,,defense ,,of ,,the ,,faith ,,and ,,the ,,saints ,,by ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts ,,author ,,of ,the ,gospel ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history ,new ,witness for ,god ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity ,etc41 ,etc4 ,,volume ,i4 ,salt ,lake ,city #aijg ,,general ,,foreword4 ,fifteen years ago1 in announcing what was then a list of prospective books1 the writer declared his intention to publish a ,scrap ,book1 promising that it should be a choice selection of his miscellaneous writings1 and mentioned as among the probable articles1 ,corianton1 a ,book of ,mormon story2 ,mariam1 a story of ,zarahemla2 ,spirit ,promptings1 etc41 etc41 all which are here recalled as foreshadowing the author's intention at that time4 ,about then1 however1 the writer's energies began to be devoted more exclusively to doctrinal and historical themes1 and one circumstance after another arose which called him to the defense of the ,mormon faith and the ,mormon people1 so that the character of his literary efforts were turned away from the line of purpose fiction work he had proposed to himself4 ,but the scrap-book1 nevertheless1 became a possibility through the multiplication of the defensive articles1 though its character would be changed1 owing the change in the writer's line of work4 ,through the years have elapsed since the ,scrap ,book idea was first entertained as a depository of the author's miscellaneous writings1 a great mass of material in the form of discourses and papers1 contributed to magazines and newspapers has accumulated and it is from this mass of materials that following collection of articles has been chosen2 and as there is still much material on hand1 and the end of the writer's work is not yet in sight1 he has ventured to call this ,volume ,i1 indicating by that the probability that other volumes in time will follow1 if the writer is not mistaken in his judgment as to the demand for such publications4 ,,table ,,of ,,contents ,,general ,,foreword ,,part ,i ,,position ,,and ,,defense ,i4 ,,mormonism4 ,a paper submitted to the ,parliament of ,religions at the ,world's ,columbian ,exposition1 at ,chicago1 #aijc ,,ii4 ,,the ,,relationship ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,to ,,the ,,christian ,,sects3 ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,two ,,churches ,,only4 ,an ,address delivered at the ,seventy-sixth ,annual ,conference of the ,church in ,april1 #aijf ,,iii4 ,,some ,,recent ,,literature ,,on ,,mormonism ,i4 ,the ,founder of ,mormonism 7,riley7 ,,ii4 ,the ,mormon ,prophet 7,dougal7 ,,iii4 ,the ,lions of the ,lord 7,wilson7 ,,iv4 ,a ,,brief ,,defense ,,of ,,the ,,mormon ,,people ,i4 ,eastern ,eulogy of ,mormon's ,system 7,m7 ,,ii4 ,defense of the ,mormon ,people against ,m's ,attack ,v4 ,,which ,,of ,,the ,,sects ,,has ,,persecuted ,,mormonism ,,most8 ,i4 ,a ,letter to ,d4 ,a4 ,holcomb1 ,esq ,,ii4 ,views of a ,jewish ,rabbi 7,reynolds7 ,,iii4 ,bishop ,scanlan's ,attitude ,,vi4 ,,how6 ,a ,discourse delivered in the ,salt ,lake ,tabernacle1 #aijc1 replying to certain strictures by the ,presbyterian ,general ,assembly1 convened in ,los ,angeles1 #aijc ,,vii4 ,,relation ,,of ,,church ,,and ,,state4 ,,religious ,,liberty ,,in ,,america4 ,i4 ,the ,relations of the ,church to the ,state ,,ii4 ,jefferson's ,contribution to ,religious ,liberty in ,america ,,viii4 ,,conditions ,,in ,,utah--#aije4 ,i4 ,speech of ,hon4 ,thomas ,kearns in the ,senate of the ,united ,states ,,ii4 ,answer to ,senator ,kearns ,,part ,,ii4 ,,book ,,of ,,mormon ,,controversial ,,questions4 ,i4 ,,the ,,manner ,,of ,,translating ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,i4 ,the ,manner of ,translation ,,ii4 ,accounting for ,evident ,transcriptions of ,bible ,passages in the ,translation of the ,nephite ,record ,,iii4 ,answer to ,questions ,respecting the ,manual ,theory of ,translating the ,book of ,mormon ,,iv4 ,correspondence on the ,subject of the ,manual ,theory of ,translation ,,ii4 ,a ,,brief ,,debate ,,on ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,mormon4 ,i4 ,the ,objector's ,first ,paper ,,ii4 ,the ,first ,reply ,,iii4 ,the ,objector's ,second ,paper ,,iv4 ,the ,second ,reply ,,iii4 ,,the ,,fifth ,,gospel ,a ,reply to ,rev4 ,wm4 ,m4 ,paden's ,criticism of ,third ,nephi1--the ,fifth ,gospel ,,iv4 ,,mormon ,,views ,,of ,,america4 ,i4 ,a ,prophetic ,incident ,,ii4 ,america the ,land of ,zion and of ,joseph ,,part ,,iii4 ,,historical ,,and ,,doctrinal ,,papers4 ,i4 ,,the ,,lord',s ,,day4 ,a justification for ,regarding the ,first ,day of the ,week as the ,christian ,sabbath1 or ,the ,lord's ,day ,,ii4 ,,anglican ,,orders--,,decision ,,of ,,leo ,,xiii ,,considered--,,the ,,protestant ,,dilemma4 ,a ,consideration of the ,question of ,divine ,authority ,,iii4 ,,reformation ,,or ,,revolution8 ,a ,study of the ,great ,sixteenth ,century ,movement ,led by ,martin ,luther1 and ,others ,,iv4 ,,revelation ,,and ,,inspiration4 ,a correction of some misapprehensions that arose concerning ,mormon views on the subjects of ,revelation and ,inspiration during the hearings had in the ,smoot ,case before the ,united ,states ,senate ,committee on ,privileges and ,elections1 #aijc-aijg ,part ,i4 ,position and ,defense4 ,i4 ,,mormonism4 ,,foreword4 ,the following paper was prepared by the writer for presentation at the ,parliament of ,religions1 held at the ,world's ,columbian ,exposition1 ,chicago1 #ahic4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints was not invited to participate in the proceedings of that ,parliament1 although ,mormonism is the most distinctively ,american religious movement yet developed in our country2 and as such the position and doctrine of the ,church should have been of special interest in such a gathering as the ,parliament purported to be4 ,learning that the ,church would not be invited to the ,parliament1 under a sense of duty to make known the faith and message to the world1 her presiding authorities sought opportunity for a hearing from the ,parliament platform4 ,after much solicitation and persistent urging as to the right of the ,church to a hearing in such a gathering1 a reluctant consent was finally given for a presentation of the following paper4 ,but after this consent was given1 a very unworthy effort was made by the ,president and chairman of the ,parliament to side-track the paper by asking the representative of the ,church to read it in one of the auxiliary departments of the ,parliament1--namely1 the ,scientific ,department1 which meetings were held in a room capable of accommodating about fifty hearers1 and presided over by ,mr4 ,mervin ,marie ,snell4 ,in response to that suggestion the writer1 who had the honor to the representative of the ,church to the ,parliament1 replied that such a hearing as could be had in ,hall ,,iii 7,scientific ,department of the ,parliament7 was not the kind of hearing the ,mormon ,church had asked for or could accept4 ,she had asked to speak from the same platform from which the great religious faiths had spoken--,christianity1 ,judaism1 ,islam1 ,buddhism--from the platform of ,columbus ,hall1 where her position and principles could be compared and contrasted with the viewpoint and doctrines of other religions1 by the enlightened thought of the age4 ,the officers in charge of the ,parliament1 however1 refused to change the terms on which a hearing could be obtained for ,mormonism1 and the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints had the distinction of being refused a hearing in the ,world's ,parliament of ,religions4 ,i4 ,,mormonism4 ,one of the most instructive as well as the most important religious movements of the nineteenth century is the rise of what the world has learned to call ,mormonism4 ,in an age which believed that ,god's voice would no more be heard giving revelation2 that said the volume of scripture was completed and forever closed2 that declared angels would no more visit the earth to communicate the divine will2 and that sedulously taught that all miracles had ceased--the world beholds a religion arising based upon these forces that men had been taught to believe had forever become inactive4 ,true1 it has met with many obstacles in consequence of making these rejected stones of ancient ,christianity the chief corner stones of its structure2 but notwithstanding the fierceness of the opposition it has aroused1 it is now so firmly established that it claims the respectful attention of the world4 ,new religions1 when struggling for existence in the face of adversity1 with few followers and no influence1 may expect to be treated with silent contempt by the supposedly orthodox2 but when a religion has fought its way through all opposition to a position of influence1 and counts within its pale hundreds of thousands of sincere and intelligent followers1 it gives proof that its doctrines contain some measure of truth at least1 and by reason of that fact1 has a claim upon the respect and thoughtful consideration of mankind4 ,such is the position of ,mormonism4 ,sixty-three years ago ,a the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints was organized with but six members1 in the ,state of ,new ,york4 ,that organization was effected in a log room not more than fourteen feet square1 by men who made no pretensions to ecclesiastical scholarship1 but claimed to be directed by divine revelation4 ,it could but be expected that the great ,christian sects1 by which the new church was surrounded1 and that considered themselves strongly entrenched behind a fullness of religious truth--would scoff at the pretensions of these men4 ,but when1 after a lapse of sixty-three years1 the work having so humble an origin is still in existence with a membership of over three hundred thousand1 it is time the scoffing ceased and earnest attention be given to its pretensions1 especially when account is taken of its history between the two points indicated--its origin and present standing4 ,footnote ,a3 ,this was written in #ahic4 ,within that period it has fallen to the lot of the ,mormon ,church to make more history than any other religious denomination of modern times4 ,ridicule has laughed at it2 ,satire has mocked it2 ,bigotry has refused to hear its defense2 ,hatred has slandered it2 ,intolerance has armed the red1 right hind of persecution against it2 the ,government of the ,united ,states has seized upon and escheated its property2 ,mob ,violence has opposed its promulgation by murdering its missionaries and driving its devotees from city to city1 from county to county1 from state to state2 and the ,civil ,authorities refusing the protection guaranteed alike in state and national constitutions1 at last permitted those who accepted its faith to be exiled from their native country4 ,mormonism1 however1 has survived not only the violence which murdered its prophets1 burned the houses of the ,saints1 laid waste their fields and destroyed their temples1 but also an exodus which1 for the distance covered and the dangers encountered1 has not a parallel in ancient or modern history4 ,its followers settling in a desert land a thousand miles from the frontiers of civilization1 like drilled cohorts made war upon the sterile elements of the inter-,rocky ,mountain region1 and like magic there sprang into existence1 as the result of their untiring efforts and divine blessing1 cities1 towns1 hamlets2 temples1 churches1 schoolhouses2 peaceful homes surrounded by fruitful fields and gardens and orchards1 which1 with the peace and good order everywhere prevailing1 challenge the admiration of all who become acquainted with the ,saints and the land they inhabit4 ,meantime1 the ,elders of the ,church1 full of sublime faith and trust in ,god1 without purse or scrip1 have visited nearly all the nations of the earth and have preached the gospel to them4 ,not1 perhaps1 with that nice skill and polish which refined education in renowned institutions of learning may give1 but in the power and demonstration of ,god's ,holy ,spirit2 and nearly every nation under the whole heaven has given to the new faith some of its sons and daughters4 ,by reason of this missionary work ,mormonism is becoming recognized in the earth as one of the potent religious forces of the age1 and as such claims the right to be heard in this ,parliament1 in giving expression to its faith and distinguishing characteristics4 ,mormonism1 like all religions which have any hold either upon the intelligence or affections of men1 has1 as its foundation principle1 faith in ,god1 the ,creator of heaven and earth and the ,power by which they are sustained4 ,but ,mormonism not only believes in this fundamental truth of all religions1 but it has another belief equal unto it1 viz41 that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god1 and who through the atonement made by him on ,calvary1 is the ,savior of the world4 ,these two personages and the ,holy ,ghost1 that divine ,spirit which bears1 record of ,god and operates throughout the universe as his witness and agent1 constitute the ,god-head--the ,holy ,trinity1 the ,grand ,presidency of heaven and earth4 ,in attributes1 in purpose1 in will1 these three are one2 perfectly united in mind and action4 ,to this great ,presidency1 ,mormonism teaches that man owes praise1 adoration1 and as best of all worship--obedience2 for submission of the mind and the will to ,god1 is alone true worship4 ,such a result as this can only be obtained through faith1 for he who cometh thus to ,god must believe that he is4 ,but the evidences of ,god's existence are so overwhelming that none shall be able to find an excuse for unbelief4 ,such evidences are to be found in the works of ,god as seen in the works of nature4 ,the orderly procession of the seasons proclaim it2 and when man uplifts his eyes from earth to the dome of heaven stretched above him1 he beholds1 like the ,psalmist1 the evidences of ,god's existence and of his majesty and glory4 ,the unbroken line of testimony of prophets and righteous men as recorded in the ,jewish ,scriptures1 both in the old and ,new ,testament1 bear witness of it4 ,but to this testimony1 the common inheritance of all ,christendom1 ,mormonism adds special evidences of its own4 ,it has prophets1 who1 through righteousness and faith1 coupled with the grace of ,god1 have stood in his presence1 heard his voice1 and beheld in part1 his glory4 ,they bear record that ,god lives1 and that ,jesus is the ,christ2 and that testimony1 like the ancient prophets1 they have sealed with their blood4 ,to the volume of ,jewish scripture ,mormonism adds a volume equal in bulk and equal in importance to the ,new ,testament--the ,book of ,mormon4 ,this book is an abridgement of more extensive records kept by the ancient inhabitants of the western hemisphere1 the existence of which was revealed to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith by the ministry of an angel and translated by him into the ,english language by means of the ,urim and ,thummim hidden with the golden plates upon which the record was engraven4 ,from this new volume of scripture we learn that the mercies and favors of ,god are not confined to the inhabitants of the eastern hemisphere2 but he of whom it is said that he is no respecter of persons1 had regard for the races of men who inhabited the western half of the world4 ,he raised up wise men and prophets among them to whom he revealed his will1 made known his purposes concerning the creation of man1 and taught him the way of life4 ,previous to the coming of the ,son of ,god in the flesh1 their prophets taught this ancient people as ,isaiah1 ,jeremiah and others taught the ,jews1 to look forward to the coming of ,messiah1 to make an atonement for the sins of the world4 ,and when ,jesus had completed his mission to the ,jews in ,palestine1 in fulfilment of his own prophecy which says1 ,i lay down my life for the sheep2 and other sheep ,i have which are not of this fold3 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice1 and there shall be one fold and one shepherd1--in fulfilment of this1 ,i say1 he visited the land of ,america1 revealed himself to the people1 taught the same divine truths which warmed the hearts and purified the lives of men of good will in ,palestine2 gave them the same ordinances of salvation2 and organized the church in their midst for their instruction in righteousness4 ,of these things their poets sang1 their prophets wrote2 and when1 through wickedness1 anarchy overthrew their civilization1 righteous men hid away their records that in the last days they might come forth and be united with the testimony of prophets and men of ,god who had lived in other lands2 to the end that the evidences of ,god's existence1 the ,messiahship of ,jesus ,christ1 and the truth of the gospel might be so increased that unbelief would have no excuse for its infidelity2 and that they who scoff at faith might be reproved and learn to believe4 ,one thing has occurred to me while in attendance at this ,parliament which has raised in importance the humble part allotted to me in it2 and that is1 while we have heard from this platform voices from all nations and races of men--voices from ,asia1 from ,europe1 from ,africa and the islands of the sea2 we have had voices from the dead religions and the living religions1 and they have united in saying that in all these lands and in all ages ,god has not left himself without witnesses among them1 but has raised up prophets among them who taught them at least some measure of the truth--perhaps all they could accept and incorporate in their lives4 ,but where is the voice to tell us that ,god remembered the races and nations which flourished for ages throughout this whole western hemisphere before ,europeans discovered it8 ,races that had attained a high state of civilization1 too1 as proclaimed by the ruins of their temples and cities4 ,are we to suppose that they were without ,god while all the rest of mankind found him8 ,perish the thought4 ,if no other voice is to be heard proclaiming that ,god was just and merciful to these races1 and that he revealed himself to them--then let the pleasing task be mine1 and here in this august presence ,i proclaim the revelation of their record which bears witness of ,god's goodness to them2 and that record is the ,book of ,mormon4 ,a word further in regard to that book4 ,men have usually satisfied themselves as to its origin by accepting that flimsiest of all theories that it was the production of one ,rev4 ,solomon ,spaulding1 who wrote it as a romance4 ,this theory of its origin1 without any investigation1 has generally satisfied those who have heard it4 ,in #ahhf1 however1 the long lost manuscript of the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,spaulding unexpectedly came to light1 has been identified beyond the peradventure of a doubt1 and is now in the possession of ,president ,james ,h4 ,fairchild of ,oberlin ,college1 ,ohio1 or rather is in the museum of that institution for the inspection of all4 ,it has been published by the ,church1 every word of it1 with even the erasures made by its author so far as they can be deciphered1 and lo there is not an incident1 not a circumstance1 not a proper name either of place or person1 nor any similarity of construction or purpose common to the ,book of ,mormon and ,mr4 ,spaulding's production4 ,president ,fairchild himself says that whatever theory shall be put forth for the origin of the ,book of ,mormon1 the ,spaulding theory must be abandoned4 ,by accepting the records of the ancient peoples of ,america the ,mormons have double the amount of evidence for the existence of ,god and the truth of the gospel that other people possess2 and since faith must ever have its foundation in evidence1 the enlarged evidences accepted by ,mormons must account for that mightier faith which both their sufferings and their works proclaim they possess4 ,in ,mormon theology the atonement of ,jesus ,christ redeems all mankind from the consequences of ,adam's transgression1 irrespective of their belief or unbelief1 their obedience or their disobedience1 their righteousness or their unrighteousness4 ,it is manifestly evident that the ,fall of ,adam was essential to the accomplishment of the divine purposes of ,god in the earth-life of man2 which earth-life was designed for man's progress in that eternal existence which unquestionably is his4 ,but being a necessity from the nature of things1 an essential to the production of those conditions which would place man in a state of probation1 in which he might gain those experiences1 demonstrate that fidelity1 and acquire the strength that shall make him both worthy of1 and able to bear1 that eternal weight of glory designed of ,god for those able to overcome the evils of earth-life--its temptations and sins--the ,fall of ,adam1 ,i say1 being necessary to bring to pass the conditions of this earth probation for man1 it is but just that there should be some means of free and universal redemption from the effects of it4 ,for while man1 may be held accountable for his personal conduct under given conditions that do not take from him his freedom1 nor the power to will and to do what is required1 he may not in justice be held accountable for the existence of necessary conditions that establish the state of probation under which he consents to work4 ,free and universal redemption1 therefore1 is provided for man from those effects that result from necessity2 and hence the ,church teaches that men will be punished for their own ,sins and not for ,adam's transgressions4 ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,a slight alteration has been made in this paragraph since the publication of this article in the ,improvement ,era4 ,but quite apart from the transgression of ,adam is man's individual violations of the laws of righteousness--violations of the laws of ,god in which man's agency is exercised2 for he sins at times wilfully and wantonly2 knowing the right1 he dares to do wrong4 ,here justice has a claim upon him and may demand the payment of the penalty to the uttermost4 ,but the mercy of ,god as well as his justice is active1 and offers redemption from the consequences of individual transgressions on the condition of obedience to the laws and ordinances of the ,gospel4 ,these laws are not intricate1 baffling the understanding4 ,the ordinances are neither numerous nor difficult of performance2 but in the plan of man's salvation1 as in all other works of ,deity1 simplicity marks its outlines and efficiency justifies its adoption4 ,the laws and ordinances referred to have not for their chief object the propitiation of the anger of ,god as the old ,pagan ordinances of religion had2 but on the contrary1 by their nature and operation1 they affect the character of man1 and are calculated to so purify and exalt his nature as to prepare him to dwell in endless felicity in the presence and companionship of his ,maker4 ,of necessity ,faith in ,god and in this plan of salvation is of first importance1 and must be an active principle in the mind1 for without it men would consider themselves under no obligation to yield obedience to any ordinance whatsoever4 ,the reason the infidel does not repent1 or perform any other act of obedience1 is because he has or pretends to have no faith in the existence of ,god4 ,as from the rising sun there beams those rays of light which streak the heavens with glory1 so from faith spring those acts of obedience required in the gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,first among these acts is repentance1 which consists not alone in deep and heartfelt sorrow for sin1 but coupled with it must be a firm determination of amendment of conduct4 ,it must be a godly sorrow working a reformation of life4 ,following repentance comes baptism in water by which men take on them the name of ,christ1 through which ordinance also they receive1 when it is preceded by faith and true repentance1 forgiveness of sins4 ,but even after a remission of sins1 such is the weakness of human nature that man is not able to stand by his own strength1 he needs divine aid3 hence1 ,god has ordained that through the ordinance of confirmation by the laying on of hands1 the ,holy ,ghost shall be imparted unto man as a comforter and guide1 and by giving heed to his voice man shall overcome the old inclinations to evil1 and at last so purify and sanctify himself that he will be worthy to dwell in the presence of his ,god4 ,as a further means of grace1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ recognizes the sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper1 by which men may frequently renew their covenant with ,god and witness to each other that they are willing to take upon them the name of ,jesus ,christ1 gratefully remember the atonement he has made for them1 express a willingness to keep his commandments1 and by doing so draw to themselves a constant renewal of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,few and simple as these ordinances are1 the ,church teaches that in order to be of effect they must be administered by divine authority4 ,no man can take the honor upon himself to administer in things pertaining to ,god4 ,he must be called by direct revelation from ,god1 or be commissioned by a divinely authorized power4 ,here is where ,mormonism comes in conflict with all ,christendom4 ,men even in the early centuries of the ,christian era having transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances1 broke the covenant1 and lost divine authority to administer the of ,jesus ,christ--though the letter of the ,gospel remained in part with the world in the writings of the ancient ,apostles--there arose a necessity for the re-opening of the heavens and a restoration of that priesthood which alone can administer the ordinances of salvation4 ,that is the significance of the revelations of ,god and the visitation of angels to ,joseph ,smith4 ,to him was revealed anew the gospel1 to him was committed a new dispensation of it1 and angels bestowed upon him the apostleship1 the fullness of all priesthood which ,god gives to man in the earth1 and by its power ,joseph ,smith and those to whom he transmitted authority preached the gospel4 ,by the power of that priesthood they organized the ,church of ,christ never more to be destroyed2 sustained and upheld by that power the ,church has outlived all the opposition arrayed against it1 and stands today planted impregnably upon the eternal foundations of truth4 ,but notwithstanding the absence of the gospel and the authority to administer its ordinances1 the children of ,god living through those dark ages will not be deprived of its saving powers4 ,that must be a very contracted view of the great plan of human redemption which would confine its operations to the brief span of man's existence in this life4 ,mormonism holds no such view4 ,on the contrary1 it teaches that the gospel is everlasting2 that it walks beside man throughout eternity2 and means for its application to him have been provided by the mercy of ,god4 ,it may be that ,mormonism does not stand alone in this broad conception of the application of the gospel to our race2 but while others are speculating as to whether it is possible or not for man to attain unto repentance and forgiveness of sins in his future existence1 ,mormonism is erecting temples to the name of the ,most ,high1 and within their sacred walls the ,saints are vicariously performing the ordinances of salvation for those who have passed from the earth when the gospel and authority to administer it were not among the children of men4 ,such is the conception that ,mormonism holds and teaches of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ and its application to mankind2 and surely one may see in this conception the fullness of that glorious scripture which says3 ,god1 our ,savior1 would have all men to be saved1 and come unto the knowledge of the truth4 7,i ,timothy #b3c1 #d47 ,if asked what the distinguishing characteristics of ,mormonism are1 ,i should answer3 ,the acceptance of ,jesus ,christ as the full and complete revelation of ,god to man1 in person and in attributes2 that as ,jesus was and is1--for to us he still lives1 a resurrected1 glorified man--so is ,god1 the ,father--a perfected man4 ,this is only saying that as the ,son is1 so also is the ,father4 ,the belief that the spirit of man is in very deed the child of ,god--his offspring2 that men in reality are brothers to ,jesus ,christ1 and to each other4 ,a more pronounced faith than is possessed by other people in the imminence of ,god in the world and in men1 through the medium of the divine spirit4 ,a positive belief in present and continuous revelation4 ,a broader conception of ,god's treatment of men in the matter of revealing himself and his purposes to them4 ,acknowledging an inspired priesthood1 authorized to direct the affairs of1 and instruct the ,church4 ,the possession of a living faith which lays hold of all the promises made in the gospel of ,jesus ,christ2 personal communion with ,god through the ,holy ,spirit1 and enjoyment of all the spiritual gifts and graces granted to the saints in any age of the world4 ,if asked what special benefits ,mormonism has conferred upon mankind1 my answer would be3 #ast4 ,that it presents to the world the fullness of the gospel1 with the authority to administer its ordinances2 that through obedience to it men may attain unto all those gifts1 graces and powers known to the ancient saints4 ,it assures them that ,god in his relationship to men1 is the same today as he was nineteen centuries ago1 that the gospel is the same now as it ever was1 and all spiritual graces and powers that man ever attained to he may possess today4 #bnd4 ,that in the testimony of modern prophets and saints the evidences of ,god's existence and the truth of the gospel are so enlarged that the unbelief which today distresses the religious world and limits the extension of ,christianity would be swept away4 #crd4 ,that in the ,book of ,mormon there is evidence of the authorship of the ,jewish scripture of which ,christendom in the face of modern criticism--commonly called the ,higher ,criticism--stands much in need4 ,that criticism1 as is well known1 is not directed so much to textual errors which may have found their way into the great collection of sacred books1 as it is to utterly destroy the authorship and all idea of the divine inspiration of them4 ,this modern criticism has decided that ,moses is not the author of the ,pentateuch1 and indeed1 the authorship not only of the ,pentateuch but of nearly all the prophets and even the books of the ,new ,testament is unsettled in the minds of many4 ,the ,book of ,mormon gives an account of a colony of ,israelites that left ,palestine six hundred years before ,christ1 which colony carried with it a copy of the law of ,moses and the writings of the ,prophets down to the days of ,jeremiah4 ,these scriptures they preserved with great care1 handing them down from generation to generation1 and from them both they and their descendants learned of the hand dealings of ,god with his children in ancient times4 ,when the civilization of these people on the ,western ,hemisphere was overthrown1 and their records in order to preserve them were hidden by righteous men1 the truths which their fathers had learned from them were preserved--though somewhat distorted--in their traditions4 ,thus is accounted for the knowledge of the creation1 the flood1 the coming of the ,messiah1 which ,europeans found among the races inhabiting ,america at the time of its discovery4 ,portions of the ancient ,jewish ,scriptures which these colonists brought with them to ,america were transcribed into the ,book of ,mormon1 and there they stand in the translations that have been made of it to testify not only to the existence of the writings of ,moses and the other prophets at least six hundred years before ,christ1 but to testify also that the records which have come down to us from the ,jews are substantially correct4 ,more important as confirming the accuracy and inspiration of the ,jewish ,scriptures1 more potent to silence the new forms of unbelief which have arisen in modern times1 more powerful to confirm the faith of believers in ,god's word is this new volume of scripture--the voice of nations of people who sought and found ,god--than all the newly deciphered hieroglyphics of ,egypt1 or the still more recent evidences that come from the ancient cities of ,assyria3 and for this reason we make bold to invite the attention of our ,christian brethren to the consideration of this ,new ,witness for ,god4 ,besides preaching the ,gospel for the salvation of men1 ,mormonism has an especial mission1 viz3 to prepare the earth for the coming and reign of ,messiah4 ,this mission authorizes the servants of ,god to warn mankind of the judgments which shall precede that appearing1 and to call upon all men to repent of their sins1 that they may escape the threatened calamities4 ,this preparatory work includes the gathering together of the dispersed tribes of ,israel and placing them in possession of the lands which ,god1 by covenant1 gave to their fathers4 ,it contemplates the erection of a great city upon this continent of ,america to be called ,zion1 the abode of the pure in heart1 from whence the law of ,god shall go forth to all the world4 ,it contemplates the restoration of the ,jews to the city of their forefathers1 the rebuilding of ,jerusalem1 from whence shall go forth the word of the ,lord4 ,then shall the earth rest from its wickedness1 as all the prophets have predicted2 then shall peace and truth and righteousness spread over all the world1 and all the tribes and kindreds of men shall know how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity4 ,splendid as this consummation is1 ,mormonism1 instructed by divine wisdom1 looks even beyond it1 and contemplates the time when this earth shall receive even a fuller redemption1 and become a celestial sphere1 the abode of resurrected1 celestial beings forever1 who shall dwell always in the presence of ,god4 ,in conclusion1 let me say that ,mormonism accepts and includes within its boundary-lines all truth4 ,it is progressive and is destined to become the religion of the age4 ,within it is scope for all the intelligence that shall flow unto it4 ,within its atmosphere is room for every intellectual wing4 ,it does not1 as some have supposed1 thrive best where ignorance is most profound1 nor does it depend upon superstition and ignorance for its existence and perpetuity4 ,it possesses within itself principles of native strength that will enable it to weather every storm1 outlive all hatred born of ignorance and prejudice2 and it will yet prove itself to be what indeed it is1 the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 the power of ,god unto ,salvation to all those who believe and obey it1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,relationship ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,to ,,the ,,christian ,,sects3 ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,two ,,churches ,,only4 ,,foreword4 ,the following is an address delivered at the seventy-sixth ,annual ,conference of the ,church1 held at ,salt ,lake ,city1 in ,april1 #aijf4 ,the remarks consider two very important statements in our authoritative books4 ,the first one is found in the ,pearl of ,great ,price1 where the prophet ,joseph states what the answer to his question was1 when asking the ,lord which of the sects was the true ,church1 and which he should join4 ,of that incident he said3 ,i was answered that ,i must join none of them1 for they were all wrong2 and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight2 that those professors were all corrupt3 ,the second statement is in the ,book of ,mormon1 where the declaration is made that1 ,there are1 save two churches only2 the one is the church of the ,lamb of ,god1 and the other is the church of the devil2 wherefore1 whoso belongeth not to the church of the ,lamb of ,god1 belongeth to that great church1 which is the mother of abominations2 and she is the whore of all the earth4 ,the first of these statements1 it is claimed1 not only unchurches all ,christians1 but proclaims the universal corruption of individual ,christians4 ,the second statement is generally supposed to stigmatize the ,church of ,rome as the church of the devil4 ,both these questions are considered in the article which follows4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,relationship ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,to ,,the ,,christian ,,sects3 ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,two ,,churches ,,only4 ,among the things important for the ,saints of ,god to understand1 among the things important for the world to understand respecting the ,latter-day ,saints1 is the relationship that we sustain to the religious world2 and ,i do not know that there is anything to which ,i could devote the few minutes at my disposal to better advantage than in pointing out that relationship1 if ,i can obtain1 through your faith and mine1 the liberty that comes from the possession of the ,spirit of the ,lord4 ,the first revelation that the ,lord gave to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith had a bearing upon this subject4 ,you remember that the ,prophet went to the ,lord to ascertain which of all the sects of religion was his church1 desiring1 of course1 to unite himself with that church which the ,lord would designate as his4 ,in reply to that question the ,lord1 in substance1 said that all the sects were wrong2 that he did not acknowledge them as his church2 their creeds were an abomination in his sight2 those professors were all corrupt2 ,a and the ,prophet was told that he must join none of them1 but was promised that in due time he would be used as ,god's instrument in the establishment of the ,church of ,christ in the earth4 ,footnote ,a3 ,the assertion1 those professors were all corrupt1 must not be taken as referring to the whole body of ,christians2 but rather as referring to the teachers of their creeds--the professors2 that term not being used in the sense of confessors of the creeds1 who merely accept their doctrine from the teachings of the professors4 ,this interpretation is justified from the immediate context of the passage3 ,they 7the professors7 draw near to me with their lips1 but their hearts are far from me2 they 7the professors7 teach for doctrine the commandments of men4 ,this context clearly proves that the charge of corruption is limited at least to the teachers1 to the professors1 not to the whole body of ,christians4 ,moreover1 ,i am convinced myself that the declaration is still further limited to the professors who founded and by that act taught to the world the creeds that are an abomination in the sight of ,god--a fact not at all difficult of belief1 or proof1 upon an analysis of the creeds themselves4 ,and those who originally could form such conceptions of ,god and man and the purposes of human existence1 as the creeds teach1 were certainly men of warped understandings1 men of perverted or corrupted minds4 ,but as to the whole body of ,christians1 we know that there were at the time of the opening of this new dispensation of the ,gospel1 and now1 many who were not only not corrupt1 except for the ordinary weaknesses or corruption of our human nature1--but virtuous1 hungering and thirsting after righteousness1 seeking after ,god1 and hindered from finding him only by the abominable creeds formulated by the professors of the passage here considered4 ,because of this great revelation1 by which the errors of ages were swept aside and the ground cleared for the re-establishment of the ,church of ,christ among men1 it has placed us1 in a way1 in an attitude of antagonism to the religious world4 ,we have been resisted to some extent because of this attitude of antagonism2 and it is quite possible that we ourselves have not understood the true relationship in which we stand to the religious world1 by more or less of misapprehension respecting this great revelation4 ,i rejoice in the plainness and emphasis of this revelation1 because from it ,i am made to realize that there is a very important reason for the existence of the work with which we are identified4 ,i am glad to know that ,mormonism did not come into existence because its founders chanced to disagree with prevailing notions about the form or object of baptism2 that it did not come into existence through a disagreement as to the character of the government of the ,church4 ,from the revelation referred to ,i learn that ,mormonism came into existence because there was an absolute necessity for a new dispensation of the gospel1 a re-establishment of the ,church of ,christ among men4 ,the gospel had been corrupted2 its ordinances had been changed2 its laws transgressed its truths so far lost to the children of men that it rendered this new dispensation of the gospel of ,christ--miscalled ,mormonism--necessary4 ,i say that ,i rejoice in the fact that ,mormonism came into the world1 and exists in the world today1 because the world stood and stands in sore need of it4 ,but does this re-establishment of the ,church of ,christ1 this new dispensation of the gospel1 which we have received1 make our relationship to the children of men one of unfriendliness8 ,i answer1 ,no4 ,on the contrary our relationship to men is one of absolute friendliness1 and we are anxious to do the world good4 ,we ought to understand that4 ,we do understand it4 ,and it is important that the world should understand it1 that they may come to regard us in our true light1 as friends of humanity1 and not enemies4 ,if you will look through some of the revelations given in the early history of the church1 you will find that from time to time the ,lord was under the necessity of correcting the ideas of the brethren respecting their attitude towards religious world4 ,the ,lord said to ,martin ,harris1 by of correction3 ,thou shalt declare glad tidings1 yea1 publish it upon the mountains1 and upon every high place1 and among people that thou shalt be permitted to see4 ,and thou do it with all humility1 trusting in me1 reviling not against revilers4 ,and of tenets thou shall not talk1 but thou shall declare repentance and faith on the ,savior1 and remission of sin by baptism and by fire1 yea1 even the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,prophet also from time to time found it necessary to correct the ,elders of the ,church in respect of their attacks upon other churches4 ,at ,kirtland1 in #ahcf1 when many of the ,elders were upon the eve of taking their departure for their fields of labor1 he instructed them as follows3 ,while waiting for the ,sacrament ,i made the following remarks3 ,the time that we were required to tarry in ,kirtland to be endowed would be fulfilled in a few days1 and then the ,elders would go forth1 and each stand for himself 4 4 4 4 to go in all meekness1 in sobriety1 and preach ,christ and him crucified2 not to contend with others on account of their faith or systems of religion1 but pursue a steady course4 ,this ,i delivered by way of commandment2 and all who observe it not1 will pull down persecution upon their heads1 while those who do1 shall always be filled with the ,holy ,ghost2 this ,i pronounced as a prophesy4 ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,history of the ,church1 vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #dca4 ,in other words1 because the ,lord has opened the heavens and has given a new dispensation of the gospel1 it does not follow that his servants or his people are to be contentious2 that they are to make war upon other people for holding different views respecting religion4 ,hence this caution to the ,elders of the ,church that they should not contend against other churches1 make war upon their tenets1 or revile even the revilers4 ,at an earlier date still1 the ,lord had said to ,oliver ,cowdery and ,david ,whitmer3 ,if you have not faith1 hope and charity1 you can do nothing4 ,contend against no church1 save it be the church of the devil4 ,take upon you the name of ,christ1 and speak the truth in soberness4 ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 ,cov4 ,sec4 #ah1 #ai-ba4 ,the church of the devil here alluded to1 ,i understand to mean not any particular church among men1 or any one sect of religion1 but something larger than that--something that includes within its boundaries all evil wherever it may be found2 as well in schools of philosophy as in ,christian sects2 as well in systems of ethics as in systems of religion--something that includes the whole empire of ,satan--what ,i shall call ,the ,kingdom of ,evil4 ,this descriptive phrase1 the church of the devil1 is also used in the ,book of ,mormon2 and while in attendance at a conference in one of the border stakes of ,zion1 a question was propounded to me in relation to its meaning4 ,the passage occurs in the writings of the first ,nephi4 ,an angel of the ,lord is represented as saying to ,nephi1 ,behold1 there are save two churches only3 the one is the church of the ,lamb of ,god1 and the other is the church of the devil4 ,the question submitted to me was1 ,is the ,catholic church the church here referred to--the church of the devil8 ,well1 said ,i1 in answer1 ,i would not like to take that position1 because it would leave me with a lot of churches on my hands that ,i might not then be able to classify4 ,so far as the ,catholic church is concerned1 ,i believe that there is just as much truth1 nay1 personally ,i believe it has retained even more truth than other divisions of so-called ,christendom2 and there is just as much virtue in the ,roman ,catholic church as there is in ,protestant ,christendom2 and ,i am sure there is more strength4 ,i would not like2 therefore1 to designate the ,catholic church as the church of the devil4 ,neither would ,i like to designate any one or all of the various divisions and subdivisions of ,protestant ,christendom combined as such church2 nor the ,greek ,catholic church2 nor the ,buddhist sects2 nor the followers of ,confucius2 nor the followers of ,mohammed2 nor would ,i like to designate even the societies formed by deists and atheists as constituting the church of the devil4 ,the ,book of ,mormon text ought to be read in connection with its context--with the chapter that precedes it and the remaining portions of the chapter in which the expression is found--then1 ,i think1 those who study it in that manner will be forced to the conclusion that the prophet here has in mind no particular church1 no particular division of ,christendom1 but he has in mind1 as just stated1 the whole empire of ,satan2 and perhaps the thought of the passage would be more nearly expressed if we use the term the ,kingdom of ,evil as ,constituting the church of the devil1 in proof of which ,i submit the following passage from the ,book of ,mormon---covering both the text and the context on the subject3 #a4 ,and it shall come to pass1 that if the ,gentiles shall hearken unto the ,lamb of ,god in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word1 and also in power1 in very deed1 unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks2 #b4 ,and if they harden not their hearts against the ,lamb of ,god1 they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father ,lehi2 an ,israelite2 yea1 they shall be numbered among the house of ,israel2 and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land for ever2 they shall be no more brought down into captivity2 and the house of ,israel shall no more be confounded2 #c4 ,and that great pit which hath been digged for them1 by that great and abominable church1 which was founded by the devil and his children1 that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell2 yea1 that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men1 shall be filled by those who digged it1 unto their utter destruction1 saith the ,lamb of ,god2 not the destruction of the soul1 save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end2 #d4 ,for behold1 this is according to the captivity of the devil1 and also according to the justice of ,god1 upon all those who will work wickedness and abomination before him4 #e4 ,and it came to pass that the angel spake unto me1 ,nephi1 saying1 ,thou hast beheld that if the ,gentiles repent1 it shall be well with them2 and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of the ,lord unto the house of ,israel2 and thou also hast heard1 that whoso repenteth not1 must perish2 #f4 ,therefore1 wo1 be unto the ,gentiles1 if it so be that they harden their hearts against the ,lamb of ,god2 #g4 ,for the time cometh1 saith the ,lamb of ,god1 that ,i will work a great and a marvellous work among the children of men2 a work which shall be everlasting1 either on the one hand or on the other2 either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal1 or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds1 unto their being brought down into captivity1 and also into destruction1 both temporally and spiritually1 according to the captivity of the devil1 of which ,i have spoken4 #h4 ,and it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these words1 he said unto me1 ,rememberest thou the covenants of the ,father unto the house of ,israel8 ,i said unto him1 ,yea4 ,and it came to pass that he said unto me1 look1 and behold that great and abominable church1 which is the mother of abominations1 whose foundation is the devil4 ,and he said unto me1 behold there are1 save two churches only2 the one is the church of the ,lamb of ,god1 and the other is the church of the devil2 wherefore1 whoso belongeth not to the church of the ,lamb of ,god1 belongeth to that great church1 which is the mother of abominations2 and she is the whore of all the earth4 #dg4 ,and it came to pass that ,i looked and beheld the whore of all the earth1 and she sat upon many waters2 and she had dominion over all the earth1 among all nations1 kindreds1 tongues1 and people4 #dh4 ,and it came to pass that ,i beheld the church of the ,lamb of ,god1 and its numbers were few1 because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters2 nevertheless1 ,i beheld that the church of the ,lamb1 who were the saints of ,god1 were also upon all the face of the earth2 and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small1 because of the wickedness of the great whore whom ,i saw4 #di4 ,and it came to pass that ,i beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth1 among all the nations of the ,gentiles1 to fight against the ,lamb of ,god4 #ej4 ,and it came to pass that ,i1 ,nephi1 beheld the power of the ,lamb of ,god1 that it descended upon the saints of the church of the ,lamb1 and upon the covenant people of the ,lord1 who ,were scattered upon all the face of the earth2 and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of ,god in great glory4 #ea4 ,and it came to pass that ,i beheld that the wrath of ,god was poured out upon the great and abominable church1 insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth1 and as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations1 the angel spake unto me1 saying1 ,behold1 the wrath of ,god is upon the mother of harlots2 and behold1 thou seest all these things3 #ag4 ,and when the day cometh that the wrath of ,god is poured out upon the mother of harlots1 which is the great and abominable church of all the earth1 whose foundation is the devil1 then1 at that day1 the work of the ,father shall commence1 in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants1 which he hath made to his people1 who are of the house of ,israel4 ,i understand the injunction to ,oliver ,cowdery to contend against no church1 save it be the church of the devil1 to mean that he should contend against evil1 against untruth1 against all combinations of wicked men4 ,they constitute the church of the devil1 the kingdom of evil1 a federation of unrighteousness2 and the servants of ,god have a right to contend against that which is evil1 let it appear where it will1 in ,catholic or in ,protestant ,christendom1 among the philosophical societies of deists and atheists1 and even within the ,church of ,christ1 if1 unhappily1 it should make its appearance there4 ,but1 let it be understood1 we are not brought necessarily into antagonism with the various sects of ,christianity as such4 ,so far as they have retained fragments of ,christian truth--and each of them has some measure of truth--that far they are acceptable unto the ,lord2 and it would be poor policy for us to contend against them without discrimination4 ,wherever we find truth1 whether it exists in complete form or only in fragments1 we recognize that truth as part of that sacred whole of which the ,church of ,jesus ,christ is the custodian2 and ,i repeat that our relationship to the religious world is not one that calls for the denunciation of sectarian churches as composing the church of the devil4 ,all that makes for untruth1 for unrighteousness constitutes the kingdom of evil--the church of the devil4 ,all that makes for truth1 for righteousness1 is of ,god2 it constitutes the kingdom of righteousness--the empire of ,jehovah2 and1 in a certain sense at least1 constitutes the ,church of ,christ4 ,with the latter--the kingdom of righteousness--we have no warfare4 ,on the contrary both the spirit of the ,lord's commandments to his servants and the dictates of right reason would suggest that we seek to enlarge this kingdom of righteousness both by recognizing such truths as it possesses and seeking the friendship and co-operation of the righteous men and women who constitute its membership4 ,running parallel with these thoughts1 ,i may be pardoned if ,i call your attention to a remark ,i made in one of these general conferences some time ago1 to the effect that when misrepresentations are made of us1 or of our faith1 or when persecution arises against us1 it must not embitter our minds1 or make us feel hateful toward our fellowmen1 or lead us to regard the whole world as our enemies4 ,we must keep the sweetness of our own disposition4 ,the language of the ,savior wherein he says1 ,marvel not if the world hate you3 it hated me before it hated you1 if you were of the world1 the world would love its own1 etc41 ,i contended then and believe now that the truth of that declaration will be more plainly seen if we read it in this way3 ,marvel not if the worldly hate you4 ,if the ungodly1 if those who make and love a lie--if such classes as these hate you1 marvel not2 for they were the classes that hated the ,christ and the light and truth that he brought into the world1 because their deeds were evil1 and his light and truth were a reproof to their evil ways4 ,and as we say concerning the ,kingdom of ,evil1 so we say with reference to those who hate the truth and make war upon the righteous1 they are not of any one cult1 or confined to any one sect or division of the religious world1 but1 unhappily1 are found here and there among all classes of people1 among all ,christian sects1 among all religions and sects of philosophy4 ,we ought to rightly divide1 not only the word of truth1 but the wicked and the ungodly from those who in common with us are seeking to know ,god and to keep his commandments4 ,and there are millions who are hungering and thirsting for that knowledge2 and we from time to time shall find them and lead them into ,god's temple of truth1 where they shall be satisfied at the feast that the ,lord is preparing for all those who hunger and thirst after righteousness4 ,the purpose of the ,lord in instituting his ,church in the earth is very beautifully set forth in one of the revelations in the ,d,c1 as follows3 ,if this generation harden not their hearts1 ,i will establish my ,church among them4 ,now ,i do not say this to destroy my ,church1 but ,i say this to build up my ,church4 ,therefore1 whosoever belongeth to my ,church need not fear for such shall inherit the kingdom of heaven4 ,but it is they who do not fear me1 neither keep my commandments1 but build up churches unto themselves to get gain1 yea1 all those that do wickedly and build up the kingdom of devil2 yea1 verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 that it is they that ,i will disturb1 and cause to tremble and shake to the center4 ,from this it very clearly appears that the purpose of ,god in the introduction of the ,dispensation of the ,fulness of ,times was not to destroy any truth that existed in the world1 but to add to that truth1 to increase it1 and to draw together all truth and develop it into a beautiful system which men may rest contented1 knowing ,god and their relationship to him1 knowing of the future and their relation to that future4 ,we should present our message to the world in spirit of peace1 charity and longsuffering2 and avoid contention2 for as our ,book of ,mormon tells us1 he that hath the spirit of contention is not of ,god4 ,i would the world could understand the unselfishness of our motives in presenting the gospel of ,jesus ,christ to them2 if they could only know that our only desire was that they should come to a knowledge of the great principles of truth that are so comforting to us2 that we desire their repentance and acceptance of the fullness of the truth1 only that they might find favor with ,god1 and share in our hopes of that eternal life which ,god1 who cannot lie1 promised before the world began--if our fellowmen could be made to understand that this is our only purpose1 it seems to me that many of the barriers that now separate us from our fellowmen would be broken down1 and we would be able to reach the hearts of the people4 ,i believe that as time passes and we become wiser in the methods of work we adopt1 we will do that more and more1 causing not only hundreds of thousands but millions of our ,father's children to partake of those great blessings that the ,gospel has brought to us4 ,to make known these truths and cause the children of men to participate in the blessings that we ourselves enjoy1 we yearly send hundreds of our ,elders to the various nations of the earth4 ,they sacrifice the pleasant associations of home1 the society of wives and children1 parents and friends2 they sacrifice professional advantages and business opportunities2 and sometimes sacrifice health and even life itself to proclaim to the world the truth which ,god has made known to us--enduring the world's reproach and contumely1 because the world does not understand them nor their message2 and there is still need1 of the prayer on our part1 ,father1 forgive them1 they know not what they do4 ,for the benefit of those who have passed away from the earth without a knowledge of the great truths and saving power of the gospel of ,christ1 we rear costly temples1 whose spires pierce the skies of our beloved ,utah2 and within them at great sacrifice of time and means1 the saints of ,god assemble to apply the principles and ordinances of the everlasting gospel to those who have passed away without the privilege of accepting them while upon the earth4 ,a more completely unselfish work than this does not exist among men4 ,on every hand the work of ,god bears the stamp of unselfishness upon it4 ,our ,book of ,mormon says3 ,the laborers in ,zion shall labor for ,zion2 for if they labor for money1 they shall perish4 ,so through all the communications of ,god to his people shines the glorious principle of absolute unselfishness4 ,not only is it to be found in the words of our books1 but a like testimony is written in the works of the ,latter-day ,saints--in their actions4 ,everywhere unselfishness abounds in the ,church of ,christ1 both in theory and practice4 ,now1 if we can only get the people of the world to understand this fact of unselfishness--this very genius of ,mormonism--if they could be made to know that ,mormonism is here to do good1 to raise mankind from the low levels on which men are content to walk to the higher planes where ,god would have them walk1 that they might have sweet fellowship with ,god1 much of our difficulty in preaching the gospel would disappear4 ,may the ,lord hasten the day when the world shall know the ,saints and the work of ,god better4 ,,iii4 ,,some ,,recent ,,literature ,,on ,,mormonism4 ,,foreword4 ,the following brief discussion of ,mr4 ,i4 ,woodbridge ,riley's work1 is an address delivered at the ,seventy-fourth ,semi-,annual ,conference of the ,church1 held in ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,oct4 #e1 #aijc4 ,mr4 ,riley's book of #ddf pages is a well written thesis on the ,founder of ,mormonism1 and was published in #aijb4 ,it is a psychological study of ,joseph ,smith the ,prophet4 ,the purpose of the work is set forth in the author's preface1 as follows3 ,the aim of this work is to examine ,joseph ,smith's character and achievements from the standpoint of recent psychology4 ,sectarians and phrenologists1 spiritualists and mesmerists have variously interpreted his more or less abnormal performances1--it remains for the psychologist to have a try at them4 ,the work also has an introductory preface by ,professor ,george ,trumbull ,ladd1 of ,yale ,university1 in which ,mr4 ,riley's essay is very highly praised4 ,indeed1 the work was offered to the ,philosophical ,faculty of ,yale ,university as a thesis for the degree of ,doctor of ,philosophy1 and before this the matter of the essay had been utilized in #ahih for a ,master of ,arts thesis1 under the title of ,metaphysics of ,mormonism1 so that from these circumstances we may venture the remark that ,mr4 ,riley's book is of a highly scientific character1 at least in its literary structure1 and has already attracted some considerable notice in the world4 ,i4 ,,the ,,founder ,,of ,,mormonism4 ,some of you perhaps are aware of the fact that ,i have been giving some attention of late to the literature on ,mormonism2 not only that which we ourselves publish1 but that also which is ,published by others4 ,the publications on ,mormonism during the last five years1 ,i believe1 are more numerous than in any twenty years previous to that time4 ,the last five years have witnessed an awakening of thought upon our religion4 ,more1 and ever more attention is being given to it4 ,more newspaper articles1 more magazine articles1 more volumes--some of them quite pretentious--have been written on ,mormonism than ever before1 and indicate the universal interest taken in the subject4 ,the books and magazine articles have been written from various standpoints1 some of them in the old spirit of bitterness1 and some of them are intended to be written in a spirit of fairness4 ,yet ,i marvel at their author's ideas of fairness4 ,one work1 written by a noted professor1 pretending to be an impartial history1 and issued by one of the first publishing houses in the ,united ,states1 with the view1 evidently1 of establishing a standard history of ,mormonism1 gives full credence to everything that has been said against us1 but the author frequently cautions his readers against quotations he makes from our own works--and yet that book is put forth as an impartial history of ,mormonism6 ,some have attempted to write from a philosophical standpoint1 but with the result that they plainly manifest that they have not yet reached foundation principles upon which they can satisfactorily account for ,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet1 and the great work he accomplished4 ,when ,i see men shifting their grounds1 and advancing first one theory and then1 another to account for ,mormonism1 and there is confusion among them1 uncertainty1 indecision--,i know that the citadel of our mighty faith is secure from harm from their attacks2 that ,mormonism cannot fall a victim to their philosophies or their arguments4 ,let me1 for a little while1 draw your attention to at least one of the so-called philosophical solutions of ,mormonism1 a scientific accounting for ,joseph ,smith4 ,the work ,i allude to was offered to ,yale ,university as a thesis upon which the author hoped to secure1 and ,i think he did secure1 the degree of ,bachelor of ,philosophy4 ,he candidly confesses that it is an effort to account for ,joseph ,smith upon some other hypothesis than that he was a conscious fraud1 bent on deceiving mankind4 ,when an intelligent man makes such an announcement as that1 ,i know1 and you know1 that the theories heretofore advanced to account for ,joseph ,smith1 are unsatisfactory2 that they are efforts which have failed4 ,the theory that ,joseph ,smith was a conscious fraud1 an imposter1 has fallen to the ground4 ,the charges frequently made and persistently urged that ,mormonism had its origin in deception and conscious fraud have failed of their purpose4 ,the floods of falsehood with which some men have sought to overwhelm ,mormonism have not accomplished the end proposed4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints1 after more than three-quarters of a century of existence1 stand above all the floods of falsehood that have been belched out against them4 ,the work of ,god has not broken down1 it has survived2 and the ,saints smilingly pity those who would make use of such contemptible means with which to combat the truth of ,almighty ,god4 ,now1 however1 we are to be treated philosophically4 ,and the philosophy that is advanced is1 unconscious hallucination in the mind of ,joseph ,smith2 partly unconscious and partly conscious possession of hypnotic power1 by which the minds of those around him were dominated and made to see things which in reality had no existence2 and while the ,witnesses to the ,book of ,mormon1 and others testify of visions and voices from ,god honestly enough1 still as a matter of fact those revelations had really no objective existence1 but were mental hallucinations4 ,and as for ,joseph ,smith1 he was deceived by epileptic conditions4 ,the author ,i am considering is at great pains to trace the ancestry of the ,prophet1 pointing out their mental peculiarities and supposed defects1 leading up to the conclusion that these defects of mind in his ancestors culminated in epilepsy in ,joseph ,smith4 ,and hence1 we have as the explanation of ,mormonism1 epileptic fits in its ,prophet1 whose hallucinations are honestly mistaken for inspired visions1 with partly conscious and partly unconscious hypnotic power over others6 ,and this theory is presented seriously to one of the first institutions of learning in ,america as a rational explanation of how ,mormonism came into existence6 ,ernest ,renan1 the ,french philosopher1 when considering a similar hypothesis to account for the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 overthrew all that kind of sophistry with this simple statement3 ,it has never been given to the mere aberrations of the human mind to result in the establishment of permanent institutions that influence any considerable number of people4 ,in other words1 the dreams and hallucinations of the epileptic end in mere dreams and hallucinations2 they never crystallize into great systems of philosophy or into rational religious institutions4 ,they never crystallize into great organizations capable of perpetuating that philosophy and that religion in the world4 ,no matter how nearly genius may be allied to madness1 it must remain genius and not degenerate to madness if it exercises any permanent influence over the minds of men4 ,it is a pleasure to find one's conclusions sustained by men of recognized ability in any line of work on which they have specialized1 and in respect of which they are regarded as authorities4 ,in such manner ,i find the views1 above set forth sustained by one eminent in the domain of nervous diseases and psychiatry1 ,charles ,l4 ,dana1 the writer of text books on the foregoing subject1 text books used in all the great colleges and universities of our country1 that give attention to the subject4 ,following is his definition of paranoia1 a disease closely allied to that to which ,mr4 ,riley assumes ,joseph ,smith was subject4 ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,this paragraph and the two quotations following have been added since the above remarks were published as part of the proceedings of the conference4 ,paranoia is a chronic psychosis characterized by the development gradually and soon after maturity of systematized delusions without other serious disturbances of the mind1 and without much tendency to dementia4 99 99 99 ,with some the systematized idea takes a religious turn1 and the patient thinks he has some divine mission or has received some inspiration from ,god2 or the idea may take a devotional turn and the patient become an acetic4 ,it is not1 however1 to be assumed that all promoters of new religions and novel social ideas are paranoiacs4 ,many of these are simply the natural developments1 ignorance and a somewhat emotional and unbalanced temperament4 ,the characteristic of the paranoiac is that his work is ineffective1 his influence brief and trivial1 his ideas really too absurd and impractical for even ignorant men to receive4 ,i do not class successful prophets and organizers like ,joseph ,smith1 or great apostles of social reforms like ,rousseau as paranoiacs4 ,insane minds are not creative1 but are weak1 and lack persistence in purpose or powers of execution4 ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,chas4 ,loomis ,dana1 ,text ,book of ,nervous ,diseases and ,psychiatry1 #fth ,edition1 pp4 #fdi-ej4 ,a certain rather small percentage of epileptics become either demented or insane4 ,true epilepsy is not compatible with extraordinary intellectual endowments4 ,caesar1 ,napoleon1 ,peter the ,great1 and other geniuses may have had some symptomatic fits1 but not idiopathic epilepsy4 ,b ,footnote ,b3 ,chas4 ,l4 ,dana1 ,a4 ,m4 ,m4 ,d41 ,text ,book of ,nervous ,diseases1 #crd edition1 p4 #djh4 ,there is much glamor of sophistry1 which may be taken for profound reason and argument1 in the work to which ,i am calling your attention4 ,but one word answers this philosophical accounting for our ,prophet4 ,the work accomplished by him1 the institutions he founded1 destroy the whole fabric of premises and argument on which this theory is based4 ,great as was the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith--and he was great2 to him more than to any other man of modern times was it given to look deep into the things that are2 to comprehend the heavens and the laws that obtain there2 to understand the earth1 its history1 and its mission4 ,he looked into the deep things of ,god--always1 be it remembered1 by the inspiration of ,god--and out of the rich treasure of divine knowledge he brought forth things both new and old for the instruction of our race1 the like of which1 in some respects1 had not been known in previous dispensations4 ,hence ,i repeat that ,joseph ,smith was great2 but great as he was1 rising up and towering far above him is the work that he accomplished through divine guidance2 that work is infinitely greater than the prophet--greater than all the prophets connected with it4 ,its consistency1 its permanency1 its power1 its institutions1 contradict the hallucination theory advanced to account for its origin4 ,let us look at this work for a moment4 ,if one could but draw it clearly in outline1 and present it in its originality and greatness1 it would be its own witness of its divinity1 for in all things it transcends the mere wit of man4 ,take the ,church organization for illustration2 and look at it with reference to its being an assemblage of means to the accomplishment of an end4 ,as ,i understand the ,church of ,christ1 its mission is two-fold2 first1 it is to proclaim the truth2 second1 it is to perfect those who receive the truth4 ,i think these two things cover1 in a general way1 the entire mission of the ,church4 ,is its organization competent to attain those two mighty ends8 ,let us see2 and first as to the proclamation of the truth--the work really of the foreign ministry4 ,what provision has ,god made for that8 ,he has in his ,church1 first of all ,twelve ,special ,witnesses1 the ,twelve ,apostles1 who were chosen in the first instance1 by the ,three ,special ,witnesses to the ,book of ,mormon4 ,i remark in passing that there is a peculiar fitness in the ,twelve ,apostles--the ,twelve ,special ,witnesses being chosen by those who had been made ,witnesses for ,god by the great vision and revelation he had given them concerning the absolute truth and correctness of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,upon these ,twelve ,apostles rests the responsibility of being witnesses for the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in all the world4 ,that is their special1 peculiar calling4 ,you can see1 however1 if you take into account the extent of their field of labor--for it encompasses the whole round world--that twelve men would not be adequate to meet all the requirements of the foreign ministry4 ,god knew this1 and hence he called into existence other special witnesses1 to labor under the direction of these ,twelve1 they holding the keys to open the door of the gospel to all the nations of the earth2 for all must hear it1 from the greatest to the least4 ,the ,twelve1 ,i say1 hold the keys of this foreign ministry2 and hence whenever there has been an opening of the door of the gospel to a foreign nation1 one or more of these men holding the keys have been sent to do it4 ,it was for this reason that ,heber ,c4 ,kimball1 one of the ,twelve ,apostles1 was sent to ,great ,britain in #ahcg1 to open the door of the gospel in that land2 why ,elder ,john ,taylor was sent to ,france and ,germany2 why ,elder ,lorenzo ,snow was sent to ,italy and ,switzerland2 why ,erastus ,snow was sent to the ,scandinavian countries2 why ,parley ,p4 ,pratt went to ,chili and opened the door of the gospel to the ,south ,american republics2 why1 more recently1 ,elder ,heber ,j4 ,grant was sent to ,japan to open a mission4 ,the ,twelve1 then1 hold the keys of this ministry1 and upon them devolves this responsibility of opening the door of salvation to the nations4 ,but after them1 other witnesses are chosen4 ,these are the seventy apostles1 or special witnesses1 the assistants of the ,twelve2 under whose directions they labor4 ,at first1 two quorums of ,seventy only were organized2 but with the promise of the ,prophet that as the work should expand other quorums would be organized1 not only till seven times seven quorums should be brought into existence1 but until seventy times seven2 aye1 said he1 until there shall be a hundred and forty and four thousand seventies chosen1 if the work of the ministry shall require it4 ,so we have continued organizing quorums of ,seventy1 to labor in the foreign ministry1 until now we have one hundred and forty-three quorums in the ,church--a body of nearly ten thousand men4 ,they are special witnesses of the name of ,christ in all the world1 and when their numbers are considered1 together with the privilege we have of increasing them1 you can see that ample provision is made1 in this respect1 for the work of the foreign ministry4 ,but now let us consider their organization for a moment4 ,sixty-three members with seven presidents1 when the quorum is complete1 constitute a quorum4 ,suppose you were to send an entire quorum of ,seventy bodily into the world--,i hope that will be done some day--you could break that quorum into groups of ten4 ,you could send with each group a president4 ,it should be remembered here that these presidents are equal in authority4 ,the council of a quorum of ,seventy is made up of seven presidents1 not one president and six counsellors--but seven presidents1 equal in authority4 ,for the sake of order in administration1 however1 the right of initiative and presidency in the council is recognized as being vested in the senior member by ordination1 not of age4 ,and this principle is observed not only in the case of the first or senior president1 but all down the line in the ,first ,council1 and in all quorum councils of the ,seventies4 ,by this simple arrangement all confusion as to the right of presidency is obviated2 for no sooner does the council of a quorum1 or any part thereof1 meet1 in any part of the world than each president knows at once upon whom the responsibility of initiative rests4 ,but to return to the groups of ten into which the quorum can be divided1 with a president for each group4 ,you could break each group of ten into five pairs1 and scatter them out among the people1 to bear effectual witness of the truth of the gospel under the provision of the law of the gospel2 for it is the law of the gospel1 one may say1 for the ,elders to travel two and two1 mainly for the reason1 ,i suppose1 that ,god has declared that he would establish1 his word in the mouth of two or three witnesses2 and it is good when bearing testimony to the world that there should be the legal number of witnesses provided for in the law of ,god4 ,moreover1 there is a very much needed companionship and sympathy provided for when the ,elders travel two and two2 and they are a protection one to the other4 ,you could scatter these groups of ten in one or more states or countries2 and they could occasionally meet in group conferences1 exchange experiences1 give advice and counsel2 after which refreshing they could again divide into pairs1 scatter and so continue their ministry4 ,occasionally the seven groups of the quorum could be brought together in general quorum conference1 to take counsel for making their ministry more and ever more effectual3 to readjust methods2 to plan new campaigns2 to strengthen each other by a mutual exchange of experiences and sympathy2 and do whatever else their combined wisdom1 helped by the inspiration of the ,lord1 would suggest as right and proper to do in the furtherance of their high aim in bringing to pass the salvation of men4 ,such are the possibilities of a quorum of ,seventy4 ,it may become a veritable flying column of witnesses for ,god1 sweeping the earth with the testimony of ,jesus1 and calling the inhabitants of the earth unto repentance6 ,can you think of this beautiful arrangement for the foreign ministry as having its origin in the alleged epileptic hallucinations of a man8 ,such a conception is palpably absurd1 and utterly revolting to reason4 ,turn now for a moment to the home ministry of the ,church1 and what have you8 ,you have your stake organization1 with its ,presidency of three presiding ,high ,priests1 aided in their counsels and labors by the ,high ,council of the stake1 consisting of twelve ,high ,priests4 ,this council also constitutes a judicial body for the settlement of difficulties that may not be satisfactorily adjusted in the ,bishop's courts4 ,it is1 however1 an ecclesiastical court of original as well as of appellate jurisdiction4 ,you have a ,bishopric in the respective wards of the ,church1 constituting the local presidency of the ,aaronic ,priesthood1 with quorums of ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons to aid them in the work of their ministry4 ,the ,deacons take care of the house of the ,lord1 and are to be assistants to the ,teachers when occasion requires4 ,the ,teachers are the watchmen upon the towers of ,zion1 and it is their business to see that there is no iniquity in the ,church--no backbiting1 no faultfinding1 and that the members attend to their religious duties4 ,the ,priests' duty is to visit the homes of the people and instruct them in the gospel4 ,where they have sons or daughters who will not be amenable to the instructions of parents1 the priests with very great propriety could be invited to meet with and teach them the sublime truths of the gospel4 ,in addition to these officers of the wards and the stakes1 there is in each stake a quorum of ,high ,priests1 and one or more quorums of ,elders4 ,these constitute the standing ministry in the stakes of ,zion1 and are authorized to teach the gospel1 to warn all men against evil1 and to invite and persuade all men to come unto ,christ4 ,these are the provisions made for the home ministry1 in the ,church organization proper4 ,time will not admit reference to the auxiliary organizations--the ,sabbath schools1 ,improvement associations1 ,relief societies1 ,primary societies1 and ,religion classes4 ,but from the fireside of the people to the public assembly of worship2 from the cradle to the grave1 every provision is made for carrying on the work of the ministry1 at home1 instructing the ,saints in the things of ,god1 inviting all to come unto ,christ2 the object of the ,church being to lift to higher1 and ever higher levels the lives of the ,saints of ,god1 until they shall become perfect men and women in ,christ ,jesus the ,lord4 ,such are the arrangements1 in brief1 for the home ministry4 ,notwithstanding the clear distinction between the foreign ministry and the home ministry1 the lines that separate them may be crossed on occasion4 ,you remember how ,paul compares the ,church of ,christ to the body of a man1 and insists that every member and every organ is necessary to the perfect working of that organism2 that the head cannot say to the feet1 ,i have no need of thee2 neither can the feet say to the head1 ,i have no need of thee2 nor the hand to the eye1 ,i have no need of thee2 all the members of the body1 he argues1 are necessary4 ,now1 what would you think of a body that possessed a right hand and left hand1 yet the right hand would not at need come to the help of the left hand2 or the left hand refuse to come to the aid of the right hand8 ,you expect the two hands and arms of a man's body to help each other1 under the direction of the intelligence of the mind4 ,and so in the ,church of ,christ3 the home ministry and the foreign ministry cross the line of separation as occasion requires1 and come to the assistance of one another in accomplishing the purposes of ,god4 ,sometimes the officers who are particularly charged with the foreign ministry help at home2 the home ministry sometimes help in the foreign ministry2 but all work harmoniously together4 ,rising above both these great divisions of the ,priesthood1 the home ministry and the foreign ministry1 stands1 as the keystone in the arch1 the ,presidency of the ,church1 having control over both departments1 and directing the work of ,god in all the world4 ,no branch of the ,church1 however remote1 is beyond their oversight4 ,no ,elder1 let him be travelling where he will1 is outside the pale of their authority4 ,talk of catholicity being one of the marks of the true ,church of ,christ1 as our ,catholic friends sometimes do1 they shall find here in the ,church of ,christ a catholicity equal at least to their own claims4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints is the church universal2 and the ,president of the ,church holds universal jurisdiction4 ,moreover1 as ,prophet1 ,seer and ,revelator of the ,church he is the source through which ,god speaks1 not only to this people1 not only to the ,church of ,christ1 but to all the inhabitants of the earth1 and ,god will hold them accountable for the use they make of the words he shall speak through his appointed mouthpiece4 ,do not think that this man's authority is limited to this ,church alone4 ,all the inhabitants of the earth are children of ,god1 and he will deliver his word unto them through his prophet4 ,i rather like the idea that all the inhabitants of the earth belong to us--they are ,god's children1 though some of them are in rebellion and will not heed the commandments of their ,father just now4 ,but here in the ,church of ,christ is the center of ecclesiastical government4 ,here shine forth those rays of light that will grow brighter and brighter until all the inhabitants of the earth are enlightened by them4 ,now1 what do you think of this effort of philosophy1 as set forth by ,mr4 ,riley1 to account for ,mormonism8 ,how insipid1 how foolish1 how inadequate are the theories of men to account for the organization of this ,church6 ,the ,church is its own witness6 ,as the stars1 singing ever as they shine1 proclaim the hand that made them is divine1 so1 too1 this work1--the restored latter-day gospel--the ,church of ,christ--proclaims that it has a divine origin1 and that there is in it a divine power working out the purposes of ,god4 ,then let the imitators go on4 ,let them choose apostles1 if they want to--and some of them have them2 let them have seventies1 if they want to1 and some of them have them2 let them accept this doctrine and that doctrine until they shall have the complete organization and the complete doctrine in form1 if they want to2 but there is one thing they never can get1 worlds without end1 and that is the spirit of this work1 which gives it life and power4 ,this work will always be distinguished from the works of men1 in that there will be imminent in it the ,spirit of ,god working his sovereign will4 ,and that is something they cannot imitate4 ,my brethren and sisters1 ,i rejoice in the truth4 ,i rejoice in the gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it satisfies me completely4 ,it responds to the hungering of my spirit4 ,it meets the demands also of my intellectual nature4 ,and as ,i see the growth of intelligence among men1 an increase of scientific knowledge1 a broader understanding of the universe1 a comprehension of the extent and grandeur of the works of ,god1 ,i see in ,mormonism that which rises up to meet this enlarged knowledge of men4 ,mormonism teaches man that he is a child of ,god2 it tells him that he has in him divine elements that partake of the nature of ,god2 that after the resurrection he will live forever2 and that he may go on from one degree of excellence unto another until he shall attain unto something that is truly great1 worthy of a ,god to give1 and worthy of a son of ,god to receive4 ,i rejoice in these truths4 ,they cannot be accounted for by any theory that refers their origin to hallucinations of an epileptic's mind3 ,they are too substantial1 too grand1 too rational1 too sublime1 too soul inspiring1 to have any such contemptible origin4 ,their own intrinsic value--their own self evident truth--the institution to which they are committed as to a sacred depository for the benefit of mankind--,the ,church--all this proclaims their divine origin4 ,,note4 ,at the close of the above remarks1 ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith arose and said3 ,while ,i realize1 as you all do1 doubtless1 that it may be wholly unnecessary for me to say what ,i am going to say1 yet ,i feel prompted to say it1 and let it go for what it is worth4 ,i have been delighted with the most excellent discourse that we have listened to2 but ,i desire to say that it is a wonderful revelation to the ,latter-day ,saints1 and especially to those who were familiar with the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 to learn in these latter days that he was an epileptic6 ,i will simply remark1 ,god be praised1 that there are so many still living who knew the ,prophet ,joseph well1 and who are in a position to bear testimony1 to the truth that no such condition as that suggested in ,mr4 ,riley's hypothesis ever existed in the man4 ,he was never troubled with epilepsy4 ,of course1 this may be unnecessary to say1 after this fallacious1 foolish1 nonsensical theory--this fried froth--gotten up by vain philosophers to account for something they would like to destroy from off the face of the earth1 but are impotent to do it4 ,,foreword4 ,the ,mormon ,prophet1 is by ,lily ,dougall1 author of ,the ,mermaid1 ,the ,zeitgeist1 ,the ,madonna of a ,day1 ,beggars ,all1 etc4 ,the review of the book which follows was written at the request of the editor of the ,new ,york ,times ,saturday ,review1 and appeared in that paper1 impression of ,september #bc1 #ahii4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,mormon ,,prophet4 ,it was expected that sooner or later some attempt would be made to explain ,joseph ,smith1 the ,mormon ,prophet4 ,such was his character1 such the importance of the religion he founded1 so remarkable and thrilling the history of his people1 that he could not be ignored4 ,already of biographies there have been many1 some written from the side of sympathy and belief in his prophetic calling2 more from the standpoint of the polemic contemner4 ,even fiction before now has found incidents in his career and elements in his character that promised material for its purpose4 ,but the fiction in the main has been sorry stuff1 utterly contemptible from its distortion of facts and sickening in its childish efforts to deny the ,mormon leader or his people any honesty of purpose1 uprightness of intention1 or praise for what they have achieved4 ,the latest work of ,miss ,lily ,dougall1 ,the ,mormon ,prophet1 however1 does not belong to that class of fiction4 ,here1 at least1 we have a strong1 clear-cut1 purpose story1 lofty in tone2 its incidents easily within the lines of probability1 and singularly free from the vulgarity of nearly all the writers of fiction who have made their work at any point touch ,mormonism4 ,it is an honest effort to account for ,joseph ,smith and his work2 and1 ,i may add1 without depreciating any one worthy of consideration1 that it enjoys the distinction of being about the first honest effort in the department of fiction to account for the ,mormon ,prophet4 ,this1 it must be explained1 is not said in approval of the entire book or its purpose1 but is said of the story as unobjectionable fiction and the honesty of effort upon the part of the authoress to solve what must have been to her1 and what is to the world1 a difficult problem4 ,that ,miss ,dougall writes from intimate acquaintance with the early history of the ,mormons is apparent on every page2 that she has followed the order of events1 all acquainted with the history of our people well know2 and if1 as she explains in her preface1 she has taken necessary liberty with incidents1 those that she has used have not been violently wrested1 and those invented have not been much out of harmony with the facts of history4 ,the point at which her work is vulnerable is the point of view from which she treats her subject4 ,in studying the character and achievements of ,joseph ,smith1 she was evidently not ready to accept him as a prophet truly inspired of ,god1 nor could she accept the theory of conscious invention as a reasonable explanation of his life's work2 for1 had that been the source of his efforts in rounding a religion1 it would not have left sufficient power to carry him through persecution1 in which his life hung in the balance and his cause appeared to be lost2 nor could she believe that the class of earnest men who constituted the rank and file of his early following would have been so long deceived by a deliberate hypocrite4 ,it appears to me1 she explains more likely that ,smith was genuinely deluded by the automatic freaks of a vigorous but undisciplined brain1 and that yielding to these1 he became confirmed in the hysterical temperament which always adds to delusion self-deception1 and to self-deception1 half-conscious fraud4 ,she calls to aid of her theory--and with marked skill1 be it said--the inclination of the times toward superstition4 ,in his day1 she remarks1 it was necessary to reject a marvel or admit its spiritual significance2 granting the honest delusion as to his vision and his book1 his only choice lay between counting himself the sport of devils or the agent of heaven2 an optimistic temperament cast the die4 ,this is ,miss ,dougall's point of view in the treatment of her subject1 and it is utterly untenable4 ,the facts in which ,mormonism had its origin are of such a character that they cannot be resolved into delusion or mistake4 ,either they were truth or conscious1 ,simon-pure invention4 ,it is not possible to place the matter on middle ground4 ,joseph ,smith was either a true prophet or a conscious fraud or villain4 ,had his religion found its origin in the visions of his own mind1 without any connection with material objects1 as was the case with ,emanuel ,sweedenborg1 then there would have been room for ,miss ,dougall's theory2 but the facts in which ,mormonism had its origin had to do with quite a different order of things4 ,the ancient record of ,america1 revealed to ,joseph ,smith by an angel1 and which was finally given into his keeping to translate1 was no visionary book--no mere creation of an overwrought brain but actual substance1 sensible to touch as to sight1 consisting of golden plates1 with length1 breadth1 and thickness4 ,each plate was about seven by eight inches in dimension1 and somewhat thinner than common tin2 the whole bound together by rings made a volume some six inches in thickness4 ,these plates ,joseph ,smith claimed to have handled1 and during the time they were in his possession--some two years--he frequently removed them from place to place in the most matter-of-fact way4 ,others saw and handled them1 also1 not only the three men to whom the angel ,moroni exhibited them1 and whose testimony accompanies every ,book of ,mormon published1 but eight other men1 whose testimony is also published in every ,book of ,mormon1 testify that ,joseph ,smith showed the plates to them2 that they saw and handled them1 and examined the characters engraven thereon4 ,it cannot be said that ,joseph ,smith and these men were self-deceived in such things2 not even the automatic freaks of a vigorous but undisciplined brain1 could delude itself in such matters4 ,the ,book of ,mormon plates had an existence1 and ,joseph ,smith and others who testified to the fact saw and handled them1 or they were conscious frauds and lied and conspired to deceive4 ,so with many other manifestations which the claims to have received4 ,many of them consisted of and conversations with resurrected personages--men of flesh and bone--who laid their hands upon the head of ,joseph ,smith and others who were with him4 ,there was no chance for self-delusion or mistake to enter into such transactions1 and no theory based upon the idea of ,joseph ,smith being confirmed in the hysterical temperament can explain away these stubborn facts1 however well intentioned or skilfully worked out4 ,it is to be regretted that ,miss ,dougall has not extended her studies of ,mormonism beyond the ,nauvoo period2 had she done so she would have escaped some errors that now appear in her work1 such as treating seriously the story of the ,danite organization1 which never had any existence by reason of any sanction given it by ,church authorities4 ,nor would she have assumed so largely the ignorance of early converts of ,mormonism1 upon which she depends strongly for the working out of her theory ,joseph ,smith's character4 ,here in ,utah1 in the past1 we have had with us very many of those early converts to ,mormonism2 some of them are still with us1 and could ,miss ,dougall have met them she would have found them people of rather superior intelligence and character1 and not at all the ignorant and superstitious persons they are generally supposed to have been4 ,nor would she have committed the blunder of saying that ,mormons revered but one prophet4 ,while it is doubtless true that ,joseph ,smith will always hold a pre-eminence among the prophets in the ,church1 yet the ,mormons believe that all the men who have succeeded him in the ,presidency of the ,church have held the same keys of authority1 possessed the same rights1 and exercised the same prophetic powers that were exercised by him4 ,in conclusion1 let me say1 it has been suggested that certain claims made for the early followers of ,joseph ,smith were later repudiated by members of the sect4 ,that is not true1 so far as the ,church is concerned4 ,what individual members scattered over the country formerly occupied by the ,saints1 but over whom the ,church has no jurisdiction--what they may have repudiated of ,joseph ,smith's early or even later teachings we cannot1 of course1 say2 but for the ,church1 it can be said that not one of the early claims or teachings of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith has ever been repudiated1 nor is there any institution or doctrine of the ,church1 which did not arise from his teachings2 for all of which he is morally responsible4 ,such changes as have taken place are but the natural developments of that which he founded4 ,,foreword4 ,this review of ,mr4 ,harry ,leon ,wilson's book was submitted to several eastern papers for publication1 but was not accepted by any of them4 ,the refusal of the article by the several eastern publications to which it was submitted illustrates in a way the difficulties which the ,mormon people have now for a long time met with in correcting the misrepresentations made of them1 and from which they have suffered so much4 ,here was a book of no small pretentious the work of a popular author1 pretending to deal with the historical facts and character of a great people much in the public eye1 and very much maligned and seriously misrepresented by the writer of ,the ,lions4 ,yet no correction of this misrepresentation would be allowed by the publications to which this review was submitted4 ,mr4 ,wilson's book had a wide circulation1 and every consideration of fairness demanded that the people suffering from its falsehoods should be heard if they asked for that hearing and presented their case in a proper spirit1 and in a literary style suitable for such a controversy4 ,of the suitableness of the article ,i shall leave the reader to judge4 ,after being rejected by eastern papers1 it was finally published in the ,deseret ,evening ,news of ,october #eth1 #aijc4 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,lions ,,of ,,the ,,lord4 ,i have just read the ,lions of the ,lord1 by ,harry ,leon ,wilson4 ,an extended friendly review of it in a leading ,utah paper volunteers the statement that ,mr4 ,wilson gained his principal information during a few weeks' visit in ,salt ,lake last fall1 and some time spent over the ,schroeder ,mormon library1 now in ,iowa4 ,no one can doubt the accuracy of the statement2 the treatment of the theme bears every evidence of the author's hasty and shallow thought upon the subject with which he attempts to deal4 ,but he spent some time over the ,schroeder ,mormon library2 yes1 and what is more1 he was undoubtedly coached by ,mr4 ,schroeder while at work in the library2 for the salacious fiction which that gentleman of unsavory reputation in ,utah used to serve up to the delectation of the readers of his ,lucifer's ,lantern is altogether too evident in ,mr4 ,wilson's book1 and justly entitled him to recognition as collaborator with ,mr4 ,wilson in its production4 ,since inadvertently the source of the author's inspiration and information is disclosed1 a word respecting ,mr4 ,schroeder1 the should-be-recognized collaborator of ,mr4 ,wilson1 becomes necessary in this review4 ,mr4 ,schroeder is known to fame in ,utah first as a lawyer who stands under the recorded public censure of the ,supreme ,court of the state of ,utah for unprofessional conduct1 as is witnessed in the tenth volume of the ,utah ,reports of the ,supreme ,court of the state4 ,secondly he is known locally as the collector of a library on ,mormonism1 in which prominence and preference is given to anti-,mormon works redolent of that putridity so delectable to men of debased natures and perverted tastes4 ,thirdly1 and perhaps most prominently1 he is known as the author1 proprietor1 and publisher of ,lucifer's ,lantern1 that may be described as an intermittent periodical-now some time since happily defunct--most worthy of its title and its author4 ,it is into such hands ,mr4 ,wilson unfortunately fell1 and by such a person he was evidently coached1 in his study of ,mormonism4 ,the evidence of all this1 apart from the inadvertent admission of the friendly ,utah reviewer1 is to be found in the identity of the sewer-stench that attaches to the work of both2 in the use of the same materials2 and the adoption of similar methods4 ,as for instance3 ,a somewhat eccentric writer in the early days of the ,mormon ,church characterized a number of the prominent ,church leaders under what was to him descriptive titles1 such as ,brigham ,young1 ,lion of the ,lord2 ,wilford ,woodruff1 ,banner of the ,gospel2 ,john ,taylor1 ,champion of ,liberty4 ,this evidently appealed to the erratic and fantastical intellect of ,mr4 ,schroeder1 and led him to adopt as the title of his intermittent1 and now defunct anti-,mormon periodical1 ,lucifer's ,lantern2 and on the title page of the last number of the ,lantern he gratuitously invents for ,lorenzo ,snow1 then ,president of the ,mormon ,church1 the descriptive title--as he supposes--,boss of ,jehovah's ,buckler4 ,now1 ,mr4 ,wilson having his attention directed to the descriptive title of early leading ,mormon ,elders invented by the aforesaid eccentric1 though friendly writer1 conceived the idea of making the chief character of his story of the number of those who had received such titles1 and hence confers upon ,joel ,rae1 the character in his book about whom he centers all the horrors of his gruesome tale1 the blasphemous title--,lute of the ,holy ,ghost6 ,or was it ,mr4 ,schroeder2 for one dreads to think that a man of the order of talents of ,mr4 ,wilson could stoop to the low blasphemy of such a performance2 while it is altogether in accordance both with the principles and practice of his should-be-acknowledged collaborator1 ,mr4 ,shroeder2 for blatant atheism was and is the latter's pride and boast2 and he was wont1 as we have seen by his use of it in ,lucifer's ,lantern1 to ascribe fanciful titles to leading ,mormons4 ,a word1 in headlines1 as to the story itself2 that it is possessed of dramatic force1 and literary merit will go without saying when it is known that its author is also the author of ,the ,spenders4 ,that it deals with elements capable of being so combined as to produce the most intense human interest will be conceded when ,i say that it treats of religious fanaticism--the faith--fanatic faith1 that ,once wedded fast ,to some dear idol1 ,hugs it to the last2 of love--the theme of the ages1 the one theme ever old and ever new--the theme perennial2 with human passions and ambitions1 the desire for that most deceitful end of all human ambitions--the desire for sanctity while living1 and a reputation for holiness when dead4 ,these the elements of the story2 and now the incidents3 ,joel ,rae1 bred in the word and the truth of ,mormonism1 if not born in it1 returns to ,nauvoo from a mission just upon the time that the last remnant of the ,saints have departed from that ill-fated city4 ,he finds that the home of his parents in the outskirts of ,nauvoo has been destroyed by mobs2 and that his aged father and mother were driven into ,nauvoo1 where they are for the time under the protection of an apostate family2 that his fiancee1 with her family1 has turned from the faith1 and she is only awaiting his arrival to ascertain if he will join her in her apostasy4 ,this he refuses to do1 and with his parents prepares to follow his expatriated people in their great westward movement4 ,while being ferried over the ,mississippi1 the aged father of young ,rae--the son not being present--is pitched into the river by ruffian hands and is drowned2 his aged mother dies from the shock of the horrible murder2 and young ,rae1 made desperate by those events1 becomes a ,son of ,dan1 a supposed secret society of the blood and thunder order1 oath-bound to support the ,first ,presidency of the ,church of1 ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 in all things1 right or wrong6 ,he forms one of the band of pioneers which ,brigham ,young led to the ,salt ,lake valley in #ahdg1 and gives numerous evidences of increasing fanaticism1 much to the delight of the ,mormon leaders1 which delight is here and there expressed in silly1 blasphemous sentences of which the following is a fair sample3 ,when that young man ,rae gets all het up with the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,angel of the ,lord just has to give down6 ,in the new home of the ,saints young ,rae does his full share of both manual and spiritual labor4 ,in the latter he succeeded too well since he preached better1 worked more seeming miracles1 and prophesied more than the other ,lions of the ,lord4 ,brigham declares him soul proud1 and sends him to the ,missouri river in #aheg to bring in the handcart companies1 in which expedition he witnesses enough distress and misery to humble the most soul proud man alive1 since the sufferings of the handcart companies from cold1 famine and over toil is the result of his own bad judgement in starting late in the season4 ,arriving in ,salt ,lake1 however1 his fanatical preaching starts a reformation1 i4 e41 an outburst of wild fanaticism attended upon by murders1 and voluntary submissions to secret executions1 to atone for the commission of the more heinous sins4 ,rae's fanaticism makes him a participant in the ,mountain ,meadows massacre in which it falls to his lot to kill the young militia captain--,grimway--who had assisted ,rae to leave ,nauvoo1 and who subsequently married the woman to whom ,rae was betrothed4 ,she1 too1 was with the emigrants attacked at ,mountain ,meadows1 and ,rae1 after killing her husband1 saw her murdered and scalped by an ,indian4 ,from the number of emigrants doomed to death ,rae rescued a white-haired boy and the little daughter of his one-time betrothed wife1 ,prudence ,corson4 ,the boy he leaves at ,hamblin's ranch1 whence he escapes1 swearing vengeance against ,rae1 whom he saw kill the father of the little girl--,prudence ,grimway4 ,the girl ,prudence--named after her mother--,rae leaves at a neighboring ranch1 claiming her as his own child1 for whom he will later return4 ,haunted by the memories of the awful slaughter of the gentile emigrants at ,mountain ,meadows1 he goes north1 actively participates in the resistance to the ,united ,states' army under ,albert ,sidney ,johnston1 then entering ,utah1 but is disgusted with the final submission of ,brigham ,young to ,united ,states authority1 and takes up his abode in a new settlement far to the south of ,salt ,lake ,city1 and not far from the ,mountain ,meadows4 ,here his life of penance begins4 ,in a spirit of self-sacrifice he marries a woman with but one hand1 and a disfigured face4 ,the hand she lost by having it frozen while pushing a hand cart in the belated company ,rae had led to ,utah years before4 ,he also married another woman--a poor half-starved1 cast off wife of a prominent ,mormon ,bishop2 and later still1 another wife1 a shallow-witted1 talkative creature who is a cross indeed to the man of many sorrows4 ,he takes under his protection also a poor imbecile man1 the victim of a horrible1 and unnameable mutilation2 and a woman who had gone insane because her husband married another wife4 ,the wives1 to his honor be it said1 were such in name only4 ,this collection of the woebegone1 with the child ,prudence added1 make up the ,rae household4 ,the girl ,prudence becomes beautiful1 of course1 and is much sought by men of middle life already possessed of many wives1 no less a personage than ,brigham ,young being among the number2 and it is represented that the latter suitor had but to send word in advance to the foster father of his intention to marry the girl on his next journey south1 in order to close the matrimonial incident1 except the formal word-ceremony1 and taking away the bride6 ,but ,miss ,prudence had visited ,salt ,lake1 and while there witnessed the performance at the theater of ,romeo and ,juliet1 which is sufficient to give her ideas of love and matrimony all her own4 ,the balcony scene much impressed her2 and ever afterwards became her ideal of expressed love4 ,a few years of dreaming on the part of the maiden1 and a few years of silent suffering on the part of ,joel ,rae1 now the little man of sorrows1 then the lad of the ,meadows1 ,ruel ,follett1 who escaped from ,hamblin's ranch swearing vengeance on ,rae and two other participants in the massacre1 returns1 seeking his revenge4 ,he is now a young man1 handsome1 brave1 strong1 aggressive4 ,but he is baffled in his mission of retribution4 ,two of the murderers he seeks are already dead some time since1 and ,rae is so pitifully weak and distraught by the haunting memories of that awful butchery that young ,follett cannot find the heart to kill him2 besides there is ,prudence1 who loves the little man of sorrows with true filial affection4 ,the upshot of it all is that young ,follett leaves to time the duty of taking off ,rae--an event that cannot be long deferred1 since the little man is fast hastening to the end of his earthly career2 and meantime ,follett insidiously woos ,prudence1 and wins her love2 while she makes an unsuccessful effort to convert him to ,mormonism4 ,in all their readings1 and conversations upon the ,book of ,mormon and other subjects connected with the ,mormon religion1 ,follett is given an easy victory over the poor girl by the employment of covert sneers1 slightly concealed sarcasms and tender ridicule4 ,meantime ,joel ,rae has lost his faith in ,mormonism2 he discovers that polygamy is wrong2 the ,saints abandoned of ,god2 and on the occasion of ,brigham ,young paying his annual visit to the settlement where ,rae lives1 he tells the prophet and the people his discoveries4 ,anticipating the vengeance of the ,sons of ,dan1 ,rae flies to the cross and cairn of stones erected on the site of the ,mountain ,meadows massacre1 that he may die--according to orthodox dramatic canons--at the place where his awful crime was committed4 ,he is followed by ,prudence and young ,follett1 who come up to him at the cross erected by ,gentile hands on the site of the massacre1 where1 in company with two ,indians1 they watched him peacefully pass away in a rather protracted death scene1 to the accompaniment of an ,indian tom-tom drum1 and notwithstanding one of the redmen waves before his eyes the yellow scalp-lock which years before he had seen reeking with blood snatched from the head of the woman he loved4 ,young ,follett and ,prudence1 as soon as the little man of sorrows is buried1 leave for the east with a passing wagon train1 and having been married by ,rae a few minutes before his death1 the reader is left to infer that they lived happily ever after1 in some eastern city1 far1 far away from fanatical ,mormons1 and their wickedness1 where only monogamous marriages obtain1 and conjugal happiness is never disturbed by the haunting fears of marital infidelities1 or polygamy1 simultaneous or consecutive4 ,i have been at the pains to give this rather full synopsis of the story1 that my readers may be witnesses of the fact that ,mr4 ,wilson has certainly massed enough of gruesome materials to furnish to repletion several chambers of horrors4 ,far be it from me to suggest that so prominent an author has stooped to the methods of yellow-backed1 ten-cent novelists of a quarter of a century ago1 in the matter at least of the quality and mass of incidents to be woven into story4 ,this glance at the incidents of the story also reveals the opportunity they will afford the author for gathering into one view the bigotry1 ignorance1 weakness1 fanaticism1 and wickedness of individual ,mormons1 all to be interwoven with the mockery1 sarcasm1 ridicule1 ribaldry1 innuendo and insults of their enemies4 ,and now1 as to the treatment of the theme4 ,the author of the ,lions of the ,lord in his opening chapter--the prettiest piece of descriptive writing in the book--has drawn heavily upon1 if he has not actually plagiarized from1 the lecture of the late ,general ,thomas ,l4 ,kane1 of ,philadelphia1 delivered before the ,historical ,society of ,pennsylvania1 on ,march #bf1 #ahej4 ,mr4 ,wilson heads his first chapter ,the ,dead ,city1 meaning ,nauvoo after the departure of the last of the ,mormons4 ,mr4 ,kane opens his ,lecture under the caption ,the ,deserted ,city1 meaning ,nauvoo after the departure of the last of the ,mormons4 ,mr4 ,wilson makes his hero1 ,joel ,rae1 enter the dead city in ,september4 ,mr4 ,kane enters the deserted city late in the autumn4 ,mr4 ,wilson's hero from a skiff in mid-river views the temple on the hill top2 presently landing at the wharf1 he was stunned by the hush of the streets4 ,mr4 ,kane procured a skiff1 and rowing across the river1 landed at the chief wharf of the city4 ,no one met me there4 ,i looked and saw no one4 ,i could hear no one move1 though the quiet everywhere was such that ,i could hear the flies buzz4 ,the closeness with which ,mr4 ,wilson follows ,mr4 ,kane's beautifully descriptive passages1 however1 will best be seen and appreciated when placed in parallel paragraphs1 as follows3 ,left column3 ,mr4 ,wilson4 ,the ,dead ,city4 ,right column3 ,mr4 ,kane4 ,the ,deserted ,city4 ,wilson ,the city without life lay handsomely along a river in the early sunlight of a ,september morning44444,from the half-circle around which the broad river bent its moody current1 the neat houses1 set in cool green gardens1 were terraced up the high hill1 and from the summit of this a stately marble temple1 glittering of newness1 towered far above them in placid benediction4 ,kane ,half encircled by the bend of the river1 a beautiful city lay glittering in the fresh autumn morning sun2 its bright new dwellings1 set in cool green gardens1 ranging up around a stately dome shaped hill which was crowned by a noble marble edifice1 whose high tapering spire was radiant with white and gold4 ,wilson ,mile after mile the streets lay silent1 along the river front1 up to the hilltop1 and beyond into the level4444,and when they had run their length1 and the outlying fields were reached1 there1 too1 the same brooding spell-and the land stretched away in the hush and haze4 ,kane ,the city appeared to cover several miles2 and beyond it1 in the background1 there rolled off a fair country1 checquered by the careful lines of fruitful husbandry4 ,wilson ,the yellow grain1 heavy-headed with richness1 lay beaten down and rotting1 for there were no reapers4 ,the city1 it seemed1 had died calmly1 painlessly1 drowsily1 as if overcome by sleep4 ,kane ,fields upon fields of heavy headed yellow grain lay rotting ungathered upon the ground4 ,no one was at hand to take in their rich harvest4 ,as far as the eye could reach1 they stretched away1 they sleeping1 too1 in the hazy air of autumn4 ,wilson3 ,he started wonderingly up a street that led from the i waterside4 4 4 4 ,he was now passing empty workshops1 hesitating door after door with ever mounting alarm4 4 4 4 4 ,growing bolder1 he tried some of the doors and found them to yield4 4 4 4 4 ,he passed an empty rode walk1 the hemp strewn about1 as if the workers had left hurriedly4 ,he peered curiously at idle looms and deserted spinning wheels--deserted apparently but the instant before he came4 4 4 ,he entered a carpenter's shop4 ,on the bench was an unfinished door1 a plane where it had been shoved half the length of its edge1 the fresh pine shaving still curling over the side4 4 4 4 4 ,he turned into a baker's shop and saw freshly chopped kindling piled against the oven1 and dough actually on the kneading tray4 ,in a tanner's vat he found fresh bark4 ,in a blacksmith's shod he entered next the fire was out1 but there was coal headed beside the forge1 with the ladling pool and the crooked water horn1 and on the anvil was a horseshoe that had cooled before it was finished4 ,kane ,i walked through the solitary streets4 4 4 4 ,i went about unchecked4 ,i went into empty workshops1 ropewalks and smithies4 ,kane ,the spinner's wheel was idle2 the carpenter had gone from his work bench and shavings1 his unfinished sash and casing4 ,kane ,fresh bark was in the tanner's vat1 and the fresh chopped lightwood stood piled against the baker's oven4 ,kane ,the blacksmith shop was cold1 but his coal heap1 and lading pool1 and crooked water horn were all there as if he had just gone off for a holiday4 ,wilson ,he entered one of the gardens1 clinking the gate-latch loudly after him1 but no one challenged4 ,he drew a drink from the ,well with its loud rattling chain and clumsy water-bucket1 but no one called4 ,at the door of the house he pounded1 and at last flung it open with all the noise he could make4 ,still his hungry ears fed on nothing but sinister echoes1 and barren husks of his clamour4 ,there was no curt voice of a man1 no quick questioning tread of a woman4 ,there were dead white ashes on the hearth1 and the silence was grimly kept by the dumb household gods4 ,kane ,if ,i went into the gardens1 linking the wicket latch after me1 to pull the marigolds1 heart's ease and lady slippers and draw a drink with the water-sodden bucket and its noisy chain1 or knocked off with my stick the tall headed dahlias and sunflowers1 hunting over the beds for cucumbers and love-apples2 no one called out to me from any open window1 or dog sprang forward to bark alarm4 ,i could have supposed the people hidden in their houses1 but the doors were unfastened2 and when at last ,i timidly entered them1 ,i found dead ashes white upon the hearth1 and had to tread a-tip-toe as if walking down the aisles of a country church4 ,mr4 ,wilson certainly has a remarkably similar taste to that of ,colonel ,kane for flowers and gardens4 ,young ,rae meets ,prudence in the gardens--now observe3 ,left column3 ,mr4 ,wilson4 ,right column3 ,mr4 ,kane4 ,wilson ,he ran to her--over beds of marigolds1 heart's ease and lady slippers1 through a row of drowsy looking heavy headed dahlias1 and passed other withering flowers1 all but choked out by the rank garden growths of late summer4 ,kane ,if ,i went into the gardens4 4 4 to pull the marigolds1 heart's ease and lady slippers1 4 4 4 or knock off the tall1 heavy headed dahlias and the sunflowers1 hunting over the beds for cucumbers and love-apples--no one called out to me4 ,after ,mr4 ,wilson had followed ,general ,kane in the matter of flowers so closely1 one marvels that he did not go with him as far as the sunflowers and love-apples2 but ,general ,kane was hunting over beds of cucumbers1 and perhaps the author of the ,lions of the ,lord found that his taste for vegetables did not run so closely with the ,general's in the vegetable line as in the matter of flowers4 ,but seriously1 does not the code of ethics in literature require that our rising young author should either have the grace to put these descriptive passages in quotation marks1 or else frankly give the source whence he draws the prettiest bits of description in his much-vaunted book8 ,in the event of the work reaching a second edition1 ,i suggest that he adopt the whole of ,general ,kane's description of ,the ,deserted ,city1 for his opening chapter2 for beautiful as his own is1 it but shines with a borrowed light1 and when compared with the ,general's it appears to great disadvantage4 ,a word as to the purpose of the ,lions of the ,lord2 for ,mr4 ,wilson's performance must be classified with the purpose novel4 ,undoubtedly there is such a thing as instructive fiction1 and the purpose novel has its place as one of the agencies which contribute to the enlightenment of humanity4 ,but if it takes hold of our respect it must be1 in harmony with the truth--though fiction1 it must speak truly2 and keep within the probabilities of the subject in hand4 ,or1 to slightly paraphrase an utterance in ,mr4 ,wilson's preface1 if the writer now and again has to divine certain things that do not show--yet must be--surely this must not be less than truth4 ,for a writer of purpose fiction to do other than this is to make himself as much liable to censure as the historian who would pervert the truth which he is in honor bound to state whether it fits in with his personal theories or not4 ,in his preface1 ,mr4 ,wilson informs us that he designed to make a tale from his observations of western life in ,salt ,lake and ,utah2 but in his search for things on which to found his fiction he was so dismayed by facts so much more thrilling than any fiction he might have imagined1 that he turned from his first purpose in order to try to tell what had really been4 ,in this story then1 says he1 the things that are strangest have most truth4 ,the make-believe is hardly more than a cement to join the queerly wrought stones of fact that were found ready4 ,hence we are to be turned from considering his work as fiction in order to regard it as truth4 ,it is exactly at this point that ,i arraign ,mr4 ,wilson before the bar of public opinion1 and tell him that what he represents as true ,i denounce as false2 and this quite apart from any books from which he has paraphrased much of the matter he weaves into his story4 ,the trouble is that the sources whence he makes his deductions are as untrue in their statements as his paraphrases of them are4 ,mr4 ,wilson is as one who walks through some splendid orchard and gathers here and there the worm-eaten1 frost-bitten1 wind-blasted1 growth-stunted and rotten fruit1 which in spite of the best of care is to be found in every orchard2 bringing this to us he says3 ,this is the fruit of yonder orchard2 you see how worthless it is2 an orchard growing such fruit is ready for the burning4 ,whereas1 the fact may be that there are tons and tons of beautiful1 luscious fruit1 as pleasing to the eye as it would be agreeable to the palate1 remaining in the orchard to which he does not call our attention at all4 ,would not such a representation of the orchard be an untruth1 notwithstanding his blighted specimens were gathered from its trees8 ,if he presents to us the blighted specimens of fruit from the orchard1 is he not in truth and in honor bound also to call our attention to the rich harvest of splendid fruit that still remains ungathered before he asks us to pass judgement on the orchard8 ,i am not so blind in my admiration of the ,mormon people1 or so bigoted in my devotion to the ,mormon faith as to think that there are no individuals in that ,church chargeable with fanaticism1 folly1 intemperate speech and wickedness2 nor am ,i blind to the fact that some in their over-zeal have lacked judgement2 and that in times of excitement1 under stress of special provocation1 even ,mormon leaders have given utterance to ideas that are indefensible4 ,but ,i have yet to learn that it is just in a writer of history or of purpose fiction1 that must speak truly1 to make a collection of these things and represent them as of the essence of that faith against which said writer draws an indictment4 ,no one would measure the belief of ,christians1 says a truly great writer1 by certain statements in the ,fathers1 nor judge the moral principles of ,roman ,catholics by prurient quotations from the casuists2 nor yet estimate ,lutherans by the utterances and deeds of the early successors of ,luther1 nor ,calvanists by the burning of ,servitus4 ,in such cases the general standpoint of the times has to taken into account4 7,edeshiem's ,life and ,times of ,jesus the ,messiah1 preface1 page #h47 ,a long time ago the great ,edmund ,burke1 in his defense of the rashness expressed in both speech and action some of our patriots of the ,american ,revolution period1 said3 ,it is not fair to judge of the temper or the disposition of any man or set of men when they are composed and at rest from their conduct or their expressions in a state of disturbance and irritation4 ,the justice of ,burke's assertion has never been questioned1 and without any wresting whatsoever it may be applied to ,mormon leaders who sometimes spoke and acted under the recollection of rank injustice perpetrated against themselves and their people2 or rebuke rising evils against which their souls revolted4 ,mr4 ,wilson's book is a false indictment against ,mormonism1 and against the leading characters of the ,mormon ,church4 ,the speeches he represents as falling from their lips1 could never be recognized in the utterances of ,mormons1 either among the leaders1 or the rank and file4 ,the blasphemous phraseology was never heard in ,mormon camps or pulpits4 ,such expressions as ,when that young man gets all het up with the ,holy ,ghost1 the angel of the ,lord just has to give down2 or ,lord1 what won't ,brother ,brigham do when the ,holy ,ghost gets a strangle-holt on him8 are blasphemies utterly impossible to the ,mormon mind4 ,such expressions as the following1 represented as coming from ,brigham ,young3 ,the ,lute of the ,holy ,ghost will now say a word of farewell from our pioneers to those who must stay behind1 is equally impossible2 and so are many other speeches which he puts into the mouths of leading characters of the ,mormon ,church4 ,even this blasphemous phrase-name given to ,joel ,rae--,lute of the ,holy ,ghost--is not original with ,mr4 ,wilson4 ,it was a cognomen given to ,ephraem ,syrus1 the greatest man1 says ,andrew ,d4 ,white1 author of ,a ,history of the ,warfare of ,science with ,theology in ,christendom1--the greatest man of the old ,syrian ,church1 widely known as the ',lute of the ,holy ,ghost4' ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ib of work named in text4 ,the most serious injustice ,mr4 ,wilson does the ,mormon people1 however1 the thing in which he most departs from the facts established1 not only by history but by the decisions of the ,united ,states courts in ,utah1 is in that he makes the awful crime of the massacre of emigrants at ,mountain ,meadows1 in #aheg1 the crime of the ,mormon ,church4 ,over and over again in fact he makes that charge1 and represents his chief character1 ,joel ,rae1 as seeking to take upon himself the sins of the ,church for committing that crime2 and in one place represents him as saying3 ,for fifteen years ,i have lain in hell for the work this ,church did at ,mountain ,meadows4 ,to bear false witness against one's neighbor even in matters that may be trivial1 is a contemptible crime2 but when in bearing false witness the charge is that of murder1 wholesale murder1 and that under circumstances the most revolting and horrible1 the crime then of bearing false witness rises above the merely contemptible1 and to be seen in its true enormity1 must be regarded as bearing a due proportion to the crime charged4 ,that is1 next to being guilty of the crime itself must be the crime of falsely charging it to the innocent4 ,i care nothing for the fact that the predecessors of ,mr4 ,wilson1 in works of fiction on the ,west have made similar charges4 ,he will not be justified in following their evil example4 ,a man of his standing in the world of letters1 starting out to try to tell what had really been1 to write fiction that must speak no less than truth--he was under obligations both to himself and the people to whom his message should go1 to investigate all the facts1 and speak truly in harmony with them in every case4 ,it is not necessary here to enter into any argument or even produce the evidence that the ,mormon ,church was in no wise responsible1 in no wise connected with the awful butchery at ,mountain ,meadows4 ,the evidence of these things appear upon the very surface of our history in ,utah1 and also in decisions of ,united ,states judges who would only have been too happy to have implicated the ,mormon ,church officials in that awful crime if it had been possible4 ,in fact they tried to so fix the responsibility1 and failed4 ,but it is enough here to tell ,mr4 ,wilson1 that he has ,committed an act of injustice for which ,i would not like to stand responsible at the judgement bar of ,god2 ,i am confident that he will be driven to the necessity of choosing between these alternatives3 either that he has consciously spoken contrary to truth in the matter2 or else he has given merely surface consideration to one side of the subject only which he represents himself as having considered profoundly2 in either event ,mr4 ,wilson has assumed a most serious responsibility4 ,,iv4 ,a ,,brief ,,defense ,,of ,,the ,,mormon ,,people4 ,,foreword4 ,in the year #aijc1 ,mr4 ,l4 ,c4 ,bateman1 one of the editors of the ,lewiston 7,maine7 ,journal visited ,salt ,lake ,city and other parts of ,utah4 ,he formed a favorable impression of the ,mormon people1 and their progress in all that makes for civilization4 ,the result of his observations while in ,utah ,mr4 ,bateman published in his paper1 the ,lewiston 7,maine7 ,journal4 ,this article attracted the attention of the ,deseret ,news1 which made some favorable comment upon its general fairness4 ,observing this1 a non-,mormon resident of ,salt ,lake ,city wrote the ,journal1 protesting against the letter published by its editorial staff correspondent1 saying that such treatment of the ,mormon question was harmful in that it gave encouragement to ,mormonism4 ,the communication of ,m was sent to this writer--who met ,mr4 ,bateman1 during his visit to ,utah--with the request that he make answer to it1 which he did under the title ,a ,brief ,defense of the ,mormon ,people1 which was published in the ,journal4 ,of the success of this answer ,mr4 ,bateman1 the editor of the ,journal1 wrote as follows3 ,,lewiston1 ,,maine1 ,oct4 #d1 #aijc4 ,my ,dear ,mr4 ,roberts3 ,permit me to congratulate you on the magnificent and overwhelming reply that you made to my critic ,m4 from ,salt ,lake4 ,it is one of the finest and most crushing things that we have printed for years4 ,i could easily have replied to ,m myself1 and made him an object of ridicule1 but ,i thought it would be better to have the reply come from a ,mormon4 ,my original article neither endorsed nor condemned4 ,i merely told facts and the truth as ,i saw them4 ,and ,i personally am an agnostic4 ,it is only from that class that you can get justice4 ,this article of yours will create a profound impression all over ,new ,england4 ,it is so complete and conclusive that ,i anticipate nothing more from the jaundiced ,m4 ,i send you copy of ,journal4 ,yours cordially1 ,l4 ,c4 ,,bateman4 ,i4 ,eastern ,eulogy of ,mormons' ,system4 ,to ,editors of the ,lewiston ,journal3 ,the ,deseret ,news of ,salt ,lake ,city1 which is the official organ of the ,mormon priesthood1 in its issue of ,aug4 #fth1 contains an editorial expressing its great satisfaction over the recent eulogistic article in the ,journal1 on the merits of the ,mormons and their peculiar system1 by the ,journal's representative1 ,mr4 ,l4 ,c4 ,bateman4 ,having lived in ,utah for over twenty-five years1 striving with other law-abiding citizens to establish here the same ,american ideas which are accepted as fundamental in the other states of the ,union1 ,i have had ample opportunity to study the ,mormon system and its fruits4 ,and ,i am prepared to say that1 while ,i have never had anything but the utmost good will for the masses of the ,mormon people1 ,i am forced to join with other careful students in declaring that from a social1 civil1 and moral standpoint1 no language is strong enough to set forth the evil fruits of the ,mormon system4 ,based on polygamy1 how could the system be otherwise than rotten8 ,its central idea of government being that of priesthood rule1 how could it be otherwise than anti-,american8 ,having been founded and organized by a man as corrupt and immoral as the multiplied testimony of ,joseph ,smith's acquaintances and neighbors proves that he was1 how could it be otherwise than mischievous and immoral in its tendencies and results8 ,on the part of loyal ,americans who have studied the ,mormon system here on the ground for years1 there is no difference of opinion about the inherent badness of the system and of its fruits1 although many1 unduly influenced by what they consider business policy1 are reluctant to say much about it4 ,some fifteen years ago1 ,mr4 ,james ,barclay1 a member of the ,english ,parliament1 spent three days in ,salt ,lake ,city studying ,mormonism4 ,he surrendered himself to the control of the ,mormon leaders4 ,he was dined at the ,amelia ,palace1 at that time the residence of the ,mormon president1 and attended other receptions in his honor at prominent ,mormon residences4 ,he saw everything through ,mormon spectacles4 ,when he went back to ,london1 he published in the popular ,nineteenth ,century ,magazine1 a most glowing eulogy of the ,mormon system4 ,the ,mormon leaders had been so successful with their hospitality scheme1 that the ,hon4 ,mr4 ,barclay had nothing but praise for those who were pushing forward their law-defying system of polygamy and nothing but condemnation for those who were trying to enforce the righteous laws of the land against it4 ,the ,journal's representative seems to have seen things much as the ,hon4 ,mr4 ,barclay4 ,however1 that may be1 the ,mormons have palmed off upon him1 as they did on ,mr4 ,barclay1 those old yarns about their changing the barren desert of this valley into a blooming garden1 and about the persecutions from which they have suffered in ,utah4 ,the first of these old chestnuts was laid on the shelf years ago here in the west1 because there is no truth in it4 ,there never was any barren desert in this valley1 for it has always been one of the best-watered1 most easily cultivated and productive valleys west of the ,mississippi4 ,the ,mormons raised bountiful crops of grain the very first year of their arrival4 ,the difficulty of securing a crop here in this fertile valley with its mild and equable climate1 was very small in comparison with the difficulties encountered by the first settlers of ,new ,england along the bleak ,atlantic shore4 ,furthermore1 what a mercy it would have been to our whole country if ,utah had remained unsettled for another twenty-five years1 if then it could have been occupied by law-abiding ,americans in sympathy with ,american civilization1 such men as have built up the noble states of ,colorado1 ,nebraska and ,kansas4 ,the ,journal's representative says3 ,but even here they were not safe from the persecutions of their enemies4 ,that fictitious yarn has been worked off on many a foreigner4 ,but we did not suppose it possible to catch an ,american newspaperman with such a bare hook as that4 ,the ,mormons had this territory almost exclusively to themselves for about twenty-five years1 and did practically as they pleased from #ahdg until #ahhb1 when the first ,edmunds ,law called them to a halt4 ,the terrible persecutions complained of consist simply in this and nothing more1 namely1 that the ,mormons were asked1 and after some thirty-five years were required1 to obey just the same laws which all other people and other religious bodies have always obeyed in this country4 ,but the ,mormon leaders have left nothing undone to make the people under them believe1 and all outsiders whom they could influence1 that the enforcement of these righteous laws which are obeyed by the ,american people generally1 was persecution4 ,but here is another paragraph from the article under discussion1 which shows that the ,journal's correspondent was as completely imposed upon as was the ,hon4 ,mr4 ,barclay4 ,he says1 as quoted by the ,deseret ,news3 ,the only charge that can be laid at their doors today is that they refuse to desert their wives that they married in good faith 767 ,and they are right4 ,to turn these women out of doors to subsist at the hands of charity would be a vastly worse crime in the eyes of ,god and decent-minded men than to make the provision for them that they are now doing4 ,the law-breaking polygamists could not have stated their case more satisfactorily to themselves4 ,but what is the matter with the ,journal's representative8 ,of course1 he knows that polygamy is an atrocious crime in this country1 and has been so considered since our government was founded4 ,why1 then1 does he talk about committing the crime of polygamy in good faith8 ,as well talk about committing the crime of bank robbing in good faith4 ,indeed1 it would not be difficult to show that bank-robbery1 bad as it is1 does less harm to society than polygamy4 ,furthermore none of the opponents of polygamy have ever asked that plural wives should be turned out of doors4 ,nobody has objected to having plural wives and their children kindly provided for by the men who placed them in their unlawful position4 ,but the law-abiding citizens of ,utah and the ,federal ,government also make a wide distinction between providing for these plural wives and their children1 and providing these same plural wives with children4 ,the whole difficulty grows out of the fact that the men who were living with plural wives before ,utah became a ,state still persist in maintaining the old polygamous relations with these women1 and that1 too1 in the face of the solemn pledges to the ,united ,states government that if granted amnesty and statehood they would forthwith abandon all polygamous relations of every kind4 ,over ten years have passed since amnesty was granted by the government on the above condition1 and yet all over the ,state men are living in polygamy the same as before statehood4 ,the president of the ,mormon ,church1 with his five wives1 encourages these law-breakers by his example1 and then tries to belittle the offense by claiming that the number of men living in polygamy is quite small1 not over #gef4 ,the ,deseret ,news at first denied that there are any such cases1 but was forced to admit that it was mistaken4 ,it then tried to belittle the matter by claiming that there were only #a1edc such cases6 ,suppose someone should argue that ,maine is a good moral ,state because it contains only #a1edc bank robbers6 ,of course the ,news naturally underestimates the number4 ,in the closing paragraph of the article in the ,journal occurs the following statement3 ,common justice and common honesty1 however1 require him 7the writer7 to say that aside from the one peculiar feature of polygamy1 he fails to see wherein the ,mormon religion1 is not just as pure as the different forms to which we are accustomed in the ,east4 ,no one who is acquainted with the fundamental doctrines of ,mormonism and with the fundamental doctrines of the ,christian religion would make any such sweeping and misleading statement as that4 ,mormonism holds and teaches the heathen doctrine of polytheism1 the doctrine of many gods4 7,pratt's ,key to ,theology1 ,chap4 vi47 ,it teaches that ,adam is ,god and the only ,god with whom we have to do4 7,brigham ,young in ,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 ,i1 page #ej47 ,it makes belief in the alleged divine mission and authority of that most immoral and wicked man1 ,joseph ,smith1 a fundamental doctrine of its religious system4 7,brigham ,young in ,millennial ,star ,vol4 v1 page #aah47 ,it teaches that the coarse and vulgar men who make up the ,mormon priesthood must be obeyed by the people because they possess divine authority1 and that those who reject the commands of this bogus priesthood reject ,god4 7,elder ,roberts' ,new ,witness for ,god1 page #ahg47 ,it teaches that ,jesus ,christ1 the ,divine ,savior of the world1 was a polygamist1 and many other horrible doctrines which are utterly repugnant to the pure and lofty morality of the ,christian religion4 ,the ,mormons have lived in five different states1 namely1 ,ohio1 ,missouri1 ,illinois1 ,iowa and ,utah4 ,if their system is as pure morally and as patriotic as it is claimed to be1 how does it happen that their sojourn in each of those states was characterized by continued and increasing conflict with the established government and laws of those states and of the ,united ,states1 while the great ,christian denominations lived in peace and harmony under those same laws8 ,the ,mormon ,church will enjoy similar peace and harmony whenever its priesthood ceases to interfere with civil affairs1 and sets the example of obeying the laws of the land as loyally as they have always been obeyed by the great ,christian denominations generally4 ,m4 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,aug4 #ai1 #aijc4 ,,ii4 ,a ,brief ,defense of the ,mormon ,people4 ,to ,editors of ,lewiston1 ,maine1 ,journal3-- ,an old ,spanish proverb has it that ,a lie will travel a league1 while ,truth is getting on his boots4 ,truth1 however1 has this advantage over his nimble-footed opponent1 viz41 his boots once on he runs and is not weary1 he walks and faints not2 and at the last he wins4 ,the progress of ,truth1 in other words1 is irresistible and overwhelming1 and his triumph over falsehood is as inevitable as the decrees of fate4 ,in no instance in human experience are the above truths more clearly demonstrated than in the history of ,mormonism4 ,from the beginning of its existence falsehood in the form of misrepresentation and malicious slander has been in the field against it4 ,early and late and viciously the liars of this world have sought to overwhelm it as with a flood4 ,meantime1 however1 ,truth has not been idle4 ,steadily and gloriously ,mormonism and the people who have accepted it have lived down the misrepresentations of their traducers1 and today stand proudly erect1 unmoved by the efforts which falsehood has made to destroy them4 ,this failure of falsehood to destroy the object at which it has levelled its heaviest ordnance is naturally aggravating to those who have employed it2 and very naturally they show that annoyance4 ,as an instance of this fact ,i refer to your ,salt ,lake correspondent ,m1 whose communication under the title ,eastern ,eulogy of ,mormons' ,system1 appeared in your issue of ,september #fth4 ,m is somewhat grieved1 not to say indignant1 that the ,journal's representative1 ,mr4 ,l4 ,c4 ,bateman1 should have spoken a word of praise for the ,mormons and for what they have achieved by their faith1 industry and frugality1 and informs the ,journal that what he calls ,mr4 ,bateman's eulogistic article called forth an editorial in the ,deseret ,news1 the official organ of the ,mormon priesthood1 expressing great satisfaction on the appearance of the aforesaid article4 ,but what's to be done8 ,men of intelligence come to ,utah2 they are cosmopolitan1 they understand human affairs and human nature2 and many of them--among them evidently your representative1 whose article is the cause of ,m's displeasure--are men accustomed to collecting evidence1 sifting it on the spot1 and forming their own conclusions4 ,they find that the facts they see and investigate do not warrant the misrepresentations they have heard concerning ,mormonism and the ,mormons4 ,they say that in their communications to the press1 in magazine articles1 and sometimes in books4 ,they are honest enough to tell the truth as they find it2 and refuse to look at facts--the things which are--through the jaundiced eyes of a bigoted sectarian priest1 or through the eyes of a disappointed1 and very likely disgruntled1 scurvy politician4 ,then they are abused by those to whose interests it is to keep up a false impression concerning ,mormonism and the ,mormons1 or whose malice is gratified by misrepresenting them4 ,then it is charged that they have been imposed upon by representations of the wily ,mormon leaders2 or they have been wined and dined1 and hoodwinked2 or else they have sold their talents to the ,mormon priesthood for money4 ,only let a man1 whatever his intelligence or character1 or national standing1 from ,president ,eliot of ,harvard to your representative--only let him pursue his investigations of ,mormonism and ,mormons beyond the lurid tales of hack drivers1 bent on gratifying the morbid love in human nature for the unusual and the horrible2 or let him push his inquiry beyond sectarian interpretation of the ,mormon faith1 and sectarian misrepresentation of the ,mormon people1 and he is doomed to be catalogued as a weak dupe1 or a paid agent of the ,mormon ,church4 ,but however annoying it may be to ,mormon traducers1 the day is gone by when their fulminations can be accepted as sober truth4 ,mormonism is no longer isolated from the world4 ,it is in daily contact with the great stream of travel which crosses the continent1 in which stream is to be found some of the first and greatest characters of our own country and of the world2 not merely the seekers of pleasure1 or the restless curious2 but educators1 literati1 public lecturers1 editors1 scientists1 and statesmen4 ,attracted by the wonderful things they have heard of ,utah and the ,mormons1 they stop to inquire1 they meet with unexpected conditions1 with facts undreamed of1 they investigate1 are convinced that the world has been misled in the impressions it has formed concerning the ,mormon faith and the ,mormon people2 and thus they become witnesses against the traducers of that maligned people4 ,our traducers may not like this1 but it is true4 ,they have made lies their refuge1 and under falsehood have they hid themselves2 but their bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it1 and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it4 ,this much in general4 ,now to be more specific2 and especially to cover in the evidence ,i quote the silly attempt of your ,salt ,lake correspondent ,m to deny credit to the ,mormons for having redeemed a desert and given a wilderness to civilization4 ,your correspondent refers to the credit accorded the ,mormons for this as an old chestnut which has been laid on the shelf years ago here in the ,west1 because there is no truth in it6 ,there never was any barren desert1 he says1 in this valley1 for it has always been one of the best watered1 most easily cultivated and productive valleys west of the ,mississippi6 ,it is rather an unfortunate circumstance that a man who claims to have been a careful student of ,mormonism and who has lived for over twenty-five years in ,utah1 should include in his criticism of the ,journal's representative's article an untruth so palpable1 a falsehood so easy of refutation1 a statement which so bluntly comes in contact with the common knowledge of all the people of the ,united ,states4 ,how the ,salt ,lake ,valley was regarded by the pioneers who came into it in #ahdg may be learned from the following quotation from their utterances3 ,my mother was heart-broken because there were no trees to be seen4 ,i do not remember a tree that could be called a tree4 ,statement of ,clara ,decker ,young1 one of the women of the first pioneer company4 7,bancroft's ,history of ,utah1 page #bfa47 ,the ground was so dry that they found it necessary to irrigate it before plowing1 some plows having been broken4 7,ibid47 ,their first impressions of the valley1 ,lorenzo ,young says1 were most disheartening4 ,but for the two or three cottonwood trees1 not a green thing was in sight4 ,and ,brigham speaks almost pathetically of the destruction of the willows and wild roses growing on the banks of ,city ,creek1 destroyed because the channels must be changed1 and leaving nothing to vary the scenery but rugged mountains1 the sage brush and the sunflower4 ,the ground was covered with millions of black crickets which the ,indians were harvesting for their winter food4 7,ibid1 page #bfb47 ,when we arrived in this valley we found it a barren desert1 and a barren desert it was4 ,we saw no mark of the white man4 ,we found a few naked ,indians who would eat a pint of roasted crickets for their dinner4 7,statement of ,wilford ,woodruff1 ,utah ,pioneers1 page #bd47 ,the late ,apostle ,erastus ,snow1 who1 with ,orson ,pratt1 was the first man of the pioneers to enter the valley1 in a discourse during the celebration of the thirty-third anniversary of the entrance of the pioneers into the ,salt ,lake valley1 says3 ,and when the ,pioneers found it this valley1 it was well nigh purified by the lapse of time and the desolation of ages1 and the wickedness of its ancient inhabitants was well nigh obliterated1 though the curse of barrenness and desolation still existed4 ,i remarked yesterday1 on looking at the decorations of this building1 that to make the work complete that part which so truthfully represents this desert land in #ahdg1 the sagebrush and the other growth of the desert should be sprinkled with black crickets1 and1 perched in some prominent position1 some gulls looking down eagerly upon them2 which would remind us of those early days when the ,pioneers and early settlers grappled with the difficulties of the desert land2 when the untamed savage was scarcely an enemy or a hindrance in our pathway compared with the destructive winged insects1 the crickets and grasshoppers which would come in myriads to devour the tender crops4 ,for the first two seasons it seemed as though the crickets and grasshoppers would consume every green thing1 and after they had commenced their depredations to such an extent that to all human appearance the last vestige of the products of the field and garden would be eaten up1 large flocks of gulls came to the relief of the farmer1 lighting down upon the fields and covering them as with a white sheet1 and they fell to devouring the insects4 ,when they had filled and gorged their stomachs1 they would vomit them up and then fill themselves again1 and again vomit1 and thus they ate and devoured until the fields were cleared of those destructive insects1 and the crops saved4 99 99 99 99 ,many doubted1 as to whether we could subsist our colonies in this country at all1 and whether grain would mature4 ,james ,bridger1 the well-known mountaineer1 who had inter-married with the ,snakes ,indians1 and had a trading post which still bears his name1 ,fort ,bridger1 when he met ,president ,brigham ,young at the ,pioneer camp on the ,big ,sandy1 about the last of ,june1 and learned our destination to be the valley of the ,great ,salt ,lake1 he gave us a general outline and description of this country over which he had roamed with the ,indians in his hunting and trapping excursions1 and expressed grave doubts whether corn could be produced at all in these mountains1 he having made experiments in many places with a few seeds1 which had failed to mature4 ,so sanguine was he that it could not be done that he proffered to give a thousand dollars for the first ear of corn raised in the valley of the ,great ,salt ,lake1 or the valley of the ,utah outlet1 as he termed it1 meaning the valley between ,utah lake and ,salt ,lake4 ,president ,young replied to him1 ',wait a little and we will show you4' 7,the ,utah ,pioneers1 pages #da-dc47 ,nor is the fact of ,salt ,lake valley's desolation witnessed by the testimony of ,mormons alone4 ,howard ,stansbury1 ,captain of the ,corps of ,topographical ,engineers1 ,u4,s4 ,army1 in #aheb1 says3 ,one of the most unpleasant characteristics of the whole country1 is the entire absence of trees from the landscape4 ,the weary traveller plods along1 exposed to the full blaze of one eternal sunshine1 day after day1 and week after week1 his eye resting upon naught but interminable plains1 bold and naked hills1 or bold and rugged mountains2 the shady grove1 the babbling brook1 the dense and solemn forest are things unknown here2 and should he by chance light upon some solitary cotton-wood1 or pitch his tent amid some stunted willows1 the opportunity is hailed with joy1 as one of unusual good fortune4 ,the studding1 therefore1 of this beautiful city referring to ,salt ,lake ,city with noble trees1 will render it1 by contrast with the surrounding regions1 a second ',diamond of the ,desert4' 7,stansbury's ,report1 page #abi47 ,again1 ,lieutenant ,j4 ,w4 ,gunnison of the ,topographical ,engineers1 writing in #ahec1 said3 ,it the ,salt ,lake ,valley is isolated from habitable grounds2 having inhospitable tracts to the ,north and ,south1 and the untimbered slope of the ,rocky ,mountains1 nearly a thousand miles wide1 on the east1 and nearly a thousand miles of arid salt deserts on the west1 broken up by frequent ridges of sterile mountains4 ,the ,great ,basin is 99 99 99 over four thousand feet above the ocean4 99 99 99 ,it is a desert in character4 99 99 99 ,in the interior1 fresh water becomes scarce1 for these hills do not collect sufficient snow in winter 99 99 99 99 to water the plains2 and the consequence follows that these tracts are parched and arid1 and frequently so impregnated with alkali as to make them unfit for vegetable life4 99 99 99 ,the land around ,salt ,lake is flat1 and rises imperceptibly on the south and west1 99 99 99 and is a soft and sandy barren1 irreclaimable for agricultural purposes4 ,on the north the tract is narrow1 and the springs bursting out near the surface of the water1 the grounds cannot be irrigated4 7,the ,mormons1 by ,j4 ,w4 ,gunnison1 pages #ad1 #ae1 #af47 ,these descriptions of ,utah4 ,valley warrant ,utah's ,historian1 ,bishop ,orson ,f4 ,whitney1 in giving the splendid pen picture he writes of the valley on the arrival of the ,pioneers1 in saying3 ,it was no ,garden of ,hesperides upon which the ,pioneers gazed that memorable morning of ,july #bd1 #ahdg4 ,aside from its scenic splendor1 which was indeed glorious1 magnificent1 there was little to invite and much to repel in the prospect presented to their view4 ,a broad and barren plain1 hemmed in by mountains1 blistering in the rays of the midsummer sun4 ,no waving fields1 no swaying forests1 no verdant meadows to rest and refresh the weary eye1 but on all sides a seemingly interminable waste of sagebrush1 bespangled with sunflowers--the paradise of the lizard1 the cricket and the rattle snake4 ,less than half way across the baked and burning valley1 dividing it in twain--as if the vast bowl1 in the intense heat of the ,master ,potter's fires1 in process of formation had cracked asunder--a narrow river1 turbid and shallow1 from south to north in many a serpentine curve1 sweeps on its sinuous way4 ,beyond1 a broad lake1 the river's goal1 dotted with mountain islands2 its briny waters shimmering in the sunlight like a silver shield4 ,from the mountains1 snow-capped1 seamy and craggy1 lifting their kingly heads to be crowned by the golden sun1 flow limpid1 laughing streams1 cold and crystal clear1 leaping1 dashing1 foaming1 flashing1 from rock to glen1 from peak to plain4 ,but the fresh canyon streams are far and few1 and the arid waste they water1 glistening with beds of salt and soda pools of deadly alkali1 scarcely allowing them to reach the river1 but midway well nigh swallows and absorbs them in the thirsty sands4 ,these1 the oak-brush1 the squaw-berry1 and other scant growths1 with here and there a tree casting its lone shadow on hill or in valley2 a wire-grass swamp1 a few acres of withered bunch-grass1 and the lazily waving willows and wild-rose bushes1 fringing the distant streams1 the only green thing visible4 ,silence and desolation reign4 ,a silence unbroken1 save by the cricket's ceaseless chirp1 the roar of the mountain torrent or the whir and twitter of the passing bird4 ,a desolation of centuries1 where earth seems heaven-forsaken1 where ,hermit ,nature1 watching1 waiting1 weeps and worships ,god amid eternal solitudes4 7,history of ,utah1 ,vol4 ,i41 pages #cbe-f47 ,the ,mormons whom your ,salt ,lake ,correspondent admits had the territory of ,utah almost exclusively to themselves for about twenty-five years1 converted the desert wilderness described in the foregoing quotations into a fruitful land1 and redeemed it from savagery to civilization4 ,by the creation of an irrigation system they demonstrated that the desert lands of the intermountain region could be converted into fruitful fields1 and thus became ,pioneers1 not alone of ,utah1 but of the entire intermountain region1 and became founders of modern irrigation farming1 which now is developing into a great national movement1 that looks to the reclamation of an extent of country beside which the extent of ancient empires becomes insignificant2 and happy millions will yet partake of the blessings first disclosed as possible by the example in irrigation set by the ,mormon people4 ,and all such silly falsehoods and misrepresentations as those uttered by your jaundice-minded correspondent1 can never rob them of the high honor accorded them by the nation for the part they have performed in so great and notable and far reaching enterprises4 ,your correspondent represents himself as having lived in ,utah for over twenty-five years2 and also as having had ample opportunity to study the ,mormon system and its fruits1 and then says3 ,i am forced to join with other careful students in declaring that from a social1 civil and moral standpoint1 no language is strong enough to set forth the evil fruits of the ,mormon system4 ,based on polygamy1 how could the system be otherwise than rotten8 ,its central idea of government being that of priesthood rule1 how could it be otherwise than anti-,american8 ,having been founded and organized by a man as corrupt and immoral as the multiplied statements of ,joseph ,smith's acquaintances and neighbors prove that he was1 how could it be otherwise than mischievous and immoral in its tendencies and results8 ,really1 after thinking of a man living in ,utah for twenty-five years with exceptional opportunities to study the ,mormon system1 one becomes quite disheartened when he witnesses such an exhibition of stupidity in apprehending1 or a willingness to misrepresent as is exhibited in the foregoing quotation4 ,first1 if your correspondent had intelligence to understand the most simple proposition1 he never would have made the statement that ,mormonism is based on polygamy4 ,mormonism existed ten years and had spread through nearly all the states of the ,american ,union1 into ,canada and ,great ,britain1 before plural marriage was ever introduced into the ,church4 ,and notwithstanding that under the requirements of the laws of the land1 the ,church has discontinued the authorization of plural marriages1 ,mormonism still survives--much to the chagrin of such characters as your correspondent1 and the ,mormon ,church was never more alive or prosperous than it is today4 ,the doctrine of the rightfulness of plural marriage is in every sense but an incident in the ,mormon system rather than a basic principle4 ,salvation in the ,mormon religion is not made to depend upon a plurality of wives4 ,on the contrary it teaches that either man or woman can be saved without marriage at all4 ,that those in monogamous marriage relations may be saved1 but it also is a fact that it has taught that men with a plurality of wives1 if they have taken them under the sanction of ,god's law--a law which existed in the days of the ,bible patriarchs as well as in these last days by special dispensation through ,joseph ,smith--may also be saved4 ,mormonism does teach1 however1 that marriage is essential to man's exaltation and progress in his saved condition1 and that special blessings doubtless attended those who entered into plural marriage relations within the conditions and limitations referred to a moment since1 but to regard plural marriages as the basis of ,mormonism is not only ridiculous but an absolute misrepresentation of our faith4 ,equally absurd and untrue is your correspondent's second implied charge1 viz41 that the central idea of ,mormon government is priesthood rule1 therefore how could it be otherwise than anti-,american8 ,the gentleman leaves us in the mists here4 ,what does he mean8 ,is it anti-,american to have priesthood rule in an ecclesiastical institution--in a ,church8 ,what kind of rule would he have but that of a priesthood rule in such organizations8 ,if it is anti-,american to have priesthood rule in a church organization1 then every church in the land is anti-,american4 ,but if the gentleman protests that this is not what he meant1 but that he meant priesthood rule in civil government1 then ,i must say to him that there is no ecclesiastical institution in all our land that in its doctrines more clearly recognizes the separation of the ,church from the ,state than does the ,mormon ,church4 ,in proof of which ,i quote on that head the following from an authoritative work on the doctrine of the ,mormon ,church3 ,we believe that religion is instituted of ,god1 and that men are amenable to him1 and to him only1 for the exercise of it1 unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others2 but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men1 nor dictate forms for public or private devotion2 that the civil magistrate should restrain crime1 but never control conscience2 should punish guilt1 but never suppress the freedom of the soul4 99 99 99 99 ,we do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government1 whereby one religious society is fostered1 and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges1 and the individual rights of its members as citizens1 denied4 7,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,section #acd47 ,again1 in a revelation given as early as #ahca1 the ,lord said to the ,church3 ,behold1 the laws which ye have received from my hand are the laws of the ,church1 and in this light ye shall hold them forth4 ,that is1 the revelations received were given for the government of the ,church1 not for the laws of the state2 to instruct the saints in their religious duties and privileges1 not to interfere with them in the exercise of their civil rights1 nor to dictate to them in their political actions4 ,this doctrine has been affirmed over and over again by the present officials of the ,mormon ,church4 ,and as for the exercise of priesthood rule in practice in political affairs1 in all good conscience and form both observation and experience3 ,i can say that there is less of it chargeable to the ,mormon ,church officials than to ministers of any other denominations whatsoever in our land4 ,and no other people of our land have suffered so much from mingling religious influence in political affairs1 as have the ,mormon people4 ,nearly every ,legislative enactment1 either state or national1 has been the direct result of the exercise of sectarian ministerial influence upon legislators1 state and national1 as also have been nearly all the acts of mob violence perpetrated against the same people which resulted in their expulsion from ,missouri and ,illinois4 ,your correspondent says that the multiplied statements of ,joseph ,smith's acquaintances and neighbors prove that he was was immoral and corrupt1 and that since ,mormonism has such an origin he wants to know how it could be otherwise than mischievous and immoral in its tendencies and results4 ,your correspondent here assumes that ,joseph ,smith was immoral and corrupt1 and hence his system can be none other than mischievous and evil in its tendencies4 ,but1 it will be said1 his premise rests upon the alleged testimony of ,joseph ,smith's acquaintances and neighbors4 ,what acquaintances and neighbors8 ,of course if you eliminate from this list all those who knew ,joseph ,smith best1 his friends and followers1 who so far believed in him and his honor and integrity as a man and prophet of ,god that they sacrificed their own good name1 together with property and all earthly prospects in accepting the doctrine he taught1 and then rely alone for a description of his character upon the testimony of his persecutors and revilers led on by bigoted priests who hounded him through fourteen years of his troubled life1 until they succeeded in bringing about his murder in cold blood at ,carthage1 ,illinois1 why1 of course2 ,i suppose that such testimony could be said to prove that he was immoral and corrupt4 ,but under such methods of proving things how would the immaculate life and character of the ,son of ,god himself stand before the world8 ,jesus would be proved to be a wine-bibber1 an associate of sinners and publicans1 one who went about the country in the companionship of women of questionable character1 an imposter who was so in league with ,satan that he cast out devils by the power of ,beelzebub1 an agitator disturbing the peace1 a leader of seditions1 a perverter of laws and customs1 and who at the last was fittingly crucified between two thieves after being condemned under due forms of law1 and who attracted to him a following that could be regarded as the off-scourings of despised ,galilee1 and who were so vile as to steal his dead body from the tomb by night1 and then put in circulation the story that he had risen bodily from the dead6 ,from such a basis as this1 all of which can be established by the multiplied testimony of the ,savior's acquaintances and neighbors1 we could1 with your correspondent exclaim1 how could the system emanating from such a founder be otherwise than mischievous and immoral in its tendencies and results8 ,it would be easy to prove that from the beginning of ,mormonism until now there are many men of wide reputation1 men of national repute and high character1 who have testified of the purity of life and honorable conduct of ,joseph ,smith and the general honesty and high moral character of his following4 ,but it is impossible to quote such testimony because of the necessary limits of this communication1 and it is not necessary because the premise from which your correspondent starts is utterly untenable and foolish4 ,your correspondent scoffs at the idea that ,mormons married their plural wives in good faith1 and that it would now be a crime to abandon them1 and declares that your representative could as well have talked about committing the crime of bank robbing in good faith4 ,the gentleman rushes a little too quickly to his conclusion4 ,things he puts in comparison are altogether unlike4 ,it is a truth to begin with that the ,mormon people accepted the doctrine of plural marriage as a revelation and commandment from ,god2 and they did marry their wives under what they considered divine sanction1 in good faith1 believing that they were protected in the practice of a religious principle by the constitution of their country1 which specifically prohibited the passage of laws respecting an establishment of religion1 or prohibiting the free exercise thereof4 ,furthermore1 this doctrine was sanctioned by the practice of the ,bible patriarchs1 whom the ,son of ,god himself upheld in his teaching as the very favorites of heaven1 whom ,god had made his own especial witnesses of the truths he would teach mankind4 ,it was well on to half a century before the ,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states had finally decided at all points the constitutionality of the several acts of ,congress against the exercise of this religious doctrine of the ,latter-day ,saints1 during which time a whole generation had lived in the practice of it1 believing absolutely in its righteousness1 in its divinity in fact1 and it is not difficult to understand how men under such circumstances married their wives in good faith4 ,moreover1 when this matter was finally settled by the adoption of our ,state ,constitution1 the enabling act passed by ,congress only demanded on this subject of polygamy that the constitutional convention should provide by ordinance irrevocably without the consent of the ,united ,states and the people of said state1 99 99 99 99 that no inhabitant of said state should be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship3 provided that polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited4 ,it will be observed that there is no demand made in this for the abandonment of plural marriage relations already established under the ,mormon doctrine of plural marriage4 ,nothing is required on that head1 but that for the future there shall be a prohibition of polygamous marriages4 ,the action of the constitutional convention was in harmony with this demand of the people of the ,united ,states1 and the ordinance in our state constitution was adopted in such form and spirit that while future polygamous or plural marriages1 were forever prohibited1 it contemplated leaving undisturbed the already existing plural marriage relations4 ,under these circumstances ,i do not hesitate to say that for ,mormon men to abandon the wives they had taken in good faith1 who had been induced to accept that relationship under religious persuasion and conviction1 would be both cowardly and criminal in the eyes of ,god and all good and respectable men4 ,your correspondent undertakes to make much of the fact that ,the ,mormons have lived in five different states4 99 99 99 99 ,if their system is as pure morally and as patriotic as it is claimed to be1 how does it happen that their sojourn in each of these states was characterized by continued and increased conflict with the established government and laws of these states and of the ,united ,states while the great ,christian denominations live in peace and harmony under those same laws8 ,the gentleman would have shown better judgement than to have propounded such a question as that4 ,the ,latter-day ,saints suffered persecution in both ,new ,york and ,ohio1 they were driven several times from their homes in ,missouri1 and finally driven in a body--some twelve thousand in number--from that state into ,illinois1 and later between twenty and thirty thousand of them were driven from the state of ,illinois4 ,the gentleman should remember that this all happened before plural marriage was practiced in the ,church except in ,nauvoo1 where1 in the last years of his life1 it was introduced by the prophet1 but it was known but by a few1 and was neither the cause of his martyrdom nor of the subsequent expulsion of his people2 and ,mormons may defy not only your correspondent but the whole world to instance any case where they were persecuted or driven from their homes or murdered 7as scores of them were7 for violation of the laws of the land in those states4 ,and there is yet to arise within these states or in the ,united ,states1 however much he may despise the ,mormons and their faith1 an apologist who is bold enough to undertake the justification of those states in their treatment of the ,mormons1 save only1 perhaps1 your correspondent1 and he only by cowardly imputation and innuendo4 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah1 ,sept4 #bf1 #aijc4 ,v4 ,,which ,,of ,,the ,,sects ,,has ,,opposed ,,mormonism ,,most8 ,,foreword4 ,this is a question frequently asked1 but ,i do not remember that an answer has been ever before put in print4 ,it would be easy to record the names of the ministers and the ,christian sects to which they belonged who began the agitation in ,missouri which resulted in such disgraceful scenes of mob-violence1 robbery and murder1 and the final expulsion of from twelve to fifteen thousand people from their homes and the state4 ,it would only be a matter of time and space to set down the names of the ministers and the sects they represented1 who began and continued that abominable campaign of slander and falsehood which terminated in the martyrdom of ,joseph and ,hyrum ,smith1 and the expulsion of more than twenty thousand ,latter-day ,saints from the confines of the ,united ,states4 ,but is it worth while8 ,is it not enough to say that so-called ministers of the gospel quite generally took the leading part in this opposition4 ,they headed bands of men who burned the homes of our people2 they sat on drumhead militia court-martials to try ,joseph ,smith1 and condemned him to be shot in the public square at ,far ,west2 it was a sectarian minister who led the mob that murdered ,joseph and ,hyrum ,smith at ,carthage prison2 it was a somewhat noted preacher who led the mob forces against ,nauvoo and expelled the aged1 the weak and helpless from that city after the great bulk of the ,mormon people had departed into the western wilderness in search of new homes4 ,so we might continue all down the line of our experience4 ,the mobbings in the southern states have quite generally been led by so-called ministers of the gospel2 as also all the unfriendly agitation in ,utah and elsewhere4 ,but it isn't worth while to dwell too long in our thought on these matters1 or to take them too seriously4 ,god has a reward that will be ample for all those who have suffered martyrdom in his cause1 and those who have assailed it he doubtless will remember in his own time and way1 and we need not wish them any harm1 and we do not4 ,if we could affect them in any way it would be to mitigate their difficulties4 ,for a man to carry with him through eternity the recollection of an injustice he has inflicted upon the innocent2 to be compelled always to remember a murder committed1 must of itself be a terrible punishment4 ,so ,i say if we could affect the persecutors of the ,saints in any way it would be to mitigate their sufferings1 not to increase them4 ,we will try not to remember the wrongs of ,missouri2 and will try to forget the fate of ,nauvoo4 ,we will remember only that in those troublous days there were noble men1 and women too1 who befriended our people and who did what they could to make light their burdens and ease their sorrows--,god bless them6 ,which of the ,sects ,have ,opposed ,mormonism ,most4 ,,salt ,,lake ,,city1 ,,utah1 ,aug4 #h1 #aijc4 ,d4 ,a4 ,holcomb1 ,esq41 ,dunlap1 ,iowa4 ,,dear ,,sir3--,your letter of the #bast ult41 addressed to ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith and ,counselors1 asking which one of the religious societies has opposed the faith and doctrine of the ,church the most1 etc41 has been handed to me by ,president ,smith1 with a request that ,i answer your questions4 ,in the first place ,i call your attention to the fact that it is not a matter of astonishment or of any great amount of anxiety to us that the churches of this world oppose the ,church of ,christ4 ,it has become a matter of course from our point of view1 and really under the circumstances we do not see how it could be otherwise1 for the first word of the ,lord to ,joseph ,smith was to the effect that the churches of the world were all wrong1 that is1 in error2 that their professors of religion drew near to the ,lord with their lips while their hearts were far from him2 that they taught for doctrine the commandments of men1 and ,joseph ,smith was commanded to join none of them1 for ,god did not acknowledge them as his ,church or kingdom4 ,after such a declaration the good will of sectarian ,christendom was naturally out of the question1 yet1 of course1 the truth had to be told4 ,the theological rubbish that had accumulated for ages had to be swept away that the rocks of truth might be made bare for the erection of that structure1 the ,temple of ,god--the ,church of ,christ4 ,as to which of the several churches has been most opposed to the faith and doctrines of the ,church it would be difficult to say definitely1 except to say that up to the present time the ,catholic ,church has not manifested any hostility' in any way as an organization4 ,a few individual ,catholic prelates have had their fling at us1 but ,i think they have not passed resolutions against our organization1 chiefly for the reason1 as ,i think1 that we have done but little work as yet in ,catholic countries2 and then1 too1 it is quite possible that the ,catholic clergy count us as one among the many protestant sects1 and think us no worse than the rest of what they consider the separated brethren4 ,as for the ,protestant brood1 you may take the ,methodists1 ,presbyterians1 ,baptists1 ,campbellites1 and ,josephites as the most active of our opponents1 judging from the fulminations they reel off against us in the form of resolutions and petitions to ,congress asking that we be suppressed or crushed4 ,it would be difficult to say which of these is the most opposed4 ,i think ,i am safe in saying they are all about equally bitter1 but thank the ,lord there is no proportion between their bitterness and their power to do us injury4 ,the rest of the ,protestant sects give us but little trouble1 at least in any formal way1 and the opposition expressed in frantic resolutions by those ,i have named merely serve to make matters interesting and keep ,mormonism well to the fore in public attention2 and as for annoyance--well1 it is hardly worth while being annoyed4 ,have you not read the golden words1 ,we can do nothing against the truth1 but for the truth8 and that other saying1 equally comforting to those who are called upon to face the wrath of men for the kingdom of heaven's sake1 ,surely the wrath of men shall praise thee2 the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain8 ,so we are very comfortable1 thank you1 and not worried and not annoyed and not hurt by the opposition of men4 ,we have the truth and rejoice in it1 and intend to make it known just as far as it is possible for us to proclaim it4 ,in our view those who oppose it1 pass resolutions against our faith and ourselves1 are but ,god's advertising agents1 to present to the attention of the world the thing which he has planted in the earth2 and we amuse ourselves sometimes by thinking what a surprised lot of fellows those sanctimonious divines who resolute against us with such vigor will be when they wake up and discover that they have helped instead of hindered ,god's work2 but as for being annoyed--pshaw6 ,very truly yours4 ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,looking through an old scrap book the other day1 ,i found in it a clipping from the ,newark 7,new ,jersey7 ,news1 containing a letter from ,salt ,lake ,city1 by ,j4 ,martin ,miller1 which describes in a very admirable way the attitude of a ,jewish ,rabbi and a ,catholic ,bishop toward the ,mormon people1 and as their attitude is one of fairness ,i take pleasure in recording the evidence of it here4 ,mr4 ,miller's letter to the ,newark ,news was written about two months before my letter to ,mr4 ,holcomb--in ,june1 #aijc3 ,,views ,,of ,,rabbi ,,reynolds4 ,i found a very prominent former ,newarker1 in the person of ,rabbi ,louis ,g4 ,reynolds1 of the ,synagogue ,b'nai ,israel here in ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,he was rabbi of the ,oheb ,shalom ,synagogue1 ,newark1 from #ahib to #ahif4 ,there is a ,jewish population of about #ejj in ,salt ,lake ,city1 said ,rabbi ,reynolds8 ,aside from that particular feature of their creed1 polygamy1 ,i think the ,mormons are a very good people4 ,everything indicates that polygamy is dying out and that the ,church means to obey the law4 ,aside from polygamy1 ,i am of the opinion that in morals the ,mormons will average higher than the ,gentiles who live here4 ,the records show that the ,mormons furnish a very small quota of the vice of the city4 ,as a rule1 they are a temperate people4 ',if ,senator ,smoot is unseated1 would the influence of the ,mormons in the state and the nation be diminished8' ,i inquired4 ',not in the least2 it would make them feel their persecution more than now and cause them to have less faith in the fairness of the government4 ,they know the government cannot be fooled to any great extent and that polygamy must go4 ,now that the tendency on the part of the ,mormons is to abandon polygamy1 the purposes of the government in making better ,americans of the ,mormon people than they are now will be better subserved by allowing the influential men among the ,mormons to help the government bring about the desired end4 ,i say this with ,senator ,smoot in mind1 and in view of the believed fact among every class in ,utah that he is not a polygamist4 ,he is one of the most level-headed business men in ,utah1 and is exceedingly popular with all classes4 ,polygamy was deeply rooted4 ,the people for the most part were born in it4 ,why humiliate these innocent victims by persecuting them unnecessarily when they show an inclination to rid themselves and the county of the blot8 ,the ,united ,states is a conciliatory and humane government4 ,i was born in ,russia and can appreciate this government4 ,it is the kind of a government that begets loyalty in its subjects4 ,will these erring ,children of ,utah1 who in all probability are not now contracting any new polygamous marriages1 be better citizens if they are hounded and misrepresented by agitators1 or if they are fairly but firmly dealt with by the government and given a reasonable chance to prove their good intentions and their good citizenship8 ,there is a very strong element throughout the county that takes absolutely no stock in this ecclesiastical warfare that is being made from ,salt ,lake ,city against the ,mormons4 ,it has been plainly demonstrated very recently in the case of one minister here who carried on a bitter crusade1 that was worse than a waste of energy1 that such methods are re-active in the extreme4 ,,bishop ,,scanlan',s ,,attitude4 ,that veteran old priest1 ,bishop ,scanlan1 who has charge of all of ,utah and the eastern half of ,nevada for the ,catholic church1 has visited every remote corner of ,utah during the #cj years he has been here4 ',i have found the ,mormon people a gentle and kindly disposed people4 ,i have never been insulted once4 ,i have been obliged to visit places where there are no hotels and wherever ,i have stopped at private houses the people have always felt offended if ,i offered to pay them for the keep of myself and my horse4' ',have you ever felt the need of a revolver8' ,i asked4 ',i never owned one in my life4' ,pointing up to the crucifix1 the bishop said3 ',that is the only weapon ,i have ever carried4 ,the ,catholic church has #aj1jjj communicants in ,utah at the present time4' ,i do not see your name1 bishop1 on protests and other papers that some of the ministers here are active in circulating4 ',no1 ,i never join in anything of that kind4 ,my mission here is not to make war among the ,mormon people1 or any other people1 but rather to be the bearer of the message of peace and good will toward all men4 ,if there is any law to be enforced1 ,i leave that for my government to do4 ,,vi4 ,,how4 ,,foreword4 ,the subject treated under this title1 ,how1 is an address delivered in the ,salt ,lake ,city ,tabernacle on ,sunday1 ,may #ca1 #aijc1 in one of the sessions of the ,young ,men's and ,young ,ladies' ,mutual ,improvement ,associations ,annual ,conferences4 ,the associations are auxiliary organizations in the ,church of the ,latter-day ,saints for the improvement of the youth4 ,in ,may of the above year1 the ,general ,assembly of the ,presbyterian ,church was appointed to convene in ,los ,angeles4 ,a large number of ministers of this persuasion from eastern states made it a point to pass through ,salt ,lake ,city en route for ,los ,angeles1 and the ,ministerial ,association of ,utah1 an organization comprised of ,protestant ministers of all the ,evangelical ,churches in the ,state1 made it their business to call the attention of such visiting ministers to the ,mormon ,question1 and invited their co-operation against the ,mormon ,church4 ,as preliminary to this action on their part they published two pamphlets1 one under the title1 ,claims of ,mormons to be ,considered ,seriously4 ,this pamphlet pretended to give a brief history of the origin of the ,mormon ,church1 and declared that the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith was considered by his neighbors to be a character who was low1 unworthy1 of bad repute in general1 and that he was especially unworthy of confidence4 ,it was a re-hash of the silly stories that sprang up in western ,new ,york and that are utterly unreliable1 and which1 while the ,prophet lived in ,new ,york1 could never be established against him1 though every possible effort to do so was made4 ,the second pamphlet was entitled ,temple ,mormonism4 ,the chief purpose of this pamphlet was evidently to prove that ,mormonism was an oath-bound secret organization1 for the encouragement and protection of polygamous living4 ,these pamphlets were distributed to the one thousand ,presbyterian ministers who are said to have passed through ,salt ,lake at that time4 ,it was the intention also to have them presented to the ,presbyterian ,assembly in ,los ,angeles1 and ,i believe they were so presented4 ,later they were to be presented to the ,baptist ,convention to be held that year in ,buffalo1 ,new ,york2 also to the ,congregational ,conference at ,portland1 ,oregon1 and then to the ,w4 ,c4 ,t4 ,u41 to the ,y4 ,m4 ,c4 ,a4 and ,w4 ,c4 ,a4 conventions of that year2 and finally to the ,inter-,denominational ,association of ,women4 ,whatever became of the presentation of these pamphlets to the respective organizations other than the ,presbyterian ,assembly1 ,i do not know2 but their presentation to the gathered ,presbyterian ministers at ,los ,angels doubtless had the desired effect1 for it resulted in some very heated speeches upon the subject of ,mormonism1 more especially in one delivered by ,dr4 ,charles ,l4 ,thompson of ,new ,york1 secretary of the ,assembly1 who1 in the course of a speech widely heralded through the secular press of the country1 said--and this was the report of the speech according to the dispatches--of ,mormonism3 ,it is not to be educated1 not to be civilized1 not to be reformed--it must be crushed4 ,no other organization is so perfect as the ,mormon ,church except the ,german ,army4 ,this describes ,mormonism4 ,its empty promises deceive4 ,relentlessly it fastens its victims in its loathsome glue4 ,it has one vulnerable point4 ,it is not to be reformed4 ,it is to be crushed4 ,dr4 ,richard ,l4 ,ely has declared that there is nothing comparable to its system except the ,german ,army4 99 99 99 99 ,beware the ,octopus4 ,there is one moment in which to seize it1 says ,victor ,hugo4 ,it is when it thrusts forth its head4 ,it has done it4 ,its high priest claims a senator's chair in ,washington4 ,now is the time to strike4 ,perhaps to miss it now is to be lost4 ,commenting on this speech1 the dispatches said3 ,no speaker who has thus far appeared before the ,presbyterian ,general ,assembly has aroused so much enthusiasm as ,dr4 ,chas4 ,l4 ,thompson4 ,his references to ,mormonism were especially bitter1 and brought out great applause from his audience4 ,it is this speech that is commented upon in the remarks which follow4 ,,how4 ,my ,brethren and ,sisters--,i arise this afternoon to announce a great disappointment4 ,by reference to your printed programs you will see that ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith was chosen to make an address this afternoon1 but he insists upon my taking his place4 ,i tried to dissuade him from making the change1 but he insisted upon it1 and as he has the final word in such matters1 ,i respond cheerfully to his request1 and ask you1 as soon as possible1 to banish the remembrance of your disappointment and assist me by your faith and prayers1 that what ,i may say may be fitting to this occasion1 and prompted by the ,spirit of the ,lord4 ,i think ,i shall venture to take a text1 but not from the ,bible4 ,my text will be one that ,i have made out of my own head4 ,perhaps that will account for its being so brief4 ,it consists of one word only1 and that one word is1 ,how8 ,away back in #ahcb1 on the occasion of a number of elders being assembled in ,kirtland1 desiring to know the will of the ,lord concerning themselves1 and in what manner they should spend their time pending the commencement of a conference which had been called1 the ,lord said through his ,prophet3 ,i give unto you a commandment1 that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom2 teach ye diligently1 and my grace shall attend you1 that ye may be instructed more perfectly in theory1 in principle1 in doctrine1 in the law of the gospel1 in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of ,god1 that are expedient for you to understand2 of things both in heaven and in the earth1 and under the earth2 things which have been1 things which are1 things which must shortly come to pass2 things which are at home1 things which are abroad2 the wars and the perplexities of the nations1 and the judgments which are on the land1 and a knowledge also of countries and kingdoms1 that ye may be prepared in all things when ,i shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto ,i have called you1 and the mission with which ,i have commissioned you4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doctrine and ,covenants1 sec4 #hh3 #gg-ha4 ,from this you will observe that the elders of the ,church were commanded to enter a very extensive field in search of knowledge4 ,indeed1 ,i cannot think of anything pertaining to things that lie within the scope or power of man's investigation that is not included within this commandment to search for knowledge4 ,among other things1 you will observe that the elders are to make themselves acquainted with things which have been1 things which are1 things which must shortly come to pass2 with things which are at home1 and things which are abroad4 ,i see in that a commandment to keep informed as to current events2 and1 in my opinion1 this commandment can be made to apply not only to the elders in ,ohio1 to whom it was directly given1 but to all those who may be called upon to perform a similar labor1 that of representing the work of ,god to the inhabitants of the earth4 ,that responsibility rests upon the young men who hold the priesthood in the ,church today1 and hence1 this commandment applies to them4 ,it applies to the members of the ,mutual ,improvement ,associations2 for one of the chief objects in view1 when the organization of ,improvement ,associations was effected1 was the preparation of our young men to become exponents of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 especially as revealed in the dispensation of that gospel through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,no knowledge can be of more importance to the young man who expects to engage in this work than the knowledge of current events1 and prevailing ideas in the world on religion2 especially those current events which have a more or less direct relation to the great work of the last days--to ,mormonism1 in other words4 ,of late1 there have been a number of important things taking place that have a direct relation to the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 among which is the passing of resolutions antagonistic to ,mormonism1 by the ,presbyterian ,general ,assembly1 convened during the past week in ,los ,angeles1 ,california4 ,the ministers of the ,presbyterian ,church met in solemn conclave to consider the interests of their own church1 and1 incidentally1 ,i suppose1 to look a little after the welfare of ours4 ,one proposition before those assembled divines was very extraordinary4 ,so extraordinary1 in fact1 that it may be considered astonishing4 ,it was nothing more nor less than a plan to crush ,mormonism4 ,i think we are interested in a proposition of that kind4 ,intensely interested2 and hence my text of one word1 ,how8 ,that is1 how is the ,crushing of ,mormonism to be effected8 ,what means are to be invoked8 ,what process followed8 ,fortunately for us1 who naturally have so much anxiety respecting the matter1 one of the speakers before the ,presbyterian assembly brought forward a plan through which the crushing is to be accomplished4 ,this was ,doctor-that is1 ,doctor of ,divinity1 you will understand--,charles ,l4 ,thompson1 of ,new ,york4 ,we are informed by the dispatches which reported in part his great discourse1 that he was the speaker who aroused the most enthusiasm in the assembly1 and that his references to ,mormonism were especially bitter1 and brought out great applause from his audience4 ,he is reported to have said that ,mormonism is not to be educated1 not to be civilized1 not to be reformed4 ,it must be crushed4 ,this the climax of what is called his great discourse2 surely it must have been a great discourse to have such a climax as that1 and to receive such applause from such a body of divines6 ,but how do you suppose the crushing is to be accomplished8 ,now listen6 ,the ,revelation ,mr4 ,thompson compares the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints to a great octopus4 ,the octopus1 as you know1 is an animal very difficult to kill2 but the gentleman remembered that ,victor ,hugo1 in his ,toilers of the ,sea1 had said that even the octopus had a vulnerable point4 ,there is one moment in which to seize it--it is when it thrusts forth its head4 ,then is the time to strike4 ,the reverend gentleman then concludes that the ,mormon octopus has thrust forth its head4 ,its high priest1 said he1 claims a senator's chair in ,washington4 ,now is the time to strike4 ,perhaps to miss it now1 is to be lost4 ,wonderful wisdom6 worthy of a great divine6 a mighty climax to a great sermon6 ,seriously1 however1 a most perfect example of an anti-climax2 a most lame and impotent conclusion1 more ridiculous than the fable of the mountain laboring1 to bring forth a mouse6 ,if my voice could reach the reverend gentleman1 ,i would inform him that there is not even the charm of novelty in what he recommended4 ,we have heard something like this before4 ,why1 within my own recollection1 ,i can remember something like that having been proposed as a means of crushing ,mormonism4 ,way down deep in the innermost recesses of my sub-consciousness1 ,i have a recollection of suggestions made in like spirit1 about the year #ahih4 ,this ,doctor of ,divinity's thundering fulmination against ,mormonism1 when ,i hear him pronounce it1 has something familiar about it4 ,in fact it has all the monotony of the refrain of some old familiar song4 ,much was said about an octopus1 too1 and about it thrusting forth its head1 at the time to which ,i refer1 #ahih4 ,then its ,high ,priest1 it was said1 claimed a seat in the lower house of ,congress1 when a certain gentleman by the name of ,roberts was elected to ,congress from the ,state of ,utah4 ,they said1 then1 that the octopus was putting forth its head2 then was the time to strike2 to fail then would be to be lost2 so they induced the ,house of ,representatives to strike1 by excluding the gentleman from the seat to which he had been legally elected1 and for which he possessed1 as was admitted1 every constitutional qualification4 ,but ,i have never heard that the achievement1 which was accomplished at the cost of an outrageous violation of the constitution of our country1 affected the ,mormon ,church4 ,what effect did that illegal act of ,congress have on ,mormonism8 ,about as much effect as a mosquito alighting on the moon would have on that sphere4 ,the ,mormon octopus survived that awful blow6 ,and even the gentleman who was denied his seat1 ,i am informed1 survived also2 and ,i have not heard that his shadow has grown less because of that experience4 ,and should the agitation against ,senator ,reed ,smoot result in his expulsion from the ,senate of the ,united ,states--a thing which is as unlikely as it is unjust--,i verily believe that ,mormonism would survive even that blow4 ,the trouble with our reverend friends is1 that they persist in mistaking always the head of the octopus1 and hence never strike it4 ,it is not my purpose to discuss the issues raised between the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints and this ,los ,angeles ,presbyterian ,assembly1 in a spirit of retaliation4 ,i do not intend to answer railing with railing1 nor do ,i wish to revile those by whom we are reviled4 ,i understand the law of the gospel of ,christ to be that we should not be overcome of evil1 but overcome evil with good4 ,besides1 patience is one of ,mormonism's chief virtues4 ,but all this does not mean that we shall not have an appreciation of our own rights and liberties under the constitution and institutions of our country2 nor does it prevent us from pointing out the unjust conduct of our assailants2 nor debar us from making protest1 in proper spirit1 against their proposed invasions of our rights2 nor blind us to the absurdity of their plans for our destruction4 ,but we will not abuse our traducers1 nor revile them because they revile us4 ,thank ,god1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints occupies a position so exalted that it may smile at the efforts of men who propose to crush it4 ,especially by such means as those proposed by the ,reverend ,doctor ,thompson4 ,the resolutions of the ,presbyterian ,assembly1 at ,los ,angeles1 its fulminations against the ,church of ,christ1 are all shafts that fall broken and harmless at the feet of the people of ,god4 ,there is one passage of ,byron's ,childe ,harold with which ,i have always been deeply impressed1 as setting forth the dignity and exaltation of ,god in his relation to those who doubt the reality of his revelations1 seek to prove them myths1 and blaspheme his name4 ,it is where the poet refers to the character and works of ,voltaire and ,gibbon4 ,concluding his reflections upon these two really great men1 he says3 ,they were gigantic minds1 and their steep aim ,was1 ,titan-like1 on daring doubts to pile ,thoughts which should call down thunder1 and the flame ,of heaven1 again assailed1 if heaven the while ,on man and man's research could deign do more than smile4 ,in like exalted station stands the ,church of ,christ today4 ,the ,bride1 the ,lamb's ,wife1 has no fear of her enemies4 ,she stands too near the ,bridegroom1 too near his glorious coming1 too near the holy1 visible union with him1 which is to be eternal1 to fear the vain ravings of modern priests of ,baal4 ,let us examine more thoroughly1 however1 the proposition of this ,reverend ,doctor ,thompson1 and find out1 if we can1 how the ,christian gentleman really proposes to proceed with his crushing process4 ,be it remembered he lays down the doctrine that ,mormonism is not to be educated1 not to be civilized1 not to be reformed6 ,then how will he proceed8 ,he decides to eliminate educational methods1 civilizing methods1 and reform methods4 ,after eliminating these1 what method has he left for crushing ,mormonism8 ,none but force--brute force2 and force in the last analysis means either mobs or armies4 ,can it be that a body of divines1 ministers of ,jesus ,christ1 living in the twentieth century of the ,christian era1 are ready to recommend the throwing aside of all legitimate methods of dealing with a body of people supposed to be in error on matters of religion1 and leave it to be justly inferred that they favor the employment of force to accomplish that which only love and goodwill toward men should undertake8 ,have we been correctly informed by the dispatches which say that the man who recommended such procedure is the one who was most applauded by the assembled ministers of ,jesus ,christ8 ,can it be that we are living in an age that boasts of its ,christian civilization8 ,or1 by some devilish cantrip slight1 have we been carried back to the dark ages1 when the rack1 and thumbscrews1 and gibbets1 were the agencies through which men's theological opinions and religious principles were corrected8 ,the ages when reluctant victims were dragged to the foot of the altar1 and made to burn incense at orthodox shrines1 though the heart abhorred and disclaimed the sacrilegious act of the hand8 ,for the instruction of those who would favor the abandonment of what are recognized as ,christian and civilized methods of dealing with those supposed to entertain erroneous religious principles1 let us see what effect physical force and persecution has had upon ,mormonism in the past4 ,from the commencement1 those who have been engaged in ,god's work in these last days have suffered violence1 and it will be well to ascertain the results of these methods4 ,from the first announcement ,joseph ,smith made of a revelation from ,god1 until now1 there has not been lacking those who have favored the crushing of ,mormonism4 ,they attempted to beat down the testimony of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith by force of ridicule1 at first1 and slander and misrepresentation4 ,when the ,nephite record1 the ,book of ,mormon1 was placed in his hands for translation1 mobs frequently attempted to wrest that sacred record from his custody4 ,failing in that1 they tried to prevent it from being printed1 and even so far succeeded in frightening ,mr4 ,grandin1 of ,palmyra1 who had engaged to publish it1 that he at one time suspended work upon it4 ,when that difficulty was overcome1 and the book was finally printed1 then mass meetings were held and resolutions passed in the vicinity1 urging the people not to purchase the ,book of ,mormon or to read it2 but1 in spite of these efforts1 the first edition of the ,book of ,mormon was disposed of and read by the people4 ,when the ,church was organized1 the rage of its opponents increased1 and persecution after persecution followed each other in rapid succession in ,new ,york1 ,ohio1 ,missouri1 and ,illinois1 and hundreds perished in the unholy warfare waged against the ,church of ,christ4 ,finally1 the opposition concentrated its hatred upon the earthly head of the ,church--the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,time and time again was he hailed before judges1 and1 singularly enough1 was always acquitted2 up to the day of his death at the hands of a mob1 he was never condemned by the courts of his country4 ,his enemies were forced to the conclusion1 and they said it1 and they acted it3 ,the law cannot reach this man2 powder and ball must4 ,actuated by the same spirit of hatred that was rampant in this very ,presbyterian ,assembly at ,los ,angeles1 mob forces of western ,illinois came to the conclusion that ,mormonism was not to be educated1 not to be civilized1 not to be reformed1 it must be crushed2 and they flattered themselves that1 if this master spirit of ,mormonism1 ,joseph ,smith could only be crushed1 then there would be an end to ,mormonism2 for it was supposed that this man was then the head of the octopus--its vulnerable point4 ,this must be struck1 to miss it would be to lose6 ,so they struck2 cruelly1 murderously struck4 ,but what of the effect on ,mormonism8 ,did the octopus die8 ,no4 ,there was momentary confusion1 it is true2 and profound sorrow4 ,it could not be otherwise4 ,but ,mormonism did not die4 ,it survived that truly awful shock4 ,the fact is that the work which the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith did1 under divine guidance1 was greater than the man2 good1 great1 and necessary as he was to that which1 under ,god1 he wrought1 yet1 as the heavens stand above and are higher than the earth1 so the work of ,god which ,joseph ,smith brought forth1 stands above and is higher1 and greater1 and more enduring than he4 ,hence1 it did not fail when he fell a martyr by the old well-curb at ,carthage jail4 ,it not only survived1 but gained somewhat of strength from the blood of its chief martyr4 ,it was some time a ,christian aphorism1 that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church4 ,it proved to be so in this case2 and after the first moment of confusion was passed1 those in whose hearts the spirit of hatred had been fostered1 discovered that they had1 as some of them said1 scorched1 not killed1 the octopus4 ,presently1 they saw arising from the body what they took to be another head1 ,brigham ,young4 ,he dealt with the problems that arose before his people in a spirit most masterful1 and with ability most astonishing4 ,he conducted an exodus the most wonderful of modern times1 and safely planted his people a thousand miles beyond the frontiers of the ,united ,states1 where he laid the foundation of our present commonwealth of ,utah1 and incidentally made possible the settlement of the whole intermountain region of the ,united ,states4 ,the desire to strike this head1 in many quarters1 was quite as ardent as it had been to strike ,joseph ,smith2 but1 happily1 he was beyond reach4 ,from a distance1 however1 the sectarian harpies1 who were the predecessors of the ,presbyterian divines assembled at ,los ,angeles1 croaked in chorus1 only wait till the head of this 'octopus1' ,brigham ,young1 dies1 and then ,mormonism will succumb by reason of disintegrating forces1 for it cannot be that the system will produce another genius such as this wonderful man4 ,in the course of time1 the wing of the angel of ,death struck this most shining mark1 ,brigham ,young2 but ,mormonism lived on4 ,not only lived1 but extended its borders1 deepened its foundations1 and1 year by year1 has grown more terrible to the distorted vision of sectarian priests1 alike jealous of its success and fearful of its influence upon their crumbling creeds4 ,since the death of ,brigham ,young1 ,i do not remember that anyone has accredited the ruling force in ,mormonism to any individual leader4 ,of late1 its enemies have been speaking of the genius and power of the ,mormon ,church organization4 ,mr4 ,thompson himself quotes ,dr4 ,richard ,t4 ,ely as declaring there is nothing comparable to the organization of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 except the ,german army4 ,a declaration of that sort is encouraging4 ,it indicates growth4 ,it is no longer some individual leader that is the secret of ,mormon success4 ,it is the institution itself4 ,that is what we have been telling our opponents right along1 and it is gratifying to observe that they are beginning to understand that it is an institution1 and not an individual1 with which they have to deal2 an organization1 not a man4 ,i am not quite satisfied1 however with the comparison that is made of it to the ,german army4 ,i think the ,german army is not comparable at all with the perfection in strength1 and in all that makes for excellence1 in the ,church of ,christ1 as a means to an end1 but ,i have not time to discuss that here4 ,i see by the headlines of the daily press of our city that a ,declaration of ,war is made between the ,presbyterians and the ,mormons4 ,i wonder sometimes what kind of a ,rip ,van ,winkle sleep the writers of dispatch headlines1 and ,presbyterians as well1 have been indulging in all these years1 when they say that a declaration of war has just been made4 ,that declaration was made over eighty years ago1 when the ,lord ,almighty revealed himself in person to ,joseph ,smith1 and in answer to his inquiry1 ,which of all these contending sects are right1 and which shall ,i join1 he was told that ,god acknowledged none of them as his church or kingdom2 ,that they drew near to ,god with their lips1 while their hearts were far removed from him2 that they taught for doctrine the commandments of men2 that they had the form of godliness1 but denied the power thereof2 that their creeds were an abomination in his sight4 ,such1 in substance1 was ,god's first message to the world through his great modern prophet4 ,it is in the nature of a declaration of war1 not upon the ,presbyterians1 however2 nor upon ,methodists2 nor ,catholics2 nor upon men at all2 but upon error2 upon false creeds2 upon false religions2 upon hypocrisies clothed in religious garb1--a declaration of war upon all untruth1 and it is useless to hope for peace with the sectarian ,christian sects1 when ,mormonism bears in its hands such a message as this4 ,it is a harsh message1 but a true one2 we are not responsible for it4 ,we do not pretend to have sat in judgment upon the creeds of men4 ,no man has the right to sit in judgment upon the creed of another4 ,joseph ,smith did not sit in judgment upon the creeds of ,christendom4 ,on the contrary1 he confessed his inability to do so4 ,his youth1 his inexperience1 his lack of judgment1 all proclaim him unfitted for such an office4 ,the fact that he inquired of ,god for wisdom to know which of the sects he should regard as the very ,church of ,christ was self-confessed inability to judge in the matter4 ,hence1 ,joseph ,smith did not pass judgment upon the sects of ,christendom2 but ,god did4 ,he was competent to judge4 ,he formulated the decision which it became ,joseph ,smith's duty to announce1 and which it is now the ,church's duty to continue proclaiming4 ,the message1 ,i repeat1 is a bold one2 but in the very boldness and greatness of such a declaration1 we may see something of the ,divine ,majesty4 ,it became necessary to sweep aside the rubbish of theological dogma1 and doctrines which had accumulated through the ages1 and make bare the rocks of truth1 on which to lay anew the foundations of the work of ,god4 ,singularly enough1 our ,presbyterian friends1 especially1 seem to be rendering us valuable assistance in the work of confirming as true the message of ,god to the world1 whereof we1 with them1 are made witnesses4 ,we willing witnesses1 they reluctant ones2 we conscious witnesses1 they unconscious ones2 we witnesses of good will1 they of strife4 ,what ,i mean is this3 the ,lord declared that sectarian creeds were an abomination unto him2 and of all abominable creeds1 ,i know of none quite so abominable as this same ,presbyterian creed4 ,so abominable is it--so against all sense of even human conception of justice and mercy1 that the ,presbyterian ,assembly at ,los ,angeles was found devoting its best efforts to reform it4 ,but that very effort to reform it proclaims its errancy1 and1 ,i take the liberty of adding1 its abomination also4 ,while we cannot enter into anything like a detailed examination of that creed1 allow me to call your attention to one or two points in it which clearly brings it within the descriptive term used by the ,lord in the revelation to ,joseph ,smith4 ,that is1 sectarian creeds are an abomination in his sight4 ,take the following sections from chapter ,,iii of their creed on ,god's ,eternal ,decrees3 ,section ,,iii4--,by the decree of ,god1 for the manifestation of his glory1 some men and angels are predestined unto everlasting life1 and others foreordained to everlasting death4 ,section ,,iv4--,these angels and men1 thus predestined and foreordained1 are particularly and unchangeably designed1 and their number is so certain and definite1 that it cannot be either increased or diminished4 ,section ,v4--,those of mankind that are predestined unto life1 ,god1 before the foundation of the world was laid1 according to his eternal and immutable purpose1 and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will1 hath chosen in ,christ unto everlasting glory1 out of his mere free grace and love1 without any foresight of faith or good works1 or perseverance in either of them1 or any other thing in the creature1 as conditions1 or causes moving him thereunto1 and all to the praise of his glorious grace4 ,i call attention especially to the fact that those elected to salvation owe that election to ,god's mere free grace and love1 without any foresight1 on the part of ,god1 of their faith or good works or perseverance in either of them4 ,the election is an act of the arbitrary will of ,god4 ,in fact1 the ,presbyterians' own explanation of this part of the creed is3 ,election to salvation is not conditioned upon foreseen faith or good works or perseverance1 but that in each case it rests upon sovereign grace and personal love according to the secret counsel of his ,god's will4 ,no wonder that ,raban1 ,bishop of ,mayence1 when writing to ,hincmar1 ,archbishop of ,rheims1 when this same doctrine was rising in the church1 said3 ,to what purpose shall ,i labor in the service of ,god8 ,if ,i and predestined to death1 ,i shall never escape from it2 and if ,i am predestined to life1 even though ,i do wickedly1 ,i shall1 no doubt1 arrive at eternal rest6 ,the rank absurdity of this doctrine was justly satirized by burns in the opening stanza of his ,holy ,willie's ,prayer3 ,o1 ,thou wha in the heavens dost dwell1 ,wha1 as it pleaseth best thysel'1 ,sends ane to heaven and ten to hell ,a' for thy glory1 ,an' no for ony guid or ill ,they've done afore thee4 ,in application of this principle of election and reprobation to mankind1 those who founded it had to meet the difficult problems as to how it would affect that very great portion of mankind who died in infancy2 and1 however heartless the men of those times may appear to us of modern days1 it must be said of them that they had at least the courage of their convictions2 and they said in ,chapter ,x of the creed3 ,section ,,iii4--,elect infants1 dying in infancy1 are regenerated and saved by ,christ through the spirit1 who worketh when1 and where1 and how he pleaseth4 ,so also are all other elect persons1 who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the ,word4 ,the very use of the expression elect infants implied that there were infants not elect1 whose fate1 in all reason1 under this creed1 would be the same as that of adults1 who were not of the elect2 and hence1 the popular understanding that the ,presbyterian creed implied the damnation of infants2 and it should be remembered1 in this connection1 that the ,presbyterian idea of damnation is an ever-lasting punishment in hell from which there is no hope of deliverance4 ,this implication as to infants was not denied1 for a long time1 by those who accepted the creed2 but1 being oppressed with the apparent injustice of the damnation of innocent babes because not among the elect1 ,presbyterians began to offer the explanation1 early in our last century1 that they believed all infants dying in infancy were elect2 and such has been the agitation upon that question1 both within and without the ,presbyterian church1 that at last the assembly at ,los ,angeles1 authorized to speak for the ,presbyterian church1 declares1 in effect1 that their belief is that all infants dying in infancy are of the elect4 ,this is certainly very gracious on their part4 ,it makes one feel a little more easy regarding the fate of innocent babes1 now that we know that children dying in infancy1 according to the reformed ,presbyterian creed1 are among the elect6 ,still we cannot but deplore the fact that many thousands of mothers1 within the membership of the ,presbyterian church1 even1 have mourned their innocent babes dying in infancy as among the probably eternally lost2 but it is refreshing to see the indication of progress even among our ,presbyterian friends1 and it is to be hoped that the light will continue to grow in their minds1 until they shall not only see the impropriety of leaving the salvation of infants dying in infancy1 in doubt1 but shall correct1 also1 this other abominable part of their creed respecting election in general4 ,the amendment of the creed respecting the fate of infants helps it but a very little4 ,the damnation of a good man1 because he is not of the elect1 is just as outrageous as the damnation of an innocent babe4 ,in some respects of the case1 it is even worse4 ,here1 we will say1 is a man who throughout his life has made every effort to realize1 in his living1 the lofty ideal of possessing clean hands and a pure heart2 who entertains only aspirations that are noble1 and performs deeds only that are honorable2 who in the relationships of life1 as son1 brother1 husband1 father1 and citizen1 discharges1 with reasonable fidelity1 all his duties in these relations1 and1 as nearly as man can while under the effects of the fall and pestered with human inclinations to perversity1 leads what is recognized as a virtuous life4 ,yet1 if not of the elect1 this man is doomed eternally1 and his struggling for the attainment of his lofty ideals and his noble life1 avail him nothing in the way of warding off damnation2 because1 forsooth1 he is not of the elect1 and hence must perish everlastingly4 ,that such conclusion is forced upon those accepting the ,presbyterian creed1 is evidenced from chapter ,x1 ,section ,,iv of that creed3 ,section ,,iv4--,others not elected1 although they may be called by the ministry of the word1 and may have some common operations of the ,spirit1 i4 e41 awakened aspirations for righteousness yet they never truly come unto ,christ1 and therefore cannot be saved1 much less can men not professing the ,christian religion be saved in any other way whatsoever1 be they ever so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature and the law of that religion they do profess2 and to assert and maintain that they may1 is very pernicious1 and to be detested4 ,that is to say1 however righteous or honorable men may be1 and though they accept1 as far as in them lies the power1 the ,christian faith1 yet1 if not among the elect1 their doom is sealed1 and that doom is everlasting damnation from the comfortable presence of ,god6 ,i suggest that our friends consider their creed again1 and pass a resolution that all such men as the supposed righteous man just now described are1 of the elect1 as well as infants dying in infancy4 ,equally necessary is it that they should reform their creed with reference to the fate of the heathen4 ,for1 in the application of the principle laid down in the section of the creed last quoted is relegated to eternal damnation all men not professing the ,christian religion4 ,in explaining the application of this section of the creed to such persons1 in an authoritative work on ,presbyterianism1 7,commentary of the ,confession of ,faith with ,questions for ,theological ,students and ,bible ,classes1 by the ,rev4 ,a4 ,a4 ,hodge1 ,d4 ,d417 it is said3 ,the heathen in mass1 with no single definite and unquestionable exception on record1 are evidently strangers to ,god1 and going down to death in an unsaved condition4 ,the presumed possibility of being saved without a knowledge of ,christ remains1 after eighteen hundred years1 a possibility illustrated by no example4 ,when it is remembered that of the population of the earth at present1 after two thousand years of ,christianity1 less than one-third of the population of the world is even nominally ,christian1 while more than two-thirds are outside of any form of ,christianity whatsoever2 and when it is further remembered that in past ages the proportion of ,christians to the population of the world has been very much less than this2 and when it is further remembered that1 in ,presbyterian ideas of the gospel1 there are no means by which the gospel may be applied except in this present life1 and those who fail to receive the gospel here are eternally lost1 we are not much surprised at the infidel who draws the conclusion1 when contemplating the doctrines of this abominable creed1 that1 if this creed be true1 then ,god1 when he created the human race1 was but creating1 in the main1 fuel for the flames of hell out of human souls6 ,is it any wonder1 if other creeds of divided ,christendom contain similar doctrines1 or other doctrines which as flagrantly violate every conception of the relative claims of mercy and justice1 that ,god declared the creeds of men an abomination in his sight8 ,i told you in the beginning of my remarks that ,i would not have time to examine even this one creed in detail1 but could only point out one or two items that would tend to demonstrate the truth of the ,lord's revelation to ,joseph ,smith respecting the abomination of the creeds of men2 and1 having done this1 ,i must stop1 as our time has expired4 ,but ,i cannot close these remarks in any other than in a hopeful spirit4 ,i say again1 it is encouraging to see our ,presbyterian friends amending their creed2 and ,i sincerely trust that the light which has apparently begun to dawn upon their minds will grow brighter and brighter unto the perfect day2 until they will not only change their creed respecting the fate of infants1 but will go on adding line upon line and precept upon precept1 here and there eliminating that which is so glaringly abominable1 until at last they shall be so accustomed to the light of truth that they will be able to look upon the fullness thereof as it is revealed in the gospel of ,jesus ,christ in these last days1 through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,the ,lord bless you1 and also the ,presbyterians1 in the name of ,jesus ,christ4 ,amen4 ,,vii4 ,relations of ,church and ,state3 ,religious ,liberty in ,america4 ,,foreword4 ,the writer was asked to speak upon ,the ,relations of the ,church to the ,state at a ,silver ,banquet given at the ,knutsford ,hotel in ,may1 #ahie4 ,the ,utah ,state ,constitutional ,convention had recently adjourned2 and a very widely attended ,convention in the interest of the free and unlimited coinage of silver by the government of the ,united ,states had just come to a close2 the banquet at which the writer's remarks were made was given in honor of the members of that ,convention4 ,there were present1 among many other notable guests1 ,governor ,rickards1 of ,montana1 ,ex-,governor ,alva ,adams1 of ,colorado1 ,senator ,clark of ,wyoming1 ,governor ,mc,connell of ,idaho1 ,ex-,congressman ,bartine of ,nevada1 ,general ,thomas ,j4 ,clunie of ,california1 ,general ,penrose1 then in command at ,fort ,douglas1 ,utah1 ,governor ,prince of ,new ,mexico1 ,hon4 ,wharton ,barker of ,pennsylvania4 ,among the gentlemen of note from ,utah were ,governor ,caleb ,b4 ,west1 ,mayor ,baskin1 then ,congressman1 afterwards ,senator1 ,joseph ,l4 ,rawlins1 and ,judge ,c4 ,c4 ,goodwin1 toast-master4 ,the question of the relations of the ,church and the ,state had lung been debated in ,utah1 and now that ,utah was upon the eve of beginning her career as a sovereign state in the ,american ,union1 the subject was of considerable interest1 locally1 largely because it had been very generally charged that in ,utah there was grave danger1 if not of a union of ,church and ,state1 then of state domination by the ,mormon ,church1 and doubtless the subject and speaker were chosen for these reasons4 ,i4 ,the ,relation of the ,church to the ,state4 ,the speaker was introduced by ,judge ,goodwin1 ,toast-,master1 who said3 ,the committee that prepared this programme1 having an idea that something would be needed to bring men back to sober thoughts1 after ,governor ,mc,connell's speech1 ,is ,there ,any ,light8 was ,governor ,mc,connell's subject made the next sentiment1 ,church and ,state1 and they put down as the speaker ,utah's most eloquent son4 ,it gives me extreme pleasure to introduce to you the ,hon4 ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts4 ,mr4 ,roberts spoke as follows3 ,honorable ,toast-,master and ,gentlemen--,i think for the first time in my life ,i appreciate the feelings of the young shepherd1 ,david1 when ,israel's proud king placed upon him his own plated armor2 gave him a shield and a great spear with which to fight ,goliath4 ,david said3 ,i cannot go with these2 for ,i have not proved them4 ,he appeared before his antagonist in the simple garb of the shepherd1 with his sling and a few smooth stones4 ,and so1 after the very flattering introduction that has been given me by the honorable toast-master of the evening1 ,i feel myself unworthy to bear the honored title that he has given me4 ,i disclaim it altogether and say in simple truth1 ,i am not an orator1 ,i am not eloquent1 but1 as you all know1 a plain1 blunt man1 capable only of speaking those things that you already know4 ,i therefore most humbly beg to disclaim the proud place that the introduction of the toast-master would assign me4 ,when ,i was informed that ,i would be expected to speak upon this staid1 and ,i may say threadbare subject1 ,church and ,state1 it appeared to me that the committee who had arranged this programme had gone somewhat out of the way in selecting such a subject2 but ,i defer to their judgement and am willing to say it is all right1 but ask that you gentlemen of the banquet will not hold me responsible for inviting your sober consideration to such a theme in the midst of such temptations to be otherwise than sober4 ,there are three relations which the church and the state may sustain to each other4 ,first1 the state may dominate the church2 second1 the church may dominate the state2 and1 third1 church and state may occupy separate spheres1 and be absolutely divorced the one from the other4 ,those who argue for the rightfulness of the first relationship will tell you that the state is not within the church1 but the church is within the state2 they will tell you that it is the state which rules the land1 that wages war1 that levies taxes and governs at least the external destinies of the citizen1 and that whenever the religious creeds cease to be individual and result in associations1 those organizations come within the proper cognizance and authority of the state2 and that the state has a right to draw the lines of ecclesiastical policy1 and to fix the constitution of the church as knowing what is best for the general society4 ,those who contend for the second relationship--that the church should dictate to the state--argue that the church1 as the representative of the divine authority1 is also the superior authority2 that indeed the state itself is but an outgrowth of that superior authority2 that as the moon but reflects the light of the sun1 so the state borrows whatsoever of authority it possesses from the spiritual authority--the church4 ,furthermore1 they insist that in the matter of chronological order itself1 the church antedates the state2 it is the first society1 primitive and eternal1 and hence has the true sovereignty2 that the state is properly but the instrument of the church to execute the divine decrees4 ,those who contend that the church and state should exist separately1 recognize the great truth that the church and the state have independent and different spheres4 ,there is no proper connection between the two1 and no necessity exists for interference one with the other4 ,they contend that the church should exist unnoticed by the state2 that religious creeds should approximate or separate according to the inclinations of the church members4 ,mankind by the test of experience1 has learned the relative value of these several relationships which may exist between the church and the state1 and now1 in the light of that experience1 let me consider the virtues and vices of each4 ,for the purpose of illustration ,i need go no further back than the time when ,constantine became the patron of the ,christian religion and elevated the sect from the condition of a persecuted society to the state religion of the great empire4 ,he invited the ,christian ministers to his court1 gave them a seat at his table in the palace1 loaded them with honors and riches1 but was careful himself to draw the line of ecclesiastical policy and pattern the church organization very much after the constitution of the civil government of ,rome4 ,as a reward for these favors the ministry of the church stood in humble attitude at the foot of the throne4 ,they overlooked the shortcomings of their great patron1 guilty of putting to death without just cause a wife1 a son1 and in violation of his plighted faith1 his brother-in-law4 ,there is another period in church history where the state becomes the patron of the church and dominated it4 ,that occurred during the great reformation of the sixteenth century when ,henry ,,viii1 displeased because the pope of ,rome refused to sever the bond of marriage between himself and the faithful ,catherine of ,aragon1 took affairs ecclesiastical within his own realm into his own hands and founded a state church4 ,in this period of history we find repeated just what was done in the case of ,constantine4 ,notwithstanding the cruelties1 the debauchees and the murders of ,henry the ministers of ,christ still awarded to him the title1 ,defender of the ,faith4 ,i mention these circumstances because they exhibit the vice of the state dominating a church4 ,that vice consists in this1 that such a relationship bridles the tongues of ,god's ministers1 who are commanded to reprove sin in high places and demand the same moral standard of the prince that is demanded of the pauper4 ,whenever the ministry of a church stands in dread of the temporal power1 when by it they may be unfrocked1 it will be a rare thing indeed to find men of sufficient moral courage to be true to the divine commandment in preaching and executing the word of ,god2 hence the mischief of state domination of the church4 ,one of the wise men of the east1 ,aesop1 tells the story of a camel who in the midst of a terrible storm on the desert1 begged his ,arabian master to allow him the privilege of putting his head within the tent out of the storm4 ,the indulgent master granted his request1 but no sooner did the camel get his head into the tern than he crowded in his shoulders also1 and then the whole huge bulk of his body1 and1 turning about1 he kicked his master out of the tent into the storm4 ,so did the ,christian ecclesiastical power with the civil power in the ,roman empire4 ,papal ,rome rose upon the ruins of pagan ,rome1 and for centuries ruled the nations with a rod of iron4 ,the evils growing out of the church dictating the state are to be read in that period of darkness which covered our earth from the fifth to the sixteenth centuries4 ,it is not necessary for me in detail to point out those evils4 ,it will be sufficient if ,i call your attention in a general way to the vice arising from this relationship4 ,that vice consists in this--that such a relationship between church and state tends to debase and weaken the ministry of ,christ4 ,all ministers of the gospel are not equal to the virtue of their great ,master4 ,when the evil prince of this world stood before the ,lamb of ,god and1 with a master hand1 drew aside the curtain which covered the glory of the nations and pointed to them in all their splendor and wealth1 and said1 ,all these will ,i give thee1 only fall down and worship me2 the divine man could look the tempter in the face and say3 ,get thee hence1 ,satan2 for it is written1 thou shalt worship the ,lord thy ,god1 and him only shalt thou serve4 ,the ministers of the church today are not tempted to this extent4 ,the arch-enemy of men's souls knows too well that it is not necessary4 ,from the back door of the parsonage our ministers may see enough to seduce them from the work of the ,divine ,master2 yea1 so much of the yellow gold of this earth as may be clutched thus in the hand may sometimes be sufficient for their seduction4 ,when you make it possible for the state to dominate the church1 such is the glamor and sheen of temporal power that men are willing and do forget the glories of eternity that they may revel in the pleasures and powers of this world for a season4 ,hence it becomes necessary to preserve the integrity of ,god's ministry that you separate the church so far from the state as to make the dictation of the latter by the former impossible1 and thus lessen the temptation of the ministry to neglect the things of heaven in order to dabble in the affairs of state4 ,i have already said that those who contend for the separation of church and state recognize separate spheres for those two powers to operate in4 ,this idea1 ,i may say1 had its second birth in the great revolution of the sixteenth century1 sometimes called the ,reformation4 ,john ,calvin was a leader in that doctrine in his day4 ,john ,knox followed him1 and there was a hot contest in the old world for the maintenance of this doctrine--not for the good of the state so much as for the good of the church--for these champions held that in order for the ministers of ,god to perform well and faithfully their duties they must be removed from fear of interference of kings and potentates4 ,but the most interesting period of the struggle for the separation of church and state is to be found in the history of the founding of our own great nation4 ,after the war of the ,american revolution the statesmen of that period were confronted with the work of forming a government for our country4 ,there were men who contended that ,god ought to be put in the ,constitution1 and an establishment of religion instituted4 ,but the revolutionary fathers looked over the whole land and found that the people were divided beyond the hope of union into one great and united church2 and that to make a state church out of any one of the sects would be an act of injustice to all the rest--a thing they were unwilling to perpetrate2 and they solved the problem by crystallizing this doctrine of separation of church and state in that declaration written in the constitution of our land1 which says3 ,congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion1 or prohibiting the free exercise thereof4 ,and thus we travel the circle of human experience and come back at last to stand face to face with the grand doctrine taught by the great founder of the ,christian church1 who1 on the occasion of men seeking to embroil him in a conflict with the civil powers of this world1 said3 ,render unto ,caesar the things which are ,caesar's1 and unto ,god the things which are ,god's4 ,that declaration1 falling from the lips of him who spoke as never man spake1 and that declaration in the ,american constitution1 have as their source the same inspiration4 ,in years that are past1 in the hearts of many1 there existed a fear that here in ,utah we should be confronted with this question of the relation of church and state2 and to state it frankly ,i may say that the fear that there would be a violation of this ,american principle respecting the separation of church and state has been one of the causes which has delayed so long the act of justice to the people of ,utah--her admission into the ,american ,union4 ,i want to say to these honored guests of ours1 so soon to separate from us and go back to their homes1 that you may tell your people that here in ,utah we have solved the problem2 and that which we have written in our state constitution1 and which we mean to keep inviolate1 is in harmony with what is written in the great national ,constitution of our country4 ,there is one phase of this question which ,i think sometimes is not sufficiently considered2 and that is that it is not always the fault of the church that there is a union of church and state or ecclesiastical interference in political and civil affairs4 ,there are politicians and political parties who are not above fawning and crawling at the feet of ecclesiastical influence4 ,somehow or other the calamities attendant upon ecclesiastical interference in politics never appear to them until that influence is exercised in behalf of the other fellow or the other political party4 ,let our politicians stand erect1 let our political parties resent ecclesiastical influence when exerted in their behalf as they would resent it when exercised against them1 and ,i promise you that in the new state of ,utah we shall have no difficulty growing out of ecclesiastical domination of our political affairs4 ,you are extremely patient with me in these rather extended remarks of mine1 but ,i am done with my subject proper4 ,if1 however1 you will still be patient with me1 there are a few words that ,i wish to say to the gentlemen who constitute the ,silver ,convention1 that has now so happily1 and as ,i believe so effectually1 accomplished the purposes for which it was convened4 ,i know not1 gentlemen1 whether ever before you have felt the inspiration that comes from contemplation of a missionary enterprise2 but it seems to me that if a cause righteous and just is necessary to give true inspiration to men1 then1 indeed1 how that inspiration ought to shine forth from you in word and in action4 ,to labor in the interests of the toiling masses is worthy of laudable ,ambition's highest aspirations4 ,and now may ,i not say for you1 though but a layman1 and looking upon you and your work from the ranks of the people1 may ,i not invoke the power divine for you1 saying1 ,what in them is dark1 illumine2 what is low1 raise and support2 that to the height of this great argument they may assert the patriotism of their intentions1 and justify the demand that we all make1 that silver shall be restored to its place in the monetary system of the ,united ,states4 ,judge ,goodwin 7toast-master7--,a few of you who read the ,bible 7laughter7 will remember that when ,david said that the work set before him was too great for him to perform1 he still had the sling under his sheepskin1 with which he slew ,goliath1 and when my friend1 in his native and honest modesty1 said that too much had been perhaps expected of him1 ,i knew he had the sling4 ,,foreword4 ,the following remarks were prepared for a ,jefferson dinner1 at the ,commercial ,club rooms in ,salt ,lake ,city1 in ,april1 #aijg2 and afterwards published in the ,salt ,lake ,herald1 of ,may #adth4 ,the question of the relations of church and state1 or rather the question of the domination of the state by the church1 was still agitated in ,utah4 ,the ,mormon ,church at its ,annual ,conference in ,april of the above year had issued an ,address to the ,world in which its attitude on the question was once more stated1 and stated with greater clearness and emphasis than ever before4 ,it was in the expectation that some reference would be made to this local question that the subject of the following address was selected4 ,in order that the attitude of the ,mormon ,church with reference to the relations of the church and the state may be present to the readers' mind1 while considering the following paper4 ,i quote that part of the aforesaid ,address upon the subject3 ,in answer to the charge of disloyalty1 founded upon alleged secret obligations against our government1 we declare to all men that there is nothing treasonable or disloyal in any ordinance1 ceremony1 or ritual of the ,church4 ,the overthrow of earthly governments2 the union of church and state2 domination of the state by the church2 ecclesiastical interference with the political freedom and rights of the citizen1--all such things are contrary to the principles and policy of the ,church1 and directly at variance with the oft-repeated declarations of its chief presiding authorities and of the ,church itself1 speaking through its general conferences4 ,the doctrine of the ,church on the subject of government1 stands as follows3 ,we believe in being subject to kings1 presidents1 rulers and magistrates1 in obeying1 honoring and sustaining the law4 ,such is our acknowledgement of duty to civil governments4 ,again3 ,we believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same1 and that such as will administer law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people 7if a republic71 or the will of the sovereign4 ,we do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government2 whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges1 and the individual rights of its members1 as citizens1 denied4 ,with reference to the laws of the ,church1 it is expressly said3 ,be subject to the powers that be until he comes whose right it is to reign1 and subdues all enemies under his feet4 ',behold1 the laws which ye have received from my hand are the laws of the ,church1 and in this light ye shall hold them forth4 ,that is to say1 no law or rule enacted1 or revelation received by the ,church1 has been promulgated for the ,state4 ,such laws and revelations as have been given are solely for the government of the ,church4 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints holds to the doctrine of the separation of church and state2 the non-interference of church authority in political matters2 and the absolute freedom and independence of the individual in the performance of his political duties4 ,if1 at any time1 there has been conduct at variance with this doctrine1 it has been in violation of the well settled principles and policy of the ,church4 ,we declare that from principle and policy1 we favor3 ,the absolute separation of church and state2 ,no domination of the state by the church2 ,no church interference with the functions of the state2 ,no state interference with the functions of the church1 or with the free exercise of religion2 ,the absolute freedom of the individual from the domination of ecclesiastical authority in political affairs2 ,the equality of all churches before the law4 ,the reaffirmation of this doctrine and policy1 however1 is predicated upon the express understanding that politics in the states where our people reside1 shall be conducted as in other parts of the ,union2 that there shall be no interference by the ,state with the ,church1 nor with the free exercise of religion4 ,should political parties make war upon the ,church1 or menace the civil1 political1 or religious rights of its members as such1--against a policy of that kind1 by any political party of set of men whatsoever1 we assert the inherent right of self-preservation for the ,church1 and her right and duty to call upon her children1 and upon all who love justice1 and desire the perpetuation of religious liberty1 to come to her aid1 to stand with her until the danger shall have passed4 ,and this1 openly1 submitting the justice of our cause to the enlightened judgement of our fellow men1 should such an issue unhappily arise4 ,we desire to live in peace and confidence with our fellow citizens of all political parties and of all religions4 ,,ii4 ,jefferson's ,contribution to ,religious ,liberty in ,america4 ,on the plain headstone that marks the grave of ,thomas ,jefferson1 after his name are these words3 ,author of the ,declaration of ,,american ,,independence1 of ,the ,statute of ,virginia ,for ,religious ,freedom1 and ,father of the ,university of ,virginia4 ,this inscription ,mr4 ,jefferson himself wrote out4 ,it evidently indicates what he regarded as the three most worthy achievements of his life2 and when it is seen that next to being the author of the ,declaration of ,american ,independence1 he prides himself on being the author of this ,statute of ,virginia for ,religious ,freedom1 your committee may be pardoned1 ,i think1 for placing on the program for this evening the subject ,i am all too briefly to discuss--,jefferson's contribution to religious freedom in ,america4 ,men in their less serious moods may jest as they please at religion1 but after all it is the most serious business of life4 ,no really great mind is dead to its influence4 ,and at some time or other in their experience1 men who are great of soul seek to understand the truths religion teaches1 and seldom are they disappointed in her lessons4 ,disappointed1 indeed1 would we have been had ,jefferson taken no interest in so great a subject3 one which so nearly concerns human happiness1 and so largely affects the peace and well being of society4 ,both the texture of ,jefferson's mind and his environment1 however1 were such as to make the subject one of profound interest to him4 ,when he appeared at ,william and ,mary college at #ag years of age1 we are told that he possessed the three essential qualities of the successful student1 namely1 perfect health1 good habits and an inquiring mind4 ,fortunately for him1 ,dr4 ,william ,small was professor of mathematics in the college1 and for a time he also filled the chair of philosophy4 ,in his capacity of teacher and outside college companion of ,jefferson1 ,professor ,small doubtless did much that influenced the development of the future statesman's mind4 ,he is described as a man of enlightened understanding1 but it is also said that he was not too orthodox in his opinions4 ,but that is a circumstance scarcely to be regretted when the orthodoxy of that day is taken into account1 for ,i am inclined to think that the further one was removed from that orthodoxy the nearer he might be to ,god4 ,there are two acts in the life of ,jefferson to which ,i shall allude1 and which ,i think will sufficiently demonstrate the profound interest he had in the subject of religion4 ,the first is the writing of a letter to his nephew1 ,peter ,carr1 on the subject of that young man's religious studies4 ,he urges him to a thorough and candid investigation of the subject of religion without regard to consequences4 ,if young ,carr's investigation ended in the conviction that there was no ,god1 ,jefferson was of opinion that his young relative would still find incentives to virtue in the comfort and pleasantness of its practice1 and in the love of others it would procure for him4 ,if on the other hand he should find reason to believe there is a ,god1 a consciousness that he was acting under the divine approval--and ,i think the idea which follows has never been sufficiently emphasized--the fact of that divine approval would be a vast additional incitement to the practice of virtue4 ,if he should find that ,jesus was also a ,god1 the student would derive comfort by the belief in his aid and love4 ,reason was the only oracle given him of heaven1 and he was not responsible for the rightness of his decision1 but he would be responsible for the uprightness of it4 ,the other incident alluded to is ,jefferson's complication of the four-fold text of the ,life and ,morals of ,jesus1 consisting of selected texts from the four evangelists4 ,i mean by four-fold compilation that he cut the passages respectively from ,greek1 ,latin1 ,french and ,english copies of the ,new ,testament4 ,for the teachings of ,jesus he selected only those passages whose style and spirit proved them genuine1 and his own4 ,this compilation was his own effort to knock down the artificial scaffolding reared to mask from view the simple structure of ,jesus4 ,and of the teaching of ,jesus thus set forth1 he said3 ,a more beautiful or precious morsel of ethics ,i have never seen2 it is a document in proof that ,i am a real ,christian1 that is to say1 a disciple of the doctrines of ,jesus4 ,i am not claiming that the ,christianity of ,jefferson was orthodox4 ,his correspondence with ,dr4 ,priestly1 and his open admiration for the teaching of ,dr4 ,channing fix the nature of his belief in the founder of ,christianity4 ,i refer to these matters merely to show that to the mind of this remarkable man religion was a subject of profound interest and respect2 and also to suggest that it was really the religious nature of the man that prompted the part he took in securing religious freedom in the commonwealth of ,virginia1 and through that circumstance1 with another to be mentioned later1 aided mightily in securing religious freedom in ,america4 ,chiefly upon ,new ,england has been fixed the odium of religious intolerance in our country2 but human nature in the eighteenth century was pretty much of the same sort of stuff throughout the ,british colonies2 at least the difference was not so very great between ,new ,england and ,virginia so far as it found expression in religious intolerance2 for if in ,new ,england the people could be fined1 whipped or put in the stocks for not going to church--in ,virginia they could be punished for going to the wrong one1 while ,baptists1 ,presbyterians and ,quakers were compelled to pay tithes to a church they did not attend4 ,if in ,new ,england the people could be compelled to stay awake and refrain from smiling while in church1 no matter how tedious or ridiculous the sermons were--in ,virginia justices of the peace were committing ,quakers to the pillory for keeping their hats on in church4 ,if in ,massachusetts1 at one time it was a capital offense to celebrate mass--in ,virginia heresy was punishable by burning at the stake4 ,if in ,massachusetts the ,church of ,england services could not be performed1 nor baptism administered by immersion1 nor a company of men pray with their hats on--in ,virginia denial of the doctrine of the ,trinity was punishable by three years imprisonment1 and ,unitarians were legally deprived of the custody of their children on the ground that people holding to the belief in the unity of ,god were unfit to be intrusted with the rearing of their own children6 ,if in ,new ,england the spirit of religious intolerance was more severe--in ,virginia it endured longer2 for while in the former place the fight for religious freedom was won by the middle of the eighteenth century1 it was not until nearly the close of that century that it was won in the latter4 ,religious freedom was not established in ,virginia until the final adoption1 in #aghf1 of ,jefferson's statute for that purpose4 ,the statute was presented in the house of burgesses in #aggf1 and the main clause was as follows3 ,no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship1 ministry1 or place whatsoever2 nor shall be enforced1 restrained1 molested1 or burdened in his body or goods2 nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief2 but all men shall be free to profess1 and by argument to maintain1 their opinions in matters of religion2 and the same shall in no wise diminish1 enlarge1 or affect their civil capacities4 ,such an enactment as is here proposed seems now so reasonable to us1 so commonplace in its justice1 that we marvel that it was not unanimously and immediately passed by the house of burgesses4 ,but after twenty-five days of debate1 which ,jefferson himself characterized as desperate contests1 the utmost of achievement at that time was the repeal of the statute which imposed penalties for going to the wrong church and compelling dissenters to pay tithes4 ,not until nine years more had passed--years of bitterness and strife and noble effort on the part of ,jefferson and his liberal associates1 could ,virginia be brought to a settlement of her religious problems by the adoption of the foregoing proposed enactment4 ,this statute1 so far as in him lay the power1 ,jefferson tried to make a sort of ,english bill of rights4 ,at least ,i judge so from the nature of one of the paragraphs of the statute1 and which is well worth the trouble to read4 ,and though we well know that this assembly1 elected by the people for the ordinary purposes of legislation only1 have no power to restrain the acts of succeeding assemblies1 constituted with power equal to our own1 and that1 therefore1 to declare this act irrevocable would be of no effect in law1 yet we are free to declare1 and do declare1 that the rights hereby asserted are of the natural rights of mankind2 and that if any act shall be hereafter passed to repeal the present1 or to narrow its operation1 such act will be an infringement of natural right4 ,of course1 as ,mr4 ,jefferson himself realized1 the state legislature could not bind succeeding legislatures from altering or amending this statute1 but undoubtedly there was a moral force that went with what was there set down in the statute4 ,at any rate the passing of this act was a final settlement of the question4 ,never since those days has it been disturbed1 and finally those principles were adopted in every state of the ,american union4 ,the principle upon which ,jefferson acted in securing religious freedom in ,virginia--though expressed in language used some years after the conflict in ,virginia had closed--is set forth as follows3 ,it behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself to resist invasions of it in the case of others1 or their case may1 by change of circumstances1 become his own4 ,the arguments by which ,jefferson sustained the justice of the ,virginia statute1 though commonplace to us now1 are worth repeating in part1 since occasional reference to fundamental principles is beneficial4 ,opinion1 he declared to be something with which government had nothing to do2 government was no more competent to prescribe beliefs than medicine1 and constraint made hypocrites1 not converts4 ,error alone needed support of government2 truth could stand by itself4 ,subject opinion to coercion1 and you make fallible men1 governed by bad passions1 by private as well as public reasons1 your inquisitors1 and even if desirable1 uniformity is unattainable4 ,millions of innocent men1 women and children1 he said1 since the introduction of ,christianity1 have been burnt1 tortured1 fined1 imprisoned2 yet we have not advanced one inch towards uniformity4 ,what has been the effect of coercion8 ,to make one-half the world fools1 and the other half hypocrites2 to support roguery and error all over the earth4 ,let us reflect that it is inhabited by a thousand millions of people2 that these profess probably a thousand different systems of religion2 that ours is but one of that thousand2 that if there be but one right1 and ours that one1 we would wish to see the nine hundred and ninety-nine wandering sects gathered into the fold of truth4 ,but against such a majority we cannot effect this by force4 ,reason and persuasion are the only practicable instruments4 ,to make way for these1 free inquiry must be indulged2 and how can we wish others to indulge it1 while we refuse it ourselves4 ,jefferson's contribution to religious freedom in ,america was not limited to the drafting and finally securing the passage of the ,virginia statute on the subject4 ,although it must be admitted that his further contribution to religious freedom in ,america resulted from indirect1 rather than from direct means4 ,after the war of independence closed1 and the founders of the great republic met in convention to form a more perfect union and a more efficient government1 this principle of religious freedom was finally included among the provisions of that constitution1 under which we have now had one hundred and twenty years of national life4 ,it expressly provides that ,no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the ,united ,states4 ,also that ,congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion1 or prohibiting the free exercise thereof4 ,jefferson was in ,france during the formation of the ,constitution1 and therefore could have had but little to do directly with its formation1 but it must be remembered that some years before--#aggf--;he had written what will always be regarded as the preface to our ,constitution1 namely1 the immortal ,declaration of ,independence4 ,when in that instrument ,jefferson declared as self-evident truth that all men are created equal1 that they are endowed by their ,creator with an inalienable right to live1 to be free1 and to pursue happiness2 and that to secure these rights governments were instituted among men1 deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed--he set in order the foundation principles of all our liberties1 religious as well as civil4 ,after the adoption of that declaration and its maintenance by a successful appeal to the dreadful arbitrament of war1 it was inevitable that the religious liberties now secured by constitutional provision in every state of the union1 and in the national constitution as well1 should come4 ,that ,jefferson contributed to this general result more1 perhaps1 than any other ,american statesman1 as well as being the leading factor in the establishment of religious freedom in ,virginia1 will not be disputed4 ,this ,american religious liberty which sets the church free from the interference of the civil authority1 carries with it as a corollary the freedom of the state from the interference of ecclesiastical authority--it results in the absolute separation of the church and the state4 ,great as religious freedom is1 and in my estimation above all price1 yet the other half of our ,american system--the freedom of the state from ecclesiastical domination1 is of equal value1 and equally necessary to our peace and the security of both church and state4 ,it is claimed by high authority that one-half of the wars of ,europe and half the troubles that have vexed ,european states from the early centuries of the ,christian era down to the nineteenth century1 have arisen from theological differences or from the rival claims of church and state4 ,thank ,god1 the ,united ,states under the national ,constitution has no part in such a record as that6 ,the comparative peace and freedom from religious strife that has obtained in our own country1 through more than a century of religious freedom1 vindicates the wisdom of our system1 which has led to the happiest results4 ,a few years ago--#ahia--these results were described by a gentleman of commanding influence1 both in literature and in the civil affairs of his own country1 and who now holds the exalted station of ,british ambassador to our government at ,washington1 ,mr4 ,james ,bryce4 ,listen to his words3 ,there are no quarrels of churches and sects4 ,judah does not vex ,ephraim1 nor ,ephraim envy ,judah4 ,no established church looks down scornfully upon dissenters from the height of its titles and endowments1 and talks of them as hindrances in the way of its work4 ,no dissenters pursue an established church in a spirit of watchful jealousy1 nor agitate for its overthrow4 ,one is not offended by the contrast between the theory and the practice of a religion of peace1 between professions of universal affection in pulpit addresses and forms of prayer1 and the acrimony of clerical controversialists4 ,still less1 of course1 is there that sharp opposition and antagonism of ,christians and anti-,christians which lacerates the private as well as public life of ,france4 ,rivalry between sects appears only in the innocent form of the planting of new churches and raising of funds for missionary objects1 while most of the ,protestant denominations1 including the four most numerous1 constantly fraternize in charitable work4 ,between ,roman ,catholics and ,protestants there is little hostility1 and sometimes co-operation for a philanthropic purpose4 ,the skeptic is no longer under a social ban1 and discussions on the essentials of ,christianity and of theism are conducted with good temper4 ,there is not a country in the world where ,frederick the ,great's principle1 that everyone should be allowed to go to heaven in his own way1 is so fully applied4 ,this sense of religious peace as well as religious freedom all around one1 is soothing to the weary ,european1 and contributes not a little to sweeten the lives of ordinary people4 ,i am aware1 ladies and gentlemen1 that ,i am trespassing on your valuable time1 but bear with me while ,i make brief reference to local conditions4 ,it may be said that in ,utah we have not participated in this peace and tranquility described as characteristic of ,america by ,mr4 ,bryce4 ,that here there has been to some extent church domination of the state2 ecclesiastical interference in civil affairs2 and ,i am not prepared to make unqualified denial of those charges4 ,but ,i do feel free to say that it is my conviction that we have entered upon a period in our experience in ,utah1 when we shall fully participate in the general peace that results from the ,american doctrine of religious and political freedom1 and the separation of church and state4 ,the recent authoritative utterances of the dominant ,church in ,utah is the fact on which ,i base this hope of mine4 ,full acquiescence in this ,american system of the relations of church and state are set forth in that utterance with greater emphasis than ever before4 ,it commits the dominant ,church irrevocably to the doctrine of non-interference of church authority in political matters2 the absolute freedom and independence of the individual in the performance of his political duties4 ,and then it makes this emphatic declaration that if at any time there has been conduct at variance with this doctrine1 it has been in violation of the well settled principles and policy of the ,church4 ,of course ,i know there are those who doubt the good faith of this late official utterance of the ,church1 but it is preposterous to assume that this religious organization would dare1 before the world and its own people1 to enter upon such a system of deliberate deception and hypocrisy as it would be involved in if its late official utterance be not honest4 ,but even if it were conceivable that duplicity was the deliberate intention of the church or its chief authorities1 ,i should still be hopeful of the outcome1 and that the outcome would be hastened by this last official utterance4 ,and these are my reasons3 ,the questions of religious freedom1 and the relations of church and state are settled once for all in this country4 ,the right of the individual to be politically free is crystallized into accomplished fact2 and so dear to the individual is that right1 so jealously is it guarded by the political community as a condition fundamental to the preservation of the ,american spirit of manhood1 and national well-being that it stands absolutely in no danger of being sacrificed1 either to the cunning of priests or the influence of a church1 however powerful4 ,if the dominant ,church1 so emphatically committed to the support of this ,american system1 should attempt to play double--it would1 and could only1 mean ruin and disruption to the ,church4 ,as an organization it might survive every opposing force1 but it could not survive the double dealing in which it would be involved if its last official utterance on the subject of non-interference in politics is not put forth in good faith4 ,should its leaders chicane in this matter it would mean severest censure of public opinion2 bitterness and resentment and rebellion in its own membership2 loss of respect and influence of all kinds1 both in the ,church and in the state2 in a word1 such a course would spell disaster4 ,intelligent men must know these things2 and1 giving the ,church leaders1 and the ,church membership credit for at least ordinary intelligence1 one must believe them honest as to what they have committed themselves to in their last official utterance4 ,and by an honest adherence to the principles in that utterance1 ,i feel confident that in ,utah we shall share in the tranquility which in respect to these questions obtains everywhere else in ,america4 ,,viii4 ,conditions in ,utah4 #aije4 ,,foreword4 ,this speech of ,senator ,kearns' on ,conditions in ,utah1 created widespread interest at the time it was read in the ,senate ,house1 viz41 on the #bhth of ,february1 #aije4 ,it was quite universally commented upon by the press of the country1 and generally to the disparagement of ,utah1 and the ,mormon people4 ,the consensus of opinion expressed in the newspapers who took for granted the statements of the speech as representing the facts in the case1 are clearly set forth in an ,editorial of the ,new ,york ,globe4 ,the ,mormon church has broken both the letter and the spirit of the contract into which it entered when the ,territory was admitted as a state4 ,polygamous cohabitation exists with the implied sanction of the church1 and the hierarchy has become a huge political machine whose purpose is to control ,utah for its own purposes1 and1 what is more ominous1 the adjacent ,states and ,territories4 ,never in ,brigham ,young's time was ,mormonism more of a political and moral menace than it is today4 ,this conclusion might be quite logical1 if the statements of ,senator ,kearns were true4 ,all ,i ask is that after reading the speech of the ,senator1 the reader will suspend his judgement of the case until he shall have read the answer to it4 ,i4 ,speech of the ,hon4 ,thomas ,kearns in the ,senate of the ,united ,states4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,from the ,congressional ,record4 ,the ,president pro tempore4 ,the ,chair lays before the ,senate the resolution submitted by the ,senator from ,idaho ,mr4 ,dubois1 which will be read4 ,the ,secretary read the resolution submitted yesterday by ,mr4 ,dubois1 as follows3 ,resolved1 ,that the ,committee on the ,judiciary be1 and it is hereby1 authorized and instructed to prepare and report to the ,senate within thirty days after the beginning of the next session of ,congress a joint resolution of the two ,houses of ,congress proposing to the several ,states amendments to the ,constitution of the ,united ,states which shall provide1 in substance1 for the prohibition and punishment of polygamous marriages and plural cohabitation contracted or practiced within the ,united ,states and in every place subject to the jurisdiction of the ,united ,states2 and which shall1 in substance1 also require all persons taking office under the ,constitution or laws of the ,united ,states1 or of any ,state1 to take and subscribe an oath that he or she is not1 and will not be1 a member or adherent of any organization whatever the laws1 rules1 or nature of which organization require him or her to disregard his or her duty to support and maintain the ,constitution and laws of the ,united ,states and of the several ,states4 ,mr4 ,kearns4 ,mr4 ,president1 ,i will not permit this occasion to pass without saying1 with brevity and such clearness as ,i can command1 what it seems to me should be said by a ,senator1 under these circumstances1 before leaving public life4 ,something is due to the ,state which has honored me2 something is due to the record which ,i have endeavored to maintain honorably before the world and something1 by way of information1 is due to the ,senate and the country4 ,utah1 the newest of the ,states1 to me the best beloved of all the ,states1 appears to be the only one concerning which there is a serious conflict4 ,i was not born in ,utah1 but ,i have spent all the years of my manhood there1 and ,i love the commonwealth and its people4 ,in what ,i say there is malice toward none1 and ,i hope to make it just to all4 ,if the present day does not accept my statements and appreciate my motives1 ,i can only trust that time will prove more gentle and that in the future those who care to revert to these remarks will know that they are animated purely by a hope to bring about a better understanding between ,utah and this great nation4 ,utah was admitted to statehood after1 and because of1 a long series of pledges exacted from the ,mormon leaders1 the like of which had never before been known in ,american history4 ,except for those pledges1 the sentiment of the ,united ,states would never have assented to ,utah's admission4 ,except for the belief on the part of ,congress and the country that the extraordinary power which abides in that ,state would maintain these pledges1 ,utah would not have been admitted4 ,there is every reason to believe that the ,president who signed the bill would have vetoed it if he had not been convinced that the pledges made would be kept4 ,,the ,,pledges4 ,as a citizen of the ,state and a witness to the events and words which constitute those pledges1 as a ,senator of the ,united ,states1 ,i give my word of honor to you that ,i believed that these pledges consisted of the following propositions3 ,first4 ,that the ,mormon leaders would live within the laws pertaining to plural marriage and the continued plural marriage relation1 and that they would enforce this obligation upon all of their followers1 under penalty of disfellowship4 ,second4 ,that the leaders of the ,mormon ,church would no longer exercise political sway1 and that their followers would be free and would exercise their freedom in politics1 in business1 and in social affairs4 ,as a citizen and a ,senator ,i give my word of honor to you that ,i believed that these pledges would be kept in the spirit in which ,congress and the country accepted them1 and that there would never be any violation1 evasion1 denial1 or equivocation concerning them4 ,i appeal to such members of this body as were in either ,house of ,congress during the years #ahij to #ahif1 if it was not their belief at that time that the foregoing were the pledges and that they would be kept2 and ,i respectfully insist that every ,senator here who was a member of either ,house at that time would have refused to vote for ,utah's admission unless he had firmly believed as ,i have stated4 #a4 ,utah secured her statehood by a solemn compact made by the ,mormon leaders in behalf of themselves and their people4 #b4 ,that compact has been broken willfully and frequently4 #c4 ,no apostle of the ,mormon ,church has publicly protested against that violation4 ,i know the gravity of the utterances that ,i have just made4 ,i know what are the probable consequences to myself4 ,but ,i have pondered long and earnestly upon the subject and have come to the conclusion that duty to the innocent people of my ,state and that obligation to the ,senate and the country require that ,i shall clearly define my attitude4 ,,religion ,,not ,,involved4 ,this is no quarrel with religion4 ,this is no assault upon any man's faith4 ,this is rather the reverence toward the inherent right of all men to believe as they please1 which separates religious faith from irreligious practice4 ,the ,mormon people have a system of their own1 somewhat complex1 and gathered from the mysticisms of all the ages4 ,it does not appeal to most men2 but in its purely theological domain it is theirs1 and ,i respect it as their religion and them as its believers4 ,the trouble arises now1 as it has frequently arisen in the past1 from the fact that some of the accidental leaders of the movement since the first zealot founder have sought to make of this religion not only a system of morals1 sometimes quite original in themselves1 but also a system of social relation1 a system of finance1 a system of commerce1 and a system of politics4 ,,the ,,social ,,aspect4 ,i dismiss the religion with my profound respect2 if it can comfort them1 ,i would not1 if ,i could1 disturb it4 ,coming to the social aspect of the society1 it is apparent that the great founder sought first to establish equality among men1 and then to draw from those equal ranks a special class1 who were permitted to practice polygamy and to whom special privileges were accorded in their association with the consecrated temples and the administration of mystic ordinances therein4 ,the polygamous group1 or cult as it may be called1 soon became the ruling factor in the organization2 and it may be observed that ever since the founding of the church almost every man of prominence in the community has belonged to this order4 ,it was so in the time of the martyrs1 ,joseph and ,hyrum ,smith1 who were killed at ,carthage jail in ,illinois1 and both of whom were polygamists1 although it was denied at the time4 ,there were living until recently1 and perhaps there are living now1 women who testified that they were married in polygamy to one or the other of these two men1 ,joseph having the larger number4 ,it has been so ever since and is so today1 that nearly every man of the governing class has been or is a polygamist4 ,brigham ,young succeeded ,joseph ,smith1 and he set up a kind of kingly rulership1 not unbecoming to a man of his vast empire-building power4 ,the ,mormons have been taught to revere ,joseph ,smith as a direct prophet from ,god4 ,he saw the face of the ,all ,father4 ,he held communion with the ,son4 ,the ,holy ,ghost was his constant companion4 ,he settled every question1 however trivial1 by revelation from ,almighty ,god4 ,but ,brigham was different4 ,while claiming a divine right of leadership1 he worked out his great mission by palpable and material means4 ,i do not know that he ever pretended to have received a revelation from the time that he left ,nauvoo until he reached the shores of the ,dead ,sea1 nor through all the thirty years of his leadership there4 ,he seemed to regard his people as children who had to be led through their serious calamities by holding out to them the glittering thought of divine guardianship4 ,so firmly did ,brigham establish the social order in ,utah that all of the people were equal1 except the governing body4 ,this may be said to consist of the president and his two counsellors1 they three constituting the first presidency2 the twelve apostles2 the presiding bishopric1 consisting of three men1 the chief bishops of the church but much lower in rank than the apostles2 the seven presidents of seventies1 who are1 under the apostles1 the subordinate head of the missionary service of the church2 and the presiding patriarch4 ,these altogether constitute a body of twenty-six men4 ,there are local authorities in the different stakes of ,zion1 as they are called1 corresponding to counties in a ,state1 but with these it is not necessary to deal4 ,practically all of these men under ,brigham ,young were polygamists4 ,they constituted what one of their number once called the elite class of the community4 ,to attain this rank one usually had to show ability1 and attaining the rank he was quite certain to enter into or extend his already existing plural-marriage relations4 ,these rulers were looked upon with great reverence4 ,brigham ,young1 besides being a prophet of ,god1 as they believed1 had led them through the greatest march of the ages4 ,his nod became almost superhuman in its significance4 ,his frown was as terrible to them as the wrath of ,god4 ,he upheld all the members of the polygamistic and governing class by his favoritism toward them4 ,he supremely1 and they subordinately1 ruled the community as if they were a king and a house of peers1 with no house of commons4 ,not elsewhere in the ,united ,states1 and not in any foreign country where civilization dwells1 has there been such a complete mastery of man over modern men4 ,the subordinates and the mass would perform the slightest will of ,brigham ,young4 ,when he was not present the mass would perform the will of any of the subordinates speaking in his name4 ,below this privileged class stood the common mass4 ,it had its various gradations of title1 but1 with the exception of rare instances of personal power1 there was equality in the mass4 ,for instance1 as business was a part of their system1 the local religious authority in some remote part might be the business subordinate of some other man of less ecclesiastical rank1 with the result that this peculiar intermingling kept them all practically upon one level of social order2 and the man who made adobes under the hot sun of the desert through all the week might still be the religious superior of the richest man in the local community1 and they met on terms of equality and friendship4 ,their children might intermarry1 the difference in wealth being countervailed by a difference in ecclesiastical authority4 ,it was a strange social system1 this1 with ,brigham ,young and his coterie of advisers1 to the number of twenty-six1 standing at the head1 self-perpetuating1 the chief being able to select constantly to fill the ranks as they might be depleted by death2 and all these ruling over one solid mass of equal caste who thought that the rulers were animated by divine revelation1 holding the right to govern in all things on earth and with authority extending into heaven4 ,so firmly entrenched was their social system that when ,brigham ,young passed away his various successors who came in time to his place by accident of seniority of service found ample opportunity without difficulty to perpetuate this system and to maintain their social autocracy4 ,as the matter has appeared so fully before the country1 ,i will not speak further of the method of succession1 but will merely call to your minds that after ,brigham ,young came ,john ,taylor1 then ,wilford ,woodruff1 then ,lorenzo ,snow1 then ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 the present ruler4 ,under these several men the social autocracy has had its varying fortunes1 but at the present time it is probably at as high a point as it ever reached under the original ,joseph or under ,brigham ,young4 ,the president of the church1 ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 affects a regal state4 ,his home consists of a series of villas1 rather handsome in design1 and surrounded by such ample grounds as to afford sufficient exclusiveness4 ,in addition to this he has an official residence of historic character near to the office which he occupies as president4 ,when he travels he is usually accompanied by a train of friends1 who are really servitors4 ,when he attends social functions he appears like a ruler among his subjects4 ,and in this respect ,i am not speaking of ,mormon associations alone1 for there are many ,gentiles in and out of ,utah who seem to take delight in paying this extraordinary deference4 ,if ,i have seemed to speak at length upon this mere social phase it has not been without a definite purpose4 ,i want you to know how this religion1 claiming to recognize and secure the equality of men1 immediately established and has maintained for the mass of its adherents that social equality1 but has elevated a class of its rulers to regal authority and splendor4 ,understanding how the chief among them has the dignity of a monarch in their social relations1 you will better understand the business and political autocracy which he has been able to establish4 ,in all this social system each apostle has his great part4 ,he is inseparable from it4 ,he wields now1 as does a minister at court1 such part of the power as the monarch may permit him to enjoy1 and it is his hope and expectation that he will outlive those who are his seniors in rank in order that he may become the ruler4 ,therefore1 if there be evil in this social relation as ,i have portrayed it1 every apostle is responsible for a part of that evil4 ,they enjoy the honors of the social class2 they help to exert the tyranny over the subjugated mass4 ,those of you who do me the honor to follow my remarks will realize how close is the relation between the apostles and the president1 and that the apostle is a responsible part of the governing power4 ,while ,i may speak of the president of the church segregated from his associates and as the monarch1 it must be understood constantly that he maintains his power by the support of the apostles1 who keep the mass in order and in subjugation to his will1 expressed through them4 ,,the ,,business ,,monopoly4 ,whatever may have been its origin or excuse1 the business power of the president of the church and of the select class which he admits into business relations with him is now a practical monopoly1 or is rapidly becoming a monopoly1 of everything that he touches4 ,i want to call your attention to the extraordinary list of worldly concerns in which this spiritual leader holds official position4 ,the situation is more amazing when you are advised that this man came to his presidency purely by accident1 namely1 the death of his seniors in rank2 that he had never known any business ability1 and that he comes to the presidency and the directorship of the various corporations solely because he is president of the church4 ,he is already reputed to be a wealthy man1 and his statement would seem to indicate that he has large holdings in the various corporations with which he is associated1 although previous to his accession to the presidency of the church he made a kind of proud boast among his people of his poverty4 ,he conducts railways1 street-car lines1 power and light companies1 coal mines1 salt works1 sugar factories1 shoe factories1 mercantile houses1 drug stores1 newspapers1 magazines1 theaters1 and almost every conceivable kind of business1 and in all of these1 inasmuch as he is the dominant factor by virtue of his being the prophet of ,god1 he asserts indisputable sway4 ,it is considered an evidence of deference to him1 and good standing in the church1 for his hundreds of thousands of followers to patronize exclusively the institutions which he controls4 ,and this fact alone1 without any business ability on his part1 but with capable subordinate guidance for his enterprises1 insures their success1 and danger and possible ruin for every competitive enterprise4 ,independent of these business concerns1 he is in receipt of an income like unto that which a royal family derives from a national treasury4 ,one-tenth of all the annual earnings of all the ,mormons in all the world flows to him4 ,these funds amount to the sum of #a1fjj1jjj annually1 or #e per cent upon #cb1jjj1jjj1 which is one-quarter of the entire taxable wealth of the ,state of ,utah4 ,it is the same as if he owned1 individually1 in addition to all his visible enterprises1 one-quarter of all the wealth of the ,state and derived from it #e per cent of income without taxation and without discount4 ,the hopelessness of contending in a business way with this autocrat must be perfectly apparent to your minds4 ,the original purpose of this vast tithe1 as often stated by speakers for the church1 was the maintenance of the poor1 the building of meetinghouses1 etc4 ,today the tithes are transmuted1 in the localities where they are paid1 into cash1 and they flow into the treasury of the head of the church4 ,no account is made1 or ever has been made1 of these tithes4 ,the president expends them according to his own will and pleasure1 and with no examination of his accounts1 except by those few men whom he selects for that purpose and whom he rewards for their zeal and secrecy4 ,shortly after the settlement of the ,mormon ,church property question with the ,united ,states the church issued a series of bonds1 amounting approximately to #a1jjj1jjj1 which were taken by financial institutions4 ,this was probably to wipe out a debt which had accumulated during a long period of controversy with the nation4 ,but since1 and including the year #ahig1 which was about the time of the issue of the bonds1 approximately #i1jjj1jjj have been paid as tithes4 ,if any of the bonds are still outstanding1 it is manifestly because the president of the church desires for reasons of his own to have an existing indebtedness4 ,it will astound you to know that every dollar of ,united ,states money paid to any servant of the ,government who is a ,mormon is tithed for the benefit of this monarch4 ,out of every #a1jjj thus paid he gets #ajj to swell his grandeur4 ,this is also true of money paid out of the public treasury of the ,state of ,utah to ,mormon officials4 ,but what is worst of all1 the monarch dips into the sacred public school fund and extracts from every ,mormon teacher one-tenth of his or her earnings and uses it for his unaccounted purposes2 and1 by means of these purposes and the power which they constitute1 he defies the laws of his ,state1 the sentiment of his country1 and is waging war of nullification on the public school system1 so dear to the ,american people4 ,no right-thinking man will oppose any person as a servant of the nation or the ,state or as a teacher in the public schools on account of religious faith4 ,as ,i have before remarked1 this is no war upon the religion of the ,mormons2 and ,i am only calling attention to the monstrous manner in which this monarch invades all the provinces of human life and endeavors to secure his rapacious ends4 ,in all this there is no thought on my part of opposition to voluntary gifts by individuals for religious purposes or matters connected legitimately with religion4 ,my comment and criticism are against the tyranny which misuses a sacred name to extract from individuals the moneys which they ought not to spare from family needs1 and which they do not wish to spare2 my comment and criticism relate to the power of a monarch whose tyranny is so effective as that not even the moneys paid by the ,government are considered the property of the ,government's servant until after this monarch shall have seized his arbitrary tribute1 with or without the willing assent of the victim1 so that the monarch may engage the more extensively in commercial affairs1 which are not a part of either religion or charity4 ,with an income of #e per cent upon one-quarter of the entire assessed valuation of the ,state of ,utah today1 how long will it take this monarch1 with his constantly increasing demands for revenue1 to so absorb the productive power that he shall be receiving an income of #e per cent upon one-half the property1 and then upon all of the property of the ,state8 ,this is worse than the farming of taxes under the old ,french ,kings4 ,will ,congress allow this awful calamity to continue8 ,the view which the people of the ,united ,states entertained on this subject forty years ago was shown by the act of ,congress in #ahfb1 in which a provision1 directed particularly against the ,mormon ,church1 declared that no church in a ,territory of the ,united ,states should have in excess of #ej1jjj of wealth outside of the property used for purposes of worship4 ,it is evident that as early as that time the pernicious effects of a system which used the name of ,god and the authority of religion to dominate in commerce and finance were fully recognized4 ,this immense tithing fund is gathered directly from ,mormons1 but the burden falls in some degree upon ,gentiles also4 ,gentiles are in business and suffer by competition with the tithe-supported business enterprises4 ,gentiles are large employers of ,mormon labor2 and as that labor must pay one-tenth of its earnings to support competitive concerns1 the ,gentile employer must pay1 indirectly at least1 the tithe which may be utilized to compete with1 and even ruin1 him in business4 ,and in return it should be noted that ,mormon institutions do not employ ,gentiles except in rare cases of necessity4 ,the reason is obvious3 ,gentiles do not take as kindly to the tithing system as do the ,mormons4 ,the ,mormon citizen of ,utah has additional disadvantages4 ,after paying one-tenth of all his earnings as a tithe offering1 he is called upon to erect and maintain the meetinghouses and other edifices of the church2 he is called upon to donate to the poor fund in his ward1 through his local ,bishop2 he is called upon to sustain the ,women's ,relief ,society1 whose purpose is to care for the poor and to minister to the sick2 he is called upon to pay his share of the expense for the #b1ejj missionaries of the church who are constantly kept in the field without drawing upon the general funds of the church4 ,when all this is done1 it is found that1 in defiance of the old and deserved boast of the predecessors of the present president1 there are some ,mormons in the poorhouses of ,utah1 and these are sustained by the public taxes derived from the ,gentiles and ,mormons alike4 ,broadly speaking1 the ,gentiles compose #ce per cent of the population and pay one-half of the taxes of ,utah4 ,in the long run they carry their share of all these great charges4 ,the almost unbearable community burden which is thus inflicted must be visible to your minds without argument from me4 ,let it be sufficient on this point for me to say that all the property of ,utah is made to contribute to the grandeur of the president of the church1 and that at his instance any industry1 any institution1 within the ,state1 could be destroyed except the mining and smelting industry4 ,even this industry his personal and church organ has attacked with a threat of extermination by the courts1 or by additional legislation1 if the smelters do not meet the view expressed by the church organ4 ,mr4 ,president1 ,i ask to have read at this point an editorial from the ,deseret ,evening ,news of ,october #ca1 #aijd1 which ,i send to the desk4 ,the ,president pro tempore4 ,the ,secretary will read as requested4 ,the ,secretary read as follows3 ,,deseret ,,evening ,,news4 ,organ of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,,salt ,,lake ,,city1 ,october #ca1 #aijd4 ,,away ,,with ,,the ,,nuisance4 ,the people of ,salt ,lake ,city are waking up to the realization of the trouble of which our cousins out in the country are complaining4 ,the sulphurous fumes which have been tasted by many folks here1 particularly late at night1 are not only those of a partisan nature emanating from the smokestacks of the slanderers and maligners1 but are treats bestowed upon our citizens by the smelters1 and are samples of the goods1 or rather evils1 which farmers and horticulturists have been burdened with so long4 ,complaints have come to us from some of the best people of the city1 of different faiths and parties1 that the air has been laden with sulphurous fumes that can not only be felt in the throat1 but tasted in the mouth1 and they rest upon the city at night1 appearing like a thin fog4 ,the fact is this smelter smoke will have to go2 there is no mistake about that4 ,if the smelters can not consume it1 they will have to close up4 ,this fair county must not be devastated and this city must not be rendered unhealthful by any such a nuisance as that which has been borne with now for a long time4 ,the evasive policy that has been pursued1 the tantalizing treatment toward the farmers who have vainly sought for redress1 the destruction that has come upon vegetation and upon live stock1 and now the choking fumes that reach this city all demand some practical remedy in place of the shilly-shally of the past4 ,the ,deseret ,news has counseled peace1 consideration for the smelter people in the difficulties that they have to meet1 favor toward a valuable industry that should be encouraged on proper lines1 and arbitration instead-of litigation4 ,but it really seems now as though an aggressive policy will have to be pursued1 or ruin will come to the agricultural pursuits of ,salt ,lake ,county1 while the city will not escape from the ravages of the smelter fiend4 ,if the companies that control those works will not or can not dispose of the poisonous metallic fumes that pour out of their smokestacks1 the fires will have to be banked and the nuisance suppressed4 ,we do not believe the latter is the necessary alternative4 ,we are of opinion that the evil can be disposed of1 and we are sure that efforts ought to be made to effect it without further delay4 ,it looks as if the courts will have to be appealed to to obtain compensation or damages already inflicted4 ,also that they will have to be applied to for injunctions against the continuance of the cause of the trouble4 ,we think there is law enough now to proceed under4 ,but if that is not the case1 then legislation must be had to fully cover the ground4 ,litigation will have to come first1 legislation afterwards4 ,however that may be1 temporizing with the evil will not do4 ,patience has ceased to be a virtue in this matter4 ,the conviction is fastening itself upon the public mind that no active steps are intended by the responsible parties1 but simply a policy of delay4 ,they must be taught that this will not answer the purpose1 and that the injured people will not be fooled in that way4 ,the smelter smoke must go4 ,and it must not go in the old way4 ,the proposition to put the matter in the hands of experts chosen by the complainants is not to be seriously considered4 ,the onus is upon the smelter men2 they are the offenders1 and they must take the steps necessary to remove the cause of complaint1 and also reimburse those who have been injured4 ,we do not ask anything unreasonable4 ,we join with those of our citizens who intend that this beautiful part of our lovely ,state shall not be laid waste1 even if the only cure is the suppression of the destroying cause4 ,this may as well be understood first as last4 ,unless practical measures are adopted to abate the evil1 active proceedings will have to be taken and pushed to the utmost to remove entirely the root and branch and trunk and body of this tree of destruction4 ,the people affected are deeply in earnest1 and they certainly mean business4 ,mr4 ,kearns4 ,mr4 ,president1 ,i must not burden you with too many details1 but in order for you to see how complete is the business power of this man ,i will cite you to one case4 ,the ,great ,salt ,lake is estimated to contain #ad1jjj1jjj1jjj tons of salt4 ,probably salt can be made cheaper on the shores of this lake than anywhere else in the world4 ,nearly all its shore line is adaptable for salt gardens4 ,the president of the church is interested in a large salt monopoly which has gathered in the various smaller enterprises4 ,he is president of a railroad which runs from the salt gardens to ,salt ,lake ,city1 connecting there with trunk lines4 ,it costs to manufacture the salt and place it on board the cars #ge cents per ton4 ,he receives for it #e and #f per ton4 ,his company and its subsidiary corporation are probably capitalized at three-quarters of a million dollars1 and upon this large sum he is able to pay dividends of #h or #aj per cent4 ,not long since two men1 who for many years had been tithe payers and loyal members of the church1 undertook to establish a salt garden along the line of a trunk railway4 ,one of them was a large dealer in salt1 and proposed to extend his trade by making the salt and reaching territory prohibited to him by the church price of salt2 the other was the owner of the land upon which it was proposed to establish the salt garden4 ,these men formed a corporation1 put in pumping stations and flumes1 and the corporation became indebted to one of the financial institutions over which the church exercises considerable influence4 ,then the president of the church sent for them4 ,there is scarcely an instance on record where a message of this kind failed of its purpose4 ,these men went to meet the prophet1 seer1 and revelator of ,god1 as they supposed1 but he had laid aside his robes of sanctity for the moment and he was a plain1 unadorned1 aggressive1 if not an able1 business man4 ,he first denounced them for interfering with a business which he had made peculiarly his own2 and1 when they protested that they had no intention to interfere with his trade1 but were seeking new markets1 he declared in a voice of thunderous passion that if they did not cease with their projected enterprise1 he would crush them4 ,they escaped from his presence feeling like courtiers repulsed from the foot of a king's throne1 and then surveyed their enterprise4 ,if they stopped1 they would lose all the money invested and their enterprise would possibly be sold out to their creditors2 if they went on and invested more money1 the president had the power1 as he had threatened1 to crush them4 ,not only could he ruin their enterprise1 but he could ostracize them socially and could make of them marked and shunned men in the community where they had always been respected4 ,is there menace in this system8 ,to me it seems like a great danger to all the people who are now affected1 and therefore of great danger to the people of the ,united ,states1 because the power of this monarchy within the ,republic is constantly extending4 ,if it be an evil1 every apostle is in part responsible for this tyrannical course4 ,he helped to elect the president2 he does the president's bidding1 and shares in the advantages of that tyranny4 ,i did not call the social system a violation of the pledges to the country1 but ,i do affirm that the business tyranny of ,mormon leaders is an express violation of the covenant made1 for they do not leave their followers free in secular affairs4 ,they tyrannize over them1 and their tyranny spreads even to the ,gentiles4 ,in all this ,i charge that every apostle is a party to the wrong and to the violation4 ,although ,i speak of the president of the church as the leader1 the monarch in fact1 every apostle is one of his ministers1 one of his creators1 and also one of his creatures1 and possibly his successor2 and the whole system depends upon the manner in which the apostles and the other leaders shall support the chief leader4 ,as no apostle has ever protested against this system1 but has1 by every means in his power1 encouraged it1 he can not escape his share of the responsibility for it4 ,it is an evil2 they aid it4 ,it is a violation of the pledge upon which statehood was granted2 they profit by it4 ,,the ,,political ,,autocracy4 ,i pass now to the political aspect of this hierarchy1 as some call it1 but this monarchy as ,i choose to term it4 ,i have previously called your attention to the social and business powers1 monopolies1 autocracies1 exercised by the leaders4 ,through these channels of social and business relations they can spread the knowledge of their political desires without appearing obtrusively in politics4 ,when the end of their desire is accomplished1 they affect to wash their hands of all responsibility by denying that they engaged in political activities4 ,superficial persons1 and those desiring to accept this argument1 are convinced by it4 ,but never1 in the palmy days of ,brigham ,young1 was there a more complete political tyranny than is exercised by the present president of the ,mormon ,church and his apostles1 who are merely awaiting the time when by the death of their seniors in rank they may become president1 and select some other man to hold the apostleship in their place--as they now hold it in behalf of the ruling monarch4 ,in this statement ,i merely call your attention to what a perfect system of ecclesiastical government is maintained by these presidents and apostles2 and ,i do not need to more than indicate to you what a wondrous aid their ecclesiastical government can be1 and is1 in accomplishing their political purposes4 ,parties are nothing to these leaders1 except as parties may be used by them4 ,so long as there is ,republican administration and ,congress1 they will lead their followers to support ,republican tickets2 but if1 by any chance1 the ,democratic party should control this ,government1 with a prospect of continuance in power1 you would see a gradual veering around under the direction of the ,mormon leaders4 ,when ,republicans are in power the ,republican leaders of the ,mormon people are in evidence and the ,democratic leaders are in retirement4 ,if the ,democracy were in power1 the ,republican leaders of the ,mormon people would go into retirement and ,democrats would appear in their places4 ,no man can be elected to either ,house of ,congress against their wish4 ,i will not trespass upon your patience long enough to recite the innumerable circumstances that prove this assertion1 but will merely refer to enough instances to illustrate the method4 ,in #ahig1 at the session of the legislature which was to elect a ,senator1 and which was composed of sixty ,democrats and three ,republicans1 ,moses ,thatcher was the favored candidate of the ,democracy in the ,state4 ,he had been an apostle of the ,mormon ,church1 but had been deposed because he was out of harmony with the leaders4 ,the ,hon4 ,joseph ,l4 ,rawlins was a rival candidate1 but not strongly so at first4 ,he was encouraged by the church leaders in every way2 and finally1 when his strength had been advanced sufficiently to need but one vote1 a ,mormon ,republican was promptly moved over into the ,democratic column and he was elected by the joint assembly4 ,i do not charge that ,hon4 ,joseph ,l4 ,rawlins1 who occupied a seat with distinguished honor in this great body for six years1 had any improper bargain with the church1 or any knowledge of the secret methods by which his election was being compassed2 but he was elected under the direction of the leaders of the church because they desired to defeat and further humiliate a deposed apostle4 ,i will not ignore my own case4 ,during nearly three years ,i have waited this great hour of justice in which ,i could answer the malignant falsehood and abuse which has been heaped upon a man who is dead and can not answer1 and upon myself1 a living man willing to wait the time for answer4 ,lorenzo ,snow1 a very aged man1 was president of the church when ,i was elected to the ,senate4 ,he had reached that advanced time of life1 being over eighty1 when men abide largely in the thoughts of their youth4 ,he was my friend in that distant way which sometimes exists without close acquaintanceship1 our friendship 7if ,i may term it such7 having arisen from the events attendant upon ,utah's struggle for statehood4 ,for some reason he did not oppose my election to the ,senate4 ,every other candidate for the place had sought his favor2 it came to me without price or solicitation on my part4 ,the friends and mouthpieces of some of the present leaders have been base enough to charge that ,i bought the ,senatorship from ,lorenzo ,snow1 president of their own church4 ,here and now ,i denounce the calumny against that old man1 whose unsought and unbought favor came to me in that contest4 ,that ,i ever paid him one dollar of money1 or asked him to influence legislators of his faith1 is as cruel a falsehood as ever came from human lips4 ,so far as ,i am concerned he held his power with clean hands1 and ,i would protect the memory of this dead man against all the abuse and misrepresentation which might be heaped upon him by those who were his adherents during life1 but who now attack his fame in order that they may pay the greater deference to the present king4 ,you must know that in that day we were but five years old as a ,state4 ,our political conditions were and had been greatly unsettled4 ,the purpose of the church to rule in politics had not yet been made so manifest and determined4 ,lorenzo ,snow held his office for a brief time--about two years4 ,what he did in that office pertaining to my election ,i here and now distinctly assume as my burden1 for no man shall with impunity use his hatred of me to defame ,lorenzo ,snow and dishonor his memory to his living and loving descendants4 ,as for myself1 ,i am willing to take the ,senate and the country into my confidence1 and make a part of the eternal records of the ,senate1 for such of my friends as may care to read1 the vindication of my course to my posterity4 ,i had an ambition1 and not an improper one1 to sit in the ,senate of the ,united ,states4 ,my competitors had longer experience in politics and may have understood more of the peculiar situation in the ,state4 ,they sought what is known as church influence4 ,i sought to obtain this place by purely political means4 ,i was elected4 ,after all their trickery my opponents were defeated1 and to some extent by the very means which they had basely invoked4 ,i have served with you four years1 and have sought in a modest way to make a creditable record here4 ,i have learned something of the grandeur and dignity of the ,senate1 something of its ideals1 which ,i could not know before coming here4 ,i say to you1 my fellow ,senators1 that this place of power is infinitely more magnificent than ,i dreamed when ,i first thought of occupying a seat here4 ,but were it thrice as great as ,i now know it to be1 and were ,i back in that old time of struggle in ,utah1 when ,i was seeking for this honor1 ,i would not permit the volunteered friendship of ,president ,snow to bestow upon me1 even as an innocent recipient1 one atom of the church monarch's favor4 ,my ideals have grown with my term of service in this body1 and ,i believe that the man who would render here the highest service to his country must be careful to attain to this place by the purest civic path that mortal feet can tread4 ,i have said enough to indicate that for my own part ,i never countenanced1 nor knowingly condoned1 the intrusion of the church monarchy into secular affairs4 ,and ,i have said enough to those who know me to prove for all time that1 so far as ,i am concerned1 my election here was as honorable as that of any man who sits in this chamber2 and yet ,i have said enough that all men may know that rather than have a dead man's memory defamed on my account1 ,i will make his cause my own and will fight for the honor which he is not on earth to defend4 ,this will not suit the friends and mouthpieces of the present rulers1 but ,i have no desire to satisfy or conciliate them2 and in leaving this part of the question1 ,i avenge ,president ,snow sufficiently by saying that these men did not dare to offend his desire nor dispute his will while he was living1 and only grew brave when they could cry3 ,lorenzo1 the king1 is dead6 ,long live ,joseph1 the king6 ,as a ,senator ,i have sought to fulfill my duty to the people of this country4 ,i am about to retire from this place of dignity4 ,no man can retain this seat from ,utah and retain his self-respect after he discovers the methods by which his election is procured and the objects which the church monarchy intends to achieve4 ,some of my critics will say that ,i relinquished that which ,i could not hold4 ,i will not pause to discuss that point further than to say that if ,i had chosen to adopt the policy with the present monarch of the church1 which his friends and mouthpieces say ,i did adopt with the king who is dead1 it might have been possible to retain this place of honor with dishonor4 ,every apostle is a part of this terrible power1 which can make and unmake at its mysterious will and pleasure4 ,early in #aijb warning had been publicly uttered in the ,state against the continued manifestation of church power in politics4 ,the period of unsettled conditions during which ,i was elected had ended and we had opportunity to see the manner in which the church monarch was resuming his forbidden sway2 and we had occasion to know the indignant feelings entertained by the people of the ,united ,states when they contemplated the flagrant breaking of the pledge given to the country to secure the admission of ,utah4 ,i myself1 after conference with distinguished men at ,washington1 journeyed to ,utah and presented a solemn protest and warning to the leaders of the church against the dangerous exercise of their political power4 ,i did it to repay a debt which ,i owed to ,utah1 and not for any selfish reason4 ,i knew that from the day ,i uttered that warning the leaders of the ,mormon ,church would hate and pursue me for the purpose of wreaking their vengeance4 ,but as the consequences of their misconduct1 their pledge breaking would fall upon all of the people of the ,state1 upon the innocent more severely than upon the guilty1 ,i felt that ,i must assert my love and gratitude to the ,state1 even though my warning should lead to my own destruction by these autocrats4 ,if there had been one desire in my heart to effect a conjunction with this church monarchy1 if ,i had been willing to retain office as its gift1 ,i would not have taken this step1 for ,i knew its consequences4 ,i began in that hour my effort to restore to the people of ,utah the safety and the political freedom which are their right1 and ,i shall continue it while ,i live until the fight is won4 ,the disdain with which that message was received was final proof of the contempt in which that church monarchy holds the ,senate and the people of the ,united ,states1 and of the disregard in which the church monarchy holds the pledges which it made in order to obtain the power of statehood4 ,they do not need to utter explicit instructions in order to assert their demand4 ,the methods of conveying information of their desire are numerous and sufficiently effective1 as is proved by results4 ,to show how completely all ordinary political conditions1 as they obtain elsewhere in the ,united ,states1 are without account in ,utah1 ,i have but to cite you to the fact that after the recent election1 which gave #eg members out of #fc on joint ballot to the ,republican party1 and when the question of my successor became a matter of great anxiety to numerous aspirants for this place1 the discussion was not concerning the fitness of candidates1 nor the political popularity of the various gentlemen who composed that waiting list1 nor the pledges of the legislators1 but was limited to the question as to who could stand best with the church monarchy2 as to whom it would like to use in this position2 as to who would make for the extension of its ambitions and power in the ,united ,states4 ,,the ,,mormon ,,marriage ,,relation4 ,and now ,i come to a subject concerning which the people of the ,united ,states are greatly aroused4 ,it is known that there have been plural marriages among the ,mormon people1 by the sanction of high authorities in this church monarchy1 since the solemn promise was made to the country that plural marriages should end4 ,it is well known that the plural marriage relations have been continued defiantly1 according to the will and pleasure of those who had formerly violated the law1 and for whose obedience to law the church monarchy pledged the faith and honor of its leaders and followers alike in order to obtain statehood4 ,the pledge was made repeatedly1 as stated in an earlier part of these remarks1 that all of the ,mormon people would come within the law4 ,they have not done so4 ,the church monarch is known to be living in defiance of the laws of ,god and man1 and in defiance of the covenant made with the country1 upon which amnesty by the ,president1 and statehood by the ,president and the ,congress1 were granted4 ,i charge that every apostle is in large part responsible for this condition1 so deplorable in its effects upon the people of ,utah and so antagonistic to the institutions of this country4 ,every apostle is directed by the law-breaking church monarch4 ,every apostle teaches by example and precept to the ,mormon people that this church monarch is a prophet of ,god1 to offend or criticise whom is a sin in the sight of the ,almighty4 ,every apostle helps to appoint to office and sustain the seven presidents of seventies1 who are below them in dignity1 and they are directly responsible for them and their method of life4 ,it is quite evident that the church monarchy is endeavoring to re-establish the rule of a polygamous class over the mass of the ,mormon people4 ,of the apostles not practicing polygamy there is at most only three or four men constituting the quorum of which this could be truthfully said4 ,special reasons may exist in some particular case why a man in this class has not entered into such relation4 ,,the ,,general ,,situation4 ,briefly reviewing the matters which ,i have offered here1 and the logical deductions therefrom1 ,i maintain the following propositions3 ,we set aside the religion of the ,mormon people as sacred from assault4 ,outside of religion the ,mormons as a community are ruled by a special privileged class1 constituting what ,i call the church monarchy4 ,this monarchy pledged the country that there would be no more violations of law and no more defiance of the sentiment of the ,united ,states regarding polygamy and the plural marriage relation4 ,this monarchy pledged the ,united ,states that it would refrain from controlling its subjects in secular affairs4 ,every member of this monarchy is responsible for the system of government and for the acts of the monarchy1 since 7as shown in the cases of the deposed apostle1 ,moses ,thatcher1 and others7 the man who is not in accord with the system is dropped from the ruling class4 ,this monarchy sets up a regal social order within this ,republic4 ,this monarchy monopolizes the business of one commonwealth and is rapidly reaching into others4 ,this monarchy takes practically all the surplus product of the toil of its subjects for its own purpose1 and makes no account to anyone on earth of its immense secret fund4 ,this monarchy rules all politics in ,utah1 and is rapidly extending its dominion into other ,states and ,territories4 ,this monarchy permits its favorites to enter into polygamy and to maintain polygamous relations1 and it protects them from prosecution by its political power4 ,lately no effort has been made to punish any of these people by the local law4 ,on the contrary1 the ruling monarch has continued to grow in power1 wealth1 and importance4 ,he sits upon innumerable boards of directors1 among others that of the ,union ,pacific ,railway1 where he joins upon terms of fraternity with the great financial and transportation magnates of the ,united ,states1 who hold him in their councils because his power to benefit or to injure their possessions must be taken into account4 ,i charge that no apostle has ever protested publicly against the continuation of this sovereign authority over the ,mormon kingdom4 ,within a few months past the last apostle elected to the quorum was a polygamist--,charles ,w4 ,penrose--and his law-breaking career is well known4 ,previous to #ahhi ,penrose was living publicly with three wives4 ,under false pretenses to ,president ,cleveland he obtained amnesty for his past offenses4 ,he represented that he had but two wives1 and that he married his second wife in #ahfb1 while it was generally known that he took a third wife just prior to #ahhh4 ,he promised to obey the law in the future1 and to urge others to do so2 yet after that amnesty1 obtained by concealing his third marriage from ,president ,cleveland1 he continued living with his three wives4 ,his action in this matter has been notorious4 ,he has publicly defended this kind of law-breaking on the false pretense that there was a tacit understanding with the ,american ,congress and people1 when ,utah was admitted1 that these polygamists might continue to live as they had been living4 ,and it was this traitor to his country's laws1 this unrepentant knave and cheat of the nation's mercy1 this defamer of ,congress and the people1 that was elected to the apostleship to help govern the church1 and through the church the ,state4 ,is it not demonstrated that ,utah is an abnormal ,state8 ,our problem is vast and complex4 ,i have endeavored to simplify it so that the ,senate and the country may readily grasp the questions at issue4 ,,the ,,remedy4 ,will this great body1 will the ,government of the ,united ,states1 go on unheedingly while this church monarchy multiplies its purposes and multiplies its power8 ,has the nation so little regard for its own dignity and the safety of its institutions and its people that it will permit a church monarch like ,joseph ,f4 ,smith to defy the laws of the country1 and to override the law and to overrule the administrators of the law in his own ,state of ,utah8 ,what shall the ,americans of that ,commonwealth do if the people of the ,united ,states do not heed their cry8 ,the vast majority of the ,mormon people are law-abiding1 industrious1 sober1 and thrifty4 ,they make good citizens in every respect except as they are dominated by this monarchy1 which speaks to them in the name of ,god and governs them in the spirit of ,mammon4 ,any remedy for existing evils which would injure the mass of the ,mormon people would be most deplorable4 ,i believe that they would loosen the chains which they wear if it were possible4 ,i think that many of them pay blood-money tithes simply to avoid social ostracism and business destruction4 ,i believe that many of them do the political will of the church monarch because they are led to believe that the safety of the church monarchy is necessary in order that the mass may preserve the right to worship ,god according to the dictates of their conscience4 ,the church monopoly1 by its various agencies is usually able to uprear the injured and innocent mass of the ,mormon people as a barrier to protect the members of that monarchy from public vengeance4 ,it is the duty of this great body--the ,senate of the ,united ,states--to serve notice on this church monarch and his apostles that they must live within the law2 that the nation is supreme2 that the institutions of his country must prevail throughout the land2 and that the compact upon which statehood was granted must be preserved inviolate4 ,may heaven grant that this may be effective and that the church monarchy in ,utah may be taught that it must relinquish its grasp4 ,i would not1 for my life1 that injury should come to the innocent mass of the people of ,utah2 ,i would not that any right of theirs should be lost1 but that the right of all should be preserved to all4 ,if the ,senate will apply this remedy and the alien monarchy still proves defiant1 it will be for others than myself to suggest a course of action consistent with the dignity of the country4 ,in the meantime we of ,utah who have no sympathy with the-now clearly defined purpose of this church monopoly will wage our battle for individual freedom1 to lift the ,state to a proud position in the sisterhood1 to preserve the compact which was made with the country1 believing that behind the brave citizens in ,utah who are warring against this alien monarchy stands the sentiment and power of eighty two millions of our fellow-citizens4 ,,ii4 ,foreword4 ,this speech was delivered in the ,provo ,tabernacle on the evening of ,march #ad1 #aije1 in the presence of upwards of two thousand five hundred people1 and the report of it was taken by ,mr4 ,arthur ,winter4 ,when the speech was first published in full in the ,deseret ,evening ,news of ,march #be1 #aije1 the following explanatory note preceded it by the writer3 ,a report of this speech in a local paper the ,salt ,lake ,tribune contained many verbal inaccuracies and crudities which in many cases were the reporter's1 not mine4 ,it is too much to expect that extemporaneous speech will be free from verbal and rhetorical errors1 and ,i do not claim that the speech as delivered at ,provo was free from such defects4 ,in the speech as here reported by ,mr4 ,arthur ,winter1 some of these crudities have been eliminated so far as they could be and still retain the structure and spirit of what was said4 ,one item has been added3 a passage relating to the alleged threats against ,gentile industries in the ,state of ,utah4 ,concerning the criticisms that have been made of this speech--one of which extended through seven columns of as vapid and flaccid an aggregation of words1 words1 words as it has ever been my lot to wade through--,i only care to notice one1 that is the alleged harshness of some of my utterances4 ,the conclusion is reached that some of my words were unbecoming both my calling and the place in which they were delivered4 ,in answer ,i only wish to say that the propriety of one's expressions is governed very largely by the task one has before him4 ,even the ,son of ,god1 when he had occasion to denounce falsehood and reprove deceivers1 no longer used the gentle tones by which he comforted the sorrowful or encouraged those bowed down in weakness2 but he used language suited to the task before him4 ,to the scribes and ,pharisees1 who were hounding himself and his friends to their death1 and as a preliminary to that purpose were seeking to embitter the minds of the populace1 he said3 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6 for ye are like unto whited sepulchres1 which indeed appear beautiful outward1 but are within full of dead men's bones1 and of all uncleanness4 ,even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men1 but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity4 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites because ye build the tombs of the prophets1 and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous1 and say1 ,if we had been in the days of our fathers1 we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the ,prophets4 ,wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves1 that ye are the children of them which killed the ,prophets4 ,fill ye up1 then1 the measure of your fathers4 ,ye serpents1 ye generation of vipers1 how can ye escape the damnation of hell8 ,i think ,i have not gone beyond this worthy example in anything ,i have said in this speech2 and for the sacredness of the building in which my remarks were made1 ,i in no way feel that there was a desecration1 since when the task before one is to defend the innocent against misrepresentation1 and denounce calumniators1 then all place a temple1 and all seasons summer4 ,,ii4 ,answer to ,kearns4 ,mr4 ,chairman1 ,ladies and ,gentlemen3 ,on the #bhth day of ,february1 last1 the then senior senator from the ,state of ,utah delivered an address in the senate chamber of the ,united ,states1 in which an attack was made upon the ,mormon ,church and against the best interests of the ,state of ,utah4 ,the speech was cunningly planned and adroitly phrased2 and with the prestige of a senator of the ,united ,states behind it1 among the masses of the people of the ,united ,states1 uninformed of the true conditions existing in ,utah1 its effect will be misleading and mischievous4 ,it is because of these opinions that ,i have formed of the speech that ,i think it a proper subject for this occasion1 that our own people1 at least1 should be put upon their guard against the mischievous effects of this deliverance4 ,i regret extremely that the speech was not answered upon the floor of the senate of the ,united ,states4 ,the gentleman upon whom that duty properly rested may have had good and sufficient reasons for remaining silent4 ,it is not for me to say4 ,but when ,i think of the serious charges that are made1 and the cunning with which those charges1 false though they be1 are sustained1 ,i can conceive of no combination of circumstances that would justify the now senior senator from ,utah for being silent on that occasion4 ,the suggestion of friends may be a good thing to listen to sometimes2 but occasions can arise--and this1 in my judgment1 was one of them--when the call of duty should lead one to reject the counsel of well-meaning but perhaps ill-informed friends1 and the cold calculations of over caution4 ,it might be possible1 of course1 that a reply such as one might desire to make1 could not be made on the spur of the moment2 but ten minutes devoted to denouncing the falsehoods of that speech1 and the unmasking of the man who uttered it1 would have had a beneficial effect upon the public mind1 and would have been more effective than any reply that can now be made4 ,anything that may be said from this platform1 or any other in ,utah1 or anything that may be said in the future upon the floor of the senate chamber1 will not have the effect that an emphatic denial of the charges would have had while the gentleman who made them was still a senator of the ,united ,states4,a ,that opportunity1 however1 is lost4 ,all that may be done1 here in ,utah1 at least1 is to point out to our youth the untruthfulness of these charges1 and disclose the sophistry by which an attempt is made to sustain them4 ,i account myself fortunate in having an opportunity to undertake such a task before this magnificent assembly4 ,footnote ,a3 ,for ,senator ,smoot it is said that he followed his advisors among the senators1 and that the event of retaining his seat by a vote rejecting the resolution to declare that seat vacant1 is a vindication of his silence4 ,the senator is1 of course1 entitled to that view of the case1 but to what extent retaining his seat was due to his silence in the foregoing occasion is a value that can never be determined2 and it does not matter now that the event has ended so happily for the senator and for ,utah4 ,,authorship ,,of ,,the ,,kearns' ,,speech4 ,before proceeding to the speech itself1 ,i want to say a word or two in relation to its authorship4 ,it will go without saying that the ex-senator who stands responsible for it is not its author4 ,those of us who chance to be acquainted with the dullness of his mind and the density of his ignorance know very well that his mind never conceived the speech2 nor did he fashion the polished and falsely eloquent sentences devoted to so bad a cause4 ,those of us who served with him in the ,constitutional convention of this state painfully remembering the very few occasions on which he sought to express himself upon the floor of that convention hall1 can never believe for a moment that he is the author of the speech4 ,those who were present in the ,tabernacle in ,salt ,lake ,city on the occasion when the ,president of the ,united ,states honored that city and the state with his presence1 and who saw this now ex-senator when he addressed that assembly1 with hands thrust deep into his pockets1 with stomach thrown forward1 and head thrown back1 and in nasal tones only becoming a retired pugilist--and heard him say in the opening sentence of his speech1 ,we ,americans ain't born to nuthin'1 but we git there just the same 7,laughter72 and who had no better taste than to make the visit of the chief executive of this nation to our state the occasion of a partisan harangue1 know very well that he is not the author of this senate speech4 ,he is only the author of this speech in the sense that he has adopted it4 ,this speech is his only in the sense that he bought it4 ,i shall not undertake to describe all the contempt ,i feel for a man who occupies the high station of a senator of the ,united ,states1 and who consents to repeat1 parrot-like1 the bought phrases fashioned by another mind4 ,jewelry in a swine's snout is as nothing to this4 ,,the ,,bought ,,fabric ,,of ,,another',s ,,rhetoric4 ,i glory in that pride1 which would prefer to stand in tatters1 though the biting winds of winter might nip one1 rather than to be dressed in the cast-off clothing or the borrowed furs of a prince2 so also ,i would glory in silence rather than to arise in my place in so august a body as the ,united ,states senate and repeat as mine the speech conceived and written by another1 though its eloquence rivaled that of a ,pitt1 a ,chatham or a ,webster4 ,indeed the more eloquent the speech the deeper must be the embarrassment--the shame4 ,but here ,i pause1 though ,i had the language of a ,solomon or a ,shakespeare ,i should never be able to express my contempt for the senator who would consent to appear clothed in the borrowed or bought fabric of another's rhetoric4 ,we may dismiss the ex-senator right here1 so far as thinking that he had anything to do with this speech more than the reading of it4 ,i wish now to say a word in regard to the spirit in which ,i propose to discuss this speech4 ,i believe in the amenities of debate4 ,there is nothing quite so joyous as to witness a debate when the differences discussed are honest differences1 when opponents are honorable and talented men4 ,i think ,i may be pardoned1 altogether excused1 in fact1 from any exhibition of egotism1 if ,i say that ,i take some pride in the reputation ,i think ,i have in this state for fairness in debate1 and respectful treatment of my opponents4 ,but the amenities of debate do not require me to say that my opponent's statements are true when ,i know them to be false2 or that his argument is good and sound when ,i know it to be the merest sophistry2 or that his motives are patriotic when ,i know them to be selfish and revengeful4 ,therefore1 when ,i meet and have to deal with such a speech as the one before me1 it is not to be expected that ,i shall handle it with gloves1 and ,i promise you ,i shall not4 ,,the ,,question ,,of ,,compact ,,between ,,the ,,state ,,of ,,utah ,,and ,,the ,,united ,,states4 ,i now come to the speech itself2 my reply will follow the order of the topics set forth in the speech1 with very slight exceptions2 and by reason of following the order of topics laid down in the speech1 ,i come first of all to the consideration of the pledges under which ,utah obtained statehood--the compact between the ,state of ,utah and the ,united ,states4 ,of that long conflict that raged in ,utah from early days down to the year #ahij ,i need not speak4 ,you are familiar with its history4 ,you know that the foundation facts of that controversy are these3 that the ,latter-day ,saints believed a revelation had been given in which was made known1 first of all1 the eternity of the marriage covenant1 with the permission and ,i may say injunction1 under certain circumstances1 for good men to have a plurality of wives4 ,you know of the successive enactments of ,congress1 made at the demand of sectarian clamor throughout the ,united ,states against this practice4 ,you know how these successive acts brought to bear hardships upon the ,church1 until at last we were relieved from the responsibility and obligation of maintaining in practice that plural marriage system1 by the issuance of the ,manifesto by ,president ,wilford ,woodruff in #ahij4 ,you know upon that step being taken1 that the bitterness of feeling that had hitherto existed subsided2 and there began to be manifested a desire that the old ,church and anti-,church political parties should be disbanded1 and that here in ,utah1 as in the other states of the ,union1 the people should divide according to their political convictions to one or the other of the great national political parties4 ,these movements finally resulted in the passage of an ,enabling ,act1 authorizing the election of a ,constitutional convention for the purpose of framing a state government4 ,this convention met in the spring of #ahie1 and was the instrument through which so far as the people of ,utah are concerned1 the compact between the ,state of ,utah and the ,united ,states was made4 ,when it is necessary to establish what a given compact is1 instead of calling to mind this man's opinion1 and that man's opinion of it1 why not go to the compact itself1 and after considering it give it a fair interpretation8 ,that is the method of treatment that ,i have proposed to myself1 and consequently ,i am going to that compact4 ,the ,enabling act contained this clause1 which was the crystallized demand of the people of the ,united ,states upon the people of ,utah3 ,and said convention shall provide by ordinance1 irrevocable1 without the consent of the ,united ,states and the people of said state3 ,first1 that perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secure1 and that no inhabitant of said state shall be molested in person on account of his or her mode of religious worship2 provided that polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited4 ,that is what the people of the ,united ,states demanded of the people of ,utah through the voice of the national ,congress--nothing more than that1 nothing less than that4 ,polygamous or plural marriages are to be forever prohibited4 ,that is the demand of the people of the ,united ,states4 ,that being the demand1 what was the response to it on the part of the people of ,utah1 speaking through the ,constitutional convention8 ,this was the response3 ,,ordinance4 ,the following ordinance shall be irrevocable without the consent of the ,united ,states and the people of the state3 ,first1 perfect toleration of religious sentiment is guaranteed4 ,no inhabitant of this state shall ever be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship2 but polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited4 ,you will observe that the convention incorporated in this provision the very language of the ,enabling act4 ,that was the demand1 and that the response to the demand4 ,but it was not all of the response4 ,there was something more4 ,after this declaration had been made1 towards the conclusion of the work of the convention1 when that part of the ,constitution called the ,schedule was introduced 7and by the way1 in order that you may understand that ,i have clear knowledge of these matters from personal participation in them1 ,i may say that ,i was a member of the committee on ,schedule71 ,mr4 ,varian1 a member from ,salt ,lake county1 called the attention of the convention to the fact that while we had made this declaration against polygamous or plural marriages1 he held1 and very rightly1 too1 that it was not self-operating1 and provided no penalties for its violation2 but was merely a declaration1 and he doubted if it would be sufficient to meet the expectations of the people of the ,united ,states4 ,he therefore recommended a certain course now to be described4 ,you perhaps will remember that our territorial ,legislature of #ahib enacted what was virtually the ,edmunds-,tucker law4 ,they followed very closely the congressional enactment4 ,now1 said ,mr4 ,varian1 in substance1 your ,legislature enacted practically the law of ,congress against these offenses2 that being the case1 it expresses the willingness of your legislators to meet the demands of the country on this subject4 ,therefore1 let us take so much of this territorial enactment as defines polygamy1 or plural marriage1 and provides for the punishment thereof1 and make it a provision in this ,constitution1 operating without any further legislation4 ,then the people of the ,united ,states will know that you mean really to prohibit polygamous or plural marriages against which you make your declaration in the ordinance4 ,in pursuance of this proposition he introduced this resolution3 ,the act of the governor and ,legislative ,assembly of the territory of ,utah1 entitled1 ',an act to punish polygamy and other kindred offenses1' approved ,feb4 #d1 ,a4 ,d4 #ahib1 in so far as the same defines and imposes penalties for polygamy1 is hereby declared to be in force in the ,state of ,utah4 ,mr4 ,varian was of the opinion that since this territorial enactment invaded the field already occupied by congressional enactment it was void1 and that when ,utah became a state the territorial law would not be in force in the state1 and of course the congressional enactments applicable to the territory would cease to be operative upon the attainment of statehood2 hence he thought it necessary to make this constitutional provision against polygamous or plural marriages4 ,but the part of the territorial law relating to polygamous living or unlawful cohabitation--to use the phrase of the law itself--was not made part of the ,constitution of this state4 ,and why8 ,because the demand made by the people of the ,united ,states did not reach to that condition4 ,the demand was only3 provided polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited4 ,there were other lawyers in the constitutional convention who contested ,mr4 ,varian's opinion1 and insisted that this law of the territory would be operative in the state1 and therefore there was no need of adopting his amendment2 whereupon a protracted and earnest debate took place1 in the course of which it was pointed out to ,mr4 ,varian that he had cut this old territorial law in two2 he had taken the part that defined and prohibited polygamy or plural marriages and made it part of the ,constitution1 but he had left out the part of the law relating to unlawful cohabitation1 and the effect of such action by implication would be to repeal that part of the territorial law defining and punishing unlawful cohabitation4 ,in the course of the argument made on that point in the convention the following took place3 ,mr4 ,evans 7,weber7--,i would like to ask you ,mr4 ,varian a question4 ,the gentleman will agree with me that your his amendment will repeal the other kindred offenses in that statute8 ,mr4 ,varian answering ,mr4 ,evans--,no2 there is nothing to repeal4 ,if you want the other kindred offenses dealt with1 my answer is1 prohibit them by law under penalties4 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,evans 7,weber7--,i would like to ask one question4 ,suppose the act of #ahib were valid8 7i4 e41 the territorial law dealing with polygamy and unlawful cohabitation1 polygamous living1 is referred to7-- ,mr4 ,varian--,if the law were valid ,i should not then introduce-- ,mr4 ,evans 7,weber7--,wouldn't it then repeal everything except the polygamy8 ,mr4 ,varian--,if the law were valid it might repeal by implication1 although repeals by implication are not favored4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,constitutional ,convention ,proceedings1 vol4 ii1 p4 #agdh4 ,mr4 ,varian's resolution was adopted and became part of the ,constitution1 so that in the matter of compact between ,utah and the ,united ,states on the subject of polygamy i4 e41 polygamous marrying our response went even beyond the demand of the people of the ,united ,states as voiced in the ,enabling act authorizing us to establish a state government1 in that we not only adopted the very language of the enabling act1 but accepted the definition of polygamy and provided the punishment1 prescribed for that offense by ,congress2 but no demand was made and no action was taken respecting unlawful cohabitation2 nor did it in any manner enter into ,utah's compact with the ,united ,states4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,mr4 ,varian held views in harmony with what he said in the discussion on the floor of the ,constitutional ,convention even before that ,convention assembled in the spring of #ahie1 for at the ,territorial ,bar ,association of ,utah1 in ,january of that year1 ,mr4 ,varian1 then a member-elect of the ,constitutional ,convention1 said1 on referring to statehood for ,utah3 ,in accordance with the general convictions of civilized men and the spirit of free institutions1 religious liberty will be fully secured by the organic law and a prohibition against plural or polygamous marriages adopted in deference to the suggestion by ,congress4 ,whether it shall ever be stricken from the ,constitution will depend solely upon the future temper and will of the people4 ,it will be observed that the actual polygamous status1 or living with two or more women as wives1 known in ,utah as a criminal offense termed unlawful cohabitation1 is not referred to in the proviso of the ,enabling ,act4 ,whether the ,constitution builders will content themselves with prohibiting polygamous marriages1 or will go further and prescribe the polygamous association also will be developed in time4 ,and time developed the fact that the ,constitutional ,convention took no action whatsoever in relation to polygamous living1 nor was any attempt made to deal with that phase of the question since the convention conceived that it had done its full duty1 all that was required of it1 by the ,enabling ,act1 by ,forever prohibiting plural or polygamous marriages4 ,now1 understand me1 ,i am not taking the ground that unlawful cohabitation--polygamous living--as it has come to be called--is not now contrary to the law in ,utah4 ,that it is under the ban of the law is known to every one4 ,but it became so because our state ,legislature1 after the constitutional convention had settled this vexed question upon the terms here pointed out--our state ,legislature 7and why ,i have never yet understood7 proceeded to unsettle what had been settled in that convention1 picked up the part of the old territorial law that had been discarded by the convention and enacted it with the rest of the code prepared by the special code commission4 ,hence unlawful cohabitation is under the ban by our state enactment2 and ,i am not arguing that polygamous living is not against the law1 and am not attempting to justify any one in the violation of that law4 ,i am now merely pointing out the fact that in our compact with the government of the ,united ,states disruption of marital relations coming down to us out of the past constituted no part of that compact4 ,the terms of the compact are here in the ,enabling act and in the ,constitution1 and may be read and known of all men4 ,that compact was not made between the ,mormon ,church leaders1 as claimed by ,mr4 ,kearns' adopted speech1 and the ,united ,states government1 but between the people of the ,united ,states acting through ,congress and the chief executive of the nation1 and the people of ,utah1 acting through their representatives in the ,constitutional convention4 ,utah's ,constitutional convention sought earnestly to meet the demands made upon our people by the nation4 ,the chief executive of the nation by accepting the ,constitution we had formed and proclaiming ,utah's admission into the ,union1 said we had succeeded in meeting those demands4 ,to undertake now to read into that compact something that was not demanded by the ,enabling act1 and not conceded by the convention1 that is not expressly found in its terms1 and not fairly to be implied from them1 is infamous4 ,yet that is what is constantly sought to be done1 and we have all sorts of extravagant claims made as to what the ,mormon ,church leaders pledged in order to obtain statehood--the compact they made with the nation1 and how the ,mormon ,church has broken it1 but never a word do we hear as to the compact itself4 ,the ,mormon ,church leaders made no pledges to obtain statehood1 except as in common with all the people of the state they accepted and ratified the compact implied in the ,enabling act and the provision in the ,utah ,constitution forever prohibiting polygamous or plural marriages and providing penalties for that offense4 ,the ,mormon ,church officials pleaded for amnesty for their people1 it is true1 but amelioration of the hard conditions which a cruel enforcement of the law imposed1 not statehood1 was the object of their petition4 ,the foregoing1 then1 was the compact between the ,state of ,utah and the ,united ,states4 ,the question now is1 ,has it been violated by the ,state of ,utah or by the ,united ,states4 ,certainly not by the latter2 and ,i affirm1 with absolute confidence that the affirmation cannot be successfully contradicted1 that the compact has not been violated by the ,state1 or the people of ,utah4 ,on the contrary1 ,i hold that the compact1 such as it was1 has been absolutely fulfilled4 ,in this opinion ,i am sustained by the views of a very distinguished member of the ,house of ,representatives1 who discussed the subject somewhat at length on the floor of the ,house when the ,roberts case was considered by that body4 ,it was urged in the report of the special committee which investigated the right of the ,representative from ,utah to his seat in the ,house1 that his election as a ,representative is an explicit and offensive violation of the 'understanding' by which ,utah was admitted as a state4 ,this understanding and the compact were discussed on the floor of the ,house by ,representative ,littlefield 7of ,maine7 in the following language3 ,i would like to enquire of the majority where they find the authority for the proposition that the ,united ,states government can go into the question of an 'understanding' that existed before a ,state was admitted into this ,union1 and then1 having found it1 exercise this domiciliary1 supervisory1 disciplinary power over the ,state4 ,where does it exist8 ,what is it indicated by8 ,is it oral8 ,they do not undertake to suggest it is in the ,enabling act1 although they refer to it4 ,but is it an oral 'understanding' that exists between the ,states and the general government by reason of this 'general welfare' power8 ,i assume that they invoke it under this 'general welfare' proposition4 ,think of it6 an 'understanding' which is based on--what8 ,a compact or a contract8 ,i had supposed it was too late at this stage of the history of the republic1 in these times of peace1 to invoke the proposition of a contract existing between the ,states and the general government4 ,i knew that the theory of a contract was the parent of the infamous heresy1 and ,i have believed that it was wiped out in blood from #ahfa to #ahfe4 ,more than five hundred thousand of the best1 truest1 most heroic and bravest men that ever met on the field of battle--the blue and the grey1 brethren all--rendered up their lives that that infamous proposition should be blotted out1 and blotted out forever4 ,let the dead past bury its dead4 ,i submit that under these circumstances it ill becomes this ,house to undertake1 in the interest if you please of civilization1 to invoke anew the proposition of a contract existing between a ,state and the ,united ,states4 ,discussing the question of compact further1 ,mr4 ,littlefield said3 ,compact is synonymous with contract4 ,the idea of a compact or contract is not predicable upon the relations that exist between the ,state and the general government4 ,they do not stand in the position of contracting parties4 ,the condition upon which ,utah was to become a ,state was fully performed when she became a ,state4 ,the ,enabling act authorized the ,president to determine when the condition was performed4 ,he discharged that duty1 found that the condition was complied with1 and that condition no longer exists4 ,what did ,congress require by the ,enabling act8 ,simply that 'said convention shall provide by ordinance irrevocable1' etc41 and the convention did in terms what it was required to do4 ,it was a condition upon the performance of which by the convention the admission of ,utah depended4 ,its purpose accomplished1 its office is gone1 and as a condition it ceases to exist4 ,no power was reserved in the ,enabling act1 nor can any be found in the ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 authorizing ,congress1 not to say the ,house of ,representatives alone1 to discipline the people in or the ,state of ,utah1 because the crime of polygamy or unlawful cohabitation has not been exterminated in ,utah4 ,where is the warrant to be found for the exercise of this disciplinary1 supervisory power4 ,this theory is apparently evolved for the purposes of this case1 is entirely without precedent1 and has not even the conjecture or dream of any writer to stand upon4 ,with ,mr4 ,littlefield1 then1 ,i say1 that so far from the compact between ,utah and the ,united ,states having been violated1 it has been fulfilled4 ,utah has made no effort to repeal the ,constitutional provision forever prohibiting polygamous or plural marriages4 ,on the contrary1 her ,state ,legislature has even re-enacted the part of the old ,congressional and ,territorial law that had been ignored by the ,constitutional convention1 defining and punishing polygamous living--that is1 unlawful cohabitation4 ,,of ,,the ,,mormon ,,church ,,being ,a ,,monarchy4 ,passing from the matter of the compact which the speech to which ,i am replying falsely charges over and over again that we have violated1 ,i come to the accusation and false charges made against the ,mormon ,church4 ,whoever constructed this speech made the central idea of it1 the existence of a monarchy and a monarch in the ,state of ,utah4 ,the monarchy is the ,mormon ,church2 the monarch is the ,president of that ,church4 ,in order that you may know ,i am not mistaken1 ,i shall read to you a quotation from the speech on this point3 ,under these several men 7the ,church ,presidents7 the social autocracy has had its varying fortunes1 but at the present time it is probably at as high a point as it ever reached under the original ,joseph or under ,brigham ,young4 99 99 99 ,i want you to know that this religion1 claiming to recognize and secure the equality of men immediately established and has maintained for the mass of its adherents that social equality1 but has elevated a class of its rulers to regal authority and splendor 99 99 99 the chief among them has the dignity of a monarch4 99 99 99 ,in all this social system each ,apostle has his great part4 ,he is inseparable from it4 ,he wields now1 as does the minister at court1 such part of power as the monarch may permit him to enjoy1 and it is his hope and expectation that he will outlive those who are his seniors in rank in order that he may become the ruler4 ,there is much more to the same effect1 but this is enough to show you that the existence of both a monarchy and a monarch are charged as existing in the ,church organization and in its president4 ,i wish to call your attention to the fact that this is mere assumption4 ,there is no monarchy and there is no monarch in the ,mormon ,church4 ,it is a fundamental1 constitutional1 and ,i might say institutional principle in the ,church that all things in the ,church shall be done by common consent of the ,church2 7,doc4 ,cov4 sec4 xxvi7 and so long as that remains the great underlying principle of the government--and largely even of administrative functions1--of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ1 ,i ask you where the principle of monarchy can come in8 ,furthermore it is expressly provided that no officer of the ,church can occupy a place in any of the general or local quorums of the ,church1 only as he is sustained and accepted by the members of the several divisions of the ,church named4 7,doc4 ,cov4 xx3 #fe47 ,moreover1 elections1 which give the opportunity to get rid of undesirable officers1 are more frequent in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 than in any other system of ecclesiastical government known to men4 ,will you tell me how a monarchy can exist in the face of these fundamental truths8 ,i would like to see some explanation of that4 ,again1 the ,president of the ,church is no monarch4 ,yet let me read to you how he is described in ,mr4 ,kearns' adopted speech3 ,under these several men successive ,presidents of the ,church the social autocracy has had its varying fortunes1 but at the present time it is probably at as high a point as it every reached under the original ,joseph or under ,brigham ,young4 ,the ,president of the ,church1 ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 affects a regal state4 ,his home consists of a series of villas1 rather handsome in design1 and surrounded by such ample grounds as to afford sufficient exclusiveness4 ,in addition to this he has an official residence of historic character near to the office which he occupies as ,president4 ,when he travels he is usually accompanied by a train of friends1 who are really servitors4 ,when he attends social functions he appears like a ruler among his subjects4 ,can any of you recognize ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith in that description8 ,i cannot boast of an extremely intimate acquaintance with ,president ,smith's domestic life1 or his financial status2 but it has been my good fortune to know him personally some #cj years4 ,i know something of the severe economy and frugality which he practices4 ,i know his homes are but cottages1 without the grandeur here given them4 ,i know that his family lives in economy and frugality1 and that every tree1 evergreen1 shrub1 or flowering plant1 or plat of grass about any one of his cottage homes was planted by his own hands or the labor of his sons and wives4 ,i do know that4 ,and though he does now occupy an historic building1 owned1 not by ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 but by the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 it is more for the convenience of the people and those who have business with him that he dwells there than because of any regal or extravagant tastes that he himself possesses1 and in that official residence he lives the simplest of lives4 ,i know at least seven of his sons who have arrived at manhood's estate1 and ,i know that they live by daily toil1 as my sons and your sons do1 as the sons of all the common people do1 and occupying no very exalted positions in the industrial or business world1 although they are capable1 honest and hard working young men4 ,one of them has assisted me in my office work as stenographer for three years4 ,don't you think if ,president ,smith really affected this regal state1 lorded it over the people as he is here represented as doing1 and lived in this series of villas of sufficient exclusiveness that he would undertake to elevate these sons of his and all his family above this toil in which they are engaged8 ,the description presents a false picture4 ,i brand it as such4 ,it represents rather the style and state in which the writer of ,mr4 ,kearns' speech would live if he possessed the opportunities he believes ,president ,smith possesses1 rather than the manner of ,president ,smith's living4 ,especially as to the villas of sufficient exclusiveness4 ,again1 while ,president ,smith1 as we believe1 has received a divine appointment to the station he holds1 he is dependent for his continuance in that office1 as he was dependent for his elevation to it1 upon the votes of the people4 ,he is subject to the laws of the ,church1 as much so as you or ,i2 and a special provision is made in the laws of ,god for a tribunal before which1 for acts of irregularity and unrighteousness1 he can be called to account1 testimony taken against him1 and if his offenses are of sufficiently serious a nature he may be dismissed from his high office1 and excommunicated from the ,church2 and the revelation which provides these arrangements concerning him says that the decision of the court in question is the end of controversy in his case4 ,i know that some men1 in their over-zeal to exalt the office of ,president of the ,church have advanced extravagant ideas upon the subject such as saying that no complaint must be made of those occupying that position2 that the people must go on performing their daily duties without question1 and then if the ,president should do wrong1 ,god would look after him4 ,such teachings have now and then been heard2 but ,i call your attention to the fact that the ,church ,of ,god is greater than any one man within that ,church1 however exalted his station may be2 that the ,lord has provided means by which the ,church can correct every man within it1 and can-dismiss the unworthy from power4 ,that right is resident in the ,church of ,christ2 and the ,church don't have to wait till ,god kills off unworthy servants before a wrong can be righted4 ,the power exists within the ,church to correct any evil1 of whatever name or nature1 that may arise within it1 and that without disrupting the ,church1 or creating anarchy1 but all things are to be done in order1 and as ,god has appointed them4 ,i could give you references to the ,doctrine and ,covenants covering all these points1 but it is a matter of such common knowledge among you that it is not necessary4 ,again1 the decisions of the ,first ,presidency of the ,church are not final in relation to matters of administration and government in the ,church1 if such decisions are made in unrighteousness1 but from such decisions of the ,first ,presidency appeals lie to the general assembly of all the quorums of the ,priesthood1 which constitute the highest spiritual authority in the ,church1 that is1 all the quorums of the ,priesthood are greater than any one quorum1 even though it should be the ,first ,presidency4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 #ajg74 ,neither monarchy nor monarch can exist where these principles are recognized1 as they are recognized in the ,church4 ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,tithing ,,system ,,and ,,alleged ,,commercialism4 ,the ,church government rests purely and solely upon moral authority4 ,let me explain4 ,authority is represented in government as of two kinds4 ,our writers on government tell us that one is effective authority and the other is moral authority4 ,you see effective authority operative in the various governments of man1 in kingdoms1 empires and republics2 their authority rests on force1 on compulsion4 ,but moral authority rests on persuasion1 not upon compulsion or force4 ,the action of ,god1 says one1 upon man is moral and moral only4 ,by constituting man free1 he has refused to exercise effective authority over him1 and an ecclesiastic or politic society claiming divine authority must exercise moral authority only2 for the moment it exercises compulsion it ceases to represent ,god and resolves itself into effective authority which is human1 all human1 and not at all divine1 7,baring-,gold74 ,the government of the ,church of ,latter-day ,saints is such a moral government as is here described4 ,it rests on moral authority only4 ,i read to you from one of the revelations3 ,no power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the ,priesthood1 only by persuasion1 by long suffering1 by gentleness1 and meekness1 and by love unfeigned2 ,by kindness and pure knowledge1 which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy1 and without guile4 ,this is the spirit of the authority underlying this ecclesiastical institution that is described as a monarchy6 ,having laid the foundation for his argument in this assumption of the existence of a monarchy and a monarch1 the author of ,mr4 ,kearns' speech weaves around it all sorts of fallacies1 a few of which ,i shall examine4 ,it is charged that the ,church is a business corporation rather than a ,church1 and is establishing a monopoly in business1 and threatens1 as some gigantic trust might threaten1 the industries of this intermountain region4 ,this is not true4 ,it is true that the ,church has invested some of its means in various corporations and enterprises4 ,in so doing it has manifested1 as ,i think1 profound wisdom4 ,it has long been regarded as a wise policy in establishing endowments for charitable purposes to invest the original donations given by the generously inclined1 and use only the interest upon them for the charitable purpose1 and thus place the charity upon a basis sure to prolong its life of usefulness4 ,i say that is a policy of good sense1 and good judgment2 and that is what is done and no more than that when the ,trustee-in-,trust of the ,mormon ,church invests ,mormon ,church tithes in business enterprises4 ,but the ,church holdings in the various corporations where the investments are made are not sufficient to dominate those institutions or to establish them as trusts in the industrial affairs of the state4 ,charitable1 educational and missionary work are the purposes to which the revenue of the ,church is directly devoted4 ,in proof of this let me call your attention to the work in which the ,church is engaged1 and in which our tithes are consumed4 ,we teach1 as you all know1 the principle of gathering to our people4 ,wherever the gospel is preached the cry goes with it1 ,come out of ,babylon1 oh ye1 my people1 that ye partake not of her sins and receive not of her plagues4 ,and inasmuch as there is a gathering1 must there not also be made some provision to care for the people who come to us8 ,must we not provide some way for them to gain a foothold in the land if they are to become inhabitants of ,zion8 ,most assuredly2 and so part of our tithe funds go into colonizing enterprises that provide a means of obtaining homes for the people4 ,this is done not only in the interests of those who come to us from afar1 but in the interests also of those who grow up in our own old centers of population and find the need of enlarged opportunities4 ,the ,church has to sustain publication houses in various parts of the world1 and they are maintained1 in part1 by the general funds of the ,church4 ,we have churches to build in all the wards and stakes of ,zion2 and while ,i know1 as you know1 that part of that expense is met by the people1 outside of their tithing1 part of it is also met by appropriation from the general funds of the ,church4 ,temples have been built1 and not only built1 but maintained4 ,we have four of these magnificent structures now in the ,state of ,utah1 and others are in contemplation in other lands where our people are settled4 ,we have a missionary system to support2 and while it is true the missionary meets his own expenses largely1 yet the ,church from its general funds provides for his return to his home and here and there assistance is rendered where it becomes absolutely necessary4 ,the ,church has its employees to pay2 while there is no organization in the world where so much of free labor is given to it--especially in the matter of its preaching ministry--as in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 the ,church does of course require all the time and talent of some of its servants1 and when that is the case it necessarily has to remunerate them for their services4 ,a ,church school system has been founded and must be maintained2 and this is a much larger enterprise than many suppose it to be4 ,we sustain1 and chiefly from the general funds of the ,church1 the ,brigham ,young university1 ,provo1 ,utah2 the ,latter-day ,saints' ,university1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah2 the ,brigham ,young college1 ,logan1 ,utah2 the ,weber ,stake academy1 ,ogden1 ,utah2 the ,juarez ,stake academy1 ,juarez1 ,mexico2 the ,snow academy1 ,ephraim1 ,utah2 the ,ricks academy1 ,rexburg1 ,ida42 ,the ,thatcher academy1 ,thatcher1 ,ariz42 the ,fielding academy1 ,paris1 ,idaho2 the ,cassia ,stake ,academy1 ,oakley1 ,idaho2 the ,emery ,stake academy1 ,castle ,dale1 ,utah2 the ,st4 ,johns ,stake academy1 ,st4 ,johns1 ,arizona2 the ,snowflake ,stake academy1 ,snowflake1 ,arizona2 the ,uintah ,stake academy1 ,vernal1 ,utah2 the ,beaver ,branch ,b4 ,y4 ,university1 ,beaver1 ,utah4 ,if you suppose that this school system does not make large drafts upon the general funds of the ,church paid in by you and all of us1 you are very much mistaken4 ,again1 the ,church has erected a magnificent hospital in ,salt ,lake ,city1 the best in the west1 and that chiefly from the general funds of the ,church1 and it will have to be maintained and doubtless enlarged in the same way4 ,in addition to all this there is the maintenance of the poor1 who are always with us1 and who are always welcomed into the ,church of ,christ1 though the maintenance and care of them always has been and is now a heavy draft upon the resources of the ,church1 but it is borne cheerfully since the love and care of the ,church for the poor is one of the evidences of her divinity4 ,when men came to the ,son of ,god anciently and demanded to know ,art thou the ,messiah1 or must we look for another8 ,jesus said1 ,go and tell those who sent you that the sick are healed1 that the blind see1 that the lame walk2 and then1 ,i think most glorious of all1 he said1 ,and to the poor the ,gospel is preached4 ,and so in this dispensation of the fulness of times1 one of the signs of the work's divinity is that it has preached the gospel to the poor1 has gathered them from the nations of the earth1 has tried to teach them how to sustain themselves1 but where that has been out of their power the ,church has nourished and supported them from its tithes and its free-will fast offerings1 so that the cry of the poor does not reach the ears of the ,god of ,sabbaoth from the midst of the saints4 ,after the author of this ,kearns' adopted speech had recalled the fact that ,mormons looked upon this part of their work with pride1 he says that in some of the institutions established by the state for the maintenance of the poor1 notwithstanding ,mormon pride in care of their poor1 there are some ,mormon poor in those institutions4 ,well1 what of it8 ,have not the ,mormons as well as other citizens a right to such assistance8 ,it is conceded even in the speech under consideration that the ,mormons pay half the taxes 7and they pay much more than half7 out of which the infirmaries with other state institutions are sustained4 ,but notwithstanding there may be some few ,mormons in these state institutions1 it still remains true that the ,mormon ,church does much for the poor1 and that this charitable work is a heavy draft upon her revenues4 ,it is falsely represented in this speech that the tithes of the ,church are the personal income of the ,trustee-in-,trust of the ,church4 ,i know there are many here who1 when ,i make that announcement1 will doubtless think1 surely ,mr4 ,roberts must be mistaken2 a charge so absurd as that would certainly not be made on the floor of the ,united ,states senate4 ,but ,i will read you the charge3 ,independent of these business concerns1 he ,president ,smith is in receipt of an income like unto that which a royal family derives from a national treasury4 ,one-tenth of all the annual earnings of all the ,mormons in the world flows to him4 ,these funds amount to the sum of #a1fjj1jjj annually1 or #e per cent upon #cb1jjj1jjj1 which is one-quarter of the entire taxable wealth of the ,state of ,utah4 ,it is the same as if he owned1 individually1 in addition to all his visible enterprises1 one-quarter of the wealth of the state1 and derived from it #e per cent of income without taxation and without discount4 99 99 99 ,with an income of #e per cent upon one-quarter of the entire assessed valuation of the ,state of ,utah today1 how long will it take this monarch1 with his constantly increasing demands for revenue1 to absorb the productive power so their he shall be receiving an income of #e per cent upon one-half the property1 and then upon all of the property of the state8 ,this is worse than the farming taxes under the old ,french kings4 ,will ,congress allow this awful calamity to continue8 ,i say that a meaner falsehood could not be uttered than is uttered in those sentences4 ,and it was not done in ignorance4 ,it was done with the intent to deceive the people of the ,united ,states1 to awaken their bitterness against the great majority of the people in this state1 and to represent the ,mormons as subservient to a monarch1 to a tyrant living in grandeur and upon the profits of their earnings1 and was intended to work mischief towards the people of this state4 ,i need not deny the falsehood--you all know the charge to be untrue--that the funds which flow into the hands of the ,trustee-in-,trust are but trust funds4 ,not one dollar belongs to him personally4 ,these funds are used for the various purposes that we have just been considering4 ,again1 this speech falsely represents that the government money is tithed4 ,i shall have to read the passage from the speech in which the charge occurs in order to get you to believe that1 ,i know4 ,so here it is3 ,it will astound you to know that every dollar of ,united ,states money paid to any servant of the government who is a ,mormon is tithed for the benefit of this monarch4 ,out of every #a1jjj thus paid he gets #ajj to swell his grandeur4 ,this is also true of money paid out of the public treasury of the ,state of ,utah to ,mormon officials4 ,nor is the end yet3 ,but what is worst of all1 the monarch dips into the sacred public school fund and extracts from every ,mormon teacher one-tenth of his or her earnings and uses it for his unaccounted purposes2 and1 by means of these purposes and the power which they constitute1 he defies the laws of his state1 the sentiment of his country1 and is waging war of nullification on the public school system1 so dear to the ,american people4 ,and that is not all3 ,in all this there is no thought on my part of opposition to voluntary gifts by individuals for religious purposes or matters connected legitimately with religion4 ,my comment and criticism are against the tyranny which misuses a sacred name to extract from individuals the moneys which they ought not to spare from family needs1 and which they do not wish to spare4 ,then tell me why they spare it8 ,that is my question4 ,the tithes that are paid by ,mormons are voluntary donations to carry on the work of the ,church1 and the ,church possesses no power by which it can coerce man1 woman or child to the payment of tithes4 ,will you tell me when a man was ever excommunicated solely because he did not pay his tithes4 ,is there any such case8 ,but to proceed with the proof that this speech charges that government money is tithed3 ,my comment and criticism relate to the power of a monarch whose tyranny is so effective as that not even the moneys paid by the government are considered the property of the government's servant until after this monarch shall have seized his arbitrary tribute1 with or without the willing assent of the victim1 so that the monarch may engage the more extensively in commercial affairs1 which are not a part of either religion or charity4 ,can straight-out lying or any other description of lying whatsoever beat this8 ,not from the regions of the lowest hell can come a spirit more damned in falsehood than the author of this speech1 and a senator of the ,united ,states sank lower than the author of the falsehood by repeating it from his place in the senate chamber4 ,one man works for the government2 another teaches school4 ,when such employees receive money for the ,compensation of their services that money1 of course1 belongs to them4 ,they own it4 ,it is not government money4 ,the farmer who digs and delves in the earth for his compensation1 and who by virtue of his toil and going into partnership with nature--with the soil and the rain and the sunshine--produces his crop and sells it in the market1 and holds the cash in his hand--,i say that money is no more completely the farmer's than is the money earned by the government employee and the school teacher1 theirs4 ,it will go without saying that the school teacher and the government employee have just as much right to devote a portion of their income in the work of the church of their choice as has the farmer to contribute from his income to a like purpose4 ,this part of the speech is an infamous appeal to the prejudices of the people of the ,united ,states1 and is based on falsehood absolutely4 ,i might1 if it would not take too long1 enter into those paragraphs of the speech which by wonderful twisting and turning undertake to make it appear that the ,gentiles also are made to bear the burden of this tithing system--this alleged ecclesiastical tax1 levied upon the people of the state1 but it would require too long a discussion1 and so ,i shall pass it4 ,besides it is a proposition too absurd for serious consideration4 ,a ,,description ,,of ,,the ,,author ,,of ,,senator ,,kearns' ,,speech4 ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,in the paragraphs under this heading are described the character and lightening like political changes of a certain politician1 whom ,senator ,kearns employed upon his personal anti-,mormon newspaper1 published in ,salt ,lake ,city2 and who1 it is quite generally conceded1 wrote the ,kearns ,senate ,speech4 ,these several clauses of the speech just considered indicate better than any others that ,i have found1 the probable authorship of the speech2 and ,i want to talk about that just five minutes4 ,the man who can utter such bald-faced falsehoods as these is the kind of man who could believe with the ,republicans at one time that the foreign importer of goods paid our tariff taxes1 and then later could join with the ,democrats and conclude1 after all1 that it must be the consumer who pays the tax4 ,such a person as wrote that speech could be one who1 sent from a ,democratic convention1 held in one of the states1 to the national ,democratic convention1 could enthusiastically wire back from the far east that he was well pleased with the ,democratic platform and nominee1 that the thing for ,democrats to do was to get together and stay together1 and then could come home and1 hearing the chink of silver1 interpret it as a call to him to assist in the organization of a new party that should work for the defeat of the ,democratic nominee and the ,democratic policies4 ,the kind of man who wrote that speech could perform any inconsistency in the most consistent manner4 ,i warrant you that he is one who could eat his cake and yet have it2 who could let go and hold on at the same time2 he could run with the hare and yet bark with the hounds2 if he were only a physical1 equestrian acrobat1 as he is a mental acrobat1 he could perform a feat up to the present time regarded as impossible--that is1 he could ride at the same time two horses going in opposite directions1 whereas it has been quite universally held that if a man rides more than one horse at a time the horses must go in the same direction4 ,the author of that speech is like one of old1 who1 however1 shall be nameless1 because his name is never mentioned in polite society1 he can1 ,i warrant you1 quote ,scripture to his purpose1 aye1 and clothe his naked villainy with old odd ends stolen out of holy writ1 and seem a saint when most he plays the devil4 ,the author of that speech might be one who in the hour of his greatest need when on trial1 in a way1 before the people of the community where he dwelt1 would solicit--or have solicited for him--and receive the assistance of a powerful friend in whom the people had confidence2 a friend who hoped for his future1 and who believed at the time1 this possible author of the speech in question was being unfairly dealt with1 and hence gave him a certificate which rehabilitated his reputation1 and saved him from condemnation by the people2 and after receiving such magnanimous treatment1 dealt out to him in a spirit of mercy and generosity1 this possible author could turn and smite the hand that blessed him1 and bark1 cur-like1 at the heels of the one who did him the greatest kindness8 ,such an one as this might have written the speech which ,senator ,kearns adopted and took to the senate chamber of the ,united ,states for its christening4 ,,of ,,the ,,mormon ,,church ,,being ,a ,,menace ,,to ,,gentile ,,industries4 ,it is falsely alleged in this ,kearns adopted speech that the ,mormon ,church is a menace to ,gentile industries in the state excepting mining and smelting1 and even these1 it charges1 are threatened with extermination on certain conditions3 ,let it be sufficient on this point for me to say that all the property of ,utah is made to contribute to the grandeur of the president of the ,church1 and that at his instance any industry1 any institution within the state1 could be destroyed1 except the mining and smelting industry4 ,even this industry his personal and ,church organ has attacked with a threat of extermination by the courts1 or by additional legislation1 if the smelters do not meet the view expressed by the ,church organ4 ,the charge that the smelters are threatened with extermination by the courts is refuted by the very article from the ,deseret ,news the senator quotes in support of this supposed threat4 ,the facts briefly stated are these3 ,in the south end of ,salt ,lake valley1 near to ,salt ,lake ,city1 are a number of smelters that daily belch out volumes of smoke and deadly fumes which are injuring the interests of the farmers in that locality1 and threaten in time to desolate the southern suburbs of ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,the demand is that this evil shall be remedied1 or else1 of course1 that the cause of the difficulty be removed1 and now the proposition in the ,news which is not at all what ,senator ,kearns' adopted speech makes it out to be3 ,the ,deseret ,news has counseled peace1 consideration for the smelter people in the difficulties that they have to meet1 favor toward a valuable industry that should be encouraged on proper lines1 and arbitration instead of litigation4 ,but it really seems now as though an aggressive policy will have to be pursued1 or ruin will come to the agricultural pursuits of ,salt ,lake county1 while the city will not escape from the ravages of the smelter fiend4 ,if the companies that control those works will not or can not dispose of the poisonous metallic fumes that pour out of their smokestacks1 the fires will have to be banked and the nuisance suppressed4 ,we do not believe the latter is the necessary alternative4 ,we are of opinion that the evil can be disposed of1 and we are sure that efforts ought to be made to effect it without further delay4 ,the other part of the senator's assertion on this point of the ,mormon ,church being a menace to ,gentile industry ,i really would not consider were it not for the fact that others are taking up the refrain and publishing such pipe dreams as this3 ,but if this is the purpose i4 e4 to drive out the ,gentiles1 several things ought to be kept in mind4 ,the first one is that most of the wealth of ,utah has been created by ,gentiles4 ,the ,saints were not opulent when the ,gentiles came in force to ,utah4 ,except for the money that the ,gentiles have paid the ,saints for labor and supplies1 the ,saints would not be very opulent now2 again1 if something like a holy war is meditated against ,gentiles1 they will neither lay down now nor run away4 ,it would not take much of a crusade to cause the ,gentiles of ,salt ,lake to light their homes with coal oil1 to walk rather than ride on the street cars1 to trade only with ,gentile merchants1 to employ only ,gentile help--in short to closely imitate what the ,saints are doing by them now4 ,do the chiefs of the ,church desire to precipitate this state of affairs8 ,i should think not4 ,we may have had our differences with our ,gentile neighbors and friends1 but we should be exceedingly sorry to part with them4 ,no1 indeed2 we would rather see them increase than diminish2 ride in street-cars than see them walk2 and burn electric lights rather than tallow dips1 or coal oil4 ,but to be serious1 isolation for ,mormonism is neither possible nor desirable4 ,here in ,utah and the intermountain west our faith must teach its doctrines1 and here our people so exemplify its principles that those who come in contact with them shall yet respect both the religion and those who accept it1 and practice it4 ,mormons have no disposition at all to be unfriendly to ,gentiles2 and in refutation of the charge that ,mormons are unfriendly towards ,gentile industries and business1 ,i call your attention to the fact that in the great and varied mercantile business of our state1 in our commerce1 in the banking business1 in mining and smelting1 our ,gentile friends have become wonderfully prosperous1 a condition that could not have been realized under circumstances described in ,mr4 ,kearns' adopted speech4 ,there has been formed no opposition against ,gentiles looking to their injury2 and ,i feel safe in saying there will be none4 ,,the ,,mormon ,,and ,,politics4 ,now ,i come to the most interesting part of the speech1 that which most becomes the now ex-senator to make4 ,it is more worthy of himself4 ,you observe ,i said the ex-senator2 thank the ,lord for the ex6 ,it is charged in the speech that the ,mormon ,church is in politics4 ,i read you the passage3 ,through these channels of social and business relations they the ,mormon leaders can spread the knowledge of their political desires without appearing obtrusively in politics4 ,when the end of their desire is accomplished they affect to wash their hands of all responsibility by denying that they engaged in political activities4 ,superficial persons1 and those desiring to accept this argument1 are convinced by it4 ,but never1 in the palmy days of ,brigham ,young1 was there a more complete political tyranny than is exercised by the present president of the ,mormon ,church and his apostles4 99 99 99 ,parties are nothing to these men except as parties may be used by them4 ,so long as there is a ,republican administration and ,congress1 they will lead their followers to support ,republican tickets2 but if by any chance the ,democratic party should control this government with a prospect of continuance in power1 you would see a gradual veering around under the direction of the ,mormon leaders4 ,when ,republicans are in power the ,republican leaders of the ,mormon people are in evidence and the ,democratic leaders are in retirement4 ,i plead not guilty to the charge of ,mormon ,democrats being in retirement--speaking for one ,democrat1 at least2 and ,i know my own case is paralleled by many other cases of leading ,mormon ,democrats2 we are never in retirement4 ,we are always in evidence1 much to the disgust1 perhaps1 of some people2 nevertheless1 when the drum sounds the war spirit is on1 and we are in the fight2 and expect to be in the fights of the future4 ,i shall leave our ,republican friends to plead their own case1 knowing very well their ability to do so4 ,,the ,,personal ,,case ,,of ,,ex-,,senator ,,kearns4 ,the ex-senator very courageously declared that he would not pass by his own case2 and ,i am glad he did not1 because there are some very interesting items in it that ,i shall be pleased to consider1 and it constitutes him a very picturesque figure for at least one brief moment4 ,first of all1 ,i want to call your attention to the fact that this man admits that he was elected to the senate by ,church influence4 ,he claims a sort of a far off kind of friendship with ,president ,snow4 ,it certainly must have been very far off1 ,i can't make out the affinities on which it was based4 ,it certainly did not arise out of any similarity of tastes1 or anything in the compatibility of temperament between the two men1 for the poles are not farther apart than the natures of these men4 ,this is what the ex-senator says concerning his election3 ,for some reason he ,president ,snow did not oppose my election to the senate4 ,every other candidate for the place had sought his favor2 it came to me without price or solicitation on my part4 ,the friends and mouthpieces of some of the present leaders have been mean enough to charge that ,i bought the senatorship from ,lorenzo ,snow1 ,president of their own ,church4 ,here and now ,i denounce the calumny against that old man1 whose unsought and unbought favor came to me in that contest4 99 99 99 ,i was elected4 ,after all their trickery my opponents were defeated1 and to some extent by the very means which they had basely invoked4 ,there is more of it1 but this is enough1 ,i think1 to constitute the admission that ,mr4 ,kearns was elected1 according to his view of it1 by ,church influence4 ,either to affirm or deny this claim is not my purpose4 ,but mark further what ,mr4 ,kearns says3 ,no man can retain his seat from ,utah and retain his self respect after he discovers the methods by which his election is procured and the object which the ,church monarchy intends to achieve4 ,then ,i put to him this question3 ,why did you for four long years in dishonor retain the seat that came to you by these--according to your description--dishonorable methods8 ,the gentleman's speech comes four years too late to have any grace in it4 ,if the next day after his election1 knowing then as thoroughly as he knows now1 the means and methods by which he secured that election--if at that time he had published to the people of ,utah and to the people of the ,united ,states something like this3 ,i discover that ,i have been elected by the influence of the ,mormon ,church leaders4 ,that influence was unsought by me1 but ,i cannot afford to accept a seat in the senate of the ,united ,states procured by methods so injurious to the state1 so disturbing to our peace4 ,i therefore lay down the honor that this ,legislature would put upon me2 for if ,i go to the senate of the ,united ,states ,i must go unfettered by such obligations as would be implied by my accepting this position given me under such circumstances4 ,if1 ,i say1 the gentleman four years ago had taken a position of that kind all men would have had some respect for him1 and for his denunciation of the exercise of ,church influence in political affairs4 ,but after sitting in the high place of honor for four long years1 enjoying the benefits of ,church influence1 then in the last days of his senatorial term to stand up and repudiate the means by which he says he was helped into that high station--it all comes with very poor grace from him1 and places his wrath against the exercise of ,church influence in politics under strong suspicion of hypocrisy4 ,he stands as one who has received stolen goods1 and with great generosity to himself appropriated these goods to his own use2 they directly or indirectly clothed him1 perhaps1 and fed him1 or ministered to his vanity2 then after thoroughly exhausting the stolen goods and the proceeds from them1 he arises in a spirit of lofty morality and denounces the means--if not the thieves--by which they were brought to him4 ,what would be your thought of such an one8 ,what excuse does the now ex-senator make for thus appropriating the high honors of a senatorship that came to him by reason of his election by ,church influence8 ,this is what he offers as his excuse3 ,i have served with you four years1 and have sought in a modest way to make a credible record here4 ,i have learned something of the grandeur and dignity of the senate1 something of its ideals1 which ,i could not know before coming here4 ,i say to you1 my fellow senators1 that this place of power is infinitely more magnificent than ,i dreamed when ,i first thought of occupying a seat here4 ,but were it thrice as great as ,i now know it to be1 and were ,i back in that old time of struggle in ,utah1 when ,i was seeking for this honor1 ,i would not permit the volunteered friendship of ,president ,snow to bestow upon me1 even as an innocent recipient1 one atom of the ,church monarch's favor4 ,a little later in the speech he also says3 ,my ideals have grown with my term of service in this body1 and ,i believe that the man who would render here the highest service to his country must be careful to attain to this place by the purest civic path that mortal feet can tread4 ,i am happy to learn that this gentleman's ideals have grown4 ,there was much need of such a growth1 surely4 ,but what a lofty morality breathes through these sentences6 ,it is very impressive in view of what ,i am going to call your attention to presently4 ,i want to reveal to you the character of this man4 ,i will read again3 ,no man can retain his seat from ,utah and retain his self-respect1 after he discovers the methods by which his election is procured and the objects which the ,church monarch intends to achieve4 ,mark that6 ,and yet ,mr4 ,kearns managed to retain his seat for four long years1 after he had learned by what means it had come to him2 and allowed his self-respect1 meantime1 to take care of itself4 ,i suggest also that had his term of office extended four years longer--notwithstanding what he has learned about the honor and dignity of a ,united ,states senatorship1 he would doubtless have continued to hold on to his honors1 through those four long1 troubled years of dishonor4 ,i would like to know what development of ideas between the time of his election and the expiration of his term of office was possible concerning the mischief of ,church interference in politics that could so wonderfully open the eyes of this ex-senator to the iniquity of the methods by which his election was procured8 ,why1 from away back in territorial days1 for forty-five years1 this question of the relation of ,church and state has been debated in ,utah1 and we have learned every lesson it seems to me there is to learn on the subject2 and yet1 after the long controversy1 it took four years in the senate of the ,united ,states for this man to discover the wondrous iniquity of receiving ,church influence in an election to the senate of the ,united ,states6 ,but ,i have observed in several other of our experiences in the ,state of ,utah that for some mysterious reason politicians never can see the mischief there is in the use of ,church influence unless they can't get it1 ,or they suspect it is being used for the interests of the other fellow4 ,but to return to our ex-senator4 ,he says3 ,no man can retain this seat from ,utah and retain his self-respect after he discovers the methods by which his election is procured and the objects which the ,church monarchy intends to achieve4 ,some of my critics will say that ,i relinquish that which ,i could not hold4 ,i will not pause to discuss that point further than to say that if ,i had chosen to adopt the policy with the present monarch of the ,church which his friends and mouthpieces say ,i did adopt with the king who is dead1 it might have been possible to retain this place of honor with dishonor4 ,you have seen ,mr4 ,kearns--this semblance of a man that in nothing resembles a senator--rise in his place and attitudinize to fit the phrases of his adopted speech before the gaze of this great nation while he denounced the use of ,church influence in politics2 and now you hear him say that if he had only adopted the methods charged against him in obtaining his first election with the present ,church monarch1 he might have retained this honorable seat in the senate with dishonor4 ,would he solicit ,church influence8 the influence of the ,president of the ,church1 for his re-election8 ,certainly not6 ,such a thing never entered his politically pious mind6 ,yet1 knowing full well the seriousness of the charge ,i make1 ,i say to this great audience and would say it to the people of the ,united ,states if my voice could reach them1 and that upon my word of honor1 that this man1 ex-,senator ,kearns1 notwithstanding all his lofty utterances1 both directly and indirectly1 too1 sought that very influence for re-election which now he affects to scorn4 ,he1 by personal application to ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 sought it in the ,city of ,washington1 when ,president ,smith was there to testify before the ,senate committee on privileges and elections4 ,he sought for that influence in ,salt ,lake ,city1 sought it personally of the ,president of the ,church1 and received the grand reply1 ,we are not in politics4 ,he sought ,church influence indirectly1 through what was intended to be the good offices of a fellow senator1 whose influence rests upon the same basis as his own1 the influence of wealth4 ,not only once did he thus seek it1 but on several occasions4 ,yet he stands in his place in the ,senate and declares that ,no man can retain this seat from ,utah and retain his self-respect after he discovers the methods by which his election is procured and the objects which the ,church monarch intends to achieve6 ,still1 while in possession of all the knowledge he has now as to the methods and objects of the ,mormon ,church leaders1 ,mr4 ,kearns sought that influence which he says even to be the innocent recipient of would be dishonor6 ,in what light does this man now stand before the people of this state and of the ,united ,states8 ,to say that his course was one of lying and hypocrisy would but faintly describe it2 but these terms1 weak as they are1 may be thrust into the very throat of him1 as deep as to the lungs4 ,let him pluck them out if he can6 ,not only did ,mr4 ,kearns seek ,church influence in order to encompass his own re-election1 but the ,tribune war made upon the ,mormon ,church was begun and carried forward in his interests2 in the hope that the present leaders of the ,church could be frightened into supporting him for re-dec-lion4 ,i thank ,god that he found those whom he could not frighten2 whatever else comes of it1 ,i thank the ,lord for that4 ,,the ,,recommendations ,,of ,,ex-,,senator ,,kearns4 ,in concluding his adopted speech the ex-senator suggests a remedy for all our ,utah ills2 and of course there is none of us who would question his ability to tell the senate just what ought to be done to a state that will no longer have ,mr4 ,kearns for its senator4 ,the recommendation in substance is this3 ,notice must be served upon the ,church leaders that they must live within the law4 ,that notice was received a long time ago2 and the ,mormon ,church leaders not only received the notice1 but acquiesced in it1 too4 ,prest4 ,wilford ,woodruff received an inspired word that relieved the ,church of the burden of maintaining in practice a principle which before then had been regarded as a duty to maintain1 in practice as well as in faith4 ,thus the way was opened for the ,mormon leaders to make a concession to the sentiment of the people of the ,united ,states1 and to the laws of ,congress4 ,it is realized by the ,mormon leaders also that even if they could they cannot with profit nor to the advantage of the community treat with defiance those laws of the state which prohibit polygamous living4 ,but while that is the case1 those involved in that system of marriage which was taught as a divine institution for more than a generation in ,utah1 have the common rights that belong to those who enjoy the privileges of our free institutions1 including home rule1 and the administration of the law according to the sentiments of the people where they reside1 just as they have the right to be tried by juries of the vicinage where it is alleged the laws are broken4 ,if that local1 popular sentiment shall decide that it would be against public policy and the welfare of a large class of the community to rigidly enforce those laws1 then ,i say they are entitled to that clemency4 ,it is for that very reason that home rule in government is so precious a boon1 and so necessary to the preservation of the liberties of the people4 ,it is not just that those involved in the ,mormon marriage system shall be put in jeopardy of fines and imprisonment by a contemptible spotter and spy1 merely an employee of the lowest sensational paper in the ,united ,states1 the very worst of yellow journals4 ,they have a right to be free from that kind of oppression1 and to be subject to the law as administered in harmony with the ,american spirit of law administration4 ,,comment ,,of ,,the ,,ex-,,senator',s ,,recommendations4 ,some one will say1 however1 that there are violators of the law in ,utah2 and that1 too1 in relation to new marriages since the issuance of the ,manifesto1 and since the admission of the state into the ,union4 ,if that be true1 if all that is claimed in relation to it be true1 7but that is not admitted17 then why not execute the law against those who have violated it1 and who have broken1 so far as they are concerned1 the pledge that was given by the state on this subject8 ,why not prosecute them1 and not attempt to do what ,edmund ,burke a long time ago declared he knew not the method of1 namely1 to draw an indictment against1 an entire people8 ,in other states are not the laws violated8 ,and who is held responsible for that violation8 ,the whole community who are not parties to the violation 'of the law8 ,no2 the absurdity of that appears upon the face of it4 ,why should the people of ,utah be judged by a standard different from that by which would be judged the people of ,ohio1 or the people of ,pennsylvania1 or the people of ,montana8 ,from the first ,utah has suffered from this kind of treatment4 ,every murder that was committed in the community in early days was charged to the ,mormon ,church4 ,when there was a hanging in ,montana1 or a throat cutting in ,nevada1 or a lynching bee in ,wyoming1 the parties concerned were the ones indicted and compelled to bear the burden of their awful crime2 but if such a thing happened in ,utah1 the ,mormon ,church must be involved4 ,and so now in these alleged violations of the law concerning polygamous marriages1 the ,church is made a party to the transgressions of individuals4 ,i say that the ,state of ,utah has kept the compact that she made with the people of the ,united ,states4 ,when she said as she did say in her ,constitution that polygamous or plural marriages shall forever be prohibited and provided for the punishment of such crimes1 the ,state of ,utah could not guarantee that every one would obey the law1 any more than the inhabitants of ,arizona1 when they say through the law that horse thieves shall be imprisoned1 can engage that a horse shall never again be stolen in that territory1 and no horse thief ever escape4 ,what they do mean to say is that if such a crime is committed1 and the parties are arraigned under the processes of the law1 they shall meet the just penalty of their acts under the law4 ,that is alt they are pledged to do4 ,and so ,i say concerning those in ,utah who may violate the laws1 they are amenable to the laws of the state1 and if brought before the courts1 and the evidence is sufficient1 there can be no doubt but they will be punished4 ,but those who are accused of crime have a right to the protection of the forms and processes of the law2 and they can not be hailed before a judge and cast into prison merely because sensational charges are made against them in sensational anti-,mormon newspapers2 or because ,madames ,rumor and ,neighborhood ,gossip say they are guilty as charged4 ,let the men guilty of violation of the law bear their own burdens4 ,the people of ,utah have neither lot nor part in their offense2 and it is an infamy1 the like of which is not matched elsewhere in our nation1 to attempt to throw the responsibility of their wrong doing upon the great mass of the citizens of ,utah1 upon the state1 or upon the ,mormon ,church1 when they are not parties to their crimes4 ,so long as there is no attempt to change or annul the compact that the people of ,utah entered into with the people of the ,united ,states1 which compact is found consummated in the ,constitution of our state1 as demanded by the terms of the ,enabling act1 and so long as no effort is made to shield those who violate the law1 so long the people of ,utah are keeping their pledges4 ,now a few words in conclusion4 ,we find ourselves a very cosmopolitan community in ,utah1 gathered from all parts of the world1 of all sects and persuasions in religion1 of all parties in politics1 engaged in all of the common avocations of life1 from cultivating the soil to delving in the bowels of the earth for its precious ores1 its coals and its oils4 ,we inhabit a state the industries of which are varied and profitable2 and if it were not for this apparently irrepressible conflict concerning social and religious matters1 we might by united effort make of this old ,dead ,sea ,state a very live and splendid commonwealth1 where hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens besides those now on the ground1 could find homes where they would enjoy more cloudless days during a year than in any other state of the ,union2 homes where they might cultivate soil the most fruitful in our great country2 homes where they might enjoy an atmosphere that thrills the human system like glorious wine1 giving life1 health and vitality to men4 ,we might rear here a splendid manhood and womanhood1 and have peace and contentment1 and show the world how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity4 ,all this is possible1 notwithstanding our varied religious faiths and our various political convictions4 ,and it does seem to me that the time has come when the wise and conservative citizens of our state of all religions and of all political parties should take counsel together and see if this glorious result to which ,i have pointed cannot be attained2 for when knaves conspire1 wise men should counsel together4 ,a while ago ,i told you that isolation for the ,mormon people is both impossible and undesirable4 ,the idea of the withdrawal of our ,gentile population is nonsense1 and not upon the program4 ,it is equally true that the ,latter-day ,saints1 come what may1 will not surrender their religious faith4 ,that cannot be done4 ,our ,gentile friends must learn to tolerate us1 notwithstanding what they may regard as the absurdity of our religious belief4 ,on the other hand1 ,mormons recognize their amenability to the laws of the state1 and we say to them--at least ,i utter it as my personal conviction--that ,mormons hold themselves amenable to the laws of the state1 and if their friends and neighbors in the vicinity where they respectively reside are offended at their conduct1 taking generously into account the past from which some of our obligations 7,i will not say troubles7 come1 why then there is nothing for it but submission to the law as interpreted by the courts and by the people in the vicinity where we reside4 ,i say1 under these conditions1 our ,gentile friends must learn to tolerate us1 as we are willing to tolerate them4 ,the great bulk of our ,gentile friends came to these mountain valleys because of the financial prospects they saw here spread out before them4 ,they came here to establish homes1 to enjoy the climate1 to regain health1 in some instances1 and to possess with their fellow citizens1 though ,mormons1 a goodly land4 ,they are not interested in ,mormon polemics4 ,they care not a fig1 in the main1 for the ,mormon religion4 ,then why not say to those who are a disturbing element and making false charges not only against the ,mormons but against the state false charges which we have been considering here tonight1 in the speech of the man who was1 unhappily1 a ,united ,states senator from ,utah1 and whose personal newspaper day after day vomits the bitterness ,of hate against the greater part of the community--why not say to these disturbing elements1 as ,god says to the sea1 ,hither to shalt thou come1 but no further1 and here shall thy proud waves be stayed8 ,if ,mormons and ,gentiles in their treatment of each other will adopt this spirit1 and such a course as is here suggested is pursued1 there is a glorious future for ,utah2 and ,i am not at all despondent4 ,it is my faith that as a commonwealth we shall attain to the high destiny that we have held in our hopes for our beloved ,utah4 ,i believe that wise counsels will at last prevail4 ,i believe the time will come when our citizens will dwell together in peace and unity4 ,that is my fixed faith1 and what little ,i may be able to do ,i intend shall be done for the accomplishment of so desirable an object4 ,with all my heart ,i thank you for this splendid hearing4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,throughout the speaker was frequently and loudly applauded by his great audience4 ,part ,,ii4 ,book of ,mormon ,controversial questions4 ,i4 ,the ,manner of ,translating the ,book of ,mormon4 ,,foreword4 ,of late years the manner in which the ,book of ,mormon was translated is a subject that has been much discussed4 ,through a misconception1 as ,i think1 in relation to the part taken in the work of translation by the ,urim-,thummim1 it is charged by anti-,mormon writers from first to last1 that the verbal errors and errors in grammar which occur in the translation must be assigned to the ,lord--a thing unthinkable4 ,the popular understanding among the ,latter-day ,saints of the manner in which the translation was wrought out by means of ,urim-,thummim has been such as to attribute the errors of the translation to equivalent errors in the ,nephite original1 which1 it is held1 were brought over literally and arbitrarily into the ,english translation--a thing most absurd4 ,in view of these conditions the question arises1 can such an explanation of the manner of translating the book be given as not to attribute either directly or indirectly these verbal and grammatical errors to the ,lord1 or to their existence in the original record from which the translation was made2 and at the same time preserve as true and not inconsistent with reason1 the statements that have been made1 respecting the manner of the translation1 by ,martin ,harris and ,david ,whitmer1 two of the ,three ,witnesses to the ,book of ,mormon4 ,the writer is of the opinion that this may be done1 and it is to such a task that the following papers are devoted4 ,i am not unmindful of the fact that this subject is treated in the ,young ,men's ,manuals of #aijc-aijf2 but here the subject is more fully considered1 and in a manner quite distinct since some of the papers are controversial and have a value quite apart from the mere affirmative treatment in the ,manuals4 ,i may be pardoned for urging these papers on the attention of the ministry of the ,church1 especially the foreign ministry1 since ,i believe that the theory here advanced concerning the translation of the ,nephite record is the only one at the same time tenable and in accordance with the statements made by those who1 after the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 had the best opportunity of knowing in what manner ,urim-,thummim aided in the marvelous work4 ,the value of the ,manual theory of translation will appear in the brief discussion on the ,book of ,mormon which appears in this series of papers4 ,i4 ,the ,manner of ,translating the ,book of ,mormon4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,from the ,y4 ,m4 ,m4 ,i4 ,a4 ,manual 7,senior71 #aije-f ,relative to the manner of translating the ,book of ,mormon the prophet himself has said but little4 ,through the medium of the ,urim and ,thummim ,i translated the record by the gift and power of ,god1,b is the most extended published statement made by him upon the subject4 ,of the ,urim and ,thummim he says3 ,with the record was found a curious instrument which the ancients called a ',urim and ,thummim1' which consisted of two transparent stones set in a rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate4,c ,footnote ,b3 ,wentworth letter1 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xix41 p4 #aah4 ,footnote ,c3 ,wentworth letter1 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xix41 p4 #aah4 ,oliver ,cowdery1 one of the ,three ,witnesses of the ,book of ,mormon1 and the prophet's chief amanuensis1 says of the work of translation at which he assisted3 ,i wrote with my own pen the entire ,book of ,mormon 7save a few pages71 as it fell from the lips of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 as he translated by the gift and power of ,god1 by the means of the ,urim and ,thummim1 or1 as it is called by that book1 ',holy ,interpreters4',d ,this is all he has left on record on the manner of translating the book4,e ,footnote ,d3 ,book of ,mosiah viii3 #ac4 ,footnote ,e3 ,the above statement was made by ,oliver ,cowdery at a special conference held at ,kanesville1 ,iowa1 ,oct4 #ba1 #aidh4 ,it was first published in the ,deseret ,news of ,april #ac1 #ahei3 ,bishop ,reuben ,miller1 who was present at the meeting1 reported ,cowdery's remarks4 ,david ,whitmer1 another of the ,three ,witnesses1 is more specific on this subject4 ,after describing the means the prophet employed to exclude the light from the ,seer ,stone1 he says3 ,in the darkness the ,spiritual light would shine4 ,a piece of something resembling parchment would appear1 and on that appeared the writing4 ,one character at a time would appear1 and under it was the interpretation in ,english4 ,brother ,joseph would read off the ,english to ,oliver ,cowdery1 who was his principal scribe1 and when it was written down and repeated to ,brother ,joseph to see if it was correct1 then it would disappear1 and another character with the interpretation would appear4 ,thus the ,book of ,mormon was translated by the gift and power of ,god and not by any power of man4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,from ,an ,address to all ,believers in ,christ1 by ,david ,whitmer1 ,a ,witness to the ,divine ,authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon1 published at ,richmond1 ,missouri1 #ahhg1 p4 #ab4 ,there will appear between this statement of ,david ,whitmer's and what is said both by ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery a seeming contradiction4 ,joseph and ,oliver both say the translation was done by means of the ,urim and ,thummim1 which is described by ,joseph as being two transparent stones set in a rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate2 while ,david ,whitmer says that the translation was made by means of a ,seer ,stone4 ,the apparent contradiction is cleared up1 however1 by a statement made by ,martin ,harris1 another of the ,three ,witnesses4 ,he said that the prophet possessed a ,seer ,stone1 by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the ,urim and ,thummim1 and for convenience he then i4 e41 at the time ,harris was acting as his scribe used the ,seer ,stone4 99 99 99 99 ,martin said further that the ,seer ,stone differed in appearance entirely from the ,urim and ,thummim that was obtained with the plates1 which were two clear stones set in two rims1 very much resembling spectacles1 only they were larger4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,harris' ,statement to ,edward ,stevenson1 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xliv41 p4 #hg4 ,the ,seer ,stone referred to here was a chocolate colored1 somewhat egg-shaped stone which the prophet found while digging a well in company with his brother ,hyrum4,c ,it possessed some of the qualities of a ,urim and ,thummim since by means of it as described above as well as by means of the ,interpreters found with the ,nephite record1 ,joseph was able to translate the characters engraven on the plates4,d ,footnote ,c3 ,cannon's ,life of ,joseph ,smith1 p4 #ef4 ,footnote ,d3 ,nearly all the anti-,mormon works dealing with the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon speak of the ,seer ,stone and reiterate the falsehood that the prophet stole it from the children of ,willard ,chase1 for who ,joseph and ,hyrum were digging a well4 ,another account of the manner of translating the record1 purporting to have been given by ,david ,whitmer1 and published in the ,kansas ,city ,journal of ,june #e1 #ahha1 says3 ,he meaning ,joseph ,smith had two small stones of a chocolate color1 nearly egg-shape1 and perfectly smooth1 but not transparent1 called interpreters1 which were given him with the plates4 ,he did not see the plates in translation1 but would hold the interpreters to his eyes and cover his face with a hat1 excluding all light1 and before his eyes would appear what seemed to be parchment on which would appear the characters of the plates in a line at the top1 and immediately below would appear the translation in ,english1 which ,smith would read to his scribe1 who wrote it down exactly as it fell from his lips4 ,the scribe would then read the sentence written1 and if any mistakes had been made1 the characters would remain visible to ,smith until corrected1 when they would fade from sight to be replaced by another line4 ,it is evident that there are inaccuracies in the above statement1 due doubtless1 to the carelessness of the reporter of the ,journal1 who has confused what ,mr4 ,whitmer said of the ,seer ,stone and the ,urim and ,thummim4 ,if he meant to describe the ,urim and ,thummim or ,interpreters given to ,joseph ,smith with the plates--as seems to be the case--then the reporter is wrong in saying that they were chocolate color and not transparent2 for the ,interpreters given to the prophet with the plates1 as we have seen by his own description2 were two transparent stones4 ,if the reporter meant to describe the ,seer ,stone--which is not likely--he would be right in saying it was of a chocolate color1 and egg-shaped1 but wrong in saying there were two such stones4 ,martin ,harris' description of the manner of translating while he was the amanuensis of the prophet is as follows3 ,by aid of the ,seer ,stone1 sentences would appear and were read by the prophet and written by ,martin1 and when finished he would say 'written' and if correctly written1 that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place1 but if not written correctly it remained until corrected1 so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates1 precisely in the language then used4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,statement of martin ,harris1 to ,edward ,stevenson1 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xliv1 pp4 #hf1 #hg4 ,on one occasion ,harris sought to test the genuineness of the prophet's procedure in the matter of translation1 as follows3 ,martin said that after continued translation they would become weary and would go down to the river and exercise in throwing stones out on the river1 etc4 ,while so doing on one occasion4 ,martin found a stone very much resembling the one used for translating1 and on resuming their labors of translation ,martin put in place of the ,seer ,stone the stone that he had found4 ,he said that the prophet remained silent unusually and intently gazing in darkness1 no trace of the usual sentence appearing4 ,much surprised1 ,joseph exclaimed3 ',martin6 what is the matter8 all is as dark as ,egypt4' ,martin's countenance betrayed him1 and the prophet asked ,martin why he had done so4 ,martin said1 to stop the mouths of fools1 who had told him that the prophet had learned those sentences and was merely repeating them4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,harris' ,statement to ,edward ,stevenson1 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xliv1 pp4 #gh1 #gi2 #hf1 #hg4 ,the sum of the whole matter1 then1 concerning the manner of translating the sacred record of the ,nephites1 according to the testimony of the only witnesses competent to testify in the matter1 is3 ,with the ,nephite record was deposited a curious instrument1 consisting of two transparent stones1 set in the rim of a bow1 somewhat resembling spectacles1 but larger1 called by the ancient ,hebrews ,urim and ,thummim1 but by the ,nephites ,interpreters4 ,in addition to these ,interpreters the prophet ,joseph had a ,seer ,stone1 possessed of similar qualities to the ,urim and ,thummim2 that the prophet sometimes used one and sometimes the other of these sacred instruments in the work of translation2 that whether the ,interpreters or the ,seer ,stone was used the ,nephite characters with the ,english interpretation appeared in the sacred instrument2 that the prophet would pronounce the ,english translation to his scribe1 which when correctly written would disappear1 and the other characters with their interpretation take their place1 and so on until the work was completed4 ,it should not be supposed1 however1 that this translation1 though accomplished by means of the ,interpreters and ,seer ,stone1 as stated above1 was merely a mechanical process2 that no faith1 or mental or spiritual effort was required on the prophet's part2 that the instruments did all1 while he who used them did nothing but look and repeat mechanically what he saw1 as one might look into a mirror1 and say what objects in the room he saw reflected there4 ,much has been written upon this manner of translating the ,nephite record1 by those who have opposed the ,book of ,mormon1 and chiefly in a sneering way4 ,on the manner of translation they have bottomed much of--not their argument1 but their ridicule--against the record2 and as in another part of this volume ,i am to meet what they consider their argument1 and what ,i know to be their ridicule1 ,i consider here a few other facts connected with the manner of translating the ,book of ,mormon1 which are extremely important1 as they furnish a basis upon which can be successfully answered all the objections that are urged1 based on the manner in which the translation was accomplished1 and also as to errors in grammar1 the use of modern words1 western ,new ,york phrases1 and other defects of language which it is admitted are to be found in the ,book of ,mormon1 especially in the first edition4 ,i repeat1 then1 that the translation of the ,book of ,mormon by means of the ,interpreters and ,seer ,stone1 was not merely a mechanical process1 but required the utmost concentration of mental and spiritual force possessed by the prophet1 in order to exercise the gift of translation through the means of the sacred instruments provided for that work4 ,fortunately we have the most perfect evidence of the fact1 though it could be inferred1 from the general truth that ,god sets no premium upon mental and spiritual laziness2 for whatever means ,god may have provided to assist man to arrive at the truth1 ,he has always made it necessary for man to couple with those means his utmost endeavor of mind and heart4 ,so much in the way of reflection2 now as to the facts referred to4 ,in his ,address to ,all ,believers in ,christ1 ,david ,whitmer says3 ,at times when ,brother ,joseph would attempt to translate he would look into the hat in which the stone was placed1 he found he was spiritually blind and could not translate4 ,he told us that his mind dwelt too much on earthly things1 and various causes would make him incapable of proceeding with the translation4 ,when in this condition he would go out and pray1 and when he became sufficiently humble before ,god1 he could then proceed with the translation4 ,now we see how very strict the ,lord is1 and how he requires the heart of man to be just right in his sight before he can receive revelation from him4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,address to ,all ,believers in ,christ1 p4 #cj4 ,in a statement to ,wm4 ,h4 ,kelley1 ,g4 ,a4 ,blakeslee1 of ,gallen1 ,michigan1 under date of ,september #aeth1 #ahhb1 ,david ,whitmer said of ,joseph ,smith and the necessity of his humility and faithfulness while translating the ,book of ,mormon3 ,he was a religious and straightforward man4 ,he had to be2 for he was illiterate and he could do nothing of himself4 ,he had to trust in ,god4 ,he could not translate unless he was humble and possessed the right feelings towards everyone4 ,to illustrate so you can see4 ,one morning when he was getting ready to continue the translation1 something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it4 ,something that ,emma1 his wife1 had done4 ,oliver and ,i went up stairs and ,joseph came up soon after to continue the translation1 but he could not do anything4 ,he could not translate a single syllable4 ,he went down stairs1 out into the orchard1 and made supplication to the ,lord2 was gone about an hour--came back to the house1 asked ,emma's forgiveness and then came up stairs where we were and then the translation went on all right4 ,he could do nothing save he was humble and faithful4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,braden and ,kelley ,debate on ,divine ,origin of ,book of ,mormon1 p4 #ahf4 ,the above debate took place in #ahhd1 several years before the death of ,david ,whitmer1 and the statement from which the above is taken was quoted in full4 ,the manner of translation is so far described by ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris1 who received their information necessarily from ,joseph ,smith1 and doubtless it is substantially correct1 except in so far as their statements may have created the impression that the translation was a mere mechanical process2 and this is certainly corrected in part at least by what ,david ,whitmer has said relative to the frame of mind ,joseph must be in before he could translate4 ,but we have more important evidence to consider on this subject of translation than these statements of ,david ,whitmer4 ,in the course of the work of translation ,oliver ,cowdery desired the gift of translation to be conferred upon him1 and ,god promised to grant it to him in the following terms3 ,oliver ,cowdery1 verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 that assuredly as the ,lord liveth1 who is your ,god and your ,redeemer1 even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith1 with an honest heart believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records1 which are ancient1 which contain those parts of my scripture of which have been spoken by the manifestation of my spirit4 ,yea1 behold1 ,i will tell you in your mind and in your heart1 by the ,holy ,ghost1 which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart1 ,now1 behold1 this is the ,spirit of revelation2 behold this is the ,spirit by which ,moses brought the children of ,israel through the ,red ,sea on dry ground4 99 99 99 99 ,ask that you may know the mysteries of ,god1 and that you may translate and receive knowledge from all those ancient records which have been hid up1 that are sacred1 and according to your faith shall it be unto you4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 viii4 ,in attempting to exercise this gift of translation1 however1 ,oliver ,cowdery failed2 and in a revelation upon the subject the ,lord explained the cause of his failure to translate3 ,behold1 you have not understood2 you have supposed that ,i would give it i4 e41 the gift of translation unto you1 when you took no thought save it was to ask me2 but1 behold4 ,i say unto you1 that you must study it out in your mind1 then you must ask me if it be right1 and if it is right ,i will cause that your bosom shall burn within you2 therefore you shall feel that it is right2 but if it be not right1 you shall have no such feelings1 but you shall have a stupor of thought1 that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong2 therefore you cannot write that which is sacred ,save it be given you from me4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 ix ,while this is not a description of the manner in which ,joseph ,smith translated the ,book of ,mormon1 it is1 nevertheless1 the ,lord's description of how another man was to exercise the gift of translation2 and doubtless it describes the manner in which ,joseph ,smith did exercise it1 and the manner in which he translated the ,book of ,mormon4 ,that is1 the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith looked into the interpreters or ,seer ,stone1 saw there by the power of ,god and the gift to him1 the ancient ,nephite characters1 and by bending every power of his mind to know the meaning thereof1 the interpretation wrought out in his mind by his effort-by studying it out in his mind1 to use the ,lord's phrase--was reflected in the sacred instrument there to remain until correctly written by the scribe4 ,in further proof that translation was not a merely mechanical process with the ,prophet ,joseph1 ,i call attention to the evident thought and study he bestowed upon the work of translating the rolls of papyrus found with the ,egyptian mummies1 purchased by the ,saints in ,kirtland1 of ,michael ,h4 ,chandler1 about the #fth of ,july1 #ahce4 ,soon after this1 says the prophet1 with ,w4 ,w4 ,phelps and ,oliver ,cowdery as scribes1 ,i commenced the translation of some of the characters or hieroglyphics1 and much to our joy found that one of the rolls contained the writings of ,abraham1 another the writings of ,joseph of ,egypt1,a etc4 ,speaking in his history of the latter part of ,july1 he says3 ,the remainder of this month ,i was continually engaged in translating an alphabet to the ,book of ,abraham and arranging a grammar of the ,egyptian language4,b ,in his journal entry for ,november #bf1 #ahce1 is the following3 ,spent the day in translating the ,egyptian characters from the papyrus1 though suffering with a severe cold4,c ,under date of ,december #afth1 this3 ,i exhibited and explained the ,egyptian characters to them ,elders ,m',lellin and ,young1 and explained many things concerning the dealings of ,god with the ancients1 and the formation of the planetary system4,d ,thus he continued from time to time to work upon this translation1 which was not published until #ahdb1 in the ,times and ,seasons1 beginning in number nine of volume three4 ,it should be remembered in connection with this preparing an alphabet and arranging a grammar of the ,egyptian language that the prophet still had in his possession the ,seer ,stone 7or at least ,oliver ,cowdery had it1 for on completing the translation of the ,book of ,mormon the prophet gave the ,seer ,stone into ,oliver ,cowdery's keeping1 7,david ,whitmer's ,address to ,all ,believers1 page #cb71 which he had used sometimes in the translation of the ,book of ,mormon1 yet it seems from the circumstances named that he had to bend all the energies of his intellectual powers to obtain a translation of the ,egyptian characters4 ,footnote ,a3 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #bcf4 ,footnote ,b3 ,ibid1 p4 #bch4 ,footnote ,c3 ,ibid1 p4 #cbj4 ,footnote ,d3 ,ibid1 p4 #ccd4 ,there can be no doubt either but what the interpretation thus obtained was expressed in such language as the prophet could command1 in such phraseology as he was master of and common to the time and locality where he lived2 modified1 of course1 by the application of that phraseology to facts and ideas in the ,nephite ,scriptures he was translating--ideas new to him in many respects1 and above the ordinary level of the prophet's thinking2 and also the phraseology was superior to that he ordinarily used1 because of the inspiration of ,god that was upon him4 ,this view of the translation of the ,nephite record accounts for the fact that the ,book of ,mormon1 though a translation of an ancient record1 is1 nevertheless1 given in ,english idiom of the period and locality in which the prophet lived2 and in the faulty ,english1 moreover1 both as to composition1 phraseology1 and grammar1 of a person of ,joseph ,smith's limited education2 and also accounts for the same-ness of phraseology and literary style which runs through the whole volume4 ,nor are we without authority of high standing in these views for the verbal style of inspired writers4 ,in ,the ,annotated ,bible1 published by the ,religious ,tract ,society1 ,london1 #ahei1 the following occurs in relation to the explanation of the words prophet and prophecy3 ,that the prophets were more than foretellers of things future is apparent from their history as well as from their writings4 ,it must also be remembered that1 although prophecy contains many very circumstantial allusions to particular facts and individuals1 yet these are referred to chiefly on account of their relation to those great1 general principles with which it has to do4 ,prophecy is ,god's voice1 speaking to us respecting that great struggle which has been and is going on in this world between good and evil4 ,the divine communications were made to the prophets in divers manners2 ,god seems sometimes to have spoken to them in audible voice2 occasionally appearing in human form4 ,at other times he employed the ministry of angels1 or made known his purposes by dreams4 ,but he most frequently revealed his truth to the prophets by producing that supernatural state of the sentient1 intellectual1 and moral faculties which the ,scriptures call 'vision4' ,hence prophetic announcements are often called 'visions1' i4 e4 things seen2 and the prophets themselves are called 'seers4' ,although the visions which the prophet beheld and the predictions of the future which he announced were wholly announced by the divine ,spirit1 yet the form of the communication1 the imagery in which it is clothed1 the illustrations by which it is cleared up and impressed1 the symbols employed to bring it more graphically before the mind--in short1 all that may be considered as its garb and dress1 depends upon the education1 habits1 association1 feelings and the whole mental1 intellectual and spiritual character of the prophet4 ,hence the style of some is purer1 more sententious1 more ornate1 or more sublime than others4 ,also the ,reverend ,joseph ,armitage ,robinson1 ,d4 ,d4 ,dean of ,westminster and ,chaplain of ,king ,edward ,,vii of ,england1 respecting the manner in which the message of the ,old ,testament was received and communicated to man1 as late as #aije1 said3 ,the message of the ,old ,testament was not written by the divine hand1 nor dictated by an outward compulsion2 it was planted in the hearts of men1 and made to grow in a fruitful soil4 ,and then they were required to express it in their own language1 after their natural methods1 and in accordance with the stage of knowledge which their time had reached4 ,their human faculties were purified and quickened by the divine ,spirit2 but they spoke to their time in the language of their time2 they spoke a spiritual message1 accommodated to the experience of their age1 a message of faith in ,god1 and of righteousness as demanded by a righteous ,god4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,from a report of the ,dean's ,lecture1 as published in the ,st4 ,louis ,globe-,democrat1 ,sunday1 ,march #ai1 #aije4 ,because a writer or speaker is under the inspiration of ,god it does not follow that in giving expression to what the ,lord puts into his heart he will always do so in grammatical terms1 any more than the orthography of an inspired writer will always be accurate4 ,we have many illustrations of this fact among the inspired men that we have known in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ in these last days4 ,those of us who have listened to the utterances of ,prophets and ,apostles cannot doubt of their inspiration1 and at the same time some of those who have been most inspired have been inaccurate in the use of our ,english language4 ,the same seems true of the ancient ,apostles also4 ,the writer of the ,acts1 at the conclusion of a synopsis of a discourse which he ascribes to ,peter1 says1 ,now1 when they the ,jews saw the boldness of ,peter and ,john1 and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men1,a they marveled4 ,the commentators upon this passage say that the listening ,jews perceived that ,peter and ,john were uninstructed in the learning of the ,jewish schools1 and were of the common sort of men1 untrained in teaching4,b ,and again1 ,their language and arguments prove that they were untaught in the ,rabbinical learning of the ,jewish schools4,c ,but in what way could the ,jews have discerned the ignorance and absence of learning in ,peter and ,john except through the imperfections of their language8 ,and yet those imperfections in language may not be urged in evidence of the absence of inspiration in the two apostles4 ,surely with ,god it must be that the matter is of more consequence than the form in which it is expressed2 the thought of more moment than the word2 it is the spirit that giveth life1 not the letter4 ,he that hath my word1 let him speak my word faithfully4 ,what is the chaff to the wheat8 saith the ,lord4,d ,footnote ,a3 ,acts iv3 #ac4 ,footnote ,b3 ,jamieson1 ,fausset and ,brown1 ,commentary1 ,acts iv3 #ac4 ,footnote ,c3 ,international ,commentary of the ,new ,testament1 ,acts iv4 ,footnote ,d3 ,jeremiah xxiii3 #bh4 ,the view of the manner of translating the ,book of ,mormon here set forth furnishes the basis of justification for those verbal changes and grammatical corrections which have been made since the first edition issued from the press2 and would furnish justification for making many more verbal and grammatical corrections in the book3 for if1 as here set forth1 the meaning of the ,nephite characters was given to ,joseph ,smith in such faulty ,english as he1 an uneducated man1 could command1 while every detail and shade of thought should be strictly preserved1 there can be no reasonable ground for objection to the correction of mere verbal errors and grammatical construction4 ,there can be no reasonable doubt that had ,joseph ,smith been a finished ,english scholar and the facts and ideas represented by the ,nephite characters upon the plates had been given him by inspiration of ,god through the ,urim and ,thummim1 those ideas would have been expressed in correct ,english2 but as he was not a finished ,english scholar1 he had to give expression to those facts and ideas in such language as he could command1 and that was faulty ,english1 which the prophet himself and those who have succeeded him as custodians of the word of ,god have had and now have a perfect right to correct4 ,,ii4 ,accounting ,for ,evident ,transcriptions of ,bible ,passages in the ,translation of the ,nephite ,record4 ,it is objected to the ,book of ,mormon that there are found in it whole chapters1 besides many minor quotations from ,king ,james's ,english translation of the ,bible4 ,since these chapters and passages in some cases follow the authorized ,english version verbatim1 and closely resemble it in others2 and as it is well known that in translating from one language into another almost infinite variety of expression is possible1 the question arises1 how is it that ,joseph ,smith1 in translating from the ,nephite plates by divine assistance1 follows so closely an independent translation made in the ordinary way1 by dint of scholarship and patient labor1 and by diligent comparison of former translations4 ,nearly all the ,anti-,mormon writers raise this objection1 though perhaps ,john ,hyde1,a #aheg1 makes the most of it4 ,following him the ,revelation ,m4 ,t4 ,lamb1,b #ahhg1 and last1 but not least1 ,linn1,c #aijb4 ,footnote ,a3 ,hyde's ,mormonism1 ,chapters #i1 #aj1 #aa4 ,footnote ,b3 ,golden ,bible1 ,chapter #g4 ,footnote ,c3 ,linn's ,story of the ,mormons1 ,chapter #aa4 ,this objection was most carefully and intelligently stated recently 7,october #bb1 #aijc71 by ,mr4 ,h4 ,chamberlain1 of ,spencer1 ,iowa1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a41 in a letter of inquiry on the subject to ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith1 of ,salt ,lake ,city1 in the course of which he said3 ,i find that ,christ in quoting to the people on this side of the water1 the third and fourth chapters of ,malachi1 quotes1 according to the ,book of ,mormon1 in the identical text of ,king ,james' version1 not missing a word4 ,i find chapters of ,isaiah quoted practically in the same way4 ,i find that in many instances1 in his talks with the people1 and to his disciples here1 he used the identical language of ,king ,james' version1 not omitting the words supplied by the translators4 ,now1 ,i know that no two parties will take the same manuscript and make translations of a matter contained therein1 and the language of the two translators be alike2 indeed1 the language employed by the two parties will widely differ4 ,these translations are from different manuscripts1 and from different languages1 and still it appears in the ,book of ,mormon as ,king ,james' translation4 ,i can conceive of no other way in which such a coincidence could have occurred1 within the range of human experience1 except where one writing is copied from another1 and then it takes the utmost care to get them exactly alike1 word for word1 and letter for letter as this is4 99 99 99 99 99 ,now1 what ,i want to know is1 how do you as a ,church account for these things appearing in the ,book of ,mormon in the identical language of ,king ,james' version1 when we know his version is faulty1 and the same translators could not have made it twice alike themselves8 ,did ,joseph copy it from the ,bible1 or did the ,lord adopt this identical language in revealing it to ,joseph8,d ,footnote ,d3 ,improvement ,era1 ,vol4 viii1 #aijd1 pp4 #ahj1 #aha4 ,this communication was referred to the writer by ,president ,smith for an answer1 from which ,i quote3 ,the difficulty which you point out of course has been recognized by believers in the ,book of ,mormon1 but ,i do not know that ,i can say that the ,church as yet has settled upon any explanation which could be regarded as an authoritative view on the subject4 ,each one has been left to settle the matter upon the lines which seem most reasonable to him2 as a matter of fact1 though our opponents have frequently called attention to the difficulty in question1 it has not occasioned any particular anxiety in the minds of our own people4 ,accepting the overwhelming evidences that exist for the truth of the ,book of ,mormon1 we have regarded that difficulty1 with some others1 as of minor importance which would in time be satisfactorily settled4 ,still1 ,i realize the reasonableness of the objection that may be urged against the ,book of ,mormon from the point of view from which you present it1 and realize that it constitutes a real difficulty1 and one1 too1 in which we have no word from the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 or those who were immediately associated with him in bringing forth the ,nephite record1 to aid us in a solution of the matter4 ,we are left1 therefore1 very largely to conjecture1 based on the facts in the case1 which facts are most tersely put in your esteemed communication2 viz43 ,first4 ,it is a fact that a number of passages in the ,book of ,mormon1 verses and whole chapters1 run closely parallel in matter and phraseology with passages in ,isaiah1 ,malachi and some parts of the ,new ,testament4 ,second4 ,it is a fact that no two persons will take the same manuscript and make translations from one language into another1 and the language of the two translations be alike4 ,third4 ,it is a fact that the translations of the words of ,isaiah1 of ,malachi1 and the words of the ,savior1 in the ,book of ,mormon1 are generally supposed to be independent translations from different manuscripts or records and from different languages4 ,then1 of course1 comes your question3 how can the strange fact be accounted for1 viz41 that the 'translation in the ,book of ,mormon ,corresponding to ,isaiah1 ,malachi and the words of the ,savior1 are in the language of ,king ,james' translation8 ,of course1 you will remember that according to the ,book of ,mormon1 the ,nephite colony carried with them to ,america so much ,of the ,old ,testament as was in existence at the time of their departure from ,jerusalem 7#fjj years ,b4,c474 ,the prophecy of ,malachi1 chapters #c and #d1 quoted in the ,book of ,mormon1 was supplied by the ,savior1 and that the ,nephites engraved portions of these scriptures in their records1 and this both in the ,hebrew1 and what the ,nephites called the reformed ,egyptian4 ,i simply mention this in passing1 that you may remember afresh how these passages came to be in the ,nephite record1 and that you may remember that the ,nephites had the ,jewish scriptures in much the same form as they were to be found in ,judea1 #fjj ,b4,c4 ,when the ,savior came to the western world and appeared to the ,nephites1 he had the same message to present to them that he had presented in ,palestine2 the same ordinances of the gospel to establish1 a similar church organization to found1 and the same ethical principles to teach4 ,the manner of the ,savior's teaching would doubtless lead him to present these great truths in the same forms of expression he had used in teaching the ,jews1 so that in substance what he had taught as his doctrines in ,judea he would repeat in ,america4 ,this is mentioned also1 by the way1 that it may appear reasonable to you that in a general manner the ,savior must have taught the people in the western hemisphere substantially the same things that he taught the people in ,palestine4 ,with this remembered1 ,i think we find a solution of the difficulty you present in the following way3 ,when ,joseph ,smith saw that the ,nephite record was quoting the prophecies of ,isaiah1 of ,malachi1 or the words of the ,savior1 he took the ,english ,bible and compared these passages as far as they paralleled each other1 and finding that in substance1 in thought1 they were alike1 he adopted our ,english translation2 and hence1 we have the sameness to which you refer4 ,it should be understood also1 in this connection1 that while ,joseph ,smith obtained the facts and ideas from the ,nephite characters through the inspiration of ,god1 he was left to express those facts and ideas1 in the main1 in such language as he could command2 and when he found that parts of the ,nephite record closely paralleled passages in the ,bible1 and being conscious that the language of our ,english ,bible was superior to his own1 he adopted it1 except for those differences indicated in the ,nephite original which here and there make the ,book of ,mormon passages superior in sense and clearness4 ,of course1 ,i recognize the fact that this is but a conjecture2 but ,i believe it to be a reasonable one2 and indeed the only one which satisfactorily disposes of the difficulty you point out4 ,such was the answer made to ,mr4 ,chamberlain's inquiries1 and as the reader will doubtless be interested to know how this answer was received by this intelligent1 un-prejudiced gentleman1 ,i quote the following from his letter in response to the explanation4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the correspondence in full is to be found in the ,improvement ,era for ,january1 #aijd1 pp4 #aig-aif4 ,of course1 ,i realize that if the ,book of ,mormon was not just what it purported to be1 the whole fabric of ,mormonism must fall to the ground1 so far as being an inspired religion1 and would then only be worth what good one could get out of it as the best organization or controlled religion on earth2 99 99 99 99 upon studying the ,book of ,mormon1 ,i1 of course1 found these portions of ,king ,james' version of our ,bible1 and judging it by the applied law of human experience1 as we lawyers learn to judge everything1 ,i could account for it in no other way1 than that ,joseph ,smith copied it therefrom1 and ,i am free to say that your reasons for his so doing are not only probable1 but the only solution that can be given4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i believe and think that your suggestion is the only theory upon which it is possible to advocate its divine character4 ,it seems to me that ,god1 so far as ,i know1 has never supplied man with what he already possessed1 and ,joseph ,smith already had language with which to express his ideas1 and all that was required in addition from ,god was1 that he furnish him with the thought1 and then let him express it in his own language4 ,i never could for a moment believe that ,god is interested in placing his approval on ,king ,james' translators' style of translating1 nor upon the composition of the ,english language therein adopted4 ,i do not see wherein your theory4 detracts in any manner from the value of the ,book of ,mormon1 as an inspired work acknowledged by ,god as authentic1 nor makes more impracticable the manner of its introduction4 ,,iii4 ,answers to ,questions ,respecting the ,manual ,theory of ,translating the ,book of ,mormon4 ,i4 ,a number of questions from their correspondents have been submitted to the writer1 by the ,editors of the ,era respecting the manner of translating the ,book of ,mormon1 as set forth in the ,senior ,manual for #aije-f4 ,in one communication1 a president of an association1 an aid in a ,m4 ,i4 ,a4 ,stake ,board1 and a bishop's counselor1 join in saying3 ,we are not able to harmonize the theory of translation presented in our ,manual with the testimony of the ,three ,witnesses1 especially ,harris and ,whitmer4 ,we are not able either to harmonize the theory of the ,manual with the following passages of scripture regarding the interpreters3 ,ether #c3bb-be2 ,mosiah #h3ac-ah2 ,mosiah #bh3aa-ae2;,d,c ,section #acj3h-aj4 ,to answer the matter in the above quotation1 it is necessary to ask3 ,what is the ,manual theory of translating the ,nephite record8 ,it is a theory based upon the only statement made by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith on the subject1 viz41 ,through the medium of ,urim and ,thummim ,i translated the record by the gift and power of ,god2,a and the ,lord's own description of the manner of translating in general by means of ,urim and ,thummim1 contained in his revelation to ,oliver ,cowdery in the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 sections viii and ix4 ,footnote ,a3 ,wentworth's ,letter1 ,mill4 ,star1 vol4 #i1 page #aah4 ,that is the only theory the ,manual has upon the subject4 ,the foregoing quotation from the prophet is all he has said with reference to the manner of the translation1 and we could wish that all other persons1 necessarily less informed upon the subject than the prophet himself1 had been content to leave the matter where he left it4 ,in this1 however2 they did not follow his wise example2 but must needs undertake to describe the manner of the translation2 and1 from such description has arisen the idea that the ,urim and ,thummim did all1 in the work of the translation1 the prophet1 nothing2 except to read to his amanuensis what he saw reflected in the seer-stone or ,urim and ,thummim1 which the instruments1 and not the prophet1 had translated4 ,the men responsible for those statements1 on which said theory rests1 are ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris4 ,the former says3 ,a piece of something resembling parchment did appear1 7i4 e41 in ,urim and ,thummim71 and on that appeared the writing1 one character at a time would appear1 and under it was the translation in ,english4 ,brother ,joseph would read off the ,english to ,brother ,oliver ,cowdery1 who was his principal scribe1 and then it was written down and repeated to ,brother ,joseph to see if it was correct2 then it would disappear and another character with the translation would appear4 ,thus the ,book of ,mormon was translated by the gift and power of ,god1 and not by any power of man4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,address to all ,believers in ,christ1 by ,david ,whitmer1 page #ab4 ,we have no statement at first hand from ,martin ,harris at all1 only the statement of another1 ,edward ,stevenson1 as to what he heard ,martin say was the manner of translation4 ,this was as follows3 ,by aid of the seer stone1 sentences would appear1 and were read by the prophet1 and written by ,martin1 and when finished he would say written1 and if correctly written that sentence would disappear1 and another appear in its place2 but if not written correctly1 it remained until corrected so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates precisely in the language then used4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,millennial ,star1 vol4 #bd1 page #hf-hg4 ,these statements have led to the assumption of the theory1 ,i repeat1 that the ,urim and ,thummim did the translating1 not ,joseph the ,seer4 ,accordingly1 it is held that the translation was a mechanical1 arbitrary1 transliteration2 a word for word bringing over from the ,nephite language into the ,english language1 a literal interpretation of the record4 ,the prophet1 therefore1 it is urged1 was in no way responsible for the language of the translation1 it was not his1 but the divine instrument's1 and if there are errors of grammar1 or faults of diction1 7modern words for which in the nature of things there could be no exact equivalents in an ancient language7 ,new ,england localisms1 modern phrases from the ,english translation of ,hebrew scripture1 and other sources--all these must have been in the original ,nephite record1 say the advocates of this theory1 and are arbitrarily brought over into the ,english language4 ,this theory of translation led opponents of the ,book of ,mormon and some who were not opponents of it1 but sincere investigators of its claims--to suggest certain difficulties involved in such a theory of translation4 ,first4 ,the impossibility of such a thing as a word-for-word bringing over from one language into another4 ,such a procedure could only result in producing an unintelligible jargon--a fact well known by those who are at all acquainted with translation4 ,second4 ,the fact that the language of the ,english translation of the ,nephite record is in the ,english idiom1 and diction of the period and locality when and where the translation took place1 and is evidently but little influenced by any attempt to follow the idiom of an ancient language4 ,third4 ,the fact that such errors in grammar and diction as occur in the translation are just such errors as might reasonably be looked for in the work of one unlearned in the ,english language4 ,from this data the following argument proceeds3 ,it is impossible that the alleged translation1 whether by divine or human media1 could be a word-for-word bringing over from the ,nephite language into the ,english2 and if the translation is not such a word-for-word bringing over affair1 then it cannot be claimed that the ,nephite original is responsible for verbal inaccuracies and grammatical errors4 ,if the ,book of ,mormon is a real translation instead of a word-for-word bringing over from one language into another1 and it is insisted that the divine instrument1 ,urim and ,thummim1 did all1 and the prophet nothing--at least nothing more than to read off the translation made by ,urim and ,thummim--then the divine instrument is responsible for such errors in grammar and diction as did occur4 ,but this is to assign responsibility for errors in language to a divine instrumentality1 which amounts to assigning such errors to ,god4 ,but that is unthinkable1 not to say blasphemous4 ,also1 if it be contended that the language of the ,book of ,mormon1 word for word1 and letter for letter1 was given to the prophet by direct inspiration of ,god1 acting upon his mind1 then again ,god is made responsible for the language errors in the ,book of ,mormon--a thing unthinkable4 ,rather than ascribe these errors to ,deity1 either through direct or indirect means1 men will reject the claims of the ,book of ,mormon2 and1 since the verbal errors in the ,book of ,mormon are such as one ignorant of the ,english language would make1 the temptation is strong1 in the minds of those not yet converted to its truth1 to assign to the ,book of ,mormon an altogether human origin4 ,in the presence of these considerations1 it is but natural to ask1 ,is there no way by which such a conclusion may be avoided8 ,most assuredly4 ,set aside the theory based upon the statements made by ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris1 7mark you1 ,i say the theory based on these statements1 not necessarily the statements themselves7 and accept the more reasonable theory based upon what the ,lord has said upon the subject in sections viii and ix of the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 where1 in describing how ,oliver ,cowdery might translate by means of ,urim and ,thummim1 the ,lord said3 ,i will tell you in your mind and in your heart1 by the ,holy ,ghost which shall come upon you1 and it shall dwell in your heart4 ,then1 ,oliver only having partially succeeded1 and that to a very limited extent1 in his effort to translate1 the ,lord1 in explaining his failure1 said3 ,behold1 you have not understood2 you have supposed that ,i would give it i4 e41 the power to translate unto you1 when you took no thought1 save it was to ask me2 but1 behold1 ,i say unto you1 that you must study it out in your mind2 then you must ask me if it be right1 and if it is right ,i will cause that your bosom shall burn within you2 therefore1 you shall feel that it is right2 but if it be not right1 you shall have no such feelings1 but you shall have a stupor of thought1 that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong4 ,this is the ,lord's description of how ,oliver ,cowdery could have translated with the aid of ,urim and ,thummim 7see context of the revelation quoted71 and it is undoubtedly the manner in which ,joseph ,smith did translate the ,book of ,mormon through the medium of ,urim and ,thummim4 ,this description of the translation destroys the theory that ,urim and ,thummim did everything1 and the seer nothing2 that the work of translating was merely a mechanical process of looking at a supplied interpretation1 in ,english1 and reading it off to an amanuensis4 ,this description in the ,d,c implies great mental effort2 of working out the translation in the mind1 and securing the witness of the ,spirit that the translation is correct4 ,in all this1 ,urim and ,thummim are helpful4 ,they are an aid doubtless to concentration of mind4 ,they may have held at the time just the characters to be translated at the moment1 and excluded all others2 the translation thought out in the seer's mind may also have been reflected in the interpreters and held there until recorded by the amanuensis1 all of which would be incalculably helpful4 ,but since the translation is thought out in the mind of the seer1 it must be thought out in such thought-signs as are at his command1 expressed in such speech-forms as he is master of2 for1 man thinks1 and can only think coherently1 in language2 and1 necessarily1 in such language as he knows4 ,if his knowledge of the language in which he thinks and speaks is imperfect1 his diction and grammar will be defective4 ,that errors of grammar and faults in diction do exist in the ,book of ,mormon 7and more especially and abundantly in the first edition7 must be conceded2 and what is more1 while some of the errors may be referred to inefficient proof-reading1 such as is to be expected in a country printing establishment1 yet such is the nature of the errors in question1 and so interwoven are they throughout the diction of the book1 that they may not be disposed of by saying they result from inefficient proofreading1 or referring them to the mischievous disposition of the typos1 or the unfriendliness of the publishing house4 ,the errors are constitutional in their character2 they are of the web and woof of the style1 and not such errors as may be classed as typographical4 ,indeed the first edition of the ,book of ,mormon is singularly free from typographical errors4 ,in the presence of these facts1 only one solution to the difficulties presents itself1 and that is the solution suggested in the ,manual1 viz41 that the translator is responsible for the verbal and grammatical errors1 in the translation2 as it is said of the original ,nephite record1 so let us-say of the translation of that record1 ,if there be faults1 they are the faults of man2 not of ,god1 either mediately or immediately4 ,nor does this solution of the difficulties presented cast any reflections upon ,joseph the ,seer4 ,it was no fault of his that his knowledge in the ,english language was so imperfect4 ,his imperfect knowledge was due entirely to his limited opportunity to acquire such knowledge2 to environment1 not at all to neglect of opportunities or to mental laziness4 ,but it is objected that this theory unsettles former conceptions of the part taken by ,urim and ,thummim1 in the work of translation4 ,it upsets somewhat the marvelous that has been associated with the translation of the ,nephite record4 ,shall we understand1 writes with some feeling one objector1 that ,urim and ,thummim are not what they hitherto purported to be8 and cites somewhat indefinitely the testimony of the ,three ,witnesses2 refers1 but not definitely1 to the ,history of the ,church1 and to a sermon by ,brigham ,young2 also to the following passages in the ,book of ,mormon and ,doctrine and ,covenants3 ,mosiah #bh3aa-ae2 ,ether #c3bb-be2 ,mosiah #h3ac-ai2 ,doctrine and ,covenants1 section #acj4 ,we assure this writer and other correspondents of the ,era that there is no conflict between the ,manual theory of translation and these passages of scripture4 ,the strongest passage cited as suggesting a conflict is ,mosiah #bh3ac-af1 as follows3 ,and now he translated them 7i4 e41 the ,jaredite records7 by the means of those two stones which were fastened into the two rims of a bow4 ,now these things were prepared from the beginning1 and were handed down from generation to generation1 for the purpose of interpreting languages2 99 99 99 99 ,and whosoever has these things1 is called seer1 after the manner of old times4 ,emphasizing and insisting upon a rigid construction of the words1 ,now these things were handed down 99 99 99 for the purpose of interpreting languages1 may seem to fix the power of interpretation in the divine instruments1 not in the seer2 but when these words are considered in connection with all that one may learn upon the subject1 we know better than to insist upon a severely rigid construction4 ,it should be observed in the opening sentence of the very passage quoted that these words occur3 ,and he ,mosiah translated them the ,jaredite records by means of those two stones1 which were fastened to two rims of a bow4 ,in other words1 ,mosiah1 the seer1 did the translating1 aided by ,urim and ,thummim2 it was not the ,urim and ,thummim that did it1 aided by ,mosiah4 ,moreover1 the theory that the interpreters did the translating1 not the seer aided by them1 is in conflict with the ,lord's description of translation by means of ,urim and ,thummim2 and if old conceptions respecting the part performed by ,urim and ,thummim are in conflict with ,god's description of translation1 then the sooner we are rid of such conceptions the better4 ,we are not able1 say some of these objectors1 to harmonize the theory of translation1 presented in our ,manual1 with the testimony of the ,three ,witnesses4 ,the testimony of the ,three ,witnesses respecting the translation of the record1 mentioned in the foregoing1 is simply this3 ,we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of ,god1 for his voice hath declared it unto us4 ,this goes no further than the ,prophet's description1 already quoted4 ,the only thing ,oliver ,cowdery ever said1 outside of the official testimony of the ,three ,witnesses1 was3 ,i wrote with my own pen the entire ,book of ,mormon 7save a few pages7 as it fell from the lips of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 as he translated by the gift and power of ,god1 by the means of ,urim and ,thummim4 ,this is all that he has said on the subject1 and that is in harmony1 it will be observed with what the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith said1 and at no point contradicts the view of translation set forth in the ,manual4 ,there remains1 however1 the statement of ,whitmer and ,harris1 and it is claimed that the ,manual theory of translation cannot be harmonized with what they have said4 ,if that were true1 and the ,manual theory is more in harmony with what ,god has said upon the subject than what they have said1 then all the worse for their theory--yea1 let ,god be true but every man a liar6 ,and1 by the way1 in passing1 ,i want to ask those who stand up so stoutly for the vindication of what ,messrs4 ,whitmer and ,harris have chanced to say on the subject of translation--,what about the ,lord's description of the same thing in the ,doctrine and ,covenants8 ,are they not interested in vindicating that description8 ,i care very little1 comparatively1 for what ,messrs4 ,whitmer and ,harris have said about the subject4 ,i care everything for what the ,lord has said about it4 ,whence did the two witnesses in question obtain such knowledge as they had about the manner of translation8 ,undoubtedly1 from the ,prophet ,joseph2 for they claim no revelation from the ,lord upon the subject4 ,and this knowledge they did not announce until in the later years of their lives2 nothing was said about it1 by them1 until long after the death of the ,prophet4 ,they doubtless have given their recollection of what the ,prophet had told them about the manner of translating2 but experience and observation both teach us that there may be a wide difference between what is really said to men1 and their recollection of it--their impressions about it2 especially when that recollection or impression is not formulated into written statement until long years afterwards4 ,at the same time1 it is proper to say1 as the ,manual suggests1 that there is no necessary conflict between the statements of these two ,witnesses and the ,manual theory of translation4 ,they say the ,nephite characters1 to be translated1 appeared in ,urim and ,thummim4 ,we say that may be true1 or the ,prophet may have looked through the interpreters--since they were transparent stones--and thus have seen the characters4 ,they say the interpretation appeared in ,english1 under the ,nephite characters in ,urim and ,thummim2 we say1 if so1 then that interpretation1 after being wrought out in the ,prophet's mind1 was reflected into ,urim and ,thummim and held visible there until written4 ,the ,english interpretation was a reflex from the ,prophet's mind4 7,and may it not be that the peculiar quality of the ,urim and ,thummim was to reflect thought1 especially ,god-given or inspired thought1 as other substances reflect objects87 ,all this is possible1 and is not in conflict with what either the ,prophet or ,oliver ,cowdery said upon the subject2 nor in conflict with the ,lord's description of translation4 ,but to insist that the translation of the ,book of ,mormon was an arbitrary piece of mechanical work1 wrought out by transparent stones rather than in the inspired mind of the ,prophet1 is in conflict with the ,lord's description of translation1 and all the reasonable conclusions that may be drawn from the known facts in the case4 ,this theory--the ,manual theory--accepted1 accounting for errors in grammar and faulty diction1 as pointed out in chapter vii1 ,part ,i of ,manual1 and in chapter xlvii of the ,manual1 ,part ,,iii1 is easy4 ,it is asked1 however1 ,shall we understand that ,urim and ,thummim are not what they have hitherto purported to be8 ,by no means2 if by purported to be1 is meant what the seers1 ,mosiah of the ,book of ,mormon1 and ,joseph ,smith said of them4 ,the former said of them that he translated by means of them--i4 e41 they were an aid to him in translating4 ,joseph the seer said that through the medium of ,urim and ,thummim1 he translated the ,nephite record--i4 e41 they were an aid to him in the work of translation4 ,but if by purported to be is meant that the ,urim and ,thummim did the mental work of translating--that the instrument did everything1 and the ,prophet nothing1 except to read off what the instrument interpreted--then the sooner that theory is abandoned the better2 there is nothing in the word of ,god1 or right reason1 to warrant it2 it is utterly untenable1 and affords no rational explanation of the difficulties arising from the existence of verbal and grammatical errors in the translation of the ,nephite record4 ,but the question is asked1 ,why bring these matters up at all8 ,i seriously question the expediency of any theory1 beyond the facts that are definitely known and attested1 to explain the details of the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon1 says one ,era correspondent4 ,so say we all4 ,i wish ,messrs4 ,whitmer and ,harris1 and those who have worked out theories based upon their statements1 had left the whole matter where the ,prophet ,joseph left it2 but this they failed to do4 ,then opponents took up the question1 and insisted that the theory of translation1 hitherto commonly accepted1 requires us to charge all the faults in diction and errors in grammar to the ,lord2 and also urge that we have no right1 under this theory of translation1 to change a single word of the translation1 and some ,latter-day ,saints take the same view4 ,the correspondent last quoted also says3 ,it is enough for me to know that the ,book of ,mormon was translated by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 by the gift and power of ,god1 through the means of the ,urim and ,thummim4 ,the present writer might join in that simple1 bigoted refrain1 and say--for me1 too4 ,but what of those for whom it is not enough8 ,what of the many young men in the ,church who hear the objections urged by the opponents of the ,book of ,mormon1 based upon the hitherto popular conception of the manner in which the translation was accomplished--what of them8 ,what of the earnest inquirers1 in the world1 whose knowledge of languages1 and of translation1 teaches them that the hitherto popular conception of the translation of the ,book of ,mormon is an absurdity1 not to say an impossibility--what of them8 ,what of the elders in the mission field who are constantly coming in contact with these questions involved in the manner of translating the ,book of ,mormon1 and are asking--as they have been asking for years--for some rational explanation of these matters--what of them8 ,it is not enough1 in the presence of the controversies that have arisen out of ,messrs4 ,whitmer and ,harris's unfortunate partial explanations1 to say that the ,book of ,mormon was translated by the gift and power of ,god1 and that is enough for one to know4 ,it is not a question involving merely the wisdom or unwisdom of setting up a theory of the manner in which the translation of the ,book of ,mormon was accomplished4 ,a theory already existed1 based upon the statements of ,messrs4 ,whitmer and ,harris1 which1 as generally understood1 was untenable4 ,this had to be corrected2 and the truth1 so far as possible1 ascertained and expounded4 ,it was not the desire to create a new theory respecting the translation of the ,book of ,mormon that prompted the writer of the ,manual to advance such explanations as are there made4 ,indeed1 the theory set forth in the ,manual did not originate with him4 ,the difficulties involved in the hitherto commonly accepted theory of translation have long been recognized by ,book of ,mormon students2 and often have been the subject of conversation between this writer and ,elder ,george ,reynolds1 ,president ,anthon ,h4 ,lund1 members of the ,manual committee1 and others2 and this writer by no means regards himself as the originator of what is sometimes called the new theory of the ,book of ,mormon translation4 ,meantime1 the fact should be recognized by the ,latter-day ,saints that the ,book of ,mormon of necessity must submit to every test1 to literary criticism1 as well as to every other class of criticism2 for our age is above all things critical1 and especially critical of sacred literature1 and we may not hope that the ,book of ,mormon will escape closest scrutiny2 neither1 indeed1 is it desirable that it should escape4 ,it is given to the world as a revelation from ,god4 ,it is a volume of ,american scripture4 ,men have a right to test it by the keenest criticism1 and to pass severest judgment upon it1 and we who accept it as a revelation from ,god have every reason to believe that it will endure every test2 and the more thoroughly it is investigated1 the greater shall be its ultimate triumph4 ,here it is in the world2 let the world make the most of it1 or the least of it4 ,it is and will remain true4 ,but it will not do for those who believe it to suppose that they can dismiss objections to this ,american volume of scripture by the assumption of a lofty air of superiority1 and a declaration as to what is enough for us or anybody else to know4 ,the ,book of ,mormon is presented to the world for its acceptance2 and the ,latter-day ,saints are anxious that their fellow men should believe it4 ,if objections are made to it1 to the manner of its translation1 with the rest1 these objections should be patiently investigated1 and the most reasonable explanations possible1 given4 ,this is what1 in an unpretentious way1 is attempted in the ,manual4 ,the position there taken is intended to be not destructive1 but constructive2 not iconoclastic1 but conservative2 not negative1 but positive2 and the writer is of opinion that time will vindicate the correctness of the views therein set forth4 ,,ii4 ,i find it necessary to refer again to the matter of a literal translation--a word-for-word bringing over from one language into another1 a thing which is practically impossible1 if sense is to be expressed4 ,reference is again made to this subject because it seems to be the most stubborn obstacle in the way of the acceptance of the ,manual theory4 ,,image 7,,see ,,html ,,file73 ,,greek ,,and ,,english ,,text ,,of ,,luke ,since writing the fore part of this article1 a so-called literal translation of the ,greek ,new ,testament has fallen into my hands1 extracts from which ,i think will help to illustrate the point at issue4 ,it should be remembered in what is to follow1 that this literal translation is only approximately so4 ,the publishers themselves say1 ,we give the ,greek text with an interlinear translation as literal as may be to be useful4 ,to show that the literal translation is not and cannot be literal1 it is only necessary to call attention to a few facts which the publishers of the ,greek text and its translation themselves call attention to2 namely1 ,the word master is used in the authorized version 7our common ,english version7 to translate six different ,greek words1 all bearing different shades of meaning4 ,the word judgment stands for eight different ,greek words in the original4 ,of particles1 be represents twelve different words2 but1 eleven2 for1 eighteen2 in1 fifteen2 of1 thirteen2 and on1 nine2 and so with many other words4 ,where these facts obtain1 to talk of literal translation is to talk of literal nonsense4 ,still1 this so-called literal translation will be of assistance to us in this investigation1 and ,i hope also somewhat convincing for the contention made here1 and in the ,manual1 respecting the nature of the translation of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,i give on the foregoing page the photograph of an entire page from the ,greek ,new ,testament4 ,it will be observed that the ,greek is given1 and under each ,greek word an ,english equivalent1 as literal as may be to be useful4 ,remember1 not absolutely literal2 and in the margin is the translation of our common ,english version4 ,now1 for purposes of comparison1 ,i give ,paul's account of himself before ,king ,agrippa from the so-called ,greek literal translation1 and ,nephi's account of himself taken from the ,book of ,mormon4 ,,paul',s ,,account ,,of ,,himself4 ,and ,agrippa to ,paul said1 it is allowed thee for thyself to speak4 ,then ,paul made a defense1 stretching out the hand3 ,concerning all of which ,i am accused by ,jews1 ,king ,agrippa1 ,i esteem myself happy being about to make defense before thee today1 especially acquainted being thou of all the among ,jews customs and also questions2 wherefore ,i beseech thee patiently to hear me4 ,the then manner of life my from youth1 which from commencement was among my nation in ,jerusalem1 know all the ,jews1 who before knew me from the first1 if they would bear witness that according to the strictest sect of our religion ,i lived a ,pharisee4 ,and now for hope of thee to the ,father's promise made by ,god1 ,i stand being judged1 to which our twelve tribes intently night and day serving hope to arrive2 concerning which hope ,i am accused1 ,o ,king ,agrippa1 by the ,jews4 ,why incredible is it judged by you if ,god dead raises8 ,i indeed therefore thought in myself to the name of ,jesus the ,nazarine ,i ought many things contrary to do4 ,,nephi',s ,,account ,,of ,,himself4 ,i1 ,nephi1 having been born of goodly parents1 therefore ,i was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father2 and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days--nevertheless1 having been highly favored of the ,lord in all my days2 yea1 having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of ,god1 therefore ,i make a record of my proceedings in my day2 yea1 ,i make a record in the language of my father1 which consists of the learning of the ,jews1 and the language of the ,egyptians4 ,and ,i know that the record which ,i make1 is true2 and ,i make it according to my knowledge4 ,for it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of ,zedekiah1 ,king of ,judah1 7my father ,lehi1 having dwelt at ,jerusalem in all his days27 and in that same year there came many prophets prophesying unto the people that they must repent1 or the great city ,jerusalem must be destroyed4 ,in order that it may be seen that the difference between even an approximately literal translation1 and the translation of the ,book of ,mormon1 holds good in other forms of composition as well as personal narrative1 ,i place the following doctrinal explanations before the reader for purpose of comparison3 ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,preaching ,,to ,,the ,,spirits ,,in ,,prison4 ,,peter4 ,for better1 doing good1 if wills the will of ,god1 to suffer1 than doing evil2 because indeed ,christ once for sins suffered1 just for unjust1 that us he might bring to ,god2 having been put to death in flesh1 but made alive by the spirit1 in which also to the imprisoned spirits having gone he preached1 disobeyed sometimes1 when once was waiting the of ,god long suffering in the days of ,noe1 being prepared ark1 into which few1 that is eight souls1 were saved through water1 which also us figure now saves baptism1 not of flesh a putting away of filth1 but of a conscience good demand towards ,god1 by resurrection of ,jesus ,christ who is at right hand of ,god1 gone into heaven1 having been subjected to him1 angels1 authorities and powers4 ,,doctrine ,,of ,,the ,,fall ,,of ,,adam4--,,lehi4 ,and now1 behold1 if ,adam had not transgressed1 he would not have fallen2 but he would have remained in the garden of ,eden4 ,and all things which were created must have remained in the1 same state in which they were1 after they were created2 and they must have remained forever and had no end4 ,and they would have had no children2 wherefore1 they would have remained in a state of innocence1 having no joy1 for they knew no misery2 doing no good1 for they knew no sin4 ,but behold1 all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things4 ,adam fell that men might be2 and men are1 that they might have joy4 ,and the ,messiah cometh in the fulness of time1 that he may redeem the children of men from the fall4 ,this will doubtless be sufficient to show the difference between a somewhat literal translation and one which is evidently not a literal1 or word-for-word bringing over from one language into another4 ,the difference between the two things as indicated here is very great4 ,still not so great as it would be if we were in possession of a real literal translation4 ,one other thing also should be remembered2 namely1 that however sharp the difference is between a somewhat literal translation of the ,greek and the translation of the ,book of ,mormon1 a literal translation from the ,nephite reformed ,egyptian language would undoubtedly indicate a still sharper difference1 for the reason that our ,english idiom undoubtedly conforms more readily to the ,greek than it would to the ,nephite language2 so that1 great as the differences are in the foregoing illustrations1 they would be still more sharply defined if the ,book of ,mormon were a word-for-word bringing over from the ,nephite language into the ,english--if such a thing were possible4 ,enough1 however1 is here apparent to make it plain that the ,book of ,mormon is not a literal translation from the ,nephite language1 that is1 in the sense of being brought over word for word and letter for letter from the ,nephite into the ,english4 ,the translation of the ,book of ,mormon is ,english in idiom1 and the idiom of the time and locality where it was produced1 as all must know who read it1 and especially those who have read the first edition of it4 ,it having been determined1 then1 that the translation of the ,book of ,mormon is in ,english idiom1 the question remains1 ,whose is it8 ,the ,urim and ,thummim's1 the ,lord's1 or is it ,joseph ,smith's8 ,and who is responsible for its palpable errors8 ,the ,lord1 or man8 ,with that question in mind1 read the following few sample passages from among many that might be quoted of like character from the first edition4 ,speaking of ,urim and ,thummim the following occurs3 ,and the things are called interpreters2 and no man can look in them1 except he be commanded1 lest he should look for that he had not ought1 and he should perish2 99 99 99 99 but a seer can know of things which has past1 and also of things which is to come 99 99 99 and hidden things shall come to light1 and things which is not known shall be made known by them4 7,page #agc47 ,blessed are they who humbleth themselves without being compelled to be humble4 7,page #cad47 ,little children doth have words given unto them many times which doth confound the wise and the learned4 7,page #cae47 ,but they had fell into great errors1 for they would not observe to keep the commandments of ,god4 7,page #caj47 ,have mercy on me1 who art in the gall of bitterness and art encircled about by the everlasting chains of death4 7,page #cbe47 ,i have always retained in remembrance their captivity1 yea1 and ye also had ought to retain in remembrance1 as ,i have their captivity2 99 99 99 for ye had ought to know as ,i do know1 that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of ,god ye shall prosper in the land2 and ye had ought to know also that inasmuch as ye shall not keep the commandments of ,god1 ye shall be cut off from his presence4 7,page #cbf47 ,behold ,i say unto you1 that it is him that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world4 7,page #ccc47 ,my son1 do not risk one more offense against your ,god99 99 99 which ye hath hitherto risked to commit sin2 99 99 99 for that which ye doth send out shall return unto you again4 7,page #ccg47 ,and thus ended the record of ,alma1 which was wrote upon the plates of ,nephi4 7,page #cdg47 ,and this shall be your language in them days3 ,but behold your days of probation is past4 ,are these flagrant errors in grammar chargeable to the ,lord8 ,to say so is to invite ridicule4 ,the thoughts1 the doctrines1 are well enough2 but the awkward1 ungrammatical expression of the thoughts is1 doubtless1 the result of the translator's imperfect knowledge of the ,english language1,a for which lack of knowledge he is not one whit blameable1 since his lack of education was due entirely to his want of opportunity for acquiring learning4 ,and1 moreover1 the errors are just such errors as one circumstanced as the translator was1 would make4 ,again1 ,i say for the translation1 what ,moroni says for the original ,nephite record3 ,if there be errors1 they are the errors of man1 not ,god's errors4 ,let us rid ourselves of the reproach of charging error1 even though it be of forms of expression1 unto ,god1 in whom and in whose ways there are no errors at all4 ,footnote ,a3 ,of course1 inefficient proof-reading1 and the fact that the publishing firm from whose press issued the first edition of the ,book of ,mormon was unfriendly to it1 and1 therefore1 careless in its work1 and1 perhaps1 even mischievously disposed towards it1 may account for some of the verbal and grammatical errors of the first edition4 ,on the probability of this being the case1 the writer of the ,manual said in that work3 ,the fact that the ,book of ,mormon was published in a country town1 on a hand press1 and by persons unfamiliar with book making1 and the proofs were read by ,oliver ,cowdery1 who was entirely without experience in such work1 will account for many errors1 verbal and grammatical4 ,the further fact that the employees1 at the printing establishment where the book was published1 were unfriendly to it1 and were more anxious to make it appear ridiculous than to turn out a good job1 may account for other errors that crept into the first edition4 ,but after due allowance is made for all these conditions1 the errors are so numerous1 and of such a constitutional nature1 that they cannot be explained away by these unfavorable conditions under which the work was published4--,manual1 page #did-e4 ,one correspondent to the ,era1 after making some objections to the ,manual theory of the translation of the ,book of ,mormon1 closes his communication with the following post script3 ,p4,s4--,we don't think the writer of the ,manual should answer this4 ,give us better authority4 ,it would have pleased the writer of the ,manual had the ,editor of the ,era thought proper to have referred these questions concerning the translation of the ,book of ,mormon to someone else--to better authority--and there are many better authorities2 but the ,editors have seen proper to refer the questions to the ,manual writer1 and they have received such consideration as he is able to give them1 within the compass of this article4 ,since the questions were referred to him1 however1 the ,deseret ,news editorially has taken up the subject1 and ,i am very pleased with the opportunity of presenting to this post script writer the better authority for which he longs2 but he may be disappointed in the fact that the ,news writer sees this matter of translation substantially in the same light in which it was presented by the ,manual3 ,a ,,current ,,question4 ,we have received from one of the wards in ,idaho the following question1 which we are requested to answer through the columns of the ,deseret ,news4 ,as it does not relate to any local matter which would come under the immediate jurisdiction of the ward or stake authorities1 and is a subject that is receiving much attention just now1 we will respond to the desire of our friend on this matter1 as we are able4 ,the question asked is as follows3 ',did ,joseph ,smith the ,prophet1 in translating the ,book of ,mormon1 use his own language in translating the book into the ,english language1 or did he use what appeared to him in the ,urim and ,thummim as the interpretation of the ,nephite characters1 and would it pass away before it was correctly written8' ,we are of the opinion that the ,manual for #aije-aijf1 prepared as a guide to the ,young ,men's ,mutual ,improvement ,association in the study of the ,book of ,mormon1 will give a sufficient answer4 ,but there is some conflict of opinion1 in consequence of statements purporting to have been made by ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris1 concerning the manner in which the ,prophet ,joseph obtained the interpretation of the characters inscribed upon the metallic plates1 which were in reformed ,egyptian hieroglyphics4 ,the idea conveyed by those statements was that when the ,prophet ,joseph looked into the ,urim and ,thummim he saw the characters that were on the plates1 and underneath them their meaning in the ,english language1 and that when reading them to the scribe who wrote for him1 the line would not disappear and another take its place unless it was copied correctly4 ,the history of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 prepared from his diary1 does not afford that information1 nor do we know of anything authentic as coming from him which gives a description or explanation of the manner of translation of the ,nephite record4 ,one thing1 however1 is very clear to us1 and that is1 that whether in prophecy or preaching or translating1 the man inspired of ,god is not simply a talking machine1 but one who is divinely impressed and enlightened1 and whose understanding is quickened and enlarged1 but who still possesses all his faculties and the free agency which ,god has given to all mankind4 ,if all that was necessary for the ,seer was to look into the instrument given to him as an aid in the work of translation1 there would have been no real necessity for his possession of the plates1 which he had to guard with such care4 ,and if every word in ,english was supplied to him in the way supposed1 it is not likely that any errors either in grammar or composition would be seen4 ,we have not the slightest doubt that with the aid of those stones1 and by the gift and power of ,god1 ,joseph was able to read the characters on the plates and understand their full significance1 and that he expressed that in the ordinary language to which he was accustomed and according to his knowledge in the use of it1 just as a person who translates anything from an ancient or modern language1 the understanding of which he obtains by the ordinary means1 and who would give it in ,english1 according to the usual phraseology to which he was accustomed4 ,the prophets of old who spoke and wrote 'as moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost1' though inspired by the same spirit1 expressed that which was given to them in their own way and with those distinctive peculiarities they each possessed4 ,they were not acted upon against their own will1 or as automatons4 ,as ,paul has it1 ',the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets4' ,any one who has enjoyed the spirit of revelation1 either in prophecy1 in testimony1 in preaching1 in interpretation of tongues1 or in other spiritual gifts1 knows what it is to receive light and truth by the power of ,god1 which he speaks in his own language and in his own manner-and style4 ,he who has not been thus inspired1 may not be able to understand how the meaning of the characters on the plates was made clear to the translator so that he could express it in his own language4 ,but the important fact in this important matter is1 that ,joseph ,smith really received these ancient records1 containing much of the history of this continent and an account of the dealings of ,god with the early inhabitants thereof2 that he translated them into the ,english language2 and that1 according to the testimony of the three witnesses--,oliver ,cowdery1 ,david ,whitmer and ,martin ,harris--the voice of the ,lord declared that they were translated by the gift and power of ,god1 and therefore they were translated correctly4 ,as to the exact modus operandi1 there is nothing on record that we know of as coming from the ,prophet himself4 ,the great truth remains1 that we have the ,book of ,mormon1 written in simple language1 and that such imperfections as may be found in it are1 as it declares itself1 'the mistakes of men1' and these are simply errors of language1 of such small importance that the meaning is not obscured1 but whoever reads may also understand4 ,it gives a plain and succinct account of the manner in which this continent was peopled in early times1 shows the origin of the present tribes of so-called ,indians1 unfolds the purposes of the ,almighty concerning this hemisphere1 expounds the principles of the everlasting gospel1 by obedience to which mankind may be saved1 and testifies that ,jesus of ,nazareth was in very deed the ,son of the ,eternal ,god and the ,redeemer of the world4 ,these great truths are invaluable1 and the question concerning the exact manner of the translation of the ,book is comparatively of little moment4--,deseret ,evening ,news1 ,january #ca1 #aijf4 ,i think it proper at this point1 also1 to say1 by way of personal explanation1 and perhaps to some extent by way of defense against unkind criticisms that have been made of the writer of the ,manual1 because of the theory of translation therein advanced--,i think it proper to say1 ,i repeat1 that the present writer did not upon his own responsibility1 and without consultation with those somewhat the guardians of these matters1 set forth the theory of the ,manual on the translation of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,chapter ,,vii of the ,manual1 the one setting forth the ,manual theory of translation1 was submitted to the ,first ,presidency1 and several of the ,apostles met together to consider the chapter1 and to listen to the reasons which1 in the writer's opinion1 demanded that such an explanation of the translation should be given4 ,after listening to ,chapter ,,vii1 and hearing the reasons for making such explanations therein contained1 it was moved and carried that such chapter be published in the ,manual1 and it was published accordingly4 ,this statement is not made with a view of making the ,first ,presidency and the ,twelve1 who were present and voted upon the subject1 responsible for the ideas advanced2 the motion then taken carried with it no such consequences4 ,it meant only that the brethren then consulted were willing that the present writer should publish those views in the ,young ,men's ,manual2 but primarily he1 the writer1 stands responsible for the views there expressed--a responsibility1 by the way1 which he is very willing to carry2 but he is anxious to have the ,latter-day ,saints understand1 and especially the young men in ,israel1 that in setting forth the ,manual theory of translating the ,book of ,mormon1 the writer was not seeking to gratify his personal vanity by advancing some novel theory1 and pushing it to the front regardless of the opinions of others1 or the general interests of the work4 ,the same correspondent also says3 ,the theory of the ,manual is having a bad effect upon our best ,book of ,mormon students4 ,with all due respect to the gentleman's opinion1 ,i desire to say to him that he is entirely mistaken4 ,the ,manual theory of translation is having no such effect2 but1 on the contrary1 ,book of ,mormon students everywhere are rejoicing in the fact that the ,manual theory of translation gives them a rational defense against the criticisms that are urged against the faulty language of the ,english translation of that book4 ,many errors1 verbal and grammatical1 have already been eliminated in the later ,english editions1 and there is no valid reason why every one of those that remain should not be eliminated1 since it is the thought1 the facts of the book1 that one should be concerned in preserving1 not the forms in which they happen to be cast4 ,there is no good reason why we should not have just as good a ,book of ,mormon in the ,english language as they now have in the ,french1 the ,german1 the ,swedish and the ,danish1 and 7since the recent revision of it7 in the ,hawaiian2 for in these translations1 it has not been thought necessary to perpetuate the ,english errors2 nor do ,i believe it necessary to perpetuate them in our ,english editions4 ,by making merely verbal changes1 and changes in grammatical construction1 without changing the shade of a single idea or statement1 changes that could be legitimately authorized by the ,president of the ,church--who is the recognized law giver in ,israel1 and guardian of the written word--the ,book of ,mormon could be made a classic in ,english1 and the present writer hopes that he will live to see those verbal and grammatical changes authorized4 ,,iv4 ,,interesting ,,correspondence ,,on ,,the ,,subject ,,of ,,the ,,manual ,,theory ,,of ,,translation4 ,april #bh1 #aijf4 ,president ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 ,salt ,lake ,city3 ,,dear ,,brother3--,as a subscriber to the ,era ,i have also received the ,manual from year to year1 and ,i have perused them with much interest4 ,i have carefully studied the lessons or chapters pertaining to the translation of the ,book of ,mormon1 and have read your articles1 published in the recent numbers of the ,era1 written as a defense of your theory of translation as set forth in the ,manual4 ,it is not my intention to enter into any controversy with you in relation to this theory1 this would be presumptuous on my part4 ,neither do ,i want to criticize1 but inasmuch as we have no sure authority1 no word left us from the ,prophet1 neither anything revealed putting this matter beyond a doubt1 the field is open for theorizing4 ,i would readily accept your theory with just one amendment1 and to propose that amendment ,i write you these lines4 ,while reading one of your articles1 a thought was suggested to me like this3 ,may it not have been that the ,prophet did see1 as related1 through the ,urim and ,thummim the translation of each sentence from the plates into the ,english language1 but in a so-called word for work or literal translation2 and from this odd rendering1 it became his task to put the sentence into readable ,english8 ,taking this view of it1 we can account for how the language of the ,book of ,mormon is in part modern and in part decidedly ancient4 ,the ,prophet having used partly the words as they appeared1 and1 in order to put it into proper form1 used or supplied words of his own4 ,this will account for all errors1 and place the responsibility for them where it must belong1 with man and not with ,god4 ,it would give due importance and credit to the sacred instruments1 and would leave ample scope for the ,prophet to exercise his own mental powers4 ,it would make the statements of ,martin ,harris and ,david ,whitmer in relation to the translation substantially correct1 and it would also be in perfect harmony with what the ,lord made known to ,oliver ,cowdery in relation to the mode of translation4 ,i don't know1 of course1 what objections you may see to this idea1 but shall be pleased1 if you are not too busy to do so1 if you will write me a line in relation to it4 ,with kind regards1 your brother1 ---------- ,,the ,,reply4 ,,salt ,,lake ,,city1 ,,utah1 ,june #a1 #aijf4 ,,dear ,,brother3--,your esteemed favor of ,april #bhth duly to hand1 and contents read with pleasure2 but have not found opportunity to write you on the subject of your letter until now4 ,the solution you suggest as to difficulties involved in the alleged manner of translating the ,book of ,mormon have been urged upon my attention by others1 but1 unfortunately1 not always in the clear and temperate spirit of your communication4 ,i have several letters before me now asking if the supposition you suggest is not tenable1 and would it not relieve us of whatever remains of difficulties1 after accepting the chief ideas advanced in the ,manual theory of translation4 ,i have had a number of conversations with others on the same subject1 and it may interest you to know that one of the prominent professors in one of our principal ,church institutions of learning very earnestly entertains the same theory4 ,your theory is so clearly and completely stated in your letter that it need not be restated by me4 ,all you ask is my opinion of it4 ,frankly1 then1 in the first place1 ,i cannot see that it helps us out of our difficulties at all4 ,in the second place1 it still involves us in the absurdity of supposing some kind of intellectual or mental force in the transparent stones of the ,urim and ,thummim4 ,and in the third place1 all the supposed harmonizing effect of your suggestion is already found in the ,manual theory of translation4 ,of course1 however1 the whole point at issue in my consideration of your suggestion1 is the probability of its being true2 for if we can but get at the truth of the matter for once1 all other considerations1 in time will take care of themselves1--the difficulties in which it might seemingly involve us1 the harmonizing of all seeming inconsistencies1 all seeming conflict of testimonies of the uncritical persons who were honored of ,god in bringing forth the work1 etc4 ,so now1 as to the probability of the truth of your suggestion4 ,first1 ,i must demur somewhat to your remark that we have nothing revealed putting this matter beyond a doubt2 ,i am rather inclined to think we have4 ,the more ,i think of the ,lord's revelation to ,oliver ,cowdery describing the manner in which he might have exercised the gift of translation by means of ,urim and ,thummim1 had his faith not failed him 7,doc4 and ,cov4 secs viii1 ix71 the more ,i am convinced that we have the ,lord's description of the manner in which translation by means of ,urim and ,thummim is accomplished4 ,that is the word of the ,lord1 to which all theories must conform1 whatever becomes of merely human testimonies4 ,now with this as the premise1 ,i hold that it is clear that the power which stands between the ,nephite characters seen through the ,urim and ,thummim1 and the ,english translation of these1 is the inspired mind of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith2 and not any intellectual or mental power in the transparent stones of the divine instrument4 ,to suppose that ,urim and ,thummim1 by some means1 and necessarily it must have been intellectual means1 some mental process1 made a transliteration from the ,nephite characters in exact though awkward and often meaningless ,english equivalents1 which ,joseph ,smith constructs into his unlearned1 yet plainly understood ,english1 7your theory7 is to transcend all human experience and knowledge which ,god has revealed1 and lands us back into the midst of all the difficulties from which we are trying to escape4 ,to explain3 ,it nowhere appears from anything which man has discovered1 or that ,god has revealed1 that there is any substance1 from street mud to radium1 from a mountain to an atom1 or an electron1 aside from mind1 that possesses intellectual or mental force1 the only force conceivable as translating the thought crystallized in the symbols of one language1 into thought crystallized into the symbols of another language--intellectual or mental force alone1 ,i say1 must be supposed to be capable of doing such work as that4 ,if the ,urim and ,thummim possessed that intellectual power it must have been conferred upon it of ,god1 and under that supposition1 we are brought face to face again with all our old difficulties1 chief of which is the question3 ,if ,god created such an instrument1 and conferred upon it the power to give a transliteration of the ,nephite characters1 how is it that he did not give it the power to translate the meaning into reasonable and readable1 not to say perfect ,english1 at first hand1 and relieve us of the awkward supposition that the instrument possessed the mental power to make the literal translation of words from the ,nephite language into another--and which ,joseph ,smith was left to construct into imperfect ,english8 ,what would be gained by the adoption of this cumbersome and1 pardon me1 ,i think1 untenable theory8 ,and again1 what occasion for it1 when we have the more simple and reasonable theory of the ,manual which is in accord with what ,god has revealed upon the subject1 and not necessarily contradictory of what ,messrs4 ,whitmer and ,harris have said upon the subject8 ,in order that this may appear1 ,i restate the ,manual theory3 ,the ,prophet saw the ,nephite characters in the ,urim and ,thummim2 through strenuous mental effort1 the exercise of faith and the operation of the inspiration of ,god upon his mind1 he obtained the thought represented by the ,nephite characters1 understood them in the ,nephite characters1 understood them in the ,nephite language1 and then expressed the understanding1 the thought1 in such language as he was master of2 which language1 as his mind by mental processes arranged it1 was reflected and held to his vision in ,urim and ,thummim until written by his amanuensis4 ,that leaves all the factors involved in the work of translation in their true relation3 ,the ,urim and ,thummim an aid to the ,prophet in the work1 yet not necessarily1 and contrary to human experience and knowledge revealed of ,god1 endowed with intellectual power2 the mind of the ,prophet1 touched through his faith by the inspiration of ,god1 the chief factor2 the testimony of ,messrs4 ,harris and ,whitmer that both ,nephite characters and the ,english translation appeared in the ,urim and ,thummim1 undisturbed and unimpaired4 ,that ,i believe to be the truth of the matter1 so far as it may be ascertained1 and the certainty of it grows apace4 ,the compromise suggestion you make--you recognize the fact1 of course1 that it is purely conjecture--,i do not think can stand1 but it indicates an advancement from the old untenable theory4 ,that old theory cannot be successfully maintained2 that is1 the ,urim and ,thummim did the translating1 the ,prophet1 nothing beyond repeating what he saw reflected in that instrument2 that ,god directly or indirectly is responsible for the verbal and grammatical errors of translation4 ,to advance such a theory before intelligent and educated people is to unnecessarily invite ridicule1 and make of those who advocate it candidates for contempt4 ,since receiving your letter ,i have received a communication from ,ann ,arbor1 ,michigan1 written by ,brother ,francis ,w4 ,kirkham1 of ,provo1 the body of which is as follows3 ,a paper on ',mormonism' was recently read before the seminary class in ,american ,history at this university4 ,the writer was very fair1 and ,i believe tried to be impartial4 ,in the paper the manner of the interpretation of the ,book of ,mormon as described by ,martin ,harris was brought to its only logical conclusion4 ,our professor stopped the reader and asked if ',joseph ,smith had made the statement which seemed so incredulous4' ',i am not sure1' was the reply1 'yet this appears to be the ,mormon explanation of the manner of interpretation4' ,later ,i gave copies of the last ,manual to both our professor and my fellow classmate4 ,both myself and another ,mormon boy who listened to the paper1 heartily wished that the correspondents you found it necessary to answer in the last two numbers of the ,era had been seated in the room4 ,we believe a cure would have been the result4 ,desiring something more in detail on this circumstance1 ,edward ,h4 ,anderson1 assistant ,editor of the ,era1 wrote to ,elder ,kirkham for further particulars4 ,following is the body of the letter received in reply to this request3 ,the paper was on ,mormonism4 ,in discussing the ,book of ,mormon1 the reader followed largely the argument of ,mr4 ,frank ,pierce in a number of the ,american ,archaeologist4 ,i can get the exact reference when ,i return to ,ann ,arbor4 ,i did not read the article in full1 but it quoted from the writings of ,martin ,harris1 and others4 ,mr4 ,pierce claimed he gave the ,mormon account of the interpretation of the golden plates1 which is1 he said1 that ,joseph ,smith1 ,jr41 saw the exact words he was to write in the transparent stone spectacles and that the words would not disappear until the scribe had written them exactly as the ,lord had given them4 ,mr4 ,pierce also gave the testimony of the printer of the original edition of the ,book of ,mormon in which he testified that the ',smiths' would not allow him to change the manuscript in the least1 although he was aware of its crudeness4 ,when the reader of the paper had made the above assertions concerning the interpretation of the ,book of ,mormon1 our professor spoke up and said3 ',are you sure ,joseph ,smith said this was the manner of the interpretation8' ',no1' was the reply1 ,i am not sure4' ',well1' continued our professor1 ',it is very important that we know1 for1 if ,joseph ,smith did make the assertions you speak of1 there seems to me but one logical conclusion1 either the ,lord intentionally made all the mistakes of the first edition and colored the writings with the provincialisms of ,new ,york state1 or1 that the ,lord was unable to speak correctly or use other than the phrases and mannerisms of the locality in which ,joseph ,smith lived4 ,i wrote to ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts the letter because we regret it1 because we realize that the ,martin ,harris theory of the interpretation is contrary to common sense and reason4 ,it is no use resisting the matter1 the old theory must be abandoned4 ,it could only come into existence and remain so long and now be clung to by some so tenaciously because our fathers and our people in the past and now were and are uncritical4,a ,they have been and are now--and to their honor be it said--more concerned with the fact of the divine origin of the ,book of ,mormon and the great work it introduced than to the modus operandi of its translation4 ,overwhelmed by a divine testimony of its truth they have paid little attention to the precise manner by which it was brought forth4 ,it is doubtful if the ,prophet ,joseph himself was conscious of the mental and spiritual processes of translation4 ,it was not his part in the great work to distinguish all the minutiae of the process by which the word of ,god came to him4 ,it was his higher and nobler part to feel and know the word of ,god in his own soul2 to receive that word through the aids and means provided of ,god1 and to proclaim that word of ,god to the world1 leaving to others the less important task of expounding it1 unifying its parts1 harmonizing it with previous revelations1 proving it true1 analyzing it1 defending it when assailed4 ,and in the process of attending to the part of the work of ,god the ,prophet left to us1 we meet with the necessity of explaining the manner of translating the ,book of ,mormon1 so far as it can be ascertained1 in order to defend the book from assaults made upon it by mocking unbelievers4 ,one could wish that our own people would approach the consideration of the matter with less feeling and more reason than they do2 for the whole effort on the part of those who put forth the ,manual theory of translation is merely to ascertain the truth respecting the matter1 and with the view of finding a basis from which the work may be successfully defended and advocated4 ,footnote ,a3 ,it is no use trying to twist facts to suit theories derived from a past which was destitute of the knowledge we now possess2 what we have to do is to adjust our theories to suit the facts4--,hibbert ,journal1 ,april1 #aijg1 page #aig4 ,these latter reflections bring to mind some observations ,i remember to have read some time ago in the philosophical works of ,john ,fiske respecting two classes of disciples or partisans in the world of religious and philosophical opinion1 which ,i think with profit may be reproduced here4 ,by the way1 ,i see the passage ,i refer to occurs in the introduction to ,fiske's ,work1 written by ,josiah ,boyce1 and is as follows3 ,disciples and partisans1 in the world of religious and philosophical opinion1 are of two sorts4 ,there are1 first1 the disciples pure and simple1--people who fall under the spell of a person or a doctrine1 and whose whole intellectual life thenceforth consists in their partisanship4 ,they expound1 and defend1 and ward off foes1 and live and die faithful to the one formula4 ,such disciples may be indispensable at first in helping a new teaching to get a popular hearing1 but in the long run they rather hinder than help the wholesome growth of the very ideas that they defend3 for great ideas live by growing1 and a doctrine that has merely to be preached1 over and over1 in the same terms1 cannot possibly be the whole truth4 ,no man ought to be merely a faithful disciple of any other man4 ,yes1 no man ought to be a mere disciple even of himself4 ,we live spiritually by outliving our formulas1 and by thus enriching our sense of their deeper meaning4 ,now the disciples of the first sort do not live in this larger and more spiritual sense4 ,they repeat4 ,and true life is never mere repetition4 ,on the other hand1 there are disciples of a second sort4 ,they are men who have been attracted to a new doctrine by the fact that it gave expression1 in a novel way1 to some large and deep interest which had already grown up in themselves1 and which had already come1 more or less independently1 to their own consciousness4 ,they thus bring to the new teaching1 from the first1 their own personal contribution4 ,the truth that they gain is changed as it enters their souls4 ,the seed that the sower strews upon their fields springs up in their soil1 and bears fruit1--thirty1 sixty1 an hundred fold4 ,they return to their master his own with usury4 ,such1 men are the disciples that it is worth while for a master to have4 ,disciples of the first sort often become1 as ,schopenhauer said1 mere magnifying mirrors wherein one sees enlarged1 all the defects of a doctrine4 ,disciples of the second sort co-operate in the works of the ,spirit2 and even if they always remain rather disciples than originators1 they help to lead the thought that they accept to a truer expression4 ,they force it beyond its earlier and cruder stages of development4 ,i believe ,mormonism affords opportunity for disciples of the second sort2 nay1 that its crying need is for such disciples4 ,it calls for thoughtful disciples who will not be content with merely repeating some of its truths1 but will develop its truths2 and enlarge it by that development4 ,not half--not one-hundredth part--not a thousandth part of that which ,joseph ,smith revealed to the ,church has yet been unfolded1 either to the ,church or to the world4 ,the work of the expounder has scarcely begun4 ,the ,prophet planted by teaching the germ-truths of the great dispensation of the fulness of times4 ,the watering and the weeding is going on1 and ,god is giving the increase1 and will give it more abundantly in the future as more intelligent discipleship shall obtain4 ,the disciples of ,mormonism1 growing discontented with the necessarily primitive methods which have hitherto prevailed in sustaining the doctrine1 will yet take profounder and broader views of the great doctrines committed to the ,church2 and1 departing from mere repetition1 will cast them in new formulas2 co-operating in the works of the ,spirit1 until they help to give to the truth received a more forceful expression1 and carry it beyond the earlier and cruder stages of its development4 ,another has said3 ,the ultimate ,truth1 no doubt1 is one2 but ,truth as it enters the world through human lips is always involved in temporary forms1 which subsequent experience enlarges or corrects4 ,no historic religion1 therefore1 can ever claim finality2 and the work of religious founders is not so much to create systems of thought as to impart those impulses of moral endeavor and spiritual affection which the ,christian sums up under the term life4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,hibbert ,journal1 ,april1 #aijf1 p4 #ejc ,you see once having got started1 ,i have gone beyond the inquiries of your letter1 though ,i hope not unprofitably so4 ,and1 by the way1 since there are a number who are inclined to the view of the manner of translation suggested by you1 is there any objection in your mind1 to publishing this correspondence as a part of the very interesting consideration now being given to the subject of which it treats8,b ,footnote ,b3 ,no objection was made to the suggestion1 and hence the letters were published4 ,very truly yours1 ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts4 ,,ii4 ,a ,brief ,debate on the ,book of ,mormon4 ,,foreword4 ,the following brief discussion on the ,book of ,mormon1 while very limited in its scope1 will doubtless be of interest as illustrating the manner in which answer can be made to objections urged against the ,american scriptures on the ground of imperfections in grammar1 modern phraseology1 ,new ,york localisms1 apparent transcripts from ,king ,james' translation from the ,bible1 etc4 ,also the discussion may indicate how helpless one would be in defending the ,book of ,mormon from such criticism as is made in ,m's papers1 in the absence of such a theory of translation as is set forth in the ,young ,men's ,improvement ,manual and in the series of papers preceding this brief discussion4 ,the writer disclaims having issued a challenge to the world1 or to anybody in it1 to debate the question of the divine authenticity of the ,book of ,mormon in his remarks in the ,salt ,lake ,tabernacle on the #hth of ,november1 #aijc1 or at any other time4 ,the remarks on that occasion merely dealt with what the writer considers a prophetic page in the ,book of ,mormon1 page #abb of the current edition1 and which is as follows3 ,,ii ,,nephi4 #b4 ,for behold1 ,i say unto you1 ,that as many of the ,gentiles as will repent1 are the covenant people of the ,lord2 and as many of the ,jews as will not repent1 shall be cast off2 for the ,lord covenanteth with none1 save it be with them that repent and believe in his ,son1 who is the ,holy ,one of ,israel4 #c4 ,and now1 ,i would prophecy somewhat more concerning the ,jews and the ,gentiles4 ,for after the book of which ,i have spoken shall come forth1 and be written unto the ,gentiles1 and sealed up again unto the ,lord1 there shall be many which shall believe the words which are written2 and they shall carry them forth unto the remnant of our seed4 #d4 ,and then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us1 how that we came out from ,jerusalem1 and that they are descendants of the ,jews4 #e4 ,and the gospel of ,jesus ,christ shall be declared among them2 wherefore1 they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers1 and also to the knowledge of ,jesus ,christ1 which was had among their fathers4 #f4 ,and then shall they rejoice2 for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of ,god2 and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes2 and many generations shall not pass away among them1 save they shall be a white and delightsome people4 #g4 ,and it shall come to pass that the ,jews which are scattered1 also shall begin to believe in ,christ2 and they shall begin to gather in upon the face of the land2 and as many as shall believe in ,christ1 shall also become a delightsome people4 #h4 ,and it shall come to pass that the ,lord ,god shall commence his work1 among all nations1 kindreds1 tongues1 and people1 to bring about the restoration of his people upon the earth4 #i4 ,and with righteousness shall the ,lord ,god judge the poor1 and reprove with equity1 for the meek of the earth4 ,and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth2 and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked2 #aj4 ,for the time speedily cometh1 that the ,lord ,god shall cause a great division among the people2 and the wicked will he destroy2 and he will spare his people1 yea1 even if it so be that he must destroy the wicked by fire4 #aa4 ,and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins1 and faithfulness the girdle of his reins4 #ab4 ,and then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb1 and the ,end of page4 ,here on this one page are at least five very striking prophecies3 #a4 ,many shall believe the ,book of ,mormon3 a thing which seemed most improbable when the book was in course of publication4 #b4 ,they will carry it to the ,lamanites--,american ,indians2 #c4 ,the ,lamanites by that means will hear the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 come to a knowledge of their fathers1 will rejoice in the truth1 and finally become a delightsome people2 #d4 ,the ,jews1 after the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon1 will begin to believe in ,christ1 and begin to gather to the lands of their fathers--,palestine4 #e4 ,the work of the ,lord on the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon will begin among all nations1 in order to bring to pass the restoration of ,israel in the earth4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,these prophecies and their fulfillment are considered at length in the ,y4 ,m4 ,m ,i4 ,a4 ,manual for the year #aijd-f1 ,no4 #i2 which treatise will also be found in the writer's ,new ,witness for ,god1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 now soon to go to press4 ,in the discourse which treated of this prophetic page the writer expressed the opinion that these prophecies and their direct and remarkable fulfillment could not be accounted for on any other hypothesis than that the writer of them was inspired of ,god4 ,and this was construed into the ,challenge to the ,world referred to in the following papers4 ,if the writer's remarks could fairly be considered as a challenge1 then surely these prophecies and the question of their fulfillment should have been the main subject of discussion2 but consideration of them forms scarcely any part of the debate which follows1 they are almost ignored1 and quite other questions are the subject of the debate2 for which however1 the writer is in no way responsible4 ,i4 ,the ,objector's ,first ,paper4 7,salt ,lake ,city ,tribune1 ,nov4 #bb1 #aijc47 ,editor ,tribune3--,according to the newspaper reports1 ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 in his ,tabernacle address ,sunday1 ,november #hth1 threw out a sweeping challenge to the world to show that the ,book of ,mormon is not of divine origin and authority4 ,since ,elder ,roberts1 on the occasion above referred to1 confined his attention mainly to the writings of the alleged ,prophet ,nephi1 we will do the same4 ,now the following are some of the difficulties ,elder ,roberts will have to explain before he can make any headway toward setting aside the intelligent belief of the ,american people generally that the ,book of ,mormon in general and the books of ,nephi in particular are fictitious books3 ,,the ,,prophet ,,nephi4 #a4 ,the alleged ,prophet ,nephi claims to have lived and written between #ejj and #fjj ,b4,c4 ,for he tells us in chapter #a and #aj of the first book that his father was living in ,jerusalem in the first year of the reign of ,zedekiah1 king of ,judah1 which reign began not far from #fjj ,b4,c4 ,this professed prophet ,nephi pretends to give a summary of the records made by his father ,lehi1 about that date1 and also an account of my proceedings in my days4 ,now the first difficulty for ,elder ,roberts to remove is this3 ,how could a writer1 claiming to live at that time1 make repeated quotations from the writings of ,christ's ,apostles1 who were not born until nearly #fjj years after the time when ,nephi wrote8 ,yet this pretended prophet ,nephi quotes passage after passage from the writings of ,christ's apostles ,matthew and ,john and ,paul1 and also from the writings of the evangelist ,luke1 and from the words of the ,apostle ,peter1 which ,christian writers were born about the beginning of the ,christian era4 ,just take two or three examples of ,nephi's quotations1 made at least #ejj years before the writers were born from whom he quotes3 ,in ,i ,nephi #aj3h1 we read these words1 so familiar to ,english ,bible readers3 ,yea1 even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness1 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 and make his paths straight2 for there standeth one among you whom ye know not2 and he is mightier than ,i1 whose shoe's latchet ,i am not worthy to unloose4 ,this is a direct quotation from the gospel of ,john #a3bf-g1 and also from ,matthew #c3a4 ,on the same page in ,nephi are several quotations from the writings of ,paul1 in the #aath of ,romans1 about the olive tree1 and the branches broken off1 with others grafted in4 ,in ,i ,nephi iii3#bj we find the expression1 which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets 99 99 99 since the world began4 ,these are the words of ,peter as recorded by ,luke in ,acts iii3#ba4 ,the above is an illustration of the way in which this alleged ,prophet ,nephi quotes from the writers of the ,new ,testament4 ,this is fraud ,no4 #a1 exposing the false claims of ,nephi1 who pretends to write between #ejj and #fjj years ,b4,c4 and yet quotes from the ,new ,testament writers who were not born until over #ejj years later4 ,the ,old ,testament prophets were genuine4 ,they did1 by the help of ,god1 foretell many important future events4 ,but none of them pretended to be able1 either by the help of ,god1 or their own agility1 to quote passage after passage from writings that did not exist1 and from authors that had not been born4 ,it remained for the favorite prophet of ,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts1 the robust and agile ,nephi1 to perform this feat1 beyond the reach of ,god's genuine prophets4 ,,quotes ,,from ,,shakespeare4 #b4 ,this alleged ,prophet ,nephi1 pretending to write between #ejj and #fjj ,b4,c41 actually quotes from ,shakespeare6 ,this beats the genuine prophets of the ,old ,testament even worse than before1 and shows that1 on a prophetic long jump1 this elastic ,nephi could easily take the cake4 ,in ,,ii ,nephi i3#ad1 he is writing down the words of his father ,lehi1 and represents him as saying1 hear the words of a trembling parent1 whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent gave1 from whence no traveler can return4 ,every reader of ,shakespeare will recognize the last phrase as taken1 in substance1 from a sentence in ,hamlet's soliloquy4 ,this great ,prophet ,nephi 7writing1 be it remembered1 between #ejj and #fjj ,b4,c47 had probably loaned his copy of ,shakespeare to a neighbor and attempted to quote from memory1 getting about as near the original as the average ,mormon prophet generally does1 for example1 when attempting to quote the scriptures from memory4 ,here is fraud ,no4 #b perpetrated by this pretended prophet ,nephi1 from which ,elder ,roberts must vindicate his hero1 or else leave us to conclude1 as facts seem to show1 that the writer of these books of ,nephi was quite a modern deceiver4 #c4 ,this brings us to another serious difficulty which we ask ,elder ,roberts to elucidate before we can accept his theory that ,nephi was a prophet of ,god1 and that the book of ,mormon is a divine revelation4 ,this alleged ,prophet ,nephi1 professing to write between #ejj and #fjj ,b4,c41 quotes many long passages from a book which did not come into existence until the seventeenth century of the ,christian era4 ,we refer to the ,king ,james ,english version of the ,bible1 which was first published in #afaa ,a4 ,d4 ,now1 perhaps ,elder ,roberts can tell us how this fellow ,nephi1 pretending to write in the sixth century before ,christ1 could quote hundreds of passages1 about three hundred1 from the ,new ,testament alone1 and whole chapters from our ,english version of the ,bible1 which did not come into existence for more than #bjjj years after he wrote6 ,this stuffed ,prophet ,nephi gives himself completely away in the very first chapter1 and shows that he is a very modern writer by using such well-known expressions as these from our ,english ,bible3 ,pillar of fire1 ,exodus xiv3#bd2 ,filled with the spirit1 ,ephesians v3#ah2 ,great and marvelous are thy works1 ,o ,lord ,god ,almighty1 ,revelation xv3#c4 ,these hundreds of passages1 and these whole chapters in ,,ii ,nephi and elsewhere1 from our ,english ,bible1 be it observed1 are quoted not from the original1 which would not help the matter1 for the original of the ,new ,testament did not exist2 but they are quoted from the ,english translation of #afaa1 mistakes and all1 even to the filling in of the peculiar gaps in the way suggested by the ,english translators4 ,now1 these hundreds of verbatim quotations1 and these whole chapters from our ,english ,bible1 which claim to be quoted over #bjjj years before it was written1 should make it quite clear1 even to the average mind1 that this pretended ,nephi instead of being an ancient prophet was a very modern one1 a pious deceiver and falsifier1 living about #ahbi of our era4 ,but1 perhaps1 ,elder ,roberts can explain it all1 and show us how this modern deceiver in the nineteenth century was an ancient prophet of ,god #fjj ,b4,c4 ,,gives ,,himself ,,away4 #d4 ,this alleged ,prophet ,nephi gives himself away even worse in the #cast chapter of the second book by forgetting that he was pretending to write in the sixth century before ,christ and treating the baptism of ,christ as actual history1 which it really was4 ,he not only refers to it in the past tense1 but actually indulges in a regular camp-meeting exhortation to the brethren1 exhorting them1 in accordance with the revival style of #ahbh1 to repent of their sins1 and follow their ,lord and ,savior down into the water1 promising that after that they shall have the baptism of fire and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this is deception ,no4 #d1 and shows that ,sidney ,rigdon ,nephi1 in #ahbh1 forgetting that he was an ancient prophet living six centuries before ,christ1 broke loose in his regular old camp-meeting style1 and just whooped up the brethren1 without his deceiver's mask4 ,nephi1 a divinely inspired prophet of ,god6 ,holy ,moses1 preserve us6 ,if ,nephi1 with the above record1 or the godless fellow who personated him1 deserves honor as a prophet1 then great injustice was done to ,boss ,tweed in not electing him ,president of the ,american ,bible ,society4 ,for clearly he had more religion than this alleged ,prophet ,nephi with his conscienceless deception in connection with sacred things4 ,come1 ,brother ,roberts1 if you can't back up that other alleged prophet1 ,joseph ,smith1 with something more substantial1 something less imaginary and fictitious than these pretended prophetic writings of ,nephi1 from which we have been quoting1 then you better drop ,nephi as a prophet and fall back on ,coriantumr1 ,shiz or ,robinson ,crusoe4 ,,what ,,is ,,new ,,in ,,it8 #e4 ,if the ,book of ,mormon1 as ,elder ,roberts claims1 is a revelation from ,god1 what moral or religious truth does it reveal which we did not know before8 ,not one item4 ,if ,elder ,roberts will point me to one solitary item of moral or spiritual truth in the whole ,book of ,mormon which it did not take1 directly or indirectly1 from the ,bible1 ,i will present him with a five-dollar ,stetson hat4 ,i know it cannot be done1 for it has been attempted in vain again and again4 ,what sense is there in calling the ,book of ,mormon a revelation from ,god1 when it took from the ,bible the only moral truth it contains1 and is shown on its face to be a counterfeit book8 ,now1 a few words about the pretended prophecies of the wonderful ,nephi1 which ,elder ,roberts claims have been fulfilled4 ,here is the way in which prophecies are made and fulfilled in the ,book of ,mormon3 ,it either takes the historic record in the ,new ,testament1 using the very words of ,scripture1 tries to push this history back hundreds of years and then falsely claims it to be prophetic2 or else it deliberately appropriates the genuine prophecies of the ,old ,testament4 ,then1 after mutilating these prophecies more or less1 with its peculiar ,sidney ,rigdon phraseology and most abominable grammar1 it attempts to palm off these prophecies as original6 ,the prophecy about the restoration of the ,jews to their own land1 which ,elder ,roberts quotes from second ,nephi1 and thinks is so wonderful1 is simply a case of downright plagiarism4 ,the conversion of the ,jews and their restoration to their own land is repeatedly foretold by the ,old ,testament prophets1 in such passages as ,jeremiah xxx3#c2 ,ezekiel xxxvii3#ba2 ,amos ix3#ae1 and others4 ,yet the writer of this book of ,nephi does not hesitate to take these prophecies from the ,bible1 modify their language1 and then try to palm them off as his own4 ,as for the two pretended prophecies referred to by ,mr4 ,roberts1 in ,,ii ,nephi xxx3#c1 that ,many shall believe the words which are written1 and that ,they shall carry them forth to the remnant of our seed1 the first is not a prophecy at all1 but the simple statement of a well-known historical fact1 yet perverted by the attempt to make it bolster up this modern book4 ,in saying that it is the statement of a historical fact1 we mean this3 ,the ,book of ,mormon1 as shown above1 is made up of hundreds upon hundreds of ,bible phrases and verses1 and many whole chapters taken from our ,english ,bible4 ,as a matter of course1 these ,bible quotations which form such a large per cent of the ,book of ,mormon1 are accepted and believed by the #djj millions who make up ,christendom4 ,the other passage ,mr4 ,roberts misreads and misinterprets by making the remnant of our seed refer to the ,lamanites4 ,then he assumes1 without one item of proof1 that the ,lamanites are the same as our ,indians4 ,according to ,nephi1 the ,lamanites were the descendants of his brother ,laman1 and were consequently ,jews1 for ,laman was a ,jew4 ,now ,ridpath1 the ,american historian1 in the second paragraph of his history of the ,united ,states1 sums up the evidence concerning the connection between the ,indians and the ,jews in this one sentence3 ,the notion that the ,indians are descendants of the ,israelites is absurd4 ,furthermore1 the writer of the book of ,nephi jumbles up his own history and contradicts himself in appearing to make the remnant of our seed refer to the ,lamanites1 as in #b ,nephi xxx3#f4 ,nephi writes as a ,jew1 and his seed or the remnant of it1 will inevitably be ,jews and ,nephites1 and not ,lamanites4 ,the latter descended from ,laman and not from ,nephi1 and hence could not be the remnant of ,nephi4 ,but what is the use of talking seriously about the ,nephites and the ,lamanites when no such people ever existed in this country except in the wild imagination of the writer of a piece of fictitious stuff1 out of which this ,book of ,mormon was manufactured4 ,the ,nephites and ,lamanites never had one whit more reality than the peculiar inhabitants of the famous island of ,lilliput1 as described by that model ,mormon historian1 ,lemuel ,gulliver1 whom ,dean ,swift portrays4 ,,not ,,an ,,ancient ,,book4 ,abundant proof has been given above that the ,book of ,mormon is not an ancient1 but a very modern book1 and not only a modern book1 but a modern imposition by pretending to be an ancient book and revelation from ,god1 when it reveals nothing in the way of moral truth which it did not steal from the ,bible4 ,we are sorry to see a man of ,mr4 ,roberts' ability fooling away his time and thought in the useless attempt to bolster up as a divine revelation that which the intelligent reading millions of the ,american people are persuaded is fabrication4 ,if the fact that #bjj1jjj people1 more or less1 believe in the ,book of ,mormon1 proves that a false book is a true one1 then ,mrs4 ,eddy's book far outranks the ,book of ,mormon in merit1 for her 'book has a million supporters4 ,but ,mr4 ,roberts is correct in one statement1 namely3 that if the ,book of ,mormon is a false book1 then it would follow that the great prophet of the ,latter-day movement is a fraud4 ,well1 if there is any one fact which is generally accepted and believed by the reading1 thinking millions of this country1 without regard to party or creed1 it is that ,joseph ,smith was not a prophet4 ,and they believe this because of the abundant and varied evidence in regard to his life and conduct4 ,if ,mr4 ,roberts is really in earnest in desiring to know the actual origin of the ,book of ,mormon1 the character of the men who manufactured it and the kind of pretenders they were1 socially and morally1 let him read the first eleven chapters of the ,origin and ,progress of ,mormonism1 by that well-informed and reliable historian1 ,pomeroy ,tucker of ,palmyra1 ,new ,york4 ,he was well acquainted with ,martin ,harris1 ,oliver ,cowdery and other ,mormon leaders of that early time1 and was for a dozen years near neighbor to the founder of ,mormonism and all his family4 ,mr4 ,tucker was the editor and proprietor of the ,wayne ,sentinel1 on whose press the first edition of the ,book of ,mormon was printed1 ,mr4 ,tucker himself correcting the proof sheets4 ,his book was published by ,d4 ,appleton ,co41 ,new ,york1 in #ahfg4 ,mr4 ,tucker sets forth the character of the false prophet and those associated with the latter at that time from personal acquaintance and knowledge1 and his book has been generally accepted as thoroughly honest and reliable4 ,,the ,,dilemma4 ,now if ,mr4 ,roberts can read the facts as set forth in ,mr4 ,tucker's book1 which have been confirmed by scores of reliable witnesses also acquainted with the facts1 and still stand up in public and declare it to be his belief that ,nephi was a prophet of ,god and the ,book of ,mormon is a revelation from ,god1 he will force the general public to conclude rather that he is not a sincere man1 or else that his peculiar training prevents him from distinguishing between true reasoning and false1 between facts and fiction1 between honesty and fraud1 between true revelation and that which is counterfeit4 ,because the facts in ,mr4 ,tucker's book1 confirmed by scores of witnesses of worthy character1 have been amply sufficient to convince the reading1 thinking1 truth-loving millions of the ,american people generally that the ,book of ,mormon is fiction in pretending that a part of it was written #bdjj and the rest #aejj years ago1 when the proof that it is a modern book is shown on almost every page4 ,the facts in ,mr4 ,tucker's book have also convinced the ,american people generally that the alleged prophet was not a prophet4 ,the above has been written with entire good will1 in the interests of truth and historic facts4 ,and when ,mr4 ,roberts squarely meets the above difficulties1 contradictions and absurdities in the ,book of ,mormon1 not by wordy evasion and logical hair-splitting1 however ingenious1 but in a way that shall be satisfactory not only to his own mind but also to intelligent1 reasoning1 truth-loving minds generally1 then perhaps he will be entitled to issue another sweeping challenge in behalf of a book which the ,american people generally1 without regard to party or creed1 believe to be a fabrication4,m4 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,november #ah1 #aijc4 ,,ii4 ,the ,first ,reply4 7,salt ,lake ,tribune1 ,nov4 #bi1 #aijc47 ,editor ,tribune3--,if any words of mine in the remarks made in the ,tabernacle on the #hth of ,november could be construed into a challenge to a public discussion of the ,book of ,mormon--as the writers of headlines on some of the morning papers seem to think they could be--when the challenge was accepted1 the courtesy of debate would certainly require that the acceptance of the challenge should be otherwise than from ambush4 ,i mean that ,i am entitled to know the name of my opponent1 that ,i may judge somewhat of his character and standing4 ,and why should the gentleman remain in cog8 ,is he ashamed to be known as engaging in such a discussion8 ,or is it a precaution he takes so that if his argument does not rise to the expectation of his friends1 he may remain unknown behind the mystery of a single initial4 ,if the first supposition be true1 it is a difficulty he could easily have avoided2 if the second suggestion be the true reason for his remaining unknown1 he is to be commended for his cunning4 ,i need say nothing of his courage4 ,when on ,saturday my attention was called to the editorial announcement that the alleged challenge had been accepted1 and an article against the ,book of ,mormon would appear in ,the ,tribune's ,sunday issue1 ,i remarked to a friend that ,i thought ,i could write an answer to the much heralded article without seeing it2 and when on ,sunday ,i read the ,unknown's production ,i felt ,i had not been over-confident in the assertion1 so closely has he followed in the well-beaten1 not to say worn out1 path of anti-,mormon argument4 ,what a world of trouble ,alexander ,campbell would have saved many inferior disputants had he only stereotyped the objections he urged against the ,book of ,mormon in #ahca6 ,they then could have pointed to his utterances and said3 ,them's my arguments4 ,for from the days of ,mr4 ,campbell until now1 anti-,mormon geniuses have but rehashed the great man's arguments1 with a uniform decadence in their strength1 in proportion to the distance in time from which they are removed from him who first fashioned them4 ,but now to the ,unknown's arguments4 ,,the ,,time ,,of ,,writing4 #a4 ,the ,unknown states the fact that ,nephi wrote between #fjj and #ejj ,b4,c4 and then presents what he calls the first difficulty that ,i am to overcome4 ,how can a writer1 he asks1 claiming to live at that time make repeated quotations from the writings of ,christ's ,apostles who were not born until #fjj years after the time when ,nephi wrote8 ,he then charges that ,nephi quotes passage after passage from the writings of ,christ's apostles1 ,matthew1 ,john1 ,paul1 ,luke1 ,peter1 etc42 and gives what he calls just two or three examples of such quotations4 ,the gentleman very much overstates the difficulty he presents1 by making it appear that the alleged quotations are very numerous1 when the fact is that the two or three cases he cites virtually exhaust the alleged quoted passages so far as the ,new ,testament is concerned4 ,in order that your readers may see how flimsy the charge here made is1 ,i set down the quotations in question4 7a7 ,nephi1 describing his father's vision of the future coming of the ,messiah1 says3 ,and he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the ,messiah1 to prepare the way of the ,lord2 yea1 even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness1 ',prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 and make his paths straight2 for there standeth one among you whom ye know not2 and he is mightier than ,i1 whose shoe's latchet ,i am not worthy to unloose4 ,and much spake my father concerning this thing4 ,to make this appear as a plagiarism from the ,new ,testament the ,unknown puts together two passages3 7#a7 ,i baptize with water2 but there standeth one among you1 whom ye know not2 he it is1 who1 coming after me is preferred before me1 whose shoe's latchet ,i am not worthy to unloose1 7,john i3#bf1 #bg74 7#b7 ,in those days came ,john the ,baptist1 preaching in the wilderness of ,judea 7,matthew iii74 ,of course1 the story of the man who said he could prove that the ,bible commanded every one to hang himself may be commonplace2 but it illustrates the methods of the ,unknown in making out his case of plagiarism4 ,the proof was supplied in this way3 ,he quoted the passage1 and ,judas went out and hanged himself4 ,then from another passage1 from another book1 he quoted these words1 ,go thou and do likewise4 ,it must be remembered that the ,nephites carried with them into the wilderness the ,jewish scriptures1 and ,lehi was doubtless familiar with the prediction of ,isaiah concerning this same prophet that should go before our ,lord to prepare the way before him1 translated in our ,english version as follows3 ,the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness1 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 make straight in the desert an highway for our ,god4 7,isaiah xl3#c47 ,is it more remarkable that the ,lord should reveal to ,lehi what the voice in the wilderness should cry than that he should reveal it to ,isaiah8 ,with reference to the ,unknown's charge that on the same page quoted above1 ,nephi makes several quotations from the writings of ,paul in the xi4 of ,romans1 about the 'olive tree1' and the 'branches broken off1 with others grafted in1' etc41 the gentleman1 if acquainted with the prophets of ,israel ought to know that this simile is not original with ,paul2 but that the ancient prophets used it in illustration of ,israel and the judgments that should come upon the people4 ,moreover1 in addition to our books of ,jewish scriptures the ,nephites had some of the writings of the other prophets of ,israel1 notably the book of ,zenos1 in which was given at great length this simile of the tame olive tree and the branches being broken off and others grafted in1 etc41 from which book1 unquestionably1 ,nephi obtained his ideas4 ,,quotation ,,from ,,peter4 ,the ,unknown charges that ,nephi quoted from the words of ,peter1 which ,i give here1 followed by the passage from ,nephi4 ,peter3 ,whom the heaven must receive until the time of restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began4 ,nephi3 ,behold1 it is wisdom in ,god that we should obtain these records1 that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers2 and also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets1 which have been delivered unto them by the spirit and power of ,god1 since the world began1 even down unto the present time4 ,the omissions that are made in order to bring words together to establish the charge of plagiarism1 will exhibit to what straits the ,unknown is driven to make out his case4 ,one other thing the ,unknown seems to have overlooked1 viz41 that the ,book of ,mormon is a translation of the ideas and prophecies of men deriving their knowledge concerning the ,messiah and things associated with his life either from the old ,jewish scriptures1 which were in their possession1 or from the revelations of ,god direct to them2 and that the translator1 ,joseph ,smith1 being more or less familiar with ,new ,testament and ,old ,testament expressions1 in making the translation1 at times used ,bible phraseology in representing ideas akin to those found in ,jewish scriptures4 ,see also my remarks under heading ,no4 #c1 where this defense is more fully stated4 ,,the ,,shakespearean ,,quotation4 #b4 ,the ,unknown fairly revels in the thought that he has ,lehi quoting ,shakespeare many generations before our great ,english poet was born2 and indulges in the sarcasms which ,campbell and more than a score of anti-,mormon writers have indulged in who have mimicked his phraseology4 ,now the fact is there are two passages in ,job which could easily have supplied both ,shakespeare and ,lehi with the idea of that country from whose bourn no traveler returns4 ,that this may appear ,i give the passages from ,shakespeare1 ,job and ,lehi4 ,it should be remembered always that the ,nephites had the ,jewish scriptures with them1 including the book of ,job2 hence ,lehi could have obtained his idea from the same source whence ,shakespeare obtained his4 ,shakespeare3 ,that undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns4 ,job3 ,let me alone that ,i may take comfort a little1 before ,i go whence ,i shall not return1 even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death4 7,job x3#bj1 #ba47 ,when a few years are come1 then ,i shall go the way whence ,i shall not return4 7,job xvi3#bb47 ,lehi3 ,hear the words of a parent whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave from whence no traveler can return4 ,it will be observed that the passage from the ,book of ,mormon follows ,job more closely than it does ,shakespeare both in thought and diction2 and this for the reason1 doubtless1 that ,lehi had been impressed with ,job's idea of going to the land whence he would not return1 and ,joseph ,smith1 being familiar with ,job1 and very likely not familiar with ,shakespeare1 when he came to ,lehi's thought1 expressed it nearly in ,job's phraseology4 ,,from ,,the ,,new ,,testament4 #c4 ,the ,unknown asks me again how it is that ,nephi1 living in the sixth century ,b4,c41 can quote numerous passages1 about three hundred from the ,new ,testament alone1 and whole chapters from our ,english version of the ,bible1 which did not come into existence for more than #b1jjj years after he wrote4 ,when the ,unknown says that there are three hundred quotations from the ,new ,testament alone in the writings of ,nephi1 if he meant that1 he simply makes a colossal misrepresentation1 for there is no such number of passages in ,nephi from the ,new ,testament alone1 nor1 in fact1 in the whole ,book of ,mormon4 ,but as ,i think he must have meant this assertion to apply to the whole ,book of ,mormon1 ,i will take no advantage of his misstatement as to confining that number to ,nephi1 but will meet the larger question as to all these passages in the ,book of ,mormon which parallel passages in both the ,old and ,new ,testament4 ,because ,joseph ,smith translated the ,book of ,mormon by means of the inspiration of ,god and the aid of the ,urim and ,thummim1 it is generally supposed that this translation occasioned the ,prophet no mental or spiritual effort1 that it was purely mechanical2 in fact1 that the instrument did all and the ,prophet nothing1 than which a greater mistake could not be made4 ,all the circumstances connected with the work of translation clearly prove that it caused the ,prophet the utmost exertion1 mental and spiritual1 of which he was capable1 and that while he obtained the facts and ideas from the ,nephite characters1 he was left to express those ideas in such language as he was master of4 ,this1 it is conceded1 was faulty2 hence here and there verbal defects in the ,english translation of the ,nephite record4 ,now when the ,prophet perceived from the ,nephite records that ,isaiah was being quoted2 or when the ,savior was represented as giving instructions in doctrine and moral precepts of the same general character as those given in ,judea1 ,joseph ,smith undoubtedly turned to those parts of the ,bible where he found a translation substantially correct1 of those things which were referred to in the ,nephite records1 and adopted so much of that translation as expressed the truths common to both records2 and since our ,english version of the ,jewish scriptures was the one the ,prophet used in such instances1 we have the ,bible phraseology of which the ,unknown complains1 and of which this1 in the judgment of the writer1 is the adequate explanation to all of that class of his objections4 #d4 ,what the ,unknown describes as ,nephi giving himself away is based on my unknown friend's inability to comprehend a very simple fact4 ,he says that in the #cast chapter of the second book of ,nephi1 the writer1 forgetting that he was pretending to write in the sixth century ,b4,c41 treats the baptism of ,christ as actual history4 ,that is1 he holds1 the writer changes from prophecy to narrative4 ,the fact is that some time previous to this 7see ,i ,nephi1 chapter #aa7 the baptism of ,jesus had been shown in vision to ,nephi1 hence to him had become as an accomplished fact1 after which1 according to this chapter quoted by the ,unknown1 the voice of the ,son of ,god 7then a pre-existent ,spirit7 came unto ,nephi1 saying ,he that is baptized in my name1 to him will the ,father give the ,holy ,ghost like unto me2 wherefore1 follow me1 and do the things which ye have seen me 7i4 e41 in vision7 do4 ,now ,nephi1 with this in mind1 points out to his brothers in the next verse how1 by following their ,lord and ,savior down into the water1 according to his word 7i4 e41 given previously in ,nephi's vision7 promises them that they shall then receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,all of which considerations demonstrate that the gentleman has not understood the chapter over which he grows vulgarly hilarious by such expressions as whooped up1 ,holy ,moses1 preserve us6 and his reference to ,boss ,tweed4 ,,no ,,new ,,truth #e4 ,the next charge of the ,unknown is that the ,book of ,mormon makes known no moral or religious truth1 no not one item1 and then the gentleman resorts to a thing which to say the least of it looks strangely out of place in a discussion of this description1 and reminds one of the methods of a low order of politicians1 who1 when unable to maintain their part of a controversy by reason1 arrogantly offer a bet1 usually at large odds1 that their side will prevail2 and if the wager for any cause be not taken1 with turkey-cock pride they strut about1 as if they had demonstrated the truth of their contention4 ,now ,i do not know what our ,unknown friend would regard as a spiritual or moral truth1 but here is at least one that ,i commend to his consideration3 ,fools mock1 but they shall mourn4 ,it is quite original to the ,book of ,mormon1 as are the other quotations which follow1 but ,i will not trouble the gentleman for his hat1 even though it be a ,stetson1 as up to date ,i have been able to clothe my own head without an effort to win wagers or prizes4 ,whoever the ,unknown may be it stands out pretty clearly from his article that he is not familiar with great moral and religious questions4 ,he seems not to be aware that the ,jews for many ages have been asking this same question of the ,christian1 i4 e41 they demand to know what moral and religious truth ,jesus taught the world that was not already taught by ,jewish rabbis2 and no later than in the ,october number of the ,open ,court1 a famous rabbi parallels the choicest moral aphorisms of ,christ's teachings with quotations from the ,talmud2 while there has not arisen within the last two centuries an anti-,christian disputant1 but who makes the same claims in behalf of the moral and spiritual teachings of ,buddha2 and not only do they claim that ,christ's moral truths were borrowed from more ancient teachers1 but that the principal events of his life also1 from his birth of a virgin to his resurrection as a ,god1 were stolen from myths concerning ,old ,world heroes and teachings4 ,when ,messiah came to the ,new ,world1 he had the same announcements to make concerning himself1 and his relations to the world2 the same ethical and spiritual doctrines to teach2 and as he had been accustomed to state these doctrines in brief1 aphoristic sentences while in ,judea1 it is not strange that the same things were given to the ,nephites1 in their language1 much in the same order2 which ,joseph ,smith1 observing1 and finding these truths substantially stated in our ,english ,bible1 adopted1 where he could do so consistently1 the language of that book4 ,still there are certain statements of moral and spiritual ideas that the ,unknown will find it difficult to parallel from the ,bible1 a few examples of which ,i here give3 ,wickedness never was happiness4 ,the ,lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men1 save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them4 ,i give unto men weaknesses that they may be humble1 and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me4 ,then let the gentleman take into consideration the exclusiveness of the ,jews1 and of the ,christians also1 for matter of that1 and then contemplate the following passage which breathes such a spirit of universal charity and joins the hands of all the great moral teachers among all nations into one splendid brotherhood3 ,the ,lord doth grant unto all nations1 of their own nation and tongue1 to teach his word2 yea1 in wisdom1 all that he seeth fit that they should have2 therefore we see that the ,lord doth counsel in wisdom1 according to that which is just and true4 ,then let the ,unknown parallel from the ,bible the following great spiritual truth from the ,book of ,mormon3 ,adam fell that men might be2 and men are that they might have joy4 ,a sentence which tells1 as it is told nowhere else1 the purpose of man's existence4 ,the limits of this article preclude the mention of historical and doctrinal truths which the ,book of ,mormon makes known to the world4 ,also1 consideration of the gentleman's efforts to explain away the existence and force of the prophecies in the ,book of ,mormon to which ,i alluded in my ,tabernacle discourse1 and which may be found at page #abb of the current edition of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,i esteem what he has there said of so little importance that ,i shall pass it without comment as its weakness and inaccuracy will be apparent to all who read it4 ,indeed at this point the gentleman makes it quite clear that he is not familiar with the book he attempts to criticise4 ,in trying to make it appear that ,nephi jumbles up his own history and contradicts himself the ,unknown astonishes us with the statement that ,nephi was a ,jew1 and learnedly tells us that his seed or the remnant of it will inevitably be ,jews and ,nephites and not ,lamanites1 and hence the prophecies concerning the ,lamanites could not apply to the remnant of ,nephi's seed4 ,as a matter of fact ,lehi1 and hence all of his sons1 were of the tribe of ,manasseh1 and ,nephi was speaking with reference to both his own and his brother ,laman's descendants of whom the ,indians are the remnant4 ,when ,i reached this part of the gentleman's production ,i thought ,i was not only entitled to know who it was ,i was to meet in discussion1 but also to have an opponent who at least was acquainted with the subject4 ,,as ,,to ,,sorrow4 ,a word as to the sorrow which the gentleman experiences when he sees a man of my ability 7shades of flattery1 leave us67 fooling away his time and thought in the useless attempt to bolster up as a divine revelation that which the intelligent millions of the ,american people are persuaded is fabrication6 ,what a jewel was lost to the anti-,christians of the first or second century by the ,unknown being born in the nineteenth1 instead of the first century6 ,what an eloquent appeal he could have made1 for instance1 to the misguided ,paul1 who wasted his thought and time in an effort 7,i will not say useless one7 to bolster up such a delusion as the ,christian religion was at that time thought to be6 ,a delusion which the intelligent millions of civilized ,rome regarded as the vilest of all deceptions4 ,again1 how ostentatiously the ,unknown could have said to ,paul1 if the latter was really in earnest to know the character of the men who originated this ,christian delusion1 that he could learn it from some of the historical facts and the accepted rumors current at that time about ,messiah and his immediate followers4 ,from such sources he could have learned that ,christ was a blasphemer1 a disturber of the peace1 a menace to the authority of ,rome1 the consort of vile ,galilean peasants1 an associate and sympathizer with women of questionable reputation1 and who1 at last1 for the peace and good order of the community in which he lived1 was duly crucified between two thieves4 ,he was buried and his sepulcher guarded1 but his vile associates bribed the soldier guards1 stole his body1 and then gave it out that he was risen from the dead2 and on these falsehoods arose the fabric known as the ,christian church6 ,there would be no resisting such an appeal as this if only some one had arisen with the intelligence to have advanced it4 ,undoubtedly ,paul would have ceased his labors1 and perhaps ,christianity itself would not have survived such an attack1 and hence many anti-,christians may regret that this ,unknown gentleman did not live in the period when his services would have been so effective4 ,but since the ,unknown1 through no fault of his1 however1 missed his opportunity in that age1 he exerts his abilities in this1 and appealingly says to me1 if ,i would know the real truth about the ,book of ,mormon1 and the character of the men who manufactured it1 ,i should read the ',origin and ,progress of ,mormonism1' by that well-informed and reliable historian1 ,pomroy ,tucker6 ,shades of primer days1 not to say days of the bib and rattle6 ,after nearly a century of existence1 despite the efforts of its enemies to destroy it1 after surviving as ,mormonism has all the floods of falsehood and absurdity hurled upon it1 are we now to turn back to what ,pomroy ,tucker has said in order to get the exact truth concerning ,mormonism and the character of the men who brought it forth8 ,i must inform the ,unknown1 whatever he may think of me1 that ,i must suppose myself utterly incorrigible1 for ,i have read ,pomroy ,tucker years ago1 and also recently1 and if he will call on me ,i will point out to him several score of other anti-,mormon writers ,i have read1 of like ilk with ,tucker1 and yet ,i am not reclaimed4 ,deliberately and proudly1 ,i take my stand with the people whom these writers have maligned1 and whose doctrines and history they misrepresent1 and announce my absolute faith--notwithstanding even the argument of the ,unknown--in the divinity of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,respectfully1 ,b4,h4 ,,roberts4 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah1 ,nov4 #bg1 #aijc4 ,,iii4 ,the ,objector's ,second ,paper ,against the ,book of ,mormon4 7,salt ,lake ,tribune1 ,dec4 #f1 #aijc47 ,editor ,tribune3--,in reply to my article in ,the ,tribune of ,november #bbnd1 pointing out1 in response to his public challenge1 some of the great difficulties in the way of accepting ,nephi as an ancient prophet of ,god1 and the ,book of ,mormon as an ancient revelation from ,god1 ,elder ,roberts begins by finding fault with me for not writing over my full signature4 ,but the reasons he intimates for my not doing so prove altogether too much1 and hence1 by a logical maxim1 prove nothing4 ,for they would prove that those great and high-minded statesmen1 ,alexander ,hamilton1 ,chief ,justice ,john ,jay1 and ,james ,madison1 acted an unworthy part1 and were lacking in courage because1 for wise reasons1 they conducted those masterly discussions which made up ,the ,federalist1 over an assumed name4 ,then the sarcasms about the rehashing by more recent writers1 of ,alexander ,campbell's arguments against the ,book of ,mormon1 are wasted on the desert air1 so far as ,i am concerned1 for ,i have never seen any article or treatise by ,campbell on the subject4 ,it would be quite easy to retort and say that if it were not for the writings of ,orson ,pratt1 the more recent defenders of the ,book of ,mormon would be without ammunition4 ,but that style of arguing amounts to nothing4 ,elder ,roberts' defense seems to raise new difficulties without really settling any1 although it is ingenious and skillful4 ,on general principles1 there is no reason why ,i should not accept the writings of ,nephi and the ,book of ,mormon as readily as my opponent1 if they were true4 ,but the reason why ,i do not1 is because of the extent and variety of the evidence against them1 only a few points of which can be discussed in a newspaper article4 ,since my main object is to establish truth1 ,i wish to treat ,elder ,roberts and his argument in a fair and candid way4 ,let us come now to the main proposition1 which is twofold3 ,elder ,roberts affirms that ,nephi was a prophet of ,god1 living and writing about #fjj ,b4,c42 and that the ,book of ,mormon is a divine revelation4 ,the evidence compels me to deny both of these propositions and to declare that neither of them is true4 ,now let us try to find some common ground on which we can stand4 ,as such ground1 ,i offer these two propositions in reference to books in general1 which seem to me self-evident3 ,first1 any book which professes to have been written in ancient times1 and yet quotes from authors not born until centuries after1 is a spurious book4 ,second1 any book which professes to be a divine revelation to the people of the present time1 and yet reveals nothing1 which it did not appropriate from some other book or source of knowledge already in the possession of the people1 is a spurious book4 ,i use the term revelation in its ordinary sense1 as referring to divine truth4 ,these are two propositions which ,i think people of all creeds can stand upon1 for ,i think they contain nothing which is not self-evident4 ,the differences of opinion will begin when we come to apply these two fundamental principles4 ,still1 it is my opponent's privilege to dissent from these propositions1 if he thinks they are not self-evident4 ,but ,i think that careful1 reasoning people generally1 will accept them4 ,anyhow1 ,i take my stand upon them and proceed to apply them4 ,,those ,,quotations4 #a4 ,as to the alleged ,prophet ,nephi4 ,if it can be clearly shown that he quoted passage after passage from the ,new ,testament writers1 who were not born for centuries after he claims to have written1 then the first fundamental principle is violated1 and we have demonstrative evidence that ,nephi was simply a pretender1 and his writings are spurious4 ,in my former article ,i referred specially to three direct quotations by ,nephi1 from the ,new ,testament writers1 taken from ,acts iii3#ba1 ,john i3#bf-bg1 and ,romans xi3#ag-bd1 and found in ,i ,nephi iii3#bj1 x3#h1 and x3#ab-ad4 ,i also1 under discussion of the third point1 referred to two other quotations from ,ephesians v3#ah1 and ,revelations xv3#c4 ,it did not seem necessary to quote other passages1 for ,i deemed these sufficient to establish the point4 ,the words in ,i ,nephi x3#h1 ,for there standeth one among you whom ye know not2 and he is mightier than ,i1 whose shoe's latchet ,i am not worthy to unloose is a clear plagiarism from ,john i3#bf-bg1 which reads3 ,but there standeth one among you1 whom ye know not1 ,he it is who coming after me is preferred before me1 whose shoe's latchet ,i am not worthy to unloose4 ,the first part of ,nephi x3#h1 is3 ,yea1 even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness1 ,prepare ye the way of the ,lord1 and make his paths straight4 ,this is quoted from ,matthew iii3#c4 ,the reference of ,elder ,roberts to ,isaiah x3#c1 from which the thinks ,nephi might have quoted1 instead of from ,matthew1 is irrelevant1 because1 while the two passages are somewhat similar1 the phraseology is different1 and the careless ,nephi failed to help my opponent out of the difficulty1 for he quotes from ,matthew and not from ,isaiah1 demonstrating what a smart fellow he was by quoting from an author that hadn't been born6 ,so ,elder ,roberts' reference to the fact that the olive tree is used figuratively by some of the ,old ,testament prophets is irrelevant1 because ,nephi quotes ,paul's exact phrases1 and does not quote from the prophets4 ,now1 in reference to these quotations by ,nephi from the ,new ,testament writers1 ,elder ,roberts says3 ,the gentleman very much overstates the difficulty he presents1 by making it appear that the alleged quotations are very numerous1 when the fact is that the two of three cases he cites virtually exhaust the alleged quoted passages so far as the ,new ,testament is concerned4 ,i am not a little surprised at such a statement1 as ,elder ,roberts rather prides himself on his knowledge of the ,book ,of ,mormon1 and in his article1 near the close of his discussion of the fifth point1 laments that he is obliged to carry on this discussion with an opponent who does not seem to be much acquainted with the subject4 ,well1 my friend1 ,i don't boast about my knowledge or superiority to other men2 ,i don't assume to know it all4 ,but ,i think ,i know enough about the ,book of ,mormon to prevent me from making any such careless and utterly inaccurate statements as the above1 that the two or three cases he cites virtually exhaust the alleged quoted passages4 ,verily1 ,i begin to wonder whether my friend has ever read the books of ,nephi through6 ,if he will now follow me for a little1 perhaps he may learn something new about them4 ,let us see whether two or three passages exhaust the quotations4 ,in my former article ,i referred to five quotations from the ,new ,testament writers4 ,let us go on with the count3 #f4 ,in ,nephi v3#ah1 the expression1 all nations1 kindreds1 tongues and people1 is from ,revelations xiv3#f4 #g4 ,in ,nephi x3#ag1 the words1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 are from ,romans xv3#ac4 #h4 ,for he is the same1 yesterday1 today and forever1 in ,nephi x3#ah1 is taken from ,hebrews xiii3#h4 #i4 ,the words1 caught away in the ,spirit of the ,lord1 are from ,acts vii3#ci4 #aj4 ,in ,nephi xi3#ba1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 is from ,john i3#cf4 #aa4 ,in ,nephi xi3#bg1 the words1 and after he was baptized1 ,i beheld the heavens open1 and the ,holy ,ghost came down out of heaven1 and abode upon him in the form of a dove1 are taken from ,matthew iii3#af1 and from ,john i3#cb4 #ab4 ,in ,nephi xi3#ce1 the strange expression1 the twelve apostles of the ,lamb1 is taken from the only place in the world where it originated1 ,revelation xxi3#ad4 #ac4 ,in ,nephi xi3#bb1 the words1 ,yea1 it is the love of ,god which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men1 are taken from ,romans v3#e4 #ad4 ,in ,nephi xii3#aa1 ,and the angel said unto me1 ,these are made white in the blood of the ,lamb1 is from ,revelations vii3#ad4 #ae4 ,in ,nephi xiv3#a1 the repeated expressions1 mother of abominations and mother of harlots1 are taken from ,revelation xvii3#e4 ,these fifteen quotations have been taken from the first fourteen chapters of ,i ,nephi1 leaving eight chapters more in this book and thirty-three chapters in ,,ii ,nephi for other quotations4 ,i have jotted down on the fly-leaf of my copy of the ,book of ,mormon forty-four different quotations from the ,new ,testament writers by this alleged prophet4 ,these quotations are largely in the ,sidney ,rigdon-,nephi style of inaccuracy4 ,nephi is just about as inaccurate in quoting scripture as in quoting ,shakespeare4 ,then a large per cent of the language in the books of ,nephi is a mere paraphrase1 and often a parody1 of the language of the ,new ,testament4 ,i have quoted nothing from ,,iii ,nephi1 whose thirty chapters and sixty-eight pages are largely in the direct language of the ,new ,testament1 three whole chapters being quoted1 although the ,new ,testament was not written for fifty years afterward4 ,i have not quoted from this book1 for ,i understood ,elder ,roberts to be referring to the first two books4 ,the explanation of ,elder ,roberts that ,nephi had a vision of ,christ some fifty years before1 which made ,christ real to him1 is no explanation of the fact that there are eight quotations from three ,new ,testament writers in ,,ii ,nephi #ca4 ,,as ,,to ,,shakespeare4 #b4 ,concerning ,nephi's quotation from ,shakespeare1 ,elder ,roberts thinks he has found a way of escape for ,nephi from this fatal blunder4 ,he cites a passage from ,job from which he thinks ,nephi might have quoted1 for he says the ,nephites had the ,jewish ,scriptures with them1 including the book of ,job4 ,but now observe that this suggested escape for this ancient prophet is out of the ,nephite frying-pan into the ,lamanite fire4 ,for ,shakespeare died in #afaf1 and the ,king ,james ,english version of the ,bible was published in #afaa4 ,now1 so far as the argument against the ancient ,nephite is concerned1 what difference does it make whether he quoted from ,shakespeare or our ,english version of ,job1 which is the one ,elder ,roberts alludes to1 and which is the only one containing any resemblance either to the passage in ,nephi or in ,shakespeare4 ,the only way1 therefore1 to lift ,nephi out of this fatal situation is for ,elder ,roberts to show that he had1 in addition to the ,jewish ,scriptures1 a copy of our ,english ,bible with him back there in the wilderness #fjj ,b4,c41 or else a copy of ,shakespeare4 ,or else let ,mr4 ,roberts agree with me1 according to the evidence1 that ,mr4 ,nephi was simply a very modern gentleman from ,new ,york or ,pennsylvania1 having in his possession both the ,bible and ,shakespeare1 and then the difficulty is solved4 ,,second ,,proposition4 ,now we come to the second proposition which is1 that the ,book of ,mormon is a divine revelation to the people of the present time4 ,a large part of what has been said in proof of the spurious character of the books of ,nephi applies to the ,book of ,mormon as a whole4 ,but there are overwhelming special difficulties in the way of accepting it as a new and divine revelation1 only three or four of which ,i can now briefly touch upon4 #a4 ,the book claims that the plates1 from which it was translated by ,joseph ,smith1 were sealed up and hidden in the hill of ,cumorah1 ,new ,york1 about #djj ,a4 ,d4 ,no one upon this continent ever saw these plates prepared by ,mormon except himself and his son1 ,moroni4 ,they were prepared specially for the people of our time1 in this country4 ,after being hidden about #adjj years ,joseph ,smith claims that the angel ,moroni came and disclosed them to him4 ,and the wonderful revelation contained in the plates1 about the restoration to the earth of the everlasting gospel1 ,elder ,roberts says ,joseph ,smith translated by means of the inspiration of ,god and the aid of ,urim and ,thummim4 ,and1 behold1 when we come to read this wonderful new revelation and this new everlasting gospel which it discloses1 we find that it is simply a feeble and diluted imitation of the ,bible revelation and the gospel which had already been in the possession of the ,christian people of this country for over two hundred years1 and in the possession of their ancestors for over twelve hundred years4 ,if this duplicate1 pretended revelation had been brought out among the benighted people of ,china or ,india1 or some other heathen country who were without these ,bible teachings1 it would not have been such a complete give away4 ,but1 with a great flourish of trumpets1 to give to the ,christian people of this country a weak and poor copy of the revelation and the gospel whose bright and radiant original had been in their possession for hundreds of years1 seems to me so absurd1 and so transparent as a deceiving scheme1 ,i do not wonder that the overwhelming majority of intelligent people utterly reject it4 ,and just because this book1 while so loftily pretending to be a new and divine revelation1 reveals absolutely nothing which the people did not have before in much better form1 how can we avoid concluding that it is a counterfeit book8 ,i will attend presently to the specimens of new truth which ,elder ,roberts finds in it4 #b4 ,there are at least twelve persons1 worthy and reliable so far as ,i can discover1 who testify that the substance of this ,book of ,mormon1 with all its queer names of places and persons1 its strange history1 its battles and slaughters1 its continual imitation of ,bible phraseology1 they had heard read several years prior to the publication of this book1 from a religious romance4 ,it was in this romance that the ,nephites and ,lamanites originated1 and also the pretended ancient books of ,nephi1 ,alma1 ,mosiah1 ,mormon and the rest4 ,i can find no-proof whatever that the above peoples and books ever existed except in the imagination of the writer of the religious romance4 ,and ,i have never been able to see why the testimony of the above twelve witnesses1 who had nothing to gain by their testimony1 should be arbitrarily brushed aside1 and the testimony of the eleven interested witnesses1 who declare that they saw and hefted the plates1 should be gulped down at one swallow4 ,even if they did see the plates1 that proves absolutely nothing essential to the case4 ,they were all ignorant men1 and knew nothing about what was written on the plates4 ,other men saw the famous ,kinderhook plates1 but what of it8 #c4 ,the ,book of ,mormon1 though sealed up and hidden away about #djj ,a4,d41 is filled up1 from beginning to end1 with the phraseology of our ,english ,bible4 ,not only that1 it contains hundreds upon hundreds of the exact phrases and sentences1 and about twenty whole chapters from our ,english ,bible which was not published for about twelve hundred years after the ,book was hidden away4 ,in my former article1 ,i intended to state that there are in the ,book of ,mormon about #cjj quotations from the ,new ,testament1 and ,i am obliged to ,elder ,roberts for interpreting my meaning in that way1 for ,i did not intend to say that the two books of ,nephi contain so many quotations4 ,a ,,vital ,,point4 ,now we come to a vital point4 ,i asked ,elder ,roberts to explain how the above quotations could possibly have been made if the ,book of ,mormon is honest in its claim of being an ancient book4 ,and here is his explanation3 ,because ,joseph ,smith translated the ,book of ,mormon by means of the inspiration of ,god and the aid of ,urim and ,thummim1 it is generally supposed that this translation occasioned the prophet no mental or spiritual effort1 that it was purely mechanical2 in fact1 that the instrument did all and the prophet nothing1 than which a greater mistake could not be made4 99 99 99 ,now when the prophet perceived from the ,nephite records that ,isaiah was being quoted1 or when the ,savior was represented as giving instructions in doctrine and moral precepts of the same general character as those given in ,judea1 ,joseph ,smith undoubtedly turned to those parts of the ,bible where he found a translation1 substantially correct1 of those things which were referred to in the ,nephite records1 and adopted so much of that translation as expressed the truths common to both records4 ,now1 it seems to me that the above defense and explanation of ,elder ,roberts are fatal to his position and that of the defenders of the book generally1 that it is a thoroughly accurate translation of the ,nephite plates1 by means of the inspiration of ,god and the aid of ,urim and ,thummim4 ,and it seems fatal for two reasons3 ,first--,this defense places ,mr4 ,roberts in opposition to his own witnesses4 ,for two of the famous three witnesses wholly differ from ,mr4 ,roberts as to the method of translating the plates1 and point out that ,joseph ,smith had nothing whatever to do except simply to read the ,english sentences as they appeared in translation4 ,martin ,harris says3 ,by aid of the seer stone1 sentences would appear and were read by the prophet and written by ,martin1 and when finished1 he would say 'written1' and if correctly written1 that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place2 but if not correctly written it remained until corrected1 so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates4 ,here is the testimony also of ,david ,whitmer1 another of the three witnesses4 ,after stating that ,joseph put the seer stone into a hat1 he says3 ,a piece of something resembling parchment would appear1 and on that appeared the writing4 ,one character at a time would appear1 and under it was the translation in ,english4 ,brother ,joseph would read off the ,english to ,oliver ,cowdery1 who was his principal scribe1 and when it was written down and repeated to ,brother ,joseph to see if it were correct1 then it would disappear and another character with the interpretation would appear4 ,nothing is said by these witnesses about any ,urim and ,thummim4 ,that was evidently an afterthought4 ,nothing is said about any great mental and spiritual effort on ,joseph's part4 ,second--,the above defense seems to me fatal to ,elder ,roberts' position1 because if ,joseph ,smith turned aside to quote from our ,english ,bible1 as ,elder ,roberts admits that he did1 then what was to prevent him from putting into the ,book of ,mormon1 when it suited him1 quotations from other ,english books1 from ,shakespeare1 from books on geography and history8 ,what prevented him from putting into the ,book of ,mormon the peculiar and well-known views of ,sidney ,rigdon1 with which the book is saturated8 ,what prevented him from putting in his own views8 ,undoubtedly1 that is just what he did1 for the book gives abundant evidence of being a modern compilation1 and the evidence that it is an ancient book utterly fails4 ,the statement and admission of ,elder ,roberts give us all the light we need as to its modern origin and spurious character4 ,just a few words now as to the specimens of new truth from the ,book of ,mormon1 of which ,elder ,roberts presented six3 ,first--,fools mock1 but they shall mourn4 ,i see nothing new about that4 ,everybody mourns sooner or later1 and fools with the rest4 ,in ,proverbs xiv3#i1 we read3 ,fools make a mock of sin4 ,second--,wickedness never was happiness4 ,i think the prophet ,isaiah expresses this idea far better when he says in lvii3#ba1 ,there is no peace1 saith my ,god1 to the wicked4 ,third--,the ,lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men1 save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth4 ,certainly that is not new truth4 ,the very fact that ,god gives us commandments implies that the way will be open for us to keep them4 ,perhaps it was suggested by ,i ,cor4 x3#ac4 ,fourth--,i give unto men weaknesses that they may be humble1 and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me4 ,this idea seems to have been appropriated from ,,ii ,cor4 xii3#i3 ,and he said unto me1 ,my grace is sufficient for thee2 for my strength is made perfect in weakness4 ,fifth--,the ,lord doth grant unto all nations1 of their own nation and tongue1 to teach his word4 ,i do not quote the rest of this verse1 for ,i think this first statement is not true4 ,many nations are in the darkness of heathendom and do not teach the word of ,god4 ,sixth--,adam fell that men might be2 and men are that they might have joy4 ,i think both statements in that sentence are wholly untrue4 ,adam fell because he disobeyed ,god and became a sinner4 ,two-thirds of the human race are in heathenish darkness1 sufferers from cruelty1 want1 oppression and idolatry and without joy4 ,in conclusion1 ,i am sorry to spoil my opponent's concluding paragraph1 for ,i admit that it is well written4 ,but it seems to me illogical1 for in expressing his regret that ,i could not have lived in the days of ,paul1 so that those opposed to ,paul and the ,christians might have availed themselves of my suggestions1 he has to class me with the anti-,christians4 ,in this he is illogical1 for ,i do not belong to that class4 ,suppose that ,i should express regret that he did not live in the eighteenth century1 so as to help the infidels of that day in their contest with ,bishop ,butler and the other great ,christian scholars of that time4 ,my supposition would be illogical1 for my opponent does not belong to the infidel class4 ,now1 ,i have tried to treat my opponent and his arguments with fairness and in a kindly way4 ,i certainly have nothing but good will toward him and to all who are sincere in their opinions4 ,unless some new phase of the subject should come up ,i see no reason why ,i should continue the discussion any further4 ,m4 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,dec4 #d1 #aijc4 ,,iv4 ,the ,second ,reply4 ,editor ,tribune3--,the most impressive thing in the second communication of the ,unknown ,m is its very striking difference of spirit as compared with the first4 ,his arrogance1 if not his confidence1 seems to have left him1 and he writes in a spirit more in harmony with the nature of the subject4 ,i congratulate him upon the improvement4 ,when a book which is sacred to tens of thousand of intelligent people1 and which is accepted by them as a revelation from ,god1 is to be criticised1 a decent regard for propriety requires that it should be discussed in a respectful manner1 and all the more so if the critic regards those who accept the book as deceived1 and would lead them from their delusion4 ,in this connection also ,i desire to say a word on an incidental matter on which the ,unknown lays some stress1 viz41 that the reading1 thinking1 truth-loving millions of this country have come to the conclusion that the ,book of ,mormon is fiction4 ,this carries with it the idea that these millions have examined the ,book of ,mormon and intelligently judged it to be fiction--an impression most erroneous1 for out of the ninety millions of the people of our country it is safe to say not more than two or three millions have ever read the ,book of ,mormon1 this in the most superficial manner1 and with their minds prejudiced by the misrepresentations made concerning it4 ,in fact1 because of these misrepresentations1 contempt has preceded examination1 a circumstance which keeps men ignorant of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,this much to remind the reader that there is no force in the appeal of the ,unknown to the supposed condemnation of the ,book of ,mormon by the reading1 thinking1 truth-loving millions of this country4 ,,two ,,canons ,,of ,,criticism4 ,at this point the gentleman proceeds with a show of orderly argument to lay down what he considers two self-evident canons of criticism on which he takes his stand in repeating his objections to the ,book of ,mormon3 ,the first of these he states in the following terms3 ,any book which professes to have been written in ancient times and yet quotes from authors not born until centuries after1 is a spurious book4 ,this canon of criticism1 however serviceable when applied to books in general1 can in no sense be made to do service against the ,book of ,mormon4 ,when he formulated his canon of criticism1 as throughout the discussion1 the ,unknown fails to recognize the fact that while the ,book of ,mormon is an ancient book1 it is largely a prophetic book2 and the strongest complaint that can be made against it along the line of the ,unknown's criticism is that some of its prophecies are here and there translated in phraseology somewhat similar to that of writers living subsequent to the period in which it was written4 ,in explanation of this fact ,i have urged that the translator1 ,joseph ,smith1 being acquainted with the ,new ,testament writings1 and his diction influenced by the phraseology of those writers1 sometimes expressed the thoughts and predictions of the ancient writers in ,new ,testament phrases4 ,so that the question at issue at this point of the discussion is1 first1 whether the ancient writers in the ,book of ,mormon could have been acquainted with the events1 to them then future1 found in the ,book of ,mormon1 and is the theory reasonable that in translating their statement of these events ,joseph ,smith's diction would be influenced by the phraseology of the ,new ,testament8 ,in dealing with the question of the ,new ,testament phraseology in the ,book of ,mormon it is ,joseph ,smith that the ,unknown has to deal with1 not ,nephi2 with the translator1 not with the original writer4 ,a distinction which he persistently refuses to recognize4 ,a ,,prophetic ,,history4 ,and now as to the point whether the writers of the ,book of ,mormon could be acquainted with the events1 ideas and doctrines which ,joseph ,smith translated here and there in ,new ,testament phraseology4 ,the ,unknown appears ignorant of the great truth that prophecy is but history reversed4 ,he forgets that known unto ,god are all his works and words from the beginning to the end1 and that he has at various times made known future events in the clearest manner to his prophets who1 under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 have recorded them4 ,the ,prophet ,isaiah1 #aej years before the birth of ,cyrus1 foretold that celebrated ruler's name2 declared that he should subdue kingdoms1 including ,babylon1 set free the people of ,god1 held in bondage there and rebuild the ,house of the ,lord at ,jerusalem4 ,and all this as clearly as the historians could write it after the events themselves took place4 ,to ,daniel he revealed the rise1 fall and succession of the leading empires and nations of the world1 even to the time of the establishment of ,god's kingdom in power to hold universal sway in the later days1 an event not yet fulfilled4 ,to the prophets of ,israel nearly every important event in the life of the ,savior was made known1 and that1 too1 in the language of accomplished fact--a complaint often made against the prophecies of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,they foretold that he would be born of a virgin2 that his name would signify ,god with us2 that ,bethlehem would be the place of his birth2 that he would sojourn in ,egypt with his parents2 that he would reside in ,nazareth1 for he shall be called a ,nazarene2 that a messenger would prepare the way before him2 that he should ride in triumph into ,jerusalem upon a colt1 the foal of an ass2 that he would be afflicted and despised2 that he would be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief2 that he would be despised and rejected of men2 that men would turn their faces from him to his affliction2 that he would be esteemed as stricken and smitten of ,god2 that he would be wounded for our transgression1 bruised for our iniquities2 that the chastisement of men would be laid upon him1 and by his stripes would they be healed2 that upon him would ,god lay the iniquity of us all2 that for the transgressions of ,god's people would he be stricken2 that he would be oppressed and afflicted1 yet open not his mouth2 that as a sheep before her shearer is dumb1 so would he be silent before his judges2 that he would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver2 that men would divide his raiment and cast lots for his vesture2 that they would give him gall and vinegar to drink2 that not a bone of him should be broken2 that he should be taken from prison and from judgment1 and be cut out of the land of the living2 that he would make his grave with the wicked and the rich in his death2 but notwithstanding this he should not see corruption 7i4 e41 his body decay71 and that on the third day following his death he should rise triumphant from the grave4 ,all this and much more was foretold by the ancient ,hebrew prophets concerning the ,messiah and most of it told in the language of accomplished fact4 ,this is prophetic history4 ,in like manner to the ,nephites his prophetic history was made known1 and is found in the ,book of ,mormon in some instances in greater plainness than in the ,old ,testament1 because the ,nephite scriptures have not passed through the hands of an ,aristobulus1 a ,philo and other rabbis1 who by interpretation or elimination have taken away some of the plain and precious parts of the ,jewish scriptures4 ,surely if the ,lord revealed to the ,jewish prophets these leading events in the history of the ,savior ages before the ,messiah's birth1 it ought not to be thought a strange thing 7especially by those who believe in the fact of revelation7 if ,god imparted the same knowledge to the ,nephite prophets4 ,in fact it is but reasonable to suppose that if ,god gave them revelations at all he would do so upon this very subject4 ,,of ,,fatal ,,objections4 ,there remains to be considered under this head only this question4 ,is it a fatal objection to the ,book of ,mormon because ,joseph ,smith1 finding the prophetic history of the ,savior in the ,nephite record1 translated it in phraseology here and there found in the ,new ,testament8 ,or in the language of accomplished fact4 ,my contention is that it cannot be considered a fatal objection1 or even a serious difficulty1 especially when one considers upon what slight similarity the ,unknown seizes to make good his objection4 ,for example1 where he tries to make it appear that ,i was in error when saying that the several passages he had already quoted practically exhausted the instances of ,new ,testament phraseology in the writings of ,nephi1 he gave us such cases as these3 ,nephi--,lehi prophesied that these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations1 kindreds1 tongues and people who were of his seed4 ,revelations--,an angel should bring forth the gospel to be preached to every nation and kindred and tongue and people4 ,nephi--,for he is the same yesterday1 today and forever4 ,hebrews--,jesus ,christ1 the same yesterday1 today and forever4 ,nephi--,i was caught away in the ,spirit of the ,lord4 ,acts---,the ,spirit of the ,lord caught ,philip that the eunuch saw him no more4 ,in ,nephi xiv3#a1 says the ,unknown1 the repeated expression mother of abominations and mother of harlots are taken from ,revelations xvi3#e4 ,i here quote ,nephi1 xiv3#a3 ,and it shall come to pass that if the ,gentiles shall hearken unto the ,lamb of ,god in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word1 and also in power1 in very deed1 unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks4 ,after reading it ,i wondered where the ,unknown found in it his mother of abominations and the mother of harlots4 ,of course1 the gentleman may have given the wrong reference1 and ,i will not press his errors too hard upon him1 but how ridiculous to urge the rejection of the ,book of ,mormon on so flimsy an argument1 even if he should find somewhere else his mother of abominations or his mother of harlots4 ,,the ,,vital ,,point4 ,passing over some intervening matter in order to consider this whole question of translation together1 ,i next refer to what the ,unknown says under the heading1 ,a ,vital ,point4 ,i accounted for the imperfections of the language of the ,book of ,mormon on the ground that while the translator obtained his ideas from the ,nephite record1 he was left to express that thought in such language as he was master of1 and as he was uneducated1 that language was here and there faulty1 and ,i accounted for the existence of some passages of the ,bible in the ,book of ,mormon by saying that where ,joseph ,smith found in the ,nephite records quotations from ,jewish scriptures which the ,nephites had with them or when the teachings of ,messiah in their order followed his teachings to be found in the ,new ,testament1 ,joseph ,smith adopted1 when he could do so consistently1 the language of our ,english ,bible4 ,this the ,unknown considers is vital1 and he holds that these quotations would not be found in this translation of the ,nephite record if the ,book of ,mormon is honest in its claim of being an ancient book4 ,he urges that if ,joseph ,smith could thus incorporate these quoted passages1 then there is nothing to hinder him putting into the ,book of ,mormon1 when it suited him1 quotations from other ,english books1 from ,shakespeare1 from books of geography and history1 and the peculiar views of ,sidney ,rigdon1 with which the book is saturated1 or his own views2 and this1 he claims1 is just what he did4 ,well1 of course1 there is nothing that would prevent ,joseph ,smith from following a course of this kind if he was the unmitigated impostor and scoundrel that the ,unknown tries to make him appear to be1 but that is just what ,joseph ,smith was not2 and hence his own honesty and integrity prevented his putting in quotations from the ,bible or any other book except just what the facts and statements in the ,nephite records justified him in adopting4 ,and as for the views of ,sidney ,rigdon being incorporated in it1 that is impossible1 since it is a well-established1 incontrovertible1 historical fact that ,sidney ,rigdon never saw either ,joseph ,smith or the ,book of ,mormon until six months after the book had been published4 ,,of ,,the ,,manner ,,of ,,translation4 ,the ,unknown thinks ,i run counter to the statement of ,martin ,harris and ,david ,whitmer as to the manner in which the ,book of ,mormon was translated1 as he claims that in their testimony there is nothing said about ,urim and ,thummim1 and nothing is said about any great1 mental and spiritual effort on ,joseph's part in obtaining the translation4 ,true1 there is nothing in the statement of ,whitmer and ,harris quoted by the ,unknown to that effect1 but there abounds in the historical incidents connected with the coming forth of the ,book plenty of evidence that the translation was not mechanical1 and in the very book of ,david ,whitmer's1 quoted by the ,unknown1 it is stated that the prophet had to be in a very exalted mental and spiritual state of mind before he could exercise his gift of translation4 ,but we have a better description of the manner of translation than that given by ,whitmer or ,harris4 ,in the course of translation ,oliver ,cowdery became desirous to translate1 and in a revelation the ,lord promised him that power4 ,yea1 behold ,i will tell you 7i4 e41 the interpretation7 in your mind1 and in your heart1 by the ,holy ,ghost1 which shall come upon you1 and which shall dwell in your heart4 ,oliver made the attempt to translate and failed2 whereupon the ,lord in a subsequent revelation gave this as the reason of his failure3 ,behold you have not understood2 you have supposed that ,i would give it 7i4 e41 the translation7 unto you1 when you took no thought save it was to ask me2 but behold1 ,i say unto you1 that you must study it out in your mind1 then you must ask me if it be right1 and if it is right ,i will cause that your bosom shall burn within you2 therefore you shall feel that it is right1 but if it be not right1 you shall have no such feelings1 but you shall have a stupor of thought1 that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong2 therefore you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sections #h and #i47 ,this is the ,lord's description of how ,oliver could have translated had he persevered1 and beyond question it is the manner in which ,joseph ,smith did translate4 ,this is sufficient to establish the fact that the ,unknown is speaking upon a subject with which he has but a very slight acquaintance1 and further ,i may not enter into it here1 because of the necessary limits of this article4 ,,second ,,criticism ,having disposed of the question relating to translation1 ,i take up the ,unknown's second canon of criticism1 which he states in these terms3 ,any book which professes to be a divine revelation to the people of the present time1 and yet reveals nothing which it does not appropriate from some other book or sources of knowledge already in the possession of the people1 is a spurious book4 ,the ,book of ,mormon reveals the fact that there existed two great civilizations on the ,american continent4 ,the first was established by a colony which left the valley of the ,euphrates in very ancient times1 established themselves in the ,north ,american continent1 and in time grew to be a great nation far advanced in civilization4 ,this race passed through all the vicissitudes incident to national existence2 periods of prosperity1 times of disaster2 periods of great righteousness1 when prophets with their divine message influenced the people to keep the commandments of ,god1 followed by long periods of moral and spiritual depression1 and ultimately succumbed to the fate which overtakes all nations that depart from truth and righteousness4 ,the second civilization resulted from two colonies which came from ,judea2 one led by ,lehi1 landing in ,south ,america2 the other colony was led by ,mulek1 who escaped from ,palestine after the overthrow of ,jerusalem by the ,babylonians4 ,this colony landed in ,north ,america4 ,these colonies subsequently united and formed one great nation4 ,this nation1 like others1 followed the beaten track of the history of other nations4 ,in periods of righteousness they advanced in civilization4 ,they had their prophets1 philosophers1 statesmen1 patriots1 traitors1 and passed through all the experiences incident to national existence4 ,their history is the poet's moral of all human tales3 ',tis but the same rehearsal of the past3 ,first freedom1 and then glory--when that fails1 ,wealth1 vice1 corruption--barbarism at last2 ,and history with all her volumes vast hath but one page6 ,after he had completed his ministry in ,judea1 the resurrected ,messiah appeared among the ,nephites1 in fulfillment of his promise to their fathers by the prophets4 ,he announced his divinity1 taught them the gospel1 conferred divine authority upon certain men whom ,he chose among them1 authorized the establishment of the ,church for their instruction and development in righteousness4 ,he taught them every moral truth which ,he had imparted to those living on the eastern hemisphere4 ,he fulfilled all the prophecies relating to him up to this point in the ,jewish scriptures1 which their fathers had carried with them from ,jerusalem4 ,he assured them of the reality of life beyond the grave1 and1 in a word1 planted here the whole system of truth which makes for the salvation of men1 and is called the fulness of the everlasting gospel4 ,the ,book of ,mormon gives a voice to the ruined cities and half buried monuments upon this land of ,america4 ,it confirms all the revealed truths made known in the ,jewish scriptures4 ,in sustaining the truth1 inspiration and authenticity of the ,bible1 the ,book of ,mormon is more valuable than a thousand ,rosetta ,stones2 it is superior to all the clay tablet libraries found in old ,babylon and ,egypt2 it is the voice of sleeping nations speaking as from the dust of ages1 bearing witness to the existence of ,god1 the divinity of ,messiah1 and to the truth of the ,gospel as the power of ,god unto salvation4 ,it vindicates the justice of ,god in that it reveals the fact that he did not leave untold millions of people to perish on this western hemisphere without the knowledge of ,god and the means of salvation4 ,it banishes from the minds of men that narrow1 sectarian dogma of an apostate ,christendom which undertakes to limit the word of ,god to the few books contained in the ,bible4 ,the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon contradicts that equally erroneous sectarian notion that ,god had ceased to give revelations to men and had spoken for the last time to his children4 ,and yet in the presence of this array of great facts and truths which the ,book of ,mormon makes known1 and which are made known nowhere else 7and the half has not been told here71 men of the order of intellect of this ,unknown critic stand chattering like parrots about there being nothing new or of value in the ,book of ,mormon1 and seek to cast discredit upon it by their carping criticisms upon the defects of the language in which it is translated1 and because its translator has couched some of its glorious truths in the ,new ,testament phraseology familiar to him4 ,how puerile all such criticism seems1 and how refreshing it is to hear ,god saying1 ,he that hath my word1 let him speak my word faithfully1 for what is the chaff to the wheat1 saith the ,lord1 7,jeremiah xxiii3#bh74 ,the letter still killeth4 ,it is the spirit that giveth life4 ,,the ,,spaulding ,,theory4 ,in the background of the ,unknown's discussion one may see the influence of what is called the ,spaulding theory of the origin of the ,book of ,mormon1 and in his second communication he indirectly refers to it by saying that there are at least twelve persons1 worthy and reliable so far as ,i can discover1 who testify that the substance of this ,book of ,mormon1 with all its queer names of places and persons1 its strange history1 its battles and slaughters1 its continual imitation of ,bible phraseology1 they had heard several years prior to the publication of this book1 from a religious romance 7,the ,spaulding ,story74 ,it was in this romance that the ,nephites and ,lamanites originated1 and also the pretended ancient books of ,nephi1 ,alma1 ,mosiah and ,mormon1 etc4 ,and later the gentleman says that he cannot see why the testimony of these twelve witnesses should not be received1 etc4 ,in all this the gentleman shows what a back number he is in the mater of controversy relating to the ,book of ,mormon4 ,he seems not aware of the fact that ,spaulding's manuscript has been found and published now these several years1 and is safely lodged in the library of ,oberlin ,college1 ,ohio4 ,there appears upon this manuscript the endorsement of ,aaron ,wright1 ,oliver ,smith1 ,john ,n4 ,miller and ,d4 ,p4 ,hurlburt 7who1 by the way1 are among the twelve witnesses to whom ,m alludes7 as being the very manuscript from which they affirmed that the ,book of ,mormon had been written4 ,and now comes ,l4 ,l4 ,rice1 an anti-slavery editor1 for many year state printer of ,columbus1 ,ohio1 who says3 ,two things are true concerning this manuscript4 99 99 99 99 99 ,first1 it is a genuine writing of ,solomon ,spaulding1 and second1 it is not the original of the ,book of ,mormon4 99 99 99 99 ,it is unlikely that any one who wrote so elaborate a work as the ,mormon ,bible 7,book of ,mormon7 would spend his time in getting up so shallow a story as this4 ,while ,president ,james ,h4 ,fairchild of ,oberlin ,college says over his own signature3 ,mr4 ,rice1 myself and others compared it 7the ,spaulding manuscript7 with the ,book of ,mormon1 and could detect no resemblance between the two in general or in detail4 ,there seems to be no name or incident common to the two4 99 99 99 99 99 ,some other explanation of the origin of the ,book of ,mormon must be found4 ,the truth of ,president ,fairchild's statement can be verified by any one who will compare the two4 ,,nephi ,,and ,,shakespeare4 ,the ,unknown has certainly plunged into the fog respecting his alleged connection between ,nephi and ,shakespeare1 and by some sort of mental contortion utterly inexplicable1 has arrived at the conclusion that we must suppose that ,nephi had a copy of our ,english ,bible as well as the ,jewish scriptures1 and also a copy of ,shakespeare1 in order to account for the passage in the ,book of ,mormon which he alleges is a quotation from the ,english poet4 ,i must come to the rescue of the ,unknown in this matter3 ,i begin to have some degree of commiseration for him in his mental struggle to comprehend even this very simple matter4 ,attend1 then3 ,lehi lived in ,judea in the seventh and sixth century1 ,b4,c4 ,he was acquainted with the ,hebrew scriptures1 including the book of ,job1 and when he departed from ,jerusalem for the western world his colony took with them those same scriptures4 ,through them he became familiar in the ,hebrew with ,job's--,let me alone1 that ,i may take comfort a little before ,i go whence ,i shall not return4 ,also ,job's--,when a few years are come1 then ,i shall go the way whence ,i shall not return4 ,when ,lehi's own hour of departure hence had come1 impressed with this solemn thought of ,job's1 he gave expression to it in ,hebrew4 ,the saying was recorded by his son ,nephi in the ,egyptian characters employed by him in making his record4 ,observe that we have traced these ideas of the land whence ,i shall not return into the ,nephite records without the aid of the ,english ,bible or ,shakespeare4 ,when ,joseph ,smith came to this thought in ,nephi1 the thought1 mark you1 he translated it into the ,english1 and being familiar with the book of ,job1 his translation followed somewhat the phraseology of ,job in our ,english version4 ,shakespeare nowhere appears in all this1 and if he did1 if ,joseph ,smith had expressed this old ,hebrew and ,nephite thought in ,shakespeare's exact phraseology instead of that of our ,english version of ,job it would have been no valid objection to the ,book of ,mormon1 for ,shakespeare died in #afaf1 and the ,english version of the ,bible was published in #afaa1 only five years before the poet's death6 ,are we to infer from this that ,m thinks ,shakespeare had no ,english ,bible from which to paraphrase this passage8 ,if so--and ,i can see nothing else in his reference to these dates--then ,i would inform the gentleman that as there were brave men before ,agamemnon1 so were there ,english ,bibles before the #afaa edition2 ,wycliff's ,english ,bible1 #achj-achd2 ,tyndale's ,english translation1 #aecj2 ,miles ,coverdale's ,english translation1 #aece1 dedicated to ,henry ,,viii1 and for a time issued under the royal sanction4 ,from any of these versions ,shakespeare could have paraphrased ,job's words4 ,the ,unknown seems somewhat distressed in his efforts to account for the few original and moral religious truths1 ,i quoted him from the ,book of ,mormon4 ,especially ,fools mock1 but they shall mourn4 ,he sees nothing new in that1 since in ,proverbs it is said fools make a mock of sin4 ,true1 but it appears from the context where the ,book of ,mormon passage occurs that the particular fools the writer had in mind were those who mocked at righteousness and truth1 and hence he predicts that they shall come to grief2 while ,solomon's fools mock at sin1 and the consequences are not stated1 at least not in that passage4 ,i trust1 however1 the ,unknown will not worry over much4 ,the star of hope may yet appear above life's horizon for him4 ,the javelin-like sentence1 ,fools mock1 but they shall mourn1 is immediately followed by ,my grace is sufficient for the meek2 and it appears to me if this discussion continues through a few more papers1 and there should continue to be manifested as much difference between each succeeding communication of ,m's as there is between the arrogance of his first letter and the humility of his second1 in time ,i am sure he would be prepared to enter a contest even with ,moses for the distinction of being the meekest of men4 ,as to the rest that ,m says of these matters1 the limits of this writing preclude further comment4 ,neither is it necessary1 for it is all as shallow1 not to say as silly1 as what he says upon the passage here criticised4 ,,conclusion4 ,just a word in conclusion1 not to the ,unknown1 but to the readers of these papers4 ,i would have them remember that in this discussion the evidence that can be marshaled to sustain the truth of the ,book of ,mormon has not yet been presented4 ,the manner in which the discussion began made this impossible4 ,there was before the reader no evidence on the positive side concerning the ,book of ,mormon when the discussion began1 and the paper of ,unknown was on the negative side of the question4 ,a proper discussion of the ,book of ,mormon would require that we who affirm its divine origin should have the opportunity of presenting the affirmative evidence1 followed by an argument against that evidence1 with answer and rejoinder to follow4 ,all of which1 of course1 are in no way a complaint as to the present opportunities presented to the writer by ,the ,tribune1 as to him has been extended equal opportunity and courtesy with his opponent1 for which ,i desire to express my appreciation4 ,i am satisfied with this discussion1 but merely desire to call attention to the enforced limits of its scope4 ,respectfully yours1 ,b4,h4 ,,roberts4 ,,iii4 ,the ,fifth ,gospel4 ,,foreword4 ,the occasion which gave rise to the following discourse1 delivered in the ,granite ,stake ,tabernacle1 ,sunday evening1 ,may #bith1 #aijd1 is sufficiently explained in the body of the text4 ,the discourse deals only with one of three of ,rev4 ,paden's discourses delivered against the ,book of ,mormon1 and that the third--,gospels ,apocryphal and ,real4 ,of that discourse nothing here need be said1 as a full synopsis of it is given in the text of the answer to it4 ,but there may be some curiosity to know something of the other discourses of ,mr4 ,paden's against the ,,iii ,nephi--the ,fifth ,gospel4 ,in the first discourse a general charge of plagiarism from the ,bible was made1 the claim being that material for the most valuable parts was to be found in the ,gospel or ,revelation of ,st4 ,john in the ,psalms1 and in the ,gospel according to ,st4 ,matthew4 ,his general conclusion was1 according to the published synopsis of the discourse--furnished by ,dr4 ,paden to the press quoted--that there was nothing in the book to indicate that it was inspired1 except as it was plagiarized from the ,bible4 ,in ,dr4 ,paden's second discourse the charge of plagiarism was emphasized and amplified2 and the further charges made that the book lacked in local color4 ,we find almost nothing1 he said1 which would fit with a tropical climate2 in fact the general description would better coincide with ,pennsylvania or ,new ,york4 99 99 99 99 ,the whole attempt to account for the vagaries of ,nephite geography1 or its seeming disagreement or failure to connect with tropical ,south ,america1 is an exposition of the weakness of the claim made by the ,book of ,nephi and the whole ,book of ,mormon to be a trustworthy document4 ,indeed the whole history and make-up of the story seems to indicate a determination to put its claims beyond the touch of realistic teaching4 ,i mention here these points in the discourses of ,dr4 ,paden1 in order to direct the reader's attention to the fact that these with other objections urged by this gentleman in the discourses referred to1 are considered1 in part1 in preceding papers of this book1 and at length in my treatise on the ,book of ,mormon in the ,young ,men's ,manual for #aije-f1 and will also be found in ,new ,witnesses for ,god1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 soon to issue from the press2 and for the reason that they are considered in those works they are not reviewed here4 ,fifth ,gospel4 ,during the month of ,march of the present year a sectarian minister of high standing in our community preached several discourses in ,salt ,lake ,city--three1 ,i think--against the third book of ,nephi1 contained in the ,book of ,mormon4 ,this third ,nephi the reverend gentleman has happily called the ,fifth ,gospel4 ,i am sorry that descriptive term did not occur to me1 or to some other ,elder in ,israel4 ,had ,i coined the title ,i should have been very proud of it1 for ,i think it a most fortunate one4 ,of course1 the other four gospels are contained in our ,hebrew scriptures4 ,they are the books of ,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke and ,john4 ,we speak of them as the four gospels4 ,and this reverend gentleman refers to ,,iii ,nephi as the ,fifth ,gospel4 ,i call it the ,american ,gospel1 for ,i so regard it4 ,of course1 after stating the title the gentleman then questions the book's right to it4 ,the subject of his three discourses is the consideration of the question whether this ,nephite book is worthy to be classed at all with the four gospels of the ,hebrew scriptures4 ,he decides the question on the negative4 ,i shall not attempt in the remarks ,i make tonight to deal with all three of the gentleman's discourses4 ,i shall content myself with alluding to one1 and that the third1 called ,gospels1 ,apocryphal and ,real4 ,a word of explanation about the term apocryphal gospels4 ,during the first and second centuries of the ,christian era there was a world of myth and legend that grew out of the history of the ,savior4 ,the four gospels leave undescribed1 as you know1 his infancy and youth4 ,between the time his earthly guardians took up their residence at ,nazareth in his infancy to the time when he commenced his public ministry--in all that period we get but one glimpse of him1 that was when he was twelve years of age1 and then we learn of him being in the temple disputing with the doctors--doctors of philosophy and doctors of theology--both asking and answering questions4 ,what sober history failed to record fable and legend sought to supply1 hence we have a collection of books called the ,apocryphal ,new ,testament1 that deals with him and his sojourn in ,egypt and in his childhood days called the ,gospel of the ,infancy1 two books2 the ,gospel of the ,birth of ,mary1 a number of epistles--about fifteen or twenty books1 all told4 ,they are so extravagant in statement1 so wonder-creating in their nature1 that they are generally discredited by ,christians and called apocryphal books about ,jesus and the early days of ,christianity4 ,our reverend friend classes the ,fifth ,gospel with this order of apocryphal books1 and says that it deserves no higher rank than those books to which ,i have here briefly alluded4 ,i shall at this point read to you the synopsis of the reverend gentleman's discourse2 and while the synopsis cannot be so satisfactory as the whole discourse would be1 still ,i think likely he has mentioned his chief objections to the book in the synopsis1 as ,i am informed that he himself prepared it for the public press2 so that what ,i quote is his own representation of the discourse1 and doubtless contains all the points he scored against our ,,iii ,nephi4 ,,synopsis ,,of ,,dr4 ,,paden',s ,,discourse4 ',gospels ,apocryphal and ,real1' was the title of ,dr4 ,william ,m4 ,paden's sermon last night4 ,it was in a way a continuation of his sermons on the book of ,nephi1 and again a large congregation assembled to hear him4 ,he first gave an account of the apocryphal gospels of the infancy1 ,nicodemus1 the birth of the virgin1 and others4 ,these he compared and classed with the gospel according to ,nephi1 which he had explained and dealt with the two preceding ,sundays4 ,much in these so-called gospels anyone could quote or gather from the real gospels2 the greater part of the rest of the matter1 of the rest that is not so copied1 anyone could write4 ,after this ,dr4 ,paden went on to speak of the manner in which our real gospels added something of real worth to the pictures of ,christ4 ,thus ,matthew improved on ,mark1 ,luke on ,matthew and ,mark1 and ,john on them all4 ,does ,,iii ,nephi add anything worth while to the picture8 he asked4 ,luke gives us the story of the prodigal1 ,john the story of the good ,samaritan4 ,matthew has given us many parables4 ,what does ,nephi add which deserves to be classed with such revelations8 ,how does it come that this so-called fifth gospel gives us no new parables8 ,one real1 original parable of the class that is found in the gospel according to ,matthew would give it the necessary standing4 ,one grand new chapter like the #aeth of ,luke1 or the #crd of ,john1 would be as great a surprise in this gospel according to ,nephi as a ,psalm like the #bcrd would be in the early part of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,concerning the authenticity of the would-be fifth gospel1 ,dr4 ,paden made use of a very appropriate and telling simile4 ,he said the question is not where do men say they got it1 but1 is it gold8 ,these four nuggets1 7i4 e41 the four ,hebrew gospels71 are gold4 ,if your supposed nugget is not1 it matters little where you got it2 your father and grandfather may have been mistaken--you must submit to the gold test4 ,,the ,,question ,,stated4 ,you will observe that the primary consideration in the reverend gentleman's discourse is1 ,does ,,iii ,nephi add anything to the picture of ,christ8 ,is our ,christian knowledge increased by it8 ,it is that question that ,i propose to consider4 ,to begin with1 ,i answer the question in the affirmative1 and most emphatically say1 ,yes1 ,,iii ,nephi does add something to the pictures of ,christ1 and does add something to our testimony of ,christian knowledge4 ,i marvel that the gentleman should have propounded such a question in the face of the facts which stand out so prominently in ,,iii ,nephi4 ,i should have thought that one great truth1 that is announced in ,,iii ,nephi1 would have arrested his attention1 namely1 the one truth that ,jesus appeared in this western world and so ministered to a people that two great continents1 to be filled subsequently with nations of people1 might come to a knowledge of ,jesus ,christ and of the gospel of salvation which he taught1--,i should have thought that one fact would have been a complete answer to the gentleman's inquiry4 ,the fact that the justice and mercy of ,god in our conception are broadened by this great truth adds considerable to our ,christian treasury of knowledge4 ,for instead of ,god's mercy and the labors of his ,son being confined to the eastern hemisphere1 we learn from this ,fifth ,gospel that ,god sent his ,son on a special mission to those inhabiting this western world1 and that he presented to them the same great truths upon which his gospel is based that he had presented to those of the eastern world2 and that1 moreover1 while here he gave the ,nephites the information that his labors in ,judea and among them were not all the labors he was required to perform in the interest of humanity and their salvation1 but that he must make his way to the lost tribes of ,israel and declare himself and his message also to them4 ,thus the horizon of ,christ's mission and labor is enlarged beyond anything that can be learned from the four gospels1 and the knowledge can only be found in the ,fifth ,gospel--the third book of ,nephi4 ,that1 however1 is too general a view of the subject to be content with4 ,i propose getting into closer quarters with this matter1 and enquiring into it in some detail4 ,first let me call your attention to the conditions existing at the opening of this ,fifth ,gospel4 ,it opens with the ninety-first year of the reign of the ,judges--a time which corresponds to our year one of the ,christian era4 ,at that time the ,nephites everywhere were more or less expectant of the birth of the ,son of ,god1 for the ,lord had not left himself without witnesses among the ancient inhabitants of this great land1 but as in ,judea1 he raised up prophets who foretold the coming of ,messiah and the conditions that would attend upon his birth into the world4 ,some five years before the opening of this period we are to consider1 a ,lamanite prophet appeared among the ,nephites and prophesied in a marvelous manner concerning events nearing the doors of the people1 declaring that within five years from the time he spoke there should be given a sign unto the people of this western world that ,messiah had been born4 ,that sign should be the continuance of the light of day through two days and a night2 that though the sun should sink as usual beyond the western horizon the light of day should still continue through all the time of night2 the sun should rise again on the morrow according to his order1 and they should know that there had been this strange phenomenon of continuous light1 notwithstanding the absence of the sun2 and a new star should appear also4 ,does that add anything to the picture in the career of ,messiah8 ,is it nothing that the inhabitants of the western world should see in the heavens a most beautiful sign that ,jesus had been born1 and by that sign1 in the fulfillment of the prediction that had been made by the prophets1 they should receive from ,god a testimony that his ,son had come into the world to bring to pass the redemption of the race8 ,i think it adds a beautiful picture in the life of ,jesus ,christ1 and one on which the four gospels are silent4 ,this same prophet predicted also the signs that should attend upon ,messiah's death2 for through prophesy the ,nephites had been made acquainted with the fact that though ,jesus was the ,son of ,god1 yet must he die and be buried in order that he might by that act meet the just claims of inexorable law under which mankind were banished from the presence of ,god and made subject to death4 ,this ,lamanite prophet1 ,samuel1 declared that during the time that the ,son of ,god should be immolated upon the cross this western hemisphere should be mightily shaken by the throes of physical nature2 that great valleys should undergo upheaval and be thrown into mountains2 that many high places and mountains should be shaken down2 that many parts of the land should sink and the sea cover them2 that-some cities would thus be destroyed2 in other cases great mountains of earth should cover wicked cities from the sight of ,god2 and thus should there be upheaval1 cataclysm1 earthquakes and tempests1 fierce and vivid lightnings1 and all the elements should give witness that the ,son of ,god was undergoing the pains of death4 ,moreover1 that this period of cataclysms and changes in the earth should be followed by three days of intense and complete darkness1 until men should be unable to see1 being deprived of the light of the sun so precious to man and so necessary to life4 ,both these events--the signs of ,messiah's birth and the signs of his death--were given as foretold4 ,i pause again to ask this reverend gentleman if the signs of ,messiah's death on this continent do not add something to the picture of ,christ's life4 ,in passing1 let me call your attention to this fact also3 ,i think ,i see something very beautiful and appropriate in these marvelous signs4 ,i think it is fitting that he who is described in the four gospels as well as in the fifth as the ,light and ,life of the world1 should have his entrance into earth life proclaimed by a night in which there should be no darkness1 and that a new star for a season should appear in the heavens1 to be a witness to the people that the life and light which was to bring life and light to mankind had indeed come into the world4 ,and equally appropriate is it that when he who is described as the ,life and ,light of the world is laid low in death1 the world should have the testimony of light eclipsed4 ,i see a beautiful appropriateness in these signs1 and in them ,i see added pictures in the life and career of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,one other thing--which1 however1 ,i can only throw in sight--is this3 ,the traditions held by the native ,american races prove the fact that something like this described in the ,book of ,mormon-these cataclysms and the darkness which followed--was vividly remembered by the ancients and is apparent in the traditions of the native ,americans4 ,for example1 ,mr4 ,bancroft1 the great compiler of native traditions and myths1 after speaking concerning native traditions about the flood1 creation1 the building of the ,tower of ,babel1 the confusion of tongues and the dispersion of mankind1 and of a certain revision that took place in the native calendar1 says3 ,one hundred and sixteen years after this regulation or invention of the ,toltec calendar1 the sun and moon were eclipsed1 the earth shook1 and the rocks were rent asunder1 and many other things and signs happened4 ,this was in the year ,ce ,calli1 which1 the chronology being reduced to our system1 proves to be the same date that ,christ our ,lord suffered--#cc ,a4 ,d4 ,again1 speaking of a certain division made in the ,quiche kingdom1 ,bancroft1 quoting from the ,history of ,guatemala by the native author1 ,juarros1 says3 ,this division was made when three suns were seen1 which has caused some to think that it took place on the day of the birth of our ,redeemer1 a day on which1 it is commonly believed that such a meteor was seen4 ,the day when three suns appeared would doubtless figuratively and very clearly express the time when they had two days and one night of continuous light on the continent4 ,again1 ,nadaillac1 in his ,prehistoric ,america1 after speaking of certain creation and flood traditions1 adds3 ,other traditions allude to convulsions of nature1 to inundations1 profound disturbances1 to terrible deluges in the midst of which mountains and volcanoes suddenly rose up4 ,i now turn to a passage ,i shall read to you from ,,iii ,nephi1 describing the appearance of ,jesus on this land4 ,after these cataclysms had taken place a company of men1 women and children in the land ,bountiful1 numbering some #b1ejj souls1 were assembled together near a temple that had escaped destruction1 and they were speaking of the great events of the recent past and the change that was apparent in the whole face of the land4 ,as they were speaking of these signs that had been given of ,messiah's birth and death1 and conversing concerning ,messiah himself1 they heard a voice4 ,what was said they could not at first determine1 and whence the voice came they could not tell4 ,it grew1 however1 more and still more distinct1 until at last1 they heard the voice say3 ,behold my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased1 in whom ,i have glorified my name3 hear ye him4 ,and it came to pass as they understood1 they cast their eyes up again towards heaven and behold1 they saw a man descending out of heaven3 and he was clothed in a white robe1 and he came down and stood in the midst of them1 and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him1 and they durst not open their mouths1 even one to another1 and wist not what it meant1 for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them4 ,and it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people1 saying3 ,behold1 ,i am ,jesus1 whom the prophets testified shall come into the world3 ,and behold1 ,i am the light and the life of the world2 ,i have drunk out of that bitter cup which the ,father hath given me1 and have glorified the ,father in taking upon me the sins of the world1 in which ,i have suffered the will of the ,father in all things from the beginning4 ,and it came to pass that when ,jesus had spoken these words1 the whole multitude fell to the earth1 for they remembered that it had been prophesied among them that ,christ should show himself unto them after his ascension into heaven4 ,this reverend gentleman1 whom ,i am reviewing1 complains that ,,iii ,nephi1 or the ,fifth ,gospel1 adds no new parable to the collection of parables we have in the four gospels4 ,but can any man read this simple yet sublime account of ,messiah appearing to the inhabitants of this western world1 and then say the ,fifth ,gospel adds nothing to the treasury of ,christian knowledge8 ,is there1 ,i ask you1 any parable1 or any hundred parables1 that could be given that would be equal to these grand revelations concerning the ,lord ,jesus ,christ and his mission to this western hemisphere8 ,complaint is also made that in his subsequent teachings ,messiah merely repeated the ideas1 and for that matter the words of his sermon on the mount2 so wanting in originality1 claim those who object to the ,book of ,mormon1 were the authors of the book that they could not trust themselves to give ,jesus the opportunity of preaching an original discourse to the inhabitants of this western part of the world4 ,i ask these ,christian objectors to consider just this3 ,suppose the ,book of ,mormon were not in existence at all2 suppose that we begin to reflect on the empires and nations which beyond all question did occupy this land of ,america in ancient times1 and were civilized1 intelligent people--,god's children2 suppose that it began to occur to some of our ,christian friends that it would have been a grand idea if the ,son of ,god had come and made proclamation of the gospel to a people who were destined to be for so many centuries separated from the eastern hemisphere1 where the gospel had been planted4 ,now then1 suppose these conditions1 and suppose further that ,jesus came here1 what would be the nature of his mission8 ,what should he first do8 ,what truth do these ,christian critics hold to be the most important truth to mankind8 ,would it not be the fact that ,jesus is the ,christ1 the ,redeemer of the world1 the one who is to bring life and immortality to light through the ,gospel8 ,would not that be the most important thing to have declared8 ,i believe all ,christians must necessarily say yes4 ,well1 that is just what happened4 ,the voice of ,god broke the stillness of this western world1 and said to a company of people1 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased2 hear ye him4 ,then ,jesus stands forth and declares himself and his mission4 ,the most important truth that the ,christian mind1 at least1 can conceive6 ,the ,fifth ,gospel starts with that sublime1 important truth4 ,then after that1 what would be the next most important thing8 ,would it not be to teach man his moral duty8 ,his relationship to ,god and to the ,savior having been fixed by the first revelation1 what next8 ,why1 the ethics of the gospel of ,christ1 the moral law1 which is to take the place of the old law1 ,christian principles for right living4 ,and so ,messiah starts out with the same doctrines that he taught upon the mount4 ,now1 there are not wanting respectable ,christian authorities for the assertion that that discourse called the sermon on the mount was not a single discourse1 but that into it was crowded from the recollection of the ,apostles all the great ethical truths that ,jesus had taught from time to time1 and that here they are grouped together and appear as one discourse4 ,moreover1 the ,savior declared to the ,nephites while he was yet with them that these truths which he had been teaching them were the same that he had taught in ,judea4 ,behold1 said he1 in the course of his explanations1 ye have heard the things which ,i have taught before ,i ascended unto my ,father4 ,but in answer to these complaints that the ,book of ,mormon adds nothing new to the treasury of our ,christian knowledge1 ,i want to show you1 though ,i shall have to do it briefly1 that the ,book of ,mormon version of these ethical doctrines of ,jesus ,christ does throw some additional light upon this sermon on the mount4 ,right here ,i must complain just a little of the gentleman1 notwithstanding ,i believe he intended to be fair4 ,speaking of this version of the sermon on the mount in the ,book of ,mormon1 ,i think he sneeringly asserts that there is one new beatitude added4 ,and that is1 the first verse in the ,savior's discourse to the ,nephites opens with this statement--which was given to the multitude after he had chosen twelve special disciples to be teachers of his gospel3 ,blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom ,i have chosen from among you to minister unto you1 and to be your servants4 ,the gentleman says that is a new beatitude4 ,well1 is there any proper complaint to be made against that8 ,suppose ,jesus had said to a multitude in ,judea1 when he presented the ,twelve ,apostles before them1 since he was going to bestow upon them1 not only divine authority to act in his name1 but was going to accompany them always by the presence of his ,spirit--would it have been out of place or an improper beatitude if he had said to the multitude1 ,blessed are ye if ye shall hearken unto the words that these ,twelve shall say unto you8 ,it is scarcely becoming in a ,christian minister to make light of ,god's request of a multitude that they shall have respect unto the teachings of his servants1 and tells them that they shall be blessed if they hearken unto them4 ,but to continue4 ,the first beatitude as given in ,matthew is as follows3 ,blessed are the poor in spirit2 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven4 ,a very beautiful1 terse expression1 and no doubt true4 ,but in ,,iii ,nephi it stands thus3 ,blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me2 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven4 ,it is not enough for men to be poor in spirit4 ,not on that hinges salvation4 ,a man can be poor in spirit and still fail of salvation4 ,but ,blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me2 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven4 ,i think that throws a little light upon the sermon on the mount that is worthy the consideration of this ,christian clergyman4 ,another expression in the sermon on the mount in our ,english version of the ,new ,testament1 is3 ,blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness2 for they shall be filled4 ,filled with what8 ,well1 the ,book of ,mormon version of it is3 ,blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness2 for they shall be filled with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,that is more definite1 is it not8 ,but now ,i come to a more important point1 where more light1 and light that is very necessary1 is added to this sermon on the mount4 ,i commence reading from ,matthew vi3#bd4 ,no man can serve two masters2 for either he will hate the one1 and love the other2 or else he will hold to the one1 and despise the other4 ,ye cannot serve ,god and mammon4 ,therefore1 ,i say unto you1 ,take no thought for your life1 what ye shall eat1 or what ye shall drink2 nor yet for your body1 what ye shall put on4 ,is not the life more than meat1 and the body than raiment8 ,that is a passage of scripture against which infidels have leveled their sarcasms ever since it was written4 ,they have denounced it as instruction utterly impractical2 as false in theory1 as it would be impossible in practice2 and as giving the evidence that ,jesus was a mere idle dreamer1 not a practical reformer4 ,for1 say they1 this doctrine of taking no thought of the morrow1 and taking no thought respecting food and raiment1 if applied to the world's affairs1 would turn the wheels of progress backward1 and plunge the world into a state of barbarism4 ,there could be no civilization under such conditions1 they argue2 and man would go back to the condition of the savage4 ,i have never heard a ,christian argument against that assault that has been an answer to it4 ,but ,i find the key to the situation in this ,book of ,mormon version of the passage4 ,it throws a flood of light upon this matter that makes the defense of the doctrine of ,christ not only possible but easy4 ,the ,book of ,mormon tells me that those words were not addressed to the multitude1 nor are they to be followed by all the members of the ,church1 nor by the people of the world generally4 ,jesus confined that instruction in ,america to twelve men whom he chose from among his disciples1 and especially commissioned to go and preach the gospel2 and to so completely dedicate themselves unto the ,lord that they would give no thought to temporal things1 but put heart and soul into the work of their ministry1 and their ,father in heaven1 who knew they had need of food and raiment1 would open up the way for them1 to obtain such things as they needed1 even as he clothed the lilies or cared for the birds of the air4 ,thus limited1 that doctrine is all right1 is it not8 ,and as ,jesus turned from the multitude to deliver this doctrine especially adapted to the ,twelve here in ,america1 so1 doubtless1 if we had the fullness of the truth as delivered in ,judea ,i believe he would be represented as confining those remarks unto the men whom he had specially called into the ministry in that land4 ,so ,i say the ,fifth ,gospel places in our hands the means of meeting the scoffs of the unbeliever1 and vindicates the doctrines of ,jesus ,christ as reasonable now that we have the word of the ,lord rightly divided4 ,i cannot leave this passage without calling your attention to the closing sentence of the sixth chapter of ,matthew3 ,sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof4 ,in ,,iii ,nephi it stands3 ,sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof4 ,in the first instance you note that the evil is made sufficient for the day4 ,the fifth gospel has it that the day is made sufficient for the evil4 ,don't you think that is better8 ,three learned commentators say of that sentence1 as it stands in ,matthew3 ,an admirable practical maxim1 better rendered in our version 7,king ,james' translation7 than in any other1 not excepting the preceding ,english ones4 ,every day brings its own cares1 and to anticipate is only to double them4 ,if they can thus speak in high praise of the saying of the ,savior as it stands in ,matthew1 how much more reason they would have for praising it as it is found in ,,iii ,nephi4 ,i will now read to you a passage which ,elder ,francis ,m4 ,lyman read at one of the public meetings of our recent general conference1 and which first suggested to me the thought of taking up this reverend gentleman's discourse for the purpose of showing1 at least to our young people1 that there was something in the ,fifth ,gospel worth while considering2 that it adds something to our ,christian knowledge4 ,jesus giving instruction to the ,nephite disciples1 says3 ,verily ,i say unto you1 that whoso repenteth of his sins through your words1 and desireth to be baptized in my name1 on this wise shall ye baptize them2 behold1 ye shall go down and stand in the water1 and in my name shall ye baptize them4 ,and now behold1 these are the words which ye shall say1 calling them by name3 ,having authority given me of ,jesus ,christ1 ,i baptize you in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen4 ,and then shall ye immerse them in the water1 and come forth again out of the water4 ,if we had only been so fortunate as to have had such an explicit statement as this in our four gospels1 or in one of them1 what a world of contention would have been avoided1 what a world of ,christian persecution of ,christians would have been avoided1 and what unity and harmony there would have been upon a great ,christian ordinance upon which ,christians are now unhappily divided4 ,aside from this statement and the revelations that ,god has given in these days1 there is nothing that definitely instructs the world on the subject of how baptism shall be administered4 ,jesus came to the disciples after his resurrection and said to them1 ,go ye and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,of course1 for some two or three hundred years we have the custom of the ,saints as an interpretation of the manner of baptism1 and that is1 they were immersed2 but since ,jesus had not specified the manner in which the ordinance was to be administered1 men began to wonder after awhile if baptism could not be performed in some other way than immersion1 and so they adopted the method of sprinkling1 or of pouring the water on the person4 ,and from that departure from the true gospel grew up the varied methods of baptism as we have them today4 ,the ,greeks still immerse1 and they immerse three times--once in the name of the ,father1 once in the name of the ,son1 and once in the name of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,we have an ,american sect who hit upon what ,i suppose they consider a happy thought1 and that is1 that baptism must not only be thrice performed1 but that the candidate must be pushed face downward into the water2 for1 say they1 would you have people going into the kingdom backwards8 ,of the ,protestant sects1 some sprinkle and some pour water on the candidate2 and one prominent minister1 the late ,henry ,ward ,beecher1 reduced the ordinance to the mere act of moistening the hand and placing it upon the brow of the candidate1 and called that baptism6 ,the great ,catholic ,church1 backed by its tradition and its scholarship1 insists that sprinkling is a proper method of baptism4 ,and so the world is divided on this great ordinance1 which all confess is the visible sign of entrance into the fold of ,christ--part of our birth into the kingdom of ,god4 ,what parable1 what dozen parables1 could be so precious in their importance to the ,christian world as this explicit statement of how the ordinance of baptism shall be administered1 if they would but accept it6 ,in addition to this doctrine of baptism you will find 7though ,i shall not take time to point it out at length on this occasion7 in the ,fifth ,gospel instructions given by the ,savior on the subject of the ,sacrament and the purposes for which it was given1 which afterwards were crystalized in the prayer of consecration of the emblems1 and because they are so crystalized1 and therefore briefer1 ,i shall read that instruction to you as it is found in the prayer4 ,the prophet is explaining how the ,sacrament was administered after the people received this institution from ,jesus3 ,and they did kneel down with the church1 and pray to the ,father in the name of ,christ1 saying3 ,o ,god1 the ,eternal ,father1 we ask thee1 in the name of thy ,son ,jesus ,christ1 to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it1 that they may eat in the remembrance of the body of thy ,son1 and witness unto thee1 ,o ,god1 the ,eternal ,father1 that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy ,son1 and always remember him1 and keep his commandments which he hath given them1 that they may always have his spirit to be with them4 ,amen4 ,if the four gospels had contained the instructions of ,jesus ,christ on this subject as found in the ,fifth ,gospel1 and finally crystalized those instructions into this beautiful and appropriate prayer of consecration1 the ,christian world would have escaped one of its bitterest religious controversies1 and the ,roman ,catholic church today would not ask men to be so untrue to their intellectual consciousness as to believe that the wafer which they place upon the tongue of the communicant is the actual body and the actual blood of ,jesus ,christ4 ,on the other hand1 the ,protestant world would not be divided and subdivided1 upon this question1 but they would have instruction which would enable them to properly hold the great atonement of ,jesus ,christ in true and objective remembrance in the ,sacrament4 ,i undertake to say now that there cannot be produced from the literature of the world1 sacred or profane1 a prayer that is the equal of this prayer of consecration1 excepting only the ,lord's prayer4 ,with that exception1 this prayer1 for completeness1 for a succession of solemn thoughts1 fitly spoken1 and crystalized into a form from which you can take nothing and to which you can add nothing without marring it1 stands alone2 and it adds something to our ,christian knowledge4 ,it is an important item of ,christian instruction and doctrine1 and one that the world much needs2 you will find its scattered rays in the ,fifth ,gospel1 in the form ,i have quoted it1 it is given by ,moroni4 ,now1 ,i must pass on hurriedly4 ,there is a singular passage of scripture in ,john1 the #ajth chapter and #afth verse1 which rather puzzles expounders of the scripture4 ,and other sheep ,i have1 which are not of this fold2 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice2 and there shall be one fold1 and one shepherd4 ,ask the ,christian ministers to explain this passage1 and they always answer that ,jesus had in mind the ,gentiles4 ,if so1 how do you harmonize this fact1 which ,i now point out to you1 with that statement1 namely3 ,jesus was once passing through a crowded street and a woman of ,canaan1 of race upon whom the displeasure of ,god had fallen in very ancient times1--perhaps their spirits warranted just the conditions that they came into this world to meet4 ,this woman1 of this race1 came to ,jesus1 asking that he would heal her child1 but he heeded her not4 ,her importuning attracted unpleasant attention1 and so the ,apostles said to him1 ,master1 send her away2 for she troubleth us4 ,he said1 ,i am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of ,israel4 ,therefore1 when he said1 ,other sheep ,i have1 which are not of this fold2 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice1 he had reference to some branch of the house of ,israel1 and not to the ,gentiles2 for as he explains1 ,i think1 in this ,fifth ,gospel1 the ,gentiles should receive the gospel through the ministrations of the ,holy ,spirit in his servants1 and not by his personal ministry to them4 ,his personal ministry was confined to the house of ,israel4 ,in this ,fifth ,gospel we learn that ,jesus told the ,nephites that they were the people he had in mind when he uttered this singular scripture we are considering2 but his disciples in ,judea understood him not2 and because of stiffneckedness and unbelief ,jesus was commanded of the ,father to say no more to them upon the subject4 ,do not these facts throw some light upon our knowledge of ,christian truth8 ,moreover1 in this same connection1 ,jesus informed his ,nephite auditors that not only would he minister to them1 but so soon as he was through with his ministrations to them1 behold1 he would go to the lost tribes of the house of ,israel and minister to them also4 ,he spoke as follows3 ,and verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 that ,i have other sheep1 which are not of this land2 neither of the land of ,jerusalem2 neither in any part of that land round about1 whither ,i have been to minister4 ,for they of whom ,i speak are they who have not as yet heard my voice2 neither have ,i at any time manifested myself unto them4 ,but ,i have received a commandment of the ,father1 that ,i shall go unto them1 and that they shall hear my voice1 and shall be numbered among my sheep that there may be one fold1 and one shepherd2 therefore ,i go to show myself unto them4 ,and ,i command you that ye shall write these sayings1 after ,i am gone1 that if it so be that my people at ,jerusalem1 they who have seen me1 and been with me in my ministry1 do not ask the ,father in my name1 that they may receive a knowledge of you by the ,holy ,ghost1 and also of the other tribes whom they know not of1 that these sayings which ye shall write1 shall be kept1 and shall be manifested unto the ,gentiles1 the remnant of their seed1 who shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth1 because of their unbelief1 may be brought in1 or may be brought to a knowledge of me1 their ,redeemer4 ,and then ,i will gather them in from the four quarters of the earth2 and then will ,i fulfill the covenant which the ,father hath made unto all the people of the house of ,israel4 ,again1 in his discourse on this occasion1 ,jesus takes up the matter of the ,gentiles1 who in time should come to this land and take possession of it for the falling away of the ,nephites was predicted1 and the fact of the coming of the ,gentile races to this land was made known to the ,nephite people4 ,the ,lord ,jesus took occasion to say that the ,gentiles should be greatly blessed upon this land1 and should be fortified against all other nations2 and if they would not reject the gospel that should be brought forth amongst them1 great would be the blessings of the ,lord upon the ,gentiles2 that they should be numbered with the house of ,israel1 and should assist in building up the ,new ,jerusalem upon this continent4 ,i quote these several important passages3 ,and blessed are the ,gentiles1 because of their belief in me1 in and of the ,holy ,ghost1 which witnesses unto them1 of me and of the ,father4 99 99 99 99 ,but if the ,gentiles will repent1 and return unto me1 saith the ,lord1 behold they shall be numbered among my people1 ,o house of ,israel2 99 99 99 99 ,and behold1 this people 7descendants of the ,nephites addressed7 will ,i establish in this land unto the fulfilling of the covenant which ,i made with your father ,jacob2 and it shall be a ,new ,jerusalem4 ,and the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people2 yea1 even ,i will be in the midst of you4 ,behold1 ,i am he of whom ,moses spake1 saying1 ,a prophet shall the ,lord your ,god raise up unto you of your brethren1 like unto me1 him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you4 ,and it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet1 and who will not repent and come unto my beloved ,son1 them will ,i cut off from among my people1 ,o house of ,israel2 and ,i will execute vengeance and fury upon them1 even as upon the heathen1 such as they have not heard4 ,but if they will repent1 and hearken unto my words1 and harden not their hearts1 ,i will establish my church among them1 and they shall come in unto the covenant1 and be numbered among this the remnant of ,jacob1 unto whom ,i have given this land for their inheritance4 ,and they shall assist my people1 the remnant of ,jacob1 and also1 as many of the house of ,israel as shall come that they may build a city1 which shall be called the ,new ,jerusalem2 and then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in1 who are scattered upon all the face of the land1 in unto the ,new ,jerusalem4 ,and then shall the power of heaven come down among them2 and ,i also will be in the midst4 ,all this is contained in the ,fifth ,gospel4 ,it contains1 you will see1 these promises of deep and mighty import to the ,gentile races1 a promise that they might become as fathers and mothers to the house of ,israel1 and so great should be their reward and blessing that they should be completely identified with the ,israel of ,god upon this land1 and join in building up ,zion--that ,zion from which ,isaiah declared the law should go forth in the last days1 while the word of the ,lord should go forth from ,jerusalem2 indicating the two capitals on the earth1 one in the eastern and one in the western hemisphere4 ,but if1 on the other hand1 the ,gentiles should reject the gospel of ,christ and no longer honor the ,god of this land1 who is declared to be ,jesus ,christ1 then the hand of ,god would be upon them1 and that in judgment2 and that1 proud1 great and strong as they are1 yet should they be humbled4 ,so that this ,fifth ,gospel deals not only with the past1 but it deals with the present and with the future1 and sounds this note of warning to the ,gentile nations upon the promised land of ,america4 ,notwithstanding the strength and pride and power of these nations in these days of their glory1 the ,fifth ,gospel warns them that they hold their proud stations upon the condition of their faithfulness to ,god and their receiving the gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,it is worthy of ,god to reveal the conditions upon which the nations of the western world in pride of place may hold their stations among the nations of the earth2 and it is a matter worthy the consideration of these nations to give heed to such a warning4 ,let no nation think itself beyond the power of ,god2 for it is not4 ,imperial ,rome was as confident of her ability to perpetuate her power as any nation of the western world is today2 and he who would have dared to suggest that ,rome could be humbled1 and pass away as a dream of the night1 would doubtless have been thought wanting in patriotism2 yet ,rome was humbled4 ,the half-naked hordes from the woods and plains of ,germany reveled in the palaces of the ,caesars4 ,romans in their pride were wont to say of the ,coliseum in which ,christians had suffered martyrdom at the hands of brute men and brute beasts1 merely to grace a ,roman holiday3 ,while stands the ,coliseum1 ,rome stands1 when falls the ,coliseum1 ,rome falls2 when ,rome1 the world6 ,the ,coliseum stands in ruins4 ,rome1 as an empire1 is only a name held in memory by history4 ,but the world fell not when ,rome fell2 and as it has been in the past1 so1 too1 it may be in the future4 ,if ,god's conditions are not complied with1 then as a potsherd will he break that nation that rises up in proud rebellion against him4 ,this is ,god's earth4 ,it is his by right of proprietorship1 for he created it2 and by various means is he and not man guiding its destinies4 ,those who hold power and authority in it hold it in trust from him1 and only in trust2 and the nation that is unfaithful to that trust must account to ,god for it4 ,hence ,i conclude that this warning that comes from the ,fifth ,gospel1 is important2 it announces a mighty1 a solemn truth1 an awful warning1 to which ministers of any faith1 and the nations addressed1 will do well to take heed4 ,now1 a word in conclusion about the gold test that our ministerial friend proposes to apply to the ,fifth ,gospel4 ,i think the gentleman puts that forth for a special reason1 and that in doing so he exhibits a weakness on his part4 ,he says ,the question is not1 where do men say they get it1 but1 is it gold4 ,well1 but it is also important to know where men got it1 and we can establish that so far beyond all question1 and can sustain it by testimony that has not only not been impeached1 but is unimpeachable4 ,the question3 ,where do men say they got it is important4 ,the how and the where men got it is part of the evidence of its truth1 which this gentleman dodges by saying that it does not matter where the ,fifth ,gospel came from4 ,but having just hinted at the importance of this matter of where and how it came1 ,i will set all that aside and declare my willingness as one of the believers in the ,book of ,mormon to see it submitted--as perforce it must be--to the assay test4 ,is it gold8 ,are these important truths we have been considering this evening1 wherein the welfare of half the world is concerned1 gold or dross8 ,is the light which it throws upon the word of ,god contained in the ,four ,gospels1 of importance8 ,is the fact that ,jesus visited this western world and announced the saving power of his gospel in such a manner that millions would come to the knowledge of salvation a golden truth8 ,is the solemn warning to the ,gentile nations inhabiting the western world worth while considering8 ,may it not be golden1 especially if heeded8 ,i shall leave you to answer that4 ,but ,i want to suggest an improvement on the gentleman's simile--this assay test of his4 ,although he praises it so highly himself in the synopsis he gave to the papers of his discourse1 ,i think it could be improved4 ,the question is not so much as to whether in the ,four ,gospels or in the ,fifth1 all is gold1 but is there gold in them4 ,i do not think the ,four ,gospels are without alloy4 ,in other words ,i do not think the ,four ,gospels are perfect4 ,i believe there are imperfections in them1 in forms of expression and in the fact that they do not convey all that ,jesus both taught and did2 at best they are fragmentary4 ,st4 ,john informs us in his gospel that if all the things that ,jesus had done and taught were written1 the world itself would hardly contain the books4 ,we have not the full reports of ,messiah's discourses4 ,the full and absolute pure word of ,god just as it fell from the lips of the ,savior1 is not in the ,four ,gospels4 ,for the most part we have but the recollections of the evangelists of what ,jesus both said and did4 ,only those who read the ,greek--and unfortunately they are very few--may read even the ,four ,gospels in the language in which the ,apostles wrote them4 ,but we have translations of these records1 and each time they are translated a dilution takes place4 ,the force of what is said becomes in the translation somewhat abated as all know who are acquainted with original records which they may compare with translations4 ,so with this ,book of ,nephi that comes to us in an abridged form4 ,it is not the original book of ,nephi2 it is ,mormon's abridgement of that book4 ,he has condensed it1 and in doing so has doubtless given us less perfect accounts of ,christ's mission to the ,nephites than would be found in the original ,book of ,nephi1 the real ,fifth ,gospel4 ,that is to say1 we have not all the surrounding circumstances or all the utterances of the ,savior1 or of the men it represents as speaking4 ,then we have not even ,mormon's original abridgement of ,nephi's book1 but the ,prophet ,joseph's translation of ,mormon's abridgement1 and that1 it is admitted1 in his imperfect ,english4 ,so that the whole ,five ,gospels are fragmentary and tainted with imperfections and limitations as all things are that pass through human hands2 but containing1 nevertheless1 ,god's precious truths2 and some of these are found in the ,fifth ,gospel as well as in the four ,hebrew ,gospels2 and to me the truths of the ,fifth or ,nephite ,gospel are as precious and important as are those of the ,four ,gospels4 ,,iv4 ,mormon ,views of ,america4 ,,foreword4 ,the ,book of ,mormon teaches that the two ,american continents are a promised land1 consecrated to righteousness and to liberty1 and especially dedicated to the seed of the ,patriarch ,joseph1 son of ,jacob1 of ,bible fame1 and to the ,gentile races1 who shall in the last days be gathered to the land as well as the descendants of ,joseph4 ,when the ,jaredite colony was directed to take its departure from the valley of the ,euphrates1 the ,lord promised to go before them and direct them to land which is choice above all the land of the earth4 ,after beginning the journey the ,lord would not permit them to stop short of that land of promise2 but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise1 which was choice above all other lands1 which the ,lord ,god had preserved for a righteous people2 and he the ,lord had sworn unto the brother of ,jared1 that whoso should possess this land of promise1 from that time hence forth and forever1 should serve him1 the true and only ,god1 or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them4 4 4 4 4 ,behold this is a choice land1 and whatsoever nation shall possess it1 shall be free from bondage1 and from captivity1 and from all other nations under heaven1 if they will but serve the ,god of the land1 who is ,jesus ,christ4 ,this colony of ,jaredites was brought to the north continent of the ,western hemisphere--to ,north ,america4 ,so1 too1 when the ,lord was leading from ,jerusalem the colony of ,lehi he promised them that inasmuch as they would keep his commandments he would lead them to a land of promise1 to a land which he had prepared for them1 a land which is choice above all other lands4 ,after arriving upon this land of promise1 7and their colony landed in ,south ,america71 the ,prophet ,lehi said to his sons3 ,notwithstanding our afflictions1 we have obtained a land of promise1 a land which is choice above all other lands2 a land which the ,lord ,god hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed4 ,yea1 the ,lord hath covenanted this land unto me1 and to my children forever2 and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the ,lord4 ,wherefore1 ,i1 ,lehi1 prophesy according to the workings of the ,spirit which is in me1 that there shall none come into this land1 save they shall be brought by the hand of the ,lord4 ,wherefore1 this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring4 ,and if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given1 it shall be a land of liberty unto them2 wherefore1 they shall never be brought down into captivity2 if so1 it shall be because of iniquity2 for if iniquity shall abound1 cursed shall be the land for their sakes2 but unto the righteous it shall be blessed for ever4 4 4 4 4 ,but behold1 this land1 saith ,god1 shall be a land of thine inheritance1 and the ,gentiles shall be blessed upon the land4 ,and this land shall be a land of liberty unto the ,gentiles1 and there shall be no kings upon the land1 who shall raise up unto the ,gentiles2 ,and ,i will fortify this land against all other nations2 and he that fighteth against ,zion shall perish1 saith ,god2 for he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish1 for ,i1 the ,lord1 the ,king of heaven1 will be their king1 and ,i will be a light unto them for ever1 that hear my words4 4 4 4 4 ,wherefore1 he that fighteth against ,zion1 both ,jew and ,gentile1 both bond and free1 both male and female1 shall perish2 for they are they who are the whore of all the earth2 for they who are not for me are against me1 saith our ,god4 ,moreover1 the ,book of ,mormon represents this land of ,america as the place of a ,holy ,city to be called ,new ,jerusalem1 that shall be built upon this land1 unto the remnant of the seed of ,joseph1 for which things there has been a type2 for as ,joseph brought his father down into the land of ,egypt1 even so he died there2 wherefore the ,lord brought a remnant of the seed of ,joseph out of the land of ,jerusalem1 that he might be merciful unto the seed of ,joseph1 that they should perish not1 even as he was merciful unto the father of ,joseph1 that he should perish not2 wherefore the remnant of the house of ,joseph shall be built established upon this land2 and it shall be a land of their inheritance2 and they shall build up a holy city unto the ,lord1 like unto the ,jerusalem of old2 and they shall no more be confounded1 until the end come1 when the earth shall pass away4 ,and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth2 and they shall be like unto the old1 save the old have passed away1 and all things have become new4 7,ether xii47 ,these quotations indicate the views ,mormons necessarily hold respecting the land of ,america2 to them it is a land of promise1 a sacred land1 dedicated to righteousness1 and to liberty1 therefore to free institutions which alone may preserve the liberties and the rights of men4 ,this belief in the sacredness of the land1 this knowledge of the divine purposes concerning it1 coupled with the fact that ,mormons believe that ,god inspired the founders of the now great and dominating nation1 the ,united ,states1 to establish the ,constitution under which the government of the ,united ,states subsists and which guarantees both religious and civil liberty to all its people2 the belief also that the ,lord has given unto it an unparalleled national prosperity and power to enforce the divine decrees concerning this land--all this lays the foundation for purest patriotism1 for unwavering loyalty to these free institutions and to the power that guarantees their perpetuity1 the government of the ,united ,states4 ,the first article under this title was written for the ,contributor1 ,vol4 ,x1 ,no4 #g1 ,may1 #ahii3 ,the second is a discourse delivered in the ,salt ,lake tabernacle1 ,sunday afternoon1 ,march #bd1 #aijg4 ,reported by ,f4 ,w4 ,otterstrom4 ,i4 ,a ,prophetic ,incident4 ,in the ,april number of the ,century1 #ahii1 is a well-written and profusely illustrated article on the ,inauguration of ,washington1 by ,clarence ,winthrop ,bowen4 ,among the illustrations is a facsimile of the page of the ,bible on which ,washington laid his hand while taking the oath of office1 and it is to this that ,i wish specially to call attention4 ,it was ,chancellor ,robert ,r4 ,livingston1 one of the committee of five appointed to draft the ,declaration of ,independence1 who administered the oath of office to ,washington4 ,just before the oath was to be administered1 says ,mr4 ,bowen1 it was discovered that no ,bible was in ,federal ,hall4 ,luckily ,livingston1 a ,grand ,master of ,free ,masons1 knew that there was one at ,st4 ,john's ,lodge in the ,city ,assembly ,room near by--,st4 ,john's ,lodge was the third oldest lodge in the ,united ,states1 by the way--and a messenger was dispatched to borrow the ,bible4 ,in further describing the solemn ceremonies of that occasion the ,century article says3 ,secretary ,otis of the ,senate held before him 7,washington7 a red velvet cushion1 upon which rested the open ,bible of ,st4 ,john's ,lodge4 ',you do solemnly swear1' said ,livingston1 'that you will faithfully execute the office of ,president of the ,united ,states and will1 to the best of your ability1 preserve1 protect and defend the ,constitution of the ,united ,states4' ',i do solemnly swear1' said ,washington1 'that ,i will faithfully execute the office of ,president of the ,united ,states1 and will1 to the best of my ability1 preserve1 protect and defend the ,constitution of the ,united ,states4' ,he then bowed his head and kissed the sacred book1 and with the deepest feeling uttered the words1 ',so help me ,god6 ,the page of the ,bible which ,washington kissed1 and on which his hand rested while taking the oath1 is indicated in the ,bible of ,st4 ,john's ,lodge by the leaf being turned down4 ,a copper plate engraving is on the opposite page1 illustrating the blessings of ,zebulun and ,issachar1 as pronounced upon them by the ,patriarch ,jacob in ,genesis xlix1 thirteenth and fourteenth verses respectively4 ,the page on which ,washington's hand rested contains part of chapter forty-nine of ,genesis1 beginning with the thirteenth verse2 and also part of the fiftieth chapter down to verse eight1 inclusive4 ,the particular thing which struck me as being a remarkable circumstance is that the page indicated contains the blessing of ,jacob upon the head of his favorite son1 ,joseph1 which reads as follows3 #bb4 ,joseph is a fruitful bough1 even a fruitful bough by a well1 whose branches run over the wall4 #bc4 ,the archers have sorely grieved him1 and shot at him1 and hated him4 #bd4 ,but his bow abode in strength1 and the arms of his hands were made strong1 by the hands of the mighty ,god of ,jacob2 7from thence is the shepherd the stone of ,israel74 #be4 ,even by the ,god of thy father1 who shall help thee1 and by the ,almighty1 who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above1 blessings of the deep that lieth under1 blessings of the breasts and of the womb4 #bf4 ,the blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors1 unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills2 they shall be on the head of ,joseph1 and on the crown of the head of him that was separated from his brethren4 ,to the ,latter-day ,saints the blessing of ,joseph has a particular significance1 for the reason that they1 more than any other people1 are familiar with his descendants1 and the blessing promised them in which also they hope to participate4 ,the ,book of ,mormon is a history1 chiefly1 of the descendants of ,joseph2 and in the mighty nations which have peopled the ,american continent1 the ,latter-day ,saints see1 in part1 the fulfillment of the great blessings pronounced upon his head4 ,the brass plates which were taken by the colony of ,lehi from ,jerusalem1 and which they brought with them to ,america1 contained a genealogy and from that ,lehi learned he was a descendant of ,joseph4 ,nephi describes the matter thus3 ,and it came to pass that my father1 ,lehi1 also found upon the plates of brass1 a genealogy of his fathers2 wherefore he knew he was a descendant of ,joseph2 yea even that ,joseph who was the son of ,jacob1 who was sold into ,egypt1 and who was preserved by the hand of the ,lord1 that he might preserve his father ,jacob1 and all his household from perishing with famine4--,i ,nephi v3#ad4 ,in the early wanderings of the above named colony1 before it had left the wilderness of ,arabia for ,america1 the ,lord in speaking with ,nephi1 said to him3 ,blessed art thou1 ,nephi1 because of thy faith1 for thou hast sought me diligently1 with lowliness of heart4 ,and in as much as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper1 and shall be led to a land of promise2 yea1 even a land which ,i have prepared for you1 yea a land1 which is choice above all other lands4--,i ,nephi ii3#ai1 #bj4 ,even after this time the land to which this colony was being led1 and upon which it finally located1 was spoken of among them as the land of promise4 ,when the ,messiah appeared among the descendants of this colony in ,america1 which he did after his resurrection and shortly after he left his disciples in ,jerusalem1 he referred to these people being descendants of ,joseph and also to this land of promise which they had received4 ,he chose twelve apostles on the continent of ,america as he had chosen a like number in ,judea to be special witnesses for him1 and in a conversation he had with them he said3 ,ye are my disciples2 and ye are a light unto this people1 who are a remnant of the house of ,joseph1 and behold1 this is the land ,america of your inheritance2 and the father hath given it unto you4 ,and not at any time hath the father given me commandment that ,i should tell it unto your brethren at ,jerusalem4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,this much did the father command me1 that ,i should tell unto them3 that other sheep ,i have which are not of this fold2 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice1 and there shall be one fold and one shepherd4 4 4 4 ,and verily1 ,i say unto you1 that ye are they of whom ,i said other sheep ,i have who are not of this fold1 etc4--,,iii ,nephi xv3#aa-bb4 ,nothing can be clearer than that the family of ,lehi and his posterity1 which grew into a mighty people1 a great nation upon the continent of ,america1 were descendants of ,joseph1 the son of ,jacob4 ,and now let us consider this fact in connection with the blessing pronounced upon the head of ,joseph by his father ,jacob2 but before doing so ,i wish to call attention to the blessing which ,moses also pronounced upon the descendants of ,joseph just previous to his death2 it is recorded in ,deuteronomy1 chapter xxxiii4 ,and of ,joseph he said3 ,blessed of the ,lord be his land1 for the precious things of heaven1 for the dew1 and for the deep that croucheth beneath1 and for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun1 and for the precious things put forth by the moon1 and for the chief things of the ancient mountains and for the precious things of the everlasting hills1 and for the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof1 and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush1 let the blessing come upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren4 ,it will be observed both in this blessing pronounced upon ,joseph by ,moses and in the one given him of ,jacob1 that special stress is laid upon the excellent character of the land to be inhabited by ,joseph4 ,jacob said his own blessings had prevailed 7i4 e41 were more extended1 more excellent7 above the blessings of his progenitors1 unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills--his inheritance was to be more extended than that given to his progenitors1 and all those blessings he gave unto ,joseph1 and his land was to be blessed with the blessings of heaven and earth2 with blessings of the breast and of the womb4 ,while ,moses tells us that his land shall be blessed with the precious fruits brought forth by the sun1 with the precious things of the everlasting hills1 with the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof4 ,all this leads us to believe that the land to be inhabited by the descendants of ,joseph is to be a rich1 fruitful and therefore a choice land2 more excellent than that given to his brethren4 ,now look1 ,i pray you1 upon the continent of ,america1 ,north and ,south4 ,consider its varied climate1 embracing as it does the torrid zone near the center of it1 and then extending to the frigid zones north and south4 ,think of its vast wealth and variety of fruits and flowers1 grains and vegetables2 the bread fruits1 figs1 limes1 oranges1 bananas1 pine apples1 dates1 rice1 maize and other fruits and vegetables of the tropics too numerous to enumerate2 and with them remember the hardier fruits and grains and vegetation of the colder climates4 ,call to mind the mighty forests1 inhabited by an infinite variety of birds and beasts4 ,remember its extensive plains1 the llanos of the ,south and the great rolling prairies and plains of the ,north1 capable of sustaining innumerable herds of sheep and cattle and horses4 ,forget not the precious things of the chief mountains1 the wealth of the everlasting hills--the gold1 the silver1 the lead1 the copper1 the iron1 the inexhaustible coal fields1 the underground petroleum lakes1 the precious stones4 ,think of the great rivers that afford easy entrance into the interior of this mighty continent--the great high-ways of commerce2 view from the mountain tops the splendid harbors which abound along the shores2 remember the fruitful seas surrounding these blessed continents1 and1 as all these things are called to mind1 tell me1 is not the land of ,joseph blessed with the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof8 ,with the precious fruits brought forth by the sun and the precious things of the everlasting hills1 and with the precious things of the deep8 ,but not only were the descendants of ,joseph to be blessed with a goodly land1 and an abundance of the good and precious things of the earth1 but they were to be blessed also with the precious things of heaven2 according-to ,moses1 and according to ,jacob1 ,joseph was to be helped by the ,god of his fathers1 who would bless him with the blessings of heaven above4 ,what may more appropriately be regarded as blessings of heaven above1 the precious things of heaven1 than the revelations of ,god1 the gospel of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,surely nothing6 ,and according to the ,book of ,mormon the descendants of ,joseph on the continent of ,america had both4 ,they carried with them from ,jerusalem the writings of ,moses and the prophets whom the ,lord raised up to ,israel up to the time of their departure for ,america4 ,furthermore1 the ,lord sent prophets among them to teach them the way of truth1 to admonish them of their sins1 to warn them of approaching calamity when their iniquity required the chastening hand of ,almighty ,god to correct it1 that peradventure some would repent4 ,then after his resurrection the ,son of ,god came among them1 taught them the fulness of the gospel and organized his ,church in their midst--truly then the descendants of ,joseph were blessed with the precious things of heaven1 and they preserved the words of their prophets and teachings of the ,messiah in their records2 and these things1 in part1 have come to us in the ,book of ,mormon4 ,again1 the family of ,lehi was but a part and a very small part of the descendants of ,joseph2 the greater number of his descendants remained in ,judea until1 in connection with the ten tribes1 and forming a part of that body of people1 they were led away4 ,but when ,lehi and his colony left ,jerusalem and planted themselves in ,america1 the figure used by ,jacob in blessing ,joseph1 was completed--,joseph was indeed a fruitful bough by a well whose branches ran over the wall4 ,and though the great nations which sprang into existence on the ,american continent1 consisting in the main of his posterity1 have been destroyed1 and broken up1 until nothing is left of them but a few wandering tribes and the ruins of their once grand civilization--still many millions of them have been very faithful to the ,lord and his truth in the days of their probation1 and have doubtless died with a lively hope of a glorious resurrection4 ,thus in very many particulars the blessing of ,joseph has been realized by his posterity upon the land given to them of the ,lord--the continent of ,america--both ,north and ,south4 ,and if any one should doubt the truth of what is here stated2 if he should regard the ,book of ,mormon as being untrue1 and insist that the aborigines of ,america are not the descendants of ,joseph1 then we may ask when1 where1 and in what way have the blessings pronounced upon the head of ,joseph been fulfilled4 ,but what seems singular in connection with these promises made to ,joseph and the account of their partial fulfilment in a portion of his posterity inhabiting ,america is1 that after the nations1 composed largely of his descendants1 had been destroyed and other peoples from ,europe--among whom1 however1 were also large numbers of the descendants of ,joseph through the loins of ,ephraim,a had taken possession of the land1 at the formal inauguration of that government whose mission it is to control the destiny of the great continent of ,america--the land of ,joseph--the very first executive chosen for that nation1 when being sworn to preserve1 protect and defend the constitution of this land which ,god had inspired men to frame1 he placed his hand upon the very page of the ,bible containing the blessing pronounced upon the head of ,joseph by the ,patriarch ,jacob1 and kissed it in token that he swore by ,god's holy word that he would preserve inviolate the constitution which ,god prepared for this land6,b ,footnote ,a3 ,the great majority of the patriarchal blessings given to the ,latter-day ,saints so far1 proclaim them to be the descendants of ,joseph through his son ,ephraim4 ,footnote ,b3 ,it is well known that the ,mormon people regard the establishment of the ,constitution and ,government of the ,united ,states as a divine act4 ,in one of the revelations of ,god to the ,church through ,joseph ,smith it is said3 ,and again ,i say unto you1 those who have been scattered by their enemies1 it is my will that they should continue to importune for redress1 and redemption1 by the hands of those who are placed as rulers and are in authority over you1 according to the laws and constitution of the people which ,i have suffered to be established1 and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh1 according to just and holy principles1 that every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity1 according to the moral agency which ,i have given unto him that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment4 ,therefore1 it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another4 ,and for this purpose have ,i established the ,constitution of this land by the hands of wise men whom ,i raised up unto this very purpose1 and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood4 7,doc4 ,cov4 p4 #ceg7 ,will men call this merely coincidence8 ,strange coincidence indeed it is1 if that be all that it is4 ,observe that the forty-ninth chapter of ,genesis is near the very first leaves of the ,bible1 and in laying the book open upon a velvet cushion for the use of one about to make solemn oath upon it1 it would naturally be parted near the middle of the volume and not parted at the first few leaves4 ,let others believe all this to be coincidence if they choose1 but for my own part there is too much that is significant to assign it to that class of phenomena so conveniently disposed of by calling them coincidents4 ,and ,i believe that the men who opened the old ,masonic ,bible at the page containing the blessing of ,joseph were unwittingly guided by the powers of heaven1 and that the act heralded an era big with promise for the descendants of ,joseph--the establishment of a government under which they would eventually attain to the full enjoyment of all that was pronounced upon their great progenitor by the inspired patriarchs1 ,jacob and ,moses4 ,,ii4 ,america the ,land of ,zion and of ,joseph4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,discourse delivered ,march #bd1 #aijg1 in the ,tabernacle1 ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,between the fore part of ,september and the closing days of the month of ,december of last year1 it was my privilege to travel in all about #aa1jjj miles1 chiefly within the confines of the ,united ,states4 ,i crossed the state of ,nevada twice1 and zigzagged back and forth through the territory of ,arizona1 through parts of ,texas and the northern part of ,mexico1 making in that journey something over #c1jjj miles1 chiefly within what is known as the arid region of ,america2 and really1 during that time1 ,i was almost ready to conclude that the whole of ,america must be arid region1 so vast it was4 ,shortly after this it was my privilege to go down the eastern slopes of the ,rocky mountains en route for the ,atlantic sea board1 and of course came in contact with more arid region4 ,in the eastern part of ,colorado1 however1 and in central ,nebraska we began to go into a region of our country that is fertile1 where field joins field1 and where there is one perpetual succession of cornfields1 meadows1 pastures1 gardens and orchards1 with here and there prosperous railroad towns and farming villages4 ,we rode a whole day through such a country2 and when we retired to rest we knew that the express train would all night long be plunging through just such fertile lands as we had looked upon during the day1 and all the next day it would be the same--and then some4 ,this fertile section of the country was so vast that we forgot the arid region1 and were ready to declare that the whole of ,america must be fertile4 ,then in eastern ,ohio we began entering the manufacturing region of our country1 and thence eastward through the whole extent of ,pennsylvania1 where we were seldom out of sight of the smoke stacks and furnaces of manufacturing establishments1 and as we would cross the rivers or run parallel with them we could see acres and acres of coal barges and other craft of inland commerce1 while the scream of the locomotives1 the whistle of the factories1 and ringing of bells were constantly in one's ears4 ,so extensive was this manufacturing region that we began to think that the whole of ,america must be given up to manufactures4 ,everywhere we went there were evidences of prosperity in the land4 ,our journey extended not only through the central eastern states1 but up into ,new ,england1 up into ,vermont1 ,new ,hampshire1 ,connecticut and ,massachusetts1 and thence down the ,atlantic seaboard as far as ,florida2 thence northward and westward through the southern states2 and1 as ,i say1 everywhere we found prosperity abounding4 ,we people in the west--living in the midst of a world of really undeveloped resources1 where life is strenuous1 and where the increase of wealth is so great--are apt to think that our section of the ,union has a greater prosperity than other parts of it2 but great as our own prosperity in the west is1 ,i assure you it is not greater than the prosperity to be found in other parts of our country4 ,i desire to call your attention to some of the features of a marvelous prosperity that now exists in the ,united ,states4 ,perhaps the truest criterion of the real prosperity of a nation such as ours1 can best be ascertained by taking into account the prosperity of the agricultural interests of the country4 ,if in that industry our people are prosperous you may rest assured that all other branches of industry are prosperous4 ,from a very valuable collection of statistics published by ,mr4 ,richard ,h4 ,edmonds1 the editor of ,the ,manufacturers' ,record1 ,baltimore1 ,i quote the following facts3 ,in #ahgj the value of farm property within the ,united ,states amounted to #h1ijj millions of dollars4 ,of course1 all that those figures convey to your mind or to mine is simply the thought that it represents an exceedingly great value2 for we have not yet learned to think in billions4 ,in the year #aije the #h1ijj millions had increased to over #bf1jjj millions of value4 ,the number of people engaged in agriculture in #ahgj was #e1iib1jjj2 but in #aije the number engaged in that industry had increased to #aa1ejj1jjj people4 ,the value of farm products in #ahgj amounted to #a1ieh millions1 while in #aijf it had increased to more than #g1jjj millions4 ,the value of agricultural products1 per capita1 of the entire population1 will interest you1 and aid you to appreciate the great increase of prosperity that has been made in this industry3 ,in #ahgj the value of the agricultural products1 per capita1 was #ej1 but in #aijf it had advanced to #hb per capita4 ,in ,louisiana and ,texas alone there are over #fjj1jjj acres of land that are annually given to rice culture with irrigation1 resulting in this3 that whereas these lands1 now so fruitful1 #be years ago were only worth from #be to #ej cents per acre2 their value is now from #ej to #ge and even #ajj per acre4 ,this wonderful transformation in values has arisen through adopting a system of irrigation1 chiefly by tapping underground streams and bringing them to the surface4 ,nor is this the only means of redeeming the land4 ,in many parts of the south we found that large areas of swamp lands were being systematically drained1 and by this system of drainage the valuation of these lands is increased as much as the ,texas lands are' by irrigation4 ,needless to say that this reclamation of lands has greatly increased the prosperity of the ,south4 ,there are other things that might be noted indicating the increasing prosperity of our country4 ,take for instance the item of railroads3 ,in #ahcj there were but #bc miles of railroad in the ,united ,states4 ,in the year #aijf1 however1 there are--of main lines--more than #bbc1jjj miles2 and if you take into account the double tracking and spur lines the mileage is increased by #ij1jjj miles1 making the total mileage of railroads in the ,united ,states #cac1jjj miles1 constructed since #ahcj4 ,in the matter of coal and iron the ,united ,states outstrips the world4 ,expert examination discloses the fact that the coal fields within the ,united ,states cover an area of #cef1jjj square miles1 as against #aj1jjj square miles in ,great ,britain2 #a1hjj square miles in ,germany1 and #ea1jjj square miles for all of ,europe4 ,the single state of ,west ,virginia1 as also ,kentucky1 has more than #ej per cent more coal area than ,great ,britain4 ,what is true of coal is equally true of our wealth in iron4 ,the ,united ,states produces more than half of all the iron product of the world4 ,the same is true as to steel4 ,you may judge of the advancement in these industries by the following figures3 ,in #ahhj the product of steel was #a1bdg1jjj tons1 whereas in #aije it amounted to more than #bj1jjj millions of tons4 ,in the matter of cotton the ,united ,states produces #hj per cent of all the cotton in the world4 ,the annual output of that product amounts to #b1jjj millions of dollars per annum1 a value greater than the output of all the gold and silver mines of the world annually4 ,petroleum3 ,in #ahfj there were produced only #ejj1jjj barrels1 whereas in the year #aije there were produced over #acd1jjj1jjj of barrels4 ,now as to population3 ,our present population is said to be about #he1jjj1jjj of people4 ,if the influx of population shall continue at its present ratio1 by the middle of the twentieth century there will be upwards of #bjj1jjj1jjj of people within the ,united ,states4 ,the boys and the younger men of today1 suggests ,mr4 ,edmunds1 will be active business men of that period4 ,commenting on the ability of the ,united ,states to support that and even a much larger population1 our authority says3 ,in area the ,united ,states covers #c1jjj1jjj square miles1 with an average of less than #bf persons to the mile4 ,settled as densely as ,france1 we could accommodate #egj1jjj1jjj people2 as densely as ,great ,britain and ,ireland1 we would have over #a1jjj1jjj1jjj people4 ,or compare our capabilities with the density of population in such states as ,ohio1 ,pennsylvania1 or all ,new ,england4 ,in ,pennsylvania the average number of people to the square mile in #aijj was #adj4 ,at this average for the whole country we should have a population of #dbj1jjj1jjj--;certainly ,pennsylvania is not overcrowded4 ,ohio has #ajb people to the square mile1 and ,new ,england an average of #ij4 ,on the basis of ,ohio's average the ,united ,states would have over #cjj1jjj1jjj1 and on the ,new ,england average #bgj1jjj1jjj people4 ,so great is the extent of our agricultural land that with the continued improvement in farming methods now going on1 with the reclamation of our overflowed lands1 and the extension of irrigation in regions formerly regarded as forever doomed to the cactus and sage brush1 with the development of scientific forestry1 too long neglected1 but still capable of saving our timber reserves and protecting the sources of our rivers1 we can so build up our farming interests as to provide an ample food supply for as great a multitude as the future seems sure to give us4 ,with resources for the creation of industries1 the development of mining1 the extension of railroads1 and the enlargement of trade and commerce at home and abroad1 we are abundantly blessed4 ,nature has lavished her riches upon this country as upon no other1 as far as human knowledge has yet discovered4 ,i have hastened over the items1 reading hurriedly1 because ,i did not wish to weary you with details2 but the author from whom ,i quote these statements suggests that we ought to remember that while we are justly proud of the progress made by the ,united ,states1 yet in considering the future and in contemplating the almost limitless potentialities of our own country1 as compared with the past1 we must remember that ,mexico and ,south ,america1 and ,canada are running rivalry with us in the expansion of industry2 and ,i would add with resources second only1 perhaps1 to our own4 ,by this time you are asking yourselves the question1 ,i fancy1 what interest have these considerations of the resources and the prosperity of ,america for an audience assembled upon the ,sabbath day to worship ,god and to be instructed more especially in relation to spiritual matters8 ,i desire as best ,i may to show you what connection there is between what ,i have said and the purpose for which you have assembled on this occasion4 ,we are here1 as was suggested in the prayer offered at the opening of our services1 to have our faith in ,god's great latter-day work strengthened1 and the chief desire ,i have in my heart1 is to think and speak along lines that will tend to increase our faith4 ,the journey through the land of ,america just referred to1 resulted in my having a higher appreciation of the land of my adoption than ,i have ever before entertained4 ,her majestic rivers1 her magnificent mountain ranges1 her fertile valleys1 and even her desert wastes1 seem dearer to me than ever before2 and this not alone on account of the evidences of her prosperity which could be seen on every hand2 not on account alone of contemplating her free institutions1 or the patriotism of her people1 and the general prevalence of peace and justice that obtain in the land--not alone for these things 7though not inconsiderable in themselves7 did we find our love for ,america increased4 ,part of that increased regard was occasioned by our reflections upon the destiny of ,america2 upon the decrees of ,god respecting the land1 and the relationship which the ,latter-day ,saints sustain to these western continents1 their mission upon them--this had something to do with increasing our regard for ,america4 ,and now1 by what1 perhaps1 you will consider indirect means1 let me call your attention to some things which perhaps have not always been understood in their fulness even by the ,latter-day ,saints1 in respect to this great1 this choice land of ,america4 ,you will easily remember1 when ,i refer to him1 that great character of the ,old ,testament scriptures1 ,joseph1 the son of ,jacob1 one of the noblest characters of either sacred or profane history4 ,in his boyhood the ,lord by inspired dreams indicated to him a prominence in ,israel4 ,one dream pictured himself and brethren in the harvest field1 setting up sheaves1 and as he set his sheaf on end the sheaves of his brethren bowed in obeisance to his sheaf4 ,he told the dream to his brethren1 and they said3 ,shalt thou indeed reign over us8 ,and they were angry with him4 ,again the lad dreamed1 and he saw that the sun and the moon and #aa stars did obeisance to him1 and he told the dream unto his father4 ,what1 said the aged patriarch1 shall ,i and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth8 ,notwithstanding his evident vexation the old patriarch was wise enough to observe that there was inspiration in this dream of the lad's4 ,in course of time1 as you know1 ,joseph was sold into bondage and was taken to ,egypt1 and there through a pathway of sorrow and trial the ,lord led him to great eminence in the nation of ,egypt1 made him indeed the savior of ,egypt1 for by inspired dreams he was forewarned of the famine and was able to provide for it1 so that while there was distress and famine in every other country1 there was corn in ,egypt4 ,in due time his brothers came to purchase the corn and bowed down in the presence of ,joseph1 and doubtless1 in part1 but only in part1 the dream of his boyhood days was fulfilled4 ,in time1 too1 his father came into ,egypt and conferred upon him a father's blessing4 ,jacob also blessed the sons of ,joseph1 ,manasseh and ,ephraim1 conferring great and mighty blessings upon them1 and claiming them as his own4 ,and when ,jacob came to bless his son1 ,joseph1 in connection with the rest of the tribes of ,israel1 he gave him a blessing that excels the blessings of the other princes in the house of ,israel4 ,listen to it3 ,joseph is a fruitful bough1 even a fruitful bough by a well3 whose branches run over the wall3 ,the archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him1 and hated him3 but his bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty ,god of ,jacob2 even by the ,god of thy father1 who shall help thee2 and by the ,almighty who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above1 blessings of the deep that lieth under1 blessings of the breasts and of the womb3 the blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills3 ,they shall be on the head of ,joseph1 and on the crown of the head of him that was separated from his brethren4 ,when ,moses bestowed his blessings upon the tribes of ,israel1 he1 too1 pronounced a special blessing upon the head of ,joseph4 ,mark it3 ,blessed of the ,lord be his land1 for the precious things of heaven1 for the dew1 and for the deep that croucheth beneath1 and for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun1 and for the precious things put forth by the moon1 and for the chief things of the ancient mountains1 and for the precious things of the lasting hills1 and for the precious things of the earth1 and fulness thereof1 and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush2 let the blessing come upon the head of ,joseph1 and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren4 ,his glory is like the firstlings of his bullock1 and his horns are like the horns of the unicorns3 with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth2 and they are the ten thousands of ,ephraim1 and they are the thousands of ,manasseh4 ,i have said on other occasions1 and ,i repeat it here1 that the blessing pronounced upon ,joseph by both ,jacob and ,moses1 not only exceeds the blessing of any other one of the princes of ,israel1 but it is greater than all the other blessings upon the princes of ,israel combined4 ,in the first place a double portion is given to him in ,israel1 two tribes to represent him instead of one4 ,his two sons1 ,ephraim and ,manasseh1 were made the heads of tribes1 ,ephraim being given the greater prominence1 and receiving the rights of the first born4 ,when ,joseph saw the intent of the patriarch to confer the greater blessing upon his younger son he sought to stay it1 and called the attention of his father to the fact that ,manasseh was the elder son4 ,the patriarch replied3 ,i know it1 my son2 and referring to ,manasseh1 he said3 ,he shall also become a people1 and he also shall be great1 but his younger brother shall be greater than he1 and his seed shall become a multitude of nations 4 4 4 4 and he set ,ephraim before ,manasseh4 ,indeed ,jacob that day bestowed the birthright of ,israel upon ,ephraim in place of ,reuben1 his firstborn son2 and that is why subsequent prophets were wont to represent ,god as saying1 ,i am a father to ,israel and ,ephraim is my first born4 ,let me tell you how that came about4 ,reuben1 ,jacob's eldest son1 defiled his father's wife ,bilhah1 and for that awful crime lost his station in ,israel as the first born4 ,and now the writer of ,first ,chronicles3 ,now the sons of ,reuben the firstborn of ,israel1 7for he was the firstborn2 but1 forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed1 his birthright was given unto the sons of ,joseph1 the son of ,israel3 and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright 7i4 e4 after ,reuben74 ,for ,judah prevailed above his brethren1 and of him came the chief ruler2 but the birthright was ,joseph's4 ,ephraim received that birthright as already stated1 and the blessings and rights thereof are his4 ,now let us consider these great blessings pronounced upon the head of ,joseph1 and ,i pray you remember how particularly the extent and grandeur of the land of ,joseph are described in these blessings4 ,the blessings of ,jacob had prevailed above1 7i4 e4 exceeded7 the blessings of his progenitors1 unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills2 and these greater blessings the patriarch declared should be on the head of ,joseph1 and on the crown of the head of him that was separated from his brethren4 ,joseph was to be as a fruitful bough whose branches run over the wall1 indicating a largeness and fruitfulness that would exceed the other tribes in ,israel4 ,moses is more explicit as to the character of the land ,joseph should possess3 ,blessed of the ,lord be his land for the precious things of heaven--is reference here made to the revelations of ,god that shall be given on the land of ,joseph1 does it contemplate a knowledge of the gospel of ,christ that shall be had on the land in the precious things of heaven for which the land shall be noted8 ,again ,blessed of the ,lord be his land 4 4 4 4 for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun2 4 4 4 4 for the chief things of the ancient mountains1 and for the precious things of the lasting hills1 and for the precious things of the earth and the fulness thereof1 and for the good will of ,him that dwelt in the bush1 that is1 for the good will of ,god who appeared unto ,moses in the burning bush1 this allusion is obvious2 so that ,joseph's land is to be under ,god's good will in addition to all the natural advantages it is to possess4 ,joseph1 too1 is to be the power that shall push the people together to the ends of the earth2 a declaration which1 when considered in connection with the many promises of ,god that he who scattered ,israel will gather him again1 and keep him as a shepherd does his flock1 ,for ,i1 the ,lord1 am a ,father to ,israel and ,ephraim is my first born--a declaration ,i say which is significant of prominence for ,joseph in the work of the gathering of ,israel in the last days4 ,and now ,i submit to you the question3 ,where is the evidence of the fulfilment of these great promises of ,god to ,joseph8 ,the world seems to have lost sight of this chief prince in ,israel1 this man holding the birthright4 ,where is that land of his described by ,moses and ,jacob1 so far more extensive and richer in resources than old ,canaan--to reach which perhaps ,joseph's branches run over the wall8 ,where in the history of the world is the account of the fulfilment of the blessings pronounced upon ,joseph by his father8 ,all the tribes of ,israel1 save ,judah only1 are lost to the knowledge of the world1 and ,judah is known chiefly for the things that he has suffered1 and not for the realization of those blessings that were pronounced upon him by his father4 ,can it be that those special blessings pronounced upon the head of ,joseph by the ,lord have failed8 ,have the promises of ,jehovah gone for naught8 ,well1 so far as any knowledge the world has to the contrary these promises of ,god to this patriarch have failed4 ,but it happens that the ,latter-day ,saints know that those promises have not failed4 ,they have been fulfilled in part1 and what remains will be gloriously fulfilled4 ,your choir1 this afternoon sang3 ,an angel from on high ,the long1 long silence broke2 ,descending from the sky these ,gracious words he spoke3 ,lo6 in ,cumorah's lonely hill ,a sacred record lies concealed4 ,it speaks of ,joseph's seed1 ,and makes the remnant known ,of nations long since dead ,who once had dwelt alone4 ,the fulness of the gospel1 too1 ,its pages will reveal to view4 ,the hymn has reference1 of course1 to the coming forth of the ,book of ,mormon1 and the knowledge it reveals to the world concerning ,america and the nations that have inhabited it4 ,her ancient inhabitants in part sprang from a colony of ,israelites who left ,jerusalem about six hundred years ,b4,c4 ,that colony was made up of the descendants of ,joseph4 ,one family1 ,ishmael's1 being the descendants of ,ephraim1 and the family of ,lehi being of the tribe of ,manasseh4 ,here in ,america this colony--descendants of the ,patriarch ,joseph--grew into kingdoms1 republics1 and empires1 taking possession of this goodly land of ,america and occupying it both in the south continent and in the north continent4 ,their kingdoms and empires rivaled in greatness and in civilization some of the contemporary empires and kingdoms of the old world4 ,here flourished cities that evidently equaled in extent and grandeur ,nineveh and ,tyre and ,sidon4 ,from ,joseph's seed in ,america there came a race of statesmen1 warriors1 and prophets rivaling the statesmen and warriors and prophets of the old world contemporary with them4 ,here the tribe of ,joseph enjoyed not only the blessings of the earth1 the boundless resources of his promised land1 the continents of ,america1 but here1 too1 his descendants received the fulness of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 and were favored1 after ,messiah's resurrection1 with a personal visitation from the ,son of ,god himself1 who taught them the gospel1 gave to them a church organization1 deposited the revealed truth of ,god with it1 and gave that ,church commandment to teach the gospel1 and perfect the lives of those who received it4 ,then followed the golden age of ,america1 reference to which is frequently made in the native traditions4 ,for #bjj years a reign of righteousness prevailed1 during which time there was a rich harvest of souls unto ,god through the gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,the land was blessed with the precious things of heaven1 truly4 ,because of the things1 then1 that befell the descendants of ,joseph in this promised land of ,america1 which things are made known in our ,book of ,mormon1 the ,latter-day ,saints1 at least1 know that the promises of the ,lord to the house of ,joseph have not failed--and a hundredth part of their fulfilment ,i have not been able even to indicate4 ,and but for the partial fulfilment of ,god's promises to ,joseph in the land of ,america1 the world would be compelled to admit that the promises1 the blessings pronounced upon the head of ,joseph had failed2 for surely nowhere else in the world have they been fulfilled4 ,they were promises that could not have been fulfilled in a corner1 they are too large for that4 ,i call upon the ,bible scholarship of the world to tell us where these great promises of ,god to ,joseph have been kept--so far as the wheels of time have brought their fulfilment due--if not in ,america4 ,and if it shall be contended that the time for ,joseph to realize his promises has not yet arrived--for the failure of them1 since they were given under inspiration of ,god1 is unthinkable--then where can they be fulfilled save in ,america8 ,what land so well corresponds to that described both by ,jacob and ,moses as the inheritance of ,joseph8 ,and what events in history1 what movements among the people of the earth1 outside of those with which the ,latter-day ,saints are connected1 give promise of the fulfilment of ,joseph's blessings8 ,the blessings of ,joseph1 however1 even with all that has been made known through the ,book of ,mormon1 have been realized only in part4 ,much remains to be fulfilled4 ,there is in store yet much more glory1 much more honor1 for this branch of the house of ,israel1 this tribe which holds the right to lead in the gathering1 and in the salvation of ,israel1 in whom is lodged the right and the power to push the people 7,israel7 together to the ends of the earth--and they are the ten thousands of ,ephraim and the thousands of ,manasseh4 ,allow me to call your attention to a singular circumstance4 ,we believe that the gospel of ,jesus ,christ has been restored in our day1 and is being preached in all the world2 for its message is not confined to ,america4 ,it is said in the scripture that predicts its restoration by an angel1 in the hour of ,god's judgment--that it is to be preached to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue and people 7,revelation xiv3#f1 #g72 to ,gentile and ,jew1 to bond and free--all are to have this gospel proclaimed to them in the due time of the ,lord2 but the dispensation of the fulness of times is a period when the blessings of ,god shall especially turn upon the house of ,israel4 ,so that while there is a message in the restored gospel for all mankind1 there is something special in it for the house of ,israel4 ,it is the gathering dispensation of the gospel1 in which all things will be gathered together in one1 even in ,christ4 ,this gospel1 then1 is proclaimed to all the nations of the earth1 and what happens8 ,its message fell upon the ears of our fathers and mothers2 some were in this nation1 some in that4 ,it was the case of taking one of a city and two of a family out of which to form a people4 ,they were not convinced of the truth by eloquence or argument1 or logic1 but there was something in the very sound of the gospel congenial to the souls of our fathers as soon as they heard it1 and they responded to its message2 they laid hold of its principles by a spiritual power1 and they loved them better than they loved the honors and applause of the world4 ,when they heard the gospel proclaimed it had in it a familiar sound like the refrain of some only half-forgotten song4 ,it was congenial to their souls4 ,was it not an unconscious awakening of spirit-recollections2 the recurrence to the soul of principles familiar to it in the pre-existent estate1 when the spirit dwelt with the heavenly ,father in the mansions of the blessed8 ,the thought may be illustrated by an incident that occurred in one of the early frontier wars between the ,indians and the ,british settlers of our country4 ,in #agfd1 after several years of intermittent border warfare1 ,colonel ,boquet was sent from ,fort ,pitt1 against the ,indian tribes located in the ,ohio valley1 with instructions to bring them to terms4 ,the ,british commander pitilessly pursued the ,indians to their very homes1 refusing to listen to parleys until the spirit of the native tribes was subdued and they were ready to accept such terms as he chose to dictate4 ,one of these terms was that all the whites held captive by the ,indians should be brought in and surrendered4 ,this was acceded to1 and some three hundred captives were brought to the ,british encampment4 ,it was a pathetic scene which attended this event4 ,some of the captives had been held for years by the ,indians1 some of them as long as nine years4 ,those who had been captured in their childhood had forgotten the very language of their race4 ,one instance is related of a mother who recognized her child among the captives surrendered to ,colonel ,boquet1 but the child gave no sign of recognizing the mother1 and in tears she complained to the colonel that the daughter she had so often sung to sleep in her arms had forgotten her4 ,sing the song to her that you used to sing when she was a child1 said the commander4 ,she did so1 and with a passionate flood of tears the daughter rushed to the mother's arms4 ,so it was with the proclamation of the gospel to our fathers4 ,god was merely having sung to them again the songs of the home in heaven1 in the preaching of the gospel4 ,it stirred in their souls half recollections of by-gone ages1 and with tears of joy at those awakened soul-recollections they sought again their ,father's house1 the ,church of ,christ4 ,our fathers loved the gospel1 ,i say1 more than their station in society1 or the approval of their kindred2 and hence they cast in their lot with a despised people4 ,for the most part they remained true to that awakening which came to their souls through the preaching of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ4 ,they gathered out from the nations of the earth1 and came to the land of ,zion4 ,and now something peculiar happens4 ,the patriarchs of the ,church place their hands upon the heads of these people1 and under the inspiration of ,god1 earnestly sought1 these men--in the exercise of their holy office--pronounce those who are thus gathered to be1 not only of the house of ,israel1 but1 in the main1 as belonging to the tribe of ,ephraim4 ,there is something beautifully fitting in this circumstance2 something that goes a long way towards establishing its truth4 ,certainly the tribe to whom is given the right of the first born should be gathered first4 ,to the first born is given the work of gathering the people from the nations of the earth2 he holds the keys of authority and power in the ordinances of the gospel1 especially as pertaining to the patriarchal order1 and hence he is gathered first4 ,where8 ,to the land of ,joseph1 to the promised inheritance of that patriarch and his seed1 to the land of ,zion1 here to raise the standard of ,israel1 the ensign of peace to the world1 through the proclamation of the gospel of peace4 ,here in this chosen land ,joseph1 through ,ephraim1 erects the temples of his ,god1 and calls all ,israel to come and participate in the blessings that are being restored to his father's house4 ,in one of the revelations in our ,doctrine and ,covenants 7sec4 #abc7 we are assured that ,israel in the north countries shall come in remembrance before the ,lord1 ,and their prophets shall hear his voice and shall no longer stay themselves4 4 4 4 ,and they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of ,ephraim my servants4 ,and the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence4 ,and there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory1 even in ,zion1 by the hands of the servants of the ,lord1 even the children of ,ephraim2 and they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy4 ,behold1 this is the blessing of the ,everlasting ,god upon the tribes of ,israel1 and the richer blessings upon the head of ,ephraim and his fellows4 ,thus the tribe on which was bestowed the birthright in ,israel1 is being gathered to the land promised him of ,god1 to the land1 choice above all other lands in the earth1 to the land of ,joseph4 ,and here stands ,joseph in the midst of his temples in that promised land1 waiting to bestow blessings upon the other tribes of ,israel4 ,joseph's dreams of the sheaves of his brethren doing obeisance to his sheaf3 and the sun and the moon and the eleven stars making obeisance to him shall have1 here in his own promised land--in these two ,american continents--a larger fulfilment than they did in ,egypt1 when his brothers bowed before ,joseph1 ruler of ,egypt4 ,for here in the land of ,joseph shall his tribe of ,ephraim1 holding the birthright in ,israel1 stand to receive the gathering tribes of his father's house1 and they shall fall down before ,joseph--do obeisance to him1 in the language of the dreams2 but not that they may be humiliated1 or oppressed1 but that they may be crowned with glory1 by the hands of the servants of the ,lord1 even the children of ,ephraim1 and they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy4 ,god does not humiliate in order to oppress2 such humility as he requires is that he may exalt4 ,joseph's brethren in their blind jealousy of him mistook the meaning of his dreams4 ,those dreams while they were a prophecy of ,joseph's prominence in ,israel1 also were a prophecy of saving and blessing unto ,israel1 not of tyrannical domination or usurpation of the rights of the other brothers or tribes2 and as ,joseph's mission in ,egypt resulted in preserving ,israel a posterity in the earth1 and of saving the lives of his father's household1 by a great deliverance2 7,genesis xlv3#e1 #g71 so his mission in the last days1 in his own land of ,zion1 shall culminate in a much larger way in the salvation of ,israel4 ,,the ,,gentiles ,,to ,,have ,,an ,,inheritance ,,in ,,america4 ,while there are especial blessings for the tribes of ,joseph on the land of ,zion1 let us not lose sight of the fact that others1 too1 have rights and promises in relation to it4 ,let not the seed of ,joseph cultivate any spirit of exclusiveness in respect of the land of ,zion4 ,he especially is in the world for the world's good4 ,he must endure contact with the world1 with the ,gentile world as well as with ,israel4 ,he1 in some way1 seems to be the link between the ,gentiles and ,israel4 ,when the ,lord made known unto ,lehi that this land of ,america should be his1 as an inheritance1 it being the land that had been promised by ,jacob and ,moses unto ,joseph and his seed1 the ,lord1 after describing how he would make of the ,gentiles nursing fathers and mothers unto ,israel1 and how the ,gentiles would bless ,israel upon this land1 then he says 7referring to ,north and ,south ,america73 ,this land1 saith ,god1 shall be a land of thine inheritance1 and the ,gentiles shall be blessed upon the land4 ,and this land shall be a land of liberty unto the ,gentiles1 and there shall be no kings upon the land who shall rise up unto the ,gentiles2 and ,i will fortify this land against all other nations1 and he that fighteth against ,zion this whole land of ,america shall perish1 saith ,god2 and he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish4 ,wherefore ,i will consecrate this land unto thy ,lehi's seed and they the ,gentiles who shall be numbered among thy seed forever1 for the land of their inheritance2 for it is a choice land1 saith ,god1 unto me1 above all other lands1 wherefore ,i will have all men that dwell thereon1 that they shall worship me1 saith ,god4 ,the foregoing are the promises of the ,lord unto the descendants of ,joseph and unto the ,gentiles who shall be united with them in the possession of the land of ,america4 ,jesus also1 during his ministry among the ,nephites1 after his resurrection1 made some remarkable promises and predictions respecting the prosperity and freedom and power of the ,gentiles in the land of ,america on condition of their righteousness1 and their obedience to the ,god of the land1 who is declared to be ,jesus ,christ4 ,they equally with the house of ,joseph on the conditions named1 are promised an inheritance in the goodly land2 and lot and part in the building of an holy city upon it1 to be called ,zion1 a new ,jerusalem1 where the righteousness of ,god shall abound1 and from which light and truth shall emanate to bless the world4 ,these things are testified of at length in the twentieth and twenty-first chapters of the ,third ,nephi2 also in the writings of ,moroni in the ,book of ,ether1 where a rather solemn warning is given to the ,gentiles respecting the decrees of ,god concerning this land of ,joseph--this land of promise unto the ,gentiles as well as unto the descendants of ,joseph4 ,moroni1 in speaking of ,america1 says3 ,this is a land which is choice above all other lands2 wherefore he that possesses it shall serve ,god1 or he shall be swept off2 for it is the everlasting decree of ,god4 ,and it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land1 that they are swept off4 4 4 ,behold1 this is a choice land1 and whatsoever nation shall possess it1 shall be free from bondage1 and from captivity1 and from all other nations under heaven1 if they will but serve the ,god of the land1 who is ,jesus ,christ4 4 4 4 ,and this cometh unto you ,o ye ,gentiles1 that ye may know the decrees of ,god1 that ye may repent1 and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness comes1 that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of ,god upon you1 as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done4 ,,webster',s ,,conception ,,of ,,america4 ,did our own great ,webster catch something of this old ,nephite inspiration when1 speaking something like twenty-two years after the first publication of the ,book of ,mormon 7,feb4 #bb1 #aheb1 to be precise--and before the ,new ,york ,historical ,society7--he said1 in his own matchless eloquence3 ,unborn ages and visions of glory crowd upon my soul1 the realization of all which1 however1 is in the hands and good pleasure of ,almighty ,god2 but1 under his divine blessing1 it will be dependent on the character and the virtues of ourselves1 and of our posterity4 ,if classical history has been found to be1 is now1 and shall continue to be1 the concomitant of free institutions1 and of popular eloquence1 what a field is opening to us for another ,herodotus1 another ,thucydides1 and another ,livy6 ,and let me say1 gentlemen1 that if we and our posterity shall be true to the ,christian religion--if we and they shall live always in the fear of ,god1 and shall respect his commandments--if we and they shall maintain just1 moral sentiments1 and such conscientious convictions of duty as shall control the heart and life--we may have the highest hopes of the future fortunes of our country2 and if we maintain those institutions of government and that political union1 exceeding all praise as much as it exceeds all former examples of political associations1 we may be sure of one thing--that1 while our country furnishing materials for a thousand masters of the historic art1 it will afford no topic for a ,gibbon4 ,it will have no ,decline and ,fall4 ,it will go on prospering and to prosper4 ,but if we and our posterity reject religious instruction and authority1 violate the rules of eternal justice1 trifle with the injunctions of morality1 and recklessly destroy the political constitution which holds us together1 no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us1 that shall bury all our glory in profound obscurity4 ,should that catastrophe happen1 let it have no history6 ,let the horrible narrative never be written6 ,let its fate be like that of the lost books of ,livy1 which no human eye shall ever read2 or the missing pleiad1 of which no man can ever know more than that it is lost1 and lost forever6 ,and now1 ,i invite your attention to the remarks ,i made in the commencement of this discourse--to the prosperity of the land1 embracing both ,north and ,south ,america1 to the extent and grandeur of it1 and ,i ask you1 does it not fulfil better than any other part of the earth1 better than any other continent or continents--does it not better answer the description of ,moses and of ,jacob1 when they described the land that should be the inheritance of the great ,patriarch ,joseph1 than any other land does8 ,most assuredly4 ,,views ,,of ,,the ,,prophet ,,joseph4 ,when the ,book of ,mormon was revealed and it became known that the ,americas were precious lands of promise1 and that ,god had such a high destiny for the two continents as is described in the ,book of ,mormon1 that among other things ,america was the place where the ,zion of ,god should be built in the last days1 the brethren in those early days very naturally became anxious to know where the city of ,zion would be located4 ,after much striving for the knowledge1 the place of ,zion was at last revealed to them4 ,the ,lord indicated the place for the commencement of the building of ,zion1 and the place for the temple upon which the glory of ,god should rest by day and by night4 ,this place was declared to be near ,independence1 ,jackson county1 ,missouri4 ,the site for the temple and the land around about was dedicated under the supervision of the prophet1 and the ,saints in the eastern states were commanded to gather to this place4 ,they did so1 and lived there some three years when their enemies rose up against them and expelled them from the land under circumstances of great cruelty and hardship4 ,the ,saints1 who had been driven from their homes1 accounted themselves exiles from ,zion1 and there was much disappointment in ,israel because1 apparently1 the promises of ,god had failed them2 for they looked forward to an unbroken possession of the land1 notwithstanding the word of the ,lord to the contrary4 7,see ,introduction to ,volume ,,iii of the ,history of the ,church1 pp4 xxxii-xxxix47 ,shortly after this1 three years later1 a still further removal was made into the counties of northern ,missouri1 and finally1 as you know1 the entire ,church was expelled from the state of ,missouri and had to take refuge in ,illinois4 ,the prophet with his usual activity began the establishment of stakes of ,zion in ,illinois1 especially at ,nauvoo and vicinity4 ,meantime the ,saints were questioning much concerning ,zion1 and the privilege of dwelling therein4 ,at the ,april conference1 preceding his martyrdom1 the prophet alluded to these disappointments1 and he spoke of ,zion at considerable length4 ,i want to read to you his words on that occasion4 ,the ,saints had too narrow a conception of ,zion1 and of the purpose of ,god with reference to her2 and hence the prophet1 in the course of his remarks1 said3 ,you know there has been a great discussion in relation to ,zion1 where it is1 and where the gathering of the dispensation is1 which ,i am now going to tell you4 ,the prophets have spoken and written upon it1 but ,i will make a proclamation that will cover a broader ground4 ,the whole of ,america is ,zion itself1 from north to south1 and is described by the prophets who declared that it is ,zion1 where the mountain of the ,lord shall be1 and it shall be in the center of the land4 ,i have received instructions from the ,lord that from henceforth wherever the elders of ,israel shall build up churches and branches unto the ,lord1 throughout the states having reference to the ,united ,states1 of course there shall be a stake of ,zion4 ,in the great cities1 as ,boston1 ,new ,york1 etc41 there shall be stakes4 ,it is a glorious proclamation1 and ,i reserved it to the last1 and designed it to be understood that this work shall commence after the washings and anointings1 and endowments have been performed here i4 e41 in ,nauvoo4 ,at the same conference ,hyrum ,smith1 brother of the prophet1 said3 ,the gathering will continue here i4 e41 ,nauvoo until the temple is so far finished that the elders can get their endowments2 and after that the gathering will be from the nations to ,north and ,south ,america1 which is the land of ,zion4 ,the gathering from the old countries will always be to headquarters4 ,shortly after this ,president ,brigham ,young1 then of the ,twelve ,apostles1 addressing himself to ,reuben ,headlock1 president of the ,british mission1 said3 ,a word with you privately4 ,brother ,joseph said last conference that ,zion included ,north and ,south ,america1 and after the temple is done 7completed71 and the elders endowed1 they could spread abroad and build up cities all over the ,united ,states1 but at present we are not to preach this doctrine2 nay1 hold your tongue4 ,the martyrdom of the prophet and the exodus to the mountains consequent upon that martyrdom made it impossible to carry out this policy of building up stakes of ,zion in ,boston1 ,new ,york and other eastern cities4 ,the ,church1 found that it had all it could do in establishing itself in these valleys of the ,rocky mountains1 where it might fulfil the predictions of the prophet of this dispensation1 to the effect that the ,saints would become a great and powerful people in the midst of the ,rocky mountains4 ,sometimes1 however1 ,i have wondered if we have not too much set our hearts upon these valleys1 upon this state of ,utah and these surrounding states2 and if--like the ,saints in the earlier history of the ,church1 when inhabiting ,jackson county1 we have not limited our conceptions of ,zion by lines that are altogether too narrow4 ,last fall1 as ,i journeyed through the eastern states1 through ,new ,england1 and in the south1 and realizing that in the southern states there are more than #aj1jjj of our people1 and in the ,eastern ,states mission more than #c1jjj1 and in the ,northern ,states mission a still-greater number than in the ,eastern ,states1 ,i wondered if it would not be possible to establish stakes of ,zion in the eastern and southern states as well as in ,canada1 in ,mexico1 in ,oregon1 in ,arizona1 or ,colorado4 ,would it not be just as legitimate to establish stakes of ,zion in ,south ,carolina1 in ,florida1 in ,vermont or ,new ,york1 as it is to establish stakes of ,zion in these other places ,i have named8 ,the whole land of ,america1 the two great continents1 is ,zion1 the land of ,joseph2 and ,i believe that the elements are forming1 that ,god is so tempering the minds of men1 so making them receptive of the truth1 that by a strong1 intelligent proclamation of the gospel1 that ,god has entrusted to ,his ,church1 it may become possible for stakes of ,zion to be established all over this land4 ,i feel the truth of that4 ,i believe the time has come1 not only for an industrial expansion in ,america1 a mighty increase in material prosperity1 but a corresponding increase in spiritual life4 ,in other words an era has dawned upon us favorable to the establishment of ,zion4 ,let us not1 ,i pray you1 confine our feelings and views respecting ,zion to limits that are too narrow for the genius ,of this great work of ,god4 ,if anyone has supposed that the prosperity and success of this work called ,mormonism depends upon the ,latter-day ,saints retaining political control of ,salt ,lake or any other city2 of this state of ,utah or any other state1 or group of states1 his views do not rise to meet the grandeur of ,god's great ,latter-day work4 ,our work is to preach the gospel2 and to so preach it that its principles will leaven the whole mass of modern religious and philosophical thought2 to so preach it that it shall influence the lives of men in all the world4 ,no petty1 political scheme can be said to be any part of the great ,later-day work which ,god has established in the earth4 ,that work is broad as eternity2 it is deep as the love of ,god1 and concerns the salvation of all the children of men4 ,our religion is in the earth to benefit and bless and uplift mankind4 ,our ,church is not the ,church of ,jesus ,christ for the ,united ,states1 or for ,american4 ,it is truly the catholic 7i4 e41 the universal7 ,church1 the ,church of the whole world2 but1 as ,i have already urged throughout this discourse1 the ,latter-day ,saints hold a peculiar relationship to ,america1 being mainly of the seed of ,joseph1 through the loins of ,ephraim1 and having a special mission as to this land1 and to the other tribes of ,israel4 ,and now if the ,saints would only lift their eyes from the ground1 and look northward and southward and eastward and westward and realize that these two continents of ,america1 by the promise of ,god1 are the inheritance of ,joseph1 the sons of ,joseph1 the children of ,ephraim1 they would be1 so imbued with the spirit of their great ancestor that they would take possession of their inheritance in the name of ,god1 by the proclamation of their principles4 ,they would make a conquest of the land of ,zion4 ,amen4 ,part ,,iii4 ,historical and ,doctrinal ,papers4 ,i4 ,the ,lord's ,day4 ,,foreword4 ,it may be thought by some that the following papers scarcely come properly under the title ,the ,defense of the ,faith and the ,saints1 and yet in a way they do4 ,the article on ,the ,lord's ,day is a justification or defense of the practice of worshiping on the first day of the week instead of the seventh4 ,the article on ,anglican ,orders is a setting forth and a justification of the attitude of the ,church of ,latter-day ,saints in respect of divine authority4 ,while the historical article1 ,reformation or ,revolution is a defense of the position of the ,church respecting the character of the great sixteenth century movement to the effect that it was a revolution1 not a reformation1 at least not in the sense that it restored primitive ,christianity1 and therefore there was a necessity for the subsequent movement known as ,mormonism1 involving1 as it does1 the restoration of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ to the world4 ,the article1 ,revelation and ,inspiration1 is a defense of the ,church against some imputations put upon her because of the testimony of some of the high ,church officials before the ,united ,states ,senate ,committee on ,privileges and ,elections1 in the case of ,reed ,smoot4 ,thus1 ,i think1 all these articles1 while not so directly connected with the ,defense of the ,faith and the ,saints as the articles that have preceded them1 they will1 nevertheless1 sufficiently come within what the title of this book suggests as to warrant their being published here4 ,i4 ,the ,lord's ,day4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,an article in the ,improvement ,era1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,no4 ,i1 #ahig4 ,a justification for the regarding the first day of the week as the ,christian ,sabbath1 or ,the ,lord's ,day4 ,from ,elder ,george ,w4 ,crockwell1 laboring in ,sioux ,city1 ,iowa1 we recently received a letter in which occurs the following3 ,there are a great many ,seventh-day ,adventists in this city1 and in talking on the gospel with them ,i have been unable to confute their arguments1 to my satisfaction1 against our worshiping on the first day of the week4 ,in reading the scriptures ,i find only the following passages that in any way refer to the matter1 but they are not conclusive3 ,john #bj3ai-bf2 ,acts #b3a2 ,acts #bj3f1 #g2 ,i ,cor4 #af3a1 #b2 ,rev4 #a3aj2 ,mark #b3bg1 #bh2 ,luke #f3e2 ,,ii ,cor4 #e3ag2 ,eph4 #b3ae4 ,any information you may give me will be thankfully received2 and allow me to suggest that a tract covering this question would undoubtedly be of material assistance to ,elders laboring in sections of the country containing ,adventists4 ,seventh-day ,adventists constitute a religious sect whose chief characteristics are that they believe in the personal and glorious coming of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 and that the holy day of worship appointed of ,god is the seventh day of the week instead of the first4 ,hence their name--,seventh-day ,adventists4 ,owing to the fact that modern ,christians deny the continuation of revelation after the days of the apostles1 and as they cannot point to any direct revelation1 or positive apostolic institution in the ,new ,testament by which the first day of the week was substituted for the old ,jewish ,sabbath1 the seventh day1 which ,jesus during his lifetime honored by observing1 the ,adventists have other ,christians at somewhat of a disadvantage in this controversy4 ,the ,elders of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 however1 need not be embarrassed by the arguments of ,adventists1 since the ,church of ,christ in this last dispensation has the warrant of ,god's word1 by direct revelation1 for keeping holy the ,lord's day1 that is1 the first day of the week1 as a day ,of public worship and thanksgiving1 a holy ,sabbath unto the ,lord4 ,it is not our intention1 however1 to avoid a discussion of the question by thus placing it on entirely new ground1 and making the success of the issue depend upon one's ability to make it clear that ,god has given such a revelation1 although that is a position that can be consistently taken by our ,elders4 ,but we desire to point out the evidence we have 7#a7 from the ,new ,testament1 and 7#b7 from the practice of the early ,christian church1 for observing the first day of the week as a day of public worship1 sanctified and set apart as the ,lord's day4 ,by doing so we shall be able to show at least that there is a very strong probability that the change from the seventh to the first day of the week was made by the ,lord ,jesus ,christ himself1 after his resurrection2 that it was perpetuated by his apostles and the early ,christian church2 and then1 in conclusion1 shall cite the revelation referred to which1 to the ,latter-day ,saints1 changes this probability into fact and confirms with divine sanction our custom of worshiping on the first day of the week4 ,by pursuing this course we shall draw the strong probability to be derived from the scriptures and the practice of the early church to the support of the revelation referred to1 while the revelation1 as already indicated1 will transform the probability of the ,new ,testament scriptures into positive fact4 ,we begin with the arguments to be derived from the ,new ,testament3 ,it is related in ,john's gospel that on the first day of the week1 ,mary ,magdalene1 early in the morning1 met the ,lord ,jesus1 after his resurrection1 and conversed with him4 ,this she told the disciples4 ,then the same evening1 being the first day of the week1 when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the ,jews1 came ,jesus1 and stood in their midst and saith unto them1 ,peace be unto you4 99 99 99 ,as my ,father hath sent me1 even so send ,i you4 ,and when he had said this1 he breathed on them and saith unto them1 ,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost4 ,whose soever sins ye remit1 they are remitted unto them2 and whose soever sins ye retain1 they are retained 7,john xx3#ai-bc74 ,thomas1 of the ,twelve1 was not present at this meeting nor would he believe the account delivered to him of it by his fellow apostles1 but declared he must see the print of the nails in the ,master's hands1 and thrust his hands into his sides before he could believe4 ,and after eight days1 which of course brings us to the first day of the week1 again his disciples were within and ,thomas with them2 then came ,jesus1 the door being shut1 and stood in the midst1 and said1 peace be unto you 7,john #bj3bf74 ,he then dispelled the doubts of ,thomas1 and did many other things which are not written4 ,let this much be held in mind from the above3 ,jesus arose from the dead on the first day of the week and appeared to his disciples when they were assembled together4 ,then1 after eight days1 which brings us again to the first day of the week1 his disciples were again assembled1 and he appeared unto them4 ,we have no account of his appearing to any one in the interval1 a significant fact2 and one which makes it easy to believe that the second meeting on the first day of the week was appointed by the ,lord himself1 and since all that he did on this and other occasions was not written 7,john xx3#cj and ,ch4 xxi3#be71 it is not impossible1 nor even improbable1 that he then sanctified this day1 and appointed it as a holy day1 to be observed as sacred by his followers4 ,this view is sustained by the continued practice of the apostles in meeting on the first day of the week4 ,it is a significant fact that the day of ,pentecost1 upon which day the apostles received their spiritual endowment by the outpouring of the ,holy ,ghost1 that year fell on the first day of the week4 ,a ,and when the day of ,pentecost was fully come1 they were all with one accord in one place 7,acts ii3#a74 ,they received the outpouring of the ,holy ,ghost1 and publicly preached the gospel and administered baptism4 ,this assembling together on the first day of the week was doubtless in continuation of that new order of things with respect to the ,sabbath which ,jesus had ordained4 ,footnote ,a3 ,see ,smith's ,dictionary of the ,bible1 ,hackett ,abbot's edition1 ,vol4 ,,ii3 ,art4 ,lord's ,day1 p4 #afgg4 ,also ,bramhall's works1 ,vol4 ,v3 p4 #ea1 ,oxford ,ed41 ,discourse on the ,sabbath and ,lord's ,day4 ,many years after ,pentecost1 in giving the account of ,paul's journey from ,philippi to ,troas1 the writer of the ,acts of the ,apostles says that the journey was accomplished in five days2 and at ,troas the apostolic party abode seven days2 and upon the first day of the week1 when the disciples came together to break bread1 ,paul preached unto them1 ready to depart on the morrow2 and continued his speech until midnight 7,acts xx3#d-g74 ,again3 ,paul sends the following instructions to the ,saints at ,corinth--and it is to be seen from the passage itself that he had given the same instructions to the churches of ,galatia3 ,now1 concerning the collection for the ,saints1 as ,i have given order to the churches of ,galatia1 even so do ye4 ,upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store1 as ,god has prospered him1 that there be no gatherings i4 e41 collections when ,i come 7#a ,cor4 xvi3#a1b74 ,these passages prove very clearly that the custom of meeting together for acts of public worship and the preaching of the gospel was firmly established in apostolic times1 and since that is the case it doubtless was ordered by ,messiah's own appointment4 ,surely the apostles would not presume to establish such an order of things without divine sanction4 ,within the life time of the last of the apostles1 too1 this ,christian ,sabbath had received its name--the ,lord's ,day4 ,john's statement--,i was in the spirit on the ,lord's ,day1 and heard behind me a great voice1 etc41 can have reference to no other thing than the fact that on the first day of the week which had come to be known by them as the ,lord's ,day1 ,john was in the spirit4 ,the general consent1 both of ,christian antiquity and modern divines1 has referred it to be the weekly festival of our ,lord's resurrection1 and identified it with 'the first day of the week1' on which he rose2 with the patristical 'eighth day1' or day which is both the first and the eighth2 in fact with the ',solis ,dies' or ',sunday1' of every age of the church4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,smith's ,dictionary of the ,bible1 ,vol4 ,,ii2 p4 #afgf4 ,following is the argument of a very respectable authority upon these ,new ,testament passages1 and it seems to us decidedly strong3 ,as the death of ,christ made atonement for sin and symbolized the death of his church to the world1 so did his resurrection mark the beginning of a new spiritual life1 or1 in the words of ,paul1 'a new creation in ,christ ,jesus4' ,this new creation was the higher renewal of that first one which sin had marred2 and therefore we find the disciples1 from that very day1 celebrating the first day of the week as the ,christian ,sabbath1 the ,lord's day1 on which he met for worship and fellowship4 ,these assemblies began on that very evening when the risen ,lord entered the chamber where the eleven apostles had met with doors shut for fear of the ,jews1 saluted them with the blessing of peace1 showed them his wounded body1 and ate bread with them2 and then breathing his spirit upon them he repeated their commission1 to preach the gospel to every creature1 and to baptize all believers1 conferred on them the power to work miracles1 and gave them the authority of remitting and retaining sins4 ,such was the first meeting of the apostolic church on the first ,lord's day4 ,and after eight days again his disciples were within1 the doors being shut as before1 when ,jesus stood again in their midst1 with the salutation of 'peace1' and satisfied the doubts of ,thomas1 with the tangible proof of his resurrection4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,student's ,eccl4 ,hist4 7,philip ,smith1 ,b4,a47 ,vol4 ,i3 pp4 #ba1 #bb4 ,the same authority continues the argument in a foot note thus3 ,the meetings of the disciples on each eighth day have the more force as an argument from the very fact of their being only incidentally recorded4 ,the correspondence of the interval with the week1 and the distinction of the day from the old ,sabbath1 are facts which admit of no other explanation2 and all doubt is removed by ,paul's plain allusion to the meetings of the disciples on the first day of the week1 and by the testimony of the heathen as well as ,christian writers to the practice from the earliest age of the church4 ,john in mentioning the day as a season of spiritual ecstasy1 in which ,christ appeared to him and showed him the worship of the heavenly temple1 expressly calls it by the name which it has always borne in the church1 'the ,lord's ,day4',b ,footnote ,b3 ,the ,student's ,eccl4 ,hist4 ,vol4 #a3 ,p4 #bb1 ,note4 ,these arguments may be further strengthened by the following considerations3 ,when the ,jews were stickling for a very strict observance of the old ,sabbath1 ,jesus1 with some spirit1 replied that the ,sabbath was made for man and not man for the ,sabbath4 ,and furthermore gave them to understand that the ,son of ,man is ,lord also of the ,sabbath1 7,mark ii3#bg1 #bh74 ,it follows then that since ,jesus is ,lord of the ,sabbath1 it would clearly be within the province of his authority to change the old ,mosaic institution of the ,sabbath if he so elected4 ,paul in his day said3 ,if any man be in ,christ he is a new creature2 old things are passed away2 behold all things have become new 7,,ii ,cor4 v3#ag74 ,again in his letter to the ,ephesians1 the apostle represents ,christ as having abolished in his flesh the enmity1 even the law of commandments contained in ordinances4 ,and again in his letter to the ,colossians3 ,and you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh1 hath he quickened together with him1 having forgiven you all trespasses2 blotting out the hand writing of ordinances that war against us1 which was contrary to us1 and took it out of the way1 nailing it to the cross4 99 99 99 ,let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink1 or in respect of an holy day1 or of the new moon1 or of the ,sabbath days3 which are a shadow of things to come 7,col4 ii3 #ac-ag74 ,from this it is clear that many things in the law of ,moses being fulfilled in ,christ were done away1 or changed to conform to the law of the gospel2 and to say the very least of the argument set forth up to this point1 it is very probable that the ,sabbath was among those things so changed4 ,turn we now to the argument to be derived from the custom of the primitive church3 ,next to the ,new ,testament writers ,clement of ,rome1 a companion of the apostles1 is most relied upon as stating correctly early ,christian practices1 and in his epistle to the ,corinthians1 speaking of things commanded of ,christ1 he says3 ,now the offerings and ministrations he commanded to be performed with care1 and not to be done rashly or in disorder1 but at fixed times and seasons4 ,and when and by whom he would have them performed he himself fixed by his supreme will3 that all things being done with piety according to his pleasure might be acceptable to his will4 ,they therefore that make their offerings at the appointed seasons are acceptable and blessed2 for while they follow the instructions of the ,master they cannot go wrong4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,clement's ,epistle to the ,ephesians1 chapter #dj4 ,we use ,rev4 ,geo4 ,a4 ,jackson's translation of the passage4 ,from this it1 appears that ,jesus himself did fix set times and seasons for offerings and ministrations1 as well also by whom as when they should be performed1 and that1 too1 according to his supreme will4 ,this represents the ,lord as having arranged matters in the church--including times and seasons for offerings and administrations--more definitely than any of the ,new ,testament writers credit him with doing4 ,is it unreasonable to think that among these was the transition from the ,jewish ,sabbath to the ,lord's ,day8 ,in the ,epistle of ,barnabas1 written in the early part of the second century1 it is said by that writer1 speaking of the ,christian custom as pertaining to the ,sabbath3 ,we keep the eighth day unto gladness1 in the which ,jesus also rose from the dead1 and after that he had been manifested1 ascended into heaven4 7,epist4 ,barnabas1 ,ch4 #ae47 ,the younger ,pliny1 the ,roman governor of ,bithynia1 in describing the custom of the ,christians to his friend1 ,trajan1 the ,roman emperor1 says3 ,they were accustomed on a stated day to meet before daylight1 and repeat among themselves a hymn to ,christ as to a ,god1 and to bind themselves by an oath with an obligation of not committing any wickedness2 99 99 99 after which it was their custom to separate and to meet again at a promiscuous1 harmless1 meal the ,sacrament8 from which last practice they desisted1 after the publication of my edict4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,pliny's letter to ,trajan and the emperor's reply will be found in full in ,roberts' ,new ,witness for ,god1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #ed-eg4 ,it is only claimed for this passage that it proves that the ,christians had a stated day on which they met for the worship of ,god1 and the renewal of religious covenants2 and doubtless that stated day was the eighth day of the week mentioned by ,barnabas1 and which corresponds with the first day of the week mentioned by the ,new ,testament writers4 ,justin ,martyr1 one of the most learned and highly esteemed of the apostolic fathers1 is very clear upon this subject4 ,he says1 writing in the first half of the second century1 almost within shouting distance of the inspired apostles3 ,in all our obligations we bless the ,maker of all things1 through his son ,jesus ,christ1 and through the ,holy ,ghost1 and on the day which is called ,sunday1 there is an assembly in the same place of all who live in cities or in country districts2 and the records of the apostles1 or the writings of the prophets1 are read as long as we have time4 ,then the reader concludes1 and the president verbally instructs and exhorts us to the imitation of those excellent things4 ,then we all arise together and offer up our prayers4 ,and1 as ,i said before1 when we have concluded our prayer1 bread is brought and wine and water1 and the president in like manner offers up prayers and thanksgiving with all his strength1 and the people give their assent by saying1 amen4 99 99 99 ,but ,sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly1 because it is the first day on which ,god when he changed the darkness and matter1 made the world2 and ,jesus ,christ our ,savior on the same day rose from the dead3 for the day before that of ,saturn he was crucified1 and on the day after it1 which is ,sunday1 he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them these things which we have given to you also for your consideration 7,i ,apology1 ,ch4 #fg74 ,we have not the space to further examine the testimony of the fathers1 nor is it necessary4 ,sufficient has been quoted to show that in that age immediately succeeding the apostles1 the practice1 which seems to have begun even under the immediate supervision of the ,lord himself1 was firmly established in the early church4 ,the learned writer in ,smith's ,dictionary of the ,bible1 ,rev4 ,james ,augustus ,hessev1 who there treats this subject1 says3 ,the result of our examination of the principal writers of the two centuries after the death of ,st4 ,john are as follows3 ,the ,lord's day 7a name which has now come out more prominently2 and is connected more explicitly with our ,lord's resurrection than before7 existed during these two centuries as part and parcel of apostolical1 and so of scriptural ,christianity4 99 99 99 ,our design does not necessarily lead us to do more than to state facts2 but if the facts be allowed to speak for themselves1 they indicate that the ,lord's day is a purely ,christian institution1 sanctioned by4 apostolic practice1 mentioned in apostolic writings1 and so possessed of whatever divine authority all apostolic ordinances and doctrines 7which are not obviously temporary1 or were not abrogated by the apostles themselves7 can be supposed to possess 7,vol4 ,,ii1 page #afgi74 ,yet after all this is admitted1 and the strength of the argument is very great in my judgment1 it must still be confessed that it falls somewhat short of being absolutely conclusive4 ,it cannot be made out clearly and positively that ,jesus or the apostles by direct1 official action authorized the observance of the first day of the week as a day of public worship1 dedicated to the service of ,god1 and designed to take the place of the ,jewish ,sabbath4 ,the most that can be claimed for the evidence here adduced--and it is the strongest if not all that can be marshalled in support of the proposition is that it is probable that such a change was instituted4 ,revelation ,baden ,powel1 professor of geometry at ,oxford ,university1 states the case as it stands most truly4 ,he says3 ,to those ,christians who look to the written word as the sole authority for anything claiming apostolic or divine sanction1 it becomes peculiarly important to observe that the ,new ,testament evidence of the observance of the ,lord's day amounts merely to the recorded fact that the disciples did assemble on the first day of the week1 and the probable application of the designation of the ,lord's day to that day4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,kitto's ,cyclopedia of ,biblical ,literature4 ,art4 ,lord's ,day4 ,that ,catholics regard what is written in the ,new ,testament as insufficient to justify them in the observance of the first day of the week instead of the seventh is evident from the fact that they appeal to the tradition of the church or the unwritten word of ,god in justification of their practice1 and upbraid ,protestants for their rejection of the authority of tradition1 which alone1 in their view1 justifies the change from the seventh to the first4 ,the author of the ,catholic work1 ,end of ,religious ,controversy1 after citing the scripture commanding the observance of the seventh day as the ,sabbath1 then says3 ,yet with all this weight of scripture authority for keeping the ,sabbath or seventh day holy1 ,protestants of all denominations make this a profane day1 and transfer the obligation of it to the first day of the week1 or ,sunday4 ,now what authority have they for doing this8 ,none whatever1 except the unwritten word1 or tradition of the ,catholic church2 which declares that the ,apostles made the change in honor of ,christ's resurrection and the descent of the ,holy ,ghost on that day of the week 7,end of ,religious ,controversy1 letter #aa74 ,it is this element of uncertainty in the evidence1 and the consequent inconclusiveness in the argument that those who contend for the seventh day as the ,sabbath of the ,lord take advantage of2 but1 as stated in the beginning1 the ,latter-day ,saints need not share the embarrassment that other ,christians generally feel over the question1 for the ,lord has set the matter at rest by a revelation in the last days to his church4 ,in a revelation to his servant ,joseph ,smith1 given in ,august1 #ahca1 he said3 ,thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the ,lord thy ,god in righteousness1 even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit4 ,and that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world1 thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day2 for verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors and to pay thy devotions unto the ,most ,high4 ,nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times2 but remember that on this the ,lord's day thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the ,most ,high1 confessing thy sins unto thy brethren and unto the ,lord4 ,and on this day thou shalt do none other thing only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect1 or in other words that thy joy may be full 7,doc4 ,cov4 xlix3#h-ac74 ,this is in clear allusion to the first day of the week2 and thus the matter is set at rest4 ,the observance of the ,lord's day as the day sacred to the worship of ,almighty ,god1 so far as the ,latter-day ,saints are concerned1 does not rest upon the probability that it was of divine or apostolic institution1 as is the case with ,protestant ,christendom2 nor does it rest upon the tradition of the church that it was of apostolic institution1 as is the case with the ,catholic church2 but the observance of that day comes to the ,church of ,christ by direct appointment of the ,lord by revelation to the head of the church in this dispensation2 and that revelation transforms the probability1 that the first day of the week was substituted for the old ,jewish ,sabbath1 into a certainty4 ,in conclusion1 let us ask our young ,latter-day ,saints to observe with what solemnity ,god hath dedicated this day1 and set it apart for the worship of the ,lord2 and how strictly he hath prohibited other occupation than this on that day2 and so much as our certainty outstrips the probability of other ,christians that the ,lord's day is the proper day for public worship1 so let our strict observance of it outstrip theirs4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,at the ,seventy-seventh ,annual ,conference of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 held in the ,tabernacle1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah1 ,april #e1 #f1 #g1 #aijg1 ,anthon ,h4 ,lund of the ,first ,presidency of the ,church1 speaking on this subject of the ,sabbath ,day and justifying the practice of the ,church in observing the first day of the week as our ,christian ,sabbath1 employed among other arguments the following3 ,it is impossible for all to keep the ,sabbath day at the very same time all over the globe4 ,if all the people lived on one longitude or meridian they could keep it at the same time1 but as they are now scattered around the globe1 there is a great difference in time4 ,for instance1 children went to ,sunday ,school in ,new ,zealand yesterday at half past two o'clock4 ,it was ,saturday to us2 ,president ,lund made these remarks on ,sunday forenoon4 it was ten o'clock ,sunday morning to them4 ,the children on the ,hawaiian ,islands will go to ,sunday ,school about one o'clock today1 and it will be ten o'clock then for them4 ,thus1 at a given time it may be ,sunday for one set of people and ,saturday for people in another place4 ,the teachers in the ,hawaiian ,sunday ,school might say today to the children1 ',your brethren in ,new ,zealand met yesterday1 when it was twelve o'clock here1 in their ,sunday ,school1' and the children would likely say1 ',why1 they have ,sunday ,school on a ,saturday6' ,the line which divides the time1 or which indicates where day begins1 is an arbitrary one made by men for the sake of convenience4 ,it is located the very best place that it could be1 because there are very few inhabitants that the line will strike4 ,it passes over the ,pacific ,ocean1 and in order that no island shall have ,saturday on one side and ,sunday on the other1 they have turned the line around the groups in the ,pacific ,ocean1 so that those pertaining to the same country1 under the same government1 may have the same day2 but this is all an arbitrary arrangement4 ,if1 then1 the ,lord accepted the devotions of those who worshiped ,him yesterday1 calling the day ,sunday1 and accepts the worship of those living a short distance eastward who call today ,sunday1 the important question seems to be1 not so much the exact time as the fact that one day in every seven is set apart to be a day of rest4 ,,ii4 ,anglican ,orders4--,decision of ,leo ,,xiii ,considered4--,the ,protestant ,dilemma4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,this article was offered to the press of ,cincinnati1 ,ohio1 soon after ,leo ,,xiii promulgated his decision on the subject of ,anglican orders1 when the discussion of the subject was at its height1 and declined by them1 for reasons obvious to the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,it subsequently appeared in the ,deseret ,news of ,november #gth1 #ahif4 ,a ,consideration of the ,question of ,divine ,authority4 ,preliminary ,statement4 ,in the month of ,june1 #ahif1 something of a sensation was created in ,england in respect of an expressed desire for a closer union between the ,church of ,england and the ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,the desire was voiced in the form of a statement by ,mr4 ,william ,ewart ,gladstone1 communicated through the ,archbishop of ,york4 ,the question of unity among the ,christian churches had been agitated in several quarters in that year1 and the ,pope had addressed a letter to the ,english people in fact appealing to them to return to the ,church of ,rome1 and it is said a movement having for its purpose the same general result1 had been going on for some time among clergymen and laymen who belonged to one section of the ,anglican church4 ,lord ,halifax1 who was the chairman of a great ,anglican organization1 under the title of the ,english ,church ,union1 had been prominent in this movement1 and had several interviews with the ,pope and his counselors1 seeking to ascertain how far ,rome on the one hand and the ,english church on the other were willing to advance toward a basis of union4 ,one of the questions which came up for discussion was that of the validity of ,anglican orders2 that is1 whether ,rome would or could recognize the right of an ,anglican clergyman to seek1 as such1 admission to the clerical order in the ,roman church1 if any change of opinion should lead him that way4 ,and thus the question of the validity of ,anglican orders became a subject of formal investigation by the authorities at the ,vatican4 ,mr4 ,gladstone's position upon the subject is best stated by himself3 ,the one controversy which1 according to my deep conviction1 overshadows and1 in the last resort1 absorbs all others1 is the controversy between ,faith and ,unbelief4 4 4 4 4 4 ,this historical transmission of the truth by a visible church with an ordained constitution is a matter of profound importance1 according to the belief and practice of fully three-fourths of ,christendom4 ,in these three-fourths ,i include the ,anglican churches1 which are probably required in order to make them up4 ,it is surely better for the ,roman and also the ,oriental ,greek church to find the churches of the ,anglican succession standing side by side with them in the assertion of what they deem an important ,christian principle than to be obliged to regard them as mere pretenders in this belief and pro tanto reduce the cloud of witnesses willing and desirous to testify on behalf of the principle4 4 4 4 ,i may add that my political life has brought me much into contact with those independent religious communities which supply an important religious factor in the religious life of ,great ,britain1 and which1 speaking generally1 while they decline to own the authority1 either of the ,roman or the ,national ,church1 yet still allow to what they know as the established religion no inconsiderable hold upon their sympathies4 ,in conclusion1 it is not for me to say what will be the upshot of the proceedings now in progress at ,rome4 ,but be their issue what it may1 there is1 in my view1 no room for doubt as to the attitude which has been taken by the actual head of the ,roman ,catholic church in regard to them4 ,it seems to me an attitude in the largest sense paternal1 and while it will probably stand among the latest recollections of my lifetime1 it will ever be cherished with cordial sentiments of reverence1 of gratitude1 and of high appreciation4 7,story of ,gladstone's ,life1 7,mc,carthy7 pp4 #dad-daf47 ,this attitude of the great ,english ,statesman brought upon his head a storm of indignation1 not to say anathema from nonconforming churches1 and in reply to one of those ministers1 he said3 ,the ,church of ,rome recognizes as valid 7when regularly performed7 baptism conferred in your communion and ours4 ,by this acknowledgment ,i think that ,christianity is strengthened in face of non-,christians4 ,for baptism read orders 7for the purpose of the argument71 and the same proposition applies1 though unhappily in this case only to us1 not to you4 ,no harm that ,i can see is done to any one else4 ,the settlement of this matter is a thing of the likelihood of which ,i cannot even form an opinion4 ,but ,i honor the ,pope in the matter1 as it is my duty to honor every man who acts as best he can with the spirit of courage1 truth and love4 7,the ,life of ,gladstone1 page #dai74 ,the first response from ,rome to ,mr4 ,gladstone's letter contained nothing decisive and final upon the subject of the ,anglican orders1 though his holiness made it clear that on the part of ,rome there could be no compromise of religion or principles1 and later in the year he issued the decision which is the subject of the following paper1 in which his holiness held that ,anglican orders were absolutely invalid4 ,the consequences of which decision are discussed in the paper following4 ,pope ,leo's ,decision on ,anglican ,orders4 ,the decision of ,pope ,leo ,,xiii in respect to the invalidity of ,anglican ,orders1 appears to be creating not only a very great amount of discussion through the columns of the religious press but also considerable ill-feeling4 ,the ,religious ,telescope for example1 published at ,dayton1 ,ohio1 in its issue of the #adth of ,october1 #ahif1 under the caption ,absolutely ,invalid1 says3 ,this is the decision of ,pope ,leo ,,xiii respecting all ordinations under the ,anglican rule4 ,after a long study of the subject he has confirmed the decision of his predecessors in regard to this matter4 ,his decision sets aside all ordinations outside of the ,roman ,catholic ,church as absolutely invalid4 ,so there we have it3 all ministers of the ,lutheran1 the ,episcopal1 the ,baptist1 the ,presbyterian1 the ,methodist1 in short1 all ,protestant churches--are posing under false ordination vows6 ,so his holiness declares6 ,and is he not infallible8 ,is it not impossible for him to make a mistake8 ,is he not the successor of ,st4 ,peter--,christ's vicegerent on earth8 ,does he not hold the keys of the kingdom of heaven8 ,does not that aged1 decrepit old man1 ,leo ,,xiii1 now in his dotage1 have the power to bind and to loose--to admit into or shut out from heaven whomsoever he will8 ,does any ,protestant minister or layman doubt this8 ,perish the thought6 ,how will this august decision handed down from the ,vatican affect the ministry of the ,protestant churches8 ,in our judgment only about as sensibly as a puff of the ,pope's breath would have affected the ,st4 ,louis cyclone when in the height of its fury4 ,they will go right on preaching the unsearchable riches of the gospel of ,christ in demonstration of the spirit and power of the ,lord ,jesus1 as heretofore1 leaving the pope and his liberty-destroying church polity and superstitions to work out their own destruction by demonstrating their disastrous effects on human progress as they have done and are still doing in ,mexico1 ,spain1 ,central and ,south ,america1 and in every ,roman ,catholic dominated country in the world4 ,this is scarcely the spirit in which one would expect to see a subject of so grave importance treated4 ,sarcasm and ridicule doubtless have their place even in polemics1 but it is only as they may be incidentally used that they can be of force4 ,one could no more think of succeeding in an argument on a serious question by using them exclusively1 than he would think of making a hearty meal on condiments alone4 ,that the subject of the ,apostolic letter of ,leo ,,xiii is a serious one1 no one will deny4 ,that it calls for earnest thought and not sarcasm and ridicule1 admits of no doubt4 ,it involves the question of divine authority in the ,protestant ministry and churches2 and1 for that matter1 the divine authority of the church of ,rome itself4 ,for1 if the alleged successor of ,st4 ,peter1 by a method of reasoning satisfactory to himself and his council1 arrives at what the ,protestants of this generation will regard as a startling conclusion1 viz41 that their ministry and churches are without divine authority1 the ,protestants will reply in kind4 ,they will revive the charges brought against the church of ,rome during the revolt from the pope's authority in that wonderful sixteenth century revolution miscalled the ,reformation4 ,they will proclaim him the ,anti-,christ of ,new ,testament scripture2 charge upon the church of ,rome complete apostasy from primitive ,christianity2 and accuse all those continuing in communion with her as being idolaters and pagans4 ,such a rejoinder on the part of the ,protestants is inevitable1 since it is only on the ground that the church of ,rome was become a corrupt church1 in complete apostasy and dispossessed of divine authority1 that the so-called ,reformation of the sixteenth century1 or the existence of ,protestant churches today can be justified4 ,why is the unity of the ,christian churches broken8 ,why does there exist a ,roman ,catholic church and numerous ,protestant churches8 ,because the ,protestants of the sixteenth century believed that the church of ,rome was in a state of apostasy from true ,christianity1 and hence they came out from her dominion2 revolted against and rejected her authority1 while the church of ,rome1 on her part1 regarded the ,protestants of the same century as heretics1 as renegade children1 apostates4 ,that there has been no change in the attitude of the respective parties to this great controversy since one first denounced the other as an heretic1 and the other replied with the charge of anti-,christ1 is emphasized by this latest utterance of the bishop of ,rome1 in which he declares that ordinations carried out according to the ,anglican rite have been and are absolutely null and utterly void4 ,this question of possessing divine authority goes right down to the foundations of ,christianity4 ,no one will attempt to say that a man has a right to act in the name of ,jesus ,christ without authority from him to do so4 ,if it required direct authority from ,god to handle the sacred utensils of ,god's sanctuary in the wilderness1 and to care for the ,ark of the ,covenant1 and for touching these things without authority1 one was smitten with death 7see ,numbers chapter iv1 and ,samuel vi3 #c72 if it required divine authority to burn incense before the altar in the temple of ,god at ,jerusalem1 and for usurping the priest's office and attempting without divine authority to burn incense one was cursed of ,god with leprosy1 even though a king 7,,ii ,chronicles xxvi72 if it required divine authority to cast out devils1 and certain ones in attempting to cast them out without having authority to so command them1 were leaped upon by the evil spirits and prevailed against 7,acts xix72 if1 ,i say1 it required divine authority to do these several things1 how reasonable it is to conclude that it will more abundantly require divine appointment1 or delegated power from ,god to make proclamation of the gospel and administer its ordinances4 ,as the sacraments of the ,christian religion are of infinitely more importance than the handling of sacred utensils1 touching the ,ark of the ,covenant1 burning incense or casting out devils1 so1 too1 it is to be expected that ,god will be all the more careful to entrust their administration only to those having a divine commission4 ,to say1 as the bishop of ,rome does say1 that the ordinations carried out according to the ,anglican rite have been and are absolutely null and utterly void1 is1 of course1 to deny to the ,english clergy divine authority4 ,to deny them divine authority by saying that their orders are and have been null and void1 is to say that their administration of the ,christian sacraments through all the years that have elapsed since the church in ,england revolted against the authority of the pope1 have been useless4 ,and if ,rome denies the validity of the church of ,england orders1 it may be taken for granted that she will deny the validity of the orders of all other churches separated from her2 for of all the churches separated from the ,roman ,see the church of ,england has most nearly conformed to1 or what would be more accurate to say1 departed the least from the ritual of the old church4 ,in plain terms the church of ,rome holds all churches that have separated from her1 and all churches that have sprung into existence from the churches so separated1 as being without authority from ,god1 and regards their ministry as a disorderly crowd4 ,i know there are a class of ,protestant churchmen1 who seek to satisfy themselves on this question of divine authority by claiming that it has come down to them on lines independent of the church of ,rome4 ,but1 unfortunately for this contention the church of ,england herself and the other ,protestants cut off not only the source of divine authority that might be claimed as coming from the church of ,rome1 but also every other source from which that authority could spring4 ,in her great homily on the ,perils of ,idolatry the church of ,england says3 ,laity and clergy1 learned and unlearned1 all ages and sects and degrees have been drowned in abominable idolatry most detested by ,god and damnable to man1 for eight hundred years and more 7,perils of ,idolatry1 page #c74 ,by making this charge against all ,christendom one is unable to see how the ,church of ,england can make any claim whatsoever of divine authority2 for1 if all ,christendom was plunged into this awful abyss of apostasy for eight hundred years and more1 no divine authority survived that period4 ,nor is the ,church of ,england the only ,protestant authority which makes this charge of universal apostasy from primitive ,christianity4 ,john ,wesley1 in making an explanation of the cessation of scriptural gifts among ,christians1 says3 ,it does not appear that these extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,spirit speaking of ,i ,corinthians xii were common in the church for more than two or three centuries4 ,we seldom hear of them after that fatal period when the ,emperor ,constantine called himself a ,christian2 and from a vain imagination of promoting the ,christian cause thereby heaped riches and power and honor upon ,christians in general1 but in particular upon the ,christian clergy4 ,from this time they 7the spiritual gifts7 almost totally ceased2 very few instances of the kind were found4 ,the cause of this was not 7as has been supposed7 because there was no more occasion for them1 because all the world was become ,christians4 ,this is a miserable mistake1 not a twentieth part of it was then nominally ,christians4 ,the real cause of it was that the love of many1 almost all1 ,christians so-called was waxed cold4 ,the ,christians had no more of the spirit of ,christ than the other heathens4 ,the ,son of man when he came to examine his church1 could hardly find faith upon earth4 ,this was the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the ,holy ,ghost were no longer to be found in the ,christian church--because the ,christians were turned heathens again and only had a dead form left 7,wesley's ,works1 ,vol4 vii1 sermon #hi1 pp4 #bf1 #bg74 ,if the ,christians were turned heathen again1 and only had a dead1 form of religion left1 like the other heathens1 it will be extremely difficult for the followers of ,mr4 ,wesley1 and those who have received whatsoever of authority they possess from him1 to point out just where their divine authority came from since their great leader proclaims this entire corruption of the ,christian church4 ,if on the one hand the ,catholic church denies to ,protestant ,christendom the possession of divine authority1 and if1 on the other hand1 ,protestants declare the universal corruption and apostasy of mediaeval ,christianity in order to justify the religious revolution of the sixteenth century1 and their own existence as so-called reformed churches1 then there is no possible channel through which they can claim that divine authority to administer the ordinances of the gospel has come down to them2 unless they shall claim that the heavens have again been opened and a new dispensation of the gospel1 including as it would1 divine authority1 has been committed to them4 ,not one of all the ,protestant sects claims that such a new revelation has been given1 and as every other source from which divine authority could come is cut off by them1 there is left but one conclusion to come to and that is that they are without divine authority1 and hence their administrations of the ,christian sacraments are vain4 ,the position of the ,catholic church is more logically consistent than that of ,protestants2 for she insists that there has been an unbroken line of authority and divine mission through the succession of her bishops1 and more especially through the succession of the bishops of ,rome from ,st4 ,peter to ,leo ,,xiii4 ,but the church of ,rome is asking us to believe too much when she demands that we shall believe that ,god's authority has come down to modern times through the corrupted line of the ,catholic priesthood4 ,one has only to become acquainted with the melancholy history of the ,roman popes to be convinced of the impossibility of ,god acknowledging them as the line down which he has transmitted the power to speak and act in his name4 ,one need only contrast the spirit of humility which characterized the ,apostles and ,elders of the ,church of ,christ with the worldly pride1 ambition and wickedness of the popes of ,rome1 to see how far the latter have departed from the standard of character established by the lives of the former1 and one need only contrast the beautiful simplicity of the principles and ordinances of the early ,christian church1 as described in the ,new ,testament1 with the canon-law and the elaborate ceremonial of the ,catholic church to see how wide a departure has been made from the religion given to the world by the great peasant teacher of ,judea4 ,the fact is1 this controversy precipitated on the religious world by the decision of ,pope ,leo ,,xiii1 in respect to ,anglican ,orders1 brings us face to face with the great truth prophesied of in holy scripture1 to-wit3 ,the universal apostasy from the ,christian religion4 ,men have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances and broken the covenant of the gospel of ,christ 7,isaiah xiv3 #d-f74 ,of themselves men have arisen speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them 7,acts xx3 #bh-cj74 ,the time came when men would no longer endure sound doctrine1 but after their own lusts heaped teachers to themselves having itching ears1 and those teachers have turned their ears away from the truth unto fables 7,,ii ,timothy iv74 ,false teachers arose among the people who privily brought in damnable heresies1 even denying the ,lord that bought them1 and many have followed their pernicious ways1 by reason of whom the way of truth has been evil spoken of 7,,ii ,peter ii74 ,the great falling away predicted by the ,apostle of the ,gentiles which was to precede the glorious coming of the ,son of ,god in the clouds of heaven with power and glory1 has come to pass4 ,that man of sin1 the son of perdition1 who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called ,god1 or that is worshiped1 so that he as ,god sitteth in the ,temple of ,god1 showing himself that he is ,god1 7,,ii ,thess4 ii7 has had and is having his rule and reign in the earth1 and men have been made to bow down to him and may continue to be compelled to bow down to him until1 as predicted in holy writ1 the ,lord shall destroy him with the brightness of his coming4 ,the ,new ,testament scriptures are replete with predictions of this great apostasy from the ,christian religion1 and one may see in the facts of ecclesiastical history1 that the whole ,christian world1 laity and clergy1 to use again the language of the ,church of ,england1 learned and unlearned1 all ages and sects and degrees have been drowned in abominable idolatry1 most detested by ,god and damnable to man4 ,the actual changes1 also1 wrought in the ,christian religion by the additions to and corruption of its ordinances make it clear that men have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinances and broken the everlasting covenant of the religion of ,jesus ,christ4 ,under these circumstances the only way that divine authority can be restored to the earth is by ,god re-opening the heavens and giving a new dispensation of the gospel to the children of men1 including as it would divine authority to preach its doctrines and administer its ordinances4 ,great and urgent as the necessity for such a new dispensation of the gospel is1 men need not look to either the ,catholic church or the ,protestant sects for such a proclamation4 ,the former1 in addition to claiming that there has been an unbroken line of divine authority through its priesthood1 rejects the idea of revelation subsequent to the alleged closing of the ,new ,testament canon of scripture4 ,the latter1 though declaring the apostate condition of mediaeval ,christendom1 not only make no claim that the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 including divine authority1 was restored by revelation to the leaders of the sixteenth century ,reformation1 but also spurn the idea that there has been or can be any revelation subsequent to what they term the closing of the ,new ,testament canon of scripture4 ,out of all the religious teachers of modern times there is but one who has had the boldness to claim the restoration of divine authority and a dispensation of the gospel by means of a new revelation from ,god2 and that is the first ,prophet of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 ,joseph ,smith4 ,he claimed to have received revelation from ,god2 the visitation of angels1 who conferred upon him a holy ,priesthood1 a divine commission1 by virtue of which he was appointed to preach the ,gospel and re-establish the ,church of ,jesus ,christ on earth4 ,if this man's pretensions to such divine appointment are scoffed at1 it is no more than was accorded the pretensions of ,apostles and ,prophets of ,god in former dispensations4 ,if he is derided for his humble origin1 and the lowly station from which he was called to the work of ,god1 so1 too1 were the ancient ,apostles and ,prophets1 and even the ,son of ,god himself4 ,if this message has been very generally rejected and he himself was despised of men1 persecuted1 hated1 and at last slain for the word of ,god and the testimony of ,jesus1 what is all this but the same treatment that has been accorded to the accredited servants of ,god in nearly all ages of the world8 ,if his followers have suffered ridicule1 oppression and persecution1 what is this but the same fate that has overtaken the ,saints of ,god in nearly all ages of the world8 ,all this will not affect the truth or untruth of his statements any more than like treatment affected the truth or untruth of the claims of other inspired servants of ,god4 ,the truth is that the claims of ,joseph ,smith1 in view of the great ,christian controversy that has been going on for centuries1 and just now emphasized by the recent decision of ,pope ,leo ,,xiii1 respecting ,anglican ,orders1 and the discussion it has provoked1 are more consistent than the claims of any of the ,protestant reformers4 ,for the great apostate condition of ,christendom in mediaeval times being a reality1 the only way there could be a restoration of that which was lost by that apostasy would be by a new dispensation of the gospel being committed to men by means of a new revelation2 and herein is the strength of the position of ,joseph ,smith1 and the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 which1 under ,god's direction he organized4 ,,iii4 ,reformation or ,revolution8 ,a ,footnote ,a3 ,a discourse delivered at ,payson1 ,utah1 ,july #h1 #ahid ,a study of the great sixteenth century movement led by ,martin ,luther and others4 ,the theme announced deals with a period of-history and with events great in their importance to modern civilization4 ,the reason why ,i am called to discuss this great movement of the sixteenth century1 called the ,reformation1 grows out of what ,i have published upon the subject in the ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history4 ,that great movement which many historians call the ,reformation1 and which is generally accepted1 at least by ,protestant ,christendom1 as such1 ,i have called in the work named a revolution1 and ,i am asked to state the reasons ,i have for considering that movement a revolution1 rather than a reformation4 ,i wish to say1 however1 that my affirmation that it was a revolution was carefully qualified4 ,this is my statement3 ,it is absurd to say that the revolution of the sixteenth century was a reformation1 if by that it is meant that it re-established the primitive doctrines of ,christianity1 purified the morals of the people1 or gave birth to a better ecclesiastical government1 it did no such thing4 ,that is my statement1 but it is sufficiently direct1 notwithstanding the qualification1 to make it come in direct antagonism with what the friends of1 the sixteenth century movement claim for it4 ,milner1 the great writer of church history1 says3 ,the ,reformation is a work which well deserves its name1 because it builded up as well as pulled down1 and presented the church with a new fabric as well as demolished the old4 ,as a matter of fact1 it did not do what ,dr4 ,milner here claims for it4 ,it is quite evident that it did not destroy the old fabric1 by which he means the ,roman ,catholic church1 for that church is still in existence today4 ,it stands foursquare to all the winds that blow upon it1 and today has a wider influence than it possessed when the ,reformers first assailed it2 for what it lost in northern ,europe it certainly has regained in the ,new ,world4 ,dr4 ,d',aubigne says3 ,the ,reformation was quite the opposite of a revolt1 it was the establishment of the principles of primitive ,christianity2 it is a regenerative movement with respect to all that was destined to revive a conservative movement as regards all that will exist forever4 ,it was this claim made for the ,reformation that led me into that investigation of the subject which resulted in the conclusion that the ,reformation1 so-called1 did not re-establish primitive ,christianity4 ,m4 ,guizot1 in his ,history of ,civilization1 says3 ,the friends and partisans of the ,reformation have endeavored to account for it by the desire of effectually reforming the abuses of the church4 ,they have represented it as a redress of religious grievances1 as an enterprise conceived and executed with the sole design of re-constituting the church in its primitive purity4 ,m4 ,guizot does not allow that claim4 ,it seems to me a problem easy of solution as to whether this revolution of the sixteenth century restored primitive ,christianity or not2 and the method by which that solution can be attained would be by comparing the doctrines of ,protestant ,christendom with the doctrines of primitive ,christianity4 ,protestants1 you must understand1 claim that in consequence of gross abuses which entered the church in the early centuries of its existence1 the spirit of the gospel was departed from1 the church government was corrupted1 and by engrafting upon ,christianity pagan rites1 pagan ceremonies and pagan philosophy1 the fair face of ,christianity was defaced by these innovations4 ,it is claimed by ,protestants that the movement led by ,martin ,luther1 ,melancthon and ,zwingle1 and after them by ,calvin1 ,knox and others1 got rid of the pagan rites and ceremonies fastened upon ,christianity and restored it to its primitive forms and to its primitive simplicity and purity4 ,the way to prove whether that be true or false is to compare the teachings of ,protestantism with primitive ,christianity4 ,i shall not take occasion to enter into a consideration of primitive ,christianity in any great detail for1 ,i take it1 that this audience is well informed upon that subject1 and only a general and brief review of the leading features of primitive ,christianity will be necessary for the comparison ,i propose4 ,primitive ,christianity taught first1 faith in ,god1 as all wise1 all powerful1 all merciful2 who by the power of his intelligence created the earth and the heavens4 ,it taught faith in ,jesus ,christ1 as the son of ,god who became the ,savior of mankind2 in whom was embodied all the attributes of his father1 who possessed the same power with his ,father1 in whom the fulness of the godhead dwelt bodily1 and who was the express image and likeness of his ,father--in other words was ,god manifested in the flesh1 that men might approach him and become acquainted with ,deity by becoming acquainted with him4 ,primitive ,christianity taught also the existence of the ,holy ,ghost1 and that these three constituted one grand presidency or ,god-head1 to whom all shall submit in humble reverence1 as the great governing1 controlling power of our world4 ,primitive ,christianity taught that man by disobedience to the commandments of ,god1 became fallen1 lost2 and that to vindicate the transgressed law of almighty ,god1 an infinite sacrifice must be made2 by which the law of ,god would be vindicated and mercy have claim upon those who live under the transgression of the law4 ,primitive ,christianity taught that ,jesus ,christ made this infinite atonement1 and that by him and through him life and immortality was brought to light1 and that men were released from the consequences of ,adam's transgression through the atonement of ,jesus ,christ2 that1 as in ,adam1 all die1 so in ,christ should all be made alive1 the atonement being as broad as the transgression which brought death into the world4 ,primitive ,christianity taught also that in consequence of this redemption wrought out by ,jesus ,christ1 he became the law-giver to the children of men2 and that in order to have applied to them the atonement of ,jesus ,christ1 so that it results1 not only in a redemption from the transgression of ,adam1 but also in a pardon for their individual sins4 ,it makes perfect and absolute obedience to ,jesus ,christ the condition of this salvation4 ,that this obedience is demanded by the gospel is evident from the whole tenor of the ,new ,testament4 ,when ,jesus ,christ was closing that beautiful discourse to his disciples on the mount1 he said3 ,whosoever heareth these saying of mine and doeth them not1 is like unto a man that builds his house upon the sands1 and when the floods come and the winds beat upon that house1 it fails1 and great is the fall thereof4 ,but whosoever heareth these sayings of mine1 and doeth them1 is like unto the man who builds his house upon a rock2 then when the rains descend and the winds beat upon that house1 it falls not1 because it is founded on the rock4 ,paul1 in speaking of this subject1 says that ,jesus being made perfect1 became the author of eternal salvation to those who obey him4 ,when ,jesus himself commissioned his ,apostles to go and preach the gospel1 he commanded them to go into all the world1 preach the gospel to every creature1 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them4 ,from all these ,scriptures1 then1 ,i gather this one great truth1 that ,the gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation to all those who believe and obey it4 ,it is equally clear that the conditions of salvation1 as outlined in the gospel1 are that men must have faith in ,god1 faith in ,jesus ,christ1 faith in the ,holy ,ghost1 faith in the gospel4 ,not because ,god has arbitrarily fixed faith as one of the conditions of salvation1 but because from the very nature of things1 faith is the first principle of the gospel1 because it is the incentive to all action and the foundation of all righteousness4 ,if men possess no faith in the gospel1 it follows as the night follows the day1 that they will not obey it4 ,why is it that the atheists or the infidels do not obey the gospel8 ,simply for the reason that they do not believe in ,god2 they do not believe in ,christ2 they do not believe the gospel1 hence they refuse to repent or do any other act that is required in the gospel4 ,it is1 therefore1 because of the nature of things that faith is one of the conditions of salvation4 ,and hence the ,apostle said3 ,he that cometh to ,god must believe that he is1 that is1 that he exists4 ,repentance also is one of the conditions of salvation4 ,this principle of primitive ,christianity has been more or less misunderstood by being interpreted to mean do penance1 imitating1 to some extent at least1 the barbarians who imagined that by inflicting wounds upon themselves1 by cutting and slashing themselves with knives or by submitting to other tortures1 they might propitiate the anger of ,deity1 as if ,god could have delight in the physical suffering or the mental anguish of his children6 ,the beautiful gospel of ,jesus ,christ required not this2 but it did require heartfelt sorrow for sin accompanied by a fixed determination and an actual amendment of conduct--turning away from transgression4 ,the spirit of repentance was embodied in this remark3 ,let him that stole steal no more4 ,primitive ,christianity taught also that men1 by baptism1 could receive a remission of their sins1 their past transgressions could be blotted out1 the record made clean4 ,it taught baptism for the remission of sins1 but recognizing that man1 by his own strength1 is unequal to the task of subduing himself and bringing his will into subjection to the righteous will of ,god1 it brought to him the strength of the ,almighty in the gift of the ,holy ,ghost2 that man1 through the strength of ,god1 being added to his own strength1 might1 overcome the flesh1 the world and the devil4 ,this power he received through the ordinance of laying on of hands4 ,the ,christian was thus equipped for the battle for righteousness4 ,the warfare was not over with obedience to these ordinances1 it was just begun4 ,by obedience to the ordinances ,i have named men did not become full grown men in ,christ ,jesus4 ,they were then only born into the church1 they were but babes1 and now must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth1 learning line upon line1 precept upon precept1 here a little and there a little1 going on from faith to faith1 until the perfect day2 adding to their faith1 virtue1 to virtue knowledge1 to knowledge temperance1 to temperance patience1 to patience godliness1 to godliness brotherly kindness1 and to brotherly kindness charity4 ,and thus by these steps ,christianity in its primitive forms led men towards ,god4 ,in order to promulgate this gospel1 the church was organized4 ,it was organized with ,apostles1 with ,prophets1 with ,seventies and ,bishops1 with ,pastors1 ,teachers and ,deacons4 ,this organization was given to edify the ,saints1 to bring about a unity of faith and a knowledge of the ,son of ,god4 ,it was designed to continue until the ,saints were perfected in their faith1 and had arrived unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of ,christ4 ,i should also say that primitive ,christianity brought to those who received it many precious and outward manifestations of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,when occasion required1 they were able to speak in tongues1 exercise the gift of prophecy1 receive revelation1 have inspired dreams1 interpret tongues1 heal the sick4 ,through it they enjoyed the gift of the discernment of spirits1 wisdom1 knowledge1 faith4 ,these are the gifts1 these the powers1 these the graces which attended upon primitive ,christianity4 ,and now the question before us is1 ,did the revolution of the sixteenth century which brought into existence ,protestant ,christianity restore to the children of men this primitive ,christianity1 as it is described in the ,new ,testament8 ,it would be a task requiring too much time to consider the whole twenty-eight articles of the ,augsburgh ,confession--the formal expression of what ,protestant ,christianity was in the days of its first founders4 ,nor indeed is it necessary in order to arrive at a just conclusion upon the question proposed4 ,the consideration of a few leading items will be sufficient to establish the fact beyond the power of successful contradiction1 that the sixteenth century revolution did not restore primitive ,christianity4 ,in regard to the teachings of ,protestant ,christendom in respect of ,god1 it is sufficient to say it accepts the ,nicene creed1 instead of the doctrine of the ,new ,testament4 ,it is written in the scripture that man was created in ,god's likeness2 and if man was created in ,god's likeness then ,god must be in the form of man4 ,instead of coming to the world with that primitive ,christian truth1 emphasized as it was in primitive ,christianity by the fact that ,jesus ,christ was pointed to as being the express image of his ,father's person1 ,protestant ,christendom clings to the old error of the ,catholic church1 that ,god is an incorporeal1 that is an immaterial substance2 a being without body--i4 e41 without materiality--without parts1 without passions--accepting rather the theory of pagan philosophers than the plain statements of primitive ,christianity4,a ,instead of teaching that the ,father was a personage1 the ,son another personage1 and the ,holy ,ghost another1 each as distinct as any three personages on earth1 and one only in moral and spiritual attributes1 in power--constituting one ,presidency or ,godhead--they came with the doctrine that these three personages are merged into but one personage1 and yet they remain three distinct personages6 ,footnote ,a3 ,see the writer's ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ,chapter iv4 ,instead of teaching that man must be absolutely obedient to the gospel in order to obtain salvation1 ,protestants taught that faith alone without works1 is sufficient for salvation4 ,and this was the chief corner stone of ,protestant theology2 the point at which the ,roman ,catholic church and the ,protestant church was most widely separated4 ,the ,catholic church1 recognizing the operation of ,god's grace upon man1 and also the power of will in man1 came to the reasonable conclusion that man had it within their power to be obedient to the commandments of ,god1 and that obedience united with the grace of ,god was the means of obtaining salvation2 that man worked out his salvation both by faith and works4 ,protestants1 however1 regarding only those spiritual influences which operate upon man1 came to the conclusion that the grace of ,god alone saved man1 and that without any act on his part4 ,that ,i may convince you that ,i am not mistaken in what ,i say ,i will read to you some of the sayings of ,luther upon this subject4 ,the excellent1 invaluable and sole preparation for grace is the eternal election and predestination of ,god4 ,this doctrine stands in marked contrast with the teaching of primitive ,christianity4 ,i hold that the ,new ,testament scriptures teach in great plainness that ,god would have all the children of men to be saved1 and is willing that none should be lost4 ,but according to the teachings of ,martin ,luther1 and the great body of ,protestant ,christendom1 they would have us believe that there is a part of the great family of ,god predestined to eternal damnation2 and1 do what they will1 they cannot be saved4 ,their die is cast1 their doom is sealed4 ,they are reprobate1 cast out from the affections and love of ,god4 ,they stand not within the pale of salvation4 ,but the gospel of primitive ,christianity was a voice of glad tidings to all men1 saying that they could be saved through faith and obedience4 ,i read again from the words of ,luther3 ,on the side of man there is nothing that goes before grace1 unless it be impotency1 and even rebellion4 ,we do not become righteous by doing what is righteous2 but having become righteous1 we do what is righteous4 ,since the fall of man free will is but an idle word1 and every man does walk1 and still sins mortally4 ,a man who imagines to arrive at grace by doing all that he is able to do1 adds sin to sin1 and is doubly guilty4 ,that man is not justified who performs many works1 but he who without works has much faith in ,christ4 ,what gives peace to our conscience is this--,by faith our sins are no longer ours but ,christ's1 on whom ,god has laid them all2 and on the other hand1 all ,christ's righteousness belongs to us1 to whom ,god has given it4 ,d',aubigne says3 ,the point which the reformer has most at heart 7referring to ,luther7 in all his labors1 contests and dangers was the doctrine of justification by faith alone4 ,this is the great ,protestant doctrine1 that by the act of faith all the righteousness of ,jesus ,christ is set down to our credit1 and all our transgressions1 all our sins1 are placed upon the shoulders of ,jesus ,christ1 who carries them triumphantly away2 and when we shall stand before the bar of ,god1 we shall be judged1 not according to the works we have done in this life1 not according to the deeds done in the body1 as primitive ,christianity taught1 but we shall be judged by the righteousness of ,jesus ,christ1 all of which will be credited to us by our act of faith4 ,i could almost wish it were true1 this doctrine6 ,salvation would seem so much more sure4 ,but it is repulsive to reason1 absurd to the understanding1 and contrary to the teachings of primitive ,christianity4 ,in these doctrinal respects1 then1 the ,protestant movement did not bring back ,christianity4 ,did it bring it back in any other respect8 ,did it restore the spiritual gifts so characteristic of primitive ,christianity8 ,did it bring back the gift of prophecy1 and of revelation2 of speaking in tongues1 and interpreting them8 ,did it bring back the power to heal the sick by the laying on of hands and the anointing with oil8 ,did it bring back the gift of faith1 of knowledge1 of wisdom1 of discernment of spirits8 ,no1 it made no claim to these powers1 but sought out excuses for the absence of them1 and pleaded that they were no longer needed2 that they were given in the beginning merely for the purpose of giving ,christianity a start in the world and attesting its divine origin by the manifestation of miraculous gifts among its followers4 ,no1 the revolution of the sixteenth century did not bring back these gifts and graces of primitive ,christianity4 ,did it restore the primitive organization of the church8 ,did it give to the church ,prophets1 ,seventies1 ,bishops1 ,priests1 ,teachers and ,deacons1 with the divine gifts and graces attendant upon these offices in the church in primitive times1 including divine inspiration8 ,did they make of the church a means1 a channel of divine communication between the church and her ,lord8 ,no4 ,on the contrary1 ,protestant ,christianity has taught from the days of ,luther till now1 that ,prophets and ,apostles were no longer needed in the ,church of ,christ4 ,it did not restore the primitive ,christian church organization2 nor did it even restore the plain1 simple first principles of the gospel1 faith in the true ,god1 repentance from sin1 and the laying on of hands for the reception of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it did not restore the principle of revelation--,christianity's vital breath--the working force of the primitive ,christian church--the link that united her with ,god and made it possible for her to exist in actual spiritual life4 ,on all these matters the utmost confusion exists among ,protestants1 but in no sect can these simple principles of primitive ,christianity be found in their fulness and in the order in which they are taught in the ,new ,testament4 ,even from this imperfect and rather hasty consideration of the question ,i think you will find no difficulty in coming to the conclusion that the sixteenth century movement did not restore primitive ,christianity1 and hence was not a reformation in that sense4 ,what the movement in the sixteenth century really was may be best learned by considering what it did4 ,and now you must indulge me while ,i take a brief retrospect of history4 ,when that stupendous fabric1 the western division of the ,roman empire1 crumbled to pieces1 in the later part of the fifth century1 a reign of darkness followed its downfall4 ,the barbarian hosts from the north1 like the successive waves of the ocean1 beating upon some decaying cliff1 repeatedly rushed upon the old ,roman civilization1 until by sheer force of persistence in attack1 they destroyed the great fabric of government which fills so large a space in the world's history4 ,and when it fell1 the enlightenment and civilization it had sustained in western ,europe went with it4 ,in the centuries that followed there arose that great spiritual hierarchy1 known as the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 the head of which was recognized in the pope of ,rome4 ,the barbarian tribes which overthrew western ,rome1 in the days of their paganism1 had given unwonted veneration to their ,druid priests and to the chief ,druid they had accorded the power of a god4 ,hence it was easy for them to accept the idea that the chief bishop of the ,christian church was ,god's vicegerent on earth1 and to honor him as they would honor ,god was equally free from difficulty4 ,the ,roman pontiffs were not the men to refuse to take advantage of that superstition4 ,they fostered it1 and drew to themselves all the honor which before time the pagans had accorded to the chief priests in paganism4 ,hence it happens that the popes of ,rome were able to draw to themselves all the power that was needed to rule the nations with a rod of iron1 and with impunity they planted their feet upon the necks of temporal monarchs4 ,when the eastern division of the great empire fell before the repeated attacks of the ,turks2 and that part of the old ,roman political fabric went to pieces1 instead of darkness following its fall1 it was an event which brought light at least to western ,europe2 for when the eastern ,romans fled before their successful enemies1 and came to western ,europe1 they brought in their hands the literature of ancient ,greece1 and the works of the ancient masters were translated into the ,european languages4 ,about that time1 too1 the art of printing had been invented1 so that this rich treasury of knowledge1 locked up hitherto in the ,greek language1 was translated into the ,european languages1 and through this marvelous invention of printing was brought within the reach of the people4 ,the influence of that literature upon western minds was marvelous4 ,they not only admired the beauty and the grace of the diction1 and enjoyed the legends and stories that were translated for them1 but they1 too1 began to feel aspirations to reach the same high intellectual development that the ,greeks themselves had enjoyed2 and wherever there is a love for intellectual development1 the key is turned to the progress of a people4 ,it proved to be so in this case4 ,not only did the influence of ancient ,greek literature operate to bring about the enlightenment of ,europe1 but other things co-operated to stir the stagnant life of western nations4 ,vasco de ,gama had discovered a new route to ,india by way of the ,cape of ,good ,hope4 ,christopher ,columbus had plowed his way through the western sea1 and had discovered ,america4 ,these two great events had a marvelous effect upon the life of ,europe4 ,commerce was immediately enlarged4 ,the comforts of life were multiplied and became more common4 ,they were placed within the reach of the common people4 ,a general restlessness took possession of the people4 ,these two great events that ,i have named were preceded by other influences that were calculated to enlarge the liberties of the people of ,europe4 ,in the eleventh1 twelfth and thirteenth centuries1 occurred those remarkable movements in ,europe called the ,crusades--religious war1 waged for the purpose of recovering the holy land from the hands of the infidels as the ,turks were called4 ,it was a movement which originated in the fact that ,christian pilgrims going to visit the birthplace of ,messiah1 and the sepulchre where he was supposed to have lain1 were insulted and abused by the ,turks1 and this so incensed some of the ,christians that an agitation started against the barbarians in the holy land4 ,a religious fanatic1 ,peter the ,hermit1 a ,catholic monk1 went through ,europe preaching the crusade1 and aroused the people against ,turkish abuse of the ,christians4 ,the agitation attracted the attention and at last enlisted the sympathy of the pope and a number of the crowned heads of ,europe1 and everywhere the cry was heard ,god wills it1 and the people of ,europe sprang to arms to invade the east1 and rescue the holy sepulchre from the infidels4 ,it was a marvelous undertaking4 ,wave after wave of an invading host from ,europe surged upon the east without avail1 especially so long as the invaders were but mobs of men1 women and children1 illy prepared to undertake a campaign against so brave and hardy a people as the ,saracens4 ,finally1 however1 these movements became great military undertakings1 and the east and the west met in sharp and deadly conflict4 ,one of the many results of the crusades was to enlarge the liberty of the common people of ,europe4 ,you must understand that a very peculiar state of society existed in those times a state of society growing out of a preceding era of conquests4 ,when barbarian kings invaded a country and conquered it1 they held to the opinion that the title to all the land that was subdued inhered in the sovereign who had made the conquest4 ,he became the proprietor of the land won by the valor of his armies1 and claimed the right to parcel it out as he saw proper to his followers4 ,the larger divisions were called baronies1 and they were subdivided by the barons to their subordinates and so on down to the common people4 ,but those to whom the lands were thus parceled out held them upon the condition that they would contribute a certain number of men for military service1 for a given time each year1 and also a certain amount of means annually4 ,thus grew up the feudal tenure of land1 as it was called4 ,it finally degenerated almost into a system of slavery1 at least for the common people who cultivated the lands4 ,the barons held in complete subjugation their vassals2 and in turn the barons themselves were oppressed by the kings4 ,but when the kings and barons undertook the fitting out of expeditions for the holy land1 they had to dispose of some of their lands for that purpose4 ,in some instances lands were sold outright to their vassals4 ,the king also began to accord to cities and towns certain political privileges1 on the condition that they would furnish means for carrying on the crusades2 and by these political privileges the liberties of the inhabitants of cities became enlarged4 ,thus1 all ,europe was in a state of fermentation2 a restless activity had taken possession of all classes of society2 and where activity abounds liberty is either enjoyed or is not far off4 ,rolling water cannot long remain impure1 nor can an active people long remain in a state of slavery4 ,in the meantime kings as well as scholars had become weary of the domination of the old spiritual authority of the church4 ,scholars longed to settle matters of history and the facts of science by means of investigation and reason rather than by the voice of ecclesiastical authority as ignorant as it was deceptive2 and kings became tired of holding barren scepters in their hands--and such their scepters were so long as the spiritual authority of the priests was looked upon as superior to that of the king1 and the popes1 under a variety of pretenses1 could invade their realms and tax their people4 ,there was1 therefore1 at least in the northern nations of ,europe1 a very general desire for a change of some kind1 and consequently when ,martin ,luther began preaching against the indulgences issued by ,pope ,leo ,x1 and hawked about the country by ,john ,tetzel1--when there was a spirit bold enough to say to the pope1 ,thou doest wrong1 there were found multitudes to applaud the act4 ,martin ,luther1 in the commencement of his work1 did not by any means contemplate the overthrow of the ,roman ,catholic church4 ,he thought to eliminate some few of its abuses4 ,he himself remarked that he was astonished when he found that the pope was not with him in his contention against ,tetzel4 ,but the agitation once set on foot1 other differences arose on points of doctrine1 especially upon the question of grace already considered4 ,the breach grew wider and wider until at last it was too broad to be bridged over4 ,when the theological discussion had reached the acute stage1 there were princes that were only too glad to take advantage of the agitation to wrest from their own necks the yoke of bondage that had been placed there by the ,roman pontiffs4 ,in that agitation they saw their opportunity to be kings indeed1 as well as kings in name2 and hence ,luther and his associates found themselves assisted by the princes and kings of northern ,europe4 ,in order to show you that ,i am not mistaken in these views1 ,i will read to you one or two extracts from works on that subject4 ,my first is from ,schiller's ,thirty ,years' ,war in ,germany4 ,on page #g he says3 ,the ,reformation is undoubtedly owing in a great measure to the invincible power of truth1 or of opinions which were held as such4 ,the abuses in the old church1 the absurdity of many of its doctrines1 the extravagance of its inquisition1 necessarily revolted the tempers of men already half-won with the promise of a better light1 and favorably disposed them towards the new doctrines4 ,the charm of independence1 the rich plunder of monastic institutions1 made the ,reformation attractive to the eyes of princes1 and tended not a little to strengthen their inward convictions4 ,nothing but political considerations would have driven them to espouse it4 ,had not ,charles ,v1 in the intoxication of success1 made an attempt on the independence of the ,german states1 a ,protestant league would scarcely have rushed to arms in defense of freedom of belief4 99 99 99 ,princes fought in self-defense or for aggrandizement1 while religious enthusiasm recruited their armies and opened to them the treasures of their subjects4 ,of the multitude who flocked to their standards1 such as were not lured by the hope of plunder1 imagined they were fighting for the truth1 while in fact they were shedding their blood for the personal objects of their princes4 ,the ,protestant historian1 ,moshiem1 with whom ,david ,hume agrees1 admits that several of the principal agents in this revolution were actuated more by the impulse of passion and views of interest than by a zeal for true religion 7,maclaine's ,moshiem1 vol4 iv1 page #ace74 ,he had before that acknowledged that ,king ,gustavus introduced ,lutheranism into ,sweden in opposition to the clergy and bishops1 not only as agreeable to the genius and spirit of the gospel1 but also as favorable to the temporal state and political constitution of the ,swedish dominions4 ,he adds that ,christian1 who introduced the reformation into ,denmark1 was animated by no other motives than those of ambition and avarice4 ,grotius1 another ,protestant1 testifies that it was sedition and violence which gave birth to the ,reformation in his own country--,holland4 ,the same was the case in ,france1 ,geneva and ,scotland4 ,m4 ,guizot says3 ,in my opinion the reformation neither was an accident1 the result of some casual circumstances1 or some personal interests1 nor arose from unmingled views of religious improvement1 the fruit of ,utopian humanity and truth4 ,it had a more powerful cause than all these2 a general cause to which all the others were subordinate4 ,it was a vast effort made by the human mind to achieve its freedom2 it was a new-born desire which it felt to think and judge1 freely and independently1 of facts and opinions which1 till then1 ,europe received1 or was considered bound to receive from the hands of authority4 ,it was a great endeavor to emancipate human reason1 and to call things by their right names2 it was an insurrection of the human mind against the absolute power of spiritual order4 ,such1 in my opinion1 was the true character and leading principle of the reformation4 99 99 99 ,not only was this the result of the reformation1 but it was content with this result4 ,whenever this was obtained no other was sought for2 so entirely was it the very foundation of the event1 its primitive and fundamental character6 99 99 99 ,i repeat it2 whenever the reformation attained this object1 it accommodated itself to every form of government and to every situation4 7,hist4 ,civilization1 pp4 #bbd-h47 ,webster defines a revolution to be the act of renouncing the authority of a government2 a revolt successfully or completely accomplished1 a fundamental change in political organization1 or1 ,i will add1 in religious organization2 and in the light of the facts ,i have brought to your attention ,i think this most nearly describes that great movement of the sixteenth century led by ,luther and the ,german princes4 ,but while ,i do not concede to it the dignity of a reformation1 ,i would not have you think therefore that ,i look upon the revolution as unimportant4 ,indeed1 ,i regard it as one of the greatest events that has happened since the founding of ,christianity itself2 and the results accomplished by it are far reaching and of vast importance to us4 ,the struggle began at first in an effort to obtain intellectual freedom4 ,it next included within the objects it designed to accomplish religious freedom1 and finally added to these two1 civil liberty4 ,a struggle for intellectual1 religious and civil liberty must ever be a grand thing1 and this was what the revolution of the sixteenth century contended for4 ,not all at once4 ,it came to it by degrees4 ,not obtaining all it demanded at the first1 but working gradually towards it2 and finally it was successful4 ,not always because of its efforts1 but sometimes in spite of its efforts4 ,for there is no sadder truth in all history than this1 that those who nobly struggled against the oppression of the ,catholic church1 and demanded religious liberty for themselves1 fell into the error of being intolerant1 and were not willing to accord to others the very liberty that they demanded4 ,hence you have a few sad pages of history filled with accounts of persecution for opinion's sake on the part of the reformers themselves4 ,this is sad1 but the principle of liberty was afoot1 and neither the mistakes of its friends nor the opposition of its foes could long successfully oppose it4 ,it went on from victory to victory1 until it grew and blossomed into the present religious1 intellectual and civil freedom that the nations of ,europe and ,america enjoy4 ,this great movement led by brave men was the dawn before the coming of a greater day4 ,you have seen the dawn break over our eastern mountains4 ,you know how the blackness gradually turns to grey1 and how the grey brightens before the approaching sun1 until the whole heavens become golden2 and you know how still richer becomes that light when the sun in its fulness is seen above the mountain tops4 ,so it was with this struggle in the sixteenth century4 ,god then began a great work4 ,the first grey streaks were appearing above the hill-tops4 ,the ,lord was about to inaugurate a great work1 a marvelous work and a wonder4 ,he was about to bring full and complete religious liberty to the children of men1 and not only full and complete religious liberty1 but a fulness of religious truth1 even the fulness of the everlasting gospel4 ,he began that work1 the great dispensation of the last days in that struggle of the sixteenth century1 and the light has been constantly growing brighter1 until now the sun has fully risen in the restoration of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ in the new dispensation of it revealed to that great modern ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,we who accept the new dispensation1 strike hands with the noble revolutionists of the sixteenth century1 and acknowledge them as brethren in the same great cause4 ,,iv4 ,revelation and ,inspiration4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,a discourse delivered before the ,young ,men's and ,young ,ladies' ,mutual ,improvement ,associations1 in the ,granite ,stake ,tabernacle1 ,sunday afternoon1 ,jan4 #ae1 #aije4 ,a correction of some misapprehensions that arose concerning ,mormon views on the subject of ,revelation and ,inspiration during the hearings had in the ,smoot ,case before the ,united ,states ,committee on ,privileges and ,elections1 #aijc-aijg4 ,my brethren and sisters1 ,plato1 in his ,timaeus1 represents the philosopher ,socrates as urging one about to begin a discourse on the nature and origin of the universe to invoke the favor of the gods1 to which ,critias1 who is the one selected to deliver the discourse1 replies that all men who are right minded always seek the favor of the gods upon their enterprises1 and then he proceeds to pray that his efforts may be agreeable to the gods and intelligible to those who are to listen4 ,on this present occasion it is not my purpose to undertake the discussion of a subject either so lofty or so difficult as that which the ,greek had proposed to himself1 and yet as ,i stand before you for the purpose of addressing you1 involuntarily1 ,i am happy to say1 my heart is uplifted to ,god in prayer that what ,i have to present on this occasion shall meet with the favor of ,god1 and at the same time be intelligible and faith-promoting4 ,i presume that all of us are more or less conscious of the fact that the doctrines of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 have been undergoing a very crucial test of late4 ,many principles fundamental to our faith have been the subject of investigation by one of the leading committees of the senate of the ,united ,states--the committee on privileges and elections--a committee than which ,i doubt if there is another superior to it in point of ability within the whole range of the senate committees4 ,it is composed of men who frequently have to determine questions of law as well as of fact1 and in consequence of that its members are chosen from among the most distinguished lawyers of the senate2 they are men of learning and wide experience1 adroit in questions of logic1 and capable of pursuing to ultimate analysis any question that may be presented for their consideration4 ,it is such a body of men before whom many of the doctrines of ,christ have been presented1 discussed and thoroughly analyzed4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the committee alluded to consisted of ,julius ,c4 ,burrows1 of ,michigan2 ,edmund ,w4 ,pettus of ,alabama2 ,james ,b ,frazier1 of ,tennessee2 ,fred ,t4 ,dubois1 of ,idaho2 ,chauncey ,m4 ,depew1 of ,new ,york2 ,lee ,s4 ,overman1 of ,north ,carolina4 ,the above senators signed the ,committee's ,report to the effect that ,reed ,smoot was not entitled to a seat in the ,senate as a senator from the ,state of ,utah4 ,the following senators1 members of the committee1 dissented from the conclusion of the above majority members of the committee1 and published their views3 ,joseph ,b4 ,foraker1 of ,ohio2 ,albert ,j4 ,beveridge1 of ,indiana2 ,william ,p4 ,dillingham1 of ,vermont2 ,a4 ,j4 ,hopkins1 of ,illinois2 ,p4 ,c4 ,knox of ,pennsylvania4 ,happily the ,senate refused to accept the conclusion of the majority of the committee to the effect that ,reed ,smoot1 ,senator from ,utah1 was not entitled to a seat in the ,senate of the ,united ,states4 ,this the character of the committee conducting the investigation4 ,the ,elders of the ,church who have been called upon to state some of the principles of our faith and place interpretations upon them before the committee1 have been taken somewhat at a disadvantage4 ,they have been called upon to answer on the spur of the moment1 without having opportunity to prepare their replies or weigh their words4 ,their answers have been purely extemporaneous4 ,many of the questions have been sprung upon them in the way of surprise2 and those adroit inquisitors 7,i do not use that term in its evil sense71 the senate committee1 have purposely led them through a labyrinth of questions in the hope finally of surprising them into some inconsistency4 ,yet on the whole ,i think the ,church has reason to congratulate herself upon the presentation of her doctrines even under these circumstances2 and it is not difficult to believe that the brethren were sustained in their answers by a spirit beyond their wisdom2 that ,god blessed them in the trial through which they passed4 ,it would be surprising1 however1 if in the course of so long an investigation1 taken part in by so many1 if the opposition did not at times gain some seeming advantage2 if by some quip or quirk they did not make inconsistencies appear in the answers of the brethren4 ,i want to illustrate this and call the attention of the young people to some of these circumstances1 for ,i have discovered1 incidentally1 that some of the catch-phrases that have been coined during this investigation are having more or less influence on the minds of our youth4 ,for example1 during the investigation referred to1 the question of our belief in revelation was brought up4 ,it is a matter of common knowledge among you1 of course1 that we believe in revelation from ,god to man4 ,we believe that the ,lord has revealed himself in the day in which we live2 that a dispensation of the gospel has been given unto prophets in this age of the world2 that divine communication between the earth and the heavens has been restored2 that a channel of communication has been permanently established by and through which the mind and the will of ,god may be made known to men4 ,this truth1 so commonplace with us1 seems a matter of seven days' wonder to the senate committee in question4 ,in the course of investigating this subject of revelation the idea was developed that a law revealed from ,god1 before it became binding upon the ,church1 was submitted to the people in conference and they voted to accept or reject it4 ,then this question was asked3 ,suppose a revelation is given to the ,church1 and the ,church in conference assembled rejects it by vote1 what remains8 ,does it go for nothing8 ,to which answer was made1 in substance1 that if the people rejected it1 it would go for nothing for them--that is1 so far as the people were concerned4 ,then the questioning continues3 ,senator--,then according to your faith the ,lord submits his decrees to the judgment of the people1 and does not desire them to be obeyed by anybody unless the people approve8 ,elder--,he desires them to be obeyed by everybody1 but he lets everybody do just as they please4 99 99 99 99 99 ,senator--,you would1 then1 as ,i understand you1 please to follow the people1 and not the ,lord1 under those circumstances4 ,is that true8 ,elder--,the ,lord has so ordered that when he appoints men1 as he did do in the revelations here the revelations that had been under discussion1 and named the ,apostles and the other general authorities of the ,church1 he commanded that they be presented to the ,church and sustained or rejected1 and whenever the ,church has rejected any man he has stepped aside4 ,senator--,a sort of veto power over the ,lord6 7,laughter74 ,this last remark is one of the catchy phrases which some of the youth of ,israel are permitting themselves to be pleased with4 ,a veto power on ,god6 ,we want to investigate that presently1 and ,i think we will be able to discover that it is smart rather than profound4 ,again1 when the subject of the ,manifesto 7meaning that instrument through which plural marriages were discontinued in the ,church7 was under discussion1 one of the brethren chanced to remark that he assisted in framing the document for publication2 whereupon this colloquy took place3 ,senator--,i understand this ,manifesto was inspired4 ,elder--,yes4 ,senator--,that is your understanding of it8 ,elder--,my answer was that it was inspired4 ,senator--,and when it was handed to you it was an inspiration1 as you understand1 from on high1 was it not8 ,elder--,yes4 ,senator--,what business had you to change it8 ,elder--,we did not change the meaning4 ,senator--,you have just stated you changed it4 ,elder--,not the sense1 sir4 ,i did not say we changed the sense4 ,senator--,but you changed the phraseology8 ,elder--,we simply put it in shape for publication1 corrected possibly the grammar1 and wrote it so that-- ,senator--,you mean to say that in an inspired communication from the ,almighty the grammar was bad1 was it8 ,you corrected the grammar of the ,almighty1 did you8 ,another smart saying which apparently appeals to the humor of some of our youth2 and here and there you may hear now and then something said1 in an irreverent manner1 too1 about the absurdity of correcting the ,almighty's grammar4 ,one other item3 ,one of the ,elders1 pursued in the investigation by one of the most adroit of the senators1 finds it necessary to make a correction of one of his statements1 whereupon this follows3 ,senator--,have you had any revelation or commandment in regard to the testimony you should give in this case8 ,elder--,no1 sir4 ,senator--,there is no inspiration of that or any part of it8 ,elder--,as to the testimony ,i should give here8 ,senator--,as to the testimony you have given or are to give4 ,elder--,no2 ,i do not know that ,i have1 particularly--,i came here to answer the questions of the committee4 ,senator--,but ,i want to know whether you are answering them under the direction of the ,lord1 according to your belief1 or merely in your human and uninspired capacity8 ,elder--,i believe ,i shall answer the questions that are asked me here as the ,spirit of the ,lord directs me1 and truthfully4 ,senator--,do you mean to say that the ,spirit of the ,lord directs you in your answers here8 ,elder--,i believe so4 ,senator--,you believe so8 ,elder--,yes1 sir4 ,senator--,then in your belief1 did the ,spirit of the ,lord direct you to make the answer which you just took back and said was a mistake8 7,a pause and silence47 ,well1 if you cannot answer it ,i will not press it4 ,previously this senator had said to the ,elder3 ,do you not think that in this hearing it behooves you to be a little careful of your answers so that in so important a matter you do not have to take back in two or three minutes what you have said8 ,this is spoken of1 according to reports that reach me1 as a severe reproof administered by a worldling to one who believed himself to be an inspired man1 and more or less of comment is made upon this circumstance1 as upon the others ,i have named4 ,now1 this brings before you1 not all that is said1 but some few things that are said with reference to the investigation before the senate committee2 and ,i think they touch questions of considerable interest on the subject of revelation4 ,it is this subject ,i propose to consider1 especially the effect these several incidents of the investigation have upon the subject of revelation4 ,let us now return and consider these questions one by one4 ,to begin with1 let us have an understanding about revelation itself4 ,as ,i understand it1 revelation is the name of that act by which ,god makes communication to men4 ,inspiration in the name of that influence1 that divine influence1 which operates upon the minds of men under which they may be said to receive divine guidance4 ,the inspiration may be strong or it may be weak4 ,it may be so overpowering in its character that the person for the time being loses largely his own individuality and becomes the mouthpiece of ,god1 the organ through which the ,divine speaks to the children of men4 ,there exists all degrees of inspiration1 from human intelligence and wisdom slightly influenced up to that fulness of inspiration of which ,i have spoken4 ,revelations may be made from ,god to man in various ways4 ,they may be made by ,god in his own proper person1 speaking for himself4 ,on such occasions ,i take it that the revelation would be most perfect4 ,i know of no more beautiful or complete illustration of such a perfect revelation than that great revelation with which the dispensation of the fulness of times began1 when ,god the ,father and ,jesus the ,christ1 stood revealed in the presence of ,joseph ,smith1 when every veil was removed1 and the glory of ,god extended throughout the forest in which the ,prophet had prayed2 when he heard the ,father speak to him as one friend speaks to another1 saying3 ,joseph1 this is my beloved ,son2 hear him4 ,then followed a conversation with this second divine personage1 to whom he was thus so perfectly introduced1 and from whom he received the light and knowledge that laid the foundations of this great latter-day work4 ,there was no imperfection whatsoever in that revelation2 it was complete1 overwhelming1 and one of the most remarkable revelations that ,god has deigned to give to the children of men4 ,revelations may be made1 and have been made1 by the visitation of angels1 such as when ,moroni came and revealed the existence of the ,nephite record1 the ,american volume of scripture1 the ,book of ,mormon2 and who afterwards from time to time1 met with the ,prophet of the last dispensation and gave him knowledge and information as to the manner in which the ,church should be organized1 and how its affairs should be conducted4 ,then again1 revelations may come through the operations of the ,holy ,spirit upon the mind of man as when the ,prophet ,joseph took ,urim and ,thummim and with them1 and by their aid1 under the influence of ,holy ,spirit1 translated the ,book of ,mormon into the ,english language4 ,in a similar manner the ,lord influences the minds of his servants when preaching the gospel1 and thus delivers his word to the ,church and to the world4 ,through all these various means ,god speaks1 and it is our good fortune to be his witnesses1 that he speaks in these various ways as well today as in ancient times4 ,after giving many manifestations1 and communicating much of his mind and will to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 ,lord said to him1 finally1 with reference to the organization of the ,church1 that he must call together in a meeting several persons who had been baptized and submit the question to them as to whether or not they were willing that he and ,oliver ,cowdery should proceed to organize the ,church of ,christ1 and if they would accept them as their spiritual leaders and teachers in the things of ,god4 ,i marvel at the condescension of ,god in this1 and well may the world marvel at his condescension in thus submitting a question of this character to those who were to participate in it4 ,but when ,i come to analyze it and to comprehend it1 ,i understand that ,god here recognizes a great truth2 recognizes also the dignity of his children1 and gives recognition to their rights and liberties in the premises4 ,mark you1 when it comes to bestowing his power upon men1 when he was selecting his prophets1 he chose whom he would4 ,that was a matter between himself and them4 ,hence he gave the apostleship to ,joseph ,smith1 to ,oliver ,cowdery1 and to ,david ,whitmer1 independently of anyone4 ,but when these men were to effect an organization and exercise that power and authority upon others1 then it must be with the consent of the others concerned1 and not otherwise4 ,this is the great principle that the ,lord respected in the very inception of the great latter-day work1 and which he still recognizes in the government of his ,church--the principle of common consent4 ,in this connection allow me for a moment to call your attention to the very beautiful title of our ,church1 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 it is called4 ,some might think the first half of the title1 ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ1 would be sufficient4 ,so1 indeed1 it is1 in a way4 ,it is the ,christ's ,church--his by the price of his sacrifice4 ,it is his as the depository of his truth4 ,it is the institution he has called into existence1 and unto which he has given the mission of proclaiming the truth1 and1 in addition to that the mission of perfecting the lives of those who accept the truth4 ,but it is not only ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ2 it is ,the ,church of the ,latter-day ,saints1 also4 ,it is our ,church1 because we accept it1 because we enter it of our own volition2 it is therefore the ,church of our choice4 ,god has conferred upon his ,church and our ,church the right of being governed by common consent of the members thereof4 ,it is this that astonishes our friends in ,washington4 ,they have been led to believe1 by misrepresentation1 that this organization called ,the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints is an ironclad institution1 a powerful tyranny1 to whose authority there are no metes or bounds2 in which there are no checks or balances of authority2 an ecclesiastical hierarchy that dominates the people and destroys individual liberty4 ,suddenly they are confronted with the fact that1 so far from being a tyrannical institution1 not only the officers but the very revelations of ,god are submitted to the people for their acceptance6 ,they then turn upon us and say3 ,then you presume to have a ,veto power on ,god6 ,now1 let us consider this matter for a few moments4 ,but before doing so ,i call your attention to an utterance made in our own midst1 less excusable than the smart utterances of these astute senators1 because they doubtless are prompted in their remarks by ignorance of the subject2 but what ,i am about to read to you is not the utterance of an ignorant mind1 but rather that of a perverted one1 because the writer knows better4 ,listen to this from a local daily paper3 ,according to the testimony given by high ecclesiastics at ,washington1 a revelation from ,god is not binding upon humanity until after it is voted upon and accepted by the ,mormon people in conference4 ,what an astounding complexity1 and what a narrow bigotry are here presented6 ,as taught by ,mormon theology1 there is but one man on the earth at a time who is authorized to receive and pronounce the will of ,god4 ,that man is the president of the ,mormon ,church4 ,he receives a revelation containing commands1 to the children of men1 obedience to which commands entitles the individuals to celestial glory1 and disobedience to which commands consigns the individual to the loss of glory in the hereafter4 ,that revelation1 however1 is not in force until some ten or twelve thousand people in the big ,tabernacle at ,salt ,lake ,city have voted affirmatively upon it1 and then it becomes a law for the fifteen hundred millions of human being upon the face of the earth4 ,in other words1 sacrilegious as it seems1 this doctrine assumes that ,god don't know his own mind2 in still other words1 his determinations are subject to revision by ten thousand human creatures1 who constitute a kind of supreme court1 whose conclusions are binding not only upon themselves1 but upon hundreds of millions of human beings who never heard of the man through whom the law was promulgated1 nor of the supreme court that sustained it1 nor of the law itself4 ,if the ,mormon conference approves ,god's words1 the one billion five hundred million other human creatures are saved by it or damned by it1 as the case may be2 and if the ,mormon conference rejects it1 the one billion five hundred millions of other human creatures are not subject to it in any way1 as it is not a valid command from ,god ,almighty4 ,it is not ,god then who holds the power of condemnation or of salvation2 but it is the ,mormon conference which saves or damns the world of humanity at the whim of that conference4 ,could absurdity go farther8 ,i think not6 ,absurdity can scarcely go beyond that representation of the matter4 ,it is scarcely necessary for me to say to you that this presentation of the subject is not true4 ,and yet ,i have positive knowledge that such a vain utterance as this has its influence among some of the youth of the ,church6 ,no2 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints arrogates to herself no such powers as are here charged4 ,on the contrary1 the following appears in the ,book of ,mormon1 with reference to ,god's course in making known his mind and will to the children of men3 ,i the ,lord command all men1 both in the east and in the west1 and in the north1 and in the south1 and in all the islands of the sea1 that they shall write the words which ,i speak unto them2 for out of the books which shall be written ,i will judge the world1 every man according to his works1 according to that which is written4 ,for behold1 ,i will speak unto the ,jews1 and they shall write it2 and ,i will also speak unto the other tribes of the house of ,israel1 which ,i have led away1 and they shall write it2 and ,i will also speak unto all nations of the earth1 and they shall write it4 ,then the ,lord proceeds to tell how in the dispensation of the fulness of times he will bring together and unite in testimony the words that he has spoken to these various peoples and nations4 ,again1 it is written in the same book3 ,behold1 the ,lord doth grant unto all nations1 of their own nation and tongue1 to teach his word2 yea1 in wisdom1 all that he seeth fit that they should have2 therefore we see that the ,lord doth counsel in wisdom1 according to that which is just and true4 ,this is the ,mormon theory of ,god's revelation to the children of men4 ,while the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints is established for the instruction of men2 and is one of ,god's instrumentalities for making known the truth yet he is not limited to that institution for such purposes1 neither in time nor place4 ,god raises up wise men and prophets here and there among all the children of men1 of their own tongue and nationality1 speaking to them through means that they can comprehend2 not always giving a fulness of truth such as may be found in the fulness of the gospel of ,jesus ,christ2 but always giving that measure of truth that the people are prepared to receive4 ,mormonism holds1 then1 that all the great teachers are servants of ,god2 among all nations and in all ages4 ,they are inspired men1 appointed to instruct ,god's children according to the conditions in the midst of which he finds them4 ,hence it is not obnoxious to ,mormonism to regard ,confucius1 the great ,chinese philosopher and moralist1 as a servant of ,god1 inspired to a certain degree by him to teach those great moral maxims which have governed those millions of ,god's children for lo6 these many centuries4 ,it is willing to regard ,gautama1 ,buddha as an inspired servant of ,god1 teaching a measure of the truth1 at least giving to these people that twilight of truth by which they may somewhat see their way4 ,so with the ,arabian prophet1 that wild spirit that turned the ,arabians from worshiping idols to a conception of the ,creator of heaven and earth that was more excellent than their previous conception of ,deity4 ,and so the sages of ,greece and of ,rome4 ,so the reformers of early ,protestant times4 ,wherever ,god finds a soul sufficiently enlightened and pure2 one with whom his ,spirit can communicate1 lo6 he makes of him a teacher of men4 ,while the path of sensuality and darkness may be that which most men tread1 a few1 to paraphrase the words of a moral philosopher of high standing1 have been led along the upward path2 a few in all countries and generations have been wisdom seekers1 or seekers of ,god4 ,they have been so because the ,divine ,word of ,wisdom has looked upon them1 choosing them for the knowledge and service of himself4 ,in the presence of such a magnificent conception of ,god's hand dealings with his children in the matter of imparting divine truth to them as this1 is it not infamous for a man--one who poses1 too1 as knowing something of ,mormonism--to represent the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints as being so narrow and bigoted as to believe that they legislate in their conferences in all spiritual matters for the whole world2 that all mankind must wait upon their action for a revelation of ,god's truth2 that ,god's word is given or withheld from mankind by their vote2 that they have constituted themselves a sort of supreme court to determine what is or what is not ,god's word for the one thousand five hundred millions of souls inhabiting the earth6 ,in concluding his utterance the editorial writer in question closed the passage ,i quoted with the question1 ,could absurdity go further8 ,i will close mine with the question1 ,can infamy go farther than his misrepresentation of the doctrine of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints in respect to revelation8 ,while it is held by the ,church1 nay1 taught by the very revelations of ,god themselves1 that there is but one man at a time who is entitled to receive revelations for the government and guidance of the ,church--and this in order to prevent confusion and conflict--still it is nowhere held that this man is the only instrumentality through which ,god may communicate his mind and will to the world4 ,it is merely a law operative within the ,church itself and does not at all concern the world outside the ,church organization4 ,when the ,church votes upon the acceptance of any revelation1 whether it is one respecting doctrine or the appointment of officers1 it acts for itself alone4 ,its vote in no way concerns1 either for their praise or their censure1 the people outside of the ,church4 ,it is merely the exercise of a right conferred upon the ,church in the very inception of its organization2 for it is part of the law itself1 that no rule or law shall be binding on the ,church1 and no officer shall hold position in the ,church1 but upon its own free consent4 ,this is no new doctrine4 ,it is in strict harmony with ,god's moral government of the world4 ,what moral law may not men in their individual capacity reject8 ,from the beginning ,god's law stood4 ,thou shalt not kill4 ,yet ,cain killed ,abel and from that day to the present many men have violated this1 ,god's law4 ,and so with every law1 whether given directly of ,god1 or through his servants the prophets4 ,man is by the nature of him a free moral agent2 and that agency of his involves the liberty of violating the laws of ,god as well as the liberty of respecting them4 ,he is free to accept righteousness and attain heaven4 ,he is equally free to follow after wickedness and go to hell if he so elects1 though he must not complain if he finds not there the joys and comforts of heaven4 ,agency or freedom that would mean less than this would mean nothing4 ,it would be neither freedom nor agency4 ,what men may do in their individual capacity the ,church may do in its organized capacity with1 of course1 similar results to the institution2 for if the time should come that the ,church in the exercise of those rights and that freedom which ,god in the beginning bestowed upon her should persistently reject his word and his servants until she became corrupted1 ,god would repudiate and disown her as his ,church1 just as he would reject and condemn a wicked man4 ,thank ,god1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 so far1 has received those revelations and those doctrines proposed to her as divine law by the ,prophet of ,god2 and also1 in the main1 those men whom a divine inspiration has suggested as her officers4 ,an incident in the history of ancient ,israel illustrates this doctrine of liberty enjoyed by the people of1 ,god in their corporate capacity4 ,from ,moses to ,samuel the children of ,israel had been governed by a succession of judges1 inspired men1 appointed of ,god to be rulers or rather public servants in ,israel1 which government of inspired men appointed of ,god constituted a divine order of government1 so that it may be said that the people were governed of ,god4 ,finally1 however1 during the administration of government by the judge1 the prophet ,samuel1 the people grew weary of this form of government and clamored for a king4 ,they were ambitious of being like other people by whom they were surrounded4 ,they longed for the worldly pomp and circumstance and glamor of a kingdom4 ,samuel1 the stern old prophet1 zealous for his ,god1 withstood their demands1 until at last the ,lord spoke and said to him3 ,hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee2 for they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me1 that ,i should not reign over them44444 ,now1 therefore1 hearken unto their voice2 howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them4 7,samuel viii47 ,samuel followed the directions of the ,lord1 and pointed out to the people the disasters which would befall them if they adhered to their insistence for a king4 ,all to no purpose1 however1 a king they would have4 ,god respected their right to have the kind of government they desired1 though it involved a rejection of himself--a veto upon ,god6 ,had not the grave and fair minded senator of ,massachusetts--now unhappily departed this life since coining the phrase here criticised--momentarily forgotten this very celebrated incident in the history of ancient ,israel1 or if he had taken time to think one moment upon the great principles underlying ,god's moral government of the world1 ,i feel reasonably satisfied that he would never have fashioned that irreverent phrase1 veto power on ,god1 certainly not to win the laughter and applause of those who were present at its birth1 or of those who1 ape-like1 repeat his unhappy phrase4 ,but ,i must not overlook another point involved in that part of the testimony here being considered4 ,suppose a law is promulgated before the ,latter-day ,saints--a revealed principle of truth is submitted for their acceptance--and then1 in the exercise of that liberty1 which ,god has conferred upon his ,church1 they reject it4 ,the question is then asked1 ,what remains8 ,why1 the truth remains6 ,the action of the ,church has not affected that in the least4 ,it is just as true as if the ,church had accepted it4 ,our acceptance or rejection does not make or mar the truth2 it simply determines our own relationship to that truth4 ,if we reject the truth1 the truth still remains4 ,and1 moreover1 it is my own faith that a people who would reject the truth revealed of ,god to them would make no progress until they repented and accepted the rejected truth4 ,the truth remains--that is the answer to the senator's question4 ,human conduct does not affect the truth4 ,as one of our own poets has said3 ,though the heavens depart1 and the earth's fountains burst1 ,truth1 the sum of existence1 will weather the worst1 ,eternal1 unchanged1 evermore6 ,taking up now the other question--that of correcting the ,almighty's grammar4 ,in defining what ,i understand revelation to be1 and the manner in which it may be communicated1 ,i have already stated that when we have a communication made directly from the ,lord himself there is no imperfection whatever in that revelation4 ,but when the ,almighty uses a man as an instrument through whom to communicate divine wisdom1 the manner in which that revelation is imparted to men may receive a certain human coloring from the prophet through whom it comes4 ,we know this to be true1 because we have the words of different prophets before us by which we may test the matter4 ,we know1 for instance1 that the message delivered to ,israel through the ,prophet ,isaiah possesses different characteristics from the message delivered through ,jeremiah1 or through ,ezekiel1 or through ,amos4 ,it seems that the inspiration of the ,lord need not necessarily destroy the personal characteristics of the man making the communication to his fellowmen4 ,to illustrate what ,i mean3 ,i remember one of my old teachers calling the attention of our class to the fact1 and demonstrating it1 that a ray of white light was not so simple a thing as we might think it to be4 ,when you see a white ray of sunlight streaming through some window or other aperture into a dark room1 you might think that the bar of white light consists simply of one white ray4 ,but the teacher referred to took a prism and caused such a ray of light to fall upon that prism1 and upon a dark screen opposite we discovered that the rays of light composing the white ray were separated into various colors--blue1 orange1 red1 green and the various other colors of the several rays that entered into and made the white ray2 and as he went on using one prism after another for this illustration1 ,i discovered that the sharpness and clearness with which the separation of these several rays were made depended somewhat upon the clearness and purity of the prism through which the light passed4 ,and so in after years it occurred to me that this might be used to illustrate how the white ray of ,god's inspiration falling upon different men would receive different expressions through them1 according to the characteristics of those men4 ,so it is that ,isaiah preserves his identity1 ,amos his1 ,ezekiel his1 and so on with the prophets of our own day4 ,i suppose if the ,lord had revealed the existence of the ,book of ,mormon to a man who had a perfect knowledge of the ,english language1 a grammarian1 and perfect in literary attainments1 then no doubt we would have had a translation of the ,book of ,mormon without fault or blemish so far as the grammar is concerned2 but it pleased ,god in his wisdom to appoint that mission to one who was not learned in the ,english language1 whose use of the ,english language was ungrammatical1 through failing of opportunity to obtain the necessary instruction in his youthful days1 and consequently we find errors in grammar in the translation of the ,book of ,mormon1 such as this3 ,whoredoms is an abomination to the ,lord4 ,marvelous1 is it not8 ,ungrammatical--a plural subject and a singular verb6 ,but what of the truth8 ,you are not in doubt about that1 are you8 ,does it make the truth any more real or forcible to use grammatical terms in which to express it8 ,whoredoms are an abomination to the ,lord8 ,well1 what is the essential thing in a revelation8 ,the essential thing is the truth that it conveys2 and it matters not whether you say whoredoms is an abomination or whoredoms are an abomination to the ,lord4 ,the truth remains that whoredoms are abhorrent to ,god1 and that is the main thing4 ,again1 in the ,doctrine and ,covenants you find this language3 ,the ,spirit and the body is the soul of man1 and the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul4 ,again a plural subject and a singular verb4 ,but what boots it8 ,the great thing that mankind is concerned to know is the truth conveyed1 that the soul of man is composed of spirit and body1 and that it is the purpose of the redemption to save and unite spirit and body in one individual1 to exist through time and through all eternity4 ,to still further illustrate1 and to show you the flimsiness of this smart saying to which we are coming in a moment3 ,old ,baron ,swedenborg was regarded as a mystic4 ,he was a learned man1 but his lips were not attuned to the perfect pronunciation of the ,english language4 ,occasionally he spoke in ,english1 but it was always broken4 ,he delighted apparently to contemplate the prophets of old ,israel and the prophets of the ,new ,testament4 ,in speaking of them the old man used to say in most solemn earnestness1 ,de vurld vas not worty of dem1 and the audience sometimes laughed2 but neither the laughter of the audience1 nor the imperfection of pronunciation of the ,english words detracted from the solemn truth that the old man uttered4 ,and so any imperfection in mere utterance of a truth amounts to little or nothing4 ,he that hath my word1 saith the ,lord1 let him speak my word faithfully4 ,for what is the chaff to the wheat8 ,now1 would it do any harm to take ,swedenborg's broken ,english and make it smooth by pronouncing it with perfect accent4 ,they were prophets of whom the world was not worthy8 ,it does not hurt the truth1 to so change the expression of it1 does it8 ,would it hurt the truth1 the expression of it1 to say the spirit and the body are the soul of man8 ,or whoredoms are an abomination to the ,lord8 ,why1 no4 ,so in this ,manifesto issued by ,president ,woodruff4 ,what if there were imperfect1 or ungrammatical sentences in it8 ,what does the world care about that in the last analysis of it8 ,the great thing in the instrument was1 and the great truth that the ,lord made known to the soul of ,wilford ,woodruff was that it was necessary for the preservation of the ,church1 and the uninterrupted progress of her work that plural marriages should be discontinued4 ,now1 any expression containing that truth was all that was necessary4 ,and so there is nothing of weight in the phrase correcting the grammar of the ,almighty4 ,we do not correct his grammar4 ,perhaps the brethren made slight corrections in the grammar of ,wilford ,woodruff4 ,the grammar may be the prophet's the idea1 the truth1 is ,god's4 ,now1 the third point2 the one about men being constantly under the inspiration of the ,holy ,spirit2 so constantly under his inspiration that all they say or do is an inspiration of ,god1 that all their answers to questions are in the nature of revelation4 ,is there anything in the ,mormon doctrine that makes it necessary to believe that of men1 even of high officials in the ,church8 ,no1 there is not4 ,we know that they do not always speak under the direct inspiration of the ,holy ,spirit2 for some men high in authority1 aye ,apostles1 have preached discourses for which they were finally excommunicated from the ,church4 ,they were not inspired in those instances1 were they8 ,evidently not4 ,when you come to think of human weaknesses and imperfections1 and how difficult it is for men living under the effects of the ,fall1 and borne down with inherited tendencies also--when you think how extremely difficult it is for even the best of men to rise above these things and walk in the sunlight of ,god's inspiration1 in the fellowship of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,i think it is expecting too much to claim that every utterance is a divine inspiration4 ,men are exercised by a variety of emotions4 ,passions1 selfish interests1 prejudices1 traditions1 bear in upon the souls of men and tend to break up and mar the inspiration of the ,spirit of ,god in them4 ,blessed is the man who can rise above the human weaknesses and imperfections once in a while and commune with ,god2 and blessed are the people among whom he dwells2 because if he can do that he will return to them from such communing so strengthened and helped that he will be an inspiration to all who touch the sphere of his influence4 ,i say happy is the man who once in awhile can ascend to these spiritual heights and commune with ,god4 ,it is about as much as you can expect of men4 ,but some of you perhaps will be calling to mind a certain revelation in which this passage occurs3 ,behold1 and lo1 this is an ensample unto all those who are ordained unto this ,priesthood1 whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth2 ,and this is an ensample unto them1 that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost shall be scripture1 shall be the will of the ,lord1 shall be the mind of the ,lord1 shall be the word of the ,lord1 shall be the voice of the ,lord1 and the power of ,god unto salvation4 ,true1 every word of it2 and the word of these men1 when spoken under the influence of the ,holy ,ghost1 is indeed the word of ,god4 ,but oh6 how frequently it is the case that men fail to connect with the divine influence and are unable to call it down into their souls to speak forth the words of life6 ,i have already drawn your attention to the fact that the servants of ,god who minister to us are not always equal to this task2 but there are times when you and ,i have listened to the words of the servants of ,god1 when the white light of ,god's inspiration rested upon them1 and we needed no man to tell us that they spoke by the power and influence of the ,holy ,ghost1 that we were being taught of ,god4 ,but that is not always the case with respect of the preaching we hear4 ,the ,lord has revealed this truth also3 ,verily ,i say unto you1 men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause1 and do many things of their own free will1 and bring to pass much righteousness2 for the power is in them wherein they are agents unto themselves4 ,and inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward4 ,speaking broadly1 we may say there are three classes of intelligences that should be recognized4 ,first of all1 the ,divine ,intelligence1 that which comes directly or indirectly from the presence of ,god through his ,spirit4 ,then there is in every man an intelligent entity1 the ,ego1 our scientists call it1 ,i think2 an entity without beginning and without end1 according to the teachings of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith2 a self-existent entity that has intelligence1 self-consciousness1 will1 and other forces1 in and of itself4 ,you need not doubt that2 it is a self-evident truth4 ,look inward1 investigate your own spirit1 and you shall find it true4 ,i need not call your attention in the way of argument to the fact that even wicked men possess this human intelligence4 ,we know they do1 and it is sometimes very perverse2 also very cunning1 and not infrequently very powerful2 and yet we know that such wicked persons are so far removed in their walk and conversation from ,god that the ,spirit of the ,lord is not with them4 ,then whence the source of their power and their intelligence8 ,it is native to them2 and is self-existent1 indestructible4 ,then again1 there is the influence of the adversary of men's souls1 he who seeks the destruction of men2 he who would pull men down to his level in rebellion against ,god4 ,he has influence in the world1 and men are sometimes dominated by his thoughts1 his motives1 and are led into darkness and sin through his power4 ,when ,lucifer rebelled against the ,king of kings in heaven1 he lost not existence2 his intelligence was not destroyed2 neither indeed could it or he be annihilated2 he remains to this day1 and is still pursuing his evil course4 ,these are the intelligences with whom we come in contact1 with whom we have to deal2 and ,i take it to be one of the most important considerations that we make ourselves competent to distinguish between the promptings of our own human intelligence1 to know when it is the ,spirit of the ,lord that prompts1 and when it is the adversary of men's souls who approaches us and whispers his counsels in our ears4 ,meantime we should recognize the fact that we do many things of our own uninspired intelligence for the issues of which we ourselves are responsible4 ,moreover1 we ourselves should seek to do good things2 for the power is in us to do good1 if we will but set about it1 even as the ,lord has indicated in this revelation ,i have read on that subject4 ,many of our actions--shall ,i say nearly all our ordinary actions8--are prompted by this native intelligence4 ,we take account of this and of that1 and from the data before us we make up our judgment and act upon the probabilities involved4 ,that is the ordinary work-a-day guide by which we walk4 ,then1 of course1 for the performance of extraordinary duties1 for the accomplishment of high purposes1 the soul1 conscious of its own limitations1 reaches out for help2 deep calls to deep2 the infinite in man seeks union with the infinite in ,god1 and1 on occasion1 and when necessary for the achievement of ,god's purposes1 we have reason to believe that the ,lord deigns to communicate his mind and will unto men4 ,but the ,lord evidently proposes that man shall act here largely upon his own intelligence1 exercise his own agency1 and develop the powers1 intelligent and moral1 that are within him4 ,that is why men are here in this earth-probation4 ,while ,i believe the ,lord will help men at need1 ,i think it improper to assign every word and every act of theirs to an inspiration from the ,lord2 for if that were true1 we would have to acknowledge ourselves as being wholly taken possession of by the ,lord1 and not permitted to go to the right or to the left1 but as he guided us4 ,needless to say that in that event there would be no error in judgment1 no blunders made4 ,where would human agency or human intelligence exist in the one case or be developed in the other under such circumstances8 ,they would not exist4 ,hence ,i think it a reasonable conclusion to say that constant1 never-varying inspiration is not a factor in the administration of the affairs even of the ,church2 not even good men1 no1 not though they be prophets or other high officials of the ,church1 are at all times and in all things inspired of ,god4 ,it is only occasionally and at need that ,god comes to their aid4 ,upon this subject ,i want to read what ,i think was a very wise admission once made by ,hyrum ,smith1 brother of the ,prophet1 and father of ,president ,joseph ,f4 ,smith4 ,after the ,prophet ,joseph was compelled to flee from his enemies in ,kirtland1 ,ohio1 to ,far ,west1 ,missouri1 the word of the ,lord was given to the effect that the honest in heart in ,kirtland should gather at ,far ,west2 whereupon a number of expedients were suggested1 or means by which the ,saints should make the journey4 ,the ,high ,council and ,brother ,hyrum ,smith conceived the plan of moving the ,saints by the water course1 by the ,ohio1 the ,missouri and ,grand rivers1 since those streams were navigable2 but the plan proposed by them failed4 ,then the ,seventies took up the matter--the ,first ,council of ,seventies--and their proposition was to organize a company that should go overland to ,missouri1 by team and on foot4 ,they developed their plans1 and ,hyrum ,smith in the course of some remarks made at one of their meetings1 is represented as having said that3 ,what he had done in reference to chartering a steamboat for the purpose of removing the ,church as a body1 he had done according to his own judgment1 without reference to the testimony of the ,spirit of ,god2 that he had recommended that course and had advised the ,high ,council and ,high ,priests to adopt that measure1 acting solely upon his own wisdom2 for it has seemed to him that the whole body of the ,church in ,kirtland could be removed with less expense in the way he had proposed than in any other4 ,he said further that the ,saints had to act oftentimes upon their own responsibility1 without any reference to the testimony of the ,spirit of ,god1 in relation to temporal affairs2 that he had so acted that the plan of going by water was approved by him1 and that the failure of the scheme was evidence in his mind that ,god did not approve of it4 7,the foregoing is from the minutes of the said meeting47 ,i think this utterance of the ,patriarch-,prophet of the ,church gives voice to the common sense view of inspiration1 its operations upon me1 and affairs of the ,church4 ,it is vain for men to claim divine inspiration for every move that is made in ,church affairs4 ,god makes no mistakes4 ,he never errs in judgment4 ,whatever he does is done in perfect wisdom1 and the final result either of a single act or a series of acts is always his vindication4 ,so that whatsoever of unwisdom appears in the policy of his ,church2 whatsoever of defect appears in the administration of her affairs1 are not assignable to ,god1 nor are they the result of the operation of his inspiration upon the minds of men4 ,such unwisdom in policy1 such defects in administration are referable alone to men1 whose knowledge is limited1 whose foresight1 when unhelped by divine inspiration1 is imperfect1 whose wisdom when backed by no other intelligence than that native to their own spirits is halting1 and whose judgment is burdened with many a defect4 ,men are responsible for such blundering as may take place in the management of this divine institution we call the ,church of ,christ4 ,that there have been unwise things done in the ,church by good men1 men susceptible at times to the inspiration of the ,spirit of ,god1 we may not question4 ,many instances in the history of the ,church through three quarters of a century prove it1 and it would be a solecism to say that ,god was the author of those unwise1 not to say positively foolish1 things that have been done4 ,for these things men must stand responsible1 not ,god4 ,it is well nigh as dangerous to claim too much for the inspiration of ,god in the affairs of men as it is to claim too little4 ,by the first men are led into superstition1 and into blasphemously accrediting their own imperfect actions1 their blunders1 and possibly even their sins to ,god2 and by the second they are apt to altogether eliminate the influence of ,god from human affairs2 ,i pause in doubt as to which extreme would be the worse4 ,after these remarks ,i can hear some in their hearts ask1 ,how1 then1 shall we attain to certainty8 ,how are we to know when men speak and act under divine inspiration1 and when by their own unaided human intelligence8 ,when ,god gave the world inspired apostles and prophets and had established a divine institution for the instruction and guidance of men1 we had fondly hoped that at last doubt and uncertainty had been driven out of the minds of those who placed themselves under the tutorship of such instructors and such a divine institution as the ,church of ,christ2 and that now we were placed in a position where an unerring finality might be attained on all questions involving human affairs and human conduct4 ,so indeed1 good friends1 you have1 in the ,church of ,christ1 a means of attaining finality in regard to all those questions that concern your salvation4 ,there is and can be no questioning or doubting concerning the essential principles of the gospel of ,christ taught by his ,church4 ,here we stand on the solid rock1 not on shifting sands4 ,we can and do know the truth with reference to the matters that concern our salvation2 and ,god in the dispensation of the fulness of times1 wherein he has decreed the completion of his work with reference to the salvation of men and the redemption of the earth will never permit man's imperfections and unwisdom to thwart the accomplishment of his great purposes4 ,in these things we stand absolutely secure4 ,but with reference to matters involving merely questions of administration and policy in the ,church2 matters that do not involve the great and central truths of the gospel--these afford a margin wherein all the human imperfections and limitations of man1 even of prophets and apostles1 may be displayed2 that they1 in common with the membership of the ,church1 may exercise their freedom and agency1 and1 of course1 stand responsible1 blamable or praiseable1 according as they acquit themselves well or ill in discharging those duties which devolve upon them4 ,in this connection let me say that it should not be matter of surprise to any one that unwise things have been both said and done by some of the best men in the ,church4 ,on the contrary1 it is matter of congratulation to the ,church that so little unwisdom has been manifested by our brethren upon whom ,god has laid the heavy burdens of so great a work4 ,as to the matter of attaining certainty in human affairs1 that is not to be expected4 ,is it indeed desirable8 ,know ye not that we walk by faith and not by sight8 is the language of ,paul to the ,saints in his day4 ,by which token ,i infer that we are placed in this earth-probation to pass through just such experiences as those to which we seem born heirs4 ,is it not in part the meaning of life that we are here under just such conditions as prevail in order that we may learn the value of better things8 ,is not this very doubt of ours concerning the finality of things--finality which ever seems to elude our grasp--the means of our education8 ,what mere automatons would we become if we found truth machine-made and limited1 that is to say1 finite1 instead of being as we now find it1 infinite and elusive1 and attainable only as we beat it out on the anvil of our own experiences8 ,yet so far as men may be furnished with the means of attaining to certainty concerning the class of things of which we are speaking1 the ,saints of ,god are supplied with that means4 ,their obedience to the gospel brings to them the possession of the ,holy ,ghost1 and it is ,mormon doctrine that by the power of the ,holy ,ghost we may know the truth of all things4 7,moroni47 ,this ,spirit takes of the things of ,god and makes them known to men4 ,by his testimony we may know that the ,lord is ,god1 that ,jesus is the ,christ1 that the gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation4 ,by him bearing witness to our spirits we can recognize the truth1 and know when men speak of themselves and when they speak as moved upon by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,but even with the possession of this ,spirit to guide us into all truth1 ,i pray you1 nevertheless1 not to look for finality in things1 for you will look in vain4 ,intelligence1 purity1 truth1 will always remain with us relative terms and also relative qualities4 ,ascend to what heights you may1 ever beyond you will be other heights in respect of these things1 and ever as you ascend more heights will appear1 and it is doubtful if we shall ever attain the absolute in respect of these qualities4,a ,our joy will be the joy of approximating them1 of attaining unto ever increasing excellence1 without attaining the absolute4 ,it will be the joy of eternal progress4 ,something too much of this4 ,let me hasten to a word in conclusion4 ,footnote ,a3 ,since the above discourse was delivered ,i have read the following in the ,hibbert ,journal for ,april1 #aijg2 and ,i feel that the though is too well expressed to omit the quotation of it here3 ,a certain orientation is a necessary condition of fruitful research3 we must be sure of the direction even if we cannot see the goal4 ,thus1 as ,laberthonniere says1 there is a sense in which those only can truly seek who have already found4 ,let us1 then seek as they seek who have to find1 and let us find as they find who still have to seek2 for it is said3 ',the man who has arrived at the goal is but at the beginning4' ,st4 ,augustine ,he then who thus conceives of religion will rid himself of that fallacy of finality1 and all that narrowness of vision and pettiness of mind aptly described by the ,french writer as the tradition of the little books that make ,god little1 which vitiates popular religious belief in the eyes of those who know enough to know how little can be known4 99 99 99 ,because the subject matter of religion is ,infinite we must look for no finality in religious ideas4 ,sure of the direction1 let us not delude ourselves by fancying we can see the goal2 our goal is but a beginning1 as we find but to seek the more4 ,i would like to come very near to you1 if you will permit it1 in a heart to heart talk4 ,i would like to stand in the relationship of an elder brother to you young men and young women of ,israel for a few moments2 as a brother whose opportunities in the matter of investigating ,mormonism have been rather exceptional1 on account of the lines of work ,i have followed4 ,the books ,i have written have led me into a very close investigation of original documents respecting ,mormonism4 ,very much of the private correspondence between ,president ,brigham ,young and ,president ,john ,taylor happened to pass through my hands1 while engaged in writing the biography of the latter4 ,i have had the opportunity of consulting the private journals kept by these and other leading brethren of the ,church1 in which ,i have read utterances they never expected to see daylight4 ,documents wherein they recorded the secret things of their hearts1 and their convictions concerning the work of ,god4 ,i gathered much comfort1 and have been strengthened in my own faith by finding these men perfectly honest in thought and word respecting the work of ,god4 ,their most private utterances were in perfect harmony with the things which they proclaimed publicly4 ,in this respect ,i have found them pure gold4 ,i speak of this not to boast1 but in order that ,i may remind you of the simple fact that ,i have had these exceptional opportunities of investigating ,mormonism1 not from public utterances alone1 but from behind the scenes1 so to speak1 where the skeletons would have appeared if there were skeletons in existence4 ,and now1 in the presence of these facts1 and this opportunity afforded me1 ,i want to say to you1 my young brethren and sisters1 that ,god has spoken in this age in which we live4 ,he has revealed himself to the children of men1 and has communicated a message to the world in what is called ,mormonism4 ,the book of ,mormon is true4 ,the great revelations that underlie this latter day work are true4 ,the revelations concerning the nature of ,god and man1 in the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 the revelations out of which has grown this organization which we call the ,church of ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 are verities4 ,now1 following this testimony1 ,i want to warn you against speaking lightly or slightingly of sacred things1 or of the servants of ,god4 ,in nothing1 perhaps1 can you more offend ,god or grieve his ,spirit4 ,have nothing to do1 ,i pray you1 with smart quips against the truth1 however respectable their origin1 or however popular or catchy their phraseology4 ,i pray you give them no lodgment in your hearts4 ,remember we live under the law of ,god4--,speak no evil of mine anointed2 do my prophets no harm4 ,and remember always that whatever the weaknesses and the imperfections of men may be1 whatever weaknesses they may have manifested before the ,church in the past1 or may manifest before it in the future 7for the end is not yet71 their weaknesses and imperfections affect not the truth that ,god has revealed4 ,the ,lord will vindicate his truth1 and at the last it will be found that ',tis no avail to bargain1 sneer1 and nod1 ,and shrug the shoulder for reply to ,god4 ,remember also that ridicule is not argument2 that a sneer1 though it may not be susceptible of an answer1 is no refutation of the truth2 that though profane ribaldry may provoke a passing merriment1 the profaner's laugh is a poor exchange for ,deity offended4 ,i therefore admonish you1 as a friend and brother1 to stand aloof from all these things4 ,hold as sacred the truths of ,god2 and hold in highest esteem1 as indeed you may1 those whom ,god has appointed to be his prophets1 apostles and servants4 ,,the ,,end4 ,transcriber's ,note ,some apparent printer's errors have been silently corrected as seemed reasonable4