---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Roberts, B. H.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 7
number: 5
published: 1904-03
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'B. H. Roberts, "The Probability of Joseph Smith’s Story," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 5 (March 1904): 321–329.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0705unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera0705unse
start_page: 321
end_page: 329
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-03)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0705unse
  publication_year: 1904
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# The Probability of Joseph Smith’s Story

<!-- page:321 -->

IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA
Vol. 
        VII. 
        MARCH, 
        1904. 
        No. 
        5.
THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.
BY  
        ELDER  
        B. 
        H.  
        ROBERTS.
I.
By 
        the 
        probability 
        of 
        Joseph 
        Smith's 
        story, 
        I 
        mean, 
        of 
        course,
the 
        probability 
        of 
        the 
        truth 
        of 
        his 
        story 
        concerning 
        the 
        coming
forth 
        of 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon
        —
        of 
        Moroni 
        revealing 
        its 
        existence
to 
        him
        —
        of 
        Moroni 
        delivering 
        to 
        him 
        the 
        plates 
        and 
        Urim 
        and
Thummim
        —
        of 
        his 
        translating 
        the 
        record 
        by 
        the 
        gift 
        and 
        power 
        of
God, 
        by 
        means 
        of 
        the 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim
        —
        of 
        his 
        returning 
        the
plates 
        to 
        Moroni, 
        who 
        to 
        this 
        day, 
        doubtless, 
        has 
        them 
        in 
        charge.
I 
        am 
        aware 
        of 
        the 
        fact 
        that 
        the 
        miraculous 
        is 
        usually 
        regarded
with 
        suspicion; 
        that 
        such 
        a 
        thing 
        as 
        the 
        ministration 
        of 
        angels 
        in
what 
        are 
        called 
        these 
        "hard 
        and 
        scientific 
        times" 
        is 
        generally 
        scouted
by 
        most 
        of 
        those 
        who 
        make 
        any 
        pretensions 
        to 
        science; 
        that 
        a
school 
        of 
        scholars 
        has 
        arisen 
        whose 
        main 
        principle 
        in 
        the 
        search 
        of
truth 
        is 
        that 
        the 
        miraculous 
        is 
        the 
        impossible, 
        and 
        that 
        all 
        narra-
tives which 
        include 
        the 
        miraculous 
        are 
        to 
        be 
        rigidly 
        rejected, 
        as
implying 
        credulity 
        or 
        imposture; 
        that 
        even 
        professed 
        believers
in 
        the 
        Bible, 
        who 
        accept 
        as 
        historically 
        true 
        the 
        Bible 
        account
of 
        the 
        ministration 
        of 
        angels, 
        insist 
        that 
        the 
        age 
        in 
        which 
        such
things 
        occurred 
        has 
        long 
        since 
        passed 
        away 
        and 
        that 
        such 
        ministra-

<!-- page:322 -->

322 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
tions 
        are 
        not 
        to 
        be 
        expected 
        now.* 
        But 
        on 
        this 
        subject 
        the 
        word
of 
        God 
        stands 
        sure. 
        According 
        to 
        that 
        word 
        there 
        have 
        been 
        min-
istrations of 
        angels 
        in 
        times 
        past; 
        and 
        there 
        will 
        be 
        such 
        ministra-
tions to 
        the 
        last 
        day 
        of 
        recorded 
        time. 
        As 
        to 
        the 
        ministration 
        of
angels 
        in 
        the 
        past, 
        according 
        to 
        holy 
        scripture, 
        the 
        reader 
        will
call 
        to 
        mind 
        the 
        circumstance 
        of 
        angels 
        together 
        with 
        the
Lord, 
        visiting 
        Abraham 
        at 
        his 
        tent-home 
        in 
        the 
        plains 
        of 
        Mamre,
and 
        partaking 
        of 
        his 
        hospitality; 
        of 
        the 
        appearance 
        of 
        angels 
        to
direct 
        the 
        flight 
        of 
        Lot 
        from 
        one 
        of 
        the 
        doomed 
        cities 
        of 
        the 
        plain;
of 
        Jacob's 
        physical 
        contact 
        with 
        the 
        angel 
        with 
        whom 
        he 
        wrestled
until 
        the 
        breaking 
        of 
        the 
        day; 
        of 
        the 
        angel 
        who 
        went 
        before 
        the
camp 
        of 
        Israel 
        in 
        its 
        march 
        from 
        bondage, 
        and 
        scores 
        of 
        other 
        in-
stances recorded 
        in 
        the 
        Old 
        Testament 
        where 
        heavenly 
        personages
•co-operated 
        with 
        men 
        on 
        earth 
        to 
        bring 
        to 
        pass 
        the 
        holy 
        purposes
of 
        God.
Of 
        instances 
        in 
        the 
        New 
        Testament, 
        the 
        reader 
        will 
        recall 
        the
ministration 
        of 
        the 
        angel 
        Gabriel 
        to 
        Zacharias, 
        announcing 
        the
future 
        birth 
        of 
        John 
        the 
        Baptist; 
        of 
        the 
        angel 
        who 
        appeared 
        to
Mary 
        to 
        make 
        known 
        the 
        high 
        honor 
        bestowed 
        upon 
        her 
        in 
        becom-
ing the 
        mother 
        of 
        our 
        Lord 
        Jesus; 
        of 
        the 
        appearance 
        of 
        Moses 
        and
Elias 
        to 
        the 
        Savior 
        and 
        three 
        of 
        his 
        disciples, 
        to 
        whom 
        they 
        minis-
tered; of 
        the 
        angel 
        who 
        rolled 
        away 
        the 
        stone 
        from 
        the 
        mouth 
        of
the 
        sepulchre, 
        and 
        announced 
        the 
        resurrection 
        of 
        the 
        Savior; 
        of
the 
        men 
        in 
        white 
        (angels) 
        who 
        were 
        present 
        at 
        the 
        ascension 
        of
Jesus 
        from 
        the 
        midst 
        of 
        his 
        disciples, 
        and 
        announced 
        the 
        fact 
        that
the 
        time 
        would 
        come 
        when 
        that 
        same 
        Jesus 
        should 
        come 
        again 
        to 
        the
-earth 
        in 
        like 
        manner 
        as 
        they 
        had 
        seen 
        him 
        go 
        into 
        heaven; 
        of 
        the
angel 
        who 
        delivered 
        Peter 
        from 
        prison, 
        and 
        a 
        dozen 
        other 
        instances
Avhere 
        angels 
        co-operated 
        with 
        men 
        in 
        bringing 
        to 
        pass 
        the 
        purposes
•of 
        God 
        in 
        the 
        dispensation 
        of 
        the 
        meridian 
        of 
        time.
With 
        reference 
        to 
        the 
        angels 
        who 
        in 
        ages 
        future 
        from 
        that 
        in
which 
        the 
        apostles 
        lived 
        ministering 
        to 
        men 
        and 
        co-operating 
        to
bring 
        to 
        pass 
        future 
        purposes 
        of 
        God, 
        the 
        reader 
        will 
        recall 
        the
saying 
        of 
        the 
        Savior 
        concerning 
        the 
        gathering 
        together 
        of 
        the 
        elect
in 
        the 
        hour 
        of 
        God's 
        judgment: 
        "and 
        he 
        shall 
        send 
        his 
        angels 
        with
*See 
        "Life 
        of 
        Jesus," 
        Renan, 
        (E. 
        T.)  
        Introduction; 
        also 
        "New 
        Wit-
nesses," vol. 
        I, 
        chapter 
        1. 
        •

<!-- page:323 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        323
a 
        great 
        sound 
        of 
        a 
        trumpet, 
        and 
        they 
        shall 
        gather 
        together 
        his
elect 
        from 
        the 
        four 
        winds, 
        from 
        one 
        end 
        of 
        heaven 
        to 
        the 
        other;"*
he 
        will 
        recall, 
        also, 
        the 
        promise 
        in 
        Malachi 
        concerning 
        the 
        same
times: 
        '
        'Behold 
        I 
        will 
        send 
        you 
        Elijah 
        the 
        prophet 
        before 
        the 
        com-
ing of 
        the 
        great 
        and 
        dreadful 
        day 
        of 
        the 
        Lord: 
        and 
        he 
        shall 
        turn
the'hearts 
        of 
        the 
        fathers 
        to 
        the 
        children, 
        and 
        the 
        hearts 
        of 
        the
children 
        to 
        their 
        fathers, 
        lest 
        I 
        come 
        and 
        smite 
        the 
        earth 
        with 
        a
curse 
        ;"f 
        he 
        will 
        recollect 
        the 
        promised 
        coming 
        of 
        the 
        angel 
        to 
        re-
store the 
        gospel 
        in 
        the 
        hour 
        of 
        God's 
        judgment: 
        "And 
        I 
        saw 
        another
angel 
        fly 
        in 
        the 
        midst 
        of 
        heaven, 
        having 
        the 
        everlasting 
        gospel 
        to
preach 
        unto 
        them 
        that 
        dwell 
        on 
        the 
        earth, 
        and 
        to 
        every 
        nation, 
        and
kindred, 
        and 
        tongue, 
        and 
        people, 
        saying 
        with 
        a 
        loud 
        voice, 
        Fear 
        God,
and 
        give 
        glory 
        to 
        him; 
        for 
        the 
        hour 
        of 
        his 
        judgment 
        is 
        come
        : 
        and 
        wor-
ship him 
        that 
        made 
        heaven, 
        and 
        earth, 
        and 
        the 
        sea, 
        and 
        the 
        fount-
ains of 
        waters 
        ;"$ 
        also 
        the 
        angel 
        who 
        will 
        declare 
        the 
        fall 
        of 
        Babylon,
"And 
        there 
        followed 
        another 
        angel, 
        saying, 
        Babylon 
        is 
        fallen, 
        is
fallen, 
        that 
        great 
        city, 
        because 
        she 
        made 
        all 
        nations 
        drink 
        of 
        the 
        wine
of 
        the 
        wrath 
        of 
        her 
        fornication. 
        And 
        the 
        third 
        angel 
        followed 
        them,
saying 
        with 
        a 
        'loud 
        voice, 
        if 
        any 
        man 
        worship 
        the 
        beast 
        and 
        his
image, 
        and 
        receive 
        his 
        mark 
        in 
        his 
        forehead, 
        or 
        in 
        his 
        hand, 
        the
same 
        shall 
        drink 
        of 
        the 
        wine 
        of 
        the 
        wrath 
        of 
        God."§ 
        "And 
        after 
        these
things 
        I 
        saw 
        another 
        angel 
        come 
        down 
        from 
        heaven, 
        having 
        great
power, 
        and 
        the 
        earth 
        was 
        lighted 
        with 
        his 
        glory. 
        And 
        he 
        cried 
        might-
ily with 
        a 
        strong 
        voice, 
        saying, 
        Babylon 
        the 
        great 
        is 
        fallen, 
        is 
        fallen
and 
        is 
        become 
        the 
        habitation 
        of 
        devils, 
        and 
        the 
        hold 
        of 
        every 
        foul
spirit."|| 
        The 
        reader 
        of 
        the 
        scriptures, 
        I 
        say, 
        will 
        readily 
        recall 
        all
these 
        ministrations 
        of 
        angels; 
        as 
        also 
        the 
        promise 
        of 
        the 
        ministra-
tions of 
        many 
        other 
        angels, 
        in 
        bringing 
        to 
        pass 
        the 
        great 
        things 
        of
God 
        in 
        the 
        last 
        days, 
        even 
        to 
        the 
        gathering 
        together 
        in 
        one 
        all
things 
        in 
        Christ.**
It 
        cannot 
        be 
        held 
        as 
        unscriptural, 
        then, 
        when 
        Joseph 
        Smith
claimed 
        that 
        by 
        the 
        ministration 
        of 
        angels 
        he 
        received 
        a 
        revelation
from 
        God
        —
        a 
        dispensation 
        of 
        the 
        Gospel.
Then, 
        again, 
        whatever 
        the 
        position 
        of 
        unbelievers 
        in 
        the 
        Bible
may 
        be 
        with 
        reference  
        to 
        Joseph  
        Smith 
        translating 
        the 
        Book 
        of
*Matt.  
        xxiv: 
        31.      
        f 
        Malachi 
        iv: 
        5, 
        6.     
        | 
        Revelation 
        xiv: 
        6, 
        7.
§Rev. 
        xiv: 
        8, 
        9, 
        10.    
        || 
        Rev. 
        xviii: 
        1-3.   
        **Ephesians 
        i: 
        9, 
        10.

<!-- page:324 -->

324 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
Mormon 
        by 
        means 
        of 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim, 
        or 
        "Interpreters,'5
as 
        they 
        were 
        called 
        by 
        the 
        Nephites, 
        surely 
        believers 
        in 
        the 
        Bible
cannot 
        regard 
        such 
        a 
        claim 
        as 
        impossible 
        or 
        improbable, 
        since 
        it 
        is
matter 
        of 
        common 
        knowledge 
        that 
        the 
        High 
        Priest 
        in 
        ancient 
        Israel
possessed 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim, 
        and 
        by 
        means 
        of 
        them 
        received
divine 
        communications. 
        I 
        am 
        not 
        unmindful 
        of 
        the 
        fact 
        that 
        a
diversity 
        of 
        opinion 
        obtains 
        respecting 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim 
        of 
        the
scriptures, 
        of 
        what 
        they 
        consisted, 
        and 
        the 
        exact 
        use 
        of 
        them, 
        but
this 
        I 
        think 
        may 
        be 
        set 
        down 
        as 
        ascertained 
        fact; 
        they 
        were 
        placed
in 
        the 
        breast-plate 
        of 
        the 
        High 
        Priest, 
        and 
        were 
        a 
        means 
        through
which 
        God 
        communicated 
        to 
        him 
        divine 
        knowledge
        —
        the 
        divine 
        will.*
* 
        The 
        reader 
        will 
        find 
        the 
        above 
        data 
        concerning 
        Urim 
        and
Thummim 
        in 
        the 
        following 
        passages: 
        Exodus 
        xxviii: 
        29, 
        30; 
        Leviticus
viii: 
        8; 
        Numbers 
        xxvii: 
        21; 
        Deuteronomy 
        xxxiii: 
        8; 
        I 
        Samuel 
        xxviii: 
        6;
Ezra 
        ii: 
        63; 
        Nehemiah 
        vii: 
        65. 
        He 
        will 
        also 
        find 
        an 
        excellent 
        article 
        on
the 
        subject 
        in 
        Smith's 
        Dictionary 
        of 
        the 
        Bible, 
        (Hackett 
        edition) 
        vol. 
        4,
pp. 
        3356-3363; 
        also 
        in 
        Kitto's 
        Encyclopedia 
        of 
        Biblical 
        Literature, 
        vol.
2, 
        pp. 
        900-903. 
        Josephus' 
        description 
        of 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim 
        is 
        as 
        fol-
lows: "I 
        will 
        now 
        treat 
        of 
        what 
        I 
        before 
        omitted, 
        the 
        garment 
        of
the 
        high 
        priest: 
        for 
        he 
        (Moses) 
        left 
        no 
        room 
        for 
        the 
        evil 
        practices 
        of
(false) 
        prophets; 
        but 
        if 
        some 
        of 
        that 
        sort 
        should 
        attempt 
        to 
        abuse 
        the
divine 
        authority, 
        he 
        left 
        it 
        to 
        God 
        to 
        be 
        present 
        at 
        his 
        sacrifices 
        when 
        he
pleased, 
        and 
        when 
        he 
        pleased 
        to 
        be 
        absent. 
        And 
        he 
        was 
        willing 
        this
should 
        be 
        known, 
        not 
        to 
        the 
        Hebrews 
        only, 
        but 
        to 
        those 
        foreigners 
        also
who 
        were 
        there. 
        But 
        as 
        to 
        these 
        stones, 
        which 
        we 
        told 
        you 
        before 
        the
high 
        priest 
        bore 
        on 
        his 
        shoulders, 
        which 
        were 
        sardonyxs, 
        (and 
        I 
        think 
        it
needless 
        to 
        describe 
        their 
        nature, 
        they 
        being 
        known 
        to 
        everybody)
        : 
        the
one 
        of 
        them 
        shined 
        out 
        when 
        God 
        was 
        present 
        at 
        their 
        sacrifices; 
        I 
        mean
that 
        which 
        was 
        in 
        the 
        nature 
        of 
        a 
        button 
        on 
        his 
        right 
        shoulder, 
        bright
rays 
        darting 
        out 
        thence; 
        and 
        being 
        seen 
        even 
        by 
        those 
        that 
        were 
        most
remote; 
        which 
        splendor 
        yet 
        was 
        not 
        before 
        natural 
        to 
        the 
        stone. 
        This
has 
        appeared 
        a 
        wonderful 
        thing 
        to 
        such 
        as 
        have 
        not 
        so 
        far 
        indulged
themselves 
        in 
        philosophy, 
        as 
        to 
        despise 
        divine 
        revelation. 
        Yet 
        will 
        I
mention 
        what 
        is 
        still 
        more 
        wonderful 
        than 
        this: 
        for 
        God 
        declared 
        before-
hand, by 
        those 
        twelve 
        stones 
        which 
        the 
        high 
        priest 
        bore 
        on 
        his 
        breast,
and 
        which 
        were 
        inserted 
        into 
        his 
        breastplate, 
        when 
        they 
        should 
        be 
        vic-
torious in 
        battle; 
        for 
        so 
        great 
        a 
        splendor 
        shone 
        forth 
        from 
        them 
        before
the 
        army 
        began 
        to 
        march, 
        that 
        all 
        the 
        people 
        were 
        sensible 
        of 
        God's 
        being
present 
        for 
        their 
        assistance.    
        Whence 
        it 
        came 
        to 
        pass 
        that 
        those 
        Greeks

<!-- page:325 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        325
Since 
        this 
        kind 
        of 
        means, 
        then, 
        was 
        used 
        by 
        prophets 
        in 
        ancient
Israel, 
        it 
        should 
        not 
        be 
        matter 
        of 
        astonishment, 
        much 
        less 
        of 
        ridi-
cule, or 
        a 
        thing 
        to 
        be 
        regarded 
        as 
        improbable 
        that 
        when 
        a 
        colony
of 
        Israelites 
        were 
        lead 
        away 
        from 
        the 
        main 
        body 
        of 
        the 
        people, 
        a
similar 
        media 
        for 
        obtaining 
        the 
        will 
        of 
        the 
        Lord, 
        and 
        for 
        translat-
ing records 
        not 
        otherwise 
        translatable, 
        should 
        be 
        found 
        with 
        them.
So 
        also 
        respecting 
        Joseph 
        Smith's 
        claim 
        to 
        having 
        found 
        what 
        he
called 
        a 
        "Seer 
        Stone," 
        by 
        means 
        of 
        which 
        he 
        could 
        translate. 
        That
cannot 
        be 
        regarded 
        as 
        an 
        impossibility 
        or 
        even 
        an 
        improbability 
        by
those 
        who 
        believe 
        the 
        Bible
        ; 
        for, 
        in 
        addition 
        to 
        the 
        Hebrew 
        litera-
ture giving 
        an 
        account 
        of 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim 
        in 
        the 
        breastplate
of 
        the 
        high 
        priest, 
        it 
        is 
        well 
        known 
        that 
        other 
        means 
        were 
        used 
        by
inspired 
        men 
        of 
        Israel 
        for 
        obtaining 
        the 
        word 
        of 
        the 
        Lord. 
        That
most 
        excellent 
        of 
        Bible 
        characters, 
        Joseph, 
        the 
        son 
        of 
        Jacob,
blessed 
        in 
        his 
        boyhood 
        with 
        prophetic 
        dreams, 
        and 
        possessed 
        of
the 
        divine 
        gift 
        of 
        interpreting 
        dreams, 
        the 
        savior 
        of 
        Israel 
        in 
        times
of 
        famine, 
        and 
        a 
        wise 
        ruler 
        for 
        a 
        time 
        of 
        Egypt's 
        destiny,used 
        such
media. 
        When 
        the 
        cup 
        was 
        found 
        in 
        the 
        mouth 
        of 
        Benjamin's
sack, 
        Joseph's 
        steward 
        said 
        to 
        him: 
        "Is 
        not 
        this 
        it 
        in 
        which 
        my
Lord 
        drinketh, 
        and 
        whereby, 
        indeed, 
        he 
        divinethV 
        Joseph 
        himself
said, 
        when 
        his 
        perplexed 
        brethren 
        stood 
        before 
        him, 
        "What 
        deed 
        is
this 
        that 
        ye 
        have 
        done? 
        Wot 
        ye 
        not 
        that 
        such 
        a 
        man 
        as-
        1 
        can
certainly 
        divine?"* 
        The 
        fact 
        of 
        ascertaining 
        the 
        word 
        of 
        the 
        Lord
by 
        means 
        of 
        this 
        "divining 
        cup" 
        cannot 
        be 
        explained 
        away 
        by 
        sug-
gesting that 
        Joseph 
        merely 
        referred 
        to 
        an 
        Egyptian 
        custom 
        of
divining; 
        or 
        that 
        the 
        steward 
        repeated 
        the 
        words 
        which 
        Joseph
had 
        spoken 
        to 
        him 
        merely 
        in 
        jest.f 
        As 
        remarked 
        by 
        a 
        learned
writer 
        on 
        this 
        subject
        —
        "We 
        need 
        not 
        think 
        of 
        Joseph, 
        the 
        pure,
the 
        heaven-taught, 
        the 
        blameless 
        one, 
        as 
        adopting, 
        still 
        less 
        as 
        basely
pretending 
        to 
        adopt, 
        the 
        dark 
        arts 
        of 
        a 
        system 
        of 
        imposture."!    
        I
who 
        had 
        veneration 
        for 
        our 
        laws, 
        because 
        they 
        could 
        not 
        possibly 
        contra-
dict this, 
        called 
        that 
        breastplate 
        The 
        Oracle. 
        Now 
        this 
        breastplate 
        and
this 
        sardonyx 
        left 
        off 
        shining 
        two 
        hundred 
        years 
        before 
        I 
        composed 
        this
book, 
        God 
        having 
        been 
        displeased 
        at 
        the 
        transgression 
        of 
        his 
        laws
(Antiquities 
        of 
        the 
        Jews, 
        bk. 
        Ill, 
        ch. 
        viii.)
* 
        Genesis 
        xliv: 
        5-15. 
        f 
        Such 
        is 
        the 
        Roman 
        Catholic 
        explanation 
        of
the 
        matter, 
        see 
        note 
        on 
        the 
        passage, 
        Gen. 
        xliv: 
        5-15, 
        in 
        Douay 
        Bible.
| 
        Smith's 
        Dictionary 
        of 
        the 
        Bible, 
        Art. 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim.

<!-- page:326 -->

326 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
agree 
        with 
        that 
        view. 
        It 
        is 
        a 
        reality 
        sustained 
        by 
        Bible 
        authority
that 
        there 
        exists 
        media 
        through 
        which 
        divine 
        revelation 
        may 
        be
obtained, 
        and 
        hence 
        to 
        the 
        Bible 
        believers 
        the 
        claim 
        of 
        Joseph
Smith 
        concerning 
        "Urim 
        and 
        Thummim," 
        and 
        the 
        "Seer 
        Stone,"
by 
        means 
        of 
        which, 
        through 
        the 
        inspiration 
        of 
        God, 
        he 
        translated
the 
        record 
        of 
        the 
        Nephites, 
        is 
        not 
        impossible 
        nor 
        even 
        improbable.
But 
        what 
        shall 
        we 
        say 
        to 
        that 
        very 
        large 
        number 
        of 
        people
who 
        do 
        not 
        believe 
        the 
        Bible? 
        How 
        shall 
        we 
        so 
        appeal 
        to 
        them
as 
        to 
        secure 
        their 
        attention 
        in 
        these 
        matters? 
        Addressing 
        himself
to 
        those 
        who 
        questioned 
        at 
        least 
        the 
        likelihood 
        of 
        the 
        resurrection,
Paul 
        asked: 
        "Why 
        should 
        it 
        be 
        thought 
        a 
        thing 
        incredible 
        with 
        you,
that 
        God 
        should 
        raise 
        the 
        dead?" 
        So 
        say 
        I 
        respecting 
        those 
        who
do 
        not 
        believe 
        in 
        the 
        Bible, 
        but 
        pride 
        themselves 
        on 
        accepting 
        and
believing 
        all 
        those 
        things 
        established 
        by 
        the 
        researches 
        of 
        men
        —
by 
        science
        —
        why 
        should 
        it 
        be 
        thought 
        a 
        thing 
        incredible 
        with 
        them
that 
        angels 
        should 
        visit 
        our 
        earth 
        in 
        order 
        to 
        communicate 
        knowl-
edge not 
        otherwise, 
        perhaps, 
        obtainable. 
        Or 
        why 
        should 
        it 
        be
thought 
        a 
        thing 
        incredible 
        with 
        them 
        that 
        media 
        should 
        exist
through 
        the 
        aid 
        of 
        which 
        inspired 
        men 
        may 
        be 
        assisted 
        in 
        translat-
ing records 
        not 
        otherwise 
        translatable. 
        They 
        live 
        in 
        the 
        midst 
        of
ascertained 
        facts 
        respecting 
        the 
        universe, 
        that 
        such 
        a 
        thing 
        as
communication 
        between 
        the 
        inhabited 
        worlds 
        of 
        that 
        universe
ought 
        to 
        be 
        looked 
        upon 
        as 
        a 
        thing 
        so 
        rational 
        that 
        to 
        doubt 
        its
probability 
        would 
        be 
        esteemed 
        as 
        folly. 
        They 
        live 
        in 
        the 
        midst 
        of
such 
        achievements 
        of 
        man's 
        ingenuity, 
        and 
        in 
        the 
        daily 
        use 
        of 
        such
marvelous 
        instruments 
        invented 
        by 
        men 
        for 
        the 
        ascertainment 
        of
truth, 
        that 
        surely 
        they 
        ought 
        not 
        to 
        stumble 
        at 
        accepting 
        at 
        least
as 
        possible, 
        and 
        even 
        as 
        probable, 
        the 
        existence 
        of 
        media 
        possessed
of 
        the 
        qualities 
        ascribed 
        by 
        Joseph 
        to 
        the 
        transparent 
        stones 
        he
found 
        with 
        the 
        Nephite 
        plates,
        —
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim
        —
        and 
        the
"Seer 
        Stone," 
        which 
        he 
        sometimes 
        used 
        in 
        translating.
A 
        word 
        as 
        to 
        the 
        first 
        proposition
        —
        viz., 
        men 
        live 
        in 
        the
midst 
        of 
        ascertained 
        facts 
        respecting 
        the 
        universe 
        that 
        such 
        a 
        thing
as 
        communication 
        between 
        inhabited 
        worlds 
        ought 
        to 
        be 
        regarded
as 
        a 
        reasonable 
        probability. 
        Of 
        the 
        change 
        of 
        view 
        respecting
our 
        own 
        earth 
        and 
        its 
        relations 
        in 
        the 
        universe, 
        I 
        have 
        already
spoken.*   
        Indeed, 
        I 
        may 
        say 
        that 
        with 
        some 
        attention 
        to 
        details 
        I
* 
        New 
        Witnesses, 
        vol. 
        I, 
        chs. 
        xxviii, 
        xxix, 
        xxx.

<!-- page:327 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        327
have 
        considered 
        the 
        transition 
        from 
        the 
        conception 
        of 
        the 
        earth 
        as
the 
        centre 
        of 
        the 
        universe, 
        with 
        the 
        sun, 
        and 
        moon 
        and 
        all 
        the 
        stars
brought 
        into 
        existence 
        for 
        its 
        convenience, 
        or 
        beauty, 
        or 
        glory, 
        to-
the 
        conception 
        of 
        the 
        earth 
        as 
        one 
        of 
        the 
        smaller 
        planets 
        of 
        a:
group 
        moving 
        regularly 
        about 
        the 
        sun 
        as 
        their 
        centre, 
        and 
        the
probability 
        of 
        each 
        fixed 
        star 
        being 
        the 
        centre 
        of 
        such 
        a 
        group 
        of
planets. 
        The 
        ascertained 
        existence 
        of 
        millions 
        of 
        other 
        suns 
        than
ours, 
        evidently 
        the 
        centres 
        of 
        planetary 
        systems 
        being 
        granted, 
        the
view 
        that 
        these 
        planets 
        are 
        the 
        habitation 
        of 
        sentient 
        beings 
        seems
a 
        concomitant 
        fact, 
        so 
        probable 
        that 
        one 
        is 
        astonished, 
        if 
        not 
        a 
        little
provoked, 
        at 
        that 
        conservatism 
        which 
        hesitates 
        to 
        accept 
        a 
        hypoth-
esis so 
        reasonable 
        in 
        itself, 
        and 
        so 
        well 
        sustained 
        by 
        the 
        analogy
of 
        the 
        existence 
        of 
        sentient 
        beings 
        on 
        our 
        own 
        planet. 
        The 
        astron-
omers tell 
        us 
        some 
        of 
        these 
        fixed 
        stars
        —
        these 
        suns 
        that 
        are 
        probably
the 
        centre 
        of 
        planetary 
        systems
        —
        have 
        existed 
        for 
        hundreds 
        of
thousands 
        of 
        years, 
        for 
        so 
        distant 
        are 
        they 
        from 
        us 
        in 
        space 
        that
it 
        would 
        require 
        that 
        period 
        of 
        time 
        for 
        their 
        light 
        to 
        reach 
        our
earth, 
        hence 
        they 
        must 
        have 
        existed 
        all 
        that 
        time. 
        It 
        is 
        evident,
then, 
        that 
        they 
        are 
        many 
        times 
        older 
        than 
        our 
        earth; 
        so, 
        too, 
        are
the 
        planets 
        that 
        encircle 
        them. 
        From 
        this 
        conclusion 
        to 
        the 
        one
that 
        the 
        sentient 
        beings 
        that 
        doubtless 
        dwell 
        upon 
        these 
        planets
are 
        far 
        in 
        advance 
        of 
        the 
        inhabitants 
        of 
        our 
        earth, 
        intellectually,
morally, 
        spiritually 
        and 
        in 
        everything 
        that 
        makes 
        for 
        higher 
        devel-
opment and 
        more 
        perfect 
        civilization, 
        is 
        but 
        a 
        little 
        step, 
        which
rests 
        on 
        strong 
        probability. 
        From 
        these 
        conclusions, 
        again, 
        to 
        the
conceived 
        likelihood 
        of 
        the 
        presiding 
        intelligence 
        of 
        some 
        of 
        these
worlds 
        to 
        which 
        our 
        earth 
        may 
        sustain 
        peculiar 
        relations 
        of 
        order
or 
        affinity
        —
        having 
        both 
        the 
        power 
        and 
        the 
        inclination 
        to 
        communi-
cate from 
        time 
        to 
        time 
        by 
        personal 
        messengers, 
        or 
        other 
        means, 
        to
chosen 
        men 
        of 
        our 
        own 
        race,
        —
        but 
        for 
        the 
        benefit 
        or 
        good 
        of 
        all,
        —
is 
        but 
        another 
        step, 
        not 
        so 
        large 
        as 
        the 
        others, 
        by 
        which 
        we 
        have
been 
        led 
        to 
        this 
        point, 
        and 
        one 
        that 
        rests 
        also 
        upon 
        a 
        base 
        of 
        strong
probability. 
        And 
        this 
        is 
        the 
        phenomena 
        of 
        the 
        visitation 
        of 
        angels
and 
        revelation 
        testified 
        of 
        in 
        the 
        scriptures. 
        Such 
        phenomena 
        are
mistakenly 
        considered 
        supernatural 
        and 
        uncanny. 
        They 
        are 
        not 
        so
really. 
        They 
        are 
        very 
        matter 
        of 
        fact 
        realities; 
        perfectly 
        natural,
and 
        in 
        harmony 
        with 
        the 
        intellectual 
        order 
        or 
        economy 
        of 
        a 
        uni-
verse   where 
        intelligence 
        and 
        goodness 
        govern, 
        and 
        love  
        unites

<!-- page:328 -->

328 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA
the   
        brotherhood 
        of   
        the 
        universe 
        in 
        bonds  
        of 
        sympathetic  
        in-
terest.
In 
        view 
        of 
        these 
        reflections, 
        why, 
        I 
        ask, 
        should 
        it 
        be 
        thought 
        a
thing 
        incredible 
        with 
        scientific 
        men 
        that 
        there 
        should 
        be 
        such
phenomena 
        as 
        the 
        visitation 
        of 
        angels, 
        or 
        other 
        means 
        of 
        communi-
cation, among 
        the 
        many 
        planets 
        and 
        planetary 
        systems 
        which 
        make
up 
        the 
        universe? 
        Surely 
        it 
        will 
        not 
        be 
        argued 
        that 
        it 
        is 
        impossi-
ble for 
        sentient 
        beings 
        to 
        pass 
        from 
        world 
        to 
        world, 
        because 
        man
in 
        his 
        present 
        state 
        is 
        bound 
        to 
        earth 
        by 
        the 
        force 
        of 
        gravitation,
and 
        that 
        the 
        same 
        force 
        would 
        doubtless 
        operate 
        upon 
        the 
        inhabit-
ants of 
        other 
        worlds, 
        and 
        bind 
        them 
        to 
        their 
        local 
        habitation 
        as 
        we
are 
        bound 
        to 
        ours. 
        The 
        beings 
        whom 
        we 
        call 
        angels, 
        though 
        of 
        the
same 
        race 
        and 
        nature 
        with 
        ourselves, 
        may 
        pass, 
        and 
        doubtless 
        have
passed, 
        through 
        such 
        physical 
        changes 
        as 
        to 
        render 
        them 
        quite 
        in-
dependent of 
        the 
        clogging 
        force 
        called 
        gravitation. 
        We 
        may 
        not
        ,
therefore, 
        place 
        the 
        same 
        limitations 
        upon 
        their 
        powers 
        in 
        thi?
kind 
        as 
        upon 
        man, 
        in 
        his 
        present 
        physical 
        state.
As 
        for 
        other 
        means 
        of 
        communications 
        from 
        intelligences 
        of 
        other
worlds 
        to 
        our 
        own, 
        they 
        will 
        not 
        be 
        regarded 
        as 
        impossible 
        in 
        the 
        pres-
ence of 
        the 
        achievements 
        of 
        men 
        in 
        such 
        matters. 
        By 
        means 
        of 
        mag-
netic telegraph 
        systems, 
        man 
        has 
        established 
        instant 
        communication
with 
        all 
        parts 
        of 
        the 
        world. 
        Not 
        the 
        highest 
        mountain 
        ranges, 
        not
deserts, 
        not 
        even 
        ocean's 
        wide 
        expanse, 
        have 
        been 
        sufficient 
        to 
        bar 
        his
way. 
        He 
        has 
        made 
        the 
        earth 
        a 
        net-work 
        of 
        his 
        cables 
        and 
        telegraph
lines, 
        until 
        nearly 
        every 
        part 
        of 
        the 
        earth 
        is 
        within 
        the 
        radius 
        of
instant 
        communication. 
        In 
        1896, 
        the 
        National 
        Electric 
        Light
Association 
        celebrated 
        the 
        triumphs 
        of 
        electricity 
        by 
        holding 
        a
national 
        electrical 
        exposition 
        in 
        New 
        York 
        City. 
        The 
        occasion
was 
        the 
        completion 
        of 
        the 
        electric 
        works 
        at 
        Niagara 
        Falls. 
        For
ages, 
        that 
        mighty 
        cataract 
        had 
        thundered 
        out 
        the 
        evidences 
        of 
        its
mighty 
        power 
        to 
        heedless 
        savages 
        and 
        frontiersmen; 
        but 
        modern
man 
        looked 
        upon 
        it, 
        and 
        by 
        the 
        expenditure 
        of 
        five 
        million 
        dollars,
harnessed 
        it, 
        applied 
        its 
        forces 
        to 
        his 
        contrivances, 
        made 
        it 
        gener-
ate electric 
        force 
        which 
        lights 
        the 
        cities, 
        drives 
        the 
        street 
        cars,
and 
        turns 
        the 
        wheels 
        of 
        industry 
        for 
        many 
        miles 
        around; 
        and 
        even
transmitted 
        its 
        force 
        to 
        New 
        York 
        City, 
        four 
        hundred 
        and 
        sixty
miles 
        distant. 
        It 
        was 
        on 
        that 
        occasion 
        that 
        Governor 
        Levi 
        P.
Morton, 
        upon 
        the 
        declaration 
        being 
        made 
        that 
        the 
        exposition 
        was

<!-- page:329 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        329
open, 
        turned 
        a 
        golden 
        key 
        by 
        which 
        four 
        cannon 
        were 
        in-
stantaneously fired 
        in 
        the 
        four 
        quarters 
        of 
        the 
        republic, 
        one 
        in
Augusta, 
        Maine, 
        one 
        in 
        San 
        Francisco, 
        one 
        in 
        front 
        of 
        the
public 
        building 
        at 
        St. 
        Paul, 
        and 
        another 
        in 
        the 
        public 
        park 
        in 
        New
Orleans. 
        This 
        discharge 
        was 
        accomplished 
        by 
        a 
        current 
        of 
        elec-
tricity generated 
        at 
        Niagara, 
        and 
        transmitted 
        over 
        the 
        lines 
        of 
        the
Postal 
        Telegraph 
        Cable 
        Company. 
        Later 
        in 
        the 
        course 
        of 
        the
exposition, 
        a 
        message 
        was 
        sent 
        all 
        over 
        the 
        world, 
        and 
        returned 
        to
New 
        York 
        within 
        fifty 
        minutes.    
        The 
        message 
        was:
God 
        created 
        nature's 
        treasures; 
        science 
        utilizes 
        electric 
        power 
        for
the 
        grandeur 
        of 
        the 
        nations 
        and 
        peace 
        of 
        the 
        world.
The 
        reply, 
        also 
        sent 
        over 
        the 
        world, 
        was:
Mighty 
        Niagara, 
        nature's 
        wonder, 
        serving 
        men 
        through 
        the 
        world's
electric 
        circuit, 
        proclaims 
        to 
        all 
        people 
        science 
        triumphant 
        and 
        the 
        benefi-
cent Creator.
The 
        distance 
        traversed 
        by 
        each 
        of 
        these 
        messages 
        was 
        about
twenty-seven 
        thousand 
        five 
        hundred 
        miles, 
        touching 
        nearly 
        all 
        the
great 
        centres 
        of 
        population 
        in 
        the 
        world, 
        and 
        that 
        within 
        the 
        al-
most incredible 
        time 
        of 
        fifty 
        minutes
        !
Again, 
        in 
        1898," 
        on 
        the 
        occasion 
        of 
        California's 
        Golden 
        Jubilee,
that 
        is, 
        her 
        semi-centennial 
        celebration 
        of 
        the 
        discovery 
        of 
        gold 
        in
the 
        state, 
        William 
        McKinley, 
        then 
        president 
        of 
        the 
        United 
        States,
seated 
        in 
        his 
        office 
        at 
        the 
        White 
        House, 
        in 
        Washington, 
        D. 
        C, 
        pressed
an 
        electric 
        button 
        which 
        rung 
        a 
        bell 
        in 
        the 
        Mechanic's 
        Pavilion 
        in
San 
        Francisco, 
        and 
        formally 
        opened 
        the 
        mining 
        exposition, 
        though
the 
        president 
        was 
        distant 
        about 
        three 
        thousand 
        miles. 
        The 
        press
dispatches, 
        at 
        the 
        time 
        of 
        the 
        event, 
        gave 
        the 
        following 
        graphic 
        de-
scription of 
        the 
        event 
        just 
        related:
By 
        an 
        electric 
        sensation, 
        as 
        indescribable 
        as 
        the 
        thrill 
        of 
        the 
        dis-
coverer's cry 
        of 
        "gold," 
        the 
        president 
        of 
        the 
        nation 
        sent 
        from 
        Washing-
ton the 
        signal 
        which 
        announced 
        the 
        opening 
        of 
        the 
        fair. 
        As 
        the 
        bell
clanged 
        its 
        clear 
        note, 
        and 
        the 
        Great 
        West 
        was 
        for 
        an 
        instant 
        connected
with 
        the 
        distant 
        East, 
        a 
        hush 
        fell 
        on 
        the 
        gathered 
        thousands; 
        then,
moved 
        by 
        a 
        common 
        impulse, 
        the 
        vast 
        throng 
        burst 
        into 
        cheers. 
        Close
following 
        on 
        the 
        touch 
        which 
        sounded 
        the 
        sweet-toned 
        bell 
        came 
        the
greeting 
        of 
        President 
        McKinley, 
        announcing 
        "the 
        marking 
        of 
        a 
        mighty
epoch 
        in 
        the 
        history 
        of 
        California."   
        About 
        him, 
        over 
        three  
        thousand