---
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: 6
published: 1904-04
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. II," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 6 (April 1904): 417–431.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0706unse
  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: improvementera0706unse
start_page: 417
end_page: 431
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-04)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0706unse
  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. II

<!-- page:417 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.
BY  
        ELDER  
        B. 
        H. 
        ROBERTS.
II.
As 
        for 
        the 
        media 
        of 
        revelation 
        used 
        by 
        the 
        ancient 
        prophets 
        in
Israel, 
        and 
        by 
        Joseph 
        Smith 
        in 
        modern 
        times
        —
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim
and 
        also 
        the 
        "Seer 
        Stone"
        —
        I 
        say 
        again 
        that 
        our 
        scientific 
        skeptics 
        in
such 
        things 
        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 
        men 
        of 
        science 
        ought 
        not
to 
        stumble 
        at 
        accepting, 
        at 
        least 
        as 
        possible, 
        and 
        even 
        as 
        probable,
the 
        existence 
        of 
        such 
        media. 
        Take 
        for 
        instance 
        the 
        telescope. 
        For
ages, 
        men 
        believed 
        that 
        the 
        whole 
        of 
        the 
        universe 
        consisted 
        of 
        sun,
moon, 
        earth, 
        and 
        the 
        few 
        fixed 
        stars 
        within 
        the 
        radius 
        of 
        man's 
        un-
aided vision. 
        Finally, 
        however, 
        a 
        genius 
        converted 
        a 
        handfull 
        of 
        sand
into 
        a 
        lens, 
        adjusted 
        it 
        in 
        a 
        tube, 
        and 
        turned 
        it 
        to 
        the 
        heavens 
        when,
lo
        ! 
        the 
        frontiers 
        of 
        the 
        universe 
        were 
        pushed 
        back 
        to 
        an 
        infinite 
        dis-
tance, and 
        millions 
        of 
        suns 
        heretofore 
        never 
        seen 
        by 
        human 
        eyes
were 
        brought 
        within 
        the 
        range 
        of 
        man's 
        vision 
        and 
        consciousness.
This 
        first 
        telescope 
        has 
        been 
        improved 
        upon 
        from 
        time 
        to 
        time,
until 
        now 
        we 
        have 
        instruments 
        of 
        that 
        kind 
        so 
        large' 
        and 
        so 
        per-
fect that 
        our 
        own 
        planets 
        are 
        brought 
        comparatively 
        near 
        for 
        our
inspection, 
        while 
        the 
        number 
        of 
        fixed 
        stars 
        now 
        within 
        the 
        range 
        of
our 
        vision, 
        by 
        means 
        of 
        these 
        instruments, 
        is 
        quite 
        generally 
        con-
ceded to 
        be 
        about 
        forty 
        millions.
While 
        viewing 
        the 
        starry 
        heavens 
        by 
        the 
        aid 
        of 
        the 
        telescope,
in 
        search 
        of 
        new 
        facts, 
        astronomers 
        beheld 
        at 
        enormous 
        distances
from 
        us 
        hazy 
        patches 
        of 
        light, 
        concerning 
        the 
        nature 
        of 
        which 
        they
could 
        form 
        no 
        definite 
        idea.    
        An 
        improved 
        telescope, 
        however, 
        at

<!-- page:418 -->

418 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
last 
        resolved 
        some 
        of 
        these 
        mists 
        into 
        groups 
        o± 
        separate 
        stars;
then 
        it 
        was 
        supposed 
        that 
        all 
        such 
        mists 
        were 
        star 
        groups, 
        and
that 
        it 
        only 
        required 
        larger 
        and 
        stronger 
        telescopes 
        to 
        demonstrate
the 
        truth 
        of 
        that 
        theory. 
        Meantime, 
        however, 
        another 
        wonderful
instrument 
        was 
        invented, 
        the 
        spectroscope, 
        an 
        optical 
        instrument
which 
        forms 
        and 
        analyzes 
        the 
        spectra 
        of 
        the 
        rays 
        emitted 
        by
bodies 
        or 
        substances. 
        Meantime 
        Fraunhofer 
        made 
        the 
        discovery
that 
        the 
        spectrum 
        of 
        an 
        ignited 
        gaseous 
        body 
        is 
        non-continuous,
and 
        has 
        interrupting 
        lines. 
        Later, 
        Professor 
        John 
        William 
        Draper
discovered 
        that 
        the 
        spectrum 
        of 
        an 
        ignited 
        solid 
        is 
        continuous 
        with
no 
        interrupting 
        lines. 
        With 
        these 
        facts 
        established, 
        the 
        spectro-
scope was 
        turned 
        upon 
        the 
        distant 
        patches 
        of 
        nebulas 
        and 
        it 
        was
discovered 
        that 
        some 
        of 
        them 
        were 
        positively 
        of 
        a 
        gaseous 
        nature
and 
        not 
        congeries 
        of 
        stars. 
        Thus 
        was 
        another 
        great 
        truth 
        concern-
ing the 
        universe 
        discovered 
        by 
        means 
        of 
        an 
        instrument 
        invented 
        by
man.
Nor 
        is 
        the 
        end 
        yet. 
        The 
        eye 
        of 
        man, 
        perhaps, 
        is 
        the 
        most
wonderful 
        organ 
        known; 
        wonderful 
        in 
        its 
        powers 
        when 
        unaided 
        by
instruments 
        of 
        man's 
        invention, 
        but 
        rendered 
        infinitely 
        more 
        power-
ful and 
        wonderful 
        when 
        aided 
        by 
        telescope 
        and 
        microscope. 
        Indeed,
by 
        these 
        instruments 
        new 
        and 
        unthought 
        of 
        worlds 
        are 
        brought 
        to
the 
        consciousness 
        of 
        man 
        and 
        his 
        knowledge 
        infinitely 
        extended.
Yet 
        wonderful 
        as 
        is 
        this 
        organ 
        of 
        man, 
        and 
        great 
        as 
        are 
        its 
        achieve-
ments when 
        aided 
        by 
        the 
        instruments 
        of 
        man's 
        invention, 
        man's 
        in-
genuity has 
        produced 
        a 
        more 
        powerful 
        eye 
        than 
        man's! 
        One 
        that
can 
        look 
        longer 
        and 
        see 
        farther 
        than 
        the 
        human 
        eye, 
        even 
        when
aided 
        by 
        the 
        most 
        powerful 
        telescope; 
        and 
        registers 
        upon 
        its 
        ret-
ina truths 
        otherwise 
        unattainable 
        by 
        man. 
        This 
        instrument 
        Camille
Flammarion, 
        the 
        French 
        astronomer 
        and 
        writer, 
        calls 
        "The 
        wonder-
ful new 
        Eye 
        of 
        Science." 
        It 
        is 
        merely 
        a 
        lens 
        connected 
        with 
        a
photographic 
        apparatus, 
        and 
        of 
        it 
        the 
        Frenchman 
        just 
        named 
        says
        :
This 
        giant 
        eye 
        is 
        endowed 
        with 
        four 
        considerable 
        advantages 
        over
ours; 
        it 
        sees 
        more 
        quickly, 
        farther, 
        longer, 
        and, 
        wonderful 
        faculty, 
        it 
        re-
ceives and 
        retains 
        the 
        impress 
        of 
        what 
        it 
        sees. 
        It 
        sees 
        more 
        quickly: 
        in
the 
        half-thousandth 
        of 
        a 
        second, 
        it 
        photographs 
        the 
        sun, 
        its 
        spots, 
        its
vortexes, 
        its 
        fires, 
        its 
        flaming 
        mountains, 
        and 
        on 
        an 
        imperishable 
        docu-
ment. It 
        sees 
        farther: 
        Directed 
        towards 
        any 
        point 
        of 
        the 
        heavens 
        on 
        the
darkest 
        night, 
        it 
        discerns 
        stars 
        in 
        the 
        depths 
        of 
        infinite 
        space
        —
        worlds,

<!-- page:419 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        419
universes, 
        creations, 
        that 
        our 
        eye 
        could 
        never 
        see 
        by 
        the 
        aid 
        of 
        any 
        tele-
scope. It 
        sees 
        longer: 
        That 
        which 
        we 
        cannot 
        succeed 
        in 
        seeing 
        in 
        a 
        few
seconds 
        of 
        observation 
        we 
        shall 
        never 
        see. 
        The 
        photographic 
        eye 
        has
but 
        to 
        look 
        long 
        enough 
        in 
        order 
        to 
        see; 
        at 
        the 
        end 
        of 
        half 
        an 
        hour 
        it
distinguishes 
        what 
        was 
        before 
        invisible 
        to 
        it; 
        at 
        the 
        end 
        of 
        an 
        hour 
        it
will 
        see 
        better 
        still, 
        and 
        the 
        longer 
        it 
        remains 
        directed 
        towards 
        the 
        un-
known object, 
        the 
        better 
        and 
        more 
        distinctly 
        it 
        will 
        see 
        it
        —
        and 
        this
without 
        fatigue. 
        And 
        it 
        retains 
        on 
        the 
        retinal 
        plate 
        all 
        that 
        it 
        has 
        seen.*
This 
        photographic 
        eye, 
        used 
        in 
        what 
        is 
        called 
        the 
        kinetograph,
photographs 
        the 
        spokes 
        of 
        the 
        sulky 
        driven 
        at 
        full 
        speed,
        —
        which
cannot 
        be 
        discerned 
        at 
        all 
        by 
        the 
        human 
        eye
        —
        as 
        if 
        standing 
        still.
The 
        bullet 
        discharged 
        from 
        the 
        most 
        powerful 
        gun 
        of 
        modern 
        inven-
tion, which 
        the 
        human 
        eye 
        cannot 
        follow 
        in 
        its 
        flight, 
        this 
        instrument
seems 
        to 
        arrest 
        in 
        mid-air. 
        The 
        ripple 
        waves 
        on 
        the 
        surface 
        of 
        mur-
cury, 
        which 
        no 
        human 
        eye 
        has 
        ever 
        seen
        —
        even 
        when 
        assisted 
        by 
        the
most 
        powerful 
        microscopes—
        it 
        faithfully 
        registers, 
        and 
        by 
        its
testimony 
        alone 
        we 
        know 
        of 
        their 
        existence. 
        This 
        instrument 
        reg-
ister's on 
        sensitized 
        tin 
        foil, 
        birds 
        in 
        their 
        flight, 
        express 
        trains
at 
        full 
        speed, 
        moving 
        throngs 
        on 
        crowded 
        streets, 
        athletes 
        at
their 
        sports, 
        the 
        restless 
        waves 
        of 
        ocean, 
        the 
        tempest's 
        progress,
the 
        lightning's 
        flash
        —
        all 
        of 
        which 
        by 
        means 
        of 
        another 
        instrument
called 
        the 
        kinetoscope 
        are 
        reproduced 
        to 
        the 
        life, 
        though 
        the 
        act-
ors in 
        the 
        scenes 
        represented 
        be 
        dead, 
        and 
        rotting 
        in 
        their 
        graves.
As 
        these 
        named 
        instruments 
        photograph 
        and 
        reproduce 
        actions, 
        so
the 
        phonograph 
        registers 
        the 
        intonations, 
        inflections, 
        and 
        all 
        the
peculiarities 
        of 
        voice 
        entrusted 
        to 
        it, 
        and 
        as 
        faithfully 
        reproduces
them, 
        once, 
        twice, 
        or 
        a 
        thousand 
        times, 
        so 
        that 
        friends 
        may 
        rec-
ognize the 
        intonations 
        and 
        all 
        the 
        peculiarities 
        of 
        inflection 
        and
voice, 
        though 
        he 
        who 
        thus 
        speaks 
        has 
        long 
        since 
        been 
        dead 
        or 
        re-
moved to 
        other 
        lands. 
        What 
        more 
        shall 
        I 
        say? 
        Is 
        not 
        enough
here 
        presented 
        concerning 
        the 
        instruments 
        of 
        man's 
        invention 
        to
justify 
        the 
        probability 
        of 
        the 
        existence 
        of 
        media 
        that 
        can 
        accom-
plish all 
        that 
        is 
        ascribed 
        to 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim 
        and 
        Seer 
        Stone 
        by
Joseph 
        Smith? 
        Will 
        the 
        reader 
        say 
        no, 
        because 
        to 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thum-
min 
        or 
        Seer 
        Stone 
        there 
        seems 
        to 
        have 
        been 
        ascribed 
        by 
        some
almost 
        intellectual 
        qualities
        —
        the 
        power 
        to 
        take 
        the 
        characters 
        of
The 
        Cosmopolitan 
        Magazine 
        for 
        September, 
        1896.

<!-- page:420 -->

420 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
an 
        unknown 
        language 
        and 
        present 
        the 
        interpretation 
        of 
        them 
        in
intelligible 
        English; 
        while 
        to 
        all 
        these 
        other 
        instruments, 
        to 
        which
reference 
        is 
        made, 
        there 
        seems 
        to 
        be 
        ascribed 
        only 
        a 
        mechanical
quality
        —
        the 
        power 
        merely 
        to 
        extend 
        the 
        vision 
        of 
        the 
        human 
        eye
—
        to 
        magnify 
        to 
        human 
        vision 
        the 
        smaller 
        objects 
        in 
        nature
        —
        to
register 
        movements 
        too 
        rapid 
        or 
        too 
        minute 
        for 
        the 
        unaided 
        human
eye 
        to 
        see
        —
        to 
        conduct 
        sounds 
        to 
        greater 
        distance
        —
        to 
        send 
        out
into 
        space 
        and 
        receive 
        vibrations 
        that 
        convey 
        intelligence 
        ?
But 
        may 
        not 
        this 
        objection, 
        if 
        such 
        it 
        can 
        be 
        considered, 
        rest
upon 
        false 
        premises? 
        Those 
        who 
        advance 
        it 
        ascribe 
        to 
        Urim 
        and
Thummim 
        and 
        the 
        Seer 
        Stone 
        qualities 
        not 
        claimed 
        for 
        it 
        by 
        Joseph
Smith. 
        I 
        have 
        already 
        called 
        attention 
        to 
        the 
        fact* 
        that 
        the 
        in-
struments used 
        by 
        the 
        Prophet 
        Joseph 
        in 
        translation 
        were 
        not
everything 
        and 
        the 
        Prophet 
        nothing: 
        that 
        the 
        primary 
        factor 
        in
the 
        work 
        of 
        translation 
        was 
        the 
        mind 
        of 
        the 
        Prophet 
        enlightened
by 
        the 
        Spirit 
        of 
        God; 
        that 
        the 
        instruments 
        he 
        used 
        were 
        merely
aids 
        in 
        the 
        work 
        not 
        the 
        primary 
        factors. 
        In 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim
or 
        Seer 
        Stone 
        appeared, 
        according 
        to 
        the 
        testimony 
        of 
        Martin
Harris 
        and 
        David 
        Whitmer, 
        the 
        Nephite 
        characters, 
        and 
        underneath
them 
        an 
        interpretation 
        in 
        English; 
        but 
        it 
        was 
        the 
        inspired 
        mind 
        of
the 
        Prophet, 
        not 
        any 
        quality 
        in 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim 
        or 
        Seer 
        Stone,
that 
        wrought 
        out 
        the 
        translation. 
        The 
        translation 
        was 
        thought
out 
        in 
        the 
        mind 
        of 
        the 
        Prophet, 
        and 
        confirmed 
        by 
        the 
        Holy 
        Spirit 
        ;f
which, 
        in 
        the 
        work 
        of 
        translation, 
        as 
        in 
        all 
        things 
        else 
        of 
        a 
        divine
nature, 
        is 
        God's 
        witness 
        for 
        the 
        truth. 
        The 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim
and 
        Seer 
        Stone 
        possessed 
        the 
        quality 
        of 
        reflecting 
        the 
        Nephite
characters, 
        and 
        for 
        the 
        time 
        reflecting 
        also 
        the 
        translation 
        of 
        them
wrought 
        out 
        in 
        the 
        inspired 
        mind 
        of 
        the 
        Prophet, 
        and 
        held 
        them
before 
        his 
        vision 
        until 
        faithfully 
        recorded; 
        and 
        when 
        this 
        fragment
of 
        translation 
        was 
        dismissed 
        from 
        the 
        mind 
        of 
        the 
        Prophet, 
        it 
        dis-
appeared also 
        from 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim.
* 
        See 
        M. 
        I. 
        A. 
        Manual 
        for 
        1903-4, 
        chapter 
        vii.
fSee 
        Doc. 
        and 
        Cov., 
        sections 
        viii, 
        ix. 
        Also 
        chapter 
        vii 
        of 
        Manual 
        1903-4.
I 
        do 
        not 
        think 
        I 
        can 
        too 
        strongly 
        urge 
        upon 
        the 
        reader's 
        attention 
        the
statements 
        in 
        the 
        revelations 
        of 
        God 
        found 
        in 
        sections 
        viii 
        and 
        ix 
        of 
        the
Doctrine 
        and 
        Covenants, 
        for 
        there 
        we 
        have 
        God's 
        description 
        of 
        how 
        the
gift 
        of 
        translation 
        is 
        to 
        be 
        exercised, 
        and 
        His 
        word 
        upon 
        the 
        subject 
        is 
        to
be 
        taken, 
        before 
        any 
        human 
        words 
        spoken 
        or 
        any 
        human 
        theory 
        advanced.

<!-- page:421 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        421
If 
        it 
        should 
        still 
        be 
        objected 
        that 
        even 
        this 
        view 
        of 
        Urim 
        and
Thummim 
        and 
        Seer 
        Stone 
        leaves 
        those 
        instruments 
        many 
        more 
        times
wonderful 
        than 
        any 
        instrument 
        of 
        man's 
        invention, 
        it 
        should 
        be 
        re-
membered that 
        they 
        were 
        instruments 
        prepared 
        or 
        selected 
        by 
        di-
vine intelligence, 
        and 
        as 
        that 
        intelligence 
        far 
        exceeds 
        the 
        intelli-
gence of 
        man, 
        so 
        may 
        it 
        be 
        expected 
        that 
        the 
        instruments 
        of 
        his
devising 
        or 
        selection 
        will 
        excel, 
        in 
        quality 
        and 
        power, 
        anything
which 
        man 
        could 
        invent. 
        Meantime 
        those 
        instruments 
        which 
        man
has 
        contrived 
        to 
        aid 
        him 
        in 
        his 
        search 
        and 
        ascertainment 
        of 
        truth,
make 
        belief 
        possible 
        in 
        the 
        existence 
        and 
        use 
        of 
        the 
        more 
        wonder-
ful instruments 
        of 
        God's 
        devising.
The 
        question 
        is 
        often 
        asked
        —
        and 
        it 
        bears 
        upon 
        the 
        probabil-
ity of 
        Joseph 
        Smith's 
        statements 
        respecting 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon,
because 
        the 
        answer 
        that 
        has 
        to 
        be 
        made 
        gives 
        rise 
        to 
        doubts, 
        and
sometimes 
        to 
        sneers 
        on 
        the 
        part 
        of 
        those 
        receiving 
        it
        —
        the 
        ques-
tion is 
        asked, 
        I 
        repeat, 
        "What 
        became 
        of 
        the 
        gold 
        plates 
        from
which 
        Joseph 
        Smith 
        claims 
        to 
        have 
        translated 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mor-
mon, can 
        they 
        be 
        seen 
        now? 
        Is 
        the 
        Church 
        in 
        possession 
        of 
        them?"
The 
        answer 
        is, 
        "No; 
        the 
        Prophet 
        returned 
        them 
        to 
        the 
        angel
Moroni, 
        and 
        he, 
        doubtless, 
        now 
        has 
        possession 
        of 
        them, 
        and 
        is 
        their
guardian."* 
        As 
        remarked, 
        this 
        answer 
        is 
        declared 
        to 
        be 
        unsatis-
factory, and 
        is 
        often 
        ridiculed; 
        for 
        worldly 
        wisdom 
        fancies 
        that 
        the
Prophet 
        had 
        a 
        most 
        direct 
        means 
        of 
        establishing 
        the 
        truth 
        as 
        to
the 
        existence 
        and 
        character 
        of 
        the 
        plates, 
        if 
        only 
        he 
        had 
        retained
them 
        in 
        his 
        possession, 
        or 
        deposited 
        them 
        in 
        some 
        state 
        or 
        national
* 
        I 
        soon 
        found 
        out 
        the 
        reason 
        why 
        I 
        had 
        received 
        such 
        strict 
        charges
to 
        keep 
        them 
        safe, 
        and 
        why 
        it 
        was 
        that 
        the 
        messenger 
        had 
        said 
        that
when 
        I 
        had 
        done 
        what 
        was 
        required 
        at 
        my 
        hand, 
        he 
        would 
        call 
        for 
        them.
For 
        no 
        sooner 
        was 
        it 
        known 
        that 
        I 
        had 
        them, 
        than 
        the 
        most 
        strenuous
exertions 
        were 
        used 
        to 
        get 
        them 
        from 
        me. 
        Every 
        stratagem 
        that 
        could
be 
        invented 
        was 
        resorted 
        to 
        for 
        that 
        purpose. 
        The 
        persecution 
        became
more 
        bitter 
        and 
        severe 
        than 
        before, 
        and 
        multitudes 
        were 
        on 
        the 
        alert
continually 
        to 
        get 
        them 
        from 
        me 
        if 
        possible. 
        But 
        by 
        the 
        wisdom 
        of 
        God,
they 
        remained 
        safe 
        in 
        my 
        hands, 
        until 
        I 
        had 
        accomplished 
        by 
        them 
        what
was 
        required 
        at 
        my 
        hand. 
        When, 
        according 
        to 
        arrangements, 
        the 
        mes-
senger called 
        for 
        them, 
        I 
        delivered 
        them 
        up 
        to 
        him; 
        and 
        he 
        has 
        them 
        in
his 
        charge 
        until 
        this 
        da7, 
        being 
        the 
        second 
        day 
        of 
        May, 
        one 
        thousand
eight 
        hundred 
        and 
        thirty-eight 
        (Church 
        History, 
        vol. 
        I., 
        pp. 
        18, 
        19).

<!-- page:422 -->

422 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
institution 
        of 
        learning 
        or 
        archaeology. 
        Joseph 
        Smith 
        acted 
        under
the 
        direction 
        of 
        Moroni 
        in 
        the 
        matter 
        of 
        the 
        plates 
        of 
        the 
        Book 
        of
Mormon; 
        why 
        he 
        was 
        not 
        permitted 
        to 
        keep 
        the 
        book 
        of 
        plates 
        is
not, 
        perhaps, 
        positively 
        known. 
        Part 
        of 
        the 
        record 
        was 
        sealed, 
        as
the 
        Prophet 
        himself 
        informs 
        us 
        ;* 
        and 
        as 
        the 
        time 
        had 
        not 
        come 
        for
that 
        part 
        of 
        it 
        to 
        be 
        translated, 
        it 
        may 
        be 
        that 
        that 
        was 
        one 
        rea-
son why 
        it 
        should 
        be 
        still 
        kept 
        in 
        the 
        custody 
        of 
        the 
        angel. 
        More-
over, in 
        this 
        life 
        we 
        are 
        required 
        by 
        divine 
        wisdom 
        to 
        walk 
        by 
        faith,
not 
        by 
        sight. 
        It 
        is 
        part 
        of 
        our 
        education 
        that 
        we 
        learn 
        to 
        act 
        with
reference 
        to 
        sacred 
        things 
        on 
        probabilities. 
        A 
        vail 
        of 
        oblivion 
        is
stretched 
        over 
        our 
        past 
        spirit-existence. 
        The 
        future 
        is 
        hidden
largely 
        from 
        our 
        view, 
        and 
        we 
        are 
        required 
        to 
        perform 
        this 
        life's
journey 
        from 
        the 
        cradle 
        to 
        the 
        grave 
        in 
        the 
        midst 
        of 
        uncertainties,
except 
        as 
        we 
        increase 
        our 
        faith 
        and 
        establish 
        assurance 
        by 
        the 
        de-
velopment of 
        spiritual 
        strength 
        from 
        within. 
        Why 
        this 
        should 
        be
so 
        may 
        not 
        always 
        seem 
        clear 
        to 
        us; 
        but 
        of 
        the 
        fact 
        of 
        it 
        there 
        is
no 
        doubt. 
        Nor 
        can 
        there 
        be 
        any 
        doubt 
        as 
        to 
        the 
        wisdom 
        of 
        it, 
        and
the 
        benefit 
        of 
        it 
        to 
        mankind, 
        since 
        our 
        Father-God, 
        has 
        so 
        ordained
it. 
        Nor 
        is 
        it 
        in 
        "Mormonism" 
        alone 
        that 
        certain 
        direct 
        material
evidences 
        are 
        denied 
        to 
        men 
        concerning 
        divine 
        things. 
        Infidels 
        re-
fer to 
        the 
        opportunities 
        which 
        they 
        think 
        the 
        impudent 
        challeng-
ers of 
        the 
        persecutors 
        of 
        the 
        Son 
        of 
        God 
        afforded 
        Him 
        to 
        demon-
strate his 
        divine 
        power, 
        and 
        prove 
        the 
        truth 
        of 
        his 
        mission, 
        when
they 
        said, 
        "If 
        thou 
        be 
        the 
        son 
        of 
        God, 
        come 
        down 
        from 
        the 
        cross.
* 
        * 
        * 
        "If 
        he 
        be 
        the 
        King 
        of 
        Israel, 
        let 
        him 
        now 
        come 
        down 
        from
the 
        cross, 
        and 
        we 
        will 
        believe 
        him."f 
        What 
        an 
        opportunity 
        was
afforded 
        him 
        here 
        to 
        respond 
        to 
        their 
        challenges 
        and 
        cover 
        them
* 
        These 
        records 
        were 
        engraven 
        on 
        plates 
        which 
        had 
        the 
        appearance
of 
        gold, 
        each 
        plate 
        was 
        six 
        inches 
        wide 
        and 
        eight 
        inches 
        long, 
        and 
        not
quite 
        so 
        thick 
        as 
        common 
        tin. 
        They 
        were 
        filled 
        with 
        engravings, 
        in
Egyptian 
        characters, 
        and 
        bound 
        together 
        in 
        a 
        volume 
        as 
        the 
        leaves 
        of 
        a
book, 
        with 
        three 
        rings 
        running 
        through 
        the 
        whole. 
        The 
        volume 
        was
something 
        near 
        six 
        inches 
        in 
        thickness, 
        a 
        part 
        of 
        which 
        was 
        sealed. 
        The
characters 
        of 
        the 
        unsealed 
        part 
        were 
        small, 
        and 
        beautifully 
        engraved.
The 
        whole 
        book 
        exhibited 
        many 
        marks 
        of 
        antiquity 
        in 
        its 
        construction,
and 
        much 
        skill 
        in 
        the 
        art 
        of 
        engraving. 
        (Mill. 
        Star, 
        vol. 
        xix, 
        p. 
        118.)
f 
        Matt, 
        xxvii 
        : 
        40, 
        42.

<!-- page:423 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        423
with 
        confusion 
        and 
        fear. 
        But 
        the 
        Son 
        of 
        God 
        heeded 
        them 
        not,
and 
        infidels 
        everywhere 
        run 
        away 
        with 
        the 
        opinion 
        that 
        he 
        missed
the 
        opportunity 
        of 
        his 
        career 
        if, 
        indeed, 
        he 
        was 
        the 
        Son 
        of 
        God
        —
the 
        Lord 
        of 
        Life
        —
        the 
        Master 
        of 
        Death.
Moses 
        gave 
        out 
        the 
        statement 
        that 
        the 
        Law 
        of 
        Israel, 
        the 
        Ten
Commandments, 
        were 
        written 
        by 
        the 
        finger 
        of 
        God 
        on 
        tables 
        of
stone.* 
        These, 
        in 
        his 
        anger, 
        Moses 
        broke 
        to 
        pieces 
        in 
        their 
        presence,
when 
        he 
        found 
        that 
        during 
        his 
        brief 
        absence 
        in 
        the 
        Mount, 
        obtaining
the 
        law, 
        Israel 
        had 
        turned 
        to 
        the 
        folly 
        of 
        idolatry. 
        But 
        a 
        second 
        set
of 
        tables 
        was 
        prepared, 
        and 
        again 
        on 
        these 
        God 
        carved 
        with 
        his
own 
        hands 
        the 
        Ten 
        Commandments. 
        Moses 
        placed 
        them 
        in 
        the 
        ark
of 
        shittim 
        wood, 
        which 
        by 
        divine 
        appointment 
        he 
        provided, 
        and 
        this
constituted 
        the 
        "Ark 
        of 
        the 
        Covenant."f
Again, 
        when 
        the 
        children 
        of 
        Israel 
        were 
        disposed 
        to 
        rebel
against 
        the 
        priesthood 
        of 
        God's 
        appointment, 
        under 
        divine 
        direction,
Moses 
        called 
        upon 
        each 
        of 
        the 
        twelve 
        princes 
        of 
        the 
        house 
        of
Israel 
        to 
        present 
        before 
        the 
        Lord 
        a 
        rod 
        with 
        the 
        name 
        of 
        his 
        tribe
upon 
        it. 
        Among 
        these 
        was 
        Aaron's 
        rod, 
        representing 
        the 
        tribe 
        of
Levi. 
        All 
        were 
        placed 
        in 
        the 
        "Tabernacle 
        of 
        Witness" 
        before 
        the
Lord. 
        On 
        the 
        morrow 
        when 
        Moses 
        went 
        into 
        the 
        "Tabernacle 
        of
Witness"
        —
        "Behold 
        the 
        rod 
        of 
        Aaron, 
        of 
        the 
        house 
        of 
        Levi, 
        was
budded, 
        brought 
        forth 
        buds, 
        and 
        yielded 
        almonds"
        : 
        and 
        all 
        this 
        in 
        a
single 
        night
        ! 
        Thus 
        the 
        Lord 
        gave 
        a 
        palpable 
        evidence 
        to 
        Israel 
        of
his 
        choosing 
        the 
        house 
        of 
        Aaron 
        and 
        the 
        tribe 
        of 
        Levi 
        to 
        stand
before 
        him 
        in 
        the 
        priest's 
        office; 
        and 
        the 
        Lord 
        said 
        unto 
        Moses,
"Bring 
        Aaron's 
        rod 
        again 
        before 
        the 
        testimon}'', 
        to 
        be 
        kept 
        for 
        a
token 
        against 
        the 
        rebels.''^
The 
        unbelieving 
        world 
        to 
        whom 
        Israel's 
        message 
        was 
        after-
wards sent, 
        might 
        demand 
        that 
        the 
        tables 
        of 
        stone 
        and 
        Aaron's 
        rod
that 
        budded 
        should 
        be 
        displayed 
        for 
        their 
        inspection 
        that 
        faith
might 
        take 
        hold 
        of 
        the 
        unbelieving; 
        but 
        there 
        is 
        no 
        record 
        that
these 
        sacred 
        things 
        were 
        ever 
        exhibited 
        for 
        such 
        a 
        purpose.
The 
        infidels 
        of 
        our 
        own 
        day 
        frequently 
        remark 
        that 
        the 
        prayer
of 
        Dives 
        to 
        Abraham 
        ought 
        to 
        have 
        been 
        graciously 
        granted, 
        and
* 
        Deut. 
        ix: 
        8-11.
f 
        Deut. 
        x: 
        1-5.
J 
        Numbers 
        xvii.

<!-- page:424 -->

424 
        1MPR0 
        VEMENT 
        ERA
        .
Lazarus 
        sent 
        to 
        bear 
        witness 
        to 
        the 
        relatives 
        of 
        the 
        tortured
nobleman 
        that 
        they 
        might 
        escape 
        his 
        sad 
        fate; 
        but 
        Abraham's
answer 
        was, 
        "They 
        have 
        Moses 
        and 
        the 
        prophets; 
        let 
        them 
        hear
them!" 
        "Nay, 
        father 
        Abraham," 
        answered 
        Dives, 
        "but 
        if 
        one 
        went
unto 
        them 
        from 
        the 
        dead, 
        they 
        will 
        repent." 
        But 
        Abraham 
        said:
"If 
        they 
        hear 
        not 
        Moses 
        and 
        the 
        prophets, 
        neither 
        will 
        they 
        be
persuaded 
        though 
        one 
        rose 
        from 
        the 
        dead."*
Referring 
        again 
        to 
        the 
        Savior: 
        unbelievers 
        marvel 
        that 
        Jesus
confined 
        his 
        visitations 
        after 
        his 
        resurrection 
        to 
        a 
        few 
        of 
        his 
        faithful
followers 
        only
        —
        to 
        those 
        who 
        already 
        believed 
        on 
        him. 
        Why 
        did 
        he
not 
        appear 
        in 
        all 
        the 
        majesty 
        of 
        his 
        immortal 
        life, 
        after 
        his 
        resurrec-
tion, before 
        the 
        high 
        priests 
        and 
        the 
        Sanhedrin 
        of 
        the 
        Jews? 
        Before
the 
        court 
        of 
        Pilate? 
        Before 
        the 
        rabble 
        who 
        had 
        impeously 
        clamored
in 
        the 
        streets 
        for 
        his 
        blood 
        to 
        be 
        upon 
        them 
        and 
        upon 
        their
children. 
        Why? 
        The 
        only 
        answer 
        to 
        this 
        question 
        exists 
        in 
        the
fact 
        apparent 
        from 
        the 
        whole 
        course 
        of 
        God's 
        dealings 
        with 
        the
world 
        in 
        relation 
        to 
        sacred 
        things; 
        viz., 
        God 
        has 
        chosen 
        certain
witnesses 
        for 
        himself 
        in 
        relation 
        to 
        sacred 
        matters, 
        and 
        demands
that 
        his 
        children 
        shall 
        walk 
        in 
        faith 
        on 
        the 
        words 
        which 
        his 
        chosen
servants 
        declare 
        unto 
        them. 
        Thus 
        Peter, 
        on 
        the 
        matter 
        of 
        Christ
showing 
        himself 
        to 
        the 
        world, 
        says:
Him 
        God 
        raised 
        up 
        the 
        third 
        day, 
        and 
        showed 
        him 
        openly; 
        not 
        to 
        all
the 
        people, 
        but 
        unto 
        witnesses.? 
        chosen 
        before 
        of 
        God, 
        even 
        to 
        us 
        who 
        did 
        .eat
and 
        drink 
        with 
        him 
        after 
        he 
        rose 
        from 
        the 
        dead. 
        And 
        he 
        commanded 
        us
to 
        preach, 
        and 
        to 
        testify 
        that 
        it 
        is 
        he 
        which 
        was 
        ordained 
        of 
        God 
        to 
        be
the 
        judge 
        of 
        the 
        quick 
        and 
        dead.|
Judas 
        (one 
        of 
        the 
        twelve, 
        not 
        Iscariot, 
        but 
        the 
        brother 
        of
James) 
        on 
        one 
        occasion 
        asked 
        the 
        same 
        question 
        that 
        infidels
have 
        been 
        asking 
        for 
        many 
        generations, 
        "How 
        is 
        it 
        that 
        thou 
        wilt
manifest 
        thyself 
        unto 
        us, 
        and 
        not 
        unto 
        the 
        world?" 
        Jesus 
        an-
swered and 
        said 
        unto 
        him, 
        "If 
        a 
        man 
        love 
        me, 
        he 
        will 
        keep 
        my
words; 
        and 
        my 
        Father 
        will 
        love 
        him, 
        and 
        we 
        will 
        come 
        unto 
        him,
and 
        make 
        our 
        abode 
        with 
        him. 
        He 
        that 
        loveth 
        me 
        not 
        keepeth 
        not
my 
        sayings: 
        and 
        the 
        word 
        which 
        ye 
        hear 
        is 
        not 
        mine, 
        but 
        the
Father's 
        which 
        sent 
        me.    
        These 
        things 
        have 
        I 
        spoken 
        unto 
        you,
*Lukexvi: 
        13,31.
fActsx: 
        40-42.

<!-- page:425 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH?
        S 
        STORY.     
        425
being 
        yet 
        present 
        with 
        you. 
        But 
        the 
        Comforter, 
        which 
        is 
        the 
        Holy
Ghost, 
        whom 
        the 
        Father 
        will 
        send 
        in 
        my 
        name, 
        he 
        shall 
        teach
you 
        all 
        things, 
        and 
        bring 
        all 
        things 
        to 
        your 
        remembrance, 
        whatso-
ever I 
        have 
        said 
        unto 
        you." 
        * 
        Such 
        is 
        the 
        Christ's 
        answer 
        to 
        the
question 
        of 
        his 
        disciple, 
        and 
        in 
        it 
        one 
        sees 
        that 
        God 
        has 
        ordained 
        that
in 
        addition 
        to 
        the 
        special 
        witnesses, 
        the 
        prophets, 
        whom 
        he 
        ordains 
        to
testify 
        of 
        his 
        truth, 
        that 
        the 
        Holy 
        Spirit 
        shall 
        be 
        his 
        supreme 
        and
universal 
        witness 
        for 
        things 
        divine. 
        "If 
        a 
        man 
        love 
        me 
        he 
        will
keep 
        my 
        words: 
        * 
        * 
        * 
        These 
        things 
        have 
        I 
        spoken 
        unto 
        you
being 
        yet 
        with 
        you. 
        But 
        the 
        Comforter, 
        which 
        is 
        the 
        Holy 
        Ghost,
whom 
        the 
        Father 
        will 
        send 
        in 
        my 
        name, 
        he 
        shall 
        teach 
        you 
        all
things.f 
        * 
        * 
        * 
        When 
        the 
        Comforter 
        is 
        come 
        whom 
        I 
        will
send 
        unto 
        you 
        from 
        the 
        Father, 
        even 
        the 
        Spirit 
        of 
        Truth, 
        which
proceedeth 
        from 
        the 
        Father, 
        he 
        shall 
        testify 
        of 
        me, 
        and 
        ye 
        also
shall 
        bear 
        witness 
        because 
        ye 
        have 
        been 
        with 
        me 
        from 
        the
beginning.''^ 
        * 
        * 
        * 
        "I 
        give 
        you 
        to 
        understand 
        that 
        no 
        man
speaking 
        by 
        the 
        Spirit 
        of 
        God 
        calleth 
        Jesus 
        accursed; 
        and 
        that 
        no
man 
        can 
        say 
        that 
        Jesus 
        is 
        the 
        Lord, 
        but 
        by 
        the 
        Holy 
        Ghost." 
        §
God, 
        in 
        his 
        wisdom, 
        and 
        for 
        the 
        accomplishment 
        of 
        his 
        own 
        wise
purposes 
        with 
        reference 
        to 
        us, 
        has 
        ordained 
        that 
        his 
        children 
        in
this 
        world's 
        probation 
        shall 
        walk 
        by 
        faith, 
        not 
        by 
        sight. 
        To 
        pro-
duce that 
        faith, 
        he 
        sends 
        forth 
        special 
        chosen 
        servants, 
        prophets,
apostles, 
        his 
        own 
        Son, 
        and 
        through 
        them 
        makes 
        known 
        the 
        divine
will. 
        Then 
        when 
        drawn 
        to 
        God 
        by 
        this 
        faith, 
        when 
        made 
        love
inspired 
        towards 
        God, 
        he 
        gives 
        the 
        witness 
        of 
        the 
        Holy 
        Spirit, 
        by
and 
        through 
        which 
        man 
        may 
        know 
        the 
        truth, 
        for 
        he 
        becomes 
        pos-
sessed of 
        the 
        very 
        spirit 
        of 
        divine 
        intelligence 
        and 
        of 
        truth, 
        by
which 
        power 
        he 
        is 
        made 
        to 
        know 
        all 
        that 
        is 
        true.
These 
        principles 
        obtain 
        in 
        this 
        last 
        dispensation 
        of 
        the 
        gospel,
at 
        the 
        head 
        of 
        which 
        stands 
        Joseph 
        Smith 
        as 
        prophet 
        and 
        presi-
dent. He 
        comes 
        as 
        did 
        Noah, 
        Enoch, 
        Moses, 
        the 
        prophets, 
        Christ 
        and
the 
        apostles
        —
        he 
        comes 
        with 
        a 
        message 
        from 
        God,
        —
        with 
        a 
        new
volume  
        of  
        scripture,  
        whose  
        express 
        purpose 
        is 
        to 
        enlarge 
        the
* 
        John 
        xiv: 
        22-26.
t 
        John 
        xiv: 
        26.
t 
        John 
        xv: 
        26, 
        27.
§ 
        I 
        Cor. 
        xii: 
        3.

<!-- page:426 -->

426 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
foundations 
        of 
        faith. 
        He 
        and 
        his 
        associates 
        bear 
        witness 
        of 
        its
truth, 
        and 
        those 
        who 
        will 
        give 
        heed 
        to 
        that 
        testimony, 
        and 
        will
seek 
        to 
        God 
        for 
        further 
        knowledge, 
        are 
        expressly 
        promised 
        in 
        the
Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        itself, 
        that 
        they 
        shall 
        receive 
        a 
        manifestation 
        of
its 
        truth 
        by 
        the 
        power 
        of 
        the 
        Holy 
        Ghost; 
        "And 
        by 
        the 
        power 
        of
the 
        Holy 
        Ghost," 
        says 
        this 
        Nephite 
        record, 
        "ye 
        may 
        know 
        the 
        truth
of 
        all 
        things."* 
        Throughout, 
        it 
        will 
        be 
        seen 
        that 
        in 
        this 
        matter 
        of
the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        the 
        divine 
        Power 
        is 
        acting 
        in 
        harmony 
        with
those 
        great 
        principles 
        which 
        have 
        been 
        operating 
        in 
        the 
        spiritual
economy 
        of 
        this 
        world 
        from 
        the 
        beginning; 
        which 
        fact, 
        in 
        reality,
is 
        at 
        least 
        an 
        incidental 
        testimony 
        of 
        the 
        truth 
        of 
        the 
        work.
In 
        the 
        light 
        of 
        all 
        these 
        reflections, 
        then, 
        together 
        with 
        the
fact 
        that 
        part 
        of 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        was 
        sealed, 
        the 
        time 
        not
then 
        having 
        arrived 
        for 
        its 
        translation, 
        there 
        is 
        nothing 
        remark-
able in 
        the 
        circumstance 
        of 
        the 
        Nephite 
        plates 
        being 
        returned
to 
        the 
        care 
        of 
        the 
        angel 
        guardian 
        of 
        them. 
        Certainly 
        there 
        is
nothing 
        unreasonable 
        in 
        such 
        a 
        procedure, 
        and 
        surely 
        nothing 
        in
the 
        circumstance 
        that 
        warrants 
        the 
        ridicule 
        with 
        which 
        that
statement 
        has 
        sometimes 
        been 
        received. 
        Moreover, 
        human 
        guard-
ianship of 
        such 
        things 
        is 
        by 
        no 
        means 
        as 
        secure 
        as 
        some 
        may
conceive 
        it 
        to 
        be. 
        Take 
        for 
        example 
        the 
        fate 
        which 
        befell 
        the
Egyptian 
        papyrus 
        from 
        which 
        the 
        Prophet 
        translated 
        the 
        Book 
        of
Abraham. 
        It 
        is 
        an 
        item 
        of 
        Church 
        history 
        that 
        in 
        1835 
        the
Saints 
        in 
        Kirtland 
        purchased, 
        of 
        one 
        Michael 
        H. 
        Chandler, 
        some
Egyptian 
        mummies, 
        in 
        the 
        sarcophagus 
        of 
        which 
        was 
        found 
        certain
rolls 
        of 
        papyrus, 
        beautifully 
        engraved 
        with 
        Egyptian 
        characters.
* 
        Behold 
        I 
        would 
        exhort 
        you 
        that 
        when 
        ye 
        shall 
        read 
        these 
        things,
if 
        it 
        be 
        wisdom 
        in 
        God 
        that 
        ye 
        should 
        read 
        them, 
        that 
        ye 
        would 
        re-
member how 
        merciful 
        the 
        Lord 
        hath 
        been 
        unto 
        the 
        children 
        of 
        men, 
        from
the 
        creation 
        of 
        Adam, 
        even 
        down 
        until 
        the 
        time 
        that 
        ye 
        shall 
        receive
these 
        things, 
        and 
        ponder 
        it 
        in 
        your 
        hearts. 
        And 
        when 
        ye 
        shall 
        receive
these 
        things, 
        I 
        would 
        exhort 
        you 
        that 
        ye 
        would 
        ask 
        God, 
        the 
        eternal
Father, 
        in 
        the 
        name 
        of 
        Christ, 
        if 
        these 
        things 
        are 
        not 
        true; 
        and 
        if 
        ye
shall 
        ask 
        with 
        a 
        sincere 
        heart, 
        with 
        real 
        intent, 
        having 
        faith 
        in 
        Christ,
he 
        will 
        manifest 
        the 
        truth 
        of 
        it 
        unto 
        you, 
        by 
        the 
        power 
        of 
        the 
        Holy
Ghost; 
        and 
        by 
        the 
        power 
        of 
        the 
        Holy 
        Ghost 
        ye 
        may 
        know 
        the 
        truth 
        of 
        all
things 
        (Moroni 
        x: 
        3-5).

<!-- page:427 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        427
Upon 
        examination, 
        Joseph 
        Smith 
        found 
        the 
        papyrus 
        to 
        be 
        the
writings 
        of 
        Abraham 
        and 
        of 
        Joseph, 
        the 
        son 
        of 
        Jacob, 
        who 
        was
sold 
        into 
        Egypt. 
        Portions 
        of 
        these 
        records 
        the 
        Prophet 
        trans-
lated into 
        the 
        English 
        language, 
        and 
        the 
        translation 
        was 
        published
in 
        the 
        Times 
        and 
        Seasons, 
        volume 
        III, 
        and 
        subsequently 
        made 
        part
of 
        the 
        "Pearl 
        of 
        Great 
        Price." 
        After 
        the 
        death 
        of 
        the 
        Prophet,
the 
        mummies 
        together 
        with 
        the 
        records 
        on 
        papyrus 
        were 
        left 
        in
charge 
        of 
        his 
        mother, 
        Lucy 
        Smith. 
        She 
        afterwards 
        parted 
        with
them, 
        under 
        what 
        circumstances 
        is 
        not 
        positively 
        known. 
        Finally,
the 
        records 
        and 
        mummies 
        found 
        their 
        way 
        into 
        Wood's 
        Museum, 
        in
Chicago, 
        where, 
        according 
        to 
        the 
        statement 
        of 
        the 
        editors 
        of 
        the
Piano 
        edition 
        of 
        "Biographical 
        Sketches 
        of 
        Joseph 
        Smith 
        and 
        his
Progenitors," 
        by 
        Lucy 
        Smith, 
        they 
        were 
        destroyed 
        in 
        the 
        Chicago
fire 
        of 
        1871.* 
        Thus 
        the 
        writings 
        of 
        Abraham, 
        after 
        being 
        pre-
served for 
        many 
        generations 
        in 
        the 
        linen 
        wrappings 
        of 
        Egyptian
mummies, 
        were 
        consumed 
        by 
        fire 
        in 
        a 
        modern 
        city, 
        a 
        circumstance
which 
        illustrates 
        the 
        uncertainty 
        of 
        human 
        means 
        to 
        preserve
important 
        documents, 
        and 
        justifies 
        angel 
        guardianship 
        of 
        a 
        recsrd
as 
        sacred 
        as 
        are 
        the 
        plates 
        from 
        which 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        was
translated.
Another 
        incident 
        connected 
        with 
        the 
        probability 
        of 
        Joseph
Smith's 
        story 
        concerning 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon, 
        and 
        which, 
        like 
        the
circumstance 
        of 
        the 
        Prophet 
        returning 
        the 
        plates 
        to 
        the 
        angel,
meets 
        with 
        ridicule,
        —
        is 
        the 
        loss 
        of 
        the 
        116 
        pages 
        of 
        manuscript,
through 
        the 
        unfaithfulness 
        of 
        Martin 
        Harris. 
        This 
        subject 
        is
spoken 
        of 
        at 
        length 
        in 
        chapter 
        five, 
        of 
        M. 
        I. 
        A. 
        Manual 
        for 
        1903-4,
a 
        brief 
        summary 
        of 
        its 
        main 
        points, 
        however, 
        is 
        given 
        here:
After 
        acting 
        for 
        some 
        time 
        as 
        amanuensis 
        to 
        the 
        Prophet
Joseph, 
        in 
        the 
        work 
        of 
        translation, 
        Harris 
        repeatedly 
        importuned
him 
        for 
        permission 
        to 
        show 
        as 
        much 
        of 
        the 
        work 
        as 
        they 
        had
translated 
        to 
        a 
        number 
        of 
        his 
        relatives 
        and 
        friends. 
        The 
        Prophet
believing 
        this 
        request 
        beyond 
        his 
        right 
        to 
        grant, 
        under 
        the 
        strict
instructions 
        he 
        had 
        received 
        from 
        the 
        angel, 
        presented 
        the 
        request
of 
        Harris 
        to 
        the 
        Lord, 
        with 
        the 
        result 
        that 
        it 
        was 
        denied. 
        Harris
still 
        importuned, 
        and 
        again 
        the 
        Prophet 
        asked 
        permission 
        to 
        grant
* 
        See 
        Piano 
        edition  
        of 
        the  
        above  
        named 
        work,   
        1880,  
        note 
        on
page 
        91.

<!-- page:428 -->

428 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
this 
        request, 
        notwithstanding 
        the 
        will 
        of 
        the 
        Lord 
        was 
        known 
        ;
and 
        the 
        second 
        time 
        the 
        request 
        was 
        denied. 
        Finally, 
        however,
after 
        further 
        importuning, 
        under 
        strict 
        instructions 
        and 
        limita-
tions, permission 
        was 
        granted 
        for 
        Harris 
        to 
        take 
        possession 
        of 
        the
manuscript, 
        and 
        read 
        it 
        to 
        those 
        whom 
        he 
        had 
        named
        —
        Preserved
Harris, 
        his 
        own 
        wife, 
        his 
        father 
        and 
        mother, 
        and 
        a 
        Mrs. 
        Cobb,
his 
        wife's 
        sister. 
        Harris 
        repaired 
        to 
        Palmyra, 
        where 
        he 
        read 
        the
manuscript 
        to 
        members 
        of 
        his 
        own 
        family, 
        and 
        others 
        not 
        included
among 
        those 
        to 
        whom 
        he 
        was 
        permitted 
        under 
        his 
        agreement 
        with
the 
        Prophet 
        to 
        read 
        it.* 
        The 
        manuscript 
        was 
        finally 
        stolen 
        from
him, 
        and 
        for 
        a 
        time—
        and 
        even 
        now
        —
        what 
        fate 
        overtook 
        it, 
        is
uncertain.
This 
        incident, 
        as 
        we 
        have 
        already 
        stated 
        at 
        length, 
        f 
        lost 
        to
Joseph 
        Smith, 
        for 
        a 
        time, 
        the 
        gift 
        of 
        translation, 
        and 
        also 
        pos-
session of 
        the 
        plates 
        and 
        Urim 
        and 
        Thummim; 
        but 
        through 
        sincere
repentance, 
        he 
        was 
        received 
        again 
        into 
        the 
        favor 
        of 
        the 
        Lord.
On 
        being 
        permitted 
        to 
        resume 
        the 
        work 
        of 
        translation,
however, 
        the 
        Prophet 
        was 
        informed 
        through 
        divine 
        communica-
tion that 
        those 
        who 
        had 
        stolen 
        the 
        manuscript 
        from 
        Harris, 
        de-
signed to 
        hold 
        it 
        until 
        he 
        should 
        translate 
        again 
        that 
        part 
        which
had 
        fallen 
        into 
        their 
        hands. 
        If 
        the 
        Prophet's 
        second 
        translation
should 
        be 
        like 
        the 
        first, 
        then 
        it 
        was 
        the 
        intention 
        of 
        the 
        conspir-
ators to 
        change 
        the 
        manuscript 
        in 
        their 
        possession, 
        and 
        claim 
        that
the 
        translation 
        was 
        not 
        obtained 
        by 
        divine 
        aid, 
        else 
        the 
        second
would 
        be 
        like 
        the 
        first; 
        but 
        since 
        it 
        would 
        by 
        this 
        trick 
        be 
        proved
to 
        be 
        different, 
        the 
        claim 
        of 
        divine 
        inspiration 
        in 
        the 
        trans-
lation of 
        the 
        book 
        must 
        fall 
        to 
        the 
        ground, 
        and 
        Joseph 
        Smith's
pretension 
        to 
        being 
        a 
        Seer 
        and 
        Prophet 
        of 
        God 
        would 
        fall 
        with 
        it;
and 
        thus 
        the 
        work 
        God 
        designed 
        to 
        accomplish 
        through 
        him 
        would
be 
        destroyed. 
        The 
        Lord 
        revealed 
        this 
        plot 
        to 
        Joseph 
        Smith, 
        and
warned 
        him 
        not 
        to 
        translate 
        again 
        Moroni's 
        abridgment 
        of 
        the
Book 
        of 
        Lehi
        —
        which 
        comprised 
        so 
        much 
        of 
        the 
        manuscript 
        as 
        had
been 
        entrusted 
        to 
        Harr-is.J 
        On 
        the 
        contrary, 
        he 
        was 
        commanded 
        to
* 
        History 
        of 
        the 
        Church, 
        vol. 
        I, 
        p. 
        21.
t 
        See 
        Manual 
        1903-4, 
        chapter 
        v.
J 
        See 
        preface 
        to 
        first 
        edition 
        of 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon.

<!-- page:429 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITHS 
        STORY.     
        429
translate 
        what 
        are 
        called 
        in 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        the 
        "Smaller
Plates 
        of 
        Nephi," 
        and 
        let 
        that 
        stand 
        in 
        the 
        place 
        of 
        the 
        translation
of 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Lehi 
        which 
        Harris 
        had 
        lost.
A 
        word 
        of 
        explanation 
        here: 
        Two 
        sets 
        of 
        plates 
        were 
        kept
by 
        the 
        first 
        Nephi 
        and 
        his 
        successors. 
        One 
        set 
        might 
        be 
        called 
        the
secular, 
        the 
        other 
        the 
        sacred 
        record 
        of 
        the 
        Nephite 
        people. 
        They,
however, 
        called 
        them 
        the 
        "Smaller" 
        and 
        "Larger" 
        Plates 
        of 
        Nephi.
On 
        the 
        former 
        was 
        recorded 
        the 
        ministry 
        of 
        the 
        prophets, 
        the
word 
        of 
        the 
        Lord 
        to 
        them, 
        and 
        much 
        of 
        their 
        teaching 
        and 
        preach-
ing; on 
        the 
        latter, 
        the 
        reigns 
        of 
        the 
        kings, 
        their 
        wars 
        and 
        conten-
tions, and 
        the 
        secular 
        affairs 
        of 
        the 
        people 
        generally. 
        Still, 
        even
on 
        the 
        "Smaller 
        Plates 
        of 
        Nephi" 
        there 
        was 
        a 
        reasonably 
        succinct
account 
        of 
        the 
        principle 
        events 
        of 
        Nephite 
        history, 
        from 
        the 
        time
Lehi 
        left 
        Jerusalem 
        until 
        four 
        hundred 
        years 
        had 
        passed 
        away.
When 
        Mormon 
        found 
        among 
        the 
        records 
        delivered 
        into 
        his
keeping 
        the 
        Smaller 
        Plates 
        of 
        Nephi, 
        he 
        was 
        so 
        well 
        pleased 
        with
their 
        contents 
        that 
        he 
        placed 
        the 
        whole 
        of 
        them 
        with 
        the 
        abridg-
ment he 
        had 
        made 
        from 
        the 
        larger 
        Nephite 
        records. 
        "And 
        I 
        do
this," 
        he 
        informs 
        us, 
        "for 
        a 
        wise 
        purpose; 
        for 
        thus 
        it 
        whispereth
me 
        according 
        to 
        the 
        workings 
        of 
        the 
        Spirit 
        of 
        the 
        Lord 
        which 
        is
in 
        me. 
        And 
        now 
        I 
        do 
        not 
        know 
        all 
        things, 
        but 
        the 
        Lord 
        knoweth
all 
        things 
        which 
        are 
        to 
        come, 
        wherefore 
        he 
        worketh 
        in 
        me 
        to 
        do
according 
        to 
        his 
        will." 
        By 
        the 
        addition 
        of 
        the 
        Smaller 
        Plates 
        of
Nephi 
        to 
        Mormon's 
        abridgment 
        of 
        the 
        Larger 
        Plates, 
        it 
        will 
        be
observed 
        that 
        there 
        was 
        a 
        double 
        line 
        of 
        history 
        for 
        a 
        period 
        of
about 
        400 
        years. 
        Therefore, 
        when, 
        through 
        carelessness 
        and
breaking 
        his 
        agreement 
        with 
        the 
        Prophet, 
        Martin 
        Harris 
        lost 
        the
translation 
        of 
        the 
        first 
        part 
        of 
        Mormon's 
        abridgment, 
        and 
        those
into 
        whose 
        hands 
        the 
        manuscript 
        had 
        fallen 
        designed 
        to 
        change 
        it 
        and
destroy 
        the 
        claims 
        of 
        the 
        Prophet 
        to 
        inspiration 
        in 
        translating 
        it—
as 
        already 
        stated
        —
        under 
        divine 
        direction 
        he 
        translated 
        the 
        Smaller
Plates 
        of 
        Nephi, 
        and 
        let 
        that 
        translation 
        take 
        the 
        place 
        of 
        the 
        one
which 
        had 
        been 
        stolen, 
        and 
        thus 
        the 
        plan 
        of 
        the 
        conspirators
against 
        the 
        work 
        was 
        thwarted. 
        This 
        statement 
        of 
        the 
        Prophet,
however, 
        as 
        already 
        remarked, 
        comes 
        in 
        for 
        its 
        share 
        of 
        ridicule,
and 
        is 
        generally 
        spoken 
        of 
        as 
        a 
        very 
        clever 
        escape 
        for 
        the 
        Prophet
out 
        of 
        what 
        is 
        called 
        a 
        rather 
        perplexing 
        dilemma. 
        The 
        Prophet's
statement 
        of 
        the 
        incident 
        was 
        publishe 
        1 
        at 
        the 
        time 
        the 
        first 
        edi-

<!-- page:430 -->

430 
        IMPROVEMEN1 
        ERA.
tion 
        of 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        issued 
        from 
        the 
        press, 
        and, 
        in 
        fact,
stands 
        in 
        the 
        preface 
        to 
        the 
        book, 
        which 
        I 
        reproduce 
        here:
PREFACE.
To 
        the 
        Reader
        —
As 
        many 
        false 
        reports 
        have 
        been 
        circulated 
        respecting 
        the 
        following
work, 
        and 
        also 
        many 
        unlawful 
        measures 
        taken 
        by 
        evil 
        designing 
        persons
to 
        destroy 
        me, 
        and 
        also 
        the 
        work, 
        I 
        would 
        inform 
        you 
        that 
        I 
        translated,
by 
        the 
        gift 
        and 
        power 
        of 
        God, 
        and 
        caused 
        to 
        be 
        written, 
        one 
        hundred 
        and
sixteen 
        pages, 
        the 
        which 
        I 
        took 
        from 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Lehi, 
        which 
        was 
        an 
        ac-
count abridged 
        from 
        the 
        plates 
        of 
        Lehi, 
        by 
        the 
        hand 
        of 
        Mormon; 
        which
said 
        account, 
        some 
        person 
        or 
        persons 
        have 
        stolen 
        and 
        kept 
        from 
        me, 
        not-
withstanding my 
        utmost 
        exertions 
        to 
        recover 
        it 
        again
        —
        and 
        being 
        com-
manded of 
        the 
        Lord 
        that 
        I 
        should 
        not 
        translate 
        the 
        same 
        over 
        again, 
        for
Satan 
        had 
        put 
        it 
        into 
        their 
        hearts 
        to 
        tempt 
        the 
        Lord 
        their 
        God, 
        by 
        alter-
ing the 
        words, 
        that 
        they 
        did 
        read 
        contrary 
        from 
        that 
        which 
        I 
        translated
and 
        caused 
        to 
        be 
        written; 
        and 
        if 
        I 
        should 
        bring 
        forth 
        the 
        same 
        words
again, 
        or, 
        in 
        other 
        words, 
        if 
        I 
        should 
        translate 
        the 
        same 
        over 
        again, 
        they
would 
        publish 
        that 
        which 
        they 
        had 
        stolen, 
        and 
        Satan 
        would 
        stir 
        up 
        the
hearts 
        of 
        this 
        generation, 
        that 
        they 
        might 
        not 
        receive 
        this 
        work: 
        but 
        be-
hold, the 
        Lord 
        said 
        unto 
        me, 
        I 
        will 
        not 
        suffer 
        that 
        Satan 
        shall 
        accomplish
his 
        evil 
        design 
        in 
        this 
        thing: 
        therefore 
        thou 
        shalt 
        translate 
        from 
        the
plates 
        of 
        Nephi, 
        until 
        ye 
        come 
        to 
        that 
        which 
        ye 
        have 
        translated, 
        which
ye 
        have 
        retained; 
        and 
        behold 
        ye 
        shall 
        publish 
        it 
        as 
        the 
        record 
        of 
        Nephi;
and 
        thus 
        I 
        will 
        confound 
        those 
        who 
        have 
        altered 
        my 
        words. 
        I 
        will 
        not
suffer 
        that 
        they 
        shall 
        destroy 
        my 
        work; 
        yea, 
        I 
        will 
        show 
        unto 
        them 
        that
my 
        wisdom 
        is 
        greater 
        than 
        the 
        cunning 
        of 
        the 
        Devil. 
        Wherefore, 
        to 
        be
obedient 
        unto 
        the 
        commandments 
        of 
        God, 
        I 
        have, 
        through 
        his 
        grace 
        and
mercy, 
        accomplished 
        that 
        which 
        he 
        hath 
        commanded 
        me 
        respecting 
        this
thing. 
        I 
        would 
        also 
        inform 
        you 
        that 
        the 
        plates 
        of 
        which 
        hath 
        been 
        spoken,
were 
        found 
        in 
        the 
        township 
        of 
        Manchester, 
        Ontario 
        county, 
        New 
        York.
The 
        Author.
Thus 
        from 
        the 
        beginning 
        the 
        Prophet 
        boldly 
        declared 
        that
which 
        the 
        Lord 
        had 
        revealed 
        to 
        him 
        concerning 
        this 
        effort 
        on 
        the
part 
        of 
        the 
        conspirators 
        to 
        destroy 
        the 
        work; 
        and 
        there 
        was 
        not
one 
        who 
        rose 
        to 
        contradict 
        his 
        statement, 
        at 
        the 
        time, 
        although
some 
        anti-'
        'Mormon" 
        writers 
        of 
        later 
        years 
        assert
        —
        but 
        without 
        any
warrant 
        of 
        proof
        —
        that, 
        enraged 
        at 
        the 
        part 
        her 
        husband 
        was 
        tak-
ing in 
        producing 
        the 
        book, 
        Mrs. 
        Martin 
        Harris 
        burned 
        the 
        manu-
script.    This, 
        however, 
        she 
        always 
        denied.    
        The 
        first 
        publication

<!-- page:431 -->

THE 
        PROBABILITY 
        OF 
        JOSEPH 
        SMITH'S 
        STORY.     
        431
referring 
        to 
        this 
        subject, 
        aside 
        from 
        what 
        the 
        prophet 
        published 
        in
the 
        Preface 
        to 
        the 
        first 
        edition 
        of 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon, 
        is 
        Howe's
"History 
        of 
        Mormonism" 
        (1834) 
        Painsville. 
        This 
        is 
        an 
        anti-"Mor-
mon" 
        book 
        and 
        of 
        the 
        manuscript 
        incident 
        says: 
        "The 
        facts 
        respect-
ing the 
        lost 
        manuscript 
        we 
        have 
        not 
        been 
        able 
        to 
        ascertain. 
        They
sometimes 
        charged 
        the 
        wife 
        of 
        Harris 
        with 
        having 
        burned 
        it, 
        but
this 
        is 
        denied 
        by 
        her." 
        I 
        quote 
        from 
        the 
        second 
        (1840) 
        edition 
        of
Howe's 
        work, 
        page 
        22.
Meantime, 
        attention 
        is 
        called 
        to 
        the 
        fact 
        that 
        there 
        is 
        nothing
improbable 
        in 
        the 
        statement 
        of 
        Joseph 
        Smith; 
        but 
        on 
        the 
        contrary
all 
        the 
        conditions 
        obtaining 
        in 
        the 
        neighborhoods 
        where 
        he 
        resided
while 
        bringing 
        forth 
        the 
        work 
        favor 
        the 
        probability 
        of 
        such 
        a 
        con-
spiracy as 
        he 
        charges
        —
        the 
        unwarranted 
        but 
        repeated 
        efforts 
        made
by 
        his 
        enemies 
        to 
        wrest 
        the 
        plates 
        from 
        his 
        possession
        —
        the 
        home
of 
        his 
        parents 
        repeatedly 
        beset 
        by 
        mobs
        —
        the 
        issue 
        of 
        warrants 
        by
justices 
        of 
        the 
        peace 
        for 
        searching 
        his 
        wagon 
        for 
        the 
        plates; 
        and
subsequently 
        the 
        actions 
        of 
        Mr. 
        Grandin, 
        his 
        printer, 
        who, 
        after
entering 
        into 
        contract 
        to 
        print 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        was 
        certainly
in 
        honor 
        bound 
        to 
        render 
        him 
        all 
        the 
        assistance 
        in 
        his 
        power 
        in 
        get-
ting out 
        the 
        work 
        in 
        the 
        best 
        order 
        possible, 
        and 
        protecting 
        him 
        in
his 
        copyrights
        —
        the 
        actions, 
        I 
        say, 
        of 
        Mr. 
        Grandin, 
        in 
        permitting
Squire 
        Cole* 
        the 
        use 
        of 
        his 
        press 
        on 
        nights 
        and 
        Sundays 
        in 
        order
to 
        secretly 
        publish 
        his 
        "Dogberry 
        Papers," 
        in 
        which 
        was 
        to 
        appear
a 
        garbled 
        edition 
        of 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        in 
        weekly 
        instalments
        —
the 
        mass 
        meetings 
        held 
        in 
        Palmyra 
        and 
        vicinity 
        in 
        which 
        resolu-
tions were 
        passed 
        not 
        to 
        purchase 
        the 
        book 
        should 
        it 
        ever 
        issue
from 
        the 
        press 
        (which 
        action 
        caused 
        Mr. 
        Grandin 
        to 
        suspend 
        the
work 
        of 
        printing, 
        until 
        the 
        Prophet 
        could 
        be 
        brought 
        from 
        Har-
mony, in 
        Pennsylvania, 
        to 
        give 
        renewed 
        assurance 
        of 
        his 
        ability 
        to
meet 
        the 
        price 
        of 
        printingf
        —
        the 
        confession 
        of 
        J. 
        N. 
        Tucker, 
        one
of 
        the 
        employees 
        of 
        Grandin's 
        printing 
        establishment, 
        that 
        after
setting 
        up 
        a 
        sheet 
        in 
        type, 
        it 
        was 
        secreted 
        and 
        then 
        given 
        out 
        that
it 
        was 
        lost 
        and 
        that 
        another 
        would 
        have 
        to 
        be 
        produced, 
        which
*See 
        pp. 
        77, 
        78 
        of 
        part 
        I, 
        Manual 
        for 
        1903-4. 
        It 
        is 
        unthinkable 
        that
this 
        effort 
        to 
        publish 
        a 
        garbled 
        edition 
        of 
        the 
        Book 
        of 
        Mormon 
        was 
        un-
known to 
        Grandin 
        and 
        those 
        employed 
        in 
        his 
        establishment.
t 
        See 
        pp. 
        77, 
        78, 
        Part 
        I, 
        Manual, 
        1903-4.