Editors’ Table: Why Joseph Smith Was a Great Prophet

FDTTOPft TAW ft •1wm wmiimmmiSmlX Why Joseph Smith was a Great Prophet In reply to a letter of inquiry as to why it is asserted, in one of the advanced senior class lessons, that Joseph Smith i^ the greatest prophet since the time of the Savior, the follow- ing answers have been submitted to the questioner by Dr. George H. Brimhall. Four points are named and, furthermore, it is noticed that as far as is known, no other prophet has uttered as many fulfilled prophecies since the Savior's time as has Joseph Smith. In the Doctrine and Covenants, which contains the rev- elations of the Prophet Joseph, are found more than twenty predictions already fulfilled: 1. Joseph Smith was placed under the direct tutorship of the Savior by God the Eternal Father: "Joseph, this is my beloved Son, hear /lim-." 2. Joseph Smith was a "choice seer" prepared, or raised up, to usher in and stand at the head of the dispensation of the fulness of times which includes all other dispensations, and reaches back through its ordinances to Father Adam. 3. Joseph Smith suffered death for the gospel of Jesus Christ and, like Jesus, left the carrying on of the work to apostles. 4. "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in the world than any other man that ever lived in it." — Doctrine and Cov- enants Sec. 135. Ephraim and Manasseh True Israelites The following question has been received with the request that it be answered in the Era: "From all we ran learn, Joseph, the son of Israel, married an Egyptian who became the mother of Ephraim and Manasseh. We are also led to believe that the Egyptians were descendants of Ham, and we would like to know if the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh have Canaanitish blood in them?" The question was referred to Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, who writes:

EDITORS' TABLE 173 It is definitely understood that Egypt was first settled by the children of Ham. According to the Pearl of Great Price, Egyptus, daughter of Ham, settled there with her sons, and they attempted to follow the patriarchal order of government, but were denied the privilege of bearing the Priesthood. However, for upwards of five hundred years Egypt was governed by Sem- itic invaders, who adopted Egyptian customs and manners, more or less, yet in blood they were descendants of Shem, hence were kin to Abraham and his posterity. Professor A. H. Sayce, in a little work called, Joseph, and the Land of Egypt, says, on page six: "But Asia rose against African dominion, and Asiatic invaders, under the name of Hyksos, entereM Egypt and became masters. For more than five hundred years their sway lasted in the valley of the Nile. At one time, it would seem, their supremacy was admitted throughout the civilized world. * * * They remained Semites and Canaanites, in spite of the Egyptian garb in which they clothed themselves." Remember the term "Canaanite" as used here, has no refer- ence to descendants of Ham, but to the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, not all of whom were descendants of Canaan, son of Ham. These Hyksos, or shepherd kings, who had conquered Egypt and driven the Egyptians up the Nile country, were ruling in Egypt at the time Joseph and the children of Israel were dwell- ing in that land. So Joseph found there a people who were of the same race from whence his house had sprung, who were descendants of Shem. When he married Asenath, the daughter of the high priest of On, he married a woman who was not a descendant of Ham, but of Shem, and therefore of his own race. This truth also applies to Moses. On this point Sayce further comments, in the same work, page 63: "It is not needful to believe that Poti-pherah, the father of Asenath, was of Egyptian race. On was now the religious capital of the foreign Pharaohs, and its high-priest was the chief chaplain in the Pharaoh's court. His name, The Gift of the Sun-God, was the Egyptian translation of a Canaanitish name, not a name of Egyptain origin and use. It is even doubt- ful if the name of his daughter was Egyptian at all." If Asenath had been of pure Egyptian or Hamitic descent, then, according to the record, Ephraim and Manasseh would have been barred from even holding the Priesthood, but instead of this, Jacob, their grandfather, blessed them as his own sons, and they were numbered as two tribes in Israel. Moreover, Ephraim obtained the birthright in Israel. When, many years afterward, in the days of Moses, the old Egyptians had reconquered the land, the children of Israel were persecuted, because they were hateful in the eyes of the Egyptians, who knew not Joseph, and by Moses were led from the land.

174 IMPROVEMENT ERA Books Six Years of Home Reading, is the title of a bulletin, by Professor J. H. Paul, of the University of Utah, published by the Deseret Book Co. The reading is intended especially for Boy Scouts, Bee Hive Girls, and their parents; yet, a perusal of the interesting pamphlet reveals that, besides presenting classified and analyzed books for young people, it has valuable suggestions for the most advanced readers who desire to keep in touch with the students and diversions of youth. Twenty-five courses of study are listed, one for each season of the six years, and one extra course. Each season offers three grades of reading on the same topic, making seventy- five courses of three months each. The books are classified, briefly an- alyzed, and grouped into topics — Western forests, wild animals, plants, insect life, birds, camp life, great Americans, Western pioneering, the na- tional government, municipal affairs, the earth's strata, minerals, the mind, great fiction, the drama, the sea, the weather, self-culture, improvement of human society, etc. Great fiction occurs with each topic as collateral reading. As a guide for choosing books for Western homes, schools, and libraries, nothing similar to this bulletin has theretofore been published. It is recommended to all who are interested in placing the right kind of reading matter before the children and the young people, in addition to the Church literature that should always have the first and most im- portant places. The third volume of the Latter-day Saints Biographical Encyclopedia, has been received by the Improvement Era. This is a volume of some 828 pages, including an index for three published volumes, in a series of biog- raphies by Elder Andrew Jenson, Assistant Church Historian. Few realize the great labor expended in perfecting this work as it has been done by Elder Jenson. The first volume was printed in 1901, and consists of 828 pages; and the second volume, in 1914, and consists of 827 pages; thus making practically 2,500 pages of biographical matter including about 3,000 sketches of persons who have been prominent in the founding of Utah and the west, and in the furtherance of the cause of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a most remarkable work by a writer whose capacity for detail and work is practically unlimited. The work is a credit to the well known annalist and will be of great value to future historians of the Church. It is a work of which the owner of any library, fortunate enough to include this remarkable production, may well feel proud and satisfied. Messages from the Missions Visit to Sister Kaapu Kolo 119 Years of Age The annual conference of the "Garden Isle" of the Hawaiian group, convened at the town of Kekaha, April 17 and 18. In spite of the fact that the Island was recovering from a serious siege of influenza, an extra large and enthusiastic audience greeted our mission president, E. Wesley Smith. Two spirited sessions were held, with 250 of the people taking part on the program, helping to bring about the splendid success that was attained. Hawaii — famous for her musical ability — was equal to

EDITORS' TABLE 175 the occasion. A choir of fifty voices sang praise to God which harmo- nized grandly with the beautiful spirit manifested. It was, however, the voice of President Smith that brought tears of joy to the eyes of all Eleven years ago he spent the last days of his first mission with them! Iheir love and respect for him still occupied a big place in their hearts though the separation had been long. President Smith has a little record book which has created a great interest among the people. It contains the names of all the members of the Church at the time when he was on his first mission. On questioning them, he found out that those who were not then observing the laws of the gospel are now dead, while the majority of those who were faithful and diligent, then, in God's work are still enjoying the countless blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ here upon earth. While in Kekaha, President Smith paid his respects to dear old Sister Kaapu Kolo, who has reached the grand old age of 119 years, and who claims the distinction of being the oldest person living in Hawaii and the only living person who saw the landing of the first missionaries from America, who came to the Islands 100 year ago, April 10, 1820. Quite coincidental, President Smith celebrated his birthday at the little town of Koloa, where he spent his last birthday in the Islands on April 21, 1909. During the week's tour, taken after the conference, all the organized branches of the conference were visited and meetings were held in six of the main branches. The work of the Lord contin- ues to grow, over seven hundred are now in his fold here. We will be kept busy working out the many splendid suggestions given by Pres- ident Smith, and also making preparations to gather at the general con- ference at Laie, this coming July. We are grateful to the Era for the great assistance it has given us in promulgating God's truths among these good people — Elder Elwer C. Jenkins, President Kauai Conference. I I Will Do the Thing the Lord Has Commanded Elder Austin N. Tolman, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, writes under date of August 17: "Our missionary force is very slim, there being only two missionaries in New South Wales. We are, however, able to keep up the work through the untiring assistance of the local Priest- hood. One or two nights each week is spent by the local elders in visiting Saints and investigators. They have much the same spirit manifest by Nephi of old when requested by his father to return to Jerusalem for the brass plates, 'I will go and do the thing which the Lord has commanded for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commanded them.' "The labors of the brethren are bearing fruit and the Saints in gen- eral are responding to their duties. Tithes and offerings are better than for some years past and meetings are well attended. A concession has re- cently been made by the Australian government for twenty-four more el- ders from Zion to take the place of the elders recently released. These elders will find us very much alive, but we are anxious to welcome them and have plenty of work ahead." New President of the Tonga Mission Thursday, July 22, Vernon Coombs, with his wife and two children, left Canada for a short visit to Ogden and Salt Lake City, prior to theii sailing for the Friendly Islands where Mr. Coombs will act as president of the Tonga mission during the next four or five years. Prior to his de- parture, Christian Jensen of McGrath, who was a former president of the mission, visited Elder Coombs in regard to the labors in that district.