Criticism of Mormonism/Books/One Nation Under Gods/Use of sources/Missouri belongs to the Mormons

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Haranguing non-Mormons
A FAIR Analysis of: One Nation Under Gods
 A work by author: Richard Abanes
Use of sources, Evening and Morning Star claiming Missouri belongs to the Mormons
 Disobey secular law
Note: This is a review of claims and/or responses to misrepresentations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints found in this work. The inclusion of an author's work here does not imply that he or she is "anti-Mormon," or that none of his or her works have value. Those who do not wish to examine the claims contained in what some would consider an "anti-Mormon" work are advised to proceed no further.
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Evening and Morning Star claiming Missouri belongs to the Mormons

The Quotes

One Nation under Gods, page 110 (hardback and paperback)

  • The Evening and Morning Star had been "pushing the point the Missouri rightfully belonged to Mormons."

The References

Endnote 35, page 526 (hardback); page 524 (paperback)

  • "The Far West," Evening and Morning Star, October 1832, vol. 1, no. 5, 37.

The Problem

The passage in question begins with a rhapsody about the beauty and characteristics of "the far west," "the section of country from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains."

The article finally concludes:

When we consider that the land of Missouri is the land where the saints of the living God are to be gathered together and sanctified for the second coming of the Lord Jesus, we cannot help exclaiming with the prophet, O land be glad! and O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord: [Isaiah 62:1-4] For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou [Jerusalem] shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land [Zion] any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married, [joined together] so that the land of Zion, and the land of Jerusalem will be one, as they were before the days of Peleg: For in his days the earth was divided or separated to receive the oceans, on account of wickedness. Peleg died 305 years after Noah's flood: Abram's father was born 210 years after the flood, and Abram 288 after, which brings to mind Joshua's words unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor, and they served other gods. The building of Babel was wickedness, and serving other gods was wickedness: so that dividing, or opening the earth to let in the waters, which were in the beginning gathered unto one place, is one of the Lord's great miracles, and shows to the world that them that look for signs among the wicked, have them to their own condemnation in all ages.
But, reader, stop and pause at the greatness of God; and remember that even Moses, when on the top of Pisgah, lifted up his eyes and looked westward first, to view the promised land. (Material in square brackets is in original)

This article claims that the Saints were to be gathered to Missouri—but they were already there. There is no hint here of driving others out, or of appropriating land that was not theirs.

Further reading

A FAIR Analysis of Critical Works

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