemporary evidence are of the opinion that the average Mormon is given a carefully edited "history" of the origin and development of his religion.

An examination of the excellent sources available prove irrefutably that the official history has been magnificently re-constructed according to scholars of repute.

Aside from the King James Version of the Bible, which the Mormons accept as part of the Word of God "insofar as it is correctly translated", they have added "Doctrine and Covenants", "The Pearl of Great Price", and "The Book of Mormon". These constitute the canon of authorised scripture.

The Book of Mormon purports to be a history of two ancient civilizations which were located on the American continent.  The claim is made that Christ visited the American continent and preached the Gospel to one of these groups - the "nephites", instituting baptism, the communion service, the priesthood, and other mystical ceremonies. The Nephites were defeated in battle and their records hidden in the earth.

Some 1400 years later, Joseph Smith, Jr., unearthed Mormon's abridgement, written in "reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics" on plates of gold and thus translated "The Book of Mormon".

Mormons claim that "the Bible, its history of the dealings and providences of God with man upon the eastern continent is one witness for the truth. The Book of Mormon is another witness".

The stated purpose of the Book of Mormon is "to witness to the world the truth and divinity of Jesus Christ."  An interesting statement, when one considers their doctrine of the Person of Jesus Christ.
  

Their doctrine of God is quite different to the Christian conception of God. God is no more than a glorified man.            

• "God himself was once as we are now and is an exalted man ..." (Journal of Discourses).

• "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become" (Millennial Star, Vol. 54).

• "Mormon prophets have continuously taught the sublime truth that God the eternal father was once a mortal man who passed through the school of earth-life similar to that through which we are now passing. He became God - an exalted being, through obedience to the same eternal gospel truth that we are given opportunity today to obey" (The Gospel Through the Ages : Milton R. Hunter).

• "Remember that God our Heavenly Father was perhaps once a child and mortal like we are and rose step by step in the scale of progress, in the school of advancement: has moved forward and overcome until He has arrived at the point where He now is" (Journal of Discourses).

Mormon theology teaches that the universe is inhabited by different gods. They believe in the "plurality of gods".

• "Gods exist, and we had better strive to prepare to be one with them" (Discourses of Brigham Young).

These gods produce spirit children who wait for an opportunity to come to earth to receive bodies in order that they may finally become gods themselves. Their doctrines of salvation and polygamy are closely linked.

• "In heaven where our spirits were born there are many gods, each of whom has his own wife or wives, which were given to him previous to his redemption, while yet in his mortal state."

How could the process of providing suitable bodies be started? According to Joseph Smith: "In the beginning the head of the gods called a Council of the Gods and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it" (The Journal of Discourses, Vol. VI by Joseph Smith).

Is the Great Eternal Majestic God of the Bible the "head of the gods"? Or only one of the many gods in existence?

Brigham Young had the answer to that. Adam, now a god himself, is the God of this planet. "When our father Adam came into the Garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body and brought Eve, one of his celestial wives, with him ... He is our father and our God and the only God with whom we have to do" (Journal of Discourses Vol. 1).

• "I'm going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see" (Joseph Smith "Times and Seasons").

Our God, it appears, was once a "spirit-baby", lived on earth as Adam, and was exalted to godhood to be a part of the fellowship of all the gods in eternity, all producing more "spirit-babies" to continue the process.

He returned to earth with one of his celestial wives, Eve, and sinned deliberately in order that they could begin the work of producing mortal babies to accomodate the spirit-babies.

Jesus, it appears, is the earthly son of "God" (Adam) and the Virgin Mary.

• "When the Virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten of the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father? He is the first of the human family ... Jesus our elder brother was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the Garden of Eden and who is our father in heaven" (Journal of Discourses).

• "The fleshly body of Jesus required a mother as well as a father. Therefore the father and mother of Jesus according to the flesh must have been associated together in the capacity as husband and wife; hence the Virgin Mary must have been for the time being the lawful wife of God the Father" (Brigham Young).

While Mormon literature declares that "the Latter Day Saints accept the miraculous conception of Jesus the Christ", they also declare that Jesus is the "Son of the Adam-God and Mary".

• "Now remember from this time forth and for ever, that Jesus Christ was not begotten by the Holy Ghost .. If the Son was begotten by the Holy Ghost, it would be very dangerous to baptise and confirm females and give the Holy Ghost to them, lest He should beget children to be palmed upon the Elders of the people, bringing the Elders into great difficulties"

Incidentally "Lucifer, the son of the morning, is our Elder Brother and the brother of Jesus Christ, but he rebelled against God and was cast down from heaven with his angels".

Lucifer, it appears, was a spirit brother of Jesus, prior to His incarnation, and he fell from heaven because of his jealousy of Christ.

Christ was appointed by the gods to become the redeemer of the race that would fall as a result of Adam's sin, and it was this office to which Lucifer aspired, hence his antipathy. (Book of Moses, found in The Pearl of Great Price). Lucifer is quoted there as saying: "Behold, here am I, send me. I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost and surely I will do it; wherefore give me this honour" (chapter four).

In other words, "works" and the atonement form the basis of salvation.

Mormon doctrine of salvation involves not only faith in Christ, but baptism by immersion (and the Mormons), obedience to the teaching of the Mormon church, good works and "keeping the commandments of God (which) will cleanse away the stain of sin" (Brigham Young).

Compare Ephesians 2:8,9 "For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast".

Mormons believe in the literal second advent of Christ and teach that, at His return, the Jews will have been gathered to Palestine. The Mormons will be miraculously gathered together in Missouri and the judgment of the Lord will be poured out upon the earth everywhere except on old and new Jerusalem. (Doctrine and Covenants).

They also believe that the "ten lost tribes" are somewhere in the polar region and will be released and transported to Zion (Missouri) where all the riches they have accumulated will be shared with the rest of the "saints" (Mormonism and the Mormons : D.P. Kidder).

The Mormon doctrine of salvation is closely linked to their teaching about polygamy and we should take a brief look at this first.

The Reformed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which disagrees with the Utah church on the subject of polytheism, steadfastly maintains that Joseph Smith Jr. never taught or practised either polygamy or polytheism. However written evidence to the contrary is available in any public library.

Polygamy, in fact, was one of their most important doctrines. However "it was to be understood that this 'strong meat' was not to be fed to the 'Gentiles', who were to receive only the 'First Principles'".

Note the following quotation: "The doctrine of plural and celestial marriage is the most holy and important doctrine ever revealed to man on the earth, and that without obedience to that principle no person can ever attain to the fullness of exaltation in celestial glory".

Mormons believe the family unit continues into eternity and the wives of the gods are given to them while yet in their mortal state. Therefore their insistence that Jesus was married comes as no surprise.

• "We say it was Jesus Christ who was married (at Cana) to the Mary's and Martha, whereby He could see His seed before He was crucified. If He was never married, His intimacy with Mary and Martha, and the other Mary also, must have been highly unbecoming and improper to say the best of it" (Apostle Orson Hide). In other words, Jesus was Himself a polygamist.

According to written records, the "highest conception of bliss" is that of begetting sons and daughters. Indeed, God Himself is a polygamist and men who attain to that blissful state hereafter have reached the pinnacle, and become gods themselves.

These gods and their wives then beget spirit-children who require human bodies in order that they may themselves then reproduce and eventually inherit godhood and individual kingdoms as their personal possessions. (Book of Abraham).

Hence it is the duty of every woman to be married, and of every man to beget as many bodies as possible. The doctrines of the pre-existence of the human soul and of the duty of polygamy are very closely interwoven.

Mormon missionaries are on record as saying that "we hope for a better day when polygamy will again be practised".

The Mormons categorically declare that all who are not "Latter Day Saints" will never attain the purpose for which their pre-existent souls became humans - only the Mormons will eventually attain godhood.

• "All the churches preach false doctrine and are under the curse of God" ... "The Mormons are advised that the harvest is ripe and that the sickle should be thrust into the Christian churches"

• "The sectarian dogma of justification by faith alone, has exercised an influence for evil since the early days of Christianity".

• "There is not a man or woman who violates covenants made with their God that will not be required to pay their debt. The blood of Christ will never wipe that out. Your own blood must atone for it ..." (Journal of Discourses - Brigham Young).

• "Christians speak often of the blood of Christ and its cleansing power. Much that is believed and taught on this subject, however, is such utter nonsense and so palpably false that to believe it is to lose one's salvation ... Salvation in the kingdom of God is available because of the atoning blood of Christ. But it is received only on condition of faith, repentance, baptism, and endurance to the end in keeping the commandments of God" (What the Mormons think of Christ by B.R. McConkie - an official Mormon publication).

The "obedience of faith" is replaced by obedience to the dictates of the Mormon hierarchy as the condition of salvation.

• "We believe that through the atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind may be saved, BY OBEDIENCE TO THE LAWS AND ORDINANCES OF THE GOSPEL" (i.e. adherence to Mormon ceremonies and beliefs).

• "Redemption from personal sins can only be obtained through obedience to the requirements of the Gospel and good works".

The Mormon Church claims to be the "only authentic church of God, restored by God and Christ in person, by angels, and by Peter, James and John."

They maintain that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received the Aaronic Priesthood directly from the hand of John the Baptist on May 15, 1829, and that "The Melchizedek Priesthood was conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery through the ministration of Peter, James and John shortly after the conferring of the Aaronic Order".

Mormons believe that the family unit will exist throughout eternity and this is the reason for the many special rites and ceremonies instituted on behalf of the dead by proxy. This is also the reason they categorise so carefully records of the deceased in order that relatives may act as "redeemers". The dead may be "saved" by proxy as relatives are baptised on their behalf.

BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD is one of their central doctrines.

• "Millions of earth's sons and daughters have passed out of the body without obeying the law of baptism. Many of them will gladly accept the word and law of the Lord when it is proclaimed to them in the spirit world. But they cannot there attend to ordinances that belong to the sphere which they have left. Can nothing be done in their case? Must they forever be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven? Both justice and mercy join in answering 'yes' to the first, 'no' to the last question. What then is the way of their deliverance? The living may be baptised for the dead. Other essential ordinances may be attended to vicariously (on behalf of). This glorious truth, hid from human knowledge for centuries, has been made known in this greatest of all divine dispensations. IT GIVES MEN AND WOMEN THE POWER TO BECOME 'SAVIOURS ON MOUNT ZION', Jesus being the great Captain in the army of redeemers".
  

Sin was the result of careful planning by the gods. The Fall in the Garden was actually the means by which Adam and Eve could become mortal and beget mortal children.

• "Was it necessary that Adam should partake of the forbidden fruit? Yes, unless he had done so, he would not have known good and evil here, neither could he have mortal posterity. We ought to consider the Fall of our first parents as one of the great steps to eternal exaltation and happiness. Adam and Eve rejoiced and praised God when they sinned".

• "We believe that all men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression".
  

Mormons do not believe in the orthodox teaching concerning Heaven and Hell.

• "The false doctrine that the punishment to be visited upon erring souls is endless ... must be regarded as one of the most pernicious results of mis-apprehension of Scriptures." (Brigham Young).

They believe in "universal salvation" - all men will be saved, "but each one in his own order" (Look magazine. Oct. 5, 1954).

According to Mormon doctrine, there are three heavens - the telestial, the terrestrial and the celestial. Everyone will ultimately be resurrected and placed in one of these heavens.

The heathen, who rejected the Gospel and are suffering now in hell while they await the last resurrection, will be consigned to the first heaven.

Christians and sincere people of all other religions, who rejected the revelations of the saints and the Mormon message, will find themselves in the second heaven.

Mormons, of course, will inhabit the third heaven. This heaven is divided into three sections. Mormons who have been sealed by celestial marriage in a Mormon Temple on earth will inhabit the highest part. Others will have to progress through the sections until, at last, each one who becomes a god will, with his family, rule a separate planet. (Doctrine and Covenants, Section 130).

The Adam-god and his celestial wife, Eve, produced mankind in the normal manner. This was not a supernatural creation as the book of Genesis would have us believe.

• "God created man as we create our children; for there is no other process of creation".

Before earthly existence, man is already a pre-existent soul awaiting a human body. "The spirits of all men were in the beginning with God."

• "Life's meaning can best be unravelled by searching man's inmost being. In that pursuit the most fundamental discovery is the eternal existence of man - that man lived before he came upon earth."

Man is already a son of God and the acceptance of "the gospel" merely enables him to "continue to be the son of God". His destination is to become "one of the gods". "What God was once we are now; what God is now, we shall be".

For the Mormon, the Bible "properly interpreted" is only a partial revelation.

• "Thou fool, that shall say, A Bible, a Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible .. wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of My Word?"

• "More of My Word" includes Mormon publications as well as the spoken words of those ordained to the Mormon Priesthood.

The inspiration of the Bible may be questioned : "If it be admitted that the apostles and evangelists did write the books of the New Testament, that does not prove of itself that they were divinely inspired at the time they wrote."