Universalism and the Latter Day Saint movement

Christian universalism was a theology prevalent in the early United States coinciding with the founding of the Latter Day Saint movement (also known as Mormonism) in 1830.

Several revelations of the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, Joseph Smith, dealt with issues regarding Universalism, and it was a prominent heresy in the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon is generally seen as containing anti-Universalist rhetoric of the 1820s, supporting the idea that Hell is real and a place where the wicked will suffer for eternity.

[2] Prominent Universalist advocate Hosea Ballou summarized the motivation for the doctrine with the rhetorical question: Your child has fallen into the mire, and its body and its garments are defiled.

[7] While the mainline Protestant denominations (e.g. Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Methodists, Baptists, and Episcopalians) frequently disagreed among themselves, they were united in their belief that Universalism was a heresy, and are generally referred to today as the orthodox viewpoint, or anti-Universalists.

In 1818, speaking of a town 15 miles south of the Joseph Smith family home, minister David Millard said, "Universalism was a predominant opinion in the place.

"[21][22] Another early convert, Eli Gilbert, of Connecticut said that the Book of Mormon shortly after publication, that it "bore hard upon my favorite notions of universal salvation"[23][8][24] Amongst anti-Universalists there was general agreement that there was a two-outcome doctrine of heaven and hell, but differing opinions on who would ultimately be saved.

Nephi condemned both the ultra-universalist and restorationist doctrine, writing: Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.

[43] The parable was used as a proof text for restorationist Universalists, arguing that God beating with many and few stripes implied an eventual end to punishment.

[46] Shortly afterwards in the narrative a man called Amlici who was after the Order of Nehor tried to become king, and led an army on the main body of Nephites.

"[52][non-primary source needed] In about 83 BCE, the prophet Alma went and preached in a city of Ammonihah, whose people followed the teachings of Nehor.

[54][55][non-primary source needed] Some Universalists in the 1800s used Matthew 1:21 to prove Universalism which reads, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Orthodox Anti-Universalists rejected Winchester's interpretation, including a preacher Charles Marford, who preached 10 miles from the Smith family home in Manchester New York who echoed a common rebuttal in 1819, "Christ is a Savior, to save his people from their sins, and not in them, and those that think otherwise will be overthrown.

[63] Orthodox religions condemned this way of thinking, "the necessity of an infinite atonement made by the death and suffering of Jesus Christ ... goes to overturn the whole system of the gospel.

Methodist Luther Lee for example wrote, "The scriptures teach that men will possess the same moral character in a future state, with which they leave this.

Representative of this was the Universalist Magazine in 1818 which similarly asked, "How is it possible that a being of infinite goodness should design a rational creature of his own production for a state of endless misery?

"[78] The existence of 19th century anti-Universalist arguments and rhetoric in the Book of Mormon has been pointed out as anachronistic by various scholars, including Fawn M. Brodie and Dan Vogel.

[4] Historian Richard Lyman Bushman wrote of the shift, "Contradictory as they sound, the universalist tendencies of the revelations and the anti-universalism of the Book of Mormon defined a middle ground where there were graded rewards in the afterlife, but few were damned.

In it, the phrases "eternal damnation" and "endless torment" are used in the scriptures to "work upon the hearts of the children of men," and encourage humankind to be righteous through the threat of unending punishment.

"[4][81] In September 1830, Smith received a revelation for six elders in response to what was apparently a thoroughly Restorationist belief that had begun to be taught by some in the young Church.

[82][non-primary source needed] On February 16, 1832, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon announced they had received a revelation from God outlining the "important points touching the salvation of man."

According to the revelation, all humanity will be saved in one of three degrees of glory, except for a small number who commit the unpardonable sin who will be banished to outer darkness.

Joseph Smith sent a letter to the branch making clear that disbelief in the Vision was an excommunicable offense, and after refusing to change his position Landon was excommunicated.

[19][84] Brigham Young said, It was a great trial to many, and some apostatized because God was not going to send to everlasting punishment heathens and infants, but had a place of salvation, in due time, for all, and would bless the honest and virtuous and truthful, whether they ever belonged to any church or not.

[3] After the tepid reception of "the Vision", Joseph Smith gave instruction to missionaries to "remain silent" about it, until prospective converts had first believed the basic principles.

"[89][3] In a sermon, Brigham Young read the contents of "the Vision" and then commented, "His plans are to gather up, and bring together, and save all the inhabitants of the earth, with the exception of those who have received the Holy Ghost, and sinned against it.

"[90][3] In 1980 LDS Church apostle Bruce R. McConkie used an anti-universalist argument when discussing what he said was a heresy that leads to Universalism: that progression was possible between the three different levels of heaven.

"[6][91] Researcher Brian D. Birch has called the LDS Church views on salvation "soft universalism", because although the vast majority will be saved, a few will not.

Also, the LDS Church doctrine makes a distinction between salvation from sin and exaltation, which is attaining the highest heaven and progressing eternally into godhood.

For example, it was common for Universalists to argue that “this sin should not be forgiven, under the Jewish or Christian dispensation, as the word here translated world is used sometimes for an age: And this world may signify the Mosaic dispensation, and the world to come the Christian, and not the future state"Follow this scheme but a little farther and you will deny a state of reward as well as punishment, and then join the issue with the atheistical and swinish Epicures, saying, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.The ancient Epicureans, the lovers of pleasure and of the world-those whose maxim is, Let us eat, drink, and be merry ... upon the Universalist scheme, take the wisest course, and set the best example: for since we are sure of heaven and death, the most comfortable way of getting through life is the wisest and the best.