--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 16 number: 6 published: 1913-04 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "As to Accuracy," *Improvement Era* 16, no. 6 (April 1913): 623–625.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1606unse 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: improvementera1606unse start_page: 623 end_page: 625 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1913-04) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1606unse publication_year: 1913 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 1913, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # As to Accuracy As to Accuracy There is, perhaps, no book published that is entirely free from typographical errors, and so readers have learned to excuse these to some extent. In the case of "Joseph Smith, Jr., as a Translator," an inquiry conducted by Rev. F. S. Spalding, D.D., there are many errors of this class, and some of these it is difficult to overlook as mere typographical errors. They smack of carelessness in copying or proof-reading, and confirm the criticisms that have been made that the author's "inquiry is shown to have been of the loos'est scientific Apostle George Q. Cannon published, m [888, "The Life of JosephySmith the Prophet," ami hi^- acouml of the Book of Abraham gives further evidence — most valuable as com- ing from one who was intimately acquainted with the feelings of his fellow churchmen — that the translation we are consideringwas believed by Joseph Smith, Jr., and his contemporaries to have been given him by revelation and inspiration "While ToseprtX^mith. had been laboring in Kirtland, journeying to and from Missouri, teaching his brethren and / being taught of God, there were zomiasSto him, from one "inmBt/tsPtA of the catacombs of Egypt, the writings of Father Abraham O uJi4> unt<3 [and of Joseph^tbx, governor otEgypt. ^_-__—- -j-^Oy^ oLti^\ ff' — "On * explorer the 7th}of January. 1831, a French traveler and penetrated the depths of a catacomb near the I Ctt/)^£/ Iff^^"^ site of ancient Thebes. It had cost him time and treasure ^J* I and influence to make the entrance. After securing the / license to make\lij£. researches, he employed more than ^ Q- / J four jiund red men fo r a period of some months to make the necessary excavatiofTs>. . When he was able at last to sta.y. -j-4ra/yuij within this multiplied tomb, he found several hundred . mummies; but only eleven of them were in such a state ** ftji f t hat the y could be removed. He carried them away, but / cTied ori\{he voyage to Paris. By his will the mummies J were bequeathed to Michael H. Chandler, his nephew, and -ft 7 7 in search of this gentleman they were sent thro u gh Ireland / r and finally across the sea. Alter two years'yfjwandering^k l^f they found their owner. Hoping to discover some treasure of precious stones or metals, Mr. Chandler opened the coffins or embalming cases. Attached to two of the bodies were rolls of linen preserved with the same care and appar- ently by the same method as the bodies. Within the linen coverings were rolls of papyrus bearing a perfectly pre- served record in black and red characters,, carefully formed. With other of the bodies were papyrus strips bearing * epitaphs and astronomical calculations. The learned men of Philadelphia and other places flocked to see these repre- sentatives of an ancient time, and Mr. Chandler solicited n their translation of some of the characters. Even the wisest J^/ /jTrV^vrfrsilf them were only able to interpret the mean ing of a ve.rv-W ,O w J.&P £ii_-l£ 'As 'Sns From the very mome nt/fie" discovered the xoW^. jp - jO/pOM/ 7 | Mr. Chandler had heard 'that a r/rophet lived in the *WiS3!lJ&tS t*p /who who could aecipner decipher strange languages and anu reveaijj^mgs/^- -— / rev£aJ__tjjmgs^^-^>^- ^ a A /^TMenY'~^iS)yiAi]mg with all the learneclyjaeji^nThaving '"^. / parted with seven of the mummies and some few "strips of papyrus, bearing astronomical figures, he finally reached 16 624 M I'koVEMENT ERA nature." There are few quotations in the whole pamphlet free from errors, some of which are quite material for example, on page 16, in ; the statement of the Prophet Joseph relating to the presentation of the characters to Prof. Anthon the word "Egyptain" is omitted in the professor's description of the characters. Two pages of the pamphlet are herewith presented showing the errors that occur in a quotation from Cannon's "Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet." If our author displays such carelessness in reproducing quotations from a printed page, how are we to know that he has quoted his own authorities correctly from their manuscripts, or that he has presented the case to them correctly and without prejudice? KirtlaiKl ited fiimseli h the and \s it r r.'iilif't. miller inspiration of the A tfic\ writings to Chandler's .Mr. learned men of Philadelphi rk coincided with then lit, Mr. Chandler wrolt: to this effect. Later, somel friends of the I'rophet purchased the four mmic s, with the writings. Joseph engaged assiduously — / to interpret from the rolls and strips of papyrus. The to the world a translation result of his labor was to give of the Book of Abraham. This book was written by the hand of Abraham while he was in Egypt, and was pre- served by the marvelous dispensation of Providence ^through all the mutations of time and the dangers of distance, to reach the hand of God's Prophet in this last dispensation. By this record the Father of the Faithful makes known what the Lord Almighty had shown to him concerning the things that were before the world was; and he declares that he did penetrate the mysteries of the Heavens even unto Kolob, the star which is nearest the throne of God. } the_Eternal One. * * * At the time when Joseph, aided by the~Tnspiration of the Almighty, was enabled to make € t_^22 se translations, he was studying ancient languages and ^"Tne grandest sciences, while he was also imparting instruc- • tion in the school of the brethren at Kirtland. that others than himself might have their minds fitted to grasp the sublimities of truth in theology and history and the laws governing the Universe." li .(Bh That the prophet most sincerely believed in the authen- ticity of the Book of Abraham and the correctness of its translation, the testimony of Mr. T. B. FI. Stenhouse, an un- friendly critic, is of value. After treating the subject at some length, he concludes: "The author, notwithstanding, still clings to the asser- tion that Joseph believed sincerely that he was inspired, and the pride with which he gave this translation to the world supports that conclusion." l * 12. The Life of Joseph Smith the Prophet, by Ceorjre Q. Conr itruetor Office. Salt Lake City, Utah, 18SX, pages 187-188. 18. "Rocky Mountain Saints. " pajje 520. •' . : '_ Customs and Legends of Utahilndians BY ENOCH JORGENSEN, PRINCIPAL JORDAN HIGH SCHOOI I- Utah's Policy in Dealing with Indians Some one has said, "The only good Indians are the dead ones," and ignorance has so often repeated this falsehood that the uninformed are apt to regard it as a truism. One might with as much truth say that 'The only true Christians, in the world's history, are those that have been burned at the stake ;" but even John Huss on the funeral pyre exhibited no more cour- age than the Amerind who willingly laid down his life in defense of right as he under- stood it, and the world will yet acknowledge that "Poor Lo" was fully as nojla as his merciless conqueror. Dallen- baugh says : "He possessed a high quality of intellect, and he differed from his white antagonist more in ex- ternal complexion than in any other particular, except his social organization. * * * * But the Amerind ha'd the same emotions. He loved his home, his family and A TYPE OF WESTERN INDIAN his people. As to honesty and dishonesty, the balance was not far from even On the whole he was not worse than the European who brought him degradation. * * * * Love of home and defense of country are ever extolled as of the highest merit in the White race; in the American native they were, and are still, usually looked upon as crimes." And what Dallenbaugh says of the western Indian in general may with as much truth be said of the intermountain tribes, even of the despised Utes and Pai Utes, or Piutes, as they are often called. Tribes and Peoples All tribes of Utah Indians, except those of the extreme southeastern part of the state, are sub-tribes of the great division called