in duration and extends beyond death.” There is nothing in the Bible to warrant this conclusion.

Contrary to Mormon teaching, the Bible reveals that death dissolves the marriage bond. At Romans 7:2 it is written: “A married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is alive; but if her husband dies, she is discharged from the law of her husband.” The marriage bond no longer binds her to him. Note also what Jesus Christ said: “In the resurrection neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage, but are as angels in heaven.” (Matt. 22:30) Since they become like the angels as regards marriage, they are single. Brigham Young acknowledged the singleness of angels when he said: “They are single, without families or kingdoms to reign over.” The truth of the matter is that death terminates the marriage bond.

MISSIONARY WORK

Much missionary work is done by the Mormons to spread their beliefs, but nobody in the Mormon church makes missionary work a vocation or permanent occupation as did Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul. The missionaries are usually young men in their early twenties who spend two years in countries that speak English and two and a half years in countries that speak a different language. After this short stay they return home to resume their own pattern of life in their community.

During their stay in a country the missionaries work in pairs, calling from house to house. When a householder invites them in, they proceed to conduct, in a friendly manner, a series of lessons in the beliefs of their church with the objective of converting the householder to their religion. Although the householder may enjoy their friendliness and come to depend on them for spiritual instruction and leadership, they are not sufficiently interested in him to stay in the country beyond the two or two and a half years required of them. When they leave, the householder is turned over to a new set of missionaries, if a new set arrives.

There can be no question about Mormon sincerity in their beliefs, but sincerity does not make their beliefs true. Truth is not established by personal conviction. Many persons since the days of the apostles have claimed to have had visions and to be prophets of God. The firm conviction of those who believed them did not make the teachings of these persons true. Usually these self-appointed prophets had to proclaim their own writings as holy scripture in order to find the support for their teachings that the Bible does not give. The best protection against such deceptions is to compare religious teachings with the Bible. Use it as the measuring rod of truth. Follow John’s advice: “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.”—1 John 4:1.

Educating Teacher and Class

“One day I received a telephone call from my son’s schoolteacher,” reports one of Jehovah’s witnesses, living in Ohio. “In conversation she stated that she wanted me to come over to the school as soon as possible, as my eight-year-old son ‘was confusing the whole school.’ Upon arriving, I was told that my son was telling his classmates that God’s name is Jehovah. So I explained to the teacher why God had a name, how it is mentioned over 6,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, and concluded by reading to her Psalm 83:18. Since that time the teacher has asked my son many questions in regard to his Christian beliefs.”