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WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD?

An Investigation and Testimony,

BY

J. M. SJODAHL.

Salt Lake City, U iah:

PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BY THE DSSERXT HEWS 00

189I.

PREFACE.

|URING recent travels in the Holy Land, where the
voice of Prophets and Apostles, and of the Son of
God, Himself, was heard in former days, the author was led
to direct his attention to the subject discussed on the follow-
ing pages. The result of an earnest investigation appeared
at the time in The Deseret News, and is now, by request
of friends, offered to the world as a humble testimony to the
truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by

The Author.

HAROLD B. L££ L!8RAR> "
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
PROVO. UTAH — —

Hf 12928

JOSEPH SiMITH,

UIRS HE R PROPHET OF GOO?

HE controversy between the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints and the various churches
of the world turns upon one great question, viz. :
Has God again revealed His will to mankind through Joseph
Smith, the Prophet? If he has, and this can be proven, then
the controversy is at an end, and it is the duty of all to accept
the message of that prophet as from God, Then to accept
the gospel which Joseph Smith preached is to accept God,
who sent him, and to reject it is to reject God. This ques-
tion is, therefore, one of the greatest importance and should
be carefully considered by everyone who is concerned about
the salvation of his own soul and the souls of those who are
dear to him.

The question is a twofold one, and each part of it de-
mands a separate consideration.

i. Are the books of the Bible all that is necessary for the
guidance of men to eternal life and exaltation, or, is continu-
ous revelation necessary ?

2. Is there any evidence, supposing continuous revelation
to be necessary, that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God?

ij

The question: Are the books of the Bible all that is nec-
essary to guide us to the attainment of eternal salvation ? has
been variously answered.

The Romanists claim that they are not. They give to
genuine tradition the same authority as to the written word
and submit both to the interpretation of their infallible Pope.

Most of the Protestants deny the authority of the tradition

4 Joseph smith:

and the infallibility of any one representative of the church.
They claim that the written word, as contained in the Bible,
is the only necessary and authoritative guide in matters of
religion. An eminent Baptist divine, Dr. Angus, says: "As
the Holy Scriptures claim to be regarded as the book of God,
a divine authority, so they claim to be the only authority.
It is not a rule, it is the rule both of practice and faith. To
ascertain its meaning, we employ reason and the opinions of
good men, and the experience of a devout heart; but no one
of these helps, nor all combined, can be regarded as of co-
ordinate authority." (Bible Handbook, page 69.)

Bishop Grundtvig was aware of the weakness of this Prot-
estantic position, taken and vigorously defended by the re-
formers. For the guidance of the "church" he claimed in
the first place a "living word," a continuous tradition, ex-
pounding the "written word," which, he insisted, is nothing
but a dead letter until quickened by the Holy Spirit, present
in the "church;" and in his view, curiously enough, not the
books of the Bible but the Apostolic Symbol was the
written word, par excellence, composed, probably, by our
Savior himself fand transmitted from the Apostles to the
posterity in all ages. The worthy bishop gave to the Apos-
tolic Symbol the place that is otherwise generally accorded
to the books of the Bible, and agreed with the Romanists in
holding the necessity of a living interpreter, directed by the
Spirit, while, with the Protestants, he denied the claims of the
Pope, or any pope, as to the monopoly of this office.

The Latter-day Saints hold that the books of the Bible
were sufficient for the people to whom they were addressed
and for the purpose for which they were written. As re-
cords of God's dealings with mankind in ages past, and as
prophecies of things yet future, they contain instructions for
all ages and all nations; but as circumstances change, as new
emergencies arise, and the plans of God develop, continued
revelations are just as necessary for the guidance of the
church as revelation ever was. "A religion that excludes
new revelation from its principles, is just the very religion
that suits the devil * * * for he knows well that God has
nothing to do, nor ever had, with any religion that did not
acknowledge prophets and revelators, through whom He

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 5

c^ jld speak and reveal His will to His sons and daughters."
(Orson Pratt. The Seer, vol. ii, No. 5, May, 1854.)

Thus the various views on the question may be briefly
stated.

The word of God, the Bible itself, amply justifies, I think,
the position of the Latter-day Saints on this important ques-
tion. The purposes for which the various books were
written; the difficulties that present themselves when the
exact meaning of many passages is investigated; the usual
dealings of God with his people, as explained in the Bible,
and many predictions of new revelations, all these facts give
evidence of the correctness of the position taken by the
Church of Christ in this last dispensation. Whatman needs,
is not only a Bible and a genuine tradition, expounded by an
interpreter, even if this should have, in some degree, the
Holy Spirit, but he needs first of all and above all a direct
communication with God, his heavenly Father. He may
study the written word humbly and carefully, and thereby he
will certainly, through the aid of the Holy Spirit, acquire
much useful knowledge concerning religion and eternal
truths; he will, if following the precepts laid down, be led on-
ward and forward and attain a certain degree of eternal hap-
piness. But the knowledge necessary for the work to be
done in connection with the establishment of the dispensa-
tion of the fulness of times or for the obtaining ot the glory
emanating from the ordinances of this dispensation, he will
never acquire by his own study of any amount of sacred
literature.

The truth of this statement becomes self-evident, when we
mark the purpose for which the sacred books were written.
If there were any book of the Bible by God designated to be a
complete code of laws, all-sufficient for all times and all condi-
tions, such a fact might reasonably be expected to be either
expressly stated, or implied somewhere within the covers of
the sacred volume. But no such statement is to be found,
nor can it be shown to be implied, when the scope of each
book is clearly understood.

THE PENTATEUCH.
The Pentateuch, for instance, contains the principles on

6 Joseph smith:

which the Jewish theocracy was founded, a dispensation that
was, according to prophetic declarations, only to last for a
certain time. In the first eleven chapters of Genesis we find
a few outlines of the Patriarchal dispensation, and some of
the ordinances of that dispensation are referred to without
any detailed account. The last chapters of Genesis contain
merely a brief historical sketch of the transition from the
patriarchal dispensation to the Mosaic dispensation. The re-
maining books of Moses (as indeed all of the Old Testament)
are chiefly an incomplete history of the dealings of God with
that one nation which He had chosen for the purpose of com-
municating His will to mankind, until the appearance of the
promised "Seed." But the dispensation itself was a tran-
sient one. The principles upon which it was [founded must
necessarily also be subject to such modifications as a new
dispensation would require. Paul, the greatest Jewish
scholar of his age, is very emphatic on this point. "It (the
Mosaic law) was added because of transgression, till the
Seed should come to whom the promise was made." "Be-
fore faith came we were kept under the law, shut up unto the
faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the
law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come we are
no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians iii, 23-25.)
"(God) also has made us able ministers of the New Testa-
ment; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter killeth,
but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death
(the Mosaic law), written and engraven in stones, was glori-
ous, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold
the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which
glory was to be done away, how shall not the ministration of
the Spirit be rather glorious ? * * For if that which is done
away (the law) was glorious, much more that which re-
maineth." (II Cor. iii, 6-11.)

The laws of the Mosaic dispensation have, according to
the same apostle, no more claim or binding force, relative to
the members of the Christian dispensation, than a dead hus-
band has to a living wife: "For the woman which has a hus-
band is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives;
but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 7

husband; * * wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become
dead to the law by the body of Christ." (Rom. vii, 2-4.)

THE HISTORICAL BOOKS.

Of the remaining historical books of the Old Testament
much need not be said. The book of Joshua describes the
settlement of the Israelites in the Holy Land. In the Tudges
we read of repeated apostacy, its punishment and God's
mercy in delivering the penitent. The books of Samuel show
the establishment of the ancient prophetic office and also the
rejection of this divine appointment and of God as the ruler,
and how God, yielding to the demands of His blinded peo-
ple, allows them to have a king. In the Books of the Kings,
to which the Chronicles seem to be a supplement, we can
trace the awful consequences of the revoli of the people
against the prophetic office, until the nation, after a short
time of prosperity under David and Solomon, falls to pieces
and are carried away captives.

THE POETICAL BOOKS.

The poetical books are effusions of devout hearts contem-
plating the past mercies of God, His present goodness and
faithfulness, and containing more or less distinct predictions
of the future events in the Kingdom of God. The Psalms,
many of which were composed by David, were intended for
the edification of the people when gathered to their national
festivites in Jerusalem. The singing of them formed, no
doubt, an important part of the service. The book of Job
and the Song of Songs are specimens of early dramatic
compositions. The hero of the book of Job was an inhabi-
tant of Uz, in the northeast part of the Arabian desert, and
a contemporary, perhaps, of Terah, the father of Abraham.
There are some grand lessons laid down in the book. The
question is discussed whether great suffering is not an
evidence of great guilt. The friends of Job affirm this, while
he, himself, under the greatest afflictions, denies it, appealing
to God's righteousness and faithfulness. The Song of
Songs, the best one of the one thousand and five which
Solomon composed (I Kings iv, 32), is a description of
wedded love, one of the noblest affections which man is capa-
ble of enjoying, and was probably composed when Solomon

8 joseph smith:

introduced into his family an Egyptian princess (I Kings iii, i;
vii, 8; ix, 24) as a plural wife. The Proverbs, and the Ecclesi-
astes contain many sentiments showing both the wisdom and
the vanity of the world, pointing to Him who is the Wis-
dom, the Truth, and the Light of the World.

In all these books we find truths scattered as numerous
and as beautifully as the stars in a clear November evening
sky; but the very scope of each book is such that it cannot be
accepted as a closed and finished code of revelations, suffi-
cient for all contingencies that can ever arise in the history of
the human race, any more than the beautifully sparkling light
of the stars is all that is necessary for the illumination of the

earth.

THE PROPHETICAL BOOKS.

These contain many predictions bearing directly on the last
days, for prophecy is a record of future events, as history is a
record of past events. But in reading ancient prophecy, one
very common error must be avoided, viz., to suppose that
the prophets generally described the events of the
last days. This they evidently do not do. Their
prophecies generally concern such events as were im-
mediately future in their own time, and in which their own
generation was, on that account, mostly interested. Prophe-
cies are often read as if they all related to events which
are still future, and which we therefore look at with anxious
interest, whereas the truth is that events long ago transpired,
and which we have almost forgotten, but which once were the
great epochs of history, form the important theme of the
bulk of prophetical predictions. In some cases prophecy
covers the ground of events yet to transpire But then, it is
rioticeable that the more remote the events described are,
the more vague and dim the visions concerning them become,
until we clearly perceive that, were it not for the new additional
light of continued reve'ations upon the last scenes of the
history of the world, we would never, from the first predic-
tions delivered, be able to form a clear and distinct idea of
these scenes.

Notice, as an illustration of this, the first prediction of the
"seed of woman" who should crush the head of the serpent,
and follow the gradual development of this prophecy, until

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 9

later prophets are able by the Spirit of God to describe not
only many minute details of the birth, life and death of our
Savior, (Isaiah) but also the precise time for his coming in the
flesh (Daniel). And so it is with all predictions given. They
increase in clearness as the events draw near. They indicate,
therefore, by their very nature the necessity of continued
revelation, as the first rays of morning indicate the approach
of the coming daylight.

In reading the prophetical books, this must be kept in
view.

Jonah is the most ancient of the prophets whose written
records have come down to us. He lived more than eight
hundred years before Christ. His book is a narrative of how
the prophet was called on a mission to the great city of Nineveh
but in disobedience to the command of God, he fled in an
opposite direction, intending to go to Tarshish. On the way,
however, a great storm arose. Jonah, on his own suggestion,
was thrown into the sea, and by a great fish carried back to
the land he had left. After this miraculous deliverance, he
goes to Nineveh and delivers his message, which results in
the repentance of the inhabitants and the repeal of the an-
nounced judgment.

The spiritual lessons conveyed in the narrative are very
important and instructive. Yet the prediction delivered is
©ne that chiefly concerned the people of Nineveh for whom it
was intended.

It has been observed that the prophet himself, in his
miraculous deliverance from the deep, furnishes "the fullest
and nearest shadow of Christ's lying in the grave, which the
scriptures afford, "but then it must also be remembered that
this type would by no means have been clear to us had not
Christ himself pointed it out. It is only through new revela-
tion on the subject that we are enabled to see the resemblance
between the deliverance of Jonah and the resurrection of
Christ. This "fullest and nearest shadow" is therefore in
itself a proof of the necessity of continuous revelation.

Joel was contemporary with Jonah. He lived B.C. 810-795,
and addressed himself to Judah. He first delineates an im-
pending devastation under the picture of successive armies
of locusts, and of burning drought.

IO > JOSEPH smith:

There are some differences of opinion as to the events to
which these opening visions refer. They most probably refer
to the successive subjugations of the country by Assyrians,
Persians, Greeks and Romans.

Then follows an exhortation to penitence, fasting and
prayer, and a promise of deliverance from the evils predicted.
In the second chapter, v. 18-31, the effusion of the Holy Spirit,
previous to the destruction of Jerusalem and subsequent
calamities, "the great and terrible day of the Lord," is clearly
predicted. But here again a new revelation, which was given
through Peter (Acts ii, 16-21) was needed to point out that
the fulfilment of the prediction took place at the day of
Pentecost. The Jews were well conversant with the writings
of this prophet and held him in great reverence, but they
could not see the connection between the prophecy and its
fulfilment, until pointed out to them by an inspired servant of
God. And this remark applies to almost all prophecy.

The last clause of the last verse of the second chapter, as
well as the third chapter, refer to events yet future. The
gathering of the nations of the earth to the valley of Jehosa-
phat and their destruction, the establishment of Jerusalem as
the holy city and the glorious state of the millennial kingdom
are the themes treated on. But — let us repeat the remark —
when the fulfilment of these predictions comes, the world will
need inspired men to point that fulfilment out, just as the
Jews needed on the day iof Pentecost. The book of Joel
furnishes decisive proof of the necessity of continuous
revelation.

Amos was another contemporary of Jonah and of Joel.
He lived B, C. 810-785. His residence was Bethel, and he was
sent as a messenger to Israel. The first two chapters of his
book contain predictions of the judgments of God upon
the various states surrounding Judea. "The Lord will roar
from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem," an indication
of the anger of Jehovah against these states. The punishment
of Syria, of the Philistines, of Tyre, Edom and Ammon,Moab,
and, finally, also of Judah and Israel are foretold. The pro-
phet then devotes four chapters to exhorting the people to
repentance, reminds them of what God had done for them.
But as he sees that his exhortations have no effect,he sets forth

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? II

in visions the approaching destruction of the people, until the
inhabitants of Bethel tried to prohibit him from prophesying
anymore among them (chapter vii). The prophet, however,
continues in the name of the Lord, who had called him to
the office, to describe the near destruction of the nation.
And having done so he closes his book with a few verses (chap-
ter ix, n-15) on a still future restoration, the glory of which
shall be shared by Edom and other Gentile nations, a predic-
tion that is referred to by Peter (Acts, xv, 17), as begin-
ning to be fulfilled in the establishment of the Church ot
Christ. And here, again, a new revelation was required to
make the precise meaning of the prediction .clear.

Hosea was a native of Israel, and lived B. C. 800-725. His
ministry lasted about sixty years, until the ten tribes were led
captive by the Assyrians, and his prophecies are almost ex-
clusively directed against Israel, the most prominent tribe of
which was Ephraim, with the capital of Samaria. At the
time of this prophet the idolatry commenced by Jeroboam in
Dan and Bethel had continued for one hundred and fifty
years, and all classes of the people were sunk in vices of vari-
ous kinds.

The first three chapters of his book contain a symbolic
representation of the fallen people and God's statement that
He had now rejected them. In order to exemplify this, the
prophet is commanded to wed a "wife of whoredoms" and
to give to the children names indicating the wrath of
God. The prophet having complied with this command is
again directed to love another adulteress "according to the
love of the Lord toward the children of Israel" (iii ; 1), thus
giving to the ten tribes remarkable object lessons concerning
their faithlessness towards Jehovah. The severe denunciations
in this part of the book close with promises of a final restora-
tion (chapter ii, 14-24 ; iii, 4, 5).

The following chapters reiterate more fully the subjects of
the first three. In chapters iv-x, the prophet brings up the
charges against the people : "There is no truth, nor mercy,
nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, lying, killing,
stealing and committing adultery, they break out, and blood
toucheth blood." "The priests are like the people." For
these sins the judgment of destruction is pronounced, but the

12 JOSEPH smith:

book closes with a prediction of God's blessings as the final
outcome.

Whether these last promises refer to the return of some
Israelites under Ezra or whether they remain to be fulfilled is
not clear from the book itself. Paul, directed by the Spirit of
revelation, applies some of these promises to the Gentiles
(Romans ix, 25, 26), an application that could not be made
except by the light of continuous revelation.

Isaiah lived B.C. 765-698 and was, consequently, part of the
time contemporary with Hosea. He prophesied among the
Jews, as Hosea prophesied among the Israelites.

The political aspect of the world at this time is important
to notice. Judea and Israel had not long been two kingdoms,
and the latter was fast approaching her destruction. With
Moab, Edom and the Philistines, Judah had repeated conflicts,
each of these tributaries striving more or less successfully to
gain independence. Assyria was now growing in strength
and extending her conquests on all sides. Egypt had been
subdued by Ethiopia and the two countries were strengthened
by a union. A struggle between Egypt and Assyria, the two
rival powers of the world, was coming, and both of these pow-
ers endeavored to secure the alliance of Judah as well as of
Israel, wherefore the injunctions of the prophets were for
the people of God to keep a strictly neutral position without
any regard to flatteries or threatenings. Babylon had just
commenced her struggle for independence, and tried to form
an alliance with Judah, for which purpose a special ambassa-
dor, Merodach Baladan, was sent to King Hezekiah. This
pious king in an unguarded moment, entertained the messen-
gers and displayed to them his own treasurers and the treas-
ures of the house of the Lord, which kindness and courtesy
drew forth from the more clear seeing prophet of God the
awful announcement that the time would come when all these
treasures would be carried away into Babylon, and that even
the princes of Judah should be made base slaves in the palace
of Babel (chapter xxxix).

During the time of this prophet, the kingdom of Judah
was invaded by the combined forces of Syria and Israel.
This unfortunate kingdom, Israel, had fallen through idolatry
and every sin, but she filled her cup of iniquity by combin-

WAS HE A PROPHET OF 'GOD ? 13

ing with an idolatrous nation in war upon her brethren.
This brought the long predicted destruction, and Israel was
captured by the Assyrians. The event stands out more clearly
as a judgment of God when it is remembered that the same
Assyrian power was miraculously defeated when attempting
to invade Judah.

If we keep these facts in view, the writings of Isaiah
become intelligible and clear.

The first twelve chapters of this book contain reproofs,
warnings and promises, chiefly directed to Judah and Israel.
In these promises, predictions of the coming Messiah and
his work are prominent. The next chapters (xiii-xxiii) are
directed against Assyria, Babylon, Moab, Egypt, Philistia,
Syria, Edom, and Tyre. In chapters xxiv-xxxv the sins
and the misery of the people are rebuked. The Assyrian
invasion is predicted and the destruction of Samaria, while
the deliverance of Jerusalem is being promised. The fol-
lowing four chapters are historical, describing the invasion of
Senacherib and the defeat of his army, and also the sickness
of the King Hezekiah and his recovery. The closing chap-
ters (xl-lxvi) are again prophetic, embracing events from the
Babylonian captivity to the establishment of the millenial
Kingdom of Christ. The deliverance of the Jews from
Babylon, the character, sufferings, death and glory of Messiah;
the gospel call of the Gentile world; the wickedness of the
Jews in rejecting Messiah and their conseauent scattering;
their final return and the prevalence of the Kingdom of God,
all these are clearly predicted, but the subjects are often
blended together, and the transition from one to another is
sometimes so rapid as to render it difficult to follow the con-
nection. Indeed, in order to understand fully the passages
that refer to events yet future, some divine revelation seems
to be necessary. For it is only by the aid of the spirit of
prophecy that prophecies can be fully understood.

Micah, B. C 758-699, was a contemporary of Hosea and
Isaiah, and lived in the southern part of the kingdom of Judah.
He does little more than reiterate the predictions of the two
mentioned prophets, adding such illustrations and exhor-
tations as were suitable to the class among whom he labored.

One of his most remarkable predictions states that the gift

14 • Joseph smith:

of prophecy should be withdrawn from the ten tribes for a
long time. "Therefore, night shall be sent you, that ye shall
not have a vision, and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall
not divine ; and the sun shall go down over the prophets and
the day shall be dark over them. Then shall the seers be
ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all
cover their lips, for there is no answer from God" (iii: 6,7).
Here it is predicted that the people should be left in spiritual
darkness because of the cessation of prophecy, but the dark-
ness shall not be an everlasting one, for it is a "night" caused
by the "setting of the sun," and consequently, as day follows
night, so a time will again come when the prophetic day shall
dawn upon the people. This is clearly implied in the
language used, so that the very threat 'to withdraw the Spirit
of prophecy implies a promise of its renewal.

Nahum, B. C. 720-690. This prophet was contemporary
with Micah and Isaiah. He commenced his ministry at the
time of the captivity of the ten tribes. And while the
Assyrian power was boasting over this success, he is called
upon to announce the fall and destruction of their great
metropolis, Nineveh. This is the theme of the whole book.
Nahum wrote his predictions in poetical form, and its sub-
limity of style is unsurpassed. The twelfth and thirteenth
verses of the first chapter are a parenthetic insertion,
giving to the captives in Assyria a promise of deliverance
at some future time.

INTERVAL OF FIFTY YEARS.

For a space of one hundred and fifty years the voice of
prophecy had now been heard among the people. Sometimes
two or more inspired men had been raised up at the same time,
in different parts of the country. But with the death of Isaiah ,
Micah, and Nahum, an interval of fifty years comes, during
which period no prophecies were delivered, as far as we know.
During this time the ten tribes toil in their captivity, and
Judah, still in possession of his inheritance in Palestine, is
growing in sin and hastening on to destruction. But as this
fatal moment approaches, God again sends inspired messen-
gers to warn the people, and to declare His decrees. He
never overthrows nations without due warning. He never
said that further revelations were superfluous.

WAS^HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 15

REVIVAL OF PROPHECY.

Zephaniah, B. C. 640-609, revives the prophetic office
again after fifty years' interval. It seems that God left the
people to themselves during the reign of the wicked King
Manasseh, and first when Josiah had ascended the throne
the voice of God was again heard. This prophet announces
the approaching judgment upon Judah on account of their
idolatry and other sins. Baal, with his black-robed priests
(chemarin), and Moloch are to be cut off, men and beasts, fowls
and fishes to be consumed (chapter i). In the second chap-
ter he predicts the overthrow of the Philistines, the Moabites
Ammonites and Ethiopians, as well as the de olation of the
great Assyrian capital, Nineveh. The book closes with
promises of a restoration yet future.

Jeremiah, B.C. 628-585, was called to the prophetic office
some years before the death of Zephaniah. His prophecies
are delivered in various places. He commences in his native
place, Anathoth, but he was soon compelled to flee from here
on account of his persecutions ; wherefore he took up his resi-
dence in Jerusalem. During the reign of Josiah and Jehoa-
haz he continued his ministry uninterrupted, but when Jeho-
jachim ascended the throne, Jeremiah was incarcerated and
sentenced to death, although the sentence was never carried
out. In prison the prophet committed his message to writing
and commissioned one Baruch to read it in the temple on a
fast-day. The reckless monarch, after having heard a few
pages, had the roll cut to pieces and burned. During the
reign of the next king, Jehojachin, the prophet again utters a
voice ot warning, but without effect. Zedekiah became king.
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem,
but withdrew on hearing that the Egyptians were coming to
rescue. On this occasion the prophet delivered the predic-
tion that the Chaldeans should come again and take the
city and burn it with fire. Having delivered this message he
left Jerusalem, as did, according to the Book of Mormon,
at the same time another righteous man with his family, Lehi.
But Jeremiah was apprehended and thrown into prison, where
he remained until the city was taken by Nebuchadnezzar.

The incarceration of the prophet of God was the sin that

16 joseph smith:

filled the cup ol iniquity of the Jews at this time, and it
brought speedy judgment.

The Babylonian king gave the prophet the choice of fol-
lowing the captives to Babylon or to remain with the remnant.
He chose the latter ; and from this time all his endeavors
are to turn the people to God, promising them that if they
would do so, God would yet build them up in their desolate
country. But they did not listen to his advice. They left the
country and emigrated to Egypt, bringing the prophet with
them (chapter xliii). Here he once more lifts up his voice,
trying to induce the people to turn to the Lord. After this
we hear no more of him. Tradition says he was put to death
in Egypt by his own people.

Among the predictions of this remarkable prophet, we
note the following: The fate of Zedekiah (xxxiv, 2, 3); the
precise duration of the Babylonian captivity, viz., seventy
years (xxv , n, 12.); the downfall of Babylon and the return of
the Jews (xxix, 10-14). There are also many predictions
concerning Messiah, whom he calls "Jehovah our righteous-
ness." The final salvation of Israel is set forth in many
passages: iii, 15-18; xxxi , 31-34; I, 4,5-

As the predictions of Jeremiah are not chronologically
arranged, and no clue is left as.to their true chronological order,
it is sometimes very difficult to decide which predictions have
already been fulfilled and which refer to events yet future.
Only through the Spirit of revelation can this be determined.

Habakkuk, B. C. 612-598, is thought to have lived in
Judea shortly before the captivity. If this supposition is cor-
rect, he was contemporary with Jeremiah. The prophet com-
mences his book with a lamentation over the sins of Judah.fore-
telling the judgment that was to be poured out over the people
through the invasion of the Chaldeans. Then the destruction
of the Chaldeans is shown unto him in a vision (chapter ii),
and the book closes with a song, composed probably for the
use of the people in public worship, and designed to comfort
them under the coming afflictions.

Daniel, B. C. 606-534, was born shortly before the Baby-
lonian captivity and cairied to Babylon in his eighteenth year.
Here, through his faithfulness to his God, he soon rose to an
eminent position, and retained his power during both the

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 17

Babylonian and the Persian dynasties. He prophesied dur-
ing the whole of the captivity, his last two prophecies being
delivered two years after the return of the captives. He did
not return to Palestine, but died [in, Babylon, at least ninety
years old.

The first six chapters are a historic record, setting forth
the events which led to the recognition of Daniel as a prophet
of God, also the conversion of Nebuchadnezzar, the fall of
Belshazzar and the promotion of Daniel to the office of a
president over one hundred and twenty princes ''who should
be over the whole kingdom." This historic record is inter-
woven with predictions relating to the various kingdoms of
the world. Thus in the second chapter we see before us, as in
a beautiful panorama, a succession of kingdoms until the
kingdom of God is being established, "never to be destroyed,"
"but it shallbreak in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand forever."

This prediction is distinct and clear, yet the remark made
repeatedly before is applicable here: Revelation is necessary
in order to understand the details of its fulfilment. That
God in the last days will establish an everlasting kingdom,
is foretold plainly enough. But "except a man be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom," so that the prediction
given does not exclude the necessity of continuous revelation.
Through revelation Daniel was enabled to predict the estab-
lishmert of this kingdom ; through revelation only can we
perceive the establishment thereof and recognize its existence.

The second part of the book is prophetic and comprises
in its wonderful views events from the time of Daniel to the
final resurrection of the dead. It is an epitomized history of
the world, written in advance of the events.

In chapter vii, the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian and
Roman empires are represented by the four beasts: a lion, a
bear, a leopard, and a fourth beast "dreadful and terrible, and
strong, exceedingly." This, the Roman beast (or kingdom) has
ten horns, among which a "little horn" came up, having "eyes
like a man and a mouth speaking great things." The prophet
follows the proceedings of this beast and particularly the
little horn until "the ancient of days" sits in judgment. Note
that the whole of this vision has reference to the four empires

IS JOSEPH smith:

in their religious connection with each other, as the dream of
Nebuchadnezzar (chapter ii.) represents them in their political
connection. The "little horn" is therefore to be understood
to represent the papal power, which afterward is said to have
a time of twelve hundred and sixty years allotted to its
blasphemous rule, after which time comes the triumph of the
"Saints of the Most High "

In the eighth chapter the prophet has a vision concerning
the Medo-Persian and the Grecian empires, the second and
the third "beasts" of the previous vision. The Medo-Persian
empire is represented by a ram with two horns, and the Gre-
cian by a goat having a "notable horn," Alexander the
Great, between its eyes. The conquests of Alexander are
described, and also the divisions of his kingdom into four
parts. Then rises "a little horn" as in the previous vision,
a false, crafty tyrant, probably Antiochus Epiphanes, whose
character is outlined, ano whose oppressions of the people of
God causes Daniel to faint and feel sick for many days. That
this little horn represents Antiochus Epiphanes is a view en-
tertained by the most ancient writers, but this does not ex-
clude the probability that the papal power is also referred to
as the complete fulfilment of this part of the prophecy. What
Antiochus was to the jews during the time of the Maccabees,
the papal power has been to the Church of Christ in all ages.

The ninth chapter contains a prayer offered by the prophet
in behalf of himself and his people. He particularly supplicates
God to again restore the sanctuary in Jerusalem. As an
answer to this prayer, Gabriel appears and informs him of the
precise time for the coming of Messiah, "to finish the trans-
gression, and to make an end to sin, and to make a reconcilia-
tion for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness
and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the
most Holy." In seven weeks, or in forty-nine years, reckon-
ing from the decree of Artaxerxes, 457 B. C, the walls ot
Jerusalem were to be rebuilt, though in times of great
trouble. In sixty-two weeks, or four hundred and thirty four
years, Christ was to appear, and in the midst of one week,
that is after three years and a half, to be slain.

In the tenth chapter we are allowed to cast a glance behind
the veil, and contemplate the wonderful fact that heavenly

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD.'' 19

messengers are employed to convey intelligence to holy men
and that they, while so doing, have to overcome opposing
powers, much as mortal men have in the performance of their
duties. A divine messenger has been sent to instruct Daniel
concerning some records in "the Scripture of Truth/' a
heavenly record, but this messenger is met and opposed by
"the prince of the kingdom of Persia," whereupon a struggle
that lasts for twenty days follows. The victory would appar-
ently have been dubious had not Michael himself come to the
assistance of the messenger.

In the eleventh chapter, the things noted in "the Scripture of
Truth" are detailed. These things commence with the his-
tory of Persia. Four 1< ings are foretold: Cambyses, Smer-
dis, Darius and Xerxes {v. 2). Then follows a prediction of
Alexander the Great, his history and his successors in "the
South" (Egypt) and the North (Syria), down to the time of
Antiochus Epiphanes {v. 3-29). Then follows the conquest of
Syria by the Romans "Chittim," (v. 30), with the rise of the
papal power {v. 31-89). The character of this power and
many of its corrupt doctrines are here predicted with minute-
ness. Then come the invasions of the Saracens (the king of
the South) andof the Turks (the king of the North). The coun-
tries to be conquered by the Turks are enumerated {v. 41-43),
as are also those that were to escape. The chapter closes with a
prediction concerning the end of the Turkish empire, yet to
be fulfilled: "He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace be-
tween the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall
come to his end, and none shall help him."

The first verse of the twelfth chapter predicts the full de-
liverance of the Jewish nation through the interposition of "the
great prince," Michael, an event to be looked for after the fall
of "the king of the North, "or the Turkish empire, and the next
verses refer to the resurrection of mankind. The book
closes with some chronological statements, unintelligible even
to the prophet, himself {v. 8), but the promise is given that at
the end of time many shall receive knowledge concerning
these predictions {v. 4), a promise which evidently implies re-
newed revelations. For how could these things in the last
days be known without such revelation, any more than
Daniel could know them without revelation ? 4 QQQy

20 JOSEPH smith:

One thing is noticeable all through this prophetic record.
Each new vision requires a new revelation from God. Daniel
is constantly seeking knowledge from God concerning the
right understanding of the visions given, and it is only
through this means that he receives his knowledge. Con-
tinuous revelation was necessary to this the most remarkable
prophet of the ancient world. So it is to us, if we want to
understand the plans and purposes of the Almighty. Where
there is no revelation spiritual darkness prevails, notwithstand-
ing the plainest writings of God. A Belshazzar and the whole
collegium of learned priests may see on the wall the "Mene,
mene, thekel, upharsin," but a Daniel, a man in constant com-
munication with God, is required to interpret it according to
its right meaning.

Ezekiel, B. C. 595-574, was carried captive to Babylon at
the first invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, eleven years before
the destruction of Jerusalem. He was contemporary with
Jeremiah and Daniel, but lived some two hundred miles north
of Babylon on the banks of the river Chebar. Tradition has
it that he was put to death by a fellow-exile whom he had
rebuked for idolatry.

The predictions of this prophet were delivered, some be-
fore and some after the destruction of Jerusalem by
Nebuchadnezzar. Before this event he calls upon the people
to repent and warns them against seeking aid of the Egyp-
tians. He assures them that the fal! of their beloved city was
now unavoidable. When the Chaldean king commenced his
siege of the city, God revealed this to the prophet in his
exile: "Son of man/' God says to him, "write thee the
name of the day, even of this day: the king of Babylon set
himself against Jerusalem this same day" (xxiv, 2). This was
in the ninth year of his captivity. Three years later he re-
ceived the intelligence that the city had*fallen (xxxiii, 21). Dur-
ing this period all the predictions of the prophet are directed
against foreign nations. After he had heard of the fall of
Jerusalem, his principal object in view is to comfort the people
with promises of restoration and future blessings.

The cj >sing chapters (xl-xlviii) of the book of Ezekiel un-
doubtedly refer to events yet future. The descriptions of
the glorious building there given will no doubt once be recog-

WAS HE? A PROPHET OF GOD ? 21

nized in a structure hereafter to be reared by the people of
God. But as yet, like all unfulfilled predictions, much of it is
obscure and cannot be understood until the light of revela-
tion removes all obscurity therefrom.

Obadiah, B. C. 588-583, is supposed to have prophesied
during the period between the fall of Jerusalem and the con-
quest of Edom, five years later. On this supposition, he was
a contemporary of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.

His predictions are directed against the Edomites. And
he especially points out that there was a great difference be"
tween the judgments executed upon Judah and upon Edom.
For Judah should again be raised from her present fall and
finally possess not only Judea, but also the land of the Philis-
tines and that of the Edomites, while Edom should be "as
though they had not been" (v. 16), a prediction that has been
remarkably fulfilled to our own day. And while Edom is
thus utterly swallowed up, "saviors shall come upon Mount
Zion to judge the Mount of Esau, and the kingdom shall be
the Lord's" (v. 21).

Three nations were foremost in afflicting the ancient people
of God, viz.: the Assyrians, the Chaldeans, and the Edom-
ites. Three prophets were commissioned by the Lord to
announce the judgment upon these three nations: "Nahum
foretells the destruction of the Assyrians, Habakkuk of the
Chaldeans, and Obadiah of the Edomites.

THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS.

As had been foretold by the prophets, and particularly by
Isaiah, the exiled Jews were permitted to return home during
the reign of Cyrus. As soon as they reached the Holy Land,
we find them uniting their efforts to re-establish the religious
rites of their fathers, aided by the noble leaders, Zerubbabel,
Joshua, Ezra and Nehemiah. They erect an altar of burnt
offering and rebuild the destroyed temple. Then the city
wall is built, and various officers appointed as circumstances
required. For further particulars the reader is referred to
the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

It may be well to state here — although the remark may, to
some extent, deviate from the subject under consideration —
that the restoration of the Jewish nation at this time was very

22 JOSEPH SMITH:

far from being that complete restoration to more than former
privileges, liberty and glory, of which all the prophets had
spoken in such glorious terms. The promise was that the
whole remnant should be delivered, even if they were as nu-
merous as the sand on the sea shore. But from Babylon only
comparatively (ew ever returned. The company of Zerubba-
bel consisted of fifty thousand persons, and Ezra led six
thousand more home. The great bulk of people that had
been born in the foreign land never returned. (See Book of
Esther).

Again, the promise was that a kingdom should be estab-
lished, with the Holy City as the capital, an everlasting king-
dom governed by God himself through Messiah. This prom-
ise has never yet been fulfilled. In fact, the Jews have never
since their overthrow by Nebuchadnezzar been an independ-
ent nation, governed by rulers of their own, except during the
very short rule of the Maccabees. After their return they
continued to be tributary to the Persian king for about one
hundred years, as a province of Syria. When Alexander had
conquered Persia (Syria and Palestine with it), they fell into
his hands. When the Grecian empire was divided, Palestine
fell into the hands of Ptolemy Lagus as a part of the Egyptian
monarchy, and it remained so for about one hundred years,
when it was transferred to the kings of Syria, in which situa-
tion it greatly suffered during the frequent wars between
Egypt and Syria. Antiochus Epiphanes, one of the Syrian
kings, plundered the city and the temple and enslaved the
people. For about three years and a half they were reduced
to worse than Egyptian thraldom. Their sacred manuscripts
were burnt, and the people were compelled to sacrifice to
idols. The temple itself was dedicated to Jupiter, a statue of
which was erected on the altar of God. Compare Daniel's
prediction of "the little horn" (chapter viii, 9-12). Through
the noble enthusiasm and patriotism of Mattathias and his
sons, a struggle against the oppressor now took place which
secured to the Jews a few years of dearly bought liberty and
independence, but they were soon conquered by the Romans.
Pompey marched his army into Judea, conquered Jeru-
salem and made the country tributary to Rome. Herod the
Great deposed the last of the Maccabean family from his office,

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 23

and Palestine has never since been an independent state.
Ever since the Rabylonian captivity the great bulk of
the Jewish nation has been scattered abroad, without
home, without temple, without an altar, and strangers have
been masters in the land of promise. It is therefore clear
that all the prophecies that relate to the glorious restoration
of the Jews 'must be understood of a great restoration yet
future, a very important fact .'for the right understanding of
those prophecies.

THE LAST PROPHETS OF THE OLD COVENANT.

But to return to our subject. It has been already stated
that the first care of the returned exiles was to re-establish
their religion. To do this, they were under the necessity of
having new revelations. True, they had the writings of Moses
and of the prophets, and they had inspired interpreters, like
Ezra and Nehemiah. True, their aim was not to construct a
new economy, but simply to re-establish the old one. And
yet even this they could not do acceptably to God without the
aid of revelation. Hence God raised up three prophets —
Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, the last three of the old
covenant. What an overwhelming proof of the necessity of
continuous revelation !

Haggai, B.C. 520-518, is thought to have been born in Baby-
lon, and to have emigrated with Zerubbabel.

His book contains four prophetic messages. In the first
the people are reproved for neglecting to build the temple,
while they were adorning their own houses, and a command
is given to begin the construction immediately (chapter i,
1-11), to which command the people, led by Zerubbabel and
Joshua, willingly responded (i, 12-15). But in a month the
zeal of the people seems to have cooled off and the second,
message is delivered, declaring that the Spirit of God was still
with the people. "A little while," God says, "and I will shake
the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land"
(which ac:ording to Paul, Hebrews xii, 22-28, was fulfilled
when the old dispensation was superceded by the gospel dis-
pensation), "and:the desire of all nations (Messiah) shall come;
and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts,"
(chapter ii, T-9), which "glory" is thought to refer to the

24 JOSEPH smith:

presence of Christ in this second temple instead of the She-
kinah that had illuminated the first temple. In the third
message, delivered two months afterwards, the people are be-
ing rebuked for polluting themselves while working in the
holy building and offering sacrifices. God reminds them that
He had blessed them abundantly, from the time they had laid
the corner-stone of the temple (chapter ii, 10-19). The fourth
message is delivered the same day. It contains a general pre-
diction of the overthrow of the kingdoms of the world and
the promise of a special blessing to Zerubbabel at that time.
It is clear enough that the right interpretation of this promise
can be comprehended by no man, until divine revelation shall
make it known.

Zechariah was,like Haggai.born in Babylonia and went to
Palestine with Zerubbabel. The general object of his ministry
is identical with that of Haggai, and through the encourage-
ment and wise counsels of these prophets the people pros-
pered, and the temple was completed in six years. But be-
sides this general object, Zechariah describes through direct
predictions and symbolic acts, the history of the Jews until
the end of time. Daniel deals with the history of the world;
Zechariah with the history of the covenant people. Among
the predictions of this prophet we will here notice some of
the last. According to the ninth chapter, the surrounding
heathen nations are to be destroyed, Messiah shall come as a
king (v. 9) and establish His reign upon the earth. "His do-
minion shall be from sea even to sea and from the rivers to the
ends of the earth" (verse 10). Scenes of destruction are to
intervene, however, but the Lord will deliver His people,
both Judah and Ephraim (chapter x, 1-12). "I will strength-
en the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph,
and I will bring them again to place them ; and they shall be
as though I had not cast them off; for I am the Lord their
God, and will hear them. And they of Ephraim shall be
like a mighty man," a glorious prediction of the restorative
work, commenced in our own day by God, through His ser-
vant Joseph, the prophet. We are further told that Jerusalem
shall be besieged by many nations and the result there- ■
of (chapter xii, 1-14) ; Christ shall finally appear and all the
world will become "Holiness to the Lord" (chapter xiv).

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 25

Thus prophecy, so far from leading us to expect that
revelation finally will cease, being superfluous, expressly
states that Christ Himself in person will appear and communi-
cate His will to men. "Why?" it may be asked; and the
answer is clear: "Because revelation is essential to true
religion."

Malachi, B. C. 420-397, was the successor^ Haggai and
the last prophet of the old covenant. The temple had now-
been finished and the service of the altar established. But a
spirit of worldliness and insincerity is getting hold of both
the priesthood and the people, and this prophet is especially
commissioned to warn them against their sins.

But his warnings are not heeded. Tne people prepare
themselves for calamities. The Spirit of prophecy is with-
drawn for a period of four hundred years. The temple and
the people are given into the hands of Antiochus Epiphanes.
The old dispensation is virtually closed.

CONCLUSIONS FROM THE FOREGOING.

The conclusions arrived at now are clear and need only to
be briefly stated. We have seen that no book of the Old
Testament, although all are written and preserved for the in-
struction of the human race in all ages, contains anything
that is of such a nature as to exclude further revelation. Not
one single passage, nor all the passages combined, are so
written as to exclude the necessity of the revelations con-
tained in the NewTestament,for instance. On the contrary, one
revelation leads to another, God always giving'fline upon line,
precept upon precept," imparting knowledge as men are will-
ing and able to receive it. For it is through revelation that
God educates His servants and His people; and as in any
branch of study we are led on from the fundamental prin-
ciples and find that each new truth suggests others, so here,
each new truth revealed leads us to others, until — were such a
case possible — we have been permited to exhaust the entire
fulness of divine knowledge.

We have also seen that the servants of God in the old
covenant declare the continuation of revelation. They do
not consider the prophetic gilt or the gift of receiving
revelations as peculiar to their own dispensation. They

26 JOSEPH smith:

point to "the last days" as a time in which the Spirit of the
Lord is to be poured out more abundantly than in any former
period. And His presence is to be manifested through
"dreams and visions." The withdrawal of these they
designate as a calamity. They speak of the time in which
such heavenly gifts are withdrawn, as "night" and "dark-
ness," while consequently, the presence of them indicate day
and light. Now, are day and light necessary for the physical
welfare of man? If so, revelations are also necessary for his
spiritual advancement.

We have further seen that the establishment of new
economies requires new revelations. Moses was familiar with
the revelations given to the patriarchs before him. But when
he was called upon to usher in the dispensation of the law, he
could not do this without new revelations. Nor could
Zerubbabel re-establish this dispensation after the return
from Babylon without the aid of revelation. Through the
revelations given to the Prophet Haggai the people "pros-
pered" and were able to complete their work as commanded
by the Lord (Ezra vi, 14). Without this, they would not
have been able to prosper.

Sometimes we see that revelations are given to faithful
servants of God as a special favor to them. In such cases,
what is seen or heard must not be recorded — is was the case
with some visions of Paul in the New Testament — or, if re-
corded, is sealed up in mystical expressions, unintelligible to
the common reader, until the Spirit of revelation gives the
true interpretation thereof. This was the case with some of
Daniel's visions, and with at least one of the visions of John
(Rev. x, 4, 5).

Are revelations, then, given in order to establish new
economies, to preserve the children of God from falling into
darkness, to instruct them about things known to God
alone, in one word to lead men unto salvation? Surely, there
never can be a time when revelation is not necessary.

THE NEW TESTAMENT.

But it will be said, no one (except the Jews perhaps) con-
tend that the Old Testament alone contains all that is neces-
ary to know. The New Testament is a supplement to the

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 27

Old Testament, and the two together contain the fulness ot
God's revelations. The prophecies of the Old Testament are
fulfilled in the New, and to the volume thus completed
nothing must be added.

Is there anything in the New Testament to verify this
statement so universally accepted as true among the "Chris-
tian" Protestantic world? Or does the New Testament con-
firm the conclusions we have arrived at in the perusal of
the Old?

The New Testament contains five historic books, viz.:
the four Gospels and the Acts of'the Apostles; fourteen letters
written by Paul; three by John, and two by Peter, one letter
by James, and one by Jude, to which collection comes one
phophetic book by John.

THE FOUR GOSPELS.

The four Gospels are brief, biographical sketches, records
of a few of the works and teachings of our Lord.

It may be supposed that those disciples of Christ that were
able to write, like Matthew and John, would keep journals
while they followed their master, witnessing his works and
listening to his teachings. These journals would, after the
crucifixion and ascension, natuarlly be read in private and
in public. They would be copied and distributed in the vari-
ous branches of the church and form texts for discourses, and
thus be augmented with such incidents or sayings which were
still retained in the memories of those who had been eye wit-
nesses. In this way several versions of the doings and say-
ings of our Lord began to circulate, some, no doubt, contra-
dicting others, until the necessity became universally felt to
have some authentic record, showing exactlv what was reliable
of the many circulating reports, and what was not reliable.
And the result is the four gospels according to Matthew
Mark, Luke and John.

At what precise time these gospels were completed in
their present form is a question not yet settled between the
various critics. That they, in their present form, were issued
by the apostles, whose names they bear, seems irreconcilable
with some facts. There are, for instance, words and phrases
found, which could hardly have had any significance until

28 JOSEPH smith:

some time after the time of the apostles. The word "kephas"
(John i, 43) does not occur in classical Hebrew, but is used
by later Talmudistic writers signifying something hard, a
rock. "Petra" (Matt, xvi, 18) meaning a "rock," has a strong
Latin color, while the Hebrew for "rock" is "zur." And the
expression "to take up the cross," or "to bear the cross," is
all the more remarkable, as in the Hebrew there was at that
time no word equivalent to 'cross," which is of Latin origin.
Even later Jewish writers found it difficult to adequately ex-
press the idea of a cross, and hence used the word zelem,
which, however, signifies an image, and the translations of
the New Testament, both into Hebrew and Arabic, have
found no better way out of the difficulty than to adopt the
Chaldaic zeliba, gallows. Of this a modern form, zelab, is
made to represent the idea "cross." From these and many
other circumstances, we seem justified in the conclusion that
the four gospels have been subjected to foreign influences,
which have modified their form in various ways. But that
they are based upon and contain the "memoirs" of our Lord,
as published by the apostles, by mouth and pen, need not be
doubted. The testimony of antiquity is conclusive on this
point.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW.

According to general tradition in the early church, the an-
notations of Matthew were written in the vernacular tongue of
Palestine, Syro-Chaldaic, a tradition very probable indeed.
But as Greek at this time was the literary language, the origi-
nal was soon translated into this tongue, under the supervi-
sion of Matthew himself, about thirty years after the cruci-
fixion. It may be safely assumed that our "Gospel According
to St. Matthew" is in the main identical with this original
document of the apostle.

The aim of this gospel is clearly to prove to the Jews that
Jesus is the promised Messiah. It frequently refers to the
prophets, refutes the various Jewish sects, and tries to pre-
pare the Jewish nation for the acceptance of the Gentiles into
the Kingdom of God.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK.
While Matthew was penning his gospel for the Jews, Mark

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 29

was preparing his, chiefly for the converts among the Gen-
tiles. This Mark was not an apostle and had not been an
eye-witness to the life and deeds of our Lord. But he was a
native of Jerusalem and an intimate friend of the apostles.
He accompanied Paul on some of his journeys and attended
Peter for a considerable period, and during this time he no
doubt wrote the gospel that bears his name, according to the
dictates of Peter. Some have called this the "Gospel Ac-
cording to St. Peter," and Peter himself, in his second epistle,
refers, perhaps, to this gospel when he says: "We make
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ."

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE.

The gospel according to Luke was written in Rome
by Luke, the physician, one of Paul's most faithful com-
panions and friends. The author states that many had un-
dertaken to collect the facts preached concerning Christ and
believed among the Christians, according to the traditions
handed down from eye-witnesses, and consequently, in order to
secure a collection that would be reliable, he himself had
diligently searched out everything that at the time of the writing
was available. These data, the result of diligent research,
Luke endeavors to put before the readers in chronological
order, while the two previous evangelists pay but little atten-
tion to chronology. The gospel was written under the
supervision of Paul.

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN.

The latest of the gospels is that of John. It is said to
have been written at Ephesus, where John resided, presiding
over the branches originated by Paul. John, having before
him copies of the three previous gospels, naturally omits
many data there recorded, introducing others which he had
preserved from oblivion. The chief aim of John is to set forth
the divine nature of our Lord. The previous evangelists
dwell mostly on the works of our Savior in Galilee. John
omits most of that, recording his works in Judea.

Let it be remembered that this book is the last written of
all the books of the Bible, about ninety-seven years after
Christ, and that its aim is to correct the errors of doctrine,

30 Joseph smith:

then becoming common among the churches, concerning the
true character of Christ.

TESTIMONY OF THE GOSPELS.

We may now ask: When these books were written, were
they intended to contain all that would ever be necessary for
men to know concerning God's plans and purposes, thus
making all further revelation superfluous? What do the
gospels teach concerning this question?

The first pages of the gospel confirm the lesson we have
drawn from the Old Testament, that revelation is necessary
for the establishment of a new dispensation. For the gospel
dispensation is ushered in and established through
revelation. Zacharias is visited by an angel (Luke i,
1 1-20). Gabriel appears to Mary (Luke i, 26-38). John the
Baptist is commissioned by God to preach and baptize (John
i> 6, 33). That Jesus was Messiah is manifest to John
through revelation. The Spirit descends and a voice from
heaven is heard (John i, 32, 34; Matt, iii, 16, 17). And this
point is particularly noteworthy. All the ancient prophets
had predicted the coming of the Messiah. Some of them had
given details about where He would be born, His parentage,
and the precise time of His coming, and yet it was necessary,
when He came, to give new revelations, pointing Him out to
the most devout servant of God then living. Previous revela-
tions are here clearly seen not to render new revelations
useless. And as the gospels thus begin with revelations, so
they close with declarations that revelation should continue.
For in His farewell address to His disciples, Christ says: "I
have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear
them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come,
he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of him-
self; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he
will show you things to come " (John xvi, 12, 13). Christ here
expressly states that His ministry did not complete God's
revelations. There were many other things to learn than
those which he had communicated, and among these were
also 'things to come," all of which the Spirit should commun-
icate to the Twelve. Revelation, then, was not to be done
away with at the departure of our Lord. The last verse of

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 31

the fourth gospel, the last verse ever written in our New
Testament states, moreover, that the things recorded in the
gospels are only a small fragment of all that could be written
concerning the works of Christ. These works and the les-
sons to be conveyed were no doubt necessary, and yet we
have no record of them. The gospels, therefore, openly
admit that they are not intended to be a complete record
of all that is necessary for man to know. They claim to
be written for the purpose of directing men's hearts to
Jesus (John xx, 31), and point out His promise to continue
the revelation of truth through the Spirit. This is the
important testimony of the gospels. All the works and the
teachings of Christ were not enough for the guidance of the
first Christians. They needed and were promised further
revelation. To us has come a record not of all of Christ's
teachings, but only of a very few, merely a fragment. If all
the teachings of Christ given during His ministry upon the
earth were not sufficient for the guidance of the apostles, how
much less can the gospels, which contain only a small part of
these teachings, be sufficient for other men? The thought is
as irrational as it is without foundation in the Word of God.

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

The only question now remains: Do the Acts of the
Apostles and their Epistles supply us with all the teachings
that the Spirit of Truth, according to our Savior's promise,
was to reveal to the Apostles, and which were necessary for
their guidance? If not, continuous revelation will be just as
necessary after the New Testament dispensation as it was
after the Mosaic economy.

The book called the Acts of the Apostles was written by
Luke, and may be considered as a continuation of his
Gospel. In this book we can trace the growth ot Chris-
tian churches during the greater part of the first century after
Christ. It covers the period from the time of the crucifixion
to the second year of the first imprisonment of Paul in Rome,
A. D. 63, and there it breaks off even without recording the
issue of the trial. The book may be divided in two parts.
The first twelve chapters describe the growth of the Church
of Christ among the Jews in Palestine, chiefly through the

32 JOSEPH SMITH.

labors of Peter. The last sixteen chapters treat of the spread
of the Gospel among other nations, chiefly through the labors
of Paul. Of the works of the rest of the Apostles we have no
account.

Tradition has it, that Matthew suffered martyrdom in
Ethiopia; Philip in Phrygia; Thomas in India, and so on.
But of their work for the promulgating the gospel in the dif-
ferent parts of the world we have no record. What they
taught, what difficulties they encountered, how they preached,
suffered and endured may be conjectured. But it has not
reached us in any historic record.

Nor is the Acts of the Apostles a complete record of the
works of the two servants of God, whose ardent labors are
noticed. It is as fragmentary as are the gospels. Many im-
portant transactions, referred to elsewhere, are omitted.
There is no account whatever of the branch in Jerusalem after
the imprisonment and deliverance of Peter. Nothing is told
of the introduction of the Gospel in Rome, the capital of the
world at that time. Nor does it say anything of Paul's many
voyages, which he incidentally mentions (II Cor. xi, 25).

Considering all this, it seems as if the Spirit of Truth had
been anxious to guard against the impression that this book
was intended to conclude God's revelations to mankind.

Let us consider the facts. Christ had promised to send
the Spirit of Truth to His chosen Twelve. What this Spirit
was to reveal was, of course, as essential and necessary to
salvation as anything that our Savior had revealed Himself.
But of all this that the Spirit, according to the promise,
has revealed to the Twelve, only a small part has been re-
corded. How can this small part be sufficient to us, since it
was not sufficient to the first Christians?

But, besides this, the book of the Acts shows plainly the
necessity of continuous revelation; for wherever the gospel is
being accepted, the gift of receiving revelation is being impart-
ed through faith. Peter, in his first sermon, declares that the
time has now come when the Spirit shall be poured out upon
all flesh. Prophecy, visions, dreams were to attend the be-
lievers (Acts ii, 17, 18); and, accordingly, whenever the gospel
is preached and believed, these manifestations follow. The
heavens are opened to Stephen, and he, is permitted to seethe

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 33

Son of God on the right hand of the Father (Acts vi, 55, 56);
an angel of the Lord appears and directs Philip (Acts viii,
26); Christ appears to Saul (Acts ix, 3-6); through the vision
of an angel Cornelius is led to send for Peter, and he receives
supernatural gifts (Acts x, 1-48); an angel delivers Peter from
prison (Acts xii, 7, 8); the Holy Ghost reveals to the brethren
in Antioch that they should send Paul and Barnabas on a
mission (Acts xiii, 1-4); through the Spirit the apostles and
elders are able to settle the dispute about the doctrine of cir-
cumcision (Acts xv, 1-31); twelve men in Ephesus receive the
Holy Ghost through the administration of Paul, and prophesy
and speak in tongues (Acts xix, 1 7). Wherever the gospel
message is delivered and believed, in Palestine, in Greece, in
Asia Minor, the results are the same. The Holy Ghost is
given, and His presence is manifested through these gifts.

The Acts of the Apostles has taught us this important les-
son— that the gift of receiving revelations was not confined to
.the Twelve nor was the gift to cease with them. The gift
itself was inseparable from the gospel. Where there is no
gospel there are no revelations, but where the true gospel of
Jesus Christ is, there is revelation also. The promise of re-
ceiving the Holy Ghost, the promised Spirit of truth that
was to lead into all truth and to reveal things to come, is a
universal promise: "For the promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar ofheven as many as the Lord
our God shall call" (Acts ii, 39).

THE EPISTLES.

The epistles of the apostles confirm most emphatically
the necessity of constant revelations from God. The apos-
tolic churches could not do without such revelations. Hence
the necessity of the churches communicating with the apostles
and the apostles writing their epistles, embodying the
will of God.

For instance, an error arises, as was the case in Colossae.
Paul was at the time in Rome, but the church in Colossae sent
a special messenger to Paul, viz.: Epaphras, who explained
the situation to the apostle and caused the letter to the Colos-
siansto'be written as a refutation of that peculiar error.
The'|Scriptures were not sufficient for the guidance of the

34 JOSEPH SMITH.

Colossians, The new emergency required a new communi-
cation from God, a new revelation, and God gave it through
Paul, his servant.

So with all the epistles. Each has a particular object.
None is a treatise on theology, putting forth all that is neces-
sary to know for all ages and all men. There is not one
written for that purpose.

The first epistles of Paul, I and II Thessalonians, 52 and
53 A. D., express the joy and sitisfaction of the apostle on
account of the manner in which the people of Thessalonica
had received the gospel. He cautions them against the sins
prevalent in that great city, and comforts those who mourned
over the loss of dear relatives. The "dead in the Lord" will
be resurrected at the coming of the Lord, and this event is
more fully explained, in accordance with the prophecy of
Daniel concerning the "little horn" (Dan. viii).

The next epistle, that to the Galatians, A. D. 53 or 57, is a
warning to the churches in that district not to mix up the
rites of the Mosaic law with the ordinances of the gospel, as
the two were so different from each other as Ishmael and
Isaac, Sinai and Zion. And to give this admonition force, the
writer proves that his knowledge of Christian truth was de-
rived not from human teaching, but from God through im-
mediate revelation, wherefore the apostles of the Lord had
recognized him as their equal (chap, i, 2).

The epistles to the Corinthians were written A. D. 57 in
reply to a letter received by Paul from the branch in Corinth,
requesting his advice on certain points (ch. vii, 1); also to cor-
rect some errors of which he had heard by report (i, 11; v, 1;
xi, 18). The state of the branch was, however, such that the
Apostle deemed it necessary to send Timothy there also, thus
imparting both by letter and by verbal preaching communica-
tions from God. Mark how special emergencies require
special revelations !

The epistle to the Romans (A. D. 58) is the most system-
atic of all the writings of Paul, and one that by Protestants is
considered the basis of gospel theology. The scope of this
epistle is to reconcile the Jews and the Gentiles in the church
of Christ, by placing all on one level in the sight of God.
"All have sinned;" "all must be saved by the same means."

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 35

This is the whole epistle in one sentence. Now, it is instruc-
tive to notice how the apostle in this important letter to the
Romans illustrates the question under consideration. In the
very first chapter he says he is constantly praying that God
may give him an opportunity of visiting Rome, not indeed as
a tourist and sightseer, but "that I might impart unto you
some spiritual gift" (ch. i, n). What "spiritual gifts" are, we
learn in I Cor. xii, viz.: "Word of wisdom," of "knowledge,"
"faith," "healing," "miracles," "prophecy," etc. So that it
was not enough, according to Paul, for the Christians in
Rome to have all the sacred Scriptures, including this letter,
but they needed something more. They needed ''spiritual
gifts" continued among them. It has been reserved for later
"Christians"to discover that Paul was wrong,and that"spiritual
gifts" were of no account as long as the Scriptures were to be
had at a cheap price.

To have the Spirit of God is, further, put forth as the
necessary condition of a "child" of God. "If Christ be in
you the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life be-
cause of righteousness." "As many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God." "The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God" (chap, viiij. Such is the importance given to the pos-
session of the Spirit of God. But we have already seen that
the very office of the Spirit is to "lead into all truth, and to
reveal things to come." He who has the Spirit has, there-
fore, the Spirit of revelation, and the apostle contends that
man without the Spirit of revelation is a stranger and an
enemy to God (chap, viii, 5-9). The apostle further states
that at the time when the fulness of the Gentiles has been
gathered in, direct communication from God will still con-
tinue. "For there shall come out of Zion the deliverer and
turn away ungodliness from Jacob" (chap, xi, 26). How
could this be possible if all communication with God had
ceased with the close of the New Testament? But they have
not ceased, "for the gifts and calling of God are without re-
pentance" (chap, xi, 29).

This may suffice to show that the great /Vpostle of the
Gentiles never meant his letter to the Romans nor any other
letter to close the channels of revelation.

36 JOSEPH smith:

Let us remind ourselves of one more fact. The writers of
the New Testament themselves state that they had not
written all that was necessary for instruction. In writing to
the Corinthians about the partaking of the Lord's supper
Paul gives some general directions, but concludes by saying:
"The rest will I set in order when I come" (I Cor. xi, 34).
Now, what instructions or arrangements are here left out ?
We do not know. But we see that the written word was not
meant to convey all that was necessary to know. The same
expression we find in the second letter of John. "Having
many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper
and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face"
(II John, 12). See also (III John, 13). Who can then say that
we in the books of the Bible have all that written which God
ever intended to convey to mankind, and that revelation has
ceased ? The idea is a direct contrast to the word of the
apostles.

It is instructive to notice how theologians have been com-
pelled to turn their own reasons upside down, and to stretch
the various passages of Scripture on their learned racks in
order to make them fit for all occasions. Luther's explana-
tion of our Lord's prayer is a curious instance. " Daily
bread" means, according to that noted reformer, not only what
you eat and drink, but "bread" means also a house and a
wife, obedient children, good neighbors and "other such
things." Whether in "daily bread" was included the beer-keg
that Luther received among his wedding presents, the re-
former does not state, but in the "other such things" is room
for a considerable quantity of "bread." Of course, that kind
of exegesis fills everything into the Bible. By it anything
can be got of anything or of nothing, but God never put it
there. Man did it, and, by so doing, proved himself to be on
the wrong track, to say the least.

In order to gain a sound understanding of the word oi
God, the various books must be read as Mr. Locke says the
EpisUcS ought to be read. He requires you to read through
one epistle at a sitting, and observe its drift and aim. " If,"
says he, "the first reading gave some light, the second gave
me more ; and so I persisted on reading constantly the whole
epistle over at once, till I came to have a general view of the

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 37

writer's purpose, the chief branches of his discourse, the
arguments he used, and the disposition of the whole.
This, I confess, is not to be obtained by one or two
hasty readings ; it must be repeated again and again,
with a close attention to the tenor of the discourse, and a per-
fect neglect of the divisions into chapters and verses." If this
plan be adopted, and the books of the Bible be read with a
humble, prayerful heart, a heart in unison with the authors
that wrote, the true meaning of the word will be grasped .

And the clearer this true meaning becomes, the more it will
appear that nothing short of continued communication with
God can satisfy the heart. For it is the very purpose of the
written word of God to lead men to seek this communication
with God, to guide, in other words, the straying child to its
loving father.

PROPHECIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

Without entering into a more minute examination of the
remaining epistles, we will proceed to consider some of the
prophecies of the Gospel dispensation.

Prominent among these prophecies are those which pre-
dict the establishment of a new dispensation in the last days.
Our Savior calls it "the regeneration," and says that in that
dispensation "the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His
glory," and the Twelve "shall sit upon twelve thrones"
(Matt, xix, 28).

Peter says that Christ is to be in heaven until this new dis-
pensation, "the times of the restitution of all things" comes
Acts iii, 21).

Jude quotes a prophecy delivered by Enoch about this
dispensation: "Behol'd the Lord cometh with ten thousand of
his Saints to execute judgment upon all." (Jude 14, 15).

Paul (II Thess. ii.) is very clear and minute concerning the
events that had to transpire between his own time and the
dispensation of the last days, (i) A "falling away"— a general
apostacy was to take place first, and (2) "that man of sin, the
son of perdition, be revealed." It is further pointed out that
the power of apostacy was already, at the time of the writing
of Paul, secretly at work, only there was something that
hindered this power from appearing openly. But as soon as
this obstacle (the Roman imperial power) had been removed,

38 joseph smith:

the "man of sin," i. e., the embodiment of the spirit of apos-
tacy, would boldly appear, and this "man of sin" would hold
his sway over the world until destroyed by the "brightness of
the coming" of the Lord (v. 8). And this apostate power is
further described as one opposing and exalting himself above
every other authority, or "god," both on earth and in heaven.
He is "lawless" and "sitteth in the temple," that is, he is a
"Christian" not an infidel power; his coming is the work of
Satan, and is accompanied by "powers, signs and lying
wonders," deceiving all that would not believe the truth.
Among the doctrines that should be advanced by this apostate
power is noted particularly as a departure from the faith, "doc-
trines of devils, " also a prohibition of marriage, which was a re-
vival of heathenism (see I Timothy, iv, 1-5), all of which was
fulfilled to the letter in the evolution from Christianism to
Romanism. Nothing can be clearer, from these prophecies of
Paul than this : Shortly after his own time, a period of apos-
tacy would follow, during which all kinds of lies were to be pro-
mulgated in the name of God. But this period of apostacy
would again be followed by a new dispensation of truth and
light, the coming of the Son of God in glory.

John was the last of the apostles. He lived to see the
spirit of apostacy still more developed than did Paul. In
speaking of it he says that "many anti-Christs" had already
come (I John ii, 18, 19; iv, 3). To him it was given to see, in
his apocalyptic visions, the calamities that crushed the Roman
empire, thus making way for the "man of sin," or the "little
horn" of Daniel or the anti-Christ, namely the great church of
the world with her pontifical "image" in Rome. He was per-
mitted to see the subjugation and flight to the wilderness of
the Church of Christ and the subsequent darkness that fol-
lowed. But he also, like the former seers and prophets of
the Lord, was permitted to behold in the future the first rays
of the new dispensation, the millennial kingdom, to be estab-
lished, never to be overthrown.

Let us pause for one moment and reflect. If the word of
God is sure, this tact is surely established, that the reign of
anti-Christ shall be followed by a new, glorious dispensation,
the millennial reign of the Son of God. There is scarcely an
event in the Scriptures more frequently predicted than this.

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 39

All the previous dispensations oi God are only pre-
parations for this the last and most glorious of all, at the
commencement of which the hosts of heaven join the Saints be-
low in shouting, "Hosannah ! Hosannah! Hosannah ! The
kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord and of His Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever"
(Rev. xi, 15).

But it has before been proved that God never established
a new dispensation without renewing revelations. During the
Adamic dispensation, which continued while man was yet
without sin, God revealed himself. So also during the patri-
archal dispensation. God taught man how to offer sacrifices
and to conduct worship. The Mosaic dispensation was
established through revelation continued through centuries
until four hundred years before Christ. The New Testament
dispensation or Gospel dispensation was wonderfully rich in
revelations, until the Priesthood was taken away " unto
God" (Rev. vii, 5); and now, can we believe that revelation
then and there ceased ? Shall the last dispensation, the most
glorious of all, the millennial reign of Christ, be established
without revelation, only through the wisdom of man, which,
by the way, is foolishness to God ? No! Such a view is mad-
ness. It may be sound, worldly theology. But it is not the
word of God. All the prophecies that have been fulfilled so
far, have in that fulfilment been accompanied by divine
revelation.

Those prophecies that remain to be fulfilled will as surely
be accompanied by revelations. When Christ first came, His
coming was heralded by angels, and by the Spirit of God
operating on men; His ministry was followed by revelations
on the mount, in Gethsemane, and the Spirit was poured out
upon His followers- And yet, at His first coming, He ap-
peared in humility, despised by men in general. What will
not His second coming, judging from this, bring with it?
Surely revelations cannot cease as long as God has promised
to send His Son in glory to visit this earth and its inhabitants.
Preparations on the earth are necessary for such an event,
preparations that no man can make without the aid oi divine
revelations.

During the ages past God has tried the human race in

40 JOSEPH smith:

every respect. The patriarchal dispensation ended in a cor-
ruption which even the deluge could not check. The Mosaic
dispensation ended in the rejection and the dispersion of the
covenant people. The Gospel dispensation ended in the
apostacy of the apostolic churches and the reign of anti-Christ.
But God is prepared to gain the victory yet. He promised
in the end of time to establish that kingdom which shall stand
forever, never to be overthrown, and hence the necessity of
continuous revelation.

DIFFICULTIES IN ASCERTAINING THE MEANING
OF THE SCRIPTURES.

In considering the question whether the Bible is sufficient
for the guidance of men to salvation, it becomes a matter of
great importance to ascertain whether the language employed
by the sacred writers is sufficiently clear to be understood, in
all main points at least. If the Spirit of God, in directing the
composition of the books of the Bible, intended to make these
books a code of divine laws whereby further revelation should
be rendered superfluous, we may reasonably expect to find in
the Bible clear language conveying the ideas in a manner to
beeasily understood by the earnest reader. We may expect to
find no ambiguity, no indistinctness.

Human laws are written with the greatest possible care.
Lawmakers aim at clearness, seeing that this is indispensable
when laws are made for the guidance of the citizen. Yet with
all possible care in framing laws, it has been found that no
law ever was framed, however carefully worded, that could not
be construed in more than one way. Hence the necessity of a
a supreme court to which all cases can be appealed, the mean-
ing of any disputed paragraph of the law authoritatively given.
No human law would ever be a complete guidance for the
citizens without such a supreme court.

Now, the question is simply this: Is the Bible clear
enough so that it undoubtedly can be understood in only one
way? If it be, then there may not beany need for the "supreme
court" of divine revelation to appeal to in order to ascertain
its meaning, since this is in no instance doubtful. But if the
Bible is not clear enough; if it is so worded that, in many in-
stances, the same passage may be understood in more than

was'he a prophet of god? 41

one way, then further revelation is necessary in order to settle
these points. If every passage of the Bible does not convey
only one meaning and this unmistakably ; if many passages
can be, and have been, construed in vario'us ways,
and if divine revelation be abolished then we are exactly
in this position : We have a code of laws and a
collection of doctrines; but for the right understanding of
those laws and doctrines we are entirely at the mercy of the
sagacity or the stupidity of the (theological) lawyers with
whom we happen to be connected. There is, then, no appeal,
no authority, no certainty.

Let us honestly consider some of the facts in the case, with-
out shrinking from the inevitable conclusion.

First, we are met by the sad fact that mankind has not yet
been able to decide exactly how many and which of the
ancient books really belong to the Bible. The Protestant
churches now accept sixty-five books in all, viz;, thirty-eight in
the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New. But Luther
was not quite certain about the canonicity of all of the twenty-
seven books of the New Testament. The Revelation of John
was always suspicious to him, because he did not understand
it, and the Epistle of James, he thought, was more fit to be
burned than to be read. As to the books of the Old Testa-
ment, a much later and better informed critic, Michaelis, has
proposed to exclude the two books of Chronicles from the
canon, while others have had their grave doubts concerning
the Song of Songs. But the Catholic church, so far from be-
ing disposed to diminish the number of books, has added all
those which by Protestants have been called apocryphal. The
whole apocryphal collection was by the Council of Trent, 1545,
declared to be holy Scripture, and the council did so with
some antiquity in support of the decision, too. For the book
of Baruch is quoted as canonical by Origen, Athanasius, Cyril,
and Epihanius. Tobith, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesi-
asticus and the Maccabees are quoted as canonical by the
great Augustine. Whether, then, the Bible should consist of
seventy-nine books (including the fourteen apocrypha) or of
sixty-five, or of only sixty-one, excluding the two Chronicles
and James and the Revelation, is yet a question awaiting its
final decision. And it would seem but reasonable not to abolish

42 JOSEPH smith:

the immediate revelations from God until this problem has
been satisfactorily solved.

Second'y, accepting any of the above mentioned books as
canonical, *a great difficulty presents itself in determining the
precise text. What the first authors wrote is in some cases
impossible to determine. Let it be remembered that our
present Bibles, with their divisions of chapters and verses, are
by no means exactly such as the first authors left them. Much
is the work of uninspired men. The original manuscripts
were copied in numerous editions, and it was always possible
in copying to drop a letter, to misspell a word, to leave out a
word, etc. Translations and paraphrases have been made.
These were not always correct in every particular. In the
case of the Old Testament the original authors did not write
the vowels, but only the consonants. It was the work of later
men to insert all the vowels, but whether these later men in
all instances, or even in most, inserted the right vowels is
another open question. At all events, if it were possible to
prove that all the consonants of the OldiTestament are identical
with those written by the original authors, and therefore in-
spired, yet all the vowels, which are added many years after-
wards by uninspired men, cannot be proved to be of divine
origin or such as God originally intended them to be.

A few instances may be quoted to illustrate the nature of
such easily recognized changes as the sacred text has suffered.
In Jonah i, 9, the prophet says : "I am a Hebrew," where
the original reading probably was (as the Septuagint'has it) :
"I am a servant of Jehovah." The difference is between Ivri,
Hebrew, and Ivdi, the servant of Jehovah. In I Peter ii : 3,
it will always be dubious whether the correct reading is :
"If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious,'" or "that the
Lord is Christ." The fact is that both these words were
sometimes written with the letters Chs, standing for both
Christos and Chreslos, gracious. In Genesis i, 8, the words :
"God saw that it was good" is wanting at the end of the second
day's creation, but it is found in verse 10, in the middle of the
third day's work, indicating a transposition. Sometimes verses
have been added by later copyists. Such variations amount
to many thousands in all, leaving the present text very far
from satisfactory in its details.

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 43

Theologians, in admitting this, as they are compelled to do
by the facts, generally smooth the disagreeable impression
over with the assurance that none of all these variations in the
text affect the meaning in the least degree. "The most in-
accurate text ever written," they say, "leaves the truths of
Scripture substantially unchanged." But this is evidently
said more for the sake of the effect than for the sake of truth.
For the theologians themselves — parlicularily the Protestants —
always insist on the very letter of the text. The little words
"this is" were sufficient in the quibble between Luther and
Calvin to cut the Protestantic party in two halves, each wish-
ing to roast the other in hell. Yes, the theologians build doc-
trines not only on words but on forms of words, discriminat-
ing between the meaning of the same words when used in
this form or the other. In a text where words are so impor-
tant, it is ridiculous to say that many thousand variations are
of no importance. And besides, since we know there are
many thousand variations, how do we know that there are not
many thousand more which have not yet betn detected ?

This question must be solved before we are prepared to
admit that the Bible is a sufficient guide, and has done away
with the necessity of further revelation.

But we will pass by the difficulties thus far pointed out.
We will suppose that we have settled beyond doubt the num-
ber of books to be accepted as canonical. We will suppose
that the original text has been preserved, and that the trans-
lations thereof in our vernacular tongues are correct. All
this we suppose, for the sake of the argument, and yet we will
find the greatest difficulty still exists — that of understanding the
sacred volume correctly. Indeed, this difficulty is so great
that probably not one single man now living can understand
it all, and those that understand part of it right do so by the
aid of the Spirit of God.

Some of the difficulties in understanding even the transla-
tions of the Bible may now be pointed out.

It is admitted that the words used in the Scriptures are
sometimes to be used in a figurative sense and sometimes in
a literal sense. What words are, in each case, to be under-
stood strictly literal and what figuratively must be left to the

44 Joseph smith:

judgment of the reader. And from this fact numerous errors
have arisen.

People have sometimes allegorized where no allegory was
intended, as Origen in reading that Abraham in his old age
married Keturah. Now, he says, the word Keturah means
"sweet odor;" and "sweet odor" refers to the fragrance of
righteousness. Hence he concludes that Abraham in his old
age became very pious or righteous, and that this fact is
meant when Moses states that the patriarch married Keturah.
Equally absurd is the following a la Swedenborg : "Adam
represents the intellect and Eve the feeling. That Adam and
Eve begat sons and daughters means, therefore, that the union
between intellect and feeling is what produces knowledge in
man." These instances are extremly absurd and the errors
of this kind of interpretation are easily perceived. But some-
times the errors are not so palpable, although equally absurd.
As for instance, when it is contended that the "kingdom" of
Christ means a religion and not a real kingdom, or that "the
first resurrection" means a revival of the principles for which
the martyrs were killed. In such cases the errors are great,
and hundreds of Bible readers commit just such errors, in
many instances without even knowing it.

Then, sometimes words that are really used figuratively
are understood literally. You will see pictures, occasionally,
where Lazarus is enjoying his heavenly bliss by sitting in the
lap ( "the bosom" ) of Father Abraham, the artist having mis-
understood the figurative expression used by our Lord.

This kind of error is more easily committed in reading the

prophetical portions of the Bible. The prophets borrow
words denoting natural objects in order to represent what is
spiritual and abstract. Their books are hieroglyphical, although
they do not draw their hieroglyphic pictures, as did the
Egyptian priests, but describe them in words. Hence the
great difficulty in interpreting prophecy. It is not less difficult
than to interpret many ancient Egyptian records. The pro-
phets, for instance, talk of a "horn" and mean a "crown" or a
"kingdom." "Beast" is a usurping tyrannical power. "Key"
stands for lawful authority. "Virgins" are faithful worshipers,
not defiled by idolatry.

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 45

Generally it must be borne in mind that every word should
be understood as it was commonly understood at the time the
Bible was written. Much minute inquiry, in fact more than
most people are prepared to give, is needed in order to avoid
errors arising from a violation of this rule.

Sometimes a knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is abso-
lutely necessary for the right understanding of a passage. In
I Kings ii,8, 9, David is made to say concerning Simei : "Hold
him not guiltless, * * but his hoary head bring down with
blood to the grave." This is, of course, a contradiction.
And, besides, David had sworn not to kill Simei. It seems
therefore as if one of the last acts of David was to break his
oath and his royal word. But a knowledge of Hebrew idioms
clears this up ; for the word "not" refers to both clauses :
"Hold him not guiltless, * * but bring not his hoary head
down with blood," That is the meaning, and Solomon
understood it so. "The end of the world" spoken of in
Matt. xxiv,3, a Greek scholar will discover to be not the end
of the physical world {telos tou kosmou) but the termination
of the then existing economy ; for the words are syntelcia tou
aionos. The interpretation of the whole prophecy of our
Lord hangs upon this one word. Matthew (xii,4o) makes Christ
say: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the
whale's belly," whereas the fact is, that there is not, and
probably never was, a whale in the Mediterranean. The He-
brew has "a great fish" (Jonah 1,17) which the translator of
the Septuagint made into a whale, and the misleading quota-
tion slipped into the New Testament from the Septuagint.

Sometimes people put a mystical sense into the most plain
expressions. Christ says : "But one thing is needful" (Luke
x,42) and many an edifying sermon has been preached upon
this one "needful thing," and much curiosity has been need-
lessly excited to know what that one needful thing is that in
itself is necessary and sufficient to salvation. People have
been so eager to make a mystery that they have forgotten the
fact that Christ for the time does not refer to salvation at all,
but is speaking of a much more trivial subject, yet not less inter-
esting or noteworthy. Christ has called on His friends, Laza-
rus, Martha and Maria. The two ladies are both anxious to
entertain Him to the best of their ability. But Martha seems

46 Joseph smith:

to have had an idea that lots of things were necessary in order
to make a comfortable meal. In order to be ready in a hurry
Martha wanted her sister to help her, upon which the Savior
politely remarks that "only one thing is needful." There was
no cause for so much serving. He would not enter their house
as a stranger for whom they would have to prepare so many
extra dishes. He would come as their friend and be enter-
tained as such. This would give both sisters time to sit down
and listen to His instructions, which after all was the "good
part" of the entertainment. Stripping this narrative of the
mysteries of theologians and letting common sense be com-
mon sense, we have a beautiful incident at once pleasing and
instructive.

Sometimes the reader will be misled by the numbers of
the Bible, because he does not know how they originally were
used. "Ten" sometimes stands for "several." In Gen. xxxi,
7, Jacob says that Laban had changed his wages "ten ames,"
meaning of course "several times." Perhaps the division of
the Roman Empire into "ten" as predicted by Daniel ought
to be understood in the same way, since so far no one has
been able exactly to tell in what "ten" (the word taken liter-
ally) kingdoms that empire on its downfall was divided. If
understood to mean "several" kingdoms, there is no difficulty.
"Forty," :n the same way, often means "many." "Seven" and
"seventy" denote a large and complete number, although un-
certain to the speaker.

Sometimes a knowledge of history is required for the right
understanding of passages. (Acts ix, 31) : "The churches had
rest throughout all Judea and Galilee" has sometimes been
understood to have been the consequence of the conversion
of Paul, whereas the real cause of this temporary rest was that
at this time Caligula attempted to raise a statue of himself in
the "Holy of holies" in the temple. The consternation which
this caused among the bloodthirsty Jews made them for a
time forget the Christian churches.

Nor less important is a knowledge of ancient chronology,
geography, of botany, of mineralogy, zoology, and archaeol-
ogy in its various branches. But we cannot here multiply in-
stances.

To understand the Bible, even the plainest translation, all

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD f 47

these things are necessary as helps, and yet, without the
Spirit of God to lead into all truth, not all of these helps are
sufficient; so numerous and so vast are the difficulties to be
encountered in ascertaining the true meaning of the Bible.

Nor need we be surprised at this. The various books are
written in the remote antiquity. Language changes like all
that is human. Words do not remain stationary in their sig-
nifications. Every word has its own history, and antique
literature always requires a knowledge of the history of the
words. The authors of the Bible write each from his own
standpoint. Some are lawyers, as Moses. Others are humble
•shepherds, as Alios. Sjiij are learned men, as Paul
and Luke. Others are uneducated fishermen, as Peter and
John. Some are statesmen like Daniel. Others follow more
lowly occupations of life, as Jeremiah. Some write poetry,
others history, others letters and others visions. Some write
in the deserts of Arabia, some by the banks of the rivers in
Babylon, some in the palace in Jerusalem, some in prisons in
Rome. Each has his own peculiarity of style, and to under-
stand it all, you would have to be conversant with almost
every branch of human learning. It is no figure of speech
when Locke says that theology is the direction of all knowledge
to its true end, or when Parley P. Pratt says : "It is the science
of all other sciences and useful arts, being in fact, the very
fountain from which they emanate. It includes philosophy,
astronomy, history, mathematics, geography, languages, the
science of letters, and blends the knowledge of all matters of
fact in every branch of art or research" (Key to Theology, p. 2).

Seeing now that such requirements are made upon us in
order to understand the Bible, and that lack of knowledge
necessarily involves misunderstanding of many of the sacrea
passages, we ask every reasonable being, Can it be supposed
that the Bible ever was intended to be a substitute for imme-
diate divine revelation? If it were intended for this purpose it
has signally iailed in its purpose ; and if the Bible alone be in-
tended to be the guide to heaven, it is to be feared that a
majority of people will be led to hell for the simple reason
that they never had an opportunity of mastering the difficul-
ties attending their attempts at understanding what the Bible
doctrines really are.

48 Joseph smith:

"CHRISTIAN" SECTS AN EVIDENCE.

If further proofs for the necessity of continuous revelation
were needed, the deplorable state of the Christian world,
where "each goes his own way," furnishes those proofs in
abundance.

The object God had in view in giving to His people men
through whom He could reveal His plans and purposes was
to "perfect the Saints" and preserve "unity of faith" (Eph. iv,
11-14). As long as the church had apostles and prophets,
there was no necessity for the churches breaking up into fac-
tions or sects. Differences could arise, and did arise, but
when referred to the inspired men, God, through His Holy •
Spirit always settled the difficulties, preserving the unity.

Some instances, illustrating this, have been recorded for
our information.

In the church at Jerusalem, as the members increased, a
feeling of jealousy grew up between the different nationalities.
The "Grecians" thought that their widows did not receive a
fair portion of the alms daily distributed among the poor, the
"Hebrews" keeping all for their widows. Among the Jews
the "Grecians," that is to say, such Jews that were not born
in Palestine, were held in contempt like everything that origi-
nated outside the confines of the Holy Land. It was thought
that the Jewish converts to Christianity had retained this feel-
ing, and so "neglected their foreign brethren. Now, here
was a secret power of evil at work, strong enough to break
the first church up in factions. For evil grows, if not con-
quered,and what at first appears like a cloud, the size of a man's
hand, developes into a terrible storm with thunder and light-
ning. Small as the matter appeared to be, it was an attempt
at destroying the unity of the Church of Christ. But the
church was equal to this occasion. Its foundations were solid
and its guardians awake. The whole matter was laid before
the apostles, and these found the proper remedy . "Look ye
out among you," they said to the church members, "seven
men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,
whom we may appoint over this business." The people, on
hearing this wise counsel, made their choice, and the apostles
set the chosen apart for this office. And it may be noted as a
characteristic feature of God's way of managing elections, in

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 49

contrast to the farcical proceedings of the iniquitous world, that
the seven men elected on this occasion were all " Grecians,"
judging from their names. The majority, prompted by the
love of God, gave to the minority — the complaining party —
the whole control of the distribution. The church was saved
from the spirit of destruction. Unity was preserved. But it
took inspired men to solve the difficulty in this way, so
contrary to all rules, recognized among men (see Acts. vi,i-8).

The next instance is a difference concerning doctrine.

As soon as the Gospel principles spread and were embraced
by the Gentiles, a struggle necessarily followed between the
Jewish and the Gentile element. Both had much to give up
and much to learn from each other, before a complete unity
could be secured. In this struggle, various questions were
brought up for discussion, and amongst others this :

Ought not a Gentile convert to first be circumcised and
promise to keep the law, before he was baptized and incor-
porated in the church? Many Jewish converts held that this
was necessary. For to them the entrance to the church ought
to be through the Mosaic dispensation, to Gentiles as it
had been to Jews. But the Gentiles considered this an un-
necessary circuitous road to the church, holding that the accept-
ance of Christ and his ordinances was all that should be re-
quired. Here was a difficult question to decide, and the prin-
ciple involved was one of vital importance to the whole Chris-
tian community. The danger of a split was great,
but the church had inspired leaders, men who communed
with God. To them the question was referred. And
they decided it, not only according to the Scriptures
but according to the revelation given for the occasion. "It
seemed good," they say, "to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay
upon you no greater burden than these necessary things ; that
ye abstain from meats offered to idols.and from blood and from
things strangled, and from fornication ; from which if ye keep
yourselves ye shall do well." (Acts xv, 28, 29.) Here is a
decision arrived at under the direct influence of the Holy
Ghost, and one that brought unity into the churches and joy
among the various Gentile branches.

Thus we see exemplified the object of continuous revela
tion, and the necessity of it. Without it unity cannot be pre-

50 joseph smith:

served. ''That ye may be one" as Christ is one with His
Father, is, however, the very essence of Christianity, the
mark on which it can be distinguished from the "world,"
which is all strife and contention. Destroy the unity, and
Christianity is gone, or, since unity is impossible without con-
tinuous revelation, abandon such revelation, and Christianity
is no more.

It is noticeable that the Christian churches, as long as the
inspired men were among them and they listened to their
words, kept clear of all schisms. So long, we say, but no
longer. For soon men arose who thought themselves too
wise to listen to the counsel of inspired men. And such im-
posed themselves upon the church with big words and subtle
sophistry, thus drawing many away from the path of righteous-
ness. This was the work of the spirit of anti-Christ, and the
result was schisms,sects. But still the spirit of revelation linger-
ed among the churches, uniting the honest everywhere in the
love of God and of one another, until after a long struggle,
amid persecution from the outside and rebellion from the
inside,the Spirit of revelation was withdrawn. "The child was
taken up to the throne of God." (Rev. xii, 5). The light gave
way to darkness.

Not that the Christian churches became annihilated, not
that the doctrines preached by Christ or, what is the same, the
Christian theology at once vanished. No! It was all there,
but wrapped in darkness.

Suppose yourself on a ship trying to make for the harbor on a
dark, stormy night. There are the lights along the shore,accord-
ing to whose guiding rays alone you can steer your course.
But suppose all these lights are suddenly extinguished. You
can see no more where to go. All your calculations are in
vain. Those rays of lights from the lighthouses were just as
necessary for your safety as are your maps and your compass.
Something analogous to this happened to the world, or, rather
to the Christian churches. The guiding light of continuous
revelation was extinguished and the ship left in darkness. At
what precise time this took place we do not presume to say.
But it is certain that the time of revelation did not extend
much beyond the age of the apostles. The church was still
there for years, but the lighthouses were not shining.

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 51

What followed ? The most pitiable confusion. The leaders
of the church, no longer guided by inspiration, were unable to
preserve love and unity. Factions became numerous and
each faction leader claimed the supreme authority for him-
self. Contests for power ensued, accompanied by scandalous
scenes. Thechurcn was abandoned, each faction constructing
their own raft and each steering their own course, occasion-
ally trying to sink other rafts as these by wind and current
were driven about. This was the result of the withdrawal of
divine revelation.

People were in total darkness. They split on the most
trivial questions as well as over the more important
ones. What are we to think when we read the "history of the
church" and find that "Christians" were trying to find out
whether Christ was a real man or only an apparition ! Or where
to had truth gone, when, alter long struggles about the doc-
trine of the Godhead, it was finally decided, as the standard
of orthodoxy, that: '"Incomprehensible is the Father, incom-
prehensible is the Son, and incomprehensible is the Holy
Ghost; yet not three incomprehensibles, but one." (Symbol
Athan.) ? Christ says : "This is eternal life, that they may
know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou
hast sent." (John,xvii, 3); Paul prays that he may know
Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians, vi, 7-
10) ; and John says that we by keeping God's commandment*^
know that we "know" Him. (I Johnii, 3), but the Church, as
soon as the Spirit of revelation withdrew, declared that she was
in darkness. God, she said, is incomprehensible. The con-
trast is so conspicuous that only a blind man can help seeing it.

This spirit of darkness still enwraps the whole "Christian"
world. The work of dissolution has been going on all the
time, and is still going on. The "Christians" stand against
each other like enemies on a battlefield. Nobody knows
where to seek or to find truth. Has the Roman Catholic
church the truth ? or the Coptic? or the Armenian? or the Re-
formed church? or the church of England? or Luther's faction?
or Methodists? or Baptists? or Presbyterians? or Irvingians or
Adventists? or Universalists? or Quakers? Which has the
truth? Which faction is the Church of Christ?

Paul says that factions are the result of a ''carnal" condi-

52 JOSEPH smith:

tion. "For whereas there is among you envyings and strife,
and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (I Cor.
iii, 3.) The "Christian" world to-day, the Apostle then de-
clares to be a "carnal" Christendom. But to be carnally
minded, we further learn (Rom. viii, 6, 7), is "death," and
''enmity against God." The Christian world today is there-
fore in a state of "death" and "enmity against God." The
word of God has pronounced His judgment, and all as a con-
sequence of their having despised and rejected continuous
revelation from God.

This suggests the remedy to be applied: Divine revelation.

God has promised, in the last days, "And it shall come to
pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old
men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions
* * * * and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall
call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: For in
Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord
hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call"
(Joel ii, 28-33). And this promise God will fulfil. Revela-
tions are necessary for the deliverance of His people in these
last days, and God is faithful.

Already the light of revelation has broken through the
dark clouds of medieval errors. The prophets of God have
again spoken, revealing God's way of salvation. Will the
"Christian" world believe? Or will they, like the Jews former-
ly, reject the light of revelation, to their own damnation ?

One objection, and only one, needs to be answered before
we close this part of our investigation. It has been said that
God prohibits people from adding anything to the Bible, since
John the Revelator says: "If any man shall add unto these
things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written
in this book" (Rev. xxii, 18). The prohibition is given for
any "man" to add anything of his own to the bock of Revela-
tion, or to the word of God. And woe to the man who is
preposterous enough to add his own productions to the
sacred compositions of God! But neither this passage nor
any other passage in the Bible states that God would never
any more reveal anything. God does not prohibit himself
from adding whatever He thinks necessary.

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 53

In fact, God has added to the volume of the New Testa-
ment since the book of Revelation was written. The Gospel
of John, and, in all probability, the three epistles of John,
were all written after the book of Revelation. The latest
date assigned to the Revelation is 96 A. D., while others (and
more probably) give it the date of 67 or 6S. The three
epistles were written 6S and the gospel 97, so that there is no
possibility for thinking that God did not intend to add any-
thing to the existing records.

The Gospel of John is the last book of the New Testament.
And in this very book we have the comforting promise ot
Christ recorded: "He (the Spirit) shall glorify Me: for he
shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. All things
that the Father has are Mine: therefore, said I, that he shall
take of Mine, and shall show it unto you" (John xvi, 14, 15).
Here is a promise of continuous revelation.

II.

Having seen, now, that continuous revelation is necessary
for the guidance of men unto eternal salvation, and also that
God through his ancient prophets has promised to manifest
Himself preparatory to the foundation of the kingdom of the
«6on of God upon the earth, it becomes necessary to enquire
into the evidences that present themselves of the truth of the
claims of Joseph Smith, the Prophet. Did God speak through
him, or, was he an enthusiast, an impostor? This question
concerns every human being.

With a voice like that of the angel whom John saw in his
visions on Patmos, Joseph proclaims in the name of the Lord:_

"Hearken, O, ye people of My Church, saith the voice of
Him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men,
yea, verily I say, hearken ye people from afar, and ye that
are upon the islands of the sea, listen together. For verily
the voice of the Lord is unto all men n Co v. sec. 1,1,2).

For centuries past the world had cherished the thought
that the voice of the Lord should no more be heard, when
suddenly, thunderlike, a messenger appeared, heralding from
one end of heaven to another the above quoted intelligence.
God has spoken.

To the chosen seed these were, indeed, tidings of great

54 Joseph smith:

joy, but the world at large, influenced, as the Jews formerly
were, by priests and rabbis, denounced the messenger as a bold
impostor. He offered the strongest proof a man ever can
offer as a demonstration of the truth of his message ; he gave
his life, sealing his testimony with his blood. Yet a sceptical
world refused to believe, refused, to a large extent, even to
investigate.

What was, then, the nature of his message ? That the day
of the Lord is at hand ; that the inhabitants of the eatth must
repent of their sins and false doctrines, and turn unto God ;
that those who would obey should be made happy in the king-
dom of the Son of God, but on all disobedient souls fearful
judgments would speedily fall. To prepare for the coming of
Christ was the message sent from God to man through His
servant, the Prophet Joseph. That was the nature of the
message.

It will be perceived that this is in full harmony with the
sacred writ, and its very nature should be a sufficient proof of
its divine origin. If it harmonizes with the Bible, how can it
be false ? How can those who believe the one reject the other ?
Is noi that the very same contradiction as that of which the
Jews were guilty who believed the sacred writings of the Old
Testament at the same time they rejected Christ? Clearly,
when the Bible is first proved to be true, everything that is in
perfect harmony with the Bible must be true, too. In such re-
lation to the Bible stands the divine message of which we are
speaking.

This is a subject that must not be treated lightly. The high-
est interests are here at stake — interests dearer than life itself,
which lasts but a moment. If God has spoken to this genera-
tion, woe, woe, woe unto those who wilfully shut their ears
and harden their hearts against the word of God ! The ante-
diluvian world was drowned by a flood because the people
did not heed the warning voice. The cities of the plain were
wrapped in flames and buried in a sulphurous tomb because
they rejected the message of God. Jerusalem fell beause she
did not know the time of her visitation. And how can the pre-
sent world escape a similar fate under similar circumstances?

With these lessons of past ages before us, let every honest
soul investigate the evidences of the truth of this message of

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 55

the latter days. An honest investigation is the very least that
can be demanded for a subject of this vast importance.

The attention of theological students who are familiar with
the evidences of the truth of Christianity is particularly
called to the line of thought here offered, as it is proposed to
show that the message delivered by Joseph Smith is supported
by the same evidence as the message delivered by former pro-
phets or apostles. Christianity and "Mormonism" must stand
or fall together. If the evidence here presented is sufficient for
the one, it is sufficient for both.

RETROSPECTIVE EVIDENCE.

The books of the Old Testament abound with predictions
foretelling the work of Christ on earth. It is distinctly predicted
that a deliverer should come, "the seed of woman ;"he should
spring out of the people of Abraham ; a new covenant would
be made ; the deliverer would be despised, put to death, and
yet rsign for ever and ever. Such wonderful predictions run
like a string through the Old Testament, and are always
pointed to as an evidence of the truth of Christianity. This
is what is sometimes called retrospective evidence. Christ
himself points to these predictions as such evidence. "Ought
not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter His glory ?
Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He expounded un-
to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."
(Luke xxiv, 26, 27. Compare John v, 46, 47.)

But the same prophets foretell with equal clearness the
grand work in which the Latter-day Saints are now engaged,
as will appear on investigation of the following passages.

Isaiah has many remarkable predictions, some of which
were fulfilled shortly after their delivery. Syria and Israel,
for instance, were to be conquered by Assyria, before the in-
fant son of the prophet could say "my father" (Isaiah viii, 4).
The glory of Kedar was to fail in one year (xxi, 6), that of
Moab in three years (xvi, 14), that of Ephraim in sixty-five
years (vii, 8), that of Tyre in seventy years (xxiii, 15). Other
predictions relate to more distant times. Thus that portion of
his book which is contained in chapter xl, to lxiv. embraces
the whole period from the Babylonian captivity to the
end of the Christain dispensation.

In this portion of the book the prophet predicts the de-

56 joseph smith:

liverance of the Jews by Cyrus (xliv, 28; xlv, 1-5, xlvii);
the return to Judea (xliv, 28), the coming-, suffering and
glory of the Messiah, the downfall of idolatry, the rejection of
Christ by the Jews, and their consequent rejection by God;
also their final conversion and recovery (lii, 3; Ixii; Ixv).

Speaking of this last event, the final gathering of the Jews
— an event which is about to be fulfilled in our own time — the
prophet (chapter lv) says that there should be a people or a
nation, previously unknown to the Jews, who" should be willing
to join the Jews in their worship of God Almighty. "Behold,
thou shalt call a people which thou didst not know; and a
people which did not know thee shall run to thee for the sake
of Jehovah, thy God, and for the sake of the Holy One in
Israel, for he hath glorified thee."

Could language more clearly convey that at the time of
the final restoration of the Jews there should exist another
people, too, who would share with the Jews the glory
in store for them ? In the next chapter (lxvi, 6-8) this other
people is more clearly described: "And the sons of the stranger
who follow Jehovah in order to serve Him, and to love Jeho-
vah's name * * those I will bring to My holy moun-
tain, and they shall rejoice in My house." These predictions
are very clear, and it is a literal fulfilment thereof that the
Saints are called out of all nations of the earth so that they
may form that one nation here spoken of, and the latter part
of Isaiah's predictions are as literally verified as that part
which relates to former events.

Among the predictions of the prophet Micah we notice "the
invasion of Shalmaneser (i, 6-8), and Sennacherib (i, 9-16), the
dispersion of Israel (v, 7-8) the destruction of Jerusalem (iii,
12). He also foretells the gathering of Israel and the exalta-
tion of Christ over all nations. Speaking of the gathering
of Israel, he says that a forerunner should first come,
and this forerunner is described as a people with a
leader at their head and Jehovah as their guide, allud-
ing to Israel in the wilderness, where Moses was their prophet,
Jehovah going before them. Thus saith Micah ii, 12, 13: "Cer-
tainly I will gather thee, Jacob, and bring together the rest of
Israel. * * The forerunner (or rather the one who 'breaks'
the way) goes before them ; * * * the prince goes be-

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 57

fore them and Jehovah leads." In chapter iv. the prophet
more fully describes what should happen before the gathering
of Jacob : ''At the end of the days the mountain of the house
of Jehovah shall be established upon the top of the mountains,
* * and the nations shall run thereto. * * In

the same days saith Jehovah, shall I gather the remnant."
Read chapter iv, i-io carefully. It predicts unmistakably
that at the time of the final delivery of the Jews there should
exist a people gathered among the mountains in order to serve
the Lord, a people endowed with wisdom to exercise judg-
ment in the affairs of the nations of the world, and yet be a
peaceful, agricultural people, who had thrown away their
swords for peaceful occupations. This prediction is as clear
as any ever given concerning Christ and His work, and it is
fulfilled in the gathering of the Saints. If prophetic evidence
is required, God has given it to us.

Let us turn to Jeremiah, who flourished a hundred years later-

The chronological arrangement of the predictions of this
prophet, as has been already remarked, is not very plain, but
passages relating to the first salvation of Israel are easily
recognized. Chapter iii, 15-18, are among these. Here
the prophet in words t-hat cannot be mistaken, says that the
house of Judah shall go to the house of Israel, and "they
shall come together from the land of the north to the land
which I have given your fathers."

That this prediction does not relate to the deliverance from
Babylon is evident from the fact that the prophet says : "the
house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel." The house
of Israel must then already be gathered, or else the house of
Judah could not go with them. At the return from Babylon
Judah took the lead, and the Israelites who returned had to
come to Judah. Judah took the lead. Here is a deliverance
and return predicted in which Israel takes the lead. Israel
must consequently be gathered as well as Judah and
previous to Judah. Compare this with the message delivered
through Joseph the Prophet, and the evidence is both strong
and conclusive.

No less clear is Daniel. In his second chapter, this great
prophet predicts coming events with the clearness of history.
Four kingdoms are described: The Babylonian, under the

58 Joseph smith:

dynasty of Nebuchadnezzar; the Medo-Persian, the Grecian
and the Roman. The last named is divided into ten, all of
which in their composition carry the seed of their dissolution.
Iron (political power) and clay (man-invented religion) mixed
together, was their inheritance from Rome, and the cause of
their weakness. But in the days of these ten kingdoms the
kingdom of heaven is founded, a stone cut out without hands
of man, yet of miraculous origin; mighty as a mountain, and,
finally, superior to the finest metals, the most splendid
earthly thrones.

That this prediction was not fulfilled at the time of Christ
is clear from two facts: First, that Christ came before the
dissolution of the Roman empire; and, secondly, that Christ
did not found a kingdom at all when He was here. Only by
the most lamentable perversion of Scripture can this passage
be made to apply to the first coming of Christ. It must apply
to His second coming or have no meaning at all. But to His
second coming it applies. Then His kingdom will fill all
the earth, but the stone must first roll, and, while so doing*
grow until it becomes fit to perform the work assigned to it.

In chapter seven the prophet treats of the same subject.
The four kingdoms are represented by "four beasts, and the
ten kingdoms by ten horns; three of the horns or kingdoms
are subdued by a little horn, the papal, anti-Christian power,
which exercises its tyrannical reign, and overcomes the Saints
for a period of one thousand two hundred and sixty years.
Here, too, the time is fully defined, showing beyond the
possibility of doubt that the restoration of the Kingdom of
God belongs to this century, counting from the appearance
of the little horn, the papal power.

Thus the ancient prophets have spoken of the time in
which we live, and their predictions are irrefutable evidence
of the truth of the message accepted by the Latter-day Saints.

Let us add one more testimony. John, the great prophet
of the New Testament, while on Patmos, has a vision in which
the Turkish conquest is shown (chapter ix). Four angels,
bound in the great river Euphrates, are let loose to spread
war and desolation upon the earth for a period of about four
hundred years (Rev. ix, 15). Their great numbers are
described, their armors, their national colors, their power to

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 59

hurt an idolatrous "Christian" world, tormenting those who
had abandoned the worship of God for the worship of Saints
and images. After this (chapter x) a messenger appears with
a little book, signifying that the Spirit of prophecy should
again be manifested before ''many people, and nations, and
tongues and kings" (Rev. x, i-ii). How very clear is this
prediction as to the great event of our time. In reading the
vision we feel that John saw the youthful Prophet Joseph with
the little book in his hand, and heard his mighty voice declar-
ing that the fulness of times had come. "And the angel (or
messenger) which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the
earth (embracing both hemispheres) lifted up his hands to
heaven and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever

that there shall be time no longer, but in
the days of the voice of the seventh angel * * * *
the mystery of God should be finished" (x, 5-7). Is not this
the very essence of the message delivered by Joseph the
Prophet?

With such frequency and with such clearness the Spirit of
prophecy in all past ages foretells the work in which the
Latter-day Saints are now- engaged. If Christ can point to
predictions as an evidence of His divine mission; if Christians
can point to prophecy as an evidence of the truth of Chris-
tianity, why are not these predictions, these prophecies, equal-
ly infallible evidence of the truth of the divine mission of
Joseph Smith? How one can be accepted and the other re-
jected I fail to see.

PROSPECTIVE EVIDENCE.

Our Lord refers more than once to prophecies delivered
by Himself as evidence of His divine mission : "And now I
have told you before it came to pass, that when it is come to pass
ye might believe." (John xiv, 29.) This kind of evidence
has been called prospective. When we read, for instance, the
prophecy of our Lord announcing the destruction of Jerusalem,
compare the prediction with the description of the fearful
event given by Josephus, and see how literally everything was
fulfilled, we can understand what strong evidence the prophe-
cy is of the divine mission of the Lord. Jerusalem, Baby-
lon,Nineveh are all witnesses of the truth of the word of God,
and their testimony is unanimously accepted by everyone who

60 Joseph smith:

is able to trace the finger of God. The conclusion is this,
that when a man foretells an event which no human wisdom
could foresee, the occurrence of such an event is a sure proof
that God spoke through that man. So God Himself reasons:
"Who hath declared this from ancient times? Have not I, the
Lord ? " (Isaiah, xlv, 20-22.)

If we apply this rule to the message delivered through
Joseph Smith, we unavoidably reach the same conclusion. We
are forced by the most plain logic to acknowledge his divine
mission.

The following is offered for consideration : In the Book
of Doctrine and Covenants many predictions are given con-
cerning the Saints, some of wiich have already been fulfilled,
while others are still awaiting fulfilment.

In 1830, when the Church was still in her earliest infancy,
it was predicted : "Zion shall rejoice upon the hills and
flourish before the final salvation of Israel" (Doctrine and
Covenants, sec. xxxv, 24, 25). This remarkable prediction Is
often repeated, and finally, in the year 1838, at Far West,
Mi souri, it is again announced : "Therefore, will I not make
solitary places to bud and to blossom, mid to bring forth in
abundance, saith the Lord ? Is there not room enough upon
the mountains?" (Doctrine and Covenants, sec. cxvii, 7, 8.)

From the very foundation of the Church the Spirit of God,
through the prophet, thus announces in no uncertain way that
Zion, the Saints, should move to "the hills," "the mountains,"
"the solitary places," and there be prosperous, "blossom''
gloriously. It must be remembered that these predictions
were delivered at a time when no human wisdom could fore-
see such an event. When the Church was founded in 1830,
there was no possibility — speaking from a mere human point
of view — of foreseeing her removal to the hills, much less
that she would be removed and prosper in the "hills." Nor is
there in the whole history of mankind anything analogous to
this exodus of the Church. The probability, speaking from a
hutnan point of view, when the Church was founded, was
either that she would be favored by the world and remain
where she was, or that she would be crushed on the spot by
an immense hostility. Either of these two occurrences might
have been considered probable at the time ; but none of them

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 6 1

was predicted. The Church should blossom in the hills.
Has not this prediction, delivered half a century ago, been
remarkably fulfilled ? Who can travel through the valleys of
the mountains to-day, among fragrant gardens and orchards,
and notice the friendly, peaceful homes that everywhere
smile upon the stranger, or observe the condition of the
Saints, without seeing that the predictions have come literally
true? Zion now blossoms in the mountains.

The fulfilment of these predictions has not been brought
about by man, otherwise than in this way that ungodly men,
without their own knowledge, were the instruments. The
Saints were driven from place to place. They went not with
a calculation to fulfil prophecy, but because they could not
help themselves. In the same way the Jews and the Romans
fulfilled the predictions of our Lord.

Anyone who will honestly consider these facts will see that
the events prominent in the history of the Latter-day Saints
indelibly mark Joseph Smith as a prophet of God.

Other predictions delivered by Joseph the Prophet concern
the nations of the earth. In 1832 the following prediction
was given : "For after your testimony cometh the testimony
of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her,
and man shall fall upon the ground, and shall not be able to
stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thun-
derings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tem-
pests, and the voice of the waves of the sea, heaving them-
selves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in com-
motion ; and, surely, men's hearts shall fail them ; for fear
shall come upon all men." (Doctrine and Covenants, sec.
lxxvii, lxxxix, xci).

True, this prediction has not yet in al» its details been ful-
filled ; still, the events of the last ten years fully indicate that
the time isdrawing near when the "testimony of thunders" shall
roll over the earth. I refer to numerous calamities which the
last years have witnessed. Earthquakes, floods, storms, fires,
conflagrations, wars, anarchy have filled the newspapers with
horrible reading matter. We need only remember the earth-
quake in Charleston, the overflow of the Yellow River in
China, the conflagration of several theatres, the riots in
Chicago. So noted have these years been for calamities of

62 JOSEPH smith:

every description that astrologers have pointed out that they
were caused by certain planets which, during the past years,
have had a peculiar position in relation to each other and to
the earth. Be this as it may, the fact remains that we live in a
time of visitation — a visitation already foretold by Joseph the
Prophet. Here, again, we see his words verified, and he
himself vindicated as a prophet of God.

Another prediction, the fulfilment of which is written
in letters of blood on the pages of the history of the
American nation, cannot be contradicted. In 1832

God declared through Joseph Smith: "Behold the South-
ern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and
the Southern States shall call on other nations, even the nation
of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon
other nations, in order to defend themselves, and thus war
shall be poured out upon all nations." (Doctrine and Cove-
nants, sec. lxxxvii , 3). Concerning this war, it was foretold that
it should terminate in "death and misery to many,many souls."
Also the place where the first shot was to be fired was fore-
told : "Verily, thus saith the Lord, concerning the wars that
will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South
Carolina." (Doctrine and Covenants, sec. lxxxvii, 1; cxxx :
12, 13.)

These minute predictions were given at a time when people
generally did not believe it possible for the United States to en-
gage in a war with each other. Those acquainted with the
sentiments that prevailed in America at that time, all agree in
this. Nay, even when the report reached the Northern States
that their Southern brethren had actually commenced the
tragedy, it was hard for the Northern States to believe it.
There was no possibility at the time of Joseph for human
sagacity to foresee this war. Yet the despised prophet pre.
dieted it with a clearness not surpassed by Isaiah or Daniel.

Did it come true ? Did the war break out in South Caro-
lina? Was the slave question the casus belli? Did the
Southern States apply to other nations for help ? Did the war
cause "death and misery to many souls?" Every particular
came true, and the world knows it, even if it fails to acknowl-
edge that all had been predicted years before it happened.
It would be a reasonable supposition that the literal fulfil-

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 63

ment of a prediction like this should be proof enough of the
divine mission of the prophet. Or, what is required of a true
prophet? Is not that enough that his predictions are proved
to be true ? In the case of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, John
nothing more is required. When we see that their predictions
have come true we grant that they were true prophets. Must
we, then, reverse every rule of logic in the case of Joseph
Smith ? Must we say his predictions have been fulfilled; ergo
he was a false prophet ? The absurdity of this is too great to
need refutation.

We know that an objection has been raised that the pre-
diction of the war did not come true in every particular — that
the war was confined to the United States, and was not
poured out upon all nations.

To this objection we answer that, in one sense, it was poured
out upon all nations. The population of the United States con-
sists,as is well known, of people from almost every nation under
the sun, and England, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Den-
mark,all were represented in the armies of that war. All con-
tributed to the death list in that long and fearful combat.
How much misery, how much sorrow, how many tears did
that war cause far beyond the borders of the great republic,
when aged mothers and fathers, and sisters and brothers in
the old countries received the intelligence that a son or a
brother was wounded or dead ? If we will consider this in all its
consequences we will soon find that the expression, "War
shall be poured out upon all nations" is no idle figure of speech.
It is a stern fact. Thousands beyond the rolling waves of the
ocean drank the bitter cup filled with the curse of that war.
Understood in this way, the prediction is literally fulfilled in
all its details.

But it must also be remembered that we have not yet
reached the last scene of the drama. It is a grave question
with some clear-seeing politicians to-day whether the slave
question has yet reached its final solution. If it has not, we
may yet see the prediction in question fulfilled in every
particular.

The prediction itself plainly states that some time would
elapse between the fulfilment of its various parts. Verse 3,
section 87, foretells that the war should be caused by the

64 JOSEPH SMITH.

division of the United States into two great parties, and that
the Southern States should call upon Great Britain ; "and thus
war should be poured out upon all nations." Then verse 4
explains that this should be continued "after many days,"
thereby that the slaves (the negroes) should rise up, and also
the remnant (the Indians), and new wars, new bloodshed take
place. The prophecy thus clearly marks two divisions, the
events of which are separated from each other by a period of
many days, or years; for days in the prophetic language are
always understood to mean years. Thus the prediction itself
is plain. It foretells the so-called War of the Rebellion, its
subsequent result as well as its causes. It further intimates
that the question out of which it arose should be settled for
many years.but that again the flames of war should be kindled
and spread wider than before. The first part of this prediction
has been fulfilled. The second belongs to the future.

Having thus removed the objection made to the prediction,
it may not be out of place to show that this way of putting
close together, in prophetical sentences, events which are in
time far separated from each other, is common to prophetical
writers. In this respect the Prophet Joseph resembles the
ancient prophets, a fact which ought not to be the ground of
objection.

Isaiah, speaking of the mission of Christ (chapter lxi, 1-3),
says: "The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me * * to
proclaim the year of acceptance of Jehovah and the day of
vengeance of our God." Christ, in reading and expounding
this text in Nazareth, reads to the middle of the verse, closes
the book and exclaims: "To-day this scripture is fulfilled in
your ears." (Luke iv, 21.) Indeed, with the coming of Christ
the year of acceptance of Jehovah had come. The first part
of the verse was fulfilled, but the second portion — the day of
vengeance — was not yet. Thousands of years lie between
the first part of this verse and the second.

So the Prophet Joel, in his second chapter, verses 28-32,
foretells in one sentence the wonders of the day of Pentecost
(compare Acts ii, 16-21) and the great day of Jehovah, when
no one can escape the judgments to come except those who
take their refuge upon Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, events
which are separated from each other by thousands of years.

WAS HE A'PROPHET OF GOD ? 65

The objection to the prediction of Joseph Smith is there-
fore no objection at all, unless the ancient prophets must be
rejected on the same ground. On the contrary, an honest
investigation leads to the discovery that the very language
of prophecy as delivered by the Prophet of this dispensation
is in harmony with ancient prophecies, that they flow from
one and the same source — the Spirit of God.

DIRECT EVIDENCE.

With "direct evidence," theologians mean such evidence
as is supplied by the miracles of the Lord and his servants.

It is true that miracles are often appealed to as evidence
of the divine mission of Christ. Nicodemus says: "No man
can do these miracles that thou doest except God be with
him" (John iii, 2). Christ Himself supports this view. "I
have greater witness than that of John ; for the work which
the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do
bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me " ( John v,
36). "Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in
me, or else believe me for the very works' sake" (John xiv,
ir). Also: "But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath
power on earth to forgive sins (He says to the sick of palsy),
I say unto thee, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way
unto thine house ' " (Mark ii, 10, 11). Here, clearly, miracles
are furnished as evidence of Christ's divine mission.

But it must be remembered that the performance of
miracles is not always a proof of divine authority. The
Egyptian magicians worked several miracles, it seems, in the
sight of Pharoah, thereby turning his heart away from God.
The disciples of the Pharisees at the time of Christ also
performed miracles. They charged Christ with the crime of
being connected with the powers of darkness, and that He by
such aid cast out demons; to which charge Christ with holy
indignation, replies: "If I cast out demons with the aid of
Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast out demons?" So
that miracles were by no means something which Christ
claimed as his exclusive prerogative. It has also been clearly
foretold that anti-Christ should claim miraculous powers and
thereby deceive many. "His coming is after the workings of
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" ( II Thess.

66 joseph smith:

ii, 9). "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire
come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and
deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those
miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast"
(Rev. xiii, 13, 14). From these passages it is clear that caution
is needed in accepting this kind of evidence. Miracles may be
evidence of the presence of God or t he presence of anti-Christ*

Nor is the performance of miracles always necessary to
prove divine authority. \ man may be sent from God in
order to fulfil a very important mission without having to
prove this by miracles. Thus John the Baptist had a very im-
portant mission. He came to "prepare the way" for the ap-
pearance of Christ, yet it is not known that he proved his
mission by miracles.

It is true that Christ and His Apostles after Him worked
many striking miracles, even the raising of the dead,
but these miracles were, after all, not so frequent as has some-
times been imagined. Those men of God did not touch
everything with supernatural power, healing every sick person
they saw, raising every dead one, changing the common day
occurrences of life into scenes matching the stories of the
"Arabian Nights." Not at all. Their miracles were com-
paritavely scarce; they were exceptional occurrences. Thus
when Paul was incarcerated in Rome, the cold prison walls
forming but a poor shelter for his body during the winter, and
his resources probably being exhausted, he asks Timothy kindly
to bring with him the cloak which Paul had forgotten atTroas,
at the house of one of the brethren, called Carpus. (II Tim.,
iv, 13). The passage is as prosaic as it could possibly be,
and has nothing supernatural about it. Still more, in the same
chapter we hear Paul diligently plead with Timothy to come
to Rome to him, for he was now alone. All except Luke
had forsaken him, and among other misfortunes was this —
that he had had to leave Trophimus sick at Miletum. "Eras-
tus abode at Corinth, but Trophimus have I left at Miletum,
sick" (II Tim. iv, 20). Sick? Why did not the great
Apostle cure him instead of leaving him sick ? If the Apostles
had been such miracle-makers as modern fancy has represented
them to be, an occurrence of this nature would have been im-
possible. But this is not the only one recorded. Timothy

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD t 6j

one of Paul's converts and fellow laborers, is always spoken oj
in terms of high praise, and he is a noble instance of eminent
gifts and grace in one young in years. This favorite of the
apostle was sick, however, and in his letter Paul there-
for exhorts him to be careful about his health:" Drink
no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomach's
sake and thine often infirmities" (I Tim. v, 23). Let
those who have overestimated the frequency of miracles
at the time of the first Christian churches, consider this
passage well, and they will be likely to see their mis-
take. Here was a prominent man of the church, himself
possessing great spiritual gifts, constantly suffering from "in-
firmities." Here is the great "Apostle of the Gentiles," whose
power always was great, advising that prominent man to use a
little medicine. Why did he not promise him a miracle ?
Why ? That we do not know, but this we do know, that mira-
cles were never by God strewn round, "plenty as black berries.''
Anyone who will study the miracles of our Lord and his apos-
tles, will find that they were always performed for the glory of
God, and conveyed a lesson necessary and appropriate. Al-
though individuals were thereby benefited, yet this was not the
only or ultimate aim. Christ, for instance, heals with a touch
a man whom the law had pronounced unclean, and whom no
Jew would touch. He shows by His miracles that he is the
Lord over disease, over demons, ovtr physical nature, over
brute creatures, in order that we may have confidence in Him
in all things. We see him forgiving sins, answering prayers,
direct (Mat. ix, 20-22), intercessory (23-26), united (27-31J, and
even unuttered (32-33). The same characteristics may be ob-
served in the miracles of the apostles. They were never per-
formed for selfish purposes, nor for the gratification of curi-
osity, never for the sake of show. The epistles explain that
miraculous gifts, including prophecy, were given to confirm
the truth of the Gospel, promote its rapid dissemination, and
edify the churches.

Such miracles, then, are from God, and may be relied
upon as evidence of the truth of those revelations which
they are intended to prove.

Two questions now become appropriate in our investiga-
tion: Did miraculous manifestations follow the message of

68

JOSEPH smith:

Joseph the Prophet, and, if so, were these miraculous manifes-
tations of such a nature a$ to warrant the conclusion that he
had his power from God? Let us see.

In the year 1830 the Lord declared through His prophet:
"And it shall come to pass that there shall be a great work in
the land, even among the Gentiles * .* * for I am God
and mine arm is not shortened ; and I will show miracles,
signs and wonders, unto all those who believe on my name;
and who shall ask it in my name in faith they shall cast out
devils (demons); they shall heal the sick ; they shall cause the
blind to receive their sight, the deaf to hear, and the dumb to
speak, and the lame >to walk. The time speedily cometh
when great things are to be shown forth unto the children of
men." (Doctrine and Covenants., sec. xxxv 7-10.) Here we
have an unmistakably clear promise that miracles should
attend the message of our Prophet; and this promise is repeated
at other times. But was this promise also kept? Were
those "great things" shown unto the children of men? Or was
the promise a false one?

How could it be false? This was one of the very first
promises given. When we remember how rapidly the Church
spread in those early days, no other conclusion is possible
than this: that the promise given was also kept to the very
letter. Men are not so foolish as to follow a man who prem-
ises "great things" and never keeps his promises. This the
ministers of the world have learnt, wherefore they wisely
abstain from promising any "great things" before the millen-
nium, possibly. It is always convenient to have a future to
draw on during present poverty. But here is a man who, con-
trary to most ministers of the world, declares in the name of
the Lord that the time had now come for the manifestations
of "great things." Thousands heard this and believed, in
itself a sure proof that "great things" really were shown.
The sick were healed, the blind received their sight, the deaf
heard, the dumb spake and the lame walked.

At the time of Joseph it was generally accepted, even
among the enemies, as a fact that the Prophet performed
many great miracles. We remember a romance from that
time wherein Joseph is represented as raising a dead lady.
Of course, the author of this romance explains it as humbug,

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 69

the apparent death being caused by a dose of morphine or
something else. Other authors ascribe the works of the
Prophel to magnetism. Joseph Smith, they say, knew the
mysteries of magnetism and understood how to turn them to
good account. These efforts on the part of the enemies to ex-
plain or account for the miracles of the prophet are a proof
as sure as any one can desire that he showed those "great
things" which he promised to show in the name of the Lord.
Had there been nothing, the enemies would have nothing to
account for. "He did it through magnetism" is the modern
expression for: "He did it through Beelzebub." Had Joseph
been an impostor, how easily that could have been exposed.
Here he promises that the sick should be healed by faith.
Yet no attempt has been made to prove that the promise was
never kept, only that he kept it through magnetism ! The
enemies well knew that such works followed the testimony of
Joseph theProphet, works for which they could not account in
the usual way.

As an instance of how commonly the enemies beiieved in
Joseph's power, the following well-known incident may be
referred to. A man once came to the Prophet and asked him
to show a miracle. It was not the Prophet's way to make
"show" of such works; wherefore he positively refused. But
the man grew impertinent and abusive, and talked lightly of the
work of God. Finally the prophet said in a voice which pene-
trated the soul of the miracle-seeking visitor : "You want a
miracle. Tell me what you want. Do you want to be struck
blind, deaf or dumb? In the name of the Lord God I tell you,
you shall have it." Upon this the man left the presence of the
prophet in a hurry. Now, why did not this man stay and
have a fair trial? Joseph promised him a miracle. Why did he
not wait and get it ? Simply for the reason that he dared not.
In common with all who»knew- Joseph, he was too* well aware
of the power of God through the Prophet. The enemies
themselves are thus testifying to the fact that miracles at-
tended this Prophet.

Orson Pratt in his work has recorded a number of cases of
wonderful healing.

Nor are we referred exclusively to dead witnesses.
There are still living men and women in Utah and elsewhere

70 Joseph smith:

who were personally acquainted with the Prophet, and they
are willing to testify, to the last, of the great works they have
seen with their eyes and heard with their ears, performed by
the Prophet. Moreover, great works still continue. To
deny, therefore, that miraculous manifestations followed the
message of Joseph the Prophet is to deny facts.

These miracles, on the closest investigation, will all be
found to partake of the nature of genuine Scriptural miracles.
Their aim is the glory of God, as they are always ascribed to
Him alone, not to the power of man. Nor are they per-
formed in order to glorify any one man, or set of men.
They are performed as a confirmation of faith, not to produce
faith.

These points are important and instructive. While the
miracles of the Catholic Church appear to be either silly non-
sense or worked in support of some notoriously false doctrine,
in order to gain proselytes, or otherwise exhibit their spurious
■ origin, the miraculous manifestations following the Church oi
Christ exhibit no such marks. Their origin is divine, and
they bear the divine marks in themselves. Like God's works
in nature, these miracles must be closely studied in order to
be known in all their beauty. The indifferent pass them by
without notice. There is nothing of "show" in them. But
this is one proof of their divine origin. Man always works
in a "showy" way when left to himself; God's ways are "in
the deep."

I have pointed out that true miracles are referred to as
evidence of a divine mission. We have proof that such mira-
cles attended the message of Joseph the Prophet. The con-
clusion is therefore given. He was a man sent from God,
and his message was divine.

When applied to Christianity no one doubts the correct-
ness of the conclusion, if he believes in miracles at all ; but
if the premises are granted and the conclusion accepted in
the case of Christianity, what a fearful corruption of mind
there must be in a man who can deny both premises and con-
clusion when the rule is applied to test the claims of Joseph
the Prophet. Surely, in order to be consistent, we must
either accept or reject both. A third we do not see.

The evidence thus far considered is external and direct,

WAS HE A TROPHET OF GOD? 71

appealing to our senses. Another class of evidence remains
which has been called internal. Applied to Christianity this
kind of evidence is thus explained: If Christianity is not of
divine origin, it must be a cunningly devised fable. Which is
the most probable supposition ? Internal evidence trie- to
answer that question.

The same process of reasoning by which this question is
answered when applied to Christianity can also be applied to
the message brought by Joseph the Prophet. If this message
is not from God it must be from man; it must be forged in
order to deceive and must be termed the greatest fraud of the
century. It is either a divine truth or a diab lical lie. Tert-
ium non est. Which is the more likely supposition?

In order to decide this question we must consider the
moral precepts given y the messenger, his own character,
and the chara ter of those who receive it and profess to
follow its precepts. For it is very clear that any message
which in itself is "good" and which also produces good
results in the hearts and lives of men, is not likely to be from
the evil one. What is good is from God. Was Joseph the
Piophet a good man? Did he inculcate holy principles unto
his fellow-men? Does the gospel he preached tend to make
men holy? If so, his message must be from God.

MORAL EVIDENCE.

That the moral character of a man who professes to be a
divine mes senger is very important as an evidence of the truth
of his message is admitted on all hands. The following is th *
opinion of an eminent writer: "The character of Christ is a
wonderful proof of the divinity of the Bible. The Hindoo can-
not think of his Brahmin saint other than possessing the
abstemiousness and austerity which he admires in his living
models The Socra es of Plato is composed of tlements
practically Greek, being a compound of the virtues deemed
necessary to adorn the sage. A model of the Jewish teacher
might easily be drawn from the writings of the Rabbis, and he
would prove to be the very reflection of these Scribes and
Pharisees who \re reproved in the Gospel. But in the life of
our Redeemer a character is represented which departs in
every way from the national type of the writers, from the

72 JOSEPH smith:

character of all ancient nations, and is at variance with all
the features which custom, education, religion and patriotism
seem to have consecrated as most beautiful. Four different
authors have recorded different facts, but they exhibit the
same conception, a conception differing from all they had
ever witnessed or heard, and necessarily copied from the
same original. Moreover, this glorious character, while
borrowing nothing from the Greek, Indian or Jew, having
nothing in common with established laws of perfection, is yet
to every believer a type of excellence. He is followed by the
Greek, though a founder of none of his sects, revered by the
Brahmin, though preached by one of the fisherman caste, and
worshiped by the red man of Canada, though belonging to the
hated paleface."

This very striking picture of our Savior is true in all its
details. In the Gospels we see him described as holy (John
vii, xlvi.li, 8, 46, 10,32; Matt, xxvi, lix, 27, 23, 24: kuke xxiii,i3-
15); full of benevolence and compassion (John iv, Luke ix, 55-
x, 30-37); kindness and affection (Matt, xiv, 27-31; Luke xix,5;
xli, 22-61; John xi; xix, 25-27); having meekness and humility
(Matt, ix, 28, xviii,*22); moral courage, firmness an,d resigna
tion (Matt, xxvi, 39-46; Mark x, 32; Luke iv, 23; John xi, 7; xviii ,
4); abhoring hypocrisy and popularity (Matt, vi, 1-18; x, 16 39;
xxii, 18; Mark xii, 38 40; Luke xi, 44; John xvi, 1-16); being
moderate and free from enthusiastic austerity (Matt, viii, 19;
xxiii, 23; Luke v, 29 35; John ii, 1; Mark xii, 17.)

Looking at all these characteristics of our Savior, so emi-
nently "good," and hearing Him solemnly declare that He
has a message from God to man, we feel bound to admit that
He is no deceiver. His words are true. He is the Son of
God. Thus His character becomes an evidence.

Now, concerning the subject under consideration, must
we not also admit that Joseph the Prophet was a man sent
from God, when we find that his character is in perfect
harmony with those qualities that are peculiar to a servant of
God?

Those who want to investigate this are referred to works
extant, which treat on the "Life of Joseph Smith," and I think
any unprejudiced reader will feel impressed with the fact that
Joseph was a good man — a "man of God."

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 73

How he urges holiness as the condition of happiness! In
his benevolence he seemed boundless, embracing every race
of humanity, white, red and black! His kindness and affec-
tion are touching. Of meekness and humility he exhibits the
most striking examples which shall ever be worthy of imita-
tion. The moral courage and firmness which prompted him
to face a hostile world and to die "calm as a summer morning,"
must be admired. His straightforwardness, for which hypo-
crisy ever stood rebuked, is well-known to his friends and
aquaintances. His whole career and the doctrines he taught
are indisputable proofs that, although he was inspired by a
noble enthusiasm, yet he was far from being what is called an
enthusiast.

Here then, we find all the marks of a true disciple of
Christ, proving, if anything at all, that Joseph the Prophet,
was a man of God. His message must be therefore from God,
too. We know that his antagonists have done all in their
power to prove the bad character of the prophet. But we also
know what credit must be attached to slanderers inspired by
bigotry and hatred.

Were we to draw our information from such sources con-
cerning Christ himself, we woul ! have to reject even Him,
the spotless Lamb of God. For the enemies did not fail to
stain the character of Christ. "He casteth out devils through
Beelzebub, the chief of the devils" (Luke xi, 15.) "Say we
not well that thou art a Sama;itan(an infidel?) and hast a
devil?" (John viii, 48.) A special charge against Jesus was
that He was a drunkard (Matt, xi, 19), and generally he was
accuseo of being on intimate terms with "sinners" (Luke xv,
2), by which term the Jews understood outcasts, reprobates,
the company of which was contaminating in its influences.
Finally, as is well known, our Savior was tried and con-
demned to death by the ecclesiastical authorities for blasphemy
and by the civil court for treason. Must all this be believed?
Certainly not. We know that those charges were dictated by
hatred. Neither must we believe what hatred has dictated
against Joseph the Prophet.

After all, the most diligent slanderers have not been able
to bring anything against the Prophet worse than was brought
as a charge against the first Christians. When a great calam-

74 Joseph smith:

ity befel the Roman empire, or a part thereof, the Christians
were the originators. Pests and famines, it was thought, came
on account of the Christians, or even that the Christians made
them through secret exorcisms in their private meetings.
During the reign of Nero, Rome was consumed by a confla-
gration that lasted for seven days. Five-sevenths of the city
were laid in ashes, including temples, palaces and other mon-
umental buildings. Although the embittered people had
reason to believe that the emperor himself had caused the
fire, yet as soon as the report was started that the Christians
had done it, this was willingly believed and a persecution
broke out in which most of the apostles of our Lord were
cruelly put to death. That the Christians practiced bloody
sins in their meetings, that they killed and ate the children
and that they plotted against the state were common charges.
But we know that these and similar accusations had no foun-
dation in reality.

A very strong proof (as anyone acquainted with human
nature will admit) that Joseph the Prophet was a man whose
life corresponded with his teachings is the fact that those who
knew him best from private intercourse with him were his most
earnest admirers. His wi'e, his brothers, his parents, are all
found among the first who joined the Church. How could
this be if Joseph the Prophet had not in his daily life been a liv-
ing witness to the fact that he really communicated with God?
This is well worth consideration. A man who professes to
have a divine message must live accordingly or else stand re-
buked as a liar before those who know him.

Not less remaikable is the fact that even apostates testify
to the truth of the claims of Joseph. Thus David Whitmer,
although his position towards the Church in later years was
not exactly a friendly one, yet on being asked if he believed
that Joseph was a true prophet, he invariably answered: "Do
I still believe that Joseph Smith was a divinely inspired
prophet? I know he was; it is not a matter of belief," and
this testimony the old man has given to the world on his very
death bed.

Considering all this, we must conclude that the life of the
prophet and the doctrines which he taught were in such har-
mony with each other as to impress his surroundings and

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 75

friends with the fact that he was a man of God. If so, his
message must be divine, for no evil power could operate
through a righteous person.

This kind of evidence, however, is more to be felt, as it
were, than described. Its force on the mind will depend on
the moral character of the investigator. Pure minds, practi-
cal in holiness, will feel its force stronger than ether less pure
minds. All will depend on those "relationships of spirits" of
which even poets have dreamed. The Nathanael, the "Israel-
ite, indeed, in whom is no guile," could feel in the mere
presence of Christ, through the Spirit, that emanated from
Him, that here was more than man, and he had to exclaim,
"Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of
Israel." So will men whose hearts are pure, in following
Joseph the Prophet through his short but exceedingly event-
ful career, certainly feel in their hearts that here is a messen-
ger of God and perhaps sing with the poet:

"We thank thee, O God, for a Prophet,
To guide us in these latter days."

PECULIARITIES OF THE MESSAGE.

When Christianity was introduced into the world it was
brought in contact with many different religious and philo-
sophical systems. The Romans were proud of their military
glory, the Greeks of their superior wisdom. Among the Jews
a pharisaic spirit prevailed, and the whole nation was divided
in factions. They mutually hated each other and all agreed
in hating their Roman oppressors and the gentile world at
large. A mere human teacher, it has been justly said, would
under such circumstances have become either a partisan or
have flattered each sect by exposing the faults of the rest, or
he would have endeavored to gain the favor of the nation by
condemning their conquerors. Instances of this kind of
Bessermachen are not unheard of in our time among the
"Christian" world, when all stress is often laid on one prin-
ciple at the sacrifice of^ie rest. But Christ did not follow this
course. He stood up as an independent Teacher, rebuking
all error, condemning all the sects, and yet taught principles
contrary to the inclinations of the human heart. Hence,
Christianity has several peculiarities of its own. In opposi-

76 JOSEPH SMITH.

tion to an empty ritualism it teaches personal holiness as the
condition of eternal happiness. All men are alike brought
before the bar of God. Even those who have been apostles
and worked miracles will fall condemned if they be workers of
iniquity. Tt bids men return good for evil, not to "get even"
with everybody; it instructs men to love their enemies, to be
humble and forgiving, qualities which philosophers consid-
ered weaknesses instead of virtues; it places every race and
every station as on a level before God, except for
the free mercy of God, whose choice has fallen
upon one individual or one section in preference to another.
Such doctrines were acceptible to none, and yet they are
again and again repeated and enforced.

In the teachings of Christianity, morever, sin is always
spoken of as transgression against God, a contrast to the
idea prevalent among the Greek philosophers, who taught,
according to Cicero, that "the Deity is never displeased, nor
does He inflict injury on man" (De Off. lii, 28). God is traced
everywhere — in nature, in history, in revelation; and as for
men's acts, they are traced to their very source in the human
heart, and there, if evil, condemned. Christianity does not
content itself with condemning sin, when already committed,
like every human law; but it condemns the thought, the feel-
ing, if not pure, thus striking at the very root of sin.

Well may we, when we rightly understand these facts,
with the theologians exclaim: "It must be felt that the mor-
ality of the Gospel is not of man. Bad men could not have
taught such truths, and good men would not have deceived
the people."

But when we apply this great truth to the subject under
consideration we reach the same conclusion. The message
delivered by Joseph the Prophet, like Christianity in its
primitive purity, has peculiarities of its own, all of which
prove it to be from God.

First of all, let us consider the importance which this mes-
sage attaches to faith. While theologians of the world either
give the pre-eminence to works, like the Catholics, or like
Protestants, give to faith a secondary place in their system,
here comes a young man and declares, "Faith is the first
principle of revealed religion, and the foundation of all

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? 77

righteousness." He gives to faith its right place as the very
beginning of the new life, the foundation of the structure.
Where had he learnt this ? There is not a theological school
within the sphere of our knowledge wich has discovered this
great truth. Men had for centuries been exhorted to repent
first and then try to believe, as if it were possible to produce
repentance without faith. Or, men were instructed to do
good, as if works could be meritorious without faith. Not
only is faith placed in its right place, but the definition of it is
given strictly in harmony with ancient revelations. Faith is
declared to be the only principle from which obedience and
success can flow. In relation to God faith is, indeed, a con-
fession of our weakness and utter inability for everything that
is good; and yet, as to success in all things pertaining to our
exaltation and glorification, it is omnipotent. (See Doc. and
Cov. Lectures on Faith). Now, from where had the youthful
Prophet this discovery taught in the Bible, but not under-
stood by the world? Who had pointed out this great philo-
sophical truth to him? Who but God.

Nor is this all. In the message delivered through Joseph
the Prophet, faith has been established on the only sure
foundation even given: The Word of God — revelation.
This was done at a time when almost everybody thought
revelation a thing of the past. No theologian in the whole
wide world had discovered the great secret that faith must be
based on a communication from God, given not only to people
who belong to antiquity, but to the individual who is re-
quired to believe. Let everybody honestly investigate the
real cause of the weakness of faith as it exists among men-
How is it that, notwithstanding all preaching, faith is
almost extinct on earth? It is this, that people are required
to believe only that which God said anciently. This is the
real cause. We are so constructed that we cannot by any force
of will take the same lively interest in what happened thou-
sands of years ago as what happened to-day; nor can we
realize in the same way what happens to others as that which
immediately concerns ourselves. Hence, naturally, all the
preaching about what God revealed formerly has only a weak
impression comparatively, and it does not take the effect that
it should. The faith it produces is something as powerless as

78 josepji smith:

faith possibly can be. In order to produce this, preachers are
under the necessity of resorting to all sorts of sentimental
anecdotes, death scenes, war scenes, dreams, etc., or even
to drums and tambourines. Revivalists know the effects of
these artificial methods and prefer them to the simple tale ot
Him who died on Golgotha — a proof of the poverty, spirit-
ually, of the prevalent systems. Now, how is this changed
by the simple announcement: "God has spoken!" This at
once stirs the whole world and the whole hell and something
definitive comes out of that. It produces either faith or con-
demnation Where faith is the result it is a strong faith-
What gave the former-day Saints the power to endure all for
their religion? What gave the Prophet and his fellow mar-
tyrs power to endure all hardship and death at the hands of
enemies? This assurance: God has spoken. God has re-
vealed His will. Such faith this assurance will always pro-
duce. How had Joseph the Prophet come to discover this
fundamental truth ? No Catholic, no Lutheran, no Episco-
palian, no Presbyterian, no Methodist, no Baptist was in the
position of teaching Joseph this truth; none but God.

Let us further consider the great truth revealed in these

last days concerning God. While all the world, as far as the

influence of Christianity is felt, knows how to repeat the words

of the prayer which our Lord taught His disciples: "Our

Father, which art in heaven," yet who has understood this

one word "Father" in its full meaning? We call upon every

honest, believing soul in the whole world to inquire into his

own mind and see whether this beautiful prayer before the

days of Joseph the Prophet had any more significance than

being a beautiful figure of speech ? Or was there one single

theologian who had understood that God really is what He

teaches us to call Him, Father? If there be, we are not

aware of it. But here comes a young man, educated in no

school, formed according to no existant religious system,

and opens up to us an infinite view of eternities past and

eternities to come by declaring that God is in reality our

Father, that we are His children, and that we are here for

certain purposes, which accomplished will bring us back to an

eternal home, in a circle of real brothers and sisters. Say,

WAS HE A PROPHET OF COD ? 79

O ye inhabitants of the world, can this glorious truth emanate
from anybody but God ?

Another peculiarity which marks this message is the impor-
tance it attaches to obedience to God. ''By the prayer of your
faith ye shall receive My law," (Doc. and Cov., sec xli, 3);
"None shall be exempt from the justice and the laws of God"
(Ibid, cvii, 84); "Verily, I say unto you, that in time
ye shall have no king or ruler, for I will be your King and
watch over you; wherefore hear My voice and follow Me,
and ye shall be a free people, and ye shall have no laws but
My laws when I come, for I am your law giver." (Ibid,xxxviii
21 22). Had Joseph the Prophet received his instructions
from men he would have appointed a pope, a bishop, a pres-
bytery, a synod, or something similar as the highest author-
ity of the Church, but he did not. For God alone obedience
is demanded; a proof that he was a messenger cf God

This wi'lbe better appreciated when it is considered that,
although obedience is required, yet the liberty of man is fully
preserved. Obedience is required, but not from fear, not
from servitude, but from free choice. In looking over the
history of the world we find that it has always been the great
trouble of mankind to find the proper middle way in this res-
pect. Nations have had their liberty, but it has not been
possible to regulate this so as to give no room for abuses.
Liberty has been perverted into lawlessness; the people have
been the victims of unprincipled agitators who, under the
cover of patriotism, seduced and robbed the masses, until the
people, tired of this "liberty," after many sufferings, rose and
laid the power down into the hands of a few, or even of one,
preferring the chance of having one or a few public robbers
to many thousands. But as anciently Scylla avoided, Charyb-
dis was near, so here. What was once done as a safeguard
against spoliation and lawlessness became in course of time
a curse. It developed into despotism. The people suffered
for centuries perhaps, but finally the oppression becoming too
great, the bu jjlens too heavy, the people rose and crushed the
tyrants under its weight. Freedom was again established,
and the progress in the circle again commenced. For these
two extremes, equally dangerous, despotism and licentious-
ness, have always been the trouble with mankind. Now, here

So JOSEPH smith:

comes a young man, Joseph the Prophet, who had studied no
politics, no history, and teaches us a system by which both
these extremes, both these dangers are to be avoided, how to
obey without becoming serfs, and at the same time to enjoy
personal liberty, without placing us in danger of licentious-
ness. If God had not taught the prophet this "Doctrine of
common consent," who had? Who was his teacher?

Another peculiarity, not less marked, is found in what
might be called the rites observed in this last dispensation.
Almost the entire world had lost the right form of baptism,
for instance, and all had forgotten the true signification and
use of that rite. A man who had only human wisdom for
guidance would under such circumstances probably have
either disregarded the act altogether as a mere outward form
or would have attached very little importance to it. Both
these tendencies are found abundantly among Christian pro-
fessors. But here comes a young man and teaches us not
only the right form of baptism (although this was the most un-
popular one), but also its true signification and its use both for
living and dead.

Looking at baptism, the doctrine of gathering, the temple
services, all the rites revealed through Joseph the Prophet, as
an acceptable worship, we must ask: "Is it possible that
all this is from men? Is it likely that a deceiver would have
taught doctrines so unpopular, so little calculated to gain
public favor?" We think not. When a man wants to deceive
he must follow popular roads, flatter the vanity of the masses,
yield to their prejudices and establish himself on the very
ground of their ignorance. Advanced truth, truth trampled
under the feet of men, always comes from God.

People who know the religious observances here spoken
of only from representations given by a hostile press, where
everything is ridiculed, cannot, of course, appreciate the force
of the proof they convey. But every one who is familiar with
these to the Latter-day Saint's peculiar rites, and who under-
stands that their sole object is to teach the people "Holiness
to the Lord" — any one who shall consider thatffimilar means
were adopted under the grand Mosaic dispensation in order
to impress the people then living with this same lesson, "Hol-
iness to the Lord, "and any one who perceives how wonderfully

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD Si

well these rites, in every detail, are calculated to impress this
very idea, that without holiness no one can see the Lord, he
will feel in the contemplation of all this that here surely is
the wisdom of God revealed to man. No analysis, however,
cairdo full justice to this subject. It must be felt and realized
in the experience of man in order to be appreciated.

In conclusion, like Scripture itself the message of Joseph
the Prophet begins its work with a iecognition of our fall, our
total ruin; it then brings the soul into harmony with God and
with itself; it enlightens and educates the conscience, quickens
and purifies the feeling, subjects instinct to reason, reason to
love, and all to God. It provides us with ample means for
reaching happiness never dreamt of, worlds without end.
Hence, the conclusion necessarily follows that the man who
taught us this must himself have been a scholar of God.

EFFECTS OF THE DOCTRINES.

When investigating the claims of a religious system it be-
comes necessary also to consider the effects which such a
system produces in the lives and characters of those who
embrace it, as well as its general influence. If a tree is known
by its fruits, so are also doctrines. Those that produce good
fruits cannot be evil.

It is, therefore, customary to refer to the effect of the gos-
pel in the first part of our era as an evidence of the truth of its
claims. These effects are well-known and worthy of consid-
eration. Paul points out that some of the Corinthians had
been "fornicators, adulterers, thieves, drunkards," previous
to their embracing the gospel; but now they were "washed,
sanctified, and justified" (I Cor. vi, n). Peter speaks of
some of the converts as having once been "walking in lasciv-
iousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and
abominable idolatries" (I Peter iv, 3). But these sinners
who lived in a dissolute age and under the worst of govern-
ments, became converted, became eminent in virtue above
their fellowmen.

This eminence is acknowledged by all unprejudiced

writers of the age. Clement of Rome (A. D. 100) says: "Who

did ever live among you that did not admire your sober and

moderate piety and declare the greatness of vour hospitaliU •?
6

82 JOSEPH smith:

You are humble and not proud, content wilh the daily bread
which God supplies, hearing diligently His word, and are
enlarged in charity." Justin Martyr (A. D. 165), formerly a
Platonic philosopher, says: "We who formerly delighted in
adultery, now observe the strictest chastity; we who used the
charms of magic have devoted ourselves to the true God, and
we who valued money and gain above all things now cast
what we have in common, and distribute to every man accord-
ing to his necessities." It has been supposed that the United
Order of which we read, and which was founded in Jerusalem
at the commencement of the Church, very soon collapsed.
But, judging from this expression of Justin, it appears that
that order still existed more than one hundred years after
Christ. Minucius Felix, to a heathen opponent, says: "You
punish wickedness when it is committed. We think it sinful
to indulge in a sinful thought. It is with your party that the
prisons are crowded, but not a single Christian is there,
except it be as a confessor or apostate."

The influence of the gospel was gradually felt among the
heathen nations who heard it. In Greece, men like Lycurgus
and Solon had encouraged impurities. At Rome they were
openly practiced and approved; and nearly all ancient nations
are said to have commended self-murder. Human sacrifices
and the exposure of children were allowed. But wherever
the gospel was preached and believed all such practices were
condemned and finally destroyed. That this was not the
work of civilization, but of the gospel, may be gathered from
the fact that it was nations far above the humble Christians in
refinement and education, who committed the greatest out-
rages. Suppression of sin never keeps pace with the progress
of civilization, but with the triumph of the gospel.

Another effect of the gospel was the many charitable in
stitutions that always followed in its track. The relief of
distress and the care of the poor are peculiar to Christianity.
The gospel, if rightly understood, would have already abol-
ished the horrors of war, prevented slavery, put down feudal
oppression, made all men brethren. For such are its doc-
trines, that when once understood and practiced, they wi.V
naturally exterminate all miseries of the human family.

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 83

These effects are truly wonderful, and may justly be
appealed to as evidences of the truth of the gospel.

But are such effects less strong evidence of the divine
origin of the message of Joseph the Prophet, when it can be
proved that they invariably follow the acceptance of this mes-
sage? We think not. Here are facts open to the inspection
of everybody. We need not refer to a bygone antiquity to
ascertain the effects of this message upon the people who
have accepted it. The Latter-day Saints live to-day and their
works may be scanned by all. Every honest investigator will
find that the fruits produced to-day, as seen among the
Latter-day Saints, are precisely the same as those which
were seen among the early Christians, and to which we have
above briefly referred.

We do not say that everyone who professes to be a Latter-
day Saint is an evidence of the divinity of the gospel. Nor
was every individual who professed Christianity an evidence
of its truth. On the contrary, many, even in the apostolic
age, showed by their deeds that they were nothing but pro-
fessors; and it is clearly not the profession that is the main
feature. A man may profess to be what he is not.

Nor do we contend that the Latter-day Saints, considered
as a religious community, are the best people on the earth.
This is not for us to decide; nor is that our present question.
The Saints may be the best people, taken as a whole, or they
may not; yet in their present stage of development they have
reached a high standard of excellence that is most desirable.
This, however, does not affect our present argument.

What we do contend, and what we urgently invite every-
body to ascertain for themselves, is this: that the message
delivered through Joseph the Prophet, when accepted and
honestly carried out in practice, has a tendency to change
men for the better and produce fruits of faith, hope and
charity, thus proving its divine origin by its fruits; for no
deceptive fraud could produce these fruits. This is what we
contend. Facts speak for themselves.

We live in an age when social questions threaten to blast
society to its very foundations. Where in the whole world
have these questions found their only possible solution to the
satisfaction of all parties concerned ? Not among the various

84 Joseph smith:

religious bodies of the world; not among the capitalists, nor
among the anarchists, communists, socialists, or nihilists, but
among the Saints. Over the thresholds of their peaceful
homes these troublesome questions — ghosts at the appear-
ance of which the world trembles — cannot enter. In the val-
leys of the mountains they are unknown, and mu"t remain so
as long as the Gospel is being carried out in practice.

Again, who has solved the question of the true relation be-
tween the sexes, at once assigning to marriage its divinity of
origin and eternal importance, thereby checking the waves of
sin which inundate the world, and securing happiness to all?
We answer: The Latter-day Saints. One of the first fruits
seen as the result of their do; trines is absolute purity.

Further, who fills the prisons as criminals? Not the Lat-
ter day Saints, but outsiders, those who habitually speak of
the degradation of the "Mormons;" those Christian associ-
ates give the stuff that contributes to the filling up of the
prisons — a fact which of itself ought to be enough to con-
vince the whole world of the divine origin of the message
delivered through Joseph the Prophet. It is clear that doctrines
which are strong enough to keep humanity from committing
crimes — to which every human heart is more or less inclined
— must be from God.

It may be asked, who fills the saloons and gambling hells ?
Who swears and lies and slanders ? Who is proud and vain,
lazy and filthy? No one who has accepted the Gospel in
reality — no Latter-day Saint. The Saints are, as such, tem-
perate, industrious, humble, clean, loving, forbearing, long
suffering, rejoicing, fearing God; in short, bearing the fruits of
righteousness. S ch virtues the Gospel enjoins and such
fruits always accompany its real acceptance.

Could we speak of all the cases where men who were in
every respect worldly, walking in sin, accepted the Gospel
and became changed in every respect, this evidence would,
indeed, amount to demonstration. Thousands are our wit-
nesses to these facts— men who were fallen, on their way
down to ruin and hell — families who have been happy by the
the restoration of their fallen ones to virtue, to society and to

God.

Finally, has the world exhibited any nobler examples of

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? 85

self-sacrificing faith, of firmness and endurance under suffer-
ing and persecution than have many of those despised fol-
lowers of the martyred Prophet?

True, persecution has been raging against the Saints; but,
like the palm tree, which is said to grow all the higher the
more weight there is placed thereon, they have stood firm;
in persecution they have been patiently enduring, knowing
that, after all, God is the Supreme Ruler, and with this
knowledge they have faced all adversity calmly and risen
through their faith and hope far above the plots of those who
know not God.

Such, then, are the effects of the message under considera-
tion. Well may we ask: Is it possible that such noble fruits
of faith, hope and charity could be produced from anything
that men could invent? An honest inquirer must answer in
the negative, kThe fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance"
(Gal. v, 22, 23), and it is evident, therefore, that where these
are found the Spirit of God is manifested.

Here, then, we again arrive at the same conclusion:
Joseph the Prophet was sent from God. If he was not, his
whole career would be an enigma, and his work the most pro-
found of mysteries. Then we would have the problem of a
man working a system of peculiar doctrines for the salvation
of mankind, a religion producing the fruits of the Spirit in ac-
cordance with the Gospel of Christ; and all this through
whom? Through mere human wisdom? Or, shall we say
through the devil? Can any rational man for a moment think
that the devil, even if he felt so inclined, could frame a moral
system the effects of which upon men would be purity and
holiness? The idea is so absurd that it is hardly worthy even
of suggestion, and yet the Rev. Mr. LambHias suggested that
the faith of the "Mormons" is possibly due to "demoniacal"
influence — a theological possibility which the reverend gentle-
man may have from studying the theology of the Pharisees,
who were perplexed at the manifestations of the power of
God in Christ.

No honest man, however good an opinion he may have of
the devil, can honestly believe the adversary of God capable of
making men holy and virtuous. Nor is it possible for mere

86 Joseph smith:

human wisdom to do it without the aid of God. Our only
alternative is to acknowlege the hand of God, and humbly
bow in obedience to the message delivered through Joseph
the Prophet.

SPIRITUAL EVIDENCE.

Stronger than any of the evidences thus far considered is
another kind of evidence which may be called spiritual, being
the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the soul. This testimony
has been promised to every one who is willing to "do the will
of God."

When the Holy Spirit enlightens and operates upon the
heart and mind of man, he is made to perceive intuitively, as
it were, the perfect truth of the message of which we speak.
Having received this testimony, a man is no longer dependent
upon demonstrations for his belief. His eyes are opened; he
can see for himself.

What a miserable existence we should have on this earth
if everything had first to be "proved" to us before we would
accept it as truth. We see that the sun shines; we hear the
harmony of music; we feel or we are conscious of our exist-
ence. Such facts we do not require anybody to prove to us.
So is it when our spiritual nature has been quickened and
called into activity by the operations of the Holy Spirit. We
"see the kingdom of heaven;" we feel and are conscious of its
blessings through our spiritual senses. This is the testimony
of the Spirit in our soul, and the strongest evidence that can
be produced.

When we are told through the Gospel that "Ye have
strayed from Mine (God's) ordinances," and "broken His
everlasting covenant," and that "every man walketh in his
own way," we feel this to be true. When the word of revela-
tion declares that men stand incriminated before the bar of
God, not only for the acts of transgression, but also for a deep
and inveterate habit of ungodliness in the innermost recesses
of the soul, we feel this to be so. If man, when honestly
searching himself, found that, after all, he is good enough,
and his desire is to serve God, to keep His commandments;
that his highest anxiety is to promote not his own interests
but the kingdom of God, then he might feel that the message
which depicts man as a sinner, outwardly and inwardly, is

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD? S7

not from God. But through the aid of the Spirit he feels the
truth of the Gospel when it condemns sin, and is (with the
Prophet) led to acknowledge the ''corruption of human
nature," as such. (Pearl of Great Price, p. 92.)

This is not all. Through the same Spirit he is led to feel
that the provisions made through the Gospel are more than
sufficient to restore himself and the human family at large,
and even inanimate creation, to all its original beauty and
glory. Is man guilty? Here is the pardon provided Is he
corrupt? Here is provision made for his edification. Is he
surrounded by temptation? Here is divine strength imparted
unto him. Is he surrounded by problems, many of which he
cannot solve? Is he dying and fears a coming eternity? Has
he lost his dearest upon earth, and feels as if life itself were
lost? Oh, here are remedies for allvvants. Here is a Gospel
that opens the eternities to the eye once dim by tears, per-
haps, and for the views the soul here perceives, all earthly
troubles vanish like a light cloud, and the following words of
Paul become clear: ''For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared to the glor^
which shall be revealed to us." (Rom. viii, 18). Thus it is
observed that the message given is precisely what we in our
fallen condition wanted, and, let us say, what we might
expect from a merciful Father,

To this comes also that the experience of the believer in
the message harmonizes exactly with the promises or threat-
enings accompanying it. Joseph the Prophet frequently told
what would be the experience of those who would be faith-
ful and of those who would not be faithful to their covenants
made with God. Each promise of blessing to the faithful,
each warning to the unfaithful, is a prediction, the fulfilment
of which adds to the strength of the testimony. This experi-
ence grows with our growth, and multiplies with every step
of our progress in the knowledge and love of truth.

It must be added, however, that this spiritual and experi-
mental evidence is of value only to the believer, who already
enjoys the testimony. But to him it is sufficient were it even
alone. He cannot sometimes understand that it is possible
for anyone to doubt what he himself already "feels," "sees,"
and '*Derceives" to be true. He has the witness within him-

88 joskph smith:

self and needs no other; for he knows that Joseph the Prophet
was a man sent from God, just with the same degree of cer-
tainty and in the same way that he knows Jesus is the Christ.

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

The several evidences now considered are indeed impor-
tant enough to establish the claims of Joseph Smith, and all
taken together are overwhelming. We have seen the Prophet
stand forth, a man whose desire was to be just, true, and
righteous, and we have heard him proclaim his message:
"Thus saith the Lord." We have seen that the ancient
prophecies predict that such a messenger should come just
about the time of Joseph; we have proved that Joseph showed
his authority from God by miracles and prophecies; that his
message bears peculiar internal marks of divine origin, pro-
duces fruits of righteousness in the believers, and is accom-
panied by that testimony of the Spirit which God alone can
give. To deny the divinity of the message, or the divine
authority of the messenger, in view of this overwhelming
evidence, seems to be nothing short of total blindness, or
something much worse.

We do not claim that by each one of these evidences, nor
by all together, all objections are answered, all difficulties are
removed. To prove religious truth above a possibility of ob-
jection is beyond the possibilities of this earth. In religious
matters, as in others, our views must necessarily be limited
and dimmed by mists.

Nor is it necessary, or even desirable, that all difficulties
should be removed. Were there no difficulties any longer,
were everything clear even to a mere worldly mind, religion
would no longer be religion, for there could be no room for
the exercise of faith. Faith is, indeed, after all the very mov-
ing power of practical religion. It is therefore clear that diffi-
culties must exist so that faith may be exercised.

It is so with Christianity at large and the Bible itself.
Difficulties exist great enough to strengthen, by exercise, the
faith of the believer, and to become stumbling blooks to those
who do not want to believe. We are finite. Could we expect
that God, when talking abo--t matters of infinite interest,
should always have that to say which we can understand in

WAS HE A PROPHET OF GOD ? S9

every particular, thus leaving no difficulties? Certainly not.
Concerning the Bible, an eminent theologian of our own time
has said: "We can dispense with nothing, not even the difficul-
ties. Every element (the apparent discrepancies among the
rest) is essential to the force of the whole.

But this important truth applies just as much to the mes-
sage delivered through Joseph the Prophet. We can dis-
pense with nothing in it, not even the apparent difficulties
which follow it. Suppose that Joseph had given a code of
laws or system of theology in which everything was plainly
demonstated like a handbook in geometry, having every idea
defined, every step proved. Who would have believed
such a work to have emanated from the Spirit of God?
Would it not have carried with it a suspicion on its very sur-
face? For God never before worked in that way. In nature
everything is apparently huddled together without system. To
man it has been given to arrange God's works in nature into
classes, genera, and species, thereby encountering many
difficulties but also learning what otherwise could not be
learned. The same arrangement we find in the Bible. Prin-
ciples, maxims, doctrines are given without regard to system,
sometimes in plain words, sometimes in narrative or parables.
To man it has been given to search diligently and arrange
the facts presented into a system. Now, when we find that the
message of Joseph the Prophet partakes of the same character-
istics as God's works in nature and in revelations recor-
ded in the Bible, this fact is certainly more in favor of the mes-
sage than otherwise. The very difficulties are evidence of
its divine origin.

There is also this peculiarity: that the more we learn of the
ways of God, the wider our horizen becomes. That is, we
see and understand more; at the same time, we perceive that
there is more to comprehend beyond. Ever more ; or as
Pascal puts it: "The last step of reason is to know that there
is an infinitude of things which surpasses it." When a man
has learned to acknowledge this, there are no longer anv
real difficulties to him in connection with the message sent
from God. They are all more or less solved. Some are
cleared by diligent research and study; others are perceived
by faith to melt into unity and harmony when they can be

90 JOSEPH smith: was hk a prophet OF GO!)?

traced back to their first source and studied in the light which
flows from the throne of God.

Our investigation is finished. We have seen that the same
evidences which are thought sufficient to establish the truth of
the claims of the Gospel as preached in early ages, apply with
equal force to the message delivered through Joseph the
Prophet. Thousands upon thousands are willing to bear their
testimony that they know this to be so. What can we do better
than accept it? If true — and how can it be otherwise — what
an awful thing to reject it! No less interests than life and sal-
vation are at stake. When God speaks, our greatest wisdom
is clearly to hear ani obey.

"Let the mountains shout for joy and all ye valleys cry
aloud, and all seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your
eternal king. And ye rivers and brooks and rills flow down
with gladness. Let the woods, and all the trees of the field
praise the Lord, and ve solid rocks weep for joy. And let
the sun, moon and morning stars sing together, and let all
the sons of God shout for joy. And let the eternal creation
declare his names for ever and ever." (Doc. and Cov., Sec.
cxxviii, 23).

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

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