--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Widtsoe, John A. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 7 number: 12 published: 1904-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'John A. Widtsoe, "Joseph Smith as Scientist. XI," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 12 (October 1904): 897–901.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0712unse 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: improvementera0712unse start_page: 897 end_page: 901 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0712unse 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. --- # Joseph Smith as Scientist. XI IMPROVEMENT ERA Vol. VII. OCTOBER, 1904. No. 12. JOSEPH SMITH AS SCIENTIST. BY DR. JOHN A. WIDTSOB, DIRECTOR OP THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, LOGAN, UTAH. XL— SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION.* In the preceding papers it has been shown that Joseph Smith's early life and education were of such a kind as to make it very improbable, if not impossible, for him to have accumulated a store of the scientific knowledge of his day from books, or even from his associates. Further evidence of this claim was shown to lie in the comparative absence of well-known scientific facts from his writings; the absence of scientific phraseology, and in the original method of stating scientific principles. It has been shown further, that Jopeph Smith clearly recognized and stated the doctrine of the persistence or indestructibility of matter, thus relieving himself of the charge that he belonged to the hoards of charlatans, who, from ignorance or wilful deceit, * It is perhaps needless to remark that this series of articles is not concluded at the present time because the material is exhausted. Lack of time alone makes it impossible to continue the -demonstration that every principle taught by the prophet is in harmony with sound science^ Probably the discussion can be taken up at a later day. 898 IMPROVEMENT ERA. do not acknowledge the laws of nature, and in so doing make claims that excite the superstitious fears of their followers. Again, the prophet stated, a number of years in advance of its general acceptation by the world of science, a doctrine which in all re- spects is comparable with the law of the persistence of force which, with the doctrine of the persistence of matter, now lies at the foundation of all scientific thought. Further, the prophet taught the unchanging relation of cause and effect, which brings the whole universe under a reign of law, and overthrows the mysticisms of old. This doctrine was emphasized at a time when the world was just beginning to insist upon it. He further taught clearly the manner in which nature's laws may be discovered by man. Besides these fundamental notions, the prophet taught the law that the universe is filled with some subtle though material substance, the nature of which is unknown to man, but by means of which the forces of nature are able to manifest themselves. This doctrine corresponds with the theory of the luminiferous ether, which is now accepted by the best thinkers of the world. This doctrine was taught by Joseph Smith many years before it was definitely adopted by science. The prophet also taught that all the heavenly bodies are in motion; that the solar system is but a small part of a greater and grander whole, controlled by the same laws, and that some of these other worlds are inhabited. These doctrines, which now form the foundation of the new astronomy, was discovered and accepted by the world of science after the days of Joseph Smith. The essential element of the law of evolution was stated by the prophet, twenty-five years before Spencer and Darwin. Moreover, the law as taught by Joseph Smith is the law to which the world of science is slowly moving. Joseph Smith was in full accord with the modern views concerning alcohol and its uses. He held that tobacco was very injurious, at a time when technical students of science were just learning to understand the poisonous principles which tobacco contains. Tea and coffee were denounced as beverages unsuited for human use, at a time when caffeine and tannic acid, the two most JOSEPH SMITH AS SCIENTIST. 899 harmful constituents of tea and coffee, had recently been discovered, and their properties were not generally understood. At the time of the prophet, practically nothing was known concerning the composition of meat, vegetables and grains. He taught that essential differences exist among the classes of grains, and that meat may be replaced in man's dietary by products of the vegetable kingdom— all of which has been verified by recent science. He also held clear and modern views regarding time limits in geology, at a time when students were not agreed on the subject. Besides, the writings of the prophet contain numerous suggestions of scientific application, that have not been at all discussed. In short, Joseph Smith recognized and stated the fundamental laws of all science, the fundamental principles of physical and biological science and astronomy, together with a great number of scientific facts, and made these statements usually in advance of workers in science. It is a surprising fact that a young man of twenty-eight, who had had no educational advantages of schooling, or reading, or society, should state clearly and correctly known laws of science; but it is marvelous that he should state fundamental laws that the workers in science did not discover until many years later. Every honest man, be he friend or enemy, must marvel, and ask, "Whence did this man derive his knowledge?" Was he a man of lively imagination, who guessed shrewdly? If so, he was the shrewdest guesser the world has known. All that he said has come true; his bitterest enemies have been unable to prove incorrect statements of facts. Their attacks have always been on the origin of the work, on its ethical ideals (which are largely personal opinions), and on the probability that Joseph Smith was the real founder of '"Mormonism" — thus tacitly admitting the greatness of the work. Had he been a guesser, simply, he would have failed somewhere, and thus revealed his weakness. But let any man show one error in the inspired writings of Joseph Smith, even when he dealt with matters which lay far outside of his daily mission. Though thousands of persons have felt impelled to war against "Mormonsim," no such error has been found. All human logic denies that he was a guesser. 900 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Did he receive his knowledge from well educated persons, who kept themselves in the background? No documentary evidence has been found to substantiate such a view. Primarily, it is unlikely that men of intelligence and education would hide behind an ignorant boy, from the time he was fourteen until his death at thirty-nine years of age. There was nothing to gain by it; the prophet never had more wealth than just enough to live on; the pleasure that his power over his followers gave him, was more than offset by the ceaseless persecution which followed him. Besides,nearly all the fairly well educated men who joined the Church in the early days were given prominent positions in the Church, yet it is known that they were instructed or chastised by the youthful prophet whenever occasion required, as were those of no or little education. Joseph Smith was always greater than any of his followers. But above all, no educated man would have been able to tell Joseph, by means of his education, of things not yet known. The idea that Joseph Smith was only a dummy for clever heads is not tenable. Since ordinary means were beyond his power, how did he acquire his knowledge? How was he able to look into the future, and reveal its secrets? "Ah," says a new philosopher, "I have it, he was epileptic, and had trances, during which his vision appeared;" and the philosopher proceeds to write a book proving his theory to be correct.* What a pitiful attempt to push the question into the region of the unknown; and at the same time, what a splendid acknowledgment of the fact that the life and labors of Joseph Smith transcend ordinary human explanations. Do epileptics, in their phantasms, see orderly systems of truth, which are carried into effect in their days of health and sanity? Does the epileptic see the truth that shall be revealed in the coming ages, and teach it with a stately soberness of language which admits of no uncertainty? If so, then might the race well long for the time when the great gift of healthful, reasoning imagination shall be exchanged for the ghastly disease of epilepsy. Folly of follies The life writings and works of Joseph Smith are healthy, above all else; no trace of physical, or mental, or spiritual disease can be found in them. His teachings are given as eternal truths revealed The Founder of Mormonism. JOSEPH SMITH AS SCIENTIST. 901 by the God of nature; and they rise loftily above the vague theorizings of the investigator, or the uncertain gibberish of the diseased intellect. Clearness, reason, logic in method and execution, characterize the teachings and works of Joseph Smith. Have such qualities ever indicated disease? To the person who can rise above his prejudices, and confess to himself that he is not able to explain in the manner of men how Joseph Smith came by his knowledge of ideas, men and things, comes the strong conviction that the "Mormon" prophet was inspired by a mightier power than men possess; and if that conviction is followed by a prayerful desire to know what that power is, the testimony will be given that from God, the Controller of the universe, known by various men under divers names, did Joseph Smith receive, directly, the truths which fill the pages of his published writings, and direct the lives of his followers. God spoke to Joseph, and gave him the revelations necessary for building his kingdom in the last days. Little more than was necessary did the Lord reveal, but occasionally, for the comfort of the prophet and his associates, truths were given which hinted of the glorious order of the universe. May it not be, also, that the Lord showed Joseph many truths, similar to those touched upon in these papers, in order that later generations might have additional testimonies of the divinity of the latter-day work? Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the boy Joseph grew into a man, whose mind was filled with the great vision of the contents and the destiny of the universe, including the future lot of mankind. No man has had a nobler education than that received by Joseph Smith. When the historian of future days shall review the history of the growth of science, and shall judge men by the record that they have left behind them, he will place Joseph Smith as the greatest philosopher of science of the nineteenth century, and possibly of the twentieth. Then will men reverently speak of that mighty mind and clear vision, which, inspired by the God of heaven, saw, as in an open book, the truths which men have later developed, through ceaseless labor and countless vigils. Then shall the thinkers of the future speak of him as Joseph, the clearsighted.