A True Prophet; Why?

A TRUE PROPHET; WHY? BY WILLIAM HALLS. Joseph Sihith testified that in answer to prayer the Father and the Son appeared to him, in open vision, not in a dream, nor in the night, but in the light of day. If this was not true, he knew it, and must have been conscious of the falsehood. In considering this matter, our reasoning will be based on the common experience of mankind, as far as we understand it. By this criterion, what course would a religious impostor be likely to take? Experience answers, he would try to formulate a creed that would be most readily accepted, by the greatest number of people, that he might get as many followers as possible, he would set his sail to catch the breeze; he would sail with the wind, and float with the tide, and accomplish his designs on the lines of least resistance. Let us apply this rule to the course of Joseph Smith, and see how it will work. In relating his vision, he stated, by inference, that the Father and Son were two distinct personal beings in human form. Instead of this coinciding with the common belief, it was in direct opposition to it, for all the Christian sects, as far as they had any conception of God, believed him to be without body parts or passions; without form or limitations, having nothing in common with matter, invisible, and incomprehensible. By our rule, this was a great mistake to start with. He stated that these heavenly beings spoke to him. As the Lord had not spoken to any one on earth for nearly two thousand years, all Christians believed that he would not speak any more, till the end of the world, that there was no need for him to do so, as they nad his word in the Bible. Here Joseph seems to have made another mistake.

What of the message they delivered? Surely he would invent a message that would please the people, and bring friends around him to his support, but how was it? He testified that in answer to the questions, which of all the sects is right, and which he should join to be saved, he was told that they were all wrong. The Lord said all their creeds were an abomination in his sight, that those professors were all corrupt; quoting a portion of the words of Isaiah, the Lord said, "they draw near to me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me; they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." If Joseph Smith had spent a lifetime in preparing a statement designed to offend the Christian world, in general, and the Christian ministers, in particular, and bring on himself the hatred of the world, he could hardly have been more successful. Does this look like the work of an impostor? Experience, reason and common sense, all answer no. The result, as a matter of course, was persecution, ostracism and slander, kany evil reports were circulated about him and his father's family. Three years passed before he made another move; the hatred against him in no way abated; surely he had plenty of time to reflect on his mistakes, and learn wisdom by suffering, so that his next step would be taken with more caution. His next declaration was that in answer to prayer an angel from heaven appeared to him. He stated that the angel appeared three times, the same night, and again the next day, in a field, and that the same angel came to him once a year for four years after this time, so it is not likely he was deceived. If this was not true he surely was a conscious impostor. Since no angels had appeared since the time of the Apostles of Christ, all the Christian world believed that none would come till the coming of Christ, at the end of the world, that it was not necessary that any should come. Joseph testified that the mission of the angel was to make known and deliver to him certain records, containing a history of the ancient inhabitants of America, written by prophets and inspired men; containing the word of God as given to them; also the fulness of the Gospel as delivered by the personal ministry of Christ to them, after his resurrection; being a record of the dealings of God with his people on the western hemisphere, and, of course, of equal au-

A TRUE PROPHET; WHY? 731 thority with Scripture, with the Hebrew record,or the Bible.which is an account of the dealings of God with his people on the eastern hemisphere. If there is any one doctrine more firmly believed, and more widely accepted, by the Christian world, than any other, it is the exclusiveness of the Hebrew scriptures. All agree and declare, without reservation, that the Bible contains all the word of God necessary for the guidance of his Church, and that no more will be given; and if any man should attempt to bring forth any more scripture, especially a book claiming equal authority with the Bible, it must be taken for granted, without investigation, that he is anim postor. It is difficult to think of any one thing that Joseph could have done, that would meet with more opposition from all the Christian world, without exception, than the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon. And the manner of translating the records by means of the "Urim and Thummim" was contrary to the world's experience; as far as known all translating has been done by men learned in the languages involved. Whatever use the ancient seers made of this instrument, there is no intimation, in the Hebrew Scriptures, that it was ever used to translate languages. Notwithstanding the opposition he met, and the persecution he endured, in the ten years from his first vision to the organization of the Church, he seems not to have modified his course in the least; for, after the organization of the Church till his martyrdom, he continued to startle the world, by advancing theories and doctrines directly in opposition to the doctrines of the orthodox churches. Let us candidly consider the, eventful life of Joseph Smith. Only fourteen years old when he received his first vision, without education, without means, without an accomplice, no one to counsel, no one to encourage him, nothing to support him but the consciousness of his divine mission, and a childlike trust in God. He struggled on, treading the "winepress alone," true to his God, true to his calling, he pursued without wavering or shadow of turning the course marked out by inspiration, till he organized the Church of Christ, with all its quorums of priesthood, orders and institutions, for the work of the ministry, and the perfecting of the Saints, — an organization which, for efficiency and adaptation.

732 IMPROVEMEMT ERA. of means to and end, is the marvel of the age; and he finally sealed his testimony with his blood. Judging him by his work and its results, with the mind unbiased, free from prejudice, it seems impossible to believe he was an impostor. The questions may well be asked, as the position he assumed and the doctrines he taught were so contrary to the orthodox creeds, why was it he succeeded in getting any followers among Christians, and organizing a Church which has prevailed in spite of all the opposition of the Christian world, acd has become so firmly established, that its influence is both recognized and feared? If the doctrines he taught were not true, how was it that the religious ministers, with all their experience, wisdom and learning, did not prove them to be false? The answer is that, though the doctrines he taught were not in harmony with the doctrines taught by the Christian sects, yet, when tested by "the law and the testimony," the word of God as contained in the scriptures, they were found to be in harmony with the divine record, the Bible. If the Bible is true, the doctrines taught by Joseph Smith are true, since they agree. If the Church organized by Christ, with its doctrines, officers, ordinances, gifts and powers, was true, and a means of salvation, then the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, organized by Joseph Smith, is true, and a means of salvation, for it is the same in every particular. It is quite significant that, as time rolls on, and light and intelligence are advancing, instead of these principles being disproved and losing ground, they are gaining ground, and by their influence the old human creeds are being modified. All these facts considered in the light of reason and the world's experience, it is inconceivable that Joseph Smith, by his own wisdom, could have organized a church so perfect, with all its arrangements so complete, and so nicely adapted to accomplish all the purposes designed. The conviction is forced upon us that he must have been inspired; and, to the unprejudiced mind, it is much easier to believe than it is to doubt, that he was called of God, and is a true prophet. Mancois, Colorado.